Will a Ringer win at Watkins Glen this weekend?

[Mark in Oshawa]

Ok, one of the great debates in NASCAR will renew I am sure this weekend. This year, it seems there are more "road course ringers" out there and in both the Busch and Cup garages, there are new faces for a few rides. Patrick Carpentier stood the NASCAR world on their ear last weekend with his drive at Montreal, finishing second. He could be a threat. Boris Said is always a threat. Ron Fellows has won 3 Busch races, all at the Glen, but never won a Cup event, but has a couple of seconds at the Glen not to mention lots of top 10's. Maybe Marcos Ambrose wins? He still qualifys as a "ringer" in my books. Ditto for Montoya, although as a Cup regular this year he had had the advantage of being in the car all year so I wont call him a true ringer anymore.

Anyhow, does a Cup race get won by someone outside of JPM who isn't a full time Cup driver? It hasn't really happened since Dan Gurney used to make a habit of winning races at Riverside years ago. I think it will happen in the Busch race, but I wonder about the Cup. Thoughts??

I am rooting for Ron Fellows, for his sand is flowing through the hourglass pretty good at age 47. I do know that Cup guys can road race, or at least the top 10 or so can, so he has his work cut out for him.

[wedge]

I've been dissappointed a bit by Fellows and Said. They'll easily qualify in the top 5 but usually seem to get a top 10 finish (someone please correct me if I'm wrong!).

Marcus Ambrose will be #1 'ringer' in my opinion. I think he can genuinely win. He's proved himself as a talented tin-top driver.

I think Carpentier will struggle a bit because of the better quality of drivers in Cup. I certainly wouldn't rule him out of a top 10 finish.

[bovic]

I've been dissappointed a bit by Fellows and Said. They'll easily qualify in the top 5 but usually seem to get a top 10 finish (someone please correct me if I'm wrong!).

Marcus Ambrose will be #1 'ringer' in my opinion. I think he can genuinely win. He's proved himself as a talented tin-top driver.

I think Carpentier will struggle a bit because of the better quality of drivers in Cup. I certainly wouldn't rule him out of a top 10 finish.


Carpentier has competed with the best in top series, he'll be just fine.. :cool:

[RaceFanStan]

"Will a Ringer win at Watkins Glen this weekend ?"
NO !!! http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

[Haulin'AssAndTurnin Left]

Will a Ringer win at Watkins Glen this weekend?


only one that could do it is Ambrose. That man can drive.

[blakebeatty]

One of these road course specialists will win: either Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, or Juan Pablo Montoya.

I think that Ambrose tearing up the BUSCH race in montreal is one thing. To run like that in cup is a whole different ball game. And in an RGM car no less? Gonna be tough as nails!

[Alexamateo]

Well, no "ringer" has won since Mark Donohue won at Riverside in Roger Penske's AMC Matador in 1973. I don't see that happening because the Cup guys now are pretty good road racers now, so there's a lot to overcome.

That said, if there ever was a time for a driver to win in his Cup debut, now is it. Marcos is a regular on the Busch tour, he is used to driving the heavy cars, he's an excellent road racer and Robby Gordon's guys know how to set up a car for the road courses.

Jamie Macmurray won his second start, Kevin Harvick his third, but no one has won his first start since Indy car driver Johnny Rutherford won his Daytona qualifier in 1963. (They were bona fide points paying races at the time.) I think the best since then was Rusty Wallace finishing second in his first start in 1980.

I hope he does it, chances like this don't come very often, so you've got to grab them while you can.

[Lee Roy]

only one that could do it is Ambrose. That man can drive.

Can Ambrose be considered a "ringer"? This is his second year in NASCAR.

BTW, I'd love to see him win.

[Mark in Oshawa]

NO !!! http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

while History supports you, you seem to be viscerally against the idea Stan.

I went through the pickem lists, and the lack of respect the ringers get is stunning. Only about 4 of you put ONE ringer in the top 10, and most of you put Fellows down for 9th. As I type this, he is the fastest guy in practice. He has had 3 wins in Busch here, and is always better here than in Infineon. Said is always quick, and Carpentier has shown he isn't afraid of this type of car either. Ambrose has been racing heavy stock cars on road courses all his life, so I would be also tempted to say he could to be a factor. I think you guys in the pickem's game are fools if you don't put 2 guys out of the ringer club in your top 10 yet only afew of you put ONE in there.

