I didn’t have one idea that I wanted to focus on with my last blog post before the 2011 season gets under way this week, so instead I’ve got a bunch of mini topics to touch on. Feel free to comment on any or all of them.
New Points System I’ve been asked by a few people what my opinion is of the new points system NASCAR has instituted for this season, and I’ve got to say, I don’t really care. It seems on initial inspection that it isn’t a ton different then the old system, and I really don’t believe it will change the way teams race. Teams will still try like hell to win races, and when they can’t, they will do whatever is necessary to get the best possible finish they can. You will also still see teams try and get their race cars back on track after a wreck in order to ride around and get as many points as they can. The mindset won’t change. So I guess if the new system makes things easier for the fans, cool, but other than that, I don’t care.
Final Pit Procedure Thoughts We’ve talked quite a bit around here about the new pit road procedures with the elimination of the catch can position, but I just wanted to offer a few final points. I encourage you to really pay attention to pit stops at Daytona, because you will definitely see some differing techniques among the teams. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it appears as though one or two teams use a system that works better than the others, and for the other teams to follow suit shortly. It will be kind of a “monkey see, monkey do” situation once the teams get a chance to scout each other. These changes will also have a significant impact on pit strategy and what adjustments will get made. It’s a whole new ball game for crew chiefs and engineers now, and I think there is a much larger emphasis now on the decisions they make during the races. You will see a lot more races decided based on pit strategies – at least in the short run.
Important Season For Many Drivers, Teams, and Sponsors There are quite a few drivers and sponsors this season that have contracts that will be expiring after Homestead in November. Lee Spencer from FoxSports.com recently had a bit up about all the Cup drivers who are in the final year of their contracts in 2011 (see it here). This really could be a year that we look back on and say that this was the year that made or broke driver X or team Y. There will be a lot of pressure on those drivers and teams to put in solid performances every week in order to help secure their futures. With the economy continuing to a be a big factor with sponsorships, these teams don’t want to give these companies any reason to either switch to another race team, or pull out completely. It will certainly be an interesting story line to watch.
Nationwide Series Changes I’m really curious to see how the 2011 season unfolds for the Nationwide Series after the championship eligibility changes were made. Will it really help bring the series back to being a developmental series, or will the Cup drivers continue to dominate regardless? We haven’t had a solid Cup rookie class in a couple of years, and the deterioration of the Nationwide Series has certainly played a part in that. In order to keep the talent coffers full of new young drivers, it’s vital that the NNS get back to being a place where these kids can learn how to race.
Championship Predictions We don’t normally do a ton of predictions around here, because they are mostly useless, and it’s pretty much impossible to get them right. But with that said, I’m going to give you my picks on who I think will win each of the top three championships. In the Truck Series, I believe the addition of Jeff Hensley to KHI will pay off big and Ron H0rnaday will return to dominance. Hornaday ran really well last season, but just had a lot of bad luck. Expect that to change for 2011. For the Nationwide Series, I think the pick has to be Elliott Sadler. The Joe Gibbs Toyotas are pretty much unstoppable, but since neither Joey Logano nor Kyle Busch can win the championship, the balance shifts towards KHI. Sadler has the talent and will have the equipment to be a contender every week, and I don’t see any of the younger drivers putting it together for 34 races. And finally, the 2011 Cup Series champion will be Denny Hamlin. The bitter taste of being the runner up to Jimmie Johnson in 2010 will be serious motivation for this team to take the next step, and with Hamlin being 100% healthy this season, he will put it together and unseat the 48 bunch.
The off season has ended, and teams will head to Daytona this week. The next time you hear from me, we’ll have our first race winner (even if it is an exhibition race), and the front row will be set for the Daytona 500. Welcome to 2011!
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It’s back to the Irish Hills this week as NASCAR rolls into Michigan International Speedway and inches closer to the start of the Chase. But before we head to Brooklyn (Michigan that is), it’s time to answer your questions! 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 Michael:
“Fortunately for Pattie and Montoya, Chip Ganassi isn’t Jack Roush.” …..What do you mean?
Jack Roush has an affinity for not letting driver/crew chief relationships run their course (though Bob Osborne has made it longer, his second time around, than some of his peers). Jack’s not a patient man – he wants fast results, and if things aren’t happening within his time frame he tends to quickly make changes (ask Jimmy Fennig, Drew Blickensderfer, Todd Parrott etc.). My point was to say driver/crew chief relationships take time to develop – if Montoya and Pattie were at Roush there is a chance they wouldn’t have made it. – Journo
2. From Rob:
What is the proper etiquette in the garage w/ hot passes?? Thanks guys love the site..
The most important thing is to make sure you’re wearing the proper attire. Long pants, closed-toe shoes, and sleeves (short ones are fine) are a must. Beyond that, just make sure you’re always paying attention to what’s going on around you, and try to stay out of the way of those at work. Oh and have fun! – Journo
3. From Franq:
What would it take to make the Brickyard race into a road race using the excellent F1 course. I think this would put some life into an ever increasing boring race?
An act of Congress maybe? Seriously though I don’t think NASCAR has any interest in turning the Brickyard into a road course race. I don’t think it’s a bad idea; certainly the folks at IMS need to do something to bring life back to the race. I think though making it a road race would diminish NASCAR’s role at IMS – that is to say it would put them on different footing than the IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. It would send the message that NASCAR can’t cut it on the big track, so they’re experimenting. Just my two cents. – Journo
4. From Sam:
I may be in the minority, but I really enjoy the road course races. I’ve noticed many oval tracks with two races also have road courses which use most of the oval but add some infield twisties. Has nascar ever considered using the oval for the spring race and the road course for the fall race, or vice versa. It would be an interesting way of introducing “new” tracks without really changing the schedule at all.
I’m with you, I love the road course races. They provide such a nice change of pace. Remember though NASCAR is primarily an oval racing series. Changing that changes the spirit of the sport. It would be interesting, but as you said there are a good number of people who don’t like seeing NASCAR go left and right. I think they would risk alienating a large segment of fans. – Journo
5. From Dwiltone:
I know that the teams use road race cars at Watkins Glen and Infineon. That aside. In my feeble mind I think that in some ways , setting up a car for a road course would be easier than for an oval track. One situation where lefty righty tighty loosey would equal out. Any insight on my theory? Keep up the good work on the Web site. I read it every week.
I’m not really sure you can say setting up for one is easier then the other. Both styles of tracks have their challenges that must be overcome. For NASCAR teams, road courses may have a slight edge just for the simple fact that we only race on them a few times a year. – T.C.
6. From Doug in CA:
As I watched the Busch race from the Glen today, I noted that some cars are listed as being “out” of the race, while others are merely “off.” Are teams supposed to notify NASCAR when they have decided to pack it in for the day? P.S. LOVE that road racing!
Yes, when a team decides to retire from a race, they have to let a NASCAR official know. The official will then let race control know the team is out of the race. When a team is listed as “off” they are just in the garage working on the car. – T.C.
