By John Ekdahl
NASCAR kicks off its 2007 season on Sunday with the 49th running of the Daytona 500. “The Great American Race” has grown exponentially since its humble beginnings in 1959. Last year’s race attracted 20 million viewers, making it the sixth-most-watched live sporting event of the year and Sunday’s winner will receive $18,386,023, the most in history. Still, many avid sports fans don’t consider driving race cars a sport, and some uni watchers might not view NASCAR as a good subject for uniforms, but let’s save those arguments for another day.
There’s been plenty of buzz surrounding the race this year, but not all of it has been good. Unfortunately, these scandals have overshadowed the biggest story line of the 2007 season — NASCAR is going global. Juan Pablo Montoya left Formula 1 racing to join NASCAR this season and Toyota will become the first non-U.S. automaker to compete in the NASCAR circuit. This, of course, is driving the good ol’ boys nuts, but you could make the argument that Toyota is pretty much an American company these days. I’ll let you try to tell the old guard that, though.
Uniform changes in sports are saved for the off-season, and NASCAR isn’t much different — there’s just a lot more of it. There’s a reshuffling of teams, sponsors, numbers, and colors every year, and I’ll try to make some sense out of it.
(One note: Many of the photo links that follow are suddenly being “difficult.” If you click on a link and get a blank window, highlight the URL in the window’s address line, cut it [command-x], paste it right back into the address line [command-v], and hit enter — you should see the photo then. Yes, it’s a pain. Sorry.)
Mark Martin — #01. After deciding to call off his retirement and return for another season, Mark Martin had to find a new ride. Last year, Martin drove the #6 AAA Ford and this year he switched over to the U.S. Army #01 car.
Martin Truex, Jr. — #1. Martin Truex’s Bass Pro Shops Chevy hasn’t changed much from the 2006 version.
Kurt Busch — #2. The Miller Lite Dodge is pretty much identical to last year’s car. His unpopularity hasn’t changed much, either.
Kyle Busch — #5. Kyle’s Kellogg’s Chevy added some red highlights, compared to the red-free version last year. Kyle’s #5 car does occasionally change the hood to reflect the team’s other main sponsor.
Clint Bowyer — #07. Clint Bowyer drove the Jack Daniel’s Chevy last year and will be doing the same this year .
Robby Gordon — #7. There’s a slight change in the striping to Robby’s 2007 Jim Beam Ford, compared to last year’s.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — #8. There’s been a lot of talk about whether or not Dale would leave DEI this season to join another team, but his number 8 Budweiser Chevy hasn’t changed from last year.
Kasey Kahne — #9. Kasey’s Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge has its normal red and white color scheme. Last year during the Coca-Cola 600, the colors were reversed.
Scott Riggs — #10. Scott’s Valvoline Dodge Charger looked like this in 2006 and doesn’t look much different in 2007.
Denny Hamlin — #11. The FedEx #11 Chevy hasn’t chaged from 2006 to 2007.
Ryan Newman — #12. This year, the Alltel team has reversed the color scheme. Here’s the 2006 car and here’s the 2007 Alltel Dodge.
Joe Nemechek — #13. Joe changed both numbers and sponsors from last year. His 2006 car was sponsored by the U.S. Army and his 2007 car is sponsored by CertainTeed.
Sterling Marlin — #14. Sterling Marlin’s 2007 Waste Management Chevy has a different paint scheme from last year’s car.
Greg Biffle — #16. Last year, Biffle’s #16 Ford was sponsored by the National Guard. At this year’s Daytona 500, Biffle will be sponsored by Ameriquest, although his number will remain the same.
Matt Kenseth — #17. The #17 DeWalt Ford will have some minor paint changes from last year. The 2006 car had a little less yellow on the hood and a slightly different side striping than the 2007 car.
J.J. Yeley — #18. Yeley’s Interstate Batteries Chevy got a bit of a jazzed up makeover for the Daytona 500. This is his car from a race last year.
Elliot Sadler — #19. Sadler’s ride has “ditched the black” (most of it, anyway) from last year’s car and went with a new paint scheme that more closely matches his teammate Kasey Kahne’s car.
Tony Stewart — #20. The #20 Home Depot Chevy looks the same this year as it did last year. I’m hoping on Sunday he’s doing more of this, and less of this.
Dave Blaney — #22. Dave Blaney’s Caterpiller has changed its striping from last year and also made the big move to Toyota.
