Motorsports Wrap Up

The two biggest topics in the racing world this past week have NASCAR fans fired up. The first event was the surprise reversal of the penalties levied against Hendrick Motorsports and the 48 team at Daytona. While Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook reversed the ruling of the three-member appeals panel on points and suspension penalties, he let the $100,000 fine for crew chief Chad Knaus stand. He modified the suspensions for Knaus and car chief Ron Malec to probation.

Hendrick Motorsports submitted some 17 pages of data and testimony, which apparently convinced Middlebrook that the penalties assessed were too severe. Apparently Hendrick had evidence that the C posts in question had been submitted and passed by the NASCAR Tech Center prior to the car being presented for inspection at Daytona. While Hendrick was forthcoming on their side of the conflict, NASCAR, as usual, is being about as transparent as a bank vault door. In my career in racing, I have seen enough arrogance and petty vindictiveness on the part of race officials to suspect that previous transgressions on the part of Knaus may have been a large part of the whole deal. Of course, non-Johnson fans have weighed in on blogs and fan forums, intimating that Middlebrook’s ruling was the approximate equivalent of a complete pardon for Charles Manson.

The other hot topic was obvious to anyone watching the Bristol race. Once the toughest ticket in motorsports, there were lots of empty seats in the stands at Bristol last Sunday. Again, the fan forums and racing blogosphere were buzzing with disapproval of the style of racing since the track was reconfigured a few years ago. Formerly a one-groove race track, Bristol’s progressive banking now encourages two and three-wide racing. The drivers and crews love it, but as legendary driver and broadcaster Buddy Baker said recently, “If the drivers love it, the fans are probably going to hate it.” The old Bristol was as much a demolition derby as a race, because the only way to pass was to shove somebody out of the way. Perhaps the most infamous incident was when Dale Earnhardt wrecked Terry Labonte on the final lap, and was booed in victory lane for his efforts. Enough fans like the old style of Bristol competition that track owner Bruton Smith is seriously considering putting the track back to where it was. And lest you think that’s an idle threat, consider the millions of dollars Smith has spent reconfiguring Las Vegas and Sears Point, not to mention the four-wide drag strip at Charlotte.

In open wheel action, this weekend is the inaugural race for the new DW012 IndyCar at St. Petersburg, Florida. After some drama with engine supplies in the pre-season, 26 cars will take the grid on the street course tomorrow. Two notable newcomers to the series are former Formula 1 driver Rubens Barrichello, driving for KV Racing, and former Champ Car racer Katherine Legge, who will join Lotus Dragon Racing for the 2012 season. With a brand new car, we may see some surprises this season, although the Target Ganassi and Penske teams will still be the ones to beat.

After a season opener that indicates a much tougher season for Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel, the Formula 1 circus takes to the track in Malaysia this weekend. Jensen Button showcased the strength of the new McLaren in Australia, winning handily while teammate Lewis Hamilton finished third. If nothing else, the McLaren is the best-looking car in the field, without the ugly step-down nose used by most of the other cars.

In local news, Outlaw Karts are back on track in northern Nevada. The Nevada Outlaw Kart Association (NOKA) will be racing on a 1/8 mile infield oval at Rattlesnake Raceway in Fallon this season. Anthony Guerra Jr. is heading up the organization, and I will be talking with him next week to get complete details on the season.

In other karting action, 11 year old Richard Stock of Carson City finished fourth in both heats and the main in the JR2-80cc class in the WKA Regionals in Dixon, California. An infield excursion sent him to the back of the pack in his first outing in the HPV class.