7. From Garry:
Is it my imagination, or are pit stops backwards at The Glen? It looks like they are coming in and going out the wrong direction. If this is true, how does that affect the way you guys operate..(if i am imagining this..then never mind; )… And could you please explain what the heck was the deal with Kyle Bush having to fix something at the start? Why wouldn’t this be something they had taken care of already? I tell ya…. following along at home by picking a fantasy team each week really makes it more personal … DANG IT!!
Yes, the teams pit the cars backwards at Watkins Glen. I wrote a post all about it in 2008 (click here). Kyle Busch’s team had an issue with their right side weights before the race at the Glen. They were not secured as they should have been, and the weights were sliding back and forth in the tube. Incidents like this can get guys fired. – T.C.
8. From Mark:
How does the pit crew line up stud holes on wheel and stud so quickly? What is the I.D. of hole compared to O.D. of stud?
The tire carriers use a piece of tape as a reference point that allows them to know exactly where the stud holes are on the wheel. Check out this classic TNI blog post for more info. And to be honest, I’m not sure what exactly the difference is between the stud and the stud hole. It’s not much, whatever it is. – T.C.
9. From Steve:
If a driver goes into the pits during the pre-race pace laps (like Kyle Busch at the Glen), does he lose laps if he doesn’t come out before the pace car completes each lap? Or does he simply start at the back on the same lap as everybody else?
Pace laps are not official race laps, so a team would not lose any laps. They will however have to start at the rear of the field. Also, teams are not allowed to add fuel during pace laps. – T.C.
10. From Eddie:
Wasn’t Mark Martin supposed to retire after the 2005 season? Will he finally retire after 2011? I like Mark Martin, but what motivated him to come back to race full time after making retirement announcements like Brett Farve?
Hahaha, Brett Favre. Well that’s a new one. There was an announcement (from Mark) though. I think he just realized there was still a lot of fight left in him, and he wouldn’t be content sitting on his couch watching races. Will he retire after 2011? That’s something you’d have to ask him. I honestly don’t know. At least he’s not waffling like Favre. When he got back in, he got back in. – Journo
11. From Marcus:
When GE Reveal, Philps Norelco, Suave, and AXE Twist sponsor Jamie McMurray are thay really sponsoring him or is it Target “showcasing” their different brands they offer? Jayski put it as “Philips Norelco sponsoring McMurray at Michigan”. Ganassi also does this in Indy Cars with Franchitti. Being he is sponsored by Target, I am asking this. I know it’s kind of a weird question but I am just curious.
Not a weird question at all – in fact I’m impressed you even noticed. Those deals are facilitated through Target, but those sponsors pay EGR to be on the car. It’s like Target provides Ganassi a marketplace of sponsors. Beyond those one-race deals though Target does have a very successful affiliate program with EGR and CGR (that’s why you’ll see Kimberly-Clark or Unilever products on JPM’s quarter panels when they’re running Target colors). Companies pay Target to get better placement in store and in advertisements and they also get the perk of Target’s motorsports program. It’s a win-win for all involved. And from what I’ve heard, Target’s affiliate program more or less pays for the sponsorship. – Journo
12. From Billy:
What are your thoughts on Bill Jenkins and Latitude 43 Motorsports?
I’m guessing you are referring to the recent revelations that Bill Jenkins doesn’t seem to be paying his drivers. This is a very small team, with extremely limited resources that is just trying to make it to the next week. You can’t really fault their efforts, as at least they aren’t start and parking. But when money starts running out, the first people to suffer are the drivers and employees. This is a very common tale in racing. The list of drivers and crew guys that have been screwed out of money by a team owner would probably circle the earth. If Jenkins can’t afford to pay his drivers however, it’s probably easy to assume the end is near for the team. - T.C.
13. From Rowan:
How good is Marcos Ambrose rated as a serious Cup racer by other teams and fans and what is the likelyhood of him having a Cup drive for next season? I think his Cup drive at Watkins Glenn was awesome and probably his best performance I have seen. Thanks and regards…. an aussie Marcos fan
Marcos is certainly regarded as a legitimate driver in the Cup Series. He showed flashes last season that he could get it done on ovals, but he’s just been the victim of a lot of bad luck this season. I think it is very likely he will land with another Cup team for the 2011 season and beyond, with the most likely candidate being Richard Petty Motorsports. - T.C.
14. From Tom Skaggs:
I read this article a few years ago. The question I have is that it appears that Jamie McMurray is paying team expenses (payroll) out of his own pocket. I can understand paying agents, handlers et cetera, but is it common for drivers to be paying for team expenses? I’d assume that team owners would be paying these expenses.
I’m not sure what you read in this article that makes you think McMurray is paying team expenses. This article is referring to some savings that McMurray had frozen for a time due to a bank fraud investigation. Drivers don’t cover any team expenses with their earnings. Many drivers have their own companies and organizations to help manage their careers, and they are obviously responsible for those expenses, but not for the teams they drive for. – 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!
Road racing returns this weekend as the Cup and NNS cars head up to Watkins Glen. While they are turning left and right, and doing backwards pit stops, the truck series takes on the Nashville Superspeedway. As we work through another week, here are more reader questions and answers. 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 Garry:
How often do you AND your driver practice the exact routine of the car pulling in and out of the pit stall? How many times does it take to be perfect? When you are working with a new driver or at a tougher track (like Bristol) do they allow you extra time to practice a lot? Is it true that “pit mates” (drivers in ajoining pit stalls) try to coordinate their stops, to stay out of each other’s way? It seems so many things can go wrong. Do you have any good stories about bad blood rivals who are battling and then winding up next to each other? ( e.g if Horse face and lil Brad wound up next to each other. It might make things interesting)
You won’t find most drivers at the shop driving the pit stop car for practice. Some teams will use their development drivers or just a shop guy to do the driving. Once most guys get to a certain point in their career, practicing getting into and out of the pit stall just isn’t necessary I guess. And the only real example of a track that sticks out where we might do some extra practice is for this weekend’s race at Watkins Glen because the pit stops are backwards. Other then that, the rest of the tracks get the same amount of prep usually. In terms of pit road neighbors, you try as much as you can to coordinate stops, but often it just isn’t possible. The hope is that the guys around you are either on a different lap or fall out early, so your driver has a clean path in and out. And there are plenty of times where teams end up pitting next to each other and things get ugly. There have been instances where crew members have thrown lugnuts and other objects at an opposing driver as they come by, pit boards have been hit by drivers, there have been plenty of shoving matches, and there is always going to be a ton of yelling when things go south. – T.C.
2. From Bill:
Why not let the cars that make the chase all race together and have another race for the other cars. Nascar asks the other cars to move over and not race the chase cars. This makes for poor racing and the other cars cannot win.
I’m not really sure what the question is here, but NASCAR doesn’t ask other cars to roll over for the Chasers. In fact Jamie McMurray, a non-chaser, won the race at Talladega during the Chase last season. – Journo
3. From Michael:
Regarding Tool sponsorship. Mac, Snap-On, Craftsman, etc. Are the tools given to the teams, discounted, or on loan? Or is each team contract different with each vendor?
