At the beginning of the last two years since we opened TNI, we’ve done a rumor scorecard for the previous season. (See the ’08 and ’09 scorecards here and here.) With 2010 now officially behind us, I figured it was time to grade ourselves and our reporting for the year. Before I do though, let me just point out that for 2008 and 2009, our record is 19-3-3 (19 correct, 3 wrong, 3 pushes). Here we go…
Marc Davis To Race At Vegas: Our first rumor of 2010 was that Marc Davis would run the NNS race at Las Vegas. The deal was 99% done we’d heard (he was even on the entry list), but ended up falling apart at the last minute. Davis didn’t end up racing. We’ll call it minus one for the Insiders.
Another New Crew Chief for Robby Gordon: We heard in March that after starting the season with Iain Watts as crew chief, newly hired “consultant” Larry Carter would be taking over as crew chief for RGM. We know for certain that he did call some races for the #7 team, but whether or not he was ever actually officially the crew chief is unclear. Carter was one of several to call a race for RGM in 2010. We’ll call this a push.
NASCAR Considering Eliminating Catch Can Man: With the Truck Series as a test bed, we told you early in April that NASCAR was considering eliminating the catch can position and having both the Cup and Nationwide Series use the new self-vented fuel can. Over the course of the year, NASCAR listened to feedback on the rule change from many in the sport, and in the end, the rule was implemented. The official announcement was made just a few short weeks ago. Plus one for the Insiders.
Front Row Penalized Over Bleeder Valves: After Pocono in June, we were the first to tell you about a possible penalty coming from NASCAR over Front Row Motorsports’ possible use of illegal bleeder valves. We heard a short time later that NASCAR was preparing to hand down their biggest penalty for cheating ever. In the end however, Front Row was penalized but it wasn’t a record sanction. Before the penalty was announced, one unsubstantiated rumor we’d heard was that FRM owner Bob Jenkins actually privately pleaded with NASCAR to levy a smaller fine and points penalty, as anything larger would have put him out of business completely. Obviously, there was no way of knowing if that was actually true or not. We’ll call this plus one, and minus one for the Insiders.
Billy Johnson To Drive for RFR at Watkins Glen: We were the first to tell you that GRAND-AM driver Billy Johnson would be making his NNS debut for Roush Fenway Racing at Watkins Glen. Johnson started ninth in RFR’s #6 Ford, but was caught up in a wreck and finished 36th. It was his only NNS race of 2010. Plus one for the Insiders.
TJ Bell Racing with “Green” Sponsor: In August, we reported that T.J. Bell would be racing at Darlington with a new sponsor, Liberty Tire Recycling. Bell went on to make two starts for MAKE Motorsports with Libery on board. Plus one for the Insiders.
Rumors After Watkins Glen: After the NNS race at the Glen, we reported via Twitter that we’d heard NASCAR had taken a box of lugnuts from Marcos Ambrose’s team that they suspected were illegal. The bit was confirmed later by Scene Daily’s Kenny Bruce, but NASCAR ultimately decided there was no issue. In the same post, we told you that Kevin Conway’s days at FRM were numbered. The team had grown tired of his poor performances, and they were looking to bring in another driver. Following denials by his sponsor Extenze (they emailed us specifically), it was announced five days later that Tony Raines would replace Conway for the race at Michigan. We also added that we’d heard Aric Almirola was a candidate for a Cup ride at RPM. Almirola didn’t end up at RPM, but it was reported by both Fox Sports and ESPN that he’d had discussions with the team. We’ll call that plus three for the Insiders.
Darnell & Kenseth To Run RFR NNS Cars: We told you late in August that Roush Fenway would add Erik Darnell and Matt Kenseth to the round robin of drivers getting starts in their NNS cars. Darnell got three starts (Richmond, Dover, Texas), and Kenseth ran at Atlanta to go with two NNS starts he made earlier in the year. Plus one for the Insiders.
RMM Shuts Down #81 Team: Following the Bristol Truck Series race, we told you that Randy Moss Motorsports was shutting down the #81 team of David Starr. RMM did indeed close down their second team, but Starr never missed a beat. After being let go from the #81, he moved over to SS-Green Light Racing and finished the season. RMM would later run a second truck for Tayler Malsam in four races. Plus one for the Insiders.
Turner Motorsports & Marc Davis: While we weren’t the first to report on the possible sale of Braun Racing to Steve Turner, we were the first to tell you it was a done deal and we gave you the first picture of what the new Turner Motorsports would look like. Todd Braun did end up selling his team, and the new Turner Motorsports will have three NCWTS teams and four NNS teams. They will also run Chevrolets. And after a failed attempt to race at Las Vegas earlier in the season, we told you that Marc Davis would be running for R3 Motorsports at Dover. Davis started 30th and finished 23rd. Plus two for the Insiders.
Johanna Long & Tayler Malsam to Trucks: In September, we reported that both Malsam and Long would be making attempts in the NCWTS race at Las Vegas. Both did race at Vegas, and they both ran more races towards the end of the season. Plus two for the Insiders.