Jeff Gordon — #24. Gordon raced his way to the top of the starting grid for Sunday’s race, but was thrown to the back of the field after his 2007 Dupont Chevy was found to be too low to the ground. Not much has changed from last year’s car, but they tend to change up the paint scheme for a few races during the year.
Casey Mears — #25. Greg Biffle’s old sponsor jumped on with Casey this year. Texaco was his sponsor last year).
Jamie McMurray — #26. It’s not getting any easier on Paul’s eyes as Jamie’s Crown Royal Ford looks identical to last year’s eyesore.
Kevin Harvick — #29. Kevin scored a new sponsorship this season. Last year he drove the #29 GM Goodwrench Chevy and this year he switched over to the #29 Shell/Penzoil Chevy.
Jeff Burton — #31. Burton will be driving the same signal flare orange Cingular Chevy as he did last season.
Jeremy Mayfield — #36. Mayfield was driving the #19 Dodge Dealers Charger last season until he was eventually fired. This year he’ll be in the 360 OTC Toyota. Bonus points to whoever can determine what 360 OTC actually is.
David Gilliland — #38. David’s car will remain the same this season, but they do switch up the placement of the M&M’s on the hood. Compare this year to last year.
Reed Sorenson — #41. Reed’s car remains more or less unchanged, aside from the slight stripe change on the rear quarterpanel on this year’s car.
Juan Pablo Montoya — #42. Everyone is excited to see how Juan will be able to handle the change from Formula 1 to NASCAR. He’ll be in Casey Mears’ old car, the #42 Texaco Havoline Dodge.
Bobby LaBonte — #43. Bobby will be driving the same Cheerios Dodge as he did last season.
Dale Jarrett — #44. Jarrett was one of the eight drivers to switch over to Toyotas this year, which required him to change his number from the familiar #88. UPS made the move over with Dale, which means he’ll still have to endure more “Are you gonna race the truck?” jokes for at least one more season.
Jimmie Johnson — #48. Jimmie was the Nextel Cup champ last season and he’ll be driving the same Lowe’s Chevy as he did last season.
Michael Waltrip — #55. Well, the start to Michael’s season did not go as well as he had hoped. Waltrip’s crew chief was suspended indefinitely after a foreign substance (believed to be jet fuel) was found in his intake manifold. Waltrip was supposed to be the poster boy for Toyota’s historic entrance into NASCAR, but it’s been a rather embarrassing beginning to the partnership. Here’s Waltrip’s car from last year, and here’s his new ride.
Jeff Green — #66. Jeff’s Best Buy Chevy has a slightly different paint scheme from last season.
Brian Vickers — #83. Red Bull jumped into NASCAR this year and they’re sponsoring Brian for the 2007 season. Last year, Brian was with GMAC.
Ricky Rudd — #88. Ricky decided to come back full time this season after taking a sabbatical to spend time with his family last year. Ricky will be using Dale Jarrett’s old number 88 and he’ll be in the Snickers car.
Carl Edwards — #99. Carl will be driving the Office Depot Ford in 2007, just as he did at the end of last year. If Carl takes the checkered flag on Sunday, we’ll undoubtedly see his signature victory celebration.
Well, I think that about covers it. Some NASCAR teams do specialty paint jobs for a race or two during the season, so I’ll try to make Paul aware of any “alternate” paint schemes, like the one Dale Earnhardt, Jr. did last year in honor of his late father. Enjoy the race!
#1 by JJD on 02.17.07 9:08 am |
Actually, Nemechek drove the #01 last year and he’s switched to the brand-new #13 team for ‘07.
#2 by John Ekdahl on 02.17.07 9:13 am |
JJD said:
You’re right, that was a mistake. Even the picture I linked proved me wrong.
#3 by JJD on 02.17.07 9:16 am |
(It would be sweet if we could edit these comments, because I wouldn’t have had to make a new one here.)
The #6 car has also changed up it’s color scheme, redistributing the red, white, and blue to different places.
2006 – white roof with blue “6″
2007 – blue roof with white “6″
#4 by Justin on 02.17.07 9:18 am |
NASCAR has come a long way in the eyes of fans outside of the south, but like in most sports the history is better. Just look at Earnhardt in the early years, its classic! The cars were totally better too.
Best NASCAR getups?
