NASCAR shouldn't penalize racers for racing
Ordinal out of range But there is a code. NASCAR — to a certain degree — has tried very diligently to suppress it. When somebody does something to you, and you feel like you have been done wrong, then you have to let him know that you didn't appreciate it. That's what I saw from Gordon on Sunday. He was letting Greg Biffle know that he didn't appreciate the way he was being treated so he paid him back.
One of these days, drivers will realize that just because the radios work doesn't mean you have to talk about what you're getting ready to do. That's why Gordon has gotten into so much trouble, and I would not be one bit surprised if NASCAR fines him this week. That's just the way they normally drive home their point. They penalized him on Sunday by parking him for two laps, but they may take it one step further and make sure everybody understands they aren't going to play this way.
When it's all said and done, I hope NASCAR isn't mad at itself because it has gone too far and killed the spirit of the sport. They need to be careful about penalizing a driver for doing what racing has always been about.
Gordon-Childress should stay together
I think Robby Gordon is basically waiting to see what's going to happen with Richard Childress. I think Gordon likes driving for Childress and realizes that there is still a missing part of the puzzle. If it doesn't fall in place at Richard Childress Racing, I wouldn't look for Gordon to go very far because he has already done the homework on establishing his Busch team. If he can't find a sponsor to run Cup races, he would be a serious threat to win a Busch championship next year.I hope that Childress realizes that he has done more with Gordon than any other owner for whom Gordon has driven on the Cup level. If they can figure out how to put the 31 car together one more time and get that piece back where it needs to be, Gordon can drive the wheels off of it. It'll be interesting to see whether business and politics override the performance of an overzealous young stallions like Gordon.
| Speed Mail Jeff Hammond |
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Tuesday is a big day
I will participate in Larry McReynolds' Celebrity Golf Tournament for charity in Mooresville, N.C. Darrell Waltrip, Mike Joy and a lot of drivers will attend for two great causes. The money raised will go to the Lake Norman High School Athletic Association as well as the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Larry's tournament has gotten bigger and bigger each year so it should be fun.On Tuesday afternoon, I have the opportunity to fly to Washington, D.C. with Richard Childress and General Tom Sadler to attend an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve reception and dinner. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and guest speaker President George W. Bush will pay tribute to our first line of defense, the National Guard and Reserve. While these men and women are serving their country, these employers are protecting their jobs and making sure they are being taken care of while they are taking care of us.
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 Jeff Hammond's "Real Men Work in the Pits" magnets, Hollywood Hotel hats and more, check out www.dwstore.com.
For photos and appearances, visit Jeff's web site www.jeffhammond.com.
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