NASCAR news

[RogerDuke]

[quote=Garrett Duke;203922

Well I guess Wallace throwing the hammer at Busch doesn't make Tony Stewart's helmet throw at Kenseth this year look so bad any more.

You're right about that. Throwing a hammer is pretty serious. I wonder if he intended to hit him (which could be deadly) or just send a message by throwing it in that direction.

[Garrett Duke]

You're right about that. Throwing a hammer is pretty serious. I wonder if he intended to hit him (which could be deadly) or just send a message by throwing it in that direction.

I really hope he wasn't intending to hit Kyle with a hammer...that could be deadly. I really don't know what Steven's intentions were, but hopefully they are dealt with one way or another. Understand being upset at Kyle for wrecking him, but throwing a hammer is taking it to the extreme.

[Garrett Duke]

Guess what y'all...the number of days slowly keep going down.

There is now 75 LOOOONNNNNGGGGG days until the Daytona 500!!!

Football will never replace baseball and NASCAR in my book, but am very grateful for the Bears to be filling that empty space that took over after Homestead. Three more weeks and their season ends...and then what?

75 more days...

[RogerDuke]

LOL You crack me up Garrett.

.....and at the same time I admire and respect you for your passion and loyalty to the things you love. It's just too bad you're not a Steelers and Pirates fan.

[Garrett Duke]

LOL You crack me up Garrett.

.....and at the same time I admire and respect you for your passion and loyalty to the things you love. It's just too bad you're not a Steelers and Pirates fan.

I know, I know...it's rather sad how I count down the days, I just can't help it. Sunday's aren't the same without a race. The week is not the same without having a race to look forward to. Sure there is football, but it's just not the same...am I really the only one counting down the days until Daytona?

Thanks for your compliments...

I think you got it all wrong...I think it is too bad that you aren't a Cubs and Bears fan. I just don't understand how anyone could NOT be a Cubs and a Bears fan...

[Garrett Duke]

66 more days until the Daytona 500...66 too many days that is.

[Garrett Duke]

Well this isn't exactly NASCAR news but it being Jeff Gordon, I have to share it. LOL. This Wednedsay he will be on a TV show called "I get that Alot" where he is suppose to sell car parts at a car part store without getting recognized. It is on this Wednesday night on CBS at 8 PM ET.

Sadly this Jeff Gordon fan will not get to watch it because I have something else I have to do that night at that time and since I have to have the box to watch TV, my VCR won't record. :( Am hoping to get a chance to watch it online sometime this weekend...CBS often times have episodes of their shows on their website...fingers crossed on this one. I have seen videos of it on lines of it for the past week and it looks hilarious. I think this one has to be my favorite clip I have gotten to see of it so far...

This cracks me up every time I watch it...how can the guy not know? I mean look around the store?

(Oh and by the way...there is now Jimmie Johnson's number of days til Daytona...in other words...48 days til Daytona 500! I for one CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!! And 83 more days til the opening day of baseball! )

Edited January 8, 2013 by Garrett Duke

[HossC]

I found the full clip on YouTube:

Jeff Gordon - I Get That A Lot

The parts store they used was in Atlanta, GA, and the opening shot was filmed on the Freedom Parkway, just under the bridge from here:

[Garrett Duke]

Woo hoo! Thanks Hoss...now I have something to watch this weekend. Would do so now, but I think I will wait til this weekend when I will be able to enjoy it more. Thanks for the link! Great picture too...does Bo and Luke go there to buy parts from "Geoffery"? LOL

[Garrett Duke]

Well I really don't know if I should laugh at this or if I should get upset about the nonsense of it all...

NASCAR has fined Denny Hamlin $25,000 for comments he had made after the Phoenix race on Sunday. NASCAR fines Denny Hamlin According to the article Denny had made remarks about the new Gen6 car (NASCAR's baby so to speak) and how it was a lot like the old car and how it was or is hard to pass making the racing go single file.

Though the article makes it sound like they don't know if that is exactly what he said that brought upon the fine.

Being the NASCAR fan that I am, I do see where NASCAR is coming with this. NASCAR wants to bring fans in, bring viewers in. Having their star drivers go up and diss their product will only bring negativity to the sport. Especially to the new car that they anxiously awaited for the debut over.

But $25,000 worth? Guess to a Hamlin who probably earns that or more so in a single week it is just a dent in his weekly earnings. But it is the whole point of it all. Hamlin was stating facts and how he felt, one should have the right to express their opinions, right?

Then again when the Car of Tomorrow came out (the last car) NASCAR was very strict with how it was dealt with. Both Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson was fined money and points, their cc suspended a couple of races, when they didn't have the exact measurements perfectly aligned to NASCAR's expectations. You didn't mess with the COT and I am sure they will be like that with Gen 6 as well. So perhaps Hamlin should be happy with a monetary fine and not a point fine?

NASCAR is protective over thier car's and the racing and have been known to talk to drivers in the past over what they had said publicly...can't remember if they fined them or not. So then again, Hamlin should have known to watch what he had said public about it all when he said it.

Guess whether or not I agree with the fine, I will just stay relieved that the fine and this negative publicity is outside of the Hendrick camp this time.

[RogerDuke]

I'm really strarting to worry about free speech. Some of the things people get fined, suspended or arrested for are ridiculous. It's getting where you can't say anything without asking the government's permission to speak.....or in Hamlin's case, NASCAR's governing body. I guess the higher authorities want a bunch of mindless robots to rule over.

[Garrett Duke]

I'm really strarting to worry about free speech. Some of the things people get fined, suspended or arrested for are ridiculous. It's getting where you can't say anything without asking the government's permission to speak.....or in Hamlin's case, NASCAR's governing body. I guess the higher authorities want a bunch of mindless robots to rule over.

Yeah NASCAR is pretty strict or can be strict over what is said if it has something to do with their car or the sport. I remember last year someone...can't remember exactly who...got in some trouble for complaining a caution that was thrown calling it a phantom caution. Don't remember if the driver was fined or not for that.

Do feel like Hamlin should have given the car more of a chance than just two races to start complaining against it, but that is his choice and am sure he was frustrated with the type of racing it has created thus far in this early season. But fining him over what he said seems wrong. It all seems very petty to me.

Just read a Tweet that Denny wrote that said he is refusing to pay the fine and will appeal it. Also stated that he had been watching what he said to the media ever since he got fined by NASCAR in 2010 and didn't feel like what he said was enough to get him into trouble. Also stated that NASCAR had lost one of their biggest supporters by going through with this...

What also I found troubling was the fact that in his tweet, Denny said that NASCAR didn't even sit down to talk to him about it. Just gave him the fine.

Do believe NASCAR needs to sit back and pick their battles...to me this isn't something worth bringing their name in the mud for. Because so far, all that I have read, is negative feedback about the fine. Everyone should have their right to their opinions and to express them. Ah well...that there is my two cents worth. For how little it is worth.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Garrett Duke

[Garrett Duke]

(On a side note, just looked up what Hamlin got in trouble for in 2010. He got fined $50,000 for a conversation he had on Twitter with a NASCAR writer (I think...) after a Nationwide Series race in Chicagoland. Where he was talking about cautions (may be the one I was talking about above...) and supposedly saying that NASCAR was "fixed". NASCAR refused to say either way who was fined or for what. But Sports Illustrated, who wrote the article I read, said it was confirmed...)

[Garrett Duke]

Well y'all I am excited to announce that Chandra Johnson, Jimmie Johnson's wife (that Jeff Gordon introduced him to! ) is expecting again...Genevieve is going to be a big sister (Genevieve is JJ's and Chandra's two year old - will be 3 in July- daughter)! She is due in September...hopefully will not interrupt or get in the way of any racing. LOL Congrats to Chandra and Jimmie! b

[Garrett Duke]

Well it looks like some penalties may be handed out sometime this week. Before the race both Penske cars (Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski) were stuck in pre race inspection and part of the car taken by NASCAR for not meeting requirements (rear end housing.) And with the new car, NASCAR is now forced to have to decide on how to handle this situation since it will set the field on how they will handle such cases in the future with this car.

