Embarrassment

What a PR embarrassment this week has turned into for NASCAR.

First they changed the rules in the middle of the season on the Nationwide Series in an effort to reduce Toyota dominance in NASCAR’s second series, then they suffered through one of the worst races in the history of stock car racing on one of the biggest stages of the year.

First the Toyota situation. On Tuesday, NASCAR issued a technical bulletin requiring all engines with a cylinder bore spacing more than 4.470 inches to use tapered spacers with smaller holes. The change is expected to reduce the Toyota engine of about 15 horsepower. The intent, of course, is to ‘level the playing field’ in the Nationwide Series, one where Toyota had won 14 of 21 races. Problem is, this mid season rules change is patently unfair to Toyota, especially in a situation in which they were following the rules to the letter of the law. Fan feedback on Sirius NASCAR radio was running overwhelmingly on the side of Toyota. In this day and age where the rules seem to constantly change and teams have a hard enough time following the ones they know exist, changing the rules in mid season is not only unfair, but sends a bad message about the sanctity of the rules. If you want to make a change for next season, fine, but to ‘dumb down’ the competition in mid season is wrong from every standpoint of fair competition.

Next nightmare for NASCAR was yesterdays running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. I’ll spare any description of just how bad this race was, but suffice to say it was a debacle that we haven’t seen on the track since 2005 in Charlotte. One can point fingers all you want, but it’s fair to say that both Goodyear and NASCAR share in this nightmare. Both organizations should have been more diligent in assuring there was a tire that would have held up. Of course, calls for Goodyear’s ouster from the sport have already started, or should I say have gotten louder since Atlanta this past spring. As I have stated before, I have no problem with bringing in another manufacturer, however I still fee strongly that whoever makes tires for NASCAR needs to be the only one making tires for NASCAR. Having 2 or more manufacturers during a single season or single race will do nothing other than cause a dangerous level of competition, where safety is compromised in the name of a softer, faster tire.

Sucks wearing the black hat...

I spent the day reflecting on yesterdays Lenox Industrial Tools 284 yesterday, and while drying out in traffic, found myself with plenty of time to ponder.

I keep thinking back to the start of the season when we were told that NASCAR was getting ‘back to basics’. Despite what seemed like genuine enthusiasm that drivers would be able to express themselves, I have heard a ton of criticism about the Juan Pablo Montoya/Kyle Busch incident in the closing laps of the race. In case you missed, it, Montoya and Busch were racing for position for a solid 50 laps, and with that comes the requisite banging and bumping. Rough racing, sure, but evidently just before the final caution brought out by the Bowyer/Hornish wreck the two had kicked it up a notch on the backstretch. As they entered turns 3 and 4 just behind the wreck, the yellow flew but it wasn’t over yet. Coming down the frontstretch under caution, Montoya turned into Busch and spun him sideways. In a twist of fate, while trying to avoid the wall, Busch turned Montoya forcing both to pit road and effectively preventing Kyle from a shot at winning the race. At the time, Kyle was running in the high teens, while Montoya was a lap down.

After the race, Montoya, in a refreshing display of brute honesty (and the delight of Dale Jr fans), admitted to purposely spinning Busch because of how he was being raced.

"On the restart, I got around the outside of [Busch] in Turn 2 and he just went wide like I wasn't even there -- he crowded me towards the wall," Montoya said. "Down the backstraight he hit me on braking for Turn 3 like he was trying to wreck me.

"I thought we had a decent car and I don

t appreciate when people race me like that. The caution came out and under caution he hit me again, and I retaliated, you know? I'm a nice guy, but I'm not an idiot."

Busch responded to the incident seemingly unsure of why he was spun:

"I have no idea, I got a run on him earlier and I got on the outside and he kind of kept coming up a little bit. I didn

t turn down into him and just barely touched his quarter panel.

"We came to that caution flag and he thought he beat me to the caution flag and I was just trying to get around the 40 car, who was in front of us there. I touched him on the door and he just turned left and spun me down the front straightaway. I don't know what his beef is."

So who's right and who's wrong? In listening to the post race show on Sirius as well as reading multiple blogs, it seems pretty split down the middle. Obviously, the Busch fans and Montoya haters will tell you one thing, while the Busch haters, Montoya fans, and certainly the Dale Jr fans will tell you another.

So here's my two cents… done under caution, it was wrong. Also painfully stupid. But under green, then its what makes racing as great as it is. We were all happy to see NASCAR get back to basics, and that includes letting the boys do a bit of rubbing to settle their differences. And NASCAR was correct in their two lap penalty for rough driving. There's no need for anything else, be it probation, points, money or anything else. This is good PR for NASCAR and helps generate interest, it seems as though it has become a bigger headline than the race itself.

The real question is whether the message Montoya was trying to deliver to Shrubby was heard by Busch, that his driving style isnt appreciated by his counterparts. And lets hope that if the message was heard, that it will be ignored.

Postrace Thoughts:

Does anyone know if the metal bleachers are somehow grounded against lightning strikes? I shudder to think what would have happened had one of the many bolts that were cracking around us struck the stands. I may be a dedicated fan, but when the red flag came out, we left before knowing if they would attempt a restart when it cleared. It took hours to dry out once we got back to the car.

Like him or hate him, you have to feel bad for the bad luck that Tony Stewart has had this year. And on a related note, it was nice to see some of the guys who have had bad years take a chance and have the luck come their way for once. I’m specifically thinking about Elliot Sadler who managed a 5th place finish, which is about where he would have finished last week at Sonoma had he not ended up with a flat tire while the race was red flagged. Kurt Busch, Michael Waltrip, JJ Yeley, Martin Truex Jr and Reed Sorenson also needed and got big points days.

Casey Mears ended up with a 5th place finish last week and topped it off with a 7th place yesterday. Sadly for Mears, its coming a few weeks too late since he was given notice that he was going to be released by HMS at the end of the season after a disappointing start.

New England fans received some good news from Bruton Smith yesterday when it was announced that he had no immediate intention of moving a race date to Kentucky or Las Vegas. This of course makes one wonder where he intends on getting two dates. Speculation is that he still intends to try to purchase and shut down Pocono Raceway, thus moving the two dates to the two tracks, but that doesn’t seem likely. For starters, track owner Dr Joe Mattioli has insisted that the track is not for sale, and unlike the publicly traded Dover International Speedway, no may simply mean no. Further, its unlikely that NASCAR will suddenly approve moving a date to Kentucky since they have insisted all along that it just wont happen. Additionally, Pocono Raceway is just 80 miles west of New York City, the largest media market in the world. I can not imagine a scenario that NASCAR would allow a race to move from that market to Kentucky or anywhere else, at least without an alternative track in place which has proven to be an impossible task so far. So until this all shakes out, I remain very cautious about the intents that Bruton has for NHMS.

As far as the speedway, I do need to compliment Smith on his first NH race date. I spent the entire weekend there and my experience went off without a hitch, as pleasant as it ever was under the Bahre family. New signage and fresh paint has certainly given the track a new look and may be a sign of good things to come. According to Smith, he is going to concentrate on improved fan amenities, such as more seating, more restrooms (thank God!), more camper parking, and best of all, lights! There is also a very serious talk about bringing an IRL date to NH as early as next year (I’m in!).

