Earnhardt slams NASCAR’s Bud Shootout changes
Quote selected text Published August 31st, 2008 in NASCAR News
Dale Earnhardt Jr. said NASCAR made one big mistake in its changes to the Budweiser Shootout All-Star race at Daytona by not shortening the length of the final segment.
“Fifty laps at the end is way too long,” Earnhardt said Friday. “We’re all just going to ride around out there for the first 30 laps. The last segment should be 10 laps. Now that’s a shootout, but NASCAR just doesn’t get it.”
On Tuesday NASCAR officials announced changes to the format for the 2009 Bud Shootout. The top six cars in the 2008 standings from each manufacturer will compete in the event. The race will have five additional laps for a total of 75 laps, including a 25-lap opening segment and a 50-lap final segment.
The drivers who qualified for past Bud Shootouts included pole winners from the previous season and former winners of the event.
Earnhardt said he has no problem with the changes in the qualifying rules, but he has a big problem with a long final segment.
“Fifty laps is forever on that track,” Earnhardt said. “It would be a lot more exciting for the fans and a lot more fun for us if we only did 10 laps at the end.”
Denny Hamlin, who won the race as a rookie in 2006, said he agrees with Earnhardt.
“Only racing 10 laps at the end would be way better,” Hamlin said. “The tires go away pretty fast at Daytona, but they still would have a lot of grip for just 10 or 15 laps. We could really go all out and the racing would be a lot closer.”
- Bud Shootout Elliott Sadler preview quotes
- Bud Shootout Dale Earnhardt, Jr preview
- Bud Shootout Kasey Kahne preview
- Goodyear confirms tire blistering in Bud Shootout
- Bud Shootout Kevin Harvick preview
I actually agree with Jr, I wonder how many UM’s they had to edit out of his statement,, other wise god point jr, just member jr you cant pass any cars till you pass the green….
ROWDY BUSH wrote:
this is old man..u can drop it now…it was a STUPID move..i as a dale jr fan…LAUGHED AT HIM….and i laugh at all the people out there who say “nascar lets dale jr get away with whatever he wants”….guess them penalizing him makes that statement FALSE…so drop it…..but this is no worse than Kyle crying about Edwards BUMPING HIM….gimme a break dude…are u too stupid too see Kyle is a crybaby?…he wrecks Edwards in the NWS race at Richmond…and HE WRECKED DALE JR in the CUP RACE too…but its just good hard racing…what a sack of crap…shut up seriously…i dont have all day to type out how many people kyle has wrecked this season..it woudl take too long
enjoy this while it lasts….kyle wont do this forever…hes gonna hit a slump and when he does, someone else is going to be winning..its racing…
Darrell wrote:
Well said in 3 series kyle has wrecked at least 10 drivers,and as far as that rule goes its stupid and no its not because im a jr fan,my point is if the guy on the pole misses a gear etc. and gets passed by another driver before the line does he get penalized? according to the rule he should and that wouldnt be fair thats why i say its a stupid rule.
What nascar has done with the shootout doesnt make any sense to me,make the last segment 10 laps or maybe 20 but even 20 laps is a lot for daytona.
ROWDY BUSH wrote:
****************************************************************
just RE-member jr you cant pass any cars till you pass the green….
*******************************************************************
That’s a dumb@ss rule anyway, if you have the car to pass why not do it, the start of the race or wherever you’re at, they need to get rid of that rule + the one on counting laps during a caution…
I agree make the first segment longer and make the final segment 10-20 laps tops
You can pass as many cars as you want before the green, you just have to do it on the left and not the right (or the right and not the left IDR)
As far as the cautions counting, I think they should count until 50 laps to go and then it should be green flag only.
JR is right on this one…. This is not the real shootout anymore
I also don’t like the top six cars from each manufacturer making the shootout…. that puts lagono in the shoot out next year and oh yeah Kyle petty?.
Fisha695 wrote:
fisha you couldnt be MORE wrong…..U HAVE TO PASS ON THE RIGHT B4 THE START/FINISH LINE…passing on the LEFT will land u a penalty every single time….the reason JR was penalized was because you can ONLY do that on the RESTARTS…not the beginning of the race….he passed those cars b4 his race techinally even started…he qualed what 40th?…and was 35th when he actually passed the start finish line…thats why…you got ur facts wrong
Yeah I wasn’t sure if it was the left of the right. As far as the start/restart thing I did not know that, but it makes sense now that I think about it.
