ON PIT ROAD: Outlaws, Yeley apologists and nuttin' honey

It's Thursday again. That means it's time to roll the old Mini Stock out of the garage, wipe the dust off and shake down the setup with a spin around the dirt track at the end of the street. With that, here's the latest list of notes collected in a dog-eared notebook over the last few weeks...

* THE OUTLAWS SEEM to have found their new home.

This, of course, has nothing to do with wedge bodies or weight penalties or racing on midwestern dirt tracks somewhere. Every state’s got one, it seems, and unfortunately for the folks at Wiscasset Raceway, they seem to be the new home of the outlaws in Maine.

One summer Sunday afternoon, Jeff Merrill is taking swings at officials on the frontstretch. A few weeks later, and Jason Gaboury is flying through windows and throwing haymakers at Bryan Fortin. Heck, when the PASS North Series visits, veteran drivers like Mike Rowe are throwing post-race punches of their own.

What on earth is going on at Wiscasset Raceway, where it seems that all of the naughtiest little boys and girls in the neighborhood reside all at once?

What’s most puzzling about the goings-on at Wiscasset is that it’s not as though the track is turning a blind eye to the rough stuff. Dave St. Clair was suspended earlier this season after intentionally – and repeatedly – running his car into Steve Reno’s. Bill Penfold was suspended a second time after running into John Phippen on the pit access road off turn one, weeks after hitting Charlie Colby under caution. Pre-race driver’s meetings have brought repeated warnings of a zero-tolerance policy.

When that zero-tolerance policy has been enforced, it’s met with grumbling from competitors who have packed up their race cars and, literally, headed for home.

It’s like the 6-year-old suddenly faced with discipline acting out – a test of the parenting skills to see just how far it can push the envelope without fear or repercussions.

By opening the gates this season with big purses and an active campaign on behalf of track marketing "director" John Crawford to lure drivers from other tracks in all divisions, Wiscasset left itself susceptible to problems. Not to throw too general a blanket over the entire lot, but let’s be clear here – guys who are successful at race tracks aren’t usually going to leave. The ones that will, however, are those who feel as though they’ve gotten "raw deals" or have already been made to feel unwelcome in other places.

When Bill Penfold comes a’callin in a Super Late Model, it’s because NASCAR and PASS have already bid him adieu. It may boost the car count and add to the excitement quotient, but it’s bound to cause headaches.

Think of the new Wiscasset Raceway as Deadwood – sure, there’s a chance for prosperity and a fresh start for a lot of different people. But Manhattan this is not. It’s a world full of outlaws looking out for themselves.

All track owner Doug White can do is continue to be stern in his penalties. Don’t let guys choose between suspensions or fines, don’t let them talk you into softer sentences.

Draw a line in the sand and threaten them with everything under the sun should they cross it. When they do, throw the book at them.

It’s the only way to send the message.

* SPEAKING OF WISCASSET, it is true that Mike Rowe threw a punch at Rick Ramstrom, car owner for the No. 35 of Derek Ramstrom, after the Toyota Tundra 250 at the track.

It is also true that Mike Rowe has been suspended for 3 PASS North Series races, a stretch that includes the PASS 300 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in a few weeks’ time.

What is unclear is exactly what the suspension is for, beyond the punches fired in the direction of Rick Ramstrom. Rumor has it that the suspension was for the cumulation of several off-track disagreements and incidents involving Rowe.

Here’s the deal.

There’s no place in today’s short-track racing for flying fists – particularly in a regional touring series of "professionals." Rowe should have been suspended for his actions, plain and simple.

What’s good about the move on behalf of PASS is that it’s showing none of the favoritism its critics often accuse it of – by suspending one of the so-called cornerstones of the series, PASS president Tom Mayberry is sending a clear message that no one is above the law.

Making sure that he sees Rowe’s suspension through for the entire 3 races and forces one of his "stars" to miss the 300 would send an even louder signal to everyone that the series may well finally be on the right road.

* GOOD FOR CARL Edwards for not apologizing.

Drivers love the whole "race the way you want to be raced" mantra, but so often the philosophy doesn’t extend to the "hard-chargers." I’ve got nothing but respect for the way Kyle Busch races to win each and every time out, but that doesn’t mean the competition should roll over.

I’ve got new respect for Edwards now, too, for not backing down and answering the bell.

And, good for NASCAR, too, for finally holding true to its word and allowing these guys to be emotional. So, Busch and Edwards showed some fire and sparked a new rivalry at Bristol? So what?

