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Tag: Dover

  • The Final Word – Loudon was Full of Surprises, and Not all of Them Were Happy Ones

    The Final Word – Loudon was Full of Surprises, and Not all of Them Were Happy Ones

    New Hampshire, for about 180 laps, was a mind numbing experience. It was the Round-and-round 300, and when you add the beleaguered ESPN desk trios to the mix, it was damn near unwatchable. Then stuff started to happen.

    Early on, Kurt Busch had to come in due to a tire issue. Then Dale Earnhadt Jr.’s crew failed to secure lugnuts on a tire, and he had to make an unscheduled stop. Not long after, there was Denny Hamlin stuck on pit row with a car that would not accept fuel. It was enough to make one kick off the fast forward button to check out exactly what was going on.

    Matt Kenseth did not seem to have a lot of command over his sliding vehicle, and when he broke traction and had to whoa up he got hit from behind by Kyle Busch, who got hit from behind by Kasey Kahne, who got hit from behind by Ryan Newman. On the positive side, it at least allowed Junior to get back on the lead lap.

    Brad Keselowski got spun, but after his win at Chicago he was just driving for fun and sponsor dollars. Kurt Busch got into Jamie McMurray which caused a tire rub that caused a blow out that caused Mr. Busch to hit the wall.

    Later, Kenseth again wobbled and after contact with Paul Menard it was the Chaser doing some metal work against the wall. Jeff Gordon looked good with under ten to go, until his tire let go and he nailed the fence.

    In the end, it was almost a recasting of last week, with Kevin Harvick the dominant once again on the day, but once again it was a Penske car driving off on the re-starts. Joey Logano got the lead in this play, driving off, not to be seen again until the finish line, to punch his ticket to the next round. Harvick finished third.

    The runner-up? That would be one Kyle Larson, as the kid did it again. Not a Chaser, but no doubt the 22-year old is a racer as he claims his second straight Top Three. Top Ten days for Jimmie Johnson, Keselowski, Kyle Busch, and Junior keep them high on the charts.

    Aric Almirola was dead last amongst Chasers after his disaster in Chicago. Until his engine blew, he had been doing great. Sixth at Loudon sure helps, and having a bunch of folks joining him in the deep end of the pool at least allows him a chance of standing on somebody’s shoulders to advance. He was 23 points out when they began Sunday, he is ten away going into next weekend.

    Out of 16 Chasers, half of them finished outside the Top Fifteen. Greg Biffle had a non-competitive day to finish 16th. Carl Edwards was 17th, Newman one behind him. Kenseth was 21st, Kahne 23rd, and Gordon 26th. Way back there was Kurt, at 36th, one up on Hamlin’s beast. If nothing else, it rather muddled up what had been, or so I thought, a few foregone conclusions.

    What that leaves us with is Sunday at Dover. Keselowski and Logano are safe, with a disaster of Biblical proportions needed to deny Harvick. Almirola is still dead last, but the gap between 16th and 8th is now just a dozen points. One blown tire, one blown engine, one broken part, or one miscue out on the track, and all bets are off.

    Last Sunday’s televised action would not have added a single new fan to the sport, not in the way Talladega might next month. Loudon was painful to watch and even more painful to listen to. However, for fans who know what is at stake, New Hampshire provided something huge. Unpredictability. Heading to Dover I am confident as to who three, even seven, of the drivers advancing to the next round of the Chase will be. I am not so sure about the other five. Not anymore.

    Dandy Dozen
    1 – Brad Keselowski – 1 Win – 2097 Points –  *
    2 – Joey Logano – 1 – 2096 – *
    3 – Kevin Harvick – 0 – 2090 – 41 Points in
    4 – Jimmie Johnson – 0 – 2080 – 31 Points in
    5 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 0 – 2077 – 28 Points in
    6 – Kyle Busch – 0 – 2077 – 28 Points in
    7 – Jeff Gordon – 0 – 2070 – 21 Points in
    8 – Carl Edwards – 0 – 2057 – 8 Points in
    9 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 2057 – 8 Points in
    10 – A.J. Allmendinger – 0 – 2056 – 7 Points in
    11 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 2055 – 6 Points in
    12 – Kasey Kahne – 0 – 2055 – 6 Points in

    One chance at Redemption
    13 – Denny Hamlin – 0 – 2049 – 6 Points out
    14 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 2049 – 6 Points out
    15 – Kurt Busch – 0 – 2047 – 8 Points out
    16 – Aric Almirola – 0 – 2045 – 10 Points out

  • Hot 20 – Could the Best at Loudon and Dover be a Non-Chaser?

