The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard

It’s times like today that we need more Tony Stewarts in the racing world. People able to say it like it is and place the blame somewhere. I heard Denny Hamlin say ‘it’s no one’s fault; we can’t blame any one group’. Yes we can, and yes, I will.

If you didn’t see what has become a prestigious race in NASCAR, The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, consider yourself lucky this year. Fiasco, circus-like is what I’m thinking of calling it.

Assuming you missed the race or gave up on watching it, let’s begin with a press conference this morning in which Robin Pemberton, director of competition for NASCAR, and Greg Stucker, an official from Goodyear’s racing division. That event obviously alluded there was a serious problem heading into this afternoon’s race at the historic 2.5 mile track.

Regardless of the 11 caution flags and hundreds of cord-bearing Goodyear Eagles tossed aside, defending series champion Jimmie Johnson was able to hold of Carl Edward’s in a final 7 lap shootout for the win, making Johnson only the second driver to win from the pole in NASCAR’s history at the Brickyard, the first was Kevin Harvick in 2003.

Now, I think I feel most frustrated for the fans that went to the Hoosier state to witness what has arguably become the 2^nd most prestigious race in stock car racing. However, tire wear is nothing new at the famed Indiana speedway. It was only three years ago that the US Grand Prix made a mockery of a race with only six cars starting after Michelin’s falling out there. Everyone in the NASCAR garage knows it’s not a kind track to the heavy stock cars which prompts two questions: 1) what data did Goodyear/NASCAR extract in April with the tire test there? And 2) why did NASCAR move the test date from Indy to the hills of Pennsylvania (Pocono)?

I, unfortunately cannot answer either of those questions. What I can say is that I will place blame on both NASCAR and Goodyear. If Goodyear would’ve gathered better data I don’t think this would’ve happened. NASCAR gets the biggest blame though. Two reasons, moving to the ‘new car’ sooner than originally plan, even if the teams were OK with it, it seems it may have been too much for other pieces of the puzzle. Also, for moving that test from Indy to Pocono, simply because if they’re that similar they should’ve gone to the one that holds the more prestigious race, the one that is going to be on a bigger stage. This brings up Brian Vickers’s statement saying that it was “embarrassing.” Three-time winner Jeff Gordon said “strange, very strange”. What else can you say?

Obviously what is done is done. Thank goodness that this one is just that. Yet, with that being factored in, what about the race for the chase? The races that lead up to Richmond are some of the most vital of the season. In most cases you’d hear that Watkins Glen is the “wild card”- the track that will shake the point standings up, twist them around, make it close and turn it on its head. No. Not this year. This year’s wild card just happened, a problem that has been there before, but was magnified this year, due in part to the higher center-of-gravity, according to Tony Stewart (makes sense to me).

NASCAR did what it had to do though, as horrible as it is that we ended up in this circus. Even though I think they’re the main ones to blame for this situation happening, they handled it well. Had we not seen a mandatory yellow every ten or so laps (the longest green flag run was a mere 12 laps) we could see that it would’ve had just as many cautions, many more destroyed race cars and possibly injuries due to blown tires. Remember, if you will, that when a right-front blows it throws the car in that direction, to the right, and therein stands the wall. My thankfulness goes to NASCAR that nothing worse occurred. There was a race with a full field and a few exciting moments, like Jeff Burton running over some birds, rest in piece feathered friends, or a beer can stuck on Denny Hamlin’s FedEX Office Camry.

The actual race may have been boring but fortunately NASCAR is a team sport. Today focused on the pit crews and their more than usual load of pit stops. So today Jimmie Johnson didn’t go to victory lane, his crew did. Here’s my solution, next year cancel the pit crew challenge and just bring back the same tire package to Indy next year.

Joking aside, I actually agree with Tony Stewart, and now that he’s a team owner maybe he’ll have more pull with NASCAR. It’s time for more competition; it’s what our country’s economic structure is built on. Let at least one other tire manufacturer in the sport, give teams a choice, don’t just switch, let the teams figure out which tire is best for their set-up. Of course, I imagine, they’d have to stick with the same tire throughout the year, but at least they’d have the initial choice. One bright note on the whole day- at least TNT’s coverage is over!