The only thing as sure as the next race is that there will be flux and change during the NASCAR season. And this year hasn’t been any different. This summer we saw crew chief shifts at some of the sport’s top tier teams – I even wrote about it here. From Earnhardt Ganassi Racing to Roush Fenway Racing changes were made in the name of improving performance, but has that actually happened so far?
Juan Pablo Montoya
Brian Pattie Average Finish: 17.6 Average Start: 16.5 Place in Points: 17
Jim Pohlman (9 races this season) Average Finish: 18.2 Average Start: 16.4 Place in Points: 19
Montoya and Pattie had been together since the mid-point of the 2008 season and had success together. It was apparent this season though the relationship was straining and with the EGR cars not as strong as they were last year, something had to give. And it was Pattie.
In the nine races since Pohlman took over Montoya’s performance, as evidenced by the numbers, has actually gotten worse. There’s certainly time for improvement before the end of the season, but so far this move hasn’t impressed. And with Montoya’s patience notoriously short we’ll see how long this lasts.
Martin Truex Jr.
Pat Tryson Average Finish: 19.6 Average Start: 17.3 Place in Points: 21
Chad Johnson (15 races this season) Average Finish: 16.2 Average Start: 17.7 Place in Points: 18
A slight improvement is perhaps better than no improvement at all. Pat Tryson, a seasoned and successful veteran of the sport, left Penske Racing at the end 2009 to join Truex at Michael Waltrip Racing. The move was highly touted but a less than successful pairing.
Chad Johnson has been atop the pit box for 15 races and in that time the two have had slight improvement in their finishes and made up three spots in the points. I suspect he’ll have ample time to prove himself in the role.
Greg Biffle
Greg Erwin Average Finish: 16.8 Average Start: 17.9 Place in Points: 14
Matt Puccia (10 races this season) Average Finish: 16.9 Average Start: 13 Place in Points: 14
This was another duo that had been together for a long time and found quite a bit of success. This season though was a struggle and like Montoya and Pattie chemistry was waning. Ultimately, from what we heard, Erwin walked.
Matt Puccia, a long time fixture in the Roush organization and a reasonably successful crew chief in his own right took over 10 races ago. And the move has been negligible. Biffle didn’t make the chase and they have seen no improvement in their average finish and no change in their points standing. Was Erwin the problem? You tell me.
Jeff Burton
Todd Berrier Average Finish: 20.8 Average Start: 19 Place in Points: 25
Lucas Lambert (9 races this season) Average Finish: 18.1 Average Start: 20.7 Place in Points: 24
Todd Berrier joined Burton at the end of the 2009 season after stints with Casey Mears and Kevin Harvick. The two looked great at the end of 09′ and had a decent year last year including a Chase appearance and six top-fives. Then came this season. After 19 races without a single top-ten RCR’s leadership had seen all it needed to see.
Lucas Lambert’s performance in the top job has looked pretty similar to the 19 races prior. One thing Lambert was able to do that Berrier wasn’t, was help Burton to a top-ten finish. This is an interesting one to watch.
AJ Allmendinger
Mike Shiplett Average Finish: 17.1 Average Start: 15.1 Place in Points: 16
Greg Erwin (9 races this season) Average Finish: 16.3 Average Start: 15 Place in Points: 15
Mike Shiplett had been through a slew of drivers (and owners for that matter), during his time with RPM and its predecessor organizations. And during that time there was only fleeting success.
Erwin’s addition was interesting, but color me surprised performance hasn’t picked up much. Erwin has proven himself to be a capable crew chief, but things are apparently not quite working at RPM. We’ll see if they improve.
It’s interesting none of the moves made so far this season have had much of an impact on performance. Like all things though changes in leadership sometimes take a while to have an impact. I think the jury is still out on all of the crew chief swaps so far this season but after 9-15 races the picture is becoming clear. Stay tuned.
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Just past the halfway point of the season, with just seven races until the Chase begins, several teams have decided now is the prefect time to start making some serious changes on the ground.
Roush Fenway Racing announced last week Greg Erwin was being replaced by Matt Puccia as Greg Biffle’s crew chief. The #16 team hasn’t performed as well this season as past seasons and the strain was apparent between Biffle and Erwin. Prior to this past weekend the pair had just one top-five and five top-10s – they sat 14th in the points.
With the first week under their belts, Puccia led Biffle to a 16th place finish – not a rousing start, but we’ll give the pair a little more than a week to make any judgments.
While Greg Erwin was out of a job for a few days, he found a new home just down the block at Richard Petty Motorsports, working with AJ Allmendinger. Allmendinger was with crew chief Mike Shiplett for most of the last three seasons. Together the two have scored three top-fives, 14 top-10s and one pole. Their best full season points finish is 19th, last season. The two haven’t had a bad run together, but things could definitely be better. Erwin has the experience and success at the sport’s top level, but does he have the support at RPM? Time will tell.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing announced this week Juan Pablo Montoya would get his fourth different crew chief in less than five seasons. The driver’s been with immediate past crew chief Brian Pattie since the midway point of 2008. This was after stints with Donnie Wingo and Jimmy Elledge. Together, Pattie and Montoya have scored one win, 16 top-fives and 39 top-10s. These are solid statistics for Pattie to be proud of.
