"No Testing" NASCAR says...SURRRRREEEE......

[Busch Babe 899]

Hi guys, long time, no talkee!!

I've been around, but in the circus that is NASCAR, there really hasn't been ANYTHING I feel worth discussing this season. Kyle Versus Denny?? Kyle verus EVERYONE....Carl and Brad??? Naw, those aren't real rivalries. Even when Kyle is involved...that's just par for the course for him. I mean, I don't remember a time when SOMEONE wasn't ticked off at him!! But how long has it been since Jeff Burton was caught on camera yelling at ANYONE???  (yes, that perked my interest a bit!)

But I've been suffering with other RFR fans the last year and a half, since NASCAR instituted their supposed "NO TESTING" policy, when "the Cat in the Hat" apparently took NASCAR at the letter of the law, and stopped testing, focusing on developing simulator technology that could produce the same results as testing. And it appears he was the only one who took NASCAR seriously.

Some of you know I'm a moderator over on the RFR boards, and lemme tell you, there's been a LOT of discussion over there about why RFR in general is in such a slump....I mean, other than Jamie Mac's win at 'Dega last fall, I can't remember the last Roush win. And even with 3 of the 4 teams making the Chase last year, none of them were really a challenge for the 48 team. I expect to see Roush in victory lane more than once every 6 months, which is what it's degenerating to (Congrats to Jamie Mac, though, who seems to have found where he fits best...back with Chip and happy, it seems.)

Of course, as a moderator over there, I'm expected to wrangle the members, and keep the peace.

But not here. HERE, I can put it out there, what I'm really thinking. (and it's not just because my BF is a moderator...I know YOU folks won't take any offense, I won't be accused of bashing Roush, etc........In a nutshell, I don't have to set a good example. )

In recent months, the number of friends and acquaintances I have who follow teams and drivers on Twitter (not to mention media, like our own Tom Bowles!!) has reached critical mass, and I decided I needed to at least check things out in Twitterville.

And boy, is it interesting the tidbits you can pick up.

One of the drivers I follow is Juablo, yup, JPM himself...I don't understand when he posts in his native language, but in light of RFR's adherence to NASCAR's rules and the concurrent slump that I believe is a direct result (heck, Carl Edwards won 9 races the season before that was instituted!! Too much of a coincidence in my opinion, the abrupt drop off in winning),  a couple of tweets in recent weeks have caught my attention...along with quotes and interviews and news bits over the last few months or so...that have set that lightbulb off over my head.

Hendrick, RCR, Ganassi, Penske, they're all testing at Non-NASCAR tracks. JPM was at VIR in the past week or 2, as was Marcos Ambrose, because he almost wrecked JPM in testing, and the resulting tweet was colorful. LOL

RFR is NOT testing. Jack Roush agreed with NASCAR, and chose to pursue something that may eventually give him an edge over the competition (not to mention the sales, if he develops a product the other teams want to lease or purchase) in NASCAR, completely stopping testing other than mandated tests (like the recent NW Daytona COT test). RFR has been focusing on developing simulator technology to replicate testing (which, in light of Greg Biffle's comments on Trackside Friday night at Charlotte, where he said they were finding that much of the time the simulations weren't accurate...and a couple of recent quotes from the likes of Carl Edwards, saying similar...obviously they still have some bugs to work out). This is cool, but I think it's the main reason Roush is so far behind right now...

This all ticks me off to no end, and not just because I cheer for teams currently on the short end of the stick because their owner chose to follow that rule!!

I mean, I get what NASCAR was getting at with their "no testing" rule, trying to end testing to save teams money...but if the teams go ahead and go AROUND that rule and test anyway, what is really being saved??? I mean, you can't tell me Hendrick is spending any less now than they did 2 years ago on testing when both Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson mention testing recently in interviews. THEY'RE STILL TESTING!!

If NASCAR truly wants this ruling to be a serious ruling, why don't they just mandate only 4 tests at 4 specific tracks a year:

Daytona, in January, as they have in the past
Bristol or Martinsville or another similar small track (South Boston?) nearer the home base of most of the teams to test for short tracks
Charlotte for intermediate tracks
VIR for road courses (most who are testing appear to be using that track anyway, because of it's proximity to Charlotte)

AND limit the number of teams an owner can send. No more than 2 teams from any owner each year; RFR, Hendrick, RCR, Ganassi, Stewart-Haas...it doesn't have to be the SAME 2 teams for each test, but just 2 teams for each test....you get my drift.

They could give the owners an option for spring or a fall schedule for testing. They'd all test at Daytona in January, but teams can opt then to do the rest of their testing in the spring, ending up before the first road course race of the season, Watkins Glen in June (or Pocono, if you agree with DW's Roval theory-part road course).

OR teams can opt to test in the fall, getting a jump start on the next season.

