This weeks pick??

[sbfpa_Mike]

oh, now i see whats up with vickers, i just read on NASCAR.com that the little cry baby was locked out of meetings by hendrick motorsports before the chase what did he expect, they were going to give him all there little chase secrets from 3 drivers that are in the chase so he can run off to toyota with them so now he considers himself a one man team and isnt going to listen to anyone they said that rick is a loyal person and let vickers finish this year with them so he had a place to race until next year boy i bet hje's kicking himself now, he should have got rid of vickers earlier and got mears in there ASAP, he would have gotten rid of the rotten apple, and got a "teamate" in there, and also would have helped mears get used to things for the 2007 season

OMG, I shouldn't be surprised @ the fact that the brethren is Crying louder than Vickers is perceived. I haven't heard boo out of Vickers. Not even a whimper. I have heard wails out of the Gordon camp for the fact that he actually had to RACE Vickers for a position and not just a wave as he was chauffeured on by.

Here is another option; Vickers wasn't snubbing anyone, he just didn't want to drive for Hendrick anymore. Of course, the Brethren couldn't fathom why anyone wouldn't want to be in the Hendrick stable?? People thought the same thing about Roush, but Busch left. All these drivers have a choice, I guess those choices need to be cleared by the Brethren first.

Being loyal has nothing to do with Vickers driving the 25 car, he has a CONTRACT!! I am so tired of this BS. Hendrick Motorsports has a binding agreement with Brian Vickers. BV is not only doing his job, he is doing it well with less help from the other teams in the Hendrick stable. Do I think he should get less help from the other teams, sure. I wouldn't want my secrets leaving the stable. Did Brian Vickers hold Gordon up because he was miffed at not being included in meetings? I don't know, Brian Vickers did not say that, a REPORTER offered his unasked opinion about it.

Mike

[sbfpa_Mike]

what do you guys think of the top 43

http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/features/last_lap/09/26/last.lap.top.35/index.html

This is one of those, "take it or leave it" subjects for me. the responses were interesting, and the "team" side of the equation was very enlightening. Top 35 in points, 8 provisionals? At least with the top 35, the spots are earned and not Given. I also like the past Champ provisional. I believe any past Champ has earned that right. This is one of those subjects that doesn't really get me riled up; see above post for subject that does.

Mike

[archbishop]

no, he did say he was ticked he was being left out, and that he is a team member until the end of the year, it was on SPEED, actual in person interview, not a report vickers is ticked he is being left out, and like rick hendrick said, he could have gotten rid of vickers very easily, he was honoring the contract because he believes in the contract, there are plenty of ways around that piece of paper, anyone that watches any sport knows that, but like i said, hendrick is being loyal and letting vickers stay

odd how vickers has been under fire for the past 2 years, and was rumored to be out of a job, then when HE asked to be let out of the contract it was because He didnt want to drive for hendrick funny how you guys think that if hendrick got rid of vickers the organization is bad, but it was vickers who asked to be out of the contract and you still give those faces about hendrick the only reason vickers is racing this year is because hendrick allowed him to finish the year after ending the contract, which to me is very admirable, 90% of owners would have given him the boot and got mears in the seat to finish the year and make those bonds for next year

and where is all this whining gordon is doing he made 1 statement about vickers not being a team player, yet you keep saying about all this whining gordon made 1 statement, the rest came from the hendrick organization, not gordon but i do love how since it has to do with gordon, people assume its gordon doing the complaining

[archbishop]

This is one of those subjects that doesn't really get me riled up; see above post for subject that does.

Mike

riled up over nothing at that  
about a contract that vickers backed out of, yet hendrick let him finish the season and your  at hendrick and at gordon for whining when he made one statement, it was the organization and vickers own cerew chief that was b and moaning for not listening

[archbishop]

ahh man, you offline, i kinda miss these arguments

but to the top 43, i agree, the past champion is a deserved start, but i like the top 35 in points being automatic, maybe make it the top 20 to make it a little more competitive and give some of those low market teams a better chance to get in,m i mean who knows, that guy with no sponsor and a half arse built car could actually be able to race his arse off, he just never got the chance to show his stuff because his car isnt the fastest in qualifying, it would also give those guys a better chance to do good in the race once they get in because they wont be so worried about having to have a good qualifying car, and can concentrate on have a car that will be ok qualifying and better for racing, most of these guys that get in have a car set up for qualifying only and crap for racing

[sbfpa_Mike]

OK, I did not see that interview. If that is the case, Vickers needs to put up and shut up, he is leaving at the end of the year. He SHOULD NOT be privvy to any more sensitive information as soon as he has stated he would not be back.

"there are plenty of ways around a piece of paper" I am so tired of this crap. It's not a piece of paper, it is a legally binding contract. BTW, holding up Flameboy is not a firing offense.

