SPEEDTV.com's Tom Jensen is the former managing editor of National Speed Sport News and earned the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award in 1997.
Click here for Tom's columns.
Past races: Daytona | California | Las Vegas | Atlanta | Bristol | Martinsville | Texas | Phoenix | Talladega | Richmond | Darlington | All-Star Challenge | Charlotte
Busch-Stewart rivalry
Q: What is the deal with Tony and Kurt the season? WHY do they seem to be drawn together? How many times have the wrecked each other this year? 3 times? — Erik from Idaho Falls, Idaho
A: Tony and Stewart just have a bitter rivalry going on. It happens. NASCAR will tell them to get over it. Or else.
Remembering France
Q: When will the drivers and teams hear that Bill France Jr., passed on. Did they make an announcement over the track? — Tom from Cincinnati, Ohio
A: My guess is the drivers won't learn about Mr. France until they come in. Condolences to the family. Mr. France was a giant.
Harvick down a cylinder
Q: Stuck here at work, trying to catch up on the race. What's happened to Kevin Harvicks car? — Steve from Irving Texas
A: Harvick's car has been running on seven cylinders all day.
Dale Jr. in trouble
Q: Have you heard anything about why Dale Earnhardt Jr. keeps having tires wearing out? Could it be the green track? I would think by now it would have rubber on it. — Alisha from Pine Mountain, Ga.
A: The COT is still a learning experience for everyone - finding setups that are fast, comfortable and will hold up. They haven't found it here, obviously.
Martin's strong
Q: Is Truex's car that strong? How is Stewart's car running? Does Montoya ever race without bumping or crashing? — PW from Dallas
A: Yes, Truex's car is that strong, Stewart has an excellent history here and 8th is about his average finish, and, no, Montoya rarely races without bumping or crashing.
Glossary
Q: What is a competition caution? a free pass? — new fan from Brooklyn, N.Y.
A: A competition caution is a yellow-flag at a pre-set period to allow teams to pit and check tire wear while a free pass goes to the first driver a lap down to get back on the lead lap.
View from below
Q: How does the TrackCam at Dover work without the cars damaging it when they drive over it? Is the camera placed in a hole on the track? — Daniel from Sand Creek, Mich.
A: The TrackCam is set into the track with a hard plastic cover over the hole.
Robby's racy
Q: Robby Gordon looks to have his piece dialed in today, look for him to be a factor at the end. He might have an extra touch of go for broke after not winning the Baja 500 (2nd place). Once he gets his equipment close to what everyone else has, watch out. That man can wheel it with the best of them; he is a lot smarter driver then people give him credit for. He is a very cerebral racer, but sometimes lets his right foot do all the thinking too. Fun to watch him when he has a decent car. — Boombatz from Dallas
A: Robby Gordon is having a great run in 15th. He needs a good finish to stay in the top 35 in owner points.
Stuck in the middle
Q: Does Jimmie Johnson have a bent tierod. Is it fixable? — Jason from Selma, Ala.
A: It's usable, but Johnson seems stuck in midpack, though it's still early in the race
Rubbering in
Q: Since Mother Nature decided to flex her muscles and cause me -- just like many rubes out there -- to miss today's race. I was wondering if the green track is taking rubber and allowing for side by side racing? — Paul from Minneapolis
A: The track looks pretty racy to me right now.
No union
Q: In baseball, football, basketball, boxing, etc., the fans know what the sports figures make, why not in NASCAR? Makes no sense to me. — Isaac from Dade City, Fla.
A: NASCAR drivers are independent contractors. Other pro athletes are part of negotiated union labor contracts. That's the difference.
