When U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen issued a temporary injunction against NASCAR’s suspension of Jeremy Mayfield yesterday I have to say I was among those who were surprised. Like many people I thought this part of the lawsuit would come and go without any major story. I was wrong.

I was also surprised by the language used by the judge. As I later heard ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson say the judge made it sound like he knew more about the drug test than the experts in the case. I don’t see how there could have been a determination of the validity of the test based on the information so far presented to the court. I’m no legal expert though.

Munson said he was surprised NASCAR had not appealed the decision yet and I was a little surprised too. This could be forthcoming though.

Staying away from Mayfield’s guilt or innocence here, I think it sets a very dangerous precedent not just for NASCAR but for sports as a whole for a judge to lift a suspension on any athlete who tested positive for an illegal substance. Allowing an athlete who failed a drug test administered by a sports body to sue and be allowed back to play undermines the authority of said body. While I know many of you think NASCAR is too overbearing, having an impotent sanctioning body is not good for anybody.

If all it takes is a lawsuit to get your way, you can expect everybody to start filing suit against NASCAR. This is also setting up a precedent for suspended crew members to start suing NASCAR too. That is not something that is going to improve the sport.

All of the above being said I think the testing needs to be fair. While I do think NASCAR does need to make some changes, I don’t think it is the flawed policy Mayfield’s attorneys would have you believe.

Undeniably whether he wins this case or not, Jeremy Mayfield is a marked man. No sponsor wants to be connected with him and most owners are going to think twice about working with him (if you want proof of that look at the response from owners with open seats this weekend). The latter is true for any employees who may come back to Mayfield Motorsports. Nobody wants to work for a laughing stock. On top of all this is his admittedly weak financial state. The odds are against him.

Ultimately this is not the last we have heard from this case. Remember this temporary injunction does not signify innocence anymore then it does guilt.

In a similar case last year a judge granted a temporary injunction to five NFL players after they had failed a drug test. A couple of months ago the judge ultimately ruled in favor of the NFL and threw out most of the case.

While the injunction is temporarily a good thing for Mayfield, this is not necessarily the indicator of how this case is going to go. Also remember NASCAR has the right to appeal this ruling to the United States Appeals Court for the Fourth Circuit. Given what transpired on Wednesday I wouldn’t be surprised if that is something they do.

So unless you live under a rock (which I’m guessing you don’t, because you are reading this blog post), you know that Joey Logano picked up his first Cup Series win last Sunday at New Hampshire.  The #20 Toyota was certainly not the best car and Logano actually got two lucky dogs during the race to even be in position.  It was because of some good (and lucky) strategy by crew chief Greg Zipadelli that allowed Logano to be in the lead when the rains came.

Earlier in the week, Journo and I had a brief discussion about what Logano’s win actually meant.  Journo says as a first time winner, that’s not how Journo would want to win it.  I disagree.

Then on Tuesday, I posed the question to our Twitter followers and let them sound off.  Most of them agreed, more or less, that it wasn’t quite the same as a “regular” win.

Here is my own two cents.

NASCAR is a team sport.  It’s not just the driver out there competing.  For every driver, there are tens or hundreds of people you don’t see who have put their blood, sweat, and tears into that race car to make it competitive.  In some cases the driver will win it for the team, and in others the team will win it for the driver.

Also, winning races isn’t just about who has the best car or the best driver.  The “best” often doesn’t win.  If they did, there would be no point in running the races, as we’d all know who would be in victory lane all the time.  Something tells me you don’t watch because you know who is going to win.  It takes the right moves made by the driver AND by the team to win a race.

On Sunday, Logano and Zipadelli didn’t know or have more information then what was available to every other team.  Crew chiefs up and down pit road knew that there was weather in the area.  It just so happened that Zipadelli was able to work his pit stops right to allow Logano to stay out a little longer then some other cars and be in the lead when the sky opened up.

Race strategy is something that plays into every single race we run, whether you notice it or not.  It just so happens that this particular strategy had a little help from mother nature.  But I don’t think the weather’s involvement takes away from the win.  And I’m pretty sure NASCAR doesn’t give less points for a rained out “W.”

Lets not forget either, that Logano didn’t get the lead under caution when everyone else pitted.  He was able to stay out under green, but then had to continue racing hard to keep the lead, all while saving enough fuel to make it to the end.

So because of all of this, I don’t think you can take anything away from Logano’s triumph.  It wasn’t any easier for Logano to win this race then it is for another driver to win it the old fashioned way.  If it was easy to win this way, everyone would be doing it.

