Drama and Disrespect

As I sit here writing, I'm still shaking my head in disbelief.  I've seen a lot of things in my years as a NASCAR fan.  I was at Bristol when Dale Earnhardt dumped Terry Labonte on purpose.  It happened right in front of me and I flipped the bird til my fingers hurt.  I was in Martinsville when Tony Stewart threw down his gloves and heat shields and reached through the window at Kenny Irwin.  Retaliation and flat out wrecking people on purpose is nothing new in this sport. And the sheer stupidity of it isn't either.


So you're driving along at 200 mph, in a car made of sheet metal mere inches off the bumper of 42 other cars.  Someone decided making wise decision was out of their reach of copability and you get mad.  They cut you off, didn't lift, bumped your fender, rode you to the wall, their spotter was caught sleeping at the wheel.  And you are seeing red.  Typical day at the races. Sometimes it's from the waving of the green flag, others it's a few more laps in and if you're into wishful thinking they save it for the last 10 laps or so.  Not always the case however. 

After about the third bump, you realize it's that guy that's been bumping you for the past 4 weeks, expecting you to just pull over when you see them in your rear view mirror and you have had it.  The temperature in the car has hit a boiling point and it's because of your rising blood pressure.  That's it! You've had enough. They are gonna get it.  So what do you decide to do? You guessed it! RETALIATE!!! Best time to do it? UNDER CAUTION!!!!

WRONG!  First of all the yellow flag has waved and the field has slowed because more often than not there are safety workers on the track to aid a driver who has crashedor collect debris and those safety workers are vulnerable to a race car and it's idiot driver.  But you don't care, you're not thinking of anything but that guy in that car that's in your sights for pay backs and you're hell bent on taking them out.  What were you thinking?

NASCAR said "Boys have at it" and I think it was a great idea.  But NOT under caution. NEVER when others are at risk of being hurt. NOT on pit road, NOT when cars are on the track and NOT when an ambulance is waiting to take a possibly injured driver to the Infield Care Center for treatment.

So what did taking out Ron Hornaday under caution actually accomplish Kyle? Your truck was destroyed in the process, you were parked for not one, but three races.  You face fines and points penalties and your sponsors are yet again disappointed in you and your behavior.  If you really wanted to fix it why didn't you wait til you saw the guy in his yard trimming the hedges, jump out of your car and proceed to pound the crap out of him while screaming at him all his wrong doings???  Oh wait! That's how a MAN would handle it and you've proven you're a little boy in a man's world.  You have no respect for yourself with your smug faces, your careless attitude and your blatant disregard for anyone and everyone else around you.  You did the crime now do the time.

Does that mean Ron Hornaday and Kevin Harvick are blameless? Does that mean they have the right to gloat over someone else's punishment? NO! It means Harvick and Kyle Busch are EXACTLY alike which is why they butt heads so much.  Ron Hornaday shouldn't have made threats, Harvick shouldn't have made threats and DeLana Harvick's nasty comments on Twitter were out of line. They took a situation where they could've risen above and come out smelling like a rose and blew it. They stooped to the same level as Kyle Busch and rolled around in the same crap he was playing in and came out looking worse than the guilty one.

To take to Twitter and call someone a P O S and threaten to kick their @$$, call names and harrass Kyle, his wife Samantha, Denny Hamlin, who wasn't even involved and has no responsibility for his teammate in the Cup series, or fans of JGR is classless.  It shows the mentatlity of the people involved and does give some claim to Kyle's frustatrations but it's no excuse for his behavior.

Was it worth it? Is the time at home what you wanted out of the situation? Are you happy now? Is it all better? When you speak to your sponsors and assure them that it won't happen again, do you realize you've lost face with them and have proven you aren't a man of your word because you made that same promise the last time this happened with you. You went back on that word and did the one thing you assured the people who sign your paycheck you wouldn't do.  On top of all that, your wallet is lighter, your Championship run is wasted, all the good things you did all season long have been marred by one foolish decision.  If you don't respect your fellow competitors, could you atleast have respect for yourself?

