Entertainment Value Rises when Cup Qualifying Shifts into Second Gear

by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Over ten years on the air and three on the net; see what can happen when I don't let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

February 27, 2009 12:10 pm UTC No Comments

Once the guaranteed entrants finish jockeying for pit selection, real qualifying begins.

Fifty-one cars are on the entry list for the Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and fifteen of them have to literally fight their way into the race and can make for the best drama of the weekend.

Predictions were that once NASCAR left the season opener at Daytona the number of cars trying to make the race could fall below the forty-three that constitutes a full Sprint Cup field. The general consensus that the “under funded” teams would not follow the circus west has not held true. Several of these teams including Tommy Baldwin‘s and Jeremy Mayfield‘s said all along that they had every intention of racing the entire season.

Mayfield picked up a sponsor and co-owner in the All-Sport brand of thirst quencher. Baldwin has been sponsored by Red Bank Outfitters in the first three events and have added the third race at Vegas as well. The Yates Racing no. 28 driven by Travis Kvapil had Golden Corral Restaurants on the car at Daytona and they will be back on the car for at least three more races starting in Sin City.

So with the entry lists bigger than expected by NASCAR and many experts; does that go against the business model projections that these start up teams anticipated? Baldwin told ON PIT ROW that the primary reason he felt they could make a go of it in the Cup Series was because there was no testing in the off season and the size of the fields trying to qualify would be smaller.

There are sixteen teams in Vegas looking to fill eight spots. One of those spots will go to Tony Stewart because of his guaranteed provisional. Qualifying is set for 3:30pm local time (pacific), but the real excitement won’t start until the go or go home cars hit the track at approximately 5:00pm. That is when the true knock out qualifying starts as fifteen cars vie for seven spots. That type of knock out qualifying is what made “Bump Day” at Indy in May so exciting and what has the potential for being the best part of the show at each race track.

Just imagine if instead of thirteen drivers having to qualify in; twenty-eight needed to fight for a spot. Changing the Top 35 to the Top 20 would give NASCAR their certified stars in the race and make the rest of the field fight for the privilege to race on Sunday. NASCAR will never abandon the Top 35 rule; we can only hope that they amend it.

Qualifying is an important piece of the NASCAR experience; both at the track and to the television viewer. Therefore, every effort must be made to qualify at least the Cup cars every week. It is fine to schedule qualifying on Friday, but NASCAR has to have a Plan B,C and D ready in case of rain. Qualifying CANNOT be rained out. If it takes until Sunday morning to get cars qualified, then that is what has to be done. It is too important to the Tommy Baldwins, Joe Nemechecks, Jeremy Mayfields, James Finchs, Bob Germains and Bob Jenkins of the world to not make every attempt to get it in. Scrapping qualifying is no longer a luxury that NASCAR can afford; team’s ultimate existence is at stake.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Filed under: Dave Blaney, Diversity and NASCAR, Germain Racing, How to fix NASCAR, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy Cars, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, NASCAR, NASCAR Bidness, NASCAR officials, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, Stewart Haas Racing, Tommy Baldwin, Tommy Baldwin Racing, Top 35 Rule, Yates Racing

Tagged with: Bob Germain, Bob Jenkins, James Finch, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, scott riggs, Tommy Baldwin Racing, Top 35 Rule

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Riggs, Mayfield, Smith and Allmendinger Live to Race Another sunDAY

by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Over ten years on the air and three on the net; see what can happen when I don't let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

February 12, 2009 6:19 pm UTC 5 Comments

Much has been made about the Gatorade Duels not meaning much for most of those involved.

After all, there were only seventeen drivers who had a stake in the races. The Daytona Seven were looking for only four spots in the 51st Daytona 500. The Duels were about racing for starting positions, but the biggest stories were about those four spots that needed to be filled.

So why was it that SPEED didn’t focus on those battles to make the race? Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip kept TV viewers abreast of who was doing what during the races until the last laps of each race. Sure race fans want to see who wins the race, but the bigger story was who was in and who didn’t make their dream come true.

In neither race did the cameras give viewers a look at the battles for the transfer spots. Scott Riggs beat out Joe Nemechek to make the field while Front Row Joe would end up on the outside looking in. It took the results of the second race before Nemechek’s fate would be known, but fans wanted to see the Riggs/Nemechek battle.

The conclusion of the second Duel was just as mysterious for the TV fan as SPEED focused their coverage on the front runners only. Again, the finish of the front runners was exciting and worthy of coverage, but we all knew they would be in the race. The bigger story revolved around Jeremy Mayfield, Regan Smith and AJ Allmendinger.

Lets hope that ALL the TV coverage in 2009 shows viewers everything going on everywhere on the race track, not just the leaders. There are stories and battles everywhere. Don’t short change the TV viewers by showing only the leaders. Let’s do better in ’09.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Filed under: A J Allmendinger, Daytona 500, Jeremy Mayfield, NASCAR Bidness, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, Regan Smith, scott riggs, Tommy Baldwin

Tagged with: A.J. Allmendinger, Jeremy Mayfield, NASCAR, Regan Smith, scott riggs

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NASCAR’s Return of the One Car Wonders

by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

January 29, 2009 6:02 pm UTC No Comments

Who said the single car NASCAR Sprint Cup team was dead? Not our own Mindy Monday.

In the latest – and apologetically late - Monday Morning Crew Chief, Mindy tips her hat to several, brand new one car operators. She also disses Brian France. But what else is new?

Watch Mindy’s latest right here. Sorry we’re late.

Filed under: Bench Racing TV, Brad Kesolowski, Brian France, Car of Tomorrow, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, Mike Wallace, Monday Morning Crew Chief, NASCAR, NASCAR Bidness, NASCAR Rumors, NASCAR video, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, Phil Parsons, Sprint Cup Series, Terry Labonte, Tommy Baldwin, Tommy Baldwin Racing, TRG Motorsports, Warren Wallace