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Today In Nascar History
April 6, 1997
Texas Motor Speedway hosts a pair of first for Jeff Burton. Jeff takes the checkered flag at the Interstate Batteries 500 at the speedway. It's the first Winston Cup race ever run at TMS and is also Jeff's first win of his career.
April 8, 1951
The first NASCAR race is held west of the Mississippi river at Gardenia, CA. Marshall Teague wins the 200 lap race at the Carrell Speedway.
April 8, 1979
David Pearson is fired by the Wood Brothers. David loses his left side tires when he leaves the pits before the lugnuts are on. David drove for the Wood Brothers for 7 years and had 43 wins.
April 9, 1961
Fred Lorenzen, driving a Ford, wins at Martinsville for the first Grand National victory of his career. He would go on to win two more races in 1961. Lorenzen collected 26 victories in his career, and is tied with Rex White for 19th place on the all-time list (through the 2000 season).
Do You Think Dale Earnhardt Jr. Should Have Been Given the Black Flag for the Pass on Kenseth Under the Yellow Line at Talladega?
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Comments from the Peanut Gallery
More debate on the “Pass” Now, I am having a hell of a time keeping my mouth shut. Maybe I just need to pretend to be someone else so I can say my piece!
from Jeff
I thought they (NASCAR) said that if you were passing and was forced
below the yellow line that you would not be black flagged as long as you
gave the spot back. I guess that did not apply to Jr.
Jeff24
Darby, Pa
from O’Sure
from Dave
Earnhardt made an illegal pass, but because it was Earnhardt it was
ruled legal! A fixed result by Mike (Fat-Boy) Helton and his "rule"
book! What a joke!
I don't have the "official rule book" in front of me and I feel that
Dave must, but, I had heard that if the driver was "pushed" down below
the line then NASCAR 'could' rule in favor of the passing driver. # 17
was all over the track before, during and after # 8 was passing. #8 was
just a few inches of completing his pass when #17 drove down to "block
--- or drive #8 below the line". With the M&M car with inches behind
#8 when the pass was being made, if #8 would have slowed there would have
been a wreck to take the rest of the field.
As a matter habit I tape all W.C. races to review any things like this
one, #8 made a good pass per "the officials". The tape backs that up and
unlike last week, I have NOT heard them say "Sorry, we made a mistake".
If you had taped the race, you could watch it yourself in slow motion again
and again.
Makes watching racing fun, doesn't it?
O'SURE
from Bob
“Before going further, I guess I better tell you all that I’m not sure
if NASAR made the right call for the pass. I watched the replay,
and it looked like Jr. was already past Kenseth when he went below the
yellow line. A lot of the drivers say he wasn’t. Among them,
Jimmie Johnson. However, Jimmie was on the high side, so how could
he see what Jr. was doing. I know a lot of you will tell me what
you think, but in my opinion, it LOOKED like Jr. didn’t do anything wrong.”
Well, I noted that several comments were made that "he didn't have to go that low, he was just being safe". Bull! If you listened to his post race comments, he mentioned "you are drafting off the side of cars today!" If you want to get dragged along (or held back), you close up to the car next to you. If you are passing, you want to create separation. That's what he was doing.
I've reviewed both "passes", and Junior was no further back when he went below the yellow line, than Brian Vickers was at the start line the day before. Brian got the death penalty, but Jr. went to party with the Winston girls.
(PS-anyone note that E Jr. did his spin through the Pepsi logo in the grass -- isn't he a Coke driver?)
I felt the yellow line was a good rule, but if they don't enforce it, or do so selectively, it's garbage. How come no one noticed or commented when earlier, Jeff Gordon went under the line, much more aggressively, and wound up crashing out Biffle?
The real problem is restrictor plates. I've never understood why they can't go to 275ci V6s, and if that is still too fast, drop the size again. Remember that Pete Hamilton won at Daytona in the 70s with a 305ci Superbird, and today's engines put out sooo much more power. None of today's NASCAR V8s are based on a production engine, and it's logical, (but not macho) to go to a realistic engine.
“At one point in the early going, Earnhardt had lost the lead pack and > was facing the possibility of being lapped until debris on the track brought out another of the six cautions and allowed him to pit for more adjustments.
