Daily NASCAR

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Other Racing Series

David Brabham is one of the most accomplished racers of his generation, with a Formula One ride in the early 1990s followed by victories at LeMans and Sebring and an American Le Mans Series championship last year. Well traveled and worldly wise, Brabham was born in England, raised in Australia and has competed everywhere in between.

Brabham, 44, is a big picture kind-of-guy who is as passionate in raising money to fight malaria as he is dedicated to his successful racing career. He could be driving a Ferrari around town, but chooses the more efficient Volkswagen Golf.

On his driver’s suit, where most drivers wear a flag representing their home country, Brabham instead has a patch of the planet Earth.

“We are human beings, we don’t belong to a country, we all live on the planet Earth. … it just works for me to think that way,” he explained.

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by Holly Cain

Filed under: Kevin Harvick, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Richard Childress Racing

When informed on California Speedway’s pit road Sunday that two races into the 2010 season he was officially NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series championship leader, Kevin Harvick broke into a broad grin and smirked.

“Now only 34 more to go,” he shot back after the day’s runner-up effort.

Of course, two races hardly make a season and don’t typically even begin to foreshadow the championship outcome. Matt Kenseth won the season’s first two races last year and didn’t qualify for the Chase for the Championship. Jimmie Johnson was ranked 19th after California and still landed his fourth consecutive trophy.

But. …

After a what-else-could-go-wrong 2009, Harvick, like the entire Richard Childress Racing (RCR) three-team operation, will take what he can get. Harvick is hoping to parlay this encouraging beginning to a proper ending — a return to the ranks of those in the Chase for the Championship, which is where he spent the 2006-08 seasons.

What’s most promising for Harvick is that it’s not just him leading this charge back. Both of his RCR teammates,Clint Bowyer (ranked second in points after two races) and veteran Jeff Burton (fifth) are also off to a good start, suggesting the once mighty RCR may be returning to form.

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by Holly Cain

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona Int’l Speedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup

CONCORD, N.C. — Sporting a thick, new beard, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. calmly and thoughtfully endured and endeared in a preseason interview session with the racing press last month at the massive Hendrick Motorsports complex about five minutes away from Turn 1 of Charlotte Motor Speedway.

And the 35-year-old former Daytona 500 winner and NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver never once skirted the inevitable.

“I hate talking about last year, it was miserable,” Earnhardt said. “But I knew I’d have to answer some questions about what I’d do to get better; what did last year make me feel like.

“But you know, that’s how I ran so I have to own up to all that stuff. I’m looking forward to getting to the race track. I miss the track, the car, the environment, all the people.

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by Holly Cain

Filed under: Daytona Int’l Speedway, Danica Patrick

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Danica Patrick’s sixth-place finish in her stock car debut Saturday night didn’t earn her a trophy, but something much more useful: respect and credit.

She was running 24th with 19 laps to go and charged through the field like a veteran NASCAR racer, not an IndyCar driver turning her first competitive laps in a stock car.

By all accounts, her effort equaled the hype. And there has been plenty of hype.

“I think she showed us she’s able to drive… I expected her to do well,” said Kelley Earnhardt, co-owner of JR Motorsports, which fielded Patrick’s car Saturday and will do so again in at least 12 NASCAR Nationwide races. “I am ecstatic. I couldn’t be happier.”

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by Holly Cain

Filed under: Daytona Int’l Speedway, Danica Patrick

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It was a small thing, really, but as close to an official “you’re in” as it gets.

Juan Pablo Montoya sent a friend to seek out Danica Patrick and invite her over to the Montoyas’ motorcoach in the Daytona International Speedway infield Thursday night.

“I’d never even met Juan before,” Patrick said Friday. “The fact that he came to me is kind of amazing. We just talked and he offered up help the rest of the year.”

“I just think that’s really cool,” Patrick said, grinning broadly.

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