“A Champion Is As A Champion Does”
Sunday gave no indication that this race on a road course was going to be anything more than another road course race. As a rule, they are an opportunity to take a nap. But Montreal was different. The NASCAR Nationwide Series raced it as hard as they race any short track and the cars looked it at the end.
This was the last road course race for these cars, as next year the Nationwide Car of Tomorrow will compete in all the events. One would imagine by the way they raced that the crew chiefs told them to bring back the steering wheels because the cars were obsolete. Not even the winner had a clean car.
The racing was not the only surprise the fans were in for. The winner would not be a NASCAR regular. Instead he would be a “ringer”. A favorite ringer, but a ringer none the less.
Boris Said proved why he is the go to man and teacher for road course racing. He was just aggressive enough to get the job done. Smooth and fast with the brakes. His performance, with the exception of a few wrinkles in his fenders and rear bumper cover was flawless.
But his victory was not a given thing. As a matter of fact, the dominate car on the day belonged to Marcos Ambrose who was again snake bitten at Montreal. Losing an alternator and then blowing the engine on his Little Debbie ride. He was followed to the garage very shortly by Carl Edwards. Robby Gordon’s gas mileage play didn’t work out leaving him sitting in a run off watching the last 3 laps of the race. They weren’t the only ones with problems though. Broken trailing arms, multi car wrecks and spins, failed brakes and blown engines. Would all take their toll on the Series Regulars.
This left Said and Max Papis, a ringer turned regular from Italy that has been embraced and accepted as one of our own, to settle the race. What was about to unfold was a thing of beauty. It made it clear to this writer why there are fans of road course racing. These two guys were absolutely wide open and poetry in motion. They encompassed all the short track action and all the road course finesse that is more than likely the reason that NASCAR insists on keeping these normal snooze fests on the schedule. This was a race that was decided in the last 5 feet. Boris Said won the drag race to the checkered flag, literally by a bumper.
When it was all over, race fans got a taste of what it truly means to be a champion. Boris Said complimented Max Papis. He gave him credit. He admitted he wasn’t sure he could hold him off. The drag race down the final stretch wasn’t a sure thing in his book. But “Max raced me clean. He raced me hard. But he raced me clean.”
Max Papis thanked his owners for the opportunity and told the world how proud he had been to drive their car. How proud he was that he could do so well for his sponsor and how happy he was for Boris Said.
How refreshing. No name calling. No finger pointing. No disrespect to owners, sponsors, fans or other drivers. There was just excitement over the victory, and the thrill of the race and coming so close to victory. Maybe there is more to be learned on these road courses after all.
This was not an overnight success for either driver. Boris Said made his first NASCAR start in 1997 in the then Craftsmen Truck Series. He has been utilized as a ringer since then and can now boast impressive figures in all three series including, 23 top tens and now a second win. The two time winner of the 24 hours of Daytona had struggled and searched for that second win since 1998. Followed by his devoted fans (The Said Heads), Boris never gave up and turned in more top 10 finishes on road courses than any other competitor in any series.
Best known as the teacher to the pro’s, Said has taught some of NASCAR’s elite how to handle a road course. Joking recently that he may have taught them too well, his students include, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart to name a few.
Two years ago at Watkins Glen, Max Papis made his Sprint Cup debut as a ringer for DEI. He was near tears in his post race interview after being taken out in a wreck that blocked the track on a blind corner. He wanted to do well so badly he told reporters that day. He wanted to show that he was a capable racer. What he did was more than that. He showed the world what kind of champion he is. He cares about winning and losing. He cares about doing well for his sponsors and his fans. He cares about his job performance.
There is never a race that Max Papis drives in that afterwards he does not thank his fans on Twitter and give them a little of what he feels about how the race went. How refreshing is that. A driver that actually thanks his fans for standing with him and behind him, and tells them “we go on to the next one.”
Max Papis sets the example, as did Boris Said that we would like to see our children follow. He does so because he has children that he sets the example for. Does he have a temper, he is human and he is a native of Como, Italy, so of course he does. But he has learned through his experiences in Formula 1 and Indy Racing League (IRL) to control those emotions and pursue the goal, Victory.
Max says, “My dream is to compete and win in NASCAR and to be the first European to be there among so many great American racing icons.” He came very close on Sunday. But his chances are not over. Max will be taking over the number 9 Germain Racing Truck full time in 2011.
Max, sei un campione. siamo orgogliosi di averti. grazie per farci meglio i fan. I pray you will forgive my poor Italian but understand that it is with the greatest respect that I attempted to tell you that you are a champion and we are proud to have you. Thank you for making us better fans with your example.
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Congratulations to Kyle Busch on his Camping World Truck Victory and to Boris Said on his well deserved Nationwide Series Victory. Also Congratulations to Patrick Sheltra on his Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) win at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday as well.
That said to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give. You are our heroes. Most importantly though thanks to all the families who share their loved ones with us each and every week so that we can cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.
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You can learn more about Max Papis and his career at www.MaxPapis.com. You can find Max’s Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/maxpapis .
You can find Boris Said on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1534514283&ref=ts .
Modifieds Shine at Bristol
No Disappointment at Bristol.
“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.” – Unknown
This week 43 of the world’s greatest drivers embarked on a great adventure. This week they found themselves standing at the doors of the last great coliseum of racing. A track that consistently plays host to 160,000 enthusiastic fans. All anxious to see their favorite driver, conquer the 30 degree concrete banks of the jewel of east Tennessee.
