Pocono's odd triangle shape presents its usual challenges while the field allowing up to eight "start and park" drivers does not add up.
We might be accused of harping on what some might see as a small issue in the overall big picture of Sprint Cup racing, but it is a practice we deem as ridiculous and one that must be resolved. The “start and park” entries where teams that do not have the finances, materials, crew, or commitment to run a full race are able to qualify, make the field, and take home their share of the purse even though they only race up to later than the first pit stop.
While driver points not owner points determine the top 35 and ultimately tie-breakers for who makes the field beneath the top 35, Robby Gordon’s ride’s fate this weekend demonstrates clearly the absurdity of permitting this insane injustice. Robby Gordon is participating in an off-road competition elsewhere this weekend but he owns his ride. His finances are not much better, if at all, that some of the “start and park” teams, but his cars are entered to finish as high in the race as possible. Substitute driver, Ted Musgrave, qualified 44th out of 45, one place short of the 43 car field. Kevin Conway in the #34 Ford qualified 45th but was inserted in the field based on owner points preference. Therefore, Terry Cook in the 09 entry was bumped.
Here’s the mess, these are “start and park” entries and where they qualify.
30 – Joe Nemechek (Front Row Joe, Toyota, #87)
32 – Michael McDowell (Prism, Toyota #55)
34 – Dave Blaney (Prism, Toyota #66)
36 – J.J. Yeley, (Whitney Motorsports Dodge, #46)
39 – Chad McCumbee (Little Joe’s Autos, Toyota #64)
40 – Geoff Bodine, (Tommy Baldwin, Toyota, #36)
Also #20, Max Papis (#13 Geico, Toyota) and #43 David Stremme (#26 Air National Guard, Ford) are questionable entries that could opt not to compete for the full race.
That’s six to eight cars that have made the field that have no intention to compete in any manner in Gillette Fusion Pro-Glide 500 at Pocono tomorrow. We have to understand why NASCAR mandated all races must have a 43 car starting field as of 1998. Lesser fields were perfectly all right before that and some tracks only allowed smaller fields like Martinsville and Bristol for their smaller size. One would think the competitors wouldn’t mind a smaller field with more money to spread around to competitors not slackers.
Why doesn’t NASCAR have rules mandating minimum participation requirements – a full pit crew necessary to complete competitive pit stops, the purchase of enough tires to fulfill what Goodyear would estimate required for a complete race, and what other necessities are required for a team to complete the entire race?
When the Robby Gordon operation can do it and these teams listed above can’t, something is very wrong. Furthermore, why should competitive rides from #30 on down have to contend with what is nothing more than clutter on the track until the quitters move their litter into the garage?
What’s in it for NASCAR or the racetracks to allow this insane practice to continue? Failure without consequence is unacceptable. Rewarding failure is worse.
This is not an issue that will surely create a huge uproar. Early in the race as the race announcers note cars pulling off the track, what more reaction does it evoke other than a sarcastic snicker of “it figures – the idiots?” It almost appears that it pains Mike Joy to even mention it when Fox is the network. Likewise, both Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds have attempted to defend the practice. Here’s a dirty little secret, however, Phil Parsons, part of Fox’s group on Speed-TV, Camping World Truck Series broadcasts, is co-owner of Prism Motor Sports. Michael Waltrip has a minor role assisting Prism.
Some might object to the extent to which EPSN, TNT, and Fox have commentators with direct financial stakes in racing objectionable – as in Rusty Wallace owns two Nationwide teams including the wreck-prone efforts of his son, Steven, and Brad Daugherty is a principle owner of the #47 Sprint Cup team.
NASCAR should be far more worried about empty seats than empty starting positions. It really hurt to see the tarp cover seats at Dover a couple weeks ago when one considers the incredible territory and giant markets Dover has to draw from.
********
The race itself shows the transition into summer racing as the field consolidates and some teams’ chances of competing in the Chase evaporate. Entering the second half of the 26 races that will set the final field there is much room for competition. Positions 13 to 18 are clearly in reach of making the top 12. It will take more for positions 19 to 22 to make it, but #22 is only 188 points away. It’s remarkable what a win or some top five finishes can do. On the other side of it, positions 8 to 12 could all easily fall out of the top 12 with some bad mojo.
Meanwhile, for those who think Jimmie Johnson’s season lies in ruin stranded in 7th position, 204 points off the pace, keep in mind he is tied for the lead in wins with three so far matching Denny Hamlin. Points leader, Kevin Harvick, has one win. That has Johnson sitting very pretty were “The Chase” to begin today.
Coming out of Charlotte with the double barrel success, much attention deservingly falls on the #2 Penske Miller Lite Dodge with one of the lesser honored former champs, Kurt Busch, its driver. Considering the Penske operation is the only Dodge team in the Sprint Cup lineup, that’s an enormous accomplishment, but whether running Pontiacs, Fords, or Dodges, Penske has always been his own man and a fellow who knows how to put winning teams on the track.
Kyle Busch holds the pole at Pocono with Clint Bowyer sitting on the outside front row. Dale Earnhardt Jr. starts third giving his team a much needed lift. They need to make good on this opportunity and convert it to a top five finish. Kurt Busch, the hero of Charlotte, starts 4th followed by Denny Hamlin, perhaps the hottest competitor of the year. Tony Stewart, whose Stewart Hass operation has struggled so far in 2010, blast off in 6th followed by another driver who is just trying to salvage his season, Juan Pablo Montoya who was so brilliant last year. Ford makes its first appearance in 8th sport, Kasey Kahne in the Budweiser Ford. Once again, Ford’s qualifying is not satisfactory. They are putting much hope on the field wide deployment of the FR9 engine which supposedly will take place next week in Michigan. Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon round out the top ten.
