If there is one thing that is for certain once the season ends, it’s that you won’t find half as much information about the sport to consume. The media/blog/social media coverage of the sport slows way down, which one would expect. Just as an example, over the last few weeks our NASCAR-Media list on Twitter has been home to more tweets about football and partying in Las Vegas then it has about anything regarding racing. But just because the media slows down, doesn’t mean the teams do. While the fans count the days until Daytona, the teams are hard at work.
It will certainly be a bit of a busy off season for Nationwide and Cup teams, as they are dealing with new car configurations. The Cup teams must replace all the noises on their race cars to the new splitter-less piece. This means extra time for body and paint guys, and extra time for engineers working in wind tunnels and with simulations. For the NNS teams, they now must focus 100% of their attention towards turning their entire fleets over to their version of the COT. The new car will be used at all NNS races in 2011.
Besides building and improving on their race vehicles, teams will also take this time to clean and prepare pit boxes, tool boxes, and transporters for next season. Anything that is broken will be prepared, and new and improved systems of organization will be implemented.
Changes to the race cars aren’t the only challenges for teams to work on this off season. With the elimination of the catch can, pit crews in both the NNS and Cup Series will spend their down time learning how to make these new style pit stops as fast as possible. A little time to rest up and maybe heal will precede countless hours in the gym and in the practice areas.
The little bit of team business you have probably heard about over the last week or so involves employee layoffs. Three teams of note who’ve had sizeable layoffs this season are Richard Petty Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, and Penske Racing. And while those teams may have made the biggest cuts, other teams have laid employees off as well. This is both a symptom of the economy and of the reality of racing. Teams have always used the off season to make changes to their staffs because of cost cutting, or making room for new hires. One way in which teams can improve is to bring in better or more qualified people, and sometimes that means others will need to be let go. That goes for both the business and competition sides of the sport.
On the flip side, displaced crew members have the next two months to work the phones and use their connections to try and land with a new team for next season. Some will be successful, and others will find homes in other industries.
For teams and drivers that haven’t secured plans for the 2011 season by now, the next two months will be used to try and put deals together. There are always plenty of drivers looking for a ride, and many teams, especially those at the lower levels, are looking to track down sponsors and funding for the future. For many, frustrating days and sleepless nights are ahead.
With very few off weeks during the season, the time between Homestead and Daytona also affords many race team employees the opportunity to finally take vacations. Whether for the holidays to see friends and family, or to just unwind, now is the time for people to get away. In no time, we’ll be back to the grind again.
As the winter days seem to slowly pass, know that the teams are hard at work during this “off season.” There is a lot to do, and the clock is ticking.
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If there is one thing we’ve heard about this weekend’s race at Talladega, it’s that it will be unpredictable. The COT combined with the restrictor plate and the current rules package means the cars will run around the 2.66 mile superspeedway in tight packs. And tight packs often mean big wrecks. What I don’t really understand, is why all of a sudden it seems as if “Talladega” and “Daytona” have become four letter words.
While I’m certainly not a fan of wrecks of any kind (big or small), I do enjoy the racing at the superspeedways. Having the entire field running right together, lap after lap, has always been exciting to me. The thought that literally everyone has a decent shot to win (see Brad Keselowski), coupled with the 200mph chess game that goes on for 500 miles really makes for great racing in my opinion.
Some have argued that because races at these tracks are so unpredictable, and that the drivers don’t have as much control, maybe Talladega shouldn’t be in the Chase. With crashes being common here, this race could theoretically end a driver’s chances of winning the championship. But, I would contend that the fact that we have no idea what will happen is exactly why this race should be in the Chase. Right now, only Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick sit within 100 points of leader Jimmie Johnson, but bad finishes by all three could put everyone from fourth to tenth right back in the hunt. Now that would be excitement.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t watch sports of any kind because I want to see finishes that are easily predictable. If the favorites won all the time, no sport would be fun, interesting, or entertaining to watch. We want to see good racing, upsets, and crazy finishes. As ESPN’s Chris Berman says, “that’s why they play the game.”
With all that is on the line this weekend, I believe we could be in for a great race. We’ve got a very tight championship battle, along with plenty of non-Chasers who are hungry for a win, and that combined with the madness that is Talladega and we’ve got a recipe for a real wild card weekend.
Since it’s inception in 2007 the COT has been under constant scorn and frequent celebration. Its advancements in safety have likely kept more than one driver from serious injury, but it’s generic and brick like facade has left a lot to be desired (some have even suggested that it’s… ugly).
