SPORTS SHORTS

5 of the Most Impressive Feats in Racing By: Brian Cotnoir 1.) Graham Hill, “Triple Crown of Motorsport” The best drivers in racing aren’t good at just one form of auto racing, they are good at multiple forms of racing.   Some drivers have raced everything from go-karts, to open wheeled cars (F1 and IndyCar), NASCAR, Rally, sprint cars, Top Fuel Funnycars, Endurance Racing, Sports cars, etc. and it’s hard enough to win in one of those vehicles, now imagine winning 3 of the biggest races worldwide.     For most of the history of racing there are three races that stand out as the best:   IndyCar’s Indianapolis 500, Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix, and Endurance Racings 24 Hours of Le Mans.    These are three of the oldest and most well-known races in the world.    To this day, only one driver has won all three; Great Britain’s Graham Hill.    Hill won the 1966 Indianapolis 500, the 1972 24 Hours of Leman and is a 5-time winner of ...

Where does Michael McDowell’s Daytona 500 win rank on the All-Time Daytona 500 Upsets? By Brian Cotnoir Last month I published an article, “Top 5 Last Lap Passes at the Daytona 500” and low and behold, yesterday we had another one!     With his last lap pass McDowell becomes the 8 th driver to get their first career win at the “Great American Race”, joining Tiny Lund, Mario Andretti, Pete Hamilton, Derrike Cope, Sterling Marlin, Michael Waltrip, and Trevor Bayne.   All victories considered “Upsets” in their own rights, but where does McDowell’s finish fit with among these greats. Let’s look at some contributing factors: Drivers like Tiny Lund, Mario Andretti, and Pete Hamilton never competed full-time in NASCAR, but their wins in the 500 came driving for some of the greatest teams in history.   Lund won the Daytona 500 for the famous Wood Brothers team—subbing for the injured Marvin Panch—and got them the first of their 5 Daytona 500 wins.   Mario An...

Dear Kyle Larson, I'm sorry.  Back and August I published an article on my blog called "NASCAR doesn't need Kyle Larson" and at the time I meant it.  At the time I felt that you had sullied the sport of NASCAR and that there was little to no chance at redemption for what you said and did.   I was wrong.   Clearly I was.  You're back in NASCAR and you have a great deal of support behind you, and I would like to be one of those people who support you and cheer for you.    I remember when I first saw you in the Truck Series back in 2011-2013-ish, I thought this guy is going to be a Superstar!   Kyle I do want to see you succeed in NASCAR again.   I know you made the biggest and dumbest mistake of your life when you said that word, and I know you regret it.   I do believe you have been genuinely sincere and that you have made efforts to better yourself. I let my emotions get the best of me, and I should have put more...

  5 More lesser-known, but awesome racing stories (Part 6) By Brian Cotnoir Here we go again!    These are some awesome stories (…well maybe not #2) that you’ve probably never heard about in racing.    I hope you you enjoy reading this article as much as I did researching and writing it.   1.)   The Official Indy 500 Pace Car crashes into the photographer stands The Indianapolis 500 is the most famous open wheel race held in the United States (and quite possibly the world).    Manufacturers every year vie every year to have one of their vehicles be the official pace car of the Indy 500.   In 1971, four Indianapolis-area Dodge dealers supplied Dodge Challenger’s to be the official pace car or that year.   With track owner, Tony Hulman, ABC Reporter Chris Schenkel, and astronaut John Glenn riding along for the parade lap, pace car driver Eldon Palmer pulled onto the pit lane and began to accelerate.   Palmer mistakenly be...