#5 by GoTerriers on 02.17.07 10:03 am |
I am READY for the race on Sunday (and to dispel any myths, I’m New Englander!)
A quick Google search reveals that 360 OTC is a pain-releiver/hangover cure/caffieine boost/energy pill. I guess the OTC means you can buy the stuff over-the-counter . . . . Kinda like a Red Bull and aspirin . . .
#6 by Broker75 on 02.17.07 10:13 am |
..check out these moves on this youngster hockey fans.
#7 by Brian on 02.17.07 10:17 am |
Can somebody explain how car numbers are assigned? It doesn’t seem like the drivers have much say over it.
#8 by Gaz... on 02.17.07 10:35 am |
360OTC is described here.
It sounds a lot like this, this, and even this.
There’s a thousand of these little buggers, but the last one is the coolest, as it looks like you’re using a line of blow, not caffeine and aspirin mixed together and crushed in a small piece of “rolling paper.”
Is this Uni-Related? Nah.
#9 by Jeremy on 02.17.07 10:44 am |
the winner of the daytona 500 will receive at least $1.4M… the $18M is the total purse.
#10 by S Bennett on 02.17.07 11:07 am |
Why do they put headlight stickers on nascars? It just looks silly.
#11 by Jack on 02.17.07 11:07 am |
Jeremy said:
Real men don’t have purses.
#12 by Jeff E. on 02.17.07 11:09 am |
Not necessarily uni-related, but I like the cars of NASCAR from yesteryear because the body actually looked like the street version (for the most part). Today, there’s only a passing resemblance to the car they’re supposed to represent. But I definitely like the paint scheme on today’s cars better.
#13 by Christopher on 02.17.07 11:13 am |
I second the question on the numbers, as well what’s with the ability to give a guy a 0 before a number and make that a different number? That seems silly to me.
How many NASCAR racers are there total? Less than 100 professionally? I mean… it would seem pretty damn tight with the numbers if they’re all completely unique…
#14 by Christopher on 02.17.07 11:17 am |
Partially answering my own question here, a good site with the history of all NASCAR numbers:
http://www.nascar.co...
(Including a list of all current numbers)
#15 by FloPoErich on 02.17.07 11:18 am |
Thanks for the Nascar update… Great intro to the Great American Race! Love the entry!
#16 by Kenny on 02.17.07 11:21 am |
joe said:
Amen to that
#17 by Teebz on 02.17.07 11:25 am |
Nice work, Ek! For a guy who knows as much about NASCAR as he does about neurosurgery, this post was great!
Broker, that kid has had hundreds of interviews in Canada. He’s a pretty laid-back kid, but he’s known as the “shootout kid” in Canada because of how many people recognize him from the youtube.com clip. He does have an amazing arsenal of moves, though. :o)
#18 by Jacob on 02.17.07 11:27 am |
Justin said:
It’s only a matter of time before people are singing the praises of older car designs, demanding throwback races, and declaring that the cars need more stripes.
#19 by STUBZ(Dennis Abrams) on 02.17.07 11:30 am |
S Bennett said:
agreed
#20 by Brian Smith on 02.17.07 11:32 am |
Actually, the 9 made the same change the 19 did for this year, except the colors are reversed.
The 83 and the 84 are identical, which is going to get confusing if they both manage to make a race at some point (and I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.)
#21 by S Bennett on 02.17.07 11:35 am |
Broker75 said:
Robbie Schremp (in the AHL) has been dominating the highight reels in Canada with a similar display at the recent AHL all star skills comp. He has other clips of interesting moves.
By the way, when the announcer wonders if the move would be legal in a game, Schremp is performing a version of the move with his stick well above the crossbar, which means the play would be whistled down for a high stick.
#22 by u kno DBo on 02.17.07 11:37 am |
some interesting NASCAR info here…
http://www.nascar.co...
some number related stuff in the next to last question about how more than one team can use a number but the “regulars” get preference if more than one car with the same number is in the race that week.
#23 by john on 02.17.07 11:42 am |
S Bennett said:
Robert Nilsson of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers did this against the WB-S Penguins in an AHL game about a year ago. The goal judge barely knew it went in.
#24 by Kenny on 02.17.07 11:47 am |
Broker75 said:
Whoa!
S Bennett said:
You saying this reminds of something:
This is very inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newton’s!!
