NASCAR Chase controversy

Clint Bowyer spin raises controversy as Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon miss Chase

RICHMOND, Va. — Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon had put themselves in position to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup with 10 laps to go in the regular-season finale Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.

And then Clint Bowyer spun with seven laps remaining. Newman and Gordon couldn’t hang onto their spots over the final 10 laps and wound up missing the championship Chase.

The big question: Did Bowyer spin on purpose to help Martin Truex Jr., his Michael Waltrip Racing teammate, get into the Chase?

http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2013-09-08/clint-bowyer-spin-controversy-richmond-results-chase-ryan-newman-jeff-gordon?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D371012

w/ Bowyer in-car video

I missed the race last night as I had to work but it didn't take long to find out about the controversy on my news feeds. The broadcast commentary and even the in-car video is still inconclusive from my viewpoint but Dale Jrs. observations make me kinda wonder.

Funny how the in-car glitches between him turning the wheel left and him snapping it right in the spin. That and the fact that nobody is showing the throttle and brake data.

But honestly does it matter? Other forms of racing have had "team orders" for years and nobody has made a big stink. To think that there wasn't something similar in NASCAR is asinine.

Do tigers eat their young?

If you race where there are teams cooperating under the same management and millions are on the line... of course he took out the competition when he had the opportunity.

FWIW, If NASCAR wants to stop this sort of shenanigans but keep the two "seasons" setup with the first being a qualifier for the second - they could make a rule where drivers are not allowed to compete once mathematically eliminated or holding a lock to get in.

Nascar really blew it this weekend. Lots of bad calls and erratic rules enforcement. But that's not new, and I guess I should expect that from them. What Bowyer did was certainly not the first time someone has done that and won't be the last.

moparman76_69 wrote: But honestly does it matter? Other forms of racing have had "team orders" for years and nobody has made a big stink. To think that there wasn't something similar in NASCAR is asinine.

Not so long ago Despain would dissect "team orders" as a routine on Wind Tunnel and later on Speed discussion boards. It's not unreasonable to want to know just what the berkeley do we/ they think happened there in the voice of race team or public opinion.

In reply to fasted58:

He dissected when Menard did it last year(?), so you can bet he would be getting all into this tonight if he still had the show.

As far as him spinning, That "are your arms getting tired?" and "is it hot in there?", that totally sounds like some sort of code. Those sound like questions a 10 year old would ask him over the radio, not a spotter. Then within a lap, he turns it. Seems like enough time to find the spot you want to turn yourself.

Earnhardt Jr's comments just make it sound even more plausible.

F1 does it all the time and people still watch that. Of course he did it to knock out competition. Dale Sr did it all the time as well, and they worship him more than Jesus Christ in NASCAR.

Starting to sound more and more like WWE with racecars.....

DoctorBlade wrote: F1 does it all the time and people still watch that. Of course he did it to knock out competition. Dale Sr did it all the time as well, and they worship him more than Jesus Christ in NASCAR.

You really want to piss off all of those Earnhardt Sr/Jr fans, start calling Kyle Busch, Kyle Earnhardt Sr and watch heads explode with anger. Making fun of cookie cutter Earnhardt fans is a personal mission of mine while being a NASCAR fan. Also, make fun of Chevy and drag racing, they seem to like those as well.

impulsive wrote:

Rewind 5 years ago...

Anti-stance wrote: Earnhardt Jr's comments just make it sound even more plausible.

They were pretty funny, especially so considering he dumped himself at Bristol years ago to get a caution.

he was kinda falling back a bit in the laps before his spin, and he did drive away from the spin with a flat right front tire..

just saying..

Ranger50 wrote: Starting to sound more and more like WWE with racecars.....

The thread is about NASCAR, not F1. Stay on topic please.

No F1 racers are the Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling equivalent.

LEMME TELL YA SOMETHIN, MEAN GENE!

AngryCorvair wrote: LEMME TELL YA SOMETHIN, MEAN GENE!

What was so mean about Gene? Damned nice guy all the time on the mic.

Back on topic....

It's all about the show for NASCAR folks. If it takes some behind the scenes diddling to get the drama to action ratio back on track, so be it. NASCAR is about making money by entertaining people. It's not about fair racing.

My only question, "Why do people care?"

Xceler8x wrote: NASCAR is about making money by entertaining people. It's not about fair racing.

And they're different than other major racing series how?

Oh, and it's been decades, but didn't Mean Gene turn to the "dark side" at one point?

The ex racers who comment on the races were discussing other drivers who have spun in order to bring out a caution. Not unheard of.

It's not uncommon at all, especially on local short tracks, for some people to create themselves the caution that they need. We saw a ton of cheating in Nascar, and much of it was done in a "wink wink" fashion from Nascar themselves. If they didn't want you to be the recipient, they would come down hard on you though. There was always a table full of illegal parts taken off cars. In recent years I think they've stopped internally doing to much to affect the outcome, but I'm sure it still happens.

Posted on FB, apparently will be confirmed at 8:15

Per Jenna Fryer - Newman in, Truex out among MWR penalties. 300k MWR fine. All 3 drivers docked 50 points. Ty Norris suspended indefinitely.

I assume all involved get to slap Max Papis too.

Here it is:

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/09/09/nascar-sprint-cup-richmond-penalties-mwr-chase.html

Damn, I really like Michael Waltrip and his team for that matter. This, IMO, shows guilt on MWR's part for NASCAR to put a hefty set of penalties on them.

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/09/09/nascar-sprint-cup-richmond-penalties-mwr-chase.html