Does NASCAR need to tweak the green-white-checkered finish?
As it stands now, NASCAR makes one attempt at the green-white-checkered (henceforth referred to as GWC) whenever a caution comes out that would under normal circumstances cause the race to end under caution. When it does so, NASCAR makes one attempt at the GWC -- if the caution comes out after the GWC, the race is over.
But after Kyle Busch's confusing win in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona Saturday night, the question begs asking: do we need to change the GWC format? Replays showed Busch just in front of Carl Edwards in Turn 1 as the Big One unfolded behind them on the last lap.
Confusion reigned for several moments, as Busch, Edwards and all the fans wondered exactly who won the race. Once Busch was declared the winner -- his sixth checkered flag this season -- fans booed and showered his car with water bottles.
Were the fans booing Busch or the GWC format?
Larry McReynolds made the following point on TNT's broadcast Saturday night: under most caution flags, the field is set by the running order at the last scoring loop. But in the event of a caution during a GWC, the winner is determined by who was in the lead at the moment of caution -- which, replay showed, was Busch.
Had NASCAR used the same loop scoring it uses in the middle of the race, there's a chance Edwards would've been declared the winner. Shouldn't NASCAR use the caution rule consistsntely, regardless of whether the caution flies on lap 100 or the last lap?
And should there be more than one attempt at the GWC? Keeping in mind that NASCAR must make driver safety a priority, examine the Craftsman Truck Series (where the GWC orginiated). Truck races literally run until the race finishes under the green flag; if that means more than one GWC finish, then so be it.
Should the Sprint Cup Series adopt the same philosophy?
On some level, I happen to think so. If the point of the GWC is to keep the race from ending under caution, then why let the race end under caution in the event of a crash during the GWC?
But again, there's the safety issue. And the fact that were NASCAR to allow unlimited GWC attempts, can't you see a race in which we try this thing seven or eight times? Okay, perhaps that's a little excessive, but we saw how hectic things got Saturday night as the laps wound down.
In the end, I can't help but wonder: would everyone be as upset over the GWC finish if someone other than Busch won?
Tidbits
-Props to Tony Stewart. While he's driven under the weather before -- I remember him winning at Watkins Glen a few years back while battling stomach issues -- it was obvious Saturday night he was struggling. Getting out of the ride in favor of J.J. Yeley, Stewart spent the rest of the night watching and receiving IV fluids. Stewart is one of the toughest drivers in the Sprint Cup garage, so for him to get out of the car -- that tells me whatever was bothering him was beyond bad.
-Again, the best car didn't win. Dale Earnhardt Jr. led a race-high 51 laps before being shuffled back in the pack, nearly wrecking a few times and coming home eighth. This marks the third time this season Junior has led the most laps and not won (Charlotte and Martinsville were the other two). Haters will point to a lack of talent; I point to racing luck. Things just go this way at times -- without bad luck, Junor could have four or five wins this season. Still, Junior has already won once this year and will be a factor the rest of the season -- he moved up to second in points after Jeff Burton's bad night on Saturday.
-Look for Martin Truex Jr. to take a big points hit later this week. Truex's car was confiscated Thursday after failing pre-qualifying inspection, and there are rumblings a huge penalty is on the way. Already 14th in points and struggling, Truex could find his chances at making the Chase all but dashed. If Truex didn't already want out of DEI, this might be the thing that changes his mind.
-Chicagoland this coming weekend -- under the lights for the first time. Should be interesting to see how that plays out before the off-week. After the off-week, the series heads to Indianapolis, where the ESPN-ABC coverage starts. Make of that what you will.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Official Announcement
Well, it’s official. Mark Martin will run full-time for Hendrick Motorsports next season, making what many assume will be one last shot at that elusive Sprint Cup championship.
Martin, who has finished second in the point standings four times and raced part-time for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. the past two seasons, expressed on numerous occasions his desire to remain part-time, choosing when to run and help develop younger drivers, but I suppose the chance to run for Rick Hendrick and chase a championship was just too tempting.
Let’s face it, if Hendrick called me tomorrow and wanted me in the car, I’d quit both my jobs on the spot and do it. What other team in the Sprint Cup Series can consistently give its drivers the best chance to win a Cup title? I realize Joe Gibbs Racing is setting the pace this season, but don’t let the fact that Hendrick drivers have won just twice in 2008 fool you – three of its drivers are solidly in the top 12 in points.