I am not a huge follower of NASCAR, but I have a buddy, from Milwaukee, who taught me a thing or two about the sport (yeah I said it). So I am most definitely a growing fan (from Chicago)
#25 by u kno DBo on 02.17.07 11:53 am |
ricky rudd on how NASCAR numbers are assigned:
http://www.rickyrudd...
(next to last question)
#26 by u kno DBo on 02.17.07 11:58 am |
some interesting NASCAR info hereรขโฌยฆ
http://www.nascar.co...
some number related stuff in the next to last question about how more than one team can use a number but the รขโฌลregularsรขโฌย get preference if more than one car with the same number is in the race that week.
check out that bright yellow 15 car
“Paul Menard’s car will be the brightest in history. That’s what you get when your sponsor is a paint company. “
#27 by Joe M. on 02.17.07 12:06 pm |
We all know how much this board hates templates when it comes to uniforms. It seems that even NASCAR has picked up on the act.
I hadn’t noticed it in all the shows leading up to Daytona, but it looks like many of the drivers are wearing the same template for their hats.
And sure enough, I open up my NASCAR Scene this week and the ad for the Chase Authentics Pit Cap line confirms it. Most of the teams have gone to this template. I don’t have a link, but trust me, it’s true.
#28 by Tony The Tiger on 02.17.07 12:09 pm |
I’m pretty sure that NASCAR is something I’d never ever see come up in this blog, ever. Its okay though, we should always be open to new things. Except epaulets…leave those to the boy scouts.
To add to the conversation about driver numbers, I’m pretty sure the numbers are owned by the team owners. For example, Roush Racing owns the 6, 16, 17, 26, and 99. Unfortunately Roush is a bad example. because now that I’m halfway done with this comment post I wanted to say that some teams numbers are alike in shape and form.
For example, Hendrick owns Jimmie Johnson’s #48 and Jeff Gordon’s #24.If you look closely at the number styles (all of us uni freaks ought to have picked this up already, but…) they have the same shape and font style.
Same goes with Evernham’s teams (9,10,19). One thing the cars in the Dale Earnhardt Incorporated garage have in common is the enlongated E on the sides of their cars (1,3,8,15).
Okay. One last thing to comment on that I’ve always wanted to say here – anyone know the story on the drummer from Dave Matthews Band and his tendency to wear hockey jerseys? Is there any significance?
#29 by J at The Dundies on 02.17.07 12:18 pm |
First of all, NASCAR rules. I go to a private school in the rich suburbs of Detroit, MI so I get made fun of for saying that, but, the fact is, if you’re willing to let someone teach you about it while watching a race there’s huge amounts of strategy involved. One of the things I hate the most is when people say most fans just watch for the crashes. No, not true. Most fans watch to see a good race. Most fans watch to see their favorite driver (GO KASEY!) win. So that’s that.
At any rate, on number assignment:
NASCAR owns all of the numbers. When new teams are being founded, they request a number, and, assuming no one else requests the same number, they get it. There are no retired numbers in NASCAR, but there’s an unofficial rule that you don’t race with Dale Sr.’s #3 or Davy Allison’s #28. However, if a team wanted to, they probably could technically. If two teams wanted to, and one of them was Richard Childress Racing, NASCAR would give the number to RCR, because RCR was the last to use the number. (Many say that Dale Jr. will move to RCR next year and drive the #3.)
So, in short, anyone can request any number, and if more than one team requests it, a team who has that number in their history gets it.
#30 by S Bennett on 02.17.07 12:19 pm |
S Bennett said:
You saying this reminds of something:
This is very inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newton’s!!
Sweet infant baby jesus… thank you for all theses wonderful sponsors and for helping me teach Walker and Texas Ranger that if you’re not first, you’re LAST!
#31 by Dave on 02.17.07 12:25 pm |
It would not surprise me if the #31 car gets a mid-season redesign, as I believe the Cingular name and logo are being eliminated as part of the merger and conversion to the AT&T name.
#32 by Ed on 02.17.07 12:30 pm |
NASCAR in five words: Forty rednecks making left turns
#33 by Silver Duke on 02.17.07 12:37 pm |
I wish more cars would use either silver rims (like Waltrip and Jarret) or rims that were painted to match the rest of the car (like Khane and Kurt Busch). They look so much sharper that way. The black rims just look plain and hokey.
