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Pocono Smoke
By Dennis Terry
Except for a bad right-front tire that caused us to go a lap down late in the race, our Bass Pro Shops team had a strong run going at Pocono.
Pocono proved me wrong and was exciting.
Tony Stewart also proved me wrong. Not only did he tough out a painful shoulder injury and finish the long Pocono race, but he finished third while still nursing a broken shoulder blade.
“Playing hurt” separates the men from the boys in any form of sports. Injuries always have a way of proving who is passionate about what they are doing who is just in it for the $$$.
Tony proved that he races for the love of racing and not the love of the money. That’s the John Wayne, Babe Ruth and Earnhardt mentality that NASCAR was known for back when smoking was still cool and only team owners had cell phones.
That was a time when our sport didn’t pay multimillion-dollar driver salaries so the best drivers were the ones who loved to race not just drive in circles and fly in private jets.
Our sport was once a sport where the drivers were men and the boys stayed at home playing video games. Drivers didn’t become the best in the garage just because they were cute little boys who looked good in commercials.
The hottest drivers were the ones who kicked ass every week and didn’t make up excuses when they let their fans down. They didn’t get fined by NASCAR for throwing helmets or cussing on TV because they did their talking with a big chrome bumper, a fat right foot and sometimes bare knuckles out behind Turn 4.
So, thanks to Tony Stewart for setting an example by his determination and not by taking the easy way out. Stewart’s determination is the fortitude of a champion, not just a bunch of smoke.
June 12, 2006 in Race talk | Permalink
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Comments
How was Pocono exciting ? It proves again and again to be one of the worst tracks on the circuit . Just sooooo boring .
Posted by: Eric | Jun 12, 2006 12:53:36 PM
Dennis,
I am truly sorry about the late tire problem. I know Martin said he made a mistake by thinking the tire was flat, and it was just debris.
But, I would rather have him pit, then hit the wall with a flat tire, or an ignored brake problem. That hit by Jeffy was hard.
I don't understand why he didn't get his lap back. It shows the #24 out at lap 189. Shouldn't there have been a lucky dog awarded? Which would have been Martin.
I know his finish doesn't show how well he was running. But,it was great to see how well the team did giving Martin a car adjusted to contend with. It won't be long before he is in Victory Lane.
Good Luck at Michigan!
Posted by: mary4jrs8 | Jun 12, 2006 1:24:30 PM
Mary,
Thanks for your question. You were watching the race much more closely than I was for sure.
With about 15 laps to go we start packing everything in the pits up, so I missed the caution.
Bono, our crew chief, said that although Gordon hit the wall on lap 189, NASCAR didn't actually throw the caution until the leader crossed the finish line which was lap 190.
Therefore, even though we were in line for the transfer spot, officially there were only 10 laps left and the "lucky dog" rule is not in effect for the last 10 laps of a race.
DT
Posted by: DT | Jun 12, 2006 1:39:53 PM
Thanks for the info Dennis.
It just makes you wonder why they throw the caution so quickly sometimes, and delay sometimes, when it would have benefit great teams like yours.
Posted by: mary4jrs8 | Jun 12, 2006 2:07:56 PM
DT-
It's nice to see you acknowledge Tony's determination. And you are so right....he proved it's for love, not money.
I wish you guys the best of luck with the rest of the season, keep the good stuff coming on this blog. I love to read it.
Posted by: SMOKEFAN | Jun 12, 2006 2:13:33 PM
The Bass Pro Shops team had a great run yesterday. If not for the bad luck w/the tire, your team would have had a great finish.
I agree with your assessment re: Smoke. I had to keep reminding myself that Smoke was driving with a fractured scapula b/c he sure did not drive like it. I have broken 4 bones (some large, some small) before and one thing that was been consistent is that they were all painful injuries. Smoke definitely earned my respect on Sunday.
Posted by: DEI Fan | Jun 12, 2006 2:46:02 PM
DT-
You are so right about Tony being in it for the love of racing. There is a reason he has earned the respect of his fans and the other drivers he races with.
Sorry about the bad luck with the tire. Martin is one of the drivers I follow and I think he does a great job! Keep up the good work and hopefully you all will win a cup race before too much longer.
Posted by: Kathy M. | Jun 12, 2006 3:09:13 PM
My daughter is a Martin Fan and I also like him and he is from NJ where we live. I know Martin and the crew will get a win soon as you are doing well. It was good to hear you say the good things about Tony and no one can say that he lives to race. Good luck to you all.
