Bleacher Report - Articles by Amanda Bradeen

IRacing: A Fans Chance To Race Like The Pros

Amanda Bradeen — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:47:51 -0400

So many people around the world only have one goal in life: Race!

Unfortunately, it is so hard to get into the sport that so many love. Then their came iRacing .

A recent friend of mine introduced me to iRacing as a way of getting closer to the sport.

iRacing is an online motosport simulator. All you need is a steering wheel, a Windows PC, and Internet connection—and of course, some money.

You will be racing against 1000s of people from all over the world.

iRacing was founded in September of 2004 by Dave Kaemmer and John Henry. Kaemmer is an active racer, as well as the co-founder of Papyrus Design Group.

John Henry is the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and co-owner of Rousch Fenway Racing

There are 17 licensed cars that you can race throughout your course on iRacing .

These cars range from the Chevy Impala SS for the Sprint Cup series, the Legends 34 Ford Coupe, and a Chevy Silverado for the Craftsman Truck series.

When I asked my friend J.P, "Do the cars feel real?" He replied by saying, "the car feels exactly how an 800HP car or any other car would feel. Very hard to drive yet very accurate."

As far as tracks go, you are racing at a real racetrack. Tracks are scanned and put onto the web site. Professional circuit tracks include Richmond International Raceway, Daytona International Raceway, and the popular Lowe's Motor Speedway.

They also have local tracks, such as South Boston, Concord Motorsports Park, and my local Maine track, Oxford Plains Speedway!

Not only is it fans who get a chance with this simulator, but it has become a necessity to many professional drivers as well.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., an avid iRacing user says, "iRacing is the most exciting racing simulator ever made."

Other drivers who are fans of iRacing include, Marcos Ambrose, Justin Wilson (F1 and Indycar driver), Bobby Labonte, Alex Ardoin ( Star Mazda championship driver), as well as many other professional drivers.

Once you work yourself up to the pro rank, you can find yourself racing side by side with Dale Earnhardt Jr or Brad Keselowski.

For more information about prices and requirements, visit www.iRacing.com . If you are aspiring to become a professional driver, then I would say iRacing Simulator is well worth your money!

NASCAR Types You'll See at a Race

Amanda Bradeen — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:11:08 -0400

Being a writer, I have a mind for detail. I notice and use the five senses daily. And at a NASCAR race, it is always an eventful time to use them.

Oh the sights we see. Tailgating, promoting some new product, rowdy fans all night long, and of course the fans.

We will start with the, "CRAZY" NASCAR fan. This fan is always decked from hat to shoes in their drivers attire. A brand spanking new Jeff Gordon hat on the top of their head, a t-shirt from Gordons,"rainbow warrior," stage, a classic of course.

Rocking the Jeff Gordon pajama pants and would never be complete without the white sneakers plastered with the No.24 written in red and black. Oh yeah cannot forget the tattoo. Dedicated is this persons middle name by far.

How about the, "I really don't belong at a NASCAR race," style. Women who walk by me in 4 inch Steve Madden stilettos. Holy cow, how can you manage to walk in the grandstands like that. Talent I guess.

Then I notice a knee length dress on this woman. Black and spaghetti strap, and tight. Now of course I understand this look attracts the opposite sex, but I'm pretty sure they are too drunk to notice.

And to top of this professional and sophisticated outfit they have on hat of their favorite driver. Usually Kasey Kahne or Carl Edwards for some reason.

Maybe it's just my opinion but that's not really that appropriate for a NASCAR event.

And then of course you have the business suit men. The ones that hate NASCAR but come because they are the president of a company like Pepsi or Smart Water.

They have to show they are superior to us true blue NASCAR fans. Ha—I laugh in their faces.

Of course we have the, "crazy drunk", fans who are too drunk to pay attention to the fact that there is a race going on like 50ft from them.

They are thinking more about the tailgating than who might win.

As we make our final stop through the fan sights we hit the "Fan" This is the category I find myself under. I wear jeans, and National Guard Dale Earnhardt Jr shirt, (of course), sneakers, and my Amp Energy green hat.

Though I definitely am an obsessed fan I don't show it at races. I mean I want to be able to run if I hear there was a sighting of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

As I walk though the race tracks these are the sights I come across and I can't help but laugh.

Overheated?: The Best and Worst Driver Attitudes in NASCAR

Amanda Bradeen — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:40:50 -0400

They go 200 laps in 80 degrees weather and they either win, or they lose. They are the drivers of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Some of them wow us with their amazing personalities and attitudes, while others we just want to smack. Here are some of the best and some of the worst attitudes on the track.

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Luck Came For Some While Bad Luck Came For Others at The Pennsylvania 500

Amanda Bradeen — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:16:26 -0400

First off, a congratulations for Denny Hamlin and the No.11 FedEx team, a well deserved and emotional win.

Rabbits' feet and four leaf clovers were hanging in many drivers cars as we headed to a postponed Monday race at Pocono Raceway.

Instead of telling you lap by lap what happened I will go by the drivers who started out with bad luck and of course finished well.

First off is Tony Stewart driver of the No. 14 Old Spice Swagger car. Stewart hit the wall during practice and had to go to his back up car. This meant the current points leader would have to start at the rear of the field like the June Pocono race.

On lap 2 Stewart had already worked himself up to 34th. However on lap 11 Stewart had to make an unexpected pit stop and by Lap 12 he was a lap down. On lap 40 Stewart ends up stuck in 32nd position.

On lap 54 Stewart took an extra long pit stop to try and make his car better. At this moment during the race, the current points leader was closer to dropping to second in the points standing.

The four leaf clovers started to work as on lap 104 Tony Stewart was in 11th position, and ends up finishing in 10th.

Jimmie Johnson started off the race very lucky leading many laps as expected. That was up until lap 104 when he started losing many positions and felt as though his engine was going to blow.