This season though has been a struggle for both EGR teams. And after issues like last season’s Brickyard 400, Montoya’s and Pattie’s relationship has been less than great. If there is a lesson to learn, it’s that when Juan’s not happy, no one’s happy.
Is Jim Pohlman any more the answer to Montoya’s performance issues than Elledge and Pattie were? Again, only time will tell.
So how do you feel about the crew chief shifts? Do you expect swift performance improvements? Any of the moves better than others? Let us know!
We entered this season with a lot of great drivers at the end of their contracts. Among them were Greg Biffle, Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer. Biffle has already re-signed with Roush Fenway, but the other three are still without contracts for next year and beyond.
While they hold out to weigh their options, I suspect they’re not finding a whole lot out there. The issue isn’t whether there are seats available but if there are seats available that improve upon the drivers’ current situations.
The prospect of a fourth car at Gibbs, and a third car at Penske and maybe even Ganassi or Stewart Haas exists; all though are very dependent on sponsorship. And while a big name driver helps in securing that all important support, there are no guarantees.
Another option is Red Bull Racing that, at the moment, doesn’t have a single driver signed up for 2012. The problem with this team though is that its performance doesn’t come close to matching that of rival organizations. It’s very much a downgrade for top prospects Edwards and Bowyer.
Even with Gibbs, Penske et al., the best Bowyer and Edwards can hope for is a lateral move (which is why neither will go anywhere). They’re both currently driving for two of the top teams in the sport. Vickers can look around, but I doubt he’ll find any opportunities for improvement.
For Edwards, his is very much the A-team at Roush. Though he has been looking, is he going to improve upon that position somewhere else? I doubt it.
While Edwards and anyone else who may be playing the field might not be going anywhere, what talking to others does do is improve their position with their current teams. Create demand for yourself and you’ll get what you want. I’m sure it will work beautifully for Edwards.
So the long and short is, if you’re looking to move, lots of luck this year. There are no dominos to fall and no blatantly open rides to fall into. It’s just not a good year to be a free agent in NASCAR.
Before I begin, I just really need to get this off my chest…I told you so.
For the last week some in the NASCAR media have been trying to turn fleeting anger between Juan Pablo Montoya and Brian Pattie into the feud of the century…the ‘beginning of the end?’ some asked. I think Sunday proved how wrong that was.
Now the storyline is that this win has repaired that rift. Convenient how some are able to craft this story to make it look like they were right all along.
The truth is, if any rift existed in the first place, that win probably wouldn’t have occurred. Chemistry is a delicate and important thing in racing, and when it’s off, or not working, wins don’t happen. This wasn’t the first time JPM has been angry at Brian Pattie, and lets be honest, it won’t be the last.
These ‘much ado about nothing’ storylines have plagued EGR over the last few seasons. It’s true there have been struggles, and layoffs. And things haven’t always been peachy in Concord, Indianapolis or Pittsburgh. But the dire predictions haven’t generally matched up with reality.
And now Chip Ganassi and his organization are proving that.
For most in motorsports, success is very cyclical. Sometimes you’re on top, sometimes you’re not. Such is the case with Ganassi and EGR. It was not so long ago they were laying off a third of the organization, and were at best a well funded back marker.
Today, EGR is a three time winner in 2010 - a distinction that puts them just behind Gibbs and Hendrick on the season - and consistently competitive (though the Chase is not likely this season).
In a sport dominated by massive teams they’re an anomaly among their peers. I saw someone had been trying to bring the term ’boutique team’ to the lexicon to describe EGR. It’s not a bad description – they’re small, efficient and good quality. It hasn’t really caught on, but it was a valiant effort.
Spend much time around this sport, or really any sport and it’s interesting to see how things change, evolve and grow (or flop). Yesterday’s titans are tomorrow’s old news. From the depths of two years ago when some were predicting the end of CGR to where they are today, EGR is on the upswing of this cycle, and Chip Ganassi is a very happy man.
As the great Mark Twain said, “rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.”
Two weeks, two problems and frustrations again boiled over on the radio between Juan Pablo Montoya and his crew chief Brian Pattie.
With the four tire stop that cost them the race at the Brickyard still fresh in their minds, Montoya entered the pits for a late race stop at Pocono. As he pulled in his box he rolled just ever slightly forward screwing up the teams rhythm and costing them time and positions.
What resulted was a 17 second pit stop and a profanity laced tirade that included Pattie telling Montoya he needed to go to Charlotte and practice pit stops, and Montoya telling Pattie, “Screw you!” He further blamed Pattie for making a bad call.