Trevor Bayne To RFR: We were the first to report that Bayne to Roush Fenway was a done deal, and that his new team would run a fifth NNS car for him at Kansas in October. Bayne finished out the season with RFR, and is prepared to run a full NNS schedule in 2011, along with an unspecified number of Cup races. Plus one for the Insiders.
Josh Wise To Drive At Charlotte: Josh Wise spent 2010 driving for several different organizations, and we reported in October that he would race at Charlotte for a team backed by veteran tire changer D.J. Copp. Wise started 39th and finished 18th. Plus one for the Insiders.
KHI, Elliott Sadler, RFR Trucks: Later in October we heard that KHI was putting together the personnel for a second full time Nationwide Series team, and that Elliott Sadler may run some races for them. Both turned out to be true, as it was later announced that Sadler will run the full 2011 schedule for KHI with sponsorship from CitiFinancial. We also told you that there were rumors that Ron Hornaday was shopping for a new NCWTS ride. We’d heard he had conversations with several organizations, but he ended up re-signing with KHI. The last bit we gave you was that Roush Fenway was working on resurrecting their Truck Series program. This story has cooled way down since then, but there is still a small chance it could happen. I’ll give us plus one, a push, and leave the RFR bit as still pending.
Caitlin Shaw To Race At Phoenix: In November we told you about yet another female driver who would be racing in 2010. Caitlin Shaw, after making one start in 2009, returned to the Truck Series in a truck prepared by Mario Gosselin’s DGM Racing at Phoenix. She started 33rd and finished 30th. Plus one for the Insiders.
Skinner Out? Kvapil In?: Our most recent rumor for you, we reported that Mike Skinner was likely out at Randy Moss Motorsports, and that the team would replace him with Travis Kvapil. Skinner won’t talk, and no official announcement has come from the team, so we’ll leave this one pending.
As you can see, we had a busy year reporting on the happenings in NASCAR. Our scorecard for the year looks like this: we had 17 correct, two wrong, two pushes, and still have two rumors pending. Adding up all three seasons worth of news and rumors, that makes us 36-5-5. We prove yet again that if you hear it from us, odds are pretty good that it’s true. Our solid track record doesn’t do much to prove that we are who we say we are, but at the very least we are very well connected janitors…
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Even though the NASCAR Silly Season has quieted down some, there are still plenty of rumors floating around. Here are a few of the bits we’ve heard over the last week or so.
Catch Can Man Back in April we told you that NASCAR was considering eliminating the catch can man for both the Nationwide and Cup Series just like they did for the Truck Series for the 2010 season. For the CWTS, NASCAR implemented a new style gas can that self vented and didn’t require the use of a catch can. We are hearing now that NASCAR has scrapped the idea for the Cup Series, but that they will implement this rule for the NNS for the 2011 season. We are not yet clear on whether this means NASCAR will also allow less than seven crew members over the wall, because we have heard that may not change. What it does do is scrap the catch can position and will probably slow down pit stop times.
More on the new Turner Motorsports We reported a little over a week ago via Twitter that we’d heard the Braun Racing sale to Steve Turner was a done deal. Journo even included that info in his recent post about Mr. Turner. More details are emerging about the deal and what this new Turner Motorsports will most likely be. First, we’ve heard that the team will still probably run 3-4 Nationwide cars next season, and that they may expand their Truck Series program to three teams. We’ve also heard that the team will utilize Chevrolet equipment, and that the current fleet of Braun Toyotas will be switched over. Look for James Buescher, Ricky Carmichael, Reed Sorenson, and Brian Scott to all continue driving for the team, with the rest of the seats still up in the air.
Marc Davis returns at Dover After a failed attempt to get back on track earlier in the season at Las Vegas, we are hearing that R3 Motorsports has reached a deal to run Marc Davis in their #23 Nationwide car at Dover. It will be Davis’ first NASCAR start since Homestead at the end of 2009 and his first NNS start since June of ’09. Davis will be the fifth different driver for R3 this season, with Robert Richardson Jr, Alex Kennedy, Coleman Pressley, and Johnny Sauter having shared the ride. Expect an announcement from the team this week.
Like we always do here at TNI, we will keep you posted if we hear more as these stories develop.
We are hearing that 19 year old driver Marc Davis will return to the Nationwide Series next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Sam’s Town 300. He will be behind the wheel of the #58 Macys.com Cavi Chevrolet for XXXtreme Motorsport.
Davis, fresh off a third place run in the ASA’s Freestate 500 in South Africa, last appeared in the Truck Series at Homestead at the end of 2009, and his most recent Nationwide Series start was at Nashville in June of ‘09.
It’s been a tough off-season for the young driver from Maryland with the devastating loss of his father and team owner Harry in January. Harry was Marc’s biggest supporter, and an advocate for diversity in NASCAR. But even with the hardship, our source tells us the team is hoping to put more support together to run additional races in 2010.
Expect an announcement from the team very soon.
From the moment the news leaked earlier in the week that Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby was moving to a new position within NASCAR, speculation has run rampant that he’s being pushed out, demoted, or being made a scapegoat. Even fans have gotten in on the act, applauding Darby’s move (in a bad way).
