Will the 28 team survive the season?

H

HardScrabble

Guest
Maybe just cause the media coverage is more extensive than ever before, but this is, as DJ says, "getting out of hand".

Winston Cup driver [#28] Ricky Rudd and a member of his Robert Yates Racing team got into a physical confrontation following Saturday night's race at Richmond. As Rudd was preparing to leave the garage area, he and the crew member - whose name the team declined to reveal - started a heated exchange, apparently over comments made by Rudd earlier in the week to USA Today questioning the quality of engines his #28 team receives from RYR. According to witnesses, the crew member threw a punch at Rudd and Rudd responded by throwing a water bottle at the crew member, hitting him in the head. The two were then separated. Team spokesman Steve Post said the incident was considered a "family matter" and would be handled internally. NASCAR spokeswoman Danielle Frye said the sanctioning body was made aware of the incident
 
I personally think that Ricky should have left the team when it was certain that he was not going to be driving for them next year. I dont think that Ricky has any level of committment with Yates racing any longer and a driver swap from Wood to Yates with Sadler and Rudd would have been the smart thing to do for both teams.

Kel
 
Fist-fight b/w a crew member and a driver. That's a new one on me. This is not the direction Rudd needs to go if he wanted to be a contendor for the crown this year.
 
Rudd is asking for bad blood by publicly questioning the quality of stuff he's getting from the motor department. I agree that a driver swap with Sadler would maybe be in the best interest of both teams, allowing them to get a jump on next year.

I guess that Rudd can still be considered a title contender, but at 248 points out and tied for 8th it is pretty darn unlikely.
 
Another ugly incident. :headshake

Do you think it's bad enough that Rudd would just ask to up and leave Yates right now? I mean, 248 points isn't insurmountable, and switching teams right now would be a total slap in the face.

I like it. :)

But will anyone but Ricky agree to it?
 
I still contend that none of this would be going on had Yates and Rudd would have been able to come to an agreement next year. All these announcements and scrambling of drivers and sponsors has caused a lot of undue pressure on that team. Where that team might have been on it's way to contending for the championship. it has become a downward spiral. Chemistry has fallen to the floor, and it doesn't look like it's going to be picked up any time soon.
 
Originally posted by racer8
Who is this guy, and what has he done with Rudd?
:alien: :abduct:
Click to expand...

Makes ya wonder, don't it? Ricky is obviously miserable right now. Whether all his feelings are justified is not for me to say. I think a veteran of this or any sport earns certain "perks" because of the years they have dedicated to the sport. I also see stock car racing as a different animal than other sports. Nobody hands you a damn thing. The team will survive the season. Ricky will move on to other pastures where hopefully he can be happier. By Rockingham next year all this will be forgotten. I don't see Ricky winning any races this year though.
 
I agree, there won't be any wins for Ricky this year. The team is a mess. When you have people throwing punches and water bottles. you can't have a winning situation. Rudd would be better off to leave the team now. Take some time off to relax, test with the Wood Brothers and start fresh next season.
 
I think it would be wise to switch the teams now. That way they both can get comfortable before 2003.
 
Wise, yes. Allowable under contracts with sponsors? Probably not.
 
I don't know how they can continue when they know they will be in different places next year. It seems Rudd or Sadler is not giving 100% and why should they? Even Fatback doesn't really seem to care, you can hear it in his voice when he does interviews.
 
Teams do it every year. It's called professionalism. Plus, why would a driver cut his own throat by flogging it on the track? He makes more money the better he finishes. Sadler has already "donated" his share of any winnings for the remainder of this season to the Wood Brothers; a sort of "hey, thanks for giving me my first break" thing. He also wanted to show his appreciation to them for allowing him to negotiate with Yates as early as they did. So he has nothing to lose...except pride.

Oh, and coonhound, them Saints beat my Bucs today....grrrrrrrr. :) Gruden's offense (hell, ANY offense) took 'em a half to get down pat. They'll be back. I guess that's a Saints thang in your avatar; if not, my apologies. GO BUCS!!!!
 
I was thinking also, why would the sponsers tolerate a team falling apart and infighting like Rudds, think they would do like Home Depot and put some fines on people.



Either the Bucks or the Saints are going to win the NFC south. The Bucs whupped on the Saints last year. Just a little payback.
 
Originally posted by paul
Only one team won the championship...

PATS
Click to expand...

Yeah, well, you know what they say about blind hogs and acorns...:p
 
:heehee: :lol2: The main thing will Rudd survive the rest of the season
 
Rudd won't quit, never has. If he doesn't finish well the rest of the season I think the fans will know why.
 
Right on SlowNeasy...Yates' organization just lost a dumpload of my respect.

And to think he other driver is DJ.
 
Originally posted by paul
Right on SlowNeasy...Yates' organization just lost a dumpload of my respect.

And to think he other driver is DJ.
Click to expand...

Yates could have stopped all this BS months ago by negotiating fairly with Ricky.
Now I feel bad for DJ cuz he's still with Yates.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom