Hey all! Here are some of my recent emails. They are good.

Claire,

In post race interviews, Greg Biffle talked about how he is eagerly anticipating the remaining races in the Chase because he performs well in many of them. Well, I did a little research to see if he should be that excited. The results are mixed. I have attached a table that shows the remaining nine races in the Chase, Biffle’s average finishing position at each track, Biffle’s number of wins at each track, and the track’s finishing rank for Biffle based on the 22 tracks currently on the Cup schedule ( 1 being the best and 22 the worst). While three of Biffle’s best tracks based on average finish (Kansas, Dover, and Homestead) are on the schedule, so are three of Biffle’s worst (Martinsville, Talladega, and Texas).

For comparison, here are the same numbers but for Jimmie Johnson. Johnson has more wins and a much better average finish at the upcoming 9 tracks. After looking at these numbers, I think that it can be argued that Biffle will have to finish much better at the following nine tracks than he has in the past, if he wants to pass Johnson and win the championship.

Nick
__________________________________________
Claire B,

I thought you would like this story so here we go.

I had an opportunity to go to the Truck race in St. Louis the other week end. My wife (you gotta love her) gave up her ticket and suggested that I take my father. My father, My hero, is 81 years old. His health is not the best but he is still hanging in there. At first he was reluctant because he doesn’t walk that well and thought he would be a burden. I told him that was a load of fertilizer (crap). As the week went on I kept calling and telling him how much it would mean to me to take him to his first race and checked with the track for handicap access. I was pleased to find out that we could catch a shuttle from the car to within 6 rows of our seats.

My father finally relented and we were off to the races. I think my mother was more jazzed with the idea of having a “girls night out” with my wife then POPS was with the racing but that soon changed. When we got to the track we were a little early and caught the handicap shuttle to our seats. I could see that POPS was getting restless so I asked him if he wanted to take a walk down the boardwalk and look at SWAG. he asked what’s SWAG??? I said stuff we ain’t gettin’…. he busted out laughing…. no really he said what is it..I said that’s a NASCAR TERM for souvenirs.
He was starting to get tired so we sat down on a picnic bench and had lunch. I had to run off to the boys room and asked him to stay put. As I was coming back I saw another young man talking to my father and was curios what he was saying about that time the young man stood tall and gave my father a salute. My father is a veteran of WWII and proudly wears his NAVY hat.

My father was glowing when I got back. He said come on we are gong to miss the race and jumped up from his seat and started towards the stands. I have not seen POPS move that fast in years. He was very engaged in the racing and asked alot of questions. After we watched Ron Hornaday JR. give those other cats a good old fashin’ BOW TIE BUTT woopin’, POPS decided he had enough and wanted to go back to the car.

We started out and I told POPS to cut to the fence and we will wait for the shuttle.
NONSENSE, he said let’s hoof it. We walked all the way back to the car and he didn’t even take a break. It was a pretty good walk for my father and he was ready to sit when we got there but no………
I said where do you think you are going MR. RACE VIRGIN…. we need pictures… I couldn’t help myself, I just had to get back for some of those woppin’s I got as a mischievous child.

I guess it’s true when they say NASCAR RACING IS THE BEST MEDICINE!!!

See ya on the NEW CLAIRE B. CHANNEL!!!

Your friend in speed
DENNIS FROM MISSOURI


__________________________________________
Hey Claire,

You asked about the possibility of allowing cup drivers to race in the lower series on occasion.

Here’s the idea,

Drivers may race in Nationwide and/or Craftsman if driver is 35th in points or higher based on points position.

1st-5th may race in either or both lower series up to 6 times each,

6th-10th 5 times each

11th-15th 4 times each

16th-20th 3 times each

21st-25th 2 times each

26th-35th 1 time each

Less the 35th in points may drive either series as many time as driver chooses.

This allows for younger, less expirenced drivers to develop their skills and form a better understanding of the tracks and other drivers.

The lower series should be treated as a sort of minor league system where drivers learn and develop.

Hope this satisfied your question.

Talk to you later.

Chris Adams
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
__________________________________________
Claire,
First so glad to find you on 148! I wasn’t able to listen much last week
if the change was announced.

I would not have a problem having an age limit of 21 to drive in Cup. For
one, the driver would have a little more time to mature on the driving and
personal side before moving up.

The problem has been if a driver isn’t moved up when they think they
should, they can go to a different team. Remember Kyle Busch leaving Roush
(Thank God). I think they need the time to develop. If they don’t make it
in Cup the first time, it can be hard to make it back a second time.

Have a good weekend Claire.
Brad Karlovec
Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc

__________________________________________

Claire
The problem with the NW series is not as much the Cup drivers as it is the Owners. We have lost almost all the true Nationwide team owners. Now the field of teams is not competitive. And the cup affiliated teams suck up all the sponsors.
Jim A
Chino Valley, AZ

__________________________________________
Claire

You know I know Ricky Stenhouse Jr so I’m biased, but RFR has it right.
Bring them along slow. ARCA, Truck, NW and then Cup. ( Man, it was a lot
easier to say ABC).
Send the 12 around.

