Ask The Insiders Wednesday #23

Got a NASCAR question?  We’ve got answers.  Maybe.  It’s the first Wednesday of race weeks here in Charlotte, and because it’s Wednesday, that means we’ve got more of your questions to answer.  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 Steve:

How does Jimmie Johnson make more money finishing 36 than Mears, Martin, Montoya and Hornish, who all finished in the top 10?

There are several factors affecting how much a driver makes. The first and most obvious thing is sponsor contingencies. Some drivers have more than others and in turn make more money from them than other drivers. They are also going to be more lucrative for better drivers. Another thing adding to this is the different distribution of TV and purse money. Teams get a certain percentage of TV money and that is divided up through winnings. There are also several different award programs that give money based on how a driver has run in the past, where he ran in a particular race and where he presently stands. For instance one of those programs awards money based on where a driver or team sits in the point standings. Here is an old article from Lee Spencer that does a more in-depth job of answering your question. – Journo

2. From Tracy:

Do teams carry umbrella health insurance polices that cover the crew as well as the driver? If not, how are the parties on a team covered in the event of an injury?

From what I understand, team employees are covered by the team’s coverage if they get injured at the shop.  If crew guys are hurt at the track, they are covered by the track’s policy and NASCAR’s policy.  But either way, I think those policies only cover liability.  In terms of drivers, they aren’t employees of the teams.  They are considered independent contractors, and are on the hook for their own insurance.  We discussed this topic in-depth here. – T.C.

3. From Dragonfly:

I LOVE site!!  How many race cars are in the normal race teams stable (total in their shops?)

Thanks!  Glad you are enjoying it.  The number of cars a team has really depends on the team.  Some smaller budget teams may only have three or four cars, while bigger multi-car organizations will have 20+ cars. – T.C.

4. From Neon:

TC-All of the cars are obviously run through a rigorous technical inspection prior to qualifying and top finishers after a race. What about the tools of your trade? Does NASCAR tech inspect guns, jacks, dump cans, etc before, and after competition?  With much discussion around stud length changes, can you build a better mouse-trap gun?

The only equipment that I know of that ever gets inspected are the fuel cans.  NASCAR will make sure all the measurements are correct and that the insides haven’t been coated with something like Teflon to make the fuel run out quicker.  In terms of building a better mousetrap, our guns and jacks are pretty damn fast.  I’m not really sure what else could be done to the guns to make them faster.  They already turn over 10,000RPMs. – T.C.

5. From Bob:

What happens when the drivers have to use the bathroom during the race?

Two things with this one. First dehydration is always a concern for drivers so the vast majority of the time, this is not an issue. For the instances where a driver really does have to go to the bathroom and can not hold it until the end of the race, there is one option. I think we all know what that is. I wouldn’t say it happens a lot, but I also wouldn’t say it never happens. – Journo

6. From Steven:

I’m befuddled as to just why some of the newer, unsponsored organizations like Gunselman Motorsports, Tommy Baldwin Racing, and The Racer’s Group have had to cut back on the distance they run (Or just start and park in some cases) because they’ve had their cars torn all to pieces at some point. If it’s a case of money, I don’t see why destroying a car beyond repair could put that big of a hole in an owner’s wallet if it won’t see the track again. And if it’s a case of the performance of one car versus the other, can’t they just carry over the setup of their old car to the other one?

It is absolutely a case of money.  These teams still remain almost entirely unsponsored, and it costs a ton of cash just to go to the track each week.  By start-and-parking or only running partial distances they don’t have to pay for tires and pit crews.  They will finish in the back, collect the winnings and move on to the next track.  And wrecking racecars does cost a good deal of money.  Those damaged cars either need to be repaired or replaced, and neither is free. – T.C. 

7. From Savannah:

How are the insiders of Nascar reacting to the news about Jeremy Mayfield’s failed drug test?  Do you think that the “substance” will ever be revealed?  Also, do you think that this may serve as a wake-up call for any other driver who is using and has yet to be caught?

There is a lot of talk and speculation about what he was suspended for. Just like many of you, people are having a hard time believing it was Claritin D and a prescription drug. T.C. and I have both heard rumors, but I really couldn’t say what the truth is. I have doubts we will ever know, but NASCAR surprises me sometimes. As far as it serving as a wake up call I would say many people believed NASCAR would find a driver to make an example of. And they did. Whether or not this stops someone from doing something, I would venture to say it depends who it is. – Journo

8. From BJ:

In last week’s Nationwide race at Darlington, Kyle Busch ran over debris and had a flat right rear tire.  The inner liner stayed up but he was clearly in a crippled car.  With a green/white/checked flag sequence looming he pitted and was eliminated from all chances of winning a race he had dominated up to that point.  While I completely agree with the decision to pit, my question is, was he required to pit by NASCAR? When the race restarted, Morgan Shepherd spun out, ending the race, even before the cars got to Turn 1. Had Kyle stayed out and those circumstances transpired, even in a hobbled vehicle, he would have been declared the winner.  Was the decision to pit for the flat mandated?  If he had tried to stay out with the bad tire, would NASCAR have black-flagged him?  Seems to me that last year, at one of the road courses, Elliott Sadler developed a flat yet managed to limp his way around the track to complete the race.

I don’t believe there is a specific rule for something like this, but I would imagine NASCAR would not think too highly of a decision by his crew to leave him out.  The inner liners in these tires aren’t exactly meant to withstand any prolonged usage.  They are just meant to hopefully keep the tire up long enough to get the car back to pit road without destroying it completely.  Coming to a restart with a flat tire is irresponsible and stupid.  There is no way Kyle’s car would have come up to full speed on the restart and he probably would have stacked up and wrecked the whole field behind him. – T.C.

Just adding to what T.C. said, as far as I know Kyle was brought in by his team. It was not NASCAR’s call. – Journo

9. From Ric:

When the #48 got caught on pit road during the yellow, I heard Chad tell Jimmie. “I guess you can pick where you want to lineup at”, not sure of the exact words. Does NASCAR give you choices on where you can lineup for restarts? What would have been his choice(s)?

I’m not quite sure what situation you are referring to, but you can’t pick where you want to restart.  If Jimmie had to start on the tail end of the longest line, there may have been some lap cars in the mix, and Jimmie can possibly choose to lineup in front of them.  But other then that, you can’t choose.  Feel free to respond in the comment section with more details and maybe we could do a better job of answering this. – T.C.

10. From Amy:

Since the next two weeks worth of cup activity are in the Charlotte area I have this question: Do drivers still bring coaches to the track to have a place to “get away” from the hustle and bustle (since most are fairly local to the area)?

Yeah, the drivers will still bring their coaches.  They still need somewhere to hang out, shower, and kill time during the day.  Plus many of the drivers’ families use them as well. – T.C.

Remember too, not all of the drivers live in Charlotte. For instance Mark Martin lives in Daytona and Juan Montoya lives in Miami. – Journo

11. From Anonymous:

Don’t you feel a little paranoid now that a driver has been hit with a positive drug test??

It does scare me a bit.  But this certainly isn’t the first time we’ve heard of a driver behind the wheel under the influence (see Aaron Fike).  You would hope that this kind of thing doesn’t happen, but there isn’t much we can do except pay attention, remain focused, and watch each others’ backs. – T.C.

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!

Related posts:

• Ask The Insiders Wednesday #86
• Ask The Insiders Wednesday #6
• Ask The Insiders Wednesday #89
• Ask The Insiders Wednesday #50
• Ask The Insiders Wednesday #49

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