Michael Waltrip Found Wandering Around Talladega Garage Area

Despite today’s race having been covered by NBC Sports, Fox Sports Nascar commentator and former driver Michael Waltrip was seen conspicuously walking around the Talladega Superspeedway garage and pit area today, for reasons yet to be determined.

"I brought my driver's suit!"

“I thought it was kind of weird that Mikey was still here after covering yesterday’s Trucks race”, said driver and former MWR employee Clint Bowyer.  “He came by and we talked for a little bit, I wanted to keep it light since it was only a half-hour before the race started, but he kept steering the conversation back to when he used to race.”

Waltrip, who scored one of his four points-paying Cup Series career wins at the vaunted track, appeared to be inspecting a number of cars’ roofs on the starting grid.  Numerous fans heard him mutter “No roof hatches anymore—not like when I won it all here back in 2003 for Dale Sr.’s old team” to nobody in particular.

Waltrip later approached driver and former teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. during the lengthy pre-race ceremonies honoring Dale Jr. for his retirement from the sport.  Waltrip’s appearance appeared to come as a surprise to Dale Jr., who was in the middle of an on-air interview when he was approached.

“Hey, remember when we used to double-team to get some wins out on the track!”, Waltrip told a mildly surprised Earnhardt, who mentioned not realizing that Waltrip “would be doing anything this weekend”.  Despite the interview segment having ended, Waltrip was heard saying, “You know I wouldn’t miss a chance to give some winners’ advice here at Talladega or Daytona!”

Waltrip, whose career ended with several races each year only on the circuit’s restrictor plate tracks, was later seen during the race sitting alone in an unused room in the media center, and appeared to be talking to an unseen person.

"Chris, these cats have gotta keep it together at 200 miles per hour—and I know from first-hand experience just how hard it is to win one of these things”, Waltrip was overheard saying into a Pringles can fashioned to resemble a microphone.  “Its just amazing what they can do out there, just like I used to.”

Uncle Max: Talladega Weekend Picks

Weekly picks from Spade Racing’s writer/webmaster/janitor Mike Mackler’s uncle.

Good news, everybody—well, at least good news for me—I’m seeing someone!  We’ve been dating here and there for the past two months but I wanted to keep it on the down-low until we were “officially exclusive”.  We met online but it turns out she works in an office only a block away from where I work, which works out great for us.

Speaking of which, me and the new lucky lady are going to be taking our first real vacation together—totally by accident!  I always take off a week in October to get one last chance to “recharge the batteries” before the holiday rush, and had booked five days at a resort.  Turns out she had done the same thing at the same place for almost the same days!  So we might be flying in about a day apart, but we’ll be soaking up some sun together south of the old border.

Anyways, here’s my picks for the upcoming race weekend at Charlotte (total wins in parenthesis):

Truck Series Fred’s 250 (5 wins)—Matt Crafton—the wily vet beats out the next generation.

Cup Series Alabama 500:  FAVORITE (5 wins)—Jamie McMurray—the winless streak ends with #1 in first.  NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins)—Ricky Stenhouse Jr.—his third plate win propels him past Jimmy Spencer.  DARK HORSE*—Clint Bowyer—the 14 crew states their case to be the rebound team of 2018 a little early.

*—NOTE—during the Cup Playoffs, a Dark Horse must be a driver who is out of championship contention.

PJ1—All About Nascar’s Sticky Situation

2017 has been the first year that’s seen Nascar use traction-improving substances on race tracks on a large scale.  So what the heck is this stuff?  Let’s find out.

What is it?  PJ1, a resin-like liquid chemical compound that makes tracks as sticky as a movie theater floor.

Wasn’t it called VHT?  Yes, but the company decided to change the name in order to comply with Nascar’s “Let’s Make Everything Complicated” directive for 2017.

Where has it been used before?  Mostly in NHRA to improve traction on drag strips.  Its part of Nascar’s attempt to adopt certain aspects of high-level drag racing such as full grandstands and non-pissy fans.

How does it work?  It improves traction where applied, allowing for a second racing groove where they was none before.  Sort of like dating two girls at the same time—you’re committed to one, but you can make things happen with the other.

What problem does this solve?  The issue of side-by-side racing, which is roughly #14 on the list of things Nascar should be worrying about at the moment.