Bloggin' is Racin'

Who are your top 25 drivers of all time?

To celebrate the busiest and perhaps most celebrated weekend in motorsports, ESPN.com has been counting down its Top 25 drivers of all time since Monday. These 25 greats span all forms of motorsport and many different eras. And who, you ask, came out on top? Texas' own A.J. Foyt, left. Read Terry Blount's piece about the 73-year-old Foyt here. While you're there you can check out the site's entire list of top drivers and who voted for the list. Also, if you don't agree with the list, you can give your own rankings.

-- Michele Vincze
Photo: AP file

Catching up and looking forward

First things first: Happy Dale Earnhardt Day. The NASCAR legend would have turned 57 today.

The motorsports calendar was chock-full of story lines last weekend and into this one. Here's an attempt to catch up on the weekend that was and what's in store this week and next month:

Sprint Cup Aaron's 499 at Talladega
As a fan in the stands, this race was perhaps the best of the year. Now that's coming from someone who enjoys restrictor-plate racing. I guess it was no surprise how strong the Joe Gibbs Toyotas were since they were equally stout at Daytona in February -- but they didn't find Victory Lane there. The Red Bull Toyotas were also impressive, with Brian Vickers leading laps en route to a top-five finish and AJ Allmendinger earning a top-five qualifying spot for his first start of the season. I listened to runner-up finisher Juan Pablo Montoya and his team on the radio for most of the race, and believe it or not, the guy has figured out and seems to really enjoy plate racing. All he needs is a few more bump-drafting friends and he'll win one and soon. It didn't hurt that Montoya had a new crew chief in Jimmy Elledge, which helped the team's focus and boosted their enthusiasm. Montoya jumped up to 12th in the standings. If the Chase began today ...
Next up for Sprint Cup: Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway, 6 p.m. Saturday, KDFW/Ch. 4

Nationwide Series Aaron's 312 at Talladega
It's almost unfair when Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart run plate races in the Nationwide Series. You always have to figure one of the two is going to win. Well, after the two alternately shoved each other around the track for most of the 117 laps on Saturday, Stewart earned his first win at Talladega in any series. Junior ended up sixth. But only after most of the good lead cars were taken out by Kevin Lepage and his brain-fade move to blend back into traffic after a trip to pit road. Carl Edwards said he was lucky to escape unhurt from the 15-car wreck with 47 laps to go. The wreck also took out two-thirds of the Wallace contingent as Steve Wallace's car was damaged beyond repair and Kenny Wallace's was wounded and retired five laps later. Mike Wallace, with GEICO spokes-kid and racer Lauren Wallace looking on from the pits, finished 10th.

Dario Franchitti was involved in an earlier wreck and ended up with a broken left ankle after Larry Gunselman hit Fanchitti's No. 40 Dodge on the driver's side way after the actual accident was over. Franchitti missed Sunday's Cup race (David Stremme filled in for him) and will miss at least one more Cup race. Ken Schrader is scheduled to drive his No. 40 Cup car this week at Richmond. Most of the drivers were thrilled that veteran Morgan Shepard escaped all the carnage and finished a very respectable 13th. At one point, Dale Jr. came over the radio and asked if "that green car back there was the Racing for Jesus car?" When told yes, he said Shepard's car "must have it's tongue hanging out." Stewart even mentioned Shepard in his Victory Lane interview.
Read more about the Aaron's 312 here. Next up for the Nationwide Series: Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway, 6 p.m. Friday, ESPN Classic

NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals in Atlanta
It's no secret Ashley Force is a fantastic young talent in the NHRA. She proved it yet again and in historic fashion Sunday when she defeated her father, John Force, to become the first woman to win a Funny Car title. Ashley Force defeated Del Worsham, Jim Head, and Ron Capps en route to the final, which was her third straight and fourth overall money-round showing. She now leads Tim Wilkerson by 59 points in the Funny Car points standings. Read more about Ashley's win here. Next up for the NHRA: O'Reilly Midwest Nationals in Madison, Ill., on Friday-Sunday.

Texas teenager shines in O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas
Colin Braun, 19, earned his best result of his NASCAR career with a third-place finish at Kansas Speedway on Saturday. The result vaulted Braun into first place in the Craftsman Truck Series rookie standings and was his first top-five finish of the season. The Trucks race next at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 16.

IndyCars start preparations for Indy 500
Dan Wheldon will have a whole month to savor Sunday's win at Kansas Speedway as the IndyCar teams now begin their preparations for the Indy 500 on May 25. Practice for the 92nd running of the Indy 500 begins next week and qualifying is May 10-11 and May 17-18. Points leader and two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves figures to be a favorite this year. Go here for more drivers to watch for on Memorial Day weekend.

