After Jeff Gordon won Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega, we saw how a bunch of collective idiots on the front stretch made it rain. Not in a Pacman Jones or Dontrelle Willis style, but with anything and everything they could find in their general vicinity. Everything from coolers to beer cans to chicken bones was said to have been tossed on the speedway.
14 of those idiots were dumb enough to get caught be speedway security. And they, in Talladega's mind, have been banned for life from buying tickets. The morons were also charged with disorderly conduct and had to post bail from the track's temporary jail.
However, notice that there is no stopping them from buying tickets from a 3rd party.
Kyle Busch, who just can't seem to avoid anything these days, somehow cracked his head restraint during Saturday's head-over-heels-over-head wreck in the Talladega Busch Series event. NASCAR, obviously, is quite interested. This is the first reported near-failure of the device.
``It performed the way it was supposed to, but it had a slight stress crack in it after the accident,'' NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said.
NASCAR sent the device back to manufacturer Hubbard Downing in Georgia for examination.
HANS, short for Head and Neck Restraint, is a device that prevents a violent whiplash of the head during an impact. It sits across the shoulders and is strapped to both the seat belts and the driver's helmet, preventing the driver's head from moving forward suddenly and causing severe neck trauma. The HANS device is one of two such approved restraints required by NASCAR.
Watching the video, Busch appears to hit the wall head-on pretty darn hard, which could have led to the crack. Knowing the damage to the HANS device, the NASCAR world has to be breathing a sigh of relief knowing what could have been in that incredible accident. He also had a tough crash in Sunday's Cup race.
David Reutimann went into turn 3 Sunday at Talladega with four laps to go in third position. The next time by at that same point in the track, Reutimann's day would have went up in smoke -- figuratively and literally.
Driving a Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota, Reutimann was by and far having the best day of the year for any team out of that stable. He had driven a smart race and pit strategy had gotten him in position to stay at the front of the pack. Reutimann wasn't planning on any aggressive moves to the lead. Instead, he just wanted grab a solid day and plenty of momentum for his struggling team.
Instead, his engine had other ideas.
"I'm so bummed out. I had a chance to run pretty good today, I thought. That stuff happens and I'm just disappointed for the whole team," said Reutimann.
Reutimann's engine exploded off of turn 4, bringing out the day's second to last yellow, and the hopes of the new guys in the Toyota camp. Reutimann wound up 32nd.
"Today was just a situation where stuff breaks no matter how hard you work on it. We'll regroup and we still have a good speedway car for Daytona so we'll go from there."
I'd imagine most of the components in Reutimann's Toyota were not especially designed to run 500 miles at Talladega because of his go or go home status in qualifying. The impound procedure at Talladega causes teams that need to make the race to qualify with faster, but less enduring parts -- and that could have led to Reutimann's demise Sunday.
All in all though, it's a step forward for MWR and Toyota.
The black helicopters are sweeping in, folks. Somewhere in the heart of central Alabama, the conspiracy is alive and well. NASCAR hates Denny Hamlin. And Tony Raines. And Reed Sorenson. And fill-in-driver-here who had to pit under the last caution because of the extended yellow.
What happened, NASCAR? Did the red flag that your flagman uses fly out of the flagstand? Was it lost in transit from Phoenix? Did the helmet capers get a hold it?
The reason for the second-to-last caution was David Reutimann, who had been having a stellar day, either lost a motor or a rear end gear. Reutimann had to make the show on time, so he was likely running a qualifying package due to the impound race -- causing the failure.
Anyways, Reutimann's problem happened while the field was going into turn 1 of lap 185, meaning the field would take the yellow at the line for lap 186. Reutimann put down quite a bit of oil across the tri-oval, leaving a nice mess to clean up. A red flag would have stopped the cars on the backstretch during lap 186. With the red flag removed, pit road would have been open that time by and the one lap to green could have been given on lap 187. With a green-white-checkered finish starting on lap 188, the race would have finished at lap 190 or sooner.
Jeff Gordon won his 77th career victory today at Talladega Superspeedway, moving him ahead of the late Dale Earnhardt in career wins. Obviously, both have had outstanding careers, and the numbers back it up. Here's a quick comparison, by the numbers, of their two careers on this historic day for NASCAR.
Dale Earnhardt won 76 races in 670 starts, leaving a winning percentage of 11.3%. Gordon has now won 77 races in 482 starts, with a win coming in 16% of all races run.
Gordon won his 77th race in his 15th full season. Earnhardt won 76 in 22 full seasons.
