Turn 3

The Great Padding Debate

By Mark Young   

Now you can ask my friends that I talk racin' with, for some reason I like Robby gordon.  I always have and since he started running his own equipment and has to keep stuff in one piece doesn't drive with quite as much insanity as he did years ago.  Ever since this guy came onto the scene from open-wheel with a mouth like DW's used to be but couldn't back it up on the track he has been the Black Sheep of the herd.  Even after he has matured and is much less outspoken he is still NASCAR's whipping boy and this weekend is no exception.

Does anyone really believe that if a Hendrick car had lost a piece of padding that this big of a deal would be made of it?  What about a Roush car or DEI car?  I don't think so.  I hate say it but at least the caution that was caused for debris actually was because of debris!!  NASCAR looked at every car and yet they still aren't satisfied.  Is this the first time something like this has come about?  Will completely change the outcome of the Chase?  Or is NASCAR going to try and make an example out of Gordon again?  It was a piece of foam for crying out loud and if one of those drivers was able to rip one off, which was surely zip-tied to the car, while driving one handed at over 190 miles per hour then heck I would shake their hand rather than penalize them.  We have drivers out there that can't handle driving decent at Martinsville with two hands!!

This story is not finished but this writer would not be surprised if Robby got nailed and made an example of.....again.

Quickies:

By Keith Ott

 

Did anyone watch the “World Series?” Did anyone even know it was on? After watching a 164 game season, who really cares what happens at the end of the baseball season anymore? Their season is too long. Any parent, raising boys, knows when baseball season should end. As soon as the kid(s) starts tossing the pigskin around, baseball should bid adieu until next year. So, is NASCARs season too long? It’s only 36 races but it encompasses 9 months of the year. That’s a long season by any measure. What’s your take on the season length?
 

Qualified by owners points means the Chaser’s all start in a wad at the front, with different quality cars. Now, just how delicate is this situation? They are arguably the best in the business, but bad things sometimes happen to good drivers. It could put a whole new meaning to the term “The Big One!”

My eliminations continued after Martinsville and sorry Mark it wasn’t meant to be. Junior is now on the bubble and needs to produce today.

Remaining 5 Chasers are (with 4 races to go):

Kenseth

Harvick

Hamlin

Burton

Earnhardt Jr.

By the way, in real points Stewart moves into 5th (11pts out of 4th). The only driver to move into the top 10 (in real points) since the start of the Chase. So, even if I personally dislike the present Chase format, “real points” say they got the top 10 almost correct.

http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2006/data/standings_whatif.html

 

Ok, like I said, “Quickies.” Let’s get racing and have a safe day!

Tradition

By DAVID GREEN

It's popular nowadays to criticize NASCAR for mistreating its traditional fan base. In many respects, the criticism is easily justifiable. Without argument, the sport has moved on to a new era. The question, really, is whether doing so has been good for NASCAR's business and good for the sport of stock car racing overall -- and that's not quite so easy to assess.

Sure, it's easy for the individual to decide whether it's good for him or not. It's almost as simple for the individual fan to decide whether changes are good for his favorite driver, team, car make, and so forth. But such anecdotal observations often don't provide any insight into the heart of the matter.

The most significant changes NASCAR has legislated involve their decisions about traditional venues such as Darlington, North Wilkesboro and Rockingham, the entry of Toyota into Nextel Cup competition and the Chase format for the Cup championship.

Abandoning Wilkesboro and Rockingham and snuffing the tradition of the Southern 500 are things traditional race fans have not taken lightly. You don't have to be a xenophobe to have some strange feelings about Toyota in NASCAR. And the Chase has, quite fundamentally, changed the way the Cup Series champion is determined.

The first change, though, paved the way for NASCAR to expand to new markets -- which, by the way, included some long-time traditional fans -- without expanding its schedule to 40, 50 or more race dates.

Television has perverted the way we evaluate and avail ourselves of various products, processes and services; Formula One major domo Bernie Ecclestone dismisses the spectators at F1 races as "the studio audience." However, personal exposure to the product, and not just television coverage, is essential to the long-term health of stock car racing. The sport can expand its base by adding television-watching fans, but part of what those fans watch on their TV screens is the passion of fans who are at the track, in person, involved in the sport in a way you just can't be in your living room.

