Buzzmaster

  (1:25 PM)

Randy LaJoie will be here to take your NASCAR questions at 1:30 p.m. ET!

Buzzmaster

  (1:31 PM)

We've got Randy!

Zach: Norwalk, CT

What is it that makes Darlington such a tough track for drivers to race on?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:32 PM)

When it was built 50 years ago, it was built to run 130 MPH. There is 200 feet of race track but you only use about 20 feet of it. Today, they're qualifying at over 180 MPH.

Kevin (Virginia)

Are you surprised that Carl Edwards isn't running betteR? He only has 1 top 5 so far.

Randy LaJoie

  (1:32 PM)

From as good as Carl has been with this car, he's definitley having an off year. But all Roush cars haven't been exceptional either.

evan (orlando)

Jeff Gordon is in the points lead right now, but should he be looking out for Kyle Busch? He's got the most wins this season.

Randy LaJoie

  (1:33 PM)

Momentum sure does help. But you look at Kyle Busch, he's had momentum the last two years. He's a steam ship right now.

Henry (Buffalo)

Do you find it strange that Brad Keselowski has a win on the year, but still sits 42 in the standings?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:34 PM)

Since he's only run a partial schedule and wins at Talladega in first times are synonymous. You could be a one-race winner at Talladega. Will Brad fall into that? Who knows. But to see where he sits in the points, and he doesn't race every week, that's why he's at where he's at.

Greg (Utah)

Is Kyle Busch one of hte overall best drivers we've seen? Nationwide, Trucks, Sprint Cup, he's a winner at all levels.

Randy LaJoie

  (1:35 PM)

Anything he drives. He went to a short track on Thursday night and won it. What he does with his late model program is phenomenal. He is as good as it gets holding a steering wheel and driving a race car.

David R. Fuller (Marion, NY)

Hey Randy, where did you get the idea to create the Joie of Seating, and how many Cup, N'wide and Truckers use your seats?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:36 PM)

1992 NASCAR wouldn't let me use my fiberglass form fitted seat and I had to make it out of aluminum. No seat manufacturors would make the seat I wanted, so I invested a lot of money into making a seat.

Woody, NJ

Earnhardt ran over Burton and crashed him out then Burton went on to a top 10 and Dale finished 27th. How did that happen?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:37 PM)

I'm sure they took Burton's car and checked everything. He had said everything that happened made the car better. They'll put it on the scales and see what happened. Something happened. It definitely made his car better. After you get spun out, as a driver, it kind of makes you ticked up. A lot of times that will pick up your intensity and make your times better. Dale, I'm not sure. He's dropping like a rock.

fred (TX)

Do you like how Jimmie Johnson is running right now?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:38 PM)

With Jimmie, we've seen him run just OK until crunch time. As long as he's OK with him and Chad. It sounded like they had a mechanical error, and that ruined their day. But once it gets to crunch time, look out because they know how to get it done.

Josue (Ottawa, Ontario)

How much trouble is Junior in right now? He's 18th in the standings.

Randy LaJoie

  (1:39 PM)

To make it into the top 12, not only do you have to beat those guys to get there, but you hav eto beat them week in and week out. He'll have his work cut out for him, especially with his confidence as beat up as it has been.

Cody (AR)

With Mears getting his first Top-10 of the season, do you see this as something he can work with and possibly get a win this season?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:40 PM)

You would think so. History repeats itself. The first two weeks of a personnel change, things happen the first two weeks, but then they go back. I'm surprised at how Harvick is running. Casey did a good job and I'm happy for him. He's on the hot seat and he needs to produce, but I don't know if they can replace him with somebody as good as he's done.

Olaf (Waterbury)

What do you think about Tony Stewart's success this season?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:41 PM)

It's probably everything that he had planned for when he aligned himself. There's not a budget problem. He aligned himself with cars that have won a championship the last three years. He's getting the same equipment that Jimmie and Jeff are getting. Both of his teams, got a slow start, but now they're in the top 10.

gene/farmington arkansas

why is it legal to go below the double yellow line in qualifying when its not legal in racing?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:42 PM)

There are no other race cars on the track. That's a blocking procedure. That's a good question, because that does make the race track shorter and any time you do that, you should be able to run quicker.

Christian, Springfield VA

Randy, How frustrating is it for a driver when he loses bc of a pit crew screw up? As a big Denny fan I can't believe I've watched him dominate a good portion of the race at Richmond two years in a row and he doesn't even have a top 10 to show for it.

Randy LaJoie

  (1:43 PM)

Coming from losing many races on pit road, it is very frustrating to be in the front all race and then all of a sudden and have a bad pit stop and you can't do anything about it. You're sitting there and cars are passing you and steam is coming out of you. Sometimes it motivates you and sometimes it de-motivates you. And I think we've seen that with Denny.

Jason-Wausau, Wisconsin

Randy, do you think that the Nationwide Series will ever get back to it's "minor league" roots and showcase more of the up and coming drivers? Or will it continue to be a place for Cup drivers to steal the show. Has this been good for the series? Thanks

Randy LaJoie

  (1:44 PM)

Until they separate the schedules, it just makes sense for the owners to put their Cup drivers there on Saturday. They're there, they're on the payroll. Until they change the schedule, it makes sense for the owner. Is it fair for the up and coming guy? No. But life is not fair.

