via www.tourismhamilton.com

I just lost my freelance writing gig for The Hamilton Spectator.  I used to write a weekly NASCAR Column for them during the racing season.  I thought they were just limited with their space due to their coverage of the Olympics but I was wrong, their freelance budget was significantly cut this year and I was one of the first to go.

Oh well, to be honest with you after the market bottomed out last year I thought I was a goner, but they held on to me for the entire season except for a few missed weeks due to illness and the US Open so I consider myself lucky to have been writing for them at all this past year.

With that being said anyone know of any local papers looking for a freelance NASCAR scrib?

There's not many links to my stuff left over at their site, but here is one about last year's All-Star race that I like because I got to talk a little bit about the history of the event itself.

I've really got to thank Rick Hughes over at The Spec for having the vision of bringing a Blogger into the fold.  I never had a contract with him, all we had a handshake deal that lasted almost two years - kind of unheard of in this day and age isn't it?  But that's what it was.

After my first article for him, Rick emailed me and told me to stop trying to sound like a reporter, "I want your voice not what you think it should be for a newspaper" he wrote.  After that I ran with it and aside from a few changes to my original work due to space restrictions he and his associate editors left my work alone.

I really appreciate the opportunity Rick gave me I really enjoyed my time writing for The Spec and you never know I just might end up back there again one day, especially if the Canadian Motor Speedway becomes a reality. 

I will never understand NASCAR's policing of its drivers.  Carl Edwards gets a three race probation (only in the Cup series too) for deliberately wrecking Brad Keselowski in last Sunday's race at about 190 mph causing Keselowski to get airborne and fly into the outside retaining wall and catch fence upside down landing hard on the driver's side A - pillar.

Officially Edwards was found to be in violation of Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing - aggressive driving) of the 2010 NASCAR rule book. 

Now granted having Keselowski flying through the air with the greatest of ease was not what Edwards intended to happen, all he wanted to do was just spin Keselowski out and into the grass but unfortunately things at 190 mph don't always go as planned.

Mike Helton explained NASCAR's position regarding this incident;  "We made it very clear to [Edwards] that these actions were not acceptable and did go beyond what we said back in January, about putting the driving back in the hands of the drivers.  I believe [Edwards] understands our position at this point."

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 Clint Bowyer tests Goodyear tires Tuesday at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. - Credit: MotorRacingNetwork.com

Elliott Sadler takes on the rough track surface at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. Tuesday during a Goodyear Tire test - Credit: MotorRacingNetwork.com

Marcos Ambrose avoids getting a Darlington Stripe Tuesday during a Goodyear Tire test at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. - Credit: MotorRacingNetwork.com

ATLANTA - MARCH 07: The wrecked #12 Penske Dodge, driven by Brad Keselowski, sits in the garage after an incident on tack during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 7, 2010 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)

There is no mistaken what Carl Edwards did today to Brad Keselowski was a big no no in the eyes of anyone watching the race including NASCAR but what kind of penalty is he going to face as a result?

Well Keselowski wants Edwards parked for at least one race, which seems possible but unlikely in my opinion.

Why?  Sponsorship dollars.  Think of the lost revenue by not having the Afflac, Scotts, (name of other sponsors here) car in the race.  Certainly if I were a sponsor of Edwards I would not be pleased that my car was not in the race with my driver behind the wheel.  Of course the 99 car would be in the race, but not with Edwards behind the wheel.

In fact I might just be so upset that I would pull all of my television advertising from the race too which would mean a loss of revenue for NASCAR and FOX.

Get the picture?

So what would you do?

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Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, poses in Victory Lane after qualifying for the first position for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com -  Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR.

Its been what, about 67 races since Dale Earnhardt Jr won his last pole position?

He's just like his Dad. 

Dale Earnhardt wasn't the best pole winner either, he just concentrated on set-up more than anything. 

As long as he qualified in the top 20 he was fine, and he had the past Champion's Provisional to make sure he was in the show each week as they didn't have the Top 35 Rule back when Dale Sr was driving.  And he had to use that past Champion's Provisional a time or two too.

It was announced earlier this week that NASCAR will now tear down the engine from the first car that drops out of a race that was not involved in a wreck on the track.

Why is NASCAR doing this?  In my opinion it is to cut back on the number of start and park teams.

Start and park teams are those that go to races with the purpose of making the race and then parking the car after running a few laps.  The reason why teams do this varies, but it essentially boils down to money.

Some teams can't afford to pay for tires and a crew so they go and make the race, park the car, and collect the prize money and hopefully if they do this enough times they can afford to compete in a future event for the whole race.  Or another reason is just to collect the prize money with no intention of re-investing it into the team.