The second is going to become less and less of an issue as time goes on and images of Japan and Germany as World War II enemies continue to fade. A dozen years ago, when a Honda-powered car first appeared at Indianapolis, it drew more than its share of boos and catcalls from fans. A Japanese brand in the Winston Cup Series of 1994 would have been unthinkable.

The remnant of 1940s-style nationalism, by the way, is not strictly an American social phenomenon. The success of recently retired F1 ace Michael Schumacher, a German, got the chilliest reception of all in Great Britain. Talk to some British racing fans, and you get the definite impression that they equate Schumacher with a Luftwaffe pilot in the cockpit of an ME-109, taking aim at some brave Royal Air Force lad in a Spitfire.

But Toyota, Honda and other non-traditional brands are becoming more and more integrated into American society. There may very well be some demonstrations of disapproval when the Camrys show up in Daytona in February, but this will pass.

Perhaps nothing Brian France has done has angered fans as much as the Chase for the Cup. All the complaints have been discussed to death and they won't be dissected here (at least, until or unless Keith Ott chooses to post a caustic comment). But a champion is whatever the sport determines. And, regardless of what critics think, say or write, the Chase has NOT diminished interest in the NASCAR championship.

Many of the changes NASCAR has made are incidental and/or superficial. That's not to suggest the changes haven't been controversial, or that no one should have the right to criticize. But a lot of the stuff people argue about or complain about is largely irrelevant -- kind of like the designated hitter in baseball. I'm old-school. I disliked the DH when it was introduced and I still dislike it. But while it may have changed managerial strategies and affected the careers of a number of individual players, I don't really believe it has fundamentally changed the game.

There's little question that, even with hardly any true sellout crowds and slightly sagging TV numbers, Nextel Cup racing is a huge success. The only real, substantive question is how today's popularity is going to translate in the long run.

For a report on that, turn to the medium of your choice -- in about 10 or 20 years.

David Ragan Trying To Earn Some Respect

By Mark Young

This is just a quicky but something that made feel the need to write.  I read in a couple of places tonight that David Ragan, who caused a fairly large wreck at Martinsville last week that took out Schrader and Stewart, bought his chance to talk to Tony about it.  It seems that he was the winning bidder in a charity auction that allowed the winner to ride around Atlanta Motor Speedway with Tony Stewart.

Not only did the 20 year old rookie of NEXTEL Cup buy the opportunity, he spent over $5,000 to do it.  He mentioned that it would give him a chance to talk to Tony about the incident and ask him what he could have done differently.  I tell you what, I don't know doodly squat about this kid but he has earned my respect....for now.  It takes some big kahunas to pay to talk to someone about something that they know they did wrong.  I don't know if this is unprecidented but it is something that I have never seen in my days as a fan and am sure it will carry a lot of clout in the garage area.  Here is the link to the complete article from the Atlanta Motor Speedway.  http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/media/pit_notes/513811.html

Tell me what you think.

Come clean Tide! Hot topics of the day

By Mike Harper

A rumor is heating up about Tide Racing. No, the rumor isn’t about a new promotion or driver change. There’s no new paint scheme or even an announcement to move to another team. The rumor has the Tide sponsorship bowing out and leaving NASCAR at the end of this season.

If the rumor is true, the last Tide event will be a sad day in NASCAR. Tide has a very rich history in the sport and whether they’re leaving due to financial reasons, a new marketing plan or the lack of recent success in NASCAR, the loss of the Tide sponsorship is further proof that NASCAR is ever changing. Changing for the good and in some cases for the bad.

In March of this year I wrote a column about Tide and said, "It's time for a new chapter in Tide Racing's history book." But I never imagined Tide’s new chapter would be "Exiting NASCAR." At the time I thought they would be a great fit for Yates, Roush or Richard Childress.

Rumors aside, the signs lead me to believe Tide will not return to the No. 32 next season. Cal Wells, owner of PPI Motorsports said in a recent interview about the Tide sponsorship, "I'm not working as though they're coming back." Also when you visit the Tide Racing web site, it hasn’t been updated in some time. It shows only 10 starts on the season and the picture of the driver on the main page is Bobby Hamilton Jr., not current driver Travis Kvapil.

