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?
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on Jun 28th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
I didn’t even notice. I can’t believe people would be angry about this, though. It didn’t have an affect on the race which, while rained shortened, was still exciting.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 7:11 am
Some people have to have it both ways. Personally, I was glad to see Regan get the chance to race, though it wasn’t exactly a stellar day for him.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 7:22 am
No not mad at all, in fact I am thrilled. If I could I would tweak the rules so that on a rain out the field is filled with teams that have crews and intend to race before the start and parkers.
Start and parkers have a place but not at the expense of teams trying to compete. Now if it doesn’t rain out qualifications then it is the fastest 43. If you intend to run the whole race and cannot beat the start and parkers in time trials you don’t deserve to start.
Possibly a better tweak would be to fill the field (after the guaranteed 35) with the quickest from practice rather than attempts.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 8:33 am
You are right TC. Some of these “fans” are just high maintenence people. Personally, I’m happy for those guys that got a chance to race, especially Smith. Guess we will have to face the facts that NASCAR is affected by the tanked economy like everything else
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 8:49 am
I sure didn’t notice this & frankly, who cares? Why would anyone get upset about what “went down?” If someone’s willing to pay an owner off so they can race rather than the owner parking the car that would have been entered, good for them. What’s the difference? The owner most likely got paid the equivalent of a 43rd place finish, he’s happy. The driver got to race, he’s happy. It’s a win/win.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Instead of number of attempts, NASCAR should use the number of laps completed in a race. That would weed out many of the start-and-park teams, and let the real part time teams who want to race have a chance to get in the show when Q’s are rained out.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 10:08 am
You’re right. It’s a business and it doesn’t appear that anyone was forced to do anything thay didn’t want to do. IMHO seems the fans win due to more cars attempting to STAY on track. But then what the heck do I know. I just like to see good racing!
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 10:55 am
I agree with the rest of the posts. I would much rather see a car like the 78 with Reagan Smith make the race instead of the 64 car. You know the 64 is going to run 10 laps and park. The 78 car will try to run the whole race and finish as well as possible. To me it is a “no-brainer” which car should be in the race. I can’t understand why anyone would be mad at this.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I don’t have a problem with what happened. If NASCAR has taken a subtle approach to this issue by privately paying these start and parkers to take the proverbial dive during qualifying so that a guy that is actually going to try to run the entire race can get in the race then I’m fine with that.
I don’t have anything against the little guys, the guys that are trying to make it into Cup but don’t have the money to race. I just think that they need to go about building their programs in a different way than just starting and parking every week.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
i don’t have a problem with what happened, but i would like to see NASCAR going back on all these stupid rules and just starting the fastest 43 cars. no one has a spot guaranteed, just show up, if you’re in the top 43 you’re in. i really get sick of “go or go home” being tossed around along with being locked into the top 35 etc. it’s NOT in the spirit of racing, and for the most part, this is the only form of racing where you’re “locked in” before qualifying starts. go back to your roots and MAKE QUALIFYING MATTER.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I don’t know why some race fans complained about that, I thought it was great to see Regan Smith and Sean Casse race on Saturday and Sunday, both drivers where there to run the entire race, whats the problem.
Personally the only problem I have is with the start and park cars, especially in this economy, if a driver makes a mistake on track during their qualifying lap, that could mean your out and another driver is in and I hate seeing if the car in is a start and park car, thats just wrong, especially if your team is a start and park car 9 out of 10 times.
Bottom line, cars that go to qualify for the race, should be their to run the entire race period.
BTW, in the Nationwide Series race, no crew chief and the race has started last Saturday for one car, NASCAR needs to look at that one, thats my problem, that was a start and park car.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
I’m good with it I was very pleased to see that the 78 made the race since they always RACE. I didn’t even catch the NW issue but I’m OK with that too.
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Really, who cares about ANYone starting out of the top 20 week after week? Cut the field wat down, run an A and B heat and 20 cars in the final for 250 laps of two hours whichever comes first.
on Jul 3rd, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Larry is a financial genious!!! Making the NHMS selling off the spot to the Furniture Row Sofa Companies in orger to gain the superspeedway motor for Daytona and then getting in on a rainout is Daytona tonite!!! What a deal!!!
**Alex cool it with the all caps – Journo**