One change that I think would make a huge difference would be to say that anyone who wins a race automatically qualifies for the Chase. That would immediately raise the stakes and give teams incentives to try all kinds of risky pit strategy. Honestly, I think it is so hard to win, that if you are able to close the deal even once, you deserve to be in the Chase ahead of a guy who grinds out a bunch of top tens. So what if there are twenty guys in the Chase? You want in, win. How's that for a slogan.
If the CoT (aka POS) brings exciting side-bt-side racing to the snoozefests (Fontana) and the Cookie Cutter 1.5 milers, I'll praise it, but for now, it looks like NASCAR just became a 36 race IROC Series. I mean why even have a manufacturer's nameplate? You can no more go out and by a Dodge Avenger that looks even remotely close to the one they race, nor more than you could go by Danica Patrick's ride in the IRL. Clearly, someone failed to test the Front Splitter in race traffic. As a result, NASCAR now handed a skilled driver a weapon to eliminate a driver's competition. You really think someone won't try to 'cut' down another driver's tire to 'help' themselves into the chase, or worse yet, to eliminate another driver once the chase begins? I can see it now, "Just one of them racin' deals ... so sorry Tony / jimmy / Jeff / Matt you went three laps down. I really hated it for the Home Depot / Lowes / Dupont / <insert sponsor here> team." Nobody ever accused the clowns that run NASCAR of being deep thinkers. Now we have another example as to why. I like it. it makes perfect sense. As such, you can expect NASCAR would never implement it. - Spydertrader
01 General Information The 2007 Gumball 3000 rally (the âEvent") is NOT a race or a competition. You must NOT compete in any manner with other participants. You must NOT place any bets of any kind in relation to the Event. You must drive safely and with proper courtesy to all other participants and members of the public. In particular you must not drive recklessly. The organiser encourages you to drive safely with due respect to other participants and members of participants and members of the public. 02 Entry Fee The entry fee for the Event is £28,000 (Twenty Eight Thousand Pounds Sterling) which is based on two (2) people per car. The entry fee for previous participants in the Gumball 3000 rally is £24,000 (Twenty Four Thousand Pounds Sterling). The entry fee covers you plus one (1) passenger. If you wish to have additional passengers in your vehicle the fee is £12,000 (Twelve Thousand Pounds Sterling) per additional passenger if you have not participated in the rally previously and £10,000 (Ten Thousand Pounds Sterling) if you have participated in the rally previously. You are responsible for paying the entry fee for your vehicle plus any additional fees for any additional passengers in your vehicle or for your support vehicle. 03 Support Vehicles If you want to have a support vehicle containing your mechanics, security staff and/or personal film crew accompany you on the Event (in addition to the vehicle in which you are participating in the Event) a fee of £5,000 (Five Thousand Pounds Sterling) is payable per support vehicle, which fee covers two (2) people in the support vehicle. This fee will allow the support personnel access to parties on the Event and to essential travel (such as euro tunnel crossings) but will not entitle the support crew to any accommodation, flights, Event merchandise or to any VIP services and/or facilities. The organiser reserve s the right to require the support vehicles to be stickered like the participating vehicles as set out under item 15 below. NB The entry fee for your vehicle and any additional fees for additional passengers and/or drivers or for your support vehicle are due and payable within dates specified by Gumball HQ. Failure to pay the full entry fee by the specified date will lead to either (at the Organiser's sole discretion) you being refused access to and participation in the Event and to you forfeiting such amounts of the entry fee that you have paid, or to you being liable to a late payment fee of £1,000 (One Thousand Pounds Sterling) in addition to the entry fee. 04 Age 09 Intoxicating Substances You must NOT consume alcohol while driving. You must NOT drive under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicating substance at any time. You must NOT consume any illegal or intoxicating substances at any time during the Event. If the Organiser finds you under the influence of alcohol while driving or attempting to drive or under the influence of any illegal or intoxicating substances the Organiser reserves the right to prohibit you from participating further in the Event. 10 Safety You must NOT drive if your ability to do so safely and properly is in any way compromised by illness, lack of adequate rest, or any other condition. All participants must accept to have their cars checked by the relevant authority on the car display should it be requested. of Entry. 12 Licence You must hold a current, valid and unrestricted driverâs licence and a current and valid passport (together with any relevant visa(s)). 13 Insurance You shall obtain and maintain appropriate insurance covering your participation in the Event and shall provide proof of such 14 Force Majeure The parties are not responsible if they cannot fulfil their obligations resulting from the contracts in cases of fire, earthquake, epidemic diseases announced by WHO, cyclone, flood, aridity, strike, lightning, war in the country, revolution, civil war, terrorist activities and similar troubles, blockade, embargo, confiscation and expropriation, and in other cases defined as Force Majeure by the laws and regulations. However Gumball 3000 shall pay back 10% of the entry fee if for any reason a case of Force Majeure should happen. Gumball 3000 cannot be held responsible against the Customer if it is not possible for Gumball 3000 to fulfil any one of its obligations or if a delay occurs in fulfilling its obligations due to any reason or situation beyond its will power and control, including but not limited with the cases of over-reservation due to the general instructions of any relevant official institution municipality or another office, the provisions of the laws, regulations and statute, the instructions which will be given by the authorised officials, extraordinary situations, Force Majeure. 