Though Martin spent much of his career driving for Jack Roush, it was clear watching Friday’s press conference at Daytona International Speedway how much he respects Hendrick. Martin drove for Hendrick in the Nationwide Series on a part-time basis last year, and this season has driven a couple races for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports, which has combined resources with Hendrick.
Martin gave Junior his first Nationwide Series win as a car owner in March, taking the checkered flag at Las Vegas.
Martin has 35 career Sprint Cup wins, and is among the most popular drivers in the series. Even racing part-time in subpar equipment at DEI this season, Martin was competitive – so who’s to say he won’t have just as good a shot as Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson at the Cup?
Martin might not have necessarily wanted to run a full schedule again, but if he ends up holding the Sprint Cup trophy at Homestead in 2009, it will have been worth it.
Other Tidbits
-Martin Truex Jr. failed inspection at Daytona on Thursday, forcing him to bring out the backup car and sending the original machine to NASCAR’s R&D Center. When interviewed by SPEED Channel, Truex’s frustration was evident, even as he was careful not to lay blame.
Truex’s status with DEI was already rocky, with Truex rumored to leave the company at the end of the season and replace Ryan Newman at Penske Racing. Truex sits 17th in points with just four top-10 finishes this season, a far cry from last year when he took inferior DEI equipment to one win and the Chase.
The writing appears to be on the wall, and it spells Truex’s departure. That would make three talented drivers DEI has lost in the past two seasons – Truex, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Make of that what you will.
-Tony Stewart has reportedly reached a deal with Office Depot that would result in primary sponsorship for Stewart should he leave Joe Gibbs Racing and purchase a portion of HAAS-CNC Racing. Office Depot will leave Roush-Fenway Racing and Carl Edwards at the end of the season, paving the way for Aflac to pick up the bulk of Edwards’ sponsorship.
While the fact that Stewart has landed sponsorship can only help his bid to become a Cup owner – particularly in these tough economic times – how odd would it be to see him driving something that isn’t Home Depot orange?
The home improvement warehouse chain has been Stewart’s primary sponsor through the entirety of his Sprint Cup career, and to see him parading around the track in someone else’s logo and colors will be odd – like it was odd at first to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. running around in Amp green and National Guard blue instead of Budweiser red.
Souvenir sales will go up, for sure, and Stewart already has a leg up on his ownership bid with the influx of cash, but it’ll just be … weird.
-Randy Moss is now a team owner in NASCAR.
The New England Patriots wide receiver purchased a 50 percent ownership stake in Morgan Dollar Motorsports, a team in the Craftsman Truck Series. Renaming the team Randy Moss Motorsports, Moss’ team will make its debut on July 19.
While Moss isn’t the first NFL star to enter NASCAR – Hall of Fame Racing was founded by Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach and Joe Gibbs Racing is an obvious example – he is the first to start on a level below Sprint Cup.
It takes roughly $6 million a year to run a successful truck team, money Moss can probably pay out-of-pocket if he can’t find sponsorship, but the fact that Moss is willing to start small and work his way up gives him a chance to succeed where other NFL-to-NASCAR owners have failed.
It won’t be easy, and it might take some time, but I don’t see Moss’ foray into NASCAR going belly-up. Just make sure Bill Belichek can’t tape any of the races or pit stops.
Martin, who has finished second in the point standings four times and raced part-time for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. the past two seasons, expressed on numerous occasions his desire to remain part-time, choosing when to run and help develop younger drivers, but I suppose the chance to run for Rick Hendrick and chase a championship was just too tempting.
Let’s face it, if Hendrick called me tomorrow and wanted me in the car, I’d quit both my jobs on the spot and do it. What other team in the Sprint Cup Series can consistently give its drivers the best chance to win a Cup title? I realize Joe Gibbs Racing is setting the pace this season, but don’t let the fact that Hendrick drivers have won just twice in 2008 fool you – three of its drivers are solidly in the top 12 in points.
Though Martin spent much of his career driving for Jack Roush, it was clear watching Friday’s press conference at Daytona International Speedway how much he respects Hendrick. Martin drove for Hendrick in the Nationwide Series on a part-time basis last year, and this season has driven a couple races for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports, which has combined resources with Hendrick.
Martin gave Junior his first Nationwide Series win as a car owner in March, taking the checkered flag at Las Vegas.
