The Frontstretch: Mirror Driving: Darlington by Frontstretch Staff -- Tuesday May 10, 2005

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Mirror Driving: Darlington

Frontstretch Staff · Tuesday May 10, 2005

 

Welcome to Frontstretch’s newest addition, “Mirror Driving.” Every week, your favorite columnists will sit down and chat about what went right, what went wrong, and what was just plain silly about last week’s race. And if you don’t like it, or don’t agree, well, just make a comment below and tell us how you feel!

This week’s participants:
Tom Bowles (Mondays/Bowles-Eye View)
Dennis Michelsen (Tuesdays/Making the Grade, Wednesdays/Odds and Ends)
Jeff Meyer (Wednesdays/Voices from the Heartland)
Amy Henderson (Fridays/That’s History)
Toni Heffelfinger (Fridays/Second Fiddle)

Tom: Was Saturday night’s race and thrilling finish enough to save the Lady in Black for 2006?

Toni: It should be. But why would NASCAR base a decision on facts? The race was sold out, but they’ll find something else if they’re determined to.
Jeff: I think it’s safe. NASCAR is just threatening so they will sell out and make the fans THINK they have to save it. This is all part of a big marketing ploy.
Amy: Right. The drivers want the track to stay, and even the newer fans do, too…it would make sense to keep it. I can’t see ISC spending the money they did on SAFER barriers and lights at Darlington to use them once.
Toni: I can’t either. And that money had to come from ISC.
Tom: It’s hard to see Darlington NOT on the 2006 schedule. The argument about ISC making all these improvements is a good one…seems to me like we’re looking at starting a new tradition here instead of ending it for good.
Amy: Darlington was selling tickets for next year; they must know something we don’t.
Toni: They ended up with the most popular ticket next to the Bristol night race. But isn’t it funny if they did give Darlington this date to kill it, and it backfired on them?
Tom: Yeah, Toni, you have to wonder what the NASCAR brass was thinking when the track was sold out a week before the race.
Dennis: It’s always all about the money though…if they can make more money at another track, they will. If it was all about the RACING…Rockingham would still be open. I do think that Darlington will be on the schedule in 2006, but NASCAR was getting us ready to miss the track soon.
Tom: Well, in a perfect world, what I’d really like to see is the one Darlington date moved back to Labor Day weekend, but this time on a Sunday night.
Amy: I agree with that, Tom…back to the old Southern 500.
Tom: How cool would that move be? If the rest of the schedule stayed the same, we’d have night races at Bristol, Darlington, and Richmond as the last three races before the Chase. This year’s race at Darlington was good, but can you imagine how crazy it would be with a spot in the Chase on the line?
Amy: Well, there’s another thing I don’t get – Richmond and Bristol aren’t in the Chase, yet Loudon is. Go figure.
Toni: I’m not sure NASCAR really wants that much unpredictability in the Chase with Bristol. And I think Richmond works well as the last race going in. It’s a great track.
Tom: I think it’s more important to have unpredictable short tracks right before the Chase, guys, so you can build up incredible drama even before the Chase begins.
Dennis: Well, one of these years NASCAR is going to have to sit down and do a total re-work of the schedule, just to get a better mix of tracks for the Chase. I think they’ll do it when the NEXT ISC track is ready to open.
Tom: Which is why Darlington would be well served to move back to its Labor Day date. We’ll see what they do…but they’ll never have two dates again. California’s two dates are here to stay, unless another West Coast Track is built…NASCAR cares about the location more than the racing, I guess.
Jeff: Would it be refreshing if we could say something good about NASCAR?
Tom: Hmm…well, a NASCAR driver did spin out Tony Danza in a go-kart. That’s a positive.
Toni: Flipped him right over I heard.
Dennis: Danza wasn’t wearing a helmet, but judging by his TV work, there isn’t much downside to a head injury for Tony.
Tom: For those who haven’t seen the clip, find it on the ‘net…it was some good stuff. Poor Rusty was terrified…he thought he killed Tony Danza.
Jeff: Rusty sure showed HIM Who’s The Boss.
Tom: Anyways, back to Dennis’ point about reworking the schedule…when the heck will the next ISC track open? 2008? ‘09? All this talk about new tracks is just that, talk…20 tracks are on the drawing board, yet none have broken ground.
Dennis: ISC will get the NYC area track done eventually…I am betting an opening date of 2008.
Toni: NASCAR has a lot more hoops to jump through before they can break ground in NYC. But they’re working on it.
Jeff: Personally, I don’t think it will ever be built.
Tom: Yeah, being an NYC-area resident there’s A LOT of hurdles to go through. NYC just approved billions for a new stadium in Manhattan for their 2012 Olympic bid. I don’t think they’re itching to spend money on building another big sports complex.
Dennis: I’d love to see the taxi drivers in a pro-am race in NYC…but I digress.

