4582 replies to this topic

[whitewaterMkII]

Quote

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
Montoya made the same mistake we all have at some point in our lives. We got caught hitting back.

Say what you will about the whole incident, but I sure couldn't see somone like Franchitti, Ragan or Hornish pull that stunt in their sophmore season.
Yeah, NASCAR called him to the trailer, yeah they slapped his hand, but after he got the two cent lecture, they probably slapped him on the back and gave him an attaboy. NASCAR loves this kinda stuff, as long as the boys don't get too far out of line. I've noticed this year that Harvick and JPM have pretty much gotten over their spat of last year, and have been racing each other clean whenever they have been on the tube together.
It's tough to see all of what is going on out there sitting on the couch, as TV can't follow every push and shove on the track, but I don't think JPM would just trash somebody for the hell of it, whatever happened there happened after a day's worth of rubbin' on each other.

[Spunout]

Still, I´d like to see what happened earlier. Rubbing and blocking is something Montoya has done ever since his first Cup start last year (less this year, but he sure as hell isn´t one of the cleanest drivers out there). I sincerely hope Monty isn´t becoming another Tony Stewart: guy who preaches about racing etiquette but sees it fit to race hard or wreck people whenever he´s on the mood. Don´t get me wrong: I don´t object hard racing. Just hypocrisy.

I don´t think JPM lost anything, though. He is safely inside 35 and safely outside of top 12. Solid relationship with Chip, too. Kyle cannot afford to retaliate, as he has championship to worry about.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

I don't think Juan is a dirty racer, in a sense that he doesn't race with the intention of knocking the other guy around, or out. However, he always had a tendency to overcommit his car while racing in any series, which does result in tears too many times.

[tifosi]

Quote

Originally posted by Dmitriy_Guller
I don't think Juan is a dirty racer, in a sense that he doesn't race with the intention of knocking the other guy around, or out.

Um, just what is it you think he was intending to do then

[WildmouseX]

today the recap show was michael waltrip and greg biffle - after watching all the replays, the biff said " don't be fooled here folks, that rub kyle did on the back stretch was as intentional as juans hit, it just wasn't as blatant" and waltrip pretty much agreed adding - " kyle's been getting away with alot of that so far this year, most drivers have just been taking the high road, juan choose not too."

[Dmitriy_Guller]

Quote

Originally posted by tifosi


Um, just what is it you think he was intending to do then

Way to follow the discussion.

[DLaw]

Hey, am I the only one that thinks JPM didn't do enough? About time Kyle learn some respect ask the truck guys.

Spunout, again, you didn't even watch the whole thing and you got into a discussion of what?

[Ross Stonefeld]

Quote

Originally posted by Dmitriy_Guller
I don't think Juan is a dirty racer, in a sense that he doesn't race with the intention of knocking the other guy around, or out. However, he always had a tendency to overcommit his car while racing in any series, which does result in tears too many times.

Yeah I'd sign off on that one. I think he's clean and fair going in, but it's very easy for him to get out of hand after that.

[Spunout]

Quote

Originally posted by DLaw
Spunout, again, you didn't even watch the whole thing and you got into a discussion of what?

I watched the whole race, and replays they showed. But in case you missed it, the camera wasn´t on JPM & Kyle 100% of the time. So I am wondering if something happened earlier. I saw Kyle doing similar stuff Montoya has done several times in NASCAR. And yet I cannot see you, BMW_F1 or OLB cheering whenever somebody "teaches Montoya some respect".

Now, how can that be?;)

[HDonaldCapps]

NASCAR "standardized" its engine package some years ago when the Busch series dropped its vee-sixes and went with a version of the 358 cu. in./5.8-litre vee-eight that has been the mainstay of Winston/Nextel/Sprint Cup racing for ages. When the truck series came along, it also used a version of the same engine package.