Martin has 35 career Sprint Cup wins, and is among the most popular drivers in the series. Even racing part-time in subpar equipment at DEI this season, Martin was competitive – so who’s to say he won’t have just as good a shot as Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson at the Cup?
Martin might not have necessarily wanted to run a full schedule again, but if he ends up holding the Sprint Cup trophy at Homestead in 2009, it will have been worth it.
Other Tidbits
-Martin Truex Jr. failed inspection at Daytona on Thursday, forcing him to bring out the backup car and sending the original machine to NASCAR’s R&D Center. When interviewed by SPEED Channel, Truex’s frustration was evident, even as he was careful not to lay blame.
Truex’s status with DEI was already rocky, with Truex rumored to leave the company at the end of the season and replace Ryan Newman at Penske Racing. Truex sits 17th in points with just four top-10 finishes this season, a far cry from last year when he took inferior DEI equipment to one win and the Chase.
The writing appears to be on the wall, and it spells Truex’s departure. That would make three talented drivers DEI has lost in the past two seasons – Truex, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Make of that what you will.
-Tony Stewart has reportedly reached a deal with Office Depot that would result in primary sponsorship for Stewart should he leave Joe Gibbs Racing and purchase a portion of HAAS-CNC Racing. Office Depot will leave Roush-Fenway Racing and Carl Edwards at the end of the season, paving the way for Aflac to pick up the bulk of Edwards’ sponsorship.
While the fact that Stewart has landed sponsorship can only help his bid to become a Cup owner – particularly in these tough economic times – how odd would it be to see him driving something that isn’t Home Depot orange?
The home improvement warehouse chain has been Stewart’s primary sponsor through the entirety of his Sprint Cup career, and to see him parading around the track in someone else’s logo and colors will be odd – like it was odd at first to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. running around in Amp green and National Guard blue instead of Budweiser red.
Souvenir sales will go up, for sure, and Stewart already has a leg up on his ownership bid with the influx of cash, but it’ll just be … weird.
-Randy Moss is now a team owner in NASCAR.
The New England Patriots wide receiver purchased a 50 percent ownership stake in Morgan Dollar Motorsports, a team in the Craftsman Truck Series. Renaming the team Randy Moss Motorsports, Moss’ team will make its debut on July 19.
While Moss isn’t the first NFL star to enter NASCAR – Hall of Fame Racing was founded by Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach and Joe Gibbs Racing is an obvious example – he is the first to start on a level below Sprint Cup.
It takes roughly $6 million a year to run a successful truck team, money Moss can probably pay out-of-pocket if he can’t find sponsorship, but the fact that Moss is willing to start small and work his way up gives him a chance to succeed where other NFL-to-NASCAR owners have failed.
It won’t be easy, and it might take some time, but I don’t see Moss’ foray into NASCAR going belly-up. Just make sure Bill Belichek can’t tape any of the races or pit stops.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
More Racing, Less Dallenbach
Martin Truex Jr.'s departure from Dale Earnhardt, Inc. seems all but certain now, with him rumored to be moving to Penske Racing to take over the No. 12 car next season.
"But, Jeff," you say, "isn't Ryan Newman in that car?"
Well, yes, and he did luck into the Daytona 500 with it this year. But that win, along with Kurt Busch's in the rain Sunday at New Hampshire, has done little to convince Newman that Roger Penske was doing everything he could to make that a consistent winner on the Sprint Cup level (Penske's love is, and will always be, his open-wheel rides). Newman has told Penske officials numerous times he would leave at the end of the season should performance not pick up, and considering Newman sits 15th in points with just one top-5 finish, I'd say the team hasn't responded.
Not to mention Newman might lose sponsor Alltel at the end of the year. That has to hurt his status with the race team.
Ignoring for the moment the impact of Truex leaving DEI -- mostly because I waxed poetic about that in my last post -- is Penske really a step up for him? Truex won a race last year and qualified for the Chase for the Cup, and appeared to be ready to take on the mantle of head man at DEI with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s departure to Hendrick Motorsports. But neither DEI nor Penske are among the top tier of teams on the Sprint Cup circuit right now, and both seem to lag further behind as the weeks progress.
There are those who would wish to see Truex join his buddy Junior and take over the recently-vacated No. 5 at Hendrick, but he appears destined to replace Newman. Newman, meanwhile, appears penciled in at HAAS-CNC Racing; reports have Newman being Tony Stewart's lead driver should he opt out of his final year with Joe Gibbs Racing.
