Jessica Zemken won her first American Sprint Car Series feature on Saturday at Brockville Ontario Speedway.
Zemken started from the pole after winning the dash, but didn't take the lead until only 7 laps remained in the 25 lap feature.
Zemken performed a wing dance in victory lane to celebrate her win. Zemken selects her races carefully, and in the past has attempted to compete at the Knoxville Nationals.
Maybe there'll eventually be a 4th woman in IRL? Or maybe Nascar needs to take notice?
Originally Posted on foxsports.com on June 5, 2007.
Danica Patrick was Miffed. She fumed. She stomped up to give Dan Wheldon a piece of her mind. She raised her voice and her eyebrows, dramatically making her point. Danica went so far as to push Wheldon to make sure he got it. Wheldon's reaction?
He ignored her. Like the leftovers you don't want to eat after you get home, and then fester in your refridgerator.
Danica was upset that Dan and Dario Franchitti hadn't let her pass them on the track. Wheldon went so far as to bump her car. She managed to keep it off the wall, and finished the race. But she was upset.
Unfortunately, she hadn't mastered the Jeff Gordon Bristol shove. Back to the drawing board, Danica! You did much better slapping Jacque Lazier.
Meanwhile, at the rain delayed Nascar race, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch had another round of "Oh, yeah, well, take that!" which usually ends with both cars wrecked and ruining a good finish.
However, this version amped up the typical slugfest when Busch bumped into Stewart. On pit road. While Jason Lee, a crewmember, was on the right fender.
Lee had to jump onto the hood to avoid being crushed by Busch's car. Never fear, it appears Lee gave Busch an earful after it happened, and he wasn't hurt.
Both sides are claiming the other is at fault.
The IRL announced neither Danica or Dan would be penalized.
Nascar parked Busch at the time of the offense, but penalties could be handed down tomorrow. Busch's problem is that a crew member on pit road nearly got hurt and it was clearly intentional behavior.
The on-track incident is likely to be considered "just racing" even if you could see the outcome watching the two race without giving.
I think Busch could be up for a signficant penalty. Maybe even a suspension.
After all, if Junior loses 100 points and his crew chief for 6 races for tinkering with the COT, which didn't almost injure someone, shouldn't intentional behavior which comes within inches of harming a teammember be worth more?
Originally Posted on June 3, 2007 on foxsports.com
I can't avoid rain delays this weekend. First, my Friday night racing was cancelled by rain. Saturday was questionable, and threatened the entire time by ominous clouds. Today's Nascar race was ultimately postponed until tomorrow because of rain.
I can't decide if it is more frustrating to get there and have it cancelled, or to stay home assuming it will be cancelled and it isn't.
This is at least the third Cup race this season that has been postponed due to rain. Nascar's policy is to have the race the next day, usually starting early. I've never attended a Cup race that was postponed, but I have gambled on flight times and hotel rooms that I wouldn't have to stay. I've heard fans complain bitterly about the next day start, as though there were other weekends the event could be rescheduled.
The local tracks occasionally reschedule, but typically do not. The loss of racing dates effects the employees, who potentially lose income; competitors, who lose potential winnings and points toward championships; and fans, who may lose the one opportunity they have to go to the race track.
I should be glad that I saved money and had a nice night at home, but I would've rather been at the track...
Originally posted on foxsports.com on May 30, 2007
Many news outlets trumpeted that Joe Gibbs Racing was not willing to take in Budweiser as a primary sponsor if Junior comes on board at the organization. Gibbs apparently feels that given his faith, the Bud sponsorship would send an inappropriate message. Some commentators and fans think this means the Gibbs-Junior deal is a non-starter and that Junior will land somewhere else.
But is the Junior-Budweiser marriage a permanent deal? Will Junior take Bud with him when he leaves DEI or is there a possibility that Bud will stay at DEI or even go elsewhere? Should Junior try to take Bud with him when he leaves or is he better off without them?
If Junior requires Budweiser as his sponsor, won't that really limit his options? Penske has fielded the Miller Lite team for years. What are the odds that Miller will agree to let its biggest competitor sponsor another car at Penske?
At Richard Childress Racing, Jack Daniels is a primary sponsor of the #07. While this isn't a beer sponsor, it is another alcohol company. Roush has Crown Royal as an associate sponsor (assuming Biffle leaves and Jack dumps someone else). Chip Ganassi has the Coors beer sponsorship. Hendrick doesn't have a primary sponsor associated with beer, but has previously fielded the Budweiser entry.
If you look at Junior's associate sponsors, he is the face of both Menards and Wrangler. With Paul Menard at DEI, it is unlikely his family owned sponsor will bolt with Junior, although they may stay on as an associate, if possible (think Lowe's or Home Depot will let him carry Menards into "their" organizations?)
Junior's options may be limited by the number of cars an owner could field, and whether the team is competitive. And Budweiser is one of (if not the) best sponsor in motorsports, providing money to sponsorships, race promotion and contingency opportunities. However, he shouldn't assume that taking Budweiser with him is the best option for his future.
Originally Posted on May 27, 2007 on foxsports.com
I love Memorial Day weekend. And Not just because it is the first work holiday since MLK Day. No, I love it because of the numerous racing events that go on.
First, there is the International Grand-daddy of them all - the Monaco Grand Prix. I love watching this street race with its views of Monte Carlo and the harbor, the hairpin turns around the casinos and hotels and the tunnel that curves underneath it all. I feel in love with its vistas the first time I saw this race, and the movie "Grand Prix" only added to my feelings.
Next there is the American Grand-daddy - the Indianapolis 500. It takes a month of ginning-up the publicity mill to put this one on. And Tony Stewart isn't the only one who'd give his eye-teeth to win. Just watch the interview of the second place finisher to see how much this hurts to lose.
Additionally, there are sprint car and midget shows around Indy to commemorate the big race. Someday, I want to spend the whole week prior to the 500 in Indy catching the Night before the 500, the Little 500 and whatever else they happen to be racing that week. Congratuations to Eric Gordon for winning his 8th Little 500! Rumor has it he lapped EVERY car on the track, most more than 1 lap.
Finally, there is the Coca-Cola 600. I've actually attended this race, and it is an endurance test - for both the fan and competitors. I
This year, as I haven't traveled to Monaco or Indy, I'm taking advantage of the local tracks' special shows. So far, I 've attended one night of racing, watched parts of two races on TV, attended one day of baby showers (and you thought I spent all my time at the tracks), and visited with several friends. Hopefully before the end of tomorrow night, I'll have added two other racing events and two more tracks.
Hmm, now I have to figure out when to fit in the Barbequing...
Originally Posted on May 22, 2007 on foxsports.com
Kevin Harvick blasted the other All-Stars Saturday night, collecting the $1 million prize, then flew to Iowa to race in the Nascar East-West Series at Iowa Speedway. Harvick's career originated in the West Series before his talent earned him a spot on the bigger Nascar stage.
Harvick quickly showed he was in Iowa to win, rocketing to the pole position. Joey Logano, a Joe Gibbs development driver, took the outside pole. Logano, a 16 year old who just got his street license, raced for the East series.
Harvick took the early lead, and it was quickly apparent that Harvick and Logano had the cars to beat. The two dueled side by side for much of the race, eventually swapping the lead over 15 times. Most laps were too close to call, with the cars in a virtual dead heat at the line. The largest crowd to attend a race at the less than one year old facility was delighted by the action.
