Brian Vickers And Crew Get Fined
October 22, 2008
NASCAR took the sledgehammer out of the shed and brought it down squarely on the head of Brian Vickers and his crew after finding a pretty glaring problem with Vickers’ car upon inspection. The problem? The team went Woodstock on the car’s sheet metal and dipped it in acid so it would be lighter.
Yeah. No one was going to catch that. Except, of course, they did catch it, and Vickers and the Red Bull team received a pretty hefty punishment. From ESPN:
NASCAR docked Brian Vickers 150 driver points and fined crew chief Kevin Hamlin $100,000 because the Red Bull Racing team dipped its sheet metal in acid to make it lighter than required. Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz also was docked 150 owner points, while Hamlin and car chief Craig Smokstad were both suspended indefinitely. Red Bull Racing general manager Jay Frye said the team accepted responsibility and would not appeal the penalties.
Vickers was in (sic) the process of having his best career finish, but now it looks like he’s going to lose not only the position, but with the loss of his crew chief and car chief, it’s likely to be a long four remaining races.
They should of dipped it in Red Bull instead. Then we could find out if that stuff really does give you wings.
Oh and this is for Karl; Vickers dropped from 15th spot to 17th spot.
So sorry for the missed info.
Rain is a four letter word that means qualifying!
October 17, 2008
Nine times this year rain has washed out Sprint Cup Qualifying. In most of those cases the Sprint Cup guys still had one, or two, practice runs. Apparently not at Martinsville, unless they let them practice Saturday. NASCAR needs to make some changes to avoid this points only line-ups and starting grids. This is especially true during the Chase. NASCAR should at least have the Read more
FastMachines.com Radio Episode #15
October 14, 2008
Big doin’s this week as we have our first four person show. Rocky Kitts, FastMachines.com NASCAR blogger joins Chris, Josh and George to talk about how the Chase is shaping up and who is fighting with who in Sprint Cup. The Chris and Josh talk F1 with George Katinger, and throw in a little IRL and sports car banter to keep it will rounded. Show notes below the fold…
Let us know what you think by commenting on this posting, or shoot Chris and I an email by sending to radio@fastmachines.com.
Click below to listen to us right now in your browser…
Click here to download the MP3 of this week’s podcast and load it on your iPod or whatever you listen to your tunes on.
The FastMachines.com Radio Podcast is brought to you by:
Michelin - Race to Learn, Race to Win
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Double Clutchin’-The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly From LMS
October 14, 2008
It’s fitting that the Bank of America 500 took place in the former home of Mid-Atlantic wrestling. The race was over-shadowed for most of the week by the fight between Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick, but when the lights came on, it was the grizzled veteran Jeff Burton who took the checkered flag. How did the rest do? Let’s find out, shall we?
The Good:
Great job by Jeff Burton. Burton led for the final 57 laps and used a gas and go strategy to help hold off a very game Kasey Kahne for the victory. Burton continues a career that has shown him to be one of the best drivers that the mainstream knows nothing about and aren’t interested in featuring. Now that he sits behind only Jimmie Johnson in the points standings, it may be only a matter of time before Burton takes the respect that he’s not been getting. Burton is as consistent as the sun coming up in the morning and it’s that same consistency that’s going to keep him in the running for the main prize until the final checkered hits at Homestead.
OMG we had a Kurt Busch sighting. This was easily Kurt’s best run since Daytona (yes, I know that he won a race because of the rain, I’m choosing to ignore that), and it had to feel good for him to edge out little brother. I’m amazed by how the last couple of seasons have gone for Kurt. A few years ago he was easily one of the top guys in the sport and it looked like he was only going to get better. Of late though, he’s been nothing but a footnote in little brother’s biography. He’s shown himself still capable of winning a race or two but has lacked any kind of consistency from week to week. Maybe this finish can be the start of some positive momentum.
The Bad:
A Kevin Harvick fan somewhere got their money out of that Carl Edwards voodoo doll. Edwards watched his once-promising Chase standing slide south in a hurry. The culprit of Edwards’ 33rd spot finish was an ignition problem that ended any hopes of winning at Charlotte and that forced him to fourth in the standings, behind JJ, Burton, and Greg Biffle. Edwards still has a shot to get back his momentum, but he’s probably going to need to help himself and to get some help with bad finishes from the guys above him. As consistent as Johnson and Burton are, that kind of help isn’t likely.