Kyle issued this apology to the media:

“I've had a lot of time today to sit and reflect and try to put my thoughts into words as best I can.

“I want to sincerely apologize for my actions during Friday night's Truck Series race at Texas.

“I apologize to my fans, all my sponsors, everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch Motorsports.
“After talking with my team, it's great to have their support and encouragement to assure me that there are better days ahead. Even though this took place while driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, I am sorry for how difficult this has been for everyone associated with Joe Gibbs Racing's Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series teams.

“I'd also like to apologize to Ron Hornaday Jr., and everyone associated with the No. 33 team in the Truck Series.

“I understand why I was taken out of the car for the rest of the weekend. NASCAR officials had to act, and I accept their punishment and take full responsibility for my actions.

“As a race-car driver, the hardest thing to do is to sit on the sidelines listening to cars on the track when you know you should be out there competing. For this, I have no one to blame but myself.
“Through a lot of support from the people around me, I feel like I've made a lot of strides this year, but this was certainly a step backward. Moving forward, I will do everything I possibly can to represent everyone involved in a positive manner. However, I know my long-term actions will have more of a bearing than anything I say right now.”

And his wife penned this to the fans via her website, www.samanthabusch.com:

To all the Fans

November 5, 2011

I wanted to write a quick note to all of you addressing the incident that happened during the truck race on Friday night. No, I was not going to comment on the situation Friday night in the midst of all the angry and harsh tweets, there was really no point. I understand that Kyle’s actions were wrong and NASCAR has dealt with the issue appropriately. I love my husband very much and will always be by his side through the good and the bad. Life is not always easy but you deal with each day as it comes and we will move on from this the best that we can.

I also want to thank all of the nice people out there, and let you all know that we really appreciate your support and love through this difficult time. I appreciate everything that you guys do as fans in this sport by coming out to the races, watching on TV and interacting with us via Facebook and Twitter. Along with our family and friends, it has been your kind words and support that make a difficult time better and I sincerely Thank You.
Samantha

Team owner Joe Gibbs has accepted full responsibility for Kyle and his actions and is showing the class act that he is.  I have long admired Coach Joe, his son JD and the entire JGR organization.  They have shown the racing world what true sportsmanship and class are.  That doesn't mean their drivers aren't human and they don't make mistakes, it simply means they hold themselves to a higher standard, correct a problem as soon as it arises and don't make excuses for bad behavior. They admit their failures, apologize and do their best going forward to ensure it doesn't happen again. And if it does, then they go back to the drawing board for a different solution.  That is why I will always be a fan of Joe Gibbs Racing.

I am a Denny Hamlin fan, plain and simple. I have taken a neutral stance about Kyle Busch because he's a teammate to my driver.  He has some good points that I like about him and then there's this situation. This is the man who went out on a public road with his wife and drove a car at 120 mph without considering anyone but himself. His excuse was he's a professional driver and he had it under control. I'm sorry Kyle, but you can't control cars backing out of their driveway, kids riding bikes or farm equipment or tractors that may happen to enter the roadway. You don't have those obstacles on the racetrack.  He didn't take responsibility for his actions then and it really ticked me off.  He put his wife at risk and that goes against his vows to love, honor and cherish her.

He said in his apology that his future actions will speak louder than words. EXACTLY! I'm waiting and I'm watching.  More of his attitude and facial expressions than anything.  But regardless of what Kyle did or didn't do, fans have no right to attack him, his lovely wife Samantha, who is innocent and is far too sweet and kind to fans to deserve such disgusting behavior and especially to Denny Hamlin who wasn't involved in any way and by filling in for him on Saturday was simply following orders from his boss.