Now that I’m done making my own argument, what is yours?  Are you with me or against me on this one?  Why?  And don’t give me “he didn’t deserve it.”  No driver “deserves” to win more then another, regardless of their situation.

It’s hard to believe, but this is the 30th edition of ATIW!  We’ve got another full slate of questions to get to, so I will save the babbling for the answers.  If you don’t know what this post is, until further notice, we will be answering any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here.  So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us.  On to the questions…

1. From Ella:

Is being a spotter or a pit crew member a full time job?  Do they have work responsibilities outside of race days at the tracks?

Every situation is different.  Some guys work in the shop during the week, others don’t.  During the week, pit crew guys are responsible for being at practices and workouts, but if they don’t work in the shop or in the office for the team, that’s it.  Every spotter is different.  Just to give you an example, I believe (don’t quote me) Kyle Busch’s spotter actually is a driver agent for Motorsports Management International.  It really just depends. - T.C.

2. From Jan:

I know everyone is in a hurry to leave after the race.  Do you have to take off the tires immediately and return them to Goodyear or can you just load the car and return the tires later in the week?  What other stuff has to be done before you can load the car?

Yes, tires do have to be returned immediately following the race to Goodyear.  Teams have a set of travel/setup tires they will put on the car to load it.  Other tasks after the race include removing the transponder and wing (Cup cars), possibly going through inspection, and waiting for any TV/camera gear to be removed. - T.C.

3. From Glenn:

When placing a spring rubber, does the location on the spring itself affect the spring rate?

I don’t think so.  When I’ve changed rears (I’ve done both BTW, and I won’t tell you which one I’m doing currently) and done spring rubbers the crew chief never told me to put it in a certain place. - T.C.

4. From Anonymous:

How come they use gas cans?  Why can’t they just have gas tanks and fill them up with a hose?

This is one of those “we’ve always done it this way” things.  Back in the day teams used fuel cans because there were not refueling systems.  I’d imagine it sort of just stuck. - T.C.

5. From Scott:

I am sitting here watching Happy Hour for the cup cars and they have a camera inside the wheel well of Michael Waltrip’s 55 car.  EverytimeMichael goes into the corner and uses the brakes the rotors are glowing blue instead of red.  What is up with that???

I’m not sure on this one.  If they were glowing blue, I would imagine it’s because they are using a different type of material for the rotors themselves.  Maybe somebody else knows? - T.C.

6. From Alan:

My question is about fuel mileage. During the truck race at Memphis, the annoucers said that Brian Scott was 9 laps short on fuel of making it to the end. They used the generic figure of 2 laps of caution equals 1 lap of racing. They debated how many laps of caution he needed to make up 9 laps. The choices were 4 1/2 laps, 9 laps or 18 laps, which do you think.

Well, I’m not a crew chief but I think it’s 18 laps.  That was the answer that my tire changer math gave me. - T.C.

7. From Savannah:

Hey guys, could you explain the different types of racing series and the cars used in them?  Specifically, why do the dirt cars look that way-with the tale looking wing on the top?  At my local dirt track, they race regular looking cars.   I’m just curious.   Thanks for answering the questions.

It’s mostly an issue of functionality. The World of Outlaws want their cars to function and drive in a certain way so they are small and have a big wing on the roof (also the 700-800 HP and the lightweight nature of the car make it necessary). The same can be said for your local late model series. They have rules and want the competition to look and work in a certain way. Too this is an issue of ‘it’s always been done that way’. IndyCars have always had a futuristic look to them and NASCAR cars have always looked substantially like a stock car. Different strokes for different folks. - Journo

8. From Les:

What is it about the Gibbs cars that causes them to smoke going into the turns?

I believe it’s just how they have the engines tuned in them.  When the drivers get off the throttle, they smoke out the tail pipes a little.  Now what exactly they’ve done, I couldn’t tell you and I doubt they will tell you either. - T.C.

9. From Joey:

My question is about pit road and speeding during practice.  Does NASCAR have a speed limit during practice and if so, what happens if a driver exceeds the limit?

There is no specific pit road or garage speed limit that I’m aware of during practice.  There are officials everywhere though, and if they feel you are going too fast, they will let you know. - T.C.

10. From Michael, Brad:

Any info you can share regarding Bill Weber?  What really happened with Bill Weber last weekend, in New Hampshire?

