Shawn Courchesne | Auto Racing

Our Little Piece Of Interweb Real Estate Is Growing Up So Fast

They said it couldn't be done.

A racing blog, at the Hartford Courant? Nobody is going to look at that.

Ok, so maybe it's just a few select friends hitting refresh over and over and over and over again, just don't tell the management types here our little secret.

Yes, its a big day at our treasured little piece of undervalued web space here, our little blog is growing up.

Joey Logano Itching To Get Back Behind The Wheel In Competition

Joey Logano might be a phenom behind the wheel of a racecar, but he’s not a good racing fan.

May 24 can’t come quick enough for the Joe Gibbs Racing developmental driver from Middletown. That’s the day he turns 18 and becomes eligible to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Logano will make his Nationwide Series debut May 31 at Dover International Speedway. Until then he pretty much, grudgingly, has to play the part of racing fan.

Looking Deep Into The Sports Monster That Is ESPN

So it’s not entirely about NASCAR, but, if you’ve got 20 minutes or so to kill there’s an outstanding article to be found at Sports Business Journal concerning ESPN.

The Worldwide Leader is the most fascinating Tyrannosaurus is in the sports media landscape and the Sports Business Journal article delves deeply into the topics of perceived assumptions about how ESPN does business, interestingly examining the business and how it relates to conflicts of interest inside the walls of the monster network and how it effects the relationships ESPN has with the many sports entities it deals with.

Kasey Kahne: A Different Sort Of Breed; Really, Just Different

Ok, so it’s one of the longest running jokes in the Connecticut Motorsports Media Mafia, but Kasey Kahne just continues to always perpetuate it for us.

On July 21, 2004 Kahne was a special guest, along with Matt Kenseth, for Thompson International Speedway’s annual Cup drivers night.

So what are the memories of that evening?

First off, Kenseth was in a mad rush to get out of the place seemingly moments after walking in. Let’s just say the cardboard cutout of him that night in the hospitality box at Thompson was just as entertaining and amicable than the real version.

Jeff Gordon And Jimmie Johnson Taking A Wait And See Attitude On Kyle Busch

So would the Hendrick Motorsports super team have still included Kyle Busch if his tempestuous ways on and off the track didn’t go so far against the grain of the seemingly buttoned up organization?

Jimmie Johnson, Busch’s former teammate, thinks things may have been different for the current Sprint Cup Series points leader had there been fewer incidents for Busch during his time at Hendrick.

“When [Dale Earnhardt Jr.] came on the market and was available, there were a lot of things that were being jockeyed around and pushed around,” Johnson said. “And there was a lot that went on in rooms that quite frankly, I don’t know about.

When Is Fast Just Too Fast? Might Just Be Darlington In May

At its core the release screams out like one of those over the top advertisements for the local tractor pull or monster truck jam.

They may as well have made the first line “SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY !!!”

You can just hear it.

See NASCAR’s death defying superstars of the Sprint Cup Series attempt to tame the most dangerous asphalt lady in the game !!!!

Stewed Up: Don't Make Me Turn This Car Around And Go Home Because I Will

Another edition of The Backstretch’s semi-regular concoction, brewed of the meatiest newsworthy items, opinions and meaningless meanderings down some paths that might not have anything to do with racing. Strap in for the ride.

--- It looks as if Dillon Moltz, who last year became the youngest driver ever to win in the Late Model division at Stafford Motor Speedwa, could be looking to make some noise on a bigger stage this season.

The 16-year old from Waterford has been approved by NASCAR to run in the Camping World East Series for 2008. An announcement on who Moltz could be driving for in the division this season is expected in the near future.

Kyle Busch Beats Dale Earnhardt Jr. And Hendrick In Race To Victory Lane

There’s no Big Shrub candy bars on the counter of the local 7-11 and Kyle Busch likely won’t be found hobnobbing with Jay Z and Danica Patrick on far away commercial shoot sets.

Busch isn’t going to sell as many t-shirts, or for that matter as many die casts cars or hats or sweatshirts or can cozies or any other knick knacks NASCAR fans so desire. In the game of marketing and fan support Busch finishes more than a few laps down from Dale Earnhardt Jr.

But Busch beat out Earnhardt in one big category on Sunday.

Oh What A Feeling: Kyle Busch Leads Toyota To Sprint Cup Victory Lane

The questions were many when Joe Gibbs Racing announced last year they would be parting ways with Chevy, opting instead to run for Toyota in 2008.

Toyota struggled for most of its first year in the Cup series last year and showed few signs during the season that they were even close to turning the corner.

But Gibbs has not only shown them the way around the corner, but Sunday Kyle Busch showed Toyota the way to victory lane in the Sprint Cup Series.

Busch had the field covered Sunday, driving away with victory in the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, giving Toyota its first Sprint Cup Series victory.

The "Spirit" Of Roush Fenway Racing Runs Wild Through Matt Kenseth In Atlanta

Did Matt Kenseth have a meeting scheduled with IRS auditors following Saturday’s Nationwide Series Nicorette 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway?

It would seem there must be some reason to explain why Kenseth’s excitement level following his victory Saturday fell in somewhere between “I’m going to the dentist” and “Yippee, my dog just died.”

Maybe Kenseth’s tempered emotion just speaks on a larger scale as to how bad things have become in the Nationwide Series these days.

Face it, Kenseth, like so many other Sprint Cup Series regulars, is racing on Saturday’s in the Nationwide Series for a paycheck.