Full Throttle

I had many choices to start off this weeks NASCAR Cesspool with, but after about two seconds deliberation the choice was obvious. To start it with anything other than what “a little bird” told me would be an “angry gesture” on my part.

Martin Truex Jr. got the most attention in Friday night’s Emerson Radio 250 Busch Series race. Unfortunetly that attention arrived first in the form of a black flag for a loose hood pin and hood. Then a “close encounter of the short track kind” via Mike Wallace’s right front fender, then later, as Truex sent Wallace a “signal” of his displeasure.

Truex skidded along the retaining wall on the side of his car after being sideswiped by Mike Wallace, and responded by storming onto the track and making “angry gestures” at Wallace as the field came around under caution. The “gestures,” more commonly called the “one finger salute,” will probably cost the points leader another 25 points in addition to those lost after a miserable night for the reigning Busch Series Champion.

Saturday evening saw much of the same thing, only the “angry gestures” were of a more pro-active nature vice middle fingers (no doubt saved for off-camera display). Sterling Marlin, Robbie Gordon and Tony Raines all sat out 5 lap penalties as a result of rough driving. It should also be noted as these three go for a communal swim in the Cesspool they are joined by Mike Helton. During the drivers meeting Helton made it a point to say Richmond wouldn’t be officiate any different than previous events. Which begs the question; Why did Dale Jarrett get a 2 laps in NASCAR’s sin bin at Bristol and these three received 5 laps?

Considering this is the last chance Cesspool that signals the start of the Chase next week in “Cow” Hampshire, it wouldn’t be complete without a list of those teams and drivers that have stunk up the place in the first 26 events.

1. Lets start with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and DEI (first because of fan/media visibility, not because of being rated the worst.) Junior’s less than average year started with DEI’s ill advised crew swap late last year. The ripples created a poor start, a mid-stream crew chief change (never a good thing). Sprinkled among mostly miserable qualifying efforts and twenty something finishes was one late pit stop aided win in Chi-Town.

2. Ganassi Racing. Chip has successfully migrated his brand of mediocrity in the [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/irl.png]IndyCar[/avatar] Series to NASCAR. ‘06 sees the team expand from two cars to 4 teams. With the dropping of Sterling Marlin and Chips being unable to see his way clear to release Jamie McMurray - at least so far - to Roush and the #6 car the Ganassi stable will be home to four of the youngest drivers under one garage roof. For the sake of the talented young drivers the hope is it will work out. I have serious doubts.

3. Richard Childress Racing drivers have failed to make the Chase in each of the past two seasons. That has caused friction as the season got closer to Richmond. Kevin Harvick had nothing but praise early in the year but most recently has issued a challenge to the owner and team to improve. Some have taken that as an ultimatum and rumors have Harvick leaving for another ride. At this point his choices of jumping into a winning ride are slim as most of the top tams have drivers under contract.

4. Robert Yates Racing is a mirror of RCR. Former champion Dale Jarrett hasn’t been a threat all year and Elliot Sadler while competitive has had his share of bad luck and being collected in other people’s wrecks.

5. Hendricks Motor Sports. Of five drivers - plus two running Hendricks power - only Jimmie Johnson has made the Chase. Not a good batting average in any sport. Part of the Hendricks puzzle - as well as many others - is the dominance of the Roush team. Jack only left “5 table scraps” to be had for those that are Chase hungry. Obviously the biggest failure is the Dupont Chevy. What started with a Daytona 500 win and a “drive for Five” championships, ended with Jeff Gordon chasing his tail rather than the “Chase.”

6. Joe Gibbs. IT’s hard to argue with Tony Stewarts success and is a serious threat to win his second championship. The rest of the team flat out sucks. Something I hate to note because I think Bobby Labonte is one of the true gentlemen in the sport. But after starting the year getting caught in the Dale Jr./Brian Vickers mess at Vegas. Then following week at Atlanta he was collected in Casey Mears’ first lap spinout. He was involved in the 14-car pileup at Bristol, triggered when Bobby Hamilton Jr. got into Ken Schrader. Added to the bent sheetmetal was an engine letting go 14 laps into the Daytona 500, and another at Martinsville while running third. All that occured in the first seven events. He never dug out the 37th hole he found himself in at that point.

The third member of the Gibbs team has been a lost cause all year. Jason Leffler in the #11 was a wreck that didn’t wait to happen. They came with such frequency he got canned a few weeks ago.

7. “The team of one”, Robbie Gordon, fought a losing battle all year. His self owned single car “team” is behind in cash, horsepower and aerodynamics. He flashed his underlaying talent by finishing second at Watkins Glen in August - a place where aero and HP isn’t as critical - but that was the highlight in the first 26 events.

As usual my selections for entry into the Cesspool is based on the the results obtained from consultation with a 75 year old Ouija board, guesswork and the delerious behavior created by inhaling an excessive amount of burnt 110 octane Sunoco.

Sports, Auto Racing, NASCAR, NEXTEL Cup