I mean last place for this year's Daytona 500 paid $261,424 - that's waaay more than I make in a year (make that waaay more than I make in multiple years).

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Ice Hockey - Men's Gold Medal Game - Day 17 VANCOUVER, BC - FEBRUARY 28: Team Canada celebrates with their gold medals after winning the ice hockey men's gold medal game between USA and Canada on day 17 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Canada Hockey Place on February 28, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Hey all.  Sorry I didn't post about the race on Sunday, but to be honest with you I'm all Olympiced out right now.  I watched that amazing USA vs Canada hockey game yesterday then spent some time with the kids before bed, and then watched the closing ceremonies.  After all that I promptly fell aspleep on the couch and woke up just in time to crawl into bed and turn off the alarm.

I had every intention of watching the race after the closing ceremonies since I recorded it but oh well, it is what it is.

So I'm going to watch it today (Monday) and do my post then.  Thanks for your understanding.

Before I go I just want to share with you all a bit of a discussion that happened in the race day open thread (see last several comments) about SBN and motorsports coverage.

Based on that conversation tell me what you would like to see here at NASCAR RnR and what you would like to see added to SBN's motorsport coverage?  I'd love to hear your ideas, I mean SBN is about the fans after all - you know "by the fans for the fans" and all.

Thanks.

If you've been reading this blog for the last few months then you will know about Ricky and his quest to go racing against cancer with all of his winnings being donated to cancer research.

Ricky at ARCA Daytona Testing December 2009.  Photo used with permission from Ricky Byers.

Ricky came up 30 grand short in making it to the Daytona ARCA race, which is something that I'm still upset about.  I mean really how can someone not sponsor him?

The man's cause is just.

Everyone has been either directly or indirectly effected by cancer at some point in their lives yet no one wants to sponsor him.

I just don't get it.

I guess it isn't as glamorous as other causes out there.

I am totally baffled by the lack of interest in companies to sponsor Ricky.  He has his team set up as a charity so the sponsorship would also be classed as a charitable donation which means that the sponsor gets to write off the sponsorship.

About a week before the Daytona race I was personally involved in negotiations with 3 potential sponsors for Ricky.  At one point I was on a conference call with Ricky and his media adviser while web conferencing with one of the prospective sponsors about sponsorship for the Daytona race.

If obtaining a sponsor could be measured in linear units I literally came within inches of getting that sponsorship for Ricky.  I honestly thought it was a done deal, although I didn't tell that to Ricky I didn't want to get his hopes up yet again.  Good thing too because the deal fell through.

Ricky at ARCA Daytona Testing December 2009.  Photo used with permission from Ricky Byers.

I also had a sit down meeting with a high profile Canadian corporation about sponsoring Ricky for Daytona, and threw everything at them that I was able to (and probably some stuff that I wasn't allowed to offer them either), including donating some of the winnings to Canadian cancer research facilities but they wouldn't commit.

We're still working on the third possible sponsor for either the Texas or Talladega race.  We'll keep you updated.

Man I just don't get it.  I know its a recession and all, but there is still a lot of money out there for this sort of thing, especially just 30K for a nationally televised race featuring the female Messiah of racing, Danica Patrick.

SPEED reported the ratings for the Daytona ARCA race were up over 60% compared to last year - that's over 2 million viewers people!  You can't buy that kind of advertising in any medium for 30K, you just can't.

Instead Ricky's been getting a slew of "Thanks but no Thanks" and a few "Maybe Next Year" rejections along with the pinnacle of nos, "Wow what a great cause!  But we're are unable to help this year as were are (Insert reason here).

Despite the setbacks Ricky has kept his eye on the prize; raising money for cancer research.  Ricky is just as dedicated now in racing to find a cure as he was 5 months ago and he is not resting until he finds that elusive sponsorship deal to get him in the show for good.

He will not do any start and parks either and trust me he's been offered a few of those but the man is going to race for a cure, not park for it!  The more you race the more awareness you'll bring to the cause and you can't do that after running one lap.

The latest thing Ricky is focusing on is perhaps winning a legit sponsorship from Prilosec OTC, I mean why not  after all the stress he's been through trying to get a sponsor in time for the Daytona race Ricky could probably attest first hand to this heartburn medication.

But Ricky needs your help with this, he needs to be voted in to keep moving on in the judging and that is where you come in; just go to the site, register, and vote and then keep voting everyday!

What Ricky needs right now is for everyone to step up to the plate, do this, and see it through to the very end.  Think of every vote as a donation towards cancer research.