15 Logo You agree to have the "Gumball 3000 logo" and official Event sponsors' stickers attached to your vehicle (and any support vehicle if the Organiser so requires) during the entire Event. You are not entitled to deface, cover-up or otherwise obscure such stickers and shall endeavour to keep them clean and visible at all times. Stickers are non-permanent and easily removable without damaging vehicle finishes. The Organiser will therefore not be responsible for claims for damage to vehicle finishes as a result of the application or removal of such stickers. 16 Personal Sponsorship Personal sponsorship for your vehicle, your support vehicle or your clothing is only permitted if you obtain the Organiser's prior written consent.unauthorised sponsored vehicles or individuals 17 Unauthorised Sponsorship If you arrive at or attempt to participate in the Event with your vehicle, support vehicle and/or clothing displaying the branding of a sponsor that has not been authorised by the Organiser, you will be required to remove such branding from your vehicle, 22 Image Rights By participating in the Event you consent to be photographed and to be included in the filming of footage documenting the Event. You hereby waive any and all rights of publicity or privacy and grant the Organiser and Gumball 3000 Films Limited full and complete permission to utilise and exploit your appearance in the Event in any and all manner and media throughout the world in perpetuity. You further agree that the Organiser and Gumball 3000 Films Limited have the sole discretion to use or refuse to use any photographs or footage in which you appear, and that if the Organiser or Gumball 3000 Films Limited does use such photographs or footage, it may be edited at the Organiserâs or Gumball 3000 Films Limited's sole discretion. You consent to the use of your name, image, likeness, voice and biographical material about you in connection with any and all footage, publicity and related promotional material and for any and all publicity and promotional purposes. You expressly release the Organiser and Gumball 3000 Films Limited, its directors, officers, agents, employees, consultants, licensees and assigns from and against any and all claims which you have or may have for invasion of privacy, defamation or any other cause of action and conditions. 04 Release of Liability In consideration for being permitted to participate in the Event, I hereby waive, release, and forever discharge, for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators and legal representatives, any and all rights and/or claims which I have, may have, or may hereafter accrue to me against the Organiser, its officers, directors, employees, consultants, agents and event sponsors for any and all damages, injuries (including death), and/or claims which may be sustained by me or my vehicle directly or indirectly arising out of my participation in the Event (including the application of emergency or medical services at the Event) even if the damages, injuries (including death), and/or claims are caused by the negligence of those persons listed above or otherwise such claims). 05 Indemnity I hereby agree to release, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Organiser, its officers, directors, employees, consultants, agents, Event sponsors and licensees and assigns from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, suits, liabilities or actions arising directly or indirectly out of my actions or otherwise from my participation in the Event whether made or claimed during or after the Event, including all associated costs and expenses and any amounts which the Organiser may pay as a settlement or compromise of any such claims or liabilities. I have read this waiver, fully understand its terms, and understand that I have given up substantial rights by signing it. I have done so freely and without inducement, coercion, or duress. I intend this waiver to be a complete and unconditional release of all liability to the greatest extent allowed by law. I agree that, if any portion of this waiver is held to be invalid, the balance of the waiver shall continue in full force and effect. Please note that by completing the entry form and accepting these terms and conditions you are concluding a legally binding agreement with us to participate in the Event on these terms and conditions. By signing below I declare that all the information contained on the entry form is correct and I acknowledge that I have read and understood all the terms and conditions and I agree in full to the terms and conditions above (including those of the waiver and indemnity) and I accept all the terms and conditions relating to my participation in the Event.
A mechanic for Brian Vickers' No. 83 Nextel Cup team, was shot and killed outside his home in North Carolina on Saturday night, according to a television report. http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/6639232
Busch Series Edwards extends points lead with victory at Nashville. - Spydertrader <img src=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1428060>
http://www.autoextremist.com/sema2004/girls/BlackMagic2x.jpg [img]http://www.autoextremist.com/sema2004/girls/RJx.jpg
Texas produced another snoozefest of a race that did feature a battle of sorts over the last few laps between two guys, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth, who drive like they have to pay for scratches to their cars. The only remotely interesting aspect of the race was to see if Tony Stewart would get into a position to take out Montoya after the rookie wrecked Stewart and spoiled his, and three or four other top contenders, days. Or if Stewart would take it onto pit road after the race, as he has done in the past when other drivers displeased him. Perhaps displaying the scars of last year when his temper essentially kept him out of the Chase, Stewart limited himself to observing to reporters that Motonya was a NASCAR rookie who occasionally got in over his head, and that, after today, Montoya shouldn't expect any help from Stewart. Wow, I bet that really ruined Juan's day after a top ten. Come on, Smoke, don't tell me you've turned soft too. At this rate I expect hockey and the LPGA to start outdrawing NASCAR.