Revving Ryan
Q: It was reported that Ryan Newman had mechanical problems during yesterday's final practice. Newman reported to the team that he felt the car losing power. However, the motor engineers couldn't find anything wrong. What kind of testing can the teams perform after practice to determine if the engine is good? Does Newman have anything to be worried about? Is the engine going to make it? — Ryan from Houston, Texas
A: Thanks for the questions. Basically, the engineers can pull the motor out of the car, disassemble it and check for damage. But most of the inspection will be visual — seeing if parts are broken, discolored, etc. Another thing the teams do is look closely at the engine oil and water, to check for foreign objects and contaminants. Does Newman have anything to worry about? Of course he does. But so do the other 42 drivers. Will his engine make it? If I knew that I'd probably be building engines for a living. But I will say this — his crew wouldn't have left the engine in if they thought it would fail.
Selling Dover?
Q: I was watching NASCAR RaceDay on SPEED, and they talked about Dover possibly being up for sale. Why would someone want to sell a track that packs in the people both times that NASCAR is there? — Al from Baltimore
A: Great question. Dover International Speedway is part of a publicly-traded parent company. And the people who run public companies have what's called a fiduciary responsibility to their stockholders, the owners of the company. What that means basically is the board of directors has to act in the best financial interests of the stockholders. So if, for instance, a buyer comes in and offers Dover 10 times what it's worth, the board probably would sell.
Racing the rain
Q: Why does NASCAR have to air the race at 11 a.m. in Chicago? I am still in school at that time, and many people will be at work. Why can't they start at 4 p.m. ET instead. I've waited all week for this race and would love to watch Jarrett and Waltrip race together again. — Ricky from Oswego, Ill.
A: I'm afraid you're out of luck and here's why: Dover International Speedway doesn't have lights. If the race is delayed, they can't run past about 7:30 p.m. On top of that, the delay has cost the teams an entire day already, the third time it's happened in the last five weeks. They want to get home and ready for Pocono ASAP. Also, if you ran the race at 4 p.m., that would cut into local news programming at 6 p.m., which local TV affiliates don't want. So there are many obstacles. Seriously, I'd recommend a digital video recorder — best investment a TV lover can make.
Got tickets?
Q: Assuming many people can't return for Monday's race, are their tickets made available to others? — Adrian from St Louis
A: It all depends what ticket holders want to do with their tickets. They are not refundable but they are good for today's race.
Dirty deeds
Q: With the Prelude to the Dream coming up on Wednesday, what are the typical changes made to a car to race on dirt? Do you try and make it tight or loose? — Allen from Forsyth, Ga.
A: Glad you can join us. The Prelude to the Dream will not be run with Nextel Cup cars or any NASCAR-legal cars. The dirt late-model cars that will be used in the Dream are purpose-built for dirt. They run spec engines, grooved tires and tube frames.
Raising the roof
Q: Has it ever been discussed in NASCAR to cover the tracks with any type of tent like covers to prevent the majority of rainouts and rain delays since NASCAR has become so popular? — Shelby from Monterey, Va.
A: Bristol Motor Speedway actually made a serious attempt at adding a dome a few years back, but the engineering was just too complex. The big issues with an indoor track are noise and ventilation.
Half doesn't make whole lot of sense
Q: On the prerace show, they said Jr. is looking to go with Gibbs. But I think there is deal for him at RCR to become half owner in his team. Have you heard anything about that? — Kevin from Blacksburg, Va.
A: Thanks for the question, Kevin. I find it highly unlikely that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would become half owner of Richard Childress Racing. RCR already has a major investor, a New York-based investment banking firm. I can't imagine a scenario where everyone agrees to give half the team to Junior.
Locked-in Dale Jr.
Q: If Jr. goes to Childress, Gibbs, or Ginn, will he have to qualify for the first five races, or will they manipulate owner points and make Clint Bowyer, J.J. Yeley or one of the Ginn drivers become a qualifier? Could this happen to Joe Nemechek two years in a row? — Bob from Cape Canaveral, Fla.
A: That's a good question. For what it's worth, I can't fathom Earnhardt moving to a team without a guaranteed starting spot in the field. Why would he? He has an awful lot of leverage, and that's one card he'd have to play, no matter where he goes.
Dale Jr. leaves No. 1
Q: Tom, Dale Jr. is co-owner of the No. 1 Bass Pro car that Martin Truex drives? Will he continue to be a co-owner even though he is leaving DEI? — Mark from Hays, Kansas
A: Welcome. No, Earnhardt will not maintain co-ownership of the DEI car now that he's out of the team.
