HTGTH 2009 Nascar Yahoo Fantasy League

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

That was a cool finish.  Brad Keselowski doesn't take shit from anyone.  He has more balls than his boss, and I don't mean Mr. Hendrick.

Stupid didn't learn from Saturday that tucking up behind Newman will not help you win the race.  He should have tried to drop that fool right from the get-go and done his best to hold everyone off.

That wreck was b-b-b-b-bad to the bone.

[C0ma]

It was a single file restart at a restrictor plate track, they had to seperate from the pack before any moves could be made... If they tried to race side by side without putting some ground between them and the rest of the field they would have been passed like they were standing still be a train of lined up cars.

If Edwards and Keselowski didn't run them down, Jr. would have made a move durring the last lap. Newman kept giving Jr. a small window at the bottom of the track that I'm sure he would have looked to squeeze thru, which I'm sure would have led to Newman sliding up the track and causing the last 'big one' of the day.

[Drew]

A lot of talk this week so far about what some of the drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards in particular who were caught up in the wrecks and what was said afterward. I really hope NASCAR doesn't come in and start changing Talladega. I do agree that the fence could be heightened and reinforced more, but I don't want the track to be modified or have the restrictor plates taken off the cars.

I think what's being over looked by a lot of people is the fact that Edwards caused this wreck. He went down and tried to block Keselowski from taking the position and in turn got wrecked. He wants to blame NASCAR for putting the drivers in 'a box' but no one made him make the dumb move he did. And Jimmie Johnson saying that it sucks to race at Talladega but funny that we never heard those comments after he won a few years back.

[Sukie]

From what I've read so far, NASCAR doesn't intend to change the restrictor plate tracks.  I just read this at foxsports.com/nascar.  I'm only copying part of the article. 
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NASCAR vowed this week to toughen its policing on aggressive driving and blocking, which often leads to the multi-car accidents. Officials issue consistent pre-race warnings to drivers but have been rare to levy in-race penalties.

Both Earnhardt and Johnson are firmly against NASCAR making "judgment calls" during the race. Johnson said he doubts the drivers can be deterred, anyway.

"All of them can talk until they are blue in their face ... but when we get in those cars, we are going to race and try to get the positions," he said. "That's what we do."

Earnhardt argued that the way NASCAR's new car handles in the draft had as much to do with Edwards' accident as did any moves made on the race track.

"Part of me gets sort of a little bit angry because it's like it's almost as if they're putting the responsibility, shoving the responsibility for what happened Sunday, totally on the drivers' shoulders - as if all our crazy blocking and weaving has just ruined the day," he said. "As a driver, I share responsibility, but I don't feel like it's entirely ours for anything that happens. There's a lot of different things that put us in those situations."
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I know that Dale isn't doing so hot at the track.  What, he's still in 15th place even after finishing 2nd?  I like the fact that he speaks up, though. 

Well, I'm off.  I can't wait until this weekend.  Richmond is one of my favorite races. 

Drew, are you doing o.k.?  I promise at some point I'll get back to myspace.  lol  I've just been bogged down with lots of different stuff.  Maybe I'll get back into the online thing when my summer break comes around!  Not long now. 

[Drew]

From what I've read so far, NASCAR doesn't intend to change the restrictor plate tracks.  I just read this at foxsports.com/nascar.  I'm only copying part of the article. 
------------------------
NASCAR vowed this week to toughen its policing on aggressive driving and blocking, which often leads to the multi-car accidents. Officials issue consistent pre-race warnings to drivers but have been rare to levy in-race penalties.

Both Earnhardt and Johnson are firmly against NASCAR making "judgment calls" during the race. Johnson said he doubts the drivers can be deterred, anyway.

"All of them can talk until they are blue in their face ... but when we get in those cars, we are going to race and try to get the positions," he said. "That's what we do."

Earnhardt argued that the way NASCAR's new car handles in the draft had as much to do with Edwards' accident as did any moves made on the race track.

"Part of me gets sort of a little bit angry because it's like it's almost as if they're putting the responsibility, shoving the responsibility for what happened Sunday, totally on the drivers' shoulders - as if all our crazy blocking and weaving has just ruined the day," he said. "As a driver, I share responsibility, but I don't feel like it's entirely ours for anything that happens. There's a lot of different things that put us in those situations."
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I know that Dale isn't doing so hot at the track.  What, he's still in 15th place even after finishing 2nd?  I like the fact that he speaks up, though. 