But here's the rub: what if Stewart doesn't opt out? Where will Newman go then?
Don't think he'll drive the No. 5; that ride seems to have Mark Martin's name written all over it. The No. 16 and No. 07 are unavailable, since Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer both signed contract extensions last weekend at Loudon. Newman could potentially pilot Richard Childress' fourth car, but everything I've seen has that car going to Casey Mears.
If Stewart doesn't opt out, could Newman really be the odd man out in the Sprint Cup Series? I have a hard time believing a guy with 12 career Cup wins could be without a ride, but the fact remains: the good rides are few and far between.
Especially with Roush-Fenway having to consolidate to four cars next season and Target Chip Ganassi shutting down the No. 40 car. Speaking of ...
Guitar Hero, not Race Car Hero
Do you think Dario Franchitti's regretting his move to stock cars?
With news Tuesday that Chip Ganassi is folding the No. 40 team due to a lack of sponsorship, it appears yet another setback has gotten in Franchitti's way. Franchitti, who in 2007 won both the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series title, has struggled this season.
Need proof? Try the following:
-Career-best finish of 22nd at Martinsville.
-Failed to qualify for races in Texas and Sonoma.
-41st in Sprint Cup points.
-Missed five Sprint Cup races due to a broken ankle he suffered in a Nationwide Series race at Talladega.
Ganassi's teams have been in trouble since Sterling Marlin's departure a couple seasons ago. David Stremme didn't work out last season, and after Homestead in 2007, long-time sponsor Coors Light bolted. Though Target and Texaco Havoline appear committed to the team -- which is good news for Juan Pablo Montoya and Reed Sorenson -- the fact that Ganassi had to shut down one of his teams and lay off about 70 people speaks to both the health of his organization and the economic struggles of the sport as a whole.
Franchitti's future remains up in the air, though Ganassi said he hopes to let the former open-wheel star run the remainder of the Nationwide Series season. It's a move that probably should've happened sooner -- in spite of Franchitti's obvious talent, the switch from open-wheel to stock cars is a tough one, and to throw a guy into Sprint Cup right off the bat is a questionable move.
I just hope Franchitti doesn't take a permanent career hit from this.
To Hit or Not to Hit
Examining Juan Pablo Montoya's intentional wrecking of Kyle Busch at the end of Sunday's race in New Hampshire under caution leaves me torn. As a fan, I loved the move, as I've been waiting for someone to dump Busch like that for some time now.
But as someone who wants to one day be an expert on the sport, examining things from the inside, I realize it's something we can't exactly cheer about. Sure, the fans can cheer, and mightily many of them did. To say Busch is unpopular would be the understatement of the season -- between his temperament, his cockiness and his incident with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Richmond -- but that doesn't make wrecking him on purpose right.
Funny, but not right.
NASCAR penalized Montoya two laps for the move, giving him a 32nd-place finish. Busch finished 25th and kept his points lead over Jeff Burton, though Burton's 12th-place effort slimmed the margin a fair amount. NASCAR had to punish Montoya -- the move was obviously intentional, and Montoya even admitted as such in a TV interview -- it would've risked a PR nightmare if it hadn't.
Yet the fan in me absolutely loves the move, loves that Montoya didn't shy away from the truth, and that we might have a new feud on our hands. NASCAR needs rivalries like this, and if this carries over beyond Loudon, the fans are the ones who'll benefit.
It'll be interesting to see if Busch retaliates this weekend at Daytona -- or, perhaps more likely, next weekend at Chicagoland. He does have his points lead to think about, but Busch's youth and attitude might leave him unable to help himself.
It should be entertaining, I know that much.
"But, Jeff," you say, "isn't Ryan Newman in that car?"
Well, yes, and he did luck into the Daytona 500 with it this year. But that win, along with Kurt Busch's in the rain Sunday at New Hampshire, has done little to convince Newman that Roger Penske was doing everything he could to make that a consistent winner on the Sprint Cup level (Penske's love is, and will always be, his open-wheel rides). Newman has told Penske officials numerous times he would leave at the end of the season should performance not pick up, and considering Newman sits 15th in points with just one top-5 finish, I'd say the team hasn't responded.
Not to mention Newman might lose sponsor Alltel at the end of the year. That has to hurt his status with the race team.