You know I would like to tell you exactly what happened but I am not 100% certain so I’m going to refrain from speculation and hearsay. - Journo

11. From Ric:

Does NASCAR or the sponsors or others dictate what logo / decal goes where on the uniforms? I understand more $$$ gives you a better location, but other than that. Does the over the wall group NEED to have similar and current (logo / decal) uniforms. What happens to the old uniforms?

I can’t find anything specifically in the rule book about it, but I am almost certain there are minimal guidelines. For instance the inclusion of a Series logo and a logo of say Goodyear and Sunoco. Beyond those though, where logos are placed is at the discretion of the team. This is something that is left up to licensing and marketing folks within the teams and the sponsors. - Journo

12. From Steve:

I was watching the NASCAR Performance episode from Loudoun in which Knaus was showing the fuel cell and the regulations governing the fuel cell… and that got me thinking:  A lot of NASCAR’s rules are safety related but a lot (more than half?) relate to ensuring a level playing field.  Collectively, the teams and NASCAR havegot to be spending tons of money on making sure everything is compliant.  Given the financial situation, what do you think about NASCAR lightening up on the inspection process (fewer inspections, fewer items subject to inspection and so on) in order to save money?

In the process of building a race car making sure everything is compliant is just part of the things you do. Beyond the initial development compliance doesn’t necessarily cost the teams extra money. I think lightening up the inspection process would actually cost the teams more money because they would be looking for ways to cheat/beat the system. - Journo 

And that brings yet another “Ask The Insiders Wednesday” to a close.  Thanks to everyone who sent in questions.  And remember, if you’d like to be a part of next week, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send your question in!

I’m going to let you in on a NASCAR secret: rumors run rampant in this sport. I know this is hard to believe, so take some time if you need it. From the garage to the media center to the shop floor, rumors  sprout up like kudzu in a ditch and their often just as hard to contain.

Just to put this in perspective, remember high school? You know, the talking behind people’s backs, spreading gossip, getting in fights? High school is a lot like NASCAR’s garage. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s one of the best families you could hope to have, but cattiness creeps in a lot and people talk. I can’t tell you all of the oddball things I have heard through the years (TC has stories too). This is understandable though, you put hundreds of people together for 36+ weekends per year and the grapevine becomes never ending. Sometimes the rumors are true, most of the time they’re not.

TC talked a little about this last week with some of the ridiculous rumors that came out of Sonoma, but I couldn’t help but write about it after some more ridiculousness this week. My personal favorites of the last two weeks include Hendrick booting Dale Jr. (I guess to his own team?) in favor of Danica Patrick and EGR somehow becoming in-house partners with JGR.

Now I don’t mean to say these things are impossible (nothing is), but they are a little far fetched.

Jim Hunter, NASCAR VP of Corporate Communications, in response to the truck series demise blog post/article acknowledged the problems in the truck series, but said the writer of the post had a “history” of fabricating stories.

I won’t go so far as to say this writer or any other is fabricating rumors, but I think with the nature of the beast,  sometimes people hear things and believe them without considering the obvious inconsistencies.

With the above said let me address the validity of some of the “rumors.”

Don’t expect to see the truck series going anywhere any time soon. NASCAR and team owners have far too much time and money invested for the series to shut down over night.

Danica may come to NASCAR, but she won’t be booting Dale Jr. out of his ride. He has a contract and is a superstar moneymaker for Hendrick.

EGR is not the powerhouse team Joe Gibbs is, but don’t expect to see Juan Pablo Montoya driving a Target Toyota for them. Chip Ganassi is a racer, despite what many may think, and he is not going to relinquish control of his NASCAR team or any other team he owns.

Richard Childress doesn’t have all of his funding locked in for next year, but in no way is that an indicator that he is going to be cutting his organization in half.

I guess what I hope everyone takes away from this is that just because something is published, that does not mean it’s true. We all love to break news, that’s part of the reason most people got into the journalism business (who doesn’t dream of being Woodward or Bernstein?), but we can’t break news while neglecting facts or common sense. Every news organization I know requires at least two good sources to break news. This is a rule we follow here. Neither of us likes to be incorrect in what we write, but if we are we acknowledge it. At the end of last season we even gave ourselves a report card in the name of transparency (as transparent as we can be).

I just ask you to not believe or give into everything you read.

There was a small-ish story line from this weekend that most of the media ignored, but that some of the fans certainly noticed.  When qualifying was rained out for the Cup cars on Friday, the #64 Gunselman Motorsports car (to be driven by Mike Wallace) withdrew for unspecified reasons.  They would have been in the show based on their number of attempts, but by withdrawing it allowed the #78 Furniture Row team of Regan Smith to be in the race.  Then on Saturday, it appeared to some that Mike Wallace (driving Johnny Davis’ #0) threw his qualifying attempt in order to let Sean Caisse (RCR’s #2) make the race.  The situation was fishy because Mike Wallace’s qualifying lap was half a second slower then his best practice lap from Friday.  Not something you normally see out of a veteran driver.