This coliseum tests tempers, equipment and the patience of all who run here. But if you are a warrior, if you persist and if the jewel smiles on you – you will join the elite class of champions that have tasted the fine vintage and most sought after of victories in NASCAR. Champions whose names are still synonymous and defining of our sport, names like Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt Sr. Terry Labonte, Darrell Waltrip, to name a few. She is loyal to her chosen champion and he will ultimately earn the title of short track king. Because if you can win here, you have what it takes to win anywhere.
The jewel has yet to pick her new crown prince to replace her favorite son Rusty Wallace. Will it be a veteran driver like, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, or Kyle Busch? Or will it be a new comer like Brad Keselowski or Reed Sorenson? That is a question that only time would answer. The secrets of this jewel are not easily found and they are treasured and guarded once they are. This is what stock car racing is all about. Saturday night, cinch your belts, grab the wheel find your guts and let’s go racing.
You will respect her. You will either give your respect or she will take it. But you will learn to respect the crown jewel of motor sports.
To quote NASCAR’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. “Victory lane at Bristol! It doesn’t get any better than this.” So welcome folks to the crown jewel of East Tennessee. Welcome to Bristol.
Once again, Bristol did not disappoint. With her graduated banking she provided a multi groove race surface that was not only fast but allowed more competitive racing than we have seen anywhere else on the circuit.
As has been the case many times this season, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson dominated the show. A strong and dominating performance from Jimmie Johnson came up short when on the restart on lap 262 he tangled with Juan Pablo Montoya and found himself in the garage under going repairs to a badly wrecked race car. Returning to the track 26 laps down, Johnson would finish 35th.
Kyle Busch on the other hand was a man on a mission, seeking a three race sweep in a single weekend and avoiding incidental or intentional contact with Brad Keselowski after a slide job gone badly the night before in the Nationwide race. Busch would dominate the race leading the most laps and truly never being challenged for more than a couple of laps on restarts. His dominance gave him a record never before held in NASCAR, the sweep in all 3 national touring series.
This race seemed to bring more questions about the power house teams. What has happened to HMS? One wrecked car. One that would run and could race but couldn’t hold it’s own for a full tire run, one car that continued to struggle bitterly with a driver carrying it on his back to the checkers. And one that just never seemed to be a factor in the competition at all. Although, this is not indicative of the performances we are use to seeing from HMS it appears, at least in the last several races, to be the course for their 2010 season.
RCR, which had shown dominance to this point, was a victim to a fickle Bristol as well, with only Clint Bowyer seeming to find the handle on the concrete princess.
Penske Racing ruled Bristol for 10 years even its flagship car, the Miller Lite Dodge driven by Kurt Busch, could make no headway at Bristol.
Although Kyle Busch was a dominate winner. The same can not be said for the rest of the JGR stable. A struggling Denny Hamlin held on to finish 34th and Joey Logano was a disappointing 18th.
The drama of the 88 and Dale Earnhardt Jr continued with Junior Nation shaking it’s heads in the grandstands over communication or lack there of between the driver and crew chief. After a very successful outing in the Nationwide Series, which saw Earnhardt Jr go a lap down early and then come back for a strong 4th place finish, the 88 Sprint Cup ride struggled the entire day with a loose car. Remembering that listening to scanner communication is literally eves dropping and considering that no one knows the background on the conversations, I am making an observation based strictly on what was heard and it seemed there was friction between driver and crew chief over that performance (Nationwide) when Lance McGrew asked his driver, “Fine, since this is the part of the race when you want to argue with me, What would Pops do?” One has to question at times if Mr. McGrew forgets that Junior Nation is listening and if he is aware that he is not making any fans with those type comments.
I was impressed with the honesty of Chad Knaus after the race when he commented regarding Jimmie Johnson’s problem, that he didn’t know how to set a car up for this track and his driver couldn’t get a handle on this track. Johnson himself stated that the incident with Montoya was “just a product of racing at Bristol. I don’t think it was anything intentional.” Honesty and championship attitude is refreshing. “To admit one’s short coming and build on your strengths is the mark of a championship dynasty.” — Roger Penske.
It had been quite awhile since I had been home. Life has dealt some blows. Some fair some not. Some were of my own making. Some were the result of devious and envious people. There were troubles that were nagging me deeply with questions I couldn’t answer. So when I rounded the bend in the road and saw her sitting there, I was surprised to feel myself sigh deeply. Suddenly there was one word in my heart and in my head. That word was Home. There in front of me. It was close enough to smell it, see it, and I could almost touch it. I was home. And this was Bristol.
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Many Many congratulations to Kyle Busch on his sweep of NASCAR’s weekend in Bristol. He may not be a fan favorite but there is simply no denying the young man’s talent behind the wheel of a race vehicle. Maturity comes with time and life experience. It will be his someday. Congratulations also to Ryan Newman on his victory in NASCAR’s Whalen Modified Series Race on Wednesday. Incredible competition by all 4 series all weekend long.
And finally to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you had to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.
A Destiny of Choice
“Courage is being scared to death… And saddling up anyway.” ~John Wayne
In 2007, Dale Earnhardt Jr assessed his life and future. He made a choice like most men and women make to walk his own path. He discovered that although he was in a familiar place, a place that should have been home, the voices that were echoing loudest were not familiar ones. They were people claiming his father would want this and his father would want that yet they didn’t even know his father according to Tony Eury Sr. In an interview with TNT Sports.
