The Sprint Cup Series wrapped its two-day test session at Lowe's Motor Speedway Tuesday night, and apparently Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended it with a bang.Driver No. 88 hit the wall hard enough to prevent the damage from being repaired and further participation in the session for the Hendrick Motorsports driver. These was no word on whether Kyle Busch was involved. Grin.
Jamie McMurray paced Tuesday's finish session, but it was Dodge's Elliott Sadler taking fastest lap honors after running a lap of 186.245mph during the Monday night session.
In comparison, the pole speed for last year's Coca-Cola 600 was 185.312mph by Ryan Newman.
Teams were given a choice of six sessions -- three per day -- to test in with each team only allowed a maximum of four sessions. It appears that many teams opted not to test in the 9am-12pm session each day, as only 10 cars hit the track early on Monday and 13 on Tuesday.
I know I've said it before, but I've got to commend NASCAR on giving teams this extra test session. For the good of the sport, at least, teams are going to have a better idea on what they can throw at a race car.
ADVERTISEMENT
_thumbnail.jpg "NASCAR Cowboy Hats")
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. "...commend NASCAR on giving teams this extra test session."
Commend NASCAR??? Are you on Drugs??
This is 'ol Humpy Wheeler damn near having a panic attack. He's worried that his boy Jimmy won't fair very well and wanted to have him and the other HMS boys PRACTICE!
The Roush-Fenway Fords have been dominate on the 1 1/2 mile tracks. I also heard someone mention "it rolls out just like Las Vegas"! Let's see...who won that race??
OH YEAH...I remember, Carl Edwards.
This extra practice session at LMS is just another attempt by NASCAR to keep their "PETS" in the show. Another example is when Jack Roush found out the Chevy teams were testing the COT at non-sanctioned tracks. Roush held a press conference to announce his organizations new testing team, hauler and the works dedicated to nothing but COT testing.
Less than 2 weeks after Jack Roush lambasted NASCAR for their back door policy's for other teams, NASCAR decides to "Loosen the rules" for COT testing.
And 1 more, would NASCAR have treated the theft of proprietary parts differently if it was a Roush team that had the stolen part? I'd say definitely, a resounding YES, they would have. Why? Because NASCAR has consistently shown their bias against the Ford teams, especially Roush Fenway.
#88 in the wall?? I thought.....oh never mind.
Posted at 6:53AM on May 7th 2008 by Other Side of Reason
2. Other Side of Reason:
I beg to differ with your comments. First, are you even a fan of the sport? You seem quite cynical with your conspiracy theories of favortism & all. Yea, NASCAR favors HMS, that's why Johnson & Gordon are having such a crappy year thus far. Whatever!
The testing was allowed because if you remember, ALL drivers complained about the tires at Lowes Motor Speedway earlier in the season when they raced there and Edwards won. Many had difficulty with the tire pressures on the newly paved track. There were so many complaints from drivers & owners, Lowes Motor Speedway stepped up to the plate to allow them more testing to get familiar with the track before the next race there. A stand up thing to do IMO. No conspiracy here, just finally someone getting smart!
Kim
Posted at 8:10AM on May 7th 2008 by Kim
3. Furthermore,
NASCAR has actually done plenty to "curb" favortisim or the appearance thereof. Hence the COT. All teams are now on an even playing field. Need proof, just look at how many different teams & drivers have dominated & won races this year thus far. Not one team or one driver is dominating. Some are faring better than others, but NONE are dominating. So if anything, NASCAR has taken the steps needed to show they do not "favor" any team or any driver!
Kim
Posted at 8:15AM on May 7th 2008 by Kim
4. "Yea, NASCAR favors HMS, that's why Johnson & Gordon are having such a crappy year thus far."
OK...I understand the sarcasm. But you prove my point perfectly!! If Gordon and Johnson WERE having a good year, there would be no need for them to test. It's because they ARE having a rough year that dictates the need for extra testing.
Regarding the race with all the tire complaints, I believe you refer to the race at Las Vegas (not Lowes). Yes, there were complaints; coming from Johnson and Gordon (and others too). I don't recall much complaining from Roush Fenway drivers, do you? This extra testing will ONLY favor those that did complain and did not have a handle on it from Las Vegas.
Now, as for the theft of a part from the Roush Fenway garage...what exactly did NASCAR do about this? Nada!!
And don't get me started on the COT. This was nothing more than an attempt by NASCAR to prevent Roush Fenway from dominating the 1 1/2 tracks. I'm glad it backfired on NASCAR.
NASCAR's top 3 reasons for the COT were:
1. Safer
2. More cost effective (same car every track)
3. Team domination.
If NASCAR is so concerned about the safety and cost for the teams, why have they not done a COT for the Nationwide cars yet? Does NASCAR care about the safety and cost for the Nationwide drivers and teams? If they did, the COT would have been implemented in that series also. Especially since this is the low budget "feeder" for the Cup series. But most of us know the real reason NASCAR went to COT in the Cup series.
Now you know the real story!!
Posted at 9:51AM on May 7th 2008 by Other Side of Reason
5. As far as the "theft of a part" from Roush. What did you expect them to do? Punish them on a maybe? Nascar brought in the COT because of team domination? Ford never dominated anything for very long. How did the COT backfire on Nascar? I have seen some pretty good racing with the COT. Conspiracy? Why would Nascar care if Ford dominated mile and half tracks? Conspiracies are out to lunch and mainly used by fans to explain why their driver/team is faltering.