Tom: Is NASCAR missing more controversies like Michael Waltrip vs Jeff Green? Or is that type of on-track bumping and banging bad for the sport?

Toni: It’s not bad in the sense that it generates interest. It is bad in the sense that retaliating with a car could get someone hurt. I know they used to do it in the old days, but they weren’t going as fast most of the time then.
Dennis: Well, the Intimidator vs Wonderboy rivalry back in the ‘90s did alot to spark interest, but there was more off the track banter than on the track wrecking involved in that one. NASCAR needs rivalries, but innocent drivers always seem to get taken out when you have a Hatfield vs McCoy feud on the track.
Amy: I think it’s the best thing for the sport. Fans love it, and rivalries draw them into sticking up for their favorite of the drivers…and away from criticizing NASCAR.
Jeff: Especially when it had been getting to the point to where the drivers can’t say or do anything even remotely controversial.
Tom: Right, Jeff. You could tell Michael Waltrip was really mad at Jeff Green, but he knew the consequences of saying something in his interview. So at least he went out and told us how he felt on the track…which I think is great, and sorely needed to inject some energy into the sport.
Jeff: I was glad to see Mikey show some emotion, too. Not like him to do that on the track, usually.
Tom: Well, that’s why tracks like Darlington are needed…you CAN do that kind of bump-and-run payback on a smaller track, but not at a high-speed one like California.
Toni: NASCAR is quick to play down any rivalries, though.
Tom: Well, everyone was quick to say “we’re all friends” after the Jimmie Johnson issues the past couple of weeks. But when everyone’s all buddy-buddy, fans don’t care.
Dennis: I happen to think the on the track paybacks keep guys from driving like idiots!! Sort of how the beanball works both ways in the National League, with pitchers having to hit after hitting someone on the other team.
Jeff: I think Jimmie Johnson will have a few more DNFs this year because of the “Bean Ball.”
Tom: See, I think that type of thing would just help the sport. People want to see that type of competitive fire in drivers week in, week out. Why did the 1979 Daytona 500 grab such high TV ratings? People were as interested in the fight on the backstretch between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison as the finish of the race itself.
Dennis: Yes, Donnie and Cale should have gotten a bonus for conduct “instrumental to catapulting us to new heights.”
Dennis: Speaking of driver antics, I can’t believe Kurt Busch didn’t get a huge fine out of what happened Saturday night.
Amy: I wish he had gotten fined. I love it that NASCAR told Kurt Busch how a “champion” should act.
Dennis: Last time a driver did something to NASCAR officials, he got suspended for a race. That would be when Kevin Harvick parked up against the NASCAR trailer, making it tough for the officials to get in or out (at Martinsville in the Truck Series in 2002).
Tom: It was very interesting to me how Fox played up the Waltrip-Green feud, but said nothing about the Kurt Busch incidents…makes you wonder how biased towards certain teams they really are.
Jeff: Yeah, I didn’t even know Kurt had a two lap penalty.
Amy: Did anyone also notice that the broadcast jinxed several drivers on Saturday? First they talk about Kenny Wallace, and he spins. Next, they say what a great run Kyle Busch is having – then a crash! Ditto for Mark Martin.
Toni: Yeah Amy, I was sweating bullets when they were talking about Schrader before the last restart.
Tom: Poor Schrader got screwed out of a Top 10 there, Toni. Newman’s poor restart threw him to the dogs.
Toni: I knew by TV mentioning him that the whole field was going to proceed to drive directly over him. The Fox jinx. And yet they let that restart with Newman fly, Tom. What was that about favoring some teams over others?
Amy: I wonder if that was as much Newman having no grip as anything, though.But iwas legal…the leader controls the restart.
Jeff: Newman had to try SOMETHING, he knew he was in trouble. But he just stacked ‘em up behind him. Not that it did him any good.

Tom: Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman continue to feud while their seasons hang in the balance. With both drivers struggling to stay in the Top 10, is it time to kiss and make up?

