More than a month has passed since I last wrote to the Rentz Racing Report, and, admittedly, life has been happening while I have been making other plans. Marriage is first and foremost my concern, considering I wasn't married when the R-cubed began, but now I am a married man with a wife at home and a full-time job requiring greater responsibilities of me now than two months ago.
I could continue giving reasons (or excuses) why the Report isn't current or updated; however, I really don't see the point in giving the multitude of explanations. Plain and simple, weekly updates of this journal are not unrealistic, and I have been lax about keeping my information current. With additional summer "vacations" planned over the upcoming weeks, I owe my readers some firsthand information I can provide from my race track trips.
Some "past" and "upcoming" information that could have been posted already includes:
- Kasey Kahne's rise to the top of the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit
- Tony Stewart's injury(ies) sustained at Charlotte during the Busch and Cup races on Memorial Day Weekend
- The fall of Jeff Gordon as a dominant NASCAR Cup driver
- The reemergence of Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a Chase-contending driver
- Matt Kenseth / Roush Racing consistency
- Jimmie Johnson - King of NASCAR?!?
- The Coca-Cola 600 race (at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, which I attended with my wife and my parents)
- The upcoming Daytona race (Pepsi 400, fka the Firecracker 400) over Independence Day weekend (July 2nd)
- The Race to the Chase: Contenders and Pretenders
- And much, much more ...
I am also proud to (re-)announce that I am the Cincinnati, OH, Local Chapter President for the Official NASCAR Members Club (LC 452381), which began in mid-to-late April. The chapter website is located at:
http://onmcchapter.com/index.php?uname=452381&select_state=OH
Separately, I run my general sports website at:
http://clubhouseconnection.net
This site houses a variety of content, most exclusively the sole provider for the "Soul Patrol" CD (downloadable mp3 files by purchase) published by baseball rock artists Clubhouse for our website of Clubhouse Connection. The NASCAR special section co-links the ONMC Chapter site noted above with the NASCAR.com sign-up page that includes my special ID # for referral purposes and to be included as a potential member of my chapter (regardless if you live near Cincinnati, OH, or not).
http://clubhouseconnection.net/nascar/
This is a quick "hello again" and an equally quick "I must be off / goodbye" since time is of the essence. Please know that I haven't forgotten about my writing journals, and I hope to be back to twice-weekly publishing again very soon.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Friday, May 05, 2006
The Racing Report is On Hiatus ... [until weekend of May 14th]
I will make this post short and direct. I have a personal vacation planned between today (which is now Saturday, May 6th) until a week from today (Saturday, May 13th), when I will be returning home. I probably will not write anything new about the Richmond race on Saturday night or even the upcoming Darlington race, which will be happening the night I will be flying home with my new bride.
In any case, I hope you enjoy reading my previous entries, and I look forward to continuing to serve my readers with fresh content when I get back from this break.
Sincerely,
JD Rentz
In any case, I hope you enjoy reading my previous entries, and I look forward to continuing to serve my readers with fresh content when I get back from this break.
Sincerely,
JD Rentz
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
The Talladega Shake-up: Updated NASCAR Points Standings (through 5/1)
Talladega did what Talladega usually does: shake things up.