I will admit that I heard some talk about both situations in the garage over the weekend.  The usual “palms were greased” rumors were making the rounds.  But I started clicking around online tonight and discovered (via some forums) that some fans had noticed the situation too, and it appeared as though some weren’t happy about it.

What?!

I can’t say that I know what Larry Gunselman’s intentions were for this weekend.  His team has tried to race some this year, but start-and-park entries aren’t a new thing for Gunselman.  And the #0 car for Johnny Davis has been a start-and-park entry (with only one or two exceptions) this season.  So explain to me why one would be mad that two start-and-park entries headed home so that two teams that actually wanted to race made the show?

This is something that I don’t understand about some race fans, and this is a perfect example of how some of you are never happy, no matter what happens.

In one breath you are complaining that start-and-parkers are ruining NASCAR, and now you are pissed that two possible start-and-parkers took themselves out of the show so someone else could actually race.  What do you really want?!

I cannot say with certainty that I know what really went on.  Did Gunselman and Davis get paid to load up?  Only they really know.  It doesn’t bother me either way.  If they got paid, fine.  NASCAR is a business after all.  But am I glad that Regan Smith and Sean Caisse were allowed to race?  Of course.  They are both young drivers looking for a chance to make a name for themselves and hopefully make it in this sport.  You can’t really blame them for that.

But if you are mad about this situation, explain to me why?  You don’t want start-and-parkers, but you also don’t want them to go away so someone else can race?  How does that make any sense?

Despite the emergence of several rumors last weekend, this week was slow on the news front. Richard Petty discussed earlier this week his team’s interest in exploring other manufacturer options for 2010. They have lost funding as a result of cut backs by Chrysler. In other news Jeremy Mayfield’s court date was set for July 1. He also filed a brief this week denying NASCAR’s allegations of drug abuse. This is the NASCAR week that was June 21 to 27, 2009.

Jeremy Mayfield denies using methamphetamines, claims loss of sponsorship in filing

Pride of NASCAR: Wood Brothers

MRO: Providing a family feel with racing ministry

Talk, but no action, for Special K

Montoya to Danica: ‘It’s going to take time’

Vintage Insiders

Partial Seasons for Development Drivers Aren’t The Answer

The NASCAR Life: The Perks

**Remember if you have a NASCAR blog or website and would like a recent article you wrote featured in this section email me and you could be part of next week’s NASCAR Week That Was. Please only send stuff you have written.**

I love racing.  And when I say that, I mean I LOVE racing.  There aren’t too many things that make me as happy as I am when I’m at the track.  I look forward all week to the weekends and getting back to competition.  And I know how lucky I am to be able to do something I truly enjoy.  But something I’ve learned along the way that I think is an important lesson, is I can’t devote 100% of my time to racing.

Between the weekly commitment it takes from me to be a tire changer and the demands of running this blog, I spend a lot of time with NASCAR on the brain.  I sometimes feel like all I do is talk about it, read about it, write about it, and live it.  But, as with anything else, too much of a good thing is bad.  It becomes very important that I don’t let myself get caught up in the sport on a 24 hour basis.  If I did, I would certainly become burned out in a hurry.

I will give you a few examples of some outlets and breaks from racing I personally have.

First, I’ve always been an athletic person.  I may not necessarily be a skilled athlete, but I enjoy being active and competing.  So one break is to participate in other sports.  Since I graduated high school I’ve rarely turned down opportunities to jump into a pickup game with friends or join a rec league.

On top of that, racing isn’t the only sport I’m a fan of.  Not only do I like to compete in other sports, but I also enjoy being a spectator.  I’ve been to everything from NFL games to Thirsty Thursdays at Kannapolis Intimidators games.  I also try and catch as much sports on TV as my time allows.

A third outlet is just enjoying some time with friends and family.  It doesn’t matter whether it’s a BBQ or bar hopping.  It’s always good to spend time just relaxing and maybe enjoying a few adult beverages with some good company.

The last thing I will mention might be shocking or sound bad to some of you, but it is vitally important to the health and future of this website.  Once it’s the weekend, I rarely spend time on the blog.  I normally don’t check my email or even open the site up until at least Sunday night (if it’s my turn to post).  If Journo is busy, I may jump in and moderate comments, but that is about it.  Doing this allows me to not only re-energize, but also focus on the racing.