The rest of the field contained other notable drivers: Jeffrey Earnhardt raced for DEI, while Tim McCreadie, World of Outlaws Late Model champ, raced for Childress; joining Logano for Gibbs was Marc Davis, as Chase Austin failed to qualify after a crash during qualifications. Sean Caisse and Peyton Sellers, who have both been tagged as development drivers by Nascar teams, raced.
Logano ultimately prevailed, winning the race by several car lengths. Harvick remarked that he enjoyed his road trip to Iowa, but then again, he'd won $1 million less than 24 hours before.
Originally Posted on May 20, 2007 on foxsports.com
I spent the last two nights at local dirt tracks, and had a great time. Although the weather was picture perfect, and both had nice- sized crowds (likely around 500), I wondered why there weren't more people there. It baffles me because the more local tracks I go to, the more I enjoy that experience over attending a Nascar Nextel Cup race.
1. The shows run like clockwork. Some communities have noise ordinances, so the show is done at 10 or 10:15 or else. Thus, the minute a heat race is done, the next one is pulling out on the track. Several times at Cup races, I've shown up with an official schedule that says the race will start at 1:00, only to be waiting around until 1:48 to see the cars actually start. On occasion, they start earlierthan the posted time due to weather. I find this frustrating, I know things can happen that affect a start time, but it is a regular problem at Cup races. If you watch on TV, there is the same problem. The heat races and the feature races are much shorter than a Cup race. The weekly show feature is typically from 10 to 25 green flag laps, depending on type of car. Don't be deceived by that number, because with cautions, that little 15 green flag lap feature can take a long time to run. I know of one feature that had so many yellow flag laps they ordered a red flag caution to allow the cars to fill up on fuel!
2. Variety of cars. At a Cup race, you'll see Cup cars. Nothing else. At the dirt track, there are usually at least two different classes, and sometimes several more than that. Both tracks I was at this weekend had five classes of cars - dwarf, sport modified, modified, hobby stock, and stock cars.
3. Beauty of Weekly series. Like Nascar, the dirt tracks offer weekly series. That means if you attend regularly, you will see the same guys battling it out for "Track Champion" status. The rivalries produced are amazing. It doesn't take long to figure out who the last year's champion is, and who the young upstart challenger is. The tracks also pull in traveling series. For example, one track I went to is going to show late models, and another has sprint cars coming over Memorial Day Weekend. And that's in addition to the regular show.
4. Your local neighbor are the drivers. Drivers at most local tracks live locally. Now, this may mean less than 100 miles from the track, but usually there are at least a couple guys who live within 5 miles of the track. So, the guy who stocks the meat counter at the grocery store also races at the track each weekend. Or it could be your elderly neighbor's grandson who beats and bangs on other cars each week. Plus, there is no telling who the next generation of Nascar drivers are. She could be racing right now at your local track.
5. The crowd. Local tracks feature smaller crowds, which are chock full of your friends and neighbors. Since local boys and girls are racing, their family and friends are there to offer support. This also means you need to be careful about rooting against a particular car, as his mother may be seated next to you! The smaller crowd means that parking is close to the track, and there isn't a big traffic jam to get out.
6. The price. The total ticket price for both nights was under $20. Neither night was over $9. Try doing that at a Cup Race! Unless you have tickets given to you, generally, it will cost you over $50 per ticket. And most races are over $75. In fact. both tickets were comparable to movie ticket prices, and offered a longer length of entertainment (2 hours versus 4).
7. The pits. The cost of a pit ticket is a little more than a seat in the grandstand. But, it is fun to watch the mechanics (and usually driver) work on the cars between hot laps, heat races and the feature. I'd caution you to watch were you are at all times - there is a lot of equipment moving around, and you don't want to get run or backed over. After the race, dirt tracks will allow you into the pits to visit with the drivers/owners/mechanics. You can learn a lot, and if a particular driver caught your eye, you can buy his T-shirt for next week.
8. Thrilling races. Think the Preakness finish was close yesterday? It had nothing on one last night. The announcer commented that he wasn't going to call it, he'd wait to see what the official outcome was. At least two other races I saw this weekend were less than one car length. The All-Star race last night was close, but it looked like a runaway compared to these finishes.
With gas prices climbing, I'd invite you to try out your local track. I'm spoiled here in Iowa, as we have one of the highest per capita track ratios in the nation, but I'm sure if you look around, there is a local track near you.
Originally Posted on foxsports.com on May 19, 2007
1. Think about the Number 8:
Do I want to keep the number at DEI, or should I let Junior take it with him? After all Dale bought it because it was his father's number and he wanted Junior to run it. But is it so attached to the Junior phenomenon that a new driver won't ever feel comfortable about driving it? Will the fans shun it because its not Junior behind the wheel? Does the Good will possibly generated by letting it go overcome the history DEI has had with the number? Letting it go wouldn't transfer the owner's points to the new team for qualifying purposes next year. And I do have a step-grandson in our driver development program, so maybe an Earnhardt can drive the Number 8 again. I'll need to think this through a bit more.
2. Think about Replacement drivers.
How do you replace the most popular driver - with the prior title holder. I'd hire Bill Elliott to replace Junior. I know he retired, but he runs enough races every year, that he's not that far out of the loop. And he has the mechanical knowledge to be a real help with the program. Plus, he's run about every make of car in the last 10 years, so driving a Chevy shouldn't be a big deal. If he won't do the whole season, maybe we can work out a partial season ala Mark Martin with a development driver or drivers.
3. Think about Replacement sponsors.
Is Bud really leaving or is there room to negotiate with them about staying the primary sponsor? If they leave, would they consider an associate sponsorship? Nabisco has always been a strong associate sponsor, maybe they'd like to increase their presence in Nascar as the primary sponsor. How about Walmart? Or Chevy? Pennzoil?
4. Remember the Reason I'm doing all this:
And remember he and I were in this together. It may be time to re-examine my roots and find the next idea that will turn the Nascar world on its head. After all, the branding and marketing ideas of the #3 and Dale Earnhardt were mine and Dale's, and look where those have taken the sport. If I got through February 2001, this should be a piece of cake.
Originally Posted on May 13, 2007 on foxsports.com
I confess I'm a racing junkie. I'm relatively sure there is no cure for this disease, and fortunately, I have no desire to take the cure if one exists.
I really will watch any race. Today in my e-mail box a message appeared from the World Of Oultaws organization, telling me that Tony Stewart wanted me to watch TV. Specifically, he wanted me to watch the WoO race at his track, Eldora. WoO is being broadcast on SPEED on Sunday afternoons. The first race was today.
My quandry was that I love WoO, but I love Nascar too. My favorite track (tied with Indy), is Darlington. Thank God for remote controls - I don't have to choose! Everytime I flipped back to Fox, I caught a commercial, so I stayed with the Outlaws.
I've been to a WoO race at Eldora - and it is simply amazing. Stewart changed the track this year by changing the surface, with mixed results. In fact, the TV picture is cloudy at best, given the amount of dust in the air. This may be one time I'm glad I'm not there in person!
I haven't been to my favorite dirt track, Knoxville, this year, but hopefully I can remedy that soon. And I think the Outlaws are due back sometime in June for the final tune-up before Nationals in August.