We might be accused of harping on what some might see as a small issue in the overall big picture of Sprint Cup racing, but it is a practice we deem as ridiculous and one that must be resolved. The “start and park” entries where teams that do not have the finances, materials, crew, or commitment to run a full race are able to qualify, make the field, and take home their share of the purse even though they only race up to later than the first pit stop.
While driver points not owner points determine the top 35 and ultimately tie-breakers for who makes the field beneath the top 35, Robby Gordon’s ride’s fate this weekend demonstrates clearly the absurdity of permitting this insane injustice. Robby Gordon is participating in an off-road competition elsewhere this weekend but he owns his ride. His finances are not much better, if at all, that some of the “start and park” teams, but his cars are entered to finish as high in the race as possible. Substitute driver, Ted Musgrave, qualified 44th out of 45, one place short of the 43 car field. Kevin Conway in the #34 Ford qualified 45th but was inserted in the field based on owner points preference. Therefore, Terry Cook in the 09 entry was bumped.
Here’s the mess, these are “start and park” entries and where they qualify.
30 – Joe Nemechek (Front Row Joe, Toyota, #87)
32 – Michael McDowell (Prism, Toyota #55)
34 – Dave Blaney (Prism, Toyota #66)
36 – J.J. Yeley, (Whitney Motorsports Dodge, #46)
39 – Chad McCumbee (Little Joe’s Autos, Toyota #64)
40 – Geoff Bodine, (Tommy Baldwin, Toyota, #36)
Also #20, Max Papis (#13 Geico, Toyota) and #43 David Stremme (#26 Air National Guard, Ford) are questionable entries that could opt not to compete for the full race.
That’s six to eight cars that have made the field that have no intention to compete in any manner in Gillette Fusion Pro-Glide 500 at Pocono tomorrow. We have to understand why NASCAR mandated all races must have a 43 car starting field as of 1998. Lesser fields were perfectly all right before that and some tracks only allowed smaller fields like Martinsville and Bristol for their smaller size. One would think the competitors wouldn’t mind a smaller field with more money to spread around to competitors not slackers.
Why doesn’t NASCAR have rules mandating minimum participation requirements – a full pit crew necessary to complete competitive pit stops, the purchase of enough tires to fulfill what Goodyear would estimate required for a complete race, and what other necessities are required for a team to complete the entire race?
When the Robby Gordon operation can do it and these teams listed above can’t, something is very wrong. Furthermore, why should competitive rides from #30 on down have to contend with what is nothing more than clutter on the track until the quitters move their litter into the garage?
What’s in it for NASCAR or the racetracks to allow this insane practice to continue? Failure without consequence is unacceptable. Rewarding failure is worse.
This is not an issue that will surely create a huge uproar. Early in the race as the race announcers note cars pulling off the track, what more reaction does it evoke other than a sarcastic snicker of “it figures – the idiots?” It almost appears that it pains Mike Joy to even mention it when Fox is the network. Likewise, both Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds have attempted to defend the practice. Here’s a dirty little secret, however, Phil Parsons, part of Fox’s group on Speed-TV, Camping World Truck Series broadcasts, is co-owner of Prism Motor Sports. Michael Waltrip has a minor role assisting Prism.
Some might object to the extent to which EPSN, TNT, and Fox have commentators with direct financial stakes in racing objectionable – as in Rusty Wallace owns two Nationwide teams including the wreck-prone efforts of his son, Steven, and Brad Daugherty is a principle owner of the #47 Sprint Cup team.
NASCAR should be far more worried about empty seats than empty starting positions. It really hurt to see the tarp cover seats at Dover a couple weeks ago when one considers the incredible territory and giant markets Dover has to draw from.
********
The race itself shows the transition into summer racing as the field consolidates and some teams’ chances of competing in the Chase evaporate. Entering the second half of the 26 races that will set the final field there is much room for competition. Positions 13 to 18 are clearly in reach of making the top 12. It will take more for positions 19 to 22 to make it, but #22 is only 188 points away. It’s remarkable what a win or some top five finishes can do. On the other side of it, positions 8 to 12 could all easily fall out of the top 12 with some bad mojo.
Meanwhile, for those who think Jimmie Johnson’s season lies in ruin stranded in 7th position, 204 points off the pace, keep in mind he is tied for the lead in wins with three so far matching Denny Hamlin. Points leader, Kevin Harvick, has one win. That has Johnson sitting very pretty were “The Chase” to begin today.
Coming out of Charlotte with the double barrel success, much attention deservingly falls on the #2 Penske Miller Lite Dodge with one of the lesser honored former champs, Kurt Busch, its driver. Considering the Penske operation is the only Dodge team in the Sprint Cup lineup, that’s an enormous accomplishment, but whether running Pontiacs, Fords, or Dodges, Penske has always been his own man and a fellow who knows how to put winning teams on the track.
Kyle Busch holds the pole at Pocono with Clint Bowyer sitting on the outside front row. Dale Earnhardt Jr. starts third giving his team a much needed lift. They need to make good on this opportunity and convert it to a top five finish. Kurt Busch, the hero of Charlotte, starts 4th followed by Denny Hamlin, perhaps the hottest competitor of the year. Tony Stewart, whose Stewart Hass operation has struggled so far in 2010, blast off in 6th followed by another driver who is just trying to salvage his season, Juan Pablo Montoya who was so brilliant last year. Ford makes its first appearance in 8th sport, Kasey Kahne in the Budweiser Ford. Once again, Ford’s qualifying is not satisfactory. They are putting much hope on the field wide deployment of the FR9 engine which supposedly will take place next week in Michigan. Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon round out the top ten.
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