Penske Penalties, Stage Racing Could Have Impact On Sunday's Race At 'Dega
Penske Penalties, Stage Racing Could Have Impact On Sunday's Race At 'Dega
Stage racing for the first time at Talladega SuperSpeedway could have a huge impact on the finish of the Geico 500.
What would a baseball team be like without its manager? Or an NFL team without its head coach?
That's the dilemma faced by Team Penske in Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
For the first time in nearly a decade, two teams within the same racing organization will be without their crew chiefs due to penalties and suspensions.
Last week's winner at Richmond, Joey Logano, will be without crew chief Todd Gordon, who has been suspended for three races and hit with a hefty fine due to an unapproved rear suspension piece. Logano essentially loses most of the points he gained in the Richmond win and a virtual guarantee into the playoffs.
But that's not all. Teammate Brad Keselowski will also be without his crew chief, Paul Wolfe, because of a violation that occurred over two months ago in the NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix.
This one comes with a twist, though: Wolfe missed the race at Fontana while Team Penske appealed the penalty. Ironically enough, the penalty has still not been fully adjudicated. Penske is waiting for a chance to give its side in a final appeal attempt.
But until that comes--and potentially because Penske believes the appeal may wind up still going against it--Wolfe will sit out this weekend's race as well.
This is the first time in a decade that two crew chiefs on the same team were forced to sit out the same race. The last time that happened was in 2007, when Chad Knaus (crew chief for Jimmie Johnson) and Steve Letarte (crew chief for Jeff Gordon) were forced to miss six races each due to illegal modifications of the fender flares.
That was a big no-no. Along with the the six-race suspension, the crew chiefs each were fined $100,000. Both drivers lost 100 points, and team owners Rick Hendrick and Gordon (who owns Johnson's car) were also penalized with the loss of 100 owner points.
The interesting thing is even with the 100-point loss in driver points, Johnson would still go on to win what would prove to be the third of five straight NASCAR Cup championships.
Team Penske is particularly hard-hit with the loss of its two crew chiefs, because the organization has won four of the last five races at Talladega, one of only two tracks that require the use of speed-robbing restrictor plates.
The plates, which celebrate their 30th year of existence in this weekend's race, have served their purpose of slowing speeds and enhancing safety standards. They prevent cars from reaching speeds in which they become a danger to other drivers and also lessen the chance of cars involved in wrecks from sailing into the grandstands.
But if there's any organization that can overcome the penalties it has been dealt, it is Team Penske. Gordon and Wolfe are two of the most meticulous crew chiefs in the business and are known for the fastidious study and preparation of race strategies coming into each event.
Even though they won't be at Talladega in person, their presence will still be felt because their teams will continue to work off the race strategy game plans developed by Gordon and Wolfe. Plus, they also have several alternative race strategies that can be substituted in the event Plan A goes south. Then it's up to Plan B, Plan C… and potentially as many sub-plans as the alphabet allows.
That's why it won't be surprising if either Logano or Keselowski once again return to Victory Lane at 'Dega on Sunday.
There are several other storylines to keep an eye out for in Sunday's Geico 500:
* Rain is always a force to be reckoned with. And due to its massive size, Talladega can -- and oftentimes does -- have rain at one end of the track and sunshine at the other. The place is just that big!
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the winningest active driver at Talladega with six victories. His late father is the all-time race winner there with 10 triumphs. Given that this is Junior's scheduled second-to-last race at 'Dega, look for both an attendance and TV ratings bump to see if he can win No. 7. One other thing: if Junior were to be injured again later this year, much like last season, he could potentially miss the fall playoff race at Talladega. That's why so much attention will be on him Sunday, because as Seals and Crofts used to sing, Junior "may never pass this way again" at 'Dega.
* Stage racing comes into play for the first time at Talladega, and it's presenting a wide and grey unknown. A few weeks ago, things got a little intense at the end of the Martinsville race and contact between drivers this week could provide dire consequences. Because of the significance of stage points and potential playoff points for winning the race, drivers may be even more aggressive than they usually are at Talladega. If so, we could potentially see several episodes of "the Big One," the multi-car wrecks that Talladega has become known for over the years. Teams that have struggled this season -- and yes, Dale Jr. is included in this instance -- may take the green flag and race every one of the 188 scheduled laps as if it's the last and in a flat out gamble to take the checkered flag. This race is a must-see, if for no other reason than to see the potential impact stage racing produce.
* Joe Gibbs Racing is still winless in 2017. That is completely unacceptable to the organization. Look for Kyle Busch, who won at Talladega last in 2008, to put forth perhaps his best racing effort of the season. Yes, he's had misfortune in wrecks and mechanical issues, but if Busch has the right car, he's definitely one of the biggest threats to win. Denny Hamlin won there in spring 2014, and teammate Matt Kenseth won in fall 2012.