So, now I wonder who will turn up in my inbox next, requesting I watch this, eat that or go here and there...
Originally Posted on May 12, 2007 on foxsports.com
The 2007 Nascar's Nielson Media Research Ratings for the first nine events (Daytona 500 through Talladega) are down. Only two events have registered a larger share in 2007 than in 2006, but both races are still lower viewership than in 2005.
The question isn't "Why are the ratings down?" It's:
WHAT CHANNEL IS IT ON? With three networks covering the season, and another couple covering the Busch and Truck series, it takes effort to find where to watch the race. Ardent fans will make the effort, a casual fan will not. To make matters worse, when there is a rain delay (whether hours long or a day delay) the coverage may "jump" from one channel to another. This all adds up to "Not Viewer Friendly" behavior.
WHAT TIME IS IT ON? Races can start anytime between 11 a.m. C.S.T. to 8 p.m. C.S.T. Saturday Cup races usually start over dinnertime and end after many people's bedtime at 11 p.m. If you are a parent, who wants their five year old up at 10, with a checkered flag not in sight for another hour? Better to not start watching it to avoid the argument. Sunday races would seem to be easier to predict, but the range there is also a several hour start-time window. Sometimes you'd have to leave church early; sometime you have time to grocery shop, go to the mall, and host a dinner before the race starts. Throw in college football games and NFL games, and there is big competition for those same time slots. A casual fan isn't going to tear themselves away from a conference rivalry to figure out if the race is on Now or in 2 hours.
IT LASTS HOW LONG? Cup races are too long. The shortest one out there is still about 3.5 hours. That's significantly longer than most sporting events. The Olympics are only run every other year, and their nightly coverage is only slightly longer than the average Cup race. I mean, can't we really live without that extra 100 miles at Pocono? Don't even get me started with the Wreckfest that was 7 hours of my life at Charlotte for 600 miles...
HOW MANY RACES ARE THERE? In addition to too long races, the whole season is too long. Another professional sport who has this problem is the NBA. And their fans/viewership isn't doing well either. The season shouldn't last beyond 30 weeks - including non-points races. Yes, I realize this means eliminating around 10 events, but a rotating schedule would allow tracks to have some years with two events, and some years with one. Why do Charlotte and Daytona need three events each?
WHY ISN'T ANYONE AT THE RACE? Attendance at some tracks appears to be significantly down. I know that California Speedway THINKS that it is sold out, despite at least two or three empty grandstands. Apparently the lines were REALLY long at the restrooms. And food stands. And shopping areas. So long, I guess, that the three fans couldn't get back to their seats. California isn't the only one with a problem, by the looks of it on TV. The possible down turn in attendance is due in part to the costs associated with attending. Hotels, rental cars, and airlines price gouge during racing events. The added costs limit the number of races people can afford to attend. Ticket prices at the gate aren't great either. Throw in parking, food, and beverages, and it gets really expensive. If it doesn't look like its fun to attend the race (because the stands are empty), then do you think it will convince people to watch it on TV?
I'D WATCH BUT I'M BOYCOTTING FOR SOME REASON. Progress is good. But it seems like Nascar is intent on driving out all its old fans. First, they started shutting down the old school tracks, like North Wilkesboror, Rockingham, and Riverside. Then they shut down a Labor Day tradition at Darlington with the Southern 500. The media (and Nascar) have tried to paint old school fans as the ones who lobbed beer cans at Talladega. The problem is, MANY of the old school fans left years ago (and for the record, the beer bash seems to be a NEW tradition, less then 3 or 4 years old). For some the Southern 500 was the last straw; others have left because Dale Sr. is not around. Some don't want Toyota, others hate the looks of the COT. Add those who dislike the Chase, the rule changes on qualifying or whatever, and the old school contingent is shrinking. Fast. And it doesn't appear the new fans are replacing them in the numbers necessary to grow the sport.
WHY DO THEY KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE SAME GUYS? Watch any race coverage and you'll hear a lot about Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart. Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin are the next likely to be mentioned. In fairness, these are the most popular drivers, but there are 43 drivers on the track. If you are a fan of JJ Yeley, Kyle Petty, Reed Sorenson, or Joe Nemechek, don't hold your breath until they're shown on TV. And good luck finding out where they finished, because even if they're in the top five, it won't be discussed. Why watch if you'll never see your driver's car or find out how he did?
DEEP DOWN, DON'T WE THINK TONY STEWART WAS RIGHT? Stewart critized Nascar for throwing so many debris cautions, saying that it was only to bunch up the field for a good finish. Stewart later retracted his comments. However, many times the debris is not visible from the stands, never appears to be picked up off the track, and isn't shown on the TV. And don't they fall at the most convenient times? Conspiracy theorists think that they benefit certain teams (Hendrick is a favorite, so they say). But I seem to remember Casey Mears getting upset at Homestead in 2005 when there was a questionable debris caution that prevented Stewart from going a lap down. The caution led to Mears losing his seconds large lead and eventually the race. But Stewart kept on the lead lap and won the Championship.
IT'S THE VANILLIZATION OF DRIVERS? The moment drivers are interviewed, they spew out the names of at least five to ten sponsors. They occasionally say something that may be "catty" about another driver or a team. The comments feel scripted and rehearsed (and they probably are). It is the rare exception that says something that is geniune or passionate. The result is that the fan thinks that no one really cares if they win or not, no one cares about the rule change, or the questionable call by Nascar. The drivers become interchangeable and robotic.
DOESN'T THE CHASE LESSEN THE IMPORTANCE OF NON-CHASE RACES? With the title determined in the last ten races, who needs to watch the first 25 races? Watch the 2nd Richmond race, and the Chase, and you'll know what is going on. Who cares who wins at Indy? Or Pocono? Or the first race at Martinsville? Why worry about the road courses?
These questions add up to some of the reasons why people haven't stuck with watching Nascar on TV. And if they're not watching, they probably won't call themselves nascar fans either.
Originally Posted on May 3, 2007 on foxsports.com
One of my favorite memories from attending my first Brickyard 400 was eating a picnic lunch in the stands with my Mom, Dad, brother and sister-in-law. We kept giggling every time someone remembered something else we had to eat, because we had no idea which backpack it ended up in. So things would go like this:
"I think I'd like one of those apples."
"O.K. Let me see if they are in this bag."
"No, they're in Dad's backpack"
"No, I think Dan has them in his camera bag."
"All I have are the melted chocolate chip cookies."
"And I have bottled water. Maybe we left them at the hotel?"
"Did we pack the oranges?"
I'm afraid that last weekend's Talladega spectacle where fans pelted Jeff Gordon's car with beer cans spelled the death knell for this kind of tailgating at the track. The only way to stop the irresponsible attendee from throwing projectiles at the track is to dis-arm them. And at this point, the trash tossers have left Nascar and ISC no choice but to ban carry-in items. Tracks will likely add more security at the end of the race to help prevent the milieu. And in the end, this will only hurt the fans.
Think about it: What other professional sport allows you to carry in food and beverages ? I have season tickets to the Kansas Speedway, and this year they opened the gates to allow coolers to be brought in. A couple families who sit near me were very excited as it will considerably lower the cost of attending a race when they can bring in food for their family of five.
