NSCR: Did Michael Waltrip Racing cheat?
- Thread starter ChrisMWilliams
- Start date
They didn't cheat, but they hurt the integrity of the sport. In a lot of peoples mind that's worse.(ex. Pete Rose)
Not necessarily cheating, but when you manipulate the outcome like that it makes it really close to cheating. Jimmie Johnson and his team are cheaters, this IMO, is not cheating. They knew they were not good enough to make it in on pure talent/ability. Im glad NASCAR punished them.
Given the announcers and past racers all said it was clearly deliberate attempt to get a team member into the chase, I don't know how you don't call it cheating.
Jimmy is a cheater? That's a bold statement. Waltrip racing has a questionable track record themselves. Boyer has a long history of taking Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson out of races.
Frankly, I think they should let them settle it on the track. Let Jeff Gordon take out Bowyer in the next race, so Bowyer has no shot at the cup. To me, all this punishment stuff is what has ruined racing.
I miss the days where it was acceptable to throw punches when lines were crossed, and bump and runs were acceptable, and taking a driver out, also acceptable.
Settle it on the track.
sat on pit road for a couple laps, forcing a driver to make a green flag pit stop with single digit laps to go, ran 10 seconds slower than everyone else, purposefully let drivers pass them, possibly promised money/favors for spots given - I'm sure all the teams push the gray area, but some of these were just stupidly obvious. It's really amazing how some of these dips don't seem to realize that everyone can listen to their radio channel.
Last edited:
MWR is a whole organization known for cheating - the jet fuel deal, stealing Roush's sway bar, and now this. I don't know how you can't call it cheating. They cheated Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon out of spots in the Chase. Yes, you can say well Ryan and Jeff should have done better throughout the year - but the same goes for Truex/Logano. Ryan drove a ****** car to the front of the field to get his spot. Jeff came from two laps down (on questionable caution calls, imo) to get his in.
Truex and Logano "allegedly" had to get their entire team or multiple teams to give them spots/throw the race so they could get in. It was not the result of their own hard work. I did hear that Logano's teammate, Brad, wouldn't drop back a spot to give Joey a point. Good for him.
Truex and Logano "allegedly" had to get their entire team or multiple teams to give them spots/throw the race so they could get in. It was not the result of their own hard work. I did hear that Logano's teammate, Brad, wouldn't drop back a spot to give Joey a point. Good for him.
I don't know if I'd call Jimmie a cheater, but Knaus definitely pushes the boundaries harder than the other teams. This Chicago race will be quite interesting, especially if Gordon doesn't make it in (pending Logano penalties which have to happen after hearing the audio - I think it's even more obvious than the Vickers stuff). He will put Bowyer straight into the wall and not give a ****.
I would consider it "cheating" if they had jet fuel, or had parts that could give them an unfair advantage. Thats why I said Jimmie is a cheater. I bet he has failed more pre and post race inspections than any other current driver.
As for the punishment, I would love to see your solution come to life. I know it wont happen, but it would be nice.
It's not cheating to pull your car in to the pits anytime you want. Was it cheating for Jr and Kahne to hang out behind Gordon when they could have passed him? They were effing dumb to make it so obvious on the radio, however. Remember when Gordon took Bowyer out of the Chase last year? Karma's a *****, huh?
Jr. and Kasey were 5 & 6 spots behind Jeff.........I don't know about Kahne, but 13th was higher than what Jr. ran most of the night. I don't think either of them could have "just passed" Gordon. Jeff won the pole, his car was definitely better than either of theirs. Would they probably not have fought him tooth and nail for a spot? Sure. But look at the first three finishers behind Logano - Gilliland, Vickers, Bowyer. If you're going to help a guy out, don't be so ******* obvious about it.
The stuff you mention above has been going on for years. It probably happens multiple times in every race. My favorite is when a driver is cruising to an easy victory, and then a mysterious chunk of debris falls on the track with a few laps left requiring a caution and a late-race restart.
Why does it matter if the attempt to manipulate the race is obvious or not? The moral outrage over what Bowyer did is comical and hypocritical, given how NASCAR and the majority of fans turn a blind eye to 99% of similar things that go on. Manipulating the race is manipulating the race. Either you punish them all, or you let them all go.
