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It was announced this week that Cole Whitt will attempt to make his Cup Series debut at Phoenix for Red Bull Racing. The team will enter a third car for Whitt, who will have to qualify on time. If it goes well, expect Red Bull to enter Whitt at Homestead as well. The move would seem to make sense, as Red Bull has backed Whitt’s Truck Series effort for much of the season, except for the fact that Red Bull is shutting down it’s NASCAR program after Homestead. Why spend money continuing to develop a driver for a team that won’t exist in a few weeks?
Whitt is currently competing in his first full season in the Truck Series, and has had a very solid year. Running for Stacy Compton’s under-funded Turn One Racing, he actually led the points earlier in the year, and is still solidly in the top ten. He’s also locked in a battle with Joey Coulter and Nelson Piquet, Jr. for the Rookie of the Year title. His performance this season certainly warrants opportunities to advance his career.
If Red Bull were continuing it’s NASCAR operation, getting Whitt more experience would be important. They would need to replace Kasey Kahne in the #4, and Whitt would certainly be a candidate to do so in the next year or two. We’ve heard that Jay Frye may be close to securing an investor to keep the team afloat, and getting Whitt up to speed might be a major selling point. Take that at face value though, because this rumor has surfaced several times over the last few months and a deal has yet to be made.
There is another rumor floating around about where Whitt could end up, and this one might have some teeth.
In a recent interview with NASCAR.com’s Dave Rodman, Whitt said “Red Bull has already committed to him a similar program as he had in 2011, for next season.” So even if Red Bull Racing shuts down, Red Bull will maintain some level of sponsorship involvement with Whitt next season. And the NASCAR.com article seemed to imply that Whitt may be shopping that deal.
With that in mind, the other rumor we’ve heard is that Whitt might be the third driver to fill out the lineup for Michael Waltrip Racing’s #00 next year. We know Mark Martin will run 25 races, and that Michael Waltrip will drive another five, so MWR is looking to fill the seat for the remaining six races. Whitt’s backing from Red Bull might be the key to getting him into those races.
These are nothing more than rumors at this point, but expect Whitt to end up in a decent ride for next season. As for these two possible Cup races, it’s certainly an interesting move for a lame duck team to bring out a third car for a developmental driver. Somebody clearly has a plan for young Mr. Whitt.
This week, the Cup and Nationwide championship battles head to Phoenix. The races are still tight, so expect the unexpected. As the season ticks away, we’ve got the 151st Ask The Insiders Wednesday. If you don’t know what this post is, we answer any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here. So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us. On to the questions…
1. From Steve:
Last weekend was yet another one that makes NASCAR look bad. It rained on Friday so they moved practice to Saturday and cancelled qualifying. I’m sorry but it was not fair to anyone, Chase or not, to not have qualifying. Carl Edwards did not earn the pole and did not deserve to be on it. I think that they should have run qualifying and if time was left then a short practice. Especially with how fast they can do that at Martinsville. Your thoughts?
You can’t just throw the cars on track for qualifying without some sort of practice session. And with trying to get the Truck race in, there just wasn’t enough time on Saturday to get it all done. There is nothing wrong with setting the field by points, because everyone knows in advance what the rules are if qualifying is rained out. That’s part of the advantage of running well and being high in the points. – T.C.
2. From SteveBinColo:
First, I am a MWR fan. Now, what the heck is going on over there? I like the addition of Clint Boyer. He is arguably a step up from Truex and Reutimann. He probably did not have much of a choice as to where he would go. But why the sudden switch to Mark Martin and MW himself running the #00 next year? Did they lose sponsorship from Aarons? And I thought Reuitmann signed a 3 year deal. So much for that contract. I started following Waltrip when he drove for DEI. If Dale Sr. thought he was good enough that was a pretty good endorsement, IMHO. But MWR has never been more than an also ran team. Its been a disappointing few years. They never seem to be able to recover from mishaps. I often see the top drivers, JJ or Gordon have an issue early in the race but manage to recover over the course of the race. MWR never seems to have that skill. So really, what is the scoop with this organization? MWR seems to be on the same path as the team owner. 500+ races and 4 wins.
