OT - Richmond looked like Bristol

[JonInMiddleGA]

Unusually nasty driving at Richmond this weekend, must be the lights triggering some sort of full moon effect or something.

Ryan Newman wins the WC race and it's like an afterthought with the real "celebration" taking place in the pits as Kevin Harvick did everything he could to get his hands on Ricky Rudd, the veteran who uncharacteristically punted Harvick out of the way and cost him a shot at the win. I've seen Harvick overreact on some occasions but I don't blame him on this one, Rudd deserves a "hands-on driving lesson" this time. And while Harvick's crew immediately surrounded the #29 to keep Kevin away from Rudd, it appear that Rudd's crew was more interested in making things worse. Rudd meanwhile didn't stick his head out of the car until after Harvick was led away, looking like a real chickenshit in the end.

And then there was Jeff Burton taking Robby Gordon out a little earlier. Robby went looking for Burton after the race as well but didn't get as close as Harvick. To his credit, Burton took full responsibility & told a credible tale of getting loose & hitting Gordon. To me, it looked loose so I'll give him the benefit of a doubt and I believe Robby will too (after he sees the tape).

And those were just the highlights of more than a dozen cautions in a race that left more drivers hot than Bristol.

And all this comes about 24 hours after a BGN race that featured no less than three seperate crew vs crew "bench clearing" incidents at the finish.

I'm of the same opinion as several of the drivers, young & old, who've commented that NASCAR needs to stay out of the way and let the drivers settle some of this stuff "out back behind the trailers" instead of forcing them to settle it with their cars.

[GrantDawg]

I think all the violence crap is just "showboating." Handle it in private like they used to instead of "hamming it up" for the cameras.

[SunDancer]

Nascar needs to start coming down hard on the drivers and teams, or they will not settle it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

SunDancer -- That's just it though, I don't believe there's much NASCAR can do that's going to "settle it". Nothing they've tried so far has done much except ... well, nothing.

Meanwhile, you didn't see this sort of thing on a regular basis until NASCAR tried to get involved. But by every account I've heard from any former driver, the tempers & emotions boiling over is nothing new. What seems to have changed is that NASCAR has decided to get involved instead of looking the other way while things were settled privately.

Give the drivers the word that "if you do it in public, we'll throw the book at you" but if it's "out back, that's between the two of you".

[SunDancer]

Originally posted by JonInMiddleGA
SunDancer -- That's just it though, I don't believe there's much NASCAR can do that's going to "settle it". Nothing they've tried so far has done much except ... well, nothing.

Meanwhile, you didn't see this sort of thing on a regular basis until NASCAR tried to get involved. But by every account I've heard from any former driver, the tempers & emotions boiling over is nothing new. What seems to have changed is that NASCAR has decided to get involved instead of looking the other way while things were settled privately.

Give the drivers the word that "if you do it in public, we'll throw the book at you" but if it's "out back, that's between the two of you".

Yes, but Nascar needs to start being tougher...which they don't do much..A fine won't really help it...

[RendeR]

couple points here:

A)having been a long time nascar fan and follower I wish NASCAR would just stay the hell out of it. The Drivers have to learn to deal with their peers on their own and this sort of thing helps keep people interested when the points title is a joke (see the 400+ point lead Matt Kenseth has ammased)

B) Harvick needs to pull his head out of his ass. Yes Rudd hit him, I would have too. Its part of racing., but more importantly, harvick is just as guilty as rudd in the past. "happy" needs to stop bitching when people give him a dose of his own medicine. He constantly shows a piss poor attitude at the race track and shows no remorse whatsoever when he screws someone else over.

C) the Robby gordon thing will go away, Jeff admitted it was his fault and that it wasn't anything intentional. I'm sure those two will get over it.

Lastly, I'm sick to death of some of these young whiners in nascar today, Harvick, Busch, Robby Gordon, and a few others as well all meed to shut their mouths and rive their race cars. You never saw the great drivers in the past bitching and whining about how someone else ruined their day. "Its just a racing deal" Thats part of the sport, and if you can't hack it, go back to the fair grounds for your career.


end rant =)

[SunDancer]

Stewart seems to have grown up as well...