That's the dilemma faced by Team Penske in Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
For the first time in nearly a decade, two teams within the same racing organization will be without their crew chiefs due to penalties and suspensions.
Last week's winner at Richmond, Joey Logano, will be without crew chief Todd Gordon, who has been suspended for three races and hit with a hefty fine due to an unapproved rear suspension piece. Logano essentially loses most of the points he gained in the Richmond win and a virtual guarantee into the playoffs.
But that's not all. Teammate Brad Keselowski will also be without his crew chief, Paul Wolfe, because of a violation that occurred over two months ago in the NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix.
This one comes with a twist, though: Wolfe missed the race at Fontana while Team Penske appealed the penalty. Ironically enough, the penalty has still not been fully adjudicated. Penske is waiting for a chance to give its side in a final appeal attempt.
But until that comes--and potentially because Penske believes the appeal may wind up still going against it--Wolfe will sit out this weekend's race as well.
This is the first time in a decade that two crew chiefs on the same team were forced to sit out the same race. The last time that happened was in 2007, when Chad Knaus (crew chief for Jimmie Johnson) and Steve Letarte (crew chief for Jeff Gordon) were forced to miss six races each due to illegal modifications of the fender flares.
That was a big no-no. Along with the the six-race suspension, the crew chiefs each were fined $100,000. Both drivers lost 100 points, and team owners Rick Hendrick and Gordon (who owns Johnson's car) were also penalized with the loss of 100 owner points.
The interesting thing is even with the 100-point loss in driver points, Johnson would still go on to win what would prove to be the third of five straight NASCAR Cup championships.
Team Penske is particularly hard-hit with the loss of its two crew chiefs, because the organization has won four of the last five races at Talladega, one of only two tracks that require the use of speed-robbing restrictor plates.
The plates, which celebrate their 30th year of existence in this weekend's race, have served their purpose of slowing speeds and enhancing safety standards. They prevent cars from reaching speeds in which they become a danger to other drivers and also lessen the chance of cars involved in wrecks from sailing into the grandstands.
But if there's any organization that can overcome the penalties it has been dealt, it is Team Penske. Gordon and Wolfe are two of the most meticulous crew chiefs in the business and are known for the fastidious study and preparation of race strategies coming into each event.
Even though they won't be at Talladega in person, their presence will still be felt because their teams will continue to work off the race strategy game plans developed by Gordon and Wolfe. Plus, they also have several alternative race strategies that can be substituted in the event Plan A goes south. Then it's up to Plan B, Plan C… and potentially as many sub-plans as the alphabet allows.
That's why it won't be surprising if either Logano or Keselowski once again return to Victory Lane at 'Dega on Sunday.
Other Things to Watch For
There are several other storylines to keep an eye out for in Sunday's Geico 500:
* Rain is always a force to be reckoned with. And due to its massive size, Talladega can -- and oftentimes does -- have rain at one end of the track and sunshine at the other. The place is just that big!
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the winningest active driver at Talladega with six victories. His late father is the all-time race winner there with 10 triumphs. Given that this is Junior's scheduled second-to-last race at 'Dega, look for both an attendance and TV ratings bump to see if he can win No. 7. One other thing: if Junior were to be injured again later this year, much like last season, he could potentially miss the fall playoff race at Talladega. That's why so much attention will be on him Sunday, because as Seals and Crofts used to sing, Junior "may never pass this way again" at 'Dega.
* Stage racing comes into play for the first time at Talladega, and it's presenting a wide and grey unknown. A few weeks ago, things got a little intense at the end of the Martinsville race and contact between drivers this week could provide dire consequences. Because of the significance of stage points and potential playoff points for winning the race, drivers may be even more aggressive than they usually are at Talladega. If so, we could potentially see several episodes of "the Big One," the multi-car wrecks that Talladega has become known for over the years. Teams that have struggled this season -- and yes, Dale Jr. is included in this instance -- may take the green flag and race every one of the 188 scheduled laps as if it's the last and in a flat out gamble to take the checkered flag. This race is a must-see, if for no other reason than to see the potential impact stage racing produce.
* Joe Gibbs Racing is still winless in 2017. That is completely unacceptable to the organization. Look for Kyle Busch, who won at Talladega last in 2008, to put forth perhaps his best racing effort of the season. Yes, he's had misfortune in wrecks and mechanical issues, but if Busch has the right car, he's definitely one of the biggest threats to win. Denny Hamlin won there in spring 2014, and teammate Matt Kenseth won in fall 2012.