I can’t really give you a whole lot of insight, but I think it’s clear that MWR saw what it needed to see out of Reutimann and decided Martin, even part-time, was the better prospect. Consider too the possibility that the sponsor was ready for a change. Waltrip intimated that because of Reutimann’s less than stellar performance this season they had an out in his contract. The team isn’t running very good equipment, and their drivers are at best retreads. They knew what they were getting out of Reutimann and Truex, and they know what they’re going to get with Bowyer. The team has potential, it always did, but it seems to lack some long-term vision. – Journo
3. From Lost in Texas:
Got to wonder about MWR. The company started off with a cheating scandal for their first race at Daytona. Now the windshield caper. They are cutting loose Reutimann after years of loyal service to both DW and MW. I just don’t get it. Can you give me some “Insider” information about what is going on and why MW has let another cheating scandal hit his organization? Also, any idea where Reutimann might end up. Figured he’d be the next Aaron’s spokes person.
See question 2. I don’t know where Reutimann will end up – if he’ll end up anywhere. This is unfortunately a very bad time to be a racecar driver and out of a job. As to the winshield thing, I’ll say MWR could stand to be a little less sloppy with their cheating, but everybody does it. – Journo
4. From Steve:
I know I probably can’t get two questions in one week but here goes. What do you think of the current points system? The guy in first just runs laps and plays it safe week in week out. The guy in second has won 3 out of the 7 races. Whats wrong with this picture? The chase will be worthless until NASCAR makes winning a priority, not playing it safe. How sad that the points leader isn’t even trying to win a race.
I don’t think it’s fair to say Carl Edwards is “playing it safe.” You don’t run as well as he is by “playing it safe.” I also don’t think you can say Edwards isn’t trying to win a race. Consider Edwards is averaging a 5.6 finish through the Chase, while Stewart is averaging a 7.3. What we need to decide is what is the most important thing is – do we want the best, most consistent driver to win the championship or the driver with the most wins, who sometimes is not the driver with the best season. - Journo
5. From Jim:
Here we go again.. Nascar making rules up as they go along. And this why the mainstream media, the sports media and the general sports fan will NEVER take Nascar seriously. First they let their major league stars play in their minor leagues. Can you imagine if Derek Jeter were allowed to compete with local triple A team when he wasn’t on the field for the Yankees? Then to top if off, when the major leaguer has a run in with one of the minor leaguers he is suspended from the major league event?? Had this been Edwards or Hamlin, or god forbid ol Jr boy himself the outcome would have been totally different and everybody knows it including Mike Helton and the rest of Nascar. But because it was the guy everybody loves to hate it made it an easy call and more disturbingly, a popular call for Nascar. I have been a Nascar fan for over 40 years and will continue to be a fan but its this kind of rules making on the fly behavior that makes me keep my fandom to myself for fear of being ridiculed by others that I know and meet.
I think the issue here is not about rules making, but about what you perceive as inconsistent penalties. The thing to remember with these type of issues is that you could never write a specific rule or penalty to address every situation. It’s the same for every sport – it’s up to Roger Goodell’s discretion how players are penalized for on and off field conduct issues in the NFL (Goodell does it under the player conduct policy, NASCAR does it under rule 12-4-A) and David Stern can fine NBA owners if he doesn’t like what they tweeted (and he does). Nothing spelled out, just discretion. If Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin or Carl Edwards had the history of incidents that Kyle Busch does I don’t have a doubt you would have seen NASCAR react in a similar fashion (see Kevin Harvick suspended in 2002). I’m sorry you’re embarrassed about being a NASCAR fan, but there are limits to the omniscience of the sanctioning body. – Journo
6. From Chris:
Hey guys, I’ve noticed from a few in-car shots that some drivers wear a piece of fabric that hangs down from their helmet around the neck area (specifically, I noticed that Harvick and Keselowski have them). What is this and what is the purpose? Thanks as always!
That piece of fabric is fire resistant and protects the driver’s neck in the event of a fire. Some guys wear full balaclavas, and others just have that extra fabric attached to their helmets. – T.C.
7. From Nolan:
Since when does NASCAR allow rookies to replace drivers that have already qualified for the race? The series rule against Kevin Conway doing it in 2010, while it allowed Josh Wise to replace Michael McDowell at Texas this past weekend?
Sorry Nolan, but I don’t recall the situation with Conway in 2010. If I had to guess, I would imagine he wasn’t allowed to race because he wasn’t approved for the specific track. But I don’t know for sure. – T.C.
8. From Neil:
Hi guys,love the blog! I was just wanting to ask what the rules are for entry onto pit lane during any incidents on the frontstretch or by cars involved in wrecks,cutting directly to their pit stalls and not passing the correct side of the committment cone? I ask after this weekends Texas race when the 48 car brought out the caution and spun through the infield,he then cut straight from the infield grass to his pit stall and (correct me if I’m wrong!) didnt incur any penalties? Also during wrecks at the faster tracks that dont have an infield pit wall,can and do drivers get penalised for using pit road as a wreck avoidance road while they are at speed? Or is it at “Nascars discretion”. Thanks again for your awesome insights into my favourite sport.