The updated standings, reflecting yesterday's Aaron's 499 results, are below:
Rank (+/-) Name / Pts / Bhnd / Strt / Pole / W's / T5's / T10's / DNF / $
1 +1 Jimmie Johnson 1394 Leader 9 1 3 5 7 0 $3,233,114
2 -1 Matt Kenseth 1373 21 9 0 1 5 6 1 $2,088,154
3 +2 Tony Stewart 1316 78 9 1 1 6 6 1 $2,189,001
4 -1 Kasey Kahne 1213 181 9 2 2 4 6 2 $1,884,936
5 -1 Mark Martin 1210 184 9 0 0 1 5 0 $1,255,635
6 +1 Jeff Gordon 1173 221 9 0 0 3 4 0 $1,528,269
7 +1 Kevin Harvick 1138 256 9 0 1 3 4 0 $1,521,949
8 -2 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1120 274 9 0 0 2 3 1 $1,509,299
9 - Kyle Busch 1077 317 9 1 0 2 4 0 $1,257,260
10 +1 Dale Jarrett 1066 328 9 0 0 0 2 0 $1,322,535
11 -1 Casey Mears 1056 338 9 0 0 1 3 0 $2,089,315
12 +1 Jeff Burton 1039 355 9 1 0 2 5 0 $1,347,338
(Current cut line for the CHASE ... within 400 points)
13 +1 Elliott Sadler 981 413 9 1 0 1 2 1 $1,639,917
14 +5 Brian Vickers 978 416 9 0 0 1 3 1 $1,163,957
15 +1 Carl Edwards 969 425 9 0 0 3 4 2 $1,241,644
16 +1 Kurt Busch 964 430 9 1 1 1 2 1 $1,297,500
17 +3 Jamie McMurray 956 438 9 0 0 1 3 1 $1,408,310
18 -6 Clint Bowyer 953 441 9 0 0 1 2 1 $1,183,043
19 -1 Denny Hamlin 910 484 9 0 0 1 2 1 $1,250,338
20 -5 Martin Truex Jr. 896 498 9 0 0 0 1 2 $1,129,014
21 +2 Jeff Green 877 517 9 0 0 0 0 0 $1,119,842
22 +4 J.J. Yeley 871 523 9 0 0 0 1 0 $1,230,608
23 -2 Greg Biffle 834 560 9 1 0 0 2 3 $1,119,198
The race from Monday was as notable for who faltered as who moved up. Jimmie Johnson did yet again was JJ seems to do regularly -- contend and win. If this team doesn't win a championship soon, they never will. The only "real" challengers at this point are Matt Kenseth (showing his 2003 winning style) and Tony Stewart (continuing his 2005 consistency). Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin both had awful days at the track, losing only a spot each but lots of points in the standings. Jeff Gordon has to be kicking himself for nearly having the day that "could have been" in running ahead of the field for the most laps led but only a 15th-place finish to show for it and only a small gain (one spot) in the standings. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was certainly the fan favorite (and sentimental choice for his "legacy" paint scheme to salute his late father), but a failed engine spelled the end of his day.
I hate to have to make this prediction, but, unless things change drastically, you can stick a fork in Greg Biffle (23rd) because he is done. The same goes for those below him in the standings (the likes of Ryan Newman (26th), Bobby Labonte (27th), Jeremy Mayfield (31st)). I am a big fan of Biffle, but this is just not his year. If things could go wrong, they have ... Murphy's Law is seeking revenge on him for his upsetting the balance of power in 2005, I suppose. Newman's struggles are a bit baffling, especially as Kurt Busch is inching his way back towards the Chase contention list. Labonte is doing the best he can, but the Petty equipment has been failing him (disappointingly).
Those who improved their chances on Monday include NASCAR's "darling" Carl Edwards, who looked to be on the brink of elimination only a few weeks ago. Edwards notched his second straight top-10 finish and is now in 15th place, only 425 behind. Two guys who had great days were Brian Vickers and Jamie McMurray, both with high expectations and inconsistent delivery. Vickers looked to be in position to win (yet again) but finished a strong third, gaining five spots in the standings into 14th position. McMurray led the race for multiple laps as well in finishing fifth, a season-best result, and looked like he had a race-winning car along with Jeff Gordon and Elliot Sadler.
The schedule now does a reversal to the short track with perennial favorite Richmond on the center stage next weekend. Richmond's unique 3/4-mile oval is among the most exciting a fan can find anywhere. I actually wish that the new venues that are built (Washington state, New York metro) model the Richmond facility versus the "cookie-cutter" tracks of Charlotte, Texas, Las Vegas, et.al. because the circuit needs another transitional track like Richmond and Dover (between the shortest 1/2-milers and the intermediate 1 1/2-milers).
