NASCAR - "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines"

    • Moderator
    • 16870 posts
    February 25, 2013 2:48 AM PST
    John Force Sunday in the Ariz. Republic:

    "I get that Danica got the pole is a big deal, but it is not like she delivered the baby Jesus.”
    • 0 posts
    February 27, 2013 8:43 AM PST
    how good did Pastranna go...I near pissed myself when the crossed to his mic after he "avoided" that crash..That bloke is bloody loose...
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    • 16870 posts
    March 4, 2013 4:06 AM PST
    1,2,3,4 for Denny Hamlin

    In the last 3 races at Phoenix Arizona he finished in the top 3, great last lap yesterday!
    That brought him up to 4th in points.
    • 719 posts
    March 4, 2013 10:05 AM PST
    i think nascar would be better if toyota wasnt in the sport....everyone is judging danica on what she has done in nationwide but i remember her car owner doing the same when he first started in nascar i say give her a chance and as far as "GOOD OL' BOYS" it hasnt been that since b4 dale died
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    • 16870 posts
    March 4, 2013 2:24 PM PST
    RobNice1 wrote...
    i think nascar would be better if toyota wasnt in the sport....everyone is judging danica on what she has done in nationwide but i remember her car owner doing the same when he first started in nascar i say give her a chance and as far as "GOOD OL' BOYS" it hasnt been that since b4 dale died











    Toyota has helped NASCAR stay afloat, Danica raced in selected Cup Races last year (wreaked often), the "Good Ol' Boys" are running the show.

    • 834 posts
    March 4, 2013 3:09 PM PST
    That was an unexpected move by your boy Denny there John. Didn't see him coming and boom, there he was!!! Looking forward to another great year by that young man. He sure is fun to watch!
    • 719 posts
    March 4, 2013 10:56 PM PST
    RevBigJohn wrote...
    RobNice1 wrote...
    i think nascar would be better if toyota wasnt in the sport....everyone is judging danica on what she has done in nationwide but i remember her car owner doing the same when he first started in nascar i say give her a chance and as far as "GOOD OL' BOYS" it hasnt been that since b4 dale died











    Toyota has helped NASCAR stay afloat, Danica raced in selected Cup Races last year (wreaked often), the "Good Ol' Boys" are running the show.

     

    i just think its sad that many basch an american and cheer for a non american car its just sad
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    • 16870 posts
    March 5, 2013 2:27 AM PST
    Then again TRD (Toyota Racing Development) is in the USA, they build Toyotas in the USA, 2 out of my last 3 Ford trucks were built in Canada, and a bunch of parts on Harley-Davidsons are made in Japan.
    It's the way things are now.
    • 719 posts
    March 5, 2013 5:05 AM PST
    but jim everything right down to the steel for toyota comes from japan or china they are assembiled (i know i spelled that wrong) here.............as far as your last 3 ford trucks at least it is made in north america............lol and still all the money from the toyotas go back to japan and if they r so "american made" why did they have to slow production when japan almost got wipe offf the face of the earth,,,,,,,,,,,,,,just sayin
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    • 16870 posts
    March 5, 2013 1:57 PM PST
    First my name is John, second most of the steel used in constructing most everything in the US is made elsewhere.
    I live in the "Rust Belt" and those jobs ain't coming back.
    Some US companies re-stencil foreign steel and sell it as US made, I didn't believe it until it was proven to me.
    This is all I'm going to discuss on this matter.
    • 5420 posts
    March 5, 2013 2:37 PM PST
    I missed the entire race on Sunday and I really like the Phoenix race. I like that little extra turn they have on the back stretch. It was a beautiful day Sunday and we got on the bike not even thinking about it. By the time we finally stopped at one of our favorite watering holes I got to see highlights.

    Good ending but I am still not even sure where Denny was before that pass. What position was he in?

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    • 16870 posts
    March 5, 2013 2:56 PM PST
    Denny was teetering between 5th and 6th, out of the blue he shot to the infield, and the rest is history. :-)
    He is the only one to go that deep without getting squirrely getting back on the apron, I figured he would hit the lead pack like a bowling ball.
    • 844 posts
    March 5, 2013 3:17 PM PST
    I thought it was illegal to pass other cars below the line. But noone even mentioned it so I assume you can do that.

    and for the Toyotas, bring 'em on.  Hell if they want to compete, let thewm compete.  It's not like the drivers are going out and buying Toyotas.  Toyota came here to race.
    • 5420 posts
    March 5, 2013 3:33 PM PST
    GoFur, Not sure why but the yellow line rule is different for different tracks. I know for a fact that you can NOT advance position under the yellow line in Daytona and Talladega but as far as I know it is okay on other tracks. Again, not sure why Daytona and Talladega have different rules, maybe because they are restrictor plate tracks and the cars run more in packs???