While there aren’t any huge changes coming to the COT for next season, the splitter is getting a facelift. In other words, bye-bye braces. I noticed on Jayski today some of the first images of the new car.
Much like its Nationwide Series cousin, the Cup Series COT is getting a molded front splitter treatment that looks, well, more cohesive. I think it gives the car more personality, if only just a little. At the very least, it’s a start.
With the introduction of the Nationwide COT to rave reviews last season, it was apparent NASCAR needed to act, and act quickly to improve the looks of the Cup car. Though the two sit on the same chassis, the skin deep differences are huge. Take for instance Dodge and Ford who both chose to utilize their pony cars. With a little bit of work to the noses and some stickers to simulate body lines, they really look like very close to the production vehicles that they’re modeled after. Even the Chevrolet and Toyota aren’t bad representations of their street legal brethren.
With those design differences NASCAR was able to actually create four distinct cars – something the Cup Series is all but devoid of beyond the nose.
Certainly the improvement of the splitter (in the looks department) isn’t going to make that big of a difference. But this, like the spoiler, is one step in the continued evolution of a race car. I know many of you aren’t fans of the current car, but eventually, hopefully, baby steps will bring us to a point that the looks of the race car are really not at the forefront of everyones mind.
So what do you think about the splitter? Improvement? Do you like the looks of it? Do you care? What part of the COT do you want NASCAR to focus on next? Talk amongst yourselves!
Another Wednesday is upon us, and with that comes another round of your questions and our attempts at answers. The Cup and NNS cars will take to the Monster Mile of Dover for the second time this season, and the Trucks are off to Sin City this weekend. 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 yankeegranny:
Read an article that said the majority of drivers who made the Chase had a background in dirt track racing. If that is so, how does it give them an advantage with the COT. After the race on Sat, Jr said they were using an experimental setup that involved a different type of spindles. What are spindals, what do they do and how could they contributed to the 34th place finish?
In order for the COT to be fast, the drivers must be able to drive it loose and off the right rear tire. What this means is that they are using not only the steering wheel to turn the car, but also the throttle. Being successful on dirt means being able to control a car with both the wheel and the throttle, as the car is in a controlled slide through the corner. COT cars aren’t much different. And spindles are part of the front suspension. They attach to the upper and lower control arms, and they are what the hub actually spins on. The design of the spindle can be changed to alter the front end geometry, which changes the handling characteristics of the car. See photos of a spindle here (the photos with a blue background are spindles). Obviously what Lance McGrew and Dale Jr. were trying with their new spindles didn’t work. – T.C.
2. From Chris F:
What race do you think that Danica Patrick will make her NASCAR Sprint Cup debut at?
Who says she’s going to make a Cup Series debut? Danica has a long way to go in the Nationwide Series, and in her stock car development before anyone is going to think about putting her in a Cup car. I’m not a very good prognosticator so I’ll refrain from making predictions, but unless she decides to ditch the IRL (excuse me IndyCar Series) soon, I think it’s going to be a while. – Journo
3. From Bob:
A couple of weeks back Kevin Harvick could not get slowed down enough to get into pits, and eventually popped a tire due to flatspotting. Was just wondering, would anti-lock brakes be feasible on these cars? I know it’s more electonics to contend with, and maybe not worth the hassle, but it seems it would eliminate alot of tire issues due to flat spotting and possibly eliminate some accidents as well.
In most cases, a skilled driver with the proper technique can brake just as good as an ABS system could. But I believe the main reason ABS isn’t used is because of traction control. ABS systems can be utilized as a very effective traction control system. And the words “traction control” are practically four-letter words in racing. – T.C.
4. From Ray:
When fuel injection comes to pass will the restrictor plates still be used, how will they change and what type of fuel pump will be used? Mechanical may make restarting the engine difficult or impossible and electric pumps have to shut off in an accident.
I honestly don’t know a ton of details about the fuel injection system NASCAR is considering. I’m not even sure they know all the particulars yet. And I’m guessing the method of restricting the engines will probably depend on what type of fuel injection system they use. – T.C.
5. From Old School Fan:
Fox Sports reports NASCAR had to wait for the 11 & 48 shocks to cool to pass inspection. Will you explain the physics?
