The Nascar and other Motorsports thread!

[Jim M.]

Yes.  Carl messed up - bigtime!

[Jim M.]

If the top 19 could have all messed up, Junior could have won!

[JRRacing64]

Congrats to Kurt Busch but I was rooting for Montoya...

[JRRacing64]

Yes.  Carl messed up - bigtime!

That was more then a mess up, that was down right disgusting what Carl did. Back at Talladega He was really concerned  that they would put a car in the grand stands and then he almost does the same. I mean we have seen what happens when you turn this car with the wing around backwards. What did he think was going to happen? This is not a short track this is a speedway! Hope he gets a fine or suspended for that...

[Jim M.]

I think Carl may get to watch 1 or more races on tv.

[JRRacing64]

here's the flip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttpxOGLI8Go

[Kevin R.I.]

Carl as much as admitted he did it on purpose..........Hello big red trailer.

[Colleen]

I heard that Carl said he just meant to tap Brad and not flip him. Either way it was uncalled for and dangerous at those high speeds. I'm sure he will be punished for it and if not then well, NASCAR officals need to rethink that.

[Jim M.]

Carl got probation.  Hmmmmm.

[Scuilly]

I just read that Carl got probation...no suspension? no fine?  Carl is my favorite driver and even I think his actions were uncalled for...he should have at least got fined...

[Jim M.]

All drivers have sponsors.  Maybe a few emails to them would send a message.

[Cash]

Any hockey fans here? Anyone see what the Pittsburgh Penguins Cook did to Savard of the Boston Bruins? Smacked him in the head, causing a concusion. Many will say a 'cheap shot'. And I can agree. But....

Would that be similar to what happened in racing? Or what happens in baseball when a pitcher throws at a batter to intimidate him to take the inside part of the plate? Is a 'dirty' move on one day just 'part of the game' in the long run?

Also, wasnt Dale Sr noted for doing controversian stuff like this? Maybe not as blatent?

I dont know. But here our sports talk shows are all fired up because Cook did something 'cheap' before and got suspended, so sports experts anticipate a 5-10 game suspension this time around, and even say Cook should get hit with a stiff penalty. And they say the hit was uncalled for. But if in future games, esp playoff games, if people think about that instead of keeping their mind on the game, that might give the Penguins a slight edge?

But rumor has it Boston may retaliate in an upcoming game. Could get ugly. Thats another thing. If authorities dont do anything, players have to take it upon themselves to 'enforce' things, and then leagues look unprofessional , kind of like pro-wrestling, when they dont enforce rules and let things slide.

But, fans sometimes want to see hockey fights. Do fans like seeing some of this type if thing in NASCAR? Should paleyers or drivers be blamed for giving fans what they want?

TV ratings vs safety & rules....its a fine line?

[JRRacing64]

Any hockey fans here? Anyone see what the Pittsburgh Penguins Cook did to Savard of the Boston Bruins? Smacked him in the head, causing a concusion. Many will say a 'cheap shot'. And I can agree. But....

Would that be similar to what happened in racing? Or what happens in baseball when a pitcher throws at a batter to intimidate him to take the inside part of the plate? Is a 'dirty' move on one day just 'part of the game' in the long run?

What happen on Sunday was not more dirty then a misguided retaliation for a wreck earlier in the race.
But this much different then most sports since your using 3500lb cars going 195mph.
But I believe this is something that has been brewing since Brad and Carl got together at Talladega last season in a crash that sent Edwards for a similar ride, which was sparked again when got spun earlier in the race. Brad also has a history of being aggressive which has aggravated some other drivers such as Denny Hamlin.

Also, wasnt Dale Sr noted for doing controversian stuff like this? Maybe not as blatent?

Dale Sr was more aggressive then dirty. But he never intentionally spun people out for just for the heck of it and generally he would do it at tracks where speeds were not as fast. Matter of fact one instance back in 1993 when Dale Sr spun Rusty Wallace which sent him flying and crashing down the front strait, he came around and stop at the sight of the wreck and got out to see if he was OK.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnBRgC_btW0

But, fans sometimes want to see hockey fights. Do fans like seeing some of this type if thing in NASCAR? Should paleyers or drivers be blamed for giving fans what they want?

TV ratings vs safety & rules....its a fine line?

Well fighting use to be the norm back in the early days of NASCAR. A good example of this was the Cale Yarborough/Donnie Allison finish of the 1979 Daytona 500.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXbHQtZH8dE

Most old time fans from that era liked that stuff because they handed things like men and thats what most fans were missing and have let there voice be heard by tuning out. So at the beginning of this year they announced the were going to let the drivers race and let them police them selves more. I don't think NASCAR foreseen what resulted at Atlanta on Sunday. I'm sure Carl is ready to move on from this now and so is Brad, but I do think NASCAR will be keeping a closer eye on everyone in the future. As you said Cash it is a Fine line between safety and what the fans want to see and the punishment reflects that.

[Jack]

I know it didn't happen, but suppose Brad had been killed in the accident........would it have been pre-meditated murder?  Reckless homicide?  Suppose Brad's car had ended up in the grandstand and  a number of people had been killed?  At a minimum Carl is guilty of reckless endangerment and merely putting him on probation is a testament to the power and influence of money in the sport. 

As a minimum he should have been heavily fined, and both he and the car suspended for a number of races, maybe as many as ten, to get both his and the other NASCAR teams' attention.  Flagrant violations of this nature should severely damage a driver/team's chance to win the points championship at the end of the year.  They were on the right track when they had him immediately pull behind the wall, but lost their nerve and didn't follow through with the severe penalties he deserved.  His driving down pit road against traffic was another "in your face" move that they apparently chose to ignore.

My two cents.  Sorry for the vent but I am upset at his actions and the response, or lack thereof, from NASCAR.

Jack

[Jim M.]

Carl and Brad are both lucky I'm not in charge of NASCAR.  I would ban both for life.