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.
Watkins Glen pit selections
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Fine mess
Q: Do you think Kevin Harvick and Juan Pablo Montoya be fined $25,000 each? Or will their penalties be greater or less than that fine? — Paul from York, Pa.
A: I bet they will be fined, but I don't think it will be more than $25,000.
Red flag rebuke
Q: Why are they working on the No. 29 car under red flag? — Pat from Maryland
A: They shouldn't be. NASCAR just made them stop.
Crazy conclusion
Q: Hamlin, Edwards, and Stewart in the grass! Petty on fire! Kenseth hitting Menard! Is this not the most exciting lap you have seen in the last two weeks or what? — Mark from Venice, Fla.
A: Compared to Pocono, this is really, really exciting. And now that Montoya and Harvick have gotten into it, it's even crazier. Wow, wow, wow.
Comment: Well. I lost Nevermind my last question. THAT was exciting. :D — Mark from Venice, Fla.
A: Well, it certainly has gotten interesting.
Comment: Someone jumping over to get Kenseth to sign a hat? Daytona finishes? Nope. This is the best race ever. I just hope it gets better and better. — Mark from Venice, Fla.
Enough fuel to the finish
Q: If the caution comes out with 2 or 3 to go, can any of the leaders make it? — Mindy from North Dakota
A: Yes, I think everyone should make it on gas.
Provisional trumps points
Q: Was Boris Said able to replace Bill Elliott in the No. 21 because the No. 21 made the race based on owner points (not Bill E's champion's provisional) after qualifying was rained out? — Richard from Winston-Salem, N.C.
A: In case of a rainout, ALL past champions automatically make the race, which is how Elliott - and Terry Labonte and Dale Jarrett - made the race.
No. 8 isn't out
Q: What is your take on all the "bad luck" Dale Jr. has had since he announced he was leaving DEI? First, you had the 100 points loss from the cheating infraction the very weekend of his announcement, then we have had power steering problems and several blown engines. Do you think this is just a coincidence? I don't believe in that many coincidences! — Bonnye from Nacogdoches, Texas
A: You know, I've believed all along that it was going to be awfully tough for this team to stay strong all year long, knowing Junior was leaving at the end of the season. Don't count them out yet, though. A lot could still happen.
And don't forget, Kurt Busch has had plenty of obstacles, too, including a 100-point penalty of his own and two crew chief changes.
Over-revving, not a bad engine
Comment: Well, here we go again......more DEI junk engines for Dale Jr. Man, I would love to be the guys in that garage getting paid off by Teresa to make Dale's exit from DEI as miserable as possible. He'll never make the Chase now. My watching of NASCAR is done until next year if he doesn't. — Barb from Menominee, Mich.
A: For what it's worth, both Earnhardt and Tony Eury, Jr. said this motor failure was the result of over-revving in practice yesterday, not a bad engine.
Ragan's rough rookie year
Q: Hey Tom, what's up with David Ragan? It seems like he gets into some kind of wreck every race. I know Ragan's still a rookie, but does Jack Roush seriously think this will pass? — Kyle from Auburn, Mass.
A: Ragan has had flashes of excellence at plate races, but he's had a rugged rookie season.
SAFER contents
Q:: I was watching Cup practice yesterday, and they showed when Jimmie Johnson hit the safer barrier wall in 2000 at Watkins Glen. When he hit the wall, it looked like he had hit a wall made of styrofoam. What are safer barriers actually made up of? — Megan from Loveland, Colo.
A: The SAFER barrier is formed by structural steel tubes welded together and backed by bundles of closed-cell polystyrene foam to absorb energy.
Bud-ding relationship
Q: Is there further information about Budweiser going with Kasey Kahne? Is there a deal working or just rumors? — Bill from New Holland, Pa.
A: Budweiser is talking to GEM about Kahne, but as many as three other teams could still be in play. DEI is likely not one of them.
Tiebreaker for starts under rain
Q: Hi Tom! The qualifying rainout at the Glen got a couple of us speculating and we came up with a question that we're hoping you can answer. Assuming the situation doesn't change too much, theoretically Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson would start the Chase with 5040 points each (5000 Chase points plus 40 bonus points for wins). But what if qualifying gets rained out for Loudon? If they're tied to start the Chase, which one would start on the pole? Thanks and have a great day! — Jo from Rock Hill, S.C.
A: Hello to you, too! If you hit me with this question, YOU HAVE TOO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS! LOL. (Just kidding, Jo. You know that.) Seriously, although I haven't asked NASCAR, I'm sure Gordon would get it because he's ahead by almost any tie-breaker one could imagine - prior points, top fives, poles, etc. Have a great day and enjoy the race!