The price of alcohol at the track is high: This weekend, Kansas Speedway was selling beer at $6-8 depending on brand and size of bottle. Non-alcoholic drinks are pricy too - lemonade starts at $5, and a 20 oz. bottle of soda is $4.50. The weather was hot - with temps reaching toward 90 degrees. At that heat, people need or want lots of liquids. The privilege of carrying in your own beverages is great - I don't have to hunt to see if the track is a Coke or Pepsi track, as I can carry in my own Diet Dr. Pepper.
But the antics of a few short-sighted people will probably result in the added cost to all. I'm sure there was not a thought process that took place to incite this incident. Because if they thought about it, the trash tossers would realize that (1) Jeff Gordon is IN the car, and won't be hurt, (2) the car might get dented, but probably not enough to ruin it, (3) the track won't be damaged by the tossed articles, (4) the most likely candidate to be hurt is someone sitting several rows in front of you when the unopened can falls short of the intended target, (5) throwing the can would not change the outcome of the race and (6) the better object to throw would be a scanner, as it is heavier and would leave a bigger dent in the car. My guess is they were not so drunk or clueless that they didn't realize a can of beer is MUCH cheaper than the costs of a scanner, as a scanner would be a much better projectile.
As this has now happend on two consecutive weekends, at Phoenix and Talladega, my guess is that Richmond would be wise to have extra security on hand in case Virginia fans go crazy if Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, or Elliott Sadler (all home-grown Virginians) don't win. Talladega is certain to increase its security given that this is at least the second time trash has been thrown on the track at the cars at the end of a race. How will tracks recover the added security costs? Well, I'd guess that ticket prices would need to increase.
In the end, the ones to benefit will be the concession stand operators, and the cost of attending a race just got a bit more expensive.
Incredible as it seems, last night, Jeff Gordon celebrated his first-ever win at Phoenix International Raceway. The win was sweet in part, because it leaves only two tracks that Gordon has never won at in his Cup career: Texas and Homestead. The win, highlighted by a late duel with Tony Stewart, topped off a memorable weekend for Gordon.
First, he won the pole for the race. That pole earned him fourth place on the Most Poles list, tied with Darrell Waltrip. His win was the first for someone who also sat on the Pole at PIR.
The win tied Gordon for sixth place on the Nascar All-Time Win list with Dale Earnhardt. Which, in turn, means that next weekend, Gordon could surpass Earnhardt for sole ownership of sixth place on the All-Time Win list.
Gordon has never been popular with the majority of Earnhardt fans, but if he wins next week, it will be doubly insulting to diehard #3 fans.
It could happen on Earnhardt's birthday, April 29th. And at the site of his last win - Talladega.
I've never been a big fan of Gordon, but you have to admire a career that to date has spawned 59 poles, 76 wins, 4 championships, a lifetime contact with the owner, and a legion of diehard haters.
Gordon is always one to watch at Talladega. But next weekend, I think he'll have a few more people anxiously waiting to see if he can win it.
I, for one, think that Earnhardt would get a good chuckle out of the irony if Gordon wins.
Originally Posted on foxsports.com on April 3, 2007.
The first two "Car of Tomorrow" races have something in common.
Yes, both were won by Hendrick Motorsport drivers. And, Yes, both were Chevys.
The answer is that two cars had fires within the car while the drivers were running the race. At Bristol, Matt Kenseth had "smoldering foam" problems, and more spectacularly, at Martinsville, Kevin Harvick had a fire.
Nascar has maintained that the foam installed in the doors was not the cause of the fire at Bristol, and alleged that the Roush team had improperly installed the foam in the door. Roush Racing denied the foam was improperly installed. Nascar maintained the foam was NOT flammable. Nascar suggested Roush Racing add a heat shield to the foam to prevent future "smoldering foam" issues.
Then at Martinsville, Harvick had his problems - with a heat shield on the foam in place. The Foam that wasn't Flammable shot out flames large enough to toast marshmellows for the entire crowd in the stands.
Today, Nascar announced that it was allowing teams to modify the foam in the doors. Teams can eliminate part of the foam in the right door, hopefully moving the foam off the exhaust pipe area will limit the flammability of the foam.
Other teams had problems at Bristol that Nascar traced to the exhaust pipes. However, it appeared at Martinsville that the teams had corrected that problem.
Drivers are voicing concern that the foam released toxins that has or could affected their health, at least temporarily.
Interestingly, Nascar appears to be relying on the foam manufacturer for the testing on the toxicity, and the manufacturer hasn't tested it under race conditions.
Perhaps before the next COT race, these questions about the foam should be answered.
Information from: Lee Spencer, "Drivers seek answers for fires in COT" on foxsports.com; "Biffle: Nascar needs to figure out foam problems" on scenedaily.com; related articles on espn.com and jayski.com.
Originally Posted on April 2, 2007 on foxsports.com
Jeff Gordon stands in third position of modern era winners, with 75 wins. He has not won in 24 races, since late last summer. One win ahead of him on the list is the late, great Dale Earnhardt. At 84 wins, atop the standings, rests Darrell Waltrip. Of the remaining top 10 drivers, only three are active - Gordon, Bill Elliott (who drives an occasional race each year) and Mark Martin, who is semi-retired/who knows this week.
Of the top three, Gordon is the only one still running Nextel Cup races. Gordon had the perfect opportunity to tie Earnhardt's record at Martinsville. He was racing with his Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson, beating and banging on each other's front fenders and doors. Johnson held on and won the race.
As the two were battling out who would win, I imagined what Dale Earnhardt would have done in the same situation. It wasn't difficult, as Earnhardt memorably won several races by bumping the leader out of the way.
I thought how fitting it would be if Gordon had tied Earnhardt's record by using the same tactic. Sure, a thumping of the rest of the field would be great too, but I think Earnhardt would have been the first to raise the toast of a glass of milk if Gordon had bumped his teammate out of the way for the win.
Originally Posted on February 15, 2007 on Foxsports.com
Nascar has been cracking down on teams who are seeking superior mechanical advantage in their cars. This isn't an easy task as not all violations are specifically prohibited in the Nascar Rulebook. The Rulebook is designed to leave "gray" areas, which allow Nascar to punish new innovations without specifically delineating everything. It also encourages owners, crew chiefs and crews to find ways around the specific rules.
This week at Daytona, Nascar found five violators of the Rulebook. The #17 of Jack Roush/Matt Kenseth/ Robbie Reiser was found to have aerodynamic modifications (holes in the wheel well). The #9 of Ray Evernham/Kasey Kahne/ Kenny Francis was found with similar modifications. The #10 of Ray Evernham/Scott Riggs/ Rodney Childers and the #19 of Ray Evernham/Elliott Sadler/ Josh Browne were found to have illegally modified decklids. The final violator was Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota, which had an unsanctioned substance in the intake manifold.
Both Reiser and Francis have been suspended for four races and fined $50,000. The drivers and owners lost 50 points. This lost of points before the season starts is unprecedented in Nascar history. It isn't that Nascar hasn't docked points, it's just that the points weren't taken BEFORE the race. Kenseth & Kahne's qualifying times were disallowed as well. Don't feel too sorry for that, they both have a guaranteed start in the Daytona 500 based on last year's points.
