The Grand-Am Sports Car Series has become a popular diversion for disgruntled NASCAR fans. Tired of uneventful races, there has been no shortage of complaints from wary NASCAR fans. Judging by the crowds, the Grand Am Series is gaining momentum, reaching out to the NASCAR audience. Producing some of the tightest racing and a wide variety of winners, it’s no wonder many fans are making the switch to Grand Am racing. In short, the Grand Am has been a hit with its participants, while providing truly enjoyable entertainment for its audience and, like NASCAR; Grand Am racing is gender neutral which makes it a natural fit for the entire family.

NASCAR has been the target of criticism on various topics from various sources. Some critics note the significant differences between today’s NASCAR vehicles and true “stock” cars. Others frequently cite the dominance of a particular team/driver. Recently, the increased number of caution flags for debris has been hotly debated.
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He may not have been in contention for the win at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 8th, but each week D.J. Kennington continues to prove that he can fight it out with the stiffest of competition.

Cooler temperatures and a winter storm greeted NASCAR drivers on Saturday. As a result, Nationwide Series qualifying was cancelled. D.J., who was making his first laps in a national series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, started the race in 34th position.

Having taken his lumps last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, D.J. quietly rode around the track towards the back of the field. While the closing laps had a flurry of on track accidents, luck was on D.J.’s side. He managed to steer the #81 Dodge through the carnage, eventually finishing the race in 34th position.

Certainly every good run gives D.J. and the MacDonald Motorsports team reason to be optimistic: D.J. has finished all four races thus far and every lap of seat time helps him become more confident and calculating behind the wheel. A string of bad luck hasn’t dulled D.J.’s competitive drive. No matter what, the #81 Dodge is certainly a fun car to watch each week.

Next Stop, Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 15th for the Sharpie Mini 300. Tight quarters and high speeds make for a lot of pushing and shoving on the track, and even in the pits. Heated tempers run high as drivers shove each other out of the way in order to gain track position. Can’t wait to see you there, D.J.!

There it was, the moment D.J. Kennington and the entire MacDonald Motorsports team had anticipated all winter long. Eighty-two days after the checkered flag flew on the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series at Homestead, the series now known as the NASCAR Nationwide Series kicked things off Saturday at Daytona.

Kennington, the 30-year-old from St. Thomas, Ontario is a champion in his own right. At the young age of four, D.J. (that’s short for Douglas James) discovered that he had racing in his blood. While other youngsters his age were playing with building blocks and riding tricycles, D.J. was busy racing in go-carts on dirt. After D.J. turned 16 on July 15, 1993, he made his driving debut the following night at Delaware Speedway, winning the first race he ever entered. He was also the youngest rookie in the 1994 CASCAR Super Series, now known as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

Filled with a lifelong passion for the sport, he has an incredible drive to win and a competitive spirit. Off the track, he’s admired for his great warmth, strong work ethic, and the way in which he presents himself as a positive role model. That’s why he has the many loyal fans-myself included. Canada loves him – plain and simple.
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Pouring on the gas, searching for drafting partners around the 2.5 mile track-there’s only one thing on every drivers mind: the checkered flag! No other race of the year generates as much excitement as the season-opening Daytona 500 and drivers egos are on the line.

All 43 drivers hold their breath entering each turn, knowing that it’s only a matter of time before the ‘big one’ happens. Somewhat of a Daytona tradition, the ‘big one’ managed to skirt around the Great American Race.

After one of the most electrifying Daytona 500s to date - one that saw 42 lead changes and 16 different leaders – not to mention a new car. At Daytona, however, appearances can be deceiving. Within the first ten laps on Sunday, the worst-case scenario looked like it would play out. After a rocky start, 43 talented drivers in NASCAR did what they do best; they worked through a difficult situation, driving to the best of their ability and more or less kept their cars in one piece. There were still a few isolated incidents; fighting ill-handling race cars and tire blistering posed the biggest problems of the day. After a weekend racing with the COT for the first time at Daytona, drivers left relatively unscathed; no major crashes, no drivers injured, and no caution due to a Robby Gordon incident-now that’s a real surprise!
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After the dreariness of the long winter months, it’s finally time to beat the winter blues with some good old NASCAR racing. For NASCAR drivers, it’s time to get back to work. Thirty-six races means thirty-six opportunities to take a trip to victory lane.

On the other end of the spectrum, fans all across the country anxiously await the end of the off season. It’s time to get the blood pumping and the mind fixated on race stats, point standings and winless streaks.

On that note, let’s can the small talk, and check out some things to look for as the 2008 season gets underway:

For those drivers outside of the top 35 in owner points, the first five races are going to be anything but stress-free. Securing enough points so that they are automatically locked into the field each week will be a challenging task. When the cars roll into Martinsville Speedway on March 30, teams that make it in the top 35 in owner points can breathe a little easier.

As the clock ticks down until the 2008 NASCAR season officially opens at Daytona, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is poised to shake up the NASCAR scene and showcase his talent with consistent top-5 and top-10 finishes. After all, Jr. won’t be shut out of victory lane this season, that’s for sure!

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Got a bad case of ‘NASCAR Withdrawal Syndrome’? Hang tight, there’s only 21 days left until the 50^th running of the Daytona 500 and we will, once again, be talking NASCAR, arguing NASCAR & getting our general fill of everything NASCAR.

When NASCAR fans look back on the 2007 season, most often the first story that comes to mind is Dale Jr. leaving DEI. In no particular order here’s a look at some of the other moments that rounded out the 2007 NASCAR season:

Chaos in Canada as Robby Gordon & Marcos Ambrose Lock Heads
Who could ever forget the chaos that was the inaugural Busch Series race in Canada? Whenever there’s controversy on the track, one of the first names that always comes to mind is Robby Gordon. Let’s face it, controversy ignites the sport of auto racing. Let’s take a moment to recap….

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Lightning flashed and the fans in the grandstands never flinched. Fans could be heard talking over each other. After all, this was the first time NASCAR was right in front of them-in our own country. We had been hearing about a race on Canadian soil since 2003 when NASCAR officials began scouting out possible race tracks in Canada.

With eight Canadian drivers from five provinces competing in the race, Canadians had a lot to be proud of. Carpentier, a native of Quebec, took full advantage of the opportunity to showcase his talents in front of a hometown crowd. He won the pole, led 14 laps and finished second. Indeed, Canadians were proud to be a part of the historic event.
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