Ron
Posted at 11:13AM on May 7th 2008 by drgrcr601
6. Ahhhh, great minds think alike, even if they are wrong. Nascar does try to control the output of it's product, even if it is behind the scenes. It does have it's pet drivers and teams and caters to them quite often. Toyota with all it's money leads the field in special treatment right now, but Chevy is not far behind. Fans like Ron and Kim probably think pro wrestling is real, heaven help them. Be that as it may, as the bucks have increased so has the control exerted by Nascar. Money talks and integrity walks. Works for me......
Posted at 11:34AM on May 7th 2008 by Don Emerson
7. Integrity Don? Thats something you no nothing about. Im still waiting on a response from you about that Davey Allison post you made. Stop making excuses about your posts not being displayed.
Ron
Posted at 12:45PM on May 7th 2008 by drgrcr601
8. And Don, there is no need for you to suck up to new posters in order get someone on your side. Anajoe idolizes you. What more do you want?
Ron
Posted at 1:17PM on May 7th 2008 by drgrcr601
9. AAAAAhhhhh..........He couldn't possibly want anything more Ron, with that certain someone on his side it should be enough.......like he said 'GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE'
Aloha
Posted at 1:21PM on May 7th 2008 by Brad
10. LOL Loved that Brad! A match made in heaven.
Ron
Posted at 1:40PM on May 7th 2008 by drgrcr601
11. Jr-nation boycott all kyle,s sponsors.M&M should drop his sponsorship soon.His car is like his sponsor nice outide but a nut inside.
Posted at 2:29PM on May 7th 2008 by LES
12. Les, I am affraid you did not see the correct angle on the wreck. The angle showing the cars coming straight at the camera clearly showed that Kyle got loose and had to turn right to correct. That is the only angle at which you can see him get loose. Even had it been on purpose in case any of you have forgotten the move, it is why DALE EARNHARDT was called the INTIMIDATOR. He made a living off of nudging cars just enough to make them get off the gas so he could pass. Back then it was called RACING.
MBL
Posted at 7:07PM on May 7th 2008 by Mike
13. Other Side of Reason:
Okay so you got my sarcasm, however I still think you missed my point. I still stand by my opinion that the testing was for all the drivers and is not some NASCAR conspiracy to help what many think is their "golden boys," Johnson & Gordon out. I maintain that it was simply an actual kind gesture on the speedway's part to help all the drivers by giving them the extra practice before the next race there. The only alterior motive I can think of would be that they wanted them to practice more so the next race there could be more exciting because God knows, the last Lowe's race sucked!
Okay, I was apparently wrong on which track the tire issues ocurred at. I thought it was Lowes. If I am wrong, I do apologize. It happens. And as far as Roush drivers complaining about the tires, yes that did happen. Greg Biffle was actually quite vocal about it during an interview with the Speed Network later that week.
On the COT, two of your reasons for it's existence are right on, one is wrong. The COT was not created for team domination.
With the theft issue, all I can say is huh? What you are suggesting is that NASCAR should have played referee like a Kindergarten teacher trying to figure out which child took the ball from which child first. That was a team issue, one that was worked out between two teams. At no time do I believe the "theft" of the "mysterious sway bar" was malicious. I truly believe MWR took it by accident. After all, parts are lying around these garages on any given day. Unless it was marked "Roush" all over it, there is no way to know it was theirs. When MWR discovered they had the part, they gave it back. Problem solved in my opinion and apparently in NASCAR's as it should have been.
And finally, I don't recognize you as a regular on these boards. If you are new, welcome aboard!
Kim
Posted at 7:29PM on May 7th 2008 by Kim
14. Oh and to answer your last question. The Nationwide Series will be running the COT full-time in 2009. Like any big business, changes are implemented in stages. NASCAR made the changes with their "big daddy" runners first and are making the changes with the other series the next year. This is not unusual at all.
Kim
Posted at 7:35PM on May 7th 2008 by Kim
15. Kim you sure know how to put a man in his place...
Well said.....
Posted at 8:37PM on May 7th 2008 by Peaches
16. Peaches,
Thank you! I always enjoy reading your comments as well. :-)
Kim
Posted at 8:45PM on May 7th 2008 by Kim
17. Well done Kimi, Well done.
Ron
Posted at 9:11PM on May 7th 2008 by drgrcr601
18. The COT may be safer but please do not say they cost less. Ask the guys let go from most teams or took huge pay cuts because teams are suffering from budget problems due to the COT. When the car of yesterday was in a wreck, 90% of the time the car was fixed, now the COT is a throw away car when it gets into a wreck.
Posted at 9:29PM on May 7th 2008 by Doug
19. Kim that part was not taken by accident. It would not have ended up in the engineering dept. if that was the case.
Posted at 9:35PM on May 7th 2008 by Doug
20. Kim, Great answer.
I don't think they were correct about the tire issues at Vegas. I think Vegas had tire problems last year. I think the tire problems were at Atlanta this year.
Maybe it's a different incident but my favorite driver was trashed over his comments about Atlanta tires. I had to stop wearing my Tony Stewart pajama pants and t-shirt for a while. Just kidding! It's so hard to take the abuse. LOL
Posted at 11:04PM on May 7th 2008 by Susan Ohio