NASCAR Sprint Cup Round 5: California

[hotlavaaaa]

After last week Logano was not going to let Denny beat him to a win. Joey wasn't trying to wreck him, although that might have happened if they both made it to the front straight. I think it was just racing as hard as he could to not get beat by the guy that dumped him last week.

I'm sure there will be a SAFER barrier on the wall Denny hit before NASCAR returns next year, but why does it seem like it takes a driver having a hard wreck against a concrete wall before they realize it might be a good idea to put a SAFER barrier on it?

[wheelsportaddict]

Originally Posted by hotlavaaaa

I'm sure there will be a SAFER barrier on the wall Denny hit before NASCAR returns next year, but why does it seem like it takes a driver having a hard wreck against a concrete wall before they realize it might be a good idea to put a SAFER barrier on it?

I agree with you there, but I guess that's one wall they didn't expect anyone to hit, which is probably why there isn't a SAFER barrier there.

[MJ_N_09]

Originally Posted by wheelsportaddict

I agree with you there, but I guess that's one wall they didn't expect anyone to hit, which is probably why there isn't a SAFER barrier there.

I don't know why they've slacked so much on this. We've had many drivers in multiple series crash and some injured from hits into the inner wall.

[gomick]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Logano - and I'm not a great fan of his - just had a racing accident. It was a great conclusion to the race.

Agreed, he is fighting to finish 2nd, he drove well all day... The racing towards the end of the race was hard & enjoyable to watch

Why did Ambrose keep popping tyres

[wheelsportaddict]

Originally Posted by gomick

Why did Ambrose keep popping tyres

I was wondering that myself, although they didn't seem to show it, I think it was being caused by the fender cutting into the tyre over the bumps along the backstretch. I remember a couple of other drivers having a left rear go on them as well.

[MJ_N_09]

Here are more comments from Stewart:

Tony Stewart confronted Logano after the race because he was upset with being blocked on the bottom lane in the closing laps. "It's time he learns a lesson," Stewart said. "He's run his mouth long enough and done this double standard, but he's nothing but a little rich kid who has never had to work in his life." Racing for the lead on a restart with 10 laps remaining, Stewart felt that Logano blocked him low, forcing Stewart's Chevrolet all the way to the inside apron. The momentum shift ended up thwarting what looked to be Stewart's best finish of the season, and after drifting back, Stewart finished all the way back in 22nd place. "He has that right, he has the choice to do that. If he ever turns down across in front of me again, I don't care what lap it is, he won't make it through the other end of it," Stewart said.(USA Today))(3-25-2013)

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

I think it'll be more of the track than the car that will cause boring racing this time around.

One thing is for sure it was not the drivers.

Does Logano has still some friends in NASCAR?
Tony should not whine.

[MJ_N_09]

JGR STATEMENT 2: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver Denny Hamlin suffered a L1 Compression Fracture following an accident on the final lap of Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway. Hamlin hopes to be released today to fly to his home in North Carolina where he will be evaluated by Dr. Jerry Petty of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates later this week.(JGR)(3-25-2013)

Does he have any hope of being cleared to race in time for M'ville?

[skells22]

there is no timeframe on that as i just checked and its says does not know how many races he miss (the one that is injured)

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Big day for NASCAR in the Southern California Market, only thing better for Daytona than the huge attendance was the ratings increase from last year and 2011.

[mrfizz]

Originally Posted by skells22

there is no timeframe on that as i just checked and its says does not know how many races he miss (the one that is injured)

So who would replace him? Elliot Sadler? Hornish?

[wheelsportaddict]

To be honest MJ, if Tony Stewart is going make threats and comments like that then NASCAR should give him a warning. And if he thinks that 'revenge by wrecking' is the answer then he shouldn't be on the track.

As has already been mentioned, he's caused plenty of wrecks himself in past years, but he has nothing to complain about, Joey broke no rules and did nothing wrong.

[MJ_N_09]

Reports have now said that Hamlin will be out for 6 weeks.

[fieldodreams79]

^Yep, cracked back. Too bad for Denny as that team seemed to have something again this year.

Originally Posted by wheelsportaddict

To be honest MJ, if Tony Stewart is going make threats and comments like that then NASCAR should give him a warning. And if he thinks that 'revenge by wrecking' is the answer then he shouldn't be on the track.