Not only that but Brad Keselowski had to go open his mouth stating that his team is being targeted by NASCAR...which will also probably bring some penalties for being negative over NASCAR's choices. Keselowski was also penalized last week for pitting outside of his pitbox.

Though if penalties are handed it out it will be either tomorrow (on Monday) or on Wednesday. On Tuesday Keselowski (who won the championship last year) will be going to the White House to celebrate Obama.

Here is the site where I got my info at: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2013-04-14/texas-results-brad-keselowski-penske-racing-penalties?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

I will let you know as soon as NASCAR announces what they will do with Keselowski and Logano.

(My opinion...don't know if Keselowski should be penalized for saying what he did, but by now he should know better than to state his feelings or opinions (at least negative ones) to the media or the public. If he has an issue on how NASCAR is handling the situation, then he should bring it to Brian France and the rest of NASCAR. Also, I don't see NASCAR as targeting Penske...when the Car of Tomorrow car came out, NASCAR penalized both Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for some part not meeting standards. Both of their crew cheifs were suspended and penalized and the drivers too got some sort of penality if I remember right...so it is NOT just Keselowski or Logano. NASCAR has made it clear that you don't mess with ther new cars nor do you speak against NASCAR publicly...as Hamlin learned earlier this season. As I said, all that is of my opinion which isn't worth very much. )

[Garrett Duke]

Well it looks like some penalties may be handed out sometime this week. Before the race both Penske cars (Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski) were stuck in pre race inspection and part of the car taken by NASCAR for not meeting requirements (rear end housing.) And with the new car, NASCAR is now forced to have to decide on how to handle this situation since it will set the field on how they will handle such cases in the future with this car.

Not only that but Brad Keselowski had to go open his mouth stating that his team is being targeted by NASCAR...which will also probably bring some penalties for being negative over NASCAR's choices. Keselowski was also penalized last week for pitting outside of his pitbox.

Though if penalties are handed it out it will be either tomorrow (on Monday) or on Wednesday. On Tuesday Keselowski (who won the championship last year) will be going to the White House to celebrate Obama.

Here is the site where I got my info at: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2013-04-14/texas-results-brad-keselowski-penske-racing-penalties?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

I will let you know as soon as NASCAR announces what they will do with Keselowski and Logano.

(My opinion...don't know if Keselowski should be penalized for saying what he did, but by now he should know better than to state his feelings or opinions (at least negative ones) to the media or the public. If he has an issue on how NASCAR is handling the situation, then he should bring it to Brian France and the rest of NASCAR. Also, I don't see NASCAR as targeting Penske...when the Car of Tomorrow car came out, NASCAR penalized both Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for some part not meeting standards. Both of their crew cheifs were suspended and penalized and the drivers too got some sort of penality if I remember right...so it is NOT just Keselowski or Logano. NASCAR has made it clear that you don't mess with ther new cars nor do you speak against NASCAR publicly...as Hamlin learned earlier this season. As I said, all that is of my opinion which isn't worth very much. )

Well, to add onto what I wrote earlier on today, there has been reported that a 42 year old man had died in the infield area at the NRA 500 last night. I guess he and some other campers got into an arguement and the 42 year old shot himself in the head...near a truck. The article I read said that alcohol may have had something to do with it.

[Garrett Duke]

Well Brian France and NASCAR has finally handed out the penalties that were anticipating after Saturday night's Texas race where both Penske cars - Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano - got held back in pre race inspection and had their rear end housing taken from them...and having to put in new ones. Logano almost missed the start of the race due to it...

Logano's and Keselowski's crew cheifs were both fined a hundred thousand dollars each. Logano's and Keselowski's crew cheifs, competition directors, and engineers were all suspended for six races...as well as for the All Star Race. Though what is going to really hurt them is the fact that Logano's and Keselowski's teams have gotten fined twenty five championship points.

