Ford gets it handed to them again.

Elwood · February 11, 2002

Fords get help from NASCAR after Stewart wins Shootout

By JENNA FRYER

AP Sports Writer

February 11, 2002

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Tony Stewart and the Ford drivers were the only ones celebrating after the first race of the NASCAR season.

Stewart drove his Pontiac to victory Sunday in the Budweiser Shootout, a nonpoints race at Daytona International Speedway. Two hours after its completion, NASCAR reduced the spoilers on the Fords to make the Tauruses more competitive.

The rules change overshadowed Stewart's second straight victory in the made-for-TV event and spawned a flurry of complaints from the other three car makes.

``The Dodge camp is now basically behind the eight ball across the board,'' said Tony Glover, team manager for Chip Ganassi Racing. ``It's disheartening and it's disappointing when you start into a situation as an underdog.''

NASCAR cut a quarter-inch off the Ford's rear spoilers following their poor showing in the shootout.

The spoilers will be reduced to 6 inches, a full half-inch smaller than they were when NASCAR first introduced its new aerodynamic package late last fall. NASCAR took the first quarter-inch away last month after the Fords tested poorly under the new rules.

The Fords can begin using the smaller spoilers on Tuesday, and NASCAR will monitor their progress in the 125-mile qualifying races on Thursday. Should the decision shift the disadvantage to any of the other three car makes, NASCAR president Mike Helton said more changes could be made before next Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500.

``We're making these changes based on results on the track,'' Helton said. ``This action is coming from what we've seen in Daytona so far.''

The Fords have been slow since the first practice here Friday. Only two Fords cracked the Top 20 in the first round of qualifying on Saturday, and Dale Jarrett's Robert Yates-owned Taurus was the top finisher in Sunday's shootout.

Jarrett's sixth-place finish was almost four seconds behind Stewart, who held off a last-lap charge by the Chevrolets of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon to win the race.

The race was a single-file event until it turned into a legitimate shootout at the end, with Stewart winning for the second straight year with an Earnhardt in his rearview mirror.

Earnhardt Jr. was on Stewart's rear bumper until the finish line, reminiscent of last year when Stewart outdueled Dale Earnhardt one week before the seven-time Winston Cup champion was killed in the Daytona 500.

``Winning that race last year with that black No. 3 in my mirror was the highlight of my career,'' Stewart said. ``But this was just like last year. He may have 'Junior' behind his name, but he drives like Senior.''

The thrill from the win was shortlived, though, as Stewart and his crew chief reacted to the Fords getting help.

``I'm the only one who can lose by this because I won under the old rules,'' Stewart said. ``I don't want them to do anything to the cars.''

And Greg Zipadelli, his crew chief, thought the Fords didn't deserve the break.

``They should have been left alone from the start and forced to do their homework a little better before they got here,'' Zipadelli said.

Yates fired back.

``We've worked extremely hard,'' he said. ``We didn't sit back or sandbag.''

Then he mentioned the four Chevrolets of Hendrick Motorsports, including that of Gordon.

``Rick Hendrick can get his towel out and cry about it all he wants to, but the bottom line is that physics is hurting us,'' Yates said. ``Thank goodness NASCAR is making some adjustments for that.

``There are a lot of good Ford teams and a lot of other teams that are good, but you can't erase too much of a handicap.''

The Chevrolets, which most people believe have at least a slight advantage, are using a 6 1/4 -inch rear spoiler, while both the Dodges and Pontiacs are at 6 1/2 inches.

Ford teams have complained since the end of last season that they are at an aerodynamic disadvantage under the new rules for Daytona and Talladega, NASCAR's two biggest and fastest ovals.

The new package was introduced late last fall after driver complaints about dangerous racing at the two tracks in 2001. Those events had three- and four-wide racing and passing throughout the pack on just about every lap.

That resulted in a 19-car pileup near the end of the Daytona 500 that resulted in Stewart flipping on the backstretch. The elder Earnhardt was killed on the final lap of the race.

