Well Mikey is not such a bad guy after all, after all the crap with the spin and lie about it he iswilling to let Martin Truex out of his deal. What,a wonderful boss he is after his orders cost Truex his sponsor he is free to go. MIKEYshould have to get him a sponsor or pay him his salary to sweep floors at the shop. The more I read about MIKEY the more I dislike him
Somehow not surprised! Yup, he should have to at least pay him a huge severance.
B-O-O-G-I-T-Y... B-O-O-G-I-T-Y... B-O-O-G-I-T-Y... B-Y-E B-Y-E NAPA!!!
What a shame but they had no choice after MIKEY pulled his biggest dumbest move to date, maybe BOOGiTY BOOGITYwill help pay Martin Truexsalary next year . I'm sure he had something to do with the spin and lie, sounds like a jaws move, I don't think MIKEY is smart enough to think of it by his self
James, a nice addition to Forum Posts. Always great to have someone who doesn't post often make a statement. I have empathy for Truex and for Brian Vickers because both of them were totally innocent in what happened. I am also aware that a race driver will take any deal to drive,no matter the owner. My contempt for BOTH Waltrips is deep rooted and not likely to change. Mikey is NO driver. He is a joke behind the wheel, two Daytona 500s notwithstanding. In fact, both Waltrips are an embarrassment to the sport. Talk about "actions detrimental to the sport"? Both of those guys being allowed inside a track is detrimental to the sport. That's why I listen to the radio broadcasts of the races when D.W. is announcing. I watch the truck races without sound because that screeching Mikey is babbling on with inane comments. Ok, enough from me. Thanks for posting your comment James.
I believe that NAPA was glad to pull the plug on MWR. They wanted to get out from under that $18,000,000.00 a year on one car. Who else in Cup has an evey race year round sponsor?
I also happen to like Mikey and DW. I like their TV jobs. Mikey really is a good driver Tim.
Martin Truex to JGR with NAPA sounds like a winning combination,for a lot less money
The timing was very good for Mark Martin. Mark's a class act, and fortunately he got out of there before the bottom fell out.
Tommie, I have admired and respected you from the day I met you. Although I disagree with you completely on the Waltrips, I still admire and respect you. Friends can disagree graciously and that is the way life should be. So, my friend, thanks for the expression of your feelings and you and I will continue our friendship!
I agree 100% Tim. I am glad to call you friend. If we all agreed on everything then think what a dull life this would be. Take care my friend..
So I have this vision that NAPA (a Georgia based company) will jump on board with Chase Elliott with his Truck program next year. Aaron's will not be rejoining Chase for the time since 2008 as since Chase is moving up in his career, they chose to be full-time with the #55 @ MWR. (May have been a bad choice now, lol)
If you think about it, almost every free agent has a sponsor. Ex- Newman has Cat. Larson has Target, Clorox, etc. Somebody will get Furniture Row. Harvick still has Bud. and Kurt Busch will have Hass Automation. With Elliott rising through the ranks and NAPA being a home-state (for him) sponsor, I think it would be a perfect match!
-Cody
I will second that Cody mainly because of the players involved..
Mikey is no different than others in that we all get on someone's nerves. I know I sure as hell do!
You are right, of course William. Jeff is always telling me how much I get on his nerves. He even deleted my account once!
Me too.....
(always good to see the Haters jump on someone when they're down a bit, huh?)..*.Now,the yada yada yada on how "i'm not a hater" begins. I for one want MWR to weather the storm......
My take / position has not changed on this. Interesting how many of those who criticized my early position are now changing their position. Those of you who have known me, know I rarely become so vocal. this still has me angrily considering the circumstances to come. How can those at the top of this sport be so careless?
To me this is not about MWR manipulating the out come of a race....as I stated the day after it happened, teams and NASCAR have been manipulating the outcome of races for decades. I am not necessarily a MWR fan except they are an integral part of the sport as a whole. Anyone in the same position as MWR, most likely would have at least considered doing the same thing. Why? Because manipulating the outcome of races is and has been commonplace in this sport for decades.
