Tony Stewart, right, and Joe Custer, general manager of Haas-CNC Racing, attend a news conference at which they announced that Stewart will become a driver for and co-owner of the NASCAR auto racing team Thursday, July 10, 2008, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

For some video clips and transcript… (more…)

I’ve been sitting here for almost two hours debating on what to say about the situation that finally was leaked and somewhat announced today.

Yes, that announcement.

Tony Stewart will not be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2009.

Tony Stewart is the reason I got back into NASCAR and is my favorite driver. I know people who want to persue a career in NASCAR or Sports Journalism shouldn’t have a favorite driver, but he’s mine.

I’m going to wait until tomorrow to write out my thoughts after seeing the press conference. I’m in class when it airs so I’m recording it and will watch it when I get home. I will then review it and write what I’m feeling as I’m watching it.  I’ve gotten a lot of e-mails today about the topic and I’m just going to wait and see Tony’s face when announcing it. That’s when I’ll know it’s the right thing to do or what I should say.

As talked about in the previous post, it turns out that it was Chrissy Wallace standing next to Tony Stewart during opening ceremonies of the Coke Zero 400 in Daytona.

This posts and previous posts are not insinuating anything is going on between them. My personal take is the body language is a little close… probably closer than what I stand next to my friends or sponsors. Regardless of anything, I support them both!

Thoughts? Comments?

(The photo was up at homedepotracing.com. When I went the photo was gone. Credit goes to TGOM’s flickr.)

Watching all the Daytona coverage this July 4th weekend has gotten me sentimental over one of the best experiences I’ve ever had a race. Wait - who am I kidding? It was the best experience I’ve ever had a race, besides when I worked for Fox Sports for a week for the 2007 Daytona 500.

That weekend already consisted seeing all of the previous Daytona 500 winners, including the most recent, Jimmie Johnson, stick their feet, hands, and sign their name in cement blocks that would be placed outside Daytona USA. I got to meet a few drivers and crew chiefs, saw Tony Stewart win the only and last IROC race that I had ever seen, and saw Dale Earnhardt, Jr. win the Busch race that Friday night.

Now close your eyes and picture it. Wait, open your eyes or I can’t tell you what to picture.

July 1, 2006 and the weather was scorching hot. Thousands of fans pilled into Daytona International Speedway to see their favorite drivers burn rubber for 400 miles around the 2.5 oval track. (more…)

With news that Taylor Earnhardt, the youngest daughter of the late Dale Earnhardt, will be featured on ESPN racing… horses, googlers began doing what they do best - googling.

The most searched keywords here at Diary of a Track Bunny today was “taylor earnhardt pics” with more than 300 different searches leading them to this site.

So what are you waiting for? Click to see what you’ve been goggling for… photos of Taylor Earnhardt! (more…)

LOUDON, NH - JUNE 29: A race fan shelters from the rain during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 29, 2008 in Loudon, New Hampshire.  (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images for NASCAR)

And some articles about this weekend…

• Truex won’t apologize for the way he earned a sixth place finish
• Smoke’s fire dampened by rain yet again
• Rain Thwarts Stewart’s Winning Effort at New Hampshire
• Drunk Monkeys And Technical Problems Headline “RaceDay” On SPEED
• Tony Stewart was absolutely pro postrace
• Tony tackles New Hampshire, gives crew chief emotional victory

I was never really a Casey Mears fan until I met him at my first race in Charlotte at an autograph session. He was so unbelievably nice that I instantly became a fan of his. I’ve met him several times since that October day, and again he was always nice and most importantly had a sense of humor, even when we teased him about certain hand gestures.

The only thing that changed with Casey is his wardrobe. It’s not that he went from suit to spandex or anything, but his sponsors changed each year since then.

Oh yeah, so did his car number also. (more…)

If you know me, you know why I’m excited over this news:

In conjunction with Best Buy and Sony Pictures Entertainment, the #19 Dodge of Elliott Sadler will carry the movie title “Hancock” on the hood and rear bumper in New Hampshire. Starring Will Smith and Charlize Theron, the movie debuts in theaters on July 2. All Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodges will carry a decal in New Hampshire honoring NHRA driver Scott Kalitta who died last weekend in a racing accident. (Jayski.com)