To make his father’s team better, Dale pushed for up to date equipment so that all would succeed, marks of a leader and a champion. His pleas met deaf ears. He was then stuck between his heart and reality; stay where the “world” thought he should be, in “C” class equipment to satisfy a morbid need of some fans, or find his courage and step out into the world and risk failing on his own. Jr. asked himself a question that at some point in our lives we all ask ourselves, “What would Dad have done?” Since his father was never a follower the answer was obvious as well as frightening. He looked around, said his good byes and respectfully closed the door on the past and opened up his future.
It has not been easy for him at any juncture. “A” class equipment brought the illusion of ease and comfort. He very soon discovered there is a lot more to the game than a name, his or his car owners. There is a lot more to being competitive than desire, heart and talent. It’s all about the parts and pieces. Do they fit? Do they click? Do you understand why? This would be a scary journey for him. One he has handled with as much dignity as we have the right to expect.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. last weekend at Michigan. (Brian Czobat/Autostock)
| Year | Races | Win | T5 | T10 | AvFn |
| 1999 | 5 of 34 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21.4 |
| 2000 | 34 of 34 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 20.9 |
| 2001 | 36 of 36 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 15.2 |
| 2002 | 36 of 36 | 2 | 11 | 16 | 17.1 |
| 2003 | 36 of 36 | 2 | 13 | 21 | 12.7 |
| 2004 | 36 of 36 | 6 | 16 | 21 | 12.1 |
| 2005 | 36 of 36 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 20.5 |
| 2006 | 36 of 36 | 1 | 10 | 17 | 13.5 |
| 2007 | 36 of 36 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 18.6 |
| 2008 | 36 of 36 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 14.1 |
| 2009 | 36 of 36 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 23.2 |
| 2010 | 23 of 23 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 17.1 |
| 12 years | 386 | 18 | 90 | 148 | 16.8 |
On track struggles would lead to him become a target for media and haters alike. Dale Jr was suddenly faced with something he had never known before, a struggle to prove himself on the track. Although he had always faced the obstacle of being Dale Earnhardt’s son, that was now complicated by those that wanted him to be his clone…drive like him, act like him, perform like him. What he thought would help him leave the shadow behind actually threw him deeper into it. To make matters worse, he was struggling on the track. Lack luster performances followed quick out of the box success. Rumors of conspiracies and favoritism began to surface.
Fans were not kind as they began saying the departure from DEI was leaving his destiny behind. They felt he should have stayed and not left his family behind and that his father would never have done that. Or no, leave where he was but gone to RCR instead. The criticisms from his fan base seemed endless. But the truth is no one really knows what he should have done except Dale himself. Now, time and again he has said he’d made the right choice and believes his father would have supported that choice. Many who knew his father including the likes of Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace have echoed that sentiment. But still the cry from the fans was that he should never have left DEI.
At no time have any of those enthusiasts acknowledged the changes in the sport that occurred at the same time as the change up in teams. And those changes have been mighty. From the Car Of Tomorrow (COT) and changes to it, point system shifts and personnel changes. Then there are the economic changes which effected every team in the sport. If we really go and look, the numbers don’t match. They don’t because you can not compare apples and oranges. The cars are different. The people are different. The sport is different. The comparisons are simply not sound.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands by his No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet at Phoenix in 2007. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
17 of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 18 victories came with Dale Earnhardt Inc. With DEI in 2004, he recorded a career-high six victories and went on to finish third in the final Sprint Cup Series points.
Dale Jr has won more races with DEI than with HMS, he was there longer. He was more successful in his first 3 years there under the watchful hands and eyes of his father and then his uncle. Not only were the cars different but so were the situations. The resource changes alone were staggering.
The only accurate comparison can come between comparing the teams themselves. DEI after the death of Dale Earnhardt became a mediocre team with outdated equipment and understandably absent ownership. If I may be frank, I think most of us would have had a hard time embracing the race teams after losing the center of that world in a racing accident. Even up to the time of Dale Jr’s parting, they were struggling to make their presence known with other than the 8 car which carried the name sake.
When it merged with Ganassi racing, the Earnhardt name became window dressing as the team is run by Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. What was DEI no long exists in that capacity. Although DEI itself still remains, it is not as a race team or operation. The once stately “Garage Mahal” is now basically a museum in tribute to the late great Dale Earnhardt’s accomplishments and success’.
Hendrick Motorsports, on the other hand, was a dominate power house which could boast of more championships and more wins than any other single team currently competing on the circuit. It’s resources seemed and continue to seem almost endless. It’s sprawling complex, a state of the art cutting edge race machine factory. I don’t think there’s a single driver who doesn’t drool over the thought of getting a ride with the legendary Rick Hendrick.
So why would Dale Jr be any different? He wasn’t. He wanted to win races. He wanted to win championships and from his perspective at the time, there was no way he would do anything else at HMS. After all if there was a problem, Rick Hendrick was the ultimate Gremlin killer. His teams didn’t have those kinds of issues long. It was top of the line equipment and nothing could go wrong or stand in his way.
And so it seemed that first Daytona and in fact that first year until the Chase began. Things began to falter and he began to struggle. The Gremlin Killer was without answers. It became worse, to the point that following the Coke 600 in 2009, the unthinkable happened to Dale Jr. He lost Tony Jr. The press conference that day found a pale, shaken, and obviously emotional Dale Jr. Who said he knew the night before. And he didn’t know what else to do but let Rick run the business.
