[WVGrandma4Kasey]

NASCAR's `Silly Season' could become ridiculous

By JOHN STURBIN

Fort Worth Star-Telegram


FORT WORTH, Texas - For the first time in motorsports history, the Silly Seasons of NASCAR and Formula One have been - in the inimitable description of Nextel Cup TV analyst Larry McReynolds - "cross-pollinated."
The result? Enigmatic Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia trashing his globe-trotting Formula One career to go stock car racing in the United States with old friend Chip Ganassi.
"Hell has frozen over," was the message left on my answering machine Sunday morning by a colleague working in the media center at Chicagoland Speedway, shortly after Montoya and Ganassi delivered their jaw-dropping news. "Juan Pablo Montoya driving the No. 42 car in Nextel Cup. Amazing!"
Some media observers are calling the defection of Montoya - a former CART and Indianapolis 500 champion and winner of seven F1 races - the biggest driver coup in NASCAR's 58-year history. And it's only mid-July.
"Silly Season in 2006 is going to be the craziest in NASCAR history," Cup veteran Mark Martin predicted in a national teleconference Monday, during testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "I think we already see that. We've got Juan Montoya coming. That's just the start."
Indeed. By the close of business Monday, the rumor mill was reporting that Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, a former World Driving Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, was willing to explore NASCAR if he could not find a competitive Formula One ride for 2007. And then T.J. Patrick, the father/agent of IRL IndyCar media magnet Danica Patrick, said his daughter was negotiating with at least two NASCAR teams for 2007. Although her contract with Rahal Letterman Racing expires at the end of this Indy Racing League season, Danica since has downplayed the rumblings of an imminent jump from open-wheel.
Meantime, let's revisit a bit of news that largely has gone unnoticed. Jim Hunter, NASCAR's vice president for corporate communications, announced on June 27 the sanctioning body was reducing its minimum driving age in the developmental Grand National and Modified tours from 18 to 16 beginning in 2007. During that teleconference, Kevin Harvick - a Cup/Busch Series regular who also fields teams in the Busch and Craftsman Truck series - said point-blank there is a driver shortage in Cup.
"There's more good cars than there are good drivers," said Harvick, an opinion reiterated by Martin.
"Experienced drivers are really hot commodities right now - guys that can get it done," said Martin, who will make his 600th career start Sunday at New Hampshire International Speedway. "It's going to be a really interesting fall." For example, Martin - currently on his second Cup retirement tour - said Monday he would consider driving a limited Cup schedule "if it was with the right team." Translation: A team fielded by longtime business partner Jack Roush, who has yet to present Martin with the Craftsman Truck Series contract he wants for 2007.
Coincidentally, former Cup champion Bill Elliott_who has not raced full-time in Cup since 2003 --indicated twice during the last two weeks he is "playing my options" for a full-time ride in 2007. "It has to be the right situation," Elliott said. Translation: I'll drive a Toyota Camry, guys.
"There's a great demand for drivers that can get it done, and right now, when you look around, the litter is picked over pretty well," Martin said. "We're going to have at least six or eight really strong financially backed new race teams next year (with Toyota's entry into Cup), and those kind of race teams, that are high-profile, can't bring a guy in that they're taking a chance on. I certainly would expect to see some retired Cup drivers back in the seat next year." That sounds like a vote for the returns of Ricky Rudd, Ward Burton and/or former Cup champion Rusty Wallace.
Who knows? Maybe team owner Richard Childress will convince Ricky Bobby to leave the popular No. 26 Wonder Bread Chevy to drive the famed No. 3 GM Goodwrench Monte Carlo . . . proof positive that hell really has frozen over. _krdDartInc++;document.write('');
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[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by WVGrandma4Kasey

NASCAR's `Silly Season' could become ridiculous

During that teleconference, Kevin Harvick - a Cup/Busch Series regular who also fields teams in the Busch and Craftsman Truck series - said point-blank there is a driver shortage in Cup.
"There's more good cars than there are good drivers," said Harvick, an opinion reiterated by Martin.
"Experienced drivers are really hot commodities right now - guys that can get it done," said Martin, who will make his 600th career start Sunday at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Talk about a stupid statement !!!!! Here are two drivers who continually take up space in the Busch series and now they are complaining that there are no qualified drivers for teams with good equipment. How will young drivers ever get the chance when the cup guys keep doing "TESTING" at the expense of experience for the young guns ???

Now you've got me started again G-ma !!! One of my major pet peeves.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Talk about a stupid statement !!!!! Here are two drivers who continually take up space in the Busch series and now they are complaining that there are no qualified drivers for teams with good equipment. How will young drivers ever get the chance when the cup guys keep doing "TESTING" at the expense of experience for the young guns ???

Now you've got me started again G-ma !!! One of my major pet peeves.

All the young guns will have to start off like Jeff Gordon oops... did I say that

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Talk about a stupid statement !!!!! Here are two drivers who continually take up space in the Busch series and now they are complaining that there are no qualified drivers for teams with good equipment. How will young drivers ever get the chance when the cup guys keep doing "TESTING" at the expense of experience for the young guns ???

Now you've got me started again G-ma !!! One of my major pet peeves.

Mine too, along with the number of teams some owners have. So not only do they take up the space with cup drivers they load the field and a bunch of good cars and drivers have to go home and it p**** me off every time. And right how are the young guns going to get experience, but where are all the drivers they are putting in the field under other names? Why arn't they being moved up, they have to keep using the likes of Mark Martin because their is no one else, and they just finished a season with 5 or 6 drivers running the Busch. Ok so I'm a moron I guess.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Talk about a stupid statement !!!!! Here are two drivers who continually take up space in the Busch series and now they are complaining that there are no qualified drivers for teams with good equipment. How will young drivers ever get the chance when the cup guys keep doing "TESTING" at the expense of experience for the young guns ???

Now you've got me started again G-ma !!! One of my major pet peeves.

Am I going to have to break out the party bananas?

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

Originally Posted by BringBackWilkesboro

Am I going to have to break out the party bananas?

Most likely