Rowdy People

So you want to be a developmental driver?

So you want to be a developmental driver?

Check out how to advance the racing career by listening to our specialists on racersreport.com

Mike Calinoff and Tom Baker give inside hints and we will be joined by none other than Lyn St James on Thursday to join the frey!

News, Survey and the whole shabang on RacersReport.com

RacersReport.com has just overhauled the site and added a new online poll as well as up to the minute news and podcasts with all the organizations best developmental drivers around. Check it out today

Multiple Podcasts with Developmental Drivers

I bunch of new podcasts conducted this week is now up on RacersReport.com

Interviews with Ryan Matthews who lost his job to Jacques V as well as Mike Calinoff, David Stremme's manager, Billy Wease of Penske Racing and Alison MacLeod of Ford Racing has all been added this week.

Next week we have Colin Braun of Roush, Stephen Leicht of Yates and Kraig Kinser of DEI

Cup Tracks-name them

Can you name tracks that once held Cup races that no longer do so such as North Wilkesboro? Lets see who can name the most!

Where are they now?-Casey Atwood

This weeks "Where are they now?" focuses on Casey Atwood. Atwood came through the ranks quite quickly in 2000's as a driver for Evernham Motorsports. His career started by racing against much older and experienced racers at Highland Rim Speedway and Nashville Speedway in Tennessee. Mentored by the late Bobby Hamilton Sr, Atwood was successful in the Busch Series racing in the #27 Castrol auto.

Atwood saw some success also in the Cup Series at Evernham nearly winning the Homestead event until he was rubbed out by Bill Elliott. Once Evernham merged to a 3 car team with the 9, 19, and Atwoods 7, his career faultered and later left the scene.

Since his disappearance from NASCARs premier series, Atwood has been searching for his identy back home in Nashville. Earlier this year, Atwood made an appearance in the Busch Series for Brewco at ORP and looked solid considering all the race rust.

Atwood returns to Brewco this week in the #37 in the Busch Series. With some luck, Atwood could see his name back in the rumor mill with some success at the Monster Mile.

A victim of moving up too quickly and bad team mergers has hurt his career during his prime but Casey still has time and marketability. His chances are closing and we hope for the best this weekend!

Open Wheel Success doesnt translate

Open wheel success doesnt translate to NASCAR glory! Dont believe me, ask Sam Hornish who will attempt his Cup debut at Dover...for the second time.

Sam Hornish of Penske was set to make his debut last week at NHIS only to fail to make it in on speed after qualifying 46th in Penske Racing equipment. After being paced in 20th in practice, the 3 time IRL champ choked out a qualifying lap.

Hornish will now look to better the embarrassment at Dover.

Jacque Villeneuve has pushed developmental driver Ryan Matthews out of the Bill Davis Racings Craftmans Truck Series ride for the remander of the year. Matthews took over for Tyler Walker after Walker failed a drug test in May, and has only ran consistently in the top 15 week in and week out.

The open wheel experiment does not stop there as Buddy Lazier will also enter the Truck race at Vegas this week in the Billy Ballew ride. Atleast Buddy didnt move someone out of the way to get the seat time.

Dario Franchitti is testing an ARCA car at Talladega this week in hopes to make his entry into the David Stremme ride for Ganassi Racing. David Stremme has been successful for CGR since his arrival for a team that has struggled for the past few seasons, but according to the trend, Stremme didnt have open wheel experience to secure his position.

The true question is, how do open wheelers get jumped into NASCARs elite series with little to no fener racing experience.

DEI and JR Motorsports have plucked motorcross racings biggest stars, Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Carmicheal for development but these two organizations seem to understand the term "developmental drivers." Entering the legends of 2 wheel racing into grassroots racing divisions like ASA provides the racers with a full understanding of stock car racing.

NASCAR and the France family are fully embracing the open wheel racers into stock car racing and with all the drastic rule changes that occur, are we looking at possible champions provisionals from other series for these drivers to make the field?

I bet Sam wishes this was implemented already!

Back and Ready to Race

Well first off, Id like to apologize for being absent. My father passed a few weeks ago and I had those issues to deal with.

BUT..we are back and just in time as RacersReport head to Louden, New Hampshire for a full weekend of racing.

Developmental drivers Bobby Santos of Bill Davis Racing will be in the Whelen Modified race and Penske Racing's Billy Wease and Micheal Waltrip Racing's Josh Wise are in the USAC Silver Crown race.

The Craftsman Truck race is slated as well as we will focus on Jon Wood, Chad McCumbee, Ryan Matthews and Eric Darnell all heading to the front.

Penske's Sam Hornish will be making his Cup debut as well. The big question is why? 8 races in Busch and the best he's gotten is 15th.....ONCE! Perhaps Dario will do better but its too early to tell yet. And with the open wheel vets all wanting to come to NASCAR, does this give Danica a shot at the Championship in 2008?

Stremme's out and it appears as Stephen Leicht got snobbed at Yates for Kvapil. Darnell to the #6 truck or is there a big announcement in the wings. (Im going with the airborne on this one)

RacersReport.com is in the middle of a big overhaul as we have teamed up with several organizations this past week and look to bring bigger and better features to you.

JR Fans celebrate

JR Motorsports celebrates quickly after merge with Hendrick Motorsports. JR Motorsports developmental drivers had a fantastic weekend starting with Curtis Truex who won the feature at Southern National Speedway in Kenly in the ASA Late Models.

Not to be outdone, JR stablemate Richard Boswell captured the USAR Pro Hooters Cup Rookie of the Year honors in the Southern Division at Bristol Motor Speedway Wednesday evening in front of the boss Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The horsepower and technology gained by the merger is making JR Motorsports a force to recon with and dont be suprised to see the the 88 winning in the Busch Series next season, if not this season!