That tells me something is about to change.

COT – Let’s get real!

In my upcoming column in SpeedWorld Magazine, I "Spin-Out" the "Car of Tomorrow." I submitted my column many weeks ago, however in recent days Scott Riggs, Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart just to name a few, have come out and ripped the COT. In my opinion, they have good reason.

I agree with NASCAR on Fox’s Larry McReynolds when he said in regards to the COT, "Maybe we just needed a little bandage or a couple of stitches. We don't need major surgery because when you do surgery on someone that doesn't really need it, it can cause more problems than they started with."

My question is – why would NASCAR, at a time when it has seen tremendous growth in popularity go and change something that isn’t broke? I betcha the IRL and others are licking their chops, hoping NASCAR will fail. Sadly when you mess with something that’s not broke, just like Larry Mac said, "it can cause more problems that they started with."

It fell under the radar screen!

=>  Was it just me or did Rusty Wallace fire Jamie McMurray?

=> Thanks to Kevin Harvick, looks like Scott Wimmer is heading to RCR. What no memo Richard?

=>  Did you hear the amazing news? Frank Kimmel won his eighth ARCA championship two weeks ago. Incredible accomplishment, but I can’t wait for the day when someone will dedicate some time to ARCA and knock him off the top spot. Maybe next season!

=>  Just so you know, Mark Martin collectibles have decreased in value.

=>  Jeremy Mayfield will be racing in the Craftsman Truck Series this weekend. The last time he raced in the trucks, he finished one spot better than Erin Crocker – and Ray was at the track.

=>  Johnny Benson has a shot at the truck championship.

=>  This may come as a shocker, but even the best of the best teams can have problems with sponsorship retention. Poor Richard Childress Racing! RCR has been at the top of their game this season, but yet sponsors are running away from RCR. Rumors have Cingular gone at the end of the season and GM Goodwrench will not be the primary sponsor on the No. 29 next season. The U.S. Coast Guard is leaving RCR’s Busch Series team after one of the most successful seasons in Busch Series history including a championship and AC Delco is leaving RCR’s No. 2 Busch Series car. I’m not sure what more an owner in NASCAR can do to provide the highest level of exposure as RCR has done for their sponsors this season. Maybe they know something that we don’t.

=>  Television ratings were down again for NBC at Martinsville. Houston we have a problem!

=>  Am I the only one who thinks Kenny Wallace jumping full-time back into Nextel Cup next season with the No. 78 team is a bad idea?

=> Well, needless to say all the leaves are brown and the snow will soon fall.

Georgia On My Mind

By Mark Young

This weekend could prove to be a make or break race for many of the Chase drivers as the traveling Circus we know as NASCAR sets up camp near Atlanta, Georgia.  The movement up and down among the top ten in the points standings was so drastic that I think I need some Dramamine after trying to sort things out.  The races in recent history at Atlanta have been fast, and furious and I expect this weekend to be no different.  In fact, with the Chase being as tight as it is I would expect things to get turned up a notch or two.

Dale Jr., Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson, and winner Kasey Kahne all finished in the top ten back in March when the boys first visited Atlanta.  Harvick has a win there as well and Bush likes those 1.5 mile tracks so things are going to get interesting.  Atlanta used to be the final race of the year and that always seemed to add to the great racing that goes on there.  Whether it is the new or old track layout, there has always been great racing at Atlanta.

There was a time a few years ago when Bobby Labonte owned the Atlanta Motor Speedway.  He visited victory lane there more times than Jimmy Spencer visited the concession stands at Martinsville last weekend, six to be exact if you are keeping track at home.  But things faltered a bit at Gibbs' joint and now Bobby is wearing Petty blue.  If any of you remember, Labonte was having his way with the field back in March before engine problems sent him to the house early.  How many of you out there realize that Bobby Labonte has had four top tens in the last five races?  I didn't until this morning because......he isn't in the top ten so NBC doesn't give a rat's behind.  The clock is ticking and I think it might just go off in Atlanta on Sunday, just imagine the headlines. "Bobby LaBonte takes Petty blue back to victory lane".  Has a neat ring to it doesn't it.

Has anyone else noticed that the House of Roush appears to be falling apart?  Carl Edwards hasn't won a race all year.  Greg Biffle has only one win, a far cry from his performances of last year and Jamie McMurray has basically been non-existant.  Matt Kenseth is the only driver from the mighty Roush empire to do anything all year.  Rumors are flying around everywhere that Jack is going to clean house, but who are you going to clean house with Jack?  You have raped your Busch Series teams by throwing all of your Cup drivers in them and now have an empty basket where a bunch of young driving talent used to be.

Martinsville - Not what I remember

By Jason Jarrett

I don’t write too many negative entries and I really hate to be that way this time but Martinsville was different than I remember it being. The races that I attended at Martinsville used to be exciting and full of good solid racing but from my view yesterday did not appear to have much of that.

It might be that I am a lot older now. It might be that when I was a kid going there I only paid attention to the last one hundred laps or so. Many times we (other driver’s sons) would be hanging around in the infield so we did not even pay attention until the end of the race was near. It might be that my job now is to basically keep one car and one driver out of trouble and that takes away some of the sensation of it being a good race. I don’t know the answer but the race just seemed to be boring and follow the leader. That is, until the guy trying to make a pass gets impatient and knocks the car in front of him out of the way. This usually causes about the 4^th or 5^th car in line to get the most damage as a chain reaction in set off. I just don’t think that is great racing.

Some of my thoughts and suggestions go something like this. My first thought is to shorten the race to 400 laps or maybe even less. There are many races that could be shortened. Every race just seems to have that period where people are just logging laps and not really racing so maybe if the races were shorter it would help that situation. Maybe this is my imagination but I know when I watch from home I can take a break from the race and rejoin with a hundred laps or 100 miles to go and not feel like I missed too much. Sure, I am going to miss a wreck or two but I don’t watch to see that. I watch to see who is battling for positions. The next thing that I would do is work on a different tire for Martinsville. The tires don’t really give up (wear out) so a person on 100 lap tires can run just as fast as a person that just put a new set on. This might be good for some tracks but not for Martinsville. The guys that put tires on can’t even make progress. It is fun to see guys come through the pack. Yesterday it was just swapping positions on pit sequences. At least that is what I saw. Maybe this progressive banking thing would work for Martinsville. I don’t know I am just throwing out things that popped into my mind yesterday. There was not a second groove so this idea came to me as I watched some faster cars not able to make progress because everyone had to run the same line.

Again, I don’t know the answers. I am sure there are many of you that loved the race. That is one of the great things about this sport. I can see something one way and the rest of you see it different. At the end of the day we are going to watch again next week and the week after. We may even flip on our views next week: I will love the race and you might hate it. So, until next time, I will leave you with this from the Martinsville race.

Don’t forget that the Holidays are coming and dad wants to visit the Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure. Buy him a gift certificate and he too can experience the same excitement his favorite driver experiences. Call 888-GO-RACE-1 or visit www.racingadventure.com for details.

Schumacher: F1's Earnhardt

By DAVID GREEN

Tomorrow will be a watershed day in motor sport, and with all due respect to the folks at NASCAR. Nextel and Martinsville Speedway, that's not a plug for their Subway 500. Regardless of what may happen at Martinsville, Oct. 22 will be a historic day because it will be the date of the last Formula One race for Michael Schumacher.

Shirley Buttacavoli has some observations about the F1 season finale. It will be a sobering occasion -- the end of an era.

I can't help comparing Schumacher to NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt. One is a German national and the other was of German descent. Each rose to the very top of his racing discipline, Earnhardt equaling Richard Petty's seven NASCAR championships and Schumacher rewriting the F1 record book with seven championships of his own.

Earnhardt had and Schumacher has a well-deserved reputation for ruthlessness that caused many fans to hate them, many others to adore them, and almost none to be ambivalent toward them or oblivious of them.

Each will forever, or at least well into the distant future, be on the short list of candidates when the question, "Who's the greatest driver ever?" is debated.

Each came an astonishingly long way from blue-collar origins. Earnhardt was and Schumacher is incredibly wealthy as a consequence of racing success and business acumen. One was and the other is generous, but often in an understated, behind-the-scenes fashion.

