Motor Racing Outreach Did You Know Newsletter, July 3, 2008

-Chicagoland Speedway
-Pit Note
-Register to Win...
-Before the Thunder Rolls
-NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Schedules
-Please Pray

- Re-start rules: NASCAR has different rules for the start of a race than the re-starts. At the beginning of a race, the flag man is in charge of the race, and the pole sitter watches the flag man and hits his gas when he sees the flag wave (the spotters also say ‘green, green, green’ at that instant, since few behind the front row can actually see the flagman through their windows). Thereafter, on re-starts, the leader of the race is in charge of the re-start. Before each race in the drivers meeting, the race director, David Hoots, always makes this statement, “restarts will be in the vicinity of ‘___________’ (‘the Goodyear sign on the wall,’ ‘end of pit road,’ ‘the cross-over gate,’ etc., depending on the track).” The flag man watches the leader on restarts and when he sees the leader hit the gas and take off, he waves the flag for everyone else. This rewards the driver, who had the advantage before the caution or red flag, to control when and where the re-start takes place and gives him the opportunity to regain a little of the advantage he held before the caution caused the field to be bunched back up. Strategically the leader will watch his rear view mirror and try to restart at a moment when the 2nd place car is not ready for him to make the move. This is called ‘getting a good jump.’ NASCAR does tell the drivers they are to keep a tight formation and not to ‘lay back.’ Drivers behind the leader generally do so in hopes of ‘timing’ their hitting the gas to be just a little sooner than the leader; therefore, they may have a little bit of momentum when the driver takes off. Often, this ‘art’ causes spin-outs on the start when a driver changes the ‘pattern’ that other drivers expect. In the re-start at Chicago with 2 laps to go, Johnson did not start in the vicinity that was designated. Instead, he remained slow and Kyle moved up against him and started pushing him.

Over the years, the most common complaints about leaders have been: 1) brake checking…starting to go, then hit the brake (no lights to warn the one following)…then hitting the gas hard as the 2nd place car is fumbling with going or stopping, 2) starting before the ‘vicinity’ point; which, at times, has brought ‘stop and go’ penalties to Rusty Wallace. The greatest violation that I observed of this ‘understanding’ was in Rockingham when Ward Burton was leading the race with fewer than 5 laps to go. On the restart, Ward was so excited that he slowed on the backstretch, allowed the pace car (which never varies its speed nor the line it runs on during caution laps) to pull ahead, and then he built his speed steadily from the 3rd turn onward. NASCAR did not penalize him, and he celebrated in Victory Circle.

- Hall of Fame Racing’s #96 car was penalized before the race for lead in two water bottles: NASCAR found two water bottles weighing approximately 15 pounds each as the car was pushed onto pit road. Driver J.J. Yeley was held on pit road for the warm-up laps, then allowed on the track for one lap, returning to pit road for a drive-through penalty as the race started. He ended on the lead lap in 24th place. After the race, NASCAR met with co-owner Tom Garfinkel, and NASCAR’s Robin Pemberton announced that “the team had served our penalties. We’re done with them, we’re comfortable with that team and we feel like they weren’t trying to pull the wool over our eyes.”

The issue at first appeared to be a tactic used extensively in the early days of NASCAR when teams filled all types of things (one driver helmet was found to be all lead once) with lead when the cars were inspected, then switched to normal items after passing inspection. In those days, there were no after race weigh-ins. NASCAR discovered that Hall of Fame used the 30 pounds to simulate the water they put in water bottles for the driver on pit road, right before the start of the race. The team explained to NASCAR that the system they used needed cold water and if they put the water in before inspection and then let it sit for hours on pit road, it would not be any good for the driver. NASCAR took the car back to their scales and weighed the car with the water and with the lead filled bottles. Evidently, the weight was the same.

- Seven races remain until the Chase. This week, Clint Bowyer fell out of the top 12, and he is 27 points behind Denny Hamlin who fell five spots. Kevin Harvick made the biggest move, going from 13th to 9th. Also, Matt Kenseth moved up one spot and is the steadiest driver in the last ten races, moving from 19th during that period. Jeff Gordon remained in 6th place. He is 128 points out of 13th, 28 points less than the maximum swing in points in one race.

- Tony Stewart is now a car owner, and he will leave Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the season. Tony was basically given 50% interest in Hass Racing, who fields the #66 and #70 cars, both of which are outside of the top 35 and thereby currently not guaranteed a starting spot. However, the car that Tony drives will be eligible for the past champion’s provisional. Tony will be running the company day-to-day, as well as driving. He will join Robby Gordon as Driver/Owners. In the past, this has not been a winning combination. Gibbs released Tony from the final year of his contract. Tony has been recognized as the leader of the Gibbs team, but has not visited Victory Circle this year, while first year teammate, Kyle Busch, has won seven times. The new position will return Tony to the Chevy camp, since the engines and chassis will come from Hendrick Motorsports. It appears either Martin Truex, Jr. or Ryan Newman will drive the second Stewart/Hass car.

