Full Moon Chase

By: Dennis Terry

The last 10 races of the year can be summarized as the "full moon of the NASCAR schedule".  As expected, the Chase excitement has been full throttle since Loudon. 

As any self respectable NASCAR fan knows by now, all of the craziness started with Speed Channel's "breaking news" that NASCAR busted RCR for some type of illegal tire pressure release valve.  The theory is that a secretly installed valve was found that kept air pressure from building in the right front tire.

Now I'm not an illegal pressure releasing valve tire changer engineering dude, but I can add my two cents worth and honestly say that sounds like a pretty tall tale.

RCR and their drivers contend that it was a rouge team, upset with getting beat by Harvick for two weeks in a row, that planted the story with Speed.  And of course they deny any wrong doing.

Note to RCR: Jeff Gordon's coach driver's personal trainer was seen talking to Speed's Dilner in victory lane!

Everybody cheats, and everybody knows it.  NASCAR, just like Washington politics, lives by the slogan, "Deny until you die... and then blame someone else".

And, if the cheated up tire wasn't enough news for you, just as soon as the RCR PR squad got a grip on their damage control along comes a disgruntled employee suing for wrongful termination. 

This engine builder claims that RCR was running illegal engines and he was fired because his "legal" engines were much better and he objected to RCR "bending (to put it lightly) the rules". 

So, instead of going through the proper channels (like the rest of us in the working world have to) he gets Harvick all fired up and RC cans him for causing his flag ship driver to loose confidence in RCR engines. 

No pity from me, if I went over my boss's head, I'd get my ass canned too!

Side note:  there have been crazy rumors floating around the garage all season long that most teams are drilling, cracking, modifying and offsetting intake manifolds (for restrictor plate engines) to allow for air to enter the engine BELOW the restrictor plate.  Basically, modifications are made to the manifold at the shop and then repaired, once the engine heats and cools a few times the "cracks" open back up and waala!.. you have yourself a Smokey Yunick special.

Anyway, to make the story even more juicy, the ex-employee also claims that he was "stolen" from Gibbs by RCR and when he refused to divulge confidential information about Gibb's engines he was black balled by RCR.

That was really nice of him.  I can't wait to see where this one ends!

And to think that I wanted my weekend blog to spotlight our BPS pit crew doing double duty and working the Bush race with Martin in, my personal favorite, the number 8 OREOS Busch car.  For everyone who didn't like my Denny Cakes, I've got a great recipe for Oreos dipped in Busch Light beer left over from the ol' college recipe book.

I also wanted to talk about Mark Kennerly's long lost cousin who popped up at the DEI shop on Tuesday wearing a wedding dress and rattling off some story about Dale Jr. setting her up to marry Truex at pit practice on Tuesday.   Truex and Jr. were both no-shows, but Kennerly was there to take her back home!

You got to love those full moons, see ya in Dover!

DT