In a sport where the world is watching and following every move, word, action and deed...these men are held to a higher standard.  The fans are merciless and if a driver gets a reputation for being wreckless, it's nearly impossible to overcome.  I don't want Kyle to change his driving style, I just want him to consider the consequences for his actions before he does them.  He's racing in all 3 series, two of which he isn't even points eligible for, and the things that happen in those races aren't important.

That brings up my argument for NASCAR not allowing drivers who have made it full time into the Cup series in the lesser series.  Especially the trucks.  If it's money they're after, then limit the number of NNS races. Those guys can't get a win and the series champion will be an also ran, winless, average 15th finish driver who is worth more than he's been able to show.  But that's a whole different discussion.

Gibbs Teams Hope Changes Avert Another Chase Crash

It was one of those days that reminded everyone just how good Joe Gibbs Racing can be. Kyle Busch led 378 of 500 laps Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway, storming to his 10th race win in the past 38 Sprint Cup events. Denny Hamlin finished second, charging up from his 24th-place starting spot and improving six positions in points. Although rookie teammate Joey Logano blew an engine, it was still an afternoon where two championship contenders from the same organization stood out among everyone else.

“The beginning and the middle part of the year, sometimes those wins were just too easy. ... And then the Chase started, and it's gone.”
KYLE BUSCH

Of course, the Gibbs team has been here before. The outfit placed three drivers in last year's championship Chase, led by Busch, who entered the playoff having won a series-best eight races and led the points for 17 consecutive weeks. But once there, he never had a chance. Neither did Hamlin or Tony Stewart, Logano's predecessor. Parts failures, crashes, cut tires, missed setups, speeding penalties -- they all combined to make for a miserable final 10 weeks for members of the Gibbs trio, none of whom finished any higher than eighth.

For a team with three championships, it was an unacceptable result. So in early December, the team began a series of organization-wide meetings that reviewed everything from people to processes to equipment. The reliability of car parts, the fuel efficiency of engines, the structure of how the engineering department supports the race teams -- nothing was overlooked. People were moved, policies were altered, focus was sharpened. The goal was to ensure that if Gibbs drivers make this year's Chase, they'll have the means to finish the job and claim the team's first title since 2005.

"You put a plan in place, until you see that plan come to fruition and work, you don't know," said Jimmy Makar, the team's vice president of racing operations. "But I think we're going to be able to certainly answer questions faster and take care of problems quicker."

Anything would be an improvement from last year. Busch entered the Chase as the clear favorite to win the title, but was derailed by a broken suspension piece, a blown engine and a fuel-pressure problem in the first three races. Hamlin entered in seventh, and was doomed by a drive shaft failure at Dover, a blown tire at Talladega, and a missed setup at Texas. Stewart entered 10th, and suffered a tire problem at Martinsville and crashes at Kansas, Texas and Phoenix. The Gibbs drivers wound up as the final three to qualify for places at the season-ending banquet in New York, a fact Hamlin even noted in his speech. "Yeah, eighth, ninth, 10th -- that's about the way our year's gone," he said on stage

Much of what happened to the Gibbs drivers last year -- tire problems and crashes, most notably -- wasn't necessarily anyone's fault. But then there were the equipment problems. And a few pit-road speeding penalties. And other issues that rapidly turned the Chase into a morass that swallowed the team's championship hopes.

"Some of that is beyond your control. That's life," team president J.D. Gibbs said. "Some of it is, how do you do a better job being prepared? We had a few issues during the year, and the fact that they all hit at the end was discouraging. Part of that was just chance, and part of that was I think that we just weren't prepared properly. You go back, and I think we did as good a job as anybody preparing our cars and our guys for the race. but there are a few things you can learn. I think we learned a few things -- hey, cross your t's and dot your i's a little better next time."