Childers and Browne have been suspended for two races and fined $25,000 apiece. Evernham lost 25 points per car, as did Riggs and Sadler. Their qualification times were allowed to stand.
Waltrip's penalty was more severe. First, the car was impounded. Then his crew chief David Hyder and his competition director, Bobby Kennedy, were escorted off the Daytona International Speedway premises. The crew chief was fined $100,000 and suspended indefinately. Finally, Waltrip was docked 100 points. Why the harsh penalty? Because the "cheat" was messing with the fuel, which is a sacred component in Nascar. You can tweak a lot, just not the fuel or the tires. Recent reports indicate that Waltrip turned over the illegal substance to Nascar sometime before the Duels today.
Meanwhile, the winner of one of the Duels, Jeff Gordon, was found to be driving a car which was too low. As a penalty, he will merely have to start in 42nd place, not in the second row of the event. He will get to keep the win and will not lose any points.
Different penalties for different "crimes." But a lot of confusion for fans in the meantime. Every time Nascar penalizes one team, fans claim favoritism by the sanctioning body. And this recent crack down on cheaters isn't necessarily doing what Nascar wants it to do. The most publicity is focused on Nascar during the Daytona 500. To the average non-Nascar fan, there is confusion as to why the cheating happens and why all of a sudden these teams are trying to do anything to win.
The reality is that "CHEATS" or "Creative Hocus-pocus of Engineering - Aerodynamicis and Techinical Stuff" are an inherent part of Nascar. Starting back with Smokey Yunek and Junior Johnson, owners and mechanics tried every trick in the book to win.
Mandate a small fuel cell, they'll add a long hose from the fuel pump to the tank. Weight restrictions? They'll add weight in the radio/helmet/tires or whatever else can be removed before the race starts. Once Nascar got wise to those tricks, then buckshot was added to the chassis/frame and dropped out by the driver to lighten up the car. Teams tinkered with nitrous oxide to improve car speeds. Some weren't ever caught. Remember, these were the days when races were sometimes won by LAPS over the second place car, not just seconds.
Many recent innovations have been "discovered" by teams looking to gain a slight edge on the competition. Coil-binding comes to mind - and I'm not sure every team had it all figured out by the end of last year either. No one was ever punished for it, because it wasn't forbidden by the Rulebook, and at this point, probably won't be. Similarly, Jimmie Johnson's car at Dover in 2005 was found to have shocks that manipulated the height of the car during the race. Johnson and his team were not penalized, but Nascar sent out a technical memo to crew chiefs informing them that the new shocks were taboo from that point forward.
Does this mean that Nascar should tolerate cheating? Absolutely not, but it needs to provide some explanation to new fans so they understand where the sport has been and where it is going.
Besides, how else will fans hear the story of AJ Foyt and Darrell Waltrip's disallowed front row start for the Daytona 500?
Originally Posted on February 12, 2007 on Foxsports.com
During qualifying for Sunday's Daytona 500, Nascar impounded one car and disallowed the times on two others. No other penalties, in the form of fines, suspensions or loss of points, (and aside from the impoundment), have yet been imposed.
Both Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne had their qualifying times disallowed for the 500. This is similar to the driver/team penalty Nascar imposed for Jimmie Johnson last year. Johnson went on to win the 500, despite the penalty. Both Kenseth and Kahne have guaranteed starting positions as they both finished in the top 35 in owner's points at the end of last season.
The aerodynamic enhancements involved strategically placed holes. Kenseth's were in the wheel wells of the car, according to published reports. Kahne's innovations haven't been fully disclosed.
Nascar's Jim Hunter commented that the Kenseth & Kahne improvements to aerodynamics were considered to be as serious as Chad Knaus's enhancements last year to the #48. Last year, Knaus, Jimmie Johnson's crew chief, was suspended three races for tampering with the rear window of the car. Knaus had previously been in trouble for illegal/gray area modifications, so the three race suspension was viewed as somewhat reasonable. As neither Robbie Reiser (Kenseth's crew chief) nor Kenny Francis (Kahne's team director) have a recent history of stepping over the line, a three race suspension may be viewed as harsh. And, thus far, neither has been escorted from the premises as Knaus was last year. On the other hand, both owners, Jack Roush and Ray Evernham, have a speckled history with complying with the rulebook.
The impounded car belongs to Michael Waltrip. During inspection, Waltrip's intake manifold was confiscated by Nascar. Nascar was concerned about a substance that appeared on the intake manifold, so inspectors seized the manifold to have the substance tested in North Carolina. Waltrip's team has claimed that the substance was oil thrown from the engine. Nascar seems skeptical of this explaination - why else impound the car?
After his qualifying run, Waltrip's entire car was impounded. He will need to have another car to run the Gatorade Duels on Thursday and to run the Daytona 500 on Sunday. His qualifying time was allowed to stand, and he currently is clocked in the 24th position.
As Waltrip is not locked into the field, he needs to win the Duel or finish first or second in the group of outside the top 35 in owner's points.
The outrage over Knaus-Gate last year lingered through the Chase. Some non-Johnson fans claim that his win of the Championship was tainted by the problems at Daytona.
Now a former Champion and last year's winner of the most races have been implicated in a cheating scandal. Will the fallout be as big as last year? Will Nascar put some teeth in rulebook enforcement? Or will it come down harder on team owners who continue to violate the rules?
Should how the teams finish the Duels dictate what the penalties are? What if Kenseth and Kahne are caught up in an accident on the opening laps of the Duel because of the disallowed qualification times - should that matter to how many points they lose for the enhancement?
I thought the penalty handed out to Knaus was reasonable last year. He had violated the spirit if not the letter of the law on several occasions. I'm not sure that I'd view a three race suspension for Reiser or Francis as reasonable. But then again, I'm not sure I know all the facts as to what was done to modify the car.
Waltrip's car seems like a bit murkier area. If Nascar can't tell whether something is illegal or not, the impoundment may be a big enough punishment (Remember that Nascar STILL has a car body of Tony Stewart from Texas in 2003 and one from Kyle Busch that same year).
We'll see what Nascar decides to do about penalties this year. Then again, with as well as Johnson finished last year, maybe everyone wants to emulate him, starting with penalties at Daytona.
With the start of the 2007 season around the corner, Nascar is busy amending rules and there are changes fans will see throughout the season.
First, Nascar is limiting the past Champion's provisional. Prior to this year, the most recent past Champion in any given race was guaranteed a starting position. Throughout the year, Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte used this provisional to start in several races, even though they were not fast enough to qualify for the race. In 2007, past Champions will be limited to six uses of the provisional. Once they have used it six times, they will need to either qualify on speed or qualify on owner's points. This rule appears to be directed at Dale Jarrett, who has no owner points to fall back on and will be racing a Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing.
Race winners will receive an additional 5 points. This is in addition to the five points Nascar gave them a few years ago. Thus, winners get 185 points while second place earns 170 points (excluding points for leading laps and most laps led).
The format to the All-Star Challenge has been modified to include 4 segments and the Pit Crew Challenge winner will get pit selection preference. If I were in charge, I'd add that the driver must attend the Pit Crew Challenge or the team earns no points. I don't understand why half the field didn't show up to work with their pit crews.