The contracts can be different, but for the big teams, when the team itself needs tools, they are usually given or highly discounted. Remember though, the guys who work in the shop use their own tools and must pay for all of their own equipment. With the shop guys, they are usually given a discount, but nothing is free. – T.C.
4. From Marty:
After watching the wide array of tire strategies at Pocono I offer you this question… Has anyone ever taken 3 tires in a pit stop? How about just 1 tire?
Not that I’ve ever heard of. Getting one tire takes the same amount of time as it does to get two, as does the time for three versus four. So it wouldn’t really make sense. Plus, it would give the car really odd handling characteristics to have grip at one corner, but not the others. - T.C.
5. From Jackie:
On Sunday’s race, I noticed that start and park teams would come in and then go back out on the track – Why? Do they not want to be listed as last or are they trying to better their position? At what point in the race do the start and park teams say enough is enough and call it a race?
Most are trying to just be able to finish a little better. Remember most don’t have pit crews, so if they are going to run longer then a tire/fuel run, they’ve got to do something to change tires and add fuel. A few minutes in the garage can do the trick. And the agendas will vary by team. Some of the bare bones operations will just run a few laps because they are fine with last place money. Others might be attempting to make more money, and score more points, so they may stay out longer. – T.C.
6. From Debbie:
While watching the Pocono race a driver, I want to say Denny Hamlin, but don’t quote me on that, said his tires were over rotating. How can that be and what does that mean? Thanks!
I’ve never heard a driver say his tires were over-rotating. I have heard them say that about their car though. If a car is over rotating, it just means it’s loose in the corners. – T.C.
7. From Kevin:
First off, the 48 dumped the 2. Everybody who has ever watched a race with bump drafting knows you dont do it unless your wheels are straight. The 48 was turning left the entire time and clearly turned the 2. No question about it. Kurt should have gone and kicked some ass. I am sure he will in coming weeks. Secondly, how great was the racing at the end of the race? For about 20-40 laps there we saw some of the best racing of the season. All through the pack. I am so tired of the people complaining, if they didn’t like the racing right after the rain stoppage then they should just quit watching, b/c it won’t get much better. Finally, do you think the recent success of two tire stops is due to the flat nature of the last two tracks? I imagine someone taking two tires at say, Vegas, will suffer a lot more due to the speed all the way around the track. I do enjoy the mixing of strategies though.
To your first point, I don’t think Jimmie dumped him, I think Jimmie got sloppy and made a poor decision. To your second point, I couldn’t agree more. I think we have had stellar racing this season. And to your last point, the two tire strategy works when everything comes together right. Certainly tire wear is a factor, but how many laps are left, who took four versus two, and how many all play a role. It has played a role the last two weeks. – Journo
8. From steve:
Any idea what was going on with Brian Pattie and Montoya, especially Pattie’s barb that Montoya needs to come to Charlotte to practice pit stops? How redfaced do you think ESPN is that they had zero cameras on Sadler? But for his crash sneaking into the Busch coverage, they would have had nothing at all on one of the worst wrecks in NASCAR this year.
Montoya screwed something up, and they had a 17 second stop (I would imagine he messed up getting into the box), so Pattie called him out. Montoya was then upset that Pattie called him out, and he was upset about losing track position because they got four tires. JPM is notorious for his ability to express his feelings. To your second question, I think it’s the nature of the beast. This sort of thing is the nightmare of every sports television director – missing that key play (or in this case a wreck) because they didn’t have a camera – but it happens because you just can’t have cameras everywhere. I’d be willing to bet there have been some serious discussions this week about how to make sure this doesn’t happen again. – Journo
9. From Lost in Texas:
Anything new in the Jeremy Mayfield case?
I haven’t heard anything new. The last I heard was that Mayfield’s legal team had asked Judge Mullen to reconsider his ruling, a formal step before they can appeal to the 4th Circuit Court. – Journo
10. From Kipp:
T.C.- This is a great outlet and source of information and discussion. Thank you for you and Journo’s efforts. With the recent fine given to Denny Hamlin, have you worried any about potential fines or punishment coming from NASCAR for operating on this forum?
Thanks Kipp! Glad you are enjoying what we do. And no, neither myself nor Journo is worried in any way about being fined or punished by NASCAR. We operate a very fair website, and if they ever took exception to something we wrote, all it would take is a simple request, and they could post a rebuttal here. Also, I think it’s important to note that NASCAR didn’t fine somebody in the press, it was drivers. If they did ever try and penalize a media member, it would come to light pretty quickly. And, as our regular readers know, we’ve been very critical of NASCAR at times (see Tuesday’s blog post), and they have yet to even bother contacting us. – T.C.
11. From derek:
Why does a crew member use a propane torch to heat the tire up and then scrape it?
The crew guy is using the torch and the scraper to clean off any build up on the tires so the tire specialist can get an accurate reading of the tire’s tread depth after a run. When a car is running around the track, especially under caution and heading to pit road, the hot tires will pick up rubber and all sorts of other things. Cleaning them allows the teams to figure out how much rubber was actually worn off over the course of a run. – T.C.
12. From M. Sauter:
With the season winding down, and sponsors signing or leaving, when should Kahne fans begin to panic?Right now, he has no ride and no sponsor.
There isn’t a point you should start panicking. Kasey will be in a car next season. Where that’s at is still yet to be seen, but Kasey will absolutely be driving somewhere next season. Rick Hendrick didn’t sign Kasey to sideline him. Don’t worry! Everything will be worked out…eventually. – Journo
With road course racing in the rear view, both the Cup and NNS cars head north to Loudon this week. After what transpired at Infineon, the Magic Mile may play host to a little payback for some drivers. While they ponder their revenge, we’ve got more reader questions and answers. 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:
Do teams inform the NASCAR Pit Road Inspectors what they might be doing to the car so they are not in the way?
It’s certainly not a rule, but often times one of the pit crew guys will let the officials know what’s going on. There are a few that don’t pay attention sometimes, and it’s not uncommon for an official to either get hit, or come very close to getting hit. – T.C.
2. From Christopher:
Maybe this is a little off-topic, but I’ve been watching Inside NASCAR on Showtime this year. I noticed in the first bunch of episodes none of the track radio chatter was censored. Lots of swear words made it through, which I thought was kinda neat- gave you a little more reality than what you hear during the race. All of the sudden, they beep out anything offensive. Not a big deal, just wondering if anyone knows what gives?
You know I noticed that too. And I honestly don’t know why they all of sudden started censoring it. I think it’s probably the only show on Showtime that has any censorship. Perhaps people (within the garage) were complaining about being uncensored, but I don’t know. Sorry. – Journo
3. From Bob:
Here is a question that only Rick Hendrick and NASCAR can answer, but how can Hendrick have Kasey Kahne under contract for 2011 and not be considered his car owner? I can’t think of any scenario that would not somehow include arranging for a sponsor and/or paying the salary directly. Will NASCAR really go for this? Help me out here.
