5 Points to Ponder: Road Racing, Ruffling Feathers & Fond Farewells
Despite the inclement weather this past weekend, we got there in the end with a truly packed day at picturesque Pocono Raceway on Sunday (Aug. 7).
Despite the inclement weather this past weekend, we got there in the end with a truly packed day at picturesque Pocono Raceway on Sunday (Aug. 7).
Hot tempers, cooler temperatures, and tons of bent sheetmetal aside, let’s take a look at the drivers with (and without) momentum heading out of Pocono.
0 Top-10 finishes for Jeff Burton in 21 starts this season. He is the only driver in the top 30 in the standings who hasn’t …
I read the reports Thursday morning (Aug. 4) of Brad Keselowski’s wreck at Road Atlanta, wincing at the images of his elephantine ankle displayed on …
Joey Logano was so close to victory he could smell it, and it smelled a lot like rain on a humid summer day. Unfortunately for Logano, who had grabbed his third career pole on Saturday, the rains let up, the race ran its complete distance, and the third-year driver faded to a disappointing 26th. For Logano, who is breathing a sigh of relief now that Edwards is no longer a threat for his ride, Silly Season isn’t quite over until other potential replacements like Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers and Mark Martin have contracts somewhere else. Good finishes still have extra importance for the No. 20 right now.
A month ago, David Ragan was on top of the world.
He had won a race, was in the top 20 in points and seemed like momentum was clearly on his side to make the Chase, if not as a wild card then as a member of the top 10 in points.
That was a month ago.
On Sunday, Ragan crashed out of the race at Pocono, and in so doing, made his road to the Chase that much bumpier.
Carl Edwards slammed into the back of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s car and in doing so secured the second career win for the current points leader.
*Did Carl Edwards make the right decision in re-signing with Roush Fenway?*
After months of rampant speculation about where Carl Edwards would be driving in 2012, the 2011 Sprint Cup Series points leader opted this week to stay loyal to Roush Fenway Racing and remain with the organization, spurning Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards and a potential Home Depot sponsorship at JGR may have certainly been appealing, but when it comes to winning races, this was a no-brainer. In seven full seasons with Roush Fenway, Edwards has amassed 19 wins, 79 top 5s and 126 top 10s while becoming the face of the organization and one of the most appealing drivers for fans and sponsors alike.
Racing is a sport of emotion. Passion runs deep, emotion often runs deeper, feelings get hurt, egos get bruised. That’s as old as the sport, and hopefully it will never change.
However, there is a fine line between racing passionately and racing without scruples. It’s a line that drivers will sometimes cross unintentionally in the heat of battle, and when they apologize and move on, can occasionally be forgiven for. But it seems like that line is being crossed quite often lately, without remorse or consequence. And NASCAR not only allows it, it seems that at times, when it suits their purposes, they condone it.
The line has a name. It’s called sportsmanship.
So the big story the last couple of months was where would Carl Edwards eventually land. No, not his signature backflip after winning a race, …