Posted by: Smoke020 | Jun 12, 2006 4:05:32 PM
Correction to my post. NO ONE CAN SAY THAT TONY DOESN'T LIVE TO RACE. IT IS HIS LIFE.
Posted by: Smoke020 | Jun 12, 2006 4:07:15 PM
Nice comments on Tony. I agree. He just loves to race. I'm a huge fan of his and I have learned to never be surprised on what he does with a car but he amazed me yesterday. He didn't show that he was hurt at all. He def gained alot of respect from the fans and drivers. Congrats Tony!
Posted by: Melissa | Jun 12, 2006 5:22:35 PM
Tony has always been a RACER!! And can drive the wheels off just about anything, not scared to try anyway.....
Yall did a great job yesterday!! Yall just needed a few more laps added on to make your come back.... but it was a great run for yall, outcome didn't show it, but it was!!! Keep up the good work...... it'll soon pay off....
Posted by: darlene | Jun 12, 2006 8:16:33 PM
Hey Dennis - looks like Martin is going to run the truck race this weekend at MIS - is the BPS crew coming up early to pit for him? Good luck this weekend!!
Posted by: Janelle | Jun 12, 2006 10:53:36 PM
Eric, it was exciting because there was some good racing, several strong comebacks, and a suspenseful ending. For you to call it one of the worst tracks on the circuit is idiocy - the place has room to race, a good layout (far more interesting than any short track and all the intermediate superspeedways), and a superb fan base.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Jun 13, 2006 12:39:48 AM
Sure was glad to see ya'll run so well and I know the finishes will start reflecting that soon!
Good luck to Martin in the truck race. Let's hope we see a certain Chevy in victory lane instead of the 2 usual Fords and Toyotas. But, that 15 truck hasn't been running as good this year, unfortunately.
DT, why the dig at Jr (driver getting fined for cussing)? I'm pretty sure Jr wasn't trying to prove what a great driver he was when he let a bad word slip in victory lane. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was the opposite as he was stating why winning 4 in a row at Talladega was "nothing" compared to what his Dad did. Maybe you were referring to someone else getting fined for cussing, but I can't think of anyone else who has.
Posted by: Janet | Jun 13, 2006 3:05:28 AM
Janet,
I don't think he was referring to Jr specifically...I think it was more of a jab at cussing being punishable...or for any guy who swore at another guy....he goes on to say that using the car to say what you have to...I am guessing instead of swearing at him. That's just my take on it, though.
:)
Posted by: J in PA | Jun 13, 2006 8:36:43 AM
Yeah, Pocono is sssssoooooo much better that Martinsville, Richmond, Bristol, and Atlanta. Pocono ranks right up there with California, Vegas, and KC, tracks that need to be or are being tore up so they can put more banking in so the cars can put on better shows and racing.
Posted by: Mike J | Jun 13, 2006 2:39:29 PM
To Mike Daly: It was not exciting because there was NO racing, only a couple of comebacks. They didn't even fan out on the frontstretch like they used to. The race had a good story line with Hamlin's "spin-and-win".
Pocono is one of the worst tracks on the circuit including Loudon AND Indy. The layout was designed for Indy cars not NASCAR. Short tracks rule and ALWAYS will because that's what fans want. Period, end of discussion.
It seems the majority of the drivers would like to have the ability to shift again. Why? They say it helps them to pass coming off the corners. But wait, that can't be, because Mikey Daly says so?
Also, the so-called historical lead changes at Pocono can be attributed to at least 2 long green flag runs per race and their subsequent green flag pit stops with drivers staying out to lead a lap.
Posted by: Keith#3 | Jun 13, 2006 2:52:55 PM
Mike J, they don't need more banking at any of those places - all more banking does is increase the speeds.
To Keith #3 - The lead changed hands three times in one lap, something not seen anywhere else this year outside of the plate tracks. It was more than just a couple of comebacks; it was some good racing, comebacks, and a suspenseful finish.
The layout works - it is wide enough to race and has enough straightaway for passing. Short tracks can never put on better racing than Pocono can; all short tracks are about is cheapshot wrecking. Period, end of discussion, Keith.
As for Pocono's history of lead changes, they come about mostly because of passing.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Jun 13, 2006 3:17:39 PM
MD: OK, I guess I was wrong again. Damn it, I hate when that happens. The main reason I like short tracks is visibility, and action. It's what I was brought up on at the dirt tracks of central PA. Watching Ed Spencer (Jimmy's dad) at Selinsgrove and Williams Grove, and a very young Richard Petty at Lincoln Speedway. I actually wish they'd pick a good dirt track at least for exhibition.
