What's more important, the car or the driver?

SlicedBread22 said:
http://www.racintoday.com/archives/38065

Article written September 2012

Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski admits he lobbied for Joey Logano to become the driver of the No. 22 car and notes the process to obtain the Connecticut native probably began 10 months ago.

Keselowski says Penske Racing first cast an eye in Logano’s direction last December after releasing Kurt Busch following an incident in the Homestead garage with ESPN reporter Dr. Jerry Punch. The verbal tirade was videoed and posted on YouTube. Team owner Roger Penske replaced Busch with A.J. Allmendinger to whom the team was committed.

However, Allmendinger failed a NASCAR drug test administered at Kentucky Speedway in late June and in early August was released by Penske after his B sample also tested positive. Penske called up Sam Hornish Jr. from the Nationwide Series to the No. 22 Dodge at Daytona in July. Since then Hornish has done double-duty for Penske, competing full time in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series. Many believed Hornish had the inside track for the seat in the No. 22, but earlier this week it was announced the ride was Logano’s, beginning in 2013.

“I think it’s the wrong approach to be sad for Sam right now because that’s a defeatist attitude, as though he’s got no shot at getting back at the Cup level. I don’t think that’s the case at all,” Keselowski said Friday during preparations for Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400. “I’m a little taken back by those that are pleading for sympathy on Sam’s behalf because I think he still has got just as strong a shot as ever, especially with his performance over the last few weeks.
“I think there were some other wheels in motion that probably prevented it on this timeline, but, you know, life doesn’t always work on the timeline that you want it to. I would say by no means does Sam Hornish not landing in the 22 Cup ride full time mean that there is a fork in his career. I think that’s the wrong approach. I think he has a chance to continue to prove himself this year and to continue to put himself in the running for future opportunities.”






So................. are we done yet? lol :D
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Keselowski actually convinced Penske to give Logano a look during the offseason when Kurt Busch was released after his meltdown in the season finale.

Keselowski says Penske Racing first cast an eye in Logano’s direction last December after releasing Kurt Busch following an incident in the Homestead garage with ESPN reporter Dr. Jerry Punch. The verbal tirade was videoed and posted on YouTube. Team owner Roger Penske replaced Busch with A.J. Allmendinger to whom the team was committed.

OK. So your theory that Roger tried to sign Logano in 2011 are based upon him 'casting an eye' and 'giving Logano a look' in the 2011 off season?? Got it.

You still haven't answered why Brad would still be campaigning for Joey in 2012 if it was a done deal, as you say. I'll take your avoiding that key question as your attempt to hide the surrender flag. Sooo...

Yeah, we're done. :rolleyes:
 
FenderBumper said:
You still haven't answered why Brad would still be campaigning for Joey in 2012
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Woooow lol how many times... hmm lets see....

1
SlicedBread22 said:
just because we heard about it in august doesn't mean it happened in august.
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SlicedBread22 said:
Article written September 2012
Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski admits he lobbied for Joey Logano
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"Lobbied".. past tense...

3
SlicedBread22 said:
Im just saying Brad lobbied to get Joey in the off season if 2011 but it wasn't known until 2012
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SlicedBread22 said:
also written September 2012
"Brad had come to us last year
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Im sensing a pattern here that u seem to be missing.... u are aware of that thing called silly season right? Just because the fans have no clue doesn't meant he teams and drivers don't know exactly what's going on. They just can't say anything until all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed.

While it has been fun I have to go get ready for Black Sabbath. I've said all I can say to prove my point in this debate so I'll let u read over it lol
 
You're in denial...

August 5, 2012.

Brad Keselowski has three Sprint Cup wins for Roger Penske this season. He also hopes he has his boss's ear when it comes to finding a replacement for recently-dismissed teammate AJ Allmendinger. "I hope that we can secure a teammate that is an elite talent that I can work with -- and certainly some of that responsibility is mine to communicate," Keselowski said. "I think that's something that Mr. Penske takes very seriously." Keselowski, currently ninth in the point standings, wants to be part of the decision-making process.

August 1, 2012. Penske Racing dismissed suspended driver A.J. Allmendinger, who has entered NASCAR's Road to Recovery program after two samples produced positive test results.

Read more: http://www.wxii12.com/sports/Penske-Racing-dismisses-Allmendinger/15931206#ixzz2ybQCvMyr

Sorry kid. Your theory doesn't hold water. Give it up already, or answer the question you can't seem to answer. LOL!
 
FenderBumper said:
You're in denial...