Gordon's 77th came at the age of 35. Earnhardt's 76th came at the age of 49. Earnhardt (24) was four years older than Gordon (20) when he got his first NASCAR Nextel Cup Start.
Dale Earnhardt led more than 7,000 more laps than Gordon has in his career.
Both drivers have led 10.4% of the laps they raced in.
Earnhardt won 22% percent of the time he went to Talladega and Gordon has done it 17% of the time.
Earnhardt has 10 wins at Talladega in 44 starts while Gordon has 5 wins there in 29 starts.
Gordon has finished 46% of his races in the top 5. Earnhardt finished 42% of his in the top 5.
Pretty similar, wouldn't ya say? Two of the best, for sure.
When Geoff Smith, the president of Roush Fenway Racing, decided to discuss with the NASCAR media about Greg Biffle's contract situation, he must have felt that explaining how Biffle was involved with negotiations would put out some fires. Instead, it apparently lit a fire under Greg Biffle. Said Biffle:
"The biggest thing that's been a bit of a deterrent for me is that Geoff Smith put in the paper that we're negotiating -- Roush and Greg Biffle -- an extension. And in my eyes there was no reason for that. I'm under contract."
Biffle says that many, many teams have been lighting up his cell phone inquiring about the status of the negotiations and if he'd be interested in discussing other options. Apparently, a bunch of those teams thought that his contract expired at the end of this year, when the true story is it lasts through 2008.
Think about it on Biffle's end. The guy is still under contract with Roush for more than a season and a half, but yet his own team is setting him for questions and controversy. That's just gotta suck.
Biffle is a senior guy at Roush now with the departure of Mark Martin and Roush would crazy to let him go. Right now, it sounds like he's easily, and happily, on the road to extending his currect contract for many a year to drive the Fords.
Several FanHouse readers have cried foul of Jeff Gordon's victory Saturday night at Phoenix, accusing NASCAR of this and that. Conspiracy theories have run rampant about how Gordon actually inherited the lead after pitting. (Note: It's funny how whenever Gordon wins, he seems to have most backlash and no one ever gives him credit. Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the other hand...)
Unfortunately for the Hendrick-hating legion of race fans who have somehow construed their minds that NASCAR wanted Jeff Gordon to win, there actually is a viable and correct alibi for how Boy Wonder ended up in victory lane. The Charlotte Observer's David Poole explains:
Step 1 | Gordon comes to pit road Gordon is second to Tony Stewart when Gordon makes a green-flag pit stop. Both drivers complete Lap 283, with Stewart crossing the start-finish line and Gordon crossing the scoring line on pit road. They are both on Lap 284. Step 2 | Caution on the speedway Dave Blaney wrecks in Turn 4, and the caution comes out. Under NASCAR's rules for "freezing" the field, as long as Gordon crosses the pit road exit line before Stewart crosses that point (extended across the track), Gordon does not lose a lap. Gordon has the stall closest to the pit exit and makes it out in time. He is the last car on the lead lap. Step 3 | Feeding frenzy Every other car on the lead lap, including Stewart's, makes a pit stop. Gordon, in effect, passes them all as he pulls up behind the pace car. Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr., who did go a lap down while making green-flag stops, line up between Gordon and the pace car. That puts them on the end of the lead lap. The cars come back on the track after their stops and line up behind Gordon, the new leader. Step 4 | Green, then checkers Gordon takes the green flag and, after a spirited battle in which he and Stewart swap the lead, goes on to his 76th Cup victory and his first at Phoenix.
Will that put the Hendrick haters to rest? No way. But for the Gordon fans, it's sweet, sweet victory. Especially knowing the Tony Stewart had the same four tires Gordon had and even took to lead at one point before Gordon passed him again. Vamos a Talladega!
For at least a few years now, drivers that finish in the top three of a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series event are supposed to belly up to a table with the media after the race. Their only job? Answer questions.
Saturday night, this incredibly harrowing job was much too tough of a challenge for Tony Stewart. He scurried out of Phoenix before anyone had their fair share of questions with the 2nd-place driver. I could never have expressed it as well as did the Charlotte Observer's David Poole.
Stewart's competitive nature has gotten the best of him before, but his refusal to conduct any post-race interviews with TV, radio or print media Saturday night deprived race fans – including his fans – of an opportunity to hear his side of a compelling story.
I thought this guy had changed. What happened to nice Tony, or even the Tony that was so upbeat and positive at Daytona -- even after wrecking while in the lead?
For crying out loud, the guy finished second on Saturday night. I understand the he wanted to win, but if Stewart is skipping a press conference for simply losing a race because he was simply beat at the end, then Denny Hamlin should have been involved in a cage match with NACAR race director David Hoots for issuing a speeding on pit road penalty.
