NASCAR - Sports Rumors

Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:22 am EDT

Not a good day for road course ringers

By Joe Zedalis

Ron Fellows

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Marcos Ambrose was "disappointed" although he felt he drove a fine race. Juan Pablo Montoya would quarrel with that, calling an Ambrose passing attempt "stupid" after it caused him to spin out and lose several places.

While Ambrose was disappointed, Ron Fellows was livid. He got out of his car near his team's trailer and pounded his fist on the top. The "01" on the right side of his Chevy was completely smeared from a run-in with Jamie McMurray's car.

"It was ridiculously unlucky," Fellows said.

And Scott Pruett was hit from behind by Tony Stewart. That, an angry Pruett said, "really ruined our day."

Sunday wasn't a good day at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 for the "road course ringers." They're the drivers whose specialized skills make them irresistible to teams needing a points boost on Infineon Raceway's road course, one of only two breaking the string of ovals on the Sprint Cup's 36-race schedule.

Only Fellows, who was running sixth when fate intervened, finished in the top 30 - he was 29th in the field of 43. Max Papis was 35th. Ambrose and Boris Said were forced out with mechanical problems.

Source: San Francisco ChronicleNew Window

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67 Comments

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  1. scott
    1. Posted by scott Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:47 pm EDT

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    Pruett and Fellows were running well until the careless driving of Stewart and Harvick ended their great runs. And Ambrose's day may have been better had he not been hit by Sadler.
    Fellows and Ambrose still did better than the drivers they sat in for.
  2. lgr
    2. Posted by lgr Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:06 pm EDT

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    good. maybe the ringers will go away now.
  3. packerd_00
    3. Posted by packerd_00 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    Marcos had just as much right to be their as anyone else he was helping Woods Bros., ive got sympathy for Juan.
  4. Carol
    4. Posted by Carol Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    Marcos was doing a splendid job, it's just a shame his day ended the way it did. I doubt that Bill Elliott or Kenny Schraeder would have done any better.
  5. Gill Billy
    5. Posted by Gill Billy Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:13 pm EDT

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    Hey ya'll, that there was some shifty underhanded driven' by that Juanito fella, an Ambrosy wudn't any gooder. If er was up to me I'd show em' all how to drive the right way, The GOOD OL' GILL BILLY WAY!
  6. Tigger
    6. Posted by Tigger Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:36 pm EDT

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    I believe any one should be able to race regardless of what country they are from, however I have a real problem with teams using the so called ringers for the races. Let the driver who is suppose to be in the car drive the race. Better still get rid of the road races they are boring.
  7. Colleen
    7. Posted by Colleen Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:02 pm EDT

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    Now this road race is over it's back to the boring racing NASCAR loves...it's funny how simple people can be so thrilled by watching cars go in an ovel......zzzzzzzzzzz. Peace
  8. John C
    8. Posted by John C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:36 pm EDT

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    The Road Race Ringers are all DUDS when it comes to Stock Cars. They may actually qualify OK, but once the race starts, they are hopeless. Get them back in their little sporty cars where they belong. Stock cars are for real Stock Car drivers, not these highly over-rated midget car boys. Let them do their thing in cars built by Germans, or the other European monarchists. That goes for that Jerk Ambrosee and the Canadian wrecker as well. Just for the record, he'll be a Bum in the Truck races and tell Robin Miller to Stuff It.
  9. MarKn
    9. Posted by MarKn Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:08 pm EDT

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    Packerd I agree with you he was putting on a good show thats the best that car has done in a long time
  10. scott
    10. Posted by scott Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:47 pm EDT

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    Lenny Davis #12 - you're right, Ambrose did a great job, especially considering this was his first CUP race. Fellows was also doing well until taken out by CUP regulars.
    The "ringers" are brought in to run in cars that are marginal teams to start with. If their road course experience can help that team, so be it.
  11. Lee
    11. Posted by Lee Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm EDT

