Race Weekend Central

What’s Vexing Vito – Quick Hits for 3/21/2013

Sunday’s 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway was punctuated by the fracas between Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. At the end of the race, there was a brief exchange of words between Logano and Hamlin, which then – gasp! – spilled over onto Twitter. Long gone are the days when Bobby Meyers picked was on his way to confront Curtis Tuner with an axle to discuss things, only to be confronted by a .38 kept in the tool box. Cale Yarborough going to beating on Bobby Allison’s fists with his face has been replaced with “hush little child” 140 character quips on Facebook for narcissists. Long gone are the days when Lee Petty’s wife had to clock Tiny Lund in the head with her pursue containing a brick after he had both Lee and Richard in a chokehold. Denny actually did have a decent comeback with “he said he’s coming for me, but I don’t usually see him”, so I have to give credit where it’s due. Then again, Denny was part of one of the lamest retaliations in history when he intentionally spun out Kevin Harvick at Homestead – to little consequence.

Also, memo to Joey: If you’re going to start stuff, please wait for the other guy’s team to depart first, or bring your guys along. He’s tough for jumping into it given his stature, but it’s tactically unsound. Ryan Newman was about ready to give him a Stone Cold Stunner a couple of years ago at Michigan after he poked him in the chest. Hit the weights and a hamburger stand my man!

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Driver Landon Cassill is suing BK Racing over what he alleges is $205,000 in unpaid winnings and other fees owed to him from the 2012 season. Cassill also is asking for an unspecified amount of money for not being told until January this year that he would not drive for the team in 2013. BK Racing is actually the remnants of Red Bull Racing – which was sued by Scott Speed in 2011 for booting him out of the car in the midst of a contract. Is this place cursed and doomed to be a litany of litigation and bad press? It’s unfortunate still that Red Bull was not able to continue on following the 2011 season, that saw them win with Kasey Kahne and Kenny Francis. One would also hope that Landon Cassill would find a top flight ride as well; he’s a steady driver who performs well beyond his years given the equipment that he’s had to work with in the Cup Series. Now if he can just find somebody who will pay him…

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Jeremy Mayfield has been a favorite whipping boy and target for joke and innuendo the past few years, as he fought NASCAR often and unsuccessfully to be reinstated following a failed drug test for methamphetamine. Jeremy did get a little bit of a lift this week, as 10 felony theft charges were dropped against him, the final one taking place on March 6th. Not for anything ground breaking, but because a key witness and co-defendant died in a motorcycle accident last year. Some of those allegedging burglary against Mayfield were Red Bull Racing and Fitz Motorsports. The individual in question died as the result of a police chase. Mayfield still faces charges for methamphetamine possession, possension of stolen property, and obtaining property under false pretense.

Again with Red Bull Racing. Maybe BK Racing can pick up Mayfield for cheap and pay him in elbows and hot racecar parts. Eh, just kidding…seriously still hope all of this is just some big frame job and he’s able to prove his innocence. Here’s hoping for the best for the Flat Top.

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