The meetings to address the root of Gibbs' Chase crash began shortly after last year's awards banquet, and those who were there say they weren't for the meek. "I think it was a lot of people who had to swallow their pride, you could say," Hamlin said. The disappointment was heightened by the knowledge that Busch had been the class of the field for two-thirds of the season, only to wind up 10th through no real fault of his own. Many opinions were voiced. Busch provided insight as to how some things were done at Hendrick Motorsports, his employer the previous season and winner of the past three championships. There clearly was an urgency, Makar said, to get things figured out.

"We all want to be better," said crew chief Greg Zipadelli, who worked with Stewart last year and now oversees Logano's program. "Whether you're willing to make the effort, speak your mind, maybe put yourself out there by yourself because other people may not agree with you or whatever, that's the important part. I think us as crew chiefs did that, I think our engineering group did that, I think our owners kind of held us accountable for how we ran in the Chase and wanted to know what we needed to do differently to be better. If we are in that situation again, we want to be able to capitalize on it, or at last feel we had more of a shot at it. We just didn't do a good job."

Team owner Joe Gibbs said five specific areas were addressed. Although he wouldn't name the areas, reliability was clearly at the top of the list. Nothing hampered the 2008 Gibbs Chase effort more than parts failures, specifically the three consecutive weeks of mechanical trouble that turned Busch from championship favorite into also-ran.

"Our No. 1 focus this year is more reliability than it is speed," Hamlin said. "If we were to be just average, we'd have been better off. This past year was the worst average finish I've had in my career. But yet, we ran the best during the [Chase] races. That's backward. Just backward. We've got to get back to the reliability we had two years ago."

J.D. Gibbs said the parts problems the team suffered during last year's Chase were all in-house issues. This year the organization is operating under revised standards as to how far a piece of equipment can be pushed.

"Obviously it's something we haven't had a lot of problems with traditionally, but for whatever reason, we got snake-bit toward the end of the season," Makar said. "And even during the season, there were some oddball things that happened to us. We were pushing parts and pieces a little harder than we ever had in the past technology-wise and in the way we use them or abuse them. I think it made everybody realize that we had to stay aware of where we were when we were on that threshold of pushing parts farther than they needed to be pushed. I think they felt good that we addressed it and had a plan put together to go forward."

“This past year was the worst average finish I've had in my career. But yet, we ran the best during the [Chase] races. That's backward. Just backward.”
DENNY HAMLIN

Another issue was fuel mileage. Series runner-up Carl Edwards of Roush Fenway Racing was often able to stretch his fuel runs to his advantage, and the Gibbs team simply couldn't keep up. One reason why, Makar surmised, is that Gibbs was in its first season with Toyota, and still probing the limits of what the manufacturer's engine could do. Still, he said engineers tackled the problem in-depth during the winter.

"We've been in positions where we're very good with that stuff, but obviously going with Toyota [last] year, we didn't have the experience that we had with our GM stuff," Makar said. "It's a whole new learning curve, and we found some issues we needed to work on. It's not an excuse, it's new. We had to figure out how to make that better."

There also was some reorganization of personnel, specifically to assemble what Makar calls a "competition group" that aids the race team on location during event weekends. At the request of crew chiefs, some engineers were moved from the shop to the road in order to provide the race programs with dedicated help. The result is better information on which to make decisions. "The race teams felt like they needed a little more direct support for what their needs were, so we organized some stuff inside engineering, took some people out of the shop, and structured that to what we felt was best for us," Makar said.

Although Busch appears to have picked up right where he left off this past September, and Hamlin has shown flashes of title-contender strength, the true impact of the changes the Gibbs team has implemented won't be evident until the organization returns to the Chase. Even so, Busch said, sometimes a 5-cent part breaks no matter how much preparation and research goes into it. There's no defense against bad luck.

"The last 10 races weren't fun at all," Busch said, referring to his 2008 campaign. "The beginning and the middle part of the year, sometimes those wins were just too easy. It was like wow, that wasn't as hard as it should have been. You look at it, and you look at why, and it's because a lot of things fell your way. The luck was there. Then you start running out of luck a little bit, and you're like, we're losing it here. It's going away. And then the Chase started, and it's gone. We had none. There is a certain amount of luck you have to have in this game, and no matter what you do to try to change it, you can't just all of the sudden get it back."