The NASCAR season is one of the longest in sports.  It’s a grueling trip that starts in February and can go on for weeks at a time without many breaks, until November.  It’s easy to get caught up in it and forget that sometimes we need to step away and just take a little break.

I’ve been watching in anticipation the last few days as the showdown between the Formula One Teams Association and the FIA (Max Mosley) played out. Today we learned FIA President Max Mosley would give in to the teams’ demands to not impose the spending cap and he also agreed not to stand for re-election to the FIA. Surprise, surprise.

I got to thinking about what would happen if teams in NASCAR banded to together and attempted to stage a similar coup. The conclusion I came to was that this could not and would not ever happen.

Beyond the cars, the most pivotal part of a race is the race track. In the United States the only tracks really capable of accommodating NASCAR events are owned, for the most part by two companies: Speedway Motorsports Inc. majority owned by and controlled by Bruton Smith and International Speedway Corporation majority owned by and controlled by the France family. The France family of course owns and operates NASCAR.

Should NASCAR teams break away Bruton Smith’s SMI is certainly an option but ISC is not. What this means is the break away series loses the marquee Daytona 500 and only has eight tracks to race at. I doubt the Mattiolis would turn their back on the France family, so Pocono is probably out. There are a few other tracks that could add to the hypothetical break away series, but that is assuming they aren’t already with NASCAR in some capacity.

With F1 this isn’t the case. Because this is not just a regional sport there are tons of tracks that don’t currently host F1 events that would be capable of hosting them.

Another issue with NASCAR is the lack of control wielded by the teams. In F1 the teams are king, especially with the fans. Ferrari fans are Ferrari fans. Renault fans are Renault fans. The driver is often secondary. In NASCAR just the opposite is true. The teams are very much secondary to the personalities. If you want proof of this look to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s departure from DEI.

All it took for Max Mosley to back down was eight teams (mind you eight very large teams) threatening to start a breakaway series.

Another thing working in NASCAR’s favor is their lock on TV contracts. In the United States we only have a handful of networks capable of producing and carrying large sporting events like a race. ESPN/ABC, Speed, Fox and NBC/TNT are all out of the question. Maybe the break away series could go on Versus?

Around the world there are countless companies and stations capable and likely very willing to produce and broadcast F1 races. There are a world of possibilities.

Lastly I don’t see any NASCAR team owners capable of funding another series. Sure they’re all wealthy guys, but none can afford what these F1 owners can. It is widely believed Ferrari spends/has spent in the past upwards of $500 million on their F1 program. That is insane and well more than the entire worth of most of NASCAR’s owners. Obviously large auto manufacturers can afford to fund this sort of thing, but a former Ford engineer, a football coach and a couple of auto dealers likely would have a much harder time. I guess what I’m saying is this sort of thing isn’t worth their time or money and they would have to know that.

In the end the FIA and F1 are just very different from NASCAR. The FIA is a consortium (though F1 is not), NASCAR is a privately owned and held company. The teams are allowed to organize in F1 and in the FIA, and in NASCAR the teams throughout the history of the sport have been strongly encouraged not to organize. Where F1 has a global presence and global opportunity, NASCAR is confined to just the United States and continental North America.

For better or worse NASCAR is the king of American auto racing. This is their game and we’re all just playing it. So don’t expect Roush, Childress, Hendrick and Gibbs to band together and threaten NASCAR anytime soon.

As the summer continues to roll along, we have reached the 29th edition of Ask The Insiders Wednesday.  These posts continue to gain in popularity every week, and I’ve been told by many of you that ATIW is what you look forward to the most.  That’s great to hear, and if you keep sending in the questions, we will keep trying to answer them!  If you don’t know what this post is, until further notice, we will be answering any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here.  So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us.  On to the questions…

1. From Scott from Canada:

On June 17th’s version of Ask the Insiders TC said that “there are no computer systems in today’s Cup, Nationwide, or Truck Series vehicles.”  Well just how the heck do the TV stations get access to throttle/brake/RPM and speed data?  Speed I could see coming from a GPS unit and the scoring/timing points but it wouldn’t be accurate to the foot as it appears to be.  So?  And do the teams have direct access to this information or do they get it from TV or NASCAR?  And (#2) if they get the RPM data is it part of the fuel mileage calculations that causes them fits at various tracks.  Sorry for the length but thanks for the answers!

