Bleacher Report - Articles by Dave Gainer

Will Left and Right Turns Lead to Victory Lane For The 48 Team?

Dave Gainer — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:33:15 -0400

Jimmie Johnson was 16 when he arrived at Summit Point MotorsportsPark in West Virginia for his first road course experience. He didn’t know what to expect and was less than optimistic about getting licensed to compete in the Sports Car Club of America.

“There was only one other driver that had passed on the first time through the school,’’ Johnson recalled. “I just thought it would be cool to drive on a road course.’’

Johnson struggled on the written test that was all about rules and regulations. He did well on the driving portion, and excelled in a race that pitted him against other cars that should have been faster.

“I passed every one of them and went on and won the race,’’ Johnson said. “When I won they gave me my license, but it took a little bit of persuading because I did so poorly on the written test.

“But the only other driver at that time to have passed in his first time through was Boris Said, so I was stoked.’’

A few months later, Johnson returned and won a national qualifier.

Fast forward to 2009. Seven-plus seasons into his Sprint Cup career and the three-time defending champion still has his eye on his first road course win. In seven trips to Infineon Raceway, where NASCAR’s top series returns on June 21, Johnson has one top five and only two top 10s. His best finish was fifth in 2004. At NASCAR’s other road course in Watkins Glen, N.Y., he has three top fives and four top 10s in seven starts. Yet that victory has been elusive.

But it’s not for a lack of effort. Johnson and the No. 48 team spend countless hours preparing for the road courses. They tested at Virginia International Raceway in May and at CarolinaMotorsportsPark in Kershaw, S.C., earlier this month.

Crew chief Chad Knaus has thrown everything he can into the setup to give Johnson the best car possible, and is looking to check off Infineon Raceway on the team’s list of wins soon.

“I would be disappointed if I didn’t get a win on a road course at some point,’’ Johnson said when asked if he needs a road course win to make him a complete driver. “We’ve spent a lot of time over the last couple of years to get me more seat time on those tracks, and I’m confident it will come.

“I really like racing on road course and feel like it should be an area of strength for this team.’’

Preparing for a road course brings challenges not found on ovals. Because the cars turn left and right instead of all left balance becomes more of a factor. More weight is added to the right side to counter the weight of the driver. Brake efficiency also is key, maybe more than at Martinsville Speedway where brakes are used more than any other oval.

Teams also bring more transmissions because you can change gear ratios more at road courses, and there typically are two additional sets of eyes other than the spotter to give Johnson guidance.

“Besides that you pretty much have what you have,’’ car chief Ron Malec said. “It’s hard to make the car happy going both directions. You find a compromise there and you run it.’’

Much of the preparation comes in strategy. Teams mentally run the race backwards when figuring pit stops, understanding if you make more than two you likely won’t be a contender.

Fuel mileage and fuel pickup also figure into that.

“Some teams do things a little differently than others,’’ Knaus said. “You can run a center pickup which is opposite than what we typically run on an oval. At an oval we typically will run a pickup in the right rear corner of the fuel cell.

"At a road course you can run it on the left side. You’re constantly turning right so the lateral Gs will pull the fuel to the left side of the car.’’

Even though the new car was designed for teams to run the same car at a road course that they do any other track, most teams prepare specially made machines. That doesn’t always spell success.

“I’ll be honest, we haven’t done too well at road courses with our road course cars,’’ Knaus said. “But we’re doing everything we can to change that.”

Knaus doesn’t know exactly why the No. 48 team hasn’t won on a road course. Luck plays a role. Johnson had a strong car last year at Sonoma, leading 27 laps after leading only three in his six previous trips there.

He finished 15^th, losing track position because he was caught on pit road at the wrong time.

“Jimmie has done a good job of improving his road course mentality and as a team we have done a good job,’’ Knaus said. “We just haven’t had the opportunity to show it yet.’’

Johnson doesn’t hesitate to call on Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon, one of the top road course drivers in the garage, for advice. He also has worked with road course specialist Max Papis. Competing in the Rolex 24 at Daytona also has helped.

But so far his most memorable road course moment may have come in the Nationwide Series at Watkins Glen when the brakes failed and he flew over a sand trap into a foam barrier.

“Everyone asks me why I got out and climbed on top of the car after I crashed,’’ Johnson said. “I just remember being happy that I was fine.’’

The next time he climbs on top of a car at a road course Johnson hopes is after a win.

