[PettyBlue]

clutch,the Petty cars didn't do bad either,correct?

[clutch]

Originally Posted by PettyBlue

clutch,the Petty cars didn't do bad either,correct?

No, you are quite right, in fact they qualified very well with those Evernham engines and just look at Khane and Sadler.......looks like the Toyota and Dodge show.....not many Chevys up front to start

[PettyBlue]

Originally Posted by clutch

not many Chevys up front to start

Heartbreaking I must say,lol.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

and Villeneuve has already logged more time in a COT at Talladega than any other driver; running in a pack. he wasn't there riding around, ticking off laps, but learning the track and the car. I'd say he probably has more experience in the COT at Talladega than, say, Kyle Petty or Bobby Labonte or Michael Waltrip or even Jeff Gordon.

Once again my theory is proven. There is a ton of info available from folks who post on the NASCAR Forum.

My big complaint was that he had no experience in the COT. I stand corrected and if he wins then he will have earned and deserved it.

Thanks Ducky, for the info.

[Bob Tanner]

My bet is that Jacques drops to the back before the green flag, so as not to gum up things at the beginning. He's a smart driver and knows his current limitations. I'd say that if he just finishes the race, BDR will call it a success. (Another of my bets is that at least six of the top eight qualifiers blow engines before lap 150)

Listening to Pat Patterson on SIRIUS this morning, the main topic was Franchitti and "All these foreign F1 and "foreign-anything-other-than-stock cars" drivers jumping over to NASCAR and getting "All the good rides." Even Pat, who I usually have a lot of respect for, was blowing the "Anti-stock car experience" horn. Pretty sad, IMNSVHO.

The entire argument reminded me of the outcry several years ago when stock car drivers from other parts of the country began to filter into NASCAR. All you had to do was replace "Foreign" with "Any State west of Louisiana and north of Tennessee and you had the same sentiment.

[thunderfoot]

I dont think he will find any friends to draft with. The train will leave without him.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

My bet is that Jacques drops to the back before the green flag, so as not to gum up things at the beginning. He's a smart driver and knows his current limitations. I'd say that if he just finishes the race, BDR will call it a success. (Another of my bets is that at least six of the top eight qualifiers blow engines before lap 150)

Listening to Pat Patterson on SIRIUS this morning, the main topic was Franchitti and "All these foreign F1 and "foreign-anything-other-than-stock cars" drivers jumping over to NASCAR and getting "All the good rides." Even Pat, who I usually have a lot of respect for, was blowing the "Anti-stock car experience" horn. Pretty sad, IMNSVHO.

The entire argument reminded me of the outcry several years ago when stock car drivers from other parts of the country began to filter into NASCAR. All you had to do was replace "Foreign" with "Any State west of Louisiana and north of Tennessee and you had the same sentiment.

I wonder if the same was said when Dan Gurney, Jim Clark, Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt drove stock cars ?!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

I wonder if the same was said when Dan Gurney, Jim Clark, Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt drove stock cars ?!

Going strictly on my memory here...
Gurney had most of his success out on the left coast in road races. I believe many then couldn't get their heads fully around the concept of NASCAR and west coast and road races. It was just kind of a curiosity.

Jim Clark was a one-time shot. Like Saul van der Merwe in 1990, it was a certainty that it was a single event , likely not to re-occur. No threat there.

A.J. Foty was following a long parade of Indianapolis-type "Big Car" drivers being successful in NASCAR. Jim and Dick Rathman, Al Keller, Gordon Johncock, Bill Amick, to name a few. A.J. was also a driver who "made his bones" in front-engined sprint cars, midgets and Indy cars, not rear engined contraptions which were, in the 60's about as foreign to American race fans as wheat germ and tofu are to people with appetites. Besides, Houston is considered "Deep South Texas," a point not to be lost in this discussion.

Mario was another story. I remember quite a bit of discussion about his racing in NASCAR. He came from "Those cars," had a foreign-sounding name, spoke with an accent and claimed his home as being north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Then, in 1967 he had the audacity to beat NASCAR's best in one of Holman-Moody's second-rate cars which Ralph Moody himself labeled as "not one of our best cars." In a recent interview with Mario on SIRIUS Radio's NASCAR channel, done by Dave Moody, he related that he had trouble staying in the top group all day and the only way he won was that the NASCAR regulars were battling each other hard all day and that, in the end, he won it on fuel mileage.

To the best of my recollection, that's the way I remember it.

P.S. Just to make myself clear, this IS NOT a shot at Southerners. It's just human nature. In the recent discussion IRT Franchitti coming to NASCAR, I heard almost exactly the same reasoning, coming not from south of the M-D Line but from everywhere from NY to N. Dakota to Nevada.

[DOF_power]

Ofcourse is human nature. And it's not only restricted to NASCAR.

For A.J., he drove just about everything. But most of his Indy 500 victories and his victory in the 24h Le Mans were on mid-engined machines (the Ford GT40 is legend).

Jim Clark was a one time shot, however it did bare some importance, as his pit crew at the Indy 500 when he won, was from NASCAR (they didn't have pit changes in F1 in 65 and the stock car guys were the best). I think that if he had time he could have been successful in stock car racing, as he could drive everything.

