How To Find Great NASCAR Collectibles And Memorabilia Online

NASCAR is a fast paced sport to enjoy, it is the National Association for Stock Car Racing. Racing has gotten more popular in recent years and NASCAR is at the top of racing news. So it should be no surprise that collecting NASCAR memorabilia is a favorite pastime of many.

Whether shopping for a loved one or for you there are plenty of the popular merchandise to choose from. If you are trying to find the perfect gift for someone else that loves the sport, you can begin a search on the Internet.

Online you can find almost anything. If you want to order tickets to game or even set up a complete vacation revolving around NASCAR, researching prices online at least will save you some money.

If you are looking for NASCAR clothing you will find plenty online. You can also find books about the sport, personalized gifts for fans and replica cars. Getting an autographed picture or shirt is one way to let that special fan in your life know you care.

If you are looking for collectibles for yourself, you may find an array of ideas online. NASCAR pictures are a great search and find item on the Internet. There are so many different ones posted on a variety of sites. With little effort you can find some pictures that not everyone has right now. They may not be quite originals but it is fun to find pictures that are different than the ones in all the stores.
When you do find those uncommon pictures you can use your computer to make calendars, mouse pads, iron on for shirts and hats. You can customize your own clothes and gear.

Looking online you can also get ready for all the races with all the racing schedules. You can also find plenty of history about how the sport began and where it is going now.

Most fans have at least one favorite racecar driver and online you can read the bibliographies of all the drivers. You can also get stats and information on up and coming drivers before the races. Finding out about the latest changes and updates to NASCAR is easy since it is readily available online.

Most websites are free or the charge is minimal to print pictures and read about favorite drivers and races. If you happen to miss a race on television a lot of sites will allow you to watch clips and some even allow complete video segments for viewing online.
If you are looking for a biography about a particular driver, looking online is the best play to start your search. Some of the sport's drivers are into writing their own books and they are readily available online also.

Rare collectible NASCAR items are also worth searching online for. As more and more people connect to the Internet you will be able to buy sell or trade with other fans easily no matter where they are located.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as sports collectibles at http://www.sportscollectiblesandmemorabilia.com

Article Source: How To Find Great NASCAR Collectibles And Memorabilia Online

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/4130/how-to-find-great-nascar-collectibles-and-memorabilia-online

Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard

Nascar And The Critique It Faces

Nascar has faced a lot of criticism for a lot of things over the last few decades. We can attribute the criticism to the popularity of Nascar. Apart from the environmental impact of Nascar which has led to criticism, there are other technical reasons as well. One of the reasons is the oval shape of most Nascar racing circuits. Driving enthusiasts have severely criticized the difficulty of these race courses when compared to the extremely difficult twisting and turning race courses of Formula 1. They say that it involves going round and round for 500 miles and nothing else.

Some courses of the Formula 1 put up to 5 or 6 G's of stress on the body of the driver. This is totally absent in Nascar. But Nascar has denied these allegations and countered by saying that there are certain race series in which road courses are included. But again it is for a very small percentage of the race. Nascar has also brought to light the fact that even the Indy racing league uses mostly oval tracks.

The Grueling Season
The grueling racing season of Nascar is also a reason for its criticism. While a Formula 1 race has 22 cars in its beginning, a Nascar Nextel cup race has 43. Add the 36 point races for the entire series, and the session becomes extremely hectic. The drivers are left with just a few hours to practice. Some of the drivers have even quit the sport because of their inability to cope with such stress.

Drivers who have been reasonably successful in road racing circuits have been unable to duplicate that success record in Nascar. The prime reason is the difference in the entire structure of the two.

The Cars
The technology behind the cars is another reason that Nascarhas faced so much criticism. The cars are mostly fitted with accessories from the 1950s. The carburetors, cast iron engine blocks and most primarily the use of leaded fuel have triggered huge criticism against Nascar. The reluctance of Nascar to add safety devices has also aggravated the criticism against them. The use of this equipment places more emphasis on getting an undue advantage rather than focusing on the skill of the driver.