Darrell wrote:
Thats the point I was making about the rule what if a driver misses a gear etc.at start of race and gets passed by 1 or several drivers do they penalize them?according to the rule they would have to regardless of what happened.
Fisha695 wrote:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Never count a lap that’s the way it should be under CAUTION cause there is NO competition…
Also (and maybe this is just because I grew up going to short tracks multiple times a week), but I think instead of going off of the latest scoring loop for positions under caution, they should use the last completed lap. I’m also in favor of double file restarts until like 10 to go, and making it so you only get your five bonus points for leading a lap if you lead it under green.
The changes are ludicrous. No past champion provisional and putting someone who is 30th in points? I thought it was supposed to be a kind of All Star race? How can it be an All Star type race when there is no provisional for past champions?
NASCAR is beginning to self destruct. Attendance is down, they catter to
the teams with all the money. What about the little guy, the single car owner, what do they do for them. They just make it harder and harder for them to compete. If the fastest guy out there wins to many times, just zap his hp with a smaller restricter plate. What ever happened to the fastest, most innovative (without cheating) and smartest team wins. How about letting these guys race and let the chips fall where they may. Oh! I left out the phantom yellows too. I would rather go to a local small track and watch cars race in the true spirit of racing, then pay the exorborant prices to see a half fixed show. NASCAR is killing itself.
RedDevil wrote:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NASCAR is killing itself.
NO LIE HERE…….
Sam wrote:
I don’t like that idea either… Prior to this past week at California, this is how it looked:
Chevy - Earnhardt, Johnson, Burton, Harvick, Gordon, Bowyer
Ford - Edwards, Biffle, Kenseth, Ragan, McMurray, Kvapil
Dodge - Kahne, Newman, Ku. Busch, Sadler, JPM, Bobby Labonte
Toyota - Ky. Busch, Stewart, Hamlin, Vickers, Reutimann, Waltrip
So Logano will be in, never having run a race in the #20 and only having run 5 or 6 races in his Cup career. Whoever replaces Newman will be in. Waltrip is currently in and I think he was 30th last week. What a crock.
Oh and I’m with Jr… Make the last segment shorter! 50 laps isn’t much of a shootout!!!
have u guys notice,,,its always at this time the season that NASCAR decides new changes for next season
I don’t like the fact Stewart won’t compete because he’s switching brands.
Tony’s not switching, he’s returning.
Run Tony, run!
Darrell wrote:
dude it was a joke lighten up I love watchin jr . but come on that pass thing was stupid for sure and jr would admit it. All good
gigolo george wrote:
I love it . bout time someone in the world sticks to there guns . Who the hell wants a toyota . COME on doesnt help anyone I know .. the big three were buildin junk for a few years grant it , but there back screw toyota the profits leave this country
Kenneth, why am I just now getting this forum?, it usually arrives on a monday in my inbox…
Or sometimes after sunday’s race…
Bdeholl, if it’s not the same as it was, it’s a switch. Yes, he did return in a matter of speaking. Allmendinger, Logano and Blaney could be in and Tony out just doesn’t seem right. Who came up with this brainstorm anyway?
Wah, Wah, Wah!!! No Jr fan here since he went over to the darkside,Hendrick! LOL! If he drove more like his dad e.g.(Kyle Busch. And no, he’s not my favorite either) he might be #1 going into the chase instead of The Eliminator(Prefer that more than Wild Thing! Makes me think of Charlie Sheen in Major League!)Anyway, Sr once said many a time, “First place pays more!” whenever he was called out for passing too low or giving the driver in front of him a ‘Little Kiss’ just to give them a message! ( Rusty or D.W. were some of the most whiney of the lot!) So, be happy your racin,Jr! There’s a hell of alot of drivers just as good as you,(If not better) who would gladly give their eye teeth to be in the “Coors Light Shoot-Out” in 09! We pay alot for these races and I say the more bang for our buck, the better! This is racing, and we have been so short changed recently. If it pulls in a larger fan base, The more the merrier! Add the price of your tickets,(Airfare and hotel prices if applicable) Gas price, food and drink, And of course the Souveniers! And then see exactly how much you are paying out of pocket (because WE LOVE THE SPORT) per laps raced! And don’t come back with something overused like,(Seeing your favorite Driver win, Priceless!We all know that!) Just give us a little more of the sport we love and quitcher’ bitchin!
Forever a Nascar Fan, QueenWench in So-Cal!
Do you actually think that “NASCAR” is going to listen to the drivers, ESPECIALLY Dale Jr. ???
I agree with Junior fifty laps is way too much.