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Lack of Suspension for Carl Edwards Inexplicable

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.

March 11, 2010 4:07 pm CST 2 Comments

I have been a fan of Roush Fenway Racing since I was a small child, watching Mark Martin pilot the No. 6 Valvoline car. Through the years, watching the team expand into one of NASCAR’s first multicar powerhouses, I have become a fan of almost every driver to slide behind the wheel of their Fords.

This means that yes, to some extent, I am a Carl Edwards fan. Say what you will about his personality, but he shows flashes of brilliance as a racecar driver, the nine-win season in 2008 included. I think his 2009 Talladega wreck may have affected his psyche a little bit, and may make him a more careful driver in the long term, but he’s still got talent.

That aside, however, his actions in Sunday’s race at Atlanta were inexcusable. I’m sure that everybody knows what happened by now – after Brad Keselowski (the same driver who put him into the catchfence at Talladega last year) got into him early in the race, he returned to the track and ruined a great run by the Penske Racing driver with five laps to go.

Keselowski’s car flipped and landed on its roof, most of the pressure on the driver’s side, before rolling back on all four wheels. Keselowski was shaken up to say the least, and Edwards was parked for his deliberate actions, which he all but admitted to later on.

The problem, however, is NASCAR’s decision only to put Edwards on probation for three races for this incident. Given his history with Keselowski, as well as the complaints that others like Denny Hamlin make about the young driver, these incidents are likely not over. They’ll just wait until Edwards’ probation is over. NASCAR didn’t even wring Edwards’ hands – they wagged a finger. That’s all that the meeting between the two drivers and their owners will be, too.

Marty Smith wrote on Twitter that a “precedent has been set” for these types of retaliatory actions – that no driver should be afraid to dive-bomb a rival they’re angry at now. I understand NASCAR’s desire to open up the racing this year, and I applaud it, but not laying the hammer down in deliberate accidents, especially ones where the wrecked driver could have been seriously hurt, is a mistake.

My opinion: NASCAR should have parked Edwards for at least one race. I might have waited until the next Atlanta race to do it, however. I don’t want a driver who’s going to race like that to make his way into the Chase, and Atlanta is the penultimate regular season race. Taking Edwards out of a race so close to the cutoff could knock him out (if he’s in) and make it far more difficult to make up ground, whereas missing Bristol would give him about 20 more races to get back to the front.

Filed under: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Brad Kesolowski, Carl Edwards

Tagged with: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards

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Hotlanta Chowder and NASCAR Shark Fin Soup

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

March 10, 2010 10:29 pm CST No Comments

Tires.

“Pete. Do you ever get tired of the tires? Sometimes, I get tired of the tires. Very tired”

That was a little play on the words of one of my favorite lines ever, from the very best racing movie of all time, John Frankenheimer’s Grand Prix.

Deal with it.

Steve asked Fox’s Jeff Hammond who was to blame for Sunday’s tire issues at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Jeff blamed the crew chiefs. So did Steve.

But tires were just an excuse for me to use my movie line in this post. The real story. The only real story, really, was Carl Edwards’ wrecking of Brad Kezelowski, and NASCAR’s subsequent wrist slap of Edwards for the dirty deed.

From the buzz we got during the On Pit Row broadcast Tuesday, to what I’ve read and heard around the NASCAR Twittisphere, most of the subjects of the Kingdom of France seem pretty PO’d about Carl’s easy way out of this deal. Jerry Bonkowski, one of our guests On Pit Row, sure seems to feel that way. Read what Jerry has to say here.

I think that, somewhere in the back of a very dark, and very expensively appointed hauler, Prince Brian is cackling like a drunken hen.

This whole deal, including the spectacular double axel that Kezelowski’s Penske Dodge executed at AMS, has been just what the PR(ayer) people in Daytona were hoping for. (Well maybe it was second to a Dale and Danica weekend sweep somewhere).

This wreck and the attendant story lines, put NASCAR front-and-center on all the general sports news shows, beyond the normal race recaps. Mike and Mike. Jim Rome. Oprah.

There was excitement. Maybe not the kind that NASCAR purists wanted.

But this is about the Benjamins baby. Eyes on the decals. Butts in the seats. Cash.

And this wreck will help.

Photo credit: Round girl Jen by BethAnne Heisler for OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Brad Kesolowski, Carl Edwards, NASCAR, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio

Tagged with: Kobalt Tools 500

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Sponsor Switches in NASCAR Just Part of the Business

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

December 24, 2009 4:41 pm CST No Comments

I saw the weirdest thing a few days ago.