The Business
The last thing that has received flak from critics is the Nascar business structure. The majority of revenue generated by the entire Nascar racing goes towards the France family, as they control most of Nascar . Many say that the drivers do not have a voice in Nascar and it is like a dictatorship. The penalties and fines that Nascar levied on its drivers for using foul language in the media have also been a reason for criticism against it.

This author is a HUGE fan of NASCAR licensed merchandise

Article Source: Nascar And The Critique It Faces

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/111183/nascar-and-the-critique-it-faces

Trevor Bayne Ricky Stenhouse Jr Citifinancial Ford Reed Sorenson

My F1 2010 season review

I've been watching grand prix racing since before World War II and I can honestly say I have never seen a season with more excitement, drama and intrigue than 2010. This is my review of the year in which Sebastian Vettel and his Red Bull team really came of age.

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CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE UK

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/murraywalker/2010/11/my_f1_2010_season_review.html

Jerry Hoyt Nico Hülkenberg Denny Hulme James Hunt

Video: Button and Hamilton make a surprise visit to the world's greatest garage


First, McLaren Formula One drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button were left alone to assemble one of their cars. Now, in a new Web video, the teammates wander through the McLaren racing-car collection and get up-close with a major historical milestone : Ayrton Senna's 1988 McLaren MP4/4http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f2dCclIT9q8/TDJNWev7R1I/AAAAAAAAGb4/AJeWZMwlHJg/s1600/Button+and+Hamilton+make+a+surprise+visit+to+the+world%27s+greatest+garage.jpg


Credit : autoevolution

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/J-ei49F2mws/button-and-hamilton-make-surprise-visit.html

Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears

Auto Racing Legend Juan Montoya Leaves Formula One For NASCAR

Famous Formula One racer Juan Pablo Montoya has officially turned in his keys and has embarked on a new career in NASCAR. As of Tuesday July 11, Montoya announced that he will be driving on Chip Ganassi’s Nextel Cup team. Being that there are 4 Nextel Cup races left it is a sure thing that Montoya will make his debut some time this year before the season ends. Rumor has it that this was purely a financial move as the potential growth and current earnings of NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers have far outweighed that of their Formula One counterparts.

As announced in his latest press release, "Juan Pablo is an exciting driver and immensely likeable character who will undoubtedly make a successful transition to the NASCAR scene," said Ron Dennis, CEO and Chairman of the McLaren Group. "We have agreed that with so many things happening in Juan Pablo's life right now, he should take some time out of the car and prepare professionally and personally for the future." His decision to join NASCAR has been well taken to by both NASCAR and Formula One. "We believe that Juan Pablo's decision to move to NASCAR is very important for him professionally and we will give him every support to ensure that it is a successful transition," said Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.

Formula One will miss a very talented and adored driver, and NASCAR will gain a great driver with a hugely diverse and international following. NASCAR officials have been looking to add diversity to their Nextel Cup races as announced earlier in the year and Juan Pablo will be a very welcome addition. This will be a boon to NASCAR as it tries to maintain the remarkable growth it has seen in the past decade. By adding diversity they are looking to add to their fan base and change the misconception that it is a southern or redneck sport. With racetracks being built in Chicago, Las Vegas and California and races being held in new countries like Canada this will only help to further diversify the sport.

Yes, NASCAR still has a huge southern following and should be very thankful for it as this is the most intensely loyal fan base of any sport. Montoya will definitely add character, charm, and ability to the NASCAR crowd. He will also, undoubtedly, keep the other NASCAR drivers on their toes with his immense experience and superior open road skills. Montoya’s debut will definitely be a much anticipated and welcome event for NASCAR fans everywhere.

