Michael Waltrip

[Sierrajack]

I was involved with stock car racing for over 30 years and a goodly portion of that time I was a member of NASCAR. When Dale died at Daytona, NASCAR was VERY quick to lay the blame somewhere or to use a scapegoat and they chose Bill Simpson stating that his seatbelts were to blame. This caused Bill to leave his beloved company in shame and dispair and it was all unfounded. I'm sorry but Dale Earnhardt was to blame and if he were alive today he tell you the same thing. I lost all faith and trust in NASCAR and promptly mailed my license back to them never to return. Now NASCAR has once again gone well out of their way to punish yet another valued member, Mike Waltrip for infractions he had no control over. Yes, I attempted many times to circumvent the rules, that's the name of the game and yes, I got caught. Nothing I did was intentional more of an oversight than anything but still I pushed the rules. NASCAR works in the black and white world, racers work in a gray world with rules.
Waltrip employs 150-200 people and flat laid down the law in the beginning that he did NOT want any rules broken and that everyone was to do the right thing. Waltrip drives what is handed to him and what people do behind his back he can't control. Okay, there was illegal fuel and some holes drilled in the wrong areas. So what should have been done? The individual(s) responsible should have been fired, black listed and fined and maybe Waltrip should have been fined because he is ultimitely responsible - end of story. Now he has a car taken away from him, $150,000 total in fines and 100 points deducted before the season even starts. That folks, is excessive based on the circumstances - period!
Did the fuel additive help - NO! Did any of the other so called modifications help - NO. Now NASCAR once again flexes it's muscles and pounds Waltrip with something he will never recover from. Michael entertained a very strong urge to just throw his hands up and quit and I don't blame him. NASCAR is only thinking of one thing - the bottom line at the end of the year. What ever they can do to stir the pot to raise controversy is just good for business. Yes rules are in place and they are there for a reason and I respect that however, to beat someone into the ground goes way above and beyond the sport itself. There were alternatives to the Waltrip situation which could have been put into place rather than just jerk a man's dignity and self esteem without recourse.
Just my nickels worth!!!

[Ira]

Man, you guys really get INTO this stuff!!!

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

SJ,
I too was stunned and angered about Bill Simpson being used as a scapegoat by NASCAR... I didn't know he left his company. That is really sad after all the pioneereing work Simpson did for motorsports.
I totally respect your actions about that.
About Micheal Waltrip... You gotta be impressed by what he did yesterday, taking a car he didn't even practice, starting last in the field and racing his way to a respectable starting spot in the 500 after wanting to go home the day before.
I too was involved with NASCAR for quite a few years as a photograher.
I bagged it all back in '92... I saw the sport changing and didn't like how "official" NASCAR was making it.
I thought about giving it up as a fan last year too, but I'm intreaged to see how things play out this year, with Toyota coming into the sport and the Car of Tomorrow. Time will tell if NASCAR survives their probation period this year with me as a fan, but I'll always be a fan of the drivers regardless.

[Sierrajack]

Dean,
You know Bill Simpson worked his heart out for 50 years always improving his products and was humiliated out of his position with the company he founded. However, Bill did rebound and started Impact Racing basically carrying on the tradition he started and became a competitor with Simpson Products. Look closely during the next year and notice how many drivers and cars now carry Impact products. I guess that kinda tells the tail.
Stock car racing has certainly changed a great deal since I started back in 1973 and most of it for the good of the sport. Well, now you bring in "corporate America" coupled with widespread media coverage feeding on the fans emotions and you have got yourself quite an empire devoted to making big bucks. Perhaps Mike Helton would make even more of a paycheck if he were to team up with the WWF - my opinion.........

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

SJ,

You know... There's a saying I've heard and I wonder if it will fit the France family???
Goes like this... The 1st generation builds the business, the 2nd generation runs the business and the 3rd generation runs the business into the ground!

[emiller]

I thought Bill Simpson was already gone from Simpson and started another company before Dale past?

