Kenseth, Vickers question how end of race played out
Both drivers pleased with top-five, but wonder what if
By Joe Menzer, NASCAR.COM
June 16, 2008
12:36 PM EDT
BROOKLYN, Mich. -- As Sunday's estimated crowd of 115,000 mostly roared its approval of the race victor after conclusion of the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway, drivers Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers stood on pit road and wondered about what might have been.
Actually, they fumed about what they thought should have been.
Both were upset over a variety of things -- not the least of which was their belief that eventual race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. illegally passed the pace car during the final caution (watch video).
"I knew there was some drama," said Kenseth, who finished third behind Earnhardt and second-place finisher Kasey Kahne. "I knew there was some weird stuff going on. I know he drove past the pace car by 10 car lengths and then he dropped back and shut the engine off -- and I didn't think you could pass the pace car. I was just trying to figure out what in the heck was going on. It was definitely different."
Vickers, who settled for fourth after leading 44 laps, was not only upset about Earnhardt's pass of the pace car but also because of NASCAR's decision to put the No. 8 car of Mark Martin ahead of him before the final restart. In addition, he questioned the fact that Martin's car appeared to then push Kahne's No. 9 Dodge around part of the track during the caution period.
"There were a lot of things that happened there at the end of the race that are big question marks in my mind -- and passing the pace car under caution was just one of them," Vickers said. "You're also supposed to make it around the track unassisted. There were guys pushing each other on fuel-mileage strategies. That's not right. It's definitely not legal, but they let it go.
"And then obviously the call to put the 8 car back in front of us. I don't know why that was, but it definitely cost us a shot at the race. And it was blatantly, obviously wrong. It wasn't like we were side-by-side; we were seven cars ahead of him two laps before the caution came out."
NASCAR official Jim Hunter said that Earnhardt did not violate a rule, saying that he needed only to maintain "a reasonable speed or a reasonable pace" behind the pace car and that once Earnhardt was warned not to surge ahead of it, Earnhardt complied.
Kenseth didn't see it that way.
"There's nothing wrong with going down on the apron. It's everybody's idea to save fuel -- but I didn't think you could pass the pace car," Kenseth said. "The leader would stand on the gas and go 10 car lengths ahead of the pace car and shut the motor off. I thought it was confusing and I had to stay closed up."
Like Vickers, Kenseth also had additional complaints. Mainly he was upset that a NASCAR official slowed his exit from the pits following one stop late in the race.
Hunter admitted that the official in question was too slow to move out of Kenseth's way, and that he would be reprimanded for it. Working as a television analyst Sunday, Kyle Petty joked that the next time an official gets in Kenseth's way, the driver would probably just "throw the official up on the hood and go."
To this, Kenseth joked: "Well, maybe we would have, but he was too big. We thought he would do damage to the fender.
"I'm just kidding. I would never run anybody over and hurt them. I know it's hard to fix every call. There are all kinds of balls and strikes called in our sport, but I wish he would have been paying a little more attention because track position was still important at that point."
Kenseth, who led four times for a total of 41 laps, still earned his best finish of the season.
"This was our best finish of the year, so I'm really excited about that," Kenseth said. "I'm pumped up about what we've done in the points here the last month and a half. We've been able to make a run at it, and we're actually being a contender again. So I'm fired up about that.
"But I can't lie and say that I'm not disappointed that I'm not standing over there in Victory Lane. To me, along with the 48 [of Jimmie Johnson], the 83 [of Vickers] and the 18 [of Kyle Busch] at times, I thought we had the best cars and we didn't get to win the race. Whenever that happens, you're a little disappointed."
Kenseth also couldn't resist a parting shot at the race winner.
"I thought it was a great race," he said. "There was a lot of two- and three- and four-wide racing -- and Junior won, so everything's good."
Vickers also was pleased overall with his own strong finish, but added of Earnhardt: "I don't know. All the fans seem pretty happy with who's in Victory Lane. He did what he had to do. He had a good car all day. He put himself in contention. He did the right strategy.
"But I mean, there were definitely some things that took place at the end of the race that I wouldn't say were legal. But it's not my race to call."
My question is why is Vickers so pissed? If Nascar thought it to be illegal they would have done something. Seems that idiot forgot 2 fall races ago at Talledega. Wrecking 2 cars that are in the chase is a lot worse than passing the pace car.
Blah blah 2 years ago was an accident, he could have just as easily taken himself out in that race, no one would risk that, you can't exactly get away with a bump and run at Talledega. If it were a different track I'd be willing to believe he staged it. I think he's probably more mad at this race because they put the 8 in front of him and that car he said held him up in trying for the win, plus his car was pretty good, but I don't know if he could've gotten around Kenseth and Kahne too. I don't really know the deal with the 8 in front of him but NASCAR goes by those scoring loops and the GPS now so it's tough to get that wrong now.
__________________
"My wiener has never been so exhausted." - Kurt Busch
I like the fact that they think they both would have won are they forgeting a #9 Budwiser car between them and Jr who had enough gas to finish running without the caution
__________________
"It's all fun and games until somebody wrecks a racecar" Larry McRenyolds
Yeah, but Vickers and Kenseth both EASILY had better cars then KK. Had the very last caution not come out, Jr. ran out of gas, and KK would have been passed by probably both of those two and Kenseth would have won the race, with Vickers not far behind...
__________________
Go, Rowdy, Go!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Yeah, but Vickers and Kenseth both EASILY had better cars then KK. Had the very last caution not come out, Jr. ran out of gas, and KK would have been passed by probably both of those two and Kenseth would have won the race, with Vickers not far behind...
where do you get your ideas? who cares if your cars better 1 lap shootout anything goes
__________________
"It's all fun and games until somebody wrecks a racecar" Larry McRenyolds
not always does the fastest car win!!! strategy and various other things come into play more and more in nascar these days..
just some food for thought. lol
congrats to dale jr.
ok, so vickers is complaining? He is outside the top 12, so he should be satisfied with a top 5 finish. And same with kenseth, he is outside the top 12, and with these finishes, he can make the chase. Dont complain until it will determine your faith. Whether jr finished 1st or 20th, it wouldnt really have changed their chase chances much.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
the sad thing is this win came on fathers day and his daddy isn't here to celebrate it with him.
That's the first thing I thought when Junior was declared the winner
Vickers and Kenseth complaining? I really don't understand that. If I was them I would just be thankful for the good finish that I got instead of whining about the race winner.
__________________ "There's damn good drivers throughout the field, that doesn't gurantee that we're all going to drive in the top 15 every week. It all depends on what kind of car you get on Sunday". Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Last edited by fourwheeling38! : 06-16-2008 at 10:49 PM.
Linear Mode
