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Gas 'n Go: Crew chiefs deserve banquet spot
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Jeff Hammond says: As far as I am concerned, Chad deserves to be making a speech come Friday night. I know when I won championships in year's past, I looked forward to getting up in front of everybody and speaking — even though I'm sure that what I delivered back then wasn't nearly as eloquent as what these guys deliver in today's banquets since they have teleprompters while guys from my generation talked from the heart and from notes written on napkins earlier in the day.
All jokes aside, Knaus deserves the honor of delivering a speech at the big awards banquet this Friday — especially after winning a record third straight Cup title as a crew chief. I really believe he has earned that right to share his feelings with the racing world as a whole.
It'll be interesting to see what NASCAR does about that.
And not to go off topic on this, but this question brings me back to another topic. This is a team sport, but the banquet is all about recognizing the driver in particular — maybe it is time we change up the format for the banquet. I don't think it should be all about the top 10; it should be about the champion and his team.
Should there be honorable mentions for the rest of the guys who finished in the top 10? Yeah. Roll a video highlight, let them walk across the stage, wave to the crowd and let them go. I don't see where they need to be speaking. I don't see anybody bringing up the New York Yankees to the stage when the Boston Red Sox are celebrating a championship. Last year, they didn't bring back the New England Patriots while the New York Giants were celebrating their Super Bowl win. I don't think anybody wants to hear from people who finished second and below.
Rodney A. from Salem, Va., asks: Have you any information about what car manufacturer Kasey Kahne and his Gillett Evernham Motorsports teammates will be driving next year?
Jeff Hammond says: As far as I know, everything is still normal. There hasn't been any kind of talk coming out of that camp as of late that they will be affected by the problems hurting Chrysler, Dodge's parent company.
Right now, with it appearing that the new Earnhardt Ganassi Racing outfit will be using Chevrolet's, it stands to reason that it helps Dodge give more support to their remaining teams — most notably GEM.
Gillett Evernham is really the foundation when it comes to Dodge in NASCAR, so I can't think of a reason why the partnership would break up at this point in time.
Lyndon from Charleston, S.C., asks: Jeff, how in the world can a driver like Carl Edwards go seven laps more on a tank of gas compared to his teammates when he is racing for the lead. Give me a break, that does not happen in today's NASCAR. I have been a fan of NASCAR for a long time and I cannot get over how the fastest car all day also gets the best gas mileage (it does not happen). I do not usually believe in conspiracies, but this one has me stumped, just like Matt (Kenseth), Greg (Biffle), David (Ragan) and Jamie (McMurray).
| Speed Mail Jeff Hammond |
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Jeff Hammond says: Lyndon, you are not the only one who thinks there's a big conspiracy in favor of Carl Edwards and a few others who always seem to extend their fuel mileage further than others.
Guess what? The answer comes down to each driver's driving style.
I remember back when I was working with DW, we always seemed to get better fuel mileage than our competition. So much of that has to do with how drivers let the car roll through the corners and keep the momentum of the car up — it's been proven that you can stretch your fuel mileage by small factors like that.
As hard as Edwards races others on the track, he manages to stay off the brakes more than others, so he has to use less fuel into the manifold to get up to speed compared to the rest of the field.
Now, I know some people will still yell, "He's cheating!" If everybody at Roush was getting better fuel mileage than the field, I would understand. But since it's only Edwards, I think it has to do with his driving style. It's not like back in the day when guys would try to sneak in bigger fuel cells — the NASCAR inspection process is too good for those types of tricks nowadays.
FOX race analyst Jeff Hammond led Darrell Waltrip to two of DW's three Winston Cup championships as his crew chief. They also teamed to win the 1989 Daytona 500.
For autographed copies of Jeff Hammond's book "Real Men Work in the Pits" plus magnets, hats and more, check out www.dwstore.com.
For photos and appearances, visit Jeff's web site www.jeffhammond.com.