“One of our goals is to win a road course race this year,’’ Knaus said. “A lot of our stuff comes from preparation leading up to the race as far as from the team’s aspect with trying to figure out pit strategies and looking forward to seeing what is going to happen there.

“I’m looking at past history and what not,” Knaus added. “As far as Jimmie’s side of things, he’s pretty solid.’’ He has been since his first road course experience 17 years ago.

An Honest Look at the Montreal Canadiens' Upcoming Series with the Boston Bruins

Dave Gainer — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:55:47 -0400

The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens seem to meet every postseason.

But then again maybe they should, because you never know what will happen when these two fierce Original Six rivals come together in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, this season the Bruins have the upper hand by claiming the top seed in the East.

The Habs are the team who seem to be in disarray. The Habs lost their last four regular season games. And Boston has beaten the Habs quite convincingly having taken five out of six games during the regular season.

But we have learned in the past that none of Boston's regular season domination will matter once the puck drops in Game One of this Eastern Conference Quarterfinal. I don't know what will happen, but you can bet these teams know each other so well that it will be wildly entertaining series.

Boston is ranked second in scoring with 274 goals. Phil Kessel led with 36 and Michael Ryder had 27. Marc Savard, David Krejci rookie Blake Wheeler and Chuck Kobasew exceeded 20 goals, as did late-season acquisition Mark Recchi. Michael Ryder led the Bruins with 10 power-play goals and seven game-winners.

Lines:

First-line center Savard had 63 assists and was tied for ninth in League scoring.
Krejci led the NHL with a plus-37 rating and Wheeler was second at plus-36, while Ryder was plus-28 and Savard plus-25. Savard led Boston forwards with an average ice time of 19:32 per game.

Milan Lucic led Bruins forwards with 262 hits, tied for fifth in the NHL. Stephane Yelle led the Bruins forwards with 56 blocked shots and Savard was tops with 55 takeaways.

Up front, Montreal has found lightning in a bottle since the return of forward Alex Tanguay from injury. Upon his return in late March, Tanguay was placed on the top line with Alex Kovalev and Saku Koivu and that trio scored 32 points in 10 games since being re-assembled March 24.

Tanguay missed 31 games with a shoulder injury, and his return eased the shock of losing Robert Lang, who led the team in scoring when he was lost for the season Feb. 1.

The Habs have struggled to find successful second and third lines. Tomas Plakanec had 20 goals this season, down from 29 a year ago, and 39 points, down from 69. The Kostitsyn brothers, Sergei and Andrei, also have had off years.

Matt D'Agostini had four goals in his first five games, but he went more than two months without a goal before scoring in the season's final week.

Defensemen:

Captain Zdeno Chara is a 7ft tower of strength and a model of positional play in his role as first-pairing left defenseman. He led Boston's defense with 19 goals, 169 hits, three game-winners, 216 shots, 26:04 average ice time, 27.5 shifts per game, and 28 takeaways.

He was second with 123 blocked shots and tied for the team lead with 50 points.

Dennis Wideman, second-pairing, left defense-man, led the Bruins' defense with 37 assists and tied Chara with 50 points. Aaron Ward adds strength, experience and good puck-moving skills on Chara's right side, as does Andrew Ference with Wideman.

Top defense-man Andrei Markov will miss the first round with a knee injury and Mathieu Schneider is playing with an old shoulder injury that turns out is in no need of surgery. Markov will be a big loss on the power play.

Markov was tied for the team scoring lead with 64 points before he was injured; he still finished second-best among NHL defense-men in scoring. Schneider was acquired Feb. 16 and has effectively played with courage and intelligence.

With the loss of Markov in the first round The Habs will be looking for players like Roman Hamerlik and Mike Komisarek to take on more responsibility. Hamrlik already plays almost 22 minutes a game, and Komisarek checks in with more than 21 minutes.

Josh Gorges (plus-12) and Hamrlik (plus-4) are the only plus players on Montreal's blue line.

Goaltenders:

Tale of the tape

THOMAS
G - BOS (No. 30)
HEIGHT: 5'11" WEIGHT: 201
'08-09 Stats:
GAMES: 54
RECORD:
36-11-7
SV%: .933
GAA: 2.10

PRICE
G - MTL (No. 31)
height: 6' 3"
weight: 219
'08-09 Stats:
GAMES: 52
RECORD:
23-16-10
SV%: .905
GAA: 2.83

Tim Thomas led NHL goalies with a 2.10 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage while going 36-11-7 in 52 games. He had five shutouts. Thomas is very mobile and acrobatic for a big man and his feisty personality is a big part of the Bruins' identity.