FYI: Many folks inquired about the late Dale Earnhardt's will. Bob Pockrass, a top-notch reporter from NASCAR Scene, did in fact look it up in the North Carolina public records. Earnhardt's will left 100 percent of DEI to Teresa Earnhardt.
Rain plan
Q: Good morning Tom from rainy SC! If it rains today at Dover and they don't get half the race in, what's the backup plan? The forecast looks like rain for most of Monday, too. Would NASCAR hold out for Tuesday or would they come back on the off-weekend to finish the race? And if so, would the cars be impounded? Thanks and have a great race day! — Jo from Rock Hill, S.C.
A: Happy Sunday! I'm told we'll race Tuesday if we need to, but I think we'll get in before then.
Kenseth's health
Q: I was wondering if you heard if Matt Kenseth was feeling better they said on TV. He was pretty sick still yesterday. — Lyn from Niantic, Conn.
A:
Junior achievement
Q: I hear what you are saying about Tony Jr. going with Dale Jr., but I have to say that it looks like Dale Jr. is doing OK while Tony Jr. serves out his suspension. Do you think they should let Tony Jr. continue to setup the cars while the current interim crew chief continues to make the calls from at op the pit box? — Tom from Agawam, Mass.
A: Welcome to FOX. You can't judge a crew chief on one race, especially when the suspended crew chief is absent only from the track and can still work at the shop, run the meetings, talk to the team on the phone, etc. And, yes, Tony Eury, Jr. should keep setting up the cars for Earnhardt.
Toyota start
Q: Does it surprise you that team Toyota -- with its deep pockets -- has not managed to bring a more competitive car into the mix thus far? — Darren from Dunkirk
A: It isn't the cars, it's the teams - two start-up teams and a third that has not contended for a championship yet. It takes time for all of the team elements to come together.
BTW... Toyota is trying to sign Joe Gibbs Racing for 2008. I asked J.D. Gibbs point blank this morning if JGR was talking to Toyota and he told me, "I think for us right now, you're looking at no comment from us."
Fuel for all
Q: Do you think today's race will be a fuel-management race? — Dumindu from Vista, Calif.
A: Hello and welcome to FOX. The Autism Speaks 400 could well be a fuel mileage race, as it frequently is at Dover International Raceway. Last fall, Matt Kenseth lost a sure second place when he ran out of fuel with two laps to go.
Juniors will continue
Q: When Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaves DEI at the end of this season, will his cousin and crew chief go with him or stay with DEI? I think they should stay together because they work so very well together and know how each other thinks. — Sherri from New Franklin, Mo.
A: Thanks for the question. Yes, crew chief Tony Eury, Jr. will almost certainly go with Dale Earnhardt Jr. next season. And, yes, they make an excellent team.
Ginn vs. Gibbs for Junior
Q: Hendrick has four drivers. JGR is not looking for another driver, and RCR will have four drivers in 08 with or without Jr. So Tom, Bobby Ginn will have the best cars and motors. Is Jr.'s best bet to drive for Ginn Racing? — Mark from Hays, Kansas
A: You ask the (multi-) million-dollar question. The two scenarios people are talking most about is Earnhardt going to Gibbs with Visa sponsorship or going to Ginn with Bud sponsorship. I think he will succeed admirably wherever he goes. The advantage with Gibbs is that it's an established, championship-proven team already. The advantage with Ginn is that Earnhardt would be the clear-cut No. 1 driver on the team. Either way, it ought to work well for him. I think it will come down to these two teams. Click here for more on this story.
New sponsor for No. 2 motorsports series
Q: Who are the leading companies to replace Busch as title sponsor? — Mike from Glendale, Arizona
A: Welcome to FOX. Right now, the leading contenders to be the new Busch Series sponsor are Subway and Wal-Mart. Longshots include Samsung and Visa.