I was in the middle of one of my thrice-daily Jayski.com runs, checking the paint scheme gallery for some of the cars that will run next year, when I saw a No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford for Carl Edwards that had Kellogg’s and Cheez-It decals plastered all over it.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I had been aware of this sponsorship switch for at least a month. I knew it was coming. But something about seeing a tangible representation of the scheme just felt weird.

For one, it maintained the bright yellow that Kellogg’s had been using with Hendrick Motorsports since 2004, as well as the red and blue that had been accent colors. I knew they were Kellogg’s colors, but something about them felt more like Hendrick colors. Keep in mind that before Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the team, all four cars ran that shade of yellow in their numbers. The blue also matched up best with CarQuest Auto Parts, a remaining Hendrick sponsor that had partnered with Kellogg’s on the No. 5 car for the past few years.

It felt kind of like a Hendrick Motorsports Ford, and kind of like somebody’s Photoshop project for a NASCAR computer gaming website. It felt like one of those ideas that sounded good at the time, but didn’t quite work out.

That’s when I remembered that it was a real car, due to hit the track in 2010, and that the 16-year relationship between Hendrick and Kellogg’s was no more.

It’s just part of the business - sponsors go wherever they feel they can get the most bang for their buck. Two races with the young and fit Carl Edwards made more sense to company execs than 18 races with the older (but similarly fit, and better performing on-track) Mark Martin.

Sponsor loyalty cannot be relied upon in the business anymore. How else can one explain Valvoline returning to Roush in a primary sponsorship role with Matt Kenseth next year, nine years after leaving Mark Martin for an ill-fated experiment in team ownership?

For what other reason would Subway shift its loyalty from Greg Biffle to Tony Stewart to Carl Edwards over the past three years?

It happens with every team, both big and small. Richard Childress Racing snagged two defectors; Caterpillar ended a 10-year relationship with Bill Davis Racing after the 2008 season to back Jeff Burton, while Cheerios ended an eight-year pact with Petty Enterprises to sponsor Clint Bowyer. Budweiser spent seven years with DEI from 2001 to 2007 before putting their money on Kasey Kahne when Earnhardt Jr. left. DeWalt had been with Kenseth since the late 1990s before leaving this year, although the company has chalked that up to not having the marketing dollars.

Regardless, it’s rare to see a driver, team, and sponsor stick with one another for any significant length of time anymore. We just don’t see as many Richard Petty-STP, Robert Yates-Texaco, or Morgan-McClure Motorsports-Kodak combinations anymore.

Sure, there will always be a DuPont car for Jeff Gordon, a Lowe’s car for Jimmie Johnson, and a Menards car for Paul Menard. Miller Lite will continue to adorn the hood of a Penske car, Interstate Batteries and the Home Depot will stay with Joe Gibbs Racing, and Michael Waltrip will always be able to bank on NAPA sponsorship dollars. Red Bull owns its own team. Aside from that, it’s a free-for-all.

NASCAR has gotten considerably more expensive as of late, with most team owners fielding at least two to three cars. Everybody wants to have four. This facilitates an environment in which sponsors are, as of late, less willing to be patient or stick with a good thing in place. Instead, they’re always trying to take the next step up, looking for a way to align themselves with a better driver for less money, even if it means sponsoring fewer races.

It’s unfortunate that it’s the way of the business, but it’s the nature of the beast these days. So when you see Jeff Gordon rejoin the Coca-Cola Racing Family, Tony Stewart appear on Cheerios and Wheaties boxes, or Joey Logano someday pitching Budweiser, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I mean, Mark Martin’s a GoDaddy driver now, after all. It can’t make any less sense than that.

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Hendrick Motorsports, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Roush Racing

Tagged with: Carl Edwards, Hendrick Motorsports, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Roush-Fenway Racing, sponsorship changes

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Lone Star NASCAR Sunday Morning

by Charlie Turner

November 8, 2009 9:56 am CST No Comments

Here’s what’s on my NASCAR mind this hazey Sunday in Texas, waitin’ for the start of the Dickies 500.

Will Kyle Busch pull off the sweep?

He’s had chances before. But he may have never looked as dominant on a weekend as he has at TMS this time. I picked him in the One and Done game this week. So he probably has no chance. But I’m pulling for him to make history.

Then there’s that Jimmie Johnson guy. Talk about history. I know it’s all over but the shouting but and he can’t officially clinch his fourth straight Sprint Cup championship. But a win would stamp it a done deal.

Or maybe Carl Edwards can get back on the winning track. Texas has been good to Carl. This could be the one. But he didn’t look all that good in the Nationwide Series Race Saturday.

First-time winner? David Ragan could do it, and start to repair the damage of 2009. Maybe A J Allmendinger can take that Richard Petty Racing retro paint job to victory lane. How ’bout Dale Junior? Oh wait - it’s just been so long…

We have On Pit Row on the road this week at Texas Motor Speedway. We’re getting ready to head out to the track now. Follow @onpitrow and @thunderounge on Twitter for race updates and pics.