On the surface this appears to be the beginning of the end for the Pattie, Montoya relationship. Tension is building and that is evident in these select interactions between the two. Still, despite all the trouble the two have had this season I don’t think things aren’t quite as bad as they seem.
Juan Pablo Montoya is known for his temper, and his spectacular (I say sarcastically) ability to express his opinion and frustration – normally it involves an ‘f’ and a ‘you’.
Brian Pattie on the other hand is about as cool, calm and collected as they come. The difference in their personalities is one of the reasons I believe they have had such a productive (though not as successful as they would have liked) relationship.
It can’t be denied this hasn’t been a great season for team #42. They’ve had just four top-fives and sit 21st in the points. Most damaging of all, Montoya has had seven DNFs. On top of that it doesn’t look very good that his teammate Jamie McMurray has already had two wins in his inaugural season with EGR.
This was Montoya’s season to shine. Now he’s being outshined. Add that to some missed opportunities because of what turned out to be wrong decisions and Montoya is not very happy with his racing – and that’s translating to frustration with Pattie.
That brings us to the million dollar question: what does that mean for Brian Pattie and JPM going down the road? Is this the beginning of the end?
I don’t think so. No doubt this is a rough patch in their relationship. But I think the progress that has been made and the relationship that has been built is too valuable to give up on.
Fortunately for Pattie and Montoya, Chip Ganassi isn’t Jack Roush. And through the rough spots there have been moments of near triumph. It’s a matter of consistency and good luck, and right now the #42 team is struggling.
Given the right circumstances this is a team and combination that can be successful – I think outside the fleeting moments of anger all parties involved know that.
Bass Pro Shops and Kasey Kahne don’t seemingly have a lot in common, but with the season now in full swing the two are about to have a very similar decision to make: do they stay where they’re at or look for greener pastures elsewhere.
It’s well known Kahne and Bass Pro are in contract years, and given the tension they’ve had with their respective organizations in the past their futures might seem clear; but with recent success and transition both could make surprise moves.
For Bass Pro the transition from DEI to EGR was less than a happy one. It was quite apparent last year that they weren’t putting much into their long standing deal. Even worse, when Martin Truex Jr. left, EGR had to do a lot of convincing to get the company to sign off on Jamie McMurray.
In just a matter of a couple of months though Bass Pro went from skepticism of their new driver, to celebrating with him in victory lane at the Daytona 500. As a sponsor do you stick with the current iteration of a team you’ve been with for years or go elsewhere? Arguably McMurray isn’t the best representative of the company, but if he continues to perform is there any reason for them to move on?
For Kasey Kahne the decision to leave Richard Petty Motorsports is equally murky. He joined Evernham Motorsports in 2004 and in that time racked up 11 wins, including two last year. Since 2004 though, the organization has gone through two mergers and all but lost Ray Evernham’s guidance.
In September, Kahne was among those publicly and privately questioning who was in charge at RPM.
“There are not a lot of answers out there right now. I don’t know if it’s because we’re in the middle of a lot of things, we just don’t have a person in that position. I think Robbie Loomis is supposedly going to be that guy, but I don’t think that he is yet. Is it Foster? You can’t get anything out of Foster. So it’s hard to say who that is, and I think that’s because we’re in a lot of different things right now. But when you’re in things, you still need to keep your team and your guys, your company behind you knowing what’s going on, and we don’t have that. Hopefully, we’ll get it soon. The sooner we get that, the better everybody will be.”
Since that time though Kahne seems like a guy much happier with and much more sure of his situation. That said as one of the sport’s most popular and talented drivers, does he stick with a team that needs him more than he needs them? If Kahne enters free agency he’s sure to be the hottest driver on the market. He’ll likely be able to write his own ticket.
Certainly continued success is going to be important for all parties involved to consider staying where they’re at, but if that does happen is there a reason to move on? And how much success do Kahne and McMurray need to have?
No matter what happens from here on out, I think both have to consider the options available to them. Either one may choose to stay where they’re at, but with plenty of teams looking for sponsors and the likelihood of any number of available seats, Kahne and Bass Pro would be crazy to not see who’s interested.
So what do you think? Will Kahne and Bass Pro stay put? What will it take for their respective teams to keep them? If they do move on where do you think they’ll they go?
Apparently everyone is in a question asking mood, because we have (I believe) the largest ATIW post ever. So we’ll just get right to it. If you don’t know what this post is, until further notice, we will be answering 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 Patrick:
This popped up the other day when I was watching Happy Hour, the #38 team was having trouble with the placement of pedals, specifically the steering column rubbing against the brake. It got me to wondering, how closely – if at all – does NASCAR monitor seat placement? By moving the seat a few inches around it seems teams could change the cars balance. Is there a mandated location for the seat?
NASCAR mandates how the seats are built and also how they are mounted, but there really isn’t a whole lot in the rulebook about where the seat is mounted. It would be tough for NASCAR to do, because every driver is a different size and they all have certain preferences for seat placement due to comfort. – T.C.
