Would be nice to see a Stranger walk up and Crank up a new race team.
It could be with Dodge or Ford or Chevy. Dont think TRD can handle another team..
The money is out there I just dont know the path it will take just yet... Do you???
One great thing about this site -- there is always room for more than one comment --OR-- difference in opinion
Found this this morning and it has history,especially about a great driver and thought some of you may miss it ;
Although he has been gone for 21 years, the legacy and memory of 1992 NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki continues to live on.
That legacy was solidified even further Wednesday night as the Kulwicki Driver Development Program was announced at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
One of the most independent and hardest-working drivers in his day, Kulwicki overcame tremendous odds to win the 1992 title over the powerhouse of Bill Elliott and Junior Johnson in the final race of the season.
Just months later, Kulwicki was killed when his plane crashed in the Tenn. mountains en route to Bristol Motor Speedway on April 1, 1993.
Through the years Kulwicki's legacy has lived on through a scholarship program at University of North Carolina-Charlotte, but this week the next step in Kulwicki's story was solidified with the driver development program.
"I think it's awesome," Kulwicki's car chief and close friend Tony Gibson said. "It's a way to keep the legacy alive with Alan, and help some kids that would never get the opportunity to showcase their talents or move forward in a career of racing, and in their schooling too. It's just really neat, because this is just another step of continuing on the legacy."
As part of the program, applicants will also be required to continue their education, something that was very important to Kulwicki and his family. Before starting his career, Kulwicki earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
"You look at Alan's story and it just shows you that if you're dedicated and keep mind-strong, you can do it," he said. "One good thing with Jerry is that he made Alan go to school and finish his education in order to drive and pursue that, he had to get an education and finish it. I think that's a tribute to his dad, that not only are you going to do something you love to do, you're going to get a good education.
"That's an important lesson for the kids," he said. "Don't just give up on one part of it, you've got to have both."
One of the first college-educated drivers in the sport, Alan was the first NASCAR champion with a degree, and paved the way for the engineers that followed in his footsteps.
"The scholarship was awesome, but now this is just another step that for the next 20 years we remember Alan," Gibson said. "It's big for Thelma (Kulwicki, Alan's step-mother) I know that she wanted to make sure that his legacy lived on. She's made a huge contribution and dedication on her side of that. There have been a lot of sponsors that have jumped on board to make this happen."
For Gibson, Kulwicki's story is one of the greatest in sports and one that should be told and studied by racers for years to come.
"Alan strived to be the best," Gibson said. "I think it shows to a lot of people that you can have dreams - whether you're a driver or a washing machine mechanic, it doesn't matter - if you've got a dream, you can make it happen, and there's a damn good chance it'll come true.
"It's a great story. It was a great day in our sport in Atlanta when he won the championship, and it was a sad day when Alan passed away. I think his legacy is a part of racing history that never needs to be forgotten. He was a true hero."
Kulwicki's tale was a true rags-to-riches story. Moving to N.C. from Wisc., Kulwicki had a pick-up truck, a trailer and one race car. On the trip down, the truck caught fire and he was forced to borrow one to complete his journey.
"He showed up with a borrowed truck, one race car and no money. That story should be read and observed by all these young kids and people that are coming up in the same situation like he is," Gibson said. "It's tough, if not tougher now these days, to make it as a youngster. If you dont have money backing you, it's really, really hard."
Today's NASCAR is one based on engineering and technology. One of the first engineers in the sport, Gibson believes Kulwicki would be right in the mix of today's NASCAR.
"I think he'd fit in perfect. Being an engineer, we were already headed in that direction when he got killed. (He) had hired Ray Evernham to come over and look at some things to implement on the engineering side of it to take that next step. I think Alan would be right here pushing the envelope.
"Seeing the progress of the engineering side of (NASCAR), we've gotten there now, but I think Alan would have got it there a lot quicker. I think he would have taken the curve off two or three years of getting where we're at today. I think he would have been a huge influence on a lot of the things were doing today, with the EFI (Electric Fuel Injection) and a lot of other stuff, I think Alan would have had a big influence on it."