The goaltending statistics, which are influenced by overall team play, are not very good for The Habs. Carey Price finished 23-16-10, ranked No. 31 in the League with a 2.83 goals-against average and No. 31 with a .905 save percentage.

Price has struggled down the stretch and finished the season with just five wins in his final 18 starts (5-8-5), allowing three or more goals in 14 of those games.

Jaroslav Halak, meanwhile, is 18-14-1 with a .915 save percentage and a 2.86 GAA. He should get some playing time if Price struggles.

Special teams:

Boston's power play ranked second at home and No. 13 on the road, finishing fourth overall with a 23.6 percent success rate. Teams have played them cautiously. The Bruins ranked No. 26 in power-play opportunities, earning just 313.

Boston was fourth-best at killing penalties on the road but only 19th at home, finishing No. 12 overall at 82.4 percent. The Bruins had eight shorthanded goals, tied for 12th.

Montreal led the NHL in power-play efficiency in each of the past two seasons, but slipped to No. 13 in 2008-09, clicking at just 19.2 percent of its chances. The Habs are No. 16 at home at 18.2 percent, and No. 9 on the road at 20.4 percent.

The Canadiens are also in the middle of the pack on the penalty kill, registering an 82.4 percent kill rate, good for No. 11 in the League. There is little deviation from their home performance to their road showing.

Overview:

So what does all this mean as far as how this series will go...The Habs are a fragile team right now, but maybe the fact that the playoffs have arrived will improve their confidence. The Habs Would rather meet a team they know very well in the first round then play a hot Caps club or the unpredictable Devils.

The Boston Bruins are licking their chops to get back at The Habs for last season, and alot of other stuff. The Bruins believe they can win the cup this season, they are confident and solid through out all their lines...

Series Prediction:

Boston has to much for The Habs this season, but Montreal will make it interesting. I predict they will split the first two games and then Boston will win the next two and Montreal will win a close one in Boston and then the Bruins close out Montreal in Canada. Winning four games to two.

NHL Playoffs Are Approaching: Who Looks Good in the East?

Dave Gainer — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:06:14 -0400

The best time of our sporting year is upon us hockey fans.

The NHL playoffs are just days away.

That's right, fans—an 82-game regular season will soon come to a close.

All the work, all the suffering, all the struggles, all the passion, and all the glory comes down to the moment approaching.

Which team in the Eastern Conference will seize control and make a run to the finals?

The Boston Bruins will be the No. 1 seed. This team has had a phenomenal season, 50 wins and 110 points to date.

The Bruins have done it with the best balance of offense, defense, and special teams in the Eastern Conference. Players like Zdeno Chara, Phil Kessel, Marc Savard, and a host of other contributors.

The Bruins are poised to do some damage. Home ice will be a big factor for them in the first round. The Bruins are 27-6-6 at home and 23-11-4 on the road—so it's safe to say this team will get out of the first round.

The Washington Capitals currently hold the No. 2 spot, touting arguably the best player in the league, Alexander Ovechkin. With 54 goals and 47 assists, it's hard to argue against him.

The Caps have size and strength at every position. They also have defensemen that can score—such as Mike Green, who has 30 goals and 40 assists.

Washington will be a factor in this season's playoffs, and I predict they will get past the first round also.

The New Jersey Devils are currently the third seed, and this season Martin Broduer got his 552nd win, making him the winningest net minder of all time. Since then, the Devils have exorcised themselves to a dismal 3-6-1 run in their last ten, most of them with Marty in net.

New Jersey is known for stifling defense, solid play along the boards, solid netminding, and self-discipline on and off the puck. They literally wait for you to make a mistake and capitalize on it.

But this is not what's happening lately. New Jersey could be one of the early exit teams if they don't turn things around.

The Carolina Hurricanes currently reside in the fourth spot, and before things are done they may be able to make a run at Washington for the division title. In my opinion this is one of the hottest teams right now, posting a stellar 7-1-2 in their last ten.

This team is a recent Stanley Cup winner and they know what it takes to get there and win it. Veterans like Rod Brind'Amoure, Patrick Eaves, Joe Corvo, and Cam Ward make this team a threat come playoff time. They should get out of the first round.

