courtesy of mike bell @ http://www.790thezone.com
Heading into Martinsville Michael Waltrip is dead last in the Nextel Cup points race. After failing to qualify in 4 of the first 5 races the driver of the Napa Auto Parts Toyota Camry is 818 points behind series leader Jeff Gordon. And to add insult to injury he actually has a negative points total because of the penalties incurred at Daytona for cheating. The pride of Owensboro Kentucky is minus 27. That’s worse than John “Bluto” Blutarsky’s GPA of 0.0 in Animal House. How do you think the honchos over at Toyota feel about this situation? They’ve got 100 million dollars invested in this guy’s operation and that’s a conservative estimate. And all they’ve got to show for it is one huge black eye. Not to mention the money he’s stealing from Napa and Burger King. I predicted that this team would struggle in it’s inaugural campaign but I had no idea it would be this bad.
When it comes to selling pizzas, tv’s or auto parts nobody does it better than Michael Waltrip. His down home “aw shucks” act has always played well with racing fans and lot’s more of the demographics Madison Avenue craves. Personally I think the guy is over saturated. You can’t hunker down in your Lazy boy on a Sunday afternoon without it feeling like Michael Waltrip spots are on an endless loop. I get the fact that he’s one of the first race car drivers who understands how to market himself, he obviously picked up a few things from his big brother Darrell in that department. I’m always amazed on race day how many fans still buy into his act. But then again a lot of the people who think he’s witty probably get a real hoot from watching re-runs of Hee-Haw.
I guess Toyota drank the Michael Waltrip Kool-Aid. He is after all a 2 time Daytona 500 winner. (Granted one of those races was a rain shortened event). Big time sponsors love him. He’s just the guy to be point man for the company’s move to the Nextel Cup. If only somebody at Toyota had just dug a little deeper before cutting him a blank check. TV pitchman you bet, winning race car driver…not any more, multiple car team owner…no way! More knowledgeable fans of the sport will tell you that for most of his career he was a walking punch line living off his big brother’s success. He went 0 for 463 starts before winning his first Cup race, The 2001 Daytona 500. Driving for DEI he took the checkered flag as the man who changed Waltrip’s life lost his in turn 4.
If the late Dale Earnhardt doesn’t tap him to drive the 15 car he’d probably be out of the sport right now. The only races Michael Waltrip ever won were restrictor plate races which DEI dominated earlier this decade. Outside of Talladega or Daytona the guy is a four wheeled speed bump. He’s never finished in the top 10 in points for his career. He currently has no top 10’s in his last 54 starts. And this is the guy you want to build your premier operation around? Toyota gave Waltrip huge money to sign former champion Dale Jarrett and to hire 135 employees and build a 142,000 square foot facility in Cornelius, North Carolina. And what do they get for their money? A huge embarrassment at this year’s Daytona 500. Waltrip’s car was too slow and in danger of missing the sport’s biggest race. Solution; put some sterno in the engine manifold to increase horsepower. Not once but twice! Nascar officials never really told us just what the substance was. Napalm, jet fuel who knows? In a sport permeated by the “if you ain’t cheating you ain’t trying” mindset, this was a whole new can of worms. This kind of cheating was so mind blowing that Nascar dropped the heaviest fines and penalties in the sport’s history on the team. Toyota proclaimed that Michael Waltrip Racing had used up two of three strikes and that further penalties would result in Michael losing factory support all together. Michael Waltrip proceeded to throw his crew chief David Hyder under the bus and told a sob story about his daughter Macy on FOX to garner sympathy. “Daddy are you a cheater?” she was purported to ask. What did you tell her Michael? Yeah you cheated. And now we all know why, your cars and your race team aren’t up to speed…literally.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
Chevrolet Aims for 600th NASCAR Cup Series Win
The Debut of the Chevy Impala SS This Weekend Marks Opportunity for Bowtie Brand to Score 600th Victory and 61st Impala Win
DETROIT - Chevrolet, the most successful nameplate in NASCAR, will have the opportunity to achieve several historic milestones at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. With Jimmie Johnson's back-to-back wins in Las Vegas and Atlanta, Chevrolet has 599 NASCAR Cup wins as Team Chevy heads to Bristol, Tenn. where the Impala nameplate will make its return to NASCAR racing. If a Chevy driver wins in Bristol this weekend, it would be the 600th all-time victory for Chevrolet and the 61st win for Impala.
