Subscribe to this blog's feed« Wow! Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson fail inspection at Sonoma | Main | Gamble pays off for Montoya »
June 24, 2007
Almirola gets his first career Busch victory, well sort of
Almirola will be credited for the win, get the points and the winnings because he started the race in the #20 car, but Hamlin was the one who got the checkered flag at the end of the race.
Almirola was supposed to practice and qualify the car only and Hamlin was supposed to run the race, but Hamlin's helicopter had trouble landing at the track and Almirola started the race in the car and he was doing good too. Hamlin was clearly upset about not making it on time.
Almirola won the pole and led the first 43 laps of the race. Edwards passed him on lap 44, but Almirola was still running in the top, third actually, when the caution came out on lap 57. That's when the team made their "decision" to take Almirola out and put Hamlin in the car during that pit stop under yellow, it also put them a lap down. Knowing how good the car and Hamlin were, they weren't worried about getting back to the lead lap and contend for the win. They were right, he got back on the lead lap and thanks to a tire going down on Edwards car, Hamlin won the race, not surprising really, he is a Cup driver after all.
Hamlin said it was not his decision to take Almirola out of the car, it was the "teams" decision, but I think it was wrong. He got the pole, Hamlin wasn't available and he started the race, he should have been able to finish the race unless he was hurt. How can a "development driver" learn if he can't drive the car and is replaced with a Cup driver?
If the sponsors want a Cup driver to drive the car so they will win, they need to sponsor a Cup car, not a Busch car. Cup drivers racing every once in a while in the Busch Series is one thing, yes it does challenge the Busch regulars, but racing in practically every race is wrong, they moved UP to the Cup Series, that should be their focus. How can the Busch regulars, especially the young ones, get noticed if the Cup drivers are always shining in the Busch Series?
I'm sure Almirola isn't feeling too great about his first career win, especially since he wasn't even in the car, in fact he had left the track shortly after being taken out of the car without any interviews. I mean how would you feel? It sure wouldn't feel like a win, let alone my first to me.
How would you feel if that's how you got your first career victory? Your thoughts?
June 24, 2007 in NASCAR, NASCAR Busch Series | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451bce769e200e009865b5d8833
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Almirola gets his first career Busch victory, well sort of:
Comments
Het complete hitoverzicht cd 1 [url=http://aachen.phpnet.us/3/het-complete-hitoverzicht-cd-1.html]Het complete hitoverzicht cd 1[/url] This Is The Remix [url=http://aachen.phpnet.us/2/this-is-the-remix.html]This Is The Remix[/url] 458489 A-Sides [url=http://aachen.phpnet.us/2/458489-a-sides.html]458489 A-Sides[/url] And Love Said No (The Greatest Hits 1997-2004) [url=http://aachen.phpnet.us/3/and-love-said-no-the-greatest-hits-1997-2004.html]And Love Said No (The Greatest Hits 1997-2004)[/url] Bloodangeles Cry [url=http://aachen.phpnet.us/2/bloodangeles-cry.html]Bloodangeles Cry[/url] Victim of Love [url=http://aachen.phpnet.us/3/victim-of-love.html]Victim of Love[/url] Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV 630 [url=http://aachen.phpnet.us/2/nulla-in-mundo-pax-sincera-rv-630.html]Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV 630[/url] Ekova - Arabian Travels [url=http://aachen.phpnet.us/2/ekova---arabian-travels.html]Ekova - Arabian Travels[/url] Passion In My Heart [url=http://aachen.phpnet.us/3/passion-in-my-heart.html]Passion In My Heart[/url]
Posted by: vinil | Jul 3, 2007 2:28:34 AM
Denny's sponsor's hometown track is at Milwaukee, they wanted their driver to win the race, not a fill-in.
As a result, it was planned all along that when Denny got there, HE WOULD RACE IN THE #20 CAR.
Did anyone hear the allegations that Almirola deliberately parked his rental car on the heliport to prevent Denny from landing?
