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The Chase Standings
1 -- Brad Keselowski Leader 2 -- Jimmie Johnson -14 3 -- Denny Hamlin -23 4 +2 Kasey Kahne -36 5 -1 Clint Bowyer -40 6 +4 Jeff Gordon -42 7 -2 Tony Stewart -46 8 -- Martin Truex Jr. -48 9 +2 Greg Biffle -49 10 -1 Kevin Harvick -49 11 -4 Dale Earnhardt Jr. -51 12 -- Matt Kenseth -62
Ya I just had time to watch the finish before I had to leave for Turkey dinner. Lots of twisted metal!!!!
See ya at Charlotte Saturday night :-)
you bet. last night race of the season.Quote:
Originally Posted by rockit
Junior out with concussion
Earnhardt to miss next two Chase for the Sprint Cup races at Charlotte, Kansas
http://www.nascar.com/news/121011/de...zer/index.html
Thursday, October 11, 2012
2:00pm-3:30pm (L) Nationwide Practice Charlotte ESPN2
3:30pm-5:00pm (L) NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice Charlotte ESPN2
6:00pm-7:00pm (L) Nationwide Final Practice Charlotte ESPN2
7:00pm-8:30pm (L) NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying Charlotte ESPN2
Friday, October 12, 2012
4:00pm-5:00pm (L) Nationwide Qualifying Charlotte ESPN2
5:30pm-7:00pm (L) NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice Charlotte ESPN2
7:00pm-7:30pm (L) -Pre-Race Nationwide Series Charlotte ESPN (Also on TSN2)
7:30pm-10:30pm (L) -Race Nationwide Series Charlotte ESPN (Also on TSN2)
Saturday, October 13, 2012
7:00pm-7:30pm (L) -Pre-Race NASCAR Sprint Cup Charlotte ABC (Also on TSN)
7:30pm-11:30pm (L) -Race NASCAR Sprint Cup Charlotte ABC(Also on TSN)
Friday, October 12, 2012
1:00am-2:30am (L) Formula 1 Practice Korea SPEED
Saturday, October 13, 2012
1:00am-2:30am (L) Formula 1 Qualifying Korea SPEED
Sunday, October 14, 2012
1:30am-4:00am (L) Formula 1 Korea SPEED (Also on TSN)
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Earnhardt case shows high price of staying silent
CONCORD, N.C. -- As impacts go, it wasn't that big of a wreck -- at least not compared to the hit Dale Earnhardt Jr. had taken six weeks earlier, when a blown tire sent him into the wall during a test. He took a shot in the left-rear quarterpanel in the big melee that ended last Sunday's event at Talladega Superspeedway, and felt disoriented when the car spun around. Over the next few days, he started having headaches. For NASCAR's most popular driver, the next step quickly became obvious.
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“
If I didn't need to go get in a race car and get hit again [after Talladega], I needed somebody to tell me that, because I was going to have a hard time making that decision for myself. I feel perfectly fine, but I don't want to keep getting hit in the head.
”
-- DALE EARNHARDT JR.
He spoke to his sister Kelley, and that led to a consultation with a neurosurgeon. From there, a chain of events unfolded that led to Earnhardt seated at a table Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, explaining why he wouldn't be competing in at least the next two Sprint Cup events. The aftereffects of two recent concussions will keep Earnhardt out of Charlotte and Kansas, effectively ending what's become a long-shot championship bid. But the reason he walked into a doctor's office goes beyond that.
"I needed to go see somebody regardless of whether I wanted to get out of the car or not," Earnhardt said. "Just for my own well-being. If I didn't need to go get in a race car and get hit again, I needed somebody to tell me that, because I was going to have a hard time making that decision for myself. I feel perfectly fine, but I don't want to keep getting hit in the head."
*Video: Earnhardt Jr.'s press conference
There's no getting around the fact that Earnhardt kept the first concussion to himself; that he didn't feel quite right after slamming the wall at Kansas in that tire test Aug. 29; that he knew the all-too-familiar symptoms and decided to push through on his own. By the time the Chase began, he estimated that he was 80 to 90 percent. Last week, he said he was 100. But concussions have a cumulative effect and, after one, an athlete is more susceptible to another. The wreck at Talladega started the whole cycle all over again. Whether he was coaxed to do so by a family member or loved one, the fact is that Earnhardt walked into Dr. Jerry Petty's office of his own volition -- an action he had to know would be tantamount to tossing the keys to his No. 88 car to someone else.