“If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all”, is probably the way DE88 feels after his tire blew one lap before he was ready to come into the pits. Junior remarked that there was no warning and the tire just went. I can’t remember another year when random tire explosions have played such a big part in seemingly every race. This was the second week in a row that Junior had a good car and was taken out of contention by random acts of lady unlucky (lady luck’s ugly sister, I know her well). Being a Junior fan this season was kind of like being back in high school and dating a preacher’s daughter. You wait and wait and figure that eventually something good is going to happen and eventually you’ll be given a reason to smile, but as time goes on you begin to realize that the only thing that you are going to get is a steady diet of disappointment. But it’s not because of the driver, because Junior has driven very well this season and it’s still my belief that he’ll find a way in these last few races to grab a victory somewhere.
The Ugly:
I’ve feeling nice this week, no ugly. This wasn’t a great race by any means, but by that same token it wasn’t a terrible one. There were way too many cautions, but a strong finish helped out down the stretch. Expect a whole lot of excitement at Martinsville on the 19th and if you absolutely have to pick a winner, you might want to consider one of the Hendrick boys who have absolutely owned this track with JJ winning three of the last four races there, and Jeff Gordon has seven wins at this track. Who knows, maybe this will be the first win at Martinsville for the newest Hendrick driver.
And Carl Edwards better hope that voodoo doll is worn out before his next backflip. If it’s not, he might end up in the second row.
Rocky Kitts writes about NASCAR for fastmachines and about other sports that are less important at threestrikesandout. He can be reached by email at wwwthreestrikesandout@yahoo.com.
Tim and Kim Richards to retire from Bernstein’s Top Fuel team
October 13, 2008
I just got an email announcement that Kim and Tim Richards will retire from Kenny Bernstein’s Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team after the 2008 season finishes.
“We are deeply indebted to Tim and Kim for their dedication and talent,” said six-time champion Bernstein. “When Tim and Kim joined our team in 2001 we enjoyed a record-setting year filled with eight race wins and 12 final round appearances culminating in our sixth NHRA championship, our second in Top Fuel.
“Also in 2001, our Budweiser team won 61 rounds of competition which set a Top Fuel record for the most rounds won in one season. That record held until Dallas of this year. Through the years, Tim and Kim have tuned our team to a total of 33 Top Fuel victories. That is an enviable record for a tuning duo. Beyond that, their work ethic, integrity and friendship means more to us than all of their victories combined. Obviously, they will be severely missed.”
Five to go!
October 12, 2008
With Lowe’s Motor Speedway in the rearview mirror of the Sprint Cup haulers our fearless band of Cup Chasers head to Martinsville Speedway. While only four drivers changed positions out of the 12 Cup Chasers, it really didn’t lead to any decisive movement. In all reality, Read more
Mt. Fuji GP: The Strange Cases Of Lewis Hamilton And Felipe Massa
October 12, 2008
A dry Japanese Grand Prix produced racing results hardly expected by anyone. Fernando Alonso wins his second race in a row followed by Robert Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen. Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa were no where near the podium. Read more
1,000 Feet Racing: You Better Get Used To It
October 12, 2008
In my regular jaunt around the web I read Jeff Burke’s editorial piece Burk’s Blast that regularly appears on Drag Racing Online. In Burke’s latest piece he reveals that his sources are telling him the NHRA is very close to announcing that nitro class racing in the NHRA will race to 1,000 feet into the 2009 season and beyond. My initial reaction was that of disgust. Then upon further thought I came to the realization that although the expected decision will be unpopular, it is the best to preserve the sport.
