Gasoline Alley, The Yard of Bricks and Fast Laps
by Charlie Turner
I'm Charlie Turner co-host of the syndicated, mostly NASCAR radio show On Pit Row. Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. Oh yeah, Steve is an idiot.
July 21, 2008 5:19 pm CDT 6 CommentsIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Can anyone stop Kyle Busch from running away with the 2008 Sprint Cup Series championship? That’s the question I read and heard most during the, so-called, week off just passed.
It’s the same question that was on most lips this time last year as the Cupsters cruised into Indy. The difference is that in 2007, the can’t miss winner was - Jeff Gordon. How’d that work out?
The guy who won the ‘07 Cup was the same one who kissed the Bricks at Indianapolis - Jimmy Johnson. In fact, taking the checkered flag at the Brickyard has been a good predicter of that year’s champ. Six of the winners in the fourteen year history of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard have gone on to win the series the same year.
Now six out of fourteen isn’t all of them. But if Kyle Busch wins this week at Indy, my money goes on him in the Chase for sure.
Chase these four, sharp, flat lefties as you wait for the the Greatest Spectacle in…. oh…sorry….The Brickyard 4…..what, it’s not that either? Here is your weekly Fast Lap assignment.
1: Jeremy Mayfield’s PR guy has been working overtime this week trying to get his boy on owner’s lips for some of the openings for 2009. As a car owner would his good outweigh his bad?
2: Matt Kenseth won the race at his hometown track-Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin on the off weekend. Other drivers spread themselves around the country doing the same thing to relax. As a car owner wouldn’t you be a bit worried?
3: Is this year’s rookie pool disappointing and who is your Rookie of the Year candidate now?
4: Does NASCAR belong at Indy?
Remember, no more than 100 words per answer. We will be using the best stuff ON PIT ROW and in a new, regular video segment on Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie.
Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.
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About the Fast Lap blog
Fast Laps! Welcome to the On Pit Row Fast Lap blog. Every week On Pit Row we pose four Fast Lap questions. Four corners - four questions. On the radio show, Steve and I have 30 seconds each, to give our response to each of the four. If you are a listener, you already know that we rarely agree on any answer. The Fast Lap is NASCAR debate. Hannity and Colmes. Lincoln and Douglas. Wronkowicz and Turner. OK, maybe not Lincoln and Douglas. We have more fun than Lincoln and Douglas. Here's the challenge. We will post our Fast Lap questions some time each Monday. Four questions on topical NASCAR related subjects. Your mission is to comment with your answers and each answer is limited to 100 words. The questions, answers and comments will form the basis of this blog for that week. Comment on the Fast Lap questions. Comment on the comments. Insult the commenters. Witty ridicule is rated at least as highly as cogent commentary. Just remember that you have limited words and penalties are severe. Or not. Steve and I will select worthy blog entries to be featured on an edition of On Pit Row. That's the plan. I'm sure we will have some other things to post about each week but the intention is to pose most posts as questions. I want to argue with you! Bring it on.
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1. Good thing I’m not an owner looking for a drivers name on my lips.
‘Cause Mayfield used up his good graces with me when his Evrenham passion play entered the courtroom. That said, what’s the “ip side? IT’s not like he’s been a consistent winner in good equipment.
2. No, most of the owners have development drivers under contract. Kenseth say, gets hurt and Roush should just slot in one of them. Serves as a gentle reminder that “you to can be replaced,” also.
3. Disappointing, yes, but given the quality of cars they have been racing not all that surprising. Ganassi and Evernham have both sucked for a while.
My choice… Sam Hornish.
4. NASCAR belongs anywhere that will have them and when and if the schedule allows. Cash Cows tend to bust down doors if you hadn’t noticed.
1. No, absolutely not, are you kidding, add your own insult here. I’ve never been particularly fond of Mayfield, but he has only himself to blame for his current status. Time to look at Nationwide and Trucks to salvage your career.