Oh yeah NASCAR will go for this. The issue isn’t Rick Hendrick employing people (he could employee every driver in the garage). It’s Rick Hendrick owning more than four cars. If Kasey is contracted out to someone else (even if Hendrick is still paying him), they are well within the rules. – Journo
4. From John:
Hey guys, love the site. Say a Nationwide Series team gets a sponsor last second during the weekend. Because the series has impound rules, do they have to get permission to wrap the car and when the car has to have the decals applied is there a NASCAR official supervising the process to make sure there’s nothing done to the car on the side?
If it happens that late in a game, all the team has to do is get permission from Joe Balash and the officials to put on decals. And if they are allowed to do it (which they would be), there will most certainly be at least one official there to supervise the team. – T.C.
5. From Floyd:
What was your take on the way Jeff Gordon was driving?? I think that some other drivers would of been penalized for rough driving.
I think the proper penalty would have been for stupid driving. But seriously rough driving isn’t really applicable in this situation. I don’t think he was being malicious, he was just making very poor decisions and unfortunately other teams paid the price. I’m sure Martin Truex Jr. won’t soon forget though. NASCAR wasn’t giving Jeff Gordon any special concessions. He certainly wasn’t alone in his stupid driving this weekend. I heard guys afterward comparing the amount of damage to the cars in the field to Martinsville and Bristol – something you don’t normally see at a place like Sonoma. – Journo
6. From Steve:
The last caution Sunday was (seemingly) due to Keselowski backing onto the racing lane instead of moving forward, a move that I viewed as his attempt to draw a caution which would keep him from losing as many positions than if the race stayed green. The caution likely cost Ambrose the win. I know Ambrose has no recourse but does NASCAR ever take action against drivers who game the system? On road courses, do you know why NASCAR doesn’t use yellow flags the same way the other road racing organizations do, where the yellow applies only to the specific area and not to the entire track? I like Jeff Gordon but to whine one week about somebody pushing him around and then to do the same to others. Am I wrong to think that the standard seems to be simply ‘if it’s done to me, it’s a crime, it I do it to someone else, sorry, but that’s racing’?
To your first question, NASCAR will (and have) penalize cars who they feel intentionally bring out cautions. I think though NASCAR made the right call with Brad K. To the caution question, it’s just the way it is. They do give quite a bit of leeway to cars straightening themselves out, but I agree it can be a bit daunting with larger courses (Road America for instance). The policy does make it safer for all safety crews involved however. And to the Jeff Gordon question, well, I’m not going there. – Journo
7. From MS:
What is NASCAR’s rationale behind using carbs instead of injection? Are teams in favor of going to injection?
This is one of those “we’ve always done it this way” situations. There is not a rational reason for why NASCAR hasn’t changed. And I think it doesn’t really matter to the teams whether they use carbs or injection. Injection will certainly cost the engine builders a little more money, because they need to re-tune engines, but it won’t be a huge deal. – T.C.
8. From Marcus:
Being this is sort-of an opinion based site I have a different type of question for you guys. After watching what unfolded during the last 7-8 laps at Infineon do believe that NASCAR gives wins to Jimmie Johnson? Let me explain. When Brad Keselowski spun they called a caution with 7 laps to go. Now all day cars had been spinning and they didnt call a caution. Even after Johnson got the lead 3 more cars spun. Then under caution Marcos Ambrose stopped on track when he was trying to save fuel. NASCAR then pulls out this rule that NASCAR fans had never heard of but the NASCAR community has heard of. They put Marcos Ambrose in 6th I believe and then wind down the laps to 5 to go. Thus ensuring that Jimmie wins. So that is why I asked you, Do you guys believe that NASCAR gives Jimmie Johnson wins? Because after a situation like that I certainly do. And I did before. For Instance “Jimmie Cautions”? Just wondering.
As we have said here before, NASCAR does not benefit from Jimmie Johnson winning every other race and the last four championships. If anything, it would have benefited them more to have Ambrose win. A foreign driver gettting his first ever Cup win would have been a big story. So all this talk about NASCAR favoring Johnson is crazy. The officials just made the call they needed to make in this particular situation, and Johnson happened to be the one who benefited. There is no underlying conspiracy at work here. - T.C.
I agree with T.C. – Journo
9. From Michael in SoCal:
Nascar.com lists the owner of the 24 & 88 as Rick Hendrick, the owner of the 48 is Jeff Gordon, and the owner of the 5 is Mary Hendrick. That said, obviously all of these cars are ‘owned’ by Hendrick Motor Sports. So does the listed owner come into play in any way with the 4 car per team limit?
No not at all. All of Jack Roush’s cars don’t have Jack Roush listed as the owner either. Same at Childress, Gibbs, Penske, EGR etc. What matters is what organization really owns and operates the cars. – Journo
Sad to see what happened to Ambrose and I am not here to necessarily to defend him, but maintaining the pace car speed rule and its enforcement leaves me a bit perplexed. Marcos obviously stopped when the engine would not turn over momentarily causing him to fall below the pace car speed. As no warning was given by NASCAR like “hey 47 you better get up here and keep your position,” how is that any different than others that have exceeded pace car speed and actually passed the pace car, only to be told to back and get back in line, or else. Or better yet during the caution when the leader on an oval slows near the pit entrance commitment cone, is passed on track by one or more cars that stayed out, only to void his pit, stay out and accelerate back up to the rear bumper of the pace car.
Ambrose was not allowed to pull back into his original position because he pretty much stopped on the track and had to restart the engine. I’m not sure you can really compare this situation to the others you mentioned. I’m not sure I remember seeing an instance where a car purposely passed the pace car trying to gain some sort of advantage, only to be told to go back behind. Usually the only cars that need to pass the pace car are the lucky dogs. Also, when a car is faking to pit road, they don’t usually come to a complete stop. Ambrose was attempting to save fuel under the caution, and he got bit. It’s really as simple as that. – T.C.
Every track we go to has unique challenges on pit road. At short tracks like Martinsville, the stalls are very small; Phoenix and Darlington have curved pit roads; Kentucky has the world’s thinnest pit wall; and at Watkins Glen we pit backwards. Until only a few short years ago however, nobody had a pit road situation like Infineon Raceway.
Before 2002, Infineon Raceway (then Sears Point Raceway) actually had two pit roads. As it is today, the entrance for the main pit road was entered on driver’s left as they came down the straight before turn 11. This pit road however, only had 34 pit stalls. The remaining drivers who qualified in positions 35-43 had to pit on what was referred to as “Gilligan’s Island.” This smaller pit road was on driver’s right as they exited turn 11.
