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Said Heads Rejoice Joe Gibbs Frets and Jimmie Johnson Jams it

by Charlie Turner

I'm Charlie Turner co-host of the syndicated, mostly NASCAR radio show On Pit Row. Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. Oh yeah, Steve is an idiot. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

January 29, 2010 9:18 pm CST 2 Comments

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So happy to see that On Pit Row favorite Boris Said will get another shot at making this NASCAR thing work. Foxsports.com’s Lee Spencer has Boris back in a Sprint Cup car for at least the first five races of 2010. Sponsor to be announced before the Daytona 500. We’ll see if we can’t get the head of the Said Heads for an upcoming show.

Just before the 2008 Darlington race, Denny Hamlin came up lame after a pick-up basketball game. We suggested back then that Joe Gibbs should ban Hamlin from any sport that required less than two balls (see question number 6). Did the coach listen? Uh, sadly, for JGR fans, nope. Denny tore an ACL and will have to deal with the injury for the duration of 2010. Hamlin says - no problem. But it won’t help.

Finally, Jimmie Johnson crashed. Unfortunately for all you Johnson haters, J J was driving his Grand Am car and not his Sprint Cup ride when he stuffed it in a wall. You all can only hope that this is an omen. I wouldn’t bet on it if I were you though.

Filed under: Boris Said, Denny Hamlin, NASCAR, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, jimmie johnson

Tagged with: Rolex 24

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Can NASCAR Keep It’s Momentum of Change Progressing?

by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Charlie likes to call me an "idiot". I'm not an "idiot"; I just prefer not to let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

January 27, 2010 12:56 pm CST 3 Comments

The winds of change may finally be blowing NASCAR fans way.

NASCAR fans eagerly await the start of any new race season. But 2010 may hold the imagination of what might be, more than any season in recent memory. NASCAR has told drivers to be more aggressive on the race track and to return to more days of yore where a little contact and controversy were the more prevelant.

Will NASCAR continue to court the winds of change throughtout the season even if the going gets tough? It is easy for the powers that be to give lip service to the new (old) way of settling the score, but will they back off as soon as one of its elite drivers suffers from the ignominy of defeat? 2009 was to be the year that drivers were allowed to speak their minds, but that ended quickly when NASCAR dubbed those drivers as being negative.

NASCAR has set in motion the change over from the often lamented wing to the retro spoiler. If the new (old) spoiler can give the car back to the drivers and let them race then it will have done its job. If its return is only to satisfy the request to beautify the car and the actual on track product doesn’t improve then it will be time and money wasted.

NASCAR’s Managing Director of it’s R&D facility, Mike Fisher, was ON PIT ROW this week talking about the changes that are in the future of the sport. Two topics of conversation revolved around fuel injection and alternate fuel use. Fuel injection seems to be on the fast track for 2011 with the R&D Center working on its particulars. One of which would have to be how to police its usage and its misuse.

The one thing that the carburetor has had going for itself has been its inherent simplicity. It is easy for NASCAR to regulate; whether because of its simple design or its longevity. Fuel injection opens up a new field for innovators to have their way with the system while NASCAR tries to stay a step ahead.

Alternate fuels; while righteous in its attempt to “green” up the sport would seem to be less of a priority for the NASCAR world. The American public is not clamoring for a switch to alternatives for gasoline and until that happens NASCAR will not lead the way.

When asked if there would be any significant changes to the Cup car in the next five years, Fisher said with the changes to the COT and the new Nationwide COT, he didn’t foresee any large change in the near future. You can hear the entire interview with Fisher at www.onpitrow.com

If the return to the spoiler and the new rough, tough driving style are a way to appease fans then why not go the next step and make the cars more remenicent of the street cars they are supposed to represent? Let the controversy about which make has the advantage resurface. Let team owners decide what make of car to run by its advantages of power and design. Stories abound from the Sixties and Seventies about car owners that switched from one brand to another because of its more raceable configurations.

If NASCAR truly wants to give the sport back to its competitors and its fans then give the builders a chance to build and innovate.

photo credit: Ford Racing

Filed under: NASCAR History, NASCAR Tech, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio

Tagged with: Mike Fisher, NASCAR, NASCAR R&D

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Fairness in NASCAR Media: A Defense of Jack Roush

by Charlie Turner

January 26, 2010 10:44 pm CST 3 Comments

We had some stirring NASCAR discussion during and after tonight’s On Pit Row broadcast. A good chunk of it centered on responses to one particular question from our Fast Lap segment.

“Was Jack Roush correct in blaming the media for overly influencing fans negative opinions of NASCAR?

Steve and I debated it. Steve was strongly against the idea that media is to blame for NASCAR’s problems.

Special guest Terry Blount, veteran ESPN.com NASCAR writer was vehement in his disagreement, if Roush was blaming the media for almost anything. Blount’s main point was that he and the others on the NASCAR beat are journalists - not cheerleaders.

I took the other side. And I don’t often take the side of the Cat in the Hat. But, taking the Fast Lap question as presented, I said that I could see where the media does its share of dissing on certain aspects of NASCAR.

I do think that the media makes too big a deal about TV ratings and attendance. Those topics have little to do with the sport itself. There are too many stories that start; “Ugly COT the Cause of Sinking NASCAR TV Ratings”. That isn’t journalism. It’s speculation. And it is negative.