Lance McGrew and Dale Earnhardt Jr. talk prior to that start of the 2010 Sprint All-Star Race in May. (Tom Whitmore/Getty Images)
With the addition of Lance McGrew on the box the hopes were high. However, the results have been spotty. Although improvements have been noted since 2009, Earnhardt still has yet to find victory lane. The rumblings are in earnest for a crew chief change. The conspiracy theorists say the cars are not the same and Dale Jr. is not getting quality equipment. But there is NO evidence to support that. No one is willing to go on record to say that any one team gets or has access to anything the other 3 don’t have. As a matter of fact quite the contrary. But still there is no denying the lack of performance in both the 88 and the 5 in 2010.
Earnhardt’s fellow drivers are stumped. 4 time champion Jimmie Johnson said, “I don’t understand it. No one is working harder than he is.” Team mate Mark Martin was quoted in Scene Daily as saying, “That young man is working his butt off. He is out there giving everything he has every week. He is carrying a heavy load.”
In Sunday’s race at Michigan, race winner Kevin Harvick’s radio exchange was quoted as the following:
O’Dea(spotter for the 29): “88 has the heebie-jeebie’s!” Harvick: “If they give him something to drive, he can haul ass!
Yet the problems continue to elude the managers, engineers and rocket scientists (this is literal not a put down) that make up HMS.
One would think that at a time like this his fan base, Jr. Nation, would be surrounding him with positive vibes and support. Instead, what he has received from many of his “loyal” fan base, is constant criticism and second guessing on sites that range from Nascar.com to his own fan club site. It is sad that the man once dubbed the future of the sport, of late can get no more support from that huge fan base except to vote him MPD 7 times.
Internet web sites are full of comments trashing his crew chief, his efforts, his car owner and his team. Statements run the gamut from “Grow a set” or “Make your father proud”, to “You walked away from your destiny”. Words like “I can’t take this anymore” and “You need to drive like your father” fill the forums and blogs. Negative comments touting him as the most famous loser in sports history appear seemingly everywhere. Although there are the diehard loyal, they are often assaulted to the point of silence as they are called everything from “Sheeple” to “Idiots with no brain cells” and thought to be a “Loser just like your pretty boy driver”.
His fans say he should drive for himself. He should go to RCR. He should….He should….He should… But when I took the opportunity to put the ball in their court and asked Jr. Nation in their post race chat three questions “What is the problem with the 88?”, “How specifically should it be fixed?” and “What qualifications do you bring to the table to make those evaluations?” What I got in return was “We are just fans. We aren’t qualified to make those decisions.” The general consensus was felt to be that communication was lacking in respect and response to the driver. There were a few that thought there should be yet another crew chief change, citing McGrew’s lack of experience and behavior towards Dale Jr. But basically the only thing they came up with consistently was ”Tell Junior we love him and we will stand behind him no matter what”.
So although supporters on Twitter continue with demands and opinions and other sites continue to be filled with negativity, when asked to give their solutions and qualify themselves as evaluators, the bulk of JRNation, on Sunday night at least, was not willing to do that.
All things come in time I guess. As Roger Penske has said, “One must first measure success by inches and feet before it can be measured in miles.” Eventually, I suppose, we will all realize that what we put out into the world, be that negative or positive, will come back around to us and the ones we care about.
Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. discuss race strategy atop the hauler in the Talladega pit area. (RacingOne/Getty Images)
In the meantime, Dale Jr has made himself the master of his OWN destiny. Not the one others would choose for him. Nor the one it seems the world wanted him to have. He chose for himself. He looked inside himself where he lives, he looked at who he is and made the choice that was best for him. More power to him. I applaud that courage. I support that flame that will always burn in him. It is a path of his own. His name is Dale Earnhardt JR. He is not a clone. His father wouldn’t have wanted him to be. It’s just not in the nature of a parent. And as his father would also have wanted it, he walks the path that his choice of destiny’s has put him on no matter how scary or frustrating.
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Congratulations to Todd Bodine on his Truck series win and Brad Keselowski on his NNS win. And of course to Kevin Harvick on his Sprint Cup win. Absouletely great racing by all three series this week.
That said to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give. You are our heroes. Most importantly though thanks to all the families who share their loved ones with us each and every week so that we can cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.
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Authors notes: Please note that opinions expressed by the members of Jr. Nation do not in anyway reflect the opinions of Dale Jr or Jr. Motorsports or its staff. They are the opinions of the membership present at the time of the chat and their postings.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all the members of Jr. Nation that were my hosts Sunday evening in their chat room. Your insights to the sport and your drivers possible thought process and abilities were enlightening and refreshing. You all have my respect and my thanks.
If you are a Dale Earnhardt Jr fan and would like to join his fan club. You may do so free of charge at www.jrnation.com . They do have community guidelines and they do enforce them. So please do not go with the intention of disrespecting the members or Dale Jr. there.
Back to the Real Racing
Well another road course is done and over. Thank Goodness. Road courses are without a doubt the biggest waste of time, money and equipment on the circuit. They are a direct result of NASCAR wanting to prove to the world they are just as good as IRL or F1, and they are. But, they are a different kind of car with a different kind of following. Stock cars and right hand turns are just well not a good match.
I wish that I could say that this one was better than the last 40. But it wasn’t. As a matter of fact it was a great nap opportunity but not much else. Between Road Course Ringers and teams scratching their heads over cars with broken pieces and just flat not performing, it was a joke. An IRL veteran won, followed closely by a regular who got lucky because the road course ringer developed severe handling issues.
We put the four time champ in a dangerous position because he spun and the other drivers couldn’t see him in the dust and dirt and so consequently hit him. We delayed a caution for a car pulled off in the run off because we didn’t want to mess up the pitting sequence because the teams were already dogged by having to do it backwards.