The updated standings, reflecting yesterday's Aaron's 499 results, are below:
Rank (+/-) Name / Pts / Bhnd / Strt / Pole / W's / T5's / T10's / DNF / $
1 +1 Jimmie Johnson 1394 Leader 9 1 3 5 7 0 $3,233,114
2 -1 Matt Kenseth 1373 21 9 0 1 5 6 1 $2,088,154
3 +2 Tony Stewart 1316 78 9 1 1 6 6 1 $2,189,001
4 -1 Kasey Kahne 1213 181 9 2 2 4 6 2 $1,884,936
5 -1 Mark Martin 1210 184 9 0 0 1 5 0 $1,255,635
6 +1 Jeff Gordon 1173 221 9 0 0 3 4 0 $1,528,269
7 +1 Kevin Harvick 1138 256 9 0 1 3 4 0 $1,521,949
8 -2 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1120 274 9 0 0 2 3 1 $1,509,299
9 - Kyle Busch 1077 317 9 1 0 2 4 0 $1,257,260
10 +1 Dale Jarrett 1066 328 9 0 0 0 2 0 $1,322,535
11 -1 Casey Mears 1056 338 9 0 0 1 3 0 $2,089,315
12 +1 Jeff Burton 1039 355 9 1 0 2 5 0 $1,347,338
(Current cut line for the CHASE ... within 400 points)
13 +1 Elliott Sadler 981 413 9 1 0 1 2 1 $1,639,917
14 +5 Brian Vickers 978 416 9 0 0 1 3 1 $1,163,957
15 +1 Carl Edwards 969 425 9 0 0 3 4 2 $1,241,644
16 +1 Kurt Busch 964 430 9 1 1 1 2 1 $1,297,500
17 +3 Jamie McMurray 956 438 9 0 0 1 3 1 $1,408,310
18 -6 Clint Bowyer 953 441 9 0 0 1 2 1 $1,183,043
19 -1 Denny Hamlin 910 484 9 0 0 1 2 1 $1,250,338
20 -5 Martin Truex Jr. 896 498 9 0 0 0 1 2 $1,129,014
21 +2 Jeff Green 877 517 9 0 0 0 0 0 $1,119,842
22 +4 J.J. Yeley 871 523 9 0 0 0 1 0 $1,230,608
23 -2 Greg Biffle 834 560 9 1 0 0 2 3 $1,119,198
The race from Monday was as notable for who faltered as who moved up. Jimmie Johnson did yet again was JJ seems to do regularly -- contend and win. If this team doesn't win a championship soon, they never will. The only "real" challengers at this point are Matt Kenseth (showing his 2003 winning style) and Tony Stewart (continuing his 2005 consistency). Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin both had awful days at the track, losing only a spot each but lots of points in the standings. Jeff Gordon has to be kicking himself for nearly having the day that "could have been" in running ahead of the field for the most laps led but only a 15th-place finish to show for it and only a small gain (one spot) in the standings. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was certainly the fan favorite (and sentimental choice for his "legacy" paint scheme to salute his late father), but a failed engine spelled the end of his day.
I hate to have to make this prediction, but, unless things change drastically, you can stick a fork in Greg Biffle (23rd) because he is done. The same goes for those below him in the standings (the likes of Ryan Newman (26th), Bobby Labonte (27th), Jeremy Mayfield (31st)). I am a big fan of Biffle, but this is just not his year. If things could go wrong, they have ... Murphy's Law is seeking revenge on him for his upsetting the balance of power in 2005, I suppose. Newman's struggles are a bit baffling, especially as Kurt Busch is inching his way back towards the Chase contention list. Labonte is doing the best he can, but the Petty equipment has been failing him (disappointingly).
Those who improved their chances on Monday include NASCAR's "darling" Carl Edwards, who looked to be on the brink of elimination only a few weeks ago. Edwards notched his second straight top-10 finish and is now in 15th place, only 425 behind. Two guys who had great days were Brian Vickers and Jamie McMurray, both with high expectations and inconsistent delivery. Vickers looked to be in position to win (yet again) but finished a strong third, gaining five spots in the standings into 14th position. McMurray led the race for multiple laps as well in finishing fifth, a season-best result, and looked like he had a race-winning car along with Jeff Gordon and Elliot Sadler.
The schedule now does a reversal to the short track with perennial favorite Richmond on the center stage next weekend. Richmond's unique 3/4-mile oval is among the most exciting a fan can find anywhere. I actually wish that the new venues that are built (Washington state, New York metro) model the Richmond facility versus the "cookie-cutter" tracks of Charlotte, Texas, Las Vegas, et.al. because the circuit needs another transitional track like Richmond and Dover (between the shortest 1/2-milers and the intermediate 1 1/2-milers).
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