This Sunday’s race at Bristol is an important milestone in the 2010 Sprint Cup season. At the end of the race, cars in the top 35 based on owners’ points will be guaranteed a starting position the following week. The remainder must qualify to race. Here’s where the “start and park” teams really make it ugly. Some of them are pretty good at qualifying, but they’ll be around until about the first pit stop and be gone. They arrive at the track with no intention to race a full race and often don’t even have a full legitimiate pit crew. Some ask what’s the big deal? Others contend that those who don’t like what’s going on should just out do them in qualifying. Our position is clear. All teams must have a full crew and equipment to be able to complete a whole race. Whether NASCAR can summon the resolve to ban them outright or continue to put the screws to the teams to force them to either become race ready or go home, it’s time for this insanity to end.
Look at the teams that failed to qualify, the #13 Toyota driven by Max Papis sponsored by GEICO and the #36 Chevy driven by Mike Bliss sponsored by Wave Energy drink. These teams were prepared to race the entire race and have sponsorship that will be none to happy they won’t have their advertising zipping around the Bristol, Tennessee race track. Meanwhile, Dave Blaney in the #66 Toyota, Prism Motorsports team qualified an amazing 3rd. How’s that for cluttering up the competition where cars get bunched up and bumping very quickly and what does a non-competitor do to wad up the works. We’ll have to keep an eye on the #55 Toyota for Prism. Its driver is Michael Waltrip this week. Would they dare put together this driver/team combination and not be racing?
Joe Nemechek shows “Computer Works” sponsorship. Will he finally race? How about Aric Almirola in the #09 Chevy sporting Phoenix Construction/Graceway Pharmaceutical sponsorship? Casey Mears finally makes the field in the #90 Chevy with Juiced Air Freshener/Smell My Car.com sponsors. The word from some of these teams is that if they’re sponsored, they’ll race. We’ll see. There are only two unsponsored teams this week from the Prism operation.
This is a topic we’re sick of discussing. We believe the honor to start in a premier NASCAR event should not amount to welfare for underfunded teams. Sprint Cup is the big leagues. This is no place for teams not prepared for the highest level of competition. This is a dreadful distraction from the true stories of competition which at Bristol can be many. There is no sanctity to having a full 43 car starting field. Up to 1997, not all races were open to 43 cars and was anyone complaining then?
Eyes will be on Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski after their conflicts at Atlanta. Surely, Carl Edwards will not want to be seen as going over the line while he’s on probation. Hopefully NASCAR’s response was not too nuanced for Kesolowski to understand. This young driver has quickly alienated the field and shows the lack of respect that translates into not being able to buy a break on race day. Surely none of his comments to the media after races help his cause. Contrast his approach to that of Joey Logano or Danica Patrick at their positions on the learning curve to become successful NASCAR drivers. While Logano has caused some tie-ups on the track, drivers don’t stay mad at him long because he knows how to conduct himself. Patrick has gone out of her way to maintain a low profile in the garage area and build relationships with her more senior drivers.
It looks like somebody behind the #26 Ford operation realized the need to shake things up. Boris Said just was not effective. David Stremme takes his place. Will it be too little too late as the awesome deadline is at hand? The race will bear the answer.
Not escaping attention is the success shown by Scott Speed and Paul Menard whose fortune so far in the sport has not been good. Both are in the top 12 going into race #5. Toward that end, Menard starts a respectable 12th.
Joey Logano got off to a quick start but Atlanta was brutal being collateral damage in the wreck that put Carl Edwards behind the wall thanks to Brad Kesolowski’s blunders. Not losing a beat, he is poised to quickly bounce back winning his first poll to start Sunday’s field.
Qualifying has not been strong for the Ford effort particularly Roush/Fenway. With Matt Kennseth in 7th and Edwards in 8th, improvement is noted.
Top 12 Qualifiers:
1. #20, Joey Logano, Toyota
2. #2, Kurt Busch, Dodge
3. #66, Dave Blaney, Toyota
4. #48, Jimmie Johnson, Chevy
5. #24, Jeff Gordon, Chevy
6. #42, Juan Montoya, Chevy
7. #17, Matt Kenseth, Ford
8. #99, Carl Edwards, Ford
9. #47, Marcos Ambrose, Toyota
10. #00, David Reutimann, Toyota
11. #14, Tony Stewart, Chevy
12. #98, Paul Menard, Ford
No comments:
Post a Comment