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| Newman makes the Chase, after all |
“I am proud that NASCAR took a stand with respect to what went on Saturday night at Richmond,” said Newman in a written statement this evening. “I know it was a tough decision to make. With that being said, myself, Matt Borland and this entire No. 39 team are looking forward to competing for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.”
SHR co-owner Tony Stewart said he is “very pleased with NASCAR’s decision to provide Ryan Newman’s rightful place in this year’s Chase. NASCAR was put in a very difficult position Saturday night at Richmond and we commend the sanctioning body for taking the time to do the necessary due diligence to ensure that the right call was made.”
Interesting call, seems fair for Newman, but what of Gordon who may have made it too?
ReplyDeleteNASCAR what about Jeff Gordon????? He was affected too....
DeleteI know you are against the actions detrimental to the sport ruling but it wasn't "obvious" that the 15 spun on purpose. I also know that you are against the changing of the outcome of a race but I believe putting Ryan in the chase is the right decision. I am one of the fans that would have added Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman to the chase. Clint did not sound happy about hearing what the "team orders" were but I believe he has lost a lot of respect in the garage and NASCAR community. Martin Truex didn't do anything wrong, he just raced his ass off. What will Rick Hendrick's response be to this as, I believe Jeff was in the Chase when the spin happened.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Gordan & Newman both should be in the Chase!! It is to bad that the MWR drivers chose to change the outcome of the race by either spinning out or pitting. In the end they made the choice. They have sure lost my respect and I have always been a fan.
DeleteAs much as I use to despise Jeff Gordon he was wronged also. But then again he should have raced better earlier in the year to avoid these situations. And I actually like Clint. Wonder what his response will be........
ReplyDeleteshould take Logano out also, and put Gordon in
ReplyDeleteThere is no reason to take Logano out. He wasn't party to any of this, just a secondary beneficiary. Though Gordon should be given a spot. The best solution, IMO, would be to expand the field to put Newman and Gordon in along with Logano and Truex. I can see rationale for Truex being out, but it's a tough one to justify with Bowyer effective not being penalized at all.
DeleteMy way of looking at this is NOT that Nascar put Newman in and not Gordon. They just penalized MWR with the point deduction. Once 50 points we're deducted from Truex Newman had more points and gets the spot. The fact Gordon didn't get in falls on him not being as good as Newman all year, not on one race.
ReplyDeleteNot near enough!! This should have been a Kenesaw Mountain Landis moment for Helton and crew as this is as damaging to the sport as 1919 Black Sox scandal. Point penalties should have been large enough to take Bowyer out of chase for manipulating the outcome of an event. Monetary fine should have been enough to drive the ethically challenged (MWR) out of the sport for good. 40+ year fan - never more embarrassed in the sport for Sat nite - never more disappointed than with today's "discipline"
ReplyDeleteWell said Randy. Could not agree with you more.
DeleteVery simple the way nascar handled it. Taking away points is nothing that hasn't been done before. Not changing the outcome of the race
ReplyDeleteThey didn't "change the outcome of a race", they docked the three teams 50 points each before the Chase field was set. That drops Truex back, and moves Newman into the second Wild Card spot. Good decision by NASCAR IMO
ReplyDeleteThe only thing they had MWR on was Ty Norris telling Brian Vickers to pit "Cause we need that one point" That is blatant, the rest is all circumstantial.
ReplyDeleteRemember, they didn't penalize Dale Jr for a spin UNTIL he openly admitted it, which is against the rules.
Unfortunately whatever Nascar did it was going to upset someone, even if they did nothing. By using the points to penalize the drivers it was a way of fixing part of the problem. I'm not a fan of changing the outcome after the fact but the integrity of the sport was at stake. I don't think anyone is naive enough to believe that some of this stuff doesn't go on through out the season, but when deciding the playoffs - Nascar had no choice. My question is what are NAPA And 5 Hour Energy saying right now. MWR has just embarrassed them on a world wide stage. Definitely a phone call I wouldn't want to have!
ReplyDeleteCharles Utts
Newman's after race comments were done with class. His phone interview on your show this afternoon showed more of the same class. His tongue in cheek comments were well said. Not everyone will agree with penalties-it is a shame Truex took hardest hit even though point penalties were across the board. Elliot Sadler's interview with you said it best for me- team members help each other have in the past and will in the future. Maybe this instance was over the top-or maybe just business as usual!
ReplyDeleteI think the right call would have also taken Clint out of the Chase and replaced him with Gordon. A Message needed to be sent to MWR that cheating would not be condoned.
ReplyDeletemany people will see alot in this. I want to be the bass next to the boat next week to hear the real thing. :-D I love NASCAR and speedway!!!!
ReplyDeleteProbably the best outcome possible under the circumstances...let's move on now...
ReplyDeleteHats off to NASCAR!!!!
ReplyDeleteA 100 point penalty for the 15 would have been more appropriate, since that team was the catalyst for the whole debacle that happened on Saturday night. This would have knocked him out of the Chase and put Gordon in. It could have all been within the guidelines NASCAR's rule book, without having to bend or change any rules.
ReplyDeleteGranted he wouldn't have been in the Chase anyway, had Bowyer not spun, I still feel bad for the 56 team. All Truex did was drive his @zz off, and no more.
Indiana Rick
How about getting rid of the Chase and let the drivers earn points all season long to win the championship?? Worked for many years!!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe they should just not keep track of points and just put the most popular drivers in the chase. But no, that would be too much like WWE just setting up the big match that will sell the most tickets. I am a MWR fan, a SHR fan, and race fan. I am seeing NASCAR as the inept WWE referee that misses the match until the wrong guy may win then steps in to "fix" things.
ReplyDeleteSeriously however, if Clint spun intentionally, which seems likely, yes he should be penalized for that rules infraction. Is it a poorly thought out tactic? Sure it is. The choices to bring the 15 and 55 in to the pits was perfectly within any rules I am aware of. All of this is an unfortunate product of team and "chase" points racing. I don't like the tactic or the execution as it went, but, not convinced the penalty fit the crime. Still convinced "Don't hate the player, hate the game."
And how would everyone have reacted if either or both of the Busch brothers had been involved in this mess? Clint Boyer, nah he's a "good guy". Everyone keeps saying "but he was only following his boss's orders, it's not his fault".
ReplyDeleteWell, I disagree. If he knew what he was suppossed to do and went along with it, he's as guilty as the others involved. Regarding MWR, they've gone way past cheating. Their sponsors should be looking at other teams.
If this had happened in one of the other professional sports leagues, these folks would be banned for life.