What A Week For The Water Cooler
Thursday, August 17th, 2006 3:10pm EDT
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[image:365:r:s=1:l=http://thunderlounge.com/articles/nascar/features/the-water-cooler/]What a week. Talk about it being far from lacking in the rumors and news department. It was a whirlwind week, and also one that brings additional issues into play.
Robby Buying Yates
[thumb:184:l:s=1:l=http://thunderlounge.com]This initial rumor sparked conversation and topics across the scene. Online, offline, and everywhere in between. Originally, the LTN radio show announced on their site that Robby Gordon had purchased Robert Yates Racing. Talk about a jaw dropper. However, it wasn’t so simple. We covered it here on the Lounge, and pretty much beat it to death. Who wouldn’t? although we kept reminding the it was far from confirmed.
Our offline discussion on this topic was a big debate. Covering everything from what was Robert thinking is this was the case, to wondering how the deal would work for Robby to move to Ford’s.
Then, later on in the day, finally Yates and Robby Gordon were able to make their comments and put out the burning fire of the rumor. Simply put, it was unfounded and untrue.
When this came to light we wondered how what should be a credible site/show, with over 1000 broadcasts and counting, put forth such information as it was? Some people have mixed Jayski into it, but he didn’t start it. He simply posted about what he saw. That was the report from LTN. It was funny how their site became “unavailable” real quick, also that once it finally was available that we couldn’t find anything about the deal.
Hmmm… Covering up their mistake? Then again, we could have just missed it. It’s not like that site is worth much to look at or browse. Why does every link open in a new window? Annoying. If it was an external link to another site, ok. Something like that is understandable. We do it here on the Lounge, mainly so that you know you’re going off our site to somewhere else. That’s common. But, LTN’s site is horrid. They’d be better off if they contacted our provider, who also does really nice, standards compliant design. Ok, that was a shameless plug, but relevant as LTN needs some major help. C’mon people, FrontPage is NOT your friend.
So here we have a credibility issue. What’s the deal? Who can you trust in your endeavor for Nascar news and information? Nascar.com, naturally. Jayski, of course. As well as several others. Here at the Thunder Lounge, if we report and comment on things, and they are not official, we’ll tell you. Sure, we discuss rumors just like anyone else. However, or commitment to our readers is that they know the source of the information, and whether it is fact, fiction, rumor, or pure speculation.
Sadler To Evernham
[thumb:185:r:s=1:l=http://thunderlounge.com]Finally, we can put the Elliot Sadler rumors to bed. Since he was announced this week as officially being in the #19. We discussed it, and moved on. Not much to say really, since we’d already beaten the topic to death. The strange thing is, Yates hasn’t (as of this article’s publishing) announced Gilliland. He was at Kentucky on Tuesday, and sure enough had his name painted on the roof above the doors, and there were rookie stripes on it as well.
So where’s the announcement? In the images provided by Kentucky Speedway, David was in a CitiFinancial firesuit. Best guess is that the M&M’s ones weren’t ready yet. At least not available to the extent where they had one to go rip up for testing. But hey, I’m sure they’ll be ready for this weekend.
All in all, Ray says the initial difference will be communication. Something the #19 had been lacking, and was getting worse with each bad run. Mayfield says he knew he was out many months ago, as Ray told him it was ok to start looking. This was well before Chicago.
This being the case, it would make Ray look like he was forcing Mayfield out of the organization. Who knows, really, besides these two. Shana might know some, but I bet not all. We’ll see if Mayfield ends up with Bill Davis or not. Time will tell.
The Chase Yo-Yo
The Chase for the Nextel Cup is looming on the horizon. While Watkins Glen didn’t push anyone in or out of the Top 10, if Kasey Kahne hadn’t wrecked on the last lap for the second consecutive week, he’d have been some 10 points ahead of an 11th place Junior. Instead, Kahne saw a swing on 64 points in a single lap, that has him 54 points behind Junior. Kasey’s biggest obstacle will be Bristol, then Richmond. Nothing is a safe bet at either of those two tracks.
The big thing we discussed on this was how it’s been an almost constant in/out game for the Chase, and how close it really is from 3rd on back. Granted that Harvick and Burton are probably a little more comfortable than say Gordon, Stewart, or Junior. However, as Kasey Kahne has shown recently and Junior showed us previously, all it takes is a little bad luck and you’re digging out of a hole from the outside looking in.
We’re surprised that only a couple weeks ago that the 400 point mark was looming as a possibility, and now it’s pretty much out of the question. It would take Kenseth and Johnson having very bad days, followed by not so bad (but far from good) days to even consider it. On top of that, the other Chase contenders would need to be on fire to capitalize on it. Possible, but not probable. Then again, you never know what’s going to happen when there are still laps to be run on the track. In all, the Chase field won’t be set before Richmond, and may very well come down to the final laps once again.
There you have it for the water cooler this week. We’ll have to either publish on Wednesday next week, or a definite late arrival on Thursday. Yes, we try to get it on Thursday mornings, but sometimes that just isn’t the case. Like today for example. But hey, we try and do our best. Anyway, we might hold it off until late next Thursday, so we can pop an update from Tennessee.
We’ll also try to keep tabs while we’re out, and we’ll have a full rundown of the trip once we’re back.
Filed Under: Features, Nascar, Nextel Cup, The Water Cooler
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I never bought into the Robby Gordon/Yates thing from the get go it made no sense for either team.
But here is somethig to think about, Robby Gordon brings one thing to the table. A long established relationship with Red Bull.
As far back as early fall ‘05, according to a reasonable authority, a fully built ‘05 version Camry was spotted in the Gordon garage. With a #7 painted on the door.
As far as I can determine it was the only sighting of the car. It might mean sonething, it might not.
But there is that Red Bull connection.
Marc said this on August 18th, 2006 at 5:03 am
How right you are Marc. Robby’s been connected with that sponsor for quite a while. That was even on his “infamous” helmet. You know the one I’m referring to…
I think the big surprise is that Red Bull started their own team, vice going with RGM. The biggest thing seems to be that Robby wants to “own”, and not “be owned”.
If he calls the shots, he can’t get dumped out of a ride for starters. Granted, if he’s running poor he only has to look to the mirror.
There’s so much going on behind the scenes at RGM right now, it would be interesting to be a fly on the wall.
Personally, I’m impressed with RGM over 2005 and so far in 2006. They aren’t in the hunt for the title, but for a single car team that’s an owner/driver operation they really have accomplished a lot. The win column might not be empty had it not been for some just plain rotten luck last spring.
Still, as a single team with no real partnership with anyone, they are impressive. With several cars from multi-car teams on or out of the top 35 in owners points, they should at least be feeling pretty good about 2006 so far. Granted it’s not what they hoped for, but results rarely are.
Every team heads to Daytona wanting to win the Cup. Duh, that’s why their here. However there are teams that know it’s a realistic possibility, and others that deep down know they’re going to be mid-pack.
Under the circumstances, RGM has pulled of a decent season thus far. It’s definitely not one to be ashamed of.
I don’t know if RGM will move manufacturers or not. It most likely depends on their current manufacturer contract with the bow tie, but a switch has to be a possibility if he is possibly looking to align in a strategic information sharing relationship with teams that run something other than Chevy.
I honestly expected him to be running Camry’s next season. Mainly from the benefit of the information sharing system under that umbrella, as well as the insane amount of factory support that would accompany it.
Luke said this on August 18th, 2006 at 7:23 am