August 5, 2012.

Brad Keselowski has three Sprint Cup wins for Roger Penske this season. He also hopes he has his boss's ear when it comes to finding a replacement for recently-dismissed teammate AJ Allmendinger. "I hope that we can secure a teammate that is an elite talent that I can work with -- and certainly some of that responsibility is mine to communicate," Keselowski said. "I think that's something that Mr. Penske takes very seriously." Keselowski, currently ninth in the point standings, wants to be part of the decision-making process.

August 1, 2012. Penske Racing dismissed suspended driver A.J. Allmendinger, who has entered NASCAR's Road to Recovery program after two samples produced positive test results.

Read more: http://www.wxii12.com/sports/Penske-Racing-dismisses-Allmendinger/15931206#ixzz2ybQCvMyr

Sorry kid. Your theory doesn't hold water. Give it up already, or answer the question you can't seem to answer. LOL!
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Oooooh... okay well then how come Joey is in the car? lol
 
FenderBumper said:
Sam wasn't available?????? lol
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Lol and why not? Because he was sent back to the nationwide series.....Say what you want but I think the main point in this whole thing is that Joey got the job because he's just plain better than Sam.

I'm the dense one? :rolleyes: *face palm*



....and here's Johali for his bi weekly post:rolleyes::rolleyes: double eye roll for u
 
Of course any driver needs good equipment to win. But not every driver can take good equipment and win with it. Having a good car/equipment is a key part of the equation, but it's what a driver does with that equipment that makes the difference.

tl;dr version... driver is more important..
 
TexasRaceLady said:
Driver is more important. A team can produce the greatest equipment ever built, but if the driver can't use the equipment to its max potential,
the wins won't come.
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Well said, more or less what I was trying to convey with my painter analogy. The driver is the one who uses the car, how fast the car goes is less dependant on the equipment and more on who's controlling it; given the parity we see currently between the top teams.
 
reck said:
It goes like this..

Driver>car>crew chief

4 pages condensed into one post. Genius. Where's my medal?
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I would agree with that, I'd also like to add that it's very difficult to be competitive if any one of those 3 key ingredients is missing.
 
It think it's different for every team. Some drivers can succeed with a crappy car and a crappy team (Kurt Busch in Furniture Row). Other drivers can do well in good equipment (Regan Smith was pretty bad at Furniture Row, but did well in the few races he filled in for Jr. at HMS). And still other drivers can do poorly in great equipment (Danica Patrick :p).

Would Jimmie be 6x champ without Chad or HMS? Undoubtedly no. But that isn't the point. NASCAR is a TEAM sport. The 48 team is the closest modern NASCAR has come to perfection. Driver, CC, engineers, pit crew, spotter, owner...everything has worked so well together and the result has been domination of the competition. Sure Jimmie gets all the credit (although his detractors like to put the success all on Chad), but it's the entire team that gets the wins. Would Aric Almirola be winning 8 races a year if he had Chad Knaus as a CC? What about Danica? The point is, each component has to come together just right in order for there to be great success...it's not just one member of the team, or the car. Tom Brady may be the best quarterback in the NFL, but he's nothing without his line.
 
hidesert cowboy said:
I always felt kurt was a disappointment at penske for whatever reason. I wonder if it had anything to do with them only running 2 cars most of the time and kinda being on an island when it came to having notes to compare with other drivers and teams. maybe kurt does better with more drivers around him to share info with.
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He certainly didn't have anyone to share info at Team Rusty .
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Put so and so in Jimmie's car and he too could win the race. Is that true or if you put Jimmie in someone else's car would he win? Which is more important, car or driver?
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Car. Now personally, I think Jimmie and Chad are a package deal but I feel like anyone you put in say the BK car no matter how talented, they would struggle. The difference now isn't as a great as it used to be but a driver can only make up for so much.
 
To win, especially at the top level, you need all of it. Top driver, car, and supporting team.

But if I have to pick one as most important, my experience says "driver".
The driver has to get the most out of the car, and has to tell the crew what it needs. His on-track analysis is crucial.
Even the best crew chief is guessing at what the car needs, since he's not actually driving it.

It's rare that a driver can carry a bad car, but it happens. But the best car can't make up for a poor driver because it cannot control him.
 
Best Driver + Best Crew Chief + Best Car = Champion sooner than later.
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Yep, of the three components in the equation I think the driver is the most important part. The driver not only gets the most out of the car on the track he has to communicate what the car is doing so the team can do their part.
 
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