The Philadelphia Flyers currently occupy the fifth spot. After holding on to the fourth spot for a month the Flyers are sliding backwards, unable to beat the teams they should down the stretch.

The recipe to beat the Flyers is quite simple—you just have to outwork them.

The Flyers are loaded with talented center-men and one of the best defensemen in the league, Kimmo Timonen. Marty Biron has been stellar at times but as of late has shown some shakiness. Nitty has been shaky at times and shown some moxy, so who do you start?

The Flyers need to get back to Flyer Hockey, or an early exit is imminent.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in the sixth spot. Usually the team that loses the Stanley Cup the year before disappears into obscurity to regroup, but the Pens are denying that tradition. Having posted a 7-1-2 in their last ten, they are one of the hottest teams in the east right now.

With Malkin, Crosby, Staal, and Fleury this team has stepped it up a notch. One month ago, they were out of the playoff race. Now, this team has battled back into the hunt and will be a threat come playoff time.

They may have to start out on the road, but that shouldn't be a problem if they play their game—the Pens want revenge!

The Habs occupy the seventth spot, and are 4-3-3 in their last 10, having won four of their last five, and are now 5-3-3 under Bob Gainey's control.

The Habs have stepped up their special-teams play. With Mathieu Schneider anchoring the power play, Montreal is firing at a 26 percent conversion rate. Before Schneider, it was 16 percent.

With the resurgence of Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev, and Andre Markov, The Habs are poised to get back on track for a playoff run. The netminding has solidified whether they play Price or Halak. This team could be the sleeper.

The eighth and final playoff spot features the New York Rangers. Under John Tortarella's reign, this team has found new life. Sean Avery has added a spark to their game, and Henrik Lundqvist has been solid.

This team needs veterans like Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Markus Naslund, and Wade Redden to take leadership roles with their play to get through to the postseason. The Rangers dropped a game to the Hurricanes last night, so they will need to win out to secure their playoff hopes.

So who do I pick to represent the East in the Cup? Here is my breakdown if the playoffs ended today:

Boston vs. NY: Boston wins in six.

Washington vs. Montreal: Washington wins in seven.

New Jersey vs. Pittsburgh: Pens win in six.

Carolina vs. Philly: Carolina wins in seven.

-------------------------------------

Boston vs. Pittsburgh: Boston wins in seven.

Carolina vs. Washington: Washington wins in six.

---------------------------------------------

Boston vs Washington: Washington wins in six.

There it is! The Caps!

Apparently, Rubbing Really Is Racing At Martinsville!

Dave Gainer — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 01:33:20 -0400

Bristol is a great short track, but apparently it can't hold a candle to Martinville.

On Sunday, Martinsville became a place where today's rubbing was racing, and these drivers wouldn't have it any other way.

This was one of the better races of the year. It started out with Jeff Gordon setting the pace for the field, leading all laps except the caution laps. Later on, other players became involved.

Denny Hamlin set his sights on the No. 24, slowly gaining on him until he could make the pass, and finally did so.

Clint Bowyer had something to say Sunday, with a consistently fast performance battling back and fourth with those same leaders.

Tony Stewart also benefited from that first class Hendrick equipment, posting a phenomenal run today.

Dale Earnhard, Jr. was also in the mix and had a workmans like effort making it back to the front. This was the first track Earnhardt raced under the new Hendrick team collaboration that came out of a four-car team meeting earlier in the week.

For the 1st time this season, Earnhardt's car got better as the run went on, rather than getting worst.

But Sunday's journeyman award goes to Jimmie Johnson and the 48 team. Early handling issues sent the 48 car to the back of the field. His car was fast early, but Crew Chief Chad Knaus knew it wasn't fast enough to win the race.

They went to work on the car and slowly, but methodically, worked their way back through the field. Finally, three solid pit stops put the 48 car in the top-five and eventually in the lead.

At this time the No. 11 and No. 24 cars were battling back and fourth with the vision of a trophy clock gracing their respective living rooms.

Then, a late caution got Johnson in the catbird seat where for a few laps he began to drive away from the 11 car.

We all know cautions breed cautions, and this gave Hamlin a chance to over take the 48 on a restart, and he did, riding his bumper then diving down for the second best move of the race.

Hamlin got the clean air, and started to pull on Johnson. But slowly the 48 car crept back into Hamlin's view, eventually running up on his bumper.