As far as reconfiguring the track, such as adding banking, increasing or decreasing the size or shape of the track, or even building a brand new track next to the existing one, no decisions have been made. Whatever is done, lets hope a second or even third groove is created. The lack of passing in yesterdays race was nothing new and really cant be attributed to the new car, its been an issue in New Hampshire since they started racing there in 1993.

Computer Crashes and Random Thoughts...

Here we are, 2008, and despite how much technology has improved our lives, we are still at the very mercy of it. Almost two months ago, my laptop computer – proudly equipped with Windows Vista – crashed. So here I am, two months later and over $400 poorer, finally back online. I had limited internet access at work, but was unable to get down to the business of blogging. So with that said, here we go… you might imagine that I have a lot to say. Let me summarize my random thoughts to date…

For starters, I hate road courses. Infineon was the epitome of boring. The whole idea of stockcar racing is drive fast and turn left… not drive slow and turn right and left. I also don’t like these ‘road course ringers’ driving in place of the full time guys who deserve the start. If they want to qualify their way in like Boris Said, great, go for it. But to replace a young guy like Reed Sorenson or Regan Smith after they have been busting their behinds all year? Its not only not fair to the drivers or fans, but one has to wonder if these ‘ringers’ expertise is offset by inexperience in a stock car as well as not having chemistry with the crew chief or pit crew. And what happens to the confidence of the driver who is replaced? And how is he supposed to gain road course experience if he isn’t allowed to participate? Yes, bad idea all around. Finally, I don’t like that these races turn into a fuel mileage race before they even throw the checkered flag. Yesterday on Sirius Speedway, Ray Evernham suggested adding 10-15 laps in order to take fuel mileage that out of the equation. I say good idea, but a better idea is to dump the road courses all together. As I suggested in my last post in April, these two dates are extremely valuable and could be used to add a second date to Las Vegas and possibly bring a second date back to Darlington.

Speaking of moving dates around, I haven’t had the chance to comment on Bruton Smith’s latest purchase, that of Kentucky Speedway. We are left with a bunch of new questions, such as the status of the lawsuit against NASCAR, as well as where he proposes to get a cup date. Will NASCAR even allow a date to be moved to Kentucky? So far, Brian France says no, so this could turn very interesting over the next year or so. Personally, I agree with NASCAR as far as the need for another cup date in an area that is already saturated.

Silly Season is well underway, with rumors that Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray, and Reed Sorenson on their way out as well as Tony Stewart and Martin Truex Jr still undecided. This is all normal stuff around this time of year, but what’s interesting is that several teams are talking about adding teams to their stable of cars over the next year or two. JGR, RCR, Penske, GEM, and Petty have all talked seriously about it, with RCR already confirmed for a 4th car for 2009. Jr Motorsports is also talking about fielding Cup cars (Brad Keselowski?) next year as opposed to Nationwide as well. Lets do the math here… every given week, we have between 2 and 5 ‘go or go homers’, and now we are possibly adding 7 more regulars? But that’s not the real issue at hand. You can add as many cars as you want, but there are still only so many major sponsorships to go around, just ask the folks at Yates Racing. How many smaller 1 and 2 car teams will lose sponsorship next year as these corporations feel that their money will be better spent with the larger, more competitive teams? General Mills evidently felt that their dollars were better spent on a new, 4th RCR team rather than the flagship, legendary 43 car at Petty Enterprises. I have a huge fear that we may see the last of these smaller teams as sponsorship dollars dry up.

Speaking of smaller teams, it was nice to see Marcos Ambrose, driving for the Wood Brothers this past weekend, do so well before finishing 42nd after a mechanical problem ended his day. Being a road course, one would have expected him to hold his own; but I’m really excited to see what he will do this weekend on his first cup start on an oval track. Marcos has been one of my favorites since joining NASCAR, and a strong showing may keep him in that ride for a while. Of course there is the matter of qualifying, but with only 45 entries this weekend and a possibility of showers Friday, I would say Ambrose stands a pretty decent shot. Wood Brothers is currently 43rd in owner points, meaning they would get the last slot if qualifying is rained out.

Driver notes: Last time I posted, Matt Kenseth was having a dismal season, in the 20s in driver points. But in typical Kenseth fashion, he has creped right back into Chase contention, and is currently 12th, bumping Kevin Harvick out (for now). I’m glad Dale Jr finally won a race, if for the only reason that it illustrates that he is having his best season ever and is a strong contender for the championship this year. Is there anyone second guessing his move to Hendrick? What a momentum killer for Kasey Kahne. 3 wins in 4 weeks (including the All Star race), then a second place finish in Michigan, then a pole at Infineon, and then… a 33rd place finish. Kahne seemed to struggle all day, and his poor showing dropped him 2 spots in the standings, from 7th to 9th but he is still 68 points ahead of 13th place Harvick. My daughter, as (in her mind) the future Mrs Kahne, is hoping for him to return to recent form and pick up a win this weekend in Loudon.

On the Nationwide side of things, I have to say – and it takes a LOT to impress me – that Joey ‘Sliced Bread’ Logano is the real deal. It’s no wonder that JGR allowed Aric Almirola to leave for DEI last year; it has been clear all along that they have been holding a ride for Logano once he is ready. Assuming Tony Stewart remains with the team,that would make for one very powerful team indeed. With all the press that Logano is getting, one of the best stories of the year has been overlooked. Brad Keselowski has a win and is second in the standings, and if it wasn’t for a couple of on track incidents that were not his fault, could be leading the championship points race. If you recall, it was after the Busch race at New Hampshire last year that Dale Earnhardt Jr fired driver Shane Huffman and replaced him with Keselowski. If JR Motorsports decides to field a cup team (or two) next year, look for Keselowski to be the driver, and he has certainly earned it.

Finally, kudos for NASCAR telling the drivers to cool it with their criticisms of the sport and the new car. Ok, we get it. You don’t like the new car. But here’s what bugs me. These drivers are getting paid millions of dollars to do one thing… drive! Nobody ever said it was easy. Hell, if it were easy, I would do it. The last thing I want to hear is a professional athlete crying on national television about how bad things are just before getting on his private jet and flying home to his multi million dollar mansion. Yes, we all can see that the new car isn’t where it needs to be. But did anybody expect it to be perfect at this juncture? Like any other time a new model is rolled out by an auto manufacturer, you never want to buy a car from the first 1 or 2 years… it takes time to work out the bugs. Lets be honest – for all the criticism that NASCAR and Brian France receive, one thing they are not is stupid. Stubborn? Maybe. But stupid? No. They, like everyone else, recognize that there are still issues to be worked out, and that this project is a work in progress. But bitching about it non-stop on national television not only wont help the situation, it will only drive fans – and eventually sponsors – away. Yeah, there are a core group of fans – the NASCAR/Brian France haters - who love every bit of it as they look for reasons to validate their opinions. But there are also fans who are tired – VERY tired – of the constant whining by multimillionaires in all sports. Bottom line is if anyone else were to get on television and bad mouth the organization that puts food in their mouth – while on the clock for that matter – would be fired on the spot. Drivers need to remember one of the fundamental rules of the workplace – never, ever bite the hand that feeds you.