After numerous long pit stops and going three laps down, it was still unknown what was wrong with his car.

The 48 team must've been rubbing rabbits' feet the whole race because Johnson gets back all of his laps and miraculously figured out how to fix the car and ends up with a 13th place finish.

Some guys have all the luck.

How about these few drivers who must've walked under ladders and had black cats roaming around their pits because their luck went from bad to worse.

Dale Earnhardt Jr started 22nd and worked himself up to about 13th position throughout the day even after being a lap down.

However throughout the race Earnhardt Jr dropped as far back as 30th, often for having a loose car.

Earnhardt Jr fans were hoping and pray that a top 10 or even 15 finish would come out of this race. However by the end of the race Earnhardt Jr. ended up in a disappointing 28th.

Teammates Marcos Ambrose and David Reutimann both ran really good throughout the race and were both in contention for a top 10 finish. Reutimann was also in contention for the Race for the Chase.

On lap 174 Reutimann and Ambrose got into an accident after Hamlin tapped Reutimann. They ended up finishing 29th and 34th which was a disappointing ending for both drivers.

Good luck, bad luck, or no luck these drivers endured an exciting and unpredictable race.

The Top Five Moments From the 2009 Allstate 400.

Amanda Bradeen — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:49:10 -0400

Whether the 2009 Allstate 400 met your expectations or not, one thing is for sure, it was eventful in one way or another. Whether it was the candy car possibly being out of the chase or the two timer winner, it left people watching and wondering and these moments were the highlights of the race! I have to fill this some more, so I am going to say it was rather dissapointing to see drivers who ran good have bad luck. It's never good to see.

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Nicole Manske and Lindsay Czarniak: A NASCAR Girl's Inspiration Pt. 2

Amanda Bradeen — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:03:26 -0400

This is a continuation of a previous article I wrote awhile ago about the females of NASCAR who inspire me every day.

My two newest inspirations are Nicole Manske and Lindsay Czarniak.

Nicole Manske is a native Rockton, Ill. She graduated from Hononegah High School in 1998 where she cheered with famous Indy driver Danica Patrick.

Manske attended and graduated from Northern Illinois University, where she worked at the NBC channel in Rockford. Nicole was also a reporter for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.

In 2006 she announced her departure from the radio network and moved to Charlotte, N.C. to work for Speed Channel.

Manske became the co-host for The Speed Report. That gig went until January 27, 2008.

On January 23, 2008, Manske announced that she would be leaving The Speed Channel to become a co-host of NASCAR Now on ESPN where she continues to work.

This year it was announced that Nicole Manske is engaged to IndyCar series driver Ryan Briscoe.

Now let's get to Lindsay Czarniak. She was born on November 7, 1977 in Harrisburg, Pa. In 2000, she graduated for James Madison University with a major in online journalism.

Czarniak worked as a production assistant for CNN and also worked for Speed Channel.

Lindsay officially became the co-host of the George Michael Sports Machine in September 2006.

She traveled to Turin, Italy to cover the 2006 Winter Olympics for NBC sports.

She is currently a pit reporter for NASCAR on TNT.

These two lovely ladies are not only pretty but they know what they are talking about. They enjoy their jobs and have worked so hard to get where they are today.

I can only hope that one day I can follow in these ladies' footsteps with my future in NASCAR.

Double Duty at Daytona Turns Out Double Heartbreak for Dale Earnhardt Jr

Amanda Bradeen — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:08:44 -0400

As we headed to Daytona for the Coke Zero 400 Saturday night, Dale Earnhardt Jr fans hoped and prayed that it would bring him the break he needed and deserved. After a solid 13th finish at New Hampshire, there was hope on the horizon.

His good luck started Friday night where he started in seventh position in the No. 5 Fastenal Chevrolet. It looked to promising for Jr and he actually showed possibility of a top three finish until a mishap on pit road.

Jr left his pit stall at the same time Scott Wimmer was pulling into his and they had a little bump, causing Earnhardt Jr to go back into the pits and restart in the 31st position.

In the process of working his way to the front, Earnhardt Jr got involved in a multi-car accident and was hit by the No. 66 of Steven Wallace. Earnhardt Jr ended up in the garage with a disappointing 40th finish.

Qualifiers for Saturday were rained out causing Dale Earnhardt Jr to start in the 19th position, due to points.

Through out 76 of the laps, Earnhardt Jr ran right around 24th.

That was until lap 77 when an accident of 13 cars occurred, Earnhardt Jr being hit by David Reutimann, and on lap 78 Jr headed for the garage.

"We just got it driving good, just freed it enough so that we could go through there. It was a tough race for us," said Dale Earnhardt Jr during his garage interview.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended up finishing in a disappointing 38th.

These Double accidents at Daytona were due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time for Earnhardt Jr and to put it frankly, IT SUCKED!

So I ask fellow Dale Earnhardt Jr fans to join me in a chant, "No more double duty accidents and time for a WIN."

Bleacher Report: My Online NASCAR Family

Amanda Bradeen — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:48:00 -0400

NASCAR is my life. I look forward to every weekend when the 43 cars line up. My family loves NASCAR as well, but I've never had any friends who like NASCAR as much as I do. They never understood my passion for the sport.

Then came Bleacher Report. The website where fans could write articles and express their love for the sport of their choice. When I saw that they had a NASCAR section, I didn't hesitate to become a member.

I was instantly greeted on my page by Mary Jo Buchanan. With open arms, she invited to the NASCAR community page. As I have gotten to know Mary Jo, not only through B/R but also on Facebook. Never once has Mary Jo ever said anything negative on a single article I've written.

She is the sweetest woman I've ever had the chance to chat with, and am so pleased to be able to have her as an online friend.

Next was Kelly Crandall. She is also a community leader along with Mary Jo. I could relate to her as she was also a Dale Earnhardt Jr fan but we were close in age.