I found a video on YouTube from the 1998 Savemart 350 at Sears Point that shows a great view of the Island. Scroll ahead to the 6:53 mark, and you will see Robert Pressley make an unscheduled stop for a flat tire. As you can see, on “Gilligan’s Island,” teams had to do pit stops backwards. On top of that, since the stretch was so much shorter, NASCAR would actually hold teams in their stalls for as many as 15 seconds after their stop was completed, before they would allow them to leave. This, in NASCAR’s view, equalized any advantage a team would gain by using the much shorter pit road.
Besides creating unique pit stop situations, the Island offered up other problems. First, being out there meant teams were really on an island. Once the race started, there was no way to get back across the track. This required teams to have any spare pieces in their stalls that they may need in case of a crash or other problem. There would be no running back to the hauler for that spare battery.
Also, if a team did happen to crash out or blow an engine, they had to stay on “Gilligan’s Island” until the race was complete. There would have been no early exit for you start-and-parkers either!
Thankfully, along with many other improvements, the track was reconfigured in 2002 to allow for all 43 cars to have space on pit road. The Island was thus gone forever, and that area inside the hairpin at turn 11 was turned into runoff.
Who’s ready for some road course racing?!
After a short hiatus, “Ask The Insiders Wednesday” returns for the 51st version. We’ve got a big batch of questions, so lets get right 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…
1. From Maytag:
Hey I got to thinking this morning while air-jump starting a ramcar off of a nitrogen bottle , pit crews use compressed gas in a bottle to power the air guns. How many bottles do you go through on any given weekend,race only? I know the guns are hopped up. Do you use special regulators/fittings for flow? Or may I dare ask what PSI and flow rate you use? How about just a range?
It really depends on how many stops a crew does during the race, but the Cup teams and Nationwide teams will usually change their bottles out after each race. Truck teams can get a couple races out of two nitrogen bottles. And I don’t believe the regulators are anything special. In terms of PSI and flow rate, I couldn’t tell you the flow rate, but changers will run PSI anywhere from 90 up to 150. Each changer has their own preference about what PSI to run. – T.C.
2. From Bob:
I just wondering what happened to Yates Racing? I know that they are supposed to “merge” with RPM next year. Is this just a case of changing manufacturers(Dodge to Ford) and picking up a sponsor (Menards)? Will all vestiges of Yates disappear? Seems like Doug Yates just didn’t have his heart in being an owner. Such a shame as Robert Yates Racing was one of the great teams.
Yates pretty much disappeared as an organization after Robert Yates stepped away from the team and Max Jones came in as a co-owner. The last bits of Yates for all intents and purposes became Roush. From what I understand RPM will function much in the way Yates did; as a satellite of Roush. Doug has always been far more involved with Roush-Yates Racing Engines. – Journo
3. From Steve:
What’s the pecking order in the garage? Obviously, the driver is the prima donna, I figure the crew chief comes next, who comes after that and so on? And while I’m asking, how about the pecking order on the pit crew? Where does a poor tire changer fit?
I’m not 100% clear about what you are asking, but the hierarchy for the team is the driver, then the crew chief, followed by the car chief. Everyone after that is pretty much equal. Each team will have their own hierarchies based on seniority, but after those three, it’s wide open. The same is true for pit crews. Outside of seniority, there really isn’t a pecking order. Nobody is more important then anyone else. – T.C.
4. From Ric:
Since there is some talk about going to Fuel Injection in 2011, what does the garage think? Will the production of Black Helicopters ramp up?
I personally haven’t heard a ton of talk about fuel injection. I believe it is being considered, but I don’t think there will be any more black helicopters then normal. There are quite a few other racing series that successfully use and police fuel injection, and I don’t think NASCAR will be any different. – T.C.
5. From Steve:
Perhaps the subject that no one dares talks about out loud… What options does NASCAR have if a championship contender or the leader in a race is deemed to have been intentionally taken out by a friend or teammate of the 2nd place driver? I know NASCAR can penalize the offending driver and I know it would likely end their career, but is there any chance NASCAR wouldn’t allow the beneficiary of such an incident from benefiting? Football has a provision where if a runner is interfered with by someone on the sidelines, they can be awarded the touchdown. Anything similar in NASCAR?
This has actually happened in recent history. In 2003 the truck series went into Homestead with Brendan Gaughan leading Ted Musgrave by 26 points. Jim Smith, Musgrave’s team owner, entered a third truck for Marty Houston, the brother of Jim Smith’s other driver Andy Houston. With 34 laps left Marty ‘got loose’ and wrecked Brendan. Depending on who you talk to, Marty was ordered to end Brendan’s day. Here’s the video. Brendan famously said “Jim Smith can kiss my ass” on live TV. Ultimately it didn’t matter because Kvapil won the championship. While NASCAR can do just about whatever they want, they aren’t going to give anyone a position they didn’t earn (there’s not presently any precedent for it). Potentially a driver could be fined or penalized, but it would be difficult to prove. – Journo
6. From Ric:
When the crew chiefs give info to the driver about who took how many tires (and other things), where do they get the info? NASCAR? Individual organizations? What info / stats do they have in front of them? Can us viewers get this info?
Information regarding pit stops for other drivers often comes from the spotter. They are the ones with the best view of pit road. Crew chiefs can see the teams directly around them, but not those up and down pit road. The only information about the race that NASCAR provides is timing and scoring. Crew chiefs will usually have notes from previous races in front of them, to go along with timing and scoring data. And there is no special system that viewers can plug into to get extra information. – T.C.
7. From Larry:
Given all of the vacillating, that Kyle Busch has done over the past two weeks, pertaining to his 2010 truck team, the picture is as clear as mud. Do you have any idea, as to what is fact and what is rumor? How many trucks and who might be driving them?
Despite the reluctance Kyle has expressed publicly we keep hearing it’s moving forward. We heard early on in the process Tayler Malsam was a candidate, but we’ve heard he’s likely done with NASCAR (by choice). Johnny Benson was another rumor, as was Brian Ickler. Nothing new though. As far as we know though it’s still moving forward. – Journo
8. From Ric:
When a car needs to change it’s paint scheme what is the process? Paint is removed / decal ( not sure what it’s called when the whole car is one big decal) peeled off or is the metal replaced and new metal / paint scheme is put on?
Unless the car’s body is damaged, the metal is not replaced. Most paint schemes are a combination of paint and vinyl wrap (decals). If there is a color change, the wrap is removed and the old paint is sanded off. Then the body guys can repaint and redecal the car. – T.C.
9. From Tim:
Have there been any surprise cuts from Hatchet Day? After wasting most of the year on a bad manufacturing decision, has Roush got it right or will they over-correct in the off-season? (It looks like RCR is on the upswing, it’s great to see The Mayor back up front.) When will someone rip off Jimmie Johnson’s face and expose him for the robot that he really is? I’m so tired of seeing him dominate, in the same way that the haters feel watching Kyle win NWS, but those two boys have some mad skills.