Amy: Yes. They need to get over it before other teams and races pass them by.
Dennis: Sorry, but I don’t think anyone will be able to get along with Rusty, unless they are willing to plant their lips firmly on his tush.
Jeff: I could care less about it myself. If they can’t work things out in their OWN house, that’s their problem.
Toni: If they don’t get along, they don’t get along. It only hurts them. However, must we keep reading about it forever?
Jeff: They are only hurting themselves.
Dennis: Newman finished MUCH better than Rusty last year…so who has the better ideas there? Hmm…
Jeff: Ryan does have a degree in engineering…and I don’t think the kind for driving trains…
Tom: Doesn’t matter this year, Jeff. I’m sticking to my guns on this one… Ryan needs to make up with Rusty, not the other way around. Why would Rusty make up with Ryan? He’s got a teammate willing to do whatever he wants in Travis Kvapil.
Dennis: Rusty only cares about Rusty…heck, a few years ago he wouldn’t even campaign for his own brother Mike to get a Penske ride, even after he showed he could get the job done!
Tom: I don’t think that was Rusty’s call, Dennis. Penske decided to pull the plug on that team long before Wallace got in the car.
Amy: From what I understand, it’s not even Rusty and Ryan so much as Rusty and Matt Borland. But the sooner the 12 team realizes that Rusty isn’t going to work with them or anyone else, the better off everyone will be.
Tom: See, that’s the thing Amy, people don’t understand that Rusty IS working with someone. It’s just Kvapil.
Dennis: Rusty cares about Rusty and if the story is not about Rusty…then Rusty is not happy!!
Tom: Well, after the career Rusty’s had, in his last year he deserves to get the equipment he wants, the way he wants it set up. And he’s going to get it that way. If the 12 wants to be competitive, it better learn how to adapt to that equipment, because fighting it won’t do any good.
Amy: To a degree. How many of Kvapil’s ideas and setups do you think the 2 runs? It’s a one-way street there, I fear.
Toni: I don’t know Amy, but if the 77 comes up with something in a test that helps the 2, I bet they use it.
Tom: It may be heavily favored on Rusty’s side, Amy, but just having that team cooperating, that’s seven extra tests the 2 car didn’t have before.
Dennis: Penske makes sure that 2 car has gotten everything they need; they have to keep Miller happy because they are the most important sponsor Penske has right now. But did that help Rusty last season? NOPE.
Tom: Well, Rusty had a pretty awful stretch of bad luck in ’04. He was a Top 10 car otherwise.
Amy: And none of those teams are truly in winning form at the moment…they need to get their internal problems fixed and focus on racing.
Dennis: Rusty and Ryan like their cars much different anyway…so I am not sure how much that would help.
Amy: True, Dennis, but the teams can’t afford to put their energy into a feud, either. It needs to be about what it will take to make both teams run better.
Tom: Things are only going to get worse as we head into the second half of the year should this stay unresolved, as it appears Rusty’s buyout at Penske will become a major issue. It may even affect who’s in the 2 for 2006.
Jeff: How much of the feud do you think is media hype?
Tom: I don’t think a lot of it is hype. Newman chose to speak about it last week. And he’s not a guy that just opens up to the media…that in itself tells you something.
Toni: I disagree. Does anyone think there aren’t a host of other teammates who don’t get along? Take Biffle and Martin. They’re not cozy, from what I understand; but in that case, we don’t have a driver like Rusty who is willing to put it in the media. And the media runs with it.
Amy: Right, Toni. If the media would leave it alone, it would be a non-issue to most fans.
Dennis: Biffle and Busch are both very outspoken, Martin is not…that’s the biggest difference.
Jeff: Although Busch has been pretty good…up until Saturday.
Amy: The way Biffle publicly puts his own team down, it’s a wonder they are winning the way they are.
Dennis: There’s a difference at Roush, though, in that all the crew chiefs seem to get along and share data.
Tom: That’s a concept Roush forces on them, Dennis. Penske doesn’t do that for some reason, and I can’t understand why. Which means Newman’s got to take a deep breath and work it out for that sharing to occur. He’s only got to work with Rusty for 25 more races. It’s not the end of the world.
Dennis: Rusty has finished behind Ryan all 3 years Ryan Newman has been in Cup…so why should Ryan listen to how Rusty is doing things if he is outrunning him??
Amy: The two teams that are winning, Roush and Hendrick, both share information constantly…so Ryan and Rusty, whether they use similar setups or not, continue to hurt their team as a whole the longer this keeps up.
Dennis: One thing to remember…Ryan Newman and Matt Borland are ENGINEERS…and engineers are not known for their social skills.