Kelly always had advice and comments to also help and make me feel welcome. I have also gotten to know her through Facebook. Kelly is passionate about NASCAR and what she wants to do and it shows immensley. She is a great person to be able to know online.

Then I came upon M Brian Ladner. Brian never had a comment that was shorter than three paragraphs which was great because the guy always backs up what he has to say.

Good or bad, he always had something to say, and I always appreciated it. Though I didn't always agree, I always respected his well backed up opinions.

A Kyle Busch fan he is and I like that because Brian never fell into the category of, "well no one else likes him so I can't either."

I respect M Brian Ladner always and enjoy reading his hilarious links on Facebook.

I first got introduced to Ben Bomberger online when he edited my articles. He never once had negative feedback and always tried to help me.

It was great to have someone who not only left great comments, and wrote great articles, but also helped my articles be the best they could be. I also got to know Ben on Facebook and can see he also has a great family.

I also came across Carol Messinger and got to know her more on Facebook and is a great person filled with positive insight and is also a hug Dale Earnhardt Jr fan as well.

I would also love to give, "shout outs," to Kara Martin, S.M Napier, Jen Preston, David Yeazell and al asifyouknow.

These bleacher creatures are a whole new family for me. I enjoy feeling at home and this wonderful group of people make it worthwhile to write on this website and talk to many of them on Facebook.

Thank you guys for being their for me and whether you all know it or not, you are all my inspiration.

* A few memorable quotes

Kelly Crandall-

"Take my advice, don't think, just write. Works every time =)"

Mary Jo Buchanan-

"I did - but worked my you know what off! I think you had way more fun as a great race fan!"

M Brian Ladner-

"yeah, that impatient, impertinent little snot!!! he had the temerity to even go out and try to apologize for once and what did he get for his troubles--even more grief..."

Ben Bomberger-

"I know what you mean about the people on B/R — it is like family!"

Carol Messinger-

"Someday we will plane a huge bleacherreport party somewhere !!! then we can all meet and talk about our passion !!!"

**courtesy of Facebook

Holy Sonoma: Why The Toyota/SaveMart 350 Caught My Attention

Amanda Bradeen — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:45:08 -0400

Going into this race weekend, I wasn't thrilled. Road courses never caught my attention, and it wasn't because Dale Earnhardt, Jr. doesn't do great. It was because they never seemed that interesting to me.

That was until the 2009 Toyota/SaveMart 350. My choice to win was Kasey Kahne. I saw on his myspace page that he thought he could win and I felt that was true.

I watched the race with little attention until Lap 101, when Earnhardt, Jr. got spun out along with David Ragan. Oh boy, not again. I was getting ready to turn off the race when I started to realize the action at the front of the pack.

Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Marcous Ambrose, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top top. All five drivers are known to be good at road courses, so it was bound to be a close call.

As each U-turn hit, Tony Stewart was one step closer to catching Kasey Kahne. But you certainly couldn't leave out the Australian Marcous Ambrose. He certainly knew how to brake like a pro, but he couldn't catch up to Stewart and Kahne.

After every shootout restart, everyone in my household felt as though Stewart was going to make it right past him, but good old Kasey Kahne held him off.

The race ended with with a amazing green, white checkered finish, that I never really cared for, but this was a good one. On the last lap, Mark Martin and two others crashed and no caution was thrown, as Kasey Kahne and the No. 9 Budweiser team took home a win.

This was the first win for Petty and the first win for Kahne for awhile. It was an exciting, illuminating, and eventful road race. If they would continue to be that great, I would say they should have a road course in the chase.

Krista Voda and Wendy Venturini: A NASCAR Girl's Inspiration

Amanda Bradeen — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:44:02 -0400

As a young woman wanting to get into NASCAR, it's good to see women in the sport that I love. Although they are not racing cars or working in pit crews, they are right there talking to drivers and recapping races.

Two of my favorite female NASCAR broadcast journalists are Krista Voda and Wendy Venturini. They worked their way from the bottom, and do a great job every race.

Krista Voda didn't start out wanting to be a NASCAR brodcast journalist. In 2001, she started as a weekend anchor for sports on WLEX in Lexington, KY. There, she covered NCAA tournaments, College bowl games, the NFL, World Series playoffs, and was the co-anchor of The Kentucky Derby.

Krista already knew the sports, mainly baseball and football, and turned it around once she found out about a job opening in Charlotte, NC. She became the host of the popular show Totally NASCAR.

Today Krista is part of the Fox Broadcast crew working her craft on pit road pre and post race talking with the drivers.

She also can be seen on the Speed Network as part of the broadcast team for the Camping World Truck Series, were she hosts the prerace Set-Up Show and lends a hand helping Adam and Ray keep up with all the action on pit road.

Wendy Venturini is becoming known and more popular in the NASCAR circuit on the SPEED channel.

She is a corespondent on NASCAR Raceday alongside Kenny Wallace and Jimmy Spencer. In 2007, Wendy became the first woman to call an entire race broadcast from the booth.

Wendy was born and raised into a family of dedicated drivers. Her father is Bill Venturini, who is a two time ARCA champion and a retired Winston Cup competitor.

Wendy was once the producer of NASCAR Victory Lane on SPEED, until she went in front of the camera and became the youngest Pit Reporter in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Wendy Venturini has worked her whole life to get the "dream job" she has right now.

Though I want to be a journalist in a magazine, these women are inspirations for me in all aspects of their jobs. They both are truly amazing at what they do.

Sources:

www.kristavoda.com

www.wendyventurini.com

10 Hottest NASCAR Drivers

Amanda Bradeen — Thu, 21 May 2009 23:24:11 -0400

Each sport has a slew of "Hot" athletes. Well so doesn't NASCAR. I decided I would base this mainly on looks, but not wanting to sound mean for saying so. Many of these hot drivers are taken, but that doesn't mean we can't look and wish. So I will count down the top ten NASCAR drivers who make many of their females fan swoon!

