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Rusty Wallace Misses Call on Son’s Wreck

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.

August 1, 2011 7:24 pm CDT 4 Comments

ESPN needs to find other work for Rusty Wallace.

Friday night’s Nationwide race at Lucas Oil Raceway was looking to become a very memorable event. Not only was it quite possibly the last NNS race at the facility but it had some long green flag runs that aren’t usually seen at short tracks. The racing was good and ESPN’s coverage wasn’t. Not only does The Worldwide Leader have a penchant for going to commercial at all the wrong times; but it also employs one of the greatest understatement artists of all time.

Rusty Wallace has had a tough time transitioning to the broadcast booth. Unlike many of his contemporaries such as Ricky Craven, Dale Jarrett, Darrell Waltrip or Phil Parsons; Wallace isn’t able to pass along his vast racing knowledge to the television audience.

His lack of polish and broadcast acumen aside; he continues to struggle with having to comment on his own race team in general and his son in particular. It was no more evident than in Fridays race when he was too quick to lay blame on James Buescher for bumping Stephan Wallace thus propelling Wallace into prone teammate car.

Not only did the replay show that while Buescher did hit Wallace it was well before the latter ran into Annett; but the elder Wallace kept trying to sell the audience on his son’s innocence. It became embarrassing as Rusty then tried to divert the audiences attention by lamenting how much money it just cost him to have his two cars wrecked.

ESPN should not allow parents to be commenting on their children’s races–period.

Photo Credit: BethAnne Heisler/ON PIT ROW

Filed under: ESPN, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, NASCAR Feuds, NASCAR business, Rusty Wallace

Tagged with: James Buescher, Michael Annett, NASCAR, Rusty Wallace, Stephan Wallace

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NASCAR Again Lets the Tail Wag the Dog

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, 2011 8:24 am CST 3 Comments

NASCAR has put Michael Annett on probation for the 2011 season.

Annett takes over the #62 Nationwide Series ride for owner Rusty Wallace that Brendan Gaughan drove in 2010. Once again NASCAR is showing how two-faced it can be with its drug/alcohol policy.

Annett was charged with DUI after being involved in a traffic accident and blowing a .32 when the legal limit is a .08; four times the legal limit. He has not had his day in court; so all the innocent until proven guilty talk is still appropriate. However; that fact has not deterred NASCAR in the past from “suspending now and asking questions later” when a driver or crew member has connection to drugs instead of alcohol.

Drivers have been to quick to chastise their own when the talk of drugs are associated with them. Annett’s probation doesn’t seem to be raising the same ire of his fellow drivers. Arguements have always been that drivers have to rely on the good judgment of their competitors while at speed on the track.

How can Annett’s competitors feel confident on the track racing him at Daytona where on-track speeds hover near the 200 mph mark? NASCAR has indicated that along with the probation they may ask Annett to participate in random drug/alcohol testing. Isn’t that NASCAR’s standard procedure?

Maybe having Rusty Wallace proclaim that Annett, “doesn’t have an alcohol problem” is enough for NASCAR officials, drivers and crews to have confidence in Annett’s decision making. Along with Wallace’s car ownership and his TV work he must also have become an expert in alcoholism detection and treatment. Wallace refused to suspend his driver because he was afraid to loose sponsorship money needed to fund his Rusty Wallace Racing teams.

Annett brought with him a sponsorship deal and without Annett in the car that sponsorship money, in theory, would be gone. What this gets down to is Pilot Travel Centers is running RWR and if the sponsor is running the team; then in essence that sponsor is running NASCAR and the decisions it makes.

Once again NASCAR has brought its credibility into question. The NFL has had no problem suspending its stars for questionable off field activities; just ask Ben Rothlisberger or Michael Vick. We all know that NASCAR continually compares itself to the football league; so why not now?

Annett should have been suspended for a period of time to investigate the incident and his ability to make decisions on the race track. And he should have to be evaluated by someone other than his unqualified team owner. Blowing four times the legal limit is not having an extra beer at a party. It is serious over consumption.

At least some of Annett’s competitors have to be wonder about their safety when they take the track with him out there…and that just isn’t right.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Filed under: NASCAR, NASCAR Bidness, NASCAR Conspiracies, NASCAR officials, Nascaholics, Rusty Wallace

Tagged with: Ben Rothlisberger: Michael Vick; Pilot Travel Centers, brendan gaughan, Michael Annett, Rusty Wallace

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The Kez Wins One for the Captain

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

November 6, 2010 7:32 pm CDT No Comments

Brad Keselowski showed maturity - yep he did - in closing out his first NASCAR series championship at Texas Motor Speedway.

In doing so, The Kez brought one of auto racings’ most accomplished team owners his first NASCAR championship too.

Keselowski followed his two closest Nationwide Series championship contenders - Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch - to the finish line at TMS. He locked up the NNWS for Roger Penske, and himself, by doing so.

Penske has more racing championships than Keselowski has enemies, but this was The Captain’s first in NASCAR.

Rusty Wallace couldn’t bring one home. Nor did Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch or IRL Champ Sam Hornish Jr.

Congratulations Brad. You done the Captain proud.

Photo credit: Glenn Bure - OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Brad Kesolowski, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, NASCAR, Nascar Legends, Nationwide Series, Penske Racing, Rusty Wallace, Ryan Newman, Sam Hornish Jr

Tagged with: NNWS, Roger Penske

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Fast Laps: Chicagoland

by Matt Mercer, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2011 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I'm the former blogger of The Catfish Show NASCAR Blog and a contributor to On Pit Row. Follow me on Twitter: @mattmercer

July 8, 2009 6:26 pm CDT 5 Comments

This may be for Chicagoland, but I’m still hung up on the finish of the Coke Zero 400. If you’re reading this you know the deal. Kyle Busch comes out of turn 4, blocks Tony Stewart, Stewart moves to the outside, Busch tries to block, gets spun, get’s clobbered. Twice. The finishes of these plate races has officially jumped the shark. We now know that the leader at the end of the race will end up in the wall just before the start/finish line. It’s not anyone’s fault, per se. The drivers have voiced frustration at NASCAR for the situation they’re put in. I began thinking, is there anything that can change? I started looking at some plate races from the late 90s when the fad was diving below the line on the front and backstretch. Perhaps the most famous example was Jeff Gordon diving below race leader Rusty Wallace with 11 laps to go heading into turn 1 with a slowed Ricky Rudd on the apron. Gordon was just a few feet from Rudd when Wallace moved up, gave Gordon the room on the inside, and watched him win his 2nd Daytona 500. Today, Rusty says he wouldn’t have given Gordon the room. If the yellow-line rule is lifted, would we see a situation like that again? Who knows. I just know that something’s got to be done to change the finishes of these races, because I’ll take the money in my pockets and bet someone all the money in theirs that the finish at the fall race at Talladega will look very similar to those that saw Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart end up in victory lane instead of Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch.

Now it’s your turn to do battle with Steve and Charlie, along with who else might show up. 100 words, 100% attitude. Let’s roll:

1. Will someone get killed during one these plate race finishes, as suggested by Carl Edwards?

2. Has the yellow-line rule outlived its usefulness?

3. What will Martin Truex Jr. do in his first year at MWR?

4. Does Chicagoland deserve a second race ahead of Kansas?

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Filed under: Brad Kesolowski, Carl Edwards, Chicagoland Speedway, Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Jeff Gordon, NASCAR, Rusty Wallace, Sprint Cup Series, Talladega Superspeedway

Tagged with: Brad Keselowski, Chicagoland Speedway, Coke Zero 400, Daytona 500, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Michael Waltrip Racing, NASCAR, Rusty Wallace, Sprint Cup Series, Tony Stewart

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THA TENACIOUS TALLADEGA TOAD!

by Art Almond, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2011 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

Awright y'all... I'm tha crazy dude that is known as... "Drawer-Dude" I draw funny pictures of this racin' cartoon character that I created... known as "PIT-ROAD-TOAD! You can see more Toad-Toons at my blog site... RACIN' RUCKUS

April 22, 2009 4:44 pm CDT 3 Comments

Talladega… Here we come!

As far as restrictor plate tracks go…Talladega is the “Mac-Daddy”! Constructed in the in 1960’s over an old abandoned airport, this track offers some the best restrictor plate racing NASCAR has to offer. At 2.66 miles this the largest oval track raced in today’s NASCAR events.

Often referred to as simply… “Dega”… it is owned by International Speedway Corporation, and controlled by the France family. This facility can seat up to 175,000 fans.

Speeds in excess of 200 mph were a one time commonplace at Talladega. Talladega Superspeedway has the record for the fastest recorded speed by a NASCAR stock car in a closed oval course, with the record of 216.309 mph set by Rusty Wallace on June 9, 2004. Wallace circled the 2.66-mile trioval in 44.270 seconds! Go Rusty!

Above the TOAD offers up a plate of his own “restricted” fuel flow!

Filed under: Comics, NASCAR, Nextel Cup Series, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, Pit Road Toad, Rusty Wallace, Sprint Cup Series, The France Famliy

Tagged with: Add new tag, Art Almond, Drawer-Dude, Pit Road Toad, Rusty Wallace, Talladega Superspeedway

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Richard Petty vs Cale Yarborough: NASCAR’s 64 Greatest Drivers Sweet 16

by Charlie Turner

April 18, 2009 7:51 am CDT 10 Comments

The King against Cale. ‘Nuff said. The premier Sweet 16 match up of the Fast Lap region in the NASCAR 64 Greatest Drivers Tournament at Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie.

Richard Petty. Maybe I’ll just stop there. I mean, he IS called the King. But I can’t, I have a contract. 200 Cup wins, seven Winston Cup championships and 123 poles. All records. So are the seven Daytona 500 victories, 10 consecutive wins and 27 wins in a single season. And he looks fabulous in a cowboy hat.

Cale Yarborough was the first driver to win three consecutive Cup Series championships -’76 - ‘78. His 83 victories (562 starts) are fifth best all-time and 69 poles are third best. Was the Series runner-up three times and was Daytona 500 winner four times. Holds the record for most overall poles at Daytona with 12. Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.

Yarborough had to defeat Dale Earnhardt Jr in round one and Dale Jarrett in the round of 32. Jim Paschal and Rusty Wallace had the unfortunate luck of drawing King Richard along the way. Now it’s Cale’s turn. Can he de-throne the King and move on to the Elite Eight? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Jarrett, Daytona 500, NASCAR, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, Nascar Legends, Rusty Wallace, The King, The Pettys

Tagged with: Cale Yarborough, Jim Paschal, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, Richard Petty, Winston Cup

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