Oh, and one last note, completely unrelated to NASCAR. Congratulations to the Boston Celtics on winning their 17th World Championship. Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe had the quote of the year when he wrote that this was the first ‘6 game sweep in the history of the NBA’. Well said, and at the expense of Kobe Bryant and the dreaded Lakers, it was that much sweeter.

Messin' around...

Here it is 8 races into the 2008 season and we already have a pretty good idea of which teams are looking good and which teams aren’t. Of course, in the middle of our second weekend off out of three this season (or 4 if you count the All Star race), there isn’t a whole lot of stuff to write about. The time off has got me thinking about how messed up the NASCAR schedule happens to be. Like many things in life, it just sort of evolved into one gigantic mess over the years. What may have made sense a decade or so ago suddenly seems to have no logic whatsoever. For example, why do we currently have 2 weekends off during the first 10 weeks of the season, and then only one more between now and November?

With that being said, your humble blogger will attempt to fix the schedule. Before we go on though, here are my rules:

1. I am the blogger therefore what I say goes. Remember that this is my opinion and if it were ever put into practice, it may make no practical sense whatsoever.
2. Since this is a blog, feel free to mock me as much as you want and offer up your suggestions.
3. I am a New Hampshire guy, so guess what… the two New Hampshire races are not only staying right where they are, but I was tempted to add a third.
4. I was also tempted to add a third Daytona race to end the season, but instead settled on giving Bruton Smith his second cup date. I was also tempted to add another Talladega date.
5. Giving Bruton Smith his second date was at the expense of Infineon. I hate road courses. Sorry if that offends anyone out there.
6. Based on my not liking road courses, Watkins Glen is now no more. See #5.

So here we go… my logic – if you wish to call it that – is below.

The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule according to Mark

Week #......2008 Race......................................2009 Schedule
1..................Feb 17 Daytona.............................Daytona
2..................Feb 24 California...........................California
3..................Mar 2 Las Vegas...........................Las Vegas
4..................Mar 9 Atlanta..................................Phoenix
5..................Mar 16 Bristol.................................Texas
6..................Off....................................................Off
7..................Mar 30 Martinsville.........................Homestead
8..................Apr 6 Texas....................................Atlanta
9..................Apr 12 Phoenix..............................Bristol
10................Off...................................................Martinsville
11................Apr 27 Talladega..........................Talladega
12................May 3 Richmond...........................Richmond
13................May 10 Darlington........ ................Darlington
14................May 17 All-Star Challenge...........All Star Race
15................May 25 Charlotte..........................Charlotte
16................Jun 1 Dover...................................Dover
17................Jun 8 Pocono................................Pocono
18................Jun 15 Michigan...........................Michigan
19................Jun 22 Infineon..............................Off
20................Jun 29 New Hampshire...............New Hampshire
21................Jul 5 Daytona................................Daytona
22................Jul 12 Chicagoland......................Chicagoland
23................Off..................................................Kansas
24................Jul 27 Indianapolis.......................Indianapolis
25................Aug 3 Pocono..............................Pocono
26................Aug 10 Watkins Glen..................Rockingham
27................Aug 17 Michigan.........................Michigan
28................Aug 23 Bristol..............................Bristol
29................Aug 31 California........................Darlington
30................Sep 6 Richmond.........................Off
Chase for the Cup Begins

31................Sep 14 New Hampshire.............New Hampshire
32................Sep 21 Dover..............................Richmond
33................Sep 28 Kansas...........................Dover
34................Oct 5 Talladega...........................Martinsville
35................Oct 11 Charlotte..........................Charlotte
36................Oct 19 Martinsville.......................Talladega
37................Oct 26 Atlanta..............................Texas
38................Nov 2 Texas.................................Atlanta
39................Nov 9 Phoenix..............................Phoenix
40................Nov 16 Homestead.....................Las Vegas

Ok, heres how I came up with this...

Week 1-3 remained the same. I like the idea of keeping the races in warmer climates this time of year. If I can find a substitute for California for 2010 though, I would certainly consider it.

Weeks 4 & 5 were my first major moves, moving both Phoenix and Texas up into the schedule. It’s warmer in these places in March than it is in Atlanta and Bristol.

Week 6 is the first week off which makes sense as the first five races teams use the previous season’s owner points. This is traditionally a time when teams start making driver and crew chief changes if they aren’t where they wanted to be in the standings and the week off allows some extra time to make those changes. After this week off, the next two weekends off are about every 10 to 11 races, including taking a week off before the start of the Chase.

Week 7/Race 6 may anger those in South Florida, but I moved the Homestead race from November to here. My logic is twofold. First is weather. Yeah, it’s beautiful in South Florida in November, but it’s also beautiful in late March/early April when that can’t necessarily be said for most other parts of the country, including Bristol and Atlanta. More importantly is that NASCAR needs to go out with a bang with its last race, and I just don’t get that warm fuzzy feeling with what could be the championship deciding race being in Homestead.

Week 8, 9, 10: Atlanta, Bristol and Martinsville – these were moved a few weeks later into the season, as the weather situation in mid March for these current dates is sketchy at best (I can say that – I sat through the NCTS and Sprint Cup Races this year in 40 degree drizzle).

Weeks 11-18 stayed the same. I won’t comment on whether the All Star race should be moved around to different tracks each year, because to be honest, I don’t really care. I use it as a week off; but if anyone were to ask me, there is a lot of room for improvement in this event. In a word – it’s BORING.

Week 19 – Infineon. Sorry, Bruton, here’s your second Las Vegas date. But don’t worry, I have been to Las Vegas in late June and I wouldn’t do that to the drivers, crews and fans. 120 degree heat is too much for anyone to take. Besides, I gave you the last race of the year. Week 19 is now a week off.

Week 20 – 22. No changes, New Hampshire has perfect racing weather in late June, while Daytona on or around July 4th is just plain tradition. Chicago at night should offer cooler temperatures and perhaps better racing.

Week 23, formerly a week off, is now Kansas. Yes, Kansas folks are probably not too happy about losing a Chase date, and I struggled with this one, but my deciding factor was that Chase tracks should have a non-Chase race so that those involved in the championship hunt have an opportunity to learn from the earlier date.

Week 24 & 25 Indianapolis and Pocono, remain unchanged.

Week 26 - Sorry Watkins Glen, I know it’s beautiful in upstate New York, but you are a road course. Plus I want to be first in line for tickets to THE ROCK WHEN RACING RETURNS!!!

Week 27 & 28 – Michigan & Bristol. No changes, although I was very tempted to move Bristol into the Chase, but then again realized that may not be such a good idea for those drivers competing for a championship. But then again, maybe it would be… hmmmmmm.

