LGP NASCAR Thread

[shafnutz05]

Tony Stewart not racing this weekend either. This is pretty significant, considering Stewart doesn't have a win this year and desperately needs one to make the Chase (not to diminish the tragedy, but just pointing out that Stewart isn't already sitting pretty in the playoffs). I don't blame him, I wouldn't want to face the lynch mob, er, media either.

[JS©]

Yeesh........ LGPers, do not Google Tom Pryce videos unless you want to ruin the rest of your day.

reads warning...views video anyways

definitely should have listened.

[relantel]

I don't blame Stewart for not racing. Would not be surprised if he doesn't race for a while, from a mental health perspective, as he deals with being involved in a fatal accident.

Also, NASCAR issues new rule for drivers to stay in their cars post-incident, barring emergency situations such as smoke or fire, until safety personnel get to them. The signal that they are ok is dropping the window net. (The window net thing really isn't new, but now it's codified)

[relantel]

I miss two races (ok I watched Richmond, but that was a snoozefest), and quickly the 2 and Brad K have won two in a row. But can the 2 team keep it up for the whole of the chase? As far as the more consistent driver right now have to think that is still the 24 team.

Also saw the Tony Stewart case being passed over to a Grand Jury to deliberate. Sounds like the authorities wanted to have someone else take the fall for any action/inaction they had planned.

[Sigwolf]

I miss two races (ok I watched Richmond, but that was a snoozefest), and quickly the 2 and Brad K have won two in a row. But can the 2 team keep it up for the whole of the chase? As far as the more consistent driver right now have to think that is still the 24 team.

Also saw the Tony Stewart case being passed over to a Grand Jury to deliberate. Sounds like the authorities wanted to have someone else take the fall for any action/inaction they had planned.

It almost seems like this post is trying to provide some legitimacy to what the Nascar "chase" has become. Who cares what "Brad K" has done in the past two races, it means absolutely nothing. The fact that a driver that does not win a race in the entire season, has less points than a good number of drivers in the sport, and finishes 40th in the final race of the season can be declared champion is reason enough to realize the whole thing is a joke. It doesn't even matter if it does happen, the fact that it can happen under the new system put in place shows that it was never about racing. Nascar is truly the "professional wrestling" of autosports in every way.

[relantel]

I've hated the Chase since day 1 - guess I was a traditionalist. But I get why they did it. They wanted to make things more exciting at the end. And while that may be true with this year's wrinkle, it will may end up with someone who wasn't up front all year (in this class I give you the 2, 24, and 88 who have either led a lot, or been atop the points, etc, with the 4, 22 & 48 not far behind but not as consistent) - all about who can win at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix to get themselves into the 4 car hunt at Homestead. But I think I'd feel better if it was the final 8 points-ing it out for the final four races so that guy ahead after 3 has the advantage of the points lead.

[tifosi77]

Result of Tony Stewart grand jury.

1) No charges against Stewart, and 2) Kevin Ward was conducting a motor race while high on pot.

[shafnutz05]

Result of Tony Stewart grand jury.

1) No charges against Stewart, and 2) Kevin Ward was conducting a motor race while high on pot.

Wave goodbye to your civil suit. Ouch

[dodint]

Imagine how angry he would've been if he weren't high, geeze.

[JS©]

Result of Tony Stewart grand jury.

1) No charges against Stewart, and 2) Kevin Ward was conducting a motor race while high on pot.

was it the marijuana that killed Ward or was it the smoke?

[dodint]

Oof.

[tifosi77]

Wave goodbye to your civil suit. Ouch

Kevin Ward Jr was a 20-year old adult. New York will not allow a family member (even next of kin) to bring a wrongful death suit unless that person is also the executor of the deceased's estate, and I'm guessing KWJ died intestate. The surrogate appointed by the court is usually a close blood relative, but that still might make things a bit complicated in pursuing a claim. Not that these numbskulls won't pursue, regardless. Just another factor to keep an eye on.

was it the marijuana that killed Ward or was it the smoke?