2. From Steve:
As to the difference between the 48 and the 24, during an episode of NASCAR Now, one of the panelists said a difference between Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon is that Gordon steers (or maybe it was drives) with the steering wheel while Johnson prefers to use the gas pedal. First, please explain the difference. Second, why and when would there be an advantage to one style over the other? Is there something about the COT that makes it more amenable to Johnson’s style?
Often times guys that came up on asphalt will do more with the wheel, and guys that came up on dirt will do more with the throttle. On dirt, car control is based off throttle modulation because for so much of the track the car is in a slide. Drivers can’t do a whole lot with the wheel in a slide. These types of drivers who control the car with throttle are successful with the COT because the only way to be fast is to set the car up loose. This certainly isn’t a rule, but it is very common. – T.C.
3. From Tom:
Hey guys, I’m a relatively new NASCAR fan watching from the UK. I was wondering if you could answer a quick question. I watch a lot of F1 and while the casual observer might think that the cars all look the same, they are actually all different and with different engines etc. How does this work in NASCAR…obviously there are different manufacturers, but it also seems like different teams using the same manufacturer have different cars. Is this correct? And what does the Car of Tomorrow actually mean?
First, there are some small differences between the cars, but not many. The chassis for the COTs are all generally the same. The bodies have some minor differences, and the engines differ between manufacturers. Nobody uses different models within the same manufacturer. The Dodge is a Charger, the Chevrolet an Impala, the Ford a Fusion, and the Toyota a Camry. A few years back, Cup cars resembled what is currently used in the Nationwide Series. After a few driver deaths, in order to improve safety, NASCAR redesigned the Cup cars and this new version is referred to as the COT (or Car of Tomorrow). – T.C.
4. From Thomas:
I just read an interview with Jimmie Spencer & Kyle Petty & they both blame the COT and it being so sensitive that a 1/8″ change will mess it up. However, every week we hear Knaus talk about “we kept making changes till we got it better.” How can #48 make all these changes & the others cannot? I think it is because JJ wants a very loose car which gives them more leeway for changes. HHmmmmm!!!
They’re certainly a lot more sensitive, but there are a lot of different changes that can be made in different areas. Certainly Chad Knaus isn’t the only one playing with the car; everyone is doing it. He’s just having a little more success with it than other teams, so he and the #48 are the ones that get talked about.- Journo
5. From Barry:
Any news on where Bobby Labonte might end up next yr? And, any news on the state of Motorsports Authentics? Will they stave off bankruptcy?
Bobby’s been rumored to TRG and EGR. TRG has actually expressed interest in him, and I do know he was talked about for the #1 car. I don’t think the #1 car is as likely as TRG though. As far Motorsports Authentics goes, I haven’t heard anything more since their SEC filing a couple of weeks ago. They’re in trouble whatever the case. With NASCAR looking to combine licensing efforts, it’ll be interesting to see what happens there. – Journo
6. From Savannah:
Hey guys! How closely does NASCAR monitor the driving history & violations of drivers off the track? Can a driver face disciplinary action by NASCAR if they have too many speeding tickets? In the recent Michael Waltrip accident, the police reported alcohol was a contributing factor in the wreck, although Waltrip was barely under the legal limit. Would NASCAR force him into rehab since this does cause some embarrassment for the sport (and it is not his first accident- the telephone pole incident of 2007)? Driving drunk or buzzed is something that is totally avoidable and just plain stupid, especially when you are a high profile person. Kurt Busch was sidelined by Roush for just being issued a ticket. I can’t wait to hear what excuse Waltrip’s camp will issue after this latest incident. I hope that all drivers will take notice and be sure to have a sober driver behind the wheel after they have been partying/drinking/ carousing.
I can’t think off the top of my head of a situation where this has happened, but I would guess NASCAR would be inclined to dole out a penalty if a driver were legally drunk and driving. Remember Waltrip was within the law. In the situation of Kurt Busch the incident occurred at the end of the season, one in which Kurt was jumping ship and he was not well liked around Roush. It wasn’t a difficult decision for them to suspend him for the remainder of the season. Obviously I contradict myself because NASCAR didn’t do anything with Kurt Busch, but I would guess they could slap a driver with “actions detrimental” if they wanted. I agree with you though, this situation should be an eye-opener. – Journo
7. From Tom:
Why do the NNS cars look so jacked up on one side when looking at them from the rear?
It’s the way the bodies are hung on them. In order to take full advantage of the aerodynamics of the cars and the spoilers, the teams twist the bodies. That way, when the cars are in the corner, they are getting maximum downforce, and hopefully maximum grip. I’m not an aerodynamics expert, but the idea is to get the spoiler as far out into the air as possible when the car is in yaw. - T.C.
8. From Woogeroo:
Howdy folks. At each race weekend, is the same pace car used? Does each series have it’s own or is it a track by track deal the track operators have with whatever manufacturer?
