Credit: Jason Smith/Getty ImagesStewart-Haas Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teammates Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart share a laugh during the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour Monday in Concord, N.C. via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com
2010 NASCAR Sprint Media Tour Monday (Day 1)
Social media was humming with NASCAR related tweets, twitters, facebook posts, and the like today as NASCAR kicked off its 28th annual media tour today.
I spent some of my time at lunch and when I got home from work catching up on what various people in the NASCAR media were saying about the start of the tour today.
Oh and I also spent most of today wishing that I was there on the tour too. I could have been there, after all being a member of NASCAR’s Citizen Journalists does have some advantages, but unfortunately the work I do here at NASCAR RnR doesn’t pay the bills, my day job does that and my employer isn’t going to let me just get up and go cover NASCAR anytime I please that’s for sure.
Anyway, here are some of things that came out of today that we should be aware of;
- NASCAR writer Jeff Gluck isn’t throwing in the towel; even though he isn’t with The Scene anymore he is still out there plugging away with frequent Tweets and blog posts from the media tour. Jeff even started his own temporary bloguntil he starts his new job with “A company that specializes in sports blogs has hired me to start a NASCAR blog” which will debut some time before Daytona Speedweeks.
Hmm ...
- Joe Gibbs Racing has reached a long term agreement to keep Kyle Busch around.
- The wing vs spoiler debate continues with Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman both voicing their opinions on the matter.
Ryan Newman: "It's going to have some different effects with the cars side-drafting. In the end, I hope it keeps the aerodynamic balance the same front to rear because I think we have a good balance with respect to that. I don't know what it's going to do for the racing, what it's going to be like with the aero push and the things we've talked about."
Kyle Busch: "The fans, ultimately, are what brought these changes along. They should be appreciative to NASCAR for listening and to following some of their direction ... They're talking of keeping the same downforce level in the car, which is only like an inch spoiler. It's still going to make the cars hard to drive."
So the debate still rages.
- Tony Stewart has become a media darling as evidence in his friendly banter with teammate/employee Ryan Newman about Newman's Daytona 500 victory over Tony and isn't much like his earlier anti-media persona from when he first started racing in NASCAR.
If Tony is like this now after being at Joe Gibbs for such a long time just imagine what that contract extension is going to do for Kyle Busch and his media persona in a few years.
- Brian Vickers and others will be at Texas tomorrow for a Goodyear tire test and it is also reported that "NASCAR is set to begin testing an aluminum spoiler instead of a wing on its new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car this week at Texas Motor Speedway" too with the more official test being at Charlotte in March.
(portions of this article were made with press releases from NASCAR)
Ok for more info and pictures take the jump.
Photos include: Kyle Busch, Dave Rogers, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Steve Addington.
Credit: Harold Hinson PhotographyKyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, talks about signing a contract extension during the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour Monday in Concord, N.C. via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com
Credit: Jason Smith/Getty ImagesDave Rogers, crew chief of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, talks to the media about moving up from the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Monday during the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour in Concord, N.C. via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com
Credit: Harold Hinson PhotographyJoe Gibbs Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano talks to reporters during the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour Monday in Concord, N.C. via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com
Credit: Harold Hinson PhotographyDenny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Joe Gibbs Racing ride, answers a questions during the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour Monday in Concord, N.C. via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com
Credit: Jason Smith/Getty ImagesSteve Addington, crew chief for Kurt Busch, speaks with the media during the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday in Concord, N.C. via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com
Credit: Jason Smith/Getty ImagesKurt Busch, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, speaks with the media during the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday in Concord, N.C. via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com
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