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| | Thursday, September 21 Weber opens up his mailbag | |||||
| ESPN.com If there is one thing ESPN auto racing analyst Bill Weber loves more than being down in the pits for a NASCAR race, it's giving the fans the inside scoop. So he's opened up his e-mail to you, the fans, this season. The Winston Cup season is in full swing and Weber is following the circuit -- this week he'll be at home watching the Dura-Lube/KMart 300 in New Hampshire. But that means even more time for Weber to answer a few of your questions. "Okay Bill, enough's enough. Restrictor plates at Loudon? Are they not satisfied that Loudon was too boring already? I think NASCAR is trying to do to much lately. They've taken away the excitement from Talladega and Daytona (I know, there may be some changes for the better in October at Talladega) and now this. I think that some people just need to accept that driving a race car is inherently a dangerous career choice. The drivers do." Tom Worthington,Worthington, Ohio This is suppose to be a Q&A section. Where's the question? Trying to muscle in on the Ask Weber segment, huh? Just kidding. I am going to watch the race this weekend then make a decision. "What is the reasoning behind putting restrictor plates on the Winston Cup cars at New Hampshire instead of putting up soft walls?" Dawn Martin, Lincoln, Neb. The questions submitted by Dawn and Tom (above) represent similar questions from a huge number of race fans. I won't go into a long answer here (and I could), but I will try and explain. Just remember, my opinion is just that, my opinion, drawn from conversations with drivers, crew chiefs, etc. I do not want to be appearing in front of Judge Mills Lane because someone didn't understand the difference between opinion and fact. There is an inherit danger in racing at a place like N.H. Most tracks have "turns." NHIS has corners. Same for Martinsville and Pocono. At some point, by design, you are headed directly at the wall while traveling at a high rate of speed, needing to make the car turn. It is dangerous. Racing is dangerous. What has happened at NHIS is very sad. But fixing the problem will take a number of small steps and not just one big step. NASCAR tested a "soft wall" scenario at Loudon and didn't like the results. Slowing the cars is going to be the first step. What is the next step? If I knew I would be on that track screaming the answer. You fans know I will be among the first to question some NASCAR decisions. But when it comes to safety, you have to believe they have a lot of knowledge within the organization and a lot more in the garage. Tracks must be safe to race on. NASCAR knows that. So do the drivers. If the track is not safe, NASCAR should send everyone home. If the drivers don't believe the track is safe, they must make that point crystal clear to NASCAR with the caveat that they will not compete under anything less than the safest conditions possible. Remember one thing, racing is about speed, and speed is dangerous. Every racer knows it when he or she gets in the car. You should remember it when you get in yours. "When NASCAR has a race at night, why don't they have all practices at night? It seems like a waste to do any practice during the day." Mark Law, Shelbyville, Ky. You know Mark, that's a great question. They do at Daytona and a little at Charlotte, but not much. I think it's a tough draw. Tough on the fans and tough on the teams. Plus at a place like Bristol or Richmond, there is the Busch race and you don't want teams practicing after the Busch race. Please. "At this point in the season, what is the farthest back in the points that anyone has come from behind and won a championship?" Brian Hawk, Omaha, Neb. Hopefully my column gave you some feel for this, but Kulwicki coming from 278 back with six races remaining gets the nod, in the modern era. "Why didn't Dale Earnhardt just tell Steve Park to get the heck out the way Saturday night in the final laps of the Chevrolet 400? He is his employee, after all." A.J. Tacket, Ashbero, N.C. And we ALL do EXACTLY what the boss says, right? I think next time Steve will move over in that situation. But consider this: What if the guys running in front of the 1 and the 3 all crashed together, or broke, or both? Then the race for the win would be between the 1 and 3. If Park had let Earnhardt go by, and that situation occurred, Dale would lecture Steve on always fighting for your position in the closing laps. And that lecture would've begun right after Earnhardt finished counting the Million. "Wednesday night, (Sept. 6), on RPM2 Night you promised to tell us what Jeff Burton did to your office while you were at the Rolex 24 hour, but you didn't. So what did Jeff Burton do to your office when you were at the Rolex 24 hour?" J.T. Harlow, Saint Paul, Minn. No, J.T. I didn't "promise." That's a word I use rarely because it is so meaningful. What I said was ... "and maybe we can find out why Jeff Burton trashed my office while I was at the Rolex 24 Hour race