Forecasting qualifying
Q: Tom, why does NASCAR behave as if rain were a complete surprise? Anyone can look at weather forecasts and see a week in advance if rain is likely. Why can't NASCAR take the forecast into consideration and schedule qualifying later -- even Friday midnight if the track has lights -- to give the go-or-go-homers a chance to make the field? NASCAR put in the COT supposedly to give smaller teams a chance. By not rescheduling qualifying, they're tellling smaller teams they don't count. — Kenny from Fremont, Calif.
A: Really good point, there, and I think you'll see NASCAR do something over the winter to address this.
Truck vs. Cup
Q: Judging by the money paid for the truck series, it obviously takes a lot less money to run a truck team than a cup car. Why is this so and is there really that big of a difference in costs involved? — Mary Anne from Panama City, Fla.
A: Thanks for the question. It all comes down to how many people and how much equipment you have. Some full-time truck teams have just a dozen or so employees, whereas some of the big Cup teams have 400 or more employees. The Cup teams also have bigger shops, more vehicles, do more testing, etc. It all adds up.
Awesome (move), Bill!
Q: What is your opinion about Boris Said racing in the No. 21 after not making it in the No. 60? — Alison from Flint, Mich.
A: Thanks for the follow-up. I think it is FANTASTIC that Boris Said is driving the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Ford. It's great for Boris and it should be for the team as well. I applaud Bill Elliott for being smart enough for initiating this move. With the No. 21 fighting to get into the top 35 in owner points, it's a great move.
Blue Oval Boris
Q: I read that Boris Said was originally supposed to drive the No. 10 car, but there was a conflict of manufacturers. How would there be a conflict if he already drives a Dodge in the Busch Series for Gillett Evernham Motorsports although I know he drives a Ford in Nextel Cup? Will he ever get a full-time Cup ride? — Kenneth from Brooklyn, N.Y.
A: Welcome to race day! The conflict for Boris was that someone at Dodge refused to let him drive for GEM. I guess the difference is that Boris has his own Ford Cup team, where he does not have a Busch team.
Juniors saying together
Q: Hey Tom! I am just getting into the NASCAR scene as my fiancee has been a big time Junior fan. I know this is another big question surrounding Junior with his car number and sponsor, but will Tony Eury Jr. also be following Jr. to HMS especially after Eury Sr. went to JR Motorsports? — Sarah from Boone, N.C.
A: Hey to you, too, and welcome to the NASCAR family. The conventional wisdom is that Tony Jr. is almost certainly going to follow Dale Earnhardt Jr. to Hendrick Motorsports next season.
Two-short pitting
Q: How many pit boxes are at Watkins Glen? By looking at the pit selections, it looks like there are 41 pit boxes with two boxes being shared with another team. — Alison from Flint, Mich.
A: You are very observant. There are only 41 pit stalls at Watkins Glen.
Equal fuel
Q: Hey Tom, why are there different gallons capacities when it is specified as an 18-gallon cell? Are they restricted to specific sizes of fill pipes and configuration? I have heard on one of the TV shows that Jimmie Johnson can put 19.2 gallons in his cell, and I am wondering how many gallons Kevin Harvick holds. I see an unfairness here. Thank you. — Paul from LaPlata
A: Thanks for the question. The fuel cell capacity for the Car of Tomorrow is 17.75 gallons, period. No driver gets to have more fuel than anyone else.
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Race points scoring |
| Finish |
Points |
| 1st |
185 |
| 2nd |
170 |
| 3rd |
165 |
| 4th |
160 |
| 5th |
155 |
| 6th |
150 |
| 7th |
146 |
| 8th |
142 |
| 9th |
138 |
| 10th |
134 |
| 11th |
130 |
| 12th |
127 |
| 13th |
124 |
| 14th |
121 |
| 15th |
118 |
| 16th |
115 |
| 17th |
112 |
| 18th |
109 |
| 19th |
106 |
| 20th |
103 |
| 21st |
100 |
| 22nd |
97 |
| 23rd |
94 |
| 24th |
91 |
| 25th |
88 |
| 26th |
85 |
| 27th |
82 |
| 28th |
79 |
| 29th |
76 |
| 30th |
73 |
| 31st |
70 |
| 32nd |
67 |
| 33rd |
64 |
| 34th |
61 |
| 35th |
58 |
| 36th |
55 |
| 37th |
52 |
| 38th |
49 |
| 39th |
46 |
| 40th |
43 |
| 41st |
40 |
| 42nd |
37 |
| 43rd |
34 |
Points breakdown
Q: Where can I go to see how points are awarded for Nextel Cup? I understand wins, laps led and bonus points but what else is involved? — Rich from South San Francisco, Calif.