But the Gibbs team is trying to control what it can, attempting to squeeze better reliability out of its parts, better fuel-efficiency out of its engines, and better use out of its people. The lessons of the past fall were humbling ones for an organization that was once the best in NASCAR. No one has forgotten them.

"I think sometimes when you get knocked around at the end of the year, it kind of sets your jaw," Joe Gibbs said. "Nobody here is confident or cocky."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JD GIBBS

Best wishes for an amazing birthday JD! Thank you for being a great owner and mentor to Denny, Kyle and Joey. They are lucky to have you to look up to and your example to follow. You are the reason I am a Denny Hamlin fan ~ his amazing talent doesn't hurt, but I have to believe in the owner~ God Bless You extra special. You deserve it!!

All my best,
Becca ~ The Denny Hamlin Blogger

What's So Unusual About Dominance?

In the above picture you see the amazing TEAM of Joe Gibbs Racing that is responsible for winning Joe Gibbs Racing the 2008 Owner's Championship for the No. 20 Toyota. JGR Teammates Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were selected to drive the season dominating car for the races they were best suited to and did it ever pay off. Big time.

Rookie phenom Joey Logano was being kept in the wings to become the heir apparent to the ride that would eventually be his. There was just one small problem. Sliced Bread wasn't old enough to pilot the No. 20 until May 24th. So the veteran drivers of team the entire Nationwide garage has chased all season long stepped up in a big way for their team.

It's been slated that JGR's approach to its Owners Championship is unusual. Wow, jealousy makes people say crazy things. Excuses and reasons are a dime a dozen but this one is certainly the most colorful I've ever heard. So, the fact that all 4 drivers in a stable were able to climb behind the wheel of the same car and get the same stellar results is odd. Interesting philosophy.

Perhaps the fact that even after the suspension of crew chief Dave Rogers, the team didn't slow down one bit makes it an even more bitter pill to swallow. The entire team stepped up to the plate and showed its qualifications. While the No. 18 car of Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch was the more dominant of the JGR cars after the addition of Logano, the consistency never waivered.

Seeing 4 drivers that get along, look out for one another and strive to bring out the best in each other is definitely something unusual in today's fiercely competitive racing. But it only showcases the caliber man that Joe and JD Gibbs put behind the wheel of their cars. Anyone can hire a race car driver. But when an owner hires a man to do the job, the results are incredible.

Just ask the guys shaking their heads trying to figure out what happened this season. There is such a thing as teammates. There is such a thing as being a gentleman and the drivers of JGR are the finest caliber gentlemen ever to hit the sport of auto racing. There isn't a more deserving group of guys than the ones that earned this trophy.

I've watched Denny Hamlin mentor Joey Logano in a way that leaves me in awe. Joey's first race, Denny was talking to Logano on the radio and his encouragement was breath taking. The entire team is there for each other in the same way and it's refreshing. There is no competition. The other drivers need to take notice and see how it's done.

After winning the pole for the Nationwide series race at Phoenix, Denny Hamlin was more concerned about teammate Joey Logano than he was about himself. That's just Denny but it's also the entire JGR team. Always looking out for each other and doing whatever it takes to help their friend shine if they can't.

In this day and age of fierce competition and struggles to find sponsorship for up and coming superstars, Joe Gibbs Racing and it's champion drivers prove that it truly is a team effort to be successful. It wasn't just one driver. While Kyle Busch has the majority of the wins, he didn't capture them all and he is fully aware of the efforts of his fellow drivers. Perhaps if more teams built their organizations the same way Joe and JD Gibbs have with the caliber of man behind the wheel that they possess the sport would not only be better off, it would be spectacular.