Shawn Courchesne | Auto Racing

And The Oscar For Best Actor Goes To . . . : Michael Waltrip !!!

Is it any surprise that Michael Waltrip stars in some of the best racing commercial spots on TV these days.

The man struggles with driving a race car and has all he can do to keep a race team solvent but darned if he doesn’t have a knack for being an actor.

And Waltrip was right back offering up another Oscar winning performance on Saturday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Waltrip admitted that it was the Sprint Cup Series organization that he owns that was in possession of the sway bar that went missing from Roush Fenway Racing, the sway bar that had Roush Fenway Racing co-owner Jack Roush calling for lawsuits and moral repair in NASCAR.

High Comedy From Another Edition Of The Jack Roush Show

I love my MP3 player, couldn’t live without it. It’s a 40 gigabyte Creative with storage space for more music than I could ever even imagine having. I don’t even think about getting in my car without it. 

It’s a possession I’d like to keep in my possession.

For that reason, when I leave my car it comes with me. I could very easily leave it sitting on the front passenger seat and it would most likely be safe in most places I go. But why take that chance that it’s not safe? Why leave it out there to just tempt someone to break in and take it?

Garage Theft: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Doesn’t Like It; Jeff Gordon Laughs It Off

Jack Roush’s claims that an unnamed Toyota backed team stole a Roush Fenway Racing designed sway bar during an event last year brought totally opposite reactions from two of NASCAR’s biggest stars Friday at Martinsville Speedway.

Roush claims the team that stole the sway bar from under a toolbox during an event last year at Dover International Speedway attempted to copy the design but was found out when a vendor contacted about reproducing the part tipped off Roush Fenway Racing officials about the theft.

“What’s he doing with stuff just laying around the garage area?” Gordon said. “If that was a proprietary piece I think that you would have some tighter grip on it, not letting it go.  I think the whole thing is just hilarious.  I think it’s a great story, certainly we’ve been talking about it.  Once I heard about it today, we were talking about it up in the truck so I’m sure it’s making for some good entertainment around the garage area and here in the media center.

Jack Roush Offers Sordid Details On Alleged Theft Of Parts By A Toyota Team

The battle between Roush Fenway Racing and Toyota brewed even hotter Friday at Martinsville Speedway.

Jack Roush, co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing, used Friday afternoon to go into great detail concerning his accusations that a Toyota team stole a Roush Fenway designed part last season.

The topic first came to light in an ESPN The Magazine article recently where Roush was quoted saying that a Roush Fenway part was found missing and later discovered to be in possession by a Toyota team.

Full Text From Jack Roush's Statement Friday Concerning Alleged Theft Of Parts

Below is the full text of the statement Roush Fenway Racing co-owner Jack Roush made Friday at Martinsville Speedway concerning the alleged theft last season of propietary Roush Fenway Racing parts by an unnamed Toyota backed team.

"I find myself in the eye of the storm. Unlike the last time I was here, I’m not mad today.  I’m not gonna answer any question that all of you might have that would take me past the point of giving you information that I think is appropriate given the other considerations that are going on behind the scenes right now.  My apologies to one or more of you that approached me as I entered the garage area this morning before I had a chance to see what in fact had happened in the news.  I don’t hang on the web for any inflammatory comment than anybody might make that could aggravate me or be relevant or irrelevant to facts that are developing.

Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin On The Front Row At Martinsville Sunday

There was little shocking about who will be sitting on the pole Sunday for the Sprint Cup Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have dominated at the track over the past few years and on Friday it was Gordon blistering the field in qualifying to score his 65th career pole.

Gordon toured the .526-mile Martinsville Speedway in 19.666 seconds (96.288 mph).

"Obviously I am very excited with that lap,” Gordon said. “We were, I don't know where we ended up in practice - fifth or so, the car was tight. I know we always say this, but I am really really proud and excited about what [crew chief] Steve Letarte and this DuPont Chevrolet team did today because I felt like we got beat in practice.

Injured Elliott Sadler May Sit Out Sunday at Martinsville

A homecoming trip this week for Elliott Sadler might not be the happiest one for the Virginia driver.

Sadler injured his back this week and there’s a possibility he may have sit out Sunday’s Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Sprint Cup event at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Craftsman Truck Series regular Dennis Setzer was behind the wheel of Sadler's Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge for practice Friday afternoon at Martinsville.

Denny Hamlin Looking For A "Pick Up" Sunday At Martinsville

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin has an interesting garage sale going on.

With a unique program to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the fiery Virginian is selling off all the things in life that slow him down.

Yes that includes items like a slow cooker, molasses, a copy of War and Peace and this week’s item, a pair of spa slippers.

Don’t be surprised to see the parts of a Joe Gibbs Racing engine that ran at Bristol Motor Speedway last week to soon be on the list.

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.

Stewed Up: Intimidating It Surely Doesn't Seem

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.

--- Austin Dillon, the 17-year old grandson of Sprint Cup Series car owner Richard Childress, will race this season in the Camping World East Series for Andy Santerre Motorsports in a car designed strikingly similar to one very familiar to race fans from coast to coast.