It’s Wednesday, So… WTF?

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.

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Miller + Coors = Morrs?

Across the yahoo feed came this interesting tidbit. Apparently, in order to go head to head with The Busch Clan, the two manufacturers will be combining to produce their products, and streamline distribution. This little ditty will save an estimated $500 million a year, so they say. Coors already pulled their car sponsorship, moving it to an Official Nascar Partnership, so what could happen to the #2 sponsorship? Hmmm. WTF?

Where’s The Post-Race?

Like this needs little introduction. I just absolutely LOVE a 30 second Victory Lane interview with closing credits slipped in. THEN, to top it off, being cut to a #*$@!#^ informercial. A informercial.

If Dave Chappelle were here, you know what he would say. “Man, ESPN is %#*#$!’ up!”

Yep, that they are. If Nascar wants to know why the television ratings are slipping, they have no farther to look than their broadcast partners. It’s about time Nascar put out some minimum guidelines/requirements for covering its top series’.

So, ESPN, WTF?

One more time, in case they’re hiding out in the cheap seats… W.T.F?

Concord Fiasco

So, now that Mayor McCheese over in Concord knows the Bruton Smith isn’t joking, they’re petitioning the Zone and Planning folks to make sure that construction at the current facility can continue. Hmmmm. Guess McCheese realized his meal ticket was on its way out the door, and had a “change of heart”.

WTF? You either stand by your convictions, or you don’t. I guess hit particular eyes are filled with dollar signs. Imagine that. Wouldn’t look to good on a re-elect if you intentionally cause one of your biggest tax payers to hightail it out of town, now would it?

And there ya have it. The WTF’s for this week. Nope, no ‘Dega complaints here. The show went off without a hitch really, and honestly as well as could be expected. Yeah, it snoozed for a good while, but what can you expect? It’ll get better as the information and data on the car comes in. They learned a lot in the last 50 laps, especially about how much they can use that ol’ chrome horn. They know how much they used it, and what it did to the front end. They know better now what to expect with it in a pack with the draft. Patience, Daniel San. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

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Filed Under: Charlotte/Lowe's, Nascar, Penske Racing #2, Talladega, Teams, Tracks, WTF? Wednesday's





Trackback URL for: It’s Wednesday, So… WTF?

By Marc, Thunder Lounge
Monday October 8, 2007
9:57pm CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

Just as he did a couple months back Ray Evernham has “come clean” over his workplace dalliance with ARCA RE/MAX driver Erin Crocker.

Crocker competed at Talladega in Evernham’s Mac Tools Dodge finishing 18^th and wrapped up the series’ Superspeedway Challenge Title that includes events held at Daytona, Nashville, Kentucky, Pocono, Michigan, Kansas, Gateway, Chicagoland and Talladega.

After the event Evernham said Crocker still is trying to put together a deal to run next season in the Craftsman Truck, Busch Nationwide or ARCA series.

“There could be some partnerships for her to run the whole ARCA series,” Evernham said. “We’re going to do everything we can to help her move on, and hopefully people will take her more seriously when she’s off on her own.”

Ok Ray, for the second time we get it. You’re sorry for being an asshat on the job and your sorry. As a result you’re attempting to make amends by assisting her in her job search for 2008 and beyond.

But I question his dedication to the job at hand. Look at what Ray provided for Crocker to compete with at Talladega:

“The car we brought was not a great car and not a great engine, and we didn’t have time to prepare or work on it,” Evernham said. “We knew we had to finish 20th or better, and we rode around the back and that didn’t work for us. And 40 laps to go, she had to get up there and race. It was pretty nerve wracking.

“I hope that people take notice of the things she has done.”

Ray… what else did you have to do? It’s not like you had one, two or three cars in NASCAR’s Chase.

Granted last Friday there were still 7 events left in the NASCAR year and Dodge provides millions to GEM to compete in and that part of his operation should take priority.

I’ll also concede Crocker only needed to place 20^th or higher to clinch the ARCA Superspeedway title, but still, wouldn’t it have been better to provide the best possible equipment to run during one of the premier events on the ARCA schedule?

I’m of the opinion Crocker could have had “people take notice” in a far more favorable light if she could have won at Talladega vice riding around the back.

Crocker’s job search equation breaks down this way; What would gain more press coverage, an ARCA Superspeedway Challenge Title or the first ever female winner in a major stock car circuit on one of the showcase ovals in America?

Something doesn’t compute.

Ray, you’re not even trying and Erin got screwed again! This time with her firesuit on!

Cross posted @ Full Throttle.

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Filed Under: Marc Boland, Nascar, Talladega, The Soapbox, The Way I See It





Trackback URL for: Ray Evernham “Films” a Sequel

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Monday April 30, 2007
12:32pm CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

The “what if” scenarios from last week after Jeff Gordon won at Phoenix from the pole have come true. What if he passes Dale Earnhardt, at Talladega where he was so good and to top it off on his birthday? The answer came raining down from a few fans, who decided to ignore not only the tracks warnings but those from Dale Junior as well, as beer cans and other items flew down from the stands as Jeff Gordon took the checkers (under caution after a wreck during a green/white/checker finish) late yesterday afternoon.

It’s a shame, really. A shame that a few individuals can’t get over it and have to act like a 3-year old. A thumbs up goes out to the folks at Talladega for adding the additional security and at least making some arrests. Yet these same “fans” wonder why the world has a certain image of what a NASCAR fan is. Thanks for the stereotype ya jackasses.