    Anyone know for sure???
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    • 16870 posts
    March 5, 2013 3:34 PM PST
    At Daytona and Talladega you can't go below the double yellow line to advance your position, at Phoenix (single yellow line) you can.
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    • 16870 posts
    March 5, 2013 3:36 PM PST
    Lucky wrote...
    GoFur, Not sure why but the yellow line rule is different for different. I know for a fact that you can NOT advance position under the yellow line in Daytona and Talladega but as far as I know it is okay on other tracks. Again, not sure why Daytona and Talladega have different rules, maybe because they are restrictor plate tracks and the cars run more in packs???

    Anyone know for sure???






    You got it Lucky, "Restrictor Plate"

    • 5420 posts
    March 5, 2013 3:39 PM PST
    Never even noticed that they were double yellow in Daytona and Talladega !

    Thanks John, I learned something today!
    • Moderator
    • 16870 posts
    March 5, 2013 3:45 PM PST
    Lucky wrote...
    Never even noticed that they were double yellow in Daytona and Talladega !

    Thanks John, I learned something today!







    Not a problem my friend, it a lot easier to explain than the NHRA's first or worst rule.

    • 719 posts
    March 6, 2013 8:44 AM PST
    i know that john im sorry i dont know y i called u jim sorry again and as far as the steel there is still alot of steel made here in the northern pan handle of west virginia, gary,indiana,and in pittsburgh, i pull a flatbed and haul out of these places the problem is 1.our government aint inforcing the fair trade act and 2.(i know i will catch alot of crap over this) unions,,,,,,,,,,,it is cheaper to get steel over seas................but i still haul alot of steel out of gary and take to ford in ky
    • 719 posts
    March 6, 2013 8:45 AM PST
    hey rev bbig john r u from detriot????
    • 834 posts
    March 6, 2013 11:41 AM PST
    Just got two free tickets to the race in Vegas this weekend. My buddy won them at the track here in Phoenix on Sunday and can't make it. It's about a 5 hour ride for me so me and my buddy be heading out Saturday morning to have some fun in Vegas Sat night and watch the races on Sunday. The only bummer is he can't get monday off so we will probably just have to run the 5 hours home after the race.

    I am STOKED!!!!
    • 719 posts
    March 6, 2013 11:45 AM PST
    AzRider wrote...
    Just got two free tickets to the race in Vegas this weekend. My buddy won them at the track here in Phoenix on Sunday and can't make it. It's about a 5 hour ride for me so me and my buddy be heading out Saturday morning to have some fun in Vegas Sat night and watch the races on Sunday. The only bummer is he can't get monday off so we will probably just have to run the 5 hours home after the race.

    I am STOKED!!!!

    u lucky dog u have fun
    • 5420 posts
    March 6, 2013 12:13 PM PST
    Damn Mark, you could of called me. You know I would have run across the desert for free NASCAR tickets. If you never been there before you are really going to enjoy Vegas Speedway, one of my favorites. Kind of new so the place itself is nice and since its Vegas you will meet every type of race fan from everywhere across the US and around the world.

    Should be a great race too. He are the early odds...

    Jimmie Johnson 7/2
    Denny Hamlin 7/1
    Kyle Busch 8/1
    Clint Bowyer 9/1
    Tony Stewart 10/1
    Matt Kenseth 10/1
    Jeff Gordon 11/1
    Brad Keselowski 11/1
    Kasey Kahne 12/1
    Carl Edwards 14/1
    Greg Biffle 14/1
    Dale Earnhardt Jr. 15/1
    • Moderator
    • 16870 posts
    March 8, 2013 3:39 AM PST

    Defiant Hamlin says he won't pay NASCAR fine, will file appeal

    LAS VEGAS—An angry and defiant Denny Hamlin said Thursday that he will not pay a $25,000 fine but will instead appeal his penalty for criticizing NASCAR’s new Sprint Cup car after last week’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.