Isn’t that what we’ve all been clamoring for?

* J.J. YELEY APOLOGISTS of the world unite!

When Kyle Busch took over the No. 18 car this year at Joe Gibbs Racing and promptly took to spanking the rest of the Sprint Cup Series field, Yeley’s backers claimed it was everything from new information to Toyota involvement to a better effort from JGR.

Anything to take the light off Yeley, another guy just turning laps in a Cup car with inferior talent.

What will these people do when Joey Logano hops in the No. 96 Hall of Fame entry racing for five races this season – including a debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 14 – and makes that car instantly competitive?

Oh, I can hear them now....

"But they’re really trying now! J.J. got a raw deal!"

* MAYBE THERE IS too much sugar in Monster. Maybe.

* THE PASSWORD IS: "Nuttin’."

* SUPER LATE MODELS have another track trying to resurrect them in Unity Raceway.

Track operator George Fernald Jr. confirmed on Thursday via email that there will, indeed, be a $2,000-to-win, 150-lap Super Late Model race at Unity during the facility’s annual Long John Weekend in October.

A once-in-a-while race for the division? Good idea.

Bringing them back on a weekly basis? Bad idea all the way around.

And speaking of bad ideas, Fernald will apparently jump through a mobile home again this week at the track. Hey, I'm no fan of thrill shows or stunt projects -- but I saw Fernald do it last year and I will say this, do yourself a favor and watch it at least once.

Trust me, you won't believe it.

* SPEAKING OF UNITY, great to hear that the 60^th anniversary night there last Friday was such a success, both in the pits and in the grandstands.

* CASEY MEARS WAS trying to be the stand-up guy and throw his soon-to-be former team under the bus while cutting Michael Waltrip some slack at Bristol last weekend, but Clint Bowyer hit it on the head, nonetheless.

Bowyer called Waltrip the worst driver in NASCAR. You know what? Bowyer’s not far off at all.

Yep, it’s true, Mears’ spotter may have told the driver he was clear when he really wasn’t, thus giving Mears reason to pull up into Waltrip. But after watching those replays several times over, I can’t help but wonder, where was Waltrip’s sense of judgement?

On the side of that road he drove off last season in the middle of the night?

Here’s how the good drivers make decisions – early in a race like that, they slow up and give a guy like Mears (whose obviously running with some bad information) the benefit of the doubt and give him some room. What did Waltrip do? Pedal to the metal, taking Mears and a bunch of other guys out.

Is it so much for Waltrip to show a little give and take here?

And he’s not piloting a sinking ship..... Right......

* THE STEEL CAGE death match at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sept. 13 is off.

Turns out, Bill Ryan tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and the local gaming commission would not longer sanction the fight between myself and the OPS owner.

I mean, who brings fireworks to the race track like that and doesn’t expect to get caught?

Comments

[Eric]

Is there a special hidden meaning to these quote marks: track marketing "director" John Crawford?

Wis-crash-et should advertise how many punches have been thrown at the track this year. They could draw in that rassling crowd that hasn't been to the races!

You gotta know that Mayberry is going to find a way to weasel out of his own ruling to allow Mike Rowe back in time for the 300.

You do have the Edwards/Busch story right though. Kyle cried like a baby when he got beat at his own game. I like how Carl said he would do it again if offered the chance!

And just who do you think you are to start picking on poor Mikey???

As for Bill Ryan - I think many of us have told him he needs to lay off that Moxie! It's just too strong for some people to handle.

[Mike Thomas]

And the excuse will be:

"After further review, PASS has decided to allow Mike Rowe to participate in the 300 at Beech Ridge. Rowe's actions which led to the suspension occurred during a PASS North event. The 300 is a National Championship event. We have decided it would be unfair to penalize Mike and hurt his standing in the National Championship for an incident that happened in a PASS North stand alone event. Therefore, we have decided that Mike can run the 300 and be awarded National Championship points, although he will not be awarded and PASS North points for this event. This race will count toward his 3 race suspension as he will not be awarded PASS north points for this event"

By the way...there are exactly 3 races left on the PASS North schedule..this amounts to a suspension for the rest of the season. Just mentioning.

[Bill Ryan]

There must be something in my Snapple!

On fighting, the fact that racing evokes such emotional responses with people is a good thing. Most of the time. That emotion and passion keeps drivers and crews working on their cars when many would walk away.

The downside to the emotion are fistfights and the like. Unfortunately they happen at every track. We have all seen them. All the racers and crews need to count to ten before they decide to do something crazy. There is never any upside.