From the Marbles: Cherry on top
In From the Marbles, Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR team – with the help of Yahoo! readers – ponders the latest news, biggest issues and behind-the-scenes action in the NASCAR world. Submit your question or comment below for future use in From the Marbles.
Recent entries: Star silence | The glove fits | False calm | Popular opinion | Let's get started
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February 27, 2006
Cherry on top
By Jon Baum
FONTANA, Calif. – Being in a jovial mood isn't hard after finishing strong in a 500-mile Cup race.
Such was the case for Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards – who finished second and third, respectively – following Sunday's Auto Club 500 at California Speedway.
For Johnson, the reasons for his joy are obvious. Coming off a Daytona 500 victory, he was decent most of the day and came on strong late to collect yet another good finish without suspended crew chief Chad Knaus.
As for Edwards, a third-place run at California was just what he needed after he got caught up in a wreck at Daytona and was scored with a last-place finish.
While the two did plenty of talking about their good days and strong cars, the highlights of that part of the postrace press conference came in the interactions between the two.
After Johnson answered a question about his team finding success with interim crew chief Darian Grubb – Johnson joked that Grubb should just retire, with Daytona 500 victory in hand, after his four-race stint is up – Edwards jumped in with a question of his own.
"Did something happen with Chad?" Edwards asked Johnson. "Is he not here?"
Just about everyone in the room laughed. And it wouldn't be the last time that happened.
After Johnson answered several consecutive queries from the media, one question was directed at either driver. Johnson paused, allowing Edwards to be the first to field.
 The Kenseths. (AP) |
"Nice of you to let me answer a question," Edwards said.
Another question directed to both of them followed, as did another moment of uncertainty surrounding who would speak first. Johnson tried to wait for Edwards, but the Roush driver deferred to his Hendrick counterpart.
"I wanted you to answer a question," Johnson said to Edwards.
"You're the points leader, buddy," Edwards replied. "It's your responsibility."
And so the back and forth continued, and the mood remained light. Johnson clearly was enjoying himself, even when both drivers were at a loss for words when asked why Hendrick and Roush traditionally are so good here at Fontana.
First, silence. Then Johnson chimed in.
"Give me a minute [to think of an answer]. … I'll tell you a story," he said. "Just hold on."
Both drivers did eventually answer the question, which led to one more exchange.
"Thanks for helping," Johnson said.
"Yeah, I appreciate it," Edwards answered. "I mean, you're welcome."
Not to be outdone was race winner Matt Kenseth, who got a "the winner, ladies and gentlemen" introduction from Johnson when he walked in.
While being asked a relatively lengthy question, Kenseth could be seen laughing, whispering to crew chief Robbie Reiser and pointing toward the back wall.
We soon found out why when it came time for him to answer the question.
"I really wasn't paying attention to your question," Kenseth replied to the reporter, who had his question piped in from the press box and actually wasn't even in the room to enjoy the theatrics. "I was looking at my wife in the back of the room. She was making funny faces. … It's easy to [be distracted by her]. She's pretty cute."
Everyone turned around. Katie Kenseth was laughing.
But no longer was she making a funny face. We'll just have to trust Matt on that one.
February 26, 2006
Star silence
By Jon Baum
FONTANA, Calf. – When NASCAR comes to California Speedway, some familiar faces from the entertainment industry typically can be seen in the garage.
On Sunday morning before the race, that group included (but wasn't limited to) singers Jewel and Fantasia (the latter from "American Idol"), actresses Hilary and Haylie Duff, actor David Boreanaz, some singer's soon-to-be ex Nick Lachey, and actors James Morrison, Glenn Morshower and Roger R. Cross (all of "24").
Jewel and the Sisters Duff were made available at prerace press conferences, as all three participated in race-related activities (Jewel performed and rode in a parade lap, Hilary was the honorary starter and Haylie an honorary official). The press took many photos – especially of the Duffs, who walked in holding hands and often looked at each other while answering questions as if to seek approval from the other – but asked relatively few questions of the entertainers.
 Haylie and Hilary Duff. |
Despite the fact that she was fairly conversational – except when asked about the upcoming album and single she was promoting; at that point she admitted to being shy and didn't really give much of an answer – Jewel's Q&A session lasted just three minutes.