Perhaps with the new Kulwicki Driver Development Program, expected to be in full force by 2015, the next young, independent NASCAR driver will have a smoother path to the top. Taken in part from Fox Sports 
INDIANAPOLIS During his Indianapolis 500 career as a driver, Sam Schmidt made three four-lap qualification attempts to make the starting lineup of the race from 1997-99. Schmidts best qualification effort came in 1999 when he started seventh in the 33-car starting lineup.
Yet Schmidt made his most impressive four-lap run Sunday morning, when he drove a specially prepared Corvette Stingray around the 2.5-mile oval.
First, a little background.
In 1999 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Schmidt drove to his only career IndyCar win for Treadway Racing, and it appeared that he had a bright future ahead of him.
But, in a test session at Walt Disney World Speedway on January 6, 2000, Schmidt crashed his IndyCar and was paralyzed from the neck down. Schmidt did not let his disability keep him out of a racing. He soon became a successful team owner in the Indy Lights and IndyCar Series. In fact, Simon Pagenaud drove Schmidts Dallara/Honda IndyCar to victory in the 2014 Grand Prix of Indianapolis at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway , and qualified the car fifth for next Sundays Indy 500 .
Despite the fact he does not have the use of his legs or hands, Schmidt drove a simulated four qualifying laps in the SAM Project (Semi-autonomous motorcar) passenger car in a specially equipped 2014 Corvette C7 Stingray. It was the first time that a semi-autonomous passenger car has been drive at speed on a racetrack using integrated advanced electronics.
Schmidt was able to control the car through head movements and breathing to get the car to respond to his commands.
Schmidt got emotional during his drive, but not for the reasons he thought he would.
I thought it would be great to be at IMS and the history of tradition at this place, Schmidt said. This place was founded on automotive innovation so all of that meant a lot. But what got me choked up was the immense satisfaction and feeling of normalcy I havent felt in 15 years.
To be able to drive a car for the first time in 15 years was extremely normal and I dont get that feeling a lot. I dont get a chance to toss the football with my kids or dance with my daughter or all those normal things that other people get to do. This was incredibly normal and that is what got me so emotional.
Then to come into the pits and see my mom and dad crying really added to the emotion of it.
His four-lap average was 73 miles per hour, but his top-speed when he crossed the Yard of Bricks on the frontstretch was over 100 mph. Taken in part from Speed.
I know where you are coming from -- Noe lets see if we can get Smokey in,for sure he turned may rocks over that others walked around.. The man was a genius
Evidently you do not know the real Wendell Scott.. He did things others did NOT have to do to only do what he enjoyed. This could go on forever .... All I said was the underdog made the cut---- no hype on race creed or any other.. just saying
Ok Chase, not being rude,mad,or any other adverbs,adjectives or misused words I have to ask this--- why was it a surprise,because he was from Va. or because he raced the hard way,with very little money but a desire as big as,well he loved our sport. I first met him at non other than Jacksonville Fla on his way to the track.
They needed directions and dad told them to follow us as we were going there too. and thats how we met a fellow racer,color excluded because it was like talking to any other racer or crew.
Now just curious as to why, heck I was glad that the underdog made it .. I may be kicking a big can of worms over here but at least I asked nicely------- didnt I ??
they came with 3 cars and with the speed they running I dont think they will have much trouble finding extra parts
Anyway you say it thats impressive.. Qualifying yesterday at Indy then flying to Charlotte to run Saturday nite ------ THEN ---- flying back to Indy to qualify at 230+ mph thats impressive any way you say it.. He is a Busch and he is called the Outlaw for a reason. I am very pleased with this result----- Are you? 
We see racing to day mainly on pavement,unless the Bell & Bell group post a photo or better yet a Video. So I saw this and it brought back some great memories of when I crawled into one of these and let wind blow. Man what was I thinking but what a ride it was !!! Did anyone else try the open cockpit racing ?? 
