[bears9]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --Six times already Sam Hornish Jr. has tried to make it into NASCAR's main event, and all six times he's been sent home.
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The failure has only made him want it more.
The three-time Indy Car Series champion is moving to NASCAR in 2008, joining the mass exodus of open-wheel stars fleeing to America's most popular racing series. He told The Associated Press he will drive the No. 77 Dodge next season for Penske Racing with Mobil 1 as the sponsor.
"I've tried to qualify for these Cup races, and it's kind of lit a little bit of fire in me to see if we can't get to the point where I am competitive," said Hornish, who will try again to make his Nextel Cup debut this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.
"I am a much better racer than I am a qualifier, and if I can just get in, I feel confident I can figure it out."
The 28-year-old Hornish has been flirting with NASCAR since last season, but this jump was not guaranteed. Team owner Roger Penske left it in Hornish's hands, and his inability to make races had many wondering if Hornish would go back to Indy cars for one more season.

IndyCar champ Hornish moves to NASCAR

[NASCAR Gnome]

The way he's been qualifying for races lately, he's NEVER going to be in a single race in NASCAR in '08!!!

[Jeffrey4318]

Yes he will. Penske is planning on transfering Busch's 2007 points to Hornish to garruantee him a spot in the first set of races next year. Busch then will be able to fall back on his championship. We will be seeing Mr. Hornish in Cup next year. I have my money on him making every race next year.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey4318

Yes he will. Penske is planning on transfering Busch's 2007 points to Hornish to garruantee him a spot in the first set of races next year. Busch then will be able to fall back on his championship. We will be seeing Mr. Hornish in Cup next year. I have my money on him making every race next year.

Risky gamble.

[bears9]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Risky gamble.

Very risky but, Busch always runs well so I wouldn't be worried about him. Hornish is another story.

[SpaceCadet]

I haven't been following Horish's qualifying efforts. Would he have made the races if there were no Chosen 35?

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey4318

Yes he will. Penske is planning on transfering Busch's 2007 points to Hornish to garruantee him a spot in the first set of races next year. Busch then will be able to fall back on his championship. We will be seeing Mr. Hornish in Cup next year. I have my money on him making every race next year.

The last I heard this wasn't a done deal. In fact, it was an idea posed to The Rajah by a media hack. Penske's response was, as I heard it, "We'd have to think about it." Kurt was asked about it on radio and his response was, "Gosh, this is the first I've heard about this. I'm going to have to find out what's going on... If Mr. Penske actually does this I guess that'd make me the best friend Sam has, right?"

I think I'd work, but we'll have to see what, for example, Miller Brewing, has to say about it. I bet they won't be too enthusiastic.

[jks812]

I don't think it's right to take Kurt's points and give to a guy who has never run a cup race just cause he can't qualify.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by jks812

I don't think it's right to take Kurt's points and give to a guy who has never run a cup race just cause he can't qualify.

Unfortunately with the The Chosen rule, owners are forced to extreme measures to get their cars in the show. If Kurt has a few bad qualifying runs, he will still have his Champions Provisional to fall back on.

[Racer Duck]

Well, Sam qualified for the Phoenix race in good order. On Trackside Live tonight he said the he got bumped 2 times by champion provisionals. The other thing he said was it was as he expected it to be: very hard to qualify for a race. And because it was just as he expected, he dedicated more thought and energy into qualifying. Now that he has, he said his primary concern is to not do anything to change the outcome of the Chase!

[Lefty Noob]

Maybe I'm too "stick and ball" sports focused, but there doesn't seem to be any way transferring points one guy earned and giving them to a rookie should be legal - unless the points travel with the car, and they swich cars. That'd be the only way this made any sense to me whatsoever.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Maybe I'm too "stick and ball" sports focused, but there doesn't seem to be any way transferring points one guy earned and giving them to a rookie should be legal - unless the points travel with the car, and they swich cars. That'd be the only way this made any sense to me whatsoever.

Welcome to the convoluted world of NA__AR, Lefty.

You are correct, there is nothing that I know of in the phantom book of rules alleged to be the property of NA__AR. Driver points are, now and forever, driver points, unless NA__AR decides to take them away via fines.

The points Sam references are Owner Points. These are points assigned to the car owner (or, in the case of Roush and Hendrick, alleged owners). They are earned by the finishing position of whoever the driver is who is driving the car in a race. Also Owner Points are earned for a car just entering a race. (I think I'm right on that but since I have no access to the [in]famous NA__AR Rule Book, I could well be wrong)

Maybe all this is what makes NA__AR so popular these days? It's all so simple and easy to understand?

[Racer Duck]

just to amplify on Bob's explanation:

• Driver Points are not transferable
• Owner points are assigned to a car number's owner and (with NASCAR's blessing) are transferable to another car number (the Nemechek & Marlin deal when Ginn sold out to DEI this year - Marlin's car owner points were transferred to Menard's car and Nemechek's went down the drain.)
• Drivers and owners each have their own "Championship" and collect a check at the annual banquet/blowout
• Owner points are the points used to determine the Chosen (top 35) and are earned by the car's finishing position in the race or, in the case of a DNQ, its qualifying position (44th place on...)
• Owner points determine the sequence of hauler entry into the pits as well as garage stall and pre-race pit stall choice
• Chosen are guaranteed a starting position in every race, even if their qualifying effort is DQ'd!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

just to amplify on Bob's explanation:

• Chosen are guaranteed a starting position in every race, even if their qualifying effort is DQ'd!

Thanks for the amplification, Your Duckiness. You ability to bullet the points I try to make, makes the subject much easier to understand.

May I offer one further point which the others might not know?

If you are among The Chosen, you don't have to even make a qualifying attempt. All a Chosen has to do is to get his car past pre-qualifying inspection.

I don't remember the race but I believe it was Dale Jarrett who last season had some sort of a chassis malfunction just before qualification began and the car never even went on the track, yet he raced.

And we all remember the Firecracker 400 fiasco of this year. Boris Said got bumped from the pole because rain ended qualifications early. He went home with the fastest speed of the day, yet at least eight cars which never even fired their engines for time started the race?

Owner's Points and The Chosen... As Bill the Cat would say: "Phhhhhffftttttttt!!!

[Jeffrey4318]

I don't agree with the rules, but I do agree Penske could and should be able to transfer his owner points from the 2 to the 77. If it is in the rules to do so you can't fault him for doing it. Some might say it is wrong because Kurt earned those points. You also have to remember Penske provided the team, body, chassis, engine, and equipment for
Busch to earn those points. When it comes down to it it is Rogers team. It is in his rights (for the time being) to distribute the points as he seems fit. I really don't see why Kurt would have a problem with it. He is garaunteed a starting spot no matter what. There is no added pressure put on his shoulders.