I'm probably a terrible person for thinking this, but I think this might be the best post in the history of my time at LGP...... and I go back a looooooong time.

[relantel]

Prosecutor must have thought this result unpopular to have wanted the Grand Jury to make the decision.

[relantel]

The way things have been lately, the 48/88 mostly invisible the last three races, speed with 2, 4, 22, 24... only thing saving their bacon is the total reset here for the 2nd round. Who can work the system to get there is going to be the question.

(Apparently only in-round finishes control tiebreakers, not whole season wins, 2nds, 3rds, etc., used to and did when Stewart tied Edwards in 2011)

(End of each round - those eliminated revert back to the Chase reset after Richmond, plus their points since. Such that the four eliminated yesterday can still race for 5th in points, since the other two eliminations will see the same thing happen. If there was no Chase right now, Kyle Larson would be 10th in points, but is not in the Chase. And the 24 would be up almost a full race on the 88.

[TheHammer24]

Wow. Keselowski is a lunatic. He wrecks Hamlin, Kenseth, Steawrt, and a loose transmission with his car on pit road and in the garage. Matt Kenseth attacked him, putting him a headlock after ambushing him as Kes walked to his hauler.

[TheHammer24]

Also, the new format, while gimmicky, is absolutely wildly entertaining.

[JS©]

http://deadspin.com/by-request-of-many- ... 1645367241" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Sigwolf]

Also, the new format, while gimmicky, is absolutely wildly entertaining.

Your definition of entertaining and mine are wildly different. I can't even watch this crap any more. This is not racing, this is pandering garbage.

[shafnutz05]

Also, the new format, while gimmicky, is absolutely wildly entertaining.

Agreed. I hate the format passionately in terms of determining the best driver in a season.

[TheHammer24]

Also, the new format, while gimmicky, is absolutely wildly entertaining.

Your definition of entertaining and mine are wildly different. I can't even watch this crap any more. This is not racing, this is pandering garbage.

Maybe. But if you car about who's going to win the championship, each race is essential TV maybe the best driver will win, maybe not. Hamlin has a legitimate shot -- he should get through and he's very good at Homestead and Martinsville. That's the sort of travesty people don't want to see. But I'd the 22, 24, or 4 win, I cant see too loud of complaints. Logano has five straight top fives and two wins, right?

[relantel]

I hate the format. But it sure is entertaining.

Cook the 48 and 88. They're done.

[shafnutz05]

I hate the format. But it sure is entertaining.

Cook the 48 and 88. They're done.

Again, pretty much my thoughts re: the format.

That being said, when a win advances you, you really can't count out either of them. Especially at Talladega, where they can team up. That being said, could make for an interesting scenario if they both need a win and only one can get it.

[relantel]

shaf, true enough. But both can't win, only one. While the 88 has had speed this round, where they were lacking in the first round, the types of failures they have suffered would have taken them out of a previous chase already. Sure, the 88 could win at Talladega, but that's a crapshoot under normal circumstances. The difficulty here is Brad K also is in the same boat of needing a win to get in. And getting caught up in someone else's mess could easily happen.

If I had to bet right now... 22 24 4 as top 3.

[JS©]

The Big One is coming

Spoiler:

twss

[relantel]

Didn't see any of the Talladega race - we were driving back from Pittsburgh.

Sure, it sucks the way the 88 went out - but let's face it. If this was the old Chase rules, he'd be out of it anyway. And if there were no Chase, Gordon would be near running away with it all with Logano now in 2nd 3/4 of a race behind, Keselowski one and a half races behind and Earnhardt and Harvick two races behind.

On the plus side, Johnson won't be tying Earnhardt Sr or Petty this year.

Those eliminated in these rounds revert back to the Chase start plus their points the last 6 races. Such that A.J. Allmendinger finds himself in 12th ahead of Earnhardt. So it's a race to 5th for those eliminated - Kyle Busch is a whole race - 48 points - ahead of Earnhardt.