Keith
Southaven MS
__________________________________________
Claire,
I think the owners find it easier build their own new driver and not have to put up with the demands of the old star drivers. Kenny needs to just grip the seat tighter and win a race! In other words the experienced drivers do not bring enough value to make it worth their cost and excess baggage.
Thanks,
Bill in Goodview.
__________________________________________
Hi Claire B.
Well heres my take on the subject…I agree with Kenny…I want and miss these young drivers coming up thru the ranks…I like what Dale Jr. does with his Busch team by bringing in and racing a young guy like Brad in the series…Its to bad the other owners have no respect for the lesser series and bring in young talent to the cup series then have to run the kid in the busch series to get the seat time he should have had before he got there…
The media has already turned me off on lagona Peronally I hope he fails…I’m sick of the hype…I’ll wait and watch to see if he’s any good…We got robbed of watching him race coming up…That’s their choice but don’t expect me to get excited about it….
They say they want the lesser series to have there own Indentity…but as long as things keep going the way they are The busch series will always be from here on out Cup Jr. with no other Identity of its own…
I was told that because I have the view I have I’m trying to spend the kids money…Well to be honest Its not his or anybody elses money till I spend it….Because when you break it down all money is ours till we decide when and where we spend it….
I had a lot of fun watching the battles between Dale Jr. and Matt Kensith….We watched them race against each other for 2 championships…With Jr. winning both… Then we watch them race for Rookie of the year in cup With Kensith winning it and also winning a cup Championship first….
We watched Truex and Kyle race for a busch Championship with truex winning it and was dissappointed when they moved Kyle up…the next year to cup…I was hoping to see if Kyle would split the difference or If Truex would beat him again…We didn’t get to see that Battle…
We watched Jeff Green just domminate the series and move up to cup only to falter and then pretty much dissapear from the map..
But we got to see jeff at his very best and nobody can take that away from him…
We watched Harvick race for a Championship while also Carrying the banner for a driver lost….
I heard a guy say on your show let them go to cup and if they don’t perform he can go back…Claire how many drivers have we seen go to cup then go back to never see the cup series again….I guess Kwafel and stremme would be 2 but they’re not the norm….
Kasey Mears is in his last opportunity to make it work….Hes had a lot more tries than a lot of people…As far as I’m concerned the ride at Hendrick should have been his last…But because there are no up and coming drivers in the pipe line and his last name is mears…They keep recycleing these drivers…
I miss the Busch series where we saw what these guys could do and then get excited about what we’d see when they made it to cup…Instead all we get is The hype…..
I respect big time what Greg Biffle was able to do by doing it the right way..I’ll have nothing but good things to say when he can put it all together and win that cup… title that’s going to be so awesome…He’ll be the only driver to do it in the right order..Sure guys like Edwards or others could go back but so what…Its more impressive when you do it the way Greg has done it…
I don’t think we need to put limmits on when you come up..but don’t expect me think your sliced bread because somebody told me I should think that way… and then rob me of seeing it for myself…
I want to see them mature and race from the bottom up not from the top down…
I’m not that impressed by what the cup guys are doing to the busch series….If this is what some fans want then expect a different oppion and a very pssionate one at that….The busch series rocked but cup Jr. sucks and they can have it….
I want to see these guys race hard get the experience to make these cup guys afraid of losing their job because some kid is just kicking ass in the lesser series…
The cup series used to be the best drivers in the world….Is this still true? I guess I’ll have to think about that…
Randy Henry
Old School With An Attitude
Go Martin Truex Jr……KICK ASS AND TAKE CAR NUMBERS
__________________________________________
Claire B ——-Has anyone talked to Danny Ocean and the boys?

My wife would love to “Interrogate” Mr Clooney about some missing engines.

I would volunteer to chat with Ms Catherine Zeta-Jones

Bart in Colorado

__________________________________________

Claire B ———–Great show today..loved all the theories on the theft.

Really I could not come up with a train of thought as to why or what you would do with them either ESP three! ..if someone was “dumb” and gonna scrap them they are in for a fast track to jail! scrap yards keep track of sellers everywhere now because of wide spread theft. (well industry wide they are suppose to–I am really familiar with that business)

Seriously why would the theives not roll a few tool boxes on to the truck too if just there to “steal what they could get”..one tool box full of tools probably comes close to the value of a motor and would be a lot easier to get rid of, none of it makes any sense to me..but then again I don’t go around breaking and entering and stealing stuff either.

I suppose I entertain the “high end collector” probably the most look at the art world, those people steal rare pieces all the time and that’s BIG Bucks (millions/multi millions) compared to fifty grand or 150 in this case. That might be the most plausible thought so far or not if they are High end collector why not just go buy one?

Corporate espionage? stranger things have happened this year.. and last year.. but I highly doubt it, I would really like to hope not anyway, that would just be such a black eye to the sport, would be hard for me to believe someone involved in the sport would be that low or desperate.

It is pretty obvious that I don’t steal because I am trying to rationalize something I cant fathom or understand at all..I will say whom ever did it had some balls to chop a hole in a building! I am thinking it was not masonary that would have taken some serious time to cut through had to be metal..that’s would be easy and fast with a chop saw cordless even ..and makes me GO “holy crap” that’s is what my two shops are made of( and 9 million others)..sheeze.