The Duffs' session went a couple of minutes longer – "I would love to do a racing movie, said Hilary Duff, who admitted she likes to drive fast but also that she's not a good driver. "I just want an excuse to drive [a stock car]." – but it was clear that on some level many of the NASCAR beat reporters either had little interest or possibly just didn't know what to ask.
This is not the case when some current or former athletes make their way to the interview room. The likes of former NFL stars Troy Aikman (a new team owner who also was here Sunday) and Tim Brown (who was here last year announcing plans for his own team) garner plenty of attention and questions.
But none of them hold a candle to John Travolta.
When the star of "Saturday Night Fever," "Pulp Fiction" and the mega-hit "Battlefield Earth" was the grand marshal at Daytona in 2003, the media center was packed, as he and the lovely Kelly Preston were peppered non-stop with questions and photos.
To be fair, Travolta arguably has (or had, at the time) a bigger name than those who took part in Sunday's festivities here at California Speedway. But it's not surprising that a guy like him would speak more to NASCARLand than the Hilary Duffs of the world, as personable as they might be (Hilary seems perfectly pleasant to me, Lindsay …).
Heck, even Alice Cooper – who also was down at Daytona a few years back – drew more of a crowd.
(It also allowed me the opportunity to ask Richard Petty whether he's an Alice Cooper fan. He's not.)
One reporter did tell the sisters that his granddaughter is a fan. That same reporter also asked a couple of good questions. There also were the standard inquiries about whether they already were race fans and what they thought of the sport (the answers given by Jewel and the siblings mostly were pretty good), and Jewel also did some comparing and contrasting between professional bull riding (her boyfriend rides) and NASCAR.
 Jewel with the cool Nextel thingy. |
But then came the awkward silences.
The fact that the Jewels and pop starlets of the world are even here is another sign of NASCAR's push into the mainstream.
But the fact that despite some in the garage angling to have photos taken with the singers/actresses, many here simply didn't know (or didn't care) what to ask is another sign that NASCAR hasn't fully penetrated that mainstream.
Or maybe it's just a sign that Haylie Duff hasn't quite made a name for herself in the NASCAR world. One or the other.
Fantasia sang the national anthem before the race, and it didn't take long for some of our readers to email their complaints about her version. I actually thought she took relatively few liberties compared to many of the versions we hear throughout the year.
Personally, I've never been too crazy about her voice. It's not that she can't sing – she can. But her actual tonal quality seems a little tinny and grating.
For whatever that's worth. Probably very little.
Yahoo! Sports NASCAR reporter Bob Margolis mentioned this earlier this week, but Nextel's new FanView handheld device is very cool. We've been playing with them in the media center. Fans, next time you are at the track, check these things out.
Everyone talks about how good they are in clean air. Is there anybody who isn't? Are there cars that thrive in dirty air?
I like the two-mile tracks, but was NASCAR better-served when Rockingham hosted the race after the 500?
A fan (mostly-jokingly) asked me if I was Dale Earnhardt Jr. I was wearing a red shirt, though the "Yahoo! Sports" logo didn't look much like "Budweiser."
Also, Junior's taller than I am. And, presumably, a much better driver.
February 26, 2006
The glove fits
By Jon Baum
FONTANA, Calif. – Ryan Newman and Carl Edwards were perfectly fine and talkative during their postrace press conference following Saturday's Busch Series battle here at California Speedway.
The second- and third-place finishers answered questions about their cars, about working with their crew chiefs, about what they gleaned from Saturday's race for potential use on Sunday.
They talked about not wanting to be known as Nextel Cup drivers, but rather just as race car drivers. Edwards even commented that if they ran a dirt track race with these Cup and Busch weekends that he and Newman probably both would be entered.
Now, drivers sometimes clearly are not up for these sessions. They are tired, they want to get out of here. Most usually are good sports, and both Newman and Edwards seemingly were pleasant enough.
But what made them the most animated and conversational during the press conference was something that would have made Johnnie Cochran proud.
The renegade glove.
 Biffle burns out. |
A late caution during the race – which was won by Greg Biffle, marking the new Ford Fusion's first NASCAR victory – came out when a driver apparently threw one of his gloves out of his window and on to the track. NASCAR reportedly took the glove back to the garage.