Rather, this is about NASCAR choosing with and to whom they levy penalties depending upon the their perceived best advantage....simply because they can...and using their "non-rule" (12-4A) at will...when convenient...because they can. How can this be taken seriously going forward?
The person getting screwed the most here was Truex. The group getting screwed the most here are the fans. Not by MWR....don't want to confuse that. The mess that followed with NASCAR manipulating the outcome of the (dreadful) Chase is a joke.
As predicted, they (NASCAR) have brought attention to themselves and their inconsistent decisions... and as the direct result have major sponsors questioning their involvement in the sport...not just a team. This could ultimately result in a 9 digit problem for the sport. Sponsors on the bubble will look very closely at this incident for years to come.
BZF is not (in my opinion) good enough as a politician to talk himself out of this one. Please read 5 Hour Energy's President Scott Henderson's latest HERE ....and here
We'll see how the year plays out, Henderson said Sunday just before the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Henderson then had one other comment directed toward NASCAR Chairman Brian France, who added Jeff Gordon as a 13th driver in the Chase last week, declaring that he had the authority to add a driver to what was supposed to be a 12-driver field.
I've got one thing I've got to say, Henderson said. There's been a lot of talk about integrity. When the guy who is in charge can say, 'I can do whatever I want, I'm going to do it and I just did it,' I wonder about integrity. I've got to make sure we can win in this sport."
Many who have been drinking the kool-aid could and most likely will look at this as a major consideration....."Can I win at this sport?"
Let us remember that in the driver's meeting it was specifically stated that no one shall do anything to alter the outcome of this race.
They always advise all driver's to be aware of who they are racing with and try to not create any
thing that would interfere with their position in the race if they are a Chase driver.
This has always been stated for the Chase races and not repeated during the regular races before the Chase starts.
Don't question me on why not all races. It has just always been this way.
ok, Yada yada yada yada yada.........
Tommie has brought up a little known ruling that I had forgotten. It is as he says even though over half or more have let it slide into the back of their mind.
My dad before he left us was a stickler on the rules and if he were here today he would probably be calling Bill Senior and asking how this was forgotten -------- but wait, neither of them are with us today so its up to us to remember the true meaning of such rules.
You may think those guys that set in that motel in Daytona for days were partying but if you stopped and really read those rules before Brian and his cronies got in to them and started slicing and dicing them to fit their mood or whim you would see they were a well thought out set of rules anyone can race to. Now you have someone who sets up on his highchair and says I can add and change as I want because of WHO I am.
Jeff Gilder is a man of the old school because of ONE person (you figure out who) Tommie Clinard is another of the old school method along with many others here who cringe when our wonderful sport.. Tim along with others played hard in the beginnings and was handled by a person of knowledge,his granpa, and he too knows of the old way. Maybe thats why neither of us struck the first blow but rather voiced the retaliation to one another.
Dale Earnhardt knew of this and maybe thats why he and Richard were so successful together.
I believed that winning had to have character and maybe thats why I would go off and run non sanctioned races rather than be new rules crammed down my throat.
Bob Moore also was another that could not and would not stand for the good of one, but for the good of all.
I am not preaching but only defining the life I was taught and the way I was raised to race and to win.
Mikey will weather the storm no doubt but hopefully he will come out a stronger and WISER team leader,owner,driver---------------------- with no yada yada yada
Just a few thoughts here:
Jeff: I am way impressed with the manner that you present your viewpoint, as I believe that you have presentedthe most appropriate evaluation of this issue. Make sure we get a chance to meet each other.
Regarding the 'don't mess with the chase racers': The incident occured at a pre-chase race.
Regarding 'don't alter the outcome of the race'????? I thought that was the intent of starting the race. Would you suggest not passing on the last lap? Not changing two tires to gain track position? What about NASCARS own penchant for throwing a caution for 'debris' on the track with 5 laps to go, when the leader has a straight away lead ahead of the pack?
This type of 'manipulating' a finishing position has been going on for many, many years and is only being discussed now, because of NASCAR doing such a poor job of pointing it out, and it was done very poorly to begin with, and it was at a decidedly critical point in the season.
You can find every team that follows the rules at the tail end of the field.
These are just my thoughts!