Other than normal spring (or winter?) cleaning that gets done, we haven’t heard of anything big. Most (if not all) of the Wyler and HT Harris shops have been laid off and we’ve heard about some layoffs at Roush. At other big teams though (other than RPM) we haven’t heard anything. The off-season is still very young though. – Journo
10. From Ric:
Crew chiefs get all the blame when something is wrong with the car. How much work does a crew chief actually do on a car? Does the crew chief or the car chief make the decisions on various aspects of things being done to the car? What are the job duties of both?
In most cases with big teams, you won’t see crew chiefs actually working on the race cars at the track. Back in the day they would, but now crew chiefs have become more like team managers. They work with the driver on the setup and then relay changes to the car chief and mechanics in the garage. Crew chiefs work on overall setup and race strategy. The car chief has now become the lead mechanic. Once a base setup is ready, the car chief and an assistant will set the car up in the shop. For many teams I’ve worked for, the crew chief doesn’t even come down off the hauler during practice. Any changes will be radioed back to the car chief, who will lead the other mechanics in making those adjustments. – T.C.
11. From Emanuel:
I apologize if this has been covered, but I was wondering what’s up with the black stripe on Kyle Petty’s #45 hat? Is this in protest of his Dad basically selling the company? P.S. it was great getting to know you guys through your page this season. You guys are awesome.
He wears that in remembrance of his son Adam. Adam was killed during a Busch Series practice at New Hampshire in 2000. Kyle also took over Adam’s #45 number after his death. – Journo
12. From Mr. Ed:
What did you all do for turkey day?
I relaxed at home with my family, watched a little football, and ate some great food! – T.C.
My thanksgiving looked about the same as TC’s. – Journo
13. From BJ:
I’ve read that Steve Addington, former crew chief for Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing, has had several calls from interested organizations, but have you heard anything about where he may be in 2010?
This is speculation on my part, but I’ve got to believe he is the lead candidate to replace Pat Tryson as Kurt Busch’s crew chief at Penske. Addington is a proven winner, and he has experience in dealing with a cranky Busch brother. Plus, Penske has the money to throw at Addington. Do not expect him to take over as Dale Jr.’s crew chief at Hendrick. I’ve seen some fans float this idea, but Hendrick won’t go back on his decision to keep Lance McGrew, unless something really drastic happens. – T.C.
14. From Michael:
With Nascar mandating that the 26 Team be shut down (since Roush was unable to move the team anywhere), where do the owner points for the 26 stand? Can Roush sell them off? Do they just disappear into the vapor? Scott Speed fans want to know. Thanks.
I believe they will just go away. Since Roush cannot have five teams, I don’t believe NASCAR would allow a fifth car next year to have Roush as the listed owner (which is what happens when points are sold). This is similar to the DEI/Ginn situation a few years back. DEI was not able to sell the points from the remaining Ginn teams because that would have put them over the team limit. – T.C.
I’m going to go on a rant here, so I apologize in advance, but this is something that has bothered me since I started as a tire changer. When young guys finally get their first opportunities to jack, carry, and change they usually end up on Truck Series and some of the smaller Nationwide Series teams. But many are over-matched and under-experienced for the situations they are put into. And often times they will make mistakes that will cost their teams positions on pit road. But instead of letting them make a mistake and learn from it, often times crew chiefs and managers are quick on the trigger and will fire a guy for one mistake. That sucks.
The biggest element to success for a young crew guy is confidence. He has to not only have the skills to do his job, but he has to KNOW he has the skills to do his job when he steps off the wall. If he is hesitant or worries about making mistakes, odds are that is exactly what will happen. Firing kids for making one mistake isn’t exactly confidence inspiring.
What I don’t think some of these crew chiefs and boss people understand, is that no pit crew guy is ever going to be perfect. No changer is going to hit exactly 20 lugs on every pit stop. No carrier is going to stud every wheel. And no jackman is going to hit every post. It’s just not possible. But what sets the really good guys apart from everyone else is the ability to not only minimize those mistakes, but also recover from them.
A tire changer who hangs a lug nut on the right side needs to realize that the mistake cost him time, but that he can’t make it back up. Finish the stop the right way, and then forget it ever happened. If the changer dwells on the mistake and beats himself up over it, he’s not going to be prepared for the next stop. When he goes to start hitting lug nuts again, he’s going to be worrying about hanging a lug. And often times, he’ll end up hanging another one, or worse.
The turnover that some of these teams experience with their pit crews is because of this exact reason. They end up going through a ton of guys over the course of the season and they can never figure out why their pit stops are slow. They are slow because your guys never work together long enough to build that chemistry that is necessary to be really good.
On top of that, I wonder how many guys have given up because of these experiences. They maybe screw up a couple of times, get fired off deals, and then decide this isn’t for them. When in reality, if somebody would have just given them a chance to get a little experience and learn how to deal with adversity, maybe they could have had a solid career.
Before I end this, keep in mind that in many cases, guys do deserve to get fired. Multiple mistakes, especially if it’s the same mistake, warrant a change. And having a crappy attitude and lame excuses won’t get guys anywhere. I just wish that in those cases where it’s not necessarily warranted, teams would give these kids a chance. You never know, they just might surprise the hell out of you.
We’ve got a short list of questions this week before the Cup and Nationwide Series head to California. 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 Ed:
What do you think of this idea: no pits stops during caution periods. Some of the advantages I see are as follows. Save money,teams will not be putting on tires at every caution even if not needed. Safety,not as many cars on pit road. Less caution flag laps,get the beer can off the track and go. No waiting for the lap cars to pit. Teams not getting screwed because a caution comes after they pit on green. It would be interesting to watch how crew chiefs would manage the race.
Not to insult your plan, but I’m not a fan of it. I don’t really see how that saves money, but even if it does I like free reign pit stops. Part of what I like about NASCAR is all the strategy that goes into it. As much as it’s about the driver, in order to win races and perform well it’s about your entire crew. Limiting pit stops would limit the competition in my eyes and I don’t like that. – Journo
2. From Safemike1:
So how come Carl Long got a suspension and fine for having an engine displacement of 358.15 instead of 358, and Jimmy Johnson;s car is .006 out of line and no fine or suspension? Pretty much any car that is out of tolerances has been fined by NASCAR and given points loss or even probation. Isn’t it time that NASCAR enforce the rules the same all across the board?
Listen I don’t want to speak for NASCAR’s decision making on issues like this (I wasn’t there), but NASCAR doesn’t do itself any favors when this stuff happens. And there are definitely a lot of folks in the garage who weren’t pleased with this. In NASCAR’s defense Carl Long was fined so heavily because he was found with an oversized engine. Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin were pushing it with their bodies and arguably within the tolerance. At the end of the day this is an area that everybody screws with. I’m not saying NASCAR was right or wrong with their decision, but I agree with you that when stuff like this happens it looks bad. – Journo
3. From Tom:
How are teams selected to test tires for Goodyear? Sorry if this was asked before, I missed it..Thanks
Goodyear usually selects one representative from two to three manufacturers to participate in tests. They try and do it on a rotating basis. – T.C.
