Cheating Dominates Daytona 500 Talk

The Daytona 500 was supposed to be a celebration of all that's right with NASCAR -- the debut of Toyota and much-heralded rookie Juan Pablo Montoya, and a new format that emphasizes winning.

[Terri]

If the officals think its all about the power of the cars maybe they should have a qualifying where the drivers swiitched cars? Put Matt Kenseth in Jimmie Johnsons car and vice versa. I think its a lot about drivers and this would prove it.

[Speechless]

Terri wrote:

If the officals think its all about the power of the cars maybe they should have a qualifying where the drivers swiitched cars? Put Matt Kenseth in Jimmie Johnsons car and vice versa. I think its a lot about drivers and this would prove it.

Terri, you have a great idea there. NASCAR should make everyone that enters a race prepare a car and bring it. Then they could put all the car numbers in a fish bowl and the drivers could draw to see which car they were going to drive for that race. It probably wouldn't lend itself to the teams really going all out to build fast cars but it would be interesting. It would be a great way to cut costs and slow the cars down.

[john]

well i see gordon got off easy again. cant tell me that nascar has its favoriets seems like poor gordon can do no wrong and if he does he crys to get his way and as for toyota well not happy about seeing imports in nascar nut do think nascar is going over board when the car was just being tested but he time it comes to the qualifting the feul woud ave been long gone

[Dumbfounded]

Ok I understand the point in the last two comments but lets just be real... do you see the football teams putting the players names in a bowl and drawing there teams, not only no but hell no it will never happen and it shouldn't. Anyone who has ever really been involved in racing knows there has always been the one driver or team that TRYS to get away with a little or not so little cheat but thats the minor side the majority of teams and drivers are honest and want to win a race or the championship the old fashioned way. I have loved racing most of my life and thinks sad that this has happened but it will not be the last time it happened. Oh ya, have any of you ever seem a IROC race? They are all totally identical cars driven by "champions" of all different styles of racers. And you never knew who was going to take the race but mostly it was the best driver out there and they did it on skill.( Dale Earnhardt was a BIG winner)

[Dumbfounded]

john wrote:

well i see gordon got off easy again. cant tell me that nascar has its favoriets seems like poor gordon can do no wrong and if he does he crys to get his way and as for toyota well not happy about seeing imports in nascar nut do think nascar is going over board when the car was just being tested but he time it comes to the qualifting the feul woud ave been long gone

Get over yourself if anyone gets away with crap it's by far mister Dale JR. do you remember "no bump drafting in the corners" and Dale taking Jeff Gordon out by bump drafting in the corners? Think first then type please!

[john]

i think that dale jr will win or in 2 or 3 in the race

[Fran]

Why are some being punished and not others, such as Gordon. It seems as though him, Busch and Johnson just to name a few always have an excuse and they get away with it. Others are punished and this time severely. Lets make it fair for everyone.

[Fran]

Why not make it fair for everyone. Ones like Johnson, Gordon and Busch, just to name a few, always seem to get the slide by. Others are punished severely. I think they should be made to pay for their mistakes, but if one pays they all pay. Stop making excuses for certain ones. Hang in there Mike, we will stand behind you.

[Curtis]

I don't see anything fair about five teams that were caught cheating, being in the race, while cars that were 100% legal,and had good qualifying times are not in!

[Celia Rossiter]

I think that all the drivers should of had drivers points taken from them. Maybe then the teams will think twice about cheating. As far as Jeff Gordon.. that team has been caught cheating in the past and they always just get a slap on the wrist.

[Celia Rossiter]

Is there different rules for the Hendrick drivers? I have watched Nascar for 25 years.. until Hendrick got big in the sport it seemed somewhat fair. But then came Hendrick teams.. and Hendrick the saint.. Does anyone remeber the days when he was on house arrrest? For what? Think about it.

[Marie Lloyd-Shaughness y]

If drivers were suspended instead of crew chiefs and or managers, cheating would immediately stop.

[CJ Voges]

I've been a fan of NASCAR since they raced on the beach.Cheating is one thing, getting caught is another.
Punishing cheaters is easier said than done. Until the rules and penalties are really specific, interpretation by humans will be variable.
For some, losing a crew chief may be devastatng.
For others, like the 48 team, it will be a bump in the road. If you doubt that, I refer you to the Lowe's # 48 team, who lost Chad Knaus for for races, and still won the championship.
MWR and Toyota will recover from this.

[Lil Lucy]

Whats good for one is good for all... it should be straight across the board no matter who you are or who you drive for. Hendrick drivers do not have to follow Nascar's rules.. they have a seprate rule book for those teams.

[Lil Lucy]

I have watched Nscar for many years.. I used to schedule my Sunday's around the race. But the last few years.. I dont care if I miss it or not. Its always pretty much scripted.. I think they need to put the race back in the drivers hands.. let them race.. make sure all teams follow the same rules.. and the cars are evenly matched.. let them go out there and rub.. let them make up laps.. not this "Lucky Dog" crap. For years the drivers had to make up a lap with driving skills.. not with a free pass. I bet if dale Sr. were still alive.. he would pitch a fit..

[jimmy48]

Yahoo! Go Jimmy 48! or maybe Jeff gordon 24!

[glenn]

I am not suprised at the cheating.. they always push the limits.. but Waltrip? That was blanant

[glenn]

Lil Lucy wrote:

Whats good for one is good for all... it should be straight across the board no matter who you are or who you drive for. Hendrick drivers do not have to follow Nascar's rules.. they have a seprate rule book for those teams.

I am with you Lil Lucy.. there is a different set of rules for Hendrick.

[jimmy48]

Lil Lucy wrote:

I have watched Nscar for many years.. I used to schedule my Sunday's around the race. But the last few years.. I dont care if I miss it or not. Its always pretty much scripted.. I think they need to put the race back in the drivers hands.. let them race.. make sure all teams follow the same rules.. and the cars are evenly matched.. let them go out there and rub.. let them make up laps.. not this "Lucky Dog" crap. For years the drivers had to make up a lap with driving skills.. not with a free pass. I bet if dale Sr. were still alive.. he would pitch a fit..

So what if he did pitch a fit. He wasn't Mr.Nascar ya know. Those days are gone so might as well accept it or leave the sport. Simple as that.

[Peterstick]

Who's calling the action on FOX?