Mikey has gotten a lot of blame for this but it was Ty Norris' on-the-spot decision in actuality, so there's nothing for Mikey to own up to, as such. He doesn't have to take it upon himself to honor Truex's 2014 campaign by paying NAPA's $18m out of his own pocket. Yes it sucks for Truex in that he didn't ask for any of this but playing devil's advocate for a moment, maybe Truex should have consolidated himself in the top-10 better so his team wouldn't have to resort to desperate measures in the first place. Ultimately, all the teams put a huge premium on getting in the Chase and so do their sponsors so it's unfair to single out MWR for something any team worth their salt would do. Just MWR's bad luck they got caught.
In the end, the fans are the real losers because there will be one less competitive car on track next year and one more start-n-park leech.
I think the team owner sets the tone for the team and Waltrip has been caught cheating on several occasions. I do place some blame on him. I agree that it was Truex that put himself in a position where these escapades had to go on so that he could make the chase. It's too bad that he's the one that has to go, but he's been with the team awhile and hasn't proven himself a star.
I don't like Bowyer at all but he is hard charger and deserves a good seat. Vickers hasn't proven himself to me and my impression is that he'll turn out to be another Kasey Kahne; someone who is often hyped and rarely delivers. He's one of the young guns that were supposed to attract the 18-24 year olds. but he's a better prospect than the already-tested Truex.
I also take issue with "You can find every team that follows the rules at the tail end of the field". That was then, this is now, and you better learn to accept it. Cheating is not allowed in any sport at the national level. If you get caught manipulating the game, shaving points, using a corked bat, you will be punished. If NASCAR wants to play in the big leagues, they have to put a stop to the attitude that cheating is part of racing. It won't stop cheating but it will make it clear that this is not just a bunch of good old boys out having fun on a Sunday afternoon.
Every team needs an advantage, so experimentation will continue. The way for NASCAR to stop cheating is to write an actual rule book instead of relying on "actions detrimental to the sport of stock car racing". Spell out exactly what can be done and what can't. If you catch someone after the race, tell them not to bring that part to the next race. The suspensions and probation are ridiculous in today's inter-connected age and aren't enforced anyway. Dump them. In most cases, you can dump the fines too, they're only making sure the France family has spending money no matter how badly they run the sport. Get the cars right at the start and check them again at the end. If you can't enforce a rule effectively, then don't make it. The body height rule was a perfect example.
NASCAR needs an effective leader badly. Brian France is not that leader. NASCAR is not a public company, so the only way we can apply pressure is through ISC. This has to be done and soon. it took sixty-four years to build NASCAR but it can tumble in as quickly as two. 2013 has come very close to being the first despite the claims of higher attendance and bigger TV fees. They seriously HAVE to make 2014 an outstanding year and I have seen no changes so far that indicate they are making an attempt. Moving Darlington to Labor Day would have been a good sign. Changing up the chase tracks would be a good sign. More points to winners would be a good sign.
It would be nice if the rulebook was more well-defined as far as tech guidelines go but you still won't be able to prevent what MWR did. Teams will only be more smart going about it from now on.
Agree with you about Vickers. He's definitely a good shoe but not on the same consistent level of greatness that Jimmie, Kyle, etc. are. Seems like he's disappeared from the scene after that storybook Loudon win and now unfortunately he has had to disappear due to his health problems.
I don't think you'll ever see the 'actions detrimental' rule go away as it simply offers too much control to the sanc body even though it does leave a bad taste in the mouth for everyone else.
There are black boxes in all of the cars. NASCAR can use that data after the race to prove dumped the clutch and blew the engine or was simply sandbagging. I imagine that without too much effort they can have it monitor tire temperatures which would tell them if a car spun because the tire went down.
They could cut out a lot of the race manipulation, and NASCAR does a fair bit of that as well with caution flags. If they keep using the 'actions detrimental' rule instead of more specific guidelines, it will bite them. I can't say whether it will be the fans or the car owners that riot first, but both sides are getting tired of it.
On the positive side, I see that their high-falutin' track dryer will be at every race next year. That's a step forward. But there are no track changes for the chase, so they back up a step.