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An Obsessed NASCAR Driver Fan

Amanda Bradeen — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:06:39 -0400

I am a fan. However, I am not just any fan, I am a OBSESSED fan. I love NASCAR. Everything about it is amazing, especially the drivers.

I have been a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan since I was 11-years-old. I got my first collectible at Christmas 2001. It was a T-shirt, playing cards, and pencils. I was so excited that my collection had started, and it hasn't stopped yet.

I can remember the night that NASCAR Drivers: 360 came on. It was in June of 2004. Earnhardt Jr. was on there and he met a girl. A girl. Her name was Kortnie Coles, and I hated her. She was dating my future husband. I remember tearing up because of this. I was 14-years-old.

Many times people come into my room and think that it is a 12-year-old boys, from the curtains, to the die casts, Octane boost bottles. I am trying to get it all. I even have the Earnhardt Jr. fan Barbie.

Since then I hope and pray that one day I will meet and well marry Earnhardt Jr. Unfortunately, there is a small problem. He is 34 and I am 19. However, I don't let that stop me from collecting every single thing I find.

I have tried O.D.F.A. but it hasn't worked on me yet. (That is obsessed driver fans anonymous, and it isn't real, but it should be). The only cure for this obsession, is to meet Earnhardt Jr. face to face. So Earnhardt, if you read this, meet me please and help me cure this almost incurable condition.

I am a Obsessed fan, and I can admit it. Can you?

Last Lap at Talladega Turns Out A First Win and a Hard Crash

Amanda Bradeen — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:50:36 -0400

Talladega Superspeedway: A track for the fans.

Sundays race at Talladega proved to be the most eventful race we have seen in a while.

Fans worked themselves as did the drivers for the "Big One", the crash that takes out everyone and anyone racing. As eventful and scary as the, "Big One" was, nobody was prepared for the scariest wreck of all. The wreck on the last lap of the Aarons 499.

On lap 186, Ryan Newman (No.39) and Dale Earnhardt Jr (No.88), were one and two as they came up for the checkered flag. Like a lightning strike, the No.99 of Carl Edwards and the suprising car No.09 of Brad Keselowski came up to take the one-two spots.

This took everyone by surprise because Keselowski was somewhat slow throughout the race making it hard to draft with him. But Brad came back and showed that he could do it.

Keselowski decided to go for it and moved to the bottom while Carl Edwards went high to block him from the win. Edwards went back down the track in one more attempt to block Brad Keselowski, but Keselowski was up too far.

The two cars came together causing Carl Edwards to flip in the air smashing the front end of the Ryan Newman and crashing his front end hard into the fence.

Debris and pieces of fence flew into the stands hitting eight fans. It was a scary moment for NASCAR. A uninjured Carl Edwards ran his way to the finish Ricky Bobby style.

Brad Keselowski won the race and Dale Earnhardt, Jr, his mentor, finished second.

It is unfortunate that the race has to end with a bad crash.

However, at Talladega Superspeedway you can't expect anything less.

A congratulations goes to Keselowski for a first-place finish.

We are all happy that the fans are ok with just a few minor injuries, and that Carl Edwards came out safe and uninjured.

For many, it was a race they didn't like, but, for many others it was the most eventful race they had ever seen.

Talladega Man: The Ballad of Dale Earnhardt Jr

Amanda Bradeen — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:10:29 -0400

He won five races at Talladega! He's the son of a legend and he is currently 19th in points. This is the story of one man redeeming himself.

He started off great and was the one to beat. Then something happened, something that no one was expecting. No, not a horrible accident where he thinks he caught on fire—a switch to a new team. A big name owner, with two of the biggest drivers. It was time to show what he was made of.

He certainly did show them, by winning one of the 2008 Gatorade Duels. This was perfect. He was the most popular driver around. Then he comes right back and wins the 2008 Lifelock 400 at Michigan.

He was showing himself off to this big named team, however only one two wins in 2008 wasn't what fans wanted, especially after almost not making it into the, "Race for the Chase." Fans were hoping for some wins in 2009.

Boy oh boy, that certainly is not what fans have gotten in this 2009 season so far. Only two finishes in the top ten in the first eight races, the redemption has got to happen.

One man has what it takes to change this team around. Drive, confidence, communication, and better lugnuts is what it takes.

Talladega will be where this all takes place, where Dale Earnhardt Jr and the No. 88 team will show why Jr. Nation never gives up.

This is the ballad of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Hope you guys enjoyed this tidbit of comedy!

Stewart-Haas Racing Is Building Stamina In Each Race so Far This Year

Amanda Bradeen — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:45:38 -0400

This is the first year for Stewart-Haas racing and so far it has been a good season. "Smoke", aka Tony Stewart, has had solid finishes in the past three races.

In Martinsville he finished third, Texas fourth, and Phoenix, a close second to winner Mark Martin.

Ryan Newman on the other hand, has not finished in the top 10 except for a sixth-place finish in Martinsville.

Newman completely lost his radio communication for almost all 312 laps, but he still managed to finish in 16th. Overcoming obstacles like this one is exactly what this No. 39 team needs to continue to do to get top 10 finishes.

Since owning his own team, Stewart has matured not only in interviews, but on the track as well. A once, "rowdy", driver had shown these great qualities and has shown he can lead a great car owner team.

As mentioned at nascar.com, Stewart says, "We're just chiseling away. Man, it's like I can taste it. I know it's coming. We're going to get a win here soon."

If that isn't a sign of pure confidence, then I don't know what is.

With these solid finishes by Stewart and better in car radios for poor Newman, Stewart-Haas Racing is sure to get a win and have an amazing first year.