As has already been mentioned, he's caused plenty of wrecks himself in past years, but he has nothing to complain about, Joey broke no rules and did nothing wrong.

On track incidents aside, as I agree that this was all hard racing at the end of the race, Logano's comment about "he got what he deserved" when his former teammate and fellow competitor is strapped to a backboard was classless. I have no respect anymore for Loaf Bread, the spoiled little brat that he is, even though he did throw a great little sissy slap at Smoke.

[JHamilton]

They went all Nascar on us last weekend. Didn't see that coming at California!

Logano is a doosh nozzle.

[hotlavaaaa]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Logano's comment about "he got what he deserved" when his former teammate and fellow competitor is strapped to a backboard was classless.

When he made those comments he had no idea that Denny had been injured, so give him a break on that.

Originally Posted by mrfizz

So who would replace him? Elliot Sadler? Hornish?

Hornish is a Penske driver so that isn't happening. Sadler is already a JGR driver in Nationwide so you'd think he would be first in line. Maybe Brian Vickers will get a shot, although that probably won't happen since he drives for a competing team part time.

[Cynic]

Problem is most of the part time drivers in cup are driving for different manufacturers. Maybe they can work out a timeshare with MWR for Mark Martin?

[Clive Brown]

Originally Posted by hotlavaaaa

Sadler is already a JGR driver in Nationwide so you'd think he would be first in line. Maybe Brian Vickers will get a shot, although that probably won't happen since he drives for a competing team part time.

But Vickers is also a JGR driver, and has only a very limited programme in NSC competition for MWR, which of course is also a Toyota team. Since it looks like MWR have it in mind to run Vickers in a full-time Cup ride in 2014, it would make a lot of sense for him to garner as much experience in the 6th generation car as possible.

[Paradise City]

I don't blame him for his on-track incident but his off track manner is embarrassing. Logano comes across as a tough talkin' adolescent hiding behind his team.

Stewart is a bit off the wall on this occasion. He can be a bit like Brad in that way. I wouldn't swap their tough talking manner but there are occasions when they need to sober up a bit and take a broad view of their situation.

[MJ_N_09]

Yes, I think that Sadler would be the replacement, as he has stated he's already planning a part time Cup sked. Maybe even some of the KBM (JGR satellite team) drivers could be lucky and get a chance to sit in the seat while Hamlin recovers.


EDIT: It's gonna be Sadler for at least 6 races in the Fed Ex Camry.

[HJJ]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/den...-busted,31829/

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

EDIT: It's gonna be Sadler for at least 6 races in the Fed Ex Camry.

Sounds like Mark Martin.

UPDATE 2: Joe Gibbs Racing is looking at several driver scenarios, including fellow Toyota driver Mark Martin, to replace Denny Hamlin while he recovers from a back injury. Multiple sources told ESPN.com that one scenario that JGR has considered is Martin driving all five races in the # 11 car while Hamlin is out. Brian Vickers would pick up Martin's schedule in the Michael Waltrip Racing # 55 that includes Texas, Kansas and Richmond. Michael Waltrip is in the #55 at Talladega. Another scenario, according to sources, is that Vickers would pick up Hamlin's schedule for four races after next week at Martinsville, where he is scheduled to drive the # 55 for Martin. Martin or Elliott Sadler would drive at Martinsville. Sources said another scenario would have Sadler drive for Hamlin the entire way, although that is the most unlikely option. Both Vickers and Sadler drive a full-time Nationwide Series schedule for JGR. Gibbs said for the sake of continuity, he would prefer to go with one driver versus multiple drivers. MWR, according to sources, would like to keep Vickers in the 55 for as much as possible because he is the likely replacement for Martin next season.(ESPN)

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by HJJ

Sounds like Mark Martin.

Confirmed.

http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/cu...e-gibbs-racing

[Cynic]

Wasn't Martin's plan to take it easy this season? What odds he keeps racing till he gets the record for oldest driver to win a race?

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Cynic

Wasn't Martin's plan to take it easy this season? What odds he keeps racing till he gets the record for oldest driver to win a race?

I'd say even if this hadn't happen he'd have a pretty damn good shot in the 55. Last year if what wasn't for Captain Douchebag's bump at the end of the June Pocono race he could probably would have won:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT-K4Eq2SE0

Not to mention he was dominating Michigan before his nasty crash. I predict he'll win and break the record, sorry Harry Gant...