It happens all the time and now with all the radio communication available to everybody it will come out. As long as it is big money and alliances are formed it will happen. They need to be more secretive about it. It sucks, but has happen for years.
I had to look this one up, not following nascar as closely anymore due to the constant rule changes to manufacture 'excitement'...and not to split hairs, but the substance was described as rocket fuel...I differentiate that because jet fuel is essentially kerosene and you'd have to be the dumbest race team ever to try that in your car as an advantage.
Back to the original question, I don't know that I'd call it cheating, but I would call it what NASCAR called it, actions detrimental to the sport...and yes, I realize that's their catch-all that they fine everyone for, but I think it fits in this scenario.
What did NASCAR expect? They created a artificial playoff in the sport where your one goal should be to win races. These guys get money for making the chase, so how can you blame them if they make a deal with a car in front of them if that is what they need to get in. Now, to be so obvious about is pretty freaking stupid. NASCAR should have said due to the events at the end of the race, we are going to put Newman and Gordon in the chase, everyone else stays in and let them sort it out.
The chase has been stupid since its inception, and now that they finally fixed the points system they don't need it anymore. If you want to make it more exciting then it should be a year long event. You should get more points in certain races than in others, give more points for winning races. I know they have tried to fix it, but this is what you are going to get if you create this model.
How I would fix NASCAR. The Sprint cup would be the over the year champion, accumulation of points throughout the year. Then have someone sponsor the last 10 races of the year and call that "company x cup" driver with the most points in those races wins. Then I would have sponsors for small 5 race cups throughout the year, let "Company y" choose 5 races it wants to sponsor a cup for, have a decent payout. You could do that 2 or 3 times. The rest of the races are run just like normal. Or have a sponsor of the restrictor plate tracks that sponsors the restrictor plate races and give an award for that, same with short tracks, and cookie cutter tracks. This would make the season much more interesting, and I think would also spice up the racing. If the guys new the big payout wasn't winning a stupid playoff that really doesn't reward the guy that has been best all year. Instead small awards are provided for 3 - 4 series throughout the year of 5 races, so winning in those races would be important. Then the last 10 races of the year you could do bigger award, and a nice award for winning the overall points.
I understand why NASCAR did the chase, for years guys would run away with the cup 2/3 of the way through the season, but now you have 30 or so cars that drive for nothing for 10 races at the end of the season. Stupid. Get creative. It would be awesome to watch Keselowski and Busch battle for the short track cup sponsored by Viagra. They would kill each other and it would be awesome.
The chase has been stupid since its inception, and now that they finally fixed the points system they don't need it anymore. If you want to make it more exciting then it should be a year long event. You should get more points in certain races than in others, give more points for winning races. I know they have tried to fix it, but this is what you are going to get if you create this model.
How I would fix NASCAR. The Sprint cup would be the over the year champion, accumulation of points throughout the year. Then have someone sponsor the last 10 races of the year and call that "company x cup" driver with the most points in those races wins. Then I would have sponsors for small 5 race cups throughout the year, let "Company y" choose 5 races it wants to sponsor a cup for, have a decent payout. You could do that 2 or 3 times. The rest of the races are run just like normal. Or have a sponsor of the restrictor plate tracks that sponsors the restrictor plate races and give an award for that, same with short tracks, and cookie cutter tracks. This would make the season much more interesting, and I think would also spice up the racing. If the guys new the big payout wasn't winning a stupid playoff that really doesn't reward the guy that has been best all year. Instead small awards are provided for 3 - 4 series throughout the year of 5 races, so winning in those races would be important. Then the last 10 races of the year you could do bigger award, and a nice award for winning the overall points.
I understand why NASCAR did the chase, for years guys would run away with the cup 2/3 of the way through the season, but now you have 30 or so cars that drive for nothing for 10 races at the end of the season. Stupid. Get creative. It would be awesome to watch Keselowski and Busch battle for the short track cup sponsored by Viagra. They would kill each other and it would be awesome.
EXACTLY. Guys pull over to led another guy lead and accumulate bonus points all of the freaking time. Why such an outrage over one teammate trying to help another teammate get into the freaking playoffs is beyond me.