Well, I'm off.  I can't wait until this weekend.  Richmond is one of my favorite races. 

Drew, are you doing o.k.?  I promise at some point I'll get back to myspace.  lol  I've just been bogged down with lots of different stuff.  Maybe I'll get back into the online thing when my summer break comes around!  Not long now. 

I really hope NASCAR doesn't change Talladega! Like I said previously, the place was packed out with fans as it always is. Unlike other tracks like California. And when I heard Jimmie Johnson saying NASCAR needs to bring in the bulldozers I could have strangled him right there. Doesn't he understand that's exactly what California is. You wanna kill NASCAR's roots, than go ahead and bulldoze Talladega like a fool. You'll get poor ass attendance just like you do out in California and these other boring tracks that are like interstates.

Hey Sukie, I'm doing okay. Just trying to make some changes right now to make things better for me. Really happy to see you back in the NASCAR thread here. Would love to hear from you when you get a chance but I know you stay pretty busy. Summer's not too much further off for you now. That is so not fair either!!! 

[JMack]

That was a cool finish.  Brad Keselowski doesn't take shit from anyone.  He has more balls than his boss, and I don't mean Mr. Hendrick.

Stupid didn't learn from Saturday that tucking up behind Newman will not help you win the race.  He should have tried to drop that fool right from the get-go and done his best to hold everyone off.

That wreck was b-b-b-b-bad to the bone.

The wreck was bad just like Allison's 22 years ago.  Jrs. intention was to hook up but did so too soon and perhaps didn't pick the best line.  He also relayed that to Newman before the final laps and didn't bail which gains respect in the racing world.  As far as balls?  Who do you think Keselowski got the ride, the equipment and the knowledge of super speedway racing from.  The higher line was quicker period and if either the Jr. or Newman on either day jumped in front they would have been run over.  From what Brad said he knew the 88 was gonna pull out and pass Newman because he was faster but in the end, he saw how fast he and Edwards were coming and just stayed in line.  Jr. has 5 or 6 wins at Talladega?  2 days in the top 2 or 5 is OK for points and money too.  Also remember Newman, Jr and Keselowski all had the same setups being it was an impound race.  I was a Baker/Parsons then a Rudd/Earnhardt Sr fan.  I do think it takes balls to put all your money into other race teams and tracks to build for life after racing for himself and his family.  You may see a 2 car cup team under JRM or a expansion of Stewart Hass in the next couple of years.  It's a shame that 1 guy leaving a team ended DEI because his vision was the same as his fathers.  Where is that 8 car?  It's a shame for the whole DEI camp, especially Almirola.  I hope that EGR gets some sponsorship to continue.  Why did Truex Jr. only sign for 1 year?  After winning 2 Busch/Nationwide cups under Chance 2 (Jr's Team out of his shop) and btw Jr won 2 for his father in Busch/Nationwide as well.  It's a shame really that all the band wagon fans tend to jump ship.  Any driver who falls from winning to running consistent or having a bad go, is just a loser I guess.  Gordon and Stewart said the same over the last 2 years.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

It was a single file restart at a restrictor plate track, they had to seperate from the pack before any moves could be made... If they tried to race side by side without putting some ground between them and the rest of the field they would have been passed like they were standing still be a train of lined up cars.

If Edwards and Keselowski didn't run them down, Jr. would have made a move durring the last lap. Newman kept giving Jr. a small window at the bottom of the track that I'm sure he would have looked to squeeze thru, which I'm sure would have led to Newman sliding up the track and causing the last 'big one' of the day.

Dude, this "window" you are talking about is totally bogus.  Newman is one of the slimiest racers on the track.  He was running a bit off the yellow line to have more room to block on the outside.  And Junior knows he can't go below the yellow line.  I say he should have dropped Newman like a hot potato, it's better to be in charge of your own destiny than to rely on several other factors.

A lot of talk this week so far about what some of the drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards in particular who were caught up in the wrecks and what was said afterward. I really hope NASCAR doesn't come in and start changing Talladega. I do agree that the fence could be heightened and reinforced more, but I don't want the track to be modified or have the restrictor plates taken off the cars.

I think what's being over looked by a lot of people is the fact that Edwards caused this wreck. He went down and tried to block Keselowski from taking the position and in turn got wrecked. He wants to blame NASCAR for putting the drivers in 'a box' but no one made him make the dumb move he did. And Jimmie Johnson saying that it sucks to race at Talladega but funny that we never heard those comments after he won a few years back.

