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Jeff Gordon’s frustration with his season come out in *%$^%^^&^* comments on radio about Dale Earnhardt Jr.
BROOKLYN, Mich. -- It’s rare you see teammates get extremely mad at each other.
But during Sunday’s race at MIS, Jeff Gordon was not too pleased with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"Tell the f------ 88 he can thank me later for not wrecking him," Gordon said after a particularly bold move by Dale during the race. "That was f------ stupid."
(For the record, team owner Rick Hendrick didn’t see anything wrong with Jr.’s move.)
After the race, Gordon explained his comments, and then snuck in a compliment for Earnhardt to help lighten the mood.
“Well, he took me four-wide and that wasn’t that big of a deal but then he slid up in front of me off of Turn 2 and I had to check up or I would have wrecked all of us. So, I just didn’t think that it was the smartest thing to do, especially as teammates. But, he chose to do it and that’s fine. It all worked out. I don’t care who I’m racing out there; I’m going to show my displeasure if I’m not happy about something. But that one was pretty close; but no big deal. I’m glad to see he’s running good. Those guys have really got their car dialed-in here at Michigan this year.”
He can downplay it, but the fact is this incident shows Gordon is getting frustrated. He is not doing well, and barring another win might miss the Chase for only the second time since it began.
He can’t be happy about this, so anything that goes wrong, he is going to react a little more strongly than someone who is doing well.
It’s human nature.
When you’re in a bad mood already, everything ticks you off. You’re more jump, more moody.
Gordon is a legend, and if he retired tomorrow, he would be remembered as a Hall of Famer. But he doesn’t want to go out now. He wants to win more races, win more championships and go out on top.
The fact that he’s having trouble doing that obviously are making him a little nervous.
And there is not doubt in my mind that this Chase battle has Gordon a little more moody -- hence the expletive-laden tirade against his teammate.
Is Jimmie Johnson cursed at MIS?
Every driver has a track or two they just can’t conquer. For Jimmie Johnson, that track is Michigan International Speedway. He had the race won Sunday, like he had a few times before too. But in the end, he blew up and gave the win away to Greg Biffle. He’s lost this race in almost every way possible -- reminds me of when Dale Earnhardt Sr. just couldn’t win the Daytona 500 for so many years--with crazy things happening like blowing a tire on the last lap.
Jimmie is always fast at MIS, he came from last in the field and almost won on Sunday. That’s pretty amazing.
But he didn’t close the deal.
Eventually he probably will. Luck has to go his way at some point.
But until then, all the anti-Jimmie crowd can take solace that the 2-mile track in Brooklyn, Michigan, so far remains out of his reach when it comes to getting a trophy.
New crew chief for Harvick
What happens when you’re not winning? You get a new crew chief.
FOXPorts.com is reporting that Harvick will have a new (or rather returning) face on the pit box this Saturday. Gil Martin will return, replacing Shane Wilson.
It’s probably a good move. Harvick is invisible this year, hanging in the top 10 but not doing anything of note. If he makes the Chase, which is likely, he’ll probably be mired in the bottom of the standings unless big changes happen ASAP.
Maybe Martin can provide that spark. We shall see.
"We're just trying to turn things around to make sure we get in the Chase, then be competitive once we get into the Chase," Martin said in the report. "It's not a question of us knowing each other's history, we've worked together before.”
Martin was Harvick’s crew chief from 2009 to 2011, and they had worked together in the Nationwide Series in 2006, winning a title together.
Hablas espanol?
NASCAR and FOX Deportes announced they are teaming up to provide the sport’s most expansive Spanish-language broadcast offering ever with coverage of 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races as well as original programming, daily news segments and weekly updates starting in 2013.
Of the 15 race broadcasts, FOX Deportes, the No. 1 U.S. Latino Sports network, will carry live six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, including, for the first time ever, a Spanish-language broadcast of NASCAR’s biggest race, the Daytona 500 (Sunday, Feb. 24).
In addition to the 15 Spanish-language race broadcasts, FOX Deportes will also produce and air a series of original NASCAR programs focused on engaging the Latino fan base. This series will be complemented by daily NASCAR news segments in the No. 1 rated U.S. Latino sports news franchise, Central FOX.
“It’s a historic milestone in the evolution of FOX Deportes, and we’re excited to be working with NASCAR to add the most popular motorsport in America to our overall programming mix for the first time,” said Vincent Cordero, executive vice president and general manager of FOX Deportes. “There’s no sport more deeply rooted in the fabric of America than NASCAR, and having it on our own network represents our continued commitment to expand and diversify our content portfolio by adding the biggest sporting events in the world that impassion today’s U.S. Latino.”
FOX Deportes coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing gets underway Saturday, Feb. 16 with coverage of the Daytona Shootout, a non-points race from Daytona International Speedway that unofficially kicks off the 2013 season. In addition to the Daytona 500 a week later (Sunday, Feb. 24), FOX Deportes will also broadcast live in Spanish four additional races from Auto Club Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.
“The thirst for NASCAR programming, and in particular race broadcasts, is very strong and we’re constantly looking for ways to expose the sport to new fans in new places,” said Steve Herbst, NASCAR vice president of broadcasting and production. “To be able to put a deal like this together with FOX Deportes, a leader in U.S. Latino sports media, is something we believe will help satisfy the strong demand for NASCAR racing in the Hispanic community while also exposing the sport to new audiences.”