When asked about the glove, Newman and Edwards began to speculate about what it was and where it might have come from.
"I thought it was a wrist band."
"I saw it. I thought it had come from the crowd."
"Did they know it was a glove before they threw the caution?"
"I just wished he had thrown the other one a few laps later."
Another caution would have given Edwards, who gave up track position, a better chance to chase down Newman and Biffle.
As for Biffle's take on the glove?
"They should stop everybody on pit road to make sure they have two gloves," he said. "I've got both of mine."
When asked if he would ever throw equipment, Biffle said that although there have been times he's wanted to he never would. He then referenced "My Name is Earl" and talked about karma.
Then it was back to talking about Ford dominance, aerodynamics, Roush Racing.
The usual fare.
But for a few entertaining and almost surreal minutes there, the glove did fit.
Watching the race from the pits is a different experience, especially when the large Nextel Vision display which shows the action to the crowd isn't in your line of sight.
One sequence:
Newman leads off a restart. The cars disappear for about 40 seconds. You watch the pit crews watch the race. (Incidentally, seeing a pit stop from just 10 or 15 feet away is wild.)
The roar grows, the cars come back by the start-finish line. Biffle is working on Newman for the lead.
The cars disappear again. You watch fans and friends of team members with pit passes milling about. You notice how many people in the pits are wearing ear plugs. And being a fan of The Who and Pete Townshend, you wonder why you aren't following suit.
The cars come back. Somewhere on this two-mile track Biffle apparently took the lead. Newman is in second.
You might have known about the lead change had it not been so loud that you couldn't hear the play-by-play.
The cars come back around again. Biffle has extended his lead as the field continues to spread out.
Eventually, the cars will be so spaced out that the deafening roar, while slightly lower on the decibel meter, becomes almost constant.
It will remain that way until another caution (perhaps for a glove?) finally flies.
February 24, 2006
False calm
By Jon Baum
FONTANA, Calif. – Call Fontana the calm after the storm … or the calm very much before it.
Walking around the garage area here at California Speedway on Friday, it seemed like a typical race weekend. Teams were working on their cars, fans were jockeying for pictures and autographs, track officials were violently blowing their whistles every time a car came whizzing around the corner in the general direction of where some fan might be walking – you'd be surprised how often fans nearly get hit by stock cars, work carts, SUVs, even fire trucks – and the aromatic combination of gasoline, oil and barbeque continued to mess with the senses.
(It's confusing when the lovely scent of oil slicks begins to make one yearn for ribs. It's also confusing that a decent number of people – including fans and crew members – actually smoke cigarettes in the garage area. That's probably not a hazard … right?)
And while there was as much commotion here on this day as there typically is two days before a race – it perhaps was even busier than select other races in the most remote locales – it doesn't quite compare to the madness usually seen at the season-opening Daytona 500.
Yet even the atmosphere at the 500 was a notch or two lower than its previous heights – at least according to our NASCAR columnist Jerry Bonkowski, who described this year's Daytona kickoff as being relatively calm, even more so than last year.
 David Stremme. Calm. |
Sure, the season starts with its biggest race, but the frenetic garage atmosphere, according to Jerry, is saved for the final 10 or 12 races of the year: the Chase and the races immediately preceding it. And indeed, last year's Chase kickoff at New Hampshire was pretty wild.
Drivers welcome the chance to get back to "normal" racing now that Daytona is in the rearview mirror. And while the intensity in the garage may have waned accordingly, the on-track action should be even more intense.
Once again, thanks to the Chase.
When asked about the on-track intensity at Daytona and whether he expected it to let up now that Nextel Cup is at Fontana, Dale Jarrett said that because of the Chase, drivers have learned that it's necessary to fight for every point and every position.
In other words, the answer to the question is no.
Jarrett told us he thought drivers were patient enough during the first 400 or so miles of the Daytona 500 before the aggression eventually escalated. Of course, Jarrett is one of those guys who intentionally lays back during a restrictor plate race to avoid trouble before trying to make his way to the front toward the end. That's not so easy to accomplish at tracks like California Speedway, as Joe Nemechek says even a good car might have trouble getting to the front if it somehow is shuffled to the back of the field.
