By Sam Atwell

It has been an interesting weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, off the track anyways.  ESPN/ABC took over television broadcast duties for the rest of the season and it didn’t take long for the broadcast crew to make news of its own.  Former driver and current race analyst, Rusty Wallace, picked up another job, spokesman for Roger Penske.  Rusty came to the Brickyard and immediately began to straighten us all out on the announcement that Ryan Newman and Penske Racing made just over a week ago about the future.  Newman and Penske announced that they would part ways for the future.  Newman and Penske both said the parting was mutual.  The announcement had been speculated for weeks and wasn’t a surprise.  

As soon as Rusty “the journalist” got to Indiana he announced that Ryan Newman had been fired!  Rusty said he used to work for Roger Penske, he talks with Roger Penske, he KNOWS Roger Penske and Rusty declared that Newman had been fired; Roger called him into the office and told him to basically “hit the road”.

Now if you remember back, Rusty and Ryan had a rocky relationship at Penske Racing.  They didn’t share information; they didn’t talk and barely seemed like teammates.  Shortly after Rusty straightened everything out, Newman told reporters that Wallace had no clue about what he was talking about.  Newman reiterated that this was a mutual decision.  So two points of view, from two guys who didn’t get along, no problem.  Then just a short while later Roger Penske issued a statement saying, and I quote here:

 ”I have read Rusty’s comments and it is important for everyone to understand that I did not fire Ryan” 

I guess Rusty and Roger aren’t as close as he thought.  It also makes me wonder just how long ago he and Roger talked.   Thanks