Enjoy the race.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - On Pit Row

Filed under: A J Allmendinger, Carl Edwards, Chase for the Cup, Dale Earnhardt Jr., David Ragan, Kyle Busch, NASCAR, Texas Motor Speedway, jimmie johnson

Tagged with: Dickies 500, On Pit Row on the road, Thunder Lounge

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One and Done: Dickies 500

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

November 5, 2009 11:35 am CST No Comments

Three races remain on the Sprint Cup Series schedule as the teams head to Fort Worth for the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. This is the third and final “cookie cutter” (1.5-mile tri-oval) race of the Chase, and its defending champion is Carl Edwards.

Going into Texas, the championship is all but settled, as Jimmie Johnson only needs to finish 10th or better in the next three races, even if second-place Mark Martin wins all of the next three races and leads the most laps, to clinch the title. It’s a magnificent achievement if Johnson can pull it off, as it will be his fourth consecutive title (a Sprint Cup record). A 10th-place finish should be easy for Johnson at Texas, who has only failed to finish in the top 10 three times in 12 starts at Texas.

And, oh yeah, there are other drivers competing too. Sorry, forgot about that. Since this column is about One and Done, and I have a format that I prefer to follow, I’ll get into some other picks too. But first and foremost of those picks:

Jimmie Johnson (avg. fn. 8.5): With one win and three second place finishes in his last six Texas starts, he’s just too good. Does anybody else think it’s time to Jimmie-proof the Chase? Texas wants to move this race date anyway - it’s the opening week of deer hunting season in the state.

Tony Stewart (avg. fn. 12.6): He won this race in 2006, led laps here in the spring and has an average finish of 8.5 in the four times Texas has had a November date. It’s not on par with Johnson, but it’s the best you’re going to get.

Carl Edwards (avg. fn. 13.4): Look, I know Cousin Carl hasn’t been himself this year. The broken foot doesn’t help. And to be honest, his Texas record isn’t all that impressive other than the three wins - his only other top 10 was a 10th this spring. But hey, he does have two more wins than Johnson here, and in three less starts - meaning he wins at a 33.3% clip. I think that even despite his off year in 2009, that winning percentage merits a long, hard look.

Mark Martin (avg. fn. 13.8): Martin has no choice but to do well at Texas. After his wild ride at Talladega, he’s mired in quite a hole in points, 184 back of Johnson. Simply put, he has to win, and not only win, but dominate. They’ve been hot and cold all season; this weekend we’ll see how good the 5 team really is.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (avg. fn. 13.9): I know, I’m breaking my own rule - no picking drivers outside the Chase - but this one just felt right. Junior had six top 10 finishes in his first seven Texas starts, winning the first, and has led at least one lap in all of the past six Texas races. He also had the best driver rating last week at Talladega, and you never know what even the weakest link in the Hendrick Motorsports chain can do with a little bit of momentum.

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing, Tony Stewart, jimmie johnson

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Who Killed Talladega?

by Charlie Turner

November 3, 2009 10:10 am CST 1 Comment

So, there I was Sunday with the house all to myself; TV tuned to the NASCAR pre-race ordeal (sound muted), laptop in my…lap, tweeting away, enjoying the repartee, waiting for my afternoon of seat-edged rapture.

And some sumbitch killed my race.

There was more four-wide action at the Bono trailer park than there was at Talladega Super Speedway. Had to be.

I could have set up my chair on an I-75 overpass and watched double-file cruisers for three and a half hours. Some of the cars would have looked better too. That’s right. This race sucked so bad it made me re-start my campaign against the Ugly Little Toad of a car we race now.

There was a bunch of chat before the race about NASCAR’s announced ban on bump-drafting in the corners. Not popular it seems with drivers or fans. But, could that be blamed for the lousy race? This looked like the very first COT race at Talladega. Bad.

With eight laps to go, Ryan Newman’s scary wreck woke everyone up. That’s two ‘Dega races in a row where the roof flaps on the cars (Carl Edwards was the other) acted more like aelerons than anchors. There’s something bad going on with this car.

For years, the Talladega races have been a showcase for what NASCAR should want casual fans to see when they tune in. Exciting, colorful side-by-side-by-side-by-side racing, with tons of passing with a who-knows-who will win, suspense to it.

And some sumbitch killed it.

Photo credit: Round girl Jen by BethAnne Heisler for OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Car of Tomorrow, Carl Edwards, NASCAR, NASCAR Trivia, Ryan Newman, Talladega Superspeedway

Tagged with: Amp Energy 500, Round girl Jen

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