Week 29 – Ok, if I’m not already going to win Blogger of the Year from NASCAR purists, repeat after me – SOUTHERN 500! Sorry California, but a history of boring races, lackluster attendance and bad weather brings another date back to Darlington.

Week 30 – time for the final week off as teams get ready for the Chase for the Cup.

Week 31 has the Chase beginning in New Hampshire as it always has. Besides, New Hampshire in September is even more beautiful than New Hampshire in June. Someone from Virginia might argue that I should have kept Richmond here which would make it the first Chase race, but I am a bit biased as you can tell. (I wouldn’t be overly upset if it were pushed back a week or two because late September in New Hampshire is probably the most beautiful time of the year and I don’t mind showing it off.)

Week 32 Chase race 2. Richmond is now a Chase race, but for teams on the ‘bubble’, isn’t it practically a Chase race now?

Week 33 – Dover is now Chase race 3, replacing Kansas. Again, Kansas, you didn’t do anything wrong, so don’t feel bad. Hey, I still love your BBQ!

Week 34 – Chase race 4 is now Martinsville. Sorry Talladega, late March is a bit on the edge weather wise for Martinsville, so I had to move it up a few weeks.

Week 35 – Charlotte, Chase race 5. No change, just me wishing that Charlotte had better racing.

Week 36 – Chase race 6, Talladega. The weather in Alabama in late October is much more likely to cooperate. Plus I like the idea of this race being closer to the end of the Chase, the probability of the ‘big one’ keeps everyone within striking distance.

Week 37 & 38 – Chase races 7 & 8 - Ok, I flip flopped the Texas – Atlanta dates for no other reason that I am sick of hearing about how attendance during a Chase race in Texas is down because of the start of deer hunting season. Not that the deer will all be gone the following weekend mind you, but if that’s the only excuse they can come up with, I’ll work with it. But boy was it tempting to put a second Rockingham date here.

Week 39 – Phoenix, Chase race 9 – no change here.

Week 40 – Las Vegas. Bruton Smith gets his wish big time, but only because it makes sense. Las Vegas, as one of the top vacation destinations in the country, deserves a second race date and what better date than what NASCAR could market their Championship Weekend. Smith is also correct with his idea that the banquet shouldn’t be held in New York City and that Las Vegas is a better choice. This would allow teams as well as fans to take a long weekend in a great city and enjoy some great racing with all three series then hold the banquet shortly after.

So there it is folks, the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule.

No need to thank me, Brian France… just send me four tickets to the Rock when racing resumes.

When Common Sense is lost...

When Aaron Fike, former Craftsman Truck Series driver who was arrested for heroin possession last year admitted last week that he had used heroin on race day, members of the NASCAR community were in complete shock. Many respected members of the media were in the same boat, unable to comprehend how someone would be able to inject heroin into their blood stream and then strap into a race truck and compete competitively. Discussion filled the airwaves and internet on mandatory drug testing for NASCAR.

If I may change hats for a moment, from NASCAR blogger to career paramedic (which is what pays my bills), I will say I was not in the least bit surprised to hear the news. For the last twenty years, I have dealt with patients who have both severe drug and alcohol addictions and the one thing that amazes me is just how well some of them function while under the influence. Not only do they function well, but they work very hard to hide their problems, and only when they make a mistake does someone catch on. No, I was not surprised at all, and when Aaron Fike mentioned that there may be others out there with the same problems, I believe him.

Unlike other sports, the majority of drivers have been very supportive of the adoption of random drug testing in NASCAR. They all too well understand the safety impact of racing with someone who is under the influence while doing 190 mph in a 4300 pound racecar can have.

What is odd is the attitude NASCAR has taken about this situation. They have given the drivers the safest car to date, the HANS device, the safest seat possible, and the SAFER barriers installed on most spots of all tracks. The Michael McDowell crash last week in Texas highlighted just how well everything works to keep a driver in one piece. Yet, despite the millions of dollars spent on ‘uncompromised safety’, there is still the possibility that any one of the 43 drivers who was on the track last night in Phoenix could have been under the influence.

It’s time for NASCAR to institute mandatory, random drug testing. Not next season, but now. The drivers want it, the fans want it, and common sense dictates it. Let’s stop sticking our heads in the sand and start dealing with the issue.

A Texas sized crash

My heart skipped a beat or two this past Friday. I’ll admit it, I wasn’t watching qualifying on TV, rather I was in the kitchen cooking for a dinner party we were having later that evening. I had my laptop positioned in the kitchen with music from iTunes playing in the background, and the live leaderboard showing qualifying results was displayed. Every so often, I checked to see what was going on, and when I noticed that rookie Michael McDowell was qualifying for what seemed like an eternity, I hit refresh on my browser, figuring that the system was frozen. No change. I refreshed again, then ‘x’ed out’ of the site and went back in. No change. I went back to the home page to click on the PRN broadcast when I saw it… the headline in the video control room that McDowell ‘takes a tumble’. Naturally, I clicked on it and was horrified to see what came next. As soon as he hit the wall, I felt a pit in my stomach, reminded of the same type of hit that took the life of Dale Earnhardt. Then the flips. Not one or two, but nine! And with each flip, pieces of the car being spread all over the track. My heart rate jumped and I waited anxiously as the car came to rest, on fire and completely destroyed. The few moments it took the window net to come down and for McDowell to emerge seemed like an eternity, and when it finally happened I don’t think there was a person who wasn’t completely shocked to see him do it under his own power. I thought for certain we had lost another driver.

Looking at the replay several times, including the damage done to the SAFER barrier made me realize just how far we had come since the death of Dale Sr. While there is no way to ever say for sure how McDowell would have fared in the old car, even with the HANS device; and no way to know for sure what would have happened had the SAFER barrier not been in place, I think we can all agree that he would not have walked away from the crash waving to the crowd.

NASCAR may be guilty of a lot over its history, and it’s almost criminal that it took the death of Earnhardt to finally take driver safety seriously, but lets give credit where credit is due. Every new safety device, from the new car, to the HANS device, to the SAFER barrier and every other device added over the years played a roll in keeping McDowell safe and inside the car. Something tells me he is the happiest guy in the history of NASCAR to be starting 40th.

Martinsville Memories...

Wishing for old times...

This past weekend in Martinsville was bittersweet for the NASCAR purest. It is one of the few remaining tracks that just ooze stockcar history; it’s the polar opposite of everything that NASCAR has been evolving into over the past decade or so. As opposed to venues such as Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with corporate suites and neon all over the place, Martinsville Speedway is pure, old time racing. There is nothing pretentious about this place, the fans come for one reason – the best short track racing around. Part of what makes Martinsville so great is the history, as the oldest track on the tour, the names of those who have raced there are a ‘who’s who of racing’ list. Even the sponsor of the spring race, Goodys Headache Powders, with their spokesman – King Richard Petty – is a reminder of NASCARs past.