Neither TC nor myself are experts here. I know it has to do with the pressure built up in the gas shocks, but I couldn’t explain it to you beyond that. What you should try is Dr. Diandra at Stock Car Science – she is a physics expert and could probably much better explain this. – Journo
6. From Larry:
Love your column. You recently explained how the lug nuts are mounted and how they stay attached to the new tires during a pit stop. But what happens to the lug nuts from the tires that come off the car? I don’t see them flying around or being picked up, and I know you don’t want your driver to run over them, so where do they go during the tire change? And if they somehow stay in the wrench, how do they keep from messing up the ones that go on car?
The lug nuts drop down onto the pit stall as they are taken off. Drivers actually do run these over after stops and they become little metal projectiles that can hurt if you’re in their path (the next time you watch a pit stop on TV look for the little spark as the car leaves its stall – that’s probably a lug nut). If they’re not kicked backward, they’re usually swept up after the stop. – Journo
7. From Big John:
Hey guys, as we race fans shell out our $25 for our drivers hats or T shirts at the trailers how is the supply of hats, shirts etc that you guys can grab out of your haulers?
Crew members obviously don’t have to pay for hats and shirts, as they are our uniforms. But the supply certainly isn’t endless. We each get our allotment of clothing for the year, and that’s pretty much it. An extra shirt or hat here and there is attainable, but it’s not a free-for-all. – 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!
To use the words of the late David Poole, Dale Earnhardt saved Elliott Sadler’s life on Sunday.
What happened to Elliott Sadler on the backstretch (between turns one and two) late in the race at Pocono isn’t exactly clear to those of us who didn’t happen to be in a car and on the backstretch at the time (thanks Kurt Busch and ESPN). What we do know though is Pocono needs to make safety upgrades, like yesterday, and the COT and HANS Device saved Elliott Sadler from serious injury or death.
From what I saw of that wreck, it was one of the worst in recent memory. After hitting the inside Armco barrier, Sadler was propelled back out onto the track – a distance that’s probably a good 50 feet. In the slow motion replay on ESPN, Sadler’s whole body can be seen lurching forward. That tremendous amount of force ripped the car apart. See the engine being towed back to the garage. Sadler was luckily able to walk away with nothing but the wind knocked out of him.
For all of the criticism its gotten and complaining that’s been done about it, the COT has been a wonderful safety innovation. It has no doubt saved lives. Ask Micheal McDowell. Now ask Elliott Sadler.
Add to that the proliferation of the HANS Device and the SAFER barriers and NASCAR has become a much safer place to compete.
In the days leading up to the race, Pocono President Brandon Igdalsky, grandson of the Drs. Mattioli, addressed plans for some much needed safety features, including SAFER barriers between turns 1 and 2, and 2 and 3, and a much needed catch fence. It’s about time.
Looking around on the net Sunday night some were suggesting Pocono shouldn’t be on the schedule. I couldn’t disagree more. It’s a unique facility with great fans (though two races seven weeks apart is ridiculous). I do think though the track needed to have made these upgrades before other things were done – say for instance a $16 million solar farm.
It’s certainly easy to play Monday morning quarterback on this – but I think anyone who has ever seen the facility can see there are a lot of upgrades that need be done. As usual I digress.
Who knows what would have happened to Sadler had he not had the benefit of the current safety features. I shutter to think. Through all the complaining about ESPN missing the moment (big deal), the biggest story here is what didn’t happen and what we fortunately didn’t see.
What NASCAR has done since February 2001 truly has made the sport safer. There have been no serious injuries and no deaths. And thankfully on Sunday we were able to keep that record intact.
We’ve made it to the Scott Speed edition of Ask The Insiders Wednesday (get it? 82…). Upcoming this weekend is a NASCAR mid-west triple header, with the Nationwide and Cup cars at Chicago, and the Trucks at Iowa. While we work through a short week, here are more reader questions and answers for you. 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 Woogeroo:
Howdy Insiders! The qualifying vs. race trim question from last week got me to wondering about what is allowed to be changed these days? I’ve read that Larry McReynolds had a some crazy number of things he would change back when he was a crew chief… but that was back when they could swap motors between racing/qualifying, no impounding and pre spoiler mobile. I’ve read of things like special oils/lubricants for various things just to run the two laps… then they drain it out and put the good stuff in for the race. Does NASCAR still allow all of these shenanigans? I guess what I am asking is… what all is being changed on the car?
Anything and everything is fair game. Like I said last week, whatever it takes to make the cars go as fast as possible for two laps. That means doing things like making the car as aerodynamic as possible (taping up openings), and doing whatever is necessary to move weight around (legally). Teams will also change chassis elements, put more air pressure in the tires, and use lighter lubricants. - T.C.
2. From Joseph:
Hey Guys, will Bobby L. race for the #09 for the rest of the year? Is there any other team your aware of for 2011 ? Do you think Bobby is done? I hope not I believe he still can drive he just needs that 2nd chance like Martin got. Thanks.
As of right now it’s only a two race deal – Chicago and Daytona. Certainly if they’re happy with him and money can be put together that could be extended. I don’t think Bobby’s done in NASCAR, but his Cup Series opportunities are dwindling. Could he have a resurgence? Its possible, but I don’t think it’s likely. – Journo
3. From Ryan:
Any word on sponsors for Smoke. I heard Maybe Stanley. Thanks.
To be honest, I haven’t heard even the slightest small rumor about who or what Stewart Haas is going after. I’m sure that Bass Pro Shops and Budweiser are in play, as is any other company that has an expiring contract. – T.C.
4. From Eddie:
What happened to Scott Lagassee Jr?
Lagassee started out the season with Baker Curb Racing in the #43 NNS car, but has been out of the car for a few weeks because of lack of funding. Unless he can find a sponsor or put more money together, you probably won’t see him back. – T.C.
5. From Dan:
Why didn’t Chevy use the Camaro in the NNS or even the Malibu. Did I miss something? People are referring to the new NNS cars as pony cars. My thinking is the Challenger and Mustang are true pony cars,but not the Impala and Camry.
You’d be correct in your assessment. I’m not sure why they didn’t use the Malibu – that’s not a bad idea – but they didn’t use the Camaro because the COT didn’t allow for them to do justice to the body lines of the car. GM’s Mark Kent said:
“At the end of the day, because of the quest for very close competition and the need to have templated bodies in that series, we felt that by forcing the Camaro into the Nationwide templates that we were compromising the body lines of an iconic car. So at the end of the day we just could not get the Camaro in the Nationwide series to satisfy our requirements.”
- Journo
6. From Billy:
What are your opinons of fan sponsored cars?
I don’t think there is anything wrong with fan sponsored cars. They though are not a sustainable way to run an operation. I’m assuming this question is coming up because of the ‘formation’ of that America’s Racing Team. I think I’m going to do my post on this for Thursday so I’ll elaborate then, but I hope no one opens their checkbook for it, I’ll say that. It’s one thing to send RAB Racing some money to get Scott Riggs on track – it’s a completely other thing to spend $500 on a ‘membership’ with some no-name start-up organization. – Journo
7. From Nancy:
How much do NASCAR spotters make?
Anywhere from $500 a race on up to a few thousand per race for the well known spotters with big name drivers. – T.C.
8. From Ric:
In the Coke Zero 400 why was Paul Menard given a “lucky dog” so late in the last caution? There was no way for him to make it around the track and reach the pack, not to mention get into the correct spot, for the restart.
What I believe you saw was Menard off and on pit road fixing damage. By the time he got back on track it was time for the restart – so the jump he got wasn’t a big one. They were already a lap down, so what mattered was that they get the damage fixed as best they could. They still got a lap back and a jump on the field with the lucky dog. It just wasn’t the advantage it could have been if his car was 100%. – Journo
9. From Kevin:
Can you guys comment on the sponsorship “issue” with the 29 car. I have been a Harvick fan since day 1, and he has always seemed like one of the more marketable drivers on the circuit. Granted the last couple of years were tough in the performance department, but he still got a lot of air time. Now that he is a legit title contender (yes, these exist outside of Henrick and Gibbs camp, depsite what the media thinks) why is is taking so long to solidify his 2011 sponsor? Do you think it is a case of having many options? Or a case of a sponsor from a current team *coughUPScough* leaving? Seems odd that a guy like Harvick leading the points, winning races, cant find a sponsor, even in these difficult times.
Shell Pennzoil is leaving RCR more for the business to business relationship with the Penske Automotive Group than they are for the competition end of things. A large number of sponsors are in the sport because of the opportunities they have to make money off the track. Take the Dupont, Hendrick Automotive Group relationship. I’m confident RCR won’t have a problem finding a sponsor or sponsors to fill the void being left by Shell. It’s not necessarily out of the ordinary that you aren’t hearing about anything. This is the time of the year that teams are waltzing sponsors, and the sponsors are looking for the most bang for their buck. Never fear, there is still a lot of time – things will be just fine. – Journo
Friday night at Daytona, we finally got to see the culmination of a few years of development with the debut of the Nationwide Series’ new car. I’d say NNS COT, but I heard that NASCAR doesn’t want it referred to as the COT, so instead I’ll call it the “new car.” The race was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the #3 Wrangler Impala, and all things considered, I believe we can call the race a success.
