Highlights - Sharpie 500 - Bristol Motor Speedway - 8.25.07

Carl Edwards wins NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Bristol.

Speed TV video report: speedtv.com

MSN video report: video.msn.com

Highlights - 3M Performance 400 - Michigan International Speedway - 8.21.07

After 2 days of rain which postponed this race until Tuesday at Michigan International Speedway, Kurt Busch did it again. I thought that fog would never lift! More details at racingone.com

British Series "Top Gear" On BBC America

Official site of Top Gear: topgear.com
8 p.m. Mondays BBC America

Arial ATOM top-gear

The Return of The DeLorean? Washington Post Article

Washington Post Article link: washingtonpost.com

Texas Firm Readies to Revive DeLoreans
By John Porretto
The Associated Press
Monday, August 20, 2007; 12:49 PM

TV Racer.Com

Nice! tvracer.com

Race Wizard TV on ESPN

Good show! racewizardtv.com

"Know How" - Nice New Feature On ESPN NASCAR Site

Know How - espn.com

Everything we always wanted to know about the inner workings of NASAR, the vehicles and more.

Highlights - NASCAR Nextel Cup at the Glen - Watkins Glen - 8.12.07

Tony Stewart Wins at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York
90 Laps

Speed TV Video: CUP Centurion Boats At The Glen



ESPN Video Link: espn.com

Pics From The Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Pt 2.

The beginning of our tour in the Pit Stop Area at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (From left to right) #70 Johnny Sauter - Sponsor: Haas Automation - Manufacturer: Chevrolet - Car Owner: Joe Custer - Team: Haas CNC Racing - Crew Chief: Bootie Barker. #44 Dale Jarrett - Sponsor: UPS Manufacturer: Toyota - Car Owner :Michael Waltrip - Team: Michael Waltrip Racing - Crew Chief: Jason Burdett. #55 Michael Waltrip - Sponsor: UPS - Manufacturer: Toyota - Car Owner: Michael Waltrip - Team: Michael Waltrip Racing - Crew Chief: Jason Burdett. #4 Ward Burton - Sponsor: Lucas Oil/State Water Heaters Manufacturer: Chevrolet - Car Owner: James Finch - Team: Morgan-McClure Motorsports - Crew Chief: Chris Carrier


Meeting Joe Gibbs Racing Team President and Gibbs’ oldest son, J.D. Gibbs. We had a tour inside of the Joe Gibbs Racing Team's trailer.

"Mr. C" host of the popular R&B Old School program "Time Tunnel" on HUR who called my name on air as a winner! Thank you again, Mr. C!!! Chris Tucker suddenly appeared behind us during this time of the tour surrounded by a large group of media and fans. He was walked into the DLP Trailer two trailers down from us.

Bobby Labonte's RaceCar #43. Sponsor: Cheerios/Betty Crocker - Manufacturer: Dodge - Car Owner: Richard Petty - Team: Petty Enterprises - Crew Chief: Paul Andrews - This is when the Pit Crews were rolling out the cars to get them ready to be lined up for position. The energy level in the pit is electric and cool!

Kyle Busch's RaceCar #5. Sponsor: CARQUEST/Kellogg's - Manufacturer: Chevrolet - Car Owner: Rick Hendrick - Team:Hendrick Motorsports - Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson.

Meeting a 18-yr-old driver who will be racing in February 2008. Very interesting talk he gave us on what it's like to be a NASCAR Driver. Also discussed was NASCAR's new "Car of Tomorrow." See video below pic. ;)

NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow.


Scott Riggs RaceCar #10 - Sponsor: Valvoline/Stanley Tools - Manufacturer: Dodge - Car Owner: James Rocco - Team:Valvoline Evernham Racing - Crew Chief: Rodney Childers. To see these cars live in person being rolled out like this was awesome!

Bill Elliott's #21 RaceCar - Sponsor: Air Force Ford/Little Debbie. To hear them reving up these car's engines in the garages during inspection was incredible!

Pics from The Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Pt. 1

Start of the race. Race 21 of 36: Pennsylvania 500, Sunday, Aug. 5th, 2007, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA. Race time: 3 hrs, 47 min, 55 sec - Average speed: 131 mph


Here they come!


Even with earplugs and headphones, the sound of the engines in person was almost unbelievable. Those engines roar!




Kurt Busch takes the lead over Earnhardt in the final lap. Busch led 131 of 200 laps. It was his second win of the year.

43 finishers in all. The top 10 winners were #1 - Kurt Busch, #2 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #3 - Denny Hamlin, #4 - Jeff Gordon, #5 - Jimmie Johnson, #6 - Tony Stewart, #7 - Ryan Newman, #8 - Clint Boyer, #9 - Mark Martin, and #10 Caset Mears. For complete coverage of this race see nascar.com. ;)

Pennsylvania 500 Race Highlights courtesy of SPEED TV.


ESPN Nextel Cup SuperHighlight Video Link: sports.espn.go.com

ESPN Busch Dominant at Pocono Video Link: sports.espn.go.com

ESPN Busch Ends Drought with Win at Pocono Video Link: sports.espn.go.com

Winning Tickets To My First NASCAR Race! The Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway with WHUR!

-- WHUR 96.3 FM HOWARD UNIVERSITY RADIO --

WHUR, one of my favorite radio stations of all time while growing up in D.C. and still to this day, recently launched an on-air campaign, encouraging listeners to e-mail or fax in “Five Fast Reasons” detailing why we would like to attend the NASCAR Pennsylvania 500 Nextel Cup. This was a chance to actually go to a real live NASCAR race. Something I have been wanting to do for quite a while now.