Races will be televised on ABC, ESPN, TNT and Fox, while Speed will still have some qualifying and the truck races. Fans will have to spend at least five to ten minutes before each race determining what channel the race is on this week. Then, after the race, odds are good that you will have to change channels to something else to watch the post race coverage. Add in the time spent in commercial, is it really any mystery why viewership is down?
One change that was not announced was whether the Nextel series would change names in the near future. Since the merger between Nextel and Sprint, speculation has been that the question is one of when, not if, the series will change names.
Originally Posted on Foxsports.com on January 23, 2007.
The Nascar Nextel Cup Chase format will change this year. Despite three years of close Championship finishes, Brian France felt compelled to tinker with the Chase format.
The first major change is that the number of eligible drivers will expand from ten to twelve. I believe this is in response to Tony Stewart's drive last year and Jamie McMurray's drive in 2004. Both drivers would have finished high in the standings if the field had not been moved so far ahead in points.
The 400 point rule is dead (the rule was that drivers within 400 points of the leader at the end of the 26th race were Chase eligible). So far, this rule had not come into play, and it is unlikely any driver would have qualifed this way.
Beginning after the Richmond race, Chase eligible drivers will "jump" to 5,000. For each win, the driver will then receive 10 additional points. These "extra" win points will be used to seed the driver for the beginning of the Chase.
During the season, drivers will also receive 5 additional points for their wins (a total of 185points). With these added points, plus 5 points for leading a lap and another 5 points for most laps led, a winner could finish 25 points ahead of second place.
Whether these changes work out or not remains to be seen. The bigger question is: Is this the last change or do we have yearly tinkerings to look forward to?
Last year, I decided I wouldn't be a fair weather fan. I was willing to gamble on rain, thunderstorms (even with a couple tent camping excursions), snow, sleet, and ice. However, the weather forecast for this weekend tested my resolve. Mother Nature went all in with a huge ice storm forecasted to cover the entire road trip from here to Tulsa, Oklahoma with between 0.5 inch and 1.5 inches of ice. I folded, even though I had waited for tickets to the Chili Bowl since last February.
Why wait a year for tickets? Because the Chili Bowl is an indoor midget race run each January. The drivers list reads like a who's who of racing. Entered in the event are sprint car drivers like Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Terry McCarl, and Daryn Pittman; Late Model drivers Tim McCreadie (last year's surprise Chili Bowl winner), Josh Richards, and Brian Birkhofer; Nascar stars Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, JJ Yeley, and Justin Allgaiter; IRL driver A.J. Foyt IV (his first Chili Bowl); USAC stars Josh Wise, Dave Darland, Levi Jones, Tracy Hines; and Knoxville locals Billy Alley and Wayne Johnson.
In all, there are over 280 entries. Emmett Hahn and Lanny Edwards are the legendary promoters of the annual event. This year, the 21st Chili Bowl will feature A.J. Foyt as the grand marshall on Saturday night.
The Chili Bowl added a pre-qualifying night on Tuesday for those drivers who had not competed in a Chili Bowl previously, or had limited experience. Then Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights were qualifying nights for the A Main on Saturday night. Starting Saturday at around noon will be a L Main. Following the alphabet backwards, the A Main should push off sometime around 9:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Instead of seeing the races in person this year, I'll have to listen on an internet radio. Hopefully, next year, I'll get my chance to see it in person. That is, if Mother Nature cooperates.
It has been a while since I last posted - thanks to a couple trips (Chicago, Minnesota, & South Dakota), trying to write a novel in a month (November is National Novel Writing Month), and a wheel-throwning pottery class (and you thought all I did was watch races! Ha!).
So, I thought I'd let you know what I want from the sporting world this Christmas.
NBA: I confess, I never watch a game. I'm not sure why, as I attend college men & women's basketball games regularly. I even watched three men's games on TV yesterday. But the professional version holds no charm for me. In fact, I can't find anyone I know who admits to watching - even though I have several ardent baseball, football, soccer and college wrestling fans. With a season that stretches from October through June with several games per team a week. Maybe we need fewer games to gin up interest? I'm not sure what it would take to interest me, but they don't have it right now. And the people I used to know who watched the NBA, don't anymore. Something needs to be fixed fast.
BCS: I thought the new system was designed to take the popularity vote out of the equation by torturing some numbers in a secret formula to determine who is the best? So why did it come down to who coaches and writers thought should play Ohio State? Can't we just cut back on the regular season games and actually do a playoff system like the other college divisions do?
Indianapolis Colts: My favorite team seems determined to be the "best team who never played in the Super Bowl." I'd just like Peyton Manning to get this playoff-losing-monkey off of his back and get to the big game.
Overcommericalism in sports: Does every statistic mentioned by an announcer have to be sponsored by some corporation? Can't you just tell me how many points in the red zone the team has scored without telling me the stat is sponsored by Pontiac, Home Depot, Sprint or Coca-Cola? Nascar has perfected this, but judging by the recent college football and basketball games I've seen (both in person and on TV), the rest of the sporting world is quickly catching up. It isn't like the corporate sponsorship is lowering the ticket price, so where is the money going?
Nascar: First, I'd like to see the Busch series completely revamped. How about sports cars such as the mustang, trans am, firebird, etc? That alone should hinder drivers learning something in the Busch series that helps in the Cup series. Ban Cup drivers from driving for their Cup team in the Busch series. For example, drive for Roush in the Cup series, you can't drive for him (or an affiliated team) in the Busch series. I'd also limit the number of Cup pit crew members who could work on the Busch pit crew. Point System - Isn't it time competitors got points for the pole position? With 35 cars locked in the field, there isn't a lot of incentive (beyond pit selection and track position) to win the pole. Give a few bonus points for the top five spots, and there will be a nice rush for the pole. I'd also semi-eliminate the 35 locked in positions. Instead, everyone qualifies on time, but the top 35 cars from the prior year get 4 mulligans for the next year. For example, if Dale Jr. didn't qualify in the top 43 cars at Daytona in February, he could bump the 43rd place car (and then only have 3 more opportunities to do that). After he'd used his 4 mulligans, he'd be stuck qualifying on time or sitting out a race. For added incentive, I'd let teams "sell" their mulligans to each other, with a nice donation to the Nascar Foundation, of course.
Well, that's the start of my Christmas list. What do you want from the sporting world this year?
Originally Posted on Foxsports.com on November 8, 2006
Kevin Harvick has clinched his second Busch series Championship, and is poised to steal away the Nextel Cup trophy this year too. On top of that, Harvick has won nine Busch races and has two chances to tie or best the Busch series record of 10 wins in a season (currently held by Sam Ard).
Harvick has been a lightning rod of controversy since he took over Dale Earnhardt's #3 car after the Daytona crash that took Earnhardt's life. He won in short order, but was unable to do more than the occasional win, and he was never a contender for the Championship.
During those years, Harvick had altercations with Ricky Rudd (resulting in a one race suspension) and bump and runs with competitors too numerous to list. He trash talks with the best of them, with his favorite target of late to be Kurt Busch. Harvick hasn't rumbled with Tony Stewart, and Stewart calls Harvick his "probable" best friend in Nextel Cup series.
Last week at the Texas race, Harvick had an on-track incident with Scott Riggs. Riggs was running in the top five at the time. Depending on whether you like Harvick or Riggs, you either saw Harvick get Riggs loose and Riggs lost it, or saw Harvick take him out. Definitely shades of a Black #3 bumping whomever out of the way to get the win or just a better finish.
