2008 Entries.

Less then 27 days until the 2008 Daytona 500. 50 years at Daytona.

Kuj, Richard and myself got together yesterday and updated the Cobo Cup site with all the 2008 information. First day in and there have already been 11 sheets handed in. I think my Sneek Peek write ups helped as some teams told me that they were making their decisions as I added each category on the www.jimbothepitbull.com website. 25 days to go until the Cobo Cup picksheet deadline (Feb. the 15th). Check twice a week at this site for updates on how many teams have joined the Cobo Cup thus far this year.

Now for some news which might or might not make a difference in how you pick your team this year.

Go or Go Home Drivers to Qualify Together; NASCAR to Provide Tires for Tests: Michael Waltrip suggested last season that drivers outside the top 35 in owners’ points should be allowed to qualify together so nobody would have an advantage in track conditions. NASCAR officials must have listened. The governing body kicked off its annual media tour by announcing that those outside the top 35 in all three series — Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series and Craftsman Truck Series — will qualify at the end of their respective session. It also was announced that teams will be provided tires for testing at non-sanctioned NASCAR tests. Sprint Cup teams will be given 200 tires, Nationwide teams 160 and Craftsman Truck Series teams 120.

Overall Speeds at Daytona:

Single Car Speeds: 56 drivers/cars made single lap runs during the first three practice sessions [1st day and first half of the 2nd day]. The top six speeds came for those drivers testing in the 2nd week [Jan 14-16] with #88B-Earnhardt Jr. being the fastest in a Chevy at 185.820mph, then #22B-Blaney, #55-Waltrip, #83A-Vickers and #44A-Jarrett all four in Toyota’s]. #48A-Johnson was the fastest from the first week at 184.782 [7th overall]. Slowest were #57A-Benning at 176.856 and #08A-Long at 178.536.

Drafting Speeds: 57 drivers/cars ran drafting testing with most in packs of cars. #9B-Kahne was the overall fastest of all six days/two session with a speed of 189.111mph in a Dodge, followed by #18B-Busch in a Toyota the first session, then #11B-Hamlin, #40-Franchitti and # 01A-Smith. Slowest were Chevy 47.703 188.667 Day 6. #57A-Benning at 179.386 and #98A-Keller [who only tested on Day 1 in single car runs] at 182.278.

Bill Elliott will drive the Wood Brothers’ #21 at Daytona before eventually turning the team’s entry over to Marcos Ambrose and Jon Wood for most of the races.

Anyone with September Richmond Cup tickets that can’t make the race and wish to sell them please e-mail at cobocup@hotmail.com as I need 4 for the Cup and 4 for the Nationwide Series.

Jimbo (the Pitbull).