Si, Juan won one. Imagine all the other headlines saying versions of the same thing. Can you imagine the number of Indy car drivers that suddenly will want to jump into NA$CAR? Pablo is making a name for himself on this side of the fence, and the others will want the same fame and fortune. Hey, if some of the old f***s would just retire, we could make this happen….
Yer Cheatin’ Heart: Our loving hero’s both got caught with their fingers in the cookie jar. While the attention is on Gordo and JJ, the real culprits are their crew chiefs, LeFarte and especially das Knaus (probably the leader of the gang). In the latter’s case, he has a loooong history of cheating, and one would hope that NA$CAR will severely deal with him with points, fine$ and a ‘stay away’ penalty. After all, they were tinkering with the Boxcar, and were told under no uncertain terms that this was a no-no.
Team Players: With the above episode unfolding, it’s interesting to note that the 5 and 25 cars were not altered. Matter of fact, they probably didn’t know anything about what was going down. So much for team spirit and ‘togetherness’. The only togetherness is between the 24 and 48 cars, and when it comes to cheating, das Knaus is the ringleader. So the 5 and 25 teams learned a good lesson out of this…..don’t believe all of the BS you hear about being with a warm and loving Hendrick team. Hey Jr……did you catch all of this??
OyotaGibbs: Rumors are still flying around that JGR may switch to Oyota next year. In my feeble mind, this is nothing more than a poker game, with rumors like this adding to the feeding frenzy. Ante up boys…….
Meynards: This key sponsorship may be jumping from DEI to Penske next year (who is adding a 3rd team next year), and I would think that his precious son, Paulie, will somehow figure into the mess. “Hey, you want my money, you gotta take my son……….”
Sofia: Now that the little darling has been born, Gordo can go back to concentrating on racing……..and racing all the way home to his new daughter. This really shouldn’t affect his racing that much. After all, look at our bud KennyShredder. This guy rarely sees his family because he’s always off somewhere racing whatever he can get his hands on. Makes you wonder what comes first in his life…….
I goofed: I earlier reported that Kevin Hamlin (ex Earnhardt crew chief) was now driving ala Kirk Shelmerdine. Not true. A reader pointed out that there are two Kevin Hamlin’s. Oooops.
Da Race: It’s sort of hard to keep track of events in a road course race. Spin outs, off sequence stops for gas and tires, bump and runs, gas conservation; they all add up to confusion when trying to watch the race. The bottom line is that no matter where you are during the race, it only matters where you are at the end. This is why the last 10 laps are the most exciting. (Pardon me, but this holds true for almost any NA$CAR race).
The microscope was truly on the 24 and 48 cars. Das Knaus warned that he had a secret pit sequence that would put JJ up front. Well, ending up in 17th place didn’t quite live up to his prediction……perhaps the last one he’s going to make for about 10 races or so. At least LeFarte was smart enough to keep his mouth shut during the pre-race interviews. Gordo did another amazing job of quietly running hard, and ended up in 7th place.
The first half of the race was soundly dictated by RoboGordo, with Jr. running a strong second or third. They eventually both got caught up in their pit sequences that shoved them to the rear. Considering where they were toward the end of the race, they both did a fine job of recovering from their deficit.
The end of the race was a classic “who’s gonna run outta gas” situation, and Flipster was the first fallout. From 4th to 18th in a hearbeat. JamieMac wasn’t so fortunate. From 2nd to 37th and one lap down. Ouuuch, I bet that hurt. Everyone was predicting that Pablo would run dry and Happy would then take the lead, and the W. But Pablo fooled them all and pulled one outta his hat. Don’t overlook the RCR cars…..they finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
Kudos: To Pablo for believing in himself. A big win for the Columbian. Frankly, I didn’t think that an AssiGnassi team could pull off a win this year. To RCR for some sound planning and fuel economy. To da Biff for quietly hanging in for a Top 5.
Heaps of 3’s all over yer local Texaco station,
Racing Maniac #3, little e
CONGRATULATIONS TO JPM!! That said, I hope the open wheeled racing can improve their image and popularity enough to keep their drivers where they’re at. I believe if they abandon ship towards NASCAR it will be detrimental for both sports, and therefore drivers and fans alike. I’m sure there are drivers now who will never get to drive simply for lack of exposure or opportunity. That will only get worse if the open wheelers jump ship. That’s MY opinion, but big money talks and too often ruins. On the subject of Hendricks, you must have an inside line to know as much about their operation as you print. Or just maybe, to borrow a line from you,…..don’t believe all of the BS you hear!