I feel like I’ve been called out here.  First, cars don’t have onboard computers, but some will have an onboard telemetry box and GPS unit that transmits back to the TV trucks.  Information provided from these devices is what is used to create the telemetry you see on TV.  A company called SportVision provides the equipment.  But teams are not allowed access to this information, so as far as they are concerned, there are no onboard systems.  Fuel mileage calculations are based on weather conditions and previous data gathered (engine performance, driver habits, etc.). - T.C.

2. From mangopants:

I’m new to the sport and have a very elementary question - is it “Pit Road” or “Pit Row”?   I’ve seen it written both ways, and just can’t distinguish when the announcers say it.

The two are really interchangeable.  In NASCAR, you will hear it more often referred to as pit road.  By the way, welcome to the sport and thanks for stopping by TNI!  - T.C.

3. From Measure:

How are the drivers reacting to Carlos Pardo’s death?  Is there a serious investigation being done by NASCAR to make sure changes can be made to prevent that kind of crash in the future?

Honestly I haven’t heard a lot about it. I think everyone was pretty shocked by the accident, especially because this is a guy that a lot of people in the garage had interacted with. That being said it is not exactly the response if it were closer to home. Also remember this series is more comparable to a late model series than to the Sprint Cup Series and as such the safety equipment is much less advanced. While I’m sure there will be an investigation I don’t know if there will be any major changes as a result of this. - Journo

4. From August:

Sometimes, after practice or “happy hour,” you’ll hear a crew chief or driver state that they have a really aggressive setup in the car.  What exactly does this mean? Are they setting up the car to the point where their options are limited on changing the handling of the car once the race begins? By the way, you guys have become a must-hit on the internet everyday since I stumbled upon this site a few months ago. Keep it up.

I would take that to mean they have the car set up to run as fast as possible, most likely over the short run.  For example, qualifying setups are normally aggressive, i.e., nose taped up, tires pumped up, etc.  The car will run fast over a very short run, but in race conditions would then fall off very quickly.  Also, aggressive setups are usually uncomfortable for drivers.  They will be fast, but they will require the driver to really hang it out. - T.C.

5. From Joel:

Why is pit road closed at times - especially right after a yellow flag?  PS: Love you guys - keep up the great work!

Don’t quote me on this, but I believe pit road is closed right at the point of caution so no driver can gain an advantage by being able to duck down early and get their pit stop done before the other teams have a shot.  If a car could pit before everyone else, they would then be out front when the remainder of the field pitted.  Also, if a wreck or caution happens near the entrance, they will close pit road to allow the safety workers to do their job. - T.C.

6. From Jon:

I hate to ask about auto racing other than NASCAR… but I know you guys are fans of racing in general.  I am an avid reader and have asked you guys a few questions, to which I was very thankful for your replies!  I hope you answer this but if not I understand… have you heard of the radical news about the FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) pulling out of F1 for 2010?  This is essentially every major F1 brand (Ferrari, Brawn, McLaren, Red Bull, etc) pulling out.  It would be like Roush, Hendrick, Gibbs and RCR pulling out of NASCAR!  It unfortunately also resembles the CART/IRL split that ruined American open wheel racing (AOWR) more or less.  Do you guys really think that Max Mosley isn’t going to give in?  It seems like if he doesn’t, he’ll basically lose the crown jewel of racing abroad.  I realize NASCAR probably gets more TV viewers, but I think F1’s impact on the world of auto racing is even more far reaching than NASCAR.  I love the technology and the skill it requires to run F1 and I hate the thought of it being compromised like the CART split compromised AOWR.

I actually think this split is a lot more comparable to the USAC-CART split in the late-70s. That being said my first instinct is that the teams are posturing to get their way. I know the heads of these organizations are pretty angry with the leadership of F1 and they are very serious about starting a breakaway series, but I truly believe they both know for better or worse they need each other. It sounds like Max Mosley is attempting to re-engage the teams, but what ultimately happens is hard to say. Should this split ultimately occur, I think it will be incredibly ugly. In the end, it would be a shame to have this globally loved series destroyed by bickering and infighting. - Journo

7. From Brian:

I saw this picture from the Nationwide race at Milwaukee: http://twitpic.com/7yhn0 How much PSI do teams typically start on their tires and how much PSI do the tires gain over a typical green-flag run?

Unfortunately I can’t really give you a hard and fast answer on this one.  Initial pressures and what the tires build over a run is really going to depend on the track, the series, and the conditions.  Usually at short tracks teams will start pressures (especially fronts) very low because the tires will build a lot more due to the added heat from brake use.  I’ve seen tires with PSIs in the single digits before.  And rights will be different front lefts, as will fronts vs. rears.  Rights will usually build more because of the forces on them, and front vs. rear depends on the car’s setup. - T.C.

