Johnson and Gordon spat could have long-term consequences

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm really enjoying the Jimmie Johnson/Jeff Gordon story. I know that isn't nice, but that's racin'. It doesn't have to be nice.

I'm starting to think that one of my favorite parts of racing is the relationships among the drivers. Throughout the history of the sport the relationships and subsequent rivalries have been a large part of the fascination of the sport. The matches from hell have long served to spice up the action, adding one more element to our affection for NASCAR.

The actions between these two Hendrick teammates seemed to escalate at Talladega. My mouth fell open when I saw the contact between them as they both fought for position. That initial reaction was followed with a wry smile.

I guess the only question has to do with the motive behind the battle. Is it is real, or is it hyped for effect.

My take is, that it is most definitely real. Take a look at where it comes from. Here we have a four-time champion -- Jeff Gordon -- who introduces a new rookie -- Jimmie Johnson -- to the sport. Before long, Johnson starts making Gordon look bad. This is a classic example of the student outpacing the teacher. Sometimes the teacher is cool, just proud of what he has accomplished as he does the job he set out to do. But Jeff Gordon isn't a teacher. He is a race car driver. And I fear his ego is pretty black and blue at this point.

Let's face it, as much as I don't personally want to admit it, Jimmie Johnson has had a long winning streak. He's been a champion four consecutive times for cripes sake. Like many NASCAR fans, I admit I'm sick of seeing him in Victory Lane too. But I can only imagine how sick of it Jeff Gordon is. Jimmie has tied Jeff's excellent championship record and it looks as though might surpass it. That would be pretty hard to take.

But consider that it is just as hard for Johnson. This can't be easy for him either. And that is why I think Jimmie's feud with his mentor might just be the one that does him in.

Johnson couldn't stay on top forever. Something has to give. At the very least, if this battle between he and Gordon continues, it will become a distraction. That isn't to say he won't win a fifth championship, but if he does, it will be the hardest one he will ever win.

In fact, I'm going to take that a step farther. With Johnson and Gordon feuding, and 41 other drivers as hungry as a bears in the springtime, this one is Johnson's to lose. And, he just might.

Thanks fellow Ryan Newman fans

Thank you to everyone who commented on my latest blog post and to all new followers to 'CH on Track' as well.

It is clear that many others feel as I do, that Ryan is unique among race car drivers.

I enjoyed reading your comments and appreciate you sharing your insights. It is clear that we are all Ryan Newman fans who 'get' him. It is a shame we can't do a little race commentary. Wouldn't it be nice to have a biased Ryan Newman fan in the booth for a change?

Critics just don't 'get' Ryan Newman

Why do so many people like to pick on Ryan Newman?

Perhaps it has to do with his easy-going attitude. Or maybe it is because he doesn't quite fit into the same neatly-tied package as other race car drivers on the NASCAR circuit. Or, it is possible that some just don't 'get' Newman's sense of humor or understand the way he thinks.

Personally, I think all of those things are what make Ryan Newman unique. That combined with his skills behind the wheel is why he is my favorite driver. I 'get' Newman, which is why I like to challenge his critics.

The latest unfair rant against Newman was the one this morning from Michael Lowe of the Savannah Morning News at: http://savannahnow.com/share/blog-post/michael-lowe/2010-04-27/ryan-newman-wrong-about-talladega-racing

Lowe said Newman was wrong about Talladega. He criticized Newman's suggestion that races at Talladega should be eliminated from the points standings because what goes on there is not racing. He went on to give a brief history of the track and some of the great racing that has taken place there.

Lowe saying Newman blamed the Talladega track itself for the late-race crash that took him out of the Aaron's 499.

Newman went into the race 16th in the points standings. His momentum was positive, especially after a recent win at Phoenix and a top 12 finish at Texas. Of course Newman was ticked-off when he got booted by Joey Logano one too many times and got turned around.

But I say it is Lowe who got it wrong.

