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Massa

2013 Sprint Cup, Nationwide, And Camping World Truck Series

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Hamlin is out for six weeks, which I think is five races, but I've already proven that I have no idea what the schedule is like.

You could always watch BTCC. It is almost identical to NASCAR - lots of crashes, far too many safety cars, questionable driving standards, commentators you can't understand and the probability of a fight before the day is out. tongue.png

:lol: No TV coverage. I only view things officially. Plus, knowing how European racing works now, it's probably on Monday. :P

Jim Utter spent most of yesterday shaking his head on twitter about Jeff Gluck doing an interview with Denny (that Denny himself requested) as he was leaving the hospital. The fact that he has a job and your masterpieces go unrecognized is a travesty of the highest order.

"Bumpsteer's Blustery Bashing Bounces Back Because I KNOW YOU ARE BUT WHAT AM I?" shouts Jim Utter into his typewriter.

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A professional journalist with a picture of a big wreck (in which a driver suffered or at least re-aggravated a concussion) as his Twitter header is nearly as embarrassing as some of the stuff these guys write. Is having Tony Stewart flipped over some kind of statement that the paddock can only support one angry, overweight gentleman with an interest in Clermont tourism?

Speaking of words and the writing of them, Jayski cites ESPN with something that made me smile (http://www.jayski.com/cupnews.htm#20130327b):

Joe Gibbs Racing is looking at several driver scenarios, including fellow Toyota driver Mark Martin, to replace Denny Hamlin while he recovers from a back injury. Multiple sources told ESPN.com that one scenario that JGR has considered is Martin driving all five races in the # 11 car while Hamlin is out. Brian Vickers would pick up Martin's schedule in the Michael Waltrip Racing # 55 that includes Texas, Kansas and Richmond. Michael Waltrip is in the #55 at Talladega. Another scenario, according to sources, is that Vickers would pick up Hamlin's schedule for four races after next week at Martinsville, where he is scheduled to drive the # 55 for Martin. Martin or Elliott Sadler would drive at Martinsville. Sources said another scenario would have Sadler drive for Hamlin the entire way, although that is the most unlikely option. Both Vickers and Sadler drive a full-time Nationwide Series schedule for JGR. Gibbs said for the sake of continuity, he would prefer to go with one driver versus multiple drivers. MWR, according to sources, would like to keep Vickers in the 55 for as much as possible because he is the likely replacement for Martin next season.(ESPN)(3-28-2013)

The least likely option is the one that seems to most easily accomplish what the team owner wants.

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I guess France and some other guy (I'd assume Tharp, but don't want to say it was) made comments about how they encourage drivers to confront each other after the race, and that they wanted to see cars slamming into each other more.

With that, I politely decline future participation in this thread as to not be so negative. :P

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A professional journalist with a picture of a big wreck (in which a driver suffered or at least re-aggravated a concussion) as his Twitter header is nearly as embarrassing as some of the stuff these guys write. Is having Tony Stewart flipped over some kind of statement that the paddock can only support one angry, overweight gentleman with an interest in Clermont tourism?

Speaking of words and the writing of them, Jayski cites ESPN with something that made me smile (http://www.jayski.co...s.htm#20130327b):

The least likely option is the one that seems to most easily accomplish what the team owner wants.

It's also with the least talented (and hardest to understand) driver they have available. Ray Evernham wonders if Sadler will sue JGR for that seat.

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I've admittedly been following NASCAR as closely as Marty Reid follows the Indy 500 when he's calling it.

I think I read something about one of the race winners having 3 grams of marijuana in his car, and another thing about Bobby Gerhart entering his Chevrolet in the IndyCar race at Pocono.

So, just how did Mike Bliss find you? Congratulations.

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Jason Leffler died last night in a sprint car crash (not a NASCAR race, for anyone not well-versed on the oval racing) in Bridgeport, New Jersey.