After the race, Rigg's front tire carrier, Craig Curione started arguing with Harvick as he and his wife, Delana, walked to the media center. Curione eventually shoved Harvick, who fell into Delana, who fell into a Nascar Official. Unfortunately, the official fell in front of the pit box and was injured. The incident was observed by many people, including Roger Penske, who got called to the trailer to tell his side of the story. Nascar fined Curione and suspended him indefinitely. Evernham Motorsports does not plan to appeal the decision, and gave Curione its own suspension.
The media and fans have been outraged. Mostly because Delana was shoved, bumped, or accidently knocked to the ground. Had it just been Harvick, I'd imagine most would say he probably deserved it for one thing or another.
Harvick has proven this year why he was a hot commodity when he was negotiating with Richard Childress to renew his contract. Rumors floated that Harvick would leave RCR and move onto greener pastures. Harvick remained loyal to Childress.
It is due to RCR's resurgence that Harvick has dominated the Busch series this year. In addition to running races for RCR, Harvick owns Busch teams with his wife Delana. And Harvick has ideas on how to make the Busch series less attractive to Cup drivers. First, Harvick would change the schedule so that Cup drivers couldn't run the full series. He'd do this by scheduling on opposite ends of the country and at times that would make it impossible to do both series. He'd start with five races that would be impossible to get to without missing the Cup races.
Next, Harvick would use crew rosters to prevent Cup teams from pitting Busch cars. That way, he'd develop the next group of outstanding Cup pit crews, and make Busch pitstops more competitive.
Finally, Harvick would seal the motors so that they would have to be run twice, thereby saving $500,000 to $700,000 each year in motor costs. In Harvick's opinion, it is the cost of running a Busch team that is causing problems for the smaller teams (like FitzBradshaw, Braun, etc.).
Regardless what you think about Harvick, his ideas about the Busch series are worth pondering. The ideas have the potential to return the Busch series to the original plan of a development series for the Nextel Cup series. And Harvick's on-track savvy and wins are making it possible that he will have the "bully pulpit" of the Championship to push his ideas.
Whether you like him or not.
Originally Posted on October 31, 2006 on Foxsports.com
On Sunday, a caution flag for debris with 35 laps remaining regulated Jeff Burton to a 13th place finish. Burton was a lap down due to a cut tire and needed green flag pitstops to cycle through the field to get back on the lead lap. The same caution flag that hurt Burton put Robby Gordon on the lead lap - as the "lucky dog."
NBC captured Robby Gordon's car driving by while a piece of rollbar padding flips into the air. It is unclear whether the padding is thrown out of the car, flies out the back, or is merely run over by Gordon's car and sent floating.
Burton demanded that Nascar inspect every car and find out who was missing rollbar padding, fine the offender $100,000 and take 185 points from them. Nascar is reportedly looking into the incident.
It isn't the first time a fortuitous caution benefited someone only to hurt another competitor. Remember that at Homestead last year Tony Stewart got a mysterious caution which kept him on the lead lap and probably cost Casey Mears the win.
At the beginning of the season, someone lost a glove during a Busch race. Nascar never figured out who the owner was. At the end of the race, drivers called for Nascar to have each driver show their pair of gloves to prove that they hadn't caused the caution.
Not all attempts to cause a timely caution have gone unnoticed. Reed Sorenson was caught throwning rollbar padding out of his car in a Busch race earlier this season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. admitted to intentionally spinning at Bristol last year to bring out a caution to prevent going a lap down.
With all the in-car camera's on the track at any given moment, it should not be difficult to figure out who lost rollbar padding. If Nascar can't tell from the tapes, then a simple inspection could tell where the padding came from.
Determining whether it was tossed intentionally may be another matter. The glove debris would seem to be intentional unless proven otherwise.
Significant penalties need to be handed out for intentionally creating a caution. Like most crimes, Nascar should prove intent before levying such a penalty, which could prove difficult in most cases (things not fastened down well will fly out of a speeding car). A one race suspension would prevent most from even thinking of deliberately bringing out a caution, wipe away any perceived advantage, and make the risk outweigh the reward.
Originally Posted on October 25, 2006 on Foxsports.com
Nascar is attracting a lot of drivers. Juan Pablo Montoya ditched Formula One to drive for Chip Ganassi. AJ Allmendinger left his Champ Car ride to drive for the New Red Bull Nascar team as a teammate for Brian Vickers. Ricky Carmichael retired from his formidable motorcycle racing career to join MB2. Sam Hornish, this year's IRL Champ and Indy 500 winner, plans to drive a few Busch races for his IRL car owner, and Nascar team owner, Roger Penske. But is all the defection to Nascar a good thing? Can these rookies immediately win at the Cup level? Do they need to?
Each year, Nascar crowns a Rookie of the Year. Until Tony Stewart started the trend in 1999, rookies were not expected to win multiple races in their rookie year. The best an owner could hope for was a few top tens, and a cross of the fingers dream that the pocket book wouldn't suffer too much until the rookie learned to protect the equipment.
Since Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, and Denny Hamlin have all won in their rookie year. Hamlin is still in contention to win the Cup in his rookie year.
Next year's rookie crop looks impressive - Juan Pablo Montoya, AJ Allmendinger, and David Ragen are all slated to run a full schedule. Paul Menard will likely attempt the same for DEI. But are they all ready to run a full Nextel Cup schedule?
Juan Pablo Montoya: Montoya has been running his ABC's lately: He has two ARCA starts, a planned Busch start at Memphis this weekend, and if all goes well a Cup date in Homestead. He also has been relentlessly testing at several tracks in a variety of stock cars. His start at Talladega was specifically to get Montoya permission from Nascar to race the Daytona 500, as he did not have restrictor plate experience.
AJ Allmendenger: Allmendenger was impressive in his truck series debut. It is unclear what steps, other than attempting to make the Atlanta race, Allmendenger will take to prepare for next year's Cup series. Allmendenger does not have the benefit of Montoya's guaranteed starting position - he will have to qualify for the first few races on speed. It is unclear (at least to this writer) how or if Allmendenger will get clearance for Daytona.
Paul Menard: Menard has driven in the Busch series for 2 years. He has also qualified for select Cup races. He will also have to qualify on speed for the first few races. He has raced at several restrictor plate races, so racing Daytona will not be a problem if he qualifies.
David Ragan: Ragen ran his second Nascar Nextel Cup race at Martinsville. It was his second horrendous finish, and he caused several incidents at Martinsville which drew the ire of other drivers. Ragan was entered in the Atlanta race, but Nascar did not approve him for the 1.5 mile track. His limited restrictor plate experience could spell trouble for Roush in February.
Meanwhile, a Championship is being decided at the races these rookies are using to learn how to drive a stock car. Should next year's rookies race in Chase races? Ragan caused a lot of problems last week. This week, Allmendenger will attempt to race a Cup car at the wicked quick Atlanta track - is he ready to handle that? Should the other drivers be worried? Should the Chase drivers, who already have unbelievable pressure, be concerned about drivers who are learning to drive stock cars or who are driving over their heads? Is Nascar's stance on Ragan an indication that they will not tolerate inexperienced drivers to learn at the expense of the rest of the field?
