Full Throttle

The question must be asked - just what the hell is up with Penske Racing? Frankly, someone over there needs to perform a [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/butt-head.gif]cranial, anal extraction[/avatar], and fast.

The base line is all the Dodge teams suck, some more than others. When NASCAR shortened the spoiler on the Nextel Cup version of the Charger, it played havoc with the aerodynamic balance of the car. Dodge teams have been trying to play catch-up ever since.

Part of the “catching up” process includes running the now 2 year old Intrepid body style that started at event #36 at Homestead. Penske continued with the Intrepid at Fontana and “Los Wages” this year. The results can’t even be classified as “mixed,” disastrous is more to the point.

In the Busch Series, which still runs the high spoiler NASCAR chopped off the Cup version, the Charger has been one of the most successful models on the track. For some reason the Penske brain-trust ignore the Intrepids failure, turn a blind eye to others having Cup success with the Charger (Kasey Kahne for example) and by all indications plan on running the Intrepid this week at Atlanta.

That’s just… “Dumb.” But, this is even “dumber:”

Penske Racing South has hired a new Busch Series crew chief for Ryan Newman, who won six races last year on the circuit.

Matt Gimbel worked with Penske crew chiefs Roy McCauley and Matt Borland at PacWest Racing (in CART) and most recently worked as an engineer in the aircraft industry. Gimbel, who also has worked at Chip Ganassi Racing, will start with the team at Atlanta this weekend.

“Dumber?”

I would say so. With six wins in Busch (in only 9 events) they have a record of success. Granted so far this year hasn’t matched it, but Newman has only entered two of the four Busch events held to date finishing 20^th at Fontana and crashing out in “Los Wages” for a 43^rd spot in the order.

According to Penske Gimbel also will be crew chief for Billy Wease, the Penske development driver for a handful of races later this year.

Maybe that’s the thinking behind the move. Give Gimbel a couple starts with Newman after being away from Busch for a while, then he will be up to speed on changes that have occured in Busch during his absence from the Series.

With the resources Penske has at his disposal (Read, cold hard [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/money.gif]cash[/avatar]) why not field a second Busch entry for Gimbel and not break up an already successful Newman team?

I haven’t a clue, but I’m also not a multi-million dollar team owner either. Just a long time fan of the sport that views this move as the “dumber” part of NASCAR’s Dumb and Dumber.”