There was concern in the garage area after the testing and practice sessions that the race may have turned into the type of race we saw on Saturday night. Many drivers said the cars were unstable in the draft and were difficult to drive. Add to that the inexperience of many of those in the field, and it appeared we had the perfect recipe for disaster. Instead, what we saw was a solid race where drivers didn’t take crazy chances and wreck their race cars. We even got to see an exciting two lap shootout for the finish.
Getting to the point where the new car could finally be debuted was a long process. A ton of R&D work had to be done by the teams and by NASCAR. And implementation hasn’t been without it’s critics, as there are plenty of pros and cons.
For the crews, the car presents some new challenges, as the inspection process is now much more rigorous. The cars must be certified just like their Cup brethren and go through a very similar inspection process at the track. All of that adds up to more work for the teams.
I can tell you that pit stops aren’t much different then they were previously. The new cars may actually be a little easier to service then the old cars, partly because of the larger wheel openings. The new cars are very similar to the Cup COT, and the Cup crew guys who also work in the Nationwide Series will have no problems adjusting. For the NNS only crews, the right to left travel may be slightly different then the old car, but it should be a fairly easy transition.
The switchover has also been tough on some teams, especially the small operations. Many have been working long hours to both build the new cars and maintain their fleet of the older version. The cost to build a fleet of the new car will certainly be substantial, but moving forward, it should help save the teams money. The new design helps cut down the need for specialized cars for the different track types.
Nationwide teams will go back to the older version for the upcoming few races, but the new car will reappear at Michigan, Richmond, and Charlotte later in the season. Full implementation will happen for the 2011 season, and I personally think it’s a good move. The unique (and new) body styles will give the NNS some of it’s identity back, and should strengthen the fans’ perception of the series. Hopefully this move will also help NASCAR not only make the necessary changes to return the Nationwide Series to it’s proper form, but also serve as a test pad for improvements to the Cup COT.
So what were your thoughts of the race on Friday? Did you think it was a successful first outing? What is your opinion of how the new car looks? Is NASCAR moving in the right direction?
Surprisingly, we’ve already reached the mid point of the Cup Series season. The Truck Series remains off for another week, but both the NNS and Cup cars will head to Daytona for racing under the lights. The NNS teams are at the beach already getting ready for their race, and the Cup haulers will be en route tomorrow. While preparations go on, we’ve got more reader questions and answers for you. 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 Ric:
When NASCAR pit road Inspectors penalize a team is it first approved / cleared / checked with higher ups or what they say goes? Who makes the decision if a team argues / appeals a penalty?
A NASCAR official on pit road can call a penalty on a team just like a referee or umpire for any other sport. They don’t need to check with race control first. If a team wants to appeal, the official will get on the horn to race control, and any decision will be made by the guys in the booth. – T.C.
2. From Kevin:
Hi would like to know if any progress has been made on AJ’s contract and if not do you think he will have other options open in NASCAR or go back to open wheel?
Not that I’ve heard. I definitely think there are opportunities for Allmendinger in NASCAR – I think he’s worked far too hard getting himself acclimated to stock cars to make a return to open wheel. On top of that, he’s never expressed any interest in returning to open wheel competition. If we find out more we will certainly let you know! – Journo
3. From Lee:
What is the difference in race trim and qualifying trim? If in Q you run fastest, why slow the car down for the actual race? What are the differences in the two?
A car in qualifying trim wouldn’t make very many laps. Between grill tape and air pressures, the car would blow up and blow tires. Race trim allows the cars to still be fast, but also have enough longevity to make it to the finish. The teams make setup changes to the car so it will be as fast as possible for those two laps. That means things like pumping up the air pressures and having little or no grill openings. In the Cup Series, teams can and will change some chassis elements too. Qualifying = fast as possible for two laps. Race = fast as possible for 500 miles. - T.C.
4. From yankeegranny:
What does it mean when a driver says the car needs to roll better through the center? How does that effect the car’s handling? Also, how can changing to a new set of tires(assuming no other changes were made) effect a car’s speed so much. You hear drivers say they were so much better or worse on a new set of tires, why?
This usually refers to keeping up the speed and momentum through the center of the corner. The center of the corner sets up the exit, which is vital to being fast. A car that gets off the corner well will look like it has 50 more HP then a car that exits poorly. New tires mean more grip. And more grip can be good or bad. It also depends on tire pressures. You’ll often hear a driver say the car is bad for the first few laps after a pit stop, but then gets better. The car gets better because the air pressure in the tire builds up some. As a run goes on, the tires will lose grip and slow down. When we go somewhere with an abrasive track (like Darlington or Atlanta) notice how far the lap times fall off from the beginning to the end of a run. – T.C.
5. From Debbie:
After watching the haulers leave Loudon, I had a question. I knew I had to ask you for an answer! Do they drain the fluids out of the cars after a race before they load them for the trip back to Charlotte? Thanks!
Unless a team has to pull a motor out, the fluids remain in the car until it is unloaded and torn down back at the shop in Charlotte. If it appears a car may have a small leak, the hauler drivers put down a product called Pig Mat that will absorb any fluids. – T.C.
6. From Ella:
How big a deal is the switch to a new kind of car in the Nationwide series this weekend? Will it cause a lot of problems or be a fairly easy thing for drivers and teams? Is this new car basically a COT car?
The chassis is essentially the same as the Cup Series COT. That said, I think there will be a bit of a learning curve for everyone, with the advantage toward the Cup regulars. There has, of course, been testing done, but no one has a ton of seat time in these new cars. It will be interesting to see them out on track this weekend – I know I’m excited. – Journo
7. From Neon:
Over the last couple of years, TNI has painted a pretty detailed and (albeit anonymous) interesting picture of the professional life of TC (tire changer) w/ just a glimpse of an off-track personal portrait. However, I can’t quite paint a mental picture of the life of Journo (the Journalist) and just what your version of a 20 lug stop looks like. Can you share “and” remain anonymous?
Unfortunately, I can’t really divulge too much about my daily tasks without revealing too much about who I am, or what my role is. That said, I did write a whole series of posts on the NASCAR life a couple of years ago. You may or may not have seen those. I’ll try to think of some not-so-revealing experience posts I can get up in the not too distant future. I’m on it, I swear. – Journo
8. From Tony:
I just read where yet another guy from the Sprint series is suspended for drug use. At this rate there are going to be quite a few jobs opening up,soon! Does anyone think that the use of recreational drug usage is as wide spread as it now looks? It seems that there is about one guy each week that is found. How many guys have been suspended since the drug testing started? Thoughts?
I don’t think this is as big a problem as it might appear. With some quick research I counted 19 guys that have been suspended since the start of last season, and the beginning of NASCAR’s stronger drug policy. The breakdown is like this: four Cup guys, two (ex)drivers, four Nationwide guys, and nine Truck guys. Only three of those 19 came from major teams. Many of those busted are temporary employees for part time teams, which is what you would expect. The bigger teams are able to weed out some of the problems because they have their own drug policies; smaller teams don’t. So out of the probably 1,500 – 2,000 people who come to the track each weekend to work, 19 failures is pretty low. We are talking about somewhere around 1%. – T.C.
9. From Richard in NC:
In a pit stop, would there be a penalty if a car runs over an air hose, but does not leave the pit box? If so, what would the penalty be? Thank you.
If the car runs over a hose entering the box, but the crew fixes the situation, the team won’t be penalized. You usually only see a team penalized when the car runs over an air hose on exit. The rule for this in the rule book would allow the official to penalize for either situation, but the latter is the most common. And all the book says for a penalty is that the driver has to return to their pit stall for inspection. It’s not necessarily one lap or tail end, etc. – T.C.
Nothing like a little drama to make things interesting. After a very interesting finish to the Pocono weekend, the Trucks and Cup cars head to Michigan this week, while the Nationwide cars take to Kentucky Speedway. This week’s 78th edition of ATIW is a full one, so we’ll get to it. 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…
With regards to Burton Smith’s $20M offer. I’m wondering if it would be possible, since the Indy winner would not have time to hang around to do interviews, photo shoots, etc. Would the sponsors just say, NO?
I think you could probably work it out to do all of that stuff the following day. That said, I just don’t think it would be feasible to do it. Tony Stewart was the last to do it and he was so dehydrated and exhausted, he was pretty worthless for the Coke 600. If IRL and Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart couldn’t pull it off, I’m not sure who could. – Journo
2. From Kyle:
Is it possible we will ever see tracks such as Rockingham or North Wilkesboro return to NASCAR in either the Nationwide or Truck series? It would help NASCAR with the hardcore fanbase and would provide more standalone dates for the Nationwide series (making it less likely a cup driver would run all the races, plus more races for a nationwide regular to realisticaly have a shot at winning). Is this even a possibility?