What's a Dale Earnhardt Jr Fan to Do with a 31st Finish at PIR

Amanda Bradeen — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:44:45 -0400

The Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, started off a good race for Dale Earnhardt Jr., but as we all have come to know, what happens at the beginning of the race means nothing for what happens at the end of the race.

The night started off bad when on lap 56, Junior had to go in to the pits twice due to a loose lug nut.

How many times has this happened so far this year? This is a big part of Junior not being able to finish good every race.

By lap 172, Junior had worked himself up all they way to lead. Junior's fans everywhere jumped out of their seats for this.

By lap 185, Dale Earnhardt Jr's lead over Kyle Busch was 3.62 seconds.

Lap 216, Jr's car started to get loose which allowed Tony Stewart to catch the lead. Junior lead again at lap 247. Fans were still on their feet for this race. By lap 266 Earnhardt Jr had dropped all the way to eighth.

Lap 300, Dale Earnhardt Jr. spins out hitting the wall. Casey Mears got into Junior and caused a little tiff.

Junior continued to drop until he finished in 31st position.

I am a Junior fan and am definitely not putting him down by writing this but this is getting a little depressing. I can only imagine how him and his team feel.

Talledaga is coming up and we all Junior can driver there, let's hope it shows when it comes time to race. It would be great for him to redeem himself at a track like Talledaga.

19th in points is not a great spot at this point in the season.

If luck and good communication can be on Dale Earnhardt Jr's side in the races to come, then he could make it into the chase, which Junior Nation hopes happens.

The Top Five NASCAR Race Shops in North Carolina

Amanda Bradeen — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:43:24 -0400

Race City USA! It's heaven to all race fans. I had the pleasure of going down to North Carolina in January 2009. Why? No reason other than wanting to be only a glass shield away from Dale Earnhardt Jr's car, and the people who make that car go. I am going to countdown the top 5 race shops for fans to have a great racecar experience.

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Want To Work in NASCAR? Here's Everything You Need To Know

Amanda Bradeen — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:44:35 -0400

As many of the up and coming journalists on Bleacher Report, I would love to have a job in NASCAR.

Unfortunately, with the economy the the job market as it is, it is very tough to get any job. While searching on the web for NASCAR jobs, I came across a awesome package.

I came across a website with a package called, "7 Steps to a NASCAR career." This package was created by two people, who have a knack for finding people jobs with NASCAR teams.

The package once again called, " 7 Steps to a NASCAR career," includes information on

* Finding job openings, which includes a NASCAR job hot line.

* Getting the skills and experience needed for what you want to do.

* How to put yourself in front of the crowd. Why are you better than everyone else?

* How to get write you resume and get it noticed.

* How to get an interview.

The package comes with, " 7 Steps to a NASCAR career", book which walks you step by step on how to get the job you want in the NASCAR field.

NASCAR team listings including, names, addresses, fax numbers, phone numbers and job offerings.

Job tracker software and, "NASCAR Job Search", audio tape. This package costs $99.

For more information on this one-of-a-kind NASCAR job search package and for ordering information visit http://racingsecrets.com/racing_jobs.shtml

Hope this is helpful for anyone searching and having a dream of working for NASCAR.

Samsung 500: A Promising Race For Earnhardt Jr Cut Short

Amanda Bradeen — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:15:54 -0400

A congratulations goes out to Jeff Gordon and the No. 24 team for their great win at Texas Motor Speedway for the Samsung 500.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started the race in 20th. On lap 30, he was in the zone up eight positions to 12th place. Things were looking up for the No. 88 team.

On lap 221, Earnhardt Jr. had to pit twice to replace a missing lug nut, and on lap 222 Junior manages to go pass his pit stall and has to go around again.

On lap 259 pit strategy helped Junior and he ended up being the leader. On lap 260 the lapped car of Kyle Busch and Junior are both going at it, when Kyle Busch got "loose," and knocked Junior out sending him back to seventh, and giving the lead to Jeff Gordon.

On lap 290 Earnhardt Jr. scrapes the wall in turn 1 and 2 and ends up making a green flag pit stop dropping him back to 21st. He just couldn't get the drive after that to make it back up their and had to settle for a 20th place finish.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is still currently 16th in points.

Many people were rooting for Junior as always, but this time it was because his first win was in Texas. Many fans were thinking it was Junior's time to shine.

Speculations have said that pit problems are what caused Earnhardt Jr. to fall back. But after the bad stints on pit road, he still managed to be in the lead, and definitely had a top 5 car.

The issues with Kyle Busch and the wall are ultimately the reasons behind Junior's finish.

This is just a peek at what we know Junior can do and if he can tweak these and get some luck, he will hopefully be a force to reckon with.

Some Surprising Names on the Starting Grid of the Samsung 500

Amanda Bradeen — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:16:17 -0400

Qualifying for the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway gave us a few new names, and few ones that aren't all that surprising in the top ten.

David Reutimann won the pole for this race with a qualifying speed of 190.517 miles per hour. This is only his second career pole. He is currently in 11th place in points and is definitely a potential candidate for winning Sundays race.

Jeff Gordon is starting second with a qualifying lap of 190.194 miles per hour. Currently the points leader, Texas could be the race to give Gordon his much deserved win.

Matt Kenseth qualified third with a speed of 189.954 miles per hour. After a great start to the season, he started to fall behind and is currently 12th in the points. This Rousch Fenway driver certainly has a chance to win the race.

David Ragan is starting in fourth place. A very surprising name at the top of the starting grid. His speed was 189.934 miles per hour. After being 29th in points, and not having a overly great season so far, this is just what Ragan needs to finish great in Sundays race.

Paul Menard rounds out the top five with a speed of 189.907 miles per hour. Menard really needs this to boost his confidence in finishing positive at Texas. At a low 35th in points, this is exactly what Paul Menard and the 98 team needs.