But during Sunday’s race at MIS, Jeff Gordon was not too pleased with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"Tell the f------ 88 he can thank me later for not wrecking him," Gordon said after a particularly bold move by Dale during the race. "That was f------ stupid."
(For the record, team owner Rick Hendrick didn’t see anything wrong with Jr.’s move.)
After the race, Gordon explained his comments, and then snuck in a compliment for Earnhardt to help lighten the mood.
“Well, he took me four-wide and that wasn’t that big of a deal but then he slid up in front of me off of Turn 2 and I had to check up or I would have wrecked all of us. So, I just didn’t think that it was the smartest thing to do, especially as teammates. But, he chose to do it and that’s fine. It all worked out. I don’t care who I’m racing out there; I’m going to show my displeasure if I’m not happy about something. But that one was pretty close; but no big deal. I’m glad to see he’s running good. Those guys have really got their car dialed-in here at Michigan this year.”
He can downplay it, but the fact is this incident shows Gordon is getting frustrated. He is not doing well, and barring another win might miss the Chase for only the second time since it began.
He can’t be happy about this, so anything that goes wrong, he is going to react a little more strongly than someone who is doing well.
It’s human nature.
When you’re in a bad mood already, everything ticks you off. You’re more jump, more moody.
Gordon is a legend, and if he retired tomorrow, he would be remembered as a Hall of Famer. But he doesn’t want to go out now. He wants to win more races, win more championships and go out on top.
The fact that he’s having trouble doing that obviously are making him a little nervous.
And there is not doubt in my mind that this Chase battle has Gordon a little more moody -- hence the expletive-laden tirade against his teammate.
Is Jimmie Johnson cursed at MIS?
Every driver has a track or two they just can’t conquer. For Jimmie Johnson, that track is Michigan International Speedway. He had the race won Sunday, like he had a few times before too. But in the end, he blew up and gave the win away to Greg Biffle. He’s lost this race in almost every way possible -- reminds me of when Dale Earnhardt Sr. just couldn’t win the Daytona 500 for so many years--with crazy things happening like blowing a tire on the last lap.
Jimmie is always fast at MIS, he came from last in the field and almost won on Sunday. That’s pretty amazing.
But he didn’t close the deal.
Eventually he probably will. Luck has to go his way at some point.
But until then, all the anti-Jimmie crowd can take solace that the 2-mile track in Brooklyn, Michigan, so far remains out of his reach when it comes to getting a trophy.
New crew chief for Harvick
What happens when you’re not winning? You get a new crew chief.
FOXPorts.com is reporting that Harvick will have a new (or rather returning) face on the pit box this Saturday. Gil Martin will return, replacing Shane Wilson.
It’s probably a good move. Harvick is invisible this year, hanging in the top 10 but not doing anything of note. If he makes the Chase, which is likely, he’ll probably be mired in the bottom of the standings unless big changes happen ASAP.
Maybe Martin can provide that spark. We shall see.
"We're just trying to turn things around to make sure we get in the Chase, then be competitive once we get into the Chase," Martin said in the report. "It's not a question of us knowing each other's history, we've worked together before.”
Martin was Harvick’s crew chief from 2009 to 2011, and they had worked together in the Nationwide Series in 2006, winning a title together.
Hablas espanol?
NASCAR and FOX Deportes announced they are teaming up to provide the sport’s most expansive Spanish-language broadcast offering ever with coverage of 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races as well as original programming, daily news segments and weekly updates starting in 2013.
Of the 15 race broadcasts, FOX Deportes, the No. 1 U.S. Latino Sports network, will carry live six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, including, for the first time ever, a Spanish-language broadcast of NASCAR’s biggest race, the Daytona 500 (Sunday, Feb. 24).
In addition to the 15 Spanish-language race broadcasts, FOX Deportes will also produce and air a series of original NASCAR programs focused on engaging the Latino fan base. This series will be complemented by daily NASCAR news segments in the No. 1 rated U.S. Latino sports news franchise, Central FOX.
“It’s a historic milestone in the evolution of FOX Deportes, and we’re excited to be working with NASCAR to add the most popular motorsport in America to our overall programming mix for the first time,” said Vincent Cordero, executive vice president and general manager of FOX Deportes. “There’s no sport more deeply rooted in the fabric of America than NASCAR, and having it on our own network represents our continued commitment to expand and diversify our content portfolio by adding the biggest sporting events in the world that impassion today’s U.S. Latino.”
FOX Deportes coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing gets underway Saturday, Feb. 16 with coverage of the Daytona Shootout, a non-points race from Daytona International Speedway that unofficially kicks off the 2013 season. In addition to the Daytona 500 a week later (Sunday, Feb. 24), FOX Deportes will also broadcast live in Spanish four additional races from Auto Club Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.
“The thirst for NASCAR programming, and in particular race broadcasts, is very strong and we’re constantly looking for ways to expose the sport to new fans in new places,” said Steve Herbst, NASCAR vice president of broadcasting and production. “To be able to put a deal like this together with FOX Deportes, a leader in U.S. Latino sports media, is something we believe will help satisfy the strong demand for NASCAR racing in the Hispanic community while also exposing the sport to new audiences.”
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posted by Matt Myftiu at
10:16 PM
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