in February." Jeff was very eloquent on a number of subjects, so we ran out of time before I could bury him ... I mean bring it up. But be patient, before the end of the year I'll let you know what he did, while I remind him of it too! "After a poor pit stop at Darlington, we noticed that one of the front tire crews was replaced on Jeff Burton's No. 99. While it was great that the Lowe's crew members were willing to help, I hope it wasn't because the two Burton crew members who made the mistake were fired on the spot. It certainly doesn't speak well that, after one mistake, you get fired for all of America to see. Maybe it was because the crew members were so disturbed, as was visible on screen, that they asked for replacements. I hope this is the case, and that it wasn't a NASCAR team's only goal to win that prompted this decision." Tami Piscotty, Fountain Valley, Calif. The 99 team is trying everything they can to improve their pit stops. When the first stop didn't work out, they made the change and got the guys from the 31. Last week at Richmond they used a veteran tire changer from their team and a tire carrier they are teaching in the heat of the battle. You can be good in practice, but if you're not good on pit road on race day, you are going to be replaced. "First of all I would like to start off by thanking you for having Jeff Burton on your show. He is my favorite driver, and I feel that he doesn't get the recognition that he deserves. Most people think of him as another race car driver when he is really one of the elite. So I would like to thank you for having him on the show. It was really a good interview as well with really good topics. Now for the question: Do you think anybody is going to catch Labonte, namely Burton? Also do you think that Jeff Burton will win a championship?" Jamy Thompson, Muskegon , Mich I believe Jeff Burton will win a championship. To do that this year he has to not only catch Labonte, but pass Earnhardt and Jarrett. Tough to do. This weekend's race could be pivotal for J.B., he runs well at NHIS Will Evernham be just the team owner (a la Hendrick/Childess/Gibbs/Penske, etc.) or will he in fact be the crew chief for Casey Atwood's No. 19 team, or Bill Elliott's No. 9 team? And do you think it is possible that Dodge would ever 'buy out' Jeff Gordon's contract with Hendrick Motorsports and we could see Gordon and Evernham back together again? It's a far off thing to think of, and I think we'd probably see a Beatles reunion before a G.E.M. (Gordon/Evernham Motorsports) reunion would take place." Jerry Scott, Prestonsburg, Ky. Ray will be an active, hands-on car owner. But he has a crew chief and a crew. He may actually redefine the role of the car owner, we'll see. As for the second part of your question, I'm ordering those Beatles Reunion tickets right now, because I believe I've got a better chance of seeing that. "If the media is supposed to be unbias, why doesn't Matt Kenseth get the attention he deserves? He is leading the ROTY, but you wouldn't know it. No one can dispute that he has the talent. I've noticed on ESPN coverage he is hardly talked about. You hear about Junior no matter where he is running." Jamie Oller, Kincaid, Ill. That's not the case. Kenseth was the pre-race cover story with Earnhardt Jr. before the Richmond race, and was focused on during the race. Junior was up for the $1 million bonus, too, so his troubles were documented as well. "How can the track owners of Darlington just GIVE Darrell Waltrip a provisional starting spot no matter what he did in qualifying? Are there not rules to go by? I know it was a special occasion, but D.W. shouldn't get ant more special attention than anyone else." Garrett Wilkey, Auburn, Ala. Nobody gave D.W. a provisional. By rule, he was eligible for one provisional after first-round qualifying at Darlington. He had it. He used it. The rule worked in his favor. "Will ESPN still have RPM2Night and other NASCAR shows? I think I will certainly miss seeing the races on ESPN." Linda Justice, Princeton, Ill. Thanks, Linda. Spread the word: RPM 2NIGHT LIVES next year and beyond! After the Monday show following the Atlanta race, it will return to nightly shows in February. During the offseason, get your weekly fix on Sunday night. "I was just wondering if you will be coming to the last race at Atlanta in November. I will be back at my usual gate in the garage. I will save you a place to park." Lynn Draughon, Stockbridge, Ga. I'll be there Lynn! Save me a spot! And by the way, a thousand of my closest friends need a spot, too. Okay? | ALSO SEE Ask Bill Weber Weber's mailbag: Sept. 6 Weber's mailbag: Aug. 30 Weber's mailbag: Aug. 24 Weber's mailbag: Aug. 17 Weber's mailbag: Aug. 10 Weber's mailbag: July 19 Weber's mailbag: June 21 Weber's mailbag: June 7 Weber's mailbag: June 1 Weber's mailbag: May 3 Weber's mailbag: April 27 Weber's mailbag: April 12 Weber's mailbag: April 6 Weber's mailbag: March 29 Weber's mailbag: March 22 Weber's mailbag: March 15 Weber's mailbag: March 8 Weber's mailbag: March 1 | |||||