Pitt road WWE

[DE_Wrangler_2]

Well we've had a several situations in the last couple of years with drivers going after each other for incidents on the track. We all hold strong opinions on both sides of the issue when they come up. I figure most of y'all watched the race today and saw Tommy Baldwin and his crew duke it out in Gregg Zipadelli's pit area. Most of us want firm punishment for our drivers when they lay hands on another driver in anger..........does that go for crew chiefs and crews? The way it appears to me is that Tommy ran down to Gregg's pit to voice his anger at Tony. Evidently some (if not all) of his pit crew followed him down there and we know what happened. Should it be found out that Tommy and crew started the fight does Tommy get a weekend off? How about the crew members who chased down there too? What about Gregg? He might have taunted Tommy into fighting........or he could have started it himself. We want drivers punished severely so is it fair to punish crews in the same manner? Just some thoughts considering all the hoopla since Infineon.

 

[Jmac]

I doubt that they get any time off, if there were punches thrown and the Nascar officials saw that then I say there will be some time off and a hefty fine. But it looked like a shoving match to me. So I say Fines and probation will be whats dealt out.

 

[DE_Wrangler_2]

I'm with you Jmac. But, I'll take it a little further. Even if there were punches thrown I think fines and maybe probation is in order. It's a little different from someone outside a car and using the car as a trap so that he can punch at will. They all are grown men, and being the business they are in, they are fairly physically fit. As long as no one picked up a weapon of some kind and attempted to really do bodily harm, I think everyone could take care of himself. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out........tempers and adrenalin run high in this sport. I hope NASCAR sees the difference in a driver fighting with another driver who's in a car. Even more..............I hope fans can see the difference!! I just hope "PC" doesn't rule on this one.

 

[Whizzer]

The pit reporter stated, Tommy Baldwin, Jr. ran to the # 20 pit to yell at Zippadelli but no mention was made if Baldwin or any member of the #9 crew threw any punches. I do not recall anything being said about punches thrown by the #20 crew. What was said was one individual from the #20 crew was the first to try to defend Zipadelli. Nothing more and nothing less. Is there additional information I am not aware of ??

About penalties. This is one fan who does not agree with punches being thrown at anytime !!! If Tommy Baldwin, Jr. or if any member of either crew took a punch at anyone, they deserve a suspension as a penalty.

There is no grey area when it comes to fighting. Nextel NASCAR Series racing is a business. Neither Home Depot nor Damlier-Chrysler Dodge Division permit fighting in their work arenas and neither should NASCAR. If these guys want to act like school kids they should get out of the NASCAR series and go to a series that will permit this behavior. Right now none come to mind.

 

[majestyx]

As far as I'm concerned, there was NOT ONE THING to be accomplished by Tommy Baldwin Jr. going down to the #20 pit to have a "conversation" with Greg Zipadelli. If Baldwin really need to have a discussion with Zipadelli, it should have been after the race was over.

 

[DE_Wrangler_2]

Or exchange cell phone numbers.

That "gentlemen" in "Gentlemen start your engines" is somewhat of an oxymoron. This is not a "gentlemen's" sport.......it ain't golf.

 

[bowtie]

Originally posted by DE_Wrangler_2@Jul 11 2004, 08:42 PM
Or exchange cell phone numbers.

That "gentlemen" in "Gentlemen start your engines" is somewhat of an oxymoron. This is not a "gentlemen's" sport.......it ain't golf.

 

[Eagle1]

Boy if everyone that had a fight in the pits at a race track was suspended racing as a sport would've never made it. LOL

 

[Whizzer]

Originally posted by Eagle1@Jul 12 2004, 01:56 AM
Boy if everyone that had a fight in the pits at a race track was suspended racing as a sport would've never made it. LOL

I agree with your observation 100%, Majestyx. Baldwin should have stayed in his domain and conducted any discussion after the race.

Eagle1, those days in the sport are gone forever, I hope.

 

[racerx11]

I agree that Tommy should have stayed in his pit, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Or maybe you think they should let other teams push them around all year.

I agree as others said if this didn't involve Tony, there would be no discussion but Tony has been causing wrecks all year.

As far as the origional question, if anybody threw punches they should be suspended, but I applaud Tommy for standing up to team thug.

 

[barelypure]

Fighting...
It happens. Penalties? What was David Pearson's penalty when he dropped Tim Richmond at Daytona? Alan Kulwicki also found himself on the pavement at more than 1 race. The list could go on.
Penalties? In this era where TV invades every aspect of the racing world so the "fans" can be kept informed we are sometimes shown the seamier side of pent up rage and its outcomes. While its fun to watch and we sometimes wish the cameras were there quicker and stayed longer who loses in the end? The drivers, crews and even the fans. It is but another step on the already slippery slope that transforms racing from a sport to sports entertainment. In the meantime NASCAR, NBC and even FOX all enjoy the spectacle as they know the ratings will surely increase as we all tune in for the next installment...

 

[Mopardh9]

Baldwin was in the wrong, but that aside i would of done it too. It is the second time Tony has punted Kasey this year when Kasey has had a good car. Wrecking expensive equipment in the heat of battle can sometimes make a grown man act in an agressive manner. I guess what happened today just illustrates how much is on the line at these races. That being said i'm sure the sponsors of both the 20 and 9 are not too happy today.

 

[66mustang]

I don't think he was just mad about the race. Kahne and the team were pretty close I think to the cut off point for the championship. That could have been the end of that.

 

[DE_Wrangler_2]

Pretty good point mustang. But I still didn't see anything intentional or wreckless. Unless one wants to make the argument that racing cars at 180 mph is wreckless.......guess that could be made in a reasonable way.

 

[Mopardh9]

I'm going to make 1 more comment on this Tony situation and then I'm done. Maybe Tony didn't do it on purpose yesterday, but he intentionaly booted or banged into cars this year, more than once sometimes a few times in the same race. When is he going to get a stiff penalty? Taking away 25 points , big deal,... take him out of the seat for a week. It is time for him to sit. If another incident happens in the next month or so that involves Tony and he is at fault then what ? I'm really begining to think because Nascar has Home Depot as an associate sponsor, there is some degree of favortism going on. I hate to subscribe to that conspiracy theory, but the more i watch this unfold the more i'm starting to believe it.

 

[barelypure]

Originally posted by Mopardh9@Jul 12 2004, 08:25 PM
I'm going to make 1 more comment on this Tony situation and then I'm done. Maybe Tony didn't do it on purpose yesterday, but he intentionaly booted or banged into cars this year, more than once sometimes a few times in the same race. When is he going to get a stiff penalty? Taking away 25 points , big deal,... take him out of the seat for a week. It is time for him to sit. If another incident happens in the next month or so that involves Tony and he is at fault then what ? I'm really begining to think because Nascar has Home Depot as an associate sponsor, there is some degree of favortism going on. I hate to subscribe to that conspiracy theory, but the more i watch this unfold the more i'm starting to believe it.

While part of me agrees with your sentiment of letting him sit that raises at least 1 question in my mind. If he sits, and the resulting points loss takes him out of the Championship Race how dangerous would he be then? Especially with how dangerous he already is if you happen to be in his way...