But some teams use the same rims on all the different cars on the team, seen on this picture I took of a DEI team wheel in 2005 .
#34 by MaddMatt on 02.17.07 12:38 pm |
NASCAR, not my cup of tea. I’ll check in every so often to see if their are any crashes.
Oh, and a shot of Boston College’s locker room for College Gameday on ESPN showed what I belive to be the alternate gold (or mustard) unis for the Eagles…
#35 by Stuby on 02.17.07 12:40 pm |
Jack said:
It’s not a purse…It’s EUROPEAN!
#36 by JJD on 02.17.07 12:41 pm |
Tony The Tiger said:
Gordon’s “4″ is quote a bit bolder than JJ’s “4″. They are similar but they aren’t the same.
J at The Dundies said:
That is incorrect. Childress owns the 3 and Yates owns the 28 and was considering chaning the 88 back to the 28 this offseason, but didn’t because Havoline (Davey Allison’s old sponsor when he drove the 28) asked him not to. Childress could put the 3 out there any time he wanted.
If NASCAR “owned” the numbers I’m pretty sure that they would’ve stuck Mark Martin with his familiar 6 when he changed teams this year.
#37 by Silver Duke on 02.17.07 12:46 pm |
Oh, and who says that alcohol and cars don’t mix?
No mixed message HERE …
#38 by C.J. Andringa on 02.17.07 1:10 pm |
A fair amount of teams unveil (or unleash, depending on the atrocity) a one-time paint scheme at the Pepsi 400, the night race at Daytona around July 4.
Earnhardt Jr. plugs the 2001 MLB All-Star Game here (disregard the Photoshopped #3 in the pic) and often has a lot more white in the scheme.
Gordon has pimped the Superman movie and other big sponsor Pepsi…and a better view.
#39 by PAULtergeist on 02.17.07 1:13 pm |
Anybody who takes the time to watch a NASCAR event, or for that matter any motorsports race, will surely see that there is more to it than driving around in circles. It is a sport. As an earlier post noted, there is strategy, but also luck and skill involved. It also requires teamwork and practice. The drivers are athletes because they condition themselves to adapt to the heat, exhaustion and gravity that works against them for up to four hours at a time.
#40 by Whitllam on 02.17.07 1:14 pm |
Silver Duke said:
I like the new “chrome” wheels that Michael Waltrip Racing is using this year, but I’m not a big fan of the colored wheels that Evernham and Penske have been using the last couple wheels – it just looks strange – but I’ve been a fan for nearly 20 years and think the black looks sharp. I wonder if the MWR wheels are chromed or just painted since the main reason why teams stopped using chromed wheels in the first place was that the wheel weights were flying off.
#41 by PAULtergeist on 02.17.07 1:14 pm |
Ed said:
Um Ed…it’s 43 rednecks…but thanks anyway.
#42 by Robert on 02.17.07 1:16 pm |
Awesome job, Ek. Keep up the good work.
Sometimes the change in number assignments is distressing. The great Lee Petty drove number 42. http://family.websho...
His son Richard followed in number 43. http://family.websho... Kind of cool.
The third generation of Pettys, Kyle, drove number 44 for part of his career. http://cgi.ebay.com/...
Is there a pattern developing here?
Kyle’s son, Adam, drove the 45 car for a brief period before tragically being killed in an accident during practice. http://www.ciastockp...
Kyle then took over for his son in the 45 car.
http://www.hvrsd.k12...
Getting back to my original point, Petty Racing is no longer assigned numbers 42 and 44, and those numbers have been given to other teams. It is too bad that teams cannot hold on to their old numbers, just in case they want to resurrect them.
#43 by J at The Dundies on 02.17.07 1:33 pm |
JJD said:
According to Jayski, I’m right. NASCAR owns numbers, but teams request them, and NASCAR has no place in what numbers teams request. NASCAR owning numbers really just means that the teams have to go through them to get their numbers, and, unless two teams want the same number, they always give a team the number they want. RCR does own the trademarks on the #3 design Big E used, and Yates does own the trademarks on the #28 design Allison used.
#44 by =bg= on 02.17.07 1:46 pm |
This NASCAR chatter is all very well and good, but I can’t stay as KFC is now open and I need to stock up for the race.
Then again…..maybe not.
#45 by =bg= on 02.17.07 1:52 pm |
PS:
Forget NASCAR..The Piston Cup is the real deal.
