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Saturday Morning Quick Fix

by Tim Zaegel on March 29th, 2008

Well, the Sprint Cup Series returns to action this week, and what do ya know – seemingly overnight stories start surfacing once again. Funny how that works, eh? So, it’s been a little while, but I’ve decided to bring back your Saturday Morning Quick Fix, but this time with a slightly different format. Rather than trying to inform you of all the news in the NASCAR world by providing links to each of the story, this time ‘round I’m simply going to brush up on a few of the select storylines from this week. So, let’s get to it!

-  After removing their hands from each other’s throats for a couple of weeks, the Toyota / Roush-Fenway Racing picked right back up this week when ESPN publicized comments that Jack Roush made earlier in the month in regards to Toyota winding up with a  missing Roush part. Jack has allegated that they had a sway bar go missing last September at Dover, and that it was later found with an unnamed Toyota team. Toyota personnel have stated that it the team in question did in fact wind up with the missing part, but that it was completely unintentional and immediately returned to Roush Racing. While Jack is contemplating seeking legal action against the team, NASCAR has stated that they will not get involved in the incident, citing that it’s a team squabble and that those types of things need to be sorted out amongst the teams. When ESPN asked Dale Earnhardt Jr. for his opinion on the matter, he stated that if it were intentional, then whoever took the part should have their hard card revoked, meaning that they wouldn’t be allowed in the garage. Jeff Gordon, on the other hand, felt that Roush was blowing the situation completely out of proportion and that these types of things happen all the time – sometimes intentional and sometimes not. Roush was infuriated that NASCAR refused to take action.

-  Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced that there would be a possibility that Elliott Sadler could not compete in this Sunday’s Goody’s Cool Orange 500 in Martinsville due to a lower-back injury he sustained during the Sprint Cup Series’ off-week. Details of how the injury occurred are a bit sketchy, but it’s believed to have resulted from Elliott’s daily routine on Wednesday afternoon, and later on it was aggravated further from a sporting activity of sorts. The team brought Dennis Setzer to the first Cup practice session on Friday morning, but it was Elliott who qualified the no. 19 McDonald’s Dodge Charger 25th. As of right now, all plans seem to indicate that Sadler will at the least attempt to make the start on Sunday, but Setzer will be on stand-by either way.

-  Robby Gordon was rather outspoken – like only Robby can do – back in January when the Dakar Rally was cancelled due to terrorist threats. He made some very outlandish statements insinuating that the threats and the deaths incurred by the French tourists were blown way out of proportion. Vanguard Integrity Professionals – Gordon’s scheduled sponsor for the Rally – was none too pleased with Robby’s comments, and have since severed all ties with Robby Gordon Motorsports. After making a public statement regarding the split, it has also been learned that Vanguard has filed a lawsuit for $1.5 million against Gordon in an effort to recoup all of the money they had given to Gordon prior to the scheduled event. Robby Gordon has responded by claiming that Vanguard has no legal rights to terminated the contract, and on March 5th a US District Court denied Vanguards motion for a restraining order to prohibit Gordon from using their logo in his NASCAR ventures.

-  NASCAR has denied Michael Waltrip Racing’s request to swap the owner points between the 00 and 88 teams. Before the season started, MWR announced that upon Dale Jarrett’s retirement after the first five points races that David Reutimann – then the driver of the 00 car – would replace him, and that the 00 seat would be filled by rookie Michael McDowell. Reutimann is currently 27th in points, while Jarrett ended the day in Bristol 34th in points, and a mere 16-points away from falling outside of the top-35. Due to NASCAR denying the team’s request, Reutimann now sits 34th in owner points, so the team could have a panic on their hands should something happen to go awry in Martinsville. NASCAR stated that this situation does not meet the criteria that they’re usually looking for when approached about a potential points swapping.

-  Starting with this weekend’s race in Martinsville, BAM Racing will begin equipping their no. 49 car driven by Ken Schrader with Bill Davis Racing’s Toyota-powered engines. The team is currently under contract with GEM to receive their engines from Gillett Evernham Motorsports, but GEM has since then granted them permission to pursue Toyotas. If qualifying is of any indication, then the move is paying off thus far as Schrader qualified 7th for Sunday’s race. He has currently qualified for only two of the five races run.

- Tony Stewart is attempting to prove that every split mili-second counts on the racetrack, which is why he’s spent the majority of the off-week looking into methods of how he can make his no. 20 Toyota Camry carry a lighter load, thus resulting in faster speeds. He started last Monday by getting his body waxed on live radio, and has followed it up this week by “getting his ears lowered” and chopping the mullet. This should officially end any rumors that Smoke was letting it grow out in preparation for a future sponsorship from “Locks of Love.”

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