Posted by: Jon2 | Jun 25, 2007 1:01:26 PM
Jon:
"Sorry to burst your little bubble, but I don't hate Denny Hamlin,"
Who mentioned your name? Not by me, the comment was directed to the whiners and babies that claim Denny has "lost a fan" and other such nonsense.
And it all stems from idjits who are uninformed and haven't read comments by Hamlin and Almirola clearly indicating what was planned prior to the race and how Hamlin had no intention to get in the #20.
They also conveniently ignore Hamlin was all set to get in another car to drive relief when "the call" went out for him to jump in the #20.
In short it's easier for a select few to whine, cry and do the "panty twist" than take a realistic look at facts.
Posted by: marc | Jun 25, 2007 12:27:23 AM
Sorry to burst your little bubble, but I don't hate Denny Hamlin, you have him mixed up with Gordon, I am just stating my opinion about Almirola getting screwed out of being able to celebrate him first Busch Series win just to put Hamlin in the car.
Posted by: Jon | Jun 25, 2007 12:05:45 AM
Gibbs racing just lost a Fan of the Gibbs racing team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Posted by: wireman | Jun 24, 2007 9:40:06 PM
Hey Kathy,
Well done topic.
While it was a shame for Aric, he will get benefit from it for a long time. Now, it will be up to him to get another win. That one will be all the sweeter.
As for the Cup drivers, obviously they are needed to ensure a full field. What was there 5 or 6 field fillers?
Posted by: Larry | Jun 24, 2007 9:39:15 PM
Completely agree, Kathy. To a degree I also have sympathy for Denny H., as I really don't think he would have done that to another driver unless somebody told him he had to, although we'll never know what exactly happened, as J.D. Gibbs seems to be unable to give a truthful answer about it. Almirola has a perfect right to be pissed off.
Posted by: SneakyPete | Jun 24, 2007 9:00:19 PM
Funny, someone wants to lean on Utter's article but rails to note he starts if by showing he's full of beans: "Only in NASCAR can this happen."
Ah... sorry Jim the IRL, and m,any other series, has the same rule the driver the quals and starts gets the win, points and cash.
That aside, both Hamlin and Almirola knew going in what the agreement was. Aric would qual and have the potential to start the race.
As it happened, thru no fault of Hamlin (he was late due to a helo-pad unavailable) he arrived later than planned.
By all indications it was a sponsor/Gibbs decision to make the late switch yet some of you want to cast blame were is isn't warranted, on Hamlin.
Pffftttt! to all of you "haters."
Posted by: marc | Jun 24, 2007 8:04:51 PM
I'm just surprised that there has actually been another topic covered here by Kathy, thought for sure she'd have milked the Gordon/Johnson deal a while longer.
Posted by: Bill | Jun 24, 2007 4:30:55 PM
Jon,
Stricklin Fan was dead on.. It sucks, he did get screwed. But PC, Stricklin nailed it, its money now not feelings. I believe that his point as well..
\
If I was wrong Strick sorry
Posted by: Kurt2 | Jun 24, 2007 3:57:41 PM
Eric.
Could you be any more racist? HELLO, he was on the pole... takes one person to be a ass, gotta love this sport.
Go burn a flag, and take your sheets off the bed and wear them.
Before you speak such stupidity,have you met the kid? No you havent, hell of a lot better than a few Cup guys personaility and personally..
No Eric, I am going to work with a WHITE cup driver , does that suit your taste.?
Posted by: Kurt2 | Jun 24, 2007 3:55:33 PM
I think we ALL know where the instructions came from (Executive Sponser Level), but the issue or question at hand is,.."Was it the RIGHT ting to do?" I agree with the majority on this one. I am also an advocate of the Cup guys either NOT participating in the Busch Series OR not being able to recieve any points for the race. I mean, C'mon,..these guys spend most of their racing careers racing in small dirt tracks, then advacing thru all the lower ranks of racing, then are fortunate enough to get a Busch car driving position, and then FINALLY getting the ULTIMATE chance of a lifetime by getting a Cup car,..WHY IN THE WORLD GO BACKWARDS! Give the NEXT man a chance.