I must say it made for interesting radio..better than all the bs on team bickering on the radios..that got pretty old really fast..since I listen all day long( and its like listening to my teens lol)..but Fiensteins interview was really insightful. so was Mr. Rensi what a straight shooter!
__________________________________________

Hi Claire,

I love being able to listen to the driver’s radio communication during the races and I would be very unhappy if the teams started scrambling it. If not for being able to listen to Michael Waltrip’s radio communication via Trackpass each week I’d probably have no idea what was going on with his team since the TV broadcasts often don’t mention him (and many other drivers). I’ve gained so much insight into the challenges that Michael’s team have had to deal with this season with the COT.

Based on what he’s said in the past Michael seems to keep in mind that anyone and everyone could be listening at any time so I think he might be more careful than some about what he says over his radio. That said, Michael has definitely gotten angry with his crew chief and frustrated in general with various things, but doesn’t just about every driver get like that at times? The interesting thing to me is that there’s an added element that’s not present with most other drivers and their crew chiefs in that Michael isn’t just the driver but also the owner – I’ve often wondered how that might effect the way Michael communicates with his crew chief/team and vice versa.

I also want to thank you for having Josh Wise on just a bit ago – as a Michael Waltrip fan I’m going to like just about every driver who races for him, but I also had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Josh last year at Pocono and I was very impressed with him! So he’s become a favorite of mine. I have a feeling he’s going to develop into a really good driver for MWR. (I just hope they find more sponsorship for him so that he can keep racing for them).

Thanks,
Deborah
__________________________________________
Claire I’ve got a dumb question. Why are there Cup drivers in the Nationwide Series? I know when Nascar implemented the testing rule years ago it seemed that a influx of Cup drivers came into the Nationwide series and I totally understand that. Those guys since they couldn’t test anymore could get info in the cars during the nationwide race and check things like tire wire, does 2 tires work instead of 4, what springs and shocks worked, etc. It would be the ultimate in real time practice. But now Claire with the new COTM car being raced, I don’t see why Cup Drivers want to be in the Nationwide Series and how it benefits them. Is there anything that they can use during the Nationwide race that can be transgressed over to the cup race on Sunday? See I don’t see!! Plus if I was a car owner I would be hesitant to put my driver into a Nationwide race bearing what happened to somebody like Steve Park at Darlington a few years back I believe. Can you shed some light on this for me Claire because I’m 100% clueless on this. The only reason I see is just plain money and for us fans see somebody like david defeat goliath. Like the guy who won at Talladega in 86/87 in a 2nd car that Gary Nelson put together with Bobby Allison (I can’t think of his name but it was his one and only win….Bobby Hillin maybe?) That’s all but is that it? Anyway, I was going to call in and ask but the phone system was jacked today so I didn’t get to call in. Love the show as always and look forward to hearing ya tomorrow!!!!

Travis from Tulsa

__________________________________________

I am very excited for Jeff’s pole position. The Dupont team needed something positive as the last few weekends have been trying for the team. This should give them the needed enthusiasm to win a race . Will be nice for Jeff’s fans to see some coverage of the Dupont Team during the Chase.

Raelynne
In California
__________________________________________
Claire based upon Jayski.com report about the ratings (see below) I feel that these numbers are a be misleading.

1. In Houston where IKE coverage was pouring out of ever tv station ABC here in Houston showed that coverage rather than the NASCAR Race…………….Were those viewers counted as ‘Nascar Viewing’ audience because that is what was scheduled and that time slot was viewed?

2. How does TV know if a male or a female is watching? Is BIG Brother watching me?

3. Keep up the awesome work…….. Here is my predicition for DOVER.

1. 24
2. 17
3. 16
4. 88
5. 1
6. 18
7. 11
8. 99
9. 8
10. 2

ABC’s First Chase Race Shows 15% Ratings Growth from 2007. ESPN on ABC’s telecast of the first race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup last Sunday from Loudon, N.H., earned a final national household rating of 3.8, up 15% from last year’s 3.3. The telecast averaged 6,098,377 viewers, an 18% increase from the 2007 race that also aired on ABC. One of the largest gains was in the Males 35-54 demographic, which was up 28%
Clay Thomas
__________________________________________

Dear Claire;

Well I am a Jeff Gordon fan and I am thrilled with the way the weekend has started. This is really great for the 24 team and I think they have an excellent chance for the win; Jeff should finish at least in the top 5. To me when Jeff got through that final accident at New Hampshire it saved his chase and I think that will show this weekend. As long as he stays in the front he should finish very well. And I still think he has a very good chance to be the champion this season, and a win on Sunday would be a great way to start towards the title. And I really like Denny Hamlin and Greg Biffle to have very good days on Sunday, actually I would think the entire top 10 should do well. As for the drivers qualifying further back I think Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick should pull off decent finishes, but I am concerned with how Tony Stewart qualified, this has been a problem all year for him and I have to think he may not have the best of weekends.

Thank You,

Sue from Shorewood, IL