Many of their charitable gestures are (or were) personal. Earnhardt provided air transport to and from New York for friends and family of fellow driver Dale Jarrett to celebrate Jarrett's Winston Cup championship, then sent Jarrett a "bill" that read, simply, "Congratulations." Schumacher, reportedly, made the largest individual contribution to Asian relief efforts after the tsunami of 2004, in which a close friend and his family were among the victims.

Both helped build the teams with which they ended their careers to lofty heights, Schumacher restoring Ferrari to and then pushing it beyond the former levels of glory for the Italian marque and Earnhardt helping Richard Childress build a NASCAR team that was all but invincible at its peak.

And of course, on the track, both gave racing fans many memorable moments. Their skills as drivers are pretty much beyond criticism by any knowledgeable and reasonable observer or competitor, even if their zeal caused both to cross over the boundary line of what is generally considered acceptable behavior.

But to paraphrase what one F1 journalist wrote about Schumacher and many of the sentiments expressed after Earnhardt's death, neither is likely to be remembered so much for misbehavior as for excellence and achievement. And that's appropriate, because their talent and accomplishments were gigantic in comparison to the number of times they were guilty of unsavory deeds.

To be fair in our comparison, let's also acknowledge the manners in which they were different. Schumacher has more of an intellectual bearing and, even in a second language, is more articulate in comparison to Earnhardt. Although he has little tolerance for fools, Schumacher is more likely to dismiss them politely.

Schumacher shows elation in his post-victory behavior, with his famous podium leap and by "conducting" as the Ferrari crew joyously sing along with the Italian national anthem, but is otherwise much more serious. Earnhardt could be downright grim and menacing, but had a wry sense of humor -- as evidenced by things such as his comments after he was penalized for spinning out Greg Sacks during a race at Charlotte.

"I didn't hit him," Earnhardt insisted. "I didn't hit him." Pause. "I might have been agin' him, but I didn't hit him."

Earnhardt might have split hairs over the difference between "hitting" someone compared to getting the sheet metal of his car "against" another driver's machine, but I suspect he was putting us on. The bushy mustache all but hid the crocodile-like grin that came with the remark, but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away.

And finally, the biggest difference of all -- that Schumacher has decided to retire at 37, while Earnhardt kept racing and never took an opportunity to voluntarily bring his career to a close.

Earnhardt's death shocked not only NASCAR, but the world.

Schumacher's retirement won't be tragic, except, heaven forbid, in the event of some freak mishap in tomorrow's Brazilian Grand Prix. But it will be stunning, just the same, for race fans to move past the Schumacher era. Whatever comes next has an incredibly big act to follow.

Pink Hotdogs; Trains; Grandfather Clocks and “Oh, Canada.”

By Keith Ott

  First,  BTW,  in my CHASE elimination format…let us bid a fond adieu to Jeff Gordon.  Not only has he failed again in the “Drive for Five.”  In real points he sits in 11 th, and never in his dreams, without the Chase, would he have considered this a title season.  So, in my format, that leaves us 6 contenders with 5 races to go.  Your remaining Contenders (Yes, in my format…LOL) are w/Martinsville records…races/Top 5/Top 10/Wins

-          Jeff Burton                  24/9/12/1

-          Matt Kenseth               13/1/3/0

-          Kevin Harvick              10/0/3/0

-          Mark Martin                 41/11/21/2

-          Dale Earnhardt Jr.       13/6/6/0

-          Denny Hamlin              2/0/1/0

Real points for the eliminated can be found here… http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2006/data/standings_whatif.html

    Back to Hotdogs; Trains; Clocks and “Oh, Canada.”

  Martinsville has never been a favorite track of mine to watch.  I’ve just never liked it.  Even though it’s close, affordable, and I’ve been there a bunch, we’ve never clicked.  But, Martinsville  is steeped with tradition and NASCAR can only bleed so much tradition out of the sport before the patient becomes comatose.  Could it be in jeopardy?