8. From Ric:

Do you guys practice and/or plan what you will do in situations of a damaged car coming in? Who grabs what, where to cut or not to cut, what has to be done in what order, etc. When working on a damaged car does the same group go over a wall to fix it, or would say the gas man stay back so an ignition specialist can check something out? Can different people go over the wall as long as the number stays at / below 7?

Yes, most teams will at least have a basic plan of who will do what when there is damage to be fixed over the wall.  And yes, different guys can go over the wall as long as the number doesn’t exceed seven.  Especially in the case of engines, you want your engine tuner over the wall in one of those situations because he is going to be able to best diagnose a problem. - T.C.

9. From Savannah:

Okay guys, since we are now about 10 races away from the Chase, it is time to ask your opinion on who will make the chase this year.  So, who will be the lucky 12 drivers?  Who do you think will be the surprise chase contender this year?  Do you think that Dale Jr will be in the Chase?  And if you’re feeling like taking a chance and looking into the crystal ball, who do you think will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup champion for 2009!  Remember,  this is just an opportunity for you to express your predictions.  Now, my crystal ball is still slightly cloudy- hopefully, y’all will have better luck with yours!  Thanks for answering all of the questions.

Actually if I had to pick a top-12 I really like the current standings. Obviously there is still a lot of room for movement, but given what we have seen this season, these are, in my opinion, the strongest 12. I don’t think Jr. will make the Chase this season. He has a lot of points to make up and unless he has a huge turn around quick, I don’t think this year is his. As far as who the Champion will be, I’m not ready to say quite yet, but I think Tony Stewart looks like a new man and those three Hendrick cars are very strong. Unfortunately my crystal ball is still very cloudy too. - Journo

10. From Steven:

How come some teams like Jay Robinson’s #49 and Dwayne Gaulding’ #21 start and park even though they have sponsorship? Are these teams offering companies (GetMoreVacations, Stock Car Steel, & Anderson’s Maple Syrup) space on the car for dirt cheap, or do they just give them a free ride?

You’re absolutely correct. They pay a few thousand dollars to have their names on the car for a few laps. The money isn’t enough to make it worthwhile for them to run the whole race. It’s just one more way for these start and park team owners to make money. - Journo

11. From Amy:

I was at the track in Sonoma and my two questions stem from my experience there:  1. We had prerace cold pit access and while walking up and down the pit boxes taking pictures I noticed of all things in the arsenal of stuff packed into one of the pitboxes a can of cooking spray (PAM to be exact).  WHY?  2. I took time sitting in both the grandstands on Friday and turn 7 on Sunday and noticed that with the elevation changes and turns- it must be a challenge to be a spotter at a track like that. Where were the spotters located? And do teams ever use more than one spotter at a road course?

First, teams will sometimes use cooking spray (such as PAM) on the wheels to avoid brake dust.  PAM can hold up to the heat, yet it won’t allow so much dust to collect on the wheels.  Second, spotting road courses is definitely a challenge.  At Sonoma, the spotters are located up towards turn two at the top of the hill.  They can see the majority of the track from there.  And teams will normally use more then one spotter at a track like this (especially Watkins Glen) because you don’t want to put your driver in a bad position because one guy can’t see the whole track. - T.C.

12. From Mike:

I have been given tickets to the Daytona 500 Club for 4th.  Can you see the race from here?  It looks nice online but do we sit at bar the whole race?  They’ll have to roll me out.

You know I’m not overly familiar with the Daytona 500 Club, but after looking around it looks like you can see the front stretch, but not the rest of the track. I’m sure there are TVs in the building though. With an open bar though, can you really go wrong? - Journo

13. From Kim:

Hi guys!  1.  Has any team in NASCAR switched manufacturers mid-season?  2. I was watching the set up in the cold pit at Sonoma (Bud team, of course!) and wondered what each of the four monitors on the pit box showed during the race, and also the two flat screens behind the box.  Thanks.

Me and Journo were discussing this one, and in the modern era, I don’t remember a team switching midseason.  I’m sure its happened in the past, but no specific situation stands out.  Maybe a reader knows?  For your second question, the monitors up top are used to display the race broadcast, the feed from timing and scoring, any engineering data for the crew chief and engineer to use in strategy, and whatever other miscellaneous computer programs teams use (like instant messengers).  The flat screens down low are also used to show the race broadcast, timing and scoring, and the playback from the pit stop camera(s). - T.C.