Jimmie Johnson is an idiot.  Has he forgotten all the wrecks he caused at Talladega?  And Edwards has now been the root cause of a wreck for 2 out of the past 2 races at 'Dega.



JMack, respect doesn't mean anything in racing if you're not winning.  If Kyle Busch is in my mirror, I'm shitting in my pants.  If Junior is behind me on the last lap, I just laugh all the way to victory lane.  He doesn't have that killer instinct.  And yes, he has no balls.  Keselowski didn't really show anything to impress me as far as his superspeedway skills are concerned, he was a moving chicane for most of the race.  His boss almost wrecked him on the back straightaway.  As did many others, including Jeff Burton, who happens to be one of the cleanest racers.

Yeah, he has 5 wins at Talladega.  ZERO since 2004.  How's THIS for perspective?  Even Michael Waltrip won races when he was at DEI.  DEI had the best plate package from 2001-2004.  His record at plate tracks, which WERE considered to be he his strongest suit, now stands at 0 for 18 after winning the 2004 fall race at Talladega.

Junior is getting the equipment from Hendrick, it's not like he's building his own stuff.

He's still my favorite driver of course, but I'm gonna call him out for his bad moves.  I haven't "jumped ship", if I had, I wouldn't be so passionate about him and his career. 

Junior has won 17 races. That averages to roughly 1.7 wins per year.  That really is a mark of a good driver, yep.

[JMack]

Well I really wasn't pointing to you as jumping ship as much as I was using the term in a more general way.  I see it here and read it everywhere.  These days 17 wins is still a good driver.  Especially with all the car changes and career and life decisions that has occurred over the last few years.  I do think he is struggling with getting the changes to the COT that he wants, via the communications to the pits. Compared to the old car he hasn't seemed to be able to really feel comfortable with changes in part because of the car being fickle.  He does not like a loose race car!  Even though he says he OK with the DEI and Ganassi merger, I think it does bother him because it was not his fathers vision and he sees his father dream kind of being slowly erased.  If Teresa did give Jr. the 51% DEI would still be a huge force in Nascar and not sitting because of lack of sponsorship and top equipment.  He was putting his own money and shop tools from JRM into DEI because he saw the company going the wrong way and He was right.  Sad really.

   As far as Kyle Busch is concerned, he is a great talent but he's reckless.  During the race, they commented that Busch was blocking 3 different lines at one time and driving like a madman.  His brother was the same when he started maybe less of a punk.  He did grow up I guess because he was getting no help on track because he was not respected earlier in his career.  Tony Stewart still dislikes him.  Harvick does not like Kyle.  Harvick has balls and will not take shit from anyone.

   I can see where you may say Jr. lacks the aggressive type of driving style.  I think it may be because of all the ties to many race teams.  He tries to play it too safe?? Tries to play the nice guy too much.  Burton races clean but hard and as the sport becomes more competitive that may hurt him.  JR. does have a part in EGR still, JRM, Hendrick among other teams.  Jr going to Hendrick opened doors for Hendrick to expand his Nationwide deal and it also doesn't hurt when your friends are leasing your Boss/Partner engines, and other parts.  They could have went to the Earnhardt/Childress power plant.  It's a good package too.  IDK I still think he'll turn it around a get some wins and remain more competitive.

   Waltrip has been around a long time.  He has won on other tracks in the Nationwide series but his Cup wins have come at Daytona x 2 and Dega under the DEI banner.  He has driven for many bad teams in the past and may have done better with better equipment earlier in his career.  Steve Park also won under DEI and not at a plate track.  Waltrip, has his own deal now with parts of the old DEI crew and seems to be doing better this year overall.  There are so many guys who had never won but had full careers driving cup cars.

   I hope they change the new car as far as bump stops, shock packages and gears.  If the cars are going to be like the IROC series then the sport will suffer.  If they continue to use plates or deflectors to slow cars down, we will continue to see horrible wrecks.  Nothing has changed in 22 years if cars are flying into the fences.  Allison's was way worse but cars are still going airborne and it does have something to do with poor decisions by drivers and "The Perfect Storm" scenarios.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

I just think that driving the race car should be his #1 priority.  Before he was a car owner, he was at least winning consistently.  Now he has too much to think about, and that distracts him from his job.

Just look at his stats from before he was a car owner, to after he was a car owner.

Other drivers can handle a loose race car just fine.  But he can't even communicate his adjustments properly to his crew, he never could do that just right.  It doesn't help that his cousin is a complete idiot.  7 out of his 17 wins came at plate tracks.  Back in the DEI days of plate dominance, of course.

