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| | Wednesday, March 15 | |||||
| If there is one thing ESPN auto racing analyst Bill Weber loves more than being down in the pits for a NASCAR race, it's giving the fans the inside scoop. So he's opened up his email to you, the fans, this season.
The Winston Cup season is in full swing and Weber is following the circuit -- this week he's in Atlanta for the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500. Before he finds his way to the pits this weekend, Weber took the time to answer a few of your questions.
"I remember last year at one of the road courses, Goodyear had brought a rain tire for the Winston Cup guys to test, and from what I heard they were pretty happy. What happened to those tires? Where they only for a road course and if not why didn't they have them at Las Vegas?" Mel Kiogima, Traverse City, MI Mel, Those tires were for road course use only and I don't agree that the reviews were that good. I don't believe the Winston Cup or Busch drivers would want to race on those rain tires on a road course. And because of the horsepower-to-weight ratio and the speed attained on an oval, the tires could never channel away enough of the moisture to permit safe competition. Goodyear has done a great job in this area, but NASCAR racing is made for dry conditions, not wet. "Bill, I was wondering since LVMS has lights why didn't NASCAR wait out this rain and finish the race at night?" Dave Brandon, California Dave, NASCAR did the right thing on Sunday. They waited as long as they felt they could, even though there were lights, the forecast for the rest of the afternoon was not good. We left the track around 6 p.m. Vegas time and there was still rain in the area and it had gotten very cold. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see all 400 miles this time but the weather conditions just would not allow it. "When the race restarted after the red flag in the CarsDirect.com 400, Michael Waltrip was the 42nd car and last car on the lead lap. However, when the green dropped he was the first car in the lead lap line. Why would they not have him go to the end of the line?" Dana Mansfield, Sioux City, Iowa Dana, You are not allowed to pass the pace car. When the leaders pitted, Michael goes around them by staying on the track but he cannot go around the pace car because he would be making up a lap illegal. The pace car holds the field in check. Michael was on the lead lap, but because he pitted out of sequence, he was still 99/100ths of a lap behind. This is a hard one to explain on paper. Watch for it, it happens quite often. "Mark Martin underwent back surgery during the offseason. He had stated that he did not think the pain affected his driving last season. Now that he has run Speedweeks and three races, how does he feel? And does he now think the pain may have had some (maybe small) affect on last year?" Damon Vinti, Kernersville, NC Damon, Mark told me at Rockingham he feels great. He felt so great at Rockingham, I didn't even ask him at Vegas. He said he did feel the g-forces at first at the Rock, but mostly, he is pain free and loving it. He is increasing his workouts and adding a cardiovascular program to his routine. "Ricky Rudd has qualified very well in the past (three) races, which would seem to suggest that the team has a good set-up for the race. However, once the tape comes off on race day, the car seems to develop a push. Is there that big of a difference between race trim and qualifying trim that the team wouldn't know how to correct it on the first pit? Let me add that I am NOT disappointed in Ricky, quite the opposite. I am just wondering are they struggling in Happy Hour or is the problem 'race day.'" Marcus Tomas, Tuscaloosa, Ala. Marcus, There is a big difference between the qualifying set-up and the race step-up. With the front of the car "taped-up" for qualifying, there is more downforce on the front end. Untape that thing and look out! Ricky and Michael Mcswain, his crew chief, are learning by doing with the new Taurus and their new team. Ricky told me at Vegas another three or four weeks and they should be stronger on the long runs. That has been their toughest hurdle so far this season. They are working on the situation in Happy Hour and in the race, too. "Hi Bill, My question is how come the Winston Cup drivers are allowed to race against drivers in the Busch race? Is this fair to the guys that need the win as much as the Winston Cup drivers? Mark Martin is only one of the guys always winning their races. Sometimes there are five or more drivers in these races. I don't like it myself." Pat Brandon, Suisun City, Calif. Pat, This is a hot and cold issue. I think the Winston Cup guys bring something to the Busch Series, but they also bump Busch regulars from the field. Some Winston Cup drivers run the Busch team as a business, and that's fair to. Busch teams complain that the WC drivers get the same dollars, or more, to run 14 or 15 races that the Busch "regulars" get to run 32 races. It is a touchy issue. The Cup drivers bring a marquee value to the races and when a Busch guy beats them, it's a rewarding moment. But at the same time, they take up valuable spots and bump the guys that support the circuit every week. "How can Darrell Waltrip put his car in the top 10 (in qualifying), but not even show up on the first laps and then disappear?" Anthony Freeman Birmingham, Ala. That was a difficult day for Darrell. He believed he would run well at Rockingham. They had problems all day long, including the very start of the race. Hopefully, they learned what NOT to do next time. "Why do so few Busch Series teams run Fords?"
Dave Bickler, Ford does not give the same support and organization to the Busch series that GM does. Hard to know exactly why. I thought that was going to change this year, but so far no sign of it. It leads me to believe Ford is happy with the headlines and headway it makes in Winston Cup and doesn't care much about the Busch Series, although Mark Martin has made a few headlines in that series. "With all the changes on Jeff Gordon's team lately, pit crew, crew chief, do you think Jeff's big seasons of winning 10 or so races is over? Will he have a harder time winning races like the rest of the NASCAR drivers?" Jason Sutton, Weston, W.Va. Jason, Yes, I believe it will be tough for anyone to win 10 races in the next few years. But I also believe the team will be more balanced, more consistent. I know that's hard to understand when all they did was WIN! But, once Robbie Loomis and Jeff get comfortable, and the new Monte Carlo becomes less of a mystery, I like their chances. "For as many years as I can recall, I remember a large, bearded gentleman being in the winner's circle of every NASCAR race, and recently while watching ESPN Classic I have noticed him there (much younger) at races spanning the last 20 years. He has noticeably been absent since last season. Who was he and where is he now?" Tracy Fletcher, Salyersville, Ky. Tracy, Bill Brodrick is the man missing from Victory Lane. A wonderful person who was a great ring master in the "circus" we call Victory Lane. I saw Bill at Daytona. He owns a bar/restaurant outside of Chicago and I believe he is still doing a little TV production or consulting work as well. He gave me his card but I don't have it handy. I'll have to find it and mention the restaurant by name. Hey --HATMAN, if you're reading this, e-mail us the info! "I would like to know why weren't the cars tested in the wind tunnel before the season started. I can see a big difference between the Ford/Chevy/Pontiac. This should have been done during preseason." Karen Dunger, Modesto, Calif. They were tested in the wind tunnel and they were tested on the track. But until the teams actually race under true "race conditions," no one knows EXACTLY what is going to happen. It's just like preseason baseball, you can throw that curve ball all spring long against anybody, but it does count until opening day. NASCAR gave the manufacturers a target to hit. Some hit it better than others. Now the goal is to get everyone as even as possible and let the teams decide who is better -- not the wind tunnel. | ALSO SEE Weber: Good times ahead for Gordon Ask Bill Weber | |||||