King's wins
Q: I'm curious to know how many races were run in 1967 when Richard Petty won 27 Cup races. — Steve from Bossier City, La.
A: Thanks for the question. In 1967, Richard Petty won 27 times in 48 starts, including 10 in a row. He also scored 19 poles and 38 top-five finishes.
Elliott in the No. 21
Q: Have you heard anything about Ken Schrader racing for the Wood Brothers anymore this year, or will it be Bill Elliott and Jon Wood? — Kevin from St Peters, Mo.
A: Thanks for the question. Officially, Bill Elliott is in the No. 21 on a race-to-race basis. My guess is that as long as Bill Elliott keeps putting the car in the race — and he has all six past champion's provisionals left — he'll remain as the driver.
Roush Fenway connect four
Q: How is this new four-team rule going to affect teams like Roush Racing, which currently has 5 teams? Do they drop one of their teams or are they grandfathered in with five teams? — Taylor from Gallup, N.M.
A: Welcome to FOX. Roush Fenway Racing will only be allowed to have four cars starting with the 2010 season and beyond.
Drivers in the shop
Q: During a typical week in between races, how often would a driver typically show up at their teams race shop? — Gary from Milton, Ga.
A: That's a great question, but unfortunately there's not really a typical driver schedule. Some guys are there all the time, others might come by, on average, once every week or two. It all depends on the driver and the team.
NASCAR's new fuel?
Q: Tom, what is involved in converting a gasoline engine to ethanol as the Indy cars now run? And has NASCAR considered this option? — Tom from Redding, Calif.
A: Hey there. NASCAR is getting encouragement from some sponsors and teams to consider a switch, but I don't expect it soon. As far as the conversion, any time you change the fuel used in a pure-bred race engine, it's an involved process. I'll try to get more specifics from an engine builder Sunday.
Why A.J. is 43rd
Q: Why is A.J. Allmendinger starting 43rd at Dover when his qualifying speed is clearly faster then several of the drivers starting in front of him? — Ken from Kansas City, Kansas
A: Great question. Here's the deal — The 43rd spot in the field is reserved for a past champion. If there is no driver eligible for the past champions provisional then that spot goes to the eighth-fastest driver that is not guaranteed a starting spot based on points.
No tiebreaker for laps led
Q: What happens with NASCAR scoring when two or more drivers tie for the most laps lead at the end of the race? Do the drivers split the 10 point bonus, or do they each get an additional 10 points? — Kelly from Americus, Ga.
A: Thanks for joining us. According to NASCAR statistician Michael Payne, this is virtually the only situation in NASCAR that does not have a tiebreaker. Both drivers get the 10 extra points if they tie for most laps lead.
NASCAR can't limit teams
Q: What's your opinion about the "seven post shaker"? My thought is the "rich get richer," and the second tier teams and below are left out in the cold again due to the teams with the big bucks. Has NASCAR ever stepped in to try and stop the high dollar teams from getting this type of advantage? — David from Corpus Christi, Texas
A: Welcome. The bottom line is that NASCAR can't stop teams from spending money, though they have tried and tried and tried. Many of the recent rule changes — the Car of Tomorrow, single-engine rule, gear rule, etc. — were done to limit costs. Some were more successful than others. But if you tell a team they can't test, for example, then all that means is that they'll take their testing budget and invest it computer simulation. They won't spend less money.
More Midwest motoring?
Q: Has NASCAR ever thought of racing the Nextel Cup Series at some of the tracks located throughout the midwest other than Kansas and Chicagoland? — Andrew from Hamilton, N.D.
A: Hello to you in North Dakota. For the last five years or so, the only two markets NASCAR has expressed any interest in are New York City and the Pacific Northwest.
Sterling's swan song?
Q: Will 2008 be Sterling Marlin's last season in a Cup car? — Don from Tampa, Fla.
A: Sterling hasn't announced his plans yet, but I would not be surprised if 2008 is his last year in a Cup car.