Kasey Kahne qualified sixth with a speed of 189.900 miles per hour. Currently ninth in points, Kahne could be a candidate for this race and many to come.

Tony Stewart qualifies a solid seventh with a speed of 189.807 miles per hour. He is also currently seventh in points. Smoke's due for a win in 2009 with his Stewart-Haas team.

Kyle Busch is starting eighth with the speed of 189.427 miles per hour. Currently sixth in points, we all know "Rowdy" is definitely a "shoo-in" to win in Texas. We all know he's got the fever.

Jimmie Johnson starts ninth with the speed of 189.421 miles per hour. He's currently fourth in points and just coming of a win at Martinsville. Johnson just might be the car to beat on Sunday.

And rounding out the top ten is rookie Joey Logano. Logano has not had the best start to his 2009 season with the No. 20 Home Depot car. I believe it will really boost his teams confidence to finish well at Texas.

A few names to watch that did not qualify in the top 10 are Carl Edwards, who qualified 13th. This Rousch Fenway car just may be the car to beat. He is currently eighth in points.

Clint Boywer qualified 19th and is many peoples pick to win the Samsung 500. He is currently second in the points standings.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified 20th and is currently 16th in points. Texas is where Jr. won his first race, and this just may be what the 88 team needs.

The Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway will be a very eventful race and I feel will turn out some surprises.

FMI: www.jayski.com

Hellman's Real Fan of the Year: Do You Have the Photo To Win?

Amanda Bradeen — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:09:50 -0400

While browsing on www.DaleJr.com, I came across the Hellman's Real Fan of The Year contest. It is a photo contest where you download your photo, and others who have put their photos on vote for who they think the real fan is.

This is voted on monthly, with new photos being put on. The contest runs from March to September.

Each monthly winner will receive a slew of prizes including a trip for two to Charlotte for the Dollar General 300 at Lowes Motor Speedway and a meet and greet with Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In addition to monthly winners, there will be one grand-prize winner in September.

They will win a trip for two to go to Champions week with hotel accommodations and transportation.

I have actually downloaded my own picture on here, and will be available to vote on from April 9 to May 8 (Please vote for me, my fellow B/R's). While I was searching through these bland pictures, I realized that I need to see some Bleacher Report writers on here. Let's see some real fans on here!

A word of advice, if you decide to put a picture on here, make sure you have something with the sponsors names on it. They are Hellman's, Klondike, and Lipton.

Hope to see some familiar faces!!!!

FMI: http://www.realfanoftheyear.com

Do You Remember Ricky Craven? A Former NASCAR Driver from the Pine Tree State

Amanda Bradeen — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:23:12 -0400

Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Kyle Busch. These are some of the most popular names known to NASCAR.

How about Ricky Craven? Does that name ring a bell? For some older followers, it probably does.

Craven, who lived in Newburgh, ME, started off his career at Unity Raceway in Maine, winning 12 races and Rookie of the Year. He also won Rookie of the Year at Wiscasset Raceway in 1988.

He moved to the Busch North Series in 1990, winning seven poles, two races, and Rookie of the Year.

In 1995, Craven teamed up with Larry Hedrick and Kodiak to drive his way to his first Rookie of the Year in Winston Cup.

In 1996, Craven had a horrific crash at Talledaga when his car was launched into the air and impacted with the catch fence right above the wall. Not even two seconds after, he was thrown back onto the track and hit by another car. This crash is the only one in NASCAR history that ended a race. They never threw a red flag, but they did end the race.

After that horrific year, Craven was given the chance of a lifetime. He was asked to drive the No. 25 Monte Carlo for the ever-famous Rick Hendrick. He did well for the first year, finishing third at the Daytona 500. While practicing for the Interstate Batteries 500, Craven crashed into the wall. Although he had to miss two races due to a concussion, he came back but not as good.

Craven is probably most memorable for the race at Darlington in 2003. It was a side-by-side final lap. It was Craven's No. 32 and Kurt Busch's No. 92 on the final lap. The cars finished only .002 seconds apart and no one knew who won. The conclusion said that Craven won.

This was his last race won in is NASCAR career.

He was released from his duties in 2004. He then went to race trucks for Rousch Racing but parted after that season. He is no longer part of the racing circuit but is a NASCAR analyst for Yahoo! Sports.

Though many may not remember him, for us Mainers he is our popular local driver.

NASCAR'S a Sport? The Comment I Most Offen Hear

Amanda Bradeen — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:19:58 -0400

As a 18-year-old woman, I am a huge NASCAR and Dale Earnhardt Jr fan. It's no surprise. I flaunt it any chance I get. Unfortunately, not many people in my town are fans.

I often hear from almost everyone at my college, "How can you even say NASCAR is a sport?" Excuse me, how dare you diss the sport I know and love.

NASCAR drivers have the ability to lose ten pounds of fluid in the matter of a three hour race. That is very similar to the amount of fluid a football player can lose in a three hour practice.

The skill and amount of planning put into one race is similar or even more than more famous sports such as Football, Baseball and Basketball.

It takes a team to win a championship in NASCAR. Guess what? It takes a team to win the Superbowl as well.

It doesn't look like a physical sport, but trying to control a 3,400 lb car, going 200 mph, and make sure it doesn't crash, while 42 other cars are trying to pass you using any means nesscary. Yeah! I would say that takes a lot of physical stamina.

Many of these drivers workout on a regular basis. Carl Edwards, who has been on the cover of Men's Health, has been deemed the most athletic driver in the sport. He enjoys running, mountain biking and many other outdoor activities to keep in shape!

This sport is hardcore and fast paced.

It makes hearts race and drop in the matter of a lap.

It is a sport. No matter what the non-fans say.

You can tell a NASCAR fan whatever you want, but I guarantee you we will prove you wrong!!!!