Posted by: Twenty4Chevy | Jun 24, 2007 2:41:14 PM
I don't disagree with anything you wrote, Kathy. Aric got the short end of the stick.
Posted by: Barb g | Jun 24, 2007 2:38:59 PM
It was 100% the sponsors decision ....BTW , The only reason Almirola is in the car is because of the Drive for Diversity garbage program they have , enough said .
Posted by: Eric | Jun 24, 2007 2:31:05 PM
Sorry I'm late Gang, YES I think Amirola got the short end of the stick on this one. This wasn't a case of a driver being sick or having any other types of complications. With the exception of Edwards leading those few laps, Amirola was the class of the field. I think it was a slap in the face to have him pulled. This was another FINE example of how racing, whether it be Cup or Busch, has just gotten too POLITICAL and COMMERCIAL. I think Hamlin is a good driver and if it was TOTALLY up to him, I doubt if he would have done that to ANY other driver,..especially one that was SPANKING THAT A**!
Posted by: Twenty4Chevy | Jun 24, 2007 2:23:25 PM
Cup drivers need to stay in Cup. Carl Edwards has a made a mockery of the season along with Harvick last year. I don't really care if I watch anymore.
Posted by: jeff | Jun 24, 2007 2:14:07 PM
When Denny started Cup, I said I think I'm going to like this guy, but this year he's a bigger whinner than Jeff Gordon ever was.
True we don't know for sure why he got into the car. But it just seems like nothing is ever his fault.
Maybe some of Tony has rubbed off on him
Posted by: DonB | Jun 24, 2007 2:09:27 PM
Aric wouldn't of finished in the top ten if they left him in the car, look at his stats for this year. His finishes are 19,27,32,19,43,20,41,14,10,6. He's driving a car capable of winning any race it enters but has never got the job done. It's not his fault though, NA$CAR makes these teams find a "diversity" driver and throw them in a car to get the media and everyone off their back. Aric raced with us down here in NC in late-models and got called illegal 90% of the time he ran.He's a really good guy but it stinks that NA$CAR makes him and other drivers be their "guinea pig" just to be PC.
Posted by: corey17 | Jun 24, 2007 1:59:24 PM
Celdrami, Maybe Amirola couldn't have won but who knows? He managed to get the pole and was in third at the time he was pulled. Sounds like he was doing just fine to me.
Hopefully people will remember his name thanks to this and keep an eye on him when they see him race next. I know I will and I couldn't have told you you who he was yesterday :)
Posted by: thomas | Jun 24, 2007 1:55:40 PM
Stricklin,
You are right it is the sponsors money, but it is still ultimately J.D's decision to pull Almirola and put Hamlin in the car. However, the way it was done is what many people including Almirola will remember the most.
Posted by: Jon | Jun 24, 2007 1:52:23 PM
Kurt2,
I must have missed where you read that Stricklinfan82 said Amirola got screwed, he said he felt sorry for him, but he knows his place.
Posted by: Jon | Jun 24, 2007 1:45:52 PM
Stricklinfan
You summed it up, Aric did get screwed, but sponsors always win..
Posted by: Kurt2 | Jun 24, 2007 1:37:13 PM
What a boon-doggle! Rockwell Automation, by choosing a less-costly sponsorhip, demands their 'star' fly cross-country to attend a race at the home base. Things became hopelessly messed up...BUT They Have Their Winner, and At All Costs!
And this cannot be good for NASCAR's diversity effort, either. A Cuban-American gets pulled from the car so that an All-American, Apple-Pie Southerner can get the win.
I wonder how proud Rockwell can be of this very controversial win.
Posted by: Snafam | Jun 24, 2007 12:41:44 PM
I do feel sorry for Almirola but I understand the decision to put Hamlin in the car. Almirola knew his job was to drive the car until Hamlin arrived. If Hamlin had arrived seconds before qualifying he would have gotten out of the car, and if he had arrived during the pace laps he would have gotten out of the car. This situation wasn't that much different. They were only 50 or so laps into the 250 lap race, and putting Hamlin in the car then was the equivalent of Hamlin starting a 200 lap race from the back of the field because he didn't qualify the car (surely they didn't count on losing a lap in the pits when the decision was made).