*Video: Junior caught in Big One in 'Dega
"I think a lot of guys would try to play hurt," said Rick Hendrick, Earnhardt's car owner, "But when the doctor tells you if you get hit again, like right away, it could be catastrophic I think this deal has worked out [as] well as it could. ... We've got a lot of years left to race. I always want to be on the side of safety, and I applaud Dale for raising his hand and going in there and getting checked out."
Concussions are murky beasts, difficult to diagnose because of their relative lack of outward symptoms, sometimes terrifying to those affected because of how debilitating the effects can be. In recent years, hockey and football have been particularly plagued by what in essence is a mild form of traumatic brain injury. Athletes in those sports have at times hidden their symptoms, fearful of losing positions or even jobs. The consequence, though, is much worse.
"A concussion, especially one that occurs in a short period of time to the previous concussion, can be severely disabling, and can occasionally be deadly," said Dr. Vinay Deshmukh, a partner to Petty at the neurosurgery clinic that is treating Earnhardt.
And therein lies the crux -- a potentially serious condition that can be difficult to diagnose just by looking at the patient, and hinges on the affected individual being honest about what he's feeling. "Ninety percent of a concussion probably depends on individual information," said Petty, who works with the NFL's Carolina Panthers in addition to NASCAR teams.
In the aftermath of Earnhardt's incident, much will be made of what else NASCAR should have done to ensure he was OK, or keep him off the track if he wasn't. In retrospect, perhaps Earnhardt should have been tested more thoroughly after an accident in the Kansas tire test that the car's data recorder measured as 40 Gs.
But those ideal scenarios overlook a fundamental point -- for a concussion to be successfully treated, the individual affected has to be a willing participant. That was particularly important in Earnhardt's case given that, even after his admission, an MRI and neurological exam were both normal, Petty said. He never lost consciousness; never suffered any amnesia. But the headaches, the not feeling right -- it all added up to one thing.
"I knew having [those] two concussions back to back was not a good thing," Earnhardt said.
Now, that's not to say some things couldn't be done better. It can't sit well with anyone that Earnhardt drove for weeks with a concussion he kept to himself, that he admittedly wasn't 100 percent when the Chase began. Hits like the one he took at Kansas might garner more attention going forward.
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“
I think a lot of guys would try to play hurt. ... I applaud Dale for raising his hand and going in there and getting checked out.
”
-- RICK HENDRICK
"Looking back, there are always things you can second-guess and look at," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's vice president for racing operations. "I think that's one of the things we'll evaluate as we go forward. But I think, again, I'd put it back on [the fact that] everybody's got a responsibility as part of this. That's something we can learn from, as well. I'm sure in talking to Dale Jr. as we have, knowing where we stand now, that will absolutely be part of the procedures that we look at moving forward."
But this situation crystallizes the entire concussion issue, one which other contact sports have been battling to get their arms around for years, with varying degrees of success. There are zero easy answers and zero guarantees. Earnhardt is being held out for two weeks, and will have to undergo tests before he's allowed back in the car. Doctors will get his heart rate up, and see if the headaches return. If they don't, he'll be cleared to race again. But, as everyone learned earlier this season with Eric McClure who missed six weeks with a concussion suffered in a Nationwide race at Talladega in the spring, no one can say with true exactitude when that will be.
The entire condition is opaque. Cup points leader Brad Keselowski said he's never had a concussion that's been proven medically, which further emphasizes how much responsibility the affected individual carries. That can be a tricky thing in NASCAR, where one missed race can jeopardize championship chances or even career status. Not every driver has the security that Dale Earnhardt Jr. does at Hendrick Motorsports. But, in a sport that considers itself a community, every driver plays a role in helping to maintain the safety of others on the race track.
"Everyone's got their own code," Keselowski said. "That's the tricky thing about concussions -- you can't just look at somebody like a broken arm. You can see a broken arm. You can't just look at someone and say, he's got one, he doesn't. So it's very much self-policed. There's no answer to it for the racing community, as there's no answer to it for the rest of the sports community, whether it's high school football or college or pro football or hockey or whatnot. The difference in out sports versus those is, when you're unable to make great decisions when you lose your focus, the potential is there for others to get hurt."
Which is why in NASCAR, admissions like the one Earnhardt made Thursday are so notable. No question, he probably should have done this six weeks ago, but it's easy to understand the pressures of the Chase and wanting to maintain one of the best seasons of his career. Barring some major change in NASCAR policy, those realities will always be there. But some hope Earnhardt's revelation will prompt other affected athletes to come forward -- just as the driver himself did this week, when he realized staying silent did more harm than good.
