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.
Phoenix pit selections
Past races: Daytona | California | Las Vegas | Atlanta | Bristol | Martinsville | Texas | Phoenix | Talladega | Richmond | Darlington | All-Star Challenge | Charlotte | Dover | Pocono | Michigan | Michigan | Sonoma | Loudon | Daytona | Chicagoland | Indianapolis | Pocono | Watkins Glen | Michigan | Bristol | California | Richmond | Loudon | Dover | Kansas | Talladega | Charlotte | Martinsville | Atlanta | Texas
Jimmie, not emotions, get Jeff
Q: Looks like Jeff Gordon's emotions are getting the best of him. He hurt himself by "getting back" at Harvick. — Bonnie from Michigan
A: Jimmie Johnson got the best of Jeff Gordon for the fourth week in a row.
Saluting the troops
Q: Tom, I thought I'd get my Thanks to you for a great season. I learn so much from you. Not just about NASCAR but about patience and good manners when you deal with highly biased readers. Suggestion: For next year's race in Phoenix: Would you ask NASCAR to create a special patch for the drivers, pit crew, and media to wear if they served in the Armed Forces on Veteran's Day Weekend? Maybe they could extend that for individuals who lost a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, or cousin in war. (I would also like to see a decal on all cars in tribute to Our Nation's veterans as well. — Kenny from Fremont, Calif.
A: Thanks for the kind words. Great idea. I'll pass it on to NASCAR.
Pack up your pit box
Q: How far can they go on gas? — Tyler from Utica, N.Y.
A: Until the end
Junior loses it
Q: Tom, did Dale Earnhardt Jr. lose it all by himself or did he get loose and get a little help going 'round? — TG from Clearwater, Fla.
A: Dale Earnhardt Jr. said, "I just lost it off Turn 2. ... I got up there a little high and just come around."
Fix isn't in
Q: Looks like the NASCAR gods hate Jeff Gordon enough to FIX this Cup Chase and HAND Jimmie the Cup. This will go down as the biggest robbery in NASCAR history! — W.Beauchamp from Sacramento, Calif.
A: Robbery? With nine victories? Are you kidding me?
St. Patrick's day?
Q: Which one of the open wheel guys will finish highest today: Hornish, Carpentier or Villeneuve? — Clint from Chicago
A: Carpentier
Valuing veterans
Q: Will there be military men at the Checker Auto Parts 500 Today since it is Veteran's Day? — Chris from Latham, N.Y.
A: Hey, bud! Yep, there are plenty of military men here. NASCAR and the soldiers have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for each other.
Two for one team isn't good
Q: Tom, on another NASCAR web page, Richard Petty made some good points on how ONLY having two cars from the same ownership going for the championship is not good for NASCAR. Also, this topic has been discussed before but with the current situation... do you feel that all chase contenders should start the 10-race format at zero points? To be out of the Chase at the halfway point really takes the affect out of the format, and it should go back to the old point system ... — Don from Summer Set, S.D.
A: Thanks for the comment. I agree - it's not good for the sport to have two guys from the same team being the only ones in championship contention. Here's my take on the topic: http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/41500/ As far as the points, it wouldn't have mattered this season as far as bringing non-Hendrick drivers into contention.
DEI update
I just went to the garage and spoke with Max Siegel, president of worldwide operations for DEI, and he said he expects Richie Gilmore to be back at work in a couple of weeks. I also asked him about a sponsor for the No. 01 car next year and he said, "Nothing to report."
Waiting for Yates sponsors
Q: What is up with Yates? Tom, the 2007 season is just about over, and Yates doesn't have any sponsors. How can an outfit like this expect to compete? If they get "sponsors" from Roush, one would have to see if this is a violation of the four-team rule. — Chad from St. Louis
A: Welcome to FOX. I asked Jack Roush yesterday where Yates was with sponsors and he said, "I have no idea." That's not a good sign. Geoff Smith, the president of Roush Fenway Racing, has been helping the team hunt for sponsors, but so far nothing has been announced.
No. 01 awaits sponsor, too
Q: Who is going to sponsor the No. 01 car next year for Regan Smith? — Bud from Faribault, Minn.
A: Thanks for the question. To my knowledge, there has not been anyone signed yet, although DEI officials have insisted on several occasions that they will have four fully-sponsored cars next season.