When the Chase was first implemented, many drivers claimed they'd just go about their business and let the chips fall where they may. Now, after two seasons of the "playoff" system, it's clear some additional strategy, and aggression, is necessary.
So while a Cup qualifying Friday afternoon in the garage at Fontana might seem calm, like business as usual, it's really a deception.
For while most of the season might seem like a relative calm compared to the Chase storm, there will at least be a moderate downpour of intensity each weekend throughout the season.
Daytona was intense. Jarrett says he can't imagine it calming down.
Buckle up.
Late in Friday night's Craftsman Truck race, crew members were standing on their pit walls, clapping and cheering for their drivers.
But as fast as these trucks are going, can the driver even see his crew and appreciate the enthusiasm?
I interrupted one crew member's long effort to jam a ladder back into his team's pit box and asked him as much.
"He knows what we're doing," said the crew member. "He watches us."
This particular crew didn't belong to race-winner Mark Martin or runner-up Todd Bodine. Rather, these guys were pulling for their driver as he fought just to break into the top 10 as the race ended. These same guys also cringed as a truck well behind theirs crashed as the race ended.
Don't think for a second that there's no early-season intensity. There's plenty – even in the Craftsman Trucks, a series without a Chase.
As I walked away, the crew members were still battling with that ladder.
February 22, 2006
Popular opinion
By Jon Baum
It's been a hectic week in NASCARLand.
Many fans continue to cry foul over Jimmie Johnson's Daytona 500 win, some can't believe Tony Stewart's driving didn't earn him more significant penalties, and Chad Knaus' punishment leaves some a bit baffled.
Oh, and then there are Johnson and Ryan Newman, who continue to take shots at each other through the media.
Welcome to the 2006 season.
The mail has been flowing in since the checkered flag dropped at Daytona on Sunday. Here are just a few of the hundreds of emails we've received.
What the heck is wrong with NASCAR? They docked 25 points from Hall of Fame Racing for its infraction but only suspended and fined Chad Knaus, who has pushed the envelope continuously? The Lowe's team should be docked points as well. That, my friend, sends a message!
Steve Holloway
Hinesville, Ga.
Steve brings up another popular topic. Terry Labonte was docked 25 driver points and HOF Racing 25 owner points for an illegal carburetor found during qualifying (crew chief Phillipe Lopez also was fined $25,000 for the infraction). Many fans are upset that Labonte and Co. lost points while the setup crime committed by Knaus, who was suspended for four races and put on probation, apparently didn't merit a points deduction for Johnson or Hendrick Motorsports.
Without knowing the full extent of the missteps attached to both HOF and Knaus – though there is unsubstantiated speculation out there as to what was wrong with the carburetor – we must assume that NASCAR decided Lopez's actions were outlandish enough to earn a points deduction for the team (though Joe Gibbs Racing, which supplies many of the parts for HOF, took responsibility for the bad carburetor). Knaus' penalty, meanwhile, of a suspension but no lost points perhaps can be interpreted as NASCAR cracking down on a repeat offender with a strong personal penalty while also saying the team itself, outside of Knaus' actions, wasn't horribly at fault.
Just a theory. Could be accurate, could be way off.
But the other interesting element of this is that nobody seems to care that Labonte was allowed to race. While many are up in arms over Johnson having been allowed to compete on Sunday, almost all of those complaints came in after he won the Daytona 500. Had Johnson finished 17th (Labonte's final position), it's hard to imagine many people caring that he was allowed to compete
Shouldn't the punishment reflect the crime and not be influenced by the eventual race outcome? Seems like some opportunistic criticisms.
 Newman says they don't cheat. (AP) |
Incidentally, we've had a couple of interesting polls on Yahoo! Sports related to this issue. The first posed this choice and results after more than 8,700 votes:
Jimmie Johnson's Daytona 500 win:
Legit – 52 percent
Tainted – 48 percent
Despite the controversy, a small majority of fans who voted here think Johnson deserved the win.
The other poll, as of Wednesday, still is posted on our main NASCAR page. It concerns whether Knaus' penalty was fair and addresses the question of whether points should have been deducted (the plurality says yes). View the results.
The consensus, if there is one: Johnson won fair and square, but Knaus' actions should have cost the team points.
Some who have written in believe I was too hard on Tony Stewart following the 500 in the "What Went Down" column, but most agreed that Stewart's driving left a bit to be desired and possibly should have incurred more significant penalties.
We, of course, ran a poll on Yahoo! Sports. This one wasn't close. The results of more than 16,000 votes:
Stewart's driving at Daytona:
Top notch – 26 percent
Out of control – 74 percent
The issue of rough driving initially centered around Daytona (and by extension Talladega). But bump drafting can happen at a handful of other big tracks. California Speedway, site of this Sunday's Cup race, is one of those venues. This issue, and NASCAR's need to reluctantly involve itself in it, could resurface this weekend.
Johnson has been doing the typical post-500 win media blitz. During Monday night's "Late Show," Johnson seemed as at-ease in an interview as I've ever seen him – even when David Letterman was pressing him on Knaus' cheating.
But Johnson has become defensive at times this week when asked about Newman's comments, pointing out that rules-bending often accompanies wins by the No. 48 team. Newman sure did have a lot to say, and then he tried to qualify it all by saying he wasn't taking shots at Johnson directly.
Then Johnson shot back at Newman over fuel mileage, which seemed to be a petty response, but also somewhat justified considering Newman was borderline out of line with his criticisms.
Both of these guys made their points on Sunday and probably should have just stopped there rather than continuing the back and forth. Still, the somewhat unfriendly dialogue adds spice and makes for another interesting potential storyline this weekend.
No, this feud isn't quite reaching Shani Davis-Chad Hedrick levels, but it could become fun to watch.
As could the Matt Kenseth-Stewart feud. And Jeff Green-Dale Jarrett. And Jamie McMurray-Kurt Busch. And Kyle Busch-[insert driver here].
What a week.
February 19, 2006
Let's get started
By Bob Margolis
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Race day is finally here.
After two weeks here in the warm (at times) Florida sun, I'm definitely ready for today's race – the Great American Race. Now I understand why Bill France Sr. came to this place. The weather is great and nothing beats racing in Florida in February.
One of the keys to having a great day at the Daytona 500 is to get to the track early enough to avoid the traffic. It's nasty. Finding a back way into the track is critical.
Once in the track, the first thing that strikes you is that there are people everywhere – and it's only 7:00 a.m. Did they all spend the night here?
The Cup garage is abuzz in activity, with all teams working on their cars. Engines are revving, tires and pit boxes are being moved to pit road and crew members are running through their prerace checklist.
 Fans gather prerace. (AP) |
"Tonight Show" host Jay Leno led a stream of celebrities and dignitaries ushered in to talk with the media. A great lover of cars, Leno was funny and down-to-earth. He enjoyed talking about his huge car collection. When asked by a reporter how many he had, Leno joked that the reporter was sounding like his wife. He then admitted he owns more than 80 cars.
For the second time, Leno will be driving the pace car for the start of the Daytona 500. He also did it a couple of years ago for the Indy 500.
Regular pace car driver Brett Bodine told me that Leno had a problem keeping his speed at exactly 55 mph. That's essential since the drivers will set their pit road speed according to the pace car speed on the pace laps. Just one mph difference and everyone will be speeding as they drive down pit road.
While sitting up in the press box during the morning, it's great entertainment watching the sea of people who have been out on the grassy area of the tri-oval and walking up onto the track.
A new tradition for this race is for fans to write a personal greeting to their favorite driver on the black-and-white, square checkered blocks that make up the start/finish line. They're also writing messages on the outside wall for 10 yards on each side of the line.
Jon Bon Jovi came with his band and did a sound check to the cheers of the fans. Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas practiced the national anthem. Actor James Caan also is here.
And for the first time all week, the grandstand on the back straight – the Superstretch, as it is called – is filling with people.
They say there are a quarter-million people here. I'd say there's more.
I talked for a while with Robbie Loomis, who acknowledged that Bobby Labonte will have to start at the rear of the field due to an engine change. I doubt that will have any affect on how the No. 43 car does. Loomis told me he's confident that they'll win a race or two this year.
"We've got a few miles to go before we do, but we'll get there," he said.
Labonte is my dark horse. Former Busch champion David Green is his spotter.
Time to go. Let's get this party started.