Gee! How come no one noted that the caution was for roll bar padding that "fell out of" Steve Park's car!
Cheers, Bob
PS - This comes under the "dog ate my Homework" category. I had this all written and edited, and my computer locked up. So I had to wait until later to resend.
LOL Bob…hope the dog is full! Did they show the padding coming from Park’s car? Now, I’m not being sarcastic, I just didn’t see it happen.
from Susie
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Roush Racing teammates Greg Biffle and Kurt Biffle
were dismayed enough to end Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway
with torn-up race cars. Adding salt to their wounds was the fact that they
provided the coup de gras for each other's ultimately miserable day. Kurt
BIFFLE???
I was so mad! Just as they started their engines, the cable channel went out and did not come back on till there were 47 laps left. I was hopping. The channel comes out of Omaha and they "lost" it. It is bad when you see your favorite driver (Tony Stewart) and others you like clear in the back and a zillion laps down and not know what happened. But I did root for Jr to win. Almost had to hold my breath there at the last,tho. Later, Susie
from Jeff
Momma,
I applaud Lori Tyler on her comments. I agree with all she had
to say. Restrictor plate racing is ruining a good racing sport. Not only
does the wrecks cause the teams millions of dollars, But us also as consumers.
Everyone of the sponsors that has to pay the big price of sponsorships
and replacement cost of the cars has to pass it on to us consumers also.
The cost of the race event ticket's is hard enough to come up with. Maybe
more of us could attend more events if the sponsors didn't have to pay
the high price of sponsorships, and we could save more shopping at for
their products. The needless wrecks caused by such close circumstances
in restrictor plate races, could save us all a little money. Maybe NASCAR
will wake up soon. Jeff Roberts, Sealy, Texas
from Mofin54
I agree with Dave, NASCAR will keep on until they ruin the sport I've
loved for 33 years. Take away the restrictor plates and yellow lines and
let the boys rumble!!!!!!!!!! Mofin54
from Larry
NA$CAR Momma,
The 'yellow line rule' has got to go! If you can't use the whole
race track, then why have all that track? I think Little "E" made
a legal pass on Matt on nothing can make me feel different or make me change
my opinion of that pass.
As far as the poll goes, there was some 'double-voting' today and I
will not tolerate that whether it be for, or against, if anyone thought
it was a legal pass. The votes were, and will be, deleted if someone
tries to vote more than once each day.
Larry
Ok guys, no more voting more than once a day! I don't want to lose my "pollster."
from Melinda
Well like most good Americans, I'm proud to say "I voted". The biggest
percentage said he shouldn't have gotten the black flag. I think
he should have. Interesting enough there were fewer than 50 votes.
You said the other drivers were trying to "dethrone" Junior. Well, just remember like Elvis was "The King", Michael Jackson's attempt to be called "The King" got him "King of Pop"
Junior can be "King of Talladega", but Richard Petty is The King"
I have to admire you for printing both sides.
Melinda
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RACE RATINGS TRAIL 2002 PACE
Nielsen says Fox's broadcast of Sunday's Aaron's 499 Winston Cup race
from Talladega Superspeedway drew an overnight 5.7 rating and a 12 share,
according to today's Sports Business Daily. The figures were well off the
final numbers for 2002 Talladega race, which was run two weeks later and
drew a 7.0/16, but all sports programming appears to be continuing to feel
the impact of the war with Iraq. The Daily reports that the two NCAA basketball
tournament semifinal games were off 30 percent and 25 percent.
By Jeff Wilson
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
The lawsuit that could bring Texas Motor Speedway another Winston Cup race has cleared two more roadblocks and shouldn't face another until NASCAR asks for a summary judgment later this year.
U.S. District Judge Richard A. Schell handed down his rulings late last week. NASCAR's motion to dismiss Francis Ferko as plaintiff and replace him with Speedway Motorsports Inc. was denied, and a motion by SMI attorneys to dismiss a cross-claim for a declaratory judgment as granted.