4. From Kenny:
How much performance difference do you get from 4 fresh tires instead of 2? If you had two identical cars starting from the same position on the track, about how long would it take for the car with 4 fresh Goodyears to overtake the one which had only fresh right-sides? The 14 took 2 on his last stop and still pulled away from the field at the end of the race at Kansas. If you don’t get that much more from 4, why not take 2 every other pit stop just to gain position? Take lefts only often enough to make sure you don’t get blow-outs. I’m also wondering about sticker tires. I see all the side to side steering to warm up the tires after a round of pit stops during cautions and at the beginning of a race, so I wonder if you lose performance when you make a green-flag stop. Would NASCAR permit a back-marker team running laps for position to scuff sticker tires for other teams?
The effect of four tires versus two really depends on the track. At a track like Darlington that is very hard on tires, you almost never see a team only take two. There is no formula for how quickly a car with four fresh tires would overtake a car with two fresh tires. Tony Stewart was able to stay out front on two tires at Kansas because of that infamous “clean air.” Being mired back in traffic negates some of the benefits of four tires. In regards to new tires after green flag stops, drivers know that it will take a few laps at speed for the temps to come up and for the tires to be at their best. This really happens after all pit stops, not just green flag stops. – T.C.
5. From Rain:
During Sunday’s race, Brad K was told by NASCAR to drive less aggressively around the chasers. It sort of angered me. Isn’t that his job??? To win a race?
I’m going to straddle the fence on this one. I understand where NASCAR is coming from because you don’t want Brad K. to wreck one of the Chasers and that to impact the championship. On the other side of things he’s out there to race hard and win. That is his job. I don’t think I personally have a good way to look at this situation, but I think you’re justified in being irritated, whatever that’s worth. Here’s a good back and forth about the incident on NASCAR.com. – Journo
6. From Karen:
What are pit officials looking for when tires are changed? In other words, I can see that they could easily tell if a lugnut was dropped, but how do they know from a distance that one is loose? Do they look different? How can they tell something like that? Is it an exact science or is it subjective? (p.s. I bet you can guess why I’m asking that question. I hate to see a good run – finally! – ruined by something like that, and I really don’t want to hear that it’s one of those judgement calls but I’m betting it is! LOL)
The officials are looking to see if all the lugnuts are on the studs. The rule specifically says “all lugnuts must be installed before the car leaves the assigned pit box.” I’m guessing you are referring to Dale Jr’s pit stop at Kansas, and it is my understanding that a lugnut was missing, not loose. I’ve never heard of a team being penalized by NASCAR for a loose lugnut, because there is really no way for an official to tell if a lugnut is loose or tight. – T.C.
Since the Cup cars will be turning left AND right this week on the road course in Sonoma, I figured we’d take a strange turn of our own here to start out Ask The Insiders Wednesday. The much talked about “guyliner” question kicks off edition #28. 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 windowlicker & Ross:
So I was sitting in Whisky River on Sunday afternoon with my friend Ross. The bartender was wearing copious amounts of guyliner. I’ve been to several NASCAR themed bars up north & the bartenders don’t wear any guyliner (at least during the day). My friend Ross says guyliner on a bartender is appropriate during the day at Whisky River because WR is edgy (it’s got a mechanical bull). I disagree, the guyliner should be saved for Friday nights when the hipsters are out, not Sunday afternoons when the real Jr. faithful are there to watch the race. What’s your guys’ take on the state of NASCAR & guyliner?
Hmm. Guyliner. Well I believe as with most things ‘to each his own.’ In my life the only men I have ever known who have seriously gone to makeup counters at department stores have been on television. Even then they weren’t buying eyeliner. Does it look a little ridiculous, in my opinion yeah. But again to each his own. - Journo
2. From Jessica:
Hi guys- love the site! After watching the Stewart/Reutimann/”Billy Bad Butt” incident at the Coca-Cola 600, I was wondering how common it is for crew members to get involved in disputes between drivers. Also, do drivers and other crew members think this sort of involvement is a good thing or a bad thing? Thanks!
I don’t know if I would say it’s a common thing, but it definitely happens. When race cars get torn up, the crew guys are naturally going to be angry, as it was their blood, sweat and tears that put those cars together. Also, a lot of crew guys will look to protect their drivers in certain situations. Some team people even encourage this. As to whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, I guess it depends on how far the situation is taken. Watching crews duke it out on pit road is probably not a good thing. - T.C.
3. From Muggs:
Where do the guys/gals that drive the motor coaches to the track stay? Do they go to a local motel until they are needed to drive the motor coaches home again?
You are right on. They get hotels nearby. Most though do spend the weekend with the coach. A lot of these guys are almost personal assistants to the drivers and their families so they are expected to be at the track all weekend. - Journo
4. From yankeegranny
I am a JR fan and am having a hard time understanding how he is running an average of 2-4 miles slower than the other HMS and SHR cars. I don’t see much difference with the new crew chief and thought the HMS had an open book with information that is shared amoung the crews. Can the driver and his driving style make that much of a difference? If it is how does the team :fix: the problem: more driver time in the simulators, practice at other tracks, setting up the cars differently back at the shop.? There really seems to be a difference between the 88 and the other HMS teams. Love your column.
Once the decision was made to make McGrew Junior’s crew chief, I certainly didn’t think there was going to be a change overnight. It is going to take time for McGrew and Junior to learn each other and what works best for setups and communication. And it’s not as simple as putting Jimmie Johnson’s setup on Dale Jr.’s car. Each driver is different in what kind of feel they want from a race car, and they may not match up. I think another big part of this situation is Junior’s confidence. He’s been struggling for so long, his confidence in his own ability has to be low. McGrew and that team need to start showing him some gains and help him get back that confidence he needs to push his race car that extra little bit. Give them some time, they will figure it out. - T.C.
5. From Walt:
Did Carl Long have the engine (that was too big) built by the Elliotts or did his team put it together from block up? One other thing, any job that i have applyed for has always had drug testing. What i am trying to say is that nobody will tell you what you are being tested for and some employers will let different things slide.
The engine was originally built for Ganassi. And Ernie was Ganassi’s engine builder, so I’m guessing his guys built it. But it was not purposely built for Long, and it wasn’t built by Long’s guys. - T.C.
A follow up question to my question last week (Insider #27, Q #14). On the various job positions teams have at the track. What are some of the more unique jobs / titles that you have heard of?
I’m not really sure on this question. Most teams have basically the same jobs, as it takes a certain mix to run a team. They may have different titles, but most of the jobs are the same, team to team. - T.C.
7. From Brian:
In a Sprint Cup car (or any of the other NASCAR series) is clutch control performed electronically (like F1) or manually? Keep up the great work.
Clutches are manual in NASCAR. There are no computer systems in today’s Cup, Nationwide, or Truck Series vehicles. - T.C.
8. From Corey:
What is the rule about entering your pitstall? I am under the assumption that you are allowed to use the pitstall directly in front of you or the enterance to the garage such as in the incident that happened to Brendan Gaughan during the Nationwide race.
