Thursday, May 23, 2013

ACTIVE CUP DRIVERS


(in order of 2013 car number)
Brad Keselowski

Brad KeselowskiBrash/Bad Brad--comes from his outspoken personality.
Crashlowski--came from his tendency to wreck/drive rough early in his career.

Kasey KahnePorcelain Doll/Baby Face--refers to Kasey's "delicate" features (and popularity with the ladies).

Marcos AmbroseTasmanian Devil, Devil Racer--a reference to the cartoon character the Tasmanian Devil (Marcos is a native of Tasmania, Australia).

Tony Stewart:  Smoke--originally referred to his tendency to "smoke" (slip) the right rear tire of his sprint car.  Later referred to his IndyCar team's tendency to blow engines.  Can also refer to his fiery disposition.
The Columbus Comet--Tony grew up in Columbus, Indiana.
The Rushville Rocket--Tony first raced out of (read: was billed from) Rushville, Indiana.

Later version of the "Rowdy" Truck
Kyle BuschRowdy--while it applies to his aggressive driving style, the true origin is a bit more complicated.  When Kyle returned to the Truck Series, it was with Billy Ballew Motorsports, who fielded the #51 truck.  At that time, Bobby Hamilton Sr. was sidelined battling cancer, so as a tribute to him, Ballew & Busch painted the truck as a replica of the #51 Exxon car from "Days of Thunder".  Bobby's first Cup experiences were driving the movie car, which had "Rowdy" above the driver-side window, in reference to character Rowdy Burns.  The truck also had "Rowdy" above the driver-side window, and the nickname stuck.
Wild Thing--also refers to Kyle's aggressive driving style (popularized by Mike Joy).
Shrub--because he is the younger Busch brother, and a "shrub" is a "little bus(c)h".

Joey Logano (left)
Joey LoganoSliced Bread--given to him early in his career (either by Mark Martin, Randy LaJoie, or both) due to his sky-high potential ("…he's the greatest thing since SLICED BREAD").
Burnt Toast--a derogatory nickname given after a long winless stretch in Cup.

Jeff GordonThe Rainbow Warrior (old)--Jeff's first paint scheme was rainbow-colored to advertise Dupont's automotive finishes.
Wonderboy (old)--a sarcastic moniker applied by veteran Dale Earnhardt at the height of Jeff's dominance.
Ol' Four Time--Jeff currently has four Cup championships.

Paul MenardMenardburns/Nardburns--a comment on Paul's defining physical feature--his pointy sideburns.

Kevin HarvickHappy--given to him early in his career for his omnipresent smile, though a bit ironic based on his fiery attitude on and off the track.  A smiley-face is used for his pit-board.
The Bakersfield Basher--refers both to Kevin's hometown of Bakersfield, California, and his willingness to "throw down" in the pits (Kevin, for the record, was a wrestler in high school).
Mr. Where Did He Come From--bestowed by Mike Joy for Kevin's tendency to come on strong late in the race.
The Closer--see above.
2.9--When Kevin made it to Cup, it was under very difficult circumstances, "replacing" the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr.  In fact, it was by mutual decision that the famous 3 car was renumbered as 29 for Harvick.  Frequently, a small piece of tape was placed between the 2 and 9, reading "2.9" as in "close to the 3".  Later, it came to summarize Harvick's job stepping into Dale Sr.'s old ride--he isn't the 3, but he's pretty darn close.

Jeff Burton
Jeff BurtonThe Mayor--Jeff is well-respected (and well-spoken) in the garage, and is frequently said to be a natural for future public office.

Terry LabonteTexas Terry--The Labontes hail from Corpus Christi, Texas.
The Ice Man--as a publicity stunt, Humpy Wheeler trucked in a huge block of ice for an open testing session at Charlotte Motor Speedway on a blisteringly hot day.  Terry was photographed sitting on it, and the name stuck.  In later years, it came to also represent his coolness under pressure.

J.J. Yeley:  contrary to popular belief, "J.J." is NOT Mr. Yeley's first name--its Christopher.  J.J. comes as a tribute to his father Jimmy and uncle Jack.

Ryan NewmanRocket Man/Flyin' Ryan/Mr. Friday--all refer to Newman's early career mastery of qualifying, frequently winning poles and setting track records (qualifying is frequently held on Fridays).

Aric AlmirolaThe Cuban Missle--Aric is of Cuban ancestry (is a play on the phrase, "Cuban Missile Crisis").

Jimmie JohnsonOl' Five Time (old)--believed to have been coined by Darrell Waltrip, in honor of Jimmie's five straight Cup championships.

Mark Martin
Mark MartinIronman--a tribute to Mark's physique (Mark was one of the first drivers to openly embrace fitness training).
Mr. Consistency (old)--earned in his prime for rarely having a bad finish, even if with a sub-par car.

Kurt BuschThe Outlaw--self-ascribed for his "rebel" nature (first popularized in the Speed Channel documentary "Kurt Busch: The Outlaw").
Rubberhead--comes from Kurt's early sponsor, Rubbermaid.

David ReutimannBeak--in reference to his pointed nose, David's pit-board reads "STOP BEAK".

Joe NemechekFront Row Joe--earned during a mid-90's streak of first or second-place starting positions, believed to have been coined by then-teammate Wally Dallenbach Jr.
Need-a-check--derogatory nickname given after Joe frequently started-and-parked his cars in the late 00's.

Carl EdwardsCousin Carl--Carl's "in" with Nascar early in his career was his relation to Ken Schrader, hence he was frequently introduced as "Ken's cousin, Carl".
Concrete Carl--refers to Carl's mastery of Nascar's two concrete tracks, Dover and Bristol (as well as a former Nascar track paved in concrete, Nashville Superspeedway).

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