It depends on the contract the track has. For instance Martinsville is a Toyota track while I believe Homestead is a Ford track. – Journo
9. From Marc:
With Silly Season in full swing, I am trying to get a handle on who controls the points in some of the top-35-points-related team “mergers” from this past year. I assume, for example, that Penske will keep control the points of the 77 team, having “acquired” the 2008 points from Bill Davis and his old 22 team. And, Childress will keep the points from the 33 (which got the 2008 points of the old 01 team). But, what about the 34 team? Will Front Row Motorsports keep the points for the team or do they go back to DEI/EGR? Will Yates keep the points from the 96 team or will they go wherever HOF racing partners next year? Does JTG Daugherty keep the 47’s points they got from the old 00 points through a “technical alliance” with MWR? I have not seen press about contractual situations surrounding these deals and was hoping you guys knew something more. Thanks for all of the great work here.
The points will remain with the organizations that purchased them. They’ll just roll over to next season. Remember they more or less bought a position in the top-35, but the points they have amassed over the season are theirs. In the case of HOF, I don’t believe Yates ever actually owned the points, so those will likely remain with HOF; that was just a technical alliance. – Journo
10. From Allen:
I’ve been to many races and always notice on the flag stand they hang a black, white, and orange box on the side of the flag stand before each race, any idea what that is for?
What I believe you are referring to is the display NASCAR hangs from the flag stand to be used when a car is black flagged. When this happens, NASCAR will wave the black flag at the car as it passes, announce it over their radio frequency, and post the car’s number on this display. You will sometimes hear this referred to as a team was “posted.” – T.C.
11. From Kim:
I heard something odd during the telecast from Martinsville. It looked like Johnson was speeding on pit road, as he came out of his box; I distinctly heard an announcer (DJ?) mention something about an “average” on pit road, that there are eight timing sections and that you can actually go OVER pit road speed as long as when you hit one of the speed lines, you are going the correct speed (I hope I’m describing it correctly). My friend heard it, too and we were aghast as we had never heard that pit road speeding penalties were based on an “average”. The same term was used again later in the race. Is this true or did I hallucinate/misunderstand he comment?
As I understand it (and I may be wrong) NASCAR uses the scoring loops on pit road to measure how long it takes a car to travel through that specific segment. It has nothing to do with a measured speed. With some simple math, NASCAR can figure out how long it will take a car to travel through the segment within the legal speed limits. What teams have started figuring out, is that they can pick certain pit boxes on pit road, depending on the placement of the loops, and actually speed. It allows the drivers to be able to speed into their pit boxes, and out of them; before they cross the next scoring loop. They can do this, because that measured time between loops will be much greater because of the time it takes to complete the pit stop. Hopefully that makes sense. – T.C.
12. From Robyn:
If the 4 car limit only for the Cup Series? If not, why does Roush keep saying that they will run 5 Nationwide cars in 2010? What does NASCAR (or those in the garage) think about teams (especially in NW), for all intents, selling thier owner points for a race?
There is no car limit in the Nationwide Series. So Roush (or any other organizations) could have as many teams as they want. As far as I know NASCAR doesn’t have any problems with the teams selling their points. In some situations, it means they’ll have fewer start and parks, so I would imagine they’re fine with it. – Journo
13. From Dan:
Wow! Are we seeing the birth of a new “Intimidator”? Sounds as if JPM has some people worried. Gordon’s comments after the race got my attention and Chad Knaus cautioned his driver of Montoya’s antics during the race. Maybe this just what NASCAR needs to fill all those empty seats on race day. Your thoughts.
I think JPM certainly has that killer spirit. Part of the mystique of Dale Earnhardt and part of his role as the intimidator though was his success, which Montoya hasn’t had. Drivers knew they were going to have a fight on their hands with him in the rear view mirror, I don’t think Montoya is there yet. Certainly he has a ton of potential and the other drivers are starting to take notice, but I think he has a ways to go before we can say we have a new intimidator. – Journo
14. From Amy:
Approximately how many helmets does a driver go through in a given season? What about the crew?
Unless a helmet is damaged in an incident, they don’t usually need to be replaced. Drivers will usually have multiple helmets because of different sponsor commitments and paint schemes. The same goes for pit crew guys. I’ve been using the same helmet(s) all season. – T.C.
15. From Ric:
How much notice does the crew need for various changes; Air Pressure, Wedge, Track Bar, Spring Rubber, etc.
Not much, unfortunately. Air pressure changes probably need the most warning, because the tire guy needs to run around and change the pressures before the tires can be taken over the wall. Wedge and track bar adjustments can be called pretty late before the car enters the stall, as long as the crew guys have enough time to grab wrenches. Spring rubbers can be called late, but usually there is plenty of warning because they take more time to get out. A spring rubber, because of the weight of the adjustment usually isn’t called last minute. – T.C.