#46 by Stuby on 02.17.07 1:56 pm |
Here’s what I don’t get about NASCAR. You’ve got the ‘major league’ race on Sunday, but on Saturday you have the ‘minor league’ Busch series race. Yet the NASCAR driver’s routinely drop down and drive in the Busch series in different cars with different sponsors.
What is the purpose of the Busch series, anyway? To me, it’s like Derek Jeter playing simultaneously for the Yankees and Columbus Clippers.
#47 by J at The Dundies on 02.17.07 2:00 pm |
Stuby said:
A lot of us feel the same way. People who do both are called “Buschwackers”. A lot of people think the practice should be illegal. Its just another way to get ready for Sunday’s race. However, for the people who ride exclusively Busch, running with the big boys can be great practice.
#48 by Double J on 02.17.07 2:01 pm |
First off: Love the NASCAR talk! A Couple of points to add:
1: Jeff Burton cant change his Cingular car to an AT&T car. When Nextel became the main sponsor, their contract said there can be no other cell phone carriers that sponsor cars, except for the ones that are grandfathered in (Alltell, Cingular). Burton will have to continue with the now extinct Cingular brand or find a new sponsor eventually.
2. Your tidbit on Robby Gordon was missing the key fact that he changed from a Chevy, to a Ford supplied by Robert Yates Racing. You mentioned the Ford but both of your pictures were of Chevy’s.
Great Job Ek!, and for all the NASCAR fans out there if you dont already know, Jayski.com has tons of info, as well as a entire section on paint schemes (their version of UNI Watch!)
#49 by Double J on 02.17.07 2:04 pm |
J at The Dundies said:
Exactley, not only do the bushwackers take up spots in the race, but they often dominate therefore not allowing the real Busch drivers a quality driving experience.
The only reason, they participate is it provides the drivers some extra sponsorship money, some extra winnings, and a little bit of track time for the sunday race.
#50 by JJD on 02.17.07 2:08 pm |
J at The Dundies said:
I don’t think I did a very good job of saying what I was “correcting”. Of course NASCAR owns the numbers, but Childress and Yates “own” the 3 and 28, respectively. If I wanted to have a car with 3 on the hood I’d have to get RCR’s blessing because he currently controls the number.
Stuby said:
It’s not apples-to-apples, though, because (unlike your Yankees-Clippers example) they race on different days at the same track, and the drivers are (somewhat) independent contractors who can race in Cup, Busch, trucks, ARCA, or whatever, because there technically isn’t a way to be “overqualified” for a lesser series. The Busch Series won’t ban or limit the number of Cup guys in their races because the fans (it is believed, probably rightly so) pay to see the Cup drivers.
#51 by JJD on 02.17.07 2:13 pm |
Double J said:
That’s taking a small-picture look at the Busch Series, though. The Busch Series isn’t just about the drivers. There are pit crew guys ansd crew chiefs and the whole gamut for a Busch team, just like a Cup team.
If RCR has a Busch team that he thinks is underperforming, the best way to find out is to put a Cup guy in the car and see how he does. They can evaluate the performance of the entire Busch operation better with the BEST possible driver behind the wheel, right?
This is supposedly going to become a lesser issue with the COT being phased in, anyway.
#52 by Mike on 02.17.07 2:23 pm |
$18 million for the win? WOW.
That makes me want to join NASCAR. And now I understand a little bit more why everyone takes the Daytona 500 so seriously. And why teams will try to tweak their cars as much as possible to give them a better chance of winning.
Good post today.
#53 by Dave S on 02.17.07 2:37 pm |
I flipped past the Budweiser Shootout last weekend and I saw the #2 car was painted gold and I thought it actually looked really good. I can’t find a photo, but I found this press release about it.
#54 by Andy from KC on 02.17.07 2:38 pm |
I know Dale Jr. used this color scheme in honor of his dad last year, too (during the race on Father’s Day weekend, if I’m not mistaken). Very cool.
#55 by Mike Miller on 02.17.07 2:44 pm |
One thing is that a car can have a three digit number. Boris Said technically drives car #160 on the electronic scoring, but only has 60 painted on the car.
#56 by PAULtergeist on 02.17.07 2:49 pm |
Andy from KC said:
The white number 8 paint scheme was in honor of Ralph Earnhardt, Dale Jr.’s grandfather.