    Hot 20 – Could the Best at Loudon and Dover be a Non-Chaser?

    New Hampshire is the next stop on the Chase tour, and if anyone needs to rewrite expectations it would be Aric Almirola and AJ Allmendinger. Both have not done well at Loudon in the past, though Almirola was fifth in the race 15 months ago and the Dinger has one Top Ten. Still, both average beyond 20th there and after the results in Chicago came in they find their title hopes down to fumes. Yet, it is nothing that an unexpected win would not cure.

    Neither are among our Hot 20, based on the season to date. Brad Keselowski is, with back to back wins giving him five on the season. However, he is not the hottest based on this system of providing a 25 point bonus for a win. That remains Jeff Gordon, who despite having two fewer trips to Victory Lane, does have an average finish advantage of 9.7 to 13 over Keselowski in 27 races. Wins are big, especially in how we tabulate these standings, but being consistent also has its rewards. The difference is that Keselowski has finished outside the Top Twenty seven times this campaign, Gordon only three.

    Something tells me Brad is not too concerned, with last weekend’s win locking him into a Chase spot for the next five events. However, it is still too early to hand him the trophy just yet. No matter what he does at Loudon and Dover, Keselowski will have the same 3000 points as the other 11 gents left in the Chase when they move on to Kansas.

    Marcos Ambrose missed the Chase, and next year we will miss him as he returns to his native Australia. He is a fun guy with talent, especially when left hand turns lead to more to the right. Ambrose has a couple of Cup wins in 218 starts, both coming at Watkins Glen, and leaves to raise his family back on their native soil.

    Nothing is more important than family. The Ward family lost their young son Kevin in an accident involving Tony Stewart, a case that will go to a grand jury to determine if the case should proceed to trial. While what video evidence I have seen leads me to believe this was a tragic accident Stewart was not responsible for, I was not there nor do I have knowledge of all the facts. A family lost their young son that day, and they deserve a thorough, transparent review of what took place. I pray for justice for all involved.

    Sixteen drivers remain involved in the Chase, but do not expect much to change in the standings between now and the conclusion at Dover. Based on their track records, both Almirola and Allmendinger are done, with Greg Biffle in a fight for survival. I would expect over the next couple of weeks to see Jimmie Johnson absolutely shine. I would expect, based on past results, strong efforts from Gordon, Carl Edwards, Keselowski, and Matt Kenseth, with Ryan Newman coming on strong to beat out Kasey Kahne for the final spot to the next round. Of course, depending on who wins these races, all my speculation could wind up all out the window.

    There is a reason why non-Chaser Kyle Larson is among our Hot 20. Based on results from earlier this season, expect him to be the star on these tracks once again this weekend and next.

    BOLD = Current Chasers

    *Points awarded as during the regular season, except the winning bonus is 25 rather than 3 points.

    Hot 20
    1 – Jeff Gordon – 3 Wins – 1023 Points
    2 – Brad Keselowski – 5 – 987
    3 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 3 – 982
    4 – Joey Logano – 3 – 935
    5 – Jimmie Johnson – 3 – 900
    6 – Kevin Harvick – 2 – 873
    7 – Carl Edwards – 2 – 845
    8 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 831
    9 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 811
    10 – Kasey Kahne – 1 – 788
    11 – Kyle Larson – 0 – 779
    12 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 774
    13 – Clint Bowyer – 0 – 764
    14 – Kyle Busch – 1 – 747
    15 – Jamie McMurray – 0 – 742
    16 – Austin Dillon – 0 – 726
    17 – Paul Menard – 0 – 724
    18 – Denny Hamlin – 1 – 719
    19 – Kurt Busch – 1 – 709
    20 – Brian Vickers – 0 – 701

  • The Final Word – Dover is over and now to Pocono where Jimmie has not won for an entire year!

    The Final Word – Dover is over and now to Pocono where Jimmie has not won for an entire year!

    Even a ball player could appreciate Jimmie Johnson’s average at Dover, having gone 9 for 25 for a sweet .360 average. Sunday, Johnson led much of the way to lock down his second of the season. Brad Keselowski, who has a win, finished second while Matt Kenseth, who does not, was third. That fact should not be cause to worry at the moment, as Kenseth still has more points than anyone, even without a victory to his credit. If this keeps up, he might not need one.