16. From Ric:
When drivers help anther driver (debris on a radiator, lead a lap, push from behind, drafting, etc) is this $$$, kindness of their heart, instructions from the boss (same team), other?
Most of the time you’ll only see teammates letting each other lead laps or helping with debris. I guess in rare circumstances a driver who is friendly with another driver might be willing to help him out when it comes to debris (an if you scratch my back, i’ll scratch your’s situation). As far as drafting goes, that is something that just happens out on track. A driver might be more reluctant to draft with certain guys, but it’s not like letting a guy lead or helping him with debris. – Journo
17. From Jeff in SoCal:
What can we expect to see from the new Ford engine being ran by Roush Fenway at Talladega next week? Do you guys think it is going to be a major improvement?
I’m sure the new Ford engine probably makes better numbers, but don’t expect to see a huge improvement over the previous version. Doug Yates and his guys do a good job, but they aren’t going to magically find huge numbers. The rules haven’t changed for engines. – T.C.
18. From Carole:
Jr had 3 flat tires and brake problems this weekend. My husband says he probably unconsciously rides the brake with his left foot. What do you think was his problem?
From what I know about the situation, Jr. told Lance McGrew several times that he was not riding the brakes. He usually runs very good at Martinsville, and you don’t do that unless you know how to take care of your brakes. Plus, I don’t believe Jr. is a left foot braker, which can often lead to a driver riding the brakes because they rest their foot on the pedal. – T.C.
19. From Amy:
Wow…I am totally shocked about Steve Addington being relieved of his crew chief position for Kyle Busch. Yeah Kyle hasn’t had the best of seasons this year…but seems to me all drivers have the occasional crappy season. Why replace Addington? Any thoughts?
I can’t say I’m surprised they made this decision, but I also can’t say it’s something I would have done. It’s hard to reconcile removing the guy who led your driver to 12 wins over two seasons. That said I think the issue here comes down to consistency, something Kyle has struggled with, even while having a lot of success. Obviously the folks at Gibbs think Dave Rogers will do a better job of achieving that consistency than Addington. Time will tell. – Journo
20. From bb:
Hi Guys. Firstly, your website is a great combination of information, news and editorial content that has a lot more meaningful depth than most others, so please don’t change it too much…….Second, I was wondering what the feeling in the garage is about the future/stability of MWR. Will they be likely to get sponsorship to be able to run the 00 full time? It seems like they are pretty close to breaking through to being able to field contending cars on a consistent basis. Also, does a full time nationwide ride for Mikey look likely?
Well thank you. I think Waltrip is in just as good a shape as any other organization. Certainly sponsorship is difficult to come by, but RCR, EGR, Hendrick all have (or have had) sponsorship issues going into next season. As far as Reutimann goes, I don’t think you have to worry about him running a part time schedule next season. I’m sure they’ll fill the gaps, which I believe is somewhere around 12 races. I haven’t heard anything more about Michael in the Nationwide Series next season. Like anything I’m sure that’ll be determined on whether or not they can secure funding for a team. – Journo
21. From Robyn:
Looking at the other competition caution – the one called for before the race begins. This past week when it rained in Martinsville, I don’t recall a competition caution being called for the truck race. That series raced on a green track. I don’t recall hearing about rain on Saturday night, so there was rubber on the track. Why was there a planned competition caution in the Cup race (Waltrip negated it with his lap 40-something spin)? These teams are supposed to be the best of the best. They should know how their tires will wear without making a race run, which some teams did on Friday anyway.
The only thing I can think of here, is that NASCAR was concerned because the Cup cars hadn’t been on track since Friday. Other than that, I’m not really sure what to tell you. In any case though, it’s usually better to be safe then sorry. – T.C.
22. From Harold:
Are the tires used in NASCAR races provides free or do they have to pay for them?
Teams technically lease tires for competition, and they are not free. They cost about $1,500 a set. – 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!
As NASCAR has struggled through the last year, and teams have closed up shop leaving drivers without a ride, I had to ask myself why more out of work drivers didn’t make the jump to a lower series?
At the risk of alienating people, I’ll refrain from specifically naming any drivers I think could stand to make a move, but I think the situation poses some real questions.
Is it demeaning to move down? Is it really better to run a start a park in the Cup Series? Is it better to run in the back? Is it better to not make races? I think the answer to all of those is no.
As diverse as the driver list could potentially be I think they easily fall into two categories: (1) the older driver who just isn’t as strong as he used to be; and (2) the younger guy who was rushed into the top series. Both are clinging to what remains of their moment in the sun, not realizing there could be better opportunities elsewhere.
Look at the cases of the drivers who have made a move back to a lower series and been successful. Ron Hornaday spent one full season in the Cup Series and several more in the Nationwide Series. Since returning to the truck series full time in 2005 Hornaday has won 19 races and one championship. He’s revitalized his career.