He was 37 years old, with a wife and a 5-year-old son. sad.png

My first ever username on the Internet was "jason_leffler;" he was, along with Labonte, my favorite driver in the early days. He was an awesome USAC driver, and got the attention of Roger Penske and Joe Gibbs. Penske gave him an IndyCar test in what was then CART, and helped him run the Indy 500 in 2000. Gibbs provided Leffler with his first NASCAR seat. By 2001, he was already in Cup, with Chip Ganassi. He took a pole at Kansas and a top ten at Homestead.

The next year, he moved to the Truck Series; it was the first year I followed that discipline, and I did so because of Leffler. He won eight poles, but just missed on getting a race win. So close! It was a lot of fun to watch him that year, and in 2003, he finally did win a race (Dover). That happened to be the first race I saw that year (it was in June), as I did not have the SPEED Channel until that day. The cable guy left, and we flipped to SPEED. There were maybe a dozen laps left and he was leading!

By the end of 2003, he was back in Cup. He ran the NetZero car without much success. I remember one race, at Michigan, where he ran top five and top ten for a good while by using strategy (taking two tires on a pit stop), and was keeping that car up there, even though the cars behind were faster on four fresh tires. He had a big-time transmission issue and that ruined his race. Thought he might have had a good result in that one.

The team retained him in 2004, but to run in what is now Nationwide. A lot of his success was there. That year, he got a win at Nashville; I fell asleep before it ended as it was heavily delayed by rain, and woke up to check a website that no longer exists to see my guy had won! He was very consistent that year, just like in 2002 with the Trucks, but didn't get to finish the season. He would have been around third or fourth in points, I believe. One race that year, he got a penalty for racing a bit too hard in the final laps at Daytona in July. I remember ranting in anger how the NASCAR officials messed it up! He could do no wrong, and you have to go for the win! :lol:

He joined Bobby Labonte at Joe Gibbs in 2005 for the Cup Series, but that, like his other Cup opportunities, just didn't work out the way it should have. Denny Hamlin took over later that year and started a great career of his own.

Leffler landed with the #38 Great Clips team in Nationwide after that, and in 2007, he won Toyota's first NASCAR race, this at IRP where he had won many times in USAC. He was third in points that year, behind two full-time Cup drivers. Under today's points system, that would've made him the champion.

He had some more success in that car, and a few more good runs in the Truck Series with Red Horse Racing and Kyle Busch Motorsports.

More recently, he had been doing some start-and-park; he actually made his first NASCAR race of 2013 the other week to do that. Mostly, he had been running the sprint cars on dirt tracks, the way he came up. Something broke in his car last night, causing the crash.

I had a lot of fun watching Leffler race when I was a kid. Jason Leffler Online was one of the sites I was allowed to visit with my parents' permission, and I checked it almost daily at the end of 2001 trying to figure out what he'd be doing in 2002. I remember the rumors: some said Ganassi would retain him to drive the new Target car, but others said no. When that ride went to Spencer, I just had to know his plans! I was frustrated at first that he wasn't going to be in Cup, but boy, did he introduce me to a fun series with some great racing, a lot of it his!

It's great when someone gets to share a passion for many to enjoy, and that's what happened here. I'm really, really sad that he won't be racing again, and even sadder about his family. But I am glad, somewhere in that, that I got to enjoy what he offered to auto racing.

Man, this sport can suck sometimes, you know? But you remember all those years of watching the guy race, and thinking of how good it can be, too. I always have a tough time reconciling my enjoyment of racing when someone dies doing it, I have to say. Losing a favorite, though, has almost made that easier for me, because it was so worth my weekend time to watch the guy race.

Above all that, I really just hope that his family is doing well.

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Here's a video of Leffler in 1999. It's about two minutes long from where I have it start; it is great, great racing. Tons of car control, battling Ryan Newman. Check it out.

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He was dominant in USAC.

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In 2000, he made some Silver Crown runs...

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...did the Indy 500...

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...and raced full-time in NASCAR! Very versatile.

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A personal favorite of mine; his first Cup ride.

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The Truck!

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Toyota's first win in NASCAR.

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More recently: his #13 sprint car.

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Truth be told, I watched the race solely because Denny Hamlin was running Leffler's livery. I decided the best way to deal with this was to watch racing.

It was a good race, I thought.

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