Sadly, there was something missing this past Sunday when Kyle Petty, already sitting outside the top 35 in owners points, failed to qualify. A Martinsville race without a Petty running was rare indeed, and there was certainly something missing. Sadly, I’m afraid this is rapidly becoming the norm, as Petty Enterprises has slowly become a second rate team on the track. Since the tragic day almost 8 years ago in New Hampshire when Adam Petty was killed during practice, Petty Enterprises has lost its competitive edge. Kyle Petty has driven the number 45 Dodge, and has been a virtual non-factor on the track. In fact, the entire identity of Petty Enterprises has become a fund raising organization for the Victory Junction Gang; certainly a worthwhile cause, but not one that would translate into success on the track.

That lack of success on the track appears to be taking its toll on the organization. On Monday, it was announced that NCTS driver Chad McCumbee will pilot the car for the Texas race. One has to wonder if this will be the first of many races and with Kyle soon to be stepping out of the car permanently. On Tuesday, General Mills announced that they will be moving their sponsorship of the legendary 43 car to a new, fourth team at Richard Childress Racing. Current driver of the 43, Bobby Labonte, is in the last year of his contract with Petty and is speculated to make the move to the new RCR team.

It is indeed a sad time for NASCARs historic teams. Wood Brothers Racing is barely alive, making races using the past champions provisional with part time driver Bill Elliot. Yates Racing has dropped from being a NASCAR powerhouse with the 28 car of Travis Kvapil running the majority of the season unsponsored. Morgan Mclure is in hiatus, failing to secure any sponsorship at all and therefore not fielding a car. And now the mighty Petty Enterprises may be going down the same path. Lets hope they can find a new sponsor and possibly a partner to help return NASCARs greatest team to victory lane.

Martinsville Notes...

I’m back from our annual road trip to Martinsville, and despite freezing drizzle all weekend - including an inch of sleet on my car Sunday morning – I’m now in full summer mode. After almost 1800 miles of driving spread over almost 30 hours in 4 days, I had plenty of time to contemplate all things NASCAR as well as the two races… so here it is in the Readers Digest version…

It was sad to see Kyle Petty miss the race. I’m not surprised, but with the Wood Brothers on life support and Morgan-McLure also in a deep coma with a poor prognosis, I was reminded that success (i.e. winning) in NASCAR is a long shot without multiple teams and big dollar sponsors. More on this in another blog, because it deserves some thought… The Kroger 250 Craftsman Truck Race Sunday was filled will all kinds of great stories. Chrissy Wallace, 19 year old daughter of Mike Wallace was impressive in her NCTS debut. She started 35th of 36 and finished 18th and on the lead lap, more importantly she held her on in one of the most physical tracks on the tour. More than once I saw her stand up for her position against veteran drivers. The best story however had to be the day that Dennis Setzer had. He dominated the second half of the race on his way to his third career Martinsville victory while driving the #18 Dodge owned by Lori Hamilton, wife of the late Bobby Hamilton whom Setzer raced for the series championship… Clay Campbell, president of Martinsville Speedway, also owns a part of Setzers team… Brendan Gaughan and Johnny Benson were locked in a duel for second for much of the second half of the race until Gaughan was forced to pit for fuel with 20 laps remaining, almost assuring Benson of a second place finish… almost meaning until Kyle Busch got into him. I have no problem with Kyle’s aggressive driving, providing its at the Cup level. I do have a problem when he goes down to Nationwide or Craftsman races and wrecks guys who are trying to make their living.

Speaking of Clay Campbell, he has to be one of the true gentlemen in all of NASCAR. Despite how busy he was this weekend, he still took time to address the fans and answer questions at the Budweiser Fan Zone (and I’m assuming the other two hospitality tents as well). Campbell and his staff always go out of their way to make you feel like family when you are at the track… while on the topic, it disturbs me that every time Martinsville hosts a race, there is talk of moving one or both dates to a ‘larger’ market. Last year it was David Caraviello while this year it’s Joe Menzer, both of NASCAR.com. I don’t know where this is coming from, but if anyone in Daytona Beach even thinks for a moment about it, it would be the biggest mistake they could make. Moving the Labor Day Southern 500 from Darlington to California was a big enough mistake, even considering moving Martinsville would be a disastrous move for NASCAR. As I have said all along, Martinsville Speedway is one of the few tracks remaining on the circuit that is a throwback to NASCAR’s roots… Incidentally, Joe, if you stopped looking at the restrooms and concessions stands and checked out what was happening on the track, you would have watched one of the best races of the year…On a related note; don’t get too concerned that Sundays Cool Orange 500 was not a sellout. Martinsville Speedway has traditionally relied on a large Sunday walk up crown and keeps several thousand tickets available. Freezing rain with snow in the area kept many away, and while some may not want to admit it, the economy played a factor as well. I compared this weekend with last years trip (adjusted for my side trip to Norfolk Friday night) and noted that I paid almost $70 more for gas for the same number of miles. Two nights hotel was also just over $40 more as well. Whether you think we are in a recession or not, just the fear of impending doom most likely kept peoples money safely tucked under the mattress for a rainy day…

The cream certainly rose to the top Sunday. Jeff Gordon fell to 32nd position after getting caught up in the Aric Almirola/Bobby Labonte wreck; within 100 laps he had picked off just about everyone and was back running up front, finally finishing second. Tony Stewart recovered from an ill timed pit stop (driver error, he stated) to finish 5th, while Jimmy Johnson managed to survive a mid race meeting with Ryan Newman to work his way up a fourth place finish. Is it any wonder that these guys have eight championships between them?... Looks like Hendrick Motorsports isn’t dead yet; all four cars in the top 7… Kudos to Jamie McMurray on his 8th place which moves him back into the top 35 (32nd). Rookie Regan Smith finished a career best 14th which moved him into the top 35, while David Ragan finished a strong 11th. Casey Mears needed a good day and got one, finishing 7th while running top 10 most of the day, while MWR rookie Michael McDowell finished a strong 26th in his Spring Cup debut…. Speaking of McDowell, his drew the ire of veteran Jeff Burton for racing the leaders a bit too hard in the closing laps of the race while trying to protect his Lucky Dog status. Yes, he should have shown some more respect for his elders who were running for the win, but it’s easy to see how he could get caught up in the moment. Like all rookies, he will make plenty of mistakes out there (hence, the yellow tape on the rear bumper), the important thing is that he needs to be a quick learner. Elliot Sadler was a question mark all weekend after a back injury left him in serious pain, NCTS veteran and Kroger 250 race winner Dennis Setzer was on stand by but Sadler took the green flag and ran the entire race, finishing 15th and on the lead lap. I wouldn’t normally mention this; however as someone who has had back pain in the past, I can only imagine just how difficult it was for him. Sadler only needed to take the green flag to get the driver points while letting Setzer jump in the car at the first pit stop, but he showed just how much of a competitor he is by sticking with it. Nice job!

Finally, the chili dog diet that I tried this weekend failed miserably after I stepped on the scale this morning. Final food count: 14 chili dogs (1 Friday at Nathans on the NJ Turnpike, 1 Friday night at the Norfolk Scope arena, 4 Jessie Jones on Saturday afternoon, 2 ‘hots’ at the Texas Tavern in Roanoke, and then 6 more Jessie Jones on Sunday); 2 Bojangles sausage biscuits, 1 steak biscuit, 1 pork chop biscuit, 2 plain biscuits, ‘Cheesy Western Without’ at the Texas Tavern, a BBQ pork sandwich Friday night at the Scope and Sunday in the Budweiser Fan Zone. Yeah, it wasn’t pretty this morning…

Road Trip!