I don't like Kyle, but he is the best driver in the series today.  He could drive a shopping cart with a wobbly wheel to victory.

They should just do away with the COT altogether.  The original intention was to have a car that relied less on engineering and aero....that worked out just fine, didn't it, NASCAR?

[Sukie]

I don't think that the majority of Dale's fans are jumping ship.  We just get frustrated when he doesn't do well.  Especially when it's stuff like mistakes on pit road (missing his box!) that makes you wonder where his mind is at.  I'm actually happy to read about other Dale fans calling him out for stuff.  I'm a Dale fan, but don't enjoy being grouped into that rabid "Junior can do no wrong" fanbase.  That's not me and never will be.  I don't think that you have to be blindly devoted to be a fan.

About Dale not focusing 100% on racing.  Who knows?  I know he has his fingers in lots of pies.  BUT...he has people managing that stuff for him.  It's not like he tends bar or sells real estate himself.  Again, though...the mistakes on pit road make it seem like something is going on to impair his focus.  This is the first year I've ever read about him working out/running, etc.  So that's a good thing.  Still, 15th in points and we still have his dreaded summer slump to worry about. 

EVERYONE has caused wrecks on the plate tracks!    

Ohh.....Dale has won 18 races.  Not 17.  A lot more than many will ever win, but still...it's the "what has he done lately" thing that causes the problem. 

I'm sure that there was a lot more that I wanted to respond to in the previous posts...but oh well.  I can't remember any of it now.  ha

Have a great night, everyone!

[JMack]

Hey your right, I forgot about the Michigan win last year so it is 18.  He also has 3 @ Richmond which is good time for him to make a nice jump in points with a good finish this week.  As far as outside interests and endeavors, he does a lot of stuff himself or through his sister.  His business stuff, is kept close in a tight circle of people like his father did.  He has an apartment in NYC because of business besides he likes NYC.  Jeff Gordon does as well.  Anyway I think he would improve or feel more comfortable with Tony Sr. sitting on the cart or pulling Steve Hmiel away.  He had a real feel for what Jr. needed or wanted as a spotter or when he jumped in as interim crew/car chief.  Hmiel is a great guy to have in your group because he can do it all. 

   As far as pit mistakes, everyone has seemed to have made mistakes this year on pit road.  It depends on when it happened and how you recover.  The 88 team, has made a few crew changes in the last couple of weeks.  I just don't like when I hear so many people complain or live or die by how Jr. runs.  I've heard people have turned the TV off if Jr. gets in a wreck or loses a lap.  They are not race fans period.  I was listening to some radio last night and they brought up the fact that Jr. has seemed to be trying to run more consistently then going for the win.  You must run consistent to make the chase and if the wins come then that's a bonus and a confidence booster.  There seems to be a lot more points racing by many drivers this year, maybe because of sponsorship and wanting to keep there cars in one piece so they can race the next week.  Big Teams too! RCR was singled out for this beside many smaller and independents.

   In one of my posts, I had said that Jr. with Hendrick as a boss and a partner is a reason for Jr. to try to be Mr. nice guy to everyone for business reasons.  (He should separate it and run a bit more aggressive or practice more)  I said that more teams run Hendrick motors among other things and they are friends of Jr.  It's is a fact.  They could go to the RCR/Earnhardt motor and do well too, but do not.  So Jr.s Driver Keselowski wins Dega with the same setup as JR. (That actual car was a backup Dega #5 Car that was repainted and leased to Finch), Jr. placed 2nd. and Newman 3rd. with a Hendrick power plants.  They are all the same especially because it was an impound race.  Now look at the Nationwide side, how many JRM/Hendrick motors were in the top 15.  Including Regan Smith who has run well with the part time Furniture Row car who uses JRM motors and other parts.  I equipment.  I think it was 5 0r 6 cars. 

   Whatever hopefully the racing will continue to be safe and good for the rest of the year.  I hope Jr. continues to improve and gets back to victory lane, but either way just good racing is what we need.  Good luck to everyone's favorite team and driver.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

No one leases engines from RCR.  Their stuff has been subpar since the mid-90's.  They've had a few good years sprinkled in, but they haven't been consistently dominant.

The Haas team has been getting engines from Hendrick for as long as I can remember.

Junior has made the most amount of pit mistakes this year.  He never missed his pit box in previous years.  I know it's hard to navigate down pit road with all the different signs, but come on. 

Jeff Gordon races for Hendrick, but he's not Mr. Nice Guy.  He moves people out of the way for wins.  Remember the Bristol race in 2002 and Chicago in 2006?  Or the time he got physical with Kenseth at Bristol with led to Gordon wrecking him for the win at Chicago later that year?

[Drew]

I believe no one here that's a Dale Jr. fan could be considered as a Junior fan who thinks he can do no wrong. Yes, he's my favorite driver but I have no problem whatsoever in criticizing him. I'm beginning to feel more and more that most of the Dale Jr. talk we've heard over the years has been more hype than substance. He's got the best equipment in the business now and there's absolutely no excuses why is shouldn't be winning races on a consistent basis. Garry always brings up Dale's crew chief Tony Eury, Jr. and that could very well be a big part of the problem but Dale makes a lot of inexcusable mistakes like the pit-road mishaps he's been having all year long. You have to begin to wonder, where is this guys mind at during the races.

As far as Dale Jr. being too nice of a racer as to why he's not winning just doesn't bond to well for me. If he's in a position to win I think he'll do what he has to do and knows what he can do and get away with. I definitely don't want to see him out there wrecking guys or pushing them out of his way just to gain a position or win a race. That's what people like Kyle Busch does and yes, he's a consistent winner but that's not the type of driver I wish Dale Jr. to be. I also don't think Dale has lost any races and finished second because he wouldn't put the nose of his car in the quarter-panel of another car and move him out of the way.

I'm excited about both Friday and Saturday nights races this weekend at Richmond. I'm don't believe Dale Jr. is racing in the grand National race but hopefully he will. I also hope that Kevin Harvick will race Friday night as well.

I know he has his fingers in lots of pies. 

Sukie!!! OMG.......Hahahahahaha.      I took that in about the most perverted way a guy could. 

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

I had no problem with his old man wrecking people to win.

Your Nice Guy % doesn't show up in the win column.

[Drew]

I had no problem with his old man wrecking people to win.

Your Nice Guy % doesn't show up in the win column.

Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth have both had a lot of success being a nice guy on the track.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

I had no problem with his old man wrecking people to win.

Your Nice Guy % doesn't show up in the win column.

Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth have both had a lot of success being a nice guy on the track.

Carl Edwards took out Junior at Atlanta in 2004, ending his championship run.

He attempted the Kamikaze at Kansas last year.  Hell, he even tried to get violent with nice guy Kenseth at Martinsville a few years back!

[Drew]

Carl Edwards took out Junior at Atlanta in 2004, ending his championship run.

He attempted the Kamikaze at Kansas last year.  Hell, he even tried to get violent with nice guy Kenseth at Martinsville a few years back!

Okay then, you can take all of the crashes Junior has caused and group them together as well. He's not always been the nice guy on the track. 

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Carl Edwards took out Junior at Atlanta in 2004, ending his championship run.

He attempted the Kamikaze at Kansas last year.  Hell, he even tried to get violent with nice guy Kenseth at Martinsville a few years back!

Okay then, you can take all of the crashes Junior has caused and group them together as well. He's not always been the nice guy on the track. 

Brian Vickers at Daytona.
Kyle Busch vs Junior at Richmond: THE SEQUEL
Casey Mears at Phoenix
Carl Edwards Busch Race at Michigan

I know there are plenty more! 

I know he isn't a saint, and I wish he was even badder than that.

[Sukie]

Drew, get your mind out of the gutter.   

I'm going to be watching the rest of the season to see if Dale and his crew are able to maintain/improve the car during the race.  That's been the biggest problem over the last few years.  They just don't seem to be able to keep up with the track as it changes.  I know that Dale doesn't want to change crew chiefs...but to me it's interesting that most of Dale's wins were with Pops.  Commentators always make it sound like he's had lots of wins with Tony, Jr. but that was only with him as car chief or whatever.  I can't remember now...but until last year's win, hadn't Dale only won 1 race with Tony, Jr. as his crew chief?  So...unless I'm remembering wrong, they've actually only won 2 races together.  At least Dale has said that he'll do whatever Hendrick tells him to do in regards to the crew chief situation. 

I just looked at the entry list for the Nationwide race.  Dale's not driving the 5 this week; Mark Martin is.  I'm glad because I already have plans for Friday night and wasn't going to be home to watch the race.  But...my Saturday night is free for NASCAR.  Who can miss watching Richmond?

[JMack]

Rusty Wallace Inc. Leases ECR Engines and were real fast but had overheating problems....A few teams do.