Frankly, if we are going to hand out second dates and first dates. Perhaps we should eliminate the two road courses from the schedule that would allow for 2 dates to either give to real race tracks or hey give the teams and drivers some much needed time off in the heat of the summer.
This would also cut the costs for small teams and big teams alike. No more building specially engineered cars for 2 races a year. Instead they would have 2 races at real race tracks that they already have cars for. Tracks like Rockingham could have a date back. Atlanta could have its second date back. Let’s even consider going back to the roots of the sport and rescuing a community that has struggled and suffered since losing its dates and go back to North Wilkesboro.
Both of the road course tracks are in areas where the cost of living and staying or visiting is higher than most of the areas the circuit visits. The prices of hotels and air fare to New York and California have virtually priced it out of the market for midwest or southern east coast fans. The tax on the merchandise and the price of food at the track in both places compounds that problem. For instance, a t-shirt purchased at a HMS trailer in Kansas will run you $30. The same t-shirt at Watkins Glen this weekend would have cost you $38. A hamburger and a coke at Texas Motor Speedway would run you right at $15. At California it would be more like about $20.
It’s time to embrace our roots. And although those roots did include running from the G men with a 100 gallon tank, the roots of our racing do not include road races. It’s time to do what we do best. Turn left and drive it like you stole it. It’s time to concentrate on drafting and making cars handle and run fast down straightaways that are longer than football fields. To dodge and dice and race from the green flag to the checkers. To let things like a glorified football playoff system go and run for straight points without having races within races. It’s time to make the sport something whose beauty lies in the simplicity of the object. Be the first to cross the finish line. Lead as many laps as possible and remembering that rubbing is racing. And if you are going to play you may get roughed up once in a while.
Yes it’s time to go back to what worked and worked consistently. Racers like Junior Johnson, Harry Gant, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, and the Allison’s. They didn’t give away green stamps or cars at the track but you got what you paid for. All 500 laps of it.
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Congratulations to Todd Bodine on his Camping World Truck Series win, Marcos Ambrose on his Nationwide Series win and Juan Pablo Montoya on his Sprint Cup win.
To all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give you are our heroes. Most importantly though, thanks to all the families who share their loved ones with us each and every week so that we can cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.
Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily Pit Road Scene and its staff.
A Look At The Positives From Pocono
While this weekend’s racing makes it easy to find the negatives — the crash of Elliott Sadler, the continuing dispute between Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson, the safety issues of Pocono, the horrible TV coverage ranging from a 45 minute delay for Tennis of the Nationwide Race to the lack of camera coverage during the Sprint Cup race, the finger pointing over the fines and the discouraging and continuing decline of the 88 team — all that would be easy to pull out and discuss. As a matter of fact I did just that.
Then I thought about it. After consulting folks with vast race knowledge and mechanical knowledge and actually working the piece to its completion, I decided it was time to take a different approach. Everyone wants to talk about what went wrong and what didn’t work. Let’s talk about the things that went right and did work.
Let’s start with the beginning of the weekend. The opening of the solar power plant by the track was impressive. The plant will serve it’s community as well as the track with an alternate energy source that is both clean and renewable. The track showed itself to be Earth responsible as well as competitive with it’s advancement.
Also announcing coming safety changes to the track itself, Pocono and the Mattoli family showed their dedication to the sport and it’s loyalty and concern for its drivers in all series. Kudos for being an advocate of the planet and some of the heroes we have on it.
The short and sweet races for the trucks and ARCA, were both refreshing and exciting. The racing was good. It was close. It was physical at times but for the most part it was good clean racing. 100 laps was plenty. It didn’t get stale. It didn’t get boring and it kept drivers and teams on their toes.
The Craftsman Trucks tried a new qualifying procedure. Staggering three trucks at time on the track for two laps. Although the procedure is fairly new to NASCAR. It has been utilized successfully in other racing series around the world. It worked well for the trucks cutting the time of qualifying in half. Although most fans will require more education as to how the procedure works, it was a bright spot to the weekend to see it work so efficiently and well.
We saw a familiar truck team up front this week in KHI. But this time with a crowd favorite behind the wheel. Elliott Sadler’s patience and skill was evident as he wheeled the Number 2 GT Vodka Chevy to a victory. It was a hard fought one even though he started on the pole. Elliott’s win was a popular one after seeing the struggles that the young man has gone through in recent years. His passion and dedication showed through the near tears in victory lane. Many thanks on behalf of the fans to Elliott for still carrying that passion and to Kevin and DeLana Harvick for believing and give him a chance to show it.
ARCA was also a short but sweet action packed race. With a first time winner in Robb Brent. The very talented young man drove a race punctuated with great car control and poise. He showed he is a name and a face to be remembered, holding his own against the wily veterans and other winners on the ARCA circuit.
The Nationwide race was tainted by poor planning and coverage on the part of ESPN but showed itself to be worthy of the wait. Although dominated by the series champion Kyle Busch the racing was intense and scattered throughout the field. Marred by two scary looking wrecks all drivers walked away and were unhurt. Having been denied in the inaugural running last year by Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch was not to be denied this year. In a car that was obviously the dominant horse throughout the evening, Kyle won the show easily taking home the gas pump trophy from the Rusty Wallace designed Iowa Speedway.
The Sprint Cup race was again the least exciting of the weekend of racing. It was marred by a delayed start due to rain and then drug on past the point of entertainment throughout the afternoon. Most of the fans who watched in its entirety did so out of discipline and dedication. The racing was a follow the leader display that we have seen way too often at the too long Penn 400.