In his win at Chicagoland, Kyle Busch ‘stuck it’ two times. The seventh win in 2008 (37% of all races) for the Joe Gibbs team came after Kyle had radioed, “race over,” when Jimmie Johnson passed him with 16 laps to go and promptly pulled to a two-second lead. However, when a caution flag came out with five laps to go, Kyle’s team encouraged him to go for the win and not settle for second place. So, on the restart (see story above) Jimmie purposely held the field to a slow, delayed restart, and Kyle used a ‘trick’ he said came from his Saturday night racing experience at small tracks. "I pushed Jimmie Johnson to go [on the restart].” Instead of laying back as most drivers do on a restart, Kyle laid his bumper on Jimmie’s and literally pushed him until Jimmie got into the gas. In the ‘Car of Yesterday,’ this would have lifted Jimmie’s car off the track, as the nose of Kyle’s car would have gone under the old bumper. But, with the new COT, the front bumpers and rear bumpers are designed to match and avoid the lifting of the rear wheels off the track. The tactic allowed Kyle to stay on Jimmie’s bumper as they entered Turn 1 and Kyle then went ‘where others fear to tread.’ He went high while Jimmie protected the favored low line. They were even on the back stretch and both drove ‘deep’ (past their usual, comfortable braking point into the turn). Kyle did not back off and his tires ‘stuck,’ allowing him to pull ahead of Jimmie as they took the White flag. Jimmie tried the high side on the final lap but his tires did not ‘stick.’ Kyle got another win and extended his points lead to 259 points over 2nd place, Dale Jr.

After the win, Kyle ‘stuck’ for a second time, but this time it was in the wet infield that he tore up as he did a celebratory slide through the infield. His team had to delay their trip to Victory Circle; they had to push Kyle back on the track where he did his burn out, took the flag and gave his trademark bow to the fans. Fans still express their displeasure with loud ‘boos’ for his wins. They enjoyed him and his car being stuck in the infield more than the display of his bravery and driving skills that depended on his tires ‘sticking’ just minutes before. This goes back to the May Richmond race when a similar move by Kyle in Turn 3 resulted in him spinning out and taking the leader, Dale Jr., out of the race.

PIT NOTE:
Kyle Busch doesn’t ‘settle’ for what a race safely gives him. He pushes the limits of his tires and car. He assumes he can handle these extremes, and he hopes the law of physics either hasn’t been reached yet, or he can recover if he crosses the line. His choice to give purposefully dramatic bows to a chorus of ‘boos’ irritates the fans. In every other setting (professional wrestling excluded) bows are taken in response to approving applause, and demonstrates humility and respect of the fans.

However, my emphasis is on the fact that Kyle doesn’t ‘settle;’ which, I believe should be appreciated and emulated in our spiritual lives. I am sure that I ‘back off’ and ‘settle’ for less than is possible for me spiritually in my daily life, rather than exercise my faith in every situation. Seldom have I come close to challenging God to perform for, or through, me according to His promises. He has provided, protected, forgiven, blessed, forgiven again and again…all of which I praise and thank Him for continually. Paul compared our living for God to a race in 1 Corinthians 9:23-25 and our need to train and strain toward being and doing as Jesus did. In Philippians 3:14, Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” As you read about the life lived by the Apostle Paul after his conversion, it is apparent he never ‘settled’ for what he could accomplish in his own considerable intellect and natural abilities. He lived by faith; thereby, using these God given attributes in absolutely remarkable ways. The same exciting life is available to all, but few will take the risk. Many times Kyle has taken the risk on the track. Yet, one time he failed and took out the fans’ favorite driver for which he may never be forgiven by the fans of NASCAR. But God is asking us to ‘press on,’ and He will see that we ‘stick.’ We will not spin out when we are in His Control, nor will we ever be ‘stuck’ in the ‘mud’ of life.

JOSEPH: OVERCOMING LIFE'S CHALLENGES

Register to win a trip to the BIG Race at Daytona in February 2009 and a Team Racing Jacket from Focus on the Family and Motor Racing Outreach.

One winner will be selected each month from the entries submitted to receive a team racing jacket (estimated value $150).

In addition, entries for the grand prize drawing will be accepted through November 20, 2008. One grand prize winner will be selected to receive a trip for two to the Daytona 500 on February 15, 2009. The trip will include two (2) infield pit passes to the race, two (2) roundtrip coach airfare tickets (up to $500 each), rental car expenses, and hotel room (excluding meals and expenses) for two nights, February 14 and 15, 2009. The approximate value of the grand prize is $2000.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE DRAWING and TO SEE THE OFFICIAL RULES AND DETAIL

As a 'THANK YOU' for supporting Motor Racing Outreach, any donation of $40.00 or greater made on-line will receive a copy of "Before the Thunder Rolls" devotional signed by Ryan Newman and the author, Dale Beaver.

CLICK HERE

Focus on the Family has produced a 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup race schedule for MRO to hand out to the fans at the race tracks. We would like to share some of these with any organizations and/or businesses that would be interested in distributing them. Not only do they have the Cup race schedule, they also include the "Sinner's Prayer" and web-site information for topics relating to relationships and marriage, parenting, faith, entertainment, life challenges and social issues.

This pocket-size schedule comes in packets of 100. Please contact Cheryl Shore via email (cshore@go2mro.com) or phone (704-455-3828) if you would like for us to send some to you.

- Team MRO, MRO Board of Directors, MRO Association Members and Shop Study Leaders.
- Safety for the drivers and their crew members etc. this weekend at Gateway International Raceway/Nationwide Series.
- The fan outreach efforts throughout the race weekend hosted by Raceway Ministries and other ministry organizations.
- Please keep General Tom Sadler and his family in your prayers. His wife, "Miss Ken" passed away on Tuesday, July 8th after a long battle with cancer. The funeral is today at Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC. General Sadler oversees the Speedway Children's Charities for Bruton Smith.
- Please pray for the upcoming Bible/Shop Studies scheduled during the week of July 21 - 25, 2008.

Baker Curb Racing
Roush Racing/Nationwide
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Riley Technologies
Roush Racing/Cup
Richard Childress Racing
Motorsports Authentics
NASCAR Technical Institute
Dv8 Youth Bible Study
Toyota Racing Development Shop
Evernham Motorsports
Bobby Hamilton Racing
Phoenix Bible Study
Penske Racing
Richard Childress Racing
Ladies Bible Club
Petty Enterprises