Then, tonight, I Googled Jack’s comments and found the original article by Joe Menzer on NASCAR.com. Most of Roush’s points were directed at “the communications box, the TV box” as Roush refered to them. And specifically to certain types of reporters…

“The complaints have come from reporters and the media that has maybe a vested interest — if you look at [announcers and former driving champions] Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace and all the ex-drivers and ex-crew chiefs that are out there. It’s not unreasonable to say they’ve got some ax to grind over something that frustrated them in their careers when they were on the firing line. We need to reel that back in”

Jack Roush isn’t really attacking the media here. The guys he’s complaining about aren’t journalists. Roush may look at them more as “traitors to the cause” than as rogue media.

So I want to apologize for the way the question was framed during the show. The topic was ripe for debate and that was good. But Jack Roush didn’t really say what we inferred.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - OnPitRow.com

Filed under: NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio

Tagged with: Jack Roush

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Hamlin To Race With Torn ACL, But Is It Worth The Risk?

by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

If OnPitRow.com was a NASCAR team, I’d be the development driver of the bunch. In the same way that young hotshots like Joey Logano have been driving since they were in grade school, I’ve been following and writing about all forms of motorsports since I was barely old enough to talk.

January 24, 2010 3:04 pm CST 1 Comment

ESPN reported today that Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, recently tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a game of pickup basketball.

It’s the second knee injury Hamlin has suffered in recent months from playing basketball. He had surgery in December to repair a torn meniscus in his other knee. With the season just about to start, however, Hamlin has decided to defer the necessary surgery to repair his other knee until the end of the year.

The repercussions of this story, because of the nature of Hamlin’s injury (considered catastrophic in many other sports), have a wide span.

A team spokesman said that Hamlin should have no problem driving the car, but driving hurt means that he won’t be the same caliber driver he normally is. Keep in mind that Carl Edwards failed to score a single top five finish last year after breaking his foot during a game of Frisbee.

An injury the nature of Edwards’ takes about six to eight weeks to heal. In any other sport, it would certainly be a cause for concern in an athlete, but after healing, the athlete should be fine.

Hamlin’s injury, on the other hand, can undo the entire career of some other athletes. At the very least, it’s a season-ending injury that should take about eight months to a year to be fully rehabilitated, and even then, the athlete will likely never be the same. All-world NFL quarterback Tom Brady suffered a torn ACL in the first week of the 2008 season, and didn’t return until the next year.

And we expect Hamlin to drive with this?

The worst feedback that can possibly come out of racing with an ACL tear is a flare-up of the old “drivers aren’t athletes” argument. “If they can race with an injury that is catastrophic to sports,” the naysayers will inevitably contend, “then what makes them a true athlete? None of these injuries were suffered during racing. They were suffered while the athletes played other sports.”

And seeing that these injuries were suffered while playing recreational sports, will team owners begin introducing stricter recreation clauses in athletes’ contracts? Already many athletes, in all sports, are prohibited from doing anything that could cause serious injury to them, or else they risk their contracts being voided.

Sure, deferring surgery until the end of the year allows Hamlin to race in the meantime. But there are plenty of other variables he has to consider. For one, deferring reconstructive surgery means that his rehab will have to go through 2011, meaning that if his driving is affected (and it probably will be), he could be out of contention for the good part of two years.

Hamlin is also reportedly a free agent after this season. What if he has a terrible year? Will he be as attractive to other teams - even as attractive to Gibbs - if he’s still nursing a pickup basketball injury?

There really isn’t a good reason for Denny Hamlin to drive through an ACL injury. It puts too much at risk. It’s smarter for him to properly rehabilitate the injury and come back stronger when it’s fully healed. Joe Gibbs Racing can certainly find a worthy candidate for fill-in duty until Hamlin returns.

Filed under: Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing

Tagged with: Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, torn acl

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Jamie McMurray Live On Pit Row and Back Home

by Charlie Turner

January 21, 2010 11:19 pm CST No Comments

Earnardt - Ganassi Racing’s Jamie McMurray joined us On Pit Row this week and said he’s right at home, back with Chip’s group and a sponsor that is from his Missouri home - Bass pro Shops.

Jamie will be teamed with Juan Pablo Montoya on the team likely favored to win the Rolex Daytona 24 Hours and he talks about it.

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

But I want to see a bass fishing match between Jamie Mac, Rocket Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr.

Filed under: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, Ryan Newman

Tagged with: Bass Pro Shops Racing

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Fast Laps in Vegas Stay in Vegas

by Charlie Turner

January 20, 2010 11:02 pm CST No Comments

The Fast Lap Show couldn’t let the 2009 Sprint Cup Championship week go by without a debate or…four.

Watch the latest Fast Lap Show video and then tell us what you think of these quick queries related to NASCAR’s goofiest week of the year.

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

Turn 1 - How did NASCAR’s moving the banquet to Las Vegas work out?

Turn 2 - What was the highlight of awards week?

Turn 3 - What was the lowlight of awards week?

Turn 4 - What surprised you most from the banquet?

Tell us what you think in the comment section. But be fair. we had a time limit, so try to keep your answers Tweet length - 140 characters or less. I counting.

Filed under: Fast Lap Posts, Fast Lap video, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, NASCAR video

Tagged with: Fast Lap video, NASCAR championship week, NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Show, NASCASR awards banquet

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