Newman was not criticizing the storied Alabama race track. In fact, Newman is very respectful of all of NASCAR's history. He was criticizing the nature of restrictor plate racing, which continues to undergo changes, seemingly at the whim of the sanctioning body. Newman didn't say the racing was bad at Talladega. In fact, he said quite the opposite, recognizing that it is a fan favorite, filled with excitement rich with on-track action.

Lowe's criticism that Newman blamed the race track for his own misfortune is just flat out wrong. As was stated in Bob Pockrass' column for SceneDaily.com entitled "Plenty of shared blame for multi-car wrecks" at http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/36785738/ns/sports-motor_sports/ Newman blamed "restrictor-plate racing in general."

That is more to the point. Look at some of the incidents that have taken place at restrictor-plate tracks in general and at Talladega in particular. Newman could write a book about his own incidents at Talladega. Newman has been involved in some of the most dramatic incidents there, and not of his own doing. But not just Newman, there have been countless other drivers as well. The racing during Sunday's race was spectacular. It was extremely exciting to watch. The Harvick/McMurray finish was stellar.

But I think Newman made that point. He doesn't want to stop racing at Talladega. He recognized that it is a crowd-pleaser. But, winning a championship, which is the ultimate goal of all of the drivers at the track that is based on points, should be under the control of the driver and his team. It should be based on their individual and combined skills. At Talladega, it is, as Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pointed out, "a lottery."

A successful NASCAR career should not be dependent upon a roll of the dice, a crap-shoot, or a lottery. It should be under the drivers' and teams' control.

Newman is right.

Drivers and race teams should be able to control their own destiny in the sport. And that isn't possible during a restrictor-plate race when speeds are manipulated, rules are imposed, and drivers are dependent on the actions of the others around them for which they have no control. Being pushed down the back stretch is not driving. Relying on a push to make your car go faster is not driving. And not driving is not racing.

Newman is a race car driver, not a fast bumper-car pilot.

Sweet win for Ryan Newman at Phoenix

Ryan Newman Photo & Ryan Newman Pictures

Watching the Sprint Cup race at Phoenix was a thrill, comparable only by the pinnacle of Ryan Newman's career – when he won the 50th running of the Daytona 500 in 2008.

As I watched the final laps of Saturday night's race, it was like watching the happy ending to a fine film where the plot moved along perfectly. That is just how Newman methodically moved up through the field at speeds to rival any other race car, showing just the right mix of patience, and determination. His drive to the checkered flag was obviously calculated. His aim was clear.

I admit that even as a diehard fan, I was comfortable with a top ten finish, a satisfactory points day.

I didn't seriously contemplate a victory for Newman, until I saw him re-enter the field after the last pit stop in second place. I had watched him pass Jeff Gordon all night. Suddenly I knew he could do it again.

I sat mesmerized, reliving Daytona in my mind, hoping for a similar result.

I couldn't believe my eyes when the leaders, including Newman, pitted with three laps to go. Taking two tires was a risk, but it was one played out by four other drivers in the top five. I recall Kyle Busch's late-race charge at Martinsville recently after pitting and using his four new tires to sprint to the finish ahead of the rest of the field. I hoped I wouldn't see that again.

But no matter what happened, I knew a nail-biting finish was about to commence for everyone that has ever cheered for the #39 car.

The Ryan Newman I so admire, a driver with ability far beyond the credit he receives, rocketed past Jeff Gordon, on the inside – no less – presenting an added dimension to his skill since the outside lane seemed to be the faster one.

Newman was masterful as he blocked Gordon and pulled away. As the white flag waved, I knew he was unstoppable.

It was a beautiful thing to watch. Newman was so deserving of the victory that has eluded him for two years. And it was fitting that he won at Phoenix – a track so special to him – the first track he drove in what was then the Winston Cup. It was ten years ago. How far he has come.

I chuckle at the thought that Newman's victory demonstrated that the know-it-all, biased commentators don't know everything they think they do. Not one of them considered that Newman would win the race, despite his skill, determination, and most of all ability. Those traits are obvious to those of us who listen to his radio communication and follow him his career. Yet, Newman wasn't even on their radar screen which apparently needs adjustment.