A: Welcome to FOX. Here's how the points break down. You get 5 bonus points for leading a lap. The driver who leads the most laps gets an additional 5 bonus points. The winner gets 185 points. Second place gets 170 and from there back to sixth, the points go down in 5-point increments. From 6th to 11th, the points go down in 4-point increments. And from there on back to 3rd, the points go down in 3-point increments. Thus, the last-place finisher gets 34 points.
Two to three weeks from 8 announcement
Q: How much longer do you think it will be before we hear who will sponsoring Dale Earnhardt Jr. and whether he will be driving the "8" car or not? — Marilyn from Rantoul, Ill.
A: Welcome to FOX. Based on what people at Hendrick Motorsports have told me, there should be an announcement about Earnhardt's sponsorship within the next 2-3 weeks.
Qualifying changes ahead?
Q: Since they are at a road course, how come Nextel Cup doesn't qualify on Saturday like the Busch Series did last week in Canada and this week at Watkins Glen with five cars at once for seven minutes? — Steve from Coon Rapids, Minn.
A: Thanks for the question. I think NASCAR is more willing to experiment more with the Busch Series than they are with Nextel Cup. I will say this, though. With all the rain issues and dissatisfaction about qualifying this year, I would not be surprised to see qualifying changes next season.
Past provisional parade
Q: Don't you think it is ridiculous that all three past champions -- Bill Elliott, Dale Jarrett and Terry Labonte -- were allowed in after rain canceled qualifying at Watkins Glen? In real qualifying, only one past champion is allowed. I think that is one area NASCAR needs to take a look at if they are truly going to tweak qualifying procedures! — Bonnye from Nacogdoches, Texas
A: Great point! Yes, it's kind of ridiculous to essentially award three past-champion's provisionals.
Rain tires for Busch, not Cup
Q: What's with rained-out qualifying at The Glen? I thought NASCAR made such a big deal out of having rain tires for road courses. — Larry from Rio Vista, Calif.
A: Excellent question. NASCAR has rain tires for the Busch Series cars, but they no longer use them in the Nextel Cup Series.
Mayfield has options
Q: Was Jeremy Mayfield released from Bill Davis Racing or did he ask to be released to explore other opportunities? The verbage of the press releases seemed confusing on this matter. What are some possible opportunities available to him next year? — Harry from Vacaville, Calif.
A: Thanks for being here. From what I understand, it was mutual and done to give Mayfield time to look. Mayfield said yesterday that he has no specific prospects. But there surely will be a lot of movement, and I expect he'll find something.
Jensen's top 12
Q: Who do you think will make the top 12 and the Chase after Richmond? — Dumindu from Vista, Calif.
A: Hello! My top 12: Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kurt Busch.
Road races are a good break
Q: Is NASCAR looking at removing the road courses from the schedule? Do they bring in as many people as an oval track race? Why not give some of these tracks that sell out a second date? — Greg from Kansas
A: Hello and happy Friday. I've not heard a word about NASCAR dropping the road courses. I expect them to stay for a long, long time. And while the road courses aren't the biggest tracks in terms of seating capacity, they draw plenty of people and are a good break from the parade of ovals.
Short circuit
Q: Why does NASCAR race on the shorter course at the Glen? It would be more fun to see the cars go around the long course. — Marc from Boulder, Colo.
A: Thanks for the question. NASCAR races in the current Glen configuration because they feel it's most appropriate for the Nextel Cup cars.
Benson back in Cup?
Q: With the announcement of Jeremy Mayfield not returning to BDR next year, do you think Johnny Benson might get some opportunities for the sponsor to look at for next year? — nascarlar from Shelby Township, Mich.
A: Thanks for being with us. The big push in Nextel Cup continues to be young drivers, which is bad news for Benson, Mike Skinner, Jack Sprague and other quality drivers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
UPS to Roush?
Q: I heard UPS is trying to go with the Greg Biffle next year. Have you heard anything about that? — Bob from West Chester, Pa.
A: Welcome to you in West Chester. Yes, I've heard a rumor that UPS was interested in Biffle. What I've not heard is anything more substantial than a mere rumor, so I'll believe it when I see it.
Toyota's clear-cut No. 1?
Q: Chevy is the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR and has been for years. I am am a big fan of Kyle Busch, and I want him to stay in a Chevy. What is Gibbs thinking? — Craig from S.C.
A: Thanks for the question. Cynics will tell you it's about money, but if — and as of right now, it's still "if" — Joe Gibbs Racing decides to go over to Toyota, I think the reason would be that they would be the clearcut No. 1 Toyota team, instead of co-No. 1 at Chevrolet.
Gibbs in control
Q: There has been "no love" between Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart in the past, however what are you thinking about the future between those two drivers as well as Denny Hamlin? — Tim from Orlando, Fla.
