After the 2011 NASCAR racing season came to a close there was a ton of activity that led to quite a bit of changes to drivers, crew chiefs, and more in the garage.  These changes have cause some stirring and are making the 2012 season somewhat of an unknown territory.  There are many drivers out there who have to step up to the plate, so to speak, and really prove themselves in the upcoming season.  Since 2011 is ending, we figure we would give you a heads up of the top drivers with something to prove to the fans and NASCAR overall.

• Kurt and Kyle Busch – It might seem like I’m giving these guys a hard time, but it really is time for both these guys to step up and prove themselves for different reasons.  The elder, Kurt Busch, is at a new point in his career.  After six years with Penske Racing he is now with Pheonix Racing.  He has to prove that he is growing as a person and as a driver with his new team.  Kyle Busch is going to have to prove that he is getting more mature as well.  His temper is the main thing that he has to get rid of and prove he can do it.
• Denny Hamlin – The crew chief that helped lead Tony Stewart to the 2011 championship win is now on Denny Hamlin’s side, and Hamlin has got to show that in 2012 he can get over his 2010 season which left him short of the title.  Maybe Darian Grubb, the crew chief, can help Hamlin get his groove back this time around.
• A.J. Allmendinger – It is finally time to see this guy pull out a win or two.  There really are not any more excuses seeing as in 2012 he is at Penske Racing in Kurt Busch’s old car.  Maybe he can pull it off now that he has all the tools he needs.

This ceremony gave credit to the champion of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup champ and the driver who placed in the top 10 of the standings for the series.  Miss Reba was not  the only celeb there at the event.  Kid Rock performed a song and other celebrities and stars made appearances as well.  The NASCAR Chairman decided that because the awards show was moved to Vegas this year that there should be a focus on the entertainment factor.  Reba was a large part to play in that because of her appeal to pretty much all people and the fact that she is a solid entertainer.

Reba said of the event, “Country music and NASCAR have shared fans for many years, so I’ll feel right at home.”

I told you not much goes better with NASCAR than a little country music.  Check out the champion, Tony Stewart below.

 

This was not a small decision that was taken lightly.  The decision for NASCAR to come back to Rockingham was one that was influenced by local and state officials, sponsors, NASCAR, and of course the owner, Hillenburg.  For those of you who don’t remember, Hillenburg purchased the track when it went to auction for $4.4 million.  That was in 2007, and three years before that it was purchased for $100.4 million by Speedway Motorsports, Inc.

Hillenburg is going to have to put more money into the track to make sure it is in top shape for the April race.  Most of the $1 million will go to installing the SAFER barriers (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction).  There are other track improvements that will be made on top  of that.  There will be a tire test that needs to be completed before the race.  All of these improvements were originally predicted by Hillenburg when he purchased the track, especially if he wanted to hold bigger races.

North Carolinians, NASCAR fans, and those at the Rockingham Speedway are not the only people full of excitement about the return of the legendary track where racing greats like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and David Pearson have battled it out.  Current NASCAR drivers are also ready for the track to be apart of the schedule again.  The Camping World Truck Series defending champion, Todd Bodine said, “For us to be the first series to come back here, it’s an honor…We can’t wait for The Rock to come back to life with NASCAR.”

Are you ready for The Rock?

As you can see not only are the F1 race cars designed to handle better at higher speed when going around turns but they are also EXTREMELY expensive to maintain and upkeep. All this for our entertainment. The next time you see a race be sure to remind yourself that the designs of the F1 cars are a little weird but they are designed to to have so much down force on the car that they can theoretically drive upside down after reaching 80-118mph.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we see an influx of women in racing in the years to come. Females like Danica Patrick and Milka Duno are attracting more and more women to the sport of speed. Women have been allowed to race since the year of 1971, and since then, racing has seen women approach the starting line more and more. The most popular American female racer is, of course, Danica Patrick. She is the face of GoDaddy.com and many jewelry campaigns in the United States. Milka Duno isn’t far behind in popularity. Though she got a late start in racing, there’s no denying, she has quickly picked up the pace…literally and figuratively.

Do you think we’ll ever see a female win a major racing series? Who knows. But for now, they can sit back and enjoy their lead in Google searches.

The other day, I was searching the internet when I stumbled across a Brian Vicker’s RedBull video. Now, the reason I was searching for Brian Vickers is because when I was 16, I met him in a hotel lobby in Indianapolis. He was very nice, and I got several autographs, even though at the time, I had no idea who he was. I was curious about what he was doing these days, so I Googled him and stumbled upon the weirdest video ever created.

Vicker’s allowed fans to send him a video asking him a question. He then did a Q and A session on Youtube. The result is a hilarious video full of super creepy fans. Don’t believe me…check it out for yourself. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! (squeak squeak!)