In the late going the race was marred by one of the most scary wrecks we have seen in competition this year or in many years. Jimmie Johnson turned Kurt Busch in an attempt to bump draft causing Kurt to spin up the track and impact the outside retaining wall hard. The Miller Dodge lost a wheel and severely further damaged the car with impact to the inside guard rail as well. Lost in the initial coverage was perhaps the scariest part of the crash. In fact, ESPN, the leader in sports coverage had no view to show at all.
Attempting to slow his car in traffic, Elliott Sadler was hit from behind by AJ Allmendinger. The impact sent Elliott on a wild slide through the grass and into a 90 degree corner of the retaining bank and guard rail, flush head on. Slinging the engine of the number 19 Ford and most of it’s front end across the infield grass as the car came to a stop in the middle of the track. Sadler climbed from the car in obvious pain and laid down on the track for several minutes before being tended to by safety crew people. He was treated and released from the infield care center saying on his exit,
“I’m fine. I’m okay. I’m a little sore, I think, from where the belts grabbed me. It knocked the breath out of me pretty good, but it’s definitely the hardest hit I’ve ever had in a race car. These new cars are built to be safer and if I can get out of that and walk through that, I think it did its job. I’m not sure what happened. I know some guys got spun out or moved around up in front of us, and I saw some smoke. Everybody started checking up and I checked up, but whoever was behind did not and ran in the back of us and knocked me down through the grass. It’s not the day we wanted to have with the U.S. Air Force Ford. It’s just a tough day.”
After a red flag for clean up that was followed by 4 laps of yellow and then another red flag for rain. The race restarted with 20 laps to go. Greg Biffle took the lead from Tony Stewart 5 laps later and never looked back. Mired in traffic the Dupont Chevy which was arguably the best car all day could never mount a return charge to the front. Finishing a disappointing 6th.
The victory for Biffle was made more special by the fact that Car Owner Jack Roush who was injured in a plane crash late last week was still hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic following two surgeries. The win was the first for Biffle in 64 races. Roush who released a statement from his hospital bed on Sunday called it “a proud day for the entire organization”.
The new car proved it’s worth despite it’s sometimes lack of raceability. It’s safety design combined with the Hans device very obviously saved Elliott Sadler’s life on Sunday. Although we often tend to be critical of the COT because of it’s short comings. Safety is definetly not one of them. In the last 3 years Nascar drivers have seen no less than 9 serious and life threatening crashes. All walked away with minimal if any injuries. That is an incredible record amongest the twisted and sheared sheet metal. A record that all Nascar fans should be thankful for.
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Congratulations to Elliott Sadler and KHI on their win in the Craftsman Truck Series. To Robb Brent and Allgaier Motorsports on their ARCA win in Pocono. Congratulations to Kyle Busch and JGR on their Nationwide Victory at Iowa. And Congratulations of course to Greg Biffle and Roush Fenway Racing for their Victory in the American Red Cross/Pennsylvania 400. Get well Jack Roush you are missed. Your contributions to the safety of the drivers of this sport once again showed their worth and importance.
That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give you are our heroes. Most importantly though thanks to all the families who share their loved ones with us each and every week so that we can cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.
NASCAR’s Grassy Knoll Is Of Their Own Making
NASCAR may have a “Have at It Boys” policy in public. But the behind the scenes policy is more dictatorial in nature. On Monday, AP Reporter Jenna Fryer published an article stating that, “…at least two star drivers have been fined—one as much as $50,000—for comments that were deemed destructive to the industry.” This was confirmed by NASCAR spokesperson Ramsey Poston. Shocking news considering the claims by NASCAR that they want the driver’s personalities to show through and become a part of the sport again. I guess that is as long as it’s what they (NASCAR) want to hear.
According to NASCAR, driver’s opinions color the opinions of the fans and cause them to stay away from races when drivers speak negatively about the sanctioning body. Bull Hockey. No driver has said a word that the fans had not either already said or observed. What is so shocking about a driver saying that fabricated debris cautions and mysterious speeding penalties and scoring errors benefit some teams more than others. Come on folks that has been said on every race track from the beginning of time.
Or maybe it was the Lottery comment at the super speedways. Has NASCAR watched one of those races lately? They are basically a controlled and timed demolition derby. We love them because of the skill required to compete on those tracks. But at 200 mph and 4 inches apart when it goes south everyone goes with it. If you were lucky enough to have 10 extra inches when it started then you got through it. If you didn’t you were wrecked with everyone else. It’s a lottery. The luck of the draw. Fate’s preference that day.
Or maybe it was the comment on the yellow line rule going to get people killed. Well yellow line or not the behavior of some of our drivers of late may hasten that occurrence. But the fact is that when it was made the incident it followed made it very obvious that is a real possibility.
Or perhaps it was the comment that NASCAR had no respect for its drivers. Hmmm then it made sense and now with this information it makes even more sense.
We have young men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq putting their lives on the line to defend our rights to freedom of speech. A right granted to us in the Constitution of the United States. A document that has stood the test of time with its wisdom and its foundations. Nowhere has it been amended to say unless you drive a race car for NASCAR and Brian France doesn’t like your opinion. The rights of drivers and fans alike have not changed or disappeared just because Brian France thinks it might cost him a buck or two.
The issues of NASCAR go so much deeper than the comments of drivers. The Gestapo-like tactics of NASCAR with their secret fines. Talking out of both sides of their mouths at once. Appearances of favoritism. Random and seemingly unjustified penalties. Manipulating the competition and the media. These are just a few of the reasons that fans are leaving by the droves.