Robby Gordon excels on two continents
Even the staunchest Robby Gordon hater has to admit the guy can drive a race car/truck. Gordon proved he can do a multi-continent "double" last week when he drove his Hummer H2 to a 10th-place overall finish in the Central European Rally, which spanned seven days and 1,670 miles through Hungary and Romania. Gordon flew back from Europe in time to start the Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup race at Talladega and finished a respectable 11th in that race.

Young Finn okay after hard crash
Heikki Kovalainen was released from a Barcelona hospital on Monday after a scary crash during the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. The 20-year-old said he doesn't remember the accident that left him stiff and sore, but with no major injuries. He hopes to pass an F1-mandated medical exam in time to race in the next race, the Turkish Grand Prix on May 11.

-- Michele Vincze

Smoke headed to Chili Bowl

Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champ Tony Stewart will be vying for his third title at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. The event, which Stewart won in 2002 and '07, begins Tuesday and ends with the A-Main on Saturday night.

Stewart, along with drivers Levi Jones, Tracy Hines and Josh Richards, should make Tony Stewart Racing the team to beat on the quarter-mile dirt oval. Stewart's ride in this year's event is pictured above.

HBO Pay-Per-View will broadcast the Chili Bowl for the first time ever at 7 p.m. Saturday.

-- Dusty Schwab

Dakar Rally canceled

The Dakar Rally, the epic motorcycle, car and truck race across the Sahara desert, was canceled Friday by organizers citing “direct” threats of terrorism from al-Qaida-linked militants.
The race was deemed too inviting — and too easy — a target for the terror group's new north African affiliate. The roughly 550 competitors were to have embarked Saturday on the 16-day, 5,760-mile trek through remote and hostile dunes and scrub from Europe to Senegal in west Africa.
Organizers of the rally cited warnings from the French government about safety after the al-Qaida-linked Dec. 24 slaying of a family of French tourists in Mauritania — where eight of the competition's 15 stages were to be held — and “threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organizations.”
It was the first time that the 30-year-old rally, one of the biggest competitions in automobile racing, has been called off.
Victor Anderes, vice president of special projects at Global Security Associates, a New York-based firm that provides security for high-profile events including the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, called the cancellation unprecedented.
“Smaller cultural events have been canceled before because of terror threats, but this hasn't happened with such a major international event,” he said.
“The threat is significant,” Anderes added. “It would be almost impossible to secure the entire course.” He said the race is particularly vulnerable because it crosses different countries and large, unpopulated areas.
NASCAR star Robby Gordon and Team Dakar USA teammate Ronn Bailey talk about their frustrations and concerns about the danger in Africa in videos at robbysuprising.com

Big names signing up for 24 Hours at Daytona

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has announced their lineups for their two entries in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.

Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas will pilot the No. 01 TELMEX/Target Daytona Prototype, and Scott Dixon, Dan Wheldon, Salvador Duran and Alex Lloyd will share the No. 02 Target/TELMEX Daytona Prototype.

Pruett, Montoya and Duran teamed up to lead 468 of 668 laps on their way to victory in the 2007 Rolex 24 while Dixon, Wheldon and former Ganassi driver Casey Mears captured the 2006 Rolex 24.

Montoya and Franchitti join two other NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have already announced they will drive in the endurance race on Jan 26-27 on the road course at Daytona International Speedway. Kurt Busch will team with Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe in the No. 9 Toshiba Pontiac Riley fielded by a partnership between Penske Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing. Reigning Cup champion Jimmie Johnson will co-drive with defending Daytona Prototype champions Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty and Jimmy Vasser in the No. 99 Lowe's/GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac Riley.

-- Michele Vincze

Pemberton leaves DEI

Crew chief Ryan Pemberton has left Dale Earnhardt Inc., and the team said Doug Richert will replace him beginning Wednesday, The Associated Press reported.
Pemberton, who was crew chief for the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet in 2007, was scheduled to lead the No. 8 Chevy that will be co-driven next season by Mark Martin and Aric Almirola in 2008.
“Ryan is immensely talented and has always been sought-after,” DEI general manager John Story said Tuesday. “He's now chosen to pursue some of those opportunities and we wish him nothing but the best.”
Pemberton, 38, spent eight seasons with MB2 Motorsports, which was bought by Bobby Ginn before last season. Ginn then sold the team to DEI, and Pemberton continued with the organization after the acquisition.
Richert, 47, became the youngest crew chief to win a Cup championship when he did so as a 20-year-old with the late Dale Earnhardt in 1980. He spent most of last season with Brian Vickers and the No. 83 Toyota Camry at startup Red Bull Racing, but was let go late in the year. Before joining the Red Bull team, Richert was crew chief for Greg Biffle at Roush Fenway Racing.