    Tony Stewart needs a win to make the Chase, but a seventh place result was as good as it got. Kevin Harvick has two wins, but a flat as they came to green after a caution removed him from the lead and contention. Kurt Busch, who has a win and precious little else, was one back of Harvick, in 18th. As for Danica Patrick, if 25th is a decent day, she was better than decent by two positions.

    Some teams you expect to be better, some not. Not much is expected from the BK Racing trio of Cole Whitt (27th), Ryan Truex (32nd), and Alex Bowman (40th) and we were not surprised. We thought Roush would be running better, but Carl Edwards (14th) was as good as it got for those boys as circumstances left Greg Biffle (38th) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr (41st) all torn up. Hendrick may have won, but Penske had the better average with Keselowski and Joey Logano both in the Top Ten.

    When is all clear not all clear? Ask Clint Bowyer or, better yet, ask Kyle Busch. Seeking the weekend Dover three-peat, Busch was charging to the outside of Bowyer, but that is not what his spotter told him. It was clear to us that Rowdy was looking to the outside, only to wind up squeezed into the fence and out of the race. He had definite evil intentions aimed at his rival, but the guy he really should have wanted was high up in the grandstands. Oops.

    When is debris not really debris? It is not if you run over a chunk of concrete and reduce it in size by blasting it to chunks and dust. Ask Jamie McMurray, who was the beneficiary of the gift of masonry Ryan Newman kicked up just in front of him from the newly formed pothole. McMurray clobbered it but good to split his splitter and send him fence-ward. Interestingly enough, he was 16th at the time, yet finished 13th.

    While I shall miss FOX, I believe TNT’s coverage of NASCAR is the superior. Should we discover Pocono to be boring, yet we continue to watch primarily due to the entertainment provided by the announcers, then we have found folks who know how to do their job.

    Why don’t the New York Yankees play three of four games a month against minor league teams on national television? The reason is that would be stupid, but enough about Kyle Busch.

    As long as there are less than 16 race winners, wins lock you into the Chase while being the best in points will still get you there. Welcome to a world where Kurt Busch can lead Matt Kenseth in the standings, where a single victory trumps having more points than anybody else. That means that by this time next week, anyone from the top 36 could find themselves in the Chase by simply winning this Sunday at Pocono. Nothing to it.

     

    SWEET SIXTEEN
    1 Jimmie Johnson – 2 WINS – 436 Points
    2 Joey Logano – 2 WINS – 414
    3 Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS – 373
    4 Jeff Gordon -1 WIN – 461
    5 Carl Edwards -1 WIN – 438
    6 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 1 WIN – 429
    7 Kyle Busch – 1 WIN – 411
    8 Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN – 404
    9 Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN – 379
    10 Kurt Busch – 1 WIN – 241
    11 Matt Kenseth – 463 POINTS
    12 Kyle Larson – 377
    13 Ryan Newman – 374
    14 Brian Vickers – 366
    15 Paul Menard – 362
    16 Austin Dillon – 358

    CONTENDERS AND PRETENDERS
    17 Greg Biffle – 357
    18 Clint Bowyer – 350
    19 Kasey Kahne – 349
    20 Aric Almirola – 344
    21 A.J. Allmendinger – 337
    22 Tony Stewart – 336
    23 Marcos Ambrose – 331
    24 Jamie McMurray – 317
    25 Casey Mears – 301
    26 Martin Truex, Jr. – 289
    27 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. – 261
    28 Danica Patrick – 239
    29 Justin Allgaier – 223
    30 Michael Annett – 188

    PARTICIPANTS
    31 Cole Whitt – 181
    32 David Gilliland – 175
    33 Reed Sorenson – 165
    34 David Ragan – 158
    35 Alex Bowman – 156
    36 Josh Wise – 149

     

  • Jimmie Johnson Hankering for a Ninth Dover Triumph

    Jimmie Johnson Hankering for a Ninth Dover Triumph

    Jimmie Johnson, following a victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a result that all but guarantees him a spot in NASCAR’s playoffs, enters this weekend at Dover International Speedway, a circuit he’s dominated in recent seasons.

    Johnson, 38, has eight triumphs at the ‘Monster Mile’, making this weekend a golden opportunity to extend his legacy and confidence in chasing a seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

    “We are coming to my favorite race track and by the stats probably our best track as well,” Johnson explained in a media center appearance at Dover. “Excited to be here, look forward to getting on the race track and seeing how this new rules package works here.”