Its here! Its finally here! Martinsville race weekend, my favorite date on the Sprint Cup schedule. My daughter and I started out this morning from our New Hampshire home at 5am with a typical late March, New England-style snowstorm. The first 30 or so miles were heavy wet snow which then changed to rain until we hit New York City, at which point the sky cleared and we both watched the thermometer gradually creep up from its original starting point of 30 to the low 70s by the time we hit Delaware. Twelve hours after we started, we cruised into Norfolk, Virginia with temperatures in the low 80s and not a cloud in the sky. Yes, Norfolk is on the complete opposite side of Virginia as Martinsville, but there was a little matter of some hockey – AHL style! You see, my other sports love – my Manchester Monarchs – are in town for two games and then head to Hershey to play the dreaded Bears Sunday afternoon. Being the loyal fan I am, and knowing just how important each point is in their quest for the playoffs, I knew that me being there might be the difference between winning and losing. We had the pleasure of sitting with about 20 other Monarchs fans who had also braved the open road to support the team, they were in it for all 3 games while my daughter and I just helped out tonight… and yes, I am aware its my fault if they lose the next two, but deep in my heart I know that our being there was the reason that they came away with an impressive 4-0 win.

We are planning on leaving around 9am tomorrow, its about a 4 hour drive on VA 58, so it will be up at 8am and a trip to the nearest Bojangles for breakfast (Thanks David Poole!). Of course I won’t be filling up too much, there is a matter of the famous Martinsville Jessie Jones Hotdog. I figure 2 for lunch when we get there at 1, and then 2 more for later in the race; with a few more set for Sunday.

Of course, there’s a lot for me to comment on today; from the continued saga of Jack Rousch/Toyota, an injured Elliot Sadler, Kyle Petty missing the race (When was the last time a Petty didnt race Martinsville?) and point swapping… but that will all have to wait, as I have been awake since 4am and need to hit the sack… but I promise plenty of blogging over the next few days!

Grumpy Old Men

Jack Rousch is a stubborn old coot. In fact, one doesn’t get to be one of the most powerful and successful men in NASCAR without doing things your way. Like him or hate him, he will always give you his opinion about the state of affairs in the sport. Not surprisingly, Rousch – who once paid an employee in Yen whose personal vehicle was a Toyota – was less than supportive when the Japanese manufacturer announced that they would be entering the world of NASCAR stock car racing. One can only imagine just how steamed – and feel free to insert a much harsher adverb if you wish – Jack must have been a few weeks ago in the wake of the Carl Edwards cheating accusations after the Las Vegas race. Lee White, Vice President of Toyota Racing Development, and a former Rousch employee, took a shot at Rousch in an interview with USA Today’s Nate Ryan. White, in the interview, quantified the advantage the 99 car would have gained by removing the oil cover during a race:

‘Lee White, GM for Toyota Racing Development, said the manufacturer's testing at wind tunnels in Germany revealed removing the cover on the oil tank (located in a steel box behind the driver's seat) resulted in 170 extra pounds of downforce, the aerodynamic measurement of keeping a car glued to the track.

White also said video of a pit stop showed a member of Edwards' pit crew pulling on a right rear fender to open a 3-inch gap to an inner panel. Toyota testing showed that would create about 70 pounds of downforce, White said. NASCAR said the only issue with the car during inspection was the lid.

White said Edwards, who has won the last two Cup races, "was eating cars getting onto the straightaways anywhere he wanted to go" because of the extra 240 pounds of downforce, a roughly 20% increase to the 1,200 pounds of downforce typically generated by a Cup car.

"If you have 21% more downforce, that's like having 50 (extra) horsepower," White said. "There's absolutely something going on there where someone knew what they were doing.”

War had been declared, and you knew it wouldn’t be long before Jack struck back. Well, it happened and it didn’t take long at all. Reported by ESPN the Magazine and Sirius Speedway; the following week at Atlanta, Rousch was quoted as saying “We had a proprietary Roush Fenway part go missing from one of my race teams, and we recovered it from a Toyota team. I’m not going to say which team it is, but we are considering legal action, or getting NASCAR involved.”

This is certainly going to turn really nasty really fast and has the makings to become one of the top stories of the year. Now I’m not going to say old Jack is making this up because he’s ticked off, but since he decided to go public with his accusations, it would have been nice had he been a little more specific. Which team took the part? When did this happen? What was the part? (I’m trying so hard to resist the urge to suggest that it was the ‘special’ oil tank cover) He has made some pretty serious allegations against Toyota racing, and with the forum he chose to utilize (the media); he owes it to everyone to give us the complete story. Otherwise, I’m afraid his statements will be viewed as nothing more than the bitter ramblings of an angry old man.

Spring Fever and Dead Gophers...

Spring Fever

Yesterday was an interesting day at my house. This past Wednesday was my 39th birthday, and my wife decided to celebrate with a surprise party for me. She had broken into my email account and had stolen all of the names from my address book, then emailed just about every name she recognized. The result? A steady stream of people that I hadn’t seen in person for years. Of course, she whipped up a homemade Italian buffet, complete with her specialty – sausage & mushrooms. I was in culinary heaven, all with Bristol racing in the background.

I bring this up because of the wide variety of reactions from the folks who dropped in and out throughout the day. Some, those who know me best, were not surprised that racing was on and a few even spent a good long time talking about various NASCAR topics – the new car, Juniors new team, Toyota, and more. Others continued with the old stand by comments – drive fast and turn left.

What was most telling though was the difference between NASCAR fans and non-NASCAR fans. Here in New England, the first sign of spring is when the equipment truck packs up and leaves for Ft Myers. By mid March, Red Sox nation has come out of their hibernation and is practically in a wild frenzy. Of course, for myself and my NASCAR brothers and sisters living in New England, the first sign of spring is the start of speed weeks in Daytona, and yesterday Bristol put me into full blown spring fever. The snow, which is now nothing more than small chunks of black and brown ice, is still present as we enter mud season – the few weeks of warm days and major thawing. It’s been a long winter that saw my personal snow removal budget drained by early January. Now with Bristol done, I am in the final planning stages of our annual spring trip to Martinsville. After that, Talladega, Richmond and Darlington are only a few weeks away, and then Memorial Day Weekend and summer will have begun! I am secretly planning to grab one ticket to Dover and drive down for the cup race, and then a few weeks later, New Hampshire – less than 30 minutes from my home, if you know the shortcuts. My wife and I are discussing summer vacation this year, and we are planning August 3rd – 10th. I have been pushing for the Poconos or upstate New York; I’m sure any true fan can figure out why (shhhh… a 2 for 1 special!). Ahhhh, I cant wait…

Bristol is back!

