fixed race

[snakepit27]

Pepsi 400 was fixed big time everyone wanted to see Dale win and it just so happened at the track where his dad died the next race at the track after the intimidator died and with 7 laps left he got to the front a lil quick (cough cough fixed cough)

[FordPrefect]

Well I can understand how people might think this but for the life of me I don't understand HOW it could be achieved.

I can't see car owners willing to risk the wraith of sponsors who are handing over millions in order to secure a win.

I can't see NASCAR wanting to do it either, since Dale's death, their 'investigation' and their perceived lack of action, (possibly 'real lack of action'; I for one don't have all the facts) has made them look very bad in the eyes of most race fans. This would be the last thing they need.

And then there are the drivers, I just can't see the majority of them going along with this. Look at Tony Stewart, do you think he gives a damn about Dale Jr. when he's out there racing?

Yes NASCAR does manipulate races, especially with the useage of the infamous red flag, but to being able to actually "stage" an ending like this is giving them far more credit than they deserve.

Ford

[EllisD696]

I dont understand how you are coming to that conclusion!! Am I the only one that thinks that Little E can make it on his own?? I don't think it was set up, I just think Dale Jr had a dominating race car. I just wish everyone would let him out of his fathers shadow. The Bud Team and Earnhardt Incorporated won the Pepsi 400 on their own. I think they did a superb job.

[Omar]

It wouldn't be that difficult for NASCAR to give Little E a 'competitive advantage'
They wouldn't need the cooperation of the other drivers either.
NASCAR has total control of the restrictor plates, you just make sure Dale jr has a bigger plate than the others.
You have to admit, for a plate race, the difference in speed was glaring.

[EllisD696]

The teams cars are put through a very rigorous inspection by multiple inspectors.... Even with the clout that NASCAR has over the sport i doubt that they could convince all the personel to cover such a large story. As far as the differenc in speed I have seen The Intimidator himself make runs such as that, as well as Gordon, B.Labonte, and Martin just to name a few. With the new aero package rules about anything is possible simply because the drag coefficient can change so drastically by dropping teh front a mm or adjusting the rear spoiler -2degrees. I believe the race was totally legit and hope that Jr. and his team continue to have great success.

[Joe Fan]

Over on another forum, I predicted Dale Jr's win on July 3rd ironically on a thread about fixed races. Check out but be sure to come back: http://www.atlasf1.com/bb/showthread...threadid=22988

[EllisD696]

Damn Good Prediction Joe Fan.....You even spelled out how it would happen. How ironic that it was on a fixed race thread and you specifically said it wouldnt be fixed.....Drop me a few pointers before next week. LOL

[Joe Fan]

First of all, welcome aboard EllisD696 and Snakepit27!

As far as the JR win, I expected this because Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) has a really strong restrictor-plate program. Dale Sr. was the master at restrictor-plate racing so he more than likely knew all the tricks to make cars strong on these tracks. I also figured that Jr. would find the necessary friends to get a push towards the front. Yes, his car was real strong out front compared to the others but most cars are when they are out in clean air. Michael Waltrip has always been a very good plate driver and I think Dale Sr may have taught both Michael and Dale Jr. a few tricks about restrictor-plate racing. Michael Waltrip was a fishing buddy with Dale Sr. so I am sure that Dale taught him a few things on some of their fishing trips. I expected Michael to return the favor to Jr. if he could and he did. How he managed to get in second behind Jr late in the race was pretty incredible because this was a tough manoever.

The bottom line was that Jr was way overdue and he was racing at a track where his car would be very strong. I still think that the Monte Carlo aero package has an advantage over the other makes at these restrictor-plate tracks but that is another topic altogether.