When you add that on top of the greed of track owners and package ticket deals to get a ticket to a cup or Nationwide race. Hotel gouging. Concessions priced beyond the realm of reasonable. Merchandise that quality has degraded to the point of piracy.
Now consider that the competition has become at times boring to the point of sleepy. Follow the leader in a car that is at best a kit car guarded so closely by NASCAR that it is virtually unraceable. And at worst a death sentence for the sport it should be supporting.
The broadcast media that delivers the sport is so inept and biased that it makes you wonder exactly how many checks do these folks get a broadcast and where do they come from. Camera work that basically follows the top 5 if you are fortunate. And pit road reporters who have the intestinal fortitude of an earth worm.
People are speaking in the only way that NASCAR seems to understand with their pocket books. It’s the age old tradition of if you don’t like it go elsewhere. Well NASCAR fans are doing exactly that. And even though NASCAR has considered it’s self-immune. It is learning different and looking for a place to put the blame.
The time has come for NASCAR to ask themselves, ‘What part of this steady decline did we play? ‘Is our attempt at a perverted bracket system for the championship called the Chase really the answer? Is changing it to a distorted Super Bowl playoff system going to help that? Are cars without identities truly the answer? Is manipulating the outcome with debris cautions in some cases and failing to throw cautions for cars in the wall to “avoid disruption of competition” truly the answer?
When will NASCAR figure out that rules like 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); make them suspect. It’s about honesty. Being above board and not hiding things. When you begin to manipulate things and hide things people immediately assume that you are doing one of two things. You are either manufacturing the results or you are lying about how they were obtained in the first place.
Come on NASCAR, wake up. Your fans are intelligent people from all walks of life who are smart enough to use search engines and find answers to questions you don’t want the experts to answer. They have either followed the sport for a long time or they are transplants from local series and they know how the game is played and how it is supposed to work. The empty seats are a result of your arrogance not the opinions of drivers trying to make a living and satisfy a fan base.
I am not one to embrace conspiracy theories or to believe that a whole field of drivers or officials was all told to shut up and let this guy win. I am sorry that would encompass way too many folks and that many folks can’t shut up. Someone is going to tell someone. And then it’s all out there. That is undoubtedly what happened here. I have been to both NASCAR headquarters and there is no grassy knoll. What there is, however, is very apparent to even the casual observer, an overwhelming sense of greed and thirst for power and control. On their own any of the three can be a good thing when used in moderation. But NASCAR seems to have lost that sense of moderation and in the process is drowning in its own excess and arrogance.
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Congratulations to Ron Hornaday on his Truck victory at ORP. Kyle Busch on his Nationwide win, Jamie McMurray on his Sprint Cup win at IMS, and of course Chip Ganassi for winning the triple crown of auto racing.
To all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly though, thanks to all the families who share their loved ones with us each and every week so that we can cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport we are forever in your debt.
Repercussions on a Hot July Night
It was a hot night at Gateway, but no one there including Brad Keselowski had any idea how hot it was going to be.
After a stunning altercation in Atlanta, which saw Keselowski on his roof and inches from the fence off the bumper of Carl Edwards Ford; Keselowski and Edwards had seemingly put their differences aside and had raced one another clean and reasonable. There was no reason to think at 6:30 PM that that would change. The two both had decent qualifying runs starting in the top-10. It didn’t take Brad long to find his way to the front spot which he would hold five times for 139 laps.
But fate was about to show her hand and on lap 196 a three-car wreck caused a Red Flag condition which would cause a GWC finish. The front row was Keselowski and Edwards. Coming to the green flag neither driver showed a clear advantage. Keselowski pulled ahead of Edwards on the backstretch but got out of shape in turn 3 allowing Edwards to pull ahead coming onto the front stretch.
Going into turn one Edwards was clearly the leader. Keselowski drove in deep into the corner and the front end of the car broke loose. He slid into the rear quarter panel of Edwards Ford getting him slightly out of shape. Edwards gathered the AFLAC Ford Fusion back up and again challenged Keselowski for the lead in the second turn.
The Discount Tire Dodge nosed ahead in the center of the turn on the inside and took the lead going down the backstretch and held that lead into turn 3. Edwards again pulled even with Keselowski between turns 3 and 4 and took the lead out of four by the numbers on the door. Keselowski dove low and accelerated hard pulling ahead of Edwards at the quarter mark of the front straight away. When Keselowski reached the nose with his right rear quarter panel the night turned into a nightmare for Keselowski and all those behind him. Edwards turned left into the rear quarter panel hooking the Discount Tire Dodge into the front stretch wall. The car slammed hard into the wall bouncing across the track into the front stretch wall and back into the straight away and coming to a stop dead in the track.
Shelby Howard, hit the nose of the No. 12 car slinging it around like a doll by its hair and drug it across the finish line. Also involved in the carnage was the No. 88 of Steve Arpin, the 16 of Colin Braun and the No. 6 of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
In Victory Lane, Carl Edwards stated, “I just couldn’t let him take the win from me. We had a great restart. My guys built me a great car. We came to the checkered flag and I hate to see stuff tore up but we came here to win and he took it from us there in Turn 1. Just an awesome race. … I’m sure some of them don’t like that win – Brad Keselowski fans and stuff – but man I just couldn’t let him take it from me. I had to do what I had to do.”
