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Rumor Control!
Speed Reading: The truth behind recent racing rumors
Ryan McGee / FOXSports.com
Posted: 31 minutes ago
So, here's the thing about the Internet...
First of all, I love it. And why not? Where else can you find the chemical compound of Miracle Gro, a recipe for raspberry pancakes and the exact location of where Jeff Goldblum is having lunch all in one place?
But the problem with the .com world is that there is as much bogus information out there as there is legit. For example, did we really think that the dude from "Dawson's Creek" was going to land the role of Anakin Skywalker? Or that the Minnesota Twins were moving to Greensboro?
And nowhere on the World Wide Web is the rumor mill more out of control than in the wheel world of NASCAR. Since the first big auto racing rumor site kicked off in 1996, I have spent endless hours having to verify everything from Bobby Labonte being killed in a plane crash to Richard Petty coming out of retirement. Actually, I may have started the one about Petty...
This season, the rumors seem to be particularly wild and wooly. So, as always, we here at FOXSports.com on MSN are here for you, brothers and sisters. Ready to provide an oasis from the relentless storm of rumors. Read ahead to learn what is true and what is false... and go ye forth to the message boards to set the record straight.
Rumor #1: Women are going to be banned from pit road — FALSE
This little nugget started making the blog rounds after the now famous Texas incident involving Greg Biffle's longtime girlfriend Nicole Lunders and Kurt Busch's fiancee Eva Bryan.
Here's the thing. Women fought to earn their way into the Cup garage for decades. The "no chicks" rule was so strict for so long that even 1970's female racer Janet Guthrie had to sneak her way past security guards to participate in her first practice session at Darlington. Wives like Stevie Waltrip beat back the rule by proving their worth in the pits, either as scorers or in Waltrip's case, fuel specialist.
As for the Lunders-Bryan showdown, it wouldn't even make the top 10 of female altercations. In the 1960's, Richard Petty's mother once assaulted driver Tiny Lund with her purse during driver introductions.
Lunders received a reprimand from NASCAR because she broke a rule that exists for anyone and everyone on pit road - you cannot go into anyone else's pit area, especially with hostilities on your mind.
Rumor #2: Changes are on the way for the Busch Series — TRUE
As the Buschwackers continue to decimate the field each and every Saturday afternoon, an age-old issue is getting some very new ink — is it good for NASCAR's junior league to be overrun by major league stars.
If you ask the TV networks and track operators the answer is "Hell yes!" There is a reason that the Busch Series is the No. 2-rated motorsports series on American television, and it's the same reason that crowds of 50,000+ routinely show up for the Saturday races. Star power. Guys like Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne sell a lot more tickets than David Green, Mike Bliss and Mike Wallace.
I know it hurts, but it is true. Which is why the idea of race limits and purse limits for Cup regulars is being met with heavy resistance from the previously mentioned track and TV execs.
So the latest idea making the rounds in Daytona is to field a totally different type of car in the Busch Series. All the current manufacturers would be present, but instead of running coupes, they would run the smaller, more agile "pony" cars — Mustangs, Camaros and the like. The idea being to eliminate any advantage that the Cup guys have coming down to drive the slightly easier to drive NBS cars as well as giving the Busch Series its own unique identity as opposed to AAA baseball.
Stay tuned...
Rumor #3: Mark Martin is considering one more year in Nextel Cup — FALSE
Wanna see Mark Martin smile? Don't ask him about 2006; ask him about next season. The reaction you get should tell you all you need to know about his excitement over going Craftsman Truck Series racing full-time. In recent weeks, he has hinted that would like to run a couple of selected Cup races, but most in the Martin camp believe he would like to run the Nextel All-Star Challenge and maybe take one more shot at the Brickyard 400, but only if he doesn't win it this year.
In the meantime, he will continue to add to his Ken Schrader-like schedule with a mixture of truck races and even a bag full of short track dates during the week. Watch for Martin's racing to taper off as Matt Martin, who will turn 15 in December, inches closer to the big leagues.
Rumor #4: Ward Burton is attempting a comeback — TRUE
Actually, the five-race winner hasn't ever quit trying since we last saw him in 2004. Pushed out the back door by the onslaught of Young Guns, Burton was offered a slew of Truck and Busch Series rides, but said he was holding out for a Cup offer. That never came, so the '02 Daytona 500 winner decided to focus on his outdoor conservation efforts back home in Virginia.
But during a recent appearance at Martinsville, Burton acknowledged that he would now be willing to talk to Busch and Truck Series teams, especially since the makeup of the Truck starting grids has started leaning more toward old school Cup racers. Don't be surprised if he pops up midseason when anxious mid-pack teams start cleaning house in preparation for '07.
Rumor #5: Roush Racing is in total panic mode — FALSE
Yes, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, and Jamie McMurray are dwelling in the nether regions of the point standings. Yes, there was big crew chief shakeup at Roush right before Easter weekend.
But no... I repeat, no... panic has taken over in Concord, N.C. Not yet anyway.
"I think in the world of The Chase, Jack recognizes that you have to make changes earlier in the year than you would in years past," says Roush Racing president Geoff Smith. "We are dealing with a 26-race regular season instead of 36 races. Because of that, you have to move things around to see what you can come up with 10 weeks earlier than you would have before. But I think anyone who has really watched our race teams closely this year knows that we have run better than the final numbers might look."
For comfort, current Roush drivers need only to look at the organization's recent late-season history. Under the old points system in 2002, Kurt Busch came from outside the top 10 to finish 3rd in points over the season's final month. He also went from barely making The Chase to winning the championship in '04. And just one year ago, Matt Kenseth came from the mid-20's in points to making The Chase and finishing a solid 7th.
And that's no rumor. That's a fact, Jack.
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