[SevenGrain]

NASCAR has been accused of fixing races and giving out poles in the past. You will get very few people to talk about it on the record but it is referred to as getting "the call" this means that a high ranking NASCAR official calls the team owner to let them know that it is 'your' weekend. Wins cannot always be sure to happen, because of accidents or mechanical failures but when you get "the call" you can be assured that your post race inspection will not turn up anything. Poles are often given out to appease team owners or track promoters. Do you really think that Ricky Craven wins the New Hampshire pole each year on his own? Wins are usually coreographed by NASCAR to fit in with their marketing strategies. Plate races are the easiest to fix. Some famous fixed races include the 1998 Daytona 500, the 1999 Daytona 500, and the Inagural Brickyard 400. In 1994 Junior Johnson went to NASCAR because he was afraid that he was going to lose McDonalds as a sponsor. Suddenly Jimmy Spencer won the Pepsi 400 and the Talledega 500, two high profile restrictor plate races.
There are even those that suggest that this year's Daytona 500 was fixed at the request if Fox networks. It seems that Fox, having Darrel Waltrip in the booth, wanted to somehow recreate the excitement of 1993 when Ned Jarrett called the race as his son Dale won. This is why Dale Earnhardt was backing off in the late stages of the race. Michael Waltrip was "scripted" to win, and Earnhardt, being Waltrip's car owner, was well aware of this. Unfortunately Dale Earnhardt never got to celebrate with Waltrip.
Yes I know that it seems like a paranoid conspiracy theorey, but there are NASCAR insiders that will swear that this is true, as long as you don't publish their identity.

[botsquad]

Originally posted by FordPrefect
Look at Tony Stewart, do you think he gives a damn about Dale Jr. when he's out there racing?

very astute...tony had the nerve to actually try to race the front
during the last sprint.

someone then ran him down below the white line and the stewards
black flagged him.

he then ran back up on the guy who sqeezed him and all hell almost
broke loose..ala the 500 that took dale out.

[qwaz]

http://www.speedfx.com/viewpoint/matt/vmm070901.shtml

Great article with a common sense approach.

[EllisD696]

Matt has put it in words like noone else can. Anyone who would even consider a fixed race please read that article....Thanx Qwaz that was definately worth the read.

[Joe Fan]

My personal feeling on all these rigged race claims are that they are mainly due to jealousy more than anything else. This jealousy is due from someone's favorite driver not winning or from media that favor rival series. Most other series can't produce good stories because the competition is so lopsided that the same teams are the ones who win each week. In F1, it was Ferrari or McLaren until this year and now Williams is in the mix. In CART this year, it is Penske, Rahal or Newman-Haas. Hard to produce good stories when only a few teams are the ones winning each week. So media who favor these series can help bring down the popularity of another because their lowly series cannot give them the "dream dressed in work clothes" kind of a story to write about.

Really, if the Dale Jr's win was fixed, why didn't it occur at Atlanta, which was Junior's first chance of winning (he was taken out in a wreck in the next race after Daytona)? If you follow NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt and Talladega just go together. Why didn't Junior's win come at Talladega where his father had his last win and where he holds most of the track records? And above all, why didn't Junior win on Father's Day for his Dad? All of these would have been as good if not better stories that NASCAR "supposedly" needed as soon as it could get, to help mask and critisim over the death of an icon and legend.

[Ax Slinger]

It's just like my feeling about politics and the media, only about 50 times worse.

The Republicans think that the media has a Democratic slant.
The Democrats think that the media has a Republican slant.
I think they are both overly paranoid, and that the media only reports what they think will sell newspapers and\or TV advertising.

[floid2000]

Leave the guy alone ...I didn't like his father after meeting him on 3 different occasions but ,How in the HELL could you get 40 guys to take a dive ? OK Ill give you Pettys 200th at Daytona in front of Ronald Regan was in Cales hands. He may have let his throttle up for a split second and let Richard have the Spotlight.(great PR )but Dale (as i like to call him) won that thing with determination, a great car and a little luck. Congrats Dale on a great run

[Lee]

Sorry, but there is no way that Petty's 200th win was fixed. Cale Yarborough was one of the most hardnosed, drivers to ever sit behind a steering wheel. That man would not give you an micromillimeter on the race track! If you beat him, you had to race, and fight him every single inch of the way, to the checkered flag! He only knew one speed, wide-open, he did not ever back down, or back off for ANYBODY!

As to this race being fixed, not hardly. I've seen engines blow on pace and caution laps. Seen cars taken out by blown tires, accidents, and whatever other maladies! There are alos 42 other drivers that would not stand for it, too much at stake! The thought that the race was fixed is preposterous!