Or how about Mike Skinner? He spent seven-ish full time seasons in the Cup Series, five with Richard Childress. In 2004 Skinner returned to the truck series with Bang! Racing (which eventually became part of Bill Davis Racing). Since that time Skinner has won 12 races.
The two above aren’t alone either. How about Ted Musgrave, Jack Sprague, Brendan Gaughan, or Johnny Benson? Does anyone find anything shameful in them stepping away from the Cup Series? Absolutely not.
Even this season we saw Johnny Sauter and Aric Almirola find opportunities in the Truck Series.
Sauter, after five full seasons in the Nationwide Series made his move to the Cup Series with Haas CNC in 2007. After a tough year, Sauter was dropped at the end of the season and spent 2008 bouncing around NASCAR. He found a permanent home this season at ThorSport Racing. And you know what? Johnny looks like a guy who’s undergone a rebirth. He’s consistently running upfront now, and even captured his first ever Truck Series win a couple of weeks ago at Las Vegas.
When #8 team ran out of money earlier this year, Almirola was out of a ride. Committed to finding something he was in the garage every weekend. Billy Ballew gave Almirola a part time schedule in one of his trucks and he’s run well.
I guess what I’m saying is, there is no shame in admitting your career has run its course somewhere. When that happens find something new and adapt to your situation. And you never know, that move could just catapult back to the top.
If you follow us on twitter, you may have seen me point this out over the weekend (NASCAR Scene writer Jeff Gluck beat me to the punch with a post about this incident on his blog). During the regular press availability for the Chase contenders this weekend Juan Pablo Montoya got a surprise scolding from a reporter.
The reporter, who identified himself as Michael Morales from American Forces Radio and Television Service, Voice of America and Radio and TV Marti was clearly agitated about not being able to secure a one-on-one interview with Montoya.
Here is what ensued:
MM: Micheal Morales, the American Forces Radio and Television Service, Voice of America as well as radio and TV Marti. I want to tell you this in English because I want everyone to understand what we have been going through with you. In the past with Adrian Fernandez, Carlos Contreras, Felix Sabates, the Spanish language media didn’t have any problems getting a one-to-one interview. You came to NASCAR with a different attitude…the attitude is whenever we tried to get an interview with you on a one-to-one we are always denied, you are not available… JPM: (Montoya interrupts) I’m not in charge of making… MM: May I finish please? May I finish. This is something that you must understand, Spanish language media is also important, especially for you, OK? JPM: So what’s the question? MM: The question is was it you or was it your people? JPM: I don’t make the decisions. They tell me where to go and what to do…I don’t make the decisions of what interviews to do they think which… MM: (Morales interrupts) That’s not true. JPM: …interviews are worth doing and which ones are not, you know what I mean? There’s always a value… MM: So we’re not important? JPM: I don’t know? Is USA Today more worth it for Target than a small latin interview? I would think so. And there is certain amount of time you always spend with the media and I think there is time always spent with…I do, myself being Colombian, I try to do a lot of interviews…Diego’s beside you and I do a lot of interviews with them and they cover a lot of Colombian media. NASCAR brought some Colombian media and Latin media to Daytona, so because you haven’t got an interview I wouldn’t assume everybody didn’t.
MM: Micheal Morales, the American Forces Radio and Television Service, Voice of America as well as radio and TV Marti. I want to tell you this in English because I want everyone to understand what we have been going through with you. In the past with Adrian Fernandez, Carlos Contreras, Felix Sabates, the Spanish language media didn’t have any problems getting a one-to-one interview. You came to NASCAR with a different attitude…the attitude is whenever we tried to get an interview with you on a one-to-one we are always denied, you are not available…
JPM: (Montoya interrupts) I’m not in charge of making…
MM: May I finish please? May I finish. This is something that you must understand, Spanish language media is also important, especially for you, OK?
JPM: So what’s the question?
MM: The question is was it you or was it your people?
JPM: I don’t make the decisions. They tell me where to go and what to do…I don’t make the decisions of what interviews to do they think which…
MM: (Morales interrupts) That’s not true.
JPM: …interviews are worth doing and which ones are not, you know what I mean? There’s always a value…
MM: So we’re not important?
JPM: I don’t know? Is USA Today more worth it for Target than a small latin interview? I would think so. And there is certain amount of time you always spend with the media and I think there is time always spent with…I do, myself being Colombian, I try to do a lot of interviews…Diego’s beside you and I do a lot of interviews with them and they cover a lot of Colombian media. NASCAR brought some Colombian media and Latin media to Daytona, so because you haven’t got an interview I wouldn’t assume everybody didn’t.
They went on to exchange a few more words before the moderator cut them off. (EGR has posted the videos from the weekend press conference here. The exchange starts at the end of video one and continues onto the beginning of video two).
Let me start off by saying I hope this guy was OK with being blacklisted by the team, because he is never going to get a one-on-one with Montoya after that; and deservedly so.