    Dominating in Dover, Delaware has been quite familiar to Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports. However, this weekend, after NASCAR implemented the new rules package, it’s left the team questioning their performance in America’s first state.

    “Over the years we have been able to adapt to a variety of generations of car and hopefully we can adapt quickly to what is needed here and what the set-up needs to be to get around the ‘Monster’ once again,” Johnson further commented. “Really at the end of the day there is a feel, a sensation, I look for to get around this race track.”

    “This is still the Gen-6 cars, but a different rules package under it. Regardless of change there are just some tracks that work well for you and you are able to still find that feeling you are looking for regardless of circumstances.”

    Johnson, though, isn’t fretting over the rules package; instead, he’s hoping to add another ‘Monster’ to his trophy collection at his ‘man cave’.

    “I have a great man cave. It’s a big warehouse and I have a huge bar that I restored and it’s got a big top shelf on it. And I think five of them are up there. They stand out. They’re a big trophy and they certainly draw a lot of attention.”

    Nevertheless, according to Johnson, winning this weekend and improving upon his record-breaking eight victories at this track, is expected and needed after letting wins slip by them this season.

    “We feel like wins have gotten away from us this year that we weren’t happy about and we also feel that there are tracks that we went to where we just had poor performances,” Johnson finished his appearance with. “So, the win is great, but we kind of hold ourselves to that standard and we’re coming to one of our best tracks and the expectations are very high for this weekend.”

     

     

  • The Hot 20 – It ain’t over till Johnson wins again at Dover

    The Hot 20 – It ain’t over till Johnson wins again at Dover

    Jimmie Johnson won last week. The odds are that Johnson will win again this week. Nothing is for sure, but a 33% winning rate anywhere is astronomical and Six Time has done it eight times in 24 attempts in Delaware. At least we will not have to hear his name dropped in the ongoing non-story as to “when, oh when might he win again?”

    No, now it will be Matt Kenseth the focal point of these nonsensical hand wringers. We have 14 races to the Chase, 14 more bids for victory to make it. Me thinks it a bit too early to worry about such things, especially when it comes to the former champ. Never in the modern era has more than 16 drivers won prior to race number 27, and considering Kenseth has the second highest point total even without a win he is just fine, for now. Those outside the Top 16, well, they might have cause for worry.

    Just what in the world is wrong at Stewart-Haas? Sure, Kevin Harvick has a couple of wins and does well, as long as the car stays together. Kurt Busch has a win, but without it he would be buried in the depths with Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick. We might view Patrick’s body of work and toss her under the bus as just not being good enough, but you cannot do that for Stewart or Busch. Now, if you want to start wailing as to Smoke’s woes and his need for a victory, go right ahead. He will need one. For that matter, what about Clint Bowyer, Jamie McMurray, and Martin Truex Jr? I think it is pretty clear now that none of them can make the Chase on points alone.

    I have some sad news to bring to your attention. Soon we will say goodbye to the FOX guys after Dover, as TNT takes over for a six race run before surrendering the coverage to ESPN in late July. Enjoy Chris, Michael, Darrell, Mike, Larry, Jeff and all those infield boys and girls while you can. Savor Adam, Wally, and Kyle when they come our way from June to mid-July. Soon enough it will be back to Allen, Brad, and Rusty, but at least it will be for only one more excruciating season.

    By leaving the points alone, other than giving 22 bonus points per win, we see that Jeff Gordon remains our top driver over the season, with Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards in the mix. However, if all goes according to the script at Dover, I would expect the guy in seventh to move up the ladder significantly by the time the weekend comes to a close.

    Driver – Points – Wins
    1 Jeff Gordon – 454 – 1
    2 Kyle Busch – 430 – 1
    3 Carl Edwards – 430 – 1
    4 Joey Logano – 422 – 2
    5 Matt Kenseth – 421
    6 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 416 – 1
    7 Jimmie Johnson – 410 – 1
    8 Kevin Harvick – 389 – 2
    9 Brad Keselowski – 383 – 1
    10 Brian Vickers – 365
    11 Denny Hamlin – 362 – 1
    12 Ryan Newman – 361
    13 Greg Biffle – 351
    14 Kyle Larson – 344
    15 Austin Dillon – 334
    16 Paul Menard – 328
    17 Kasey Kahne – 324
    18 A.J. Allmendinger – 314
    19 Aric Almirola – 312
    20 Clint Bowyer – 309

  • Brett Moffitt Equipped For Sprint Cup Debut at Dover

    Brett Moffitt Equipped For Sprint Cup Debut at Dover

    Jay Robinson Racing, affiliate to Michael Waltrip Racing, announced that Brett Moffitt will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Dover International Raceway this weekend.