    NASCAR announced the fine Thursday, saying it was penalizing Hamlin for comments that NASCAR officials said “denigrated the sport.” Hamlin had an angry reaction during a break in testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    “I don’t believe in this,” Hamlin said. “I’m never going to believe in it. So as far as I’m concerned, I’m not going to pay the fine.

    “If they suspend me, they suspend me. I don’t care at this point.”

    The Joe Gibbs Racing driver will have to pay the fine, or NASCAR may force him to. The NASCAR rule on payment of fines says:

    “Failure to pay promptly may result in suspension. All unpaid fines of a Member may be collected by NASCAR by deducting the amount from the purse.”

    While there is no definition of “promptly,” typically NASCAR does not allow drivers to race if they haven’t paid a fine prior to going out on the track. But typically fines are issued on Tuesdays and not Thursdays. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, said Thursday that Hamlin has the option to appeal and that he is not currently in the window of having to pay the fine or face additional disciplinary measures.

    Hamlin tweeted Thursday night that he would go through the process of appealing the fine, that “I am a person that worked very hard from the bottom to get to where I am today and somebody telling me that I (cannot) give my 100 percent honest opinion really bothers me.”

    The short of the long of it is I believe I was severely disrespected by NASCAR by getting fined. I believe that... twitpl.us/t/ASR

    Hamlin said he believed he was fined for comparing NASCAR’s new Gen-6 racecar to its predecessor — the car of tomorrow, or COT. In the race at Phoenix, Hamlin started at the rear of the field and finished third, but he said his success came from pit strategy instead of passing other cars.

    “I don't want to be the pessimist, but it did not race as good as our generation five cars,” Hamlin said in a postrace interview on pit road. “This is more like what the generation five was at the beginning. The teams hadn't figured out how to get the aero balance right.”

    Hamlin said he was surprised by the fine and vowed not to talk about competition issues again.

    “I’m not going to say anything for the rest of the year as long as it relates to competition,” he said. “You can ask me how my daughter is and talk to me after wins about what have you, but as long as it relates to competition, I’m out from here on out.”

    Hamlin talked to the media for less than three minutes and answered questions succinctly before getting more agitated.

    “The bad part of it is I feel like I’ve been a pretty good spokesman for them in being positive when things aren’t always positive,” Hamlin said.

    “They just lost one small spokesman today. That’s all.”

    As he continued to talk, the more flabbergasted Hamlin became. Considering that there was no pass for the lead after Lap 127 of the 316-lap race, the race was panned by many fans and others on social media.

    Other drivers talked about the difficulty of passing but did not say it was worse than the previous car, which NASCAR felt never was embraced by fans in part because of negative driver comments.

    “It’s an opinion — it’s not even a bad one,” Hamlin said. “I have to be careful. I don’t want to make things worse than they already are and this is something that was absolutely nothing (and) got blown into something.

    “It’s just going to be worse for them, so let them deal with it.”

    Hamlin indicated that other drivers have given strong opinions and not been fined. Defending Cup champion Brad Keselowski was talked to by NASCAR officials at Daytona about recent critical comments of NASCAR but was not fined.

    “Ultimately I’m not OK with it,” Hamlin said. “This is the most upset and angry I’ve been in a really, really long time about anything—anything that relates to NASCAR.

    “You have strong opinions about a lot of things, whether it be (Jeremy) Clements’ suspension (for a racial slur), things like that. A lot of people hold their tongue, some people don’t, like Brad.

    “But the truth is what the truth is.”

    Pemberton said drivers simply could not criticize the quality of racing, NASCAR’s core product.

    “It’s more of a matter of fact that you can’t criticize your core product and what you’re trying to do,” Pemberton said. “Constructive criticism is one thing, but there's different statements that people made that are damaging.

    “That's where we won't tolerate those types of things. … It’s fair to say any type of negative comment doesn’t do you any good.”

    Pemberton said the appeals process is the same as any competition-related penalty with a three-member panel hearing it and a final appeal to the chief appellate officer.

    “The fine is supposed to be paid as soon as possible but we’re not in any of those windows yet where it seems to be a problem (that he hasn’t paid),” Pemberton said.


    • 719 posts
    March 9, 2013 12:09 AM PST
    hey big john what did denny say after the race i watched it but dont recall him sayin anything bad,,,,,do u know what he said?