I don't think the Hendrick organization is bad, quite the ooposite. I don't think Vickers is bad or stupid for leaving. I think he is making the decision that HE feels right for himself. Question, Would you want to be #1 or #4?

Gordon whines, complains, and bitches. He is who he is.

Mike

[archbishop]

i agree, holding up gordon is racing, no where near a firing offense, although it should be punished somehow in house, chances are it wont because he is leaving, but he did ignore his crew chief and car owner, and no matter what you think of teams, it was kinda BS doing that

in a way i agree with vickers, he shouldnt be locked out of meetings, obviously he shouldnt be privy to all the information, but they blocked him from everything i mean honestly, how much sharing do you think goes on in team meetings, i caqn see locking him out of individual teams meetings, but im sure none of them go into the other teams meetings, can you see busch sitting in the 24 team meeting NO, but why lock him out of organization meetings and all this happened before the on track incident, thats why hendrick and vickers are bickering, hendrick says you blocked jeff because you were locked out and dont consider yourself on the team, in a way its true, but thats why vickers blasted back saying, im not part of the team, im an outsider waiting for the end of the year

the piece of paper crap, your right it should be a legally binding thing, but come on, be realistic, no one honors them anymore, people honor a handshake more than a contract, teams fire people under contract just as much as people under contract quit anymore a contract is just an agreement saying that while we get along we will be on the same team, once we start to dislike each other we will go our seperate ways

i doubt anyone thinks the hendrick organization is bad, its just like every other organization, business first

[sbfpa_Mike]

Holy Crap, we agree on something. I think Hendrick is Top Dog right now, but watch out for RCR, the resergence hasn't peaked yet. Look how fast Roush has fallen, man what a tough business. GTG get dinner ready, tomorrow is another day.

Mike

[archbishop]

Holy Crap, we agree on something. I think Hendrick is Top Dog right now, but watch out for RCR, the resergence hasn't peaked yet. Look how fast Roush has fallen, man what a tough business. GTG get dinner ready, tomorrow is another day.

Mike

lol, just like the old days, a whole page of you and me arguing

[sbfpa_Mike]

Yeah, we could be discussing Tennis........NOT! Nascar fans fight it out just like the drivers.Some like to do it clean, like Matt Kenseth and Jeff burton. Some like to do it dirty, like Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch.

Well, get out yer pillow, another snoozer from the wonderful world of cookie cutter racetracks. I tell ya what, I like Jr this weekend. I don't really get it, but those DEI guys figuired out how to get a car to work the cookie cutters.
Jeff seems to have an idea how to get around Kansas, 5 races, 4 top 10's, and 2 wins.
This could be Smoke's weekend as well.
AND, Roush had 4 cars in the top 5 last year, hmmmmm.

Mike

[archbishop]

Yeah, we could be discussing Tennis........NOT! Nascar fans fight it out just like the drivers.Some like to do it clean, like Matt Kenseth and Jeff burton. Some like to do it dirty, like Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch.

Well, get out yer pillow, another snoozer from the wonderful world of cookie cutter racetracks. I tell ya what, I like Jr this weekend. I don't really get it, but those DEI guys figuired out how to get a car to work the cookie cutters.
Jeff seems to have an idea how to get around Kansas, 5 races, 4 top 10's, and 2 wins.
This could be Smoke's weekend as well.
AND, Roush had 4 cars in the top 5 last year, hmmmmm.

Mike

and whats the difference between roush cars last yearand this year

and DEI JR has a pole 4 years ago and an average finish of 20 and only 2 top 10's and no top fives much less wins, and 34th last year

you know who im going with,  like you said, 4top 10's, 3 top 5's, and 2 wins in 5 races, his worst finish was 13th in '04 but thats good for the championship, he doesnt need to finish 1, he can keep up these 3rd place finishes till the end for all i care

[sbfpa_Mike]

Sure is quiet with Arch gone. 
I took Mr Stewart this week. I am really looking forward to a weekend full of racing at Talledaga. I was supposed to go with a buddy, but he backed out becasue he bought a house. Imagine seeing Juan Montoyas debut, the Craftsman Trucks debut, and the new track surface debut all in one weekend.

Mike

[archbishop]

Sure is quiet with Arch gone. 

im not gone, just licking my wounds from 3 DNF's in a row
i woiuld probably finally say the 24's goose is cooked, not mathmatically, but he is to far gone now
at least no one can say it was do to his racing, just bad luck, and odd luck last week for a hendrick car not many engine problems there but i will say i wish the best luck to the 31

[Anchorman]

I guess i'll go with Bobby Labonte for this week at Martinsville. He'll hold off a hard charging Morgan Sheppard..... 
But seriously, Bobby Labonte!!

[archbishop]

well, my guy is on a crap streak, but hes not racing for points anymore, just wins, and with 21 top 10's in 27 races here, 15 top 5's and 7 wins, i gotta go with gordon

http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/features/btn/10/18/martinsville/index.html