I think that Chase races should be off limits to those rookies who have minimal experience in Cup races. Although races prior to the Chase are important, with the slight point differences between drivers, the Chase races should be limited to experienced drivers. Or at least drivers who have experience at the specific track. I understand that owners have financial investments at stake, but most driving decisions are made early in the year (remember Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, Elliott Sadler, Jeremy Mayfield?). If owners knew ahead of time that their rookies couldn't "test" out the ride in the Chase races, they could make the appropriate arrangements early in the season.
But enough with the clueless rookies who are a menace to the rest of the field - we're racing for a Championship here.
Originally Posted on October 17, 2006 on Foxsports.com
Juan Pablo Montoya ran his second stock car race Sunday at the new Iowa Speedway. Montoya had a few struggles, but overall showed he is ready for the next step toward his Cup career.
Montoya qualifed third - behind polesitter Steven Wallace but ahead of the rest of the field, including ARCA series winner Frank Kimmel.
Montoya attempted to jump past Wallace at the start, but had to wait a lap to accomplish the pass. He then led until lap 19 when he moved up the track in front of Wallace. Wallace ran into the back of Montoya spinning him nose first into the wall. Wallace was able to pit and continue on - Montoya had to sit a few laps before repairs were complete.
Montoya drove quick laps, showing that his reputation for speed translated from Indy Cars to Formula One to stock cars. When he was back on the track, Montoya ran flat out - even with a damaged car. If he hadn't had the damage, it is entirely possible Montoya may have lapped more cars than Wallace did.
In one of his more impressive laps, Montoya took it three-wide at the start-finish line, threewide again coming out of two, and threewide the third time coming out of four. Six cars passed in one lap - some of them lapped cars, a couple of them cars on the lead lap - and one of them was the eventual 2nd place finisher, Kraig Kinser. All with a car with a damaged/missing right front.
Equally impressive (and somewhat surprising) was that Montoya was a crowd favorite - almost more than Steven Wallace, Rusty's son (it is a Rusty designed track), and clearly more than Frank Kimmel ( a car owned by an Iowan) or the Iowa drivers in the field (and there were several).
I think Montoya will be a fun rookie to watch next year - his reputation as a savvy driver, quick on the gas, and ablility to make a quick start will serve him well in the Nextel Cup Series. Given the fan reaction on Sunday, the fans are anxious to see him do well in the stock car.
Originally Posted on October 8, 2006 on Foxsports.com
Talladega is deemed by the media as the wild card of the Chase. Then again, every week they say that "this track" could be outcome determinative. In reality, any mistake by a team chasing the Cup will lose them positions and points in the final standings.
Restrictor plate track success is more about luck than any thing else. The drivers comment that all that is needed to drive the race is a foot to the floor and straight steering. I'm sure there is more to it than that, but avoiding trouble is the name of the game.
Nearly every Chaser had a problem: whether on pit road, on the track or going from the track to the pit road. Burton, Martin, Johnson, Gordon, Hamlin, Harvick, and Earnhardt. Kenseth, Kahne and Busch escaped with minimal problems, but none of them were able to turn that into victory.
Despite the universal "target" issued to all Chasers at the beginning of the Chase, how each team handles adversity was interesting.
Dale Jr. chalked up his crash - created by Vickers - to restrictor plate racing. He was well on his way to a top 3 finish if not win, when he was crashed out by Vickers/Johnson. Perhaps his crash of Carl Edwards at Michigan in the Busch race was still fresh in his mind.
Jimmie Johnson was not as pleasant. He blamed his teammate Vickers for the crash. I found this interesting given Johnson's crash record at Daytona & Talladega. A record of him crashing out other contenders, often early in the race. Who knew his "haters" comment at Daytona was directed as his teammate?
Mark Martin was pessimistic coming into Talladega. In fact, his goal was to survive to the first pit stop since the past few races he hadn't ever gotten the chance to pit. Even though he had a problem in the pits, he was glad to finish at Talladega.
Jeff Burton had a tire going flat, which he caught, but didn't guess the correct tire for his team to fix. This lead to additional time on pit road as the laps were winding down. Burton shrugged it off as racing. He still leads the Chase.
Jeff Gordon, who crashed, blamed bump drafting for his problems. Interesting comments since he wasn't bump drafted, but rather caught up in the crash started by someone checking up. He pointed his finger at Junior, who didn't appear to be involved in the incident. Junior was later warned by Nascar for bump drafting after another incident.
On one hand, I was impressed to see Johnson and Gordon be something other than the milk-toast personalities they typically are - always the perfect bland spokesman. On the other, I was a bit miffed that they can't direct their anger at the appropriate things. Johnson should know that accidents happen when people bump draft. He's caused more than a couple accidents himself that way. Gordon should know that crashes at Talladega are a given price of admission - and he has benefited from more than a few of them. He has won races by bumping someone out of the way more than once.
My Other Random Thoughts:
1. Smaller Fuel Cells: The smaller fuel cells made for more green flag pit stops, which lead to problems in the pits. While it was hoped on paper that the smaller fuel cell would break up the packs, all it really accomplished was putting cars that had trouble in the pits a lap down. We did not see extended periods with smaller packs working around the track.
2. Smaller Restrictor Plates: Nascar issued smaller restrictor plates on Saturday morning - after all the practice sessions had ended and just prior to qualifying. While the smaller plate may have changed how cars qualified, it appears that it did not hinder teams during the race. Had more teams experienced serious problems with overheating (as it looked that some might about 1/2 way through the race), Nascar could have ended up with egg on its face for the change.
3. Kurt Busch: Whomever has been working with him at Penske with his PR presence and attitiude in his media interviews deserves a raise. He is almost likeable. If it has to do with his marriage to Eva, then she needs a bigger shopping allowance.
4. Bumping to Win: How many more races will the eventual winner crash out the car ahead of him before Nascar implements a rule? I can think of at least 4 races this year where the second or third place car crashed out the car in front of them. Now, I'm sure that some of them were accidental. But these a professional drivers. Wouldn't a penalty on occasion cause them to think a bit more before taking some of these risks?
5. What is wrong at Ford Racing? First they lost Kurt Busch, then the reigning Champ to Dodge. This year, they lost Dale Jarrett to Toyota. Then Elliott Sadler to Dodge. Now Mark Martin to Chevy? It looks like to me they can't pay their young guns to stay with them and they are pushing their old reliable drivers out the door. Who is going to be the face of Ford racing? Chevy has Earnhardt, Gordon, Johnson and Stewart. Dodge has Kahne and Sadler. Toyota will have Vickers. Ford has Matt Kenseth? Greg Biffle? Jamie McMurray? OK, Kenseth & Biffle are talented and McMurray has potential, but they aren't setting the fan base on fire. They don't have the major followings that the Chevy drivers, Jarrett or Martin have. I know some of those fans will remain loyal to Ford, but it looks to me that they need to be looking for the next great thing. Remember, Ford had Kahne signed, and let him slip out of their fingers to Dodge.
6. Brian Vickers: The second race a non-chaser wins. Villian or Hero, it is his first Cup win. And who will forget it anytime soon? I feel that Vickers was somewhat vindicated after the flap with Gordon about giving Gordon position and the last Talladega race where Johnson snookered Vickers at the line. I wonder if in addition to his banishment from the team meetings if his parking space will now be moved to the far end of the parking lot.