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    Some of you should take some advice from Abraham Lincoln: "Better to remain silent and appear a fool than to open your mouth and confirm it."
  12. Carol
    12. Posted by Carol Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    Oh c'mon Lee, you're not doing it right! "Some of you" will just cause everyone you're talking to to assume you're talking about someone else!
    So now I'm wondering, is Boris still a ringer if the 60 car is his usual ride?
  13. packerd_00
    13. Posted by packerd_00 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    markn
    Shame, I really wanted to see a Woods Brother car get a win, even a top 10 would have been great.
  14. CeeVee4
    14. Posted by CeeVee4 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

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    Carol F - that's right about what Lee said.
    Boris has raced in several races besides just the road courses. He's more of a part time diver.
  15. Carol
    15. Posted by Carol Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    (lol thanks) Yes, markn; that's exactly what I was getting at, just kinda trying to be a little funny at the same time. I really like Boris, and we saw so much of him last year, and so little so far this year. but I hear he has 8 races scheduled for this season. Several years ago though he was "just" a road course ringer. You know he gave Kasey some pointers; think that had a lot to do with him winnning the pole.
  16. GM driver
    16. Posted by GM driver Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

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    I've never really thought it was fair to bring in the "ringers". Seems to me that the regular driver of the car should use the race to gain experience. We quit watching when it looked like a rice mobile was going to win. Sometimes, there are just more important things to do in life!
  17. Carol
    17. Posted by Carol Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    GM Driver maybe I should call myself Camaro girl. But I had to watch till the end coz I kept hoping Kyle would make a mistake. Alas, he did not. I'm of two minds about the ringers, but that would seem to be how Boris got his toe in the door, so it can't be all bad.
    markn did I hear that someone was using your handle recently?
  18. wedge_antilles_72
    18. Posted by wedge_antilles_72 Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:55 pm EDT

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    Back, to their sporty cars where they belong??? Umm last I checked Ambrose was a Nationwide Series regular, and Said's best finish was on a oval.
  19. Bill
    19. Posted by Bill Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:08 pm EDT

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    Boris' problem is that they don't make trannies strong enough to move all that weight andbrakes strong enough to stp 'em, specially in the under-funded ides he's out there in...
    Put him in a hendrix gibbs rousch childress suit and he'll outdrive ANYBODY on that road course. he has also proven to be quite accomplished in the superspeedway draft. Beyond that??? maybe not. He's got the talent. Ambose is a good guy, cut him some slack. He's not just a ringer, he's trying to get in the sport full go and has run some natonwide if I'm not mistaken.
    now fellows and a few of the other, well they don't really belong out there in a points event. Then again maybe road courses shouldn't be points events.
  20. scott
    20. Posted by scott Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:47 pm EDT

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    wedge_antilles #22 - You are absolutely correct about Ambrose and Said. Although Said hasn't raced much outside of road races, he has entered several oval races. Ambrose is a Nationwide regular. Maybe the Wood Brotehrs should consider him for their CUP team and top relying on older drivers. this race gave him the chance to prove himself to them. Said qualified for the pole at Daytona in 2006 and finsihed 4th - not bad. Not sure why he doesn't enter more CUP races, but he should.
  21. boristhespider
    21. Posted by boristhespider Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    oh so I am guessing not winning for 2 races is a slump now? Give me a frigging break about Kyle Busch not winning a race in past 2. The media need to get off the Kyle Busch band wagon, I am remember last year and previous years how they would always bad mouth him for having a bad attitude etc etc and now all of a sudden because hes with an organization that he is better suited with and winning hes everyones favorite driver.
  22. MarKn
    22. Posted by MarKn Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:08 pm EDT

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    Yes Carol some has like #18 I have to keep changing my handle.
  23. Mygwai
    23. Posted by Mygwai Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    Concerning Montoya, That's a case of the kettle calling the pot black. How many times last season did Montoya make stupid moves and take people out of the race or casue them to lose several places. I can remember at least 10.He's just getting treatment like he dished out last year.
  24. XandO
    24. Posted by XandO Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

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    Mygwai I agree with you on that one.
  25. Carol
    25. Posted by Carol Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    #14 isn't me and neither is #30. WTF someone's got nothing better to do than post under other people's handles?

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