Daily NASCAR

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, FanHouse Exclusive, NASCAR

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne sat down with me Friday for 25-minute live chat with racing fans from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, site of Sunday’s Brickyard 400.

We had a ton of questions right from the start and Kasey talked about everything from his favorite meal before a race (turkey sandwich) to his least favorite thing to do (the dishes).

Thanks to all the fans who sent in questions and comments.

Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, is currently ranked 17th in the Sprint Cup Series championship, 120 points out of the top-12 driver line-up that will qualify for the Chase for the Championship.

Indianapolis is like a second home to Kahne, who moved to the city after high school graduation in Enumclaw, Wa., to compete in the USAC Midget and Silver Crown ranks and pursue his racing career. He has four top-10 finishes in six races at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including a career best runner-up to good friend and fellow open-wheel convert Tony Stewart in 2005.

Here’s a replay of our live chat from Indy.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Go to the original story

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, FanHouse Exclusive, NASCAR

Join NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne for a Live Chat Friday at 12:45 p.m. ET track side from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, site of Sunday’s Brickyard 400.

Note: The 12:45 p.m. ET start time is a revised start time from the previously published time of 12:30 p.m.

Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, is currently ranked 17th in the Sprint Cup Series championship, 120 points out of the top-12 driver line-up that will qualify for the Chase for the Championship.

Indianapolis is like a second home to Kahne, who moved to the city after high school graduation in Enumclaw, Wa., to compete in the USAC Midget and Silver Crown ranks and pursue his racing career. He has four top-10 finishes in six races at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including a career best runner-up to good friend and fellow open-wheel convert Tony Stewart in 2005.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Go to the original story

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR

Tony Stewart grew up an hour’s drive from America’s most revered race track, Indianapolis Motor Speedway home of the world’s most famous race, the Indianapolis 500. And he absolutely remembers his initial reaction — nearly two decades ago — to the earth-shaking news that NASCAR might be crashing the party.

“I’ll be honest, when I first heard about the test that was going to happen there, I was against it,” said Stewart, a two-time Brickyard 400 winner and former IndyCar champion.

“But on that day, I was a guy that had grown up in Indiana. …I was against it because I thought the Indy 500 was the only thing that deserved to be at the Brickyard.

Veteran Mark Martin called the idea of racing there, “ridiculous.”

“I didn’t think we belonged there, I didn’t think the race track would be conducive to stock car racing,” Martin said. “All of which was really wrong.”

As with Stewart and Martin, the idea has won over the toughest of converts. And when 43 cars take the green flag in Sunday’s Brickyard 400, it will be more than just another race or just another victory. It’s a once-a-season emotional indulgence.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Go to the original story

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR

Tony Stewart grew up an hour’s drive from America’s most revered race track, Indianapolis Motor Speedway home of the world’s most famous race, the Indianapolis 500. And he absolutely remembers his initial reaction — nearly two decades ago — to the earth-shaking news that NASCAR might be crashing the party.

“I’ll be honest, when I first heard about the test that was going to happen there, I was against it,” said Stewart, a two-time Brickyard 400 winner and former IndyCar champion.

“But on that day, I was a guy that had grown up in Indiana. …I was against it because I thought the Indy 500 was the only thing that deserved to be at the Brickyard.

Veteran Mark Martin called the idea of racing there, “ridiculous.”

“I didn’t think we belonged there, I didn’t think the race track would be conducive to stock car racing,” Martin said. “All of which was really wrong.”

As with Stewart and Martin, the idea has won over the toughest of converts. And when 43 cars take the green flag in Sunday’s Brickyard 400, it will be more than just another race or just another victory. It’s a once-a-season emotional indulgence.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Go to the original story

by Holly CainI hope you’ll join me for a FanHouse Motorsports exclusive live chat with two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart from the media center at Daytona International Speedway at 2 p.m. Friday, the day before the Coke Zero 400.

The annual Independence Day classic comes at the traditional halfway point of the season, and after a slow start, Stewart has been coming on strong, with five top-10 finishes in the last six races, including second last weekend at New Hampshire.

Tony is still looking for his first win, but Ryan Newman, his hand-picked teammate at Stewart-Haas Racing, took the checkered flag at Phoenix.

Tony has joined me for FanHouse exclusive chats before, such as in 2009 during Speedweeks at Daytona, when we talked about a wide range of subjects ranging from personal preferences to the state of the sport.

It’s going to be a big weekend of racing, and I hope you’ll help kick it off with me at 2 p.m. Friday when we spend some time with the popular river of the No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet.

Tony Stewar Live Chat

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Go to the original story