And then say "YOU CAN'T TEST ANYWHERE ELSE, ANY TIME ELSE! PERIOD!!".  [Jack will thank me for this...they'd swarm to him for his simulator technology, once he got it perfected! LOL]

I mean, how much money is really being saved? And they're still not evening up the playing field, because the smaller teams can't afford all these tests anyway, so it's still uneven. The single car teams are still going to suffer unless they affiliate with one of the biggies, but that's happening now anyway, so NASCAR's rule isn't benefiting anyone, anyway.

WHEW!! I feel SO much better getting all of that off my chest!! LOL

[scott b]

Interesting post.  I agree RFR's hardline approach to the no testing policy could be putting them at a disadvantage, especially with the switch back to the spoiler.  While simulators are a good idea to pursue for the future, I don't see how they can run an accurate simulation without some real-world numbers to plug in, and that can still only come from track testing with all the data acquisition devices in place.

How NASCAR would enforce a strict no-testing policy, I'm not sure, especially at tracks like VIR and the Rock that are not one the schedule (and which really depend on testing for income).  There always seems to be a way around it, just like the 4-car per team limit gets blurred by "technical alliances."  I suspect you'd see some ARCA teams suddenly getting a lot of help, or some other work-around by the teams that do have the money to spend.

[OregonSHRFan]

My first thought about NASCAR saying there would be no testing was that it left it wide open for testing at any track not currently on the schedule. Plenty of wiggle room for those teams who weren't following the new rule for the "spirit" of its intent which was to cut costs. I didn't believe for a nano-second that NASCAR gave a rip about how much teams are spending, to the down fall of small teams, and a team owner who took the new rule for its generality. Even when Jack sees other teams testing at other tracks he still won't put his team on a even playing field by joining the testing. Simulators are great. Lots of drivers have used them over the years to learn tracks. But what Jack wants to learn with a simulator is beyond realistic. How is tire wear because Goodyear has brought a new tire translated? How about rain washing the rubber thats laid down? Im not an engineer but it seems like too many nuances for a simulator to pick up to replace actual testing. F-1 with all its super technology still tests, its engineering isn't enough. Sure, maybe in five or ten years the technology might be developed. In the meantime, RFR is behind and will stay behind.
I was very happy to see Jamie get out from under the Cat in the Hat. He will continue to do well with Chip in an atmosphere primed for growth. Jack is in a rut, he has tunnel vision. He is trying to run a business that isn't all technology and engineering with total technology and engineering. Remember the story of "The Emperior's New Clothes"? Well, Jack is standing there in all his pride and glory, just wearing his hat.

[DougS]

First off to help out BB: The last RFR wins besides Jamie's @ Talladega was Matt Kenseth in back to back wins the 2009 Daytona 500 and California.

Testing: Everyone is doing it except RFR and the results show. I listen to Sirius radio on my commute and love Ray Everham's segment when he's on. One thing he learned when he ran his team if you get behind a little you get behind a lot and it's even harder and more expensive to catch back up.

Spirit of the Rule: Please this is a sport of kings. NASCAR particularly wrote that rule (and for good reason) with as many loopholes as possible. The good reason, competition. If anyone watched Indy yesterday that was a complete and utter stinker of a race. It also put NASCAR into some good graces of smaller track owners who now have an income in this rough economy with a life line of funding. I'm glad to see they even modified the rule and opened up the NASCAR east west tracks this year.

Saving Teams Money: There has never been a bigger oxy-moron in this sport than that little catch phrase. RFR didn't buy his simulator equipment at Office Depot before they went to SHR. It didn't stop Gene Haas from okaying a 20 million dollar wind tunnel from his prison cell, HMS and JGR didn't even blink when the rule came out. And NASCAR in the interest of its Fans (Media) comes out with a modified GWC rule that now has three attempts, how did that save any team money?

FORD: Just because RFR has signed off of testing not everyone in the Ford camp has. Granted I'm the biggest person for pointing out pay for play on this board (at least I think I am). But pay for play is actually paying off right now for Paul Menard. Speed did a segment on Slugger Labbe and Paul on a test out at greenway (I think) and they learned a lot and applied to Bristol and Dover which helped Paul get good results. It also helped on several RPM cars with braking packages. But here I can say because Menard's is putting up the money to test we've definitely seen marked improvement on that #98 car. It is no longer surprising to me when the #98 out performs the #88 (insert Dale Jr overrated comment here). 

[SMOKEN14]

Well I apologize in advance to BB but 2 things that make me smile in Na$car. Jimmy Johnson having a bad race AND FORDS NOT in victory lane. Heck I even root for my 2nd Favorite driver
Kasey Khane to not go to victory lane this year[ thank god he's only in a POS Ford this year  ]

[FS_Amy]

All of the teams who are testing are following NASCAR's rule.  The rule is "no testing at NASCAR-sanctioned tracks," not "no testing."  None of the teams who are testing are doing anything wrong.  Simulators and wind tunnel tests can only do so much-what they cannot do is tell teams how that car feels to the driver's butt and hands-which is probably the sinngle most important part of the information a team can glean from a test.

So, if RFR isn't testing and because of that, their race results are suffering, they have nobody to blame but themselves.  They can go test at any of the tracks that the other teams are at any time.  If they aren't taking advantage of an opportunity that is available to them and to everyone else, shame on them.
 