#57 by J at The Dundies on 02.17.07 2:51 pm |
Dave S said:
Here you go.
Andy from KC said:
You’re right about it being father’s day, but I believe it was in honor of his grandfather, Ralph. He honored his father on Big E’s birthday with this car. The cars of Martin Truex Jr., plus the DEI Busch cars did the same thing that weekend.
#58 by Buckeye Mike on 02.17.07 3:27 pm |
EK,
Great Post, so nice seeing some of the changes. Just a note, I’m almost 100% sure the picture you linked to for Truix Jr from last year was the car they ran in honor of Sr, not his normal paint. It was way too “blacked”out. anfd if you look at the pic in #57, you can tell. the rest are just some smaller details I’d pick out, but I don’t have time, I’m hungover.
Oh, Ed, the forty rednecks going left thing, that just shows why people who don’t like nascar shouldn’t comment on it. In this forum, where people pay attention to the smallest detail, you’d think you’d research stuff a little more. Nascar Nextel Cup starts 43 cars in every race, not 40. come on, insult us race fans with some real facts!
#59 by =bg= on 02.17.07 3:50 pm |
PAULtergeist said:
Different look for Jr.
#60 by Sam Heddle on 02.17.07 4:33 pm |
Mike Miller said:
That’s not technically correct. The first digit of the number indicates the precedence that the team has over the number if several teams decide to request the same number. So, if the #166 and #266 both requested the 66, the #266 would have to change it’s number.
#61 by Andy from KC on 02.17.07 5:01 pm |
PAULtergeist said:
My bad. I loved seeing the cream-colored car with the bowtie Bud logo, though.
#62 by J at The Dundies on 02.17.07 5:31 pm |
=bg= said:
Hahah, yeah.
The design actually follows the general NASCAR custom of removing alcohol-related sponsors in favor of the Driver’s name and team name when marketing things to children. (Movies, video games, etc.)
#63 by Sir Jock Strap on 02.17.07 7:03 pm |
Read a Cincinatti news paper today. It had a feature in the sports section about significant numbers in the city’s sport history.
Did anyone know that Eric Davis played his first game without a number?!
#64 by Richard Stover on 02.17.07 8:16 pm |
Diecast image of Pinstriped Yankees Car (2003 Watkins Glen):
And a photo of a model of the Atlanta Braves NASCAR run (iIn Atlanta)in 1998:
http://sites.nexusis...
#65 by Chris on 02.17.07 8:18 pm |
GO Toyota!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
F the uaw cars
#66 by Korch on 02.17.07 8:37 pm |
New Cal football jersey:
http://cgi.ebay.com/...
#67 by tedkerwin on 02.17.07 8:44 pm |
Stormers of Super 14 Rugby sport socks Paul might enjoy.
#68 by Tom C. on 02.17.07 8:58 pm |
Watching the ’shooting stars’ challenge on TNT. My main complaint is that the retired stars are wearing the modern jerseys. I wish Pippen, Lambeer, Ice Man etc… would wear the jerseys from their day (not that those 3 jerseys have changed that much).
#69 by =bg= on 02.17.07 9:14 pm |
Sir Jock Strap said:
And I was at the game referenced…Jan 10, ‘82…fifty nine below windchill. who-weee.
http://news.enquirer...
#70 by Stuby on 02.17.07 9:49 pm |
Korch said:
Friggin’ hideous. I hope that was just a sample that won’t see any game time.
#71 by ToasterPoodle on 02.17.07 10:03 pm |
I know that I may be the only person who watched this today, but during the Army/Navy Basketball game today in Annapolis, Navy wore white. Army on the other hand wore gray. On TV it was almost totally indistinguishable.
Maybe the Patriot league and both service academies knew what a stinker of a “showcase” this was for them, so they decided to camouflage it.
#72 by Edward on 02.17.07 10:21 pm |
Andy from KC said:
Here is the Car Junior drove in honor of Senior’s birthday
Black Car
#73 by Jeff C. on 02.17.07 10:41 pm |
ok in the dunk contest number 5 for the Celtics was wearing a number 2 headband
#74 by TonyE on 02.17.07 10:42 pm |
Anybody who takes the time to watch a NASCAR event, or for that matter any motorsports race, will surely see that there is more to it than driving around in circles. It is a sport. As an earlier post noted, there is strategy, but also luck and skill involved. It also requires teamwork and practice. The drivers are athletes because they condition themselves to adapt to the heat, exhaustion and gravity that works against them for up to four hours at a time.