With 15 to go, Johnson made a gutsy uncharacteristic move diving down deep and late into the corner. Hamlin tried to fight him off, but he was at the mercy of Johnson's front right fender. They both slid up the track, almost allowing Stewart a chance to pass them both, but it was not to be. The 48 then drove away from the 11, securing the victory.

This battle reminded me of the 24 and 48's last lap battle to the checkered flag two years ago, although not as intense.

That "Days of Thunder" Movie quote: "rubbing is racing," rang true today. Both drivers were skilled enough not to wreck each other, a great show of talent.

The 18, 99, 17, and the 16 all had a tough day, but those the Fords will be strong at Texas next week so stay tuned.

NASCAR: Where Does Team 48's Consistency Come From?

Dave Gainer — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:07:16 -0500

There's an old racing adage: "To finish first, first you must finish."

Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 Lowe's team have proven that consistently during the past seven years. In 2008, they won seven races and failed to finish only once en route to their third straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

A major key to that consistency is the reliability and power of the Hendrick Motorsports engines.

Crew chief Chad Knaus, who possesses the all-time crew chief record for consecutive Cup titles, is one of those who believes the old racing adage about finishing is true, especially when it comes to engines.

"It has to be running," he said. "We build very good horsepower and torque numbers, but the most important thing is the reliability that we have."

Knaus and his car chief, Ron Malec, agree that the Hendrick motor program's success starts with the Chevrolet blocks and cylinder heads the Detroit manufacturer provides for the new R07 engine. Those major components last 10 to 15 races, but other parts, such as valve springs and pistons, are replaced after every event.

NASCAR's strict rules limit the modifications to a race engine, but there are areas where innovative mechanics and machinists can tweak the powerplants.

"We're fortunate the R07 is still somewhat in the infancy of the engine itself, and we're still learning a lot about it," Knaus said. "There are a lot of things we can work with, like cam lift and rocker arm ratios."

By today's standards, engines in NASCAR are somewhat archaic. They're similar to the old passenger car V8 engines with carburetors and push-rod operated valves. Absent are overhead valves and fuel injection. Still, the race engines are highly refined and can turn up to 10,000 RPM while churning out 800 horsepower.

NASCAR also limits teams to traditional tools at the track, which for the Lowe's team means no telemetry, but lots of Kobalt tools, just like those on the shelves at the local Lowe's stores.

"Our sport is back a little as far as advancement," Malec said. "We still use wrenches and screwdrivers like everybody else did back in the '60s. That's how our sport is, and we're happy using our Kobalt tools."

At the Hendrick Motorsports facility, everything is state-of the-art technology. The 80-person engine department is headed by Jeff Andrews, who has introduced new computer technology, inventory systems and durability testing.

"He's brought the engine shop to a new level," Malec said.

Team engineer Greg Ives said the inventory systems were a big factor in the race engines' reliability and power.

"You have to make sure all parts coming from different suppliers are checked for quality," Ives said. "When you do have a problem, you are able to trace it back to a certain batch number or to a certain area. That accountability gives you the ability to track things when there is a problem, and you can go back and figure what makes great horsepower."

Exhaustive testing is another key factor. Initial testing is done with a "spintron" that turns an engine, sometimes only partially assembled, through its motions. That is followed by pulls on a dynamometer, which simulates the load placed on the engine during racing conditions. Knaus notes the dynamometer is also used for durability testing and engine break-in.

"You don't want to put an engine in one of these cars that hasn't been started, hasn't been run,” Knaus said. “It also allows us to look at water flow, oil flow and fuel flow."

Dynos are used after a race, as well. Sometimes the tests show the engine actually made more power, either because the parts became loose, creating less friction, or the engine gained compression due to carbon buildup in the compression chamber.

Other post-race tests also are important to engine development.

"When the engine is disassembled, we take precise measurements," Malec said. "We analyze material hardness and things like that to see how the engine changed during the race. There's a whole regimen of things that are done to make the engine better the next time."

In many cases, the No. 48 engine is taken apart under NASCAR's watchful eye. After each race, the top two finishers are inspected. Last season, the No. 48 was in that elite group 12 times en route to its record-tying third consecutive title.

For Ives, those post-race tear-downs are reminiscent of old times, but different, too.

"My dad and brother owned a mechanic business back home in Bark River, Mich.," he said. "Pretty much all I did was pull motors in and out of cars, semis, trucks and heavy equipment. Now, being able to work in this clean environment with this type of equipment is a privilege."