I think I saw one quote from Stewart after the race Saturday night and it said something along the lines of beating traffic out of Phoenix International Raceway. His post-race team report didn't even have any quotes from their driver.
That extra time saved in the parking lots (is it really that bad for the drivers?) could cost Stewart some cash this week if NASCAR decides to hand out a fine.
Come on, Tony, we all know you're better than that.
NASCAR really loves other countries. Like really, really. And apparently, China loves them, too.
At least kinda really.
Chairman Brian France is heading to China this week with a four-person entourage to discuss the NASCAR product with several prominent leaders in the country. I'll let the article tell the rest.
NASCAR has no plans to race its Nextel Cup series in China. The trip is likely to involve discussions about lower-level NASCAR-type events or series at Chinese racetracks and business relationships that might include NASCAR and Chinese interests. It was not known if any contracts or agreements might be signed on the trip.
Can you imagine the uneasiness felt in the garage area over this one? If NASCAR isn't planning on sending Cup teams, then imagine how the lesser-funded folks in the Busch and Truck garages are feeling. A trip to China is not like driving to the airport and getting on a plane. Remember, teams will need two cars, all their tools, all their equipment -- and then somehow find a way to make the profitable.
Granted, it's highly likely that before NASCAR ever gets to a point where a date is scheduled in the far-east, Brian France will roasted like a marshmallow. I will, throw in, however, that NASCAR did race three exhibition races in Japan in late 90's, and that was such a roaring success that the plan died out after three years.
I guess I just don't understand where France thinks this NASCAR ship is heading. TV ratings have generally been going down, races aren't selling out in the homeland, but yet, it's time to keep expanding away from their target audience? I understand that you have to grow your product, but their direction seems misaligned.
Hopefully this trip is about nothing more than sponsorship deals and some fine Chinese cuisine.
Troublemaker Juan First it was his run-ins with Tony Stewart last week at Texas, and now Juan Pablo Montoya is under investigation by NASCAR. Apparently, Juan gave an inappropriate gesture to a television camera during Thursday night's Busch series practice on SPEED Channel.
I won't lie, I didn't watch the practice because, well, it's Busch series practice. The article says Juan could have thought his buddy was behind the camera, but it should state that SPEED likely ecstatic because they had more people laughing their rear ends off that JPM would give the middle finger? do something inappropriate on camera. I say, better ratings are worth the "detriment" to society that young kids watching a Busch series practice broadcast would have seen.
Apparently, there are never obscene gestures at schools until kids are 18.
You gotta feel for Juan though. Who would have thought that Busch series practice would be on live TV? Jeff Green Likes Retro Handling According to Jeff Green, the Car of Tomorrow handles a lot like the car of yesterday, not today. The race car has a lot of tendencies that seem to bring back memories of driving NASCAR's vehicles of the late 1990s to the early 2000s -- long before "coil binding" was a known practice in the garage area.
...your HANS device cracks.
David Reutimann went into turn 3 Sunday at Talladega with four laps to go in third position. The next time by at that same point in the track, Reutimann's day would have went up in smoke -- figuratively and literally.
The black helicopters are sweeping in, folks. Somewhere in the heart of central Alabama, the conspiracy is alive and well. NASCAR hates Denny Hamlin. And Tony Raines. And Reed Sorenson. And fill-in-driver-here who had to pit under the last caution because of the extended yellow.
.jpg)
Jeff Gordon won his 77th career victory today at Talladega Superspeedway, moving him ahead of the late Dale Earnhardt in career wins. Obviously, both have had outstanding careers, and the numbers back it up. Here's a quick comparison, by the numbers, of their two careers on this historic day for NASCAR.
When Geoff Smith, the president of Roush Fenway Racing, decided to discuss with the NASCAR media about Greg Biffle's contract situation, he must have felt that explaining how Biffle was involved with negotiations would put out some fires. Instead, it apparently lit a fire under Greg Biffle. Said Biffle:
Several FanHouse readers have cried foul of Jeff Gordon's victory Saturday night at Phoenix, accusing NASCAR of this and that. Conspiracy theories have run rampant about how Gordon actually inherited the lead after pitting. (Note: It's funny how whenever Gordon wins, he seems to have most backlash and no one ever gives him credit. Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the other hand...)
For at least a few years now, drivers that finish in the top three of a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series event are supposed to belly up to a table with the media after the race. Their only job? Answer questions. 
NASCAR really loves other countries. Like really, really. And apparently, China loves them, too.