"We are extremely proud of Chevrolet's successful heritage in NASCAR," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "To score Chevrolet's 600th victory would be very special considering how tough the competition has been over the years. But it would also be even more significant to accomplish this milestone during the first race with the new Impala SS race car."
This weekend's Food City 500 in Bristol is the first event featuring NASCAR's next generation of race cars including the Chevy Impala SS. Forty-eight years after the nameplate was introduced to NASCAR racing, Impala returns to NASCAR competition in 16 Nextel Cup events this season.
Team Chevy drivers have the strength of the formidable GM Racing engineering and marketing divisions behind them as well an unparalleled racing heritage. When it takes the track at Bristol, Impala will have already achieved consecutive NASCAR titles in 1960 and 1961 as well 60 race wins including the inaugural Impala race in 1959 at Daytona International Speedway. In addition to Impala's success, Chevrolet's history of NASCAR racing accolades includes 23 driver titles, 30 manufacturer championships and 599 victories. Chevrolet's closest competitor for all-time NASCAR victories trails by the equivalent of a full-season of race wins (22).
Chevrolet: The Most Successful Nameplate in NASCAR
Chevrolet Statistics in the NASCAR Cup Series
Drivers Championships:
All-time (1949 - 2006) = 23
First title for Chevrolet = Buck Baker in 1957
Highest number of consecutive titles = 6 (1993 - 1998)
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986,
1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006
Manufacturers Championships:
All-time (1949 - 2006) = 30
First title for Chevrolet = 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles = 9 (1983 - 1991)
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980,
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Event Victories:
2007 Race Wins = 3
2006 Race Wins = 23
All-time Race Wins (1949 - present) = 599
Best years for All-time race wins = 25 (1958)
Total All-time NASCAR Cup Wins (by corporation): 1949-present
General Motors Corporation = 933
(Chevy: 599 + Pontiac: 154 + Olds: 115 + Buick: 65)
Ford Motor Company = 676
(Ford: 577 + Mercury: 95 + Lincoln: 4)
Chrysler Corporation = 444
(Dodge: 194 + Plymouth: 191 + Chrysler: 59)
About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is America's No.1-selling automotive brand. In addition, Chevrolet delivers more-than-expected value in every vehicle category, offering cars and trucks priced from $9,995 to $78,175. Chevy delivers expressive design, spirited performance and great value with standard features usually found only on more expensive vehicles.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 284,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
DETROIT - Chevrolet, the most successful nameplate in NASCAR, will have the opportunity to achieve several historic milestones at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. With Jimmie Johnson's back-to-back wins in Las Vegas and Atlanta, Chevrolet has 599 NASCAR Cup wins as Team Chevy heads to Bristol, Tenn. where the Impala nameplate will make its return to NASCAR racing. If a Chevy driver wins in Bristol this weekend, it would be the 600th all-time victory for Chevrolet and the 61st win for Impala.
"We are extremely proud of Chevrolet's successful heritage in NASCAR," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "To score Chevrolet's 600th victory would be very special considering how tough the competition has been over the years. But it would also be even more significant to accomplish this milestone during the first race with the new Impala SS race car."
This weekend's Food City 500 in Bristol is the first event featuring NASCAR's next generation of race cars including the Chevy Impala SS. Forty-eight years after the nameplate was introduced to NASCAR racing, Impala returns to NASCAR competition in 16 Nextel Cup events this season.
Team Chevy drivers have the strength of the formidable GM Racing engineering and marketing divisions behind them as well an unparalleled racing heritage. When it takes the track at Bristol, Impala will have already achieved consecutive NASCAR titles in 1960 and 1961 as well 60 race wins including the inaugural Impala race in 1959 at Daytona International Speedway. In addition to Impala's success, Chevrolet's history of NASCAR racing accolades includes 23 driver titles, 30 manufacturer championships and 599 victories. Chevrolet's closest competitor for all-time NASCAR victories trails by the equivalent of a full-season of race wins (22).
