Good race last night

MountaineerTom · May 6, 2001

Pretty good race. I thought Rusty was going to wear them out, but it didn't happen. How about the exchange of words between Rusty and Jeff? Pretty good. I like to see good, heated arguements and rivelries.

Here's some info from http://www.thatsracin.com/

RICHMOND, Va. - Rusty Wallace led the most laps and looked like he had the car to beat. Jeff Gordon had moved up to second-place behind leader Tony Stewart on a restart with two laps to go.

In the end, neither got what they wanted.

Wallace moved up underneath Gordon on the restart and nudged Gordon's car up the track, and with the two racing side-by-side and slowed by the contact, Stewart was able to gain a big enough lead to win Saturday night's Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

On the cool-down lap, Gordon, who finished second, turned his car into Wallace, who finished third. When both pulled into pit road to park, Wallace walked from his car to Gordon's and confronted him, where Gordon asked what Wallace was thinking on the restart.

"I don't (expletive) hit you on purpose," Wallace said.

"Rusty, you drove straight into me," replied Gordon.

"I couldn't stop the g*dd*mn thing," Wallace said.

Gordon: "You don't go underneath me like that when you know you're not going to be able to stop."

Wallace: "Don't break check any more. These are the guys that are fixing the cars. We don't need to be (expletive) them up on them."

Gordon: "Hey, I had a shot at winning."

Wallace: "You did not. You weren't even close, man."

The two drivers exchanged a few more expletives and barbs, before they returned to their cars. But both had to report to the media center for post-race interviews. Wallace was completing his when Gordon arrived. Gordon listened for a while and then shook hands with Wallace before he left.

"He body-slammed me pretty hard there in the last corner," Gordon said of the incident with Wallace with two laps to go. "It was just racing but I was a little mad at him. I thought it was a little uncalled for. He got a good restart and he got underneath me, but there's no reason to slam me all the way up to the other lane."

Wallace's take on the final two laps:

"We had a run on him and we went down into (Turn) 1 and that was it. I don't (know) what to say except there were two laps (left) and all #### breaks loose and we were going for it. We were going for it. We're race car drivers. I banged into him pretty hard, got him out of shape, he finished second and we finished third."

Saturday night was Gordon's second consecutive second-place finish and he moved to within 14 points of series points leader Dale Jarrett (1,559-1,545), who finished 15th. Jarrett's car stalled following a red flag to clean the track of debris on Lap 395 of the 400-lap race.

General Lee 01 · May 6, 2001

Are expletives 4 letter words?

Elwood · May 6, 2001

Well, I thought Rusty had it for a long time, but he just didn't have the car at the end. Glad he made up some ground on Jarrett though. As for Gordon, Rusty was right he didn't have a chance. No way he was gonna beat Stewart last night. I think Rusty handled himself well with the reporters imediately following his confrontation with Gordon, he had enough sense to talk about everything but that. Gordon on the other hand had do what he does best and cry a river.

Kansas Kid · May 7, 2001

I guess it was alright for Gordon to spin Stewart out at Bristol, but Rusty has no right to do the same to Gordon? I thought that made the whole race, and was hoping Park would pass both because of it. :biggrin: I agree that it was a good race, despite the winner.

Bill89 · May 7, 2001

Kansas Kid, I wasn't going to reply but I couldn't resist. Gordon did not spin out tony at Bristol. Go back and watch the tape. Gordon went down off the track to keep from spinning him out. Tony got into him and spun himself out. And if your read up on it Tony admitted that Gordon was far enough beside him that he did not realize. Sorry for this but I am sick and tired of people blamming Gordon for everything he is involved in. The guy is **** good and if he does screw up I do admit it. Yes Gordon is my favorite driver and if he does something wrong I will admit it. People hate Gordon becasue he supposably had money and that got him into racing. Well Earnhardt got in it how? yes his dad. Same as Jr. his dad!!! I like Earnhardt but for people to hate Gordon and boo him is bulls***!!! He's good at what he does, and he didn't have a dad to get him into Nascar, it was his driving!!!!

General Lee 01 · May 7, 2001

Here we go.

That's not why I hate Jeff Gordon, I hate him so much I'll have to start a new thread. So........

Kansas Kid · May 7, 2001

Bill89,

let me set something straight before I address the rest of your post. I do not particularly like Jeff Gordon, nor do I have too. You won't catch me cheering for him, booing him, or saying that he isn't good at what he does.

As for the little racing incident that happened Saturday night, I will tell you what I don't like about what happened. Gordon blew the restart and gave Rusty a good chance to pass and left the bottom lane open. Now was Rusty supposed to just back off and let Jeff go? I think Jeff thought so, but did he back off at Bristol this spring? He easily could have and avoided the whole situation there. This has nothing to do with Gordon, cause I hate it when any driver expects someone to get out of the way for them, but get mad when it isn't done in return.

Oh and if you think that Earnhardt's dad, not his driving got him into NASCAR, you are full of it.

Elwood · May 8, 2001

Well, I have to admit I was never a big Earnhardt fan. But I've liked Jr. since he started, think I just didn't like Earnhardt because evryone else did. But to say he got into NASCAR because of his dad is ludicrous. The man won 7 championships, I didn't see his dad driving those cars to all those victories. As for Gordon he did it himself too. Yes they both had help from their parents s did Jr., but I would venture to say that no of us on this list would be where we are today without our parents help in some way. So just let it rest about how they all got here, because no matter how it happened (even if that is how) they wouldn't have done as well if they couldn't drive the wheels of a race car.

And as for Bristol I have to agree that Gordon didn't spin out Stewart on purpose. But I think Kansas Kid is right, Gordon did nothing that night that Rusty didn't do at Richmond.....and I guarantee that if the roles were reversed Gordon would have gone for second place if Rusty slipped up in front of him. If he wouldn't do that, he wouldn't be as good as he is, you don't win races and championships by slowing up for others mistakes and not taking opportunities.

Bill89 · May 8, 2001

To end this topic!! I do agree that Earnhardt is a good driver. But his dad did help him get into Nascar. I have always liked Big E. And it still seems wierd watching a race without him. And yes Gordon did blow the restart it seemed. But he didn't let up. Rusty said he got into the corner to hard which sent him into Gordon. Neither let up and that was racing. Gordon hitting him on the cool down lap should not have happened. A little yelling is good, that makes it more interesting. It just seems when Gordon is involved that most people take the other persons side no matter what happened. But hey, they all go home and come to race another day.