Richmond International Raceway says Busch Series tests planned for Tuesday and Wednesday have been postponed because of expected bad weather. The track says Ron Hornaday, one of three drivers expected this week, has rescheduled his test to next week. The track says Ricky Rudd and Kurt Busch are scheduled to test their Winston Cup cars April 15 and 16, along with Busch Series drivers Dave Blaney, Coy Gibbs, Stacey Compton, Lyndon Amick, Martin Truex Jr., Chad Blount and Hornaday. Sterling Marlin and Jason Rudd will test on April 16 and 17, and more drivers are expected April 22-23. The track says gates will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day of testing for fans who want to watch and says updated lists of drivers will be posted at www.rir.com.
Veteran Craftsman Truck Series driver and crew chief Bob Keselowski has been upgraded to stable condition in a Michigan hospital, but neither he nor his wife, Kay, plans to be at Saturday's Advance Auto Parts 250 at Martinsville. Kay Keselowski says Bob's brother Ron will fill in as crew chief for their No. 29 truck driven by Terry Cook, while Jason Pasch, Jack Sprague's spotter, will fill that role for Kay. "The prognosis looks really good for Bob, and he is improving rapidly every day," said Kay Keselowski this morning.
Winston Cup drivers Kurt Busch and Rusty Wallace are taking part in the Visa credit card company's Ultimate NASCAR Experience promotion, which will give 14 winners and three guests each a weekend NASCAR experience. Prizes include round-trip air travel to a Winston Cup race, trackside accommodations aboard the Visa motor coach and an official team uniform to wear on race day. Winners also receive a ride in an official pace car with Busch or Wallace, both of whom are featured in print and television advertising for the contest. Visa customers are entered each time they use their credit card. Details are expected to be available at www.visa.com/NASCAR.
Kentucky Speedway says four Winston Cup teams and a Busch Series squad are scheduled to test at the track this week. Dave Blaney was to test today in Jasper Motorsports' No. 77 Ford, while fellow Winston Cup drivers Jamie McMurray in Chip Ganassi Racing's No. 42 Dodge and Tony Raines in BACE Motorsports' No. 74 Chevrolet are expected to test Wednesday and Thursday. Hank Parker Jr. is also scheduled to test a Winston Cup car for Evernham Motorsports on Wednesday and Thursday, while Brewco Motorsports is listed as testing a Busch entry on the same days, but no driver is named. While testing is not open to the public, the track says fans may watch from the visitor center in turn three.
Martinsville Speedway says Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore will serve as grand marshal for Sunday's Virginia 500 Winston Cup race.
Hermie Sadler is scheduled to announce sponsorship for additional Winston Cup races from TNA wrestling during Wednesday's airing of "NWA-TNA: Total Nonstop Action" on InDemand and DirecTV. The pay-per-view event is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. (Eastern).
Speed Channel says Winston Cup driver Michael Waltrip will join Rick Allen, Dorsey Schroeder and Barry Dodson as announcers for Saturday's airing of the Advance Auto Parts 250 Craftsman Truck Series event at Martinsville Speedway. Waltrip will have a special interest in the race since he has entered a truck for his older brother, Darrell. The truck will also carry extra cameras, and Darrell Waltrip will be wired for sound.
Shane Hall will return to the Busch Series this weekend as the driver of Jay Robinson Racing's No. 39 entry in Saturday's Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway, according to BGNracing.com. Jeff Fuller, meanwhile, says on his Web site, www.JeffFuller.org, that he will take part at Nashville in the No. 91 Pontiac owned by Stanton Barrett, who is driving for Roush Racing this season.
HARRISBURG, N.C. -- Veteran mechanic Tony Furr will serve as crew chief for Winston Cup Rookie of the Year candidate Jack Sprague, beginning at this weekend's Virginia 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
Furr replaces Dennis Connor at Haas CNC Racing. Connor has worked with Sprague for the last eight seasons. Together they won three championships in the Craftsman Truck Series, in 1997, 1999 and 2001.
In 2002 Sprague and Connor moved to the Busch Series for Hendrick Motorsports, their Truck Series employer. Near the end of the 2002 season, team owner Gene Haas announced plans to field a Winston Cup team for Sprague that would be closely allied with Rick Hendrick's operation.
Kyle Busch's deal with Hendrick Motorsports is coming into shape, as the team announced it will put Busch in Joe Nemechek's Busch Series cars for six races this season.