Fine for champ
Q: What is the largest penalty given to a would-be champion since Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were fined 100 points and most likely would become series champ? — Tom from Cincinnati, Ohio
A: Hi, there. To my knowledge, the largest fine to a team during its championship season took place in 1995, when Ray Evernham was fined $60,000 for using unapproved suspension parts on Jeff Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Schrader up in the air
Q: Hi Tom! Have you heard anything about Ken Schrader's plans for next year? Now that the No. 21 team seems pretty much doomed to finish outside the top 35, will Bill Elliott be back in the car at Daytona, or will Schrader get his ride back? I know Kenny can find plenty of other places to race, but I really miss seeing him in the Cup series every week! — Jo from Rock Hill, S.C.
A: Happy weekend, Jo! Ken Schrader's plans for next year are still up in the air because the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing team is still battling to get in the top 35 in owner points. This weekend, Schrader is helping Patrick Carpentier as a consultant with Gillett Evernham Motorsports.
Skinner's principle
Q: Hey Tom, I just need your opinion on something. During the Craftsman Truck race, everyone made a big deal about Johnny Benson finishing in front of Bill Davis Racing teammate Mike Skinner, which cost Skinner 4 points. I don't think that's true racing because you're supposed to race all out every lap, right? — A.J. from Washington, D.C.
A: Thanks for the question. In theory, you are correct, but in the real world, when a title is on the line, most drivers would feel like Skinner did - angry that a teammate passed him at the end.
Same or diffferent COT inventory?
Q: With the Car of Tomorrow full-time next season, how many new cars will each team have next year? Do you see the number of cars decreasing, or will it still be about the same as before? I know the goal of the COT is to decrease it, but is it reality? — Tom from Cincinnati, Ohio
A: Good question and one that is inconclusive. I've had crew chiefs tell me they use exactly the same number of cars as before and others say it will be a lot fewer. I think that in general, teams will use fewer cars, but the jury is out on the exact numbers.
COT on the street?
Q: Will the COT change the shape of street cars that Detroit builds for people to buy? — John from Sale Creek, Tenn.
A: Welcome to FOX. No, I don't think the Car of Tomorrow will have much impact on how production cars look.
Taxing sponsorships
Q: Where is it that the sponsorship money from PVA, Army, National Guard, Coast Guard, Navy and Marines comes from? Is it the taxpayers or where? — Shelly from Antioch
A: Thanks for joining us. The military sponsorship money comes from U.S. taxpayers.
Yates rates points with new ownership
Q: I saw reports that Doug Yates would "take over Robert Yates Racing," but it was a whole new company. Everyone was able to apply for their old jobs. If this is a new enterprise, will they not get the points that the No. 38 and 88 cars earned in 2007? — Robert from Mesa, Ariz.
A: Thanks for the question. The No. 88 and 38 will keep their owner points next year.
Flyover vs. four abreast
Q: I watched the World of Outlaws last weekend on TV. What a great Saturday night race! I really enjoy the salute they give to the fans, four abreast, side-by-side, for a full lap. The first race of the year, the big one at Daytona Beach, all the NASCAR cars should do a salute to the fans. Without the fans, no racing, ya think? — Larry from Sapulpa, Okla.
A: The Outlaws have a cool way of saluting the fans. I think to think the NASCAR salute is the weekly flyover before the start of the race, which I can promise you is breathtaking live.
DEI's deal
Q: DEI is making organizational wide changes since Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he was leaving. Many of these changes are said to be changes Jr. himself said needed to be made. Why do you think company officials didn't listen to Jr. in the first place and make these changes, hence maybe he would have remained with the company and taken them both to a championship? By waiting until now to make the changes, it seems like they just wanted to get rid of Jr. and them move on without him. — Susan from Newington, Conn.
A: You raise an interesting question. It's been my experience that in life, as well as racing, most people don't react to a crisis in time to head it off. They react to a crisis after it's already attacked them and caused major problems, which is exactly what I think happened at DEI - people kept putting off and putting off acting because they didn't think it was that much of a problem, but it was. Don't be so quick to ascribe sinister motives. That surely wasn't the case.
Switching points
Q: Will Sam Hornish Jr. have to qualify on speed and time for the Daytona 500 in the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge or will Roger Penske trade the points with the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge team? — Chris from Latham, N.Y.