Glenn (NJ)

Randy, the last time you chatted, you said that your son was a driver as well. how's he doing?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:45 PM)

He won a race three weeks ago at a UARA event. It's a late model car. We're building a new late model. I don't have the pleasure of having a money tree in the backyard.

Lucy , Crystal River, Fl.

I agree with Marty Smith's suggestion that they eliminate several rows at Talladega. What do you think about the subject?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:47 PM)

Yes. You have to move the fans back. Nothing good happens when any car gets into the air. They need to slow them down a little bit and move the fans back. At 195 MPH, the cars will get air borne. NASCAR has done a great job with the roof flaps. You have to move the fans back and move the stands back. You don't want to hurt the fans, because that would be the demise of the sport.

Clay (Charlotte)

Randy, how much do you miss being behind the wheel?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:47 PM)

The paycheck? Yes. The BS? No.

Timmy(Kalamozo)

Do you think Dale Jr will get more than 1 win this year?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:47 PM)

I'm not sure he'll make one.

Linda, Omaha

When will Childress fire Harvick and put a better driver in the #29?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:49 PM)

I'm a Harvick fan. As a racecar driver, he's in the top handful of the profession right now. But his cars are definitely not up to where the Hendricks cars are or the Gibbs cars. I think he'll turn it around. He's a very passionate driver who voices his opinion. Does it come across the wrong way? Yes. I've been there, don't that myself. Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth.

Mike (Bristol)

What's your favorite track to race on?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:49 PM)

I've always enjoyed Dover and Darlington.

Kyle SE Iowa

Do you thing the changes at the #07 and #29 teams really payed off this weekend? Or was it a fluke?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:50 PM)

They both ran in the top 10 until Kevin got wrecked. It's not a fluke. Usually personell changes are positive for the first couple of weeks. But all of those RCR cars are lacking from where everyone else is.

David R. Fuller (Marion, NY)

What is your take on the growing 'start and park' situation?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:51 PM)

It's just a business model. When they're giving money away for starting an event, someone's going to get it. If they're giving $75,000 to do an event and you spend $50,000, you're up $25,000. It's not a bad week's pay.

Erik, Houston

Now that Kyle has tied Gordon's record of 15 cup wins before turning 25 years old and has 50 total Nascar wins, isn't it time for those older Nascar fans to start respecting Kyle?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:52 PM)

Well, there are two things why they don't respect Kyle. His attitude is not what they want to see. Talented race car driver, yes. Out of the race car, people don't like his attitude sometimes.

Tim(Iowa)

When and where will Dale Jr. get fis first win of the year at?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:52 PM)

He has confidence in some race tracks. He's won well at Darlington, Charlotte. His confidence level has been hit hard. He's not doing what the top guys are doing, to me, with dedication.

ray gordon reid greenville sc 29613

QUESTION TO RANDY LAJOIE AT1.40 HI RANDY WHOS YOUR PICK FOR DARLINGTON SATURDAY night

Randy LaJoie

  (1:54 PM)

We just did this for the show tonight and I'm going with Jeff Gordon. It's a race track that's very technical. He's going to keep his car under him. We saw Kyle Busch last year win, driving his car into the wall 10 times. But that was a fluke. How many times can you drive your car into the wall and still win an event?

DJ (Texas)

When do you think Tony Jr will get the boot of the 88 pit box?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:54 PM)

In years past, it seems like Charlotte 600 is when they make changes around that time. If there's going to be anything, I thikn you'll see it in the next couple of weeks.

Mayra, Ft. Lauderdale

Robby Gordon had a good 16th Sat. night. Has Robby finally figured out the Toyota and turned his season around?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:55 PM)

It's hard to figure out Robby Gordon. Being a single car team, he's done very well. He is on a different island than the other castaways.

Jake, Dallas

Stert-Haas runs Hendriks chassis, Hendriks engines and has Hendrik crew chiefs and personel. Isn't that really just a 5th and 6th Hendrick team?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:56 PM)

It's not under the same roof. They are separated by 8 miles. They do put their own bodies on the cars. They finish their cars. But they are finished similarly. It's no different than a Yates organization under the same roof as the Roush organization. But Tony has done a good job of aligning himself.

Rafa, Miami

Don't the Jr. fans have to accept the fact that Dale Jr is no Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch or Jimmy Johnson and that he is really only average?

Randy LaJoie

  (1:58 PM)

An average driver doesn't win as many races as he has. Doesn't win two Nationwide Busch championships. His confidence is just shot. What he considers 100% dedication, it's not what Kurt or Kyle Busch or Mark Martin. If he gets focused and does the debriefing at the race tracks. Dale and Tony are different than the other three cars. That makes it difficult to swap information.

Randy LaJoie

  (1:59 PM)

Be prepared for the Lady in Black to be as hard on race cars and drivers as ever this weekend.