    Moffitt, 22, competed in the NASCAR K&N East Pro Series for five season registering nine victories after 61 career-starts, however, an  championship eluded him; his best finish in the championship standings was second (twice).

    Though, despite the K&N East experience, Moffitt has limited tenure in the NASCAR Touring Series, running two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events and a single NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

    Moffitt, however, isn’t concerned the limited experience will affect him this weekend at Dover, especially since he’s captured two K&N East triumphs at the Monster Mile.

    “I’m honored Jay asked me to drive his car at Dover,” Moffitt said. “The Monster Mile is a tough, but fun track and I can’t wait to get there. I won the 2009 & 2010 K&N East races at Dover so I think I’ll feel comfortable there, but SprintCup racing is a whole new world.”

    Moffitt, piloting from Grimes, Iowa, understands the expectations: qualify (as the team will be forced to qualify in on time) and gain crucial track time.

    “I appreciate all support I have received from Jay Robinson, TRD and everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing for making this happen,” Moffitt explained. “My goals are to qualify well and learn all I can during the race.”

    Robinson, who formed an alliance with Michael Waltrip following last season, is expecting a solid result from the developing driver, in fact, he believes he could have a diamond in the rough, considering the respect Moffitt holds in the garage area.

    “Brett is a very young driver with a lot of experience for his age,” said Robinson. “If you ask around the garage, you will learn he’s one of the most respected young men in the sport who just hasn’t had a chance at a full-time ride. We think he has a lot of talent and will show it at Dover.”

    Moffitt will attain the driver seat of the No. 66 Toyota which has been occupied by Joe Nemechek, primary driver, and Jeff Burton, secondary driver.

    The FedEx benefiting Autism Speaks 400 at Dover will be held this Sunday, June 1, 2014.

  • The Final Word – Dover is over, now off to Kansas where Kyle’s dreams go to die

    The Final Word – Dover is over, now off to Kansas where Kyle’s dreams go to die

    Dover in a nutshell? Well, Jimmie won, Matt did not, and Kyle had to settle for a mere Top Five. What has not changed is that the trio remain the only relevant drivers as they head to Kansas for Sunday’s fourth round of the Chase.

    Johnson made it a record eight wins at that track in just 24 starts in Delaware. By claiming his fifth of the season, and 65th of his career, the five-time former champ is just 8 points behind Kenseth, who finished 7th at Dover. Busch was fifth last Sunday and is a dozen points off the pace. Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick are next, 39 points away. So, until each and every one of the three leaders cough and sputter to somewhere beyond a Top Ten, at least, the rest of them remain just members of the supporting cast.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr started from the pole and finished just behind Johnson. A win would have meant more to him than a great points day, as he sits 57 back in the waiting room. Most of the Chasers did well, taking all Top Ten spots, while Kasey Kahne (13th), Kurt Busch (21st after a loose wheel green flag stop), and Carl Edwards (35th after a broken wheel hub) were the outsiders.

    As NASCAR no longer releases attendance figures, we are left guessing as to what those big bare patches in the grandstands meant in way of numbers. Considering Dover is a track situated within a hundred miles of Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, somebody does not give a damn. A bunch of somebodies. Maybe stellar television coverage might entice them out to take a look at the real deal.

    Rating Dover – 5.5/10 – Too bad, as the visuals of this track, with the dive down the hill into the corners before swooping up on the other side, can be rather breathtaking. I did enjoy watching Race Day, but unfortunately none of the SPEED announcers would later appear on the ESPN broadcast. Good reporting from the pits, but the main crew were, well, the pits. Same old, same old.

    After 31-years, ESPN fired Marty Reid for mistaking the white flag for the checkered flag, and for one second declaring Ryan Blaney the Nationwide winner at Kentucky a lap early. Considering it did not detract in the least from the broadcast, that Blaney was leading by a large margin, or considering the amateur hour that is ESPN’s Cup coverage, you would have figured he might have got a bit of slack from the clowns in the suits. Then again, they might have done him a favor. Reid’s replacement? That would be Allan Bestwick. Good grief.