A: Thanks for the question. Penske hasn't said yet whether they will swap points with Kurt Busch and Sam Hornish Jr., but frankly I'd be shocked if they didn't, especially given the fact that Hornish has been unable to make races on his own so far.
Scott to the sidelines
Q: Hi Tom, where will Scott Riggs be driving the final two races of the season? Does he not have a ride, or is he going to HAAS CNC Racing. — Matthew from Cape Breton, Canada
A: Welcome to FOX. Unless something changes, I don't expect Scott Riggs to race in the Nextel Cup Series again this year. He's not entered in this weekend's race at Phoenix.
Split personality
Q: Do you think Hendrick/Dale Earnhardt Jr. went with Mountain Dew, Amp and the National Guard because they were already under contract with Hendrick, and is it just for one year? It seems to me sharing sponsorship with all is bad for marketing. There isn't any consistent identity that I can relate to. — Alan from Detroit, Mich.
A: Hello, there. The parties involved with Dale Earnhardt Jr. moving to Hendrick Motorsports are intending this to be a long-term relationship, not a one-year thing. Like it or not, the cost of Nextel Cup sponsorships has gotten so high that companies need to sell off some races to be able to afford to play. On the Hendrick team next year, Junior's car will be split between Amp and the National Guard, and Casey Mears' car will be split between Carquest and Kellogg's. Nicorette has run as a primary on Jeff Gordon's car for a few races this year, and just last week, Jimmie Johnson's primary sponsor was Kobalt.
DEI's transitional season
Q: One of the Hendrick strengths is their ability to keep the setup of their cars in constant change to meet the demands of the changes in the track. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car on the other hand is stagnant, many times fading toward the end of the race and only being able to run the top or not meeting the ever-changing demands of the track. Why can't the No. 8 team get a setup with more changeability to it? Seems like this could be one thing that could have solved a few of their problems. — Susan from Newington, Conn.
A: You get the first question of the weekend. Look, pretty much of the entire season for DEI has been a series of huge transitions - adding Ginn Racing, merging engine operations with RCR, losing Dale Earnhardt, Jr., both Eurys, Steve Hmiel, etc. Given the amount of chaos and adjustments they've had to make, I'm frankly surprised they've done as well as they have this year. If there were a simple, easy fix, they'd have found it and done it by now.
Junior's hand-me-downs?
Q: I was wondering if Dale Earnhardt Jr. would use the No. 25 team's current COTs, or would Tony Eury Jr. use the Hendrick resources to build his own cars for 2008? — Steven from Grundy, Va.
A: Thanks for the question. For sure, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will have plenty of new cars next year, but it wouldn't surprise me if he had a hand-me-down or two, also.
Top half still in play
Q: Correct me if I am wrong, but are there only three left in the Chase who mathematically have a chance to win — Johnson, Gordon and Bowyer? Haven't the rest of them been eliminated pointswise? — Al from Abilene, Texas
A: Welcome to FOX: during Sunday's Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, six drivers were officially mathematically eliminated from title contention this year. They six are Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex, Jr., the drivers currently in positions seventh through 12th, respectively. Two more drivers — Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart — will be eliminated when points leader Jimmie Johnson starts next Sunday's race in Phoenix, while fourth-place Kyle Busch will be eliminated if Johnson starts the final two races of the season.
Clinching at Phoenix
Q: What would it take for Jimmie Johnson to clinch the championship if both start at Homestead? For example to officially clinch it, Johnson needs to lead the most laps, and Gordon leads 0 laps and finishes last. — Tom from Cincinnati, Ohio
A: Hi, bud! The most points a driver can make it in one race is 161. So if Jimmie Johnson leaves Phoenix with a lead of 161 points or more, he'll clinch the championship. He already has a 30-point lead, so to clinch he needs to add 131 more points in Phoenix. He can do that if he wins and leads the most laps and Gordon finishes 33rd or worse and doesn't lead a lap in Phoenix.
No team orders for Johnson
Q: Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Jeff Gordon part owner of the No. 48 Jimmie Johnson car? And if so, how does this work in the scheme of the championship, i.e. team orders, etc.? — Ron from Lexington, Neb.
A: Yes, Gordon is part owner of Johnson's car. In the context of the championship, it means nothing. Zip, zilch, nada.
|