The rule says drivers can’t drive through more then three stalls entering or exiting their pit stall. - T.C.
9. From Justin:
I am going to Infineon for Father’s Day. First time and I got pit passes. Any advice?
Very lucky for your first time. First and foremost if you are going to be in the pits make sure you wear closed toed shoes and long pants. They won’t let you down there if you aren’t wearing the proper attire. Be prepared at Infineon to do a lot of walking and be prepared for traffic. You may also want to consider getting a scanner and/or one a Sprint FanView. The view from pit road there and anywhere for that matter is not going to be a good one. Also be sure to bring water and sun screen as it is going to be hot and sunny. Beyond that make sure you stay out of the way and have fun! - Journo
With all the various sponsors for NASCAR and individual teams, are there certain products (tools, pop, phones, clothing, food, etc.) that you have to use, or are not allowed to use.
Most definitely. If your team is sponsored by Snap-On Tools, don’t let them catch you using a Craftsman wrench. It looks pretty bad if you are sponsored by a company, yet you are using their competitors products. It comes off like you either don’t really endorse that company, or their products aren’t good enough to use. I’m aware of teams threatening termination for crew members breaking this rule. NASCAR’s product sponsors don’t necessarily affect the teams’ product sponsors though. - T.C.
11. From Savannah:
Hey guys, as insiders in the sport, do members of the media feel the same way about some of the NASCAR reporters as the fans? I recently read an article on nascar.com and couldn’t believe that the reporter was taking the angle she did. The article involved the “bromance” between Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart. One Internet forum was alive with criticism of the reporter. As a reader, I was disappointed that the reporter choose the angle she did to write about a strong friendship. Not too mention, some of the broadcasters are just as bad. Who, in your opinion, are the best broadcasters and the most objective reporters in the NASCAR affiliated media? Of course, we know that Journo is the best reporter!! Thanks for answering this question.
There are definitely those in the garage who have more respect than others. As far as broadcasters go I like Mike Joy, Jerry Punch and Bill Weber, and most of the pit reporters for all the networks are very good at what they do. As far as other non-broadcast reporters go, I think a lot of Jenna Fryer with the AP. Of course Monte Dutton (Gaston Gazette), Ed Hinton (ESPN) and Bill Fleischman (Philadelphia Daily News) are very well regarded. The guys over at NASCAR Scene all do a good job. Really most of them do a good job objectively reporting on the sport. I think the problem we are running into is the want and need to do opinion pieces and the necessity to do honest reporting. I have mixed feelings on the subject. I think it’s necessary in this day and age to do the opinion thing, but like you pointed out it can really open up legitimate journalists to criticism. A very fine line has to be walked. Talking about “bromances” in the sport is probably not the best topic choice. - Journo
12. From Bobby#7Fan:
Several years back Benny Parsons had a standing offer to pit crews that he would pay each member $100 for a below 12 second pit stop. As I recall it was collected a few times. My question is why have pit stops slowed down? You don’t see any 12 second 4 tire stops anymore. Is it just a product of the new car?
You aren’t seeing 12 second stops during races right now for a few different reasons. The first being this new longer stud rule. It takes extra time to get the lugnuts off, and put them back on. Another is the COT. It’s a little bigger then the old car, and moving around it will add just a tick of extra time. Also, the rule NASCAR put into effect last year regarding rolling tires back to the wall has slowed stops a bit. Carriers and jackmen now have to be more careful. Actually though, 11 and 12 second stops happen every day in pit practices. - T.C.
13. From Justin C.:
How can fans get excited about races like Mich. or pocono? The only exciting thing about these races was who would run out of gas. RCR is calling for less horsepower by using restrictor plates. Why not smaller engines that would allow a decent throttle response? Increase the tank size and get rid of races being decided by gas milage. We want to see racing that is decided by the best car and driver.
I don’t know if there is a good answer to your question. I think if they put restrictor plates on the cars, the races would like a lot like they do at Talladega and Daytona. A lot of close racing, which also means a lot of wrecks. As far as fuel mileage goes, I would argue that in those cases the best car and driver did win. They did what it took to win. I think we need to realize these tracks for better or worse are on the schedule and the racing just isn’t as good as it is other places. Unfortunately it is the nature of the beast. - Journo
14. From Mike:
First, who decides what souvenir trailers come to the track, the tracks, Nascar, the teams? I was looking for Truck series merchandise and couldn’t find any and also for the ARCA series too. Second, while watching prerace pit road activities for the Truck series I noticed one of the teams (#4 to be exact) using a bug/deck sprayer throughout the pit stall spraying back and forth and along the cracks of the concrete. Were they spraying some sort of stick’em to the concrete for grip during the pitstops for the crew and the truck? This was the only team I saw doing this up and down pit road. Thanks for taking the time to read these questions and comments keep up the great work on an awesome site!!
Really, if you want to break it down to it’s most basic level, you the consumer decides what souvenir trailers show up. If people aren’t buying t-shirts off a certain driver’s or series’ trailer, it won’t come back. Simple supply and demand. In regard to your other question, some teams have started using chemicals like VHT in their pit stalls. VHT is a very sticky liquid resin often used in drag racing to help tires adhere to the tracks better. See more about it here. - T.C.
15. From Steve:
I sometimes hear of a crew chief building ‘adjustability’ into their car. What is it and why wouldn’t every crew chief do so if the alternative was having to stick with a particular setup?
Most teams take steps to build adjustability into their cars so they can make changes during the race to improve the car’s handling. It usually means doing things like adding spring rubbers instead of just putting in a stiffer spring. That way, if the car is handling poorly, spring rubbers can be removed, instead of trying to change an entire spring during a race. Crew chiefs must balance many different factors of a car’s handling including springs, shocks, tires, sway bars, track bar, wedge, and caster & camber. They must find a way to have a car that handles well, but is also adjustable. - T.C.
16. From Neon:
In light of your recent post about “perception” and then there was the post on where Truex may end up next, I asked the question if bloggers considered Truex a “Tier 1″ driver. In that, I qualified a Tier 1 driver as “should” consistently make the Chase, have a legitimate shot at the CUP and can win a min 1-3 races a year and I dare say w/ relative ease. Basically, a top 10 runner in hypothetical “equal” equipment and zero pts for popularity. From an insiders perspective, my question to both of you is: can you list for us who you consider to be “the” current top 10 Tier 1 drivers? And maybe 3-4 that are on the bubble?
This is from both TC and myself in no particular order except for the top tier split decision.
Top-tier: 1. Jimmie Johnson 2. Tony Stewart 3. Jeff Gordon 4. Carl Edwards 5. Kyle Busch 6. Mark Martin 7. Matt Kenseth 8. Greg Biffle 9. Kurt Busch 10. Denny Hamlin/Ryan Newman (we put these two at the end because both are good and consistent, but neither has really wowed this season like those above them; that could change of course). On the bubble (again in no particular order): 1. Clint Bowyer 2. Kasey Kahne 3. Juan Pablo Montoya 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5. Jeff Burton