Also, Martin Truex Jr has gotten fined for failing his post race inspection bringing the fine of six points towards Truex Jr and his car owner Michael Waltrip. His crew cheif was fined twenty-five thousand dollars...and put on probation until June 6th.

Here is the article I had gotten my information from... http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/nascar-drops-hammer-keselowski-logano-penalizes-truex-jr-190953907--nascar.html

[Garrett Duke]

Well things are surely getting out of control in NASCAR with all the fights and the penalties or the lack of penalties...and I think last night's Nationwide series race proved just that.

Nelson Piquet Jr and Brian Scott seems to have a bad history with going after one another and last night it took a new turn. Mind you, I didn't watch the race, but have read about what had happened. Last night it seemed the two were fighting for twentieth position towards the end of the race when they got into each other. During the cool off lap, Scott showed Piquet he was upset by driving alongside of Piquet and Piquet ran Scott into the wall.

Well that led to a confrontation on pit road when Scott went up to Piquet, some pushes went on between the two, before Piquet KICKED Scott below the belt (to say it kindly). They were both pulled into the hauler (though last night I heard it was only Scott- which I thought was wrong) but now they are saying both of them went. Also read last night somewhere that no punishments were thought to come out of the kick...

Brian Scott and Nelson Piquet Jr is the article I read today with most information.

Well it doesn't end there...it seems that two crew members of Brian Scott later got arrested for fighting with Piquet Jr and another person. Piquet Jr is OK and the other guy has a shoulder injury due to the fight. The crew members are now relased.

Brian Scott's two crewmen arrested Here is the article where I got most of the info on the arrest from.

Well if they can arrest the crewmen, why not arrest Piquet Jr for the kick? Why no penalties for the fight? Just don't understand...but if NASCAR isn't going to step in to stop this sort of behavior, this is what could happen...they take care of it themselves. My opinion for how little it is worth

(Hey Hoss you know any more about Piquet Jr? He is said to come from F1 previously? Just thought I would ask. )

[HossC]

(Hey Hoss you know any more about Piquet Jr? He is said to come from F1 previously? Just thought I would ask. )

Nelson Piquet Jr did about a season and a half in F1, being replaced midway through 2009. After he left, there were allegations that he'd deliberately crashed his car during a race in the previous year so that his team mate, Fernando Alonso, could win. At the following trial the FIA (F1's governing body) gave him immunity in return for his evidence. He claimed that his team boss and the team's chief engineer had come up with the plan and that he'd been pressured into it. The team boss and the engineer were both suspended from the sport, although the bans were subsequently overturned on appeal. Piquet Jr had talks with a couple of other F1 teams, but decided to move to NASCAR when he failed to get a drive. His father, Nelson Piquet, won the F1 World Championship three times in the '80s and entered two Indy 500s after he retired from F1.

[Garrett Duke]

Nelson Piquet Jr did about a season and a half in F1, being replaced midway through 2009. After he left, there were allegations that he'd deliberately crashed his car during a race in the previous year so that his team mate, Fernando Alonso, could win. At the following trial the FIA (F1's governing body) gave him immunity in return for his evidence. He claimed that his team boss and the team's chief engineer had come up with the plan and that he'd been pressured into it. The team boss and the engineer were both suspended from the sport, although the bans were subsequently overturned on appeal. Piquet Jr had talks with a couple of other F1 teams, but decided to move to NASCAR when he failed to get a drive. His father, Nelson Piquet, won the F1 World Championship three times in the '80s and entered two Indy 500s after he retired from F1.

Thought you may know of him . . . or did you look that up? Seems like he likes to carry trouble around...or perhaps that is just me.

[HossC]

Thought you may know of him . . . or did you look that up?

A bit of both if I'm honest . I remember him racing and I remember the crash. I double-checked the years and I couldn't remember what had eventually happened to the team boss and chief engineer.