Remember the night Bristol race last year, with all the whaling and gnashing of teeth after the Cup race? “They ruined Bristol!” screamed one. “I’m giving up my tickets” yelled another. They came to see a demolition derby and instead saw a pretty damn good stock car race. The new pave job seems to have done its job, and what I saw yesterday was a great multi-groove short track with plenty of tight passing which resulted in a damn good race. By the way, I never did get any Bristol tickets from those who swore they were giving them up.

Drano and the late, great Johnny Most

A few words on Fox. I’m not one to complain much about the coverage, as NASCAR is probably the most difficult sport to broadcast (and I will confess that on most days I just turn the TV down and put on MRN/PRN, but with all my fans dropping by yesterday, I just had the television on low), but I do have to wonder whose decision it was to keep DW in the booth all afternoon. Clearly, the man was sick as a dog, and each comment he made was grating on the ears… kind of reminded me of listening to the late Celtics broadcaster Johnny Most who used to joke that he gargled with Drano before each broadcast. Of course, Johnny’s voice was music to Celtics fans back when he was broadcasting high above courtside, as we all turned down the TV broadcast just to listen to ‘fiddling and diddling’. RIP Johnny!

Kill Digger!

Am I the only one who is sick of ‘Digger’, the FOX ‘in ground’ TV camera? When it first came out years ago, I thought it was kind of cool – giving you the perspective of what someone was seeing just prior to being run over and killed by a line of cars. But the novelty wore off after the first few shots and that was a few seasons ago. The shot adds nothing to the broadcast, and the more they push this non-existent character, the more it gives people reason to complain about the quality of the broadcast. And, no, I don’t want a Digger t-shirt.

Ouch!

One thing for sure is that I will be listening to Tony Stewart Live! tonight on Sirius. Tony is usually pretty entertaining, especially after wrecking the day before, but tonight should be extra fun. Seems he is getting his back hair waxed for charity by none other than… Kevin Harvick! By the way, am I the only one who thought I saw tears in Smokes eyes when he was being interviewed by Fox after the race yesterday? Maybe he was just practicing for tonight…

Thanks again Dale!

Yesterday was Dale Jarrett’s last ‘points’ race, and it was sad to see him finish 37th, 10 laps down. Of course, with him racing for a struggling Michael Waltrip Racing team and a rapidly fading from significance Yates Racing team, yesterdays finish was par for the course for him over the past few seasons. I have to wonder how well he would have done had he spent his last few years with HMS, JGR or RFR. Conversely, I wonder how well Jimmy Johnson would have done had he been racing in the same equipment as Jarrett recently. Regardless of where he finished, however, he went out a champion in the eyes of most.

Pressure…

Now that the first five races are done, it’s interesting to see who is outside the top 35. Most names aren’t too surprising, but there are a few that are feeling the heat, most notably Jamie McMurray, 4 points out of 35th and Dave Blaney, 18 out. Meanwhile, Casey Mears is barely hanging in at 33rd after a terrible start that has seen him swept up in several wrecks.

Kudos!

Finally, nice job by DEI driver Aric Almirola. Almirola took over the wheel of the US Army Chevrolet and managed to stay out of trouble yesterday, bringing the Chevrolet in to an 8th place finish. David Gilliland, driver of the Yates racing Free Credit Report Ford Fusion finished an impressive 9th as well. Richard Childress racing also deserves mention for their 1-2-3 finish yesterday – looks like Chevy isn’t dead yet!

Happy St Patrick’s Day everybody!

When you sit down to watch the Food City 500 in Bristol tomorrow afternoon, take a moment to reflect on the great career of Dale Jarrett. After 23 years, 32 cup wins, including 3 Daytona 500s, and the 1999 Winston Cup Championship, Dale will hand over the keys to the number 44 UPS Toyota to David Reutimann.

Let me be one of the many to say ‘Thanks Dale!’. Dale Jarrett has always been a class act and a leader in the garage and he will be missed. Racings loss, however, is ABC/ESPNs gain, and watching the 'Sharpie 170' today reminded me that we have a lot to look forward to.

Best of luck Dale!

Just what the doctor ordered...

Admit it, you’ve been there.

Christmas ends and your thoughts start to drift south towards the beaches – and asphalt – that is Daytona Beach. Each car you pass with a drivers sticker attached to it makes it worse, and when FOX starts with the previews for the Daytona 500, you are as anxious as a kid waiting for summer vacation.

The two weeks of Daytona went off without a hitch with most of the stories centering on the action on the track, as opposed to last years debacle with Michael Waltrip Racing. There were a lot of great stories, none of which centered on cheating or other off track controversies. It all ended with a great ending to the 500, with another first time winner in Ryan Newman taking the checkered flag. We were left with the hopes of a great season of stories, from the resurgence of Dodge, to the new guy driving the 88, as well as the new car coming on full time.

Then there was California, the race that would never end. Weepers and empty seats were the topic of the week following – should NASCAR have started the race as early as they did, should they have waited that long to postpone, was California fit to host racing? And in all of this, the actual race was lost somewhere.

Robbie Gordon was the main story though – did he cheat, or was it accidental? Should he be penalized? Was NASCAR being consistent like everyone claims they want? And in all of this, the actual race was lost somewhere.

Las Vegas was next with stories filling the airwaves and blogs about a possible second date, will they get it and if so, from who? Then there was Carl Edwards. The pit road incident as well as the oil cover controversy, the years first ‘real’ cheating scandal. And in all of this, the actual race was lost somewhere.

Atlanta was next, with the weather again being a top story. First the rain, then the snow, then cold, then more snow, then warm. And with that were the empty seats, something that seems acceptable in Atlanta but not in California. The race itself? With so few cars finishing on the lead lap, it reminded me of the ‘good old days’ of NASCAR that everyone seems to want back. But before any of us could digest the race, there was Tony Stewart, live on FOX moments after the race, ripping into Goodyear and the quality tire that they provided. Other drivers echoed his concerns, but not nearly as loudly. But what Smoke managed to do was again give everyone plenty of off track controversy to talk about. Again, another lost race.

What started as an exciting season of racing has quickly turned into three weeks of ‘off track’ controversy; as opposed to talking about the actual action on the track.

But there is light on the horizon – back to back short track racing! First there’s Bristol this weekend, and despite shaky weather, 160000 rabid fans will pack the track looking for the best NASCAR can offer. Despite all the complaining about the new car and the new paved surface, I think we are in for a heck of a treat Sunday.

Then, after a week off for Easter, NASCAR stops at my favorite track – Martinsville Speedway for the Goody’s Cool Orange 500. This is short track racing at its finest, and where the ‘new’ NASCAR hasn’t quite made its presence known. It’s truly a throwback to NASCARs roots, and if you haven’t had a chance to visit, it’s certainly a track worth putting on your list of places to go.

I’ll be making the 13 hour car ride in my ’04 Monte Carlo with my 12 year old daughter to both the truck race Saturday and the cup race Sunday. You can look for us about 30 rows up from the start finish line, she will be the one decked out in Kasey Kahne garb, while I’ll be the guy with a couple of Jessie Jones hotdogs in my hand and an ear to ear smile.

You gotta believe us...

