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Bud Shootout, FORDS and Other Musings
By-Don Hamm
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We had our first Cup racing of the season with the conclusion of the Bud Shootout. Congrats to Tony Stewart on a great win. It looks like Ricky Rudd still has a monkey on his back in that his gear box failed on the start. Terry Labonte looked good for a while and then had overheating problems. Sterling Marlin is still the top Dodge. Casey Atwood got a final run in the Shootout in the Everham Dodge and blowed up after only eleven laps. What's with that? Hey Jimmy, you ain't sposed to hit the wall and make my prediction for you look bad. Bill Elliott was far from awesome. Dale Jarrett won best of class by finishing sixth in his Ford.
It doesn't appear that the change in mounts helped Stacy Compton and Jeff Green appeared quite lacking.
The Labonte Brothers looked like front runners and finished decently, albeit, not at the front. Jeff Gordon and Dale, Jr. appear to be on track to fight for the championship. Nice to see Ken Schrader looking racy.
It appears the current aero package has put us back or very close to the situation we had in 2000. If the cars got that strung out in forty laps with twenty two cars, what will we have after a hundred laps with forty three cars? Unless we have some early cautions I have the feeling that we are going to see a repeat of the Bud Shootout where there will be a five, six or seven car break away and a pack of also rans. Since NA$CAR has already implimented one mid race rules change for the Fords (see below) let's take it one step further and give the engines an additional 1/16th inch on the restrictor plate and make passing more likely. I, for one, don't care to watch 450 miles of single file racing.
When Rob and I did our "Face Off" I lamented that the Ford's were sandbagging during practice. Yes, folks, that is egg on my face. After qualifying and the Bud Shootout it is apparent the blue ovals aren't running too well. So NA$CAR relented late Sunday and took away another quarter of an inch from the rear spoiler. This doesn't apply until after second round qualifying on Monday so when will we find out if this makes the Fords competetive or favored? Regardless of your favorite driver's brand of car, I don't like these whimsical rules changes. It's bad enough that NA$CAR makes mid season changes but this is, in effect, a mid race change.
I'd like to congratulate Dave Marcis on his solid qualifying run (22nd) and the certainty that he will be in the show for his final start in a Cup car. Dave is the last of a now dead breed of owner/drivers. I, for one, think this is a crying shame. The little guy no longer has a chance to get into the series as an independent as did the likes or Ricky Rudd, Darrell Waltrip, Ronnie Thomas, Buddy Arrington, J.D. McDuffie, Richard Childress and many others who helped make our favorite sport what it is today. NA$CAR has knowingly, willingly and criminally allowed the costs to escelate and effectively told the future stars of our sport that, "If you want to race with us bring truckloads of money. Talent no longer matters." DW gave us three Cup Championships, Ricky almost won two and Childress has championships in all three of our major series. This could never have happened were NA$CAR operating thirty years ago as they do today.
How about that Jimmie Johnson and his pole run? It's early in the season and we already have a rules change so my pick for Rookie of The Year, Ryan Newman, isn't out of the picture but Jimmie sure looks like one to watch. I'd like to know what Jeff Gordon really thinks about this kid outrunning him. One thing is for certain, this young gun is for real at Daytona. Questions remain as to how he'll do at Martinsville or Bristol? Regardless of where he finishes at Daytona, it appears that Jimmie has put us on notice.
Why did NA$CAR call the ARCA race without giving the weather a chance to clear and the track to dry? I really felt bad for those guys and gals. Their biggest race of the year was cut short and Chase Montgomery was denied a chance to show his stuff. This kid is good and he needs a sponsor. It appears that he was, by far, the best car on the track but the record book will show him finishing 21st. He restarted 33rd and picked up twelve spots in two laps before the race was halted for good. Hopefully a potential sponsor will look at the performance and not the finish position. I'd like to know who on his crew messed up on the plug wires and how a mistake like that can happen? Since our illustrious webmaster, Rob, was in the pit crew we can only hope he wasn't in charge of spark plug wires.
As always, these are my opinions and I'm stickin' to em. You have the right to disagree but never the right to be disagreeable. God Bless America.
Don@insidethepitbox.com
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