WHUR actually formally announced its partnership with the NASCAR diversity initiative last June 2006, at the National Press Club which I read about and was quite excited to hear the news. WHUR is actually making history, becoming the first African-American radio station to participate in such an initiative. Last year they also launched thier first contest to take listeners who were fans of NASCAR. I so wanted to go last year but for whatever reasons I wasn't able to follow up in time to get a chance to go. I told myself "Next year! God willing!" ;)

So this year I went for it! And in time! ;) I filled out my "five top reasons", said a lil' prayer before I clicked "send" and hoped I would hear my name called two weeks later. On Saturday, July 21st Mr. C, host of WHUR's popular “Time Tunnel” Saturday Ole School R&B program called my name during his final hour. I was in the last group to be called! Was a brotha happy? A brotha was elated! :)

I was blessed with being one of 20 lucky listeners (a total of 40 listeners guests included) of Howard University’s WHUR 96.3 FM who won tickets to attend the NASCAR Pennsylvania 500 Nextel Cup in Pocono, Pennsylvania on Sunday, August 5th, 2007!

WHUR has become an active part of a nationwide program to increase minority participation in the United States’ largest spectator sport. The partnership has included an extensive on-air campaign with interviews of NASCAR drivers and a trip in June 2006 and August 2007 to Pocono Raceway for 40 WHUR listeners. For most of us, it was our first NASCAR experience. Thanks again, WHUR!

-- JOE GIBBS RACING (JGR) --


This unique opportunity was due in part to the station’s diversity initiative with NASCAR, Joe Gibbs Racing and Pocono International Raceway to introduce more minorities to the world of racing.

Joe Gibbs Racing (also known as JGR) is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned by Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991. The 2007 lineup of drivers associated with Joe Gibbs Racing includes NASCAR Championship winner Tony Stewart, J. J. Yeley, and Denny Hamlin. The team is headquartered in Huntersville, North Carolina, which is near Charlotte.

-- MARC DAVIS, JOE GIBBS RACING (JGR) --

WHUR was also the primary sponsor of car #92 driven by 17-year-old Joe Gibbs Development Driver Marc Davisfor the June 2 NASCAR Busch East Series Race in South Boston, Virginia. Also WHUR will sponsor Marc Davis at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware on Friday, September 21st, 2007. Complete with a WHUR racing car and WHUR uniformed pit crew! How cool is that?

NASCAR’s initiative, the Drive for Diversity Program, helps give female and minority drivers a chance to get sponsored by established racing teams. Eight drivers and 12 crewmembers are chosen to receive help from the program for a year. Marc graduated the program last year and is now in his 2nd year of a six-year deal with Joe Gibbs Racing.

-- PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PENN 500 AT POCONO RACEWAY --

Some of the highlights of this trip for me was #1 - Hearing That I Won!, meeting the other winners who were also NASCAR Fans, the very comfortable bus ride to The Poconos with cool WHUR music and great movies handpicked by radio personality Tony Richards, Seeing The Poconos (had not seen them since a radio remote I did in 1995), The Entrance To The Stadium, Access To The Pit Stop, Meeting Joe Gibbs Racing Team President and Gibbs’ oldest son, J.D. Gibbs & The Tour of the Official Trailer. Other highlights included The Terrace Club Seats, The All You Can Eat Food Buffet, The Race, The Bus Ride Home, Riding Side by Side with the Convoy of NASCAR Trucks Taking The Drivers and Crews To Thier Next Stops, Getting Back Home at Midnight! lol! ;) Seeing this race on ESPN the next day with the complete coverage, excellent camera shots and highly interesting commentary.

-- CHRIS TUCKER --

Another highlight of this trip was the surprise appearance of seeing Chris Tucker who arrived in the Pit Stop two trailers down from us at the DLP HDTV/"Rush Hour 3" sponsored trailer. Their driver was Tony Raines in the DLP RaceCar #96. The manufacturer of Tony's car is Chevrolet. The Car Owner is Bill Saunders. The Team is Hall of Fame Racing and the Crew Chief is Brandon Thomas. Chris Tucker came by the DLP trailer for a tour as well. He was the Grand Marshall of the race and was the point man to announce the legendary "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!" Chris was there also to promote his new movie Rush Hour 3. Here is a great article on Chris Tucker's Pocono Raceway appearance: mcall.com. Also see this great interview Chris did with NASCAR: nascar.com

-- THOUGHTS ON THE PRESENT & FUTURE STATE OF NASCAR & THE NEED TO DIVERSIFY --

There were several things that came to mind as I watched the race and observed the large crowd of Nascar fans. NASCAR truly has to diversify to achieve the next level. There needs to be more teams of color across the board. African-American, Latino, Asian, you name it. Another thing that came to mind is it's obvious that NASCAR has fans across the board of all races and nationalities so the pit crews and teams really should be reflective of that. What will it take to make more African-Americans come out to see NASCAR races? We already know people of every nationality watch it at home. Does NASCAR need a Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan of the racing world who would electrify the sport even more than it is now? Time will tell. I do applaud NASCAR's Drive For Diversity program all the way. It's a start in the right direction.

-- MANY THANKS! --

Thanks again to WHUR, NASCAR, Joe Gibbs Racing and the folks who assisted us at the Pocono Raceway! This was a chance of a lifetime and I am eternally grateful!

LT