I believe he did receive a penalty from NASCAR. The post race report lists the #48 as having to start at the tail end for a commitment cone violation and pitting before pit road is open. As to your second question, NASCAR has said in the past that drivers can use pit road to avoid being involved in a wreck. – T.C.
9. From Neon:
Do you TNInsiders and us followers actually eat, or don’t eat, M&Ms because Kyle Busch is, or might not be, the driver of the JGR #18 M&Ms Toyota Camry Sprint Cup driver? Or drive, or not, a Camry for that matter?
Whether or not you buy a product because of the driver representing it isn’t really the point is it? It’s whether or not the driver is representing a brand in a manner consistent with the expectations of said brand. – Journo
10. From Chris:
Will Stewart-Haas Racing find another Sponsor & a Driver to Run Danica Patrick’s Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet for the whole entire 2012 Sprint Cup Series Season?
While Stewart-Haas has been on a bit of a roll signing up new sponsors over the last few weeks, don’t hold your breath on this one. Anything is certainly possible, but I would expect the #10 to just run in the races its scheduled with Danica. – T.C.
And that brings yet another “Ask The Insiders Wednesday” to a close. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions. And remember, if you’d like to be a part of next week, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send your question in!
I know he hasn’t won yet, and I know he won’t win the championship, but no matter how you slice it, 2011 has been a very solid season for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
After struggling mightily in 2010 with Lance McGrew atop the box, Rick Hendrick decided it was time to make a change. For 2011, Steve Letarte and his entire team were moved from Jeff Gordon and the 24 to Dale Jr. and the 88. And the improvement in Earnhardt’s performance has been dramatic.
Jr.’s last two points finishes coming into 2011 were 25th (2009) and 21st (2010). With two races remaining this season, he’s currently seventh. It’s only his second Chase appearance in the last five years. His top five finishes (4), top ten finishes (12), and average finish (14.3) are his best since 2008. And if he can maintain his points position, it would be his best season since 2006.
Besides consistently better finishes, Earnhardt had two near misses this season in the quest to end his winless streak. He was passed late at Martinsville in the spring by Kevin Harvick and finished second, and he was leading out of turn four on the white flag lap at Charlotte in May before he ran out of fuel and finished seventh; Harvick won there too. While still winless, these races were the closest he’s come in some time to actually winning.
Transforming Earnhardt from an also-ran into a contender again was not going to happen overnight. A major component in being able to win in any series is believing you can do so, and Jr. was clearly lacking that confidence. A season like he’s having might be just what he needs to get over the hump. As the saying goes, you’ve got to crawl before you can walk.
Of the two races remaining, Phoenix is probably Earnhardt’s last legitimate chance to win this season. The track has been reconfigured so the race is a big question mark, but Earnhardt has won there twice in the past. Even if he doesn’t win though, 2011 has been a very good year for ol’ Junebug.
Over the last couple of years, there has been quite a bit of discussion on this website about Jeremy Mayfield’s situation. The failed NASCAR drug tests and the subsequent lawsuits have been the topic of more than a few TNI blog posts. And those posts attracted dozens of reader comments with some being good, some bad, and some ugly. But now, with knowing what we know today, I’m wondering how many out there have changed their view of Mayfield and his predicament. And can we finally say definitively that Mayfield has a problem?
From the very start, Mayfield has contended that he is innocent and his failed tests were caused by a mixture of medications. The science of his argument never really added up, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to fight anyway. Mayfield’s pursuit eventually spawned a lawsuit against NASCAR. Years of litigation and ridiculous accusations aimed at the sport and it’s brass ensued.
At one point in the not too distance past, Mayfield literally had it all. He was a young, attractive, rich, and talented race car driver with a boundless future in front of him. Now, he faces a very difficult road. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but Mayfield is in serious trouble here. From the news reports there appears to be quite a bit of evidence against him, not only for the drugs, but for theft as well. He is most likely facing some sort of jail sentence.
Jeremy Mayfield, welcome to rock bottom.
At the end of the day, I’m only left feeling bad for Mayfield and his family. The guy clearly has problems and needs real help. And what’s worse, is that all of this could have been avoided. There were plenty of opportunities for him to make things right along the way, but he just wouldn’t give it up. So instead of admitting he has what appears to be a serious drug problem, getting help, and working to get reinstated by NASCAR, Mayfield chose to continue propagating the lie. I hope it was worth it.