What A train Wreck!!

By Mark Young

Holy Crap!! (Or insert your favorite explicative here)  That was by far the most ridiculous excuse of a race, at arguably the 2nd most prestigious NASCAR race of the season, I have ever seen with the exception of Charlotte in 2005.  Good Year dropped the ball so bad that Lester Hayes with his hands covered in pine tar couldn't have caught it.  How could America's #1 tire provider, and exclusive tire company of NASCAR I might add, have gotten things any worse than what I saw today.

I was excited about Indy.  I thought we were going to see decent racing.  I thought we would see passing.  I thought we would see everything Indianapolis Motor Speedway was supposed to be.  I saw 15+ heat races and a bunch of guys driving cars looking like Bambi on ice.

I am not going to blame the teams, the drivers, or the folks who run the speedway.  I place the blame on Good Year first and NASCAR second.  Here is why I am pissed off.......and I know I am not the only one.

Good Year held a tire test in April.  They had three or four teams there to gather data on what tire compound to bring.  Something tells me they went to the warehouse and pulled something out from 1995.  To sit there and think that the track would come in after two days of nothing happening was pathetic.

NASCAR sat on their hands and acted like they didn't have anything to do about it.  Why did Good Year bring truck loads of tires intended to use at Pocono if they didn't think they screwed the pooch?  And what did NASCAR and Pope Brian France do about it?  They left those tire sitting in the trailers!!  Why didn't they do anything?  BECAUSE THEY GOT THEIR MONEY!!  Money from the fans, money from the TV, and money from Good Year.

Now I understand why Formula 1 only had 6 cars compete when they had tire troubles.....but the fans had to pay the price then as well and now F-1 is gone.  NASCAR could care less........they got paid and Brian can go crash another Mercedes into a palm tree without worry.

Instead of NASCAR being pro-active and putting the Pocono tire in every pit stall they decided to be reactive and wave the yellow rag every ten laps for the sake of "putting on a good show".  SHOW?  It's a god damned race and those teams couldn't do anything but ride around and wait to see if their tires would hold out.

The drivers and crew chiefs should have stood up and said no.  NASCAR should have said no.  Good Year should be ashamed of making a mockery of this race.  Brian France should be on the phone tomorrow morning to Goodrich, Michelin, Firestone, and Hoosier to see if they can provide a quality product. Mike Helton and Robin Pemberton should be in full on pucker mode tomorrow.  This was ridiculous.

If I screwed up on a level like this at my job I would be applying for unemployment tomorrow morning.  And we have Pocono to look forward to next week?  I can hardly wait to do yard-work on Sunday.