A: Excellent point. But if anybody can handle the volatility of Busch, Stewart and Hamlin, it's Joe Gibbs. He's used to high-talent, high-maintenance athletes.
BDR to merge?
Q: Since Bill Davis is releasing Jeremy Mayfield at the end of the season, is there any chance that Bill Davis will stay a one-car operation and merge with MWR or Joe Gibbs if he switches to Toyota or even Red Bull Racing? — Neiko from Concord, N.C.
A: Welcome to the weekend! Bill Davis Racing expects to run a second car next season. I've not heard anything about a merger with another team and frankly, I don't expect it to happen, though I never say never in NASCAR anymore.
Where will Marlin move?
Q: Have you heard anything about Sterling Marlin? Will he pick up a ride after Watkins Glen? — Larry from Sandy, Utah
A: Thanks for joining us. What I'm hearing is that Marlin is attempting to settle his contract with Ginn Racing and won't sign with another team until that's done. If he signs with another team, then Ginn won't have to pay the balance owed on his contract, Marlin has said.
Isn't No. 77 a Penske number?
Q: Robby Gordon is running the No. 77 car for Marcos Ambrose, but I thought the No. 77 belonged to Roger Penske? — Dylan from Malden, Mo.
A: NASCAR owns the numbers; they give teams permission to use them on a year-to-year basis. Since Penske is no longer campaigning the No. 77, it's up for grabs.
Gibbs to Toyota?
Q: Is there a chance that Joe Gibbs Racing goes with Toyota next year? I hope they do not. They are having a good season with the cars today. I am a fan of Tony and Denny and now Kyle, and I do not think they want to run Toyota over Chevy. If Gibbs goes with Toyota, I think they will have trouble with them. — Lori from Sarasota, Fla.
A: Thanks for the first question of this week's race. Yes, I think there's a very good chance Joe Gibbs Racing will move to Toyota next season, though the team has not committed one way or the other as of last weekend.
Engine issues at MWR?
Q: I was listening to NASCAR Victory Lane on SPEED Sunday night and heard that all of the Michael Waltrip Racing motors blew up. They also said MWR gets their motors from California. Bill Davis builds all his own motors and is doing much better. Should MWR talk to Davis about buying motors? — Bob from West Chester, Pa.
A: Welcome to FOX. It wasn't motors that failed in the three MWR cars. In all three cases, it was a faulty fuel pump. So it wasn't an engine issue, it was a parts issue — no reason to change engine suppliers.
Riggs' replacement?
Q: I saw that Patrick Carpentier is entered in the No. 10 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge at Watkins Glen. Why couldn't Ray Evernham enter Scott Riggs this weekend at Watkins Glen? Is Riggs released from Evernham? — Chris from Latham, N.Y.
A: Greetings! Evernham could have entered Riggs, who is still with the team, but being outside the top 35 in owner points, he wanted to enter a skilled road racer, which Carpentier most certainly is. Proof of that came last weekend at Montreal, where Carpentier finished second in the Busch race.
Dale Jr. is Chase-bound
Q: Hi Tom, I want to thank you for your great job of analyzing and reporting on NASCAR. I especially like your race blog, real time as the Cup race progresses. I do miss FOX broadcasting the race and feel the other network(s) have to do quite a bit of catching up. I feel Dale Earnhardt Jr. continues to balance on the 12th-13th break point. Do you think he will ultimately make the Chase? — Charley from Land O Lakes, Fla.
A: Thanks so much for the kind words. Do I think Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make the Chase? Yes, I do, but I think it'll go right down to the wire at Richmond.
Points breakdown
Q: Tom, thanks for a great column. I've been a NASCAR fan since the mid 1960's, and I thought I understood the scoring system. But after Sunday, I don't know. Junior went into the race with a 13-point lead. Both he and Kurt Busch led a lap so that gives them five bonus points. Kurt led the most laps so he got five extra. What is the difference between 1st and 2nd-place points? — Ronnie from Dallas, N.C.
A: Glad to be of service. At Pocono, Kurt Busch earned 195 points - 185 for winning the race, 5 for leading a lap, 5 more for leading the most laps. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. earned 175 - points - 170 for finishing second and 5 for leading a lap. 195-175 = 20, which is the number of points Busch gained and how he went from 13 down to 7 ahead.
Whey wasn't Ambrose penalized?
Q: Why wasn't Marcos Ambrose penalized for tagging Robby Gordon under a caution in the Busch race at Montreal? I'm not sure I agree with how Gordon handled the situation, but in the Cup series, contact under caution is a huge no-no. Ambrose skated away scott-free on it here. — carnut0913 from Mooresville, N.C.
A: You make a good point. Honestly, I still have questions about what happened there. I do think, however, that it's very cool that Robby is giving Marcos a Cup ride this weekend. Good for both of them.
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