The same thing happened in the Cup race at Charlotte in the fall of 2004. Carl Edwards was running the full-time Truck schedule and had just gotten the #99 Cup ride after Jeff Burton left the team. Edwards was late getting to Charlotte because the truck race in Texas ran long, so Dave Blaney (who qualified and practiced the car) started the race. Once Edwards arrived Blaney got out of the car and Carl drove it the rest of the night.
Rockwell paid millions of dollars to have a Cup driver like Denny Hamlin drive their car. While it would have nice for them to keep Hamlin in the pits all night and let the developmental driver stay in the car for the last 200 laps, they decided to put their #1 driver in the car early enough in the race to be able to contend for the victory.
If you were Rockwell and paid millions of dollars to have Denny Hamlin drive your racecar, and you were at your biggest race of the year in your company's hometown, you probably would have had a hard time keeping the young developmental driver in the car that early in the race and watching Denny Hamlin sit in the pits for the rest of the night.
I feel sorry for Almirola, it would have been nice for Rockwell to let him stay in the car he qualified on the pole and led early with, but I understand the decision.
Posted by: stricklinfan82 | Jun 24, 2007 12:41:39 PM
Hamlin's on a roll........straight down hill. He trashes a pit crew that has won the crew of the race award 3 times this year, blames everyone in sight for stealing races from him and then steals one for himself! Well at least he gets a good days sleep :^)
Cheers; Mass
Posted by: Massracin | Jun 24, 2007 12:40:06 PM
grumpyoldman,
You took the words right out of my mouth. Tony Stewart is my favorite driver so I have been rooting for Hamlin and Yelley as well. I will no longer be a Hamlin fan. His ego has outgrown his driving ability and his driving ability is giant. Go Stewart and Yelley. Hamlin can just shutup.
Celdrami,
Who cares if Hamlin won the race, we didn't get a chance to see if Aric could have done the same.
Posted by: Diane | Jun 24, 2007 11:51:27 AM
like grumpy said,Hamlin has becoame a spoiled brat,the opposite of what made a lot of people like him.He fits in at JGR though.Almirola could've won that race,don't doubt that for a second.
Posted by: Tee-Moan | Jun 24, 2007 11:49:21 AM
Do you actually think that Almirola would have won the race? It is slim to none that the 20 car would have won that race without Hamlin in it. So I can see how Hamlin stole anything from Almirola.
Posted by: Celdrami | Jun 24, 2007 11:45:43 AM
Do you actually think that Almirola would have won the race? It is slim to none that the 20 car would have won that race without Hamlin in it. So I can see how Hamlin stole anything from Almirola.
Posted by: Celdrami | Jun 24, 2007 11:38:21 AM
This just proves what a spoiled brat Denny Hamlin has become. His Cup crew screws up a pit stop, he then publicly calls them out and demands they be replaced.
He oversleeps and misses morning practice at Sonoma and has to stay for more of the afternoon practice and misses the start of the Busch race. He then goes on TV and cries until he gets his way.
BABY grow up!!!
I have just put you on my list with Gordon and Stewart. CRYBABY.
Posted by: grumpyoldman | Jun 24, 2007 11:29:44 AM
Utter told both sides, but however it seems it is lose-lose for both drivers.
Biggest loser Rockwell.
Posted by: anonymouse | Jun 24, 2007 11:19:38 AM
What Utter article are you reading? It seems like he is totally on Almirola's side. It was a bad call. Denny seems like a decent guy so my bet is it was a sponsor. If it were me...keep the money; keep the points; trophy in the dumpster.
Posted by: Keith | Jun 24, 2007 11:13:45 AM
Pretty sad that Mr. Utter is trying to make it sound like Denny Hamlin got screwed more than Almirola did.
Posted by: jon | Jun 24, 2007 11:04:48 AM
[quote]Jim Utter | Only in NASCAR can this happen
THATSRACIN.COM OPINION
By JIM UTTER - The Charlotte Observer
Aric Almirola won his first Busch Series race Saturday night and wasn’t in the car to earn it.