Japanese GP: Qualifying Observations
October 11, 2008
Is it just me or is anyone else out there confused ? About the qualifying results, that is? Massa places fifth for a race where he absolutely needed to be on the front row. Read more
More On Kevin And Carl And Dale Really Shouldn’t Be Talking
October 10, 2008
I would like to thank the drivers of NASCAR for giving us a race last Sunday that has given me a plethora of new material all week. It is very appreciated. Much more appreciated than the note that Carl Edwards apparently left on Kevin Harvick’s plane. The one that said, “I was really trying to screw up every one’s day. Love, Carl.” (ESPN) Good rule of thumb Carl; the only thing less appreciated than a note on your windshield saying that some dummy bumped into your door, is a smart-aleck note put on your plane by someone who knocked you out of a major NASCAR race by causing a wreck.
That’s how noses get broken.
From this whole little incident I’ve learned one very important thing, and that is this: Kevin Harvick may be the best quote in NASCAR. What did he said this time? When asked about how the crash affects Edwards’ championship hopes, Harvick dropped the heavy lumber:
Reminded that Edwards is in the thick of the Cup race, trailing two-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson by 72 points, Harvick responded, “So are we.”
After a brief pause, Harvick, who is 171 points out of first, added, “I could give two s—- about who Carl Edwards is and what he’s in the race for.” (ESPN)
Seriously, the only way this could get any better is if the two of them agreed to settle it all inside a big blue cage after the race at Charlotte. Hell, it’s North Carolina, find Ric Flair and have him special referee the thing and give all the money to charity.
In other notes, while Kevin Harvick may be my favorite quote in the business, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. answered some questions about Talladega’s finish and in doing so, he gave some answers that he probably should have thought a little bit harder about before he let them escape his lips. When asked about the controversial call that disallowed Regan Smith’s pass of Tony Stewart; Earnhardt had this to say:
“I feel like the rule is pretty clear. What is unclear is what being forced below the yellow line is,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Friday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “In my opinion, (Smith) was forced below the yellow line.
“The two did make contact. He was on the inside of Tony. In my opinion (Smith) wins the race. I feel like Tony did what he had to do. In the car, everyone would have done what Tony did and everyone would have done what (Smith) did.
Okay, fair enough, he thinks that Regan should have won the race. He goes on to say that he had won a race previously when he was forced below the line and that’s part of why he sees Regan’s side. But, things get a little more dicey the more that Junior keeps talking:
“This is Regan Smith. If it’s a guy who’s won seven championships, maybe it’s a different discussion. This guy ain’t got a job next year as far as he knows,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He crossed the finish line thinking he won the race and he ends up finishing 18th.
“You can tell him all day long everyone in the garage knows who won that race and this that and the other to try to make him feel better, but it won’t happen. It’s tough.” (The Charlotte Observer)
Ouch. That’s not good.
For starters before any driver should comment on the finish of a race that didn’t involve them, I believe they should ask themselves the question: If I had won, would I say the same thing that I’m saying now? Of course not. Junior has his opinion and that’s fine, but if he was sitting in Tony Stewart’s seat I think that he wouldn’t be giving that victory back either.
As for the second quote? Are you stupid? Do you really want to come right out and say that the stars get the breaks and that’s just the way it is? Do you think that NASCAR really wants its most popular driver to come out and fuel the fire of conspiracy theorists everywhere? The last thing that NASCAR needs is to have its credibility brought into question by its biggest star in a year that hasn’t been one of the easiest in recent memory. Especially when you’ve just admitted that you were the beneficiary of one of those breaks.
I’m sure that was not what Junior was intending to do with this statement. I’m sure that he just wanted to stand up for a driver that he thought got wronged and that he just wanted to give an honest answer. If that’s the case he should have just told Regan himself that he was sorry about what happened and then he could have went and talked to someone in NASCAR management behind closed doors about clarifying the rule for future races. A good statement would have been something along the lines of:
“As someone that has benefited from being able to pass after being forced below the line, I think that it would be good if NASCAR clarified the rule for future races so that no one gets screwed.”
That would have been acceptable. As it is, I wouldn’t be surprised if Junior gets a good talking to and may find his wallet just a little lighter next week.
What’s also acceptable is me ensuring that there will be no confusion this week by picking Tony Stewart to win, assuring that there will be a different driver in victory lane. My absolute dream of a race for this weekend would have Harvick and Edwards running first and third with Kyle Busch between them in the second slot with two laps to the finish.
If that scenario happens, I only have one question: Who’s lucky enough to be in fourth?