Rousch-Fenway racing announced today that they were not going to appeal the Carl Edwards penalty for the oil tank violation that took place in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. President Geoff Smith explained why in a statement:

"We realize in the NASCAR system of penalty administration that simple negligence, by itself, is never sufficient grounds to overturn or reduce a penalty. Consequently, no appeal will be made."

If he had made that statement as recently as two weeks ago, I might have bought it. But the whole Robbie Gordon incident changed that entirely for me. I have been blogging all along that the NASCAR Commission had set a new precedent, where intent was now very much part of the formula. His 'oops, we didn't mean to' defense gave him back the 100 points as well as the six race suspension of crew chief Frank Kerr overturned.

In fact, the commission, which many have accused as being merely a 'rubber stamp' for NASCAR, has faced 102 appeals since 1999 and only upheld 68 of them. 24 had the penalties reduced, while 8 had them completely overturned.Two were actually increased, by the way.

So with Robbie Gordon successfully having his penalty decreased (despite the increase in the fine, its the points and crew chief suspension that really mattered), wouldn't it have made sense for Rousch Fenway to appeal? I mean, if it really was just a matter of negligence, like it was with Robbie Gordon, wouldn't it have made sense to appeal? Not to mention the multiple similar violations in the Nationwide series that had the penalties decreased, appealing would have just made sense. Unless of course... you just happen to be guilty!

Based on the smoke and mirror show put on by Smith and Jack Rousch, the data from Toyota, and the general consensus in the garage that it was indeed intentional, it would seem that they know they dont stand much of a chance in an appeal. In fact, they have taken the route than many husbands caught cheating take - deny deny deny and just hope that your wife will eventually believe you.

Tire Wars

The list of drivers upset over the tire Goodyear brought to Atlanta this past weekend keeps getting longer. Tony Stewart certainly has given us all lots to talk about, and the majority of fans I have heard from through blogs and Sirius radio have been extremely supportive of Smoke and the other drivers. It’s no secret that Goodyear has dropped the ball more than once over the past few seasons, but from the sound of it, this weekend in Atlanta was worse than usual.

Even after a cooling off period, Smoke continued his criticism on his radio show, Tony Stewart Live on Sirius last night. Stewart has opened a can of worms that have slithered all the way to Daytona Beach, and the controversy should compel NASCAR and Goodyear to address the issues.

There have been many calls for Goodyear to be thrown out of the sport in place of a new vendor, such as Hoosier or Firestone. Others want to allow teams to choose their own tires. I say bad idea. Understand that I am the biggest fan of capitalism; however in matters of driver safety, it’s usually best that economics are not a part of the equation. Given the choice between a fast but less safe tire or a slower, safer tire, teams will always go with the tire that gives them the best chance of winning. With multiple vendors all vying to be the tire on the Daytona 500 winning car, safety will inevitably take a back seat.

Tire production is not an exact science. Tracks change yearly because of new paving as well as wear and tear, weather conditions (such as those in Atlanta this weekend – snow, rain, heat, cold), and a new, heavier car with a brand new aero package all add to the challenge of one company. Imagine adding a second, or third to the mix. One miscalculation and there will be cars into the wall all day, add multiple vendors and you increase your risk of an error substantially – especially with the pressure of getting the fastest tire to the track.

Jet Dryer NASCAR pics...

3 weeks til Martinsville and the famous Jessie Jones Hot Dog!

Blowing Smoke?

A few observations on Atlanta this weekend…

Tony Stewart, by all rights, had a great day for himself. Smoke started 32nd and managed to work his way all the way up to a second place finish behind teammate Kyle Busch. While most drivers would be ecstatic about this, Stewart lambasted Goodyear for the quality of tire that was supplied for this weekends races.

"That was the most pathetic racing tire I've ever been on in my professional career. They exited out of Forumla 1, IRL, CART, World of Outlaws ... and there is a reason for that. Goodyear can't build a tire that is worth a crap... It was ridiculous to have to race on a tire like this. Not at this level of racing. If they can't do anything better than that, they should just pull out of this sport and save us a bunch of headaches. I guarantee you Hoosier or Firestone or somebody can come in and do a better job that what they are doing right now."

Ouch.

And live on FOX immediately after the race finished, with similar remarks to PRN radio. I can just imagine the next episode of Tony Stewart Live on Sirius. One can only imagine the series of phone calls and e-mails that were made in the Goodyear offices shortly after.

To make matters even worse, NASCARs most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr echoed similar complaints.

"No amount of time would have prepared us for that," he said. "There was no way you weren't going to hook that tire up."

Its not the first time Stewart has complained about Goodyear either, he was just as upset after last years Las Vegas race.

Now I’m not a driver and won’t pretend to understand what its like to drive at 180 mph on sub par tires, but I do see what kind of challenges Goodyear is up against. Aside from ever changing weather conditions this weekend, from heavy rain, to bitter cold, to snow and then to temperatures in the 60s, any tire maker would be challenged to provide the perfect tire. Each track on the circuit is very different, and they all change over time, be it due to repaving or just natural wear and tear. But consider this – there were three races this weekend with over 650 laps run totaling 1000 miles between 118 vehicles and there were very few cut tires. Under the demanding circumstances that the weather presented, that doesn’t seem so bad to me. Would dumping Goodyear in favor of another tire company help the situation? I’m not so sure…but I will say this: when a two time series champion and NASCARs most popular driver are complaining, someone should probably pay attention.

Something special happened in Atlanta this weekend, and it wasn’t anywhere near Atlanta Motor Speedway. The NBA did something right and hopefully NASCAR will take notice. For those not paying attention to professional basketball, on December 19 the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat played a game in Atlanta where Shaquille O’Neil was erroneously given a sixth personal foul and fouled out with 51.9 seconds remaining in overtime. The Atlanta Hawks went on to ‘win’ the game, however after the NBA reviewed the game, they determined that Shaq had only 5 fouls and should have been allowed to play the remainder of the game. The NBA ordered a ‘do over’ and had the two teams resume the game on Saturday night with 51.9 seconds remaining in overtime with Miami in possession and down by 3, 114-111. Of course the rosters have changed significantly over the past two months; most notably Shaq is no longer with the Heat after being traded. The Hawks went on to win the game, as well as the full regulation game played after the make up; which was critical in their attempt to secure the eighth and final eastern conference playoff position. What should be noted here though is that the NBA decided to right a wrong after the fact, an observation that did not escape me after the Carl Edwards cheating scandal in Las Vegas.

I have to admit I am still a bit confused about what all the fuss is over Toyota not only being in NASCAR, but winning its first race today. Yes, they have their roots in Japan, but they also employ thousands of Americans here in the United States. Nobody who screams about Toyota seems as upset that Fords are manufactured largely in Mexico now, nor does anyone seem to care that Dodge is owned by a German company.

Welcome to Jet Dryer!

Ok, its official - I'm a blogging geek! Here on Jet Dryer you will find all of my opinions on NASCAR and anything else that may come to mind... and yes, I am indeed nh_nascarfan from Life in the Turn Lane. Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts with me!