auto racing

Every few years an incident occurs in NASCAR that is frightening enough to make some people wonder if superspeedway racing is simply too dangerous. The latest came last Sunday in the Talladega Sprint Cup race -- one that ended with Carl Edwards' car going airborne and smashing into the catchfence.

There will be a lot more wins and winners during the NASCAR Sprint Cup season, but you'll be hard-pressed to find one more popular than Mark Martin's last Saturday in Phoenix.
The grand old man of stock car racing became the third oldest driver in NASCAR history to pick up a checker when the 50-year-old got the job done in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

Donnie Allison was always one of my favorites on the NASCAR circuit.
He was a good driver, of course -- later this month he'll be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. But beyond that, he was honest to a fault.

We all know Danica Patrick is an attractive woman.
She looks good in a swimsuit. She knows she looks good in a swimsuit. Sports Illustrated knows she looks good in a swimsuit, (even though the magazine thought she looked better with her tattoo airbrushed away) and both the Indy Racing League and Patrick are more than happy to take advantage of her appearance.

Sterling Marlin was back in victory lane last weekend, and Rusty Wallace was close behind.
Of course Kevin Harvick got most of the pub for his Nationwide Series win on Saturday, and Kyle Busch grabbed the spotlight for his Sprint Cup checker on Sunday.

NASCAR Numerology: What's in a car number?

Bruton Smith talks first and thinks later -- when he thinks at all.
During a recent interview prior to a race he said one of the reasons NASCAR is having trouble selling corporate tickets is because "They're afraid that Obama might shoot them or something."

Take a glance at NASCAR's current Sprint Cup points standings and you see Jeff Gordon's name at the top of the list.
It's been a while.
And for those of us who like Gordon and have always thought of him as one of the good guys in the sport, it's cool to see.

Danica Patrick made a brief media junket to Tampa Bay last week, humoring a morning radio show's queries about her suddenly famous tattoo (as evidenced in the recent Sports Illustrated) and wielding her charisma hammer to promote the April 5 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the opener of the Indy Racing League season.

You had to feel pretty good for the Auto Club Speedway Sunday, since something significant happened at the track that didn't involve bad weather, paltry crowds or boring races -- the usual stories.
Matt Kenseth made history. By taking the 500-mile race, he became the first driver since 1997 to win the Daytona 500, shake off the hangover and win again the next week.