Now lets be fair. John Darby’s got one of the most difficult jobs in the garage. He spends much of his year away from home and gets to deal with a bunch of “creative”, ego-maniacs (though I don’t think he’s complaining).
Is he a dictator? Some would probably make that argument. The truth is, if you’re not you’re going to get walked all over very quickly. He’s got to serve as the policeman, the judge, the jury and sometimes the executioner. Despite all of that he’s one of the most respected guys in the garage. That says something about his character.
I know what you’re saying, “he was a supporter and propagator of the COT.” And while that may be true, we fail to remember, that arguably is his job. He’s got to be one of the chief supporters of NASCAR’s initiatives. If you’re looking for someone to blame for the COT I’d suggest starting with Gary Nelson and Brett Bodine.
As far as decision making goes, remember he does have people he answers to. John Darby is by no means the be-all-end-all at NASCAR or even over the Cup Series. Often when you get called to the trailer, you get the pleasure of meeting with both he and Mike Helton; and sometimes others.
I don’t believe John Darby was forced out. I don’t think NASCAR had any reason to do it, and I think their actions would indicate that’s probably true.
The fact is no one’s perfect; John Darby included. Has he made mistakes? Sure (who hasn’t?). But can we blame him for everything that’s wrong with NASCAR? Absolutely not.
As the old proverb goes “before criticizing a man, walk a mile in his shoes.” Even if you don’t respect his tenure as Cup Series Director, respect his commitment to the sport. John Darby is a good man.
Condolences to the Davis Family
We here at TNI want to send our condolences to Marc Davis, his family and friends on the passing of Marc’s father Harry.
Harry, a former NBC News cameraman, was a big guy with a big heart. He was a fierce advocate of his son and his son’s career. Though he was a relative newcomer to the sport, Harry will be missed. The sport could use more people like him.
Click here for a writeup from his former employer.
No matter how hard it tries to shake the stigma, it seems that some people still look at NASCAR and its fans as Confederate Flag waving, racist rednecks from the South. This most recent incident involving Brendan Gaughan’s crew chief Bryan Berry and African American driver Marc Davis has brought all of this back to the surface.
Unlike many others who have chosen to write about Berry and what happened, I’m going to reserve judgement. Everyone (including NASCAR) is going off hearsay at this point, and while I understand NASCAR needed to punish Berry, I don’t know if some of the things being said about Berry are fair. I wasn’t there, I don’t know what was said, so I’m not going to condemn Berry’s actions or justify them.
Let me just make that clear one more time. If Berry did say what those witnesses are claiming he did, I’m not saying it’s okay, because it isn’t. But at the same time, if he is innocent, then there is no reason to condemn him for being angry about the incident with Marc Davis.
I think it’s interesting though that some people are calling Berry a racist and connecting him to NASCAR’s southern roots, yet Berry isn’t even from the South! He’s actually a native of South Florida, one of the most diverse areas of this country. That certainly doesn’t acquit him of what happened, but his alleged actions have absolutely nothing to do with the South. And along with that, some of the comments made on the radio by Gaughan have people questioning his views as well. Let’s not forget that Gaughan played basketball at Georgetown under John Thompson and was college roommates with Allen Iverson. If Gaughan is racist, don’t you think he would have had a problem playing for an African American coach and living with an African American roommate?
Anyways, I digress.
The Berry incident aside, I believe it is ridiculously unfair to label the entire sport of NASCAR, the people in the garage, and the fans as racist. While I understand NASCAR is struggling with diversity, there is a ton of progress being made on both sides of the fence.. For example, there are more women and minorities working in the sport then ever before.
For the sake of this discussion, I’m going to do something I don’t normally do here, but I’m going to reveal a little tidbit about myself; I’m a white male. That said, I have absolutely no idea what it’s like being a minority walking the garage or sitting in the grandstands. All I have to go off of is what I’ve seen. And what I’ve seen in NASCAR isn’t different then any other industry I’ve ever worked in.
Racism is an unfortunate reality in this country. It happens everywhere, everyday. And NASCAR isn’t immune to that. But to say in this day and age that NASCAR is somehow this leftover bastion of deep rooted Southern views is ludicrous. While I have no stats to actually back this up, it seems like there are more people who work in NASCAR that aren’t from the South, then there are people who are from southern states.
Recently I had a reader make a comment to me (and I’m paraphrasing) about how they didn’t know if they felt comfortable attending a race in the South because of this perceived racism. My first reaction is to vehemently defend the sport and tell them that I will pay them $1,000 if someone treats them badly while attending a race. I’ve never had a bad experience at a race as a fan, and except for the occasional Confederate flag, I’ve yet to see a prejudiced act committed by one fan against another; but again, I’m white.
But my next feeling is one of sadness. It bothers me that in a time where we have an African American man running this country that somebody would feel hesitant about attending a major sporting event for fear of not being accepted. There is no reason why someone who considers themself a race fan shouldn’t feel 1,000,000% welcome at any race track from Washington to South Carolina.