At some point, it will happen again. As good as Tony Stewart, Montoya, Jeff Gordon and Robby Gordon are on road courses, a ringer will sneak in and take one. It may not happen this weekend, but it will happen.

[luvracin]

Are they running the COT? If they are then I would say the chance of a "Ringer" winning is higher than normal because the car familiarity factor is reduced(and yes I said reduced NOT eliminated).

That said though, it's still an uphill battle. {pun intended}

[Sparky1329]

Cup QF has been rained out so Marcos won't be racing on Sunday. Bummer.

[bovic]

Cup QF has been rained out so Marcos won't be racing on Sunday. Bummer.

Why? Like Carpentier today practiced and finished 9th.. He won't drive on sunday either? :confused:

[Mark in Oshawa]

Bovic, the car Carp was in doesn't have the owners points to get into the race if qualifying is rained out. Qualifying is based on time and the top 35 cars are guarnteed a spot in the race. IF you are faster than the 8 guys who are NOT in the top 35 in car owners points, then you get in. If Qualifying is just rained out, then they go strictly on car owners points. That said, I think Carp is in Scott Rigg's number 10, so he should get in since that car was in that 35 to 43 group.

[bovic]

Bovic, the car Carp was in doesn't have the owners points to get into the race if qualifying is rained out. Qualifying is based on time and the top 35 cars are guarnteed a spot in the race. IF you are faster than the 8 guys who are NOT in the top 35 in car owners points, then you get in. If Qualifying is just rained out, then they go strictly on car owners points. That said, I think Carp is in Scott Rigg's number 10, so he should get in since that car was in that 35 to 43 group.

Ok, if I understand correctly, Pat's in because once you take the 35 sure quali and look at the rest, he's faster already than at least one of those 8 others fastest..?

I think I read that Riggs' car was like 37th in points as of now.. I don't think they'll run a 35 cars field now won't they? How do they determine the other 8 cars in case of rained out qualis?

[Lee Roy]

How do they determine the other 8 cars in case of rained out qualis?


http://www.jayski.com/teams/qualifying-rules.htm

[BobbyC]

Ok, if I understand correctly, Pat's in because once you take the 35 sure quali and look at the rest, he's faster already than at least one of those 8 others fastest..?

I think I read that Riggs' car was like 37th in points as of now.. I don't think they'll run a 35 cars field now won't they? How do they determine the other 8 cars in case of rained out qualis?

After the top 35 teams:

1 - Race winners from the previous and current season (#83-Vickers)
2 - All former NNCS Champions entered (#44-Jarrett, #55-T. Labonte, #21-Elliott)
3 - Most attempts for 2007 (by owner points to break ties):

So these teams are:

40. 10 - James Roccoco (36th) (Carpentier)
41. 00 - Cal Wells (39th) (Jones)
42. 36 - Gail Davis (42nd) (Mayfield)
43. 78 - Barney Visser (43rd) (K. Wallace)

[bovic]

So Carpentier's starting 40th :) .. because? :p

[Mark in Oshawa]

He is starting Bovic, that is the main thing. It isn't some conspiracy on the part of NASCAR to keep out Canadians or stop them from winning. The fact is when qualfying is rained out, the cars that get in are in on owners points. Relax, Patrick will just have to be patient. The best part of NASCAR on a road course is that almost anyone has a shot at winning. JPM was not near the front at Infineon at the start believe me. If you can come from 16th or 20th to win, you can come from 40th.

[Lee Roy]

because?

Because he's in the #10.

[Old3Fan]

I have to go with proven Nascar regular winners like JG, TS, KH etc.

[Jonesi]

Ron Fellows in 4th was the best of the RC ringers. Those 160 points probably look like a win to HOF racing.

[harvick#1]

Fellows was very quick too, just ran out of laps and had some bad luck on stragedy