That experience has paid off, as most of the heavy lifting and large equipment he has been involved with lately are the many trophies the Lowe’s No. 48 team has brought home with its championships.

Both Super Bowl QBs Profess Faith in Jesus: Which QB Will Have Favor on Feb. 1?

Dave Gainer — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:22:38 -0500

The 2008 season Super Bowl is set: the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Arizona Cardinals. Kurt Warner vs. Ben Roethlisberger—two QBs that often profess their Faith in Jesus openly, after every victory. Yesterday's victories were especially notable as both QBs get to go to the big dance.

I understand the need to believe in someone higher than who or what we are, but does GOD really involve himself in the games that men play? Or is he just involved in the lives of the men and women that play those games? If GOD is involved with the games that men and women play, then who will he side with come Feb. 1?

My feeling is that GOD is not focused on the outcome of these games we play. He is more focused on the people that play in them. It's my feeling that athletes that acknowledge GOD before, during, and after the game are simply doing what their faith requires: glorifying the one who they believe has helped them overcome obstacles that lead to success.

I'm writing this article from the point of view of the player that believes in GOD's ability to motivate a person to excel beyond their known capabilities. Belief is a very important factor when it comes to accomplishing insurmountable goals.

We live in a free country where men and women are free to express their beliefs freely. I don't have a problem with players expressing their beliefs on national TV, but I know a lot of people do.

The Super Bowl is the biggest stage in sports. The two best teams will battle, talk smack, guys will get hurt, bad calls will be made, etc. In the end there will be a winner and a loser...and afterwards, both QBs will shake hands and intermingled prayer groups will form.

This game encompasses many lessons that can used in our daily lives...whether you believe in GOD or not. The struggles, the disappointments, the triumphs, and the sweet success of victory...may the best team win!

Prediction: Steelers 35, Cards 21

Robert Lang Scores 2 And D'Agostini Nets 1, Dowsing The Flames 4 To 1.

Dave Gainer — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:02:21 -0500

Robert Lang had two goals and an assist and the Montreal Canadiens overcame injuries to Christopher Higgins and Mathieu Dandenault to post a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Lang's ninth and 10th of the season gave him the team lead in goals, rookie Matt D'Agostini scored his fourth goal in as many games, and Andrei Markov also scored for Montreal (16-6-5), now 4-0-1 on a seven-game homestand. The Canadiens have lost only once in regulation time in their last 10 games.

Dustin Boyd returned from a shoulder injury to score for Calgary (16-11-1), which is now 2-1-0 on a four-game road trip that winds up in Detroit on Wednesday night. The Flames ended a four-game road winning streak.

Higgins left 15 minutes into the opening period with an "upper body" injury, likely a shoulder, after a hit into the boards and Dandenault went out 14:58 into the second frame with his left arm dangling after he was hit in a corner by Boyd.

It was the Flames' first game in Montreal since a 5-4 loss on Oct. 17, 2006 and they came out firing, only to be shut down on 14 shots in the opening period by Jaroslav Halak, who made his first start in five games.

Lang scored 3:41 into the game as he broke down the left side and shovelled the puck at the net, only to see the rebound go off defenseman Mark Giordano and into the net.

D'Agostini, who has four goals in five games since he was called up from AHL Hamilton, blocked Adam Pardy's shot at the Montreal blue-line, raced in on a breakaway, and deeked Miikka Kiprusoff 4:17 into the second frame.

Flames' captain Jarome Iginla sent a perfect cross-ice pass on the rush onto Boyd's stick for his seventh of the season at 6:32.

Ex-Flame Alex Tanguay fed Lang in front to wheel and slip the puck inside the post at 15:18.

After two Flames' power plays failed to produce a goal in the third, Lang set up Markov for a blast from the top of the left circle for a three-goal lead.

Notes - Sergei Kostitsyn, who sat out three games for taking undisciplined penalties, was back in the Montreal lineup, while Georges Laraque sat out. Guillaume Latendresse and Ryan O'Byrne were also healthy scratches. . . Wayne Primeau and Brandon Prust sat out for Calgary. . . Tanguay played against the Flames for the first time since they traded him to Montreal last summer. . .

Dale Earnhardt Jr., A Study In Futility or a Work in Progress?

Dave Gainer — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:43:04 -0500

Dale Earnhardt Jr. began his racing career at the late age of 17, competing in the Street Stock division at Concord, N.C., at Motorsport Park.