Only in NASCAR can this happen.
Denny Hamlin overslept Saturday morning and missed most of the first Nextel Cup Series practice in Sonoma, Calif. Later in the day, he took a flight to Milwaukee, arrived too late and missed the start of the AT&T 250 Busch Series race.
Since Almirola, a Joe Gibbs Racing development driver, had already qualified Hamlin’s car on the pole, the team had him start the race.
By all official NASCAR record-keeping accounts, that was the end of Hamlin’s day. Hamlin, however, had other plans.
Rather than get back on his jet and return to Sonoma for Sunday’s race - you know the big one where he is competing for a championship - Hamlin instead insisted on getting in the Busch car, or any Busch car for that matter.
[b]After going on TV and, for all practical purposes, begging for a car to drive, JGR finally relented and pulled Almirola from the No. 20 Chevrolet while he was running third.[/b]
Almirola left the car unhappy, as well he should have been. After messing around with the seat, Hamlin finally got in the car, but lost a lap in the process. His desire to get in the car sent the team from third to 23rd and a lap down.
Give him credit for busting his tail to get back to the front, but to what end? A win he will not get credit for?
Under no circumstances did that make any sense whatsoever.
Whatever Hamlin accomplished in the car - including a win - would officially be credited to Almirola because Almirola started the race. That’s everything - win, points, money, trophy.
If there was nothing of consequence to gain by Hamlin getting in the car, what was the reason? Ego? Assuage his anger for missing the start of the race? Did the team’s sponsor demand his presence?
Even if Hamlin or the sponsor didn’t wish to bestow a little respect on the guy who was in his car, you would think the crew chief or team president J.D. Gibbs - anyone - would step up and do the right thing, the only thing that made sense.
But no. Instead, Hamlin’s desires, or the sponsor’s - whatever they truly were - were coddled. A chance for a meaningful victory (like when the winning driver in the car) was ruined because another driver couldn’t stand sitting on the sidelines; or some sponsor commitment had to be met at whatever cost.
There were no winners here. It was a public relations disaster from beginning to end, but no one lost more than Almirola.
The sponsor, JGR, Hamlin and no one else - even Almirola’s closest friends - can give back what he had taken away Saturday night.
And because of that, NASCAR and the race fans lost, too.[/quote]
Jim Utter seems to be saying how unfair it is to Hamlin, to win a race and not get credit. He is missing the point big time. As always.
Geez Denny cant't even wake up on time for Nextel practice, no matter who's fault it is he was late to Milwaukie. All the other drivers made it in time. More reason Nascar should limit Cup drivers. No season long "farce", ruining what was a good series. Running away with the title because they are the best funded teams in the garage. Owner points say it all. Top 2 are the 60 Edwards and 21 [Multiple cup drivers, driver development RCR].
Posted by: anonymouse | Jun 24, 2007 10:54:15 AM
Consenus is he did get screwed. Agree totally.
I mean the guy drove his butt off,to get yanked out by the sponsor basically.Since Rockwell is based there. JD made the call.
After he changed he left the track.
Going to be intresting at the team meeting on Tues. @ Gibbs
Posted by: Kurt2 | Jun 24, 2007 10:41:25 AM
Hamlin was not happy! Doing the victory lap with VT flag, he looked fit to kill. It's bad when the driver in the seat has to get out for the "regular" driver who was late. Who cares why, Amirola started the race, he deserved to finish. JGR has lost all respect in my book. (neighbor is gas man) Cannot wait to hear the team's side.
Posted by: anonymouse | Jun 24, 2007 10:39:18 AM
I agree completely Kathy.
Posted by: Scott | Jun 24, 2007 10:37:18 AM
Kathy,
I agree completely with all of your points, Almirola got screwed last night, for what ever reason they come up with for pulling him from the car will not make up for it. He didn't get to celebrate his first Busch Series win like all other drivers get to. Even if he was at the track, it wouldn't have been much a celebration since Hamlin crossed the finish line in the car.
Posted by: jon | Jun 24, 2007 10:21:06 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Advertisements
