Michigan Cup Race thread

[Jonesi]

Entry list - 48 cars entered
'Top 35', All the regular drivers are back, including Mark Martin back in #01, Bill Elliott back in #21 which is back up in top 35.
'Need for Speed' All the regular drivers are back, John Andretti is now the driver of #49.
Extra car is Joe Nemechek #08 Dodge.

[Jonesi]

Kenny Wallace is out of #78, Scott Wimmer will drive it at Michigan.

[Erki]

Interesting. Doesn't #78 use Hendrick's engine? And isn't Wimmer tied with Childress?

[Jonesi]

I don't think those engine deal details go that far. If RCR-DEI didn't find out anything they wanted about HMS engines from those sitting around Ginn racing, than Wimmer isn't likely to.

[blakebeatty]

Whatever happened to chevys big engine unification plans?

[Jonesi]

Whatever happened to chevys big engine unification plans?

It sounded like that was the meeting with Chevy that Childress & Hendrick didn't want Gibbs coming to, if he may go to Toyota.

[RaceFanStan]

Chevrolet is currently asking the teams to commit to the manufacturer they intend to use in 2008.
Hendrick MotorSports has already re-upped with Chevrolet, Childress (RCR) is expected to shortly.
(With RCR & DEI combining engine shops it would also appear DEI will go Chevrolet.)
Gibbs remains no-comment which has Chevrolet thinking Gibbs is about to jump ship.
Chevrolet wants their teams inline for 2008 before they start revealing their plan for 2008.
I can't blame Chevrolet for that, the last thing you want is for a competitor to know your plan. :D

(Of course as bad as Toyota is struggling, knowing Chevrolet's plan probably wouldn't help them anyway.) http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

[muggle not]

I could see some fireworks next year......IF..... JGR goes with Toyota and .....IF.....Toyota continues to struggle. Tony, Kyle, and Denny are not exactly the "patient" type of drivers.

[Chandler]

Damn right about that muggle. Tony especially will not tolerate having garbage cars week in and week out.

[tstran17_88]

Whatever happened to chevys big engine unification plans?There is an article about it from SAE that I have in hand...not sure where to find it online though.

It mentions that Nascar approved the Chevrolet R07 for competition in 2007 and it made its debut at Texas earlier this year. Its expected to become the exclusive engine Chevy teams use to replace the SB2 (small block-2nd generation) engine that they currently use when the inventory for the SB2 is turned over to GM. It also mentions that the R07 is the first purpose built engine designed by GM Racing specifically for Nascar.

The rest of the article talks about the nuts & bolts of the engine.

[Jonesi]

Damn right about that muggle. Tony especially will not tolerate having garbage cars week in and week out.

I can't see how they will have garbage cars next year. Gibbs has probably the best CoTs right now. Next year will be all CoTs races. The only difference in marques on the CoTs is the nose shape (and decals) there's been no complaints that the Toyota nose design is bad on aero. That leaves engines, Toyota has said the engines are putting out the same hp as the others at the top of the range. They're only off a few hp in the mid-range and they are working on it. The Gibbs crew are championship level teams, they aren't going to start working like the startup RedBull teams just because they switch to Toyota.

[Jonesi]

Chad McCumbee will be in Kyle Petty's #45 this weekend.

About a dozen Chevys will have '57 Chevy' grille & tailfin decals this weekend, Jayski have pics.
Watch out Jeff Gordon gets his crew chief back and tailfins to go with his '50s flames! Cue Greased Lightning! ;-)

[harvick#1]

ah so the cheats are finally back to there teams, wonder how long they get caught again :rolleyes: well Chad may get caught this weekend

[RaceFanStan]

“Make It On Speed or GO HOME Gang” that made the race :
11. Michael Waltrip #55 Toyota
12. David Reutimann #00 Toyota
16. John Andretti #49 Dodge
17. Dave Blaney #22 Toyota
18. Brian Vickers #83 Toyota
27. Ward Burton #4 Chevrolet
32. Joe Nemechek #08 Dodge
43. Scott Riggs #10 Dodge

Looks like Michael Waltrip Racing has found some horsepower in their Toyotas ! :eek:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/dnq.jpg
NOT enough speed to make the race :s
Jeremy Mayfield #36 Toyota
Dale Jarrett #44 Toyota
Scott Wimmer #78 Chevrolet
Kevin Lepage #37 Dodge
A J Allmendinger #84 Toyota

I wonder why Michael Waltrip Racing didn't share their new found horsepower with Dale Jarrett ? :s

[Jonesi]

“Make It On Speed or GO HOME Gang” that made the race :
11. Michael Waltrip #55 Toyota
12. David Reutimann #00 Toyota
16. John Andretti #49 Dodge
17. Dave Blaney #22 Toyota
18. Brian Vickers #83 Toyota
27. Ward Burton #4 Chevrolet
32. Joe Nemechek #08 Dodge
43. Scott Riggs #10 Dodge

Looks like Michael Waltrip Racing has found some horsepower in their Toyotas ! :eek:

NOT enough speed to make the race :s
Jeremy Mayfield #36 Toyota
Dale Jarrett #44 Toyota
Scott Wimmer #78 Chevrolet
Kevin Lepage #37 Dodge
A J Allmendinger #84 Toyota

I wonder why Michael Waltrip Racing didn't share their new found horsepower with Dale Jarrett ? :s

Considering David Reutimann qualified right behind Mikey, they probably all have the same hp. Most likely DJ either missed the setup or just had a bad lap. Interesting to see both Andretti & Nemechek making the race in new rides.

[geek49203]

Rain will be the story tomorrow.

Currently, it is raining at MIS. Looking at the radar, the rain stretches all the way back over lake Michigan, over Wisconsin and Minnesota, into South Dakota.

The weather calls for "Definite Rain Showers" until after the scheduled start time, changing to "likely" showers until "definite" showers around dark. There is a 60% chance of rain on Monday.

And just when my shoes were drying out from the IRL race 2 weeks ago at MIS...

[Jonesi]

Thanks for the heads up, looks ugly. Why does this only happen on weekend with no other racing on TV?
http://www.weather.com/weather/map/currentradar/49230?from=hrly_topnav_undeclared

[geek49203]

Thanks for the heads up, looks ugly. Why does this only happen on weekend with no other racing on TV?
http://www.weather.com/weather/map/currentradar/49230?from=hrly_topnav_undeclared

It only seems this way.

I distinctly remember standing in the rain at Indy (Monaco for F1, Charlotte for NASCAR), IRL at Michigan (Pocono for NASCAR, Hungarian for F1), practice for the Brickyard (San Jose for CCWS), and now this weekend.

Might I suggest a Steve McQueen movie, perhaps "LeMans"? Or maybe the 1966 movie "Grand Prix"? I got comp copies of the ESPN "defining moments" DVDs, and the extended stuff includes some really great vintage footage.

[Jonesi]

Race postponed until noon tomorrow on ESPN2.

Or postponed further:
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/nextel/nascar/39574/

[Aussie12]

Rain... ARGH! I got up at 3am to watch it live! :dozey:

[Jonesi]

The hour-by-hour for today is at least 70% chance of rain, Tuesday's only a little better at 30-40%. Looks like people will be munching on Thanksgiving leftovers when this one goes green. When does that part of MI usually see snow?

[dont_be_jack]

The hour-by-hour for today is at least 70% chance of rain, Tuesday's only a little better at 30-40%. Looks like people will be munching on Thanksgiving leftovers when this one goes green. When does that part of MI usually see snow?

Not that early unless there's a system coming through in November, but it has happened. Might be the coldest NASCAR race in a while...

[Erki]

Not that early unless there's a system coming through in November, but it has happened. Might be the coldest NASCAR race in a while...

Even colder than the Bristol Busch race last spring?(it snowed that time)

[Jonesi]

Now scheduled for Tuesday at 10am.

[DavePI2]

Looks like I made the right choice by staying home today and gambling on tomorrow. If it rains out tomorrow though I am not making the trek from columbus ohio again unless it is in november. Last time I buy a ticket for a race at Michigan. Nothing against michigan itself, beutifull track in beutifull country but it is obviously jinxed. I have been too three races in two years there(2 irl and this cup) and it has rained at each one. Oh and as for the forcast of doom and gloom if the race is run in november remember what happened after 911. That was the Loudan race that was postponed and moved to after thanksgiving. The same fears were raised about a race in n.h. in late november. It was a very nice day at Loudan as I remember. The guy who wished his particular race after 911 had been postponed was alex zanardi. Does anyone remember that wreck? Oh well hope they run tomorrow. I will have my pic of seats if they do.

David

[Mark in Oshawa]

10 am Tuesday start....and here I was thinking yesterday I was going to miss the race because no one would pick up the TV of it on Monday. Well, I was away from the computer and TV most of Monday but today...well we are gonna watch NASCAR on a Tuesday..lucky ME

[RaceFanStan]

Engines are fired ! :D :up:

[geek49203]

And the fog is so thick I can barely see turn 3 from the press box (on top of the VIP suites).

[RaceFanStan]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/flag/grn.gifhttp://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/flag/yel.gif

[gm99]

Are they gonna do a Champ Car Australia 2002 (i.e. run the entire race under yellow)?

[RaceFanStan]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/flag/r.gif

:s

[RaceFanStan]

Are they gonna do a Champ Car Australia 2002 (i.e. run the entire race under yellow)?
NO.

[Mark in Oshawa]

By the time they get this one in, they will be right into practice at Bristol!!!

[RaceFanStan]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/flag/yel.gif

[RaceFanStan]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/flag/grn.gif

[Jonesi]

For a Tuesday morning race they still have a good crowd in the stands.

[RaceFanStan]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/flag/yel.gif 42

[Jonesi]

Hard to tell if JPM got aero lose or 22 came down on him.

[RaceFanStan]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/flag/yel.gif

[gm99]

Vickers is doing a great job today so far - currently lies third and led a couple of laps earlier in the race. If he manages to hold on, he just might get Toyota's first Cup top-three finish!

JPM also recovered nicely from his early spin and is now back in the top twenty after charging through the field (just passed Harvick for the second time today without actually hitting him, too ;) )

[dont_be_jack]

Kurt Busch wins again, making it even harder for Junior to get into the chase.

[DavePI2]

for someone who is not a nascar fan and only went because my son wanted to go I must say I had a great time. Very good race. With the open seating I went from turn 4 row 7 to just past the start finish row 21. Very enjoyable time. Will have to watch more in the future. I have to stop putting down nascar it was worth it . Also for all the complaints I have heard about traffic at michigan I thought considering the circumstances with a parking lot that was a mudhole getting out went very well. Thank you MIS. Now getting back to Columbus, Ohio with all the flooding in north central ohio, and I-75 being closed south of findley because of flooding , now that is another story. Will be back next year, hope not to see any more rain in michigan though. I guess it's true, there is no such thing as bad racing. Oh and thanks Nascar and all nascar fans for a very enjoyable day.

David

[tstran17_88]

Hard to tell if JPM got aero lose or 22 came down on him.He was just wreckless out there...a lot of the drivers and spotters were bitching about him.

[DavePI2]

the same jpm who to out 1/3 of the field on the first turn at the usgp for being reckless. They bitch about him no matter what he is driving.

David