David Maillie specializes in automotive safety products and information. He holds numerous patents and awards for his patented headlight cleaner and restorer. For more information, tips, safety and money saving products for your auto please visit http://www.mdwholesale.com

Article Source: Auto Racing Legend Juan Montoya Leaves Formula One For NASCAR

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/3477/auto-racing-legend-juan-montoya-leaves-formula-one-for-nascar

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

2010 Team Reviews: Hendrick Motorsports Leads Way

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Just days after Jimmie Johnson secured his record-extending fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup title, Hendrick Motorsports experienced quite possibly the largest shift within its organization, ever.

With the exception of Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus, crew chiefs changed teams and drivers switched shops. All of it, goofy enough, in a bid to become as good or better than Johnson & Knaus in 2011.

But before they get there, it's worth noting what Hendrick Motorsports did in 2010 that earned them the distinction of FanHouse's top NASCAR team of the past season:


1st - Jimmie Johnson [6 wins, 17 Top-5s, 23 Top-10s, 4 DNFs, 12.2 Avg Finish]

Johnson obviously carried the Hendrick load most impressively this season by the sheer fact that he won, yet again, the Sprint Cup title. However, it was Johnson's first season in which he looked terrifically vulnerable down the stretch -- even needed to outrace Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick in the season finale to lay claim to his fifth title.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/12/22/2010-team-rankings-hendrick-motorsports-leads-way/

Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings

OTHER: Sainz cautious about Dakar chances

Sainz cautious about Dakar chances By Matt Beer Tuesday, December 28th 2010, 11:21 GMT Defending Dakar Rally winner Carlos Sainz says he will remain 'modest' in his approach to the 2011 event despite his 2010 success. The former World Rally champion has won his last four cross country rallies with Volkswagen, including his maiden Dakar triumph last year. The Dakar moved from its traditional African location to a new base in Argentina and South America in 2009, and Sainz regards the current stages as an equal challenge to the old route Related posts:
  1. OTHER: Sainz ‘extremely proud’ of Dakar win Sainz 'extremely proud' of Dakar win By Pablo Elizalde Monday,...
  2. OTHER: Sainz clinches Dakar Rally victory Sainz clinches Dakar Rally victory By Matt Beer Saturday, January...
  3. OTHER: Sainz moves into Dakar Rally lead Sainz moves into Dakar Rally lead By Matt Beer Wednesday,...
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Source: http://doxcar.com/other-sainz-cautious-about-dakar-chances/

Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy Parker Kligerman Trevor Bayne

Pressure mounts on Webber most of all

Mark Webber, typically, cut to the chase when weighing up what could be the weekend of his life with a colleague.

"It's simple, mate," he said. "Put it on pole, then disappear!"

As long as Fernando Alonso, the championship leader, finishes third or worse behind the Australian in Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it would be that simple.

Webber would be champion, with no need for a last-lap shuffle from team-mate Sebastian Vettel, and Red Bull would have completed a deserved double entirely in keeping with chief technical officer Adrian Newey's magnificent RB6 design.

But little in this switchback season has been straightforward - particularly at Red Bull, where Vettel could have wrapped up the title some races ago had he had greater reliability.

Instead, he and his older team-mate find themselves chasing Alonso who, remember, was 47 points off the lead following the British Grand Prix in July.

"All the pressure is on Red Bull this weekend," according to one team manager with recent championship success. "And the biggest load is on Webber.

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"He's not a young driver and you don't get many chances like this. Vettel will have many more days to challenge for the title. The team clearly back him."

"As for Fernando, he's been there already - twice."

Webber's outburst about his team's lack of driver equality before the last race in Brazil was interpreted by many as evidence that he's feeling the heat.

And those same observers viewed his quiet, reserved performance here in front of the world's media alongside his three rivals as another display of nerves.

Contrast his demeanour with Vettel's front row smiles, they were saying last night.

Consider Alonso's matter-of-fact handling of any barbed team orders related probing and Hamilton's back row cheeriness: "The guys in front of me have everything to lose, so for me I'm going to be flat out as always."

Hamilton's role could be a significant curve-ball if he can repeat his pole-winning lap of last year. But let's stay with Webber for the moment.

A one-time Jaguar official who worked with the Australian at the team and still works within Formula 1 gave me an interesting slant on his comments in Brazil.

"Mark seems to need to rev himself up, needs to feel he's got to fight something," my source said.

"He's a strong character and a good driver but for some reason he doesn't always show it unless he's gets himself wound up."

Red Bull's Mark Webber

Will Webber keep his nerve in Abu Dhabi? Photo: Getty Images

His race-winning performance at Silverstone was a case in point. Vettel got the only new, surviving front wing off Webber's car before qualifying.

The Aussie got the hump. But he also got the victory - fast and furious to the end.
That was in the middle of his purple patch which continued until the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of August, when he was second to Hamilton.

Webber has not been on pole since then, and has not won a race since Hungary, the grand prix before Spa. He has been out-qualified by his team-mate at the last five events.

He lost valuable points by crashing in Korea, where he also lost the lead in the championship - which he had held for the longest period of anyone this season - to the driver he rates the strongest on the grid, Alonso.

So it is easy to see why so many in the F1 paddock believe Webber faces the greatest challenge of all the contenders this weekend to fulfil an ambition that's been losing momentum at the wrong time.

Essentially, it's now or never.

Even Webber admitted on Thursday that age is against him to enjoy more opportunities like this.

Indeed, one leading driver manager even suggested to me that, whatever happened this weekend, Webber's position at Red Bull was untenable.

"If he's champion, he should get out at the top. If he doesn't win the title, then why would he want to be in a team where he feels his team-mate is being treated differently?" he said.

By contrast, the Alonso Fan Club nodded sagely at the Spaniard's cool fatalism yesterday.

"I will not have anything to be disappointed about in 2010," Alonso said.

"This first year of the relationship we are fighting for the world championship in the last race against two Red Bulls who are dominating by far in terms of speed so overall I don't think it matters on Sunday."

Um, really?

Make no mistake, Alonso and Ferrari will be going all out to win the title on Sunday, however much they make out it would be an unexpected bonus.

But this chance has been as much to do with Red Bull's fallibility as Ferrari's remarkable recovery from a desperate mid-season slump which was threatening to turn the screw on team principal Stefano Domenicali.

If anybody can drive to a title-winning script on Sunday to join a select club including previous three time winners like Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and Sir Jackie Stewart, it is Alonso.

He is the man in front, with the experience of his 2005 and 2006 triumphs, seemingly able to work out the points as effortlessly as the strategy.

Above all, he knows that his rivals all have to beat him on the track to have a chance of the 2010 championship, whereas he could do the job even if he failed to finish through a mistake or a breakdown.

Vettel, who must have nightmares about that engine failure when leading in Korea, has appeared like a man who will be driving more in hope than expectation of coming first or second to have any chance of becoming F1's youngest champion.

The prospect of waving through Webber has not fazed him because both of them know their first priority is getting ahead, and staying ahead of Alonso before any switch comes into the equation.

And that is where Lewis Hamilton fits in.

He accepts that he is clearly the outsider of the four contenders; 24 points off the lead, he's all but written off his chances

But if the McLaren performs like last year - extra straight-line speed from the F-duct instead of last year's Kers power boost - on Abu Dhabi's two big straights, the 2008 champion could be the joker in the championship pack.

Hamilton gave a hint of what might be in the offing with his pace in second practice, especially in the final sector where he was supreme.

Another McLaren pole position backed up by race reliability, and those carefully prepared championship permutations at Red Bull and Ferrari will be crucial props in a juggling act which could keep us guessing until the final lap of the final race of this momentous season.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jonathanlegard/2010/11/webber-feeling-the-pressure.html

Derrike Cope Carl Edwards Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet