The answering section for that question was closed, so I'll start a new chain. Jeff Gordon and Steve Letarte are finally starting to click. Driver and crew cheifs take a while to meld together to be a cohesive unit (see Dale Jr.'s failure to make the Chase after Tony Eury left). It's been 2 (maybe 3 years) now, and things are coming together. Please feel free to post, except if you're going to go on about Stewart's comments about NASCAR's "similarities" to the WWE. I am a huge NASCAR fan, but an even bigger WWE fan, and can tell you that is the biggest load of horse**** I have ever heard leave the mouth of Tony Stewart. If he wants the spotlight to be on him, maybe he should just shut up and drive. What a concept.
2007-05-02 16:43:10 · 22 answers · asked by Shane S 1 in Sports ➔ Auto Racing ➔ NASCAR
Yes, Gordon and his crew are definitely on the same page.
but I also understand where Stewart was coming from. some of those cautions in Phoenix did seem a little suspect.
2007-05-02 16:48:48 · answer #1 · answered by mesquitemachine 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's a conspiracy theory, I mean seriously no driver or team or even NASCAR can fix a race. Its a spur of the moment thing. Say that a team paid NASCAR which is so stupid and a inconceivable thought, how would they and NASCAR know that they werent going to get taken out in a wreck and be in position to win the race? It's impossible, and yes NASCAR does throw some questionable cautions but the drivers and crew chiefs are aloud to watch them call a race and see how its done and its not an easy job. I think that everyone is extremely jealous that Jeff Gordon is having this kind of success this year after not having such great seasons a few years ago and now hes back. If he wasn't winning there wouldn't be all these theories and they only appear if Jeff Gordon wins, not if Tony Stewart wins or Jr wins, its just when the Hendrick guys win which is so freaking biased its not even funny. If you don't like it then just don't watch. Go #24!!!!
2007-05-04 19:24:09 · answer #2 · answered by coolliz2444 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
True Gordon and Letarte are meshing and the communications is better.With better communication comes better perfomance.This is showing.
As for Stewarts comments I don't think they were aimed at fellow compeditors but at the officials within NASCAR who act like the Vince McMahon of the WWE.The politics in NASCAR are a family chain and the family is in a profit making industry,so to make the profits they want to put on a show.Sometimes the show focuses on one driver or team other times it is on a manufacturer.
So this was not a personal jab but it was a view that fans,media,drivers and teams have all had.Not just this years but for several years and many other drivers who faded from the scene or retired.
I've been a stock car fan since 1959,and I even watch a wrestling match or 2.I can not call them alike but I can see some of the managing styles being simular to the same.
2007-05-03 08:50:37 · answer #3 · answered by blakree 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If Tony Stewart was winning races he would not have a word to say. If Jr. won every race all of his fans would be loving it and God forbid someone say that he was paying off officials.
People are just mad because Jeff and Jimmie are dominating at this point.
In all the flaws that nascar has I would be shocked if they were accepting money for a win. You have to get your car to the front first... what is nascar going to do tell everyone to slow down so that Gordon can get in front? And even if that were true do you think that all 42 drivers would just be okay with that? Get real!
2007-05-03 07:45:33 · answer #4 · answered by gabeerwin 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are not alone on that one. I don't even think that half of the people that allude to the conspiracy theory really belive it exists, they just like to get people worked up and then sit back and watch 'em go. It would be the absolute death of the sport in a time when they are trying to broaden the fan base and create a more even racing environment. If it was at all percieved that one team or manufacturer was being shown special treatment the other 3 would abandon ship and NASCAR as we know it would be finished. You also wouldn't be able to attract new sponsors if they thought the outcomes were somehow manipulated. Not only does Rick Hendrick have a great eye for driving talent (though Jeff is the one that recommended Jimmie) he has brought together some of the best engineering minds in NASCAR. When they lost Randy Dorton in the tragic plane crash at Martinsville it was amazing to see HMS continue to produce the best engines in NASCAR and carry on in championship fashion. They have awesome crew chiefs across the board and it only stands to reason that they are going to win their share of races. Jeff's success is not new or unexpected it's just that some fans of other drivers were hoping he wouldn't return to the same dominance he showed in the mid to late '90s. As for Smoke, he needs to look hard into the mirror and ask himself what HE can do to improve his performance and quit making excuses. If he worried near as much about his OWN boneheaded moves as he did about those of other drivers and the officials he would NEVER miss the chase.
2007-05-03 12:53:23 · answer #5 · answered by Tregosteevo 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
as far as cheating goes in NASCAR, I hardly think that if there was one owner cheating and paying off officials and crap like that there would be more teams doing it and thus making it a non issue. Im getting tired of hearing everyone say that Gordon has done nothing but whine for the last few seasons, stewart has done nothing but whine everyday since he started racing. I do not think when you have 40 plus drivers on a course that all of them are just going to roll oayver and play dead because an official was paid off. In addtion as far as the debris flags and yellows, while you can say what you want about it saving Gordon (I missed that one), One debris caution did allow Stewart back on the lead lap after he broke a rule that is created for the safety of the crews on pit road. Maybe stewart is just frustrated that he does not make the rules?
2007-05-03 02:49:02 · answer #6 · answered by Ronson53 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
As you said bud... Gordon and Letarte are starting to click, and the HMS camp has got it going on. Even Mears has shown glimpses of fast cars @ a couple of races, but then it's always blown up by his huge bad luck streak. NASCAR is not rigged.. WWE is. People know that and still watch and love it.... If NASCAR was like that, don't you think the fans would be running away? Stewart made those idiotic comments out of frustration for being soooooooo close to winnning a few of these races @ the first of the year. Anyone who believes NASCAR is rigged, then go ahead and jump off the sports ban-wagon... We don't need y'all ruinin' it for the rest of us!
2007-05-03 09:36:13 · answer #7 · answered by Will-I-Am Hendrick Supporter 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Shane, first of all - shorten up your question.
I was at the Atlanta race when Tony Stewart was well out in front of everybody, then a debris caution with 10 to go. We did not see anyone anywhere picking up anything off the track. At Atlanta you can see it all from the grandstands. Jimmy Johnson was better on a short run so he caught and passed Tony with 2 to go. So that caution cost Tony the race. So back off of Tony. He's a hot head, I will admit. But not unlike Jeff Gordon. Both of them are great drivers.
2007-05-03 07:30:59 · answer #8 · answered by Big Rick 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I totally agree with you. If that were true, then all four of his teams would be doing well, not just Jimmie and Jeff. I too, am a huge NASCAR and WWE fan and to say that NASCAR is fixed is utterly ridiculous. They wouldn't be saying that if Jr and Truex or Tony and Denny were the ones at the top now would they?
2007-05-04 13:21:10 · answer #9 · answered by GASDIVA 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Big Rick that some of those debris cautions were bullsh***t! I don't think they did em cuz anyone payed them off or anything, just to tighten up the competition. But they are still bull and they did affect the outcome of the race...
And Gabeer, when Jr. was dominating at Talladega everyone cried about how NASCAR was rigging it to give him a better car! When one guy is hot, everyone else wants to jump on the conspiracy wagon, thats how it has ALWAYS been...
2007-05-03 08:54:12 · answer #10 · answered by shaggy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