Martinsville Results: Good Race Overall, Some Happy, Some Not So Much

Amanda Bradeen — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:05:47 -0400

Sunday's 500 lap event at Martinsville was filled with ups and downs. With Jeff Gordon leading the first lap of the race, the real racing action at the short track finally started.

The first caution flag flew at lap 21, when Michael Waltrip hit the wall. It was the first of 12 caution periods throughout the race.

Gordon led the race up until lap 156, when an aggressive Denny Hamlin took the lead.

After a caution on lap 447, Jimmie Johnson exited pit road in first place, leading many to believe that the first pit stall was not always the best at Martinsville.

However, Johnson's lead was short-lived. Hamlin went to the inside of Johnson and assumed command of the race.

On lap 484, Johnson nudged Hamlin to take the lead, ultimately walking away with a memorable win for for Hendrick Motorsports.

The top-10 consisted of names that were common, household drivers, sprinkled with some less prolific.

Of course, race winner Johnson was a name to be expected for the win after winning five of the last six races at Martinsville.

Race runner-up Hamlin was a force to reckoned with for most the this 500 lap race. Unfortunately for the FedEx team, a tap from the No. 48 booted him back to second.

Following the race, Hamlin mentioned that he would have done the same move to Johnson or the leader in the same predicament.

Third-place finisher Tony Stewart ran a great, solid race, showing his case as a definite contender to win the Goody's Fast Relief 500. He kept the pressure on the top two, hoping that they would get into each other just enough so he could sneak by for the win.

Unfortunately, Stewart wasn't there when he needed to be, but nevertheless, it was a good finish for the self-made driver/owner from Rushville, IN.

Gordon, who had lead early on in the race, was predicted by many to win the race. Despite coming up short, the No. 24 team had a good race overall and came back with a fourth place finish.

Clint Boywer finished with a solid top five finish, which was where he ran for most of the day. Despite all the fuss about Bowyer driving for a completely brand new team, the two-time Chase contender has put together a great season so far.

Ryan Newman, Stewart's teammate, had a great day with a sixth place showing. It was good to finally see Newman have a good race for not only Stewart-Haas Racing, but for his team as well. Way to go, guys!

Mark Martin, who finished in seventh position, had a pretty good day overall. After some rough races so far this season, I think we can expect the best from Martin for the remainder of the race season.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. overcame obstacles in the race, including an incident on lap 43 with his shifter that had to be bungee-corded together. Earnhardt would end up coming back from that adversity to finish with his season best of eighth place.

A surprising name to read in the top-10 was A.J Allmendinger. After a few good finishes earlier in the season, a top-10 for Allmendinger was just what that team needed to prove their case to run the full season.

After some less than desirable finishes in 2009, Jamie McMurray brought the No. 26 Crown Royal Ford Fusion home in 10th position. Hopefully, this will give the team some inspiration to put together a great season.

For the Roush Fenway drivers, the next race at Texas could not come at a better time. McMurray was the only bright spot for the Ford team at Martinsville with his top-10 finish.

David Ragan, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, and Greg Biffle did not, as the saying goes, have the time of their lives at Martinsville.

As we head into Texas, we can only hope for more great great racing and finishes!

Qualifying Cancelled in Martinsville: Some Lucky, Others In the Back

Amanda Bradeen — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:59:17 -0400

The racing action at Martinsville Speedway this weekend has gotten off to a rough start with qualifying being cancelled due to rain.

For some, this means really good pit selections. However, some drivers may find their place on pit road requiring a lot more work.

Jeff Gordon, the points leader heading into Martinsville, proved to be the luckiest driver so far this race weekend. Because of the washed out qualifying session, Gordon and crew have the pole for Sunday's race due to the top 35 points standings for this season.

That is good news because Gordon starting in first means the No. 24 DuPont Chevy team gets the first pit stall. The first pit stall comes in handy for the race off pit road.

Though he was delighted, Gordon will still be pretty nervous come Sunday since he, along with the other 42 drivers, were not able to make laps on Saturday due to the rain.

Clint Boywer, driver of the No. 33 Cheerios Chevy, said that he had been looking forward to qualifying on Friday as he had a fast car. Bowyer had worked on some strategies while recently testing at Rockingham Speedway.

Carl Edwards spent most of Friday's practice session working with a car that was in race trim. He said his car was not that great and wanted to work on it.

Many drivers were unsure about working on their cars on Friday, feeling it was going to rain on Saturday instead of qualifying. As a result, most teams opted to practice in race type conditions instead of making qualifying, mach runs.

For the teams who are situated 11th place on back in the points standings, track position will be very important at Martinsville, as it is a short and demanding track.

Rain has been the name of the game so far this weekend, washing out practice sessions for the Sprint Cup drivers as well as postponing the NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series race until Monday afternoon.

So it looks to be a "wing it" situation, as the race day forecast calls for cloudy skies with only a 20 percent chance of precipitation.

Racefans, let's hope that Sunday's weather doesn't ruin what looks to be a good race coming up!

Special Saturday Night Race to Feature Celebrities and Legends at Bristol

Amanda Bradeen — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:53:44 -0400

Though fans usually go to "Thunder Valley" for the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races, the talk of the town is the "Saturday Night Special." This is a 50-lap race featuring racing legends and celebrities racing in teams of two. Longtime fans will enjoy seeing their favorite old time drivers while recognizing celebrities.

Celebrity drivers will run a 15-lap heat to determine the qualifying for the legends, who will run a 35-lap race.

The winner of the race will receive $25,000.00 to go towards their charity. Second place will receive $10,000.00, and all other teams will receive $5,000.00, all to go to their charity of choice.

The teams are as follows.

TV and Radio Personality and Avid NASCAR fan Riki Rachtman and NASCAR Raceday and NASCAR Victory Lane host Jimmy Spencer.