[Sierrajack]

Just visit www.impactraceproducts.com and it tells the story of Bill Simpson and NASCAR or should I say "Versus NASCAR". Bill started Impact after Dale's crash and then NASCAR stepped in and told him he couldn't do this or that for at least a year. I believe that we could all take a lesson from Mister Simpson and charge ahead with life regardless of who throws what at us.

[madjack]

Only the guilty parties will ever know what exactly happened but with all the effort Micheal has put into bringing his new team and Toyota into NASCAR for the first time and knowing all the scrutiny that they and Toyota were under, it is just about unbelieveable that he would have anything to do with this blatant attempt at cheating...
NASCAR had warned all, last year that they were going to get tougher on infractions and they sure have for Daytona, handing out over $250,000 in fines and 250 diver and owner point deductions...as Mikey said...he is "the MAN" at MWR and when the buck falls, he is one it will fall on...we now have a situation, of a driver, competing at the flagship race of the sport, ending up with a negative points total at the end of the race...unprecedented and quite possibly undeserved...
madjack

p.s. my congrats to Mickey for doing a helluva job, driving into Sundays show...y'all watchout for Smoke this year...he is a man onna mission!!!!!!

[Sierrajack]

Madjack,
You said it all right there!! Most of the time, the owner or even the driver never quite knows what goes on with the car or administration of the team. Just ONE fool who thinks he's gonna get an edge will get bitten right in the shorts..... I used to tell the driver all kinds of things when I was a Crew Chief and spotter and they have no reason not to believe you.
"there's a crash in turn three and you're it" TRUE
"You're the best thing that ever happened to stock car racing" LIE
"we've got a front runner here today" LIE
"snuck past the inspectors today but NASCAR wants to buy your car" HUH?

Now as far as 'Ol Smoke is concerned - boy don't get me started!!!!!!!!!

Hey, I've got an original #3 Dale Earnhardt leather jacket for sale if anyone's interested.

[Mary K]

Unfortunately, NASCAR had to make a point that they were serious.

Cheating is cheating and it should be absolutely unconditionally unacceptable. It doesn't matter if the jet fuel didn't help, it was still cheating. He is lucky he didn't get pulled from the race, how do you think his sponsors would have felt about that??

Mk

[madjack]

MK, you're right and the way NASCAR is reacting, he is lucky to still be here...they did suspend his crew chief and his VP for competition indefinitely...I can only imagine the angst, wailing and gnashing of teeth at the meeting of Mickey with NAPA and Toyota to explain this debacle...
madjack

p.s. if you have seen any of the interviews with Mickey since this happened, he looks like he has been gutted

[ALAN GEDDES]

I gave up on NASCAR a few years ago. The big tracks are boring to watch and all the cars look the same especially the new ones coming and I just can't afford to go any more. The last race I went to was at the Rock and before that the Winston at Charlotte. Love racing but it's gotten to be no fun anymore.

[Sierrajack]

Mary,
You're right!! Cheating is cheating and there's no question about it. However when someone does something behind your back it's impossible to control until the deed is done. I know Michael is way down in the dumps about this one, no question about it. As far as how the sponsors would have felt, well I just don't know. It's been a very long time since a driver was barred from a race - does anyone have an answer to that one?
Many sponsors have had more than enough excuses to pull their sponsorships over the years and some do when the season is over. Some sponsors like the negative publicity because no matter what - it's advertising...........Like why does Home Depot stick with Tony Stewart?
Yes, he's a good driver but his antics are purely stupid.

[Mary K]

they did suspend his crew chief and his VP for competition indefinitely

OUCH!!! I didn't know that... I just caught part of the story then.

Crikey, I guess NASCAR's point was made then.

Mk

[Mary K]

I gave up on NASCAR a few years ago. The big tracks are boring to watch and all the cars look the same especially the new ones coming and I just can't afford to go any more. The last race I went to was at the Rock and before that the Winston at Charlotte. Love racing but it's gotten to be no fun anymore.

I hear ya, Just as I was really getting into NASCAR, (It was the Winston Cup then) when it started to change drastically. I just didn't have the time to try and keep up with it all....

Mk