Daily NASCAR

by Holly Cain

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, NASCAR Crashes, NASCAR Fights, Joey Logano, NASCAR

Since NASCAR famously adopted and embraced its “Boys, Have At It” policy, some drivers are “having” more than others. Aggressive driving is nothing new to NASCAR. Most fans consider hard-nosed driving and rough-and-tumble finishes a large part of what makes their sport so compelling.

In these last few crucial weeks to set the 12-driver Chase for the Championship, however, this go-for-it mindset has risen to new heights — or lows. There has been as much finger-pointing and shoving in the garage as bump-and-run on the race track … and even a little profane name-calling during driver introductions.

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Before I begin, I just really need to get this off my chest…I told you so.

For the last week some in the NASCAR media have been trying to turn fleeting anger between Juan Pablo Montoya and Brian Pattie into the feud of the century…the ‘beginning of the end?’ some asked. I think Sunday proved how wrong that was.

Now the storyline is that this win has repaired that rift. Convenient how some are able to craft this story to make it look like they were right all along. 

The truth is, if any rift existed in the first place, that win probably wouldn’t have occurred. Chemistry is a delicate and important thing in racing, and when it’s off, or not working, wins don’t happen. This wasn’t the first time JPM has been angry at Brian Pattie, and lets be honest, it won’t be the last.

These ‘much ado about nothing’ storylines have plagued EGR over the last few seasons. It’s true there have been struggles, and layoffs. And things haven’t always been peachy in Concord, Indianapolis or Pittsburgh. But the dire predictions haven’t generally matched up with reality.

And now Chip Ganassi and his organization are proving that.

For most in motorsports, success is very cyclical. Sometimes you’re on top, sometimes you’re not. Such is the case with Ganassi and EGR. It was not so long ago they were laying off a third of the organization, and we’re at best a well funded back marker.

Today, EGR is a three time winner in 2010 - a distinction that puts them just behind Gibbs and Hendrick on the season - and consistently competitive (though the Chase is not likely this season).

In a sport dominated by massive teams they’re an anomaly among their peers. I saw someone had been trying to bring the term ’boutique team’ to the lexicon to describe EGR. It’s not a bad description – they’re small, efficient and good quality. It hasn’t really caught on, but it was a valiant effort.

Spend much time around this sport, or really any sport and it’s interesting to see how things change, evolve and grow (or flop). Yesterday’s titans are tomorrow’s old news. From the depths of two years ago when some were predicting the end of CGR to where they are today, EGR is on the upswing of this cycle, and Chip Ganassi is a very happy man.

As the great Mark Twain said, “rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.”

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Two weeks, two problems and frustrations again boiled over on the radio between Juan Pablo Montoya and his crew chief Brian Pattie.

With the four tire stop that cost them the race at the Brickyard still fresh in their minds, Montoya entered the pits for a late race stop at Pocono. As he pulled in his box he rolled just ever slightly forward screwing up the teams rhythm and costing them time and positions.

What resulted was a 17 second pit stop and a profanity laced tirade that included Pattie telling Montoya he needed to go to Charlotte and practice pit stops, and Montoya telling Pattie, “Screw you!” He further blamed Pattie for making a bad call.

On the surface this appears to be the beginning of the end for the Pattie, Montoya relationship. Tension is building and that is evident in these select interactions between the two. Still, despite all the trouble the two have had this season I don’t think things aren’t quite as bad as they seem.

Juan Pablo Montoya is known for his temper, and his spectacular (I say sarcastically) ability to express his opinion and frustration – normally it involves an ‘f’ and a ‘you’.

Brian Pattie on the other hand is about as cool, calm and collected as they come. The difference in their personalities is one of the reasons I believe they have had such a productive (though not as successful as they would have liked) relationship.

It can’t be denied this hasn’t been a great season for team #42. They’ve had just four top-fives and sit 21st in the points. Most damaging of all, Montoya has had seven DNFs. On top of that it doesn’t look very good that his teammate Jamie McMurray has already had two wins in his inaugural season with EGR.

This was Montoya’s season to shine. Now he’s being outshined. Add that to some missed opportunities because of what turned out to be wrong decisions and Montoya is not very happy with his racing – and that’s translating to frustration with Pattie.

That brings us to the million dollar question: what does that mean for Brian Pattie and JPM going down the road? Is this the beginning of the end?

I don’t think so. No doubt this is a rough patch in their relationship. But I think the progress that has been made and the relationship that has been built is too valuable to give up on.

Fortunately for Pattie and Montoya, Chip Ganassi isn’t Jack Roush. And through the rough spots there have been moments of near triumph. It’s a matter of consistency and good luck, and right now the #42 team is struggling.

Given the right circumstances this is a team and combination that can be successful – I think outside the fleeting moments of anger all parties involved know that.

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by Holly Cain

Filed under: Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, NASCAR

SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Soaked in champagne and still grinning from ear to ear, NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi was walking over to a Corvette convertible for his second victory lap around Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the last two months when Tony Stewart stopped him in his tracks.

They shook hands, shared a laugh and Stewart, NASCAR’s only owner-driver, patted Ganassi on the back, offering his congratulations.

“That was a moment between car owners,” Sunday’s fifth-place finisher Stewart said with a smile and a nod. “Can I appreciate what he’s done here? Oh yeah.”

What he’s done is make history as the first team owner in auto racing history to win the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 at Indy in the same season. But it came with a twist.

One of Ganassi’s drivers, Juan Pablo Montoya, dominated practice, qualifying and most of the early race until crashing with 15 laps to go Sunday while his other driver, Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray beat Kevin Harvick on the ensuing re-start, held the off the field for 11 laps and ultimately delivered the triumph to Ganassi instead.

In all, Ganassi drivers led a race-best 102 of the event’s 160 laps, but McMurray’s 16 laps out front (including five earlier in the day) is the second fewest ever for a winner. Not that it matters.

“To win all those (races) in one year is remarkable,” Harvick said of Ganassi’s organization. “It will probably never happen again.”

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by Holly Cain

Filed under: Juan Pablo Montoya, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, NASCAR

SPEEDWAY, Ind. — It was of little surprise that Juan Pablo Montoya won the pole position for Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is one of the two biggest events on the NASCAR schedule and when the stakes are highest, Montoya’s team owner, Chip Ganassi, brings the A-game.

A victory by Montoya or his teammate, Jamie McMurray, on Sunday, accompanying Ganassi team wins in the Daytona 500 (McMurray) and the Indianapolis 500 (Dario Franchitti) earlier this year, would give Ganassi one of racing’s most rare and impressive trifectas.

He already is the first owner to win the Daytona 500 and Indy 500 in the same season. No team owner has ever won both the NASCAR and IndyCar races at Indianapolis.

“I wish I could put my finger on it,” Ganassi said this week. “Our drivers get up for big events, they seem to like those places.

“So many times you have drivers who are good a particular type of track. Fortunately, our guys are good at the tracks that have the big races. Believe me, that’s a big help, and it’s no small thing.”

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