So as the conclusion was drawing near, I was curious as to the last time there was not only back to back wins from the pole, but by the same driver. After all, it is a rare occurrence considering the closeness of the competition these days. To satisfy curiosity, here’s the scoop.

Last time there was back to back wins from the pole:
6/11/2006: Denny Hamlin won from the pole at Pocono.
6/18/2006: Kasey Kahne won from the pole in a rain shortened run at Michigan.

Last time the same driver went back to back from the pole:
6/27/2004: Jeff Gordon won from the pole at Sonoma/Infineon.
7/03/2004: Jeff Gordon won from the pole at Daytona.

Interesting stat, to say the least.

Something we commented on recently was why the garage was keeping an eye on Gordon, and his being so happy in life off the track. Backing this up was Rick Hendrick last night on Speed’s Victory Lane, when Herman brought the subject up.

Speaking of Hendrick, Jack Roush isn’t exactly pleased that so far Hendrick Motorsports is showing early dominance of the season. Jack flat out said he’d have to do some undercover investigating into how the organization is testing, where they’re testing, and what tires they’re using.

Hey Jack, just be happy it isn’t your “good buddies” from Toyota stinking up the show. It could be worse, you know.

We’re not denying the dominance of the bowtie this season thus far. Far from it. However just as last year there seems to be the same old problems. Well not problems, but the same situations.

With the Ford camp, they just haven’t got the handle on the Fusion yet. To put it frankly, it’s still kicking their butts. It was supposed to be “as good” off the shelf as a tweaked up Taurus, yet since its inception it has failed to produce the results of the Taurus. They had more time and engineering into the Taurus, which now a lot of that information is no longer any good. The Fusion simply needs more time, and they’re fresh out with the COT coming and possibly coming full time a year earlier than originally expected.

Then there are the Dodge guys. Evernham being the Dodge flagship, they’re getting their butts kicked with the new nose that the Dodge teams lobbied so hard for last season. Yet, Ganassi has shown improvement, and Penske is showing a slight improvement over last season as well. Did Evernham “hit” on something last year that’s not making it through tech this season? Daytona proved to be one case where certain things got them a monetary reminder, but is there something else going on behind the scenes? If there is, it wouldn’t be the first time Ray’s been advised not to bring something back to the track.

Then there is Toyota. New manufacturer, two car styles to keep up with, no data from previous years to work with, and to top it off the competition is closer than ever. Not the best time to try and get into NASCAR at the Cup level, and while hindsight is 20/20, it probably would have been a more wise decision to phase in with the COT.

Finally, we have Chevy. What’s going on there? Setting aside the COT for a moment, the Monte Carlo hasn’t seen the changes that Ford or Dodge have in their cars. Data from last year, the year before, etc., is still relevant. More data to pull from, plus having half the field with your symbol on the hood equates to more information and better odds of performance.

I don’t see it as an advantage for Chevy, they just haven’t fixed what wasn’t broken, or tried to improve something that maybe didn’t need it yet.

Another twist to this, is a “what if” game. What if Chevy took notes of how Toyota shared team information and then implemented something similar? I don’t think Zippy knows what Knaus puts under the car, but what if there was “certain” elements and data available through Chevy? More so than there has been in the past, in order to get a leg up on the new manufacturer? It’s a possibility, and one to take under careful consideration.

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Filed Under: Drivers, Hendrick Motorsports #24, Jeff Gordon, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Talladega, Teams, Tracks





Trackback URL for: Beer Bash For Gordon At Talladega, Chevy Continues Dominance

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Friday April 27, 2007
6:46pm CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

NASCAR isn’t like “Pro” Wrestling. NASCAR is like a woman. Free to change its mind at any time, for any reason. Oh, and they’re always right.

NASCAR had a change of heart, for the better, today when they called Mr. Flip-Flop Stewart to the hauler at 6am sharp this lovely Friday morning at Talladega. For the record, it wasn’t for Frosted Flakes, Cheerios, or my famous 6am Bloody Mary starter either. The conversation left Tony Stewart saying, “It’s a little tender for me to sit down right now.”

As well it should be. It should still be felt when you are fulling your obligations on the track Sunday as well.

Stewart, again, has also lived up to his [well deserved] Thunder Lounge nickname as well.

From Stewart…

Tuesday:

“The thing with the media is they think it’s our obligation to do those things,” Stewart said. “It’s a privilege that they get to (talk to us). That’s the way it’s always been. Maybe it is in some of these other guys’ contracts, but it is not in my contract that says I have to go do any interviews after the race is over.”

Friday:

“It is in my contract.”

Tuesday:

He said skipping the press conference was his way of getting even with NASCAR over what he considered unfair officiating.

“NASCAR is the ones that always ask us to go to the media center, so instead of doing what they wanted, they don’t do what we want to do and run the race fair,” he said. “So why would I go to the media center and make them happy?”

Friday:

“I didn’t realize it was a requirement that I had to go to the Media Center.”

OK, we’ll leave it at that. Either way, no matter the driver, the right thing was done by NASCAR.

The only remaining question is why Juan Pablo Montoya got the reminder through the wallet, for “greeting” someone he thought was a friend but it was live TV, yet Flip-Flop here did it to Johnson at Atlanta in March and Carl Edwards last summer at Pocono. Both were televised as well.

Hmmm. I wonder what’s up with that?

Sources, since someone will wonder:
NASCAR, NASCAR, ESPN, NASCAR, SPEED TV’s NASCAR Live.

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Filed Under: Drivers, Joe Gibbs Racing #20, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Phoenix, Talladega, Teams, Tony Stewart, Tracks





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