What I have long wondered is -- outside the obvious reason that this is what everyone has used forever -- why NASCAR has stuck with such a large engine when there could be other alternatives. When the COT was introduced, I halfway expected an announcement by now that there would be a change to a 305 cu. in./5-litre engine package. This would certainly bring things more in line with what is generally available by the manufacturers -- not that that has really mattered, of course, since about the time the Mark II & IV, the Hemi, the Hi-Riser, and so forth appeared on the scene about 45 years ago.

With the COT on the track and here to stay, I suspect that NASCAR will finally turn its attention to the engines.

[BMW_F1]

How about Stewart exploring the possibility to jump on the #5 car.? these were the rumors at Loudon.

[whitewaterMkII]

Quote

Originally posted by HDonaldCapps
With the COT on the track and here to stay, I suspect that NASCAR will finally turn its attention to the engines.

What I suspect is that NASCAR is perfectly happy with the engine, and that if they did go to another formula it would drive out players that are barely hanging on like Dodge. In addition to that scenario, it would open a huge can of worms on developing the new formula, while outfits like Toyota would be able to pump in cubic dollars, others would not be able or willing to, and it would show up on the track with the alledged open playing field and parity engendered by the COT rendered moot.

[WildmouseX]

Quote

Originally posted by BMW_F1
How about Stewart exploring the possibility to jump on the #5 car.? these were the rumors at Loudon.

stewart wants ownership, and he's been offered that at hass CnC....they buy their cars from hendrick anyway, so he won't be missing out in that aspect.

[McGuire]

Quote

Originally posted by HDonaldCapps

With the COT on the track and here to stay, I suspect that NASCAR will finally turn its attention to the engines.

NASCAR has already quietly accomplished that. The rules now specify all the significant dimensions and there is very little difference among the Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Toyota engines. The Chevrolet R07 introduced last year bears no relation to any production Chevy engine; for example, the right bank is offset forward and the distributor is in the front. It's a NASCAR template engine.

[BMW_F1]

Quote

Originally posted by WildmouseX


stewart wants ownership, and he's been offered that at hass CnC....they buy their cars from hendrick anyway, so he won't be missing out in that aspect.

the equipment could be the same but the facilities and staff are not.. I think he was referring to actually driving the #5 when he made those comments the other day..

[DLaw]

Spunout, I guess you missed the weekly recap show Monday night, thats all.

and how about that?

[BMW_F1]

"Montoya vs. Busch: Two sides to every story"

http://msn.foxsports...-to-every-story

The poll..
Who was at fault?
- Kyle ............................67%
- Juan............................17%
- neither that's racing.......16%
TOTAL VOTES ...............8,940

[OfficeLinebacker]

I think what a lot of people miss is that this was the final caution, and it was already starting to rain, signalling an end to the race.

It wasn't like Juan could wait till they went back racing and race him hard again. In his eyes, some young turk was trying to play bumpercars with him on the back stretch and he wasn't having it.

[VoidNT]

Quote

Originally posted by BMW_F1
"Montoya vs. Busch: Two sides to every story"

http://msn.foxsports...-to-every-story

The poll..
Who was at fault?
- Kyle ............................67%
- Juan............................17%
- neither that's racing.......16%
TOTAL VOTES ...............8,940

Strange results. Probably the whole 'Junior Nation' voted against Kyle, they always do

[Spunout]

Not surprising. Kyle isn´t exactly Mr. Popular.

[WildmouseX]

Juan loses an on track ally, at the track where you need friends the most......

Quote

CONCORD, N.C. -- Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates on Tuesday announced due to a lack of sponsorship funding it will cease operation of the team's No. 40 Sprint Cup Series Dodge driven by Dario Franchitti beginning this weekend in Daytona.

"This is a difficult decision for Felix and I that did not come without its share of anguish," Ganassi said. "In this tough business environment continuing to run the car without proper funding has become increasingly difficult."

The organization is committed to Franchitti's continued stock-car development and is currently in discussions with him on his racing options with the team, which could include running the balance of the 2008 Nationwide season in the No. 40 Dodge.

Currently, the No. 42 Dodge of Juan Montoya is 21st in owner points while the No. 41 Dodge driven by Reed Sorenson is sitting 31st in the standings.

http://www.nascar.co...eams/index.html

ok i'll start the rumor Dario to the #33 in 09.

[JonC]

I very much doubt we will see Dario in a Cup car again...and he wouldn't have been much help to Juan at Daytona. Ironically, Juan's P2 at Talladega was thanks partly to David Stremme standing in for Dario in the #40 at short notice...had Dario been in the car he would never have been in a position where he was able to push Juan up to P2 with 2 laps remaining.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

That's terrible news. I wonder how much the nosedive in performance this year for Ganassi team was related to having to divert resources to both the 40 team in general, and Dario Franchitti's driver development in particular. Now that the 40 team folded, is it the beginning of the end for Ganassi, or rather the jettisoning of dead weight?

[jonpollak]

hmmmm....
Don't know what to say but I hope he finds something better than that in the future.
Jp

[OfficeLinebacker]

Tough call.

Their long-term plans in NASCAR should include expanding to 4 teams, due to the advantages and economies of scale.

[OfficeLinebacker]

http://www.gosunoco....terdisguise.htm

[BMW_F1]

Martin to the #5 and Almirola to the #8..
http://www.nascar.co...rick/index.html

[OfficeLinebacker]

Scott Speed finished 8th in ARCA

http://www.cayugamot.../homefront.html

[WildmouseX]

Quote

Originally posted by BMW_F1
Martin to the #5 and Almirola to the #8..
http://www.nascar.co...rick/index.html

if rick has conned mark into doing a full season, i wouldn't expect it to be more then a year so he can go through the team and find it's weakness', i highly doubt that mark could be conned into a full time ride for much longer then that.

[WildmouseX]

Earnhardt to drive the #8 for DEI at daytona.....

Quote

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- For the first time in his career, Kerry Earnhardt, the son of seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt, will drive a Dale Earnhardt Inc. entry in a NASCAR race.

Earnhardt will pilot the No. 8 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series race on Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

"I've won several races with DEI in an ARCA car, but I'm really looking forward to driving a fast car at Daytona under the DEI umbrella," Earnhardt said. "I appreciate DEI giving me the opportunity to get back in a car, especially one that I know will be fast and competitive. I love running the speedways and can't wait for the weekend to get here."

Earnhardt, who currently works at DEI as a team liaison, will be making his 70th career start in the series, but only his fifth Nationwide start since 2003. He most recently competed regularly in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2006.

It will be Earnhardt's ninth career Nationwide Series start at Daytona.

http://www.nascar.co...tona/index.html

Kerry's a good supper speedway driver, it's a shame he didn't get introduced to racing at a younger age.

[DLaw]

Sadler looks like Boris Said in that commercial.

What the wisdom of putting Martin in the #5? I like Mark Martin but this is a guy that wanted to slip into retirement and now a full time ride?

I doubbt if Dario is coming back to NASCAR or IRL, ALMS is a good bet.

[WildmouseX]

Quote

Originally posted by DLaw
Sadler looks like Boris Said in that commercial.

What the wisdom of putting Martin in the #5? I like Mark Martin but this is a guy that wanted to slip into retirement and now a full time ride?

I doubbt if Dario is coming back to NASCAR or IRL, ALMS is a good bet.

the wisdom/value of putting mark martin in the 5 for a year or two, is that his most refined skill is being able to evaluate a program, and quickly find the problems and turn it around..... he also has a very large fan base, they may not swarm him like jr., but you could spend your whole life looking and you probably won't find a fan, or driver, that would say anything bad about him - if rick gives him a car that he happens to win the cup that he has barely missed his whole carear then rick will forever be the man.....

and finely, mark has the experience and talent to keep the #5 compeditive for a championship (which is what kellogs want) while they spend a few more years developing a long term driver for the car.

and to address your doubt...

Quote

The team, run by businessmen with a combined five decades in motorsports, was closed due to "a lack of sponsorship funding" and caused 70 employees to be laid off. Dario Franchitti, a year removed from winning motorsports' most famous race, the Indianapolis 500, is left sorting out his prospects for the remainder of the season.