14. From Ric:

I have noticed that after the Catch Can Man waves his arms that the tank is full, they keep putting fuel in the car, until it?s down on all four tires, sometimes actually moving forward. I would think with the left side of the car up in the air more fuel would be in the tank, hoses, etc then when on all four tires. I do not believe the idling engine is burning that much fuel, so what is the story?

Normally what you are seeing is the catch can and fuel man trying to “pack” the car.  They are trying to make sure the fuel cell and the fill and overflow tubes have every drop of fuel in them possible.  The catch can man will wave when fuel comes out the overflow, then he and the gas man can work a carefully choreographed dance between the gas can and catch can and burp the system, filling it to the gills. - T.C.

15. From Dianne:

How long do we have to tolerate ESPN/TNT coverage?  I am already sick of having to try and find races on TV. Fox was Fox and ABC was ABC! Now I gotta hunt to watch a race let alone listen to those know-nothing broadcasters. Bring me D.W. and Larry Mac!!! at least they KNOW racing…

Well you’ll have to deal with it at least until the end of the season. Beyond that I believe TV contracts are up in 2014. To be frank what we have now is much better then the TV situation 10+ years ago. Prior to now each track operator held their own TV contracts. And at that point in time you had more than just two major track operators. Literally you had a race on a different channel every week. As far as your comment on Larry McReynolds goes, he’s on TNT too. - Journo

And that brings yet another “Ask The Insiders Wednesday” to a close.  Thanks to everyone who sent in questions.  And remember, if you’d like to be a part of next week, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send your question in!

So I returned from another busy weekend of racing to discover (thanks to the Internet)  what many in the NASCAR media have been fronting for weeks; that all of NASCAR is finally starting to implode!  OH MY GOD!  WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!  SAVE YOURSELVES!  EVERYBODY PANIC!!!

A quick look around the Internet today and you would have seen the following  headlines: RCR is dropping to two teams, Kasey Kahne will be in a Toyota by August, Toyota is pulling their support from the NNS and CWTS, Red Bull is leaving Toyota, and there could be spec engines coming to the NNS and CWTS.

Whew!  That’s some scary stuff.  Until you actually read what was said by the important people. 

Richard Childress actually said he plans on having four teams next year, but some sponsorship stuff is still up in the air.  The Shell and Jack Daniels deals need to be renewed, but even if they aren’t, it’s not necessarily the end of the line for the #29 and #07 teams.

Lee White (head of TRD Operations) denied the Kasey Kahne rumor, but even if he’s lying, there are too many moving parts here.  Something smells fishy.  Why would an organization build Toyota’s for one team, and Dodge’s for the other three?  I know the COTs are similar, but there are some differences.  I’m just not seeing the logic here.

Also, while a cutback may be coming for next season, Toyota has no plans to change its involvement in the NNS and NCWTS for 2009.  And it appears that only Detroit is interested in the spec engine program, as the story itself says NASCAR executives have shown little interest. 

And finally, I don’t understand why Red Bull would walk away from Toyota and its funding to self fund a Chevrolet alliance through Hendrick Motorsports.  Red Bull’s problems have less to do with Toyota and more to do with what is going on inside Red Bull.  Getting Hendrick horsepower isn’t going to solve that, and it’s going to cost them some serious coin to switch.

So, now that we know the world isn’t ending, can somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?  Maybe we are part of the problem (feel free to say if we are), but I feel like a lot of these Internet writers are trying to either fabricate a silly season or scare people out of their minds. 

Comparing the last few years, this season has been pretty light on free agent rumblings (sans Martin Truex Jr.), and the economy continues to be a major factor in the future of many teams, but these “almost” stories are crazy.  I understand that some of these sites depend on big traffic numbers, but creating a story where there is no story seems wrong.

And this might not be a new thing, but I don’t know when it became news for somebody like Tony Stewart to come out and say that if the situation were right, he’d add a third team for next year.  Couldn’t you really say that about every team?

 ”This just in: Robby Gordon may be a four car team in 2010 if three funded drivers approach him before February.”

Gimme a break.

Is the sport struggling some?  Yes.  Are the manufacturer cutbacks going to hurt the teams?  Yes.  Is it tougher then ever to find sponsors?  Yes.  Are teams going to have to get creative to fight through this tough time?  Yes.  Are we going to lose a few teams?  Yes.

But, even though many will try and convince you otherwise, is the end near?  No.