Ignoring for the moment the impact of Truex leaving DEI -- mostly because I waxed poetic about that in my last post -- is Penske really a step up for him? Truex won a race last year and qualified for the Chase for the Cup, and appeared to be ready to take on the mantle of head man at DEI with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s departure to Hendrick Motorsports. But neither DEI nor Penske are among the top tier of teams on the Sprint Cup circuit right now, and both seem to lag further behind as the weeks progress.
There are those who would wish to see Truex join his buddy Junior and take over the recently-vacated No. 5 at Hendrick, but he appears destined to replace Newman. Newman, meanwhile, appears penciled in at HAAS-CNC Racing; reports have Newman being Tony Stewart's lead driver should he opt out of his final year with Joe Gibbs Racing.
But here's the rub: what if Stewart doesn't opt out? Where will Newman go then?
Don't think he'll drive the No. 5; that ride seems to have Mark Martin's name written all over it. The No. 16 and No. 07 are unavailable, since Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer both signed contract extensions last weekend at Loudon. Newman could potentially pilot Richard Childress' fourth car, but everything I've seen has that car going to Casey Mears.
If Stewart doesn't opt out, could Newman really be the odd man out in the Sprint Cup Series? I have a hard time believing a guy with 12 career Cup wins could be without a ride, but the fact remains: the good rides are few and far between.
Especially with Roush-Fenway having to consolidate to four cars next season and Target Chip Ganassi shutting down the No. 40 car. Speaking of ...
Guitar Hero, not Race Car Hero
Do you think Dario Franchitti's regretting his move to stock cars?
With news Tuesday that Chip Ganassi is folding the No. 40 team due to a lack of sponsorship, it appears yet another setback has gotten in Franchitti's way. Franchitti, who in 2007 won both the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series title, has struggled this season.
Need proof? Try the following:
-Career-best finish of 22nd at Martinsville.
-Failed to qualify for races in Texas and Sonoma.
-41st in Sprint Cup points.
-Missed five Sprint Cup races due to a broken ankle he suffered in a Nationwide Series race at Talladega.
Ganassi's teams have been in trouble since Sterling Marlin's departure a couple seasons ago. David Stremme didn't work out last season, and after Homestead in 2007, long-time sponsor Coors Light bolted. Though Target and Texaco Havoline appear committed to the team -- which is good news for Juan Pablo Montoya and Reed Sorenson -- the fact that Ganassi had to shut down one of his teams and lay off about 70 people speaks to both the health of his organization and the economic struggles of the sport as a whole.
Franchitti's future remains up in the air, though Ganassi said he hopes to let the former open-wheel star run the remainder of the Nationwide Series season. It's a move that probably should've happened sooner -- in spite of Franchitti's obvious talent, the switch from open-wheel to stock cars is a tough one, and to throw a guy into Sprint Cup right off the bat is a questionable move.
I just hope Franchitti doesn't take a permanent career hit from this.
To Hit or Not to Hit
Examining Juan Pablo Montoya's intentional wrecking of Kyle Busch at the end of Sunday's race in New Hampshire under caution leaves me torn. As a fan, I loved the move, as I've been waiting for someone to dump Busch like that for some time now.
But as someone who wants to one day be an expert on the sport, examining things from the inside, I realize it's something we can't exactly cheer about. Sure, the fans can cheer, and mightily many of them did. To say Busch is unpopular would be the understatement of the season -- between his temperament, his cockiness and his incident with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Richmond -- but that doesn't make wrecking him on purpose right.
Funny, but not right.
NASCAR penalized Montoya two laps for the move, giving him a 32nd-place finish. Busch finished 25th and kept his points lead over Jeff Burton, though Burton's 12th-place effort slimmed the margin a fair amount. NASCAR had to punish Montoya -- the move was obviously intentional, and Montoya even admitted as such in a TV interview -- it would've risked a PR nightmare if it hadn't.
Yet the fan in me absolutely loves the move, loves that Montoya didn't shy away from the truth, and that we might have a new feud on our hands. NASCAR needs rivalries like this, and if this carries over beyond Loudon, the fans are the ones who'll benefit.
It'll be interesting to see if Busch retaliates this weekend at Daytona -- or, perhaps more likely, next weekend at Chicagoland. He does have his points lead to think about, but Busch's youth and attitude might leave him unable to help himself.
It should be entertaining, I know that much.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)