Chevrolet: The Most Successful Nameplate in NASCAR
Chevrolet Statistics in the NASCAR Cup Series
Drivers Championships:
All-time (1949 - 2006) = 23
First title for Chevrolet = Buck Baker in 1957
Highest number of consecutive titles = 6 (1993 - 1998)
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986,
1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006
Manufacturers Championships:
All-time (1949 - 2006) = 30
First title for Chevrolet = 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles = 9 (1983 - 1991)
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980,
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Event Victories:
2007 Race Wins = 3
2006 Race Wins = 23
All-time Race Wins (1949 - present) = 599
Best years for All-time race wins = 25 (1958)
Total All-time NASCAR Cup Wins (by corporation): 1949-present
General Motors Corporation = 933
(Chevy: 599 + Pontiac: 154 + Olds: 115 + Buick: 65)
Ford Motor Company = 676
(Ford: 577 + Mercury: 95 + Lincoln: 4)
Chrysler Corporation = 444
(Dodge: 194 + Plymouth: 191 + Chrysler: 59)
About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is America's No.1-selling automotive brand. In addition, Chevrolet delivers more-than-expected value in every vehicle category, offering cars and trucks priced from $9,995 to $78,175. Chevy delivers expressive design, spirited performance and great value with standard features usually found only on more expensive vehicles.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 284,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Pursue fair trade
United States must do better at opening other nations' markets to American industries
March 18, 2007
BY RON DZWONKOWSKI
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
Free trade hereabouts generally is taken to mean they send us cheap goods, we send them good jobs. Or we open the border to endless truckloads of Canadian trash, and send auto production to the Canadians because they have government-paid health care.
Oh, Americans get globalization all right. But they get shafted on trade -- at least that's the perception. And there is a rationale for it. The American government has been much more aggressive about opening access to the U.S. market than about making sure foreign markets are open to U.S. goods and services. Everybody on Earth wants to sell here, in the land of the voracious consumer, but nobody wants to throw open their markets to American products -- or even our trash. Instead, they want American employers to build factories in their countries.
Advertisement
Enter to win free movie passes
In a recent national survey conducted for the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, 60% of Americans said international trade was bad for U.S. workers. In a Pew Research Center survey late last year, 48% of Americans said free trade agreements lead to job losses while only 12% said they create jobs.
In a discussion last week at the Detroit Economic Club, I asked the ambassadors to America from Germany and the European Union what Europe needed that the United States could supply. Neither named a product, a good or a commodity kind of thing you might sell at a profit. Rather, they said, the United States can export its can-do attitude, its knack for seeing problems as opportunities, its collegial workplace atmosphere, its entrepreneurial spirit.
What's that worth to a 43-year-old autoworker whose job has just vanished?
Actually, the EU has a far more robust and two-way economic relationship with the United States than the Asian companies that get most of the attention these days. Asia is still largely a one-way deal. A pending trade agreement with South Korea is the latest example.
Last year, American automakers sold about 7,200 cars in South Korea. The South Koreans sold 801,000 in the United States. Maybe South Koreans wouldn't buy any more Cadillacs and Lincolns even if they could, but they're not getting the chance because of their government's import restrictions. And the proposed new trade agreement would send even more of their vehicles our way.
U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, who chairs a key House subcommittee on trade issues, said in a speech last week that South Korea has thrown up "massive non-tariff barriers to American industrial products in general and automotive products in particular ... an economic iron curtain."
"Korea has successfully pursued an industrial policy, following the Japanese model, of sheltering its market and using profits from higher prices in their domestic market to sell autos cheaper in the U.S., and pour the profits into research and development to improve their products in competition with American cars," Levin said. "We welcome competition that helps improve our products, but not distorted markets."
Globalization presents enormous opportunities. Its explosion drove the economic boom of the 1990s. It's not going into reverse. In fact, the EU is proposing a new transatlantic agreement that would share standards across the ocean wherever possible, so manufacturers would not have to meet separate European and U.S. specifications. This makes enormous sense and has global possibilities. The cost savings could be huge and, on some products, from medicines to motor vehicles, there can't be all that much difference between what we'll allow and they'll allow.
American industry will never compete with the Third World on labor costs, but is becoming extraordinarily more efficient and certainly can match anyone on quality and innovation. But the key is in the world's growing markets. The United States cannot keep letting other countries protect their industries at the expense of ours.
American industries don't need protection. They need access. If globalization is all about breaking down international barriers, Uncle Sam needs to be sure they are falling both ways.
RON DZWONKOWSKI is editor of the Free Press editorial page. Contact him at dzwonk@freepress.com or 313-222-6635.
March 18, 2007
BY RON DZWONKOWSKI
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
Free trade hereabouts generally is taken to mean they send us cheap goods, we send them good jobs. Or we open the border to endless truckloads of Canadian trash, and send auto production to the Canadians because they have government-paid health care.
