The Worlds first daily e-newspaper devoted to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
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Vol. III,No.VIXII OFFSEASON EDITION
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The Worlds first daily e-newspaper devoted to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Welcome to the Cup Scene Daily for Vol. III,No.VIXII OFFSEASON EDITION |
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TODAYS FRONT PAGE<
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
Remembering Reggie White's drive for diversity in the NASCAR community
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Quote Of The Day: "We don't just need to open doors, we need to kick 'em down." -Reggie White on opening NASCAR to miniorites Happy Birthday: Angie Wilson, Waddell Wilson 7 DAY ARCHIVE SundayMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday INSIDE TODAY'S ISSUE: Jessica Lynch donates to Victory Junction Chili Bowl entry list hits 255 Jayski.com impacting NASCAR LeAnn Rimes contributes new song to upcoming NASCAR CD Safe driving public service announcements to feature Kahne Developer submits new plans for racetrack one month after rejection Speedweeks '05: Craftsman Trucks just right at night Sabate's son loses custody case Edwards, Gunselman dissolve partnership Labbe-Mayfield ready to strike with right opportunity A NASCAR dream come true The agony and the ecstasy of 2004
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By Jerry Bonkowski,December 29
Reggie White was one of those rare individuals who could scare the hell out of you with a cold, mean stare one minute, then melt your heart with a warm, radiant smile the next. He may have been one of the most feared players ever in the National Football League, but the ordained minister also had a gentle side.
You could say it was part of his calling, to be the ultimate teammate and ultimate friend all rolled into one. Charity wasn't just another word to him, or something you wrote an occasional check out to. It was a way of life – his way of life. White believed in doing the right thing, even if it was not the most popular or expedient and politically correct thing to do. He believed what was right was right and what was wrong was wrong – and even if he was the lone wolf bellowing in an empty forest, he still would find a way to make his trademark gravel sounding voice heard. Even when he drew heat for taking unpopular stands on social issues, White stood up and stood tall for what he believed in. Of course, being an imposing 6-5 and 300 pounds helped get his message across a bit more effectively. After retiring from professional football for a third and final time in early 2001, it wasn't long before the friendly bear of a man they called "The Rev" was itching for something meaningful to do, something that would help his fellow man. It was at that time that White began a journey that not only allowed him to religiously minister but also to take on what would be one of the biggest challenges of his life: trying to change racial attitudes, increase opportunities for minorities and achieve diversity in the NASCAR community. Rather than work directly with the sanctioning body, whom he had at times expressed disdain for as being all talk and little action when it came to diversity, White reached back to his pro football roots and aligned himself with former Washington Redskins coach and Nextel Cup team owner Joe Gibbs (who has since returned to the Redskins as coach). Together, White and JGR would try and change the NASCAR world, slowly but surely, to make it more accessible to minorities. In my previous incarnation as a pro football writer, I had interviewed White numerous times during his NFL and USFL days, the last time being in 1996. I had not seen him since until we met again this past January in suburban Charlotte at a NASCAR preseason media tour function.
"We have a big job ahead of us, but we're going to make some inroads," White said. "We know we have to take small baby steps, but soon those baby steps will turn into big steps that will show the minority community that it truly is accepted in the NASCAR community." Reggie meant business and his words illustrated that fact. He even quipped – some might go so far as saying threatened – about potentially forming his own Nextel Cup team with a minority driver and a team made up of minority crew members if NASCAR didn't start, as he put it, "fixing their own house." Reggie and I spoke for about 15 minutes or so that chilly night. He told me he considered NASCAR one of the last bastions – he called it "one of the last frontiers" – with an almost all-white makeup that needed to be opened to minorities. "We don't just need to open doors, we need to kick em down," White emphatically said. I came away from that evening feeling good, knowing that NASCAR would be a better place in the future now that Sheriff Reggie – yet another nickname he picked up in his playing days – was overseeing things, even if it was just within one organization. But given his knack for being a leader and for getting ample oil applied to squeaky wheels, it was only a matter of time before other teams and yes, even the sanctioning body itself, would learn from and follow Reggie's example of achieving greater diversity. But that dream tragically ended on the day after Christmas, when White died far too young, his mission far too short of completion. "There's so much to do and so much to change, but we're going to do our very best to bring about that change," White had said back in suburban Charlotte. Fortunately, White picked the right organization within NASCAR to begin that long walk toward full diversity. While he may not be around to lead the quest, his legacy will long remain and continue to be the guiding light of JGR's diversity program. When asked why a vocal and passionate black man such as himself chose to get involved in a sport where black skin is a rarity in the stands and nearly invisible in the garage area, White looked me straight in the eye and cracked a broad smile. "I'm just trying to lay the foundation, man," he said. Even in the short time he was involved with JGR, White indeed did just that. Now it's time for us to pick up the fallen hammer from him and finish building the rest of Reggie's house.
Rules aside, Naset set for '05
Scott Naset has learned a lot about big-time auto racing since he ventured south into the heart of the NASCAR world in 1996. One of the most important was how to impress a prospective employer: Just say, "no." Richard Childress, then team owner for legendary seven-time NASCAR champion driver Dale Earnhardt, Sr., approached Naset during the 1997 season and asked him to join his Busch Series team. Naset, employed with another Busch team at the time, overcame a severe case of nerves with a polite response.