Mario, nothing more to be said. Just wish his descendents would be more like him.



BTW Jaques qualified pretty well.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

Ofcourse is human nature. And it's not only restricted to NASCAR..

Absolutely!

Originally Posted by DOF_power

For A.J., he drove just about everything. But most of his Indy 500 victories and his victory in the 24h Le Mans were on mid-engined machines (the Ford GT40 is legend)..

True, but most of my generation relate A.J. in sprint cars or stock cars.

Originally Posted by DOF_power

Jim Clark was a one time shot, however it did bare some importance, as his pit crew at the Indy 500 when he won, was from NASCAR (they didn't have pit changes in F1 in 65 and the stock car guys were the best). I think that if he had time he could have been successful in stock car racing, as he could drive everything. .

I never knew that! Any info on from which team they came? My initial bet would be Holman-Moody, but I'd be interested in finding out. Yet another reason to go Googling, or Asking.

Originally Posted by DOF_power

Mario, nothing more to be said. Just wish his descendents would be more like him.
.

Roger that! Michael became a self-important twit who believed his own press clippings. I thought that his being discharged from F1 would give him a major hit on life but apparently it didn't. Sorry to say, from interviews, it looks as though Marco is following in daddy's footsteps. IMNSVHO, the only Andretti offspring that shows a degree of humility is John.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

True, but most of my generation relate A.J. in sprint cars or stock cars.

In Europe we know him as the driver of the Ford GT40 who raced and won the 24h Le Mans.

I never knew that! Any info on from which team they came? My initial bet would be Holman-Moody, but I'd be interested in finding out. Yet another reason to go Googling, or Asking.

Wood Brothers NASCAR pit crew
Scout.com: NASCAR Families, Part 5: The Wood Brothers
(unfortunately they don't mention that in that link)
Motorsport.com: News channel
and
Wood Brothers / JTG Racing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by wikipedia

The Wood Brothers signed a long-term sponsorship agreement with Purolator to be their primary sponsor on the #21 car. Their drivers prior to and during this era had included a "Who's Who" of the best in motor racing. Among those driving for the Wood team through the mid-1960s were Curtis Turner, Marvin Panch, Fireball Roberts, Parnelli Jones, Tiny Lund, Junior Johnson, Speedy Thompson, Fred Lorenzen, and Cale Yarborough.
Open-wheel star driver Dan Gurney, who enjoyed popular victories in Indy and Formula One racing, was hired by the Wood Brothers to drive in select events. The Gurney-Wood combination proved unbeatable, and they dominated the early road courses on the NASCAR circuit by winning every race in which Gurney drove the #21. In 1965, they also made up the Lotus-Ford pit crew at the Indianapolis 500, a race won by the Lotus-Ford of Jim Clark.


Indy 500

As the Wood Brothers Racing Team gained notoriety throughout NASCAR racing for their work in the pits, other racers in varying forms of motorsports took notice. Soon, the efficient pit stop was all the rage in other forms of auto racing contests.
In 1965, the IndyCar teams took heed. Driver Jim Clark from England hired the Wood Brothers to service his car during pit stops in the 1965 Indianapolis 500. This marked the first time a NASCAR stock car crew had ever provided such service for an Indy car team. During the race, Clark was able to increase his track position and drove into victory lane as the winner of the 1965 Indianapolis 500, with the Wood Brothers as his crew.

Roger that! Michael became a self-important twit who believed his own press clippings. I thought that his being discharged from F1 would give him a major hit on life but apparently it didn't. Sorry to say, from interviews, it looks as though Marco is following in daddy's footsteps. IMNSVHO, the only Andretti offspring that shows a degree of humility is John.

About Marco I hope it won't happen, but who knows ...
Here in Europe and the rest of the world, in F1 we need another man of couple of men like Mario (and Phil Hill) to restore (some) faith about american open wheel drivers. And the Andretti name is known world wide and could fit perfectly if only that particular person would be worthy.

[Bob Tanner]

From a fans point of view, I'd say Jacques ran a very smart race today. He fell to the back before the flag, as I thought he would. Then he stayed in back for fifty or so laps then quietly tested the waters in mid pack.

OK, OK. He smacked the wall. Was there a driver out there today who has never kissed a Talladega wall?

Villeneuve, coupled with Blaney's discovery that he can race with the big boys and with Toyota, Bill Davis might finally be onto something for next season.

[DOF_power]

Well yes I agree.

[jks812]

I think he did a very good job. It was smart of him to drop to the back at the start. That way he got a feel of the car and the track. And he was making his way around in traffic before he hit the wall. But it was Talladega and even veterans were hitting the wall some. I guess starting at Dega sorta put him in the same field as the rest of the drivers, cause nobody really knew how the COT was gonna do there.
And I also noticed that when he talks, I can understand more than just every other 2 or 3 words that he said.

[lilsexy08]

I saw him race in ARCA Friday night too. But Sunday that should not have been his first Cup race! Not just the drivers were upset the fans were too! People booed him when he was announced and made fun of his driver suit! LOL!