    Kansas Speedway is next on the schedule. Matt Kenseth won the last two run there and has been in the Top Ten in each of his past six attempts.

    Kansas Speedway, where Jimmie Johnson has a pair, including the fall of 2011. Where he has six Top Fives in 14 attempts, along with 10 Top Tens, and leads all active drivers with an average finish of 7.6.

    Kansas Speedway, where Kyle Busch sucks. Sorry, but two Top Tens in a dozen starts does not cut it. Seven times he has failed to crack even the Top Twenty. This is where his Chase hopes go to die, unless this is the year he avoids his Chase jinx.

    Congratulations to my mother-in-law, who turns 80 years old today. She will not be part of the broadcast of this race. To be fair, Fran doesn’t know a damn thing about NASCAR, but she would be a hell of a lot more entertaining than what we will hear this Sunday. Maybe she could fill in for Marty. Enjoy the week!

  • The fall of Ryan Newman, aka ‘Rocket Man’

    The fall of Ryan Newman, aka ‘Rocket Man’

    When Ryan Newman first came on to the NASCAR scene in 2002, we all saw Newman as a shining light in the sport. Newman was a kid who had the potential to be a champion in the sport. He was so good at qualifying that we gave him the name ‘Rocket Man’. What has happened to the ‘Rocket Man’? From 2002-2004, Newman had 26 pole starts and 11 of his 16 victories came within those three seasons, including a season-leading high of eight wins in 2003. He has only visited victory lane five times since 2004 and his only victory in 2012 came with the help of wrecking the entire lead pack at Martinsville on a green-white-checkered finish.

    His attitude at the race track makes me question if he really wants to be in this sport any longer. We have seen him act out against NASCAR, and other drivers in very disrespectful fashion. In 2010, Newman got in a mini-altercation with Joey Logano at Michigan after an incident entering turn 3. Logano got loose and spun Newman. Newman began to lecture Logano but in a very disrespectful way. When NASCAR officials broke the two apart Newman replied, “I’m just trying to teach this kid how to drive.” Newman did not make any productive comments about better driving. Instead, Mr. Newman took jabs about his driving abilities and suggested that he go back to the Nationwide Series and race there a little longer, then Newman jabbed at Logano because he said the incident took place halfway through the race when the incident indeed took place at Lap 70 of the 200 lap event. “It wasn’t halfway through the race. It was 70 laps. Get your story straight.”

    When Logano replied, “Okay. That’s still a long way to go.” Newman replied, “Yeah. No it’s not. No it’s not.” Newman’s behavior was childish and reflects the attitude of his owner, Tony Stewart. Also, Newman said, “I race hard. There is something called a championship.” In other words, you suck Joey and you don’t understand this sport as well as I do. Logano isn’t the only driver Newman has taken childish shots at. Newman has also taken shots at Juan Pablo Montoya.

    During the 2006 Ford 400, Montoya made his Sprint Cup Series debut in the No.32 Texaco-Havoline Dodge. Early in the race, Montoya got Newman aero loose and spun off turn 2. Newman then preceded to wreck Montoya on purpose. Was that a good thing to do? No. Newman treats new drivers in this sport like garbage. Who does that remind you of? Tony Stewart. Newman and Montoya had another dust up in 2011 at Richmond when Newman refused to let Montoya go and hooked him into the wall. It’s very ironic given Newman’s staunch policy of give and take racing which is just as laughable as Tony Stewart’s policy on blocking. Montoya got payback and turned him around into the fence. I felt that was well deserved. I applauded what Montoya did. Newman gave an interview and was asked if this incident stemmed from their incident in 2006. Newman responded, “I don’t know if he can even remember back that far.” Newman also said that his retaliation, “Didn’t show much class.” This particular interview was with FOX SPORTS’s Matt Yocum. Newman was heading to the hauler to talk to NASCAR about how to “handle” the Montoya situation.

    How about this past Sunday at Dover, everyone? Newman was just irritated by the small-team being in front of him. After all, Newman did graduate from Purdue University with a degree in automotive engineering. I’m higher class than this David Gilliland guy. I’m going to constantly hit him and make him get out of my way. Oh, Mr. Gilliland is refusing to cooperate? I’ll just dump him. I have lost all respect for Newman. All of it. And for his supposed “spokesperson” to come out and say that a “steering failure” caused the crash is just pure BS. Anyone with a brain knows that Newman wrecked Gilliland on purpose. Newman was foolish enough to do it coming off turn 2. Many people have tried doing it and many people have failed miserably at it. Turn 2 is a treacherous place at Dover International Speedway. Does the 2008 Best Buy 400 ring a bell when Gilliland and Elliott Sadler made contact? It’s so hard to slow down coming off turn 2 if there is indeed an accident which is why qualifying is so important at this race track. Newman could have taken out more than just him and Gilliland on Sunday.

