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StumblePublished Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 | 8:49 a.m.
Updated Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 | 8:49 a.m.
Sprint Cup teams put everything they have into their Daytona 500 efforts. Teams often spend the entire off-season preparing for the premier race of the year. And for the large, well-funded teams that means a small army of people are dedicated to making the Daytona 500 car the best it can be.
Then there’s Jeremy Mayfield’s team. In less than one month, Mayfield has patched together a racing team that consists of 10 crew members who were laid off from other teams and used racecars purchased from another racing organization. Not only has he managed to get a team and car ready for the season opener in a fraction of the time it would take most teams, but he also managed to race his way into the 500 after finishing ninth in the second Gatorade Duel.
If these guys are good enough to cobble together a team in less than 25 days, then maybe there are other things they should be tackling. Like ensuring that peanut butter is safe.
I know this will anger the Tony Stewart fans out there, but I find Mayfield’s efforts more impressive than the good runs that Stewart has been having with his new team. At least Tony started with a team that already had an infrastructure in place.(Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman were involved in a wreck during this morning's practice after Newman's car blew a right-rear tire. Stewart will move to a backup car for the 500.)
This season could shape up to be the season of the underdogs as teams like Mayfield’s and Tommy Baldwin’s take advantage of the reduced prices on leftover chassis, equipment and unemployed personnel to put together race teams at a fraction of what the big teams spend. And a team that spends less requires less cash from a sponsor. Only in this economic climate would this be possible in NASCAR. It’s almost as if these teams are a throwback to the days when NASCAR teams were smaller and scrappier.
Obviously, the performance in one, short restrictor-plate race isn’t an indication of how these teams will perform throughout the season. But I would love to see them challenge the big dogs a few times this year.
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Wheels blog from The New York Times
Kiss Tony's chances goodbye...another victim of a failed Goodyear.
Hey rocket_car, don't you mean 'failed Badyear'? Oh well, at least Tony gets the chance to tell the world what he thinks about their tires...again!
Hey Fancan, this is why I'd like to see Hoosier, Firestone, Michelin, Pirelli, Toyo or anyone else get into the mix...then when Tony blows up his beloved Hoosiers, he'll have to suck it up. Got to admit that his new team has had a lot of bad luck down in Daytona. But the France empire has locked out tire competition with the exclusive contract ($$$) with Goodyear.
It was interesting that Robby Gordon and Terry Labonte skipped the last practice session while old Mikey "Practice is a waste of time and money" Waltrip was still out there doing mediocre laps...
Robby and Terry may have skipped final practice to preserve equipment since their teams don't have the big resources to rebound from a wreck like the big teams do.
If it could be done safely, I'm all for tire competition! Has anyone ever truly trusted a monopoly? Tires blowing up like Ryan's did in practice is not a good thing. I remember one of Jr.'s just about removing the rear half of his car last year.
Mediocre Mickey, full of hot air, as well as a lousy liar and an even lousier cheat. Not my favorite guy by far. His brother is just as full of hot air also, but at least he won a couple of championships. Michael never will. I think the Waltrip's must have come from a very dysfunctional family!
Mike, good point about managing limited resources, though Mayfield and other shoestring teams took their laps. I was wondering if their motivation included sponsor exposure.
Fancan, as annoying as the Waltrip bros. can be, you can't take away Mikie's two 500 wins and the fact that the late, great Dale Sr. put him behind the wheel of one of his cars. Darrell has the two rings and some of his commentary is right on; I just wish he'd tone down the Boogity business but I guess you gotta be yourself.
I also agree, good point Mike. I also agree with rocket_car, Darrell's commentary is great, but I haven't heard the first few seconds of a race in more than two years. The other Waltrip, no way will I like that man. Yes he has won two 500's, yes he has won four races, all restrictor plate, almost all being pushed by Junior, and all in DEI Chevrolets when they ruled restrictor plate racing. He was lucky to have that seat at that time, that's all. I still can't get past the point, though I have to admit it was no fault of Mikey's, that Dale Sr. died protecting his first 500 victory.
Yes, Darrell's commentary is great and his knowledge of the sport is vast, but Darrell is all about Darrell. And that can get old.
In addition, when I listen to the commentary I'm always hoping that I'll learn something new. If I have to hear the definition of loose and tight one more time, I'm going to jump off of a tall building.
promise?
OK. I'll jump, but with a parachute.