"I think what happened today will probably go a long way," Deshmukh said. "There will probably be more awareness. And I'm not talking just on the pro level or the mega-superstar level. We're talking day-to-day weekend athletes, high school sports, even younger than that will hopefully see the example of what we've been showing today and understand just how important brain health is. It really should take precedence over everything else."
Recent turn of events land Smith in Chase car
CONCORD, N.C. -- Regan Smith says he doesn't feel any additional pressure in taking over behind the wheel of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 Chevrolet.
Even so, he won't mind the fan support that comes with filling in for NASCAR's most popular driver.
“
I just want to do these guys proud and run as good as we can with this car.
”
-- REGAN SMITH
"I do know that Dale has a huge following. I'm glad to be on the good side of them for a couple weeks," Smith said.
The former Furniture Row Racing driver found about about 7 a.m. on Thursday that he'd get the chance to drive Chase-proven equipment, filling in this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
"There's pressure every time you sit in a race race and drive," Smith says. "It doesn't matter what car it is. Every driver in this garage feels the same pressure every week. I'm going to put the same pressure on myself this weekend that I did last week and as I did two years ago."
Last week, Smith still was driving the No. 78 Chevrolet for Furniture Row and posted his best finish of the season, a fifth at Talladega.
But Smith lost his job to Kurt Busch and had been scheduled to drive Busch's former ride, Phoenix Racing's No. 51, until Thursday when Earnhardt stepped out of his car due to a concussion suffered on last week's last-lap crash. That opened the door for Smith to move into Earnhardt's seat for the next two weeks.
"It's an exciting opportunity for me," Smith says. "I hate the circumstances around it. Obviously, Dale's safety and getting him healthy are the most important things right now. With that said, it's a great opportunity for me to hop in the race car.
"The last four weeks have been about as up-and-down as any four weeks in my life, between what was going on with the 78 car. As of [Wednesday], I was in South Carolina, getting fitted for the 51 car. Then I get a call this morning at 7 o'clock and ... by 7:30 I'm in my car heading over to the Hendrick shop."
Smith said he hadn't had a chance to speak with Earnhardt prior to Thursday's practice. Earnhardt says that's OK.
"Regan doesn't need any tutoring or anything like that," said Earnhardt, who indicated he would not be at the track Sunday for fear of becoming a distraction. "He's going to do a great job. I'm excited for his opportunity.
"He's a great guy and been a good friend of mine for a long time. Under the circumstances, I think this is really a neat opportunity for him. Steve [crew chief Letarte] and the guys will enjoy working with him."
Earnhardt's concussion effectively ends his quest for the Sprint Cup title. He exits the car 11th of 12 drivers in the Chase, 51 points behind points leader Brad Keselowski.
Rick Hendrick, owner of Earnhardt's car, said he called Phoenix Racing team owner James Finch about 10 p.m. Wednesday, requesting permission to use Smith as his driver on Saturday night. It was a logical move for Hendrick Motorsports, which has a technical alliance with Phoenix and designs on employing Smith next season.
"We've been talking about running him in the Nationwide car for a championship," Hendrick said. "He's a good friend of Dale's. Dale likes him, we're familiar with him. We knew he was going to be in James' car, so it just seemed to fit."
Letarte says Smith's relationship with another Chevrolet team and with Earnhardt helped ease the decision.
"Regan has a great attitude and seems to be a remarkable talent," Letarte said. "He's part of the Chevrolet family, which obviously helps when it comes to driving our car. The fact that Dale believes in him so much also made the decision much easier."
Smith, 29, has one career Sprint Cup victory on his resume, that coming last year at Darlington. His goal for the weekend?
"I just want to do these guys proud and run as good as we can with this car," he said. "We want to try to win the pole, try to win the race and try to be the fastest car every practice. That's not going to change. That's what these [No. 88] guys do every weekend."
Allmendinger seems a good fit for Phoenix Racing
CONCORD, N.C. -- AJ Allmendinger might not be the perfect match for every team.
But Phoenix Racing general manager Steve Barkdoll says the recently reinstated driver is the right man -- and possibly just the right fit -- for Phoenix Racing and team owner James Finch.
“
James has always been willing to give a guy a second chance. ... He has something to prove over here.
”
-- STEVE BARKDOLL
"James has always been willing to give a guy a second chance," Barkdoll said Thursday afternoon as his team readied its No. 51 car for its third driver in five days "He likes cars that go fast and we feel that AJ can [make them] do that."
There seems to be a touch of poetic justice in Allmendinger finding a haven with Phoenix, a single-car team, recently jilted by Kurt Busch and unsponsored at this time.