Those include a more-or-less full-time assignment in the Nationwide Series driving the team's Fastenal-sponsored Dodge, a possible return to the IndyCar Series for selected races or other options.

http://www.nascar.co...imes/index.html

so he's going to do nationwide full time the rest of the season, and maybe hit a couple of IRL races

[Ross Stonefeld]

Do Nationwide (which he should have been doing before Cup anyways).

[OfficeLinebacker]

Quote

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
Do Nationwide (which he should have been doing before Cup anyways).

Does Ganassi have a Truck ride? Those are closer to the COT anyways.

I imagine he should be game to jump into anything Chip offers him, whether it be ARCA, a Craftsman truck, a late model, or a Cup car.

I could see where as an Indy winner & spouse of a mega star, he could sorta lose that Kenny Schrader/Tony Stewart edge. If true, he should not be racing.

[red stick]

Quote

Originally posted by WildmouseX
if rick has conned mark into doing a full season, i wouldn't expect it to be more then a year so he can go through the team and find it's weakness', i highly doubt that mark could be conned into a full time ride for much longer then that.

Evidently full-time in 2009, part-time in 2010.

http://sports.espn.g...tory?id=3473605


Good for Mark. If anyone can figure out what's holding the #5 back, he can. I hope he wins the championship.

The bad news here is for Junior, who wants a Cup too. Mears wasn't a rival. Martin will be far more dangerous.

[Jim Thurman]

Quote

Originally posted by OfficeLinebacker
I guess now that I think about it most of the barriers have gone down. Montoya was the first hispanic, but not the first "ferriner," to win in NASCAR's top series.

Despite all reports to the contrary, all you've seen in print and can find on the internet, Montoya was NOT the first hispanic or latino to win in NASCAR's top series...

Frank Mundy won 3 races in 1951. Real name: Francisco Melendez. He even took to calling himself "Rebel" Mundy and had a confederate flag on his helmet.

You will see that listed everywhere that Montoya was the first, and it is wrong (much like the incomplete and inaccurate lists of black drivers in NASCAR). It's a shame that Frank Mundy gets no credit. He turned 90 last month.

[BMW_F1]

In the record books, he is known as Frank Mundy, the “Georgia Rebel” from Atlanta. Mundy was born in 1918 to a Mexican father and Irish mother and as a teenager got his racing lessons at Atlanta’s Lakewood Speedway.

[Spunout]

Quote

Originally posted by Jim Thurman

Despite all reports to the contrary, all you've seen in print and can find on the internet, Montoya was NOT the first hispanic or latino to win in NASCAR's top series...

Frank Mundy won 3 races in 1951. Real name: Francisco Melendez. He even took to calling himself "Rebel" Mundy and had a confederate flag on his helmet.

You will see that listed everywhere that Montoya was the first, and it is wrong (much like the incomplete and inaccurate lists of black drivers in NASCAR). It's a shame that Frank Mundy gets no credit. He turned 90 last month.

Luckily it´s different times now. Otherwise we´d be reading about John Paul Montana Jr, good ol´ boy who learned his racing skills at Busch series and Indy 500, winning Sonoma roadie 2007.

[WildmouseX]

Quote

Originally posted by OfficeLinebacker


Does Ganassi have a Truck ride? Those are closer to the COT anyways.

I imagine he should be game to jump into anything Chip offers him, whether it be ARCA, a Craftsman truck, a late model, or a Cup car.

I could see where as an Indy winner & spouse of a mega star, he could sorta lose that Kenny Schrader/Tony Stewart edge. If true, he should not be racing.

he does not have a truck, at this point i think that the most he can do to help dario is too negotiate a ride for him with another owner.

[BMW_F1]

so how about that race on Saturday.. what do you guys think about the last green/white/caution finish?
An interesting question was presented on WindTunnel last night for which Dave did not have an answer.
The question was how come they let Harvick/Martin race till the checkered at Daytona last year when everyone behind them was wrecking but this time they called the caution?