His first race car was a 1979 Monte Carlo that he co-owned with older half-brother Kerry. Within two seasons, the young Earnhardt Jr. had honed his driving abilities to the point of joining the Late Model Stock Car division.

Dale Jr. ran nine Busch series races between 1996 and 1997 for his dad's racing team at Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Ed Whitaker. Dale joined the Busch series full time in 1998 going on to win a title that year and in 1999.

Also during the 1999 season, he ran five Winston Cup races before going to Winston full time in 2000. Dale Jr. competed in the rookie of the year race, but fell 42 points short to a hungry Matt Kenseth. But Jr. was the first rookie to win the Allstar exhibition race.

In 2001 Dale Jr. had to endure the death of his father who lost his life on the last lap of the Daytona 500. Jr. went on to race at Rockingham the following weekend, only to finish 43rd. He followed up that bad finish with wins at Dover, Dega, and later the Pepsi 400, an emotional win that he dedicated to his dad.

In 2002, Junior had a roller-coaster season. He struggled after enduring a concussion at California and in April an injury he did not admit to until mid-September. In the three races following California, Earnhardt, Jr. finished no better than 30th.

Still, Jr. rallied to score two more wins at Dega, and a pair of Bud Pole Awards and an 11th-place finish in the standings.

2003 saw Earnhardt, Jr. become a true title contender. He scored a record-breaking 4th consecutive win at Dega, but people were beginning to say that Earnhardt Jr. could only win on the Superspeedway tracks, as his last win on a non-plate track had come at Dover in 2001.

He later put that talk to rest as he scored a victory at Phoenix in October, recording a career best third place effort in the standings. He would also take home the NMPA Most Popular Driver award for the first time in his career.

In 2004 Dale Jr. started off the year with a Daytona 500 win, six years to the day after his father won his only title in the "Great American Race." Dad was definitely on board that day!

But later in July, Dale Jr. was invited to run a C-5 corvette in The American Le Mans Series at Infineon Raceway. His car slid off course and hit a concrete barrier during warm-up the day of the race, rupturing a fuel line and causing the car to burst into flames with Jr. still inside.

He suffered second and third degree burns on his neck, chin, and legs partially due to not wearing a protective balaclava with his helmet. His burns prevented him from finishing two races where he was replaced by Martin Truex Jr. and his DEI teammate John Andretti in the middle of the races.

The 2007 season proved to be a tough season for Dale Jr., finishing 32nd in the Big Race at Daytona and not getting a top ten until the race at Bristol, where he finished seventh.

He finished fifth at Martinsville leading 136 laps, and things were looking up until May Dale Jr.'s team was fined $100k and docked 100 points for using illegal rear wing brackets. Tony Eury Jr. served a six-month penalty for the episode.

Dale Jr. was in the running to get into the Chase running in 2nd place, at Watkins Glen until engine failure ruined his race and his chances to compete for a title....But for the fifth year in a row Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the NMPA Chex most popular Driver award.

The 2008 season Would bring major change for DEI and Dale Jr. After much speculation Dale Earnhardt, Jr. announced on May 10, 2007 , that he would leave Dale Earnhardt Inc., the company founded by his father, to drive for another team in 2008.

Earnhardt expressed that his decision was based entirely on his desires to achieve his career goal of winning a title, and he believed that he would not be able to attain that objective while driving for DEI.

He said that unless he could gain majority ownership, and therefore control, of DEI, that he was not confident in the organization’s ability to field the elite level equipment that would yield that elusive title.

Now that the 2008 season has finished, and Jr. has completed his first year in the Hendrick organization. Does Dale Earnhardt Jr have what it takes to win a title?

Carl Edwards has shown he has what it takes, Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, and Kyle Busch have shown signs. But After an illustrious career in nationwide winning two titles and also competing for titles in Sprint Cup, Dale has not shown the moxie expected to win a title.

He is on the best team in the business, he gets the same parts as his championship winning teammates. However, winning only one race in 2008 and winning no races in 2007, I'd say he is underachieving big-time.

2009 is the season that Jr. must step his game up. Having joined the Hendrick organization leaves him no excuses for not winning a title. It may take a crew chief change to get it done.

Standing in the way may be the added familiarity of a family member as a crew chief. Mr. Hendrick is smart enough to realize it.

I've listened to many radio transmissions of Dale Jr. talking to Tony and Hendrick, and he just seems overwhelmed when things are not going right. This season Dale Jr. will have to re-evaluate his approach as a driver and learn how to turn misfortune into victories.