    His reunited effort with Matt Borland has not met much success so far and it’s not Borland that is the problem. It is Newman. It is his attitude that causes team morale to go so low. During a recession, I certainly wouldn’t want him as my financial adviser. Newman made disparaging comments about NASCAR in my opinion following Talladega. Does Newman really think we can stop cars from turning over? Doesn’t he have an automotive engineering degree? If two cars run into each other at over 195 mph, I’m sorry there is going to be some major problems with that. That is basic physics and how Talladega has been since the track opened in 1969.

    Remember when Newman took shots at Auto Club Speedway fans and said that we shouldn’t be racing there because the fans that attend those races aren’t true fans of the sport? Those comments upset the fans. Now, I don’t blame Newman for the bad attendance ratings that came from Auto Club Speedway, but he certainly didn’t help. If NASCAR were consistent with their rulings, they would have fined Newman for actions detrimental to stock car racing in the blink of an eye. Oh, Mr. Newman has a history of stirring up the pot doesn’t he? Newman needs to get back to racing. If he does not change his attitude or get his mind back into racing, it will be too late. Newman will have lost his ride in the No.39 and if he wants to continue to race, he’ll probably get a ride in the No.78 car. With the departure of Kevin Harvick from RCR, I see Kurt Busch getting the No.29 ride over Newman. And Newman does not like it when a guy with less qualifications gets the best of him. He has made that perfectly clear many times that he is willing to risk his reputation for one position on the race track.

    Also, there are fans that legitimately go to NASCAR races for crashes. That is a fact. I know people that like NASCAR for wrecks. Newman doesn’t want those fans in the stands. He made that clear after yet another accident at Talladega in 2009. That also did not help the problem with growing attendance problems. Granted, the economy was in bad shape, but the last thing you need to do is add more fuel to the fire. How about adding water to it and start encouraging fans to come to the track? And that doesn’t mean that Kurt Busch goes out to sell hot dogs, or Kasey Kahne goes out go-carting, but make it more affordable. Take out some regulations that lessen the excitement of the sport. Create a poll on nascar.com and actually take those polls seriously and work on the sport accordingly. Newman recently has become notorious for blowing off his fans.

    Fans come from all over the country to watch their favorite drivers race, and other fans pay more money for a pre-race pit pass to tour the garage area, take family photos, and get autographs from their favorite drivers. Newman was carrying his child and told a group of fans he would not sign any autographs because he was holding his kid. Now, Mr. Newman has two hands and two arms. NASCAR drivers are trained to sign autographs without even looking at the paper. That was extremely unkind and just unconscionable. It’s become clear that Newman just does not care.

    Newman owes Gilliland a sincere apology, his entire Stewart-Haas Racing team, and his remaining fans. While I’m for drivers having more control over their emotions and a “Boys Have At It” approach, I do not condone wrecking people intentionally in these cars. Racing is still a dangerous sport and I hope Newman finally sees the light and begins to focus back on racing.

  • NASCAR Needs To Change Restart Rules

    NASCAR Needs To Change Restart Rules

    From what I saw, NASCAR made the right call at Dover black flagging Jimmie Johnson but if you step back and take a look at how restarts are policed; you would agree that NASCAR needs to overhaul the entire process. There is a much simpler way of going about restarts that would be better for everyone if they implemented it. Before I get to what that exactly is, here’s a look back at other restart controversies that drastically affected the outcome of races.

    There have been many restart controversies in NASCAR; too many actually. It’s a very gray area and it’s always a judgment call on NASCAR’s part. There really isn’t a black and white ruling with restarts and the calls are usually very inconsistent. That’s not a shot at the officials; it’s just a tough thing to police. NASCAR has a restart zone and the 2nd place car is not allowed to pass the leader unless they don’t go by the time the field gets to the end of the restart area. The leader can also be legally passed if they are unable to maintain a reasonable speed. The drivers mess with one another on restarts all the time trying to get that slight advantage that could potentially change the outcome of their race.

