Not Quite Ready for Primetime - The 2012 Daytona 500
by Chris Larson
February 29, 2012
After having a little time to sleep on it (emphasis on little) I have come to the conclusion that Monday night's / Tuesday morning's Daytona 500 was one of the worst races I have ever endured (emphasis on endured).
After a painful yet well done five hour "fill" on a rainy Sunday, NASCAR found themselves with a Monday prime-time slot all to themselves. It was NASCAR's time to shine on the center stage. There would most likely be new viewers on this night as was evidenced by all of the FOX announcers using Racing 101 terminology (you know, simple racing terms like, "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity"); a shrewd move by TV standards.
To their credit most of the fans came back (or sold their tickets to recoup a portion of their major investment to the France Family Foundation) to fill the seats. An empty grandstand would have been a disastrous image for NASCAR's "Superbowl".
The drivers waved to the crowd and strapped into their cars. The command to "start your engines" was given (albeit without all of the Sunday pageantry). It was time to show the world that stock car racing was a legitimate sport; a graceful ballet at 200mph and should be held in the same regard as the NFL.
Then the worst thing that could possibly happen did happen...the race started. - Read More
Truck Series/ARCA Driver McCumbee Checks Out CARS Pro Cup Series
by Cheryl Lauer
October 27, 2011
Although this has been somewhat of a transitional year for the short track touring series formerly known as the Hooters Pro Cup Series, fans have seen some fantastic racing. The series now known as CARS (Championship Auto Racing Series) Pro Cup currently has a very tight points battle while maintaining its traditional points system.
At the recent championship race at Myrtle Beach Speedway, Truck Series and ARCA competitor, Chad McCumbee, made his first start in the CARS Pro Cup. Afterwards he spoke about how the ride in the 11 car came together and his impressions of the Series:
McCumbee: “I’d always had interest in the series for years now. When I found out the series was coming back to Myrtle Beach, obviously that place is very special to me and any time there’s any type of special event there, we look to see if maybe we could put something together. I’ve done some work with those guys over at T3R and with Cal Boprey and Bryan Silas and those folks over there. I knew they had a Pro Cup car that they’d run a few races this year and we just got to talking about it and made it work there, so we enjoyed it and maybe we’ve got some more coming.”
Speedcouch: You said Myrtle Beach was special to you. Is that where you got your start in Late Models?
McCumbee: “Yeah, it sure was. That’s where I ran Late Model Stocks back in 2003-2004 when I first moved to that division. It’s always been a place that I try to do anything I can do to help Myrtle Beach, and anything I can do to participate in races they have, I always try to do.”
Speedcouch: Can you talk a little bit about the Pro Cup car, the tires, the engine package, compared to the other series you’ve race in?
McCumbee: “I’ve been running the ARCA Series this year and it was very similar. The BFGoodrich tire was more like a true radial, I would say than the tire that we run on a short track in the ARCA cars. The Hoosier that we run on ARCA cars is a radial, but it’s a short track radial. So there is a similar feel there, obviously the cars weigh about the same and the motor package is real similar. I think the option of motor packages that you can run in the Pro Cup Series now is great because that allows a bunch of different competitors to be able to easily get into the series. They don’t have to have a certain type motor. You know, even with the cars – I feel like a specific Pro Cup car is better, but I think you can still compete with an old Nationwide car or even an ARCA car.” - Read More