Tom: With the Busch points race slowly taking shape, which Busch-only driver is in the best position to break into the win column? Only Truex and Sorenson have beaten the Buschwhackers so far.

Toni: David Stremme.
Dennis: Kenny Wallace will win a race, no doubt.
Amy: Wallace is certainly looking like he will win, and soon. Confidence is very high on that team right now.
Tom: Let me tell you, I never thought I’d say this again (no offense, Amy), but Kenny Wallace looks like…dare I say it…a CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDER. And Kenny’s been knocking on the door of Victory Lane so hard, I think it’s got to come smashing down at some point, even with 8-10 Buschwhackers in every race.
Toni: Carl Edwards looks good for the Championship, I think.
Jeff: And I don’t think you can count Edwards as a Buschwhacker. I’d like to see Carl win both titles.
Toni: Bowyer might back into the title if the tough summer schedule gets to Edwards. Or Wallace.
Tom: Bowyer “backing in”, Toni? He’s been running quite well. Not good enough to win one yet, but a solid Top 5 guy week in, week out.
Dennis: I think Bowyer will get a win before midseason. That team is very consistent, and Clint is better than I believed he would be.
Toni: Bowyer will win a race sometime this year. And so will Stremme.
Tom: I have a hard time seeing Stremme winning in one of Egomando Fitz’s cars. By the way, I don’t buy this talk about Carl Edwards taking the title, because he might make the 10-race Chase for the Nextel Cup, and if that happens, they’ll pull him off the Busch ride. I’d put money on it.
Jeff: How much?
Tom: I’m not gambling in the middle of Mirror Driving, Jeff. We ain’t Track Smack!
Jeff: Chicken!
Dennis: Edward’s sponsor demanded a FULL season…thats why Biffle is not in the car. Give me $50 on Edwards running all the races unless he gets hurt…I need to make up for my pick of Afleet Alex in the Kentucky Derby. By the way, I would not be surprised to see Jon Wood grab a win either, maybe even this week at Richmond. Wood started slow, but he is doing great recently, a trend that will continue. That kid has talent.
Tom: Eh, I still think Wood was put in that car for no good reason. Robert Pressley showed with his strong qualifying run at Darlington why he should still be in the 47.
Toni: Wood just takes a little bit to find his feet. He learns fast. He did the same thing in Trucks.
Tom: Yeah, but then he kind of stalled out there, Toni. Good thing Wood’s patiently waiting to move up, because Rudd isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And that’s Jon’s ticket to Cup.
Dennis: Another guy that could find Victory lane this year is Paul Menard. That guy can also drive, although sometimes not for the whole race without finding trouble.
Amy: Menard needs more ‘sperience, but he has shown signs of really picking up the pace. He needs to learn to race for 200 miles or more, instead of for 50.
Toni: Menard is a little wild…he has a ways to go.
Tom: Paul hasn’t proven a thing to me yet, other then he’s a good qualifier, and he’s in a car because his dad has a lot of money. I was high on him initially when he drove the Petree #33 car, but with DEI he should have won by now with those resources. Nuff said.
Dennis: With all the wrecks, DEI isn’t “saving more money at Menards!”
Tom: Agreed, Dennis…you’re not doing anyone any favors when you wreck more than you finish.

Tom: Predictions for Richmond?

Toni: Junior breaks through for the first DEI win this year.
Jeff: I’ll take Edwards. On a limb. And a whim.
Toni: Jeff Burton for my Giacomo. (dark horse)
Dennis: Long shot pick, I like Sterling Marlin at a robust 50-1. But I have been picking too much with my heart lately, and too little with my brain for my top spot on Fantasy Insight. I don’t want to pick against the hot driver right now…so I am going with Biffle.
Tom: Hmm…this is a tough one. Picking someone from Roush or Hendrick is too easy…so I’ll say Stewart bucks the trend and picks up win #1. They really need one right now.
Amy: I think I’ll go with either Junior or Tony Stewart. I think Junior has something to prove, for sure. So does Jimmie Johnson, but he might have to wait until Charlotte to prove it.
Tom: Did you guys know Junior’s led five laps this year? Five. How crazy is that? Neither him nor Stewart are a lock for the Chase at this point. It’s literally wide open behind Johnson, Gordon, and Biffle.
Dennis: I still think 14 guys are making the Chase this year…I support what I said earlier this year.
Tom: Wanna put 50 bucks on that, Dennis? Better yet, 48…that’ll be the reason why you’re wrong.

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