Teams are independent contractors.  NASCAR has no control over what they do outside of NASCAR.  Unsanctioned tracks are also independent of NASCAR and NASCAR has no control over who they allow to purchase test time.  It would be like your boss telling you that you can't send personal emails from home because it's not allowed at the office.  The only way that NASCAR can exert a complete testing ban on the teams is franchising, a system under which the sanctioning body could also control the teams.  And most fans are totally against the f-word.  But it can't be both ways.  No rules are being broken.

[Chris]

All of the teams who are testing are following NASCAR's rule.  The rule is "no testing at NASCAR-sanctioned tracks," not "no testing."

I couldn't agree with Amy more..  The rules state no testing at races that host NASCAR races,...  not no testing at all..
SO I think it's not even a question of "the spirit" of the rules or anything like that.  Seems to me like it's pretty black and white.. and I don't see any teams violating anything.
Roush has always been ultra-competative.. why he would choose NOT to test at all is a big question to me..  It seems like the results only bear out it is hurting his teams.
I will say I heard on TV this weekend that Roush said all his teams had "gotten behind"... I guess NOT testing would be a good reason why.

For those that keep track of that stuff.. I bet if you watch you'll see RFR teams out testing SOMEWHERE before long.

[Busch Babe 899]

Well I apologize in advance to BB but 2 things that make me smile in Na$car. Jimmy Johnson having a bad race AND FORDS NOT in victory lane. Heck I even root for my 2nd Favorite driver
Kasey Khane to not go to victory lane this year[ thank god he's only in a POS Ford this year  ]

Right back atcha, hon...it almost GAGS me to have to cheer for Mark in a Chebby!!!  

But I cheer for the driver.....would cheer for Mark or Carl if they drove dump trucks. Heck, sometimes it seems like Carl IS!! 

[Busch Babe 899]

All of the teams who are testing are following NASCAR's rule.  The rule is "no testing at NASCAR-sanctioned tracks," not "no testing."  None of the teams who are testing are doing anything wrong.  

I never said they WERE breaking rules, I know it was not a total ban on testing, but when they instituted that rule, that's where many fans and media went with it...."Nascar bans testing". Perhaps I wasn't clear enough...NASCAR said they wanted to limit testing to save teams money and even the playing field for those teams that don't have the resources of a Hendrick, RCR, RFR team. And if that was true, then it's backfired, because MOST of the big teams are testing just as much as before, only at non-sanctioned tracks. Kinda defeats the purpose...but then again, like someone else said, NASCAR really doesn't care about saving teams money. I'm not really sure why they bothered to institute that rule in the first place. 

[Busch Babe 899]

Oh, and a friend just old me that Greg Biffle was SOMEWHERE testing before the CC600...also that all of the RFR teams have been pooling their findings, working closely together in recent weeks, sharing info (I thought they started doing that a couple of years ago??? Musta slacked off)...so sounds to me like Jack has backed down on following the black and white letter of the law, and hopefully if the teams start testing now, they can salvage NEXT season...because it's probably too late for this season..

[OregonSHRFan]

Oh, and a friend just old me that Greg Biffle was SOMEWHERE testing before the CC600...also that all of the RFR teams have been pooling their findings, working closely together in recent weeks, sharing info (I thought they started doing that a couple of years ago??? Musta slacked off)...so sounds to me like Jack has backed down on following the black and white letter of the law, and hopefully if the teams start testing now, they can salvage NEXT season...because it's probably too late for this season..

I hear that there will be RFR cars at Road America tomorrow...... not sure how to verify that.

[SMOKEN14]

Right back atcha, hon...it almost GAGS me to have to cheer for Mark in a Chebby!!!  

But I cheer for the driver.....would cheer for Mark or Carl if they drove dump trucks. Heck, sometimes it seems like Carl IS!! 

I'M not so sure Tony isn't driving a dump truck this year sure ain't no racecar

[DougS]

I hear that there will be RFR cars at Road America tomorrow...... not sure how to verify that.

No one is allowed to test @ road america this year because it's hosting a NNS event. Now THAT would constitute a breaking of the rules.

What drivers are able to do is attend a "driving school" that uses other cars ie buanduarnt sedans some of the scca cars ect. ect.

[Busch Babe 899]

Well, apparently that's not true: this from the 99 team PR rep on twitter:

The 99 team is busy this week. Testing at Road Atlanta tomorrow and then off to Pocono on Thursday

That sure sounds like they are TESTING...not attending a driving school....

Also heard a rumor that Greg Biffle tested somewhere last week.

On Twitter this morning: JPM was off to VIR for ANOTHER 2-day test. and Stephen Wallace is off at Pike's Peak testing for the NW series I assume.....

Whatever, I hope they can find something that helps....It would be heart-breaking to attend Infineon and not have Carl able to at least get up into the top 10....

[Busch Babe 899]

I'M not so sure Tony isn't driving a dump truck this year sure ain't no racecar

LOL I know the feeling honey!!