Hotdogs…They’re Pink!  I don’t know why and they might not either.  But, a call to the track (for a different article about track food) let me talk to some of the nicest people to confirm it.  Martinsville has GREAT people!  Point Martinsville…1 - 0

Trains.  Well it’s there on the backstretch.  Train Tracks…It’s tradition, and in the “Old Days,” said train, might have stopped for a bit of the race.  How does that fit in with today’s luxury boxes and TV revenue?  Hmmm, maybe, if a train with luxury coaches, stopped for the race, and there was a bypass for the local,  it works.  Otherwise, Point against 1 – 1

The Grandfather Clocks…Locally made,  are a rich part of history.  There have, of course, been a few drivers who may have won more than their quota, and probably ran out of kin to share them with…But, no driver doesn’t remember his first Grandfathers clock from Martinsville.   Tradition, point Martinsville 2 - 1

Oh, Canada.  Now, NASCAR feels the need to expand northward.  Well, the natives are certainly more friendly and security is less of an issue than with our southern neighbor.  It’s also a great deal less expensive than the Japanese experiment.   They also have great race fans up north, eh?  But, why did Martinsville have to lose their only Busch date?  Is this yet another nail in the Martinsville coffin?  I think the writing is on the wall for Martinsville.  It’s not big enough, or glamorous enough.  It’s not in a huge “west coast” TV market nor have the TV ratings been anything to write home about. Points, a slight 2 – 3 edge against Martinsville because $$$’s rule the kingdom.

Do I want this to happen?  No way!  Just because I don’t particularly like their races doesn’t mean I want it to go away.  If NASCAR listened to me there’d be fewer races in California and Pennsylvania and a Labor day race would go home.  Martinsville is unique and adds character to NASCAR.  Will it be enough?  Other tracks have been unique and had character.  Where are they now?  Rockingham?  North Wilkesboro?  Don’t say it can’t happen here because (see above) $$$’s rule the kingdom.  Hopefully sooner, rather than later, some common sense will find its way into some of these decisions.  As usual, we’ll be the last to know. 

The Open Wheel Invasion?

By Mark Young

Board up the windows, stock up on groceries and check your home owner's insurance policy because NASCAR Nation is about to be invaded.  What I am referring to is the imminent influx of drivers from the Indy Car, IRL, and F-1 series who are being courted by NASCAR team owners to drive stock cars.  This isn't something new, I am well aware that Tony Stewart started in the IRL and that before him there have been others who have jumped the fence to NASCAR.  A.J. Foyt and John Andretti come to mind as open-wheelers who have driven stock cars and won races before Tony and there were others in between that have raced as well.  But what I think we are about to witness could be in proportions that NASCAR has never seen.

The biggest question I have to ask is why would these owners look to the open-wheel ranks for new drivers?  It is my opinion that they have run out of experienced veteran drivers to sign within the stock car ranks.  Now I am well aware of all the young guns fighting it out in the ARCA Remax and Hooters Pro Cup series as well as the Craftsman Truck and Busch Series but if they haven't been tabbed by the big time owners by now the chances of scoring a Cup Series ride are tough.  We have seen drivers like Kyle Bush, Kasey Kahne, Reed Sorenson thrown into battle with very little seat time in other stock cars and what this has done is depleted the ranks.  Combine this with all of the Busch-whackers hogging up prime sponsors and good cars and we see that there is little being done to develop young talent from within.  Take Jack Rouch's dilemma with who to replace Mark Martin with.  Rather than use his Busch teams to nurture his young talent he has decided to put four of his Cup drivers in them.  Sure it makes the sponsors happy but what does he have at the end of it all?  Two young drivers with lots of talent and little experience.

Juan Pablo Montoya's signing by Chip Ganassi was the first bold move to bring an established open wheel driver to NASCAR.  Since then there have been rumors swirling about Jacque Villeneuve leaving F-1, Sam Hornish leaving the IRL, and Paul Tracey as well as A.J. Allmendinger leaving CART.  These are all very established drivers and the allure of NASCAR and owner's deep pockets cannot be denied.  Montoya is taking a crash course in the A-B-C (ARCA, Busch, Cup) training and so far has shown promise.  Tracey has driven Busch cars and Allmendinger has driven very well in a Craftsman Truck, showing us the they all have the potential but they have a very steep learning curve to tackle.

I think this shows a lot as to how popular and diverse NASCAR has become but I also wonder how long this experiment will last.  What do you think?