Many say the 2009 season is Carl Edwards' year, But I hope that Dale can get it together and win a title this year. God knows the Jr. Nation needs it. I am hoping that Dale is just a slow starter and will get on his game soon....I don't want to see him become a study in futility.

Jimmie Johnson Gets Tied to NASCAR History!!!!

Dave Gainer — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:18:39 -0500

Good Evening, NASCAR fans. History has been tied and made on this 16th day of November.

Chad Knaus is the first Crew Chief ever to win three titles in a row. Congrats, Chad; great work.

The man of the hour, Jimmie Johnson, wins his third title. That's right folks, back to back to back. A feat that may not be achieved again for another 30 years.

Mr. Hendrick has eight titles under his belt. Wow, that's impressive.

Look out, New York, here we come, again!

This was a great race after the sun went down. Carl stretched the fuel again to get the big win.

Regardless of what Carl says about his Ford, he knows how to save fuel better then his teammates. What a great run he had.

Tony Stewart was extremely emotional before and after the race, since it's his last with the Gibbs family, a great team. A great driver moving on to his own team.

That emotion shows Tony has grown and matured from the old hothead days. Best of luck Tony with your new endeavor.

Jeff Gordon showed that he is ready to assume his winning ways after a rough year. He will be motivated in 2009 to turn things around.

Jr. had a difficult night, and I'm thinking that he and Tony Eury may not be together next season.

Steve Latarte also may not be with Jeff next season. Maybe they will switch or they both move on.

As a fan of the 48 this was a great season for me. But there are always many other stories that took place that made this a great season.

This is why I love this sport. Professionals working hard together presenting a product that respects family values. A sport that reaches out to the less fortunate.

A sport filled with the drama of competition, all the heartache, disappointment, victory and the glory. I'm looking forward to the 2009 season, folks.

Thanks for all your input. See you at Daytona.

Woooohoooo, yeah baby. Go team 48! Let's go for four!!!

Should NASCAR Shuffle the Chase Tracks from Season to Season?

Dave Gainer — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:50:02 -0400

The race to the chase is upon us, and 12 teams will begin their own separate runs for a championship.

It's the fifth year of the chase format, yet we are still racing the same 10 tracks.

Jimmie Johnson having won a majority of the previous chase races tells me the 48 team will be tough to beat.

Let's face it, Chad Knaus knows these tracks, and the 48 team will have the upper hand when the chase begins.

If Johnson goes on to win his third championship in a row, I'd say it would be in the sport's best interest to shuffle the Chase tracks around next season to give others a chance to capitalize on different tracks.

If you read my bio, you know I'm a Jimmie Johnson fan and, of course, I want to see him win his third title this season, but I really think NASCAR needs to inject some unpredictability into the Chase format.

I'd like to see Infineon and Watkins Glen in The Chase. And maybe even a Nationwide Series track.

I'm stoked about the upcoming chase and I will be at the Dover race at the end of the month. Feel free to post your reply to my suggestion. Thanks.

Dave

The Chase Is Near. Which Driver Is Poised To Take Control?

Dave Gainer — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:19:48 -0400

With only three races remaining, which driver seems to be in control?

Carl Edwards looks like he has the right stuff now, but you can't rule out Kyle Busch, and Jimmy Johnson. No one has won more chase races then the 48 team.

Kyle Busch has been hot all season long with eight wins all at different style tracks. He may finally breakthrough for his first title this season.

What about the bubble guys like Dave Ragan, Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin?

Dave Ragan is the only driver of this group who has never made the chase. He has his Ford in contention almost every week. Its a long-shot, but i'm picking him to make the cut this year.

Harvick is sure to get in and so is Hamlin, but the 07 car has been struggling of late. Last week's seventh place finish is a glimmer, but last year's appearance may have been an aberration.

Whats up with Jeff Gordon? I don't think he has lost any driving skill since his championship days, the short end of this equation is the team. After 26 races we have not seen a dominant car from this team.

We all know when Jeff has a good car he is hard to beat. The 24 car is ninth overall in the standings, and is in danger of missing the chase.

You have to wonder where Gordon would be if he had Chad Knaus as a crew chief.

Buckle up, fans. It is Saturday night racing at Bristol with chase implications on the line. Can you say feeding frenzy? The sharks will be out for blood on the little oval.