Oh, Americans get globalization all right. But they get shafted on trade -- at least that's the perception. And there is a rationale for it. The American government has been much more aggressive about opening access to the U.S. market than about making sure foreign markets are open to U.S. goods and services. Everybody on Earth wants to sell here, in the land of the voracious consumer, but nobody wants to throw open their markets to American products -- or even our trash. Instead, they want American employers to build factories in their countries.
Advertisement
Enter to win free movie passes
In a recent national survey conducted for the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, 60% of Americans said international trade was bad for U.S. workers. In a Pew Research Center survey late last year, 48% of Americans said free trade agreements lead to job losses while only 12% said they create jobs.
In a discussion last week at the Detroit Economic Club, I asked the ambassadors to America from Germany and the European Union what Europe needed that the United States could supply. Neither named a product, a good or a commodity kind of thing you might sell at a profit. Rather, they said, the United States can export its can-do attitude, its knack for seeing problems as opportunities, its collegial workplace atmosphere, its entrepreneurial spirit.
What's that worth to a 43-year-old autoworker whose job has just vanished?
Actually, the EU has a far more robust and two-way economic relationship with the United States than the Asian companies that get most of the attention these days. Asia is still largely a one-way deal. A pending trade agreement with South Korea is the latest example.
Last year, American automakers sold about 7,200 cars in South Korea. The South Koreans sold 801,000 in the United States. Maybe South Koreans wouldn't buy any more Cadillacs and Lincolns even if they could, but they're not getting the chance because of their government's import restrictions. And the proposed new trade agreement would send even more of their vehicles our way.
U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, who chairs a key House subcommittee on trade issues, said in a speech last week that South Korea has thrown up "massive non-tariff barriers to American industrial products in general and automotive products in particular ... an economic iron curtain."
"Korea has successfully pursued an industrial policy, following the Japanese model, of sheltering its market and using profits from higher prices in their domestic market to sell autos cheaper in the U.S., and pour the profits into research and development to improve their products in competition with American cars," Levin said. "We welcome competition that helps improve our products, but not distorted markets."
Globalization presents enormous opportunities. Its explosion drove the economic boom of the 1990s. It's not going into reverse. In fact, the EU is proposing a new transatlantic agreement that would share standards across the ocean wherever possible, so manufacturers would not have to meet separate European and U.S. specifications. This makes enormous sense and has global possibilities. The cost savings could be huge and, on some products, from medicines to motor vehicles, there can't be all that much difference between what we'll allow and they'll allow.
American industry will never compete with the Third World on labor costs, but is becoming extraordinarily more efficient and certainly can match anyone on quality and innovation. But the key is in the world's growing markets. The United States cannot keep letting other countries protect their industries at the expense of ours.
American industries don't need protection. They need access. If globalization is all about breaking down international barriers, Uncle Sam needs to be sure they are falling both ways.
RON DZWONKOWSKI is editor of the Free Press editorial page. Contact him at dzwonk@freepress.com or 313-222-6635.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
friends; do NOT drink the Kool-Aid....
i am not anti-foreign car. in fact, there are foreign cars out there that i would consider owning. not a toyota though. what i am personally concerned about is the lack of free-trade recipriocity between japan and the united states. while we allow foreign automakers the opportunity to sell cars in the u.s. competitively the same option is not granted to u.s. carmakers in japan. so while japan sells millions and millions of vehicles in the good ole u.s.; chevy's are nearly impossible to purchase in tokyo because of import regulations. japan is abusing us and our goodwill. i understand they've opened factories across the u.s. employing thousands of americans. ok. i get it. but what is never stated is that those jobs come at a price. just ask american union autoworkers, and their struggling families in detroit. generations of good hard-working americans are being undercut. so if you think buying that foreign car isn't hurting the u.s. you are incorrect. nevertheless, this is america, and what is so good about america is that we have choice. i wish each of you peace; and GO JR. at Atlanta!!!
Sunday, March 11, 2007
vegas a success...
...and i know a lot of folks were throwing things at the big-screen, and cursing; but hey folks be for real. junior ran good. and, finished good. 11th place gets him to 28th in the standings. if you ain't happy with that check out where kasey kahne finished. in fact ole tv-kk is outside the top 35. also big congrats to chevrolet with the top 3 finishers and 8 of the top 12, including martin truex and jr. so all in all a great race; and hot-lanta is comin' happy days, john.
We Will Always Remember....
Dale Earnhardt, and all he stood for. He was one of us, and when he died he took a little of each of us with him that can never be replaced. Junior sure is trying though. Happy Days, John.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)