Love it or hate it, restrictor plate racing has created some ridiculously close finishes over the years. This last weekend at Talladega was just another example. Why? Because choking off the engines levels the playing field. Squeezing a restrictor plate in between the carburetor and intake has certainly slowed the cars down, but in the process it has also spawned a level of parity that we don’t see at any other race track. Underdogs and back markers are suddenly not so. And guys like Trevor Bayne and Dave Blaney become stories.
To this point in 2011, we’ve run two of the four plate races for the season. And through those two races, only three drivers have finished in the top ten in both: Carl Edwards, Mark Martin… and David Gilliland. Wha?! Yep, that’s not a typo. David frickin’ Gilliland. Driving the under supported, we can’t afford sticker tires, #34 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, Gilliland is suddenly a contender at plate tracks. In both events he qualified in the 39th position, but was able to stay out of trouble and draft his way to the front. And the restrictor plate on his engine made it possible.
One of the more interesting story lines from Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 was that of Dave Blaney. Blaney drives the #36 for Tommy Baldwin Racing, where usually he has to pull off the track early in races with perfectly good race cars. With very few sponsors, TBR and Blaney are forced to start and park so they can afford to race full events here and there. At ‘Dega, they brought Golden Corral on board and had one of their best days to date. While the possibility of a good finish was ruined by a spin off the nose of Kurt Busch’s car late in the race, Blaney ran up front and was even able to lead 21 laps. There are no moral victories, but what happened to Blaney and TBR would be the closest thing to one. Hopefully it helps them secure more funding for future races.
The opportunities that plate racing provides are not just limited to the Cup Series. Joe Nemechek was able to work with another underdog, Mike Wallace, and fight his way back from being a lap down to finish third in the NNS race at Talladega. Wallace was also on his way to having a season making day, but was the main victim of the last lap crash that resulted in his car taking a tumble down the backstretch.
When we head to Daytona in July, you can be sure that you’ll hear the usual from the media about tandem drafts, deal making, and spotters. But by the end of the weekend, there is a good chance that the story of an underdog driver will be part of the headlines. And it will all be because of a thin piece of aluminum.
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As Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick battle for the points lead and the Gibbs cars make their performance surge, a story few have been talking about is the race at the other end of the point standings – that is the race to stay in the top 35 in the owner standings.
For most of the last 11 weeks as NASCAR has traversed the country and this season’s plot lines have developed and grown, Front Row Motorsports (collectively) and Robby Gordon have been trading that dreaded 36th spot in the points standings.
Front Row Motorsports for its effort has three drivers – Travis Kvapil, David Gilliland and Kevin Conway - that it’s been attempting to keep in the top-35 and locked into races. With a limited budget, and old Roush-Yates motors, the team has performed admirably. The story of Bob Jenkins and his little team that could has been one of the feel good stories of the year.
The team’s main goal has been to keep the fully sponsored, but struggling Kevin Conway with a guaranteed starting spot. Conway has traded his number/team with teammate David Gilliland twice now. Though it’s purely a surface thing (the team even changes the number on the hauler), it’s worked. Conway hasn’t missed a race. Perhaps more remarkably, neither has Gilliland.
Front Row’s main foe this season has been the independent Robby Gordon. Gordon, like Front Row, faces some adversity – he’s under-funded and under-supported- still Gordon has been able to fight against the start-ups and even Front Row’s three car assault and keep his team in the top-35 (most weeks).
Gordon though may or may not compete the whole season. And this week’s penalty didn’t help him in his bid to keep his team with a guaranteed starting position. After losing 25 points for unapproved additional door braces, Gordon is now just 18 points ahead of David Gilliland and that 36th place position.
As these teams fight to maintain their very valuable points positions every little mistake will be amplified and every position will count. As we continue through the summer and the season (barring anyone falling way behind) this will one fight to keep your eye on.
When the Cup Series heads to Bristol this weekend, it marks the fifth race on the 2010 schedule. It will be the final race that the top 35 in the owners standings from 2009 will have a guaranteed starting spot. The following weekend at Martinsville, the 2010 owners points will decide who is in and who is out. Bristol will be crucial for those who are floating right around that 35th spot in the standings.
Those who are on the outside looking in right now include Kevin Conway, Boris Said, Robby Gordon, and Max Papis. A good run at Bristol for any of these drivers could mean the difference between racing and going home at Martinsville and beyond. For Said, Gordon, and Papis who all have limited sponsorship, the idea of not having a guaranteed starting spot could drastically affect the health of their race teams and their ability to continue competing.
The drivers who are in currently, but are dangerously close to being out, include Mike Bliss, Travis Kvapil, Brad Keselowski, David Gilliland, Sam Hornish, Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman, and Marcos Ambrose. A bad finish at Bristol, combined with some good runs by the competition, could knock any of these drivers out of the top 35 and that vital guaranteed starting position.
Two drivers who stand to benefit following Bristol are Mike Bliss and Scott Speed. Speed is very solidly in the top 35 (currently 12th) after a difficult 2009 season left him having to race his way in to the first five of 2010. But his team has rose to the occasion this season, and their performance has improved markedly. Bliss currently sits in the final guaranteed spot in 35th, which, if he could keep it would be a huge boost to his Tommy Baldwin Racing team. This team continues to run severely underfunded, but a locked in spot in every race could help this team secure more sponsorship.
Bristol is always an exciting race anyway, filled with drama from start to finish. And this season’s spring stop in Thunder Valley will be no different. But if the usual story lines don’t grab you, take a look down the leaderboard a ways. You will definitely find a tension filled race for many teams./
Filed under: David Gilliland, Jimmie Johnson, Sprint Cup
Saturday Practice Wild at Infineon originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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