BTW: Where and when was the last NASCAR cup level race on dirt and who won it?
Posted by: Keith#3 | Jun 13, 2006 3:40:03 PM
Keith#3, visibility is good but only a few superspeedways have visibility problems. Being up close is good but scanning to a distance can be a good challenge as well - whenever I go to Pocono I always enjoy when they go down the Long Pond and North straights because they're far away and I have to pay attention to keep up; it's a good challenge and visually interesting.
The last Grand National dirt track race was in Raleigh, NC in 1970 (I think August) and Richard Petty won it in a Don Robertson Plymouth; his own short track Roadrunner had been obliterated at Darlington in May and he had to use Don Robertson's Plymouths on some of the short tracks the rest of the year.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Jun 13, 2006 7:00:36 PM
Mike Daly, Sir I must acknowledge that you must be with Nascar because no one seams to know more then you. Well let me throw some rocks at your throne. How could you, with a straight face, say that Pocono has better racing then Darlington? Darlington, Bristol, Charlotte, Martinsville, Richmond, Daytona and Talledega have the best races in Nascar. Pocono is a snoozer. Whosoever gets out in front is long gone. In Denny's case, he just had a awsome race car. Sure it was exciting at the end, because a caution brought the field back together. Pocono is a fun track to race on for the drivers, but for a fan this is not a race you wanna mark on your calender to go see. You can spin that and rant all day long, but you know as well as everyone else that Pocono, along with some other tracks, is not one of the more entertaining tracks period. Bottom line, Great, exciting, and fun race track for a driver, but just about a sure nap for the fans.
Posted by: whyme | Jun 13, 2006 9:37:42 PM
Whyme, Mike Daly is a GREAT addition to this blog...althought we may butt heads (Keith#3) He IS well versed in the sport. I don't know a whole lot about him, 'Cept he's a yankee (no offense Mike) and that he lives...I'm guessing in New Hampshire, and he's probably pushing 60...once again no offense Mike...base on his recollections...
BTW he do's post a comprehensive blog at this addy www.racindeals.com, Sorry Mike I don't know how to "paste" the Address.
Posted by: Tbfka# 5 | Jun 13, 2006 9:58:29 PM
whyme, I say that Pocono is better racing than Darlington because it is. At Darlington it is more about keeping off the wall and managing tires than racing; at Pocono it's the opposite. "The leader gets out fron and is gone." That is the case everywhere except the plate tracks, and is a function of racecars that have too much horsepower, too little tire, too little downforce, and a weak draft.
Pocono remains better than Darlington, better than Charlotte, MUCH better than Bristol, and so forth. When was the last time you saw three lead changes in one lap at those other tracks? We saw it at Pocono. Yes, there needed to be a lot more of that kind of racing at Pocono, but it's the same everywhere.
Some people think the Car Of Tomorrow will help solve a lot of these problems. The COT in all testing so far has been inferior in raceability; it pushes in dirty air thanks to that gapped airdam it sports, and they had to cut half the rear deck off to balance the car, except when you take that much downforce off you wind up ruining raceability. It is so bad that not everyone in the sport believes it will ever see a competitive lap.
To say that Pocono is not the kind of race you'd mark on your calender to see is bizarre - the most untypical superspeedway in the sport, one of only four 2.5-milers in the sport, for 500 miles would not be worth watching>
Posted by: Mike Daly | Jun 14, 2006 9:50:02 AM
Pocono is the type of track that I mark on my calender.....to take a nap. Richmond is by far the best track on the circut and that's not just my opinion. It seems to me that all the drivers find it to be the favorite too. I taped the race on Sunday because I wasn't around and I don't even feel like watching it and I almost never miss a race. I would much rather watch Atlanta where it is a fast track where the drivers can actually have some imput into the car. There at least they can change the lines they are racing depending on how the car handles. Top, middle, bottom and green flag passing and close finishes. Pocono: 2 grooves in turn 1, one grove in turn 2, and one groove in turn 3. That'll produce some great side by side racing.
Posted by: Mike J | Jun 14, 2006 10:49:18 AM
Pocono is the better than bristol? That just about seals the case for your insanity!!
Posted by: 48fan | Jun 14, 2006 6:44:10 PM
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