Sharing a stall
Q: How does sharing pits work, especially early in the race? Can one of the teams move the pit box after another is out of the race? Is it the last two qualifers that have to share it? — Tom from Cincinnati, Ohio
A: Glad you could join us again this weekend. Dover International Speedway is one of the few tracks with 42 pit stalls instead of 43, and it's shared by the 42nd and 43rd qualifiers. If there's a pit stop and the two teams sharing the box want to pit at the same time, the car ahead of the other in the race pits first. Once a car drops out of the race, one of the teams sharing the stall can move to the vacant box.
No inspection for wrecking
Q: Do or are cars involved in accidents required or forced to go through post-race inspections? I noticed Jeff Gordon's team had the car loaded up quickly and were on their way after the Coca-Cola 600. — Eric from Grantsville, Utah
A: Excellent question. NASCAR has the right to inspect any car, whenever it wants to. Typically, though, they don't inspect cars that are out of the race unless they suspect something is amiss or suspicious with that car.
Ownership technicality
Q: If you look at the for Dover, it shows Rick Hendrick as the owner of the 5 and the 24 cars, Mary Hendrick as owner of the 25 and Jeff Gordon as owner of the 48. So wouldn't any of these owners have room at the inn for Dale Earnhardt Jr. next year, or does the name listed really not mean anything and Rick Hendrick actually owns all four? — Mark from Herrin, Ill.
A: Another sharp observation. The reason NASCAR entry forms list different owners for the same team is each owner can only have two cars entered in NASCAR's various incentive plans. It's a technicality to maximize earning potential for each team. In reality, Hendrick owns all four of his cars, Roush all five of his, etc.
Boring qualifying?
Q: Qualifying can be boring to watch, and the top 35 locked in seems to me unfair to the rest of the teams. What do you think about NASCAR adapting the Formula One qualifying method? They can take maybe 1/4 or 1/3 of the entries, and let them on the track for a 20-30 minute period; their fastest lap during that time being their qualifying lap. The cars could also come in and make adjustments. Then the top 43 make the show. Your thoughts? — George from Mt. Prospect, Ill.
A: Welcome to FOX. I've made this point numerous times this season, but it's worth repeating. If you have 50 cars entered for 43 spots, seven cars are going home, no matter what the system you use. And each of the seven guys who goes home will dream up a different system that would have them qualify and someone else go home. I do agree, though, that the current qualifying system often is boring.
'Sore' point
Q: Hey Tom, what does Reed Sorenson have to do to get any recognition in this sport? Obviously win a race maybe, but the kid pulls off his best finish of his career but nothing is said about it. I'm happy for Mears, Yeley and Petty for their great finishes, but how about the rest of the top five? Vickers also, had a winning car (until his problems) and — because of fuel mileage — was able to sneak out a good finish. — Chad from Mansfield, Pa.
A: Hello and thanks for coming by. I couldn't agree with you more. Reed Sorenson had an excellent finish — the best of the Ganassi cars so far in '07 — and in truth, any top-five finisher in the Coca-Cola 600 by himself made for a great story. The fact that we had five great stories in the top five is remarkable.
Big Daddy wouldn't get points
Q: When Jeff Gordon is out of the race for the delivery of "Victoria Lane" LOL! will he still be credited for any points that Mark Martin would collect if he finishes, or will they be credited to Martin? — Diana from Salem, Oregon
A: Thanks for the excellent question. The driver who starts the race gets the points so if Martin is in the car when the green flag drops, he gets the points.
Racy night in Georgia?
Q: I am a volunteer at Atlanta Motor Speedway as a pit road firefighter. I have read that Bruton Smith wants another race in Las Vegas, but to get it, he will probably have to give up a race at AMS, which I will hate. AMS set up lights years ago and actually ran a NASCAR night race there due to a long rain delay. So, why doesn't NASCAR allow AMS a night race? — James from North Augusta, S.C.
A: Hello. First off, don't assume Atlanta is going to lose a race. I'll believe it when I see it. Secondly, the decision to race at night is usually a joint one between NASCAR and the track. I'm not aware that AMS has asked for a night race and been turned down. I wouldn't rule the possibility out in the future.