Sponsorship comes from Ditech.com, a mortgage company that is part of GMAC Mortgage.
Busch will make his Busch Series debut in the Carquest 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 24, driving NEMCO Motorsports No. 87 Chevrolet.
Credit: Autostock
Conversation: Sterling Marlin
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
FORT WORTH, Texas -- A year ago Sterling Marlin and Chip Ganassi Racing were in the thick of the NASCAR Winston Cup championship race.
Seven races into the 2002 season Marlin had won twice and was in the midst of a streak that would see him lead the standings for 25 straight weeks. A year later, Marlin has only two top-10 finishes and has struggled to stay in the top 20 in points.
Before the Samsung/RadioShack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend, Marlin sat down with NASCAR.com's Dave Rodman to talk about media coverage of the war in Iraq, the difference a year makes in competition and hunting for Civil War relics, among many other topics.
Q: What's your opinion on the media's role in the war in Iraq?
Sterling Marlin: I think it's too much coverage. With the technology we have today they can just beam it right back over here and it's happening live. It's good in one way and it's bad in one way. But I think for the families that have got people over there they can halfway keep up with what's going on, so that's good.
I talked with a guy at an autograph session yesterday and his son is over there. He said he's been watching it 24 hours a day. So I guess if you want to you can do that and keep up w ith what's going on. Then again, it looks like that's all anybody's watching. I don't know -- it's just 24 hours a day.
Q: A year ago at this point you were leading the points and had won twice. What can you say to make people understand you're not really doing anything different in 2003 than you did last year?
For the past two years we were more competitive on the get-go. We really got a good shot out of the gate. If you look at any Dodge -- none of the Dodges have been competitive. Rusty (Wallace) led Rockingham, that's one of his best tracks. We got up to second there before we blew up. But if you look at it, out of the first five races we should have got four top-fives.
We got a black flag at Daytona and there's no doubt in my mind we'd'a
been top-five there. At
Rockingham if we hadn't have blown up we'd'a been top-five. At Vegas we
drove from 34th to third and ended up running eighth and at Atlanta we
just got stomped, run 14th. We come back to Darlington and had a real good
car and just got stuffed in the fence, so it's just a lot of bad luck early.
We've qualified good and we've qualified bad. We've either been top-10 or 34th. I think we've just got to work on our stuff a little bit more. We need to work on our bodies and get them tuned up a little bit more. We had to cut all the bodies off our cars and I don't think we've got the downforce back to where we needed to be last year.
The motor guys just keep trying from week to week to get more horsepower, so it's just a few tenths here and there and we're back in business. We've run good, but we ain't been the dominant car like we have been the last two years. Two years ago we led just about every race we come into but times change and the rules change and you've just got to adjust to what's going on.
Q: How does the 2003 Dodge compare to the 2002 car, from your seat?
You know, I can't tell any difference in it. People ask how the Chevrolet compares to the Dodge -- but it's hard to tell, unless you can get right out of one and into the other. You can't wait six months to get out of one and into the other or sure, it's going to feel like it did last year or not much different.
Q: Has Chip been pretty patient with the team, and how does his management style compare to when Felix Sabates was the primary owner of the team?
With Chip, all he's done is raced. He probably knows we're off in a couple areas, and right now we're trying to get it fixed. Like I said, none of the Dodges has been real good. Ryan Newman qualifies like a ball of fire but in the race, we usually out-run him or are right with him. But no Dodges have been super-competitive.
I talked to Chip this week and he said, 'we're gonna fix it. Just hang with us and we're gonna fix it.' That's the thing about us the last two years. We really started off good. Last year we hit a little slump and was coming back and that's when I got hurt (at Richmond and Kansas City). In this business you've got to not be afraid to roll your sleeves up and go to work and try different stuff if you have to.
Q: Is something other than aero matching -- or whatever they want to call it -- affecting the results we've seen on the race track so far this season?
I don't know -- circumstances could be part of it. You get some tracks that are so hard to pass on. Like Texas, you run so hard into the corners and the tires don't fall off much -- very little. So you see a lot of no-tire stops, or two-tire stops to try to get track position. It's so tough to pass you have to be aware of making decisions like that.