Incidentally, talking of punishments, there's been a high-profile story in the news on my side of the Atlantic this week. In a top-level soccer match last weekend, one of the players bit an opponent on the arm. The match officials missed the incident, but it was caught on camera. His club fined him an undisclosed amount of money and the governing body have banned him for ten matches (which goes into next season). The fine is unlikely to matter much as he earns over $150k/week, but it's been a major talking point over here. I think NASCAR needs to take a serious look at driver discipline as well as minor technical infringements.

[Garrett Duke]

A bit of both if I'm honest . I remember him racing and I remember the crash. I double-checked the years and I couldn't remember what had eventually happened to the team boss and chief engineer.

Incidentally, talking of punishments, there's been a high-profile story in the news on my side of the Atlantic this week. In a top-level soccer match last weekend, one of the players bit an opponent on the arm. The match officials missed the incident, but it was caught on camera. His club fined him an undisclosed amount of money and the governing body have banned him for ten matches (which goes into next season). The fine is unlikely to matter much as he earns over $150k/week, but it's been a major talking point over here. I think NASCAR needs to take a serious look at driver discipline as well as minor technical infringements.

Well I guess at least Piquet Jr didn't bite Brian Scott...still think the kick should be penalized.

[Garrett Duke]

Well I feel the need to vent...

Must admit I did not watch the Nationwide Series race last Friday night and all that I know about what happened between Nelson Piquet Jr and Brian Scott is from what I read and the small video I have seen online. So perhaps I am missing something...I don't know.

But apparently in NASCAR it is OK for a driver to kick another driver below the belt, but it is not OK for the crew members to fight that driver.

Those two crewmembers of Brian Scott that had been arrested Friday night now have been suspended for four races and fined $15,000 as well as put on probation through the end of the year for not representing NASCAR well by the fight or something like that.

Piquet Jr and Scott have been placed on probation through June 26 for their banging of cars...and yet nothing for the kick.

Perhaps I am the only one not understanding NASCAR's reasoning behind this? I am a die hard NASCAR fan and will back NASCAR til the day they bury me, but all the same, just don't make sense to me.

[Garrett Duke]

Well team Penske has lost their appeal to drop their charges of illegal parts they were found with before the Texas race a couple of weeks ago (for Joey Logano's and Brad Keselowski's cars. They were found with their rear housing not being up to NASCAR's standards.) So Penske is going to take it another step take it from the three person panel to NASCAR's Chief Appellate Officer. (From Penske's appeal )

Also...after missing four races or so due to a back injury, Denny Hamlin has finally received the OK by his doctors to get into the race car for Sunday's race at Talledega. Team says they will make more plans once they get to the track, but sounds like they plan on Hamlin starting the race and having a back up driver get in the car sometime during the race. (Denny hasn't gotten any points from Mark Martin or Brian Vickers driving his car while he was out with the injury, but Denny can get points if he starts the race and has someone finish it for him.)

I understand Denny Hamlin wanting to get into the car as soon as possible...it had to have killed him to sit on the side lines and watch someone driving his car and seeing his chance at the Chase dwindling down to next to none. But at the same time, do feel like Denny needs to think about what is best for him - long term. Talledega is a Super Speedway...restrictor plate racing. Talledega and Daytona are two of the fastest tracks on the circuit...Talledega is always known as having the BIG ONE or as Darrell Waltrip would say checkers or wreckers. Personally I would feel Talledega to be one of the worst tracks for Hamlin to return at...I mean if he gets hit or involved in the BIG ONE before he gets out of the car, what will that do to his injured back? They already have stated he will need surgery on it whether it be now or during the off season...why risk hurting his back worse by getting into the car now? (This past paragraph is of MY OPINION...for how little it is worth. I am not a Denny Hamlin fan by any means, but do feel bad for him to be put in this situation and am hoping for the best for him and his team this Sunday. Am sure he will be excited to get back into the car...)

[HossC]

So Penske is going to take it another step take it from the three person panel to NASCAR's Chief Appellate Officer. (From Penske's appeal )

I read the first two or three dozen comments under the story in that link - every single one implied that NASCAR is losing the plot and its audience. The one that really made me smile was the suggestion that the only thing worse than NASCAR's penalties was their new website .