"James basically allows us to do what we do out of his own pocket, without a sponsor," Barkdoll said. "So, when you get somebody like AJ who is kind of down on his luck but can go fast, it's kind of like a natural fit for us."
If nothing else, Phoenix Racing has the appropriate name for Allmendinger, 30, who is attempting to resurrect his Sprint Cup career from the ashes of turbulence.
His chance to drive the 51 --driven until now in 2012 by Kurt Busch -- came somewhat by chance. Regan Smith, scheduled to replace Busch (now driving Furniture Row's No. 78) was tabbed by Hendrick Motorsports to replace Dale Earnhardt Jr. in this week's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
But Earnhardt was forced to relinquish his seat because of a concussion he suffered in a final-lap crash at Talladega on Sunday.
Barkdoll says Allmendinger wasn't really his team's second choice. He was more like 1-A.
"Regan seemed to fit what we wanted," Barkdoll said. "We just needed someone to move forward and hopefully attract a sponsor. That's why we picked him.
"However, we did talk with AJ at Talladega and felt really good about his talents. [We] felt like he has something to prove over here. We kind of felt Regan and AJ were pretty close when we made our decision about who'd replace Kurt."
Many in the garage openly questioned when and if Allmendinger would get another chance in a Cup car after being released by Penske Racing in the wake of testing positive for Adderall, a prescription drug often associated with the treatment of attention deficit disorder.
Allmendinger also was arrested for DUI by Mooresville, N.C., police in October 2009, resulting in probation by NASCAR for the remainder of that season.
Allmendinger gained perspective in his time away from the track.
"I think for me it's all about being happy off the race track," he said. "This sport, even when it's going well, can take over your life. And when it's not going well, it can really take over your life. I lost the fun out of it and was struggling. I'd leave the race track and if it wasn't going well, it would dictate how I was at home.
"It's just that when it gets taken away from you, you kind of see what it's really all about. I quickly found out I love this sport, and I missed it. I'm one of the luckiest guys in the world to be able to be a part of it, and to have a second opportunity to be here."
With Phoenix Racing openly searching for a sponsor, might Allmendinger make that task more difficult?
"We haven't done any searching for a sponsor for AJ," Barkdoll said. "But what I [learned about] him last week at Talladega and again, this morning, I really like."
Crew chief Nick Harrison, busy with fabricators in refitting the No. 51 cockpit to accommodate Allmendinger, has no problem with his latest driver coming aboard.
"That's a good thing for me," Harrison said. " Here I am a crew chief knowing the driver is very hungry and has something to prove. I'm happy to see a guy that hungry climbing in the No. 51 window.
Allmendinger, 30, has had success at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He finished second from the pole in the Sprint Showdown, earning a spot in the All-Star Race this past spring.
Allmendinger had a pair of top-10 Cup finishes last year at Charlotte, finishing fifth and seventh while driving for Richard Petty Motorsports.
"I feel AJ will get in the car and be just fine," Harrison said. "He's been successful here [at Charlotte]. I talked to him a little bit this morning. We're both racers and want to do the best we can. I think we can come out of here with a decent run."
Allmendinger agreed after he had a chance to drive the car.
"The car is pretty good. For me, it's more about me trying to get back up with these race cars and how it feels to be behind the wheel of a race car," he said. "I was telling our guys it's pretty comfortable -- a little tight in between [Turns] 3 and 4, but that's always the way it is here in Charlotte. But it had decent speed in it right away. That Hendrick horsepower, I can feel it. It's already pretty strong. ... The biggest thing is to just try to keep getting better every practice session and go out and try to run all 500 miles Saturday night."Barkdoll says Phoenix Racing is "totally committed" to running the last six races of the season. Whether Allmendinger, Smith or another driver finishes the season behind the wheel remains to be seen.
How Allmendinger finished Sunday will affect his future with Phoenix Racing.
"I'm sure if AJ does a nice job we'll see him in the car next week at Kansas," Barkdoll said. "We told Regan and AJ both that if they got in the car, it would probably be [a] race-to-race [situation]."
Lineup
Charlotte
POS. DRIVER 1 Greg Biffle 2 Mark Martin 3 Ryan Newman 4 Clint Bowyer 5 Jimmie Johnson 6 Martin Truex Jr. 7 Matt Kenseth 8 Kyle Busch 9 Denny Hamlin 10 Kasey Kahne
Lap 2 Greg Biffle and Mark Martin are still going after each other. Clint Bowyer is just behind Martin on the low side.
Lap 1 GREEN FL&G: The race gets under way at 7:51 p.m. ET. Mark Martin and Greg Biffle are side by side on the front row the entire first lap.