Drivers like holiday music, too

Ever wonder what holiday music your favorite Roush Fenway driver listens to? Well, wonder no more. The Roush Fenway gang has put together their favorite tunes on an iTunes iMix you can download and keep for your very own. Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, David Ragan and Texas native Colin Braun all contributed a few favorites. The complete list can be found on iTunes by clicking on iMix and typing in Roush Fenway in the search window. The Roush guys also have a regular everyday mix of their favorite rock and pop songs you can download.

-- Michele Vincze

Alonso back with Renault

Fernando Alonso announced Monday that he will return to the team where he won two Formula One world titles in 2005 and 2006. Alonso agreed to a two-year contract with Renault, the Associated Press reported.
Spanish media reported that Alonso would earn $51.3 million per season, though Renault would not confirm the figure.
“I am delighted to be returning to Renault,” Alonso said in a statement . “This is the team where I grew up as a driver in Formula One. Now it is time for us to begin a new chapter together.”
Alonso is moving on after a turbulent season at McLaren, where the 26-year-old Spaniard was released from his three-year contract last month after publicly falling out with team boss Ron Dennis.
The rocky relations — caused by Dennis' refusal to give Alonso No. 1 status over rookie driving partner Lewis Hamilton — eventually led to a spy scandal that cost McLaren $100 million and all of its constructors' championships points.
“It's not easy to sum up a season with just a grade or a number. What is certain is that 2007 has been a very good year for me in spite of what people think,” said Alonso, who finished third in the 2007 drivers' standings with 109 points, one behind champion Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari.
Alonso will partner another rookie in Nelson Piquet Jr. at Renault, but his No. 1 status is certain due to a close relationship to team boss Flavio Briatore.
“We are delighted to be welcoming Fernando back home to the team where he enjoyed his greatest success,” Briatore said. “He knows the team well and how we operate. He will feel comfortable straight away in this environment.”

Spying doesn't pay, part 237

McLaren's racing plans for 2008 hit a snag Friday. The World Motor Sport Council deferred a ruling on whether McLaren illegally used confidential data from Formula One rival Ferrari on its 2008 car, The Associated Press reported. The council called an extraordinary general meeting for Feb. 14 in Paris where McLaren, Ferrari and other F1 teams can respond to the FIA technical department's report on the 2008 McLaren car.

The decision means McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, who finished second in the 2007 drivers' championship in his rookie season, won't know whether his 2008 car has been cleared until a month before the opening race.

The F1 season starts March 16 with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia.

McLaren was fined a record $100 million in September and stripped of all points in the constructors' standings after a 780-page technical dossier on Ferrari cars was found at the home of McLaren's chief designer.

Hamilton and teammate Fernando Alonso escaped punishment, but FIA said the British-based team could be thrown out of the 2008 season if its car is found to have been altered with Ferrari's data.
McLaren said it would cooperate with FIA.

“From the very beginning McLaren has provided the FIA with full access and complete co-operation, and remains confident no confidential information has been incorporated within the team's 2007 and 2008 cars,” McLaren said in a statement.

In other Formula One news:

Renault escaped punishment for possessing confidential information about Formula One rival McLaren because the material was of no use to the team, the sport's governing body said Friday.

The World Motor Sport Council said the unauthorized possession of four technical drawings was not serious enough to merit a penalty similar to the record $100 million fine imposed on McLaren in September for using confidential data from Ferrari.

Ratings wreck

The NASCAR season is over and the 59th Cup champion has been crowned, but you have to wonder if NASCAR is celebrating. The United States' most popular form of motorsport had another rough year in the TV ratings. NASCAR went into spin control after it was announced ratings were down 9 percent from 2006 and 21 percent from 2005. Ratings were down for all but seven races in 2007, including a 14-percent drop for the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and almost an 11-percent decline for the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. So why is viewership down? Let's take a look at some possible reasons viewers are being driven away:

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s struggles. The sport's most popular driver missed the Chase for the second time in three years and has won only two races in that same span. You think NASCAR hopes this Little E-Hendrick thing works out?
2. Hendrick Haters. Do the majority of NASCAR fans really despise Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon that much? It's safe to say some were probably turned off by their dominance this season.
3. Burnout. The drivers face it, so maybe the fans do, too. Thirty-six races, which also means 36 draining prerace shows, is a lot. And NASCAR, we beg you, please shorten the Pocono races. Two 500-mile races a year in Long Pond is just mind-numbing; it's surprising the drivers don't nod off.
4. Foreign invasion. The old-school fans thought the world was coming to an end when Jeff Gordon, from all the way out in California, popped up on the scene. Now, drivers from Colombia to Canada are competing in NASCAR. What will the purists think when Toyota wins its first race in 2008?
5. The product. Forget there are commercials every 5 minutes and the Draft Tracker is a bust. Maybe the problem is the racing itself. The cookie-cutter 1.5-mile and flat 2-mile tracks provide some of the worst, cars-strung-out-all-over-the-place racing, yet they dominate the schedule.

-- Dusty Schwab