NASCAR running thread

So long hopes for a full house at Charlotte. Kansas will have to give away tickets.

 

Someone just told me Rusty Wallace was whining on television about Earnhardt not strapping in. Anyone actually see it?

 

Which means basically, Dale Jr. is the only native N.C. guy in NASCAR.
Although there a at least a dozen guys who live in N.C.

 

Yes, the last time (at least what I read) a top flight NASCAR race was held without a native of North Carolina behind the wheel was May 1961 in LA.
Jr. is the only one in the regular field. That's why he has the NC flag on his car.

 

Such a shame. Just a damn shame <snicker>
http://www.indystar.com/article/20121018/SPORTS0109/121018008/Danica-Patrick-limbo-GoDaddy

 

Wild, wild finish at Phoenix.
First, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon get into it. Gordon wrecks Bowyer at the end of the race, which results in a brawl in the garage area between the teams. Gordon looked like he was right in the middle of it. Bowyer eventually jumped out of the car and sprinted through the garage area to get to the fight.

Then at the end, Danica wrecks on the last lap, no caution is thrown, and the leaking oil from her car wrecks about 10 others as they come around the final turn. Danica herself, who was almost stopped near the finish line, was rear-ended so hard the car lifted off the ground.

Oh, and sometime before that, Jimmie Johnson had some trouble. Brad Keselowski, who survived the final wreck to finish sixth, has about a 20-point lead heading to Homestead.
Yeesh.

 

"Wild" is an understatement for what happened.

I believe the main scrum in the pits just involved the crew members of the respective teams. The announcers said a couple of 24 crewmen were holding Gordon against the toolbox nearby to keep him from getting in the middle of that.

I've always liked Gordon, but there was absolutely no excuse for what he did. Retaliating against Bowyer was bad enough, but he got a few more cars involved (I believe it was Logano who got practically T-boned after being involved it that), and it could have cost Harvick the win.

A suspension for Gordon for the last race would be appropriate. Don't know if that will happen, though.

 

Here's the problem NASCAR faces:

Jeff Gordon would receive a massive fine and suspension if he were competing in any other "sport." But the "guys, have at it" dictate from NASCAR prevents them from doing much.

And let's not forget. Danica intentionally wrecking Hornish is what ultimately set that mess up. If she keeps her wits, Busch probably wins and the brawl never happens.

NASCAR should be criticized heavily for not throwing the caution after Danica wrecked. That was an extremely dangerous situation.

 

It was also two-pronged. He got revenge, and he also got Jimmie some breathing room in second place. Bowyer was only 6-8 points back of Jimmie as they were running when Gordon took him out.

 

Gordon needs to be parked for Homestead.

 

Robby Gordon wonders what all the fuss is about.