Realtree Outdoor Founder Bill Jordan and NASCAR legend Terry Labonte.

ESPN analyst and former crew chief Ray Evernham and NASCAR telecaster and legend Rusty Wallace.

Former NFL player Mike Compton and legend Phil Parsons.

North Alabama head coach Terry Bowden and legend L.D. Ottinger.

NHRA Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson and legend David Green.

ESPN analyst and former crew chief Andy Petree and legend Sterling Marlin.

NHRA Top-Fuel dragster driver Doug Hebert and legend Larry Person, who replaced his father David Person due to injury.

ESPN analyst and former NBA player Brad Daugherty and legend Junior Johnson.

NHRA Funny Car driver Ron Capps and legend Jack Ingram.

Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer and longtime legend Cale Yarborough.

Philadelphia Eagles placekicker David Akers and legend Harry Gant.

These are great teams, and this will be a great event to watch for any NASCAR fan.

Wallace Family To Join Racing Event at Local Track in Maine

Amanda Bradeen — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:40:43 -0400

When I mention Maine, you probably think of the coast and that's about it. Surprisingly, we have a few tracks that have been rather popular with NASCAR. One happens to be Oxford Plains Speedway.

Oxford Plains speedway was once owned by Bob Bear. Bob's name may sound familiar because he once owned New Hampshire International Speedway.

Oxford became very popular among NASCAR fans when they started the True Value 250. This is when NASCAR drivers and legends, came up to Maine to run local drivers cars for this 250 lap race.

Legends like Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Bobby Allison, Jeff Gordon, Bobby and Terry Labonte and Darrell Waltrip along with many others have left their mark at Oxford.

New age drivers have also joined forces at this local track race. Drivers such as Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, J.J Yeley and Kurt Busch, have all raced in the past in this 250 lap race.

The race is now called the TD Banknorth 250, and has become a family affair. For the 2009 race, Rusty, Kenny, and Steven Wallace will be in Maine for this race. Kenny and Steven will be racing while Rusty will be the Grand Marshall. The race will be taking place on Sunday July 19, 2009

This is such an exciting event that all NASCAR fans in Maine look forward to every year.

The Ultimate NASCAR Road Trip Guide: A NASCAR Fan's Bible

Amanda Bradeen — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 10:23:19 -0400

NASCAR fans everywhere, our NASCAR fan bible is out. My mom had actually bought me this book, and now I don't think I can go to races without it.

It is the Rand McNally 2008 The Ultimate NASCAR Road Trip Guide. This book has America's No. 1 maps through it.

The book starts off with the 10 greatest moments in NASCAR history. I won't tell you what they are, but I will tell you they are good moments. It also gives you information on crossing borders and what you need. It's good information to have no matter what.

Another really interesting feature is that it has a list of the radio stations that play the races in every state. Now you can listen to the race no matter where you are.

This awesome book also includes an All American Series of NASCAR Wheelin. I was very excited to see that they had Beech Ridge Motor Speedway is Scarborough Maine. That's my state!

Now we are finally getting into the tracks we know and love. The book starts off with Atlanta Motor Speedway. It gives you the address and quick speedway stats.

The book gives you information on parking, directions, and a few insider tips to give you the best trip possible. It tells you what the weather was like at races in the past and you are given information about food, camping and lodging, and local attractions to hit while you are in the area.

This information is given for each track including the tracks in Mexico and Canada. It also has a map for each track. On the final pages there is a mileage chart. A good thing to have for any NASCAR road trip.

I would definitely recommend this book for any fan who loves to travel, or just would like to know more information about each track.

Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch: Dominating Comebacks in 2009

Amanda Bradeen — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:16:01 -0400

After a rough and tough 2008 season, Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch are looking forward to a great 2009 season. Gordon, a four-time cup champion and Busch, the 2004 series champion, are off to a great start after four races in 2009.

Each driver has had a great average starting position, and has been in the top four with fastest laps run. Both the No. 24 and No. 2 have gone above and beyond their 2008 numbers.

In 2008, Gordon led only 94 laps. In the four races of 2009, he has led 142. In 2008 for Busch, he led only nine laps, this year he has led 237.

After, "Hot-lanta," Gordon is leading the points, and is 43 points ahead of Clint Bowyer. Busch is third, 46 points behind leader Gordon.

If both of these teams can continue to dominate the 2009 season, 2008 will soon seem like a distant memory.

Can Dale Earnhardt Jr Finish Top 10 In Points This Year?

Amanda Bradeen — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:15:47 -0400

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is America's most popular driver, and he is not that bad either. But after a struggling start to this years racing season, we have got to wonder: Can Earnhart Jr. even pull a top 10 in points?

Earnhardt finished 2008 in 12th place. Not bad, but we all know he can do better than that. This guy can drive a car and we know that.

But is the communication strong enough between driver and crew chief to win a championship?

Tony Eury Jr. is Earnhardt's cousin and crew chief. I have always been told that family should not work together because they are too much alike. I happen to think that goes hand and hand with Eury and Earnhardt's relationship. They like to boss each other around a little too much.

Besides that, Earnhardt also has an amazing string of bad luck, and I think he should start hanging rabbits feet and four-leaf clovers all over his car. Maybe then he won't blow motors, miss communicate, and get penalized.

So far this year, Earnhardt's finishes are as follows: Daytona 500 27th place, Auto Club 500 39th due to engine, Shelby 427 10th, and Kobalt Tools 500 11th place.

Drivers like Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick start out kind of rocky and seem to end solid. Earnhardt starts out pretty good and seems to end rather crappy. His luck spirals downward pretty quick.

I have the faith in Earnhardt and the No. 88 AMP/National Guard car, but faith can only do so much. It is still early in the year and I think we can expect more from that team.

I guess Junior Nation can just keep cheering our favorite driver on and hope for the best in the 2009 season.