Newman's win Saturday night was not a surprise to me. The only surprise is that rotten luck didn't stand in the way this time. Newman has been driving well, gelling with his team, and gaining confidence.

My only hope is that perhaps a more objective eye from the broadcast booth will see the things in him that I see, the things that make Ryan Newman my favorite driver.

My congratulations to Ryan, the #39 team, and all of Stewart-Haas Racing. The race to the chase is on!

NASCAR debacle over Kezelowski crash

From what I can tell, the Atlanta Motor Speedway melee Sunday, March 7 involving Carl Edwards and Brad Kezelowski was just another day at the races. It wasn't much different than any other wreck; it is the nature of the sport.

Where NASCAR should devote all its attention, is safety; that is regardless of the reason for or intention behind the crash. The issue that NASCAR should focus on is that once nudged by Edwards -- admittedly intentionally -- Kezelowski's car flew into the air upside down and backwards, landing on its roof. That is a safety issue for the driver, other drivers and spectators.

Hypocritical NASCAR

I believe NASCAR erred in judgement when Edwards was ordered to sit out the remainder of the race. His being black-flagged was meaningless because he was already more than one hundred laps down. It did not exhibit leadership; it was nothing more than an unnecessary display of power. The disciplinary probation Edwards received was also meaningless, adding nothing to the situation.

How many times do drivers talk about "payback?" We often hear, "rubbin' is racin'?" Former drivers turned commentators snicker as they proclaim, "drivers never forget."

Mostly all of the actions on the track are intentional, whether they are admitted or not. Accidents happen, yes, but how many innocent victims are a result of simply getting caught up in one of those intentional hits between two other drivers.

NASCAR cannot have it both ways. NASCAR issued a directive to drivers to settle their own differences. NASCAR encouraged the beatin' and bangin' that was experienced between Edwards and Kezelowski. And while officials said they weren't going to interfere with a multitude of penalties and fines for driver infractions, that is exactly what they did Sunday with Edwards' meaningless black flag and subsequent probation.

NASCAR needs to figure out which way it wants to go because it cannot sit on the fence on this one. Either the sports' sanctioning body polices the sport fairly, or not at all. There have been numerous criticisms about favoritism in how penalties and fines have been handed out. Consider me among those who are critical of NASCAR's popularity and profit-driven motives.

My conclusion

The dust has settled on this issue. I have read various reports and watched the video. I have concluded that Edwards didn't do anything different than any other driver on the race track.

NASCAR is itself responsible for Edwards thinking little against 'mixing it up' with Kezelowski, even at speeds in excess of 190 mph. That may seem really fast to us non-racecar drivers, but to those guys, it is all in a days' work. And for NASCAR to go out of its way to encourage drivers to mix it up, what did they think would happen?

I think it was wrong to issue any kind of action against Edwards. I'm sure in his mind, during the split second that this occurred, he was doing what NASCAR expected him to do and in fact encouraged him to do. It was "payback." He was "mixing it up," following NASCAR's own directive.

What Edwards did was not the right thing to do. But in his mind, during the frustration of being punted into the wall himself, by Kezelowski -- intentional or not -- being several laps down, and with the words of NASCAR officials ringing in his ear, encouraging him to act accordingly, I cannot fault Edwards.

Had NASCAR not issued such a directive, Edward's behavior may have taken on a new meaning.

That said, there are 43 drivers on the racetrack at one time. Other drivers are often victims of one driver's aggression against another. But that is what the sport is all about. I believe NASCAR got it right to say that drivers should handle their own battles in their own way. Drivers need to understand that "payback" won't make you the most popular guy in the garage. Being the odd man out could easily translate to unhappy fans and unwilling sponsors.

Therefore NASCAR should back off with the fines and penalties. They should devote their resources to safety features that will avoid the kind of crashes that have been seen with the COT car. And until the problem is solved, and the car can keep itself on the ground, perhaps a little more reinforcement might be nice in the roll cage to offer additional protection for the driver.