[SpaceCadet]

Well, bite my head off everybody, but I won't eat crow. JV was smart and did a good job. I never said he wasn't a great driver. And even knowing he's had lots of laps in the COT, I don't care. I still don't think any driver in any series should start out at one of the most dangerous, toughest races there is. Every driver in every type of car in every series should have to start out in the support classes. If Gordon decides to go to F1, even though he started out in open wheel, I would still expect him to start in a support class. It just seems safer and smarter to me.

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by wardfan

Uh, maybe Labonte's draft lock came unlocked and that's why the car suddenly turned left on him

I'm glad I wasn't the only one that just wanted to throw something every time they said "draft Lock".

As far as calling Bobby out, I'll just be good.

I think it is pretty obvious that something just happened to his car. Hell, he was won at least two races there, on in Busch, and one in Cup, and sat on the pole there.

What happened to him was a fluke, and I'm not gonna eat crow!

But I also didn't talk trash about JAckie V! And personally I still don't feel it was the right track for him to start on. Dropping to the back just proves that he also knew it.

He'll be a good racer in Cup, but it was still a mistake to run him here. The fact that it worked out OK doesn't make it a better idea, it just means the worst didn't happen.

[oncea3fan]

yes nascar took a chance by letting him run, luckily it didn't blow up in thier face, but that now gives them presadents to allow the next guy (lauren wallace) to start daytona.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Phils20

What happened to him was a fluke, and I'm not gonna eat crow!

But I also didn't talk trash about JAckie V! And personally I still don't feel it was the right track for him to start on. Dropping to the back just proves that he also knew it.

He'll be a good racer in Cup, but it was still a mistake to run him here. The fact that it worked out OK doesn't make it a better idea, it just means the worst didn't happen.

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

Well, bite my head off everybody, but I won't eat crow. JV was smart and did a good job. I never said he wasn't a great driver. And even knowing he's had lots of laps in the COT, I don't care. I still don't think any driver in any series should start out at one of the most dangerous, toughest races there is. Every driver in every type of car in every series should have to start out in the support classes. If Gordon decides to go to F1, even though he started out in open wheel, I would still expect him to start in a support class. It just seems safer and smarter to me.

I guess overall I agree with how you feel. I sort of liken this to a kid who has mastered riding a tricycle and the next obvious step would be a small bicycle but some brave Uncle says here ... try this motorcycle ... even though you're not really ready for it.

Congrats to him and his team for going to the back. Why did he do that ? Was it their idea or did they feel the pressure from veteran cup drivers ? Whatever the reason he/they used, it only helped justify NA$CAR's reasons for allowing a unseasoned rookie into one of the fastest and most dangerous races in the series.

[Lefturn]

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

If Gordon decides to go to F1, even though he started out in open wheel, I would still expect him to start in a support class. It just seems safer and smarter to me.

I'm quite sure that Villeneuve went straight from INDY Cars to F1. As did Montoya. They did some testing and jumped right in.

Rookie drivers start at superspeedways all the time. David Gilliland was on pole at the Daytona 500, I don't recall any complaints. I also think that Daytona is just as dangerous and I would argue that the race is MORE important to all drivers.

The problem is the 'Chase'. The 12 in the chase know that being caught up in a wreck at the 'Wildcard' race could have serious impact on whether they win or not. It's a big enough gamble without having an inexperienced stock car driver possibly causing the big one.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Lefturn

I'm quite sure that Villeneuve went straight from INDY Cars to F1. As did Montoya. They did some testing and jumped right in.

Rookie drivers start at superspeedways all the time. David Gilliland was on pole at the Daytona 500, I don't recall any complaints. I also think that Daytona is just as dangerous and I would argue that the race is MORE important to all drivers.

The problem is the 'Chase'. The 12 in the chase know that being caught up in a wreck at the 'Wildcard' race could have serious impact on whether they win or not. It's a big enough gamble without having an inexperienced stock car driver possibly causing the big one.

EXACTLY!!!

[Lefturn]

Should NASCAR have a policy that states no 'new' NASCAR drivers can start any chase races?

In other sports when you make the playoffs, those teams that don't make it don't compete. In NASCAR 12 teams make it and 41 teams that don't still compete. It's a no win situation for NASCAR, but they seems to paint themselves into corners alot these days.

[SpaceCadet]

Originally Posted by Lefturn

Rookie drivers start at superspeedways all the time. David Gilliland was on pole at the Daytona 500, I don't recall any complaints. I also think that Daytona is just as dangerous and I would argue that the race is MORE important to all drivers.

The problem is the 'Chase'. The 12 in the chase know that being caught up in a wreck at the 'Wildcard' race could have serious impact on whether they win or not. It's a big enough gamble without having an inexperienced stock car driver possibly causing the big one.

But Gilliland had prior stock car experience, didn't he? Being a rookie is different than putting a driver who has never raced a stock car - a total first timer - into a race such as Talledega or Daytona. Being a rookie doesn't necessarily mean it's your first race. If you are a total rookie to stock car racing, you need to go to a support class. If you are a rookie who has let's say Busch or ARCA experience, then I'm more inclined to be ok with starting at a plate race. I like JV. It's not about his skills, it's simply about learning and getting comfortable with a completely different type of car.

The Chase may be the problem for the 12 in the playoffs, but it's not an issue for me. Someone who has never raced side by side in the draft in a stock car at 200 mph needs to get some experience actually racing against others in a support class before starting at a plate race. Laps all alone a great, but put those other cars on the track under all that stress and that's totally different. I just feel it's unsafe, I guess that's the bottom line.

[Lefturn]

You make a good point regarding Gilliland having prior stock car experience. He raced the Nascar West series before moving into a Busch ride. He won in Busch and that catapulted him to Cup. If I recall correctly, it was still his first time at a track that size in a stock car.

Bottom line is, having inexperienced drivers on that track could be considered unsafe. I can't argue with that.

[PenelopePitStop]

Oh, come on folks! This thread is just plain silly.

LaBonte vs. Villeneuve?

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Oh, come on folks! This thread is just plain silly.

LaBonte vs. Villeneuve?

just as i believe it was silly to have most of the talk about Villeneuve before the race

that was my entire point of making this thread

[PettyBlue]

Dang,third at Lowe's in quals.Someone here need's to teach Bobby how to drive a racecar.If you ain't #1 you ain't none,lol.

[SpaceCadet]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Oh, come on folks! This thread is just plain silly.

LaBonte vs. Villeneuve?

I don't think the thread is as much about comparing the two as it is about requiring rookies to stock cars start in a lower series. But if I were to compare these two drivers, I'd have to say that JV may well be as talented as any NASCAR driver out there, including Labonte. Maybe even more talented than some. But not in a stock car - yet. Once he gets some seat time and real race experience, I believe you'll be able to compare him fairly to most of the other drivers, and in quite a few cases, JV, in my opinion, will come out on top. Even Juablo is faring better than about half the field and causing far fewer crashes now that he's got some experience. And now we have Franchitti, who may come in to the series and blow the doors off the other open wheel converts. Next year will be very interesting, I think.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by simple simon

just as i believe it was silly to have most of the talk about Villeneuve before the race

that was my entire point of making this thread

Understood. The "what ifs" regarding Villeneuve before the guy ever hit the track was getting old.

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Understood. The "what ifs" regarding Villeneuve before the guy ever hit the track was getting old.

And with good 'ol 20/20 hindsite - wrong.

He ((Jock) - that is how it seems to be pronounced)) not only did quite well, he seemed to show acknowledgement that he was in a new element.