NASCAR

Sprint Cup Practice

By Mike Morones on April 27, 2012 Army, NASCAR

I’m spending two days with the U.S. Army race team as they compete at Richmond International Raceway. I’ll also spend some time outside the track to check out the military presence in the lots and midway during a race weekend. Here are a few shots from today’s practice session. It’s relatively quiet at the track as far as crowds go but it’s still early. In the meantime the few fans interested in watching practice and qualifying appear to have their pick of seats. I’ll try to post some photos as things progress and time allows so check back for more…

Tuesday link central: National Guard invades Kansas (race track), lots of Air Force football, Navy bowl update

By Kevin Lilley on April 24, 2012 Air Force, Army, Baseball, Football, NASCAR, Navy

A handful of military-sports links for a Tuesday morning — weekend stuff you might’ve missed, some scheduling notes, and your typical mid-America military invasion (no, not this one): 1. Tank vs. track: When you absolutely, positively have to destroy a race track surface so it can be repaved and ready for a fall NASCAR Sprint Cup race, call in the National Guard. That’s what they did in Kansas on Sunday, using military equipment and know-how to break up the asphalt. As deployments go, you could do worse than the infield of a Sprint Cup race. 2. Falcon left behind: Missing…

The curse of the National Guard?

By on May 31, 2011 NASCAR

Both major Memorial Day weekend auto races — NASCAR’S Coca-Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500 — featured dramatic collapses by the drivers who entered the final lap in the lead. In NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr. — who hasn’t won a Sprint Cup race since June 2008 — ran out of gas on the last lap of the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte. Kevin Harvick passed Earnhardt and won, while Junior ended up finishing 22nd. Earlier in the day, in an even more heartbreaking finish, rookie driver JR Hildebrand inexplicably hit the wall in the final turn of the Indy 500. He…

Amendment to end Pentagon's NASCAR sponsorship fails in House

By on February 18, 2011 Army, NASCAR

Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. can rest easy tonight: Rep. Betty McCollum’s amendment to end Pentagon sponsorships for NASCAR racing teams was voted down today in the House of Representatives by a 148-241 margin. McCollum had proposed the amendment last week, saying that “[t]axpayer-funded NASCAR race cars are an absurdity at a time when the Republican Tea Party is cutting federal support for homeless veterans, law enforcement officers, and firefighters.” Three racing teams are currently sponsored in part by the Pentagon — Ryan Newman’s Army car, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s National Guard car and AJ Allmendinger’s Air Force car. In…

Legistlator wants to end DoD’s NASCAR sponsorships

By on February 17, 2011 Army, NASCAR, Navy

As the deficit spirals to record levels, there’s no shortage of politicians eager to cut the fat from the federal budget. What exactly constitutes “fat” is usually a matter of perception, and a proposal by Rep. Betty McCollum to end the Pentagon’s sponsorships of NASCAR race teams illustrates how even the smallest of proposed cuts can generate a lot of pushback. McCollum’s amendment to the 2011 budget has been met with resistance from NASCAR, where three cars — Ryan Newman’s #39 Army car, Dale Earnhardt’s #88 National Guard car and AJ Allmendinger’s #43 car — are sponsored by the military. …

Get your face smashed in — on the Army's #39 NASCAR Chevy!

By on September 17, 2010 Army, NASCAR

Love NASCAR? Love NASCAR crashes? Ever wanted to be part of one? Well now you’ve got a chance, if you’re a vet. The Army and Stewart-Haas Racing have announced a promotion for veterans to put their faces on Ryan Newman’s #39 Army-sponsored Chevy for the Kobalt Tools 500 Sprint Cup at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 14. That’s right, if you’re a veteran, you may be able to get your mug painted on the bumper of the #39 car — the same bumper that could put that weenie Jeff Gordon into the wall or get rear-ended by crazy man Carl…

Guy who drives the Army car thinks moon landing was faked

By on March 29, 2010 NASCAR

A few things to know about NASCAR’s Ryan Newman, the driver of the No. 39 Army car: He loves his 1949 Buick Roadmaster, would like to meet Clint Eastwood, has almost 100 fishing poles, is concerned about overpopulation … and believes the moon landing was faked. Newman gave his thoughts on a wide variety of topics in an interview with the (Greensboro) News & Record, but none stood out quite like his belief the historic lunar landing in July 1969 was a big conspiracy. I watched the documentary on it, and it’s pretty easy to believe. The flag was standing…

Watch the Army car wreck at Daytona 500

By on February 16, 2010 Army, NASCAR

Ryan Newman’s Army-sponsored Chevrolet was involved in a pretty vicious three-car wreck at Sunday’s Daytona 500. Elliot Sadler triggered the wreck when he “got loose,” in race-speak (according to Fox’s broadcast team) and hit Newman’s car in the right rear and sent him straight into the wall. As Newman’s demolished car rolled to a stop on the grass, NASCAR legend and Fox commentator Darrell Waltrip quipped: “That’s the Army of None right there. None left.” While the Army car was left a smashed mess, Newman was able to get out and walk to the ambulance afterward. He finished in 34th…

The guy knows how to make an entrance

By Phil Ewing on November 17, 2009 Army, Marine Corps, NASCAR

Sure, you learn to fly the space shuttle and all of a sudden no vehicle is off limits to you — let’s say, for example, you wanted to drive a pace car down the ramp of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter onto the course at the Texas Motor Speedway. Yep. You can do that, apparently. Marine Col. Doug Hurley, who has flown the space shuttle Endeavor, was himself flown onto the track in Fort Worth by Maj. Tank Sherman and his Army Reserve crewmates from Bravo Company, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment. Sherman told After Action the approach and landing on…

Browsing: NASCAR