And if you go into the pits eighth or 10th and come out the same, then you have a restart you're really starting 20th -- because of the lapped cars on the inside. Those cars you've lapped are good cars and it takes so long to weed your way back through them that the leader is coming off Turn 4 and you're in Turn 2 by the time you get through traffic.
If you can get good track position all day and stay up front among the first two or three cars then you've got a good shot, especially late in the race. But early in the race you have to take some gambles to get up front.
Q: Have you continued with a workout program for your neck, and how has it been feeling lately? With all the crappy weather we've had, does it feel any different depending on the temperature and humidity?
Naw. That was what was weird, my neck never really hurt, after the accidents I had at Richmond and Kansas City. My chest was what was so sore because I tore all the ligaments in it. I have some weight stuff that the UT coaches (University of Tennessee) give me that I used over the winter after I healed up. I ain't done nothing to it otherwise. It hasn't hurt during the races and I don't feel anything with the weather changes, so you never know.
Q: Is Jimmy Spencer a pretty good example of how a simple chemistry change can make a huge difference in a career path?
That's (chemistry) key. Everybody has got to get along and believe in each other. He's gone over to the 7 car (at Ultra Motorsports) and really run good this year. I'm proud of him. I don't know what the deal was last year -- they just never did mesh.
A driver, the crew chief and the team manager has really got to get along good and be best friends and it never did come together last year. I don't know why. Jimmy's a great guy and he's been running good this year.
Q: Last year you didn't have much chance to indulge your hobby of hunting for Civil War relics. Have you had any chance to go souvenir hunting lately? Do you spend any time planning trips you might make, mapping locations you might want to explore?
You want to go. In advance you say you're going to do this or that, and something always comes up (laughing). You get too busy and you can't go. I've got some good spots to go and I haven't had time. Now is the time to be going because when it gets to May the grass will be too tall to hunt stuff unless somebody keeps it trimmed.
Some places we go to are pretty good. Last year in Richmond we got to go through the Confederate Museum. We got to really go through it, like down in the bottom where people don't get to see. When we're in an area like Richmond it's easy to go to places, but say you're going to Pocono. It's really hard to just stop off in a place like Chambersburg just to look at stuff.
Q: You're racing with two young teammates, Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears. Have they leaned on your experience a lot, or are they pretty independent and trying to find their own way?
I've got two great teammates. Of course I knew Jamie from last year,
when he replaced me
when I was hurt. Casey I really didn't know that good, but I'm really impressed
with both of them. They come to me and say 'how do I need to do this? On
green flag pit stops where do I need the car to be to get out of the pits?'
They're full of questions each week and I'm impressed with both of them.
Q: In 2003 you have a hot garage versus a cold garage. How have you liked the new system six races into the season?
It's been a lot easier in the garage. Last year I looked at Little E (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) or (Jeff) Gordon and it was impossible for them to go from the truck to the race car because there'd be 20 or 30 people that would just mob them.
I think what they have to understand is that those people (who insist on getting autographs in the garage) have made it hard for the rest of the people. This is where you work and where you make your living. It would be like someone coming into your office when you're doing a business deal and sitting down on your desk and getting your mind off what you're doing. It's been a lot better this year.
Q: What's the strangest autograph request -- or episode with a fan -- which you previously had in the garage, or anywhere else?
I don't know -- they're all different (laughing). You get asked to sign
a lot of different things. At
Bristol a guy came through the autograph line with his head shaved and
said to sign his head (laughing). It's great -- the fans are great and
that's why I try to make time to go to the souvenir trailer once a week.
The people that sit in the stands outside the track and support us -- I
try to go out and meet them. There's a lot of people in the fan club that
have never got to meet you and shake hands with you so it's good to go
out and intermingle with them.
Q: That's a neat commercial you do with Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace. Did Dodge give you one of those vehicles to drive after you did it?
No (laughing). They wouldn't let us drive them. That truck had a Viper motor in it and I was really wanting to drive it, but it was kind of an experimental deal. We had to cut the commercial short to get out of town and they finished it the next day. They probably would have let us drove them but I was sure wanting to drive that Dodge truck. They don't give us one of them to drive as our personal cars, but I have a three-quarter ton Dodge diesel pickup and it's a great truck.
Your
Momma
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
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