Never say never, but I don’t know if NASCAR would be too interested in re-entering those areas. I agree with you, it would be fantastic to see one of those tracks back on a national series schedule, but it’s hard to see what NASCAR would boot from the schedule. You can count out any SMI or ISC tracks. And Wilkesboro is still owned by SMI and in increasingly bad shape. It’s a good idea, I just don’t think it’s on NASCAR’s radar. – Journo
3. From Allen:
What are the 2 small strips on the left front bumper? They are on top of one another, but about 2-3 inches apart. Never noticed them until practice at Pocono on Carl Edwards CHEEZ-IT car.
Those are the part numbers of the nose pieces. The nose on a Cup car is actually two pieces, and NASCAR wants the teams to leave that part number exposed when they paint the car. You should be able to spot those two strips on most of the cars. I know a few paint over it, but if there is ever a question about the nose, the team would have to sand down the paint in that spot. - T.C.
4. From Lost In Texas:
The #7 has a long history in NASCAR, Alan and Geoff to name some of the recent owner/drivers. With the #7 slipping out of the top 35 last week and missing the race this week, do you think that spells the end for one of the last owner/drivers?
Well, after the penalties come down on the #38 team, I think Robby will have a second chance at life. That said, money is going to continue to be a problem for him going forward. Without sponsorship, I don’t know if I think Robby can or will continue for much longer. The points might not necessarily kill off Robby Gordon Motorsports, but lack of sponsorship very well could. – Journo
5. From Brad:
I’m a Huge Mark Martin fan. I just want to know what’s going on with his season this year. After being fairly dominate last season.
I think it’s a mixed bag over there. You can’t say it’s been a terrible season, he hasn’t had any wins, but he’s 11th in points. His average finish is 15.2 just a tick worse than it was last season, he just hasn’t had the consistency. There is still a lot of time left, and plenty of time for the #5 team to start winning races. Don’t count them out yet. – Journo
6. From Kevin:
Hey guys, just read the article about Phil Parsons, and to be honest I didn’t know before this week that he was going to be part of the TNT telecast. Watching the race today, with the included 2 hour delay, I was pleasantly surprised with his contributions. I thought he did an awesome job and was a breath of fresh air compared to the regular guys. I hope he gets to continue. I think people are letting their negative view of start and parkers infringe on him as a TV personality. I mean, the chance that he will ever need to interview one of his teams is slim and none. I don’t see any conflict of interest, its not as though Joe Gibbs is wanting to broadcast.
The problem is, Phil Parsons being part of the broadcast is exactly like Joe Gibbs being part of the broadcast. Phil Parsons is still a team owner in the Cup Series, whether his team start and parks or not. If an issue occurs with one of his teams he will not be able to talk about it impartially. The same issue could occur with team owners Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty. It may seem petty, but I believe the fans deserve an honest and fair broadcast and they’re just not going to get every time when one of the reporters has such a financial interest in the sport. Unfortunately, this is a very incestuous business, and ESPN and TNT are only more than happy to feed into it. In my opinion whether you work as a White House correspondent for the New York Times or as a pit reporter for ESPN (and yes TNT too), you need to adhere to professionally recognized ethics standards. In other words, I’m with Daly on this on. These guys need to decide whether they want to be broadcasters or team owners. – Journo
7. From Ella:
This weekend Harvick’s crew prevented Joey from reaching Harvick on pit road. Do crews have practiced responses to driver disputes on the track or do the crews just sort of take it on themselves to intervene in some way? Is the primary goal just to keep the two separated?
There aren’t practiced responses, but there is kind of an unspoken rule that crew guys protect the drivers. It’s fine if there is just talking going on, but when it escalates, you will often see crew guys step in. – T.C.
8. From Foster:
Hey guys. I am a huge fan of the site! I was wondering, could you explain if more rubber on the track means there is more or less grip for the cars?
In most cases, more rubber on the track means better grip for the cars. As the tires wear, the soft rubber will stick to the track and create more grip. -T.C.
9. From AJ:
After watching Denny hit the wall during his burn out got me thinking about NASCAR’s thoughts on it? Will that affect how the car fits the template and if a team has a borderline item on the car could this type of incident help hide it?
Don’t forget, the cars go through tech before the race, and must fit the templates then. It would be VERY difficult for a team to alter a body during the race that would give them an advantage without NASCAR seeing it. In post race inspection, the cars aren’t required to fit the templates again. Car heights, engines, gears, and other mechanical bits are under scrutiny in those inspections. – T.C.