I think what some don’t understand (this gentleman apparently) is as a PR person for a team, you can’t approve every one-on-one media request you get, especially if you have a popular driver (oh and the drivers aren’t handling the requests). How many media requests do you think Dale Jr.’s and Tony Stewart’s PR people turn down in a weekend? It’s a lot. It is simply impossible to grant every local and national media outlet what they want.
Not to mention as a PR person you have a commitment to the company (either the team or some of these people are directly employed by a sponsor) to get a sponsor as much exposure as possible. That means the USA Todays and the ESPNs get first dibs at interviews, no matter how many times you’ve asked for one.
Also part of this big media game is forming relationships with the individual PR people. It’s always helpful for them to be willing and happy to take your phone call; or answer an e-mail you’ve sent them. Sometimes if they can’t help you one weekend, they can squeeze you in during the week, or during the next weekend. Along with this is the amount of people who make these requests at the last minute. The PR people put together schedules very early in the week and if you’re not on it, you’re probably not getting an interview that weekend.
Another thing to consider is that Juan has had three PR people in the last two seasons. It’s difficult for someone to come into a new position and know who requested what, where in past seasons. Juan’s present PR person has been on the job for a couple of months. If he’s swamped with other media and sponsor commitments (oh yeah he’s there to race too), they’re probably not going to be able to make time for you. It’s that simple.
I commend Montoya for maintaining his cool and really showing some class during a very uncomfortable, very unprofessional incident. As Jeff Gluck pointed out, this incident “lends some insight into his personality…“
Say what you want about Chip Ganassi and Juan Pablo Montoya, they’re cut from the same cloth.
By that I mean both of these guys are straight shooters. Arguably that isn’t always a good thing. One thing is sure though, you always know what they’re thinking and feeling.
After the conclusion of the “regular season” at Richmond, Lee Spencer quoted a very animated Ganassi.
“I’m glad that (expletive) finally learned how to drive. I’ve been paying him for three (freaking) years.” When asked if he was surprised that three of his former drivers, Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray and Reed Sorenson, are auditioning for jobs, Ganassi was still on a roll: “I don’t know, for years people have been saying how s***** my team is.”
“I’m glad that (expletive) finally learned how to drive. I’ve been paying him for three (freaking) years.”
When asked if he was surprised that three of his former drivers, Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray and Reed Sorenson, are auditioning for jobs, Ganassi was still on a roll:
“I don’t know, for years people have been saying how s***** my team is.”
Personally I wish she would have used the preferable AP style for expletives (first letter of the word and then hyphens for each of the letters). I’d like to know exactly “what” finally learned to drive. This quote though is classic Ganassi: passionate and honest.
During interviews if he doesn’t want to talk about something, or just flat out won’t talk about something, he’ll more than openly tell you not to waste your time asking the question. There are many reporters out there that have been on the receiving end of this. While he can certainly be difficult, he’s honest; and to be honest with you I kind of like that.
And how about Montoya. This is a guy who is known for speaking his mind to the press. If he’s pissed off he’s going to tell you. If you don’t believe me check his radio audio from the Brickyard this year: “I swear on my wife and kids!”
Or how about when ESPN/ABC’s Vince Welch asked him about some troubles with Kasey Kahne after the race at Pocono, and Montoya chastised him for trying to create a conflict that wasn’t there.
The best though, and you may have missed this, is the walking out of the interview before it ever began.
Let me set this up. Montoya was doing satellite interviews for NASCAR during the little New York trip last week. He was apparently told the interviews would be done at 5 p.m. Without fail Montoya held them to that. With one interview to go, and the little hand on the 5, as a random sports anchor got ready to interview him, Montoya said he was done, took off his mic and left.
As a side note check out the video if you can. The sports anchor at this Fox station in Sacramento, clearly put off by Montoya walking out on him, goes on a tirade against NASCAR. He starts off by saying he isn’t going to make a ‘federal case’ of the situation and then goes on to do just that. He says NASCAR’s popularity is waning and says the money is leaving and stuff like this is probably the reason why. Needless to say it was a little more than pitiful this guy created a story about not getting a story (don’t get me wrong, I would have been pissed too, but get a grip). The moral of the story is, Montoya hates fans in Northern California. I digress.
This too is classic Montoya. He has very set expectations of situations and you better be prepared to meet those expectations or he’ll let you know (often colorfully) he isn’t happy. Juan just recently got a new PR person, and I’ll tell you, I don’t envy her.
All the above said, I think it’s refreshing Montoya doesn’t conform to a polished image. He’s like the Tony Stewart of old. I think it’s good for the sport, though not always good for those covering the sport.
Good or bad, these two guys are a match made in Heaven. They’re passionate about and committed to their sport and while they’re upbringing was worlds apart, they’re actually very similar. And good or bad, no one will ever accuse them of playing coy.
P.S. You can probably add Felix Sabates to the above list. He’s generally not afraid to speak his mind either.