Comments on: Ask The Insiders Wednesday #57

By: T.C.

T.C. — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:21:51 +0000

I just wanted to follow up on the pit crew situation. I looked through my rule book, and cannot find a rule or section that says a team must have a crew. This just may be one of those rules that NASCAR doesn’t publish…

By: windowlicker

windowlicker — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:22:52 +0000

“Again RPM had two wins and one driver in the Chase. That’s more than a lot of teams can say.”

RCR pops to mind immediately. I don’t think any of his drivers last year were jealous of eachother’s equipment.

By: Journo

Journo — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:16:26 +0000

Rick- Individual teams do not have individual budgets. They aren’t run like independent entities. I’ve heard this argument so many times, and I can’t stress to you how untrue this is at any organization. Teams are not massive bureaucracies – it’s inefficient and illogical for such a small business. I understand the fan loyalty thing, but come on. Why would George Gillett or Chip Ganassi want to see Reed Sorenson fail (or rather why would they set him up to fail)? They have sponsors to answer to, and a bottom line they’re concerned with. They want Reed to succeed just like you do. The fact is he didn’t and he was booted from the rides. Again RPM had two wins and one driver in the Chase. That’s more than a lot of teams can say.

By: Rick

Rick — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:28:47 +0000

Don’t agree #11 with that. thare was a big difference in equipment. You can’t sit there and tell me there’s not. Casey has Bud so we have to give him more help and better equipment. Elliot was going to sue them for a contract so lets don’t get him mad and everybody knows that AJ is George Gilette’s little boy toy and yes we will have to help him so Reed got stuck with the bad equipment. RPM is a washed up team and the only thing they have is Richard’s name and it’s time for them to get out of racing.

By: Journo

Journo — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:48:57 +0000

Melissa- That in the past has not mattered. They could have Sparky Roush listed as the owner and it didn’t/shouldn’t/wouldn’t matter. Roush Fenway is still technically the owner of the cars and of the owner points, and that is the way NASCAR has looked at it. While the timing is a little different, this is a similar issue to the Ginn/DEI one. It didn’t matter Bobby Ginn was listed as the owner, or Teresa Earnhardt – those points were the property of that new DEI team. Like a lot of things with NASCAR though they are free and ready to change precedent at the drop of the hat. It appears this has become one of those situations. As we say it’s their ballgame.

Rick- Take a look at Reed’s numbers compared to his teammates. It’s hard to make the argument at the very least that RPM was not a better situation. Kasey Kahne had two wins, and made the Chase. There was no difference in Reed’s equipment compared to Kasey’s (it all comes from the same place and is built side by side). He was outperformed by all of his teammates at RPM and as I said in the post, actually got worse while he was at Ganassi. Reed is a nice kid, but like I said in the post, the Cup Series isn’t where he should be.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:56:46 +0000

I thought that the rule was that you had to have a crew chief.

By: garry

garry — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:53:18 +0000

It warms my heart to hear that about the 3 number, then it saddens my heart, again : (

I did not know that about car numbers, but I am glad to hear that they have the class to allow the 3 to not be used, until such time as maybe it is appropriate.

This is why I read here, there is no tellin what I will learn, thx : )

Be sure to give us an update on the pit crew issue, that is interesting. I would think that NASCAR lwould ook VERY dimmly on the start/parkers, unless they only let their “pets” get away with this crap.

By: Warren

Warren — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:58:05 +0000

Kevin, you are exactly right. There was no pit crew and he was black flagged and parked. I think he was driving the 09 Finch car.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:15:41 +0000

Regarding question #6, I recall several years ago during our last start-and-park era (I want to say between 2001 and 2003 but I’m not sure) that the #09 car with Joe Ruttman driving was black-flagged and parked in a race at Rockingham as soon as NASCAR realized the team didn’t have a pit crew. How could they have penalized that team if it’s not a rule? Or has something changed since then?

By: T.C.

T.C. — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:15:36 +0000

Neon: NASCAR wants the start and park teams to at least have a tool box in their pit, and usually a couple of guys in firesuits. But those guys in firesuits are not a pit crew, as they are usually just a few of the team’s mechanics. I’d have to check my rule book to see if there is an actual pit crew rule, but I’m not sure if there is.