Member Comments
Dear Chad,<br />Don't pay attention to those nasty ole comments about us.<br />As long as you and I are together we'll set the world on fire! I figure we should "come out" right after the banquet and move to California so we can do it legally. (if you get my drift ) :)<br />See you in NYC! <br />You DID get ajoining rooms, didn't you???<br />Hugs & Kisses,<br />JJ
JimmyJsux12/4/2008 15:21:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
chad is the 48 team,jimmy johnson would be just another driver jf not for chad.he is the number one crew cheif in nascar,and yes some of don't spell so good.but the truth is out there,"wild thing"is the best there ever was,the best there ever will be.COCKADOODLE DOO
papawjoe6512/4/2008 11:54:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Heard that Chad has a book deal in the works! " How to cheat and win 3 titles: get away with it most of the time" !
lithuanian9812/3/2008 20:31:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Yeah Jeff and we wonder why the show is in Neewww York.
williefast12/3/2008 17:16:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
we used to go to indy every year for the 500 time trials,4 days of partying.if you look at my pics thats our race bus we used to take domn there.the good ole days.lol we used to go to m.i.s.both races every year.
birddog8812/3/2008 7:19:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
we had a couple of inches,but we have more snow coming later this afternoon and tonight<br />they say 2to4 inches.i might have to put my<br />plow on tonight.
birddog8812/3/2008 7:00:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
i need to put more pics in,so i'll have more choices.i have my son do it for me,he's alot<br />smarter than me when it comes this stuff.lol
birddog8812/3/2008 6:57:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Is it just me, or does LadyDink's avie look remarkably like a drag king?? Oh, I get it---DragKingKyle!!
NascarFan197512/3/2008 5:00:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
BTW -- Kryle has my support -- I donate to the Binkies Cause on a regular basis. There is no teeeeeving in NASCAR. ;) xo
spdfrk12/2/2008 21:25:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
As predicted..... lol.... how deficient, as a fan, can you be??? Oh, wait -- don't answer that -- again. Cheers! (Learn to shpreehah engrish next time lol)
spdfrk12/2/2008 21:23:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
and if you can -- bring it -- logic, that is. Bet you can't. And will win the trifecta when you fall & don't. xxxx oooo Cheers!<br /><br />Nite nite kiddies. :))
spdfrk12/2/2008 21:22:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
KK -- I'm pretty sure, even given KB's propensity for aggression & negativity, he would not endorse such a down-trodden lot such as yourselves. Even in light of his All About Me Cheating & Taking Advantage of It methodology... jeeeesh, even scumbags have scruples -- where are yours???? Oh yeah, that's right -- your premise is not to support your driver with any positive discourse whatsoever, but is based on a very limited ability to bash others as the case dictates. The tenet is so written in stone that you would take to bashing Kryle himself if it meant elevating his limited fan base status... that is just a circle of logic I don't care to even unravel -- mo powah to yah little sistah & mommah ho... gotta love it. :)
spdfrk12/2/2008 21:14:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Ok spdfrk is getting bored with the boors .... it's only so much fun playing with your food before you eat it or just let it wander off into the unknown distance maimed & lacking any wherewithall... thanks for the laughs kids... see ya on the flipside.<br /><br />Sincerely, whatever name you decide to call me in your most immature, bitter & vindictive moments. No skin off my back. After all, I'm not the one that lives there. <br /><br />Cheers! :)
spdfrk12/2/2008 20:56:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
So, KK, with your WEEEEEEE weeeee weeeee weeeee all the way home. Should WE surmise as to your primary identity or would you rather not discuss it in light of recent revelations? And then again, there is the question of HOW you support your drivers -- bring it, ladies, as it were -- bring it. :))
spdfrk12/2/2008 20:46:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Whassa mattah little sistah? Get rejected a time or two too many under your self-proclaimed Ugly-Sitck pity party approach???? Boo hoo hoo.... or for your ultimate alternate Blue Who Who :((( Keep 'em comin' -- we're all gonna laugh at ya. :)
spdfrk12/2/2008 20:32:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Uh huh... so then why did you bother??? Very self-contradictory, but then that's your usual MO -- let me save you some time & attempts at mastering the keyboard little sistah... we are all every name in the book, whatever that may be, until the end of time, forever & ever amen. So????
spdfrk12/2/2008 20:29:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Well, hello twisted sister... yet another insightful & educated post from you -- much awaited, although why you bother switching IDs & avi's to belch forth your vile bile is beyond all of us. You can have fun entertaining yourself all night at my expense, & others', I'm sure, without any panties getting ruffled -- except for maybe yours. Because it truly is very entertaining to see you digress into such base levels you cannot even dig your own panties out of your crotch & subsequently, mouth. But, of course, we can all just go back & read your previously cut & sniffed paste posts -- along with the rest of your MPDs. Ga 'head... keep displaying your prowess for anything relevant. While you may fancy yourself hot snot on a silver platter, you ain't nothin' but a cold bugger on a paper plate.<br />Flick* ;)<br /><br />Cheers!
spdfrk12/2/2008 20:00:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
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