[John B]

Inconsistency has always been an issue with the green-white-checkers, but in this case the wreck was pretty early in the lap, as opposed to the very end at the 07 Daytona 500.

The only problem I had with Despain's suggestion about running G/W/C until they get a clean finish is the fuel situations. The way things go at some of the tracks (esp. restrictors), the field could be running 600 miles before they get it right.

My suggestion? Score the backmarkers as completed, get 'em off the track, then let the top 6 or 10 have their own shootout

[WildmouseX]

Quote

Originally posted by BMW_F1
so how about that race on Saturday.. what do you guys think about the last green/white/caution finish?
An interesting question was presented on WindTunnel last night for which Dave did not have an answer.
The question was how come they let Harvick/Martin race till the checkered at Daytona last year when everyone behind them was wrecking but this time they called the caution?

the harvick/martin incident happened in turn 4 on the last lap, so they could race to the finish, and slow down in the back stretch - saterday night the wreck happened in turn one, which means the cars that would have raced back to the line at full speed, would have been going well over 100 mph on the brakes when they came back to the turn, most likely with cars still sitting around on the track.

[Georg_Kuyumji]

What would be better in terms of car performance/history for JV in Montreal next month? A Toyota or Robbie Gordons Dodge?

[Denier]

Quote

Originally posted by John B
My suggestion? Score the backmarkers as completed, get 'em off the track, then let the top 6 or 10 have their own shootout [/B]

I think that is one hell of an idea.

[DLaw]

Georg_

Watched the link Schumacher Vs Montoya. All I can say is I miss JPM in F1.

[WildmouseX]

Quote

Originally posted by Georg_Kuyumji
What would be better in terms of car performance/history for JV in Montreal next month? A Toyota or Robbie Gordons Dodge?

robbie can get his equiptment up front at road courses; so if jv is as good or better then gordon then he should be just fine driving for him, but depending on the team offering the toyota there can still be better options that way.

[ColdHeart]

Has Jacques ever driven a NASCAR car on a road course?

[OfficeLinebacker]

Quote

Originally posted by DLaw
Georg_

Watched the link Schumacher Vs Montoya. All I can say is I miss JPM in F1.

He served as a good foil for Schuey. I like how the clip ends with both of them smiling cheekily.

You just don't see that stuff in F1 any more. The closest to me is really Fernando Alonso. I'd like to see him in a BMW next year, just because it's always more entertaining when a fiery driver is in slightly inferior equipment!

[kinetiKid]

Quote

Has Jacques ever driven a NASCAR car on a road course?

Speedcar. Which apparently run cars similar to those in the Nascar Canadian Tire series. The NW cars are more tuneable than those Speedcar boats, which should make things a little more comfortable for him.

There are rumblings that JV's appearance in Mtl in Robby's 55 has been finalized, with the possibility of Seagram's as a sponsor, but that's extremely sketchy at the moment.

Mtl is the one place where JV can have his choice of a top ride. The other equally attractive option is the 32 Braun Camry, which Kyle drives on occasion. A spokesperson for Braun said that JV was one of the candidates for it.

Last year, the 55 passed Ambrose for the lead with 4 laps left, before Marcos spun him out, in an incident recalling Marcos' dumping of Said in Mexico, and dump of JPM at Infineon. The spin shouldn't have mattered as the yellow had come out before contact between Robby and Ambrose for a wreck that happened behind them. Robby should've been able to restart the race in 1st (which, at least physically, he did) but according to Nascar's scoring he was supposed to drop back to 13th.

Robby later took out Ambrose in retaliation and he was officially parked.

Long story short: Robby can field a competitive car for road races. The difference between this year and last year is that RGM hasn't done any Busch races so far.

[Georg_Kuyumji]

Quote

Originally posted by ColdHeart
Has Jacques ever driven a NASCAR car on a road course?

Not in NASCAR. But a stockcar in the Speedcar Series