    Earlier this year, we saw Carl Edwards brake-check the field at Phoenix allowing him to get a considerable gap over Jimmie Johnson. Technically, he didn’t maintain a reasonable speed by slowing down like that but NASCAR let it slide. Last year, there was a Nationwide race at Indianapolis where Elliott Sadler had the win taken away from him after a controversial restart. He beat leader Brad Keselowski to the line, there’s no doubt about that but the circumstances surrounding it is what makes it controversial. Not only did leader Brad Keselowski spin his tires, but Elliott’s teammate Austin Dillon was shoving him so there was no possible way he could back off and give the position back. NASCAR black-flagged him anyway costing him the victory and taking valuable points away from him.

    NASCAR usually doesn’t care if the second place car beats the leader to the line as long as it’s by just a small amount but in situations like Sadler’s, there was nothing he could do about it. Another incident was last year at Richmond and that was just a complete mess in more ways than one. Not only did Stewart spin his tires in the worst way, but both he and Edwards thought they were the leader at the time and in control of the race. In the end, Carl was issued a penalty ruining his night. There have been so many problems with restarts the past few years that I could write a book on it and it’s all so unnecessary; there is a much better way to go about restarts. A couple other recent problems were David Ragan in the 2011 Daytona 500 and Johnny Sauter in a truck race at Texas a couple years back.

    The question is, how should NASCAR police restarts? The best option in my opinion would be the complete abatement of the current restart rules. NASCAR needs to seriously consider implementing a rule just like Indycar’s. Everyone must stay in formation until the green flag flies and then all bets are off. Just start racing after the green flag is waved with no restart zones or being told to stay in line. That will instantly erase all these games played on restarts, take away all the controversy and it will actually make the races more exciting. With the way it works now, you are at the mercy of the driver alongside you which isn’t right.

    This system has worked perfectly in Indycar and would work just as well in NASCAR. No more restart controversies, no more brake-checking, no more holding your breath until you cross the line and most importantly, no more judgment calls. It’s a simple idea that would be a great addition to the racing and make for a better race. You’ll have people fanning out 4-wide before they even get to the stripe as they race off into the corner instead of everyone slowing down and speeding up to make sure they don’t do anything wrong. The only issues they’d have is when an overzealous driver takes off before the restart zone which would be a fairly easy thing to police.

    We have easily 10 or more issues with restarts every year across all three national touring divisions and that’s way too many in my eyes. NASCAR is doing the best they can trying to enforce the rules we have in place but it’s an unneeded burden for the drivers and officials to have to deal with. Get rid of the current restart rules and employ Indycar’s; it’s that simple.

  • Could Jeff Gordon Break Out Of His Slump On Sunday?

    Could Jeff Gordon Break Out Of His Slump On Sunday?

    As we come into Sunday’s FedEx 400 at Dover, Jeff Gordon sits 15th in the points standings, with 3 top 10 finishes. Last Sunday at Charlotte, Gordon looked like he could be a threat to win his 4th Coca-Cola 600, but after a debris caution and a subsequent mistake to continue pitting, Gordon was stuck in the middle of the pack trying to get his way to the front pack, but was caught up in an accident when Mark Martin got together with Aric Almirola. An unhappy Gordon was snake-bitten yet again and finished in 33rd. Gordon is starting off another disappointing season, but it hasn’t been as bad as the beginning of 2012 if that makes things any better.

    However; this weekend could be his biggest chance to back into victory lane. Yes, Gordon has not won here since 2001, but look at both of his races last season here at the track. For years following his 2001 victory, Gordon struggled to find the right setup at the Dover International Speedway. Last season in this event, Gordon had the fastest car on the race track, but as we have become accustomed too in recent years, Gordon was the bad luck king. The fastest car doesn’t always win the races. Gordon overcame his first piece of bad luck, a loose wheel on lap 250. However, when climbing back through the field after his last pit stop, a caution came out for a questionable piece of debris that put Gordon a lap down for the second time. This relegated Gordon to a 13th place finish. In September, Gordon finished runner-up to 2012 series champion, Brad Keselowski.

    What can we expect from Jeff here this weekend? Through the first two practice sessions, Gordon is averaging about 18th quickest on speed, and will start the race on Sunday from the 20th position, but teammate Jimmie Johnson also qualified mid-pack in 24th. Will the 24 and 48 be a threat on the long run?

    I would like to hear from you all. Leave your comments here, or you can always tweet me @RyanPrakOHara. Enjoy the Nationwide race today!