Keselowski’s view was slightly different as would be assumed. “He turned left into me and wrecked me on purpose,” said Keselowski who finished 14th. “I gave him the lane and he still wrecked me. … I figured out a way to beat him. He wasn’t happy with me so he wrecked me. Wrecking down the straightaway is never cool whether it’s at 200 mph or 120. I’m sorry that’s the way it had to end.”
The situation becomes more complicated when Brad’s father, obviously upset and rightly so, raged to the TV media. “Brad got into Carl getting out of Turn 1 – racing – they bumped they rubbed typical rubbing-racing deal,” said the former NASCAR racer and ARCA Champion. “Carl flipped out like he did at Atlanta and tried to kill the kid. I’m sick and tired of this. I’ll get my own damn uniform back on and take care of this. He ain’t going to kill my boy.
“He just overreacted so bad. If he wanted to bump Brad it’s one thing. But don’t drive him through the inside guardrail. Don’t put him in the grandstands at Atlanta. That’s asinine.”
The hoopla and repercussions of the incident began to reverberate through the grandstands and the air waves immediately. They were at it again. Keselowski’s fans said Edwards was trying to kill the young driver, fueled not only by the Atlanta incident but Bob Keselowski’s statement as well. The Edwards camp said he had it coming he tried to wreck Carl to win.
All of it propelled by the statement that Carl made that he wrecked him to win. In the mix would come the age of other drivers some 18 years old and new to the series. Initial reports were all drivers were fine. But the next day reports would surface that Steve Arpin required the services of a chiropractor to put his neck back in place from the crash. Jr. Motorsports car was destroyed as was Keselowski’s and two Roush cars were severely damaged.
The ball was thrown directly into NASCAR’s court. It was time to act. Something had to be done came the cry from fans and media alike. But this ball was complicated by the edict of “Have at it Boys”. How was NASCAR to save face and stop the outcry and the obvious retaliation that would undoubtedly follow? Edwards was confident that he had done nothing wrong. Keselowski urged his fans to use restraint and respect.
On Wednesday afternoon, NASCAR silent since the incident, made their announcement both drivers would be on probation until Dec. 31 in all NASCAR series. Edwards would lose 60-points effectively negating the points gain with the win, and he would be fined $25,000. Roush would be docked 60 car owner points for the frey.
Keselowski’s fans were incensed. Brad did nothing wrong. Edwards’ fans were incensed. He was giving back what he got. Truth is the risk was unacceptable.
The risk to other drivers and other teams’ equipment was not an acceptable risk for Carl Edwards to take. For the second time, Carl used his car as a weapon. He was touched in the process of racing and retaliated without concern for the safety of fans or other drivers and teams. His excuse he touched me sounds more like the argument of a 5- year-old than it does a professional race car driver.
He took a job knowing he would be viewed as a role model and yet he continually conducts himself on the track in a manner that does not promote sportsmanship or championship qualities. His comments on the decision of NASCAR continued that degradation of the sport and its competitors, when he intimated that he can do whatever he needs to do to win but others cannot touch him. Racing is a full contact sport and there is no place in it for a touch me not with anger issues.
In a sport that grows with its youthful fans there is also no place for a role model that pays no concern to the safety and well-being of other or the property of others. What exactly does that teach his young followers? It’s OK to hurt someone else as long as you win. As long as you win it doesn’t matter whether you played by the rules or not. The only thing that does matter is the trophy.
Although I understand Bob Keselowski’s response and my father would have reacted the same way, he should never have made open threats on national TV. Fact is Bob Keselowski is a champion in his own right and never really intended to put any driver at risk including Carl Edwards. Does that mean there wouldn’t be and still might not be a physical confrontation? No it doesn’t and maybe that is what is needed. But there is no place in the sport for threats to the safety of other drivers.
There seems to be a rash of father’s who need to let their grown sons fight their own battles. I understand support. I understand concern. I understand anger. But these young men are old enough to strap into a 3600 lb. stock car and drive at speeds in excess of 150 mph and make split second decisions that affect not only them but 42 other drivers as well. As a parent you determined they were mature enough to make those choices and decisions. So let them make them. Let them fight the battles that come with them. If they are old enough to play they are old enough to pay the price of admission. And though no one wants to see them hurt or worse, the fact is until they fight their own fights without coaching and pushing they will never be respected as men and champions.
No one knows what Brad’s intention was. No one knows whether he truly got loose or he nudged Edwards out of the way. It has been done and is a common and acceptable practice on short tracks. Brad’s past reputation and acts of aggression however, are catching up with him. No one is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because of his history. Very much like the boy who cried wolf, Brad’s point of view will be tainted for some time because of past incidents. Fair maybe not. But it is the risk one takes when they race with their bumper.
The true victims in all of this drama were the other teams that lost and damaged cars. Drivers who paid the price for someone else’s bruised ego. Men and women who lost precious time with families putting or attempting to put those cars back together. Owners some of which are struggling to pay the bills now have to somewhere find the money to replace or rebuild that car.
Ultimately, the only winner here was NASCAR and the media that follows it. Drama sells tickets and t-shirts. That makes money. Feuds boost ratings for TV and radio. In a market that is struggling Carl Edwards became a life preserver for at least three weeks. Even the spectacle of Indy couldn’t compare to the Edwards/Keselowski incident. Not a single driver wasn’t asked his take and opinion. Sadly or maybe tellingly, Mr. Edwards didn’t have much support.
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Congratulations to Kevin Harvick on his truck win at Gateway, and Ron Hornaday for his truck win at ORP. That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give you are our heroes. Most importantly though thanks to all the families who share their loved ones with us each and every week so that we can cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.