"I told him, 'I gave my word that I would work the entire year for my team and I want to stick to that. If you are still interested when the season is over, we can talk about it then,' " the Bloomer native recalled Monday night after performing a slideshow presentation for nearly 200 family, friends and race fans at Bloomer High School. Naset eventually joined Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in 1998 and ever since has continued to work hard toward personal and team goals. He's been the car chief for Nextel Cup driver Kevin Harvick (GM Goodwrench No. 29) since 2000. "I'm real comfortable where I'm at," said Naset, whose roots in this community seem stronger than ever despite the southern twang that has crept into his speech in recent years. "It's a great organization, and they treat everybody well. I could probably go somewhere else for a few more bucks, but I think loyalty should mean something to everybody, because that's the way I was brought up." It's that loyalty to the owner and the team that made the 2004 season one Naset and the rest of RCR would soon like to forget. Harvick, with Naset's help, burst onto the national scene in 2001 when he teamed with RCR to win the Busch Series title and placed ninth in NASCAR Winston Cup points while being named rookie of the year. Harvick finished in the WC top 10 again in 2003, which prompted the team to believe finishing No. 1 in 2004 was a realistic goal. That's when NASCAR, under new sponsorship from Nextel, changed the rules: For the first time ever, the most consistent racer wouldn't be guaranteed the cup. The top 10 in points, and anyone else within 400 points of the leader after the first 26 races were involved in a 10-race shoot-out for the cup. Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon had the best overall season -- in terms of the old points format -- but the title went to Roush Racing's Kurt Busch by a mere eight points over Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jimmie Johnson. Harvick was 14th after 26 races and out of consideration for the championship. "In my personal opinion, I've raced for 20 years now, and in every type of racing I've been involved in, the points system has always been that the driver that runs the best throughout the year is the champion," said Naset, who cut his racing teeth in go-karts, dirt super stocks and late models with several area drivers. Gordon won five races, had 16 top-five finishes and 25 top-10s but finished 16 points out of first. Johnson had a series-best eight wins, 20 top fives and 23 top 10s, while Busch had three wins, 10 top fives and 21 top 10s. Harvick, meanwhile, went winless while amassing five top fives and 14 top 10s. Naset said the title was probably out of RCR's reach, but everyone still should have had the shot at winning it. "This year was a trial, and the ratings went up so it was a success for (NASCAR)," Naset said. "But personally, and speaking for a good share of people I know, we didn't really care for it." The new points system came in response to griping by several race teams after Wisconsin native Matt Kenseth, Busch's teammate, won only two races in 2003 but made an early lead in the standings stand up en route to the final Winston Cup. "Matt did a wonderful job last year," Naset said. "The book was perfectly written. They had a big lead, they coasted and that to me is what a true champion is. "He did the deal. Nobody gave it to him. They were consistent, and that's what it should be all about." Consistency may have entered into many RCR team conversations during the 2004 season but it never materialized on the track. Harvick registered four DNFs (did not finish) due to motor problems and finished 2,278 points behind Busch in the final standings. Naset's main duties are to use the proverbial "fine-toothed comb" and make sure the race car is ready for action before it leaves the team's shop for the track. "That's what my job is, to be prepared and have everything prepared at the shop so we don't struggle at the track," he said. "If you have it right at the shop, when you get to the track you are going to be good right off the truck nine times out of 10." Robbie Gordon has been replaced in the Cingular No. 31 car by former Roush Racing driver Jeff Burton and Dave Blaney will drive RCR's third car, the Jack Daniel's No. 07. Naset said for a variety of reasons, including the team's new motor production shop and some late-2004 experiments on the track, should help the team get to the front in 2005. "You have to have good luck and you have run up front," he said. "If you run up front every week you are going to be in the top 10 in points or within 400 points (of the leader). "We could blame it on this or blame it on that, but overall our performance was down this year. We need to step up this year, not worry about things and prove we can do it." ORIGINAL STORY-The Chippewa Herald
New chief gives Marlin high hopes
By Larry Woody Sterling Marlin hopes a change in crew chiefs will spark a change in results in 2005. Steve Boyer, a former engineer with Ganassi Racing, has been named crew chief for Marlin in a continuing effort to get the veteran racer from Columbia back up to speed.
''It's a deal where you move some personnel around and try to get the chemistry right,'' Marlin said. ''A lot of other teams are doing the same thing.'' Marlin made a strong run for the 2002 championship before being sidelined by a late-season injury. He was unable to resume that pace in 2003 or this year. With six races to go this season, team co-owner Chip Ganassi replaced crew chief Lee McCall with Marlin's former crew chief Tony Glover, who had been team manager. Now Boyer, an engineer for the past three years, will take over for Glover, who will return to his former duties. ''It's not like somebody totally new is coming in,'' Marlin said. ''Steve has been around the team a lot and we're all familiar with each other. I think he'll do a good job.'' ''I believe I can help this team return to the forefront of Nextel Cup competition,'' Boyer said. ''We hope to get Sterling back to the form he has shown in years past.'' Marlin finished 21st in the 2004 standings despite making a surge near the end of the season. ''During the last six races we were the ninth-best team in points earned,'' Marlin said. ''We need to carry that over.'' Marlin noted his team's inconsistency, ''especially on pit stops. Last season we had some stops that were terrible. I know everybody was trying hard, but we have to do better. As tight as this sport is nowadays, we can't afford to give away seconds on pits stops.'' Ganassi, who co-owns the team with Felix Sabatas, said getting his two-time Daytona 500 winning driver back on track ''is a top priority.'' The team will test at Daytona on Jan. 18-20 in preparation for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 20.
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