2. I’d be worried if they were driving Indycars or snake-handling, but not going back to race in a late model or relaxing at the beach. As Marc said, the development drivers are there as insurance.
3. This year’s class has been rather disappointing, given the hype at the beginning of the year. Regan Smith is leading at the moment, with Hornish 5 points behind and Carpentier 20 points behind. I think PC has potential, and it may go down to the final race of the year.
4. Absolutely. While the racing is bad, the juxtaposition of the biggest series in the US on the most historic track in the US is perfect - and you know you’ll be watching.
1. No. I think Mayfield’s a decent driver, but nowhere near good enough to make up for his shoddy attitude. There’s more than enough drivers out there this year to fill the voids the teams have without having to lower themselves to picking up Mayfield.
2. When it comes to the marquee drivers in the sport, I think the car owners want their guys to do whatever they’re comfortable doing with their off-time, especially if it keeps their momentum going, or in some cases, creates some momentum. If we’re talking some of these younger cats, then yeah, I might be a bit worried. It’s all case-by-case, though.
3. Extremely disappointing. I had high expectations for this year’s rookie class, but it’s turned out to be one of the worst I’ve seen, and I’m not sure that the equipment’s a viable excuse. Penske and Evernham have both fielded cars in the Chase within the last couple of years and are still contending for spots this year, and Ganassi owned last year’s ROY and won a race with him. Hornish is the obvious Rookie of the Year, but it’s by default.
4. Yes.
1. Mayfield is the last Evernham driver to make the Chase. That happened while he was dealing with the REAL dallying between his “God’s gift to crew chiefs and therefore owners too” leader Ray Evernham. He’s guilty about bitching that the guy leading the team had lost his focus. What else has he done wrong? He has mostly raced for teams in turmoil and been competitive. I’d take him over McMurray, Mark Martin, Reutimann, Michael Waltrip,Paul Menard,Dario,Carpentier or Sadler. Bring it on.
2. Race drivers drive. If you’re an owner, and don’t like it, either get out or write tighter contracts.
3. Hornish. I’m sick of talking and writing about this. Franchitti is a huge disappointment. Carpentier deserves credit for hanging in. Regan Smith’s team sucks. McDowell’s -ditto.
4. The Brickyard is one of the four biggest Cup races of the year. Spectacular event, though usually a bad race. Yeah they belong.
Charlie, I’ve gotta chime in on your response regarding Mayfield … a) The dude’s a prick. I met him one year at Bristol when he had absolutely no line for his autograph signing at his merchandise trailer, and yet, he still made it seem like a chore to talk to us. If he treats his fans that well, I can only imagine how good of a teammate he must be ….. b) Mayfield over Waltrip, Reutimann, Menard, Dario, and Carpentier, I can see … over McMurray or Sadler is quite debatable … taking him over Mark Martin leaves me with the impression that you’re smoking crack ….. c) Are you feeling okay, man? Kasey Kahne was the last Evernham driver to make the Chase - back in ‘06. That was the same year that Mayfield lost his ride with the team, and finished the year with no top-ten’s through 22 starts.
1–You can only bite the hand that feeds you for so long. Mayfield had the arm of Evernham eaten to the elbow. There are very few businesses that will tolerate employees that continually disrespect the companies owner.
2– Worried–yes; but lets not forget the old adage in NASCAR–drivers are independent contractors. They won’t stop doing what they love. In a lot of cases going back to their roots is one of their stress relievers.
3– I took McDowell before the season started and it looks as if through attrition that it will be Hornish to end up as the top rookie. Overall a very disappointing group for a variety of reasons–most stated above.
4– It belongs. Short and simple, having the NASCAR boys show up for the last twenty years has kept the place afloat while its owner screwed up the open wheel ranks. The trend of NASCAR holding up open wheel may be shifting at Indy, but you have to give props to the stock car boys for stabilizing the venue.