10. From Matt:
Where does NASCAR get all the prize money for each race? I know that sounds completely stupid, but I don’t know how they could possibly make the millions they have to pay out every week just off ticket sales and what not. Also the start and park teams shouldn’t even get any money, or at least have theirs reduced. Seeing 7 cars pull off before Lap 20 is getting really old for us fans who pay to see 43 cars race, not 36.
No, not a stupid question at all. The money comes from the TV contracts (which is the biggest piece of the pie), and sponsorship dollars through contingency programs. Now in order to get money from these contingency programs you actually have to participate in them. It’s a little bit of a complicated process so I’m going to direct to a good article written by Lee Spencer on how the process works. As far as the start and park teams go, the problem is it gets complicated to prove they’re actually doing it. From the surface it’s easy to say who’s doing it, but not worth the process to tear cars down to prove it. NASCAR doesn’t like the teams doing this either, but they’ve created an environment that allows it to happen. – Journo
11. From Ron:
TNT had some excellent incar shots at Pocono . One thing I noticed is Denny Hamlin’s has very limited rollbar padding and doesen’t appear to have the netting or other equipment above the driver that some used in the past . is this part of the current rush to take weight of the cars? And where are they shifting weight to?
Remember that the COT has a lot more room inside the car then the previous car did, and in some cases, a ton of roll bar padding isn’t necessary. Also, the amount of weight saved by removing a little bit of roll bar padding would be minimal. Plus, you don’t sacrifice driver safety for a few ounces of saved weight. NASCAR mandates what the weight distribution is from left to right and front to rear. What teams are trying to do is get the weight as low as possible. – T.C.
12. From Ric:
Saw on TV at Pocono a crew member of the 48 team was putting a left side tire over the wall. As he was putting it out as far away from the wall he could, he over extended himself. To keep from falling over the wall he put his hand (or both) down in the pit stall. My question is when is a person considered over the wall towards counting for one of the 7? What is the penalty for having too many people over the wall?
The rulebook actually makes mention of feet and actually stepping in the stall. I’m sure if the official really wanted to, he could call a penalty on the team for the guys hands being down, but most won’t. In a case like that, it was just an accident that the guy ended up over the wall. No advantage was gained. – T.C.
The Dayonta test for the new Nationwide Series COT is complete. Teams took to the 2.5 mile track on Tuesday and Wednesday to get familiar with the new car and to help NASCAR gather data ahead of it’s debut on July 2nd at the Subway Jalapeno 250. Most of the drivers who participated said the car must be driven differently then the old car, but that it would lead to more exciting racing. Those battles at the front of the NNS fields however, will probably feature more Cup drivers then ever before.
The redesigned car features many of the safety measures that were first implemented with the Cup Series COT. The Nationwide versions also have bodies that more closely resemble their stock brethren. The new Mustang, Challenger, Impala, and Camry bodies have been lauded by the drivers and the fans. With the exception of the sheet metal though, much is the same between the Cup and Nationwide cars now. The two COTs are so similar in fact, that they share the same chassis, wheelbase, and other components. And it’s those similarities that will widen the gap between the Nationwide only guys and the Cup “Busch-Whackers.” (I will never let it die!)
Think about it. While younger drivers have been coming up and learning on cars that are not too different then the current Nationwide car, Cup drivers have had the last few years to learn what it takes to drive and setup a COT car. They will now be able to use that COT knowledge on Saturdays as well. The younger, Nationwide only guys who don’t have that experience will suffer.
Having the cars be so markedly different at least gave some of the younger drivers a fighting chance. And by fighting chance, I mean Cup drivers who still dominate the series and win every race. Before, information couldn’t really be shared between the two series, and having to constantly be transitioning from car to car at least made things interesting. Now we don’t even have that.
Don’t get me wrong though, I certainly don’t think NASCAR should scrap the new COT. In fact, I’m a big proponent of the introduction. The safety innovations are certainly needed, and transitioning back to cars that appear more stock will do wonders with the fans. I just wish we could find a way to fairly limit participation among the Cup crowd.
It isn’t all bad news though.
Among my doom and gloom there is a silver lining. While these younger drivers might struggle now, their transition to Cup rides in the future will be much smoother and much shorter. The skill-set necessary to make an NNS COT go fast won’t be too different then what they will need on Sundays. And that will be good for the future of the sport and everyone involved.
Let’s just hope the Nationwide Series owners have enough patience to let these kids learn.