``Rick Hendrick can get his towel out and cry about it all he wants to, but the bottom line is that physics is hurting us,'' Yates said. ``Thank goodness NASCAR is making some adjustments for that.

``There are a lot of good Ford teams and a lot of other teams that are good, but you can't erase too much of a handicap.''

He's one to talk about crying. If he's so worried about being at a disadvantage, then he should changes to GM or Dodge. That's part of the game, which car is the best, if they keep changing them like this then there's no reason to have different manufacturers.

General Lee 01 · February 11, 2002

This will make for an interesting Twin 125's.

Elwood · February 11, 2002

Update here, with a few more fun quotes.

Debate over aerodynamic rules gains momentum

By JENNA FRYER

AP Sports Writer

February 11, 2002

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- An extra quarter-inch off the top hardly seems enough to worry about. But NASCAR's decision to give Fords a shorter rear spoiler has others up in arms.

``I thought it was supposed to snow on Christmas,'' car owner Richard Childress said, gazing into the sunny sky on Monday.

Asked what he meant, the owner who fields three Chevrolet's was blunt.

``I thought it was Christmas after the present the Fords just got.''

NASCAR will allow the Fords to reduce their spoilers -- the winglike metal device at the rear of the trunklid -- to 6 inches beginning Tuesday. The move is being taken because the Tauruses haven't been competitive at Daytona International Speedway.

The Fords have been slow in practice, had just two cars in the top 20 after the first round of time trials and brought up the rear in the Budweiser Shootout. Dale Jarrett was the highest Ford finisher, coming in sixth, but almost four seconds behind race winner Tony Stewart in a Pontiac.

So NASCAR approved the quarter-inch coming off the top, bringing the spoiler height down a full half-inch smaller than they were when the new aerodynamic package was introduced late last fall. NASCAR took the first quarter-inch away last month after the Fords tested poorly here under the new rules.

The Chevrolets, which most people believe have at least a slight advantage, are using a 6 1/4-inch rear spoiler, while both the Dodges and Pontiacs are at 6 1/2 inches.

But the move outraged the three other manufacturers. Opposing crew chiefs accused the Fords of everything from deliberately sabotaging their efforts to force NASCAR to give them relief to laziness in their preparation for Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500.

``Do your homework,'' said Greg Zipadelli, Stewart's crew chief. ``We're driving a 7-year-old Pontiac, our body is so old I applied for antique plates, and we found a way to make it work.''

Jimmy Spencer, who drove a Ford for nine seasons before switching to Dodge this year, said NASCAR unfairly helped the Fords without even considering giving the Intrepid relief. Spencer was 44th in the first round of time trials and said his Dodge was much slower than the Fords in Monday's practice -- a day before the spoilers were reduced.

``They were hauling the mail down the straightaway, I thought they already had changed on the spoiler because they were going so fast,'' Spencer said. ``I don't mind going to a prize fight, but I want to have a fighting chance.''

The accusations offended the Ford teams, who quickly reached for the time sheets to show that the Pontiacs and Chevrolets have consistently picked up speed since the aero package was first tested in January, while the Fords have made almost no improvement.

``It's quite obvious to me who the sandbaggers are and they're over there in the Chevrolets. They're the only ones getting faster each time out,'' said Frankie Stoddard, crew chief for Jeff Burton's Ford. ``And the Pontiacs are fast, too.''

Stoddard was extremely upset over the allegations of a poor winter work ethic.

``That's just people who are immature and haven't been in the sport long enough to understand what's going on,'' he said.

NASCAR officials never bought into the Ford sandbagging theory, saying the results of Sunday's non-points race was enough of an indicator for them. Behind Jarrett, the other eight Ford entries finished between 10th and 21st in the 22-car field.

``These guys are racers,'' NASCAR president Mike Helton said. ``When they get onto a race track it's to win a race.''

The issue might not be settled any time soon, either. Helton said he'd be keeping a close eye on Thursday's twin 125-mile qualifying races to see how the competition is shaping up and too many discrepancies could lead to even more adjustments before Sunday's event.