They’re great drivers. Athletes? Not.
And the car designs are a sponsors wet dream and designers worst nightmare. Yech.
#75 by Brandon on 02.17.07 11:04 pm |
Jeff C. said:
The number 2 is for the late Red Auerbach which is the number the Celtics retired in his honor.
#76 by Wes on 02.17.07 11:16 pm |
Hockey time…
Kings are at home against the Ducks, so why are the kings in white?
#77 by J at The Dundies on 02.17.07 11:34 pm |
I didn’t watch the entire event, but, throughout the Dunk Contest, and in all the highlights I saw, any team that had them was wearing alternative jerseys.
Yuck.
#78 by Andy from KC on 02.17.07 11:35 pm |
Nothing to say, just closing the tags …
#79 by Jeff I on 02.17.07 11:55 pm |
J at The Dundies said:
I think Gerald Green was the only dunker wearing an alternate.
Then he redeemed himself to show off the old school Dee Brown jersey and Reebok pumps.
The Red Auerbach headband was a nice touch as well.
#80 by Natron on 02.18.07 12:03 am |
The thing that struck me as odd was that Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitzki are on the same team, in the same event, and wore different unis.
#81 by howie on 02.18.07 12:23 am |
Because it was an “event” I liked the different unis…and Jason Terry’s was SOOOOOOOOOOO much better!
#82 by Jeff B on 02.18.07 1:53 am |
Agent Zero in the 3-point contest showed off the magnificent Wiz tan and black alts.
Terry and Nowitzki’s different unis bothered me but the green and blue one is so disgustingly ugly, so I’m glad there wasn’t two of those.
#83 by Jeff B on 02.18.07 1:56 am |
Forgot to mention how great the Celtics green and black unis are as well. Especially with the black shamrock for Red. Paired with matching shoes… phew lemme regain composure. All in all a specticle of some of the premier unis in the biz.
#84 by Jeff I on 02.18.07 2:17 am |
Jeff B said:
I really love the C’s St Patty’s Day unis
http://theassociatio...
Also, on further review the Dee Brown jersey was not a throwback (it had the shamrock on the collar)
#85 by Stuby on 02.18.07 8:09 am |
Jeff I said:
Why would the Celtics need a special St. Patrick’s Day uni?
#86 by PAULtergeist on 02.18.07 12:31 pm |
TonyE said:
Oh, so are Golfers and Bowlers athletes? Why do you consider the drivers non-athletic?
#87 by J at The Dundies on 02.18.07 12:37 pm |
PAULtergeist said:
Its very athletic. These people need loads of endurance, and, for the most part are in much better shape than say, golfers and bowlers.
#88 by StevieW on 02.18.07 1:28 pm |
Sir Jock Strap said:
By the way it is spelled Cincinnati,not Cincinatti. I did not know that and will check out the article now.
In regard to NASCAR and this post I think it is wonderful. Great job Eck! You also did a great job with the Ryder Cup last fall as well.
I was born in Ohio and have now lived 10 years in the South, I love Nascar and would rather watch NASCAR than Hockey anyday!
Why is hockey 3 periods anyway? and not 2 halves or 4 quarters? And if it is 3 periods why not count the each period as a game and make each contest the best 2-3. It would eliminate some unecessary periods and shorten hockey games hopefully. Also promote scoring and attempts to win each period.
Also I would like to see a movement toward a hockey free sportscenter anyway. I have no use for hockey even with 2 teams in Florida now.
#89 by Kevin on 02.18.07 1:43 pm |
logo creep on the new driver suits, the puma logo is on the shoulders
#90 by Wayne on 02.18.07 3:08 pm |
Ed said:
Amen to that.
#91 by John on 02.18.07 3:10 pm |
Today’s newspaper showed a grid of every driver starting in today’s race. 41 were wearing Nextel caps. The other 2 wore caps with the NASCAR logo and the reason is simple: one driver is sponsored by Cingular and the other one by Alltel.
#92 by Dante on 04.30.07 9:53 am |
I THINK WHAT HAPPENED SUNDAY SUCKED!!!!!!!!! THATS NOT FAIR AT ALL. THE LAST SUDAY WAS THE SAME THING I GHO WIT TONY ON TIS ONE