Time to cycle through the transmission for another edition of Four Gears.
This week, our crack NASCAR analysts are asked if the recent changes made to post-race inspection are a good or bad thing and discuss whether Cole Custer can make his way into the Truck Series Chase with a win this weekend. We also discuss if Ryan Newman was out of line with his comments about Tony Stewart at Richmond and what the driver lineup will be next season at Richard Childress Racing.
FIRST GEAR: NASCAR on Wednesday made some updates to its rule book just in time for The Chase. As per Kenny Bruce on NASCAR.com this week, “The updates allow NASCAR officials to strip race-winning teams of the benefits associated with a Chase victory, which include the automatic advancement into the next elimination round and any tiebreaker implications, should those teams fail the post-race lug-nut check or the post-race Laser Inspection Station (LIS) platform.” Is this a good thing or a bad thing for the sport?
I think there need to be punishments for breaking the rules. These new rules are fair in my book. — Michael Finley
I’m totally fine with the changes because now the rule actually has teeth with which to do damage. Just look at this past week with Martin Truex Jr. getting “docked” 10 points from his regular season total and not his Chase total. It made no difference that NASCAR might as well not have bothered even handing out the penalty. — Tucker White
This is overkill. They should have left the lug nuts alone in the first place instead of making them the absolute most mundane story of 2016. Now they’re talking about stripping win benefits if the lug nuts are messed with again. The cheek of it all. — Joseph Shelton
SECOND GEAR: Cole Custer enters Chicagoland needing a win to get into the Camping World Truck Series Chase. Can he throw the Hail Mary and win to get in after being so close at Mosport?
No. The No. 00 truck just hasn’t shown a lot of speed this season overall. Don’t think that’s going to change this weekend. — Michael Finley
Can he? Yes. Will he? No. It will probably be one of the KBM trucks winning tonight. — Tucker White
Custer’s niche circles smaller or flatter tracks. Take his two wins (Loudon 2014, Gateway 2015) into consideration, along with Mosport. He’s proved he can win, and he’s had a few close calls this season. That said, he’s had a sub-par 2016 that’s put him in a hole, and he’s going to have to dig deep to put that JR Motorsports truck in Victory Lane. I’m doubtful, but at the same time, I think his chances are pretty high. — Joseph Shelton
THIRD GEAR: Ryan Newman, after being effectively taken out by Tony Stewart at Richmond, called Stewart “bipolar” and said that “(Stewart) thought he was in a sprint car”. Assuming Newman’s sprint car comment was referring to the Kevin Ward Jr. incident as some have speculated, did Newman take a step too far in his comments?
He probably did, and he made a mistake, to begin with by talking to the media ASAP. Stewart was angry as well but he took the higher road and calmed down in his hauler rather than say something so stupid. — Michael Finley
It was heat of the moment. Don’t read too much into it. — Tucker White
Folks were quick to jump the gun in associating Newman’s comments with the Kevin Ward accident. By referring to Stewart as a guy who gets angry easily, and by noting that Googling Stewart would prove his point, he’s just pointing out that many of his accidents and rage-outs are well documented online. Heat of the moment from both drivers, and I wouldn’t read too much into this. — Joseph Shelton
FOURTH GEAR: Speaking of RCR, one interesting exchange on this week’s Radioactive was an angry Paul Menard complaining about how teammate Austin Dillon was racing him. It led to Richard Childress himself getting on the radio to attempt to calm the typically mild-mannered Wisconsin driver. With Ty Dillon repeatedly saying that he will be racing full-time next season in Cup, Newman’s contract running out, and the occasional rumors of Menard jumping to another team (i.e. Penske), what do you think their driver lineup will be next season?
The No. 3 is going to probably stay the exact same. I think Ty Dillon jumps into the No. 31 and Menard will hint at leaving but end up staying at the end. — Michael Finley
I’ll keep it short with this one: Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon and Paul Menard. — Tucker White
You ask me what do I think their driver lineup will be in 2017. Simply put, inadequate. Sure, Newman made the Chase in 2014 and 2015, and almost won the 2014 championship. But when has he won? Never. Not winning puts added stress on a team and 2014 was just a lucky draw for the 31. I don’t think he’s going anywhere, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he left.
I feel bad for Menard. I wouldn’t blame him for going elsewhere considering he’s not getting what he needs to contend as often, and honestly, I think he should. Childress has already pooled his resources into his grandboys, and I don’t think that’s changing.
That said, in 2016 I’ve tried hard to work on my objectivity to the Dillon brothers. If this were the WWE they’d be getting the Roman Reigns push, underwhelming performance despite being crammed down everyone’s throats. Austin has worked for some good runs this season and has earned some decent, consistent results. He earned his spot in the Chase, I will concede that. But however, he needs to realize that nobody is going to give him an inch out there on the track, and that includes his teammates. Ergo, he needs to man up and take his bumps, maybe work harder to prove that he can get a win.
As for Ty joining the Cup ranks? I laugh. He’s got quite the little ego on him despite the fact that he’s only earned one XFINITY win in three full-time seasons. He’s never been a serious championship contender, yet he thinks he’s good enough for a Cup ride? What a joke. He constantly shifts blame on other drivers (Regan Smith cleared that up at Watkins Glen in 2015, if only briefly) for his own mistakes and very, very rarely accepts blame for his own mistakes (MoSport 2013, Phoenix 2015, et al.). He needs to mature a lot before he sets foot in a Cup car because let’s be honest…he can’t hang. — Joseph Shelton