``There's still some tweaking that can be done,'' Helton said. ``Nothing is out of the question.''

``It's quite obvious to me who the sandbaggers are and they're over there in the Chevrolets. They're the only ones getting faster each time out,'' said Frankie Stoddard, crew chief for Jeff Burton's Ford. ``And the Pontiacs are fast, too.''

That makes absolutely no sense to me.

This should make for some very interesting comments on ESPN unscripted this week daily at 5p.m. EST. Every day they have a different NASCAR driver. Marlin today, Harvick Friday, I forget who else.

Kansas Kid · February 11, 2002

Take a look at the practice speeds from this morning, the first practice the cars have had in the draft for speedweeks. I'm not quite sure yet, but I also believe that these speeds were posted before the spolier on the Fords was cut down.

Monday morning practice speeds

I have absolutely no idea why NA$CAR decided to change the rules again, before even running the Twin 125's. Absolutely stupid IMO. Quite honestly, I hope the Fords come out and flat out dominate the twins. Maybe then NA$CAR will realize just how stupid they are to mess with the rules already.

I seem to remember the Daytona 500 about 2 years ago, that the Fords were dominate in pre-season testing, they were dominate in the Twin 125's, and yet NA$CAR made absolutely no changes for the 500, a race in which a GM product never lead a lap. I don't understand why the made no rule changes back then, and they do this time around when the speed differences aren't nearly as drastic.

Elwood · February 11, 2002

IMO because Robert Yates and Jack Rousch cry more about it than any of the other owners of any other cars.

Elwood · February 11, 2002

Well no wonder Ford complained, they only had 4 or the top 5 spots.

Of course they could just be upset that their fastest car was Geoffrey Bodine, I know I would be .

General Lee 01 · February 11, 2002

I want to see Fords dominate the twins just so it'll rile up the other guys.

Kansas Kid · February 12, 2002

Tuesdays practice speeds....

http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/2656482.htm

General Lee 01 · February 12, 2002

WooHoo! Look who's #1!

ryr8828 · February 12, 2002

IMO because Robert Yates and Jack Rousch cry more about it than any of the other owners of any other cars.

Childress and Hendrick (when he's not under house arrest) cry just as loud when they feel they are behind. You guys forget about that front "bumper" that Nascar gave Chevy? Sticks out like a snowplow. I think Chevy has won every restrictor plate race since Jarrett won the Daytona 500 in 2000.

Elwood · February 12, 2002

Then maybe Jarret ought to change cars instead crying because his sucks.

Jarrett, Rudd, Yates, and the Rousch teams always cry. Especially Yates. They cry that they need rule changes, etc. any time they don't win. They need to just suck it up make their cars better like the rest of the field. Not cry about it until NASCAR fixes it for them.

antig24 · February 12, 2002

Fords make me mad :angry:

ryr8828 · February 12, 2002

2000 Daytona quotes from Richard Childress:

If NASCAR can't see it, it's up to them," said Childress, who is worried about the race next Sunday. "If they don't do something, Rockingham is going to be another terrible show."

What can I say?" asked Childress, whose camp has led the argument for aerodynamic concessions from NASCAR. "Everything I've said, I've said all week."

Maybe in 2000 Childress should have switched to Ford? The new Monte Carlo wasn't running good and Childress complained until Nascar changed the rules. No difference between this and what is happening now. You might want to swallow your Chevy pride and be fair.

Elwood · February 12, 2002

Childress complained in 2000. Yates and Jarrett complain nearly every year, if they're not leading most of the laps, then they want NASCAR to do something.

ryr8828 · February 12, 2002

Childress complained in 2000. Yates and Jarrett complain nearly every year, if they're not leading most of the laps, then they want NASCAR to do something.

I could go find more whiny Childress quotes for you, but I don't want to take the time. I could throw a blanket accusation out there like you just did, with no proof, but I won't. What it amounts to is that ALL these guys are out there to get any advantage they can. I can't debate someone with selective memory, so I'll just slowly walk away. :angry: