Nascar: 2010

[Ron61]

Don,

Did you happen to see the 24 hour LeMans race years ago before they put that kink in the long straight away? One of the prototype cars doing well over 200 MPH just slowly took off like an airplane and went up above the trees which it then came down through leaving a trail of broken branches and pieces of cars. They found the driver unhurt except for scrapes and scratches he got from the breaking tree limbs and such and he was just sitting in the roll cage looking kind of stunned. That was why they put that kink in the middle of the straight away to make them slow down a little. They later decided that somehow a small puff of wind got under the car, and at that speed it was like an airplane. I believe that might be the incident that you are referring to. I just happened to be watching the race when it happened and I thought there was no way the driver was going to get out of that without serious injury. And I agree that under car air is a problem, that is why they have the front facia so low that at times it drags, which then also upsets the car. Maybe they should add something like that to the back.

Ron

[Joe Wicked]

LOL Don.

I just got around to watching the race last night and Denny had better be careful driving like that at the end. I think he pissed a few people off if the gloves are off, then he is likely to get wrecked next race.

[Don]

A new term that I read for the first time with the conversion from the wing to the spoiler, replacing COT, Car of Today/Tomorrow:

COY: Car of Yesterday

[Don]

NASCAR has mentioned to the drivers, when you cross the line we will let you know, appears Leffler got their attention:

" When James Buescher knocked Jason Leffler into the wall early in last weekend's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, it was considered just another racing accident. But when Leffler later came out of the garage 60-plus laps behind the leaders and knocked Buescher into the wall, officials considered it payback and parked him immediately.

Not surprisingly, they have now also put him on probation for the next three Nationwide races: Friday night at Phoenix International Raceway, April 17 at Texas Motor Speedway and April 24 at Talladega Superspeedway. The three-race probation is consistent with the “penalty” Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards received for intentionally wrecking Brad Keselowski in the March 7 Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Officially, Leffler was penalized for violation of Section 12-1 of the NASCAR Rule Book: actions detrimental to stock car racing--aggressive driving. Though Leffler didn't admit his contact with Buescher was intentional (as Edwards did at Atlanta), Nationwide Series director Joe Balash felt it was obvious enough to warrant the penalty.

“As we've talked about letting the drivers police themselves and race and those kinds of things, there's limits to everything,” Balash said at Nashville. “When we feel those limits are crossed, then we have to step in. We truly believe that a line was crossed.”

At the time, Buescher said his initial contact with Leffler in turn two was purely accidental, simply the result of hard racing on a slick track. He also said Leffler had tried to wreck him under caution before finally getting him exiting turn four under green toward the end of the race. Leffler didn't admit the contact was intentional, but didn't complain much when he was parked after the incident "

[Wayne Maybury]

Boys will be boys.

Wayne

[Ron61]

Wayne,

Get some of these and you can set up your own crashes and retaliation. All while sitting and enjoying a drink.

Jada Toys, NASCAR launch affordable toy vehicles
Jada Toys Inc. unveiled a new, officially licensed NASCAR toy vehicle line, featuring the sport's more popular drivers: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch.

The NASCAR product line -- which includes Radio Control; Lights and Sounds; and Motorized Pullback vehicles -- offers all the NASCAR action and authenticity its loyal fans have come to love, while still maintaining affordable price points so everyone can join in the fun.

These new products are available at the NASCAR.COM Superstore.


Ron

[Joe Wicked]

I enjoyed the race. Newman is my wife's favorite driver so she was excited at the end. It was kind of odd though that Newman did well and Stewart did not. Maybe a case of the shop can only get 1 good car out? Time will tell though. I wasn't worried about getting tickets for this weekend, but after the last couple weeks I am hoping I do.

[Ron61]

Joe,

Remember last year it was Tony's car that seemed to be the best one all year. This year if Newman can avoid problems he seems to have the best car. Now if they can bring that together for next year they should have something.

Ron

[Joe Wicked]

Yea that was my thought Ron. Last year Tony did well, and I wonder if they concentrated on Newman's team during the off season and now Tony is behind. Hopefully soon they will get it together as I think Tony is one of the best drivers in the series.

[Ron61]

Joe,

I agree with you and he is no slouch at running a business either. Look how long it has taken Michael Waltrup to get to where he is with his cars and Tony has did it in two years.

Ron

[Don]

In the category of unintended consequences and/or not everyone agrees on wing vs spoiler: Kevin Harvick, " says Sprint Cup cars seem more prone to spin with the spoiler "

With the 1.5 mile Texas race this weekend and speeds 70 mph higher than Phoenix, first real test of the changes. Even at the test session in Charlotte, the cars did not run in a pack.

Changes are not only the spoiler, but the vertical fin ( shark fin ) on the left side of rear window extending down the trunk and the added depth of the quarter panel extension behind the rear wheel......, taken together intended to improve handling and negate the aero push which made passing difficult with the pre 2008 spoiler only. " The cars should turn better in traffic " " I won't say there are concerns, but there still are questions lingering " ( McReynolds )

Comments above from a USA Today article

[Ron61]

This weekend should help settle a lot of the questions. So far this year I think the racing has been better than in the past two years. And I am not crediting the spoiler with that. Most of the drivers I have watched interviewed like the spoiler.

Ron

[Don]

Talladega: 1:00 PM ET, 4/25

* 500 miles/188 laps
* 2.66 miles
* 33 degree in corners
* Most caution flags: 11 in 2004
* " lead changes: 75 in 1984

" The green-yellow-green-yellow-green-white-checkered finish. The Aaron's 312 and Aaron's 499 will mark the first Nationwide and Sprint Cup races at NASCAR's most treacherous track since a rule mandating three tries at a green-white checkered was instituted this season. The maximum number of attempts hasn't been reached in either circuit, but the mammoth 2.66-mile oval might represent the best opportunity for testing its limits. "

" Keep these numbers handy: The record for fewest cars running at the end in a Talladega Cup race is 14 (26 cars were sidelined by crashes or mechanical failures in the 500-miler July 27, 1986). The fewest for Nationwide is 17 on April 25, 1998 (and there have been at least five more instances in which more than half the field was out by the checkered flag "

" The spoiler, in its fourth race since replacing the wing, will be issued by NASCAR at the track (teams bolt them on before arriving at other tracks) and was reduced by an inch. NASCAR also is using a smaller restrictor plate after the closing rates were too high during drafting practice at a test last month. "

[Ralphy]

That was a pretty dirty move on JJ's part with Gordon.
What say you?

[PatBuckley]

I agree - if he wasn't a team mate and car owner it would have been acceptable.

I wonder if they are doing this to generatre ink?

[Ralphy]

Well Gordon finishing 22nd and Johnson I think 31st. Does not give a very strong story other then an internal battle.

[Ron61]

I actually thought that the race was one of the best restrictor plate races I have seen in a long time. I was really amazed at how just two cars could hook up and fly past three or four in a line.

As for the Gordon Johnson feud, remember last weekend they had a big argument after the race because JJ basically did the same thing. I don't think it was staged as the points are to important to do anything like that. It will be interesting to see what they have to say around Wednesday after tempers have cooled down.

Ron

[Don]

Realistically, any further public comments by the parties directly involved on JJ vs JG will be tempered, to some degree, recognizing the astute leadership of Hendrick and the need to professionally represent their sponsors. The real feelings will probably only be known to the two drivers/crew chiefs and Hendrick, other's are speculation, and then move on.

The press, TV commentators, etc., etc., will more than likely keep the topic alive, something to talk about until another incident arises with any driver or Team.

Just enough verbiage for some attention, without causing a major disruption to the Teams, with JJ and JG cars assembled in the same building and the same non-track personnel working on both cars. Internally, the work shirts read Hendrick, not DuPont or Lowe's

[Ralphy]

I just noticed Jeff Gordon is #6 is on Yahoo's top 10 search list. Hmmm......

[Ron61]

Sorry to change the subject, but did anyone hear about what Kurt Bush is going to do next year? I heard them say that some other young guy was going to be driving the # 2 car for Pensky next year. I know that Harvick is kind of up in the air with his sponsor leaving and all.

Ron