COT schedule
Q: I am a member of your fantasy racing league for NEXTEL Cup. I have looked everywhere to see if anyone has a schedule of which of the remaining races this year (2007) will be C.O.T. Do you know or does anyone know? It would make driver selections a whole lot easier! — Ed from Alexandria, Ind.
A: Glad to be of service, sir. This link will give the COT schedule for 2007. Click here.
Owning the circuit
Q: What is the record for most wins by a car owner in a single Nextel Cup season? — Bradley from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
A: Welcome to FOX! Petty Enterprises won 27 races in 1967, all with Richard Petty at the wheel.
DEI's replacement
Q: Have you heard any rumors about Paul Tracy going to Dale Earnhardt Inc.? Could he be the "champion from another series" that Richie Gilmore is touting? — Jo from Rock Hill, S.C.
A: There have been rumors about Paul Tracy hooking up with DEI and also hooking up with RCR over the past two seasons. The rumor mill is strangely quiet about who is going to succeed Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 8. Tracy could be, but frankly, I think it's kind of a longshot.
Who's your bud?
Q: Tom, during the FOX pre-race show, Jeff Hammond said that Visa could be Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s new sponsor. Would Budweiser not follow Jr.? — Mark from Hays, Kansas
A: It all depends where Junior goes. If Junior ends up driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, Gibbs has said he absolutely will not have a beer company as a primary sponsor of one of his cars. But if he goes anywhere other than that, I would expect that Budweiser would follow him. They're very heavily invested in him. They have a long-term personal services contract with him. One way or another, you're going to see Budweiser and Dale Earnhardt Jr. linked in the future.
Martin a mentor, not a title contender
Q: With the buzz of Dale Earnhardt Jr. possibly going to Ginn, what would Mark Martin's role be there in the future? I believe they would be an outstanding team. I would really like to see Mark give it one more try for the championship. — Billie from Bismarck, N.D.
A: There's no way Mark is going to run for a championship. He made his peace a couple of years ago that it wasn't in the cards for him to be a NASCAR Nextel Cup champion despite a great career record so he's not going to run for a championship. What his role would be if Junior joins the team is the sme as it is now. He would run a part-time schedule, and he would be a tutor for some of their young drivers in their driver development program, such as Ricky Carmichael.
Medical center
Q: What type of medical examinations do drivers get after an accident, like Jeff Gordon's crash in the Coca-Cola 600? — Stewart from Waynesville, Ga.
A: After an accident, it's mandatory for drivers to go via the ambulance to the infield care center at each track. If the driver isn't seriously injured, they're basically checked out much like a football player for a concussion. They want to make sure they're awake and alert and physically examine them to make sure there are no serious injuries. If there are more serious injuries then they tend to be transported to a local hospital.
Petty as title contender
Q: I was happier with Kyle Petty's 3rd-place finish than I have been with anyone else's victory in motorsports (very happy for Mears also) over the past couple seasons. "Class Act" doesn't do him justice. He's truly a fine person. During Kyle's career, did he ever have a chance to "jump ship" and race with a top team? — Alan from Terre Haute, Ind.
A: Yes, Kyle did race for a top team. He raced for Felix Sabates, and in 1992, he actually went into the final race of the year at Atlanta Motor Speedway as one of five drivers who was in contention and mathematically eligible for a championship so he had a couple of very good seasons, especially in his years with Felix Sabates.
All engines conform by '09
Q: Please tell me why Toyota Cup cars cannot run Toyota truck engines. Chevy, Ford and Dodge run the same engine package as the Craftsman Truck Series. What's the difference? — Kevin from Alpine, Calif.
A: That's not technically true. The Craftsman Truck Series engines are a little bit different than the NASCAR Nextel Cup engines. NASCAR Nextel Cup engines have a much higher power band, and they make about 100 horsepower more than the truck engines do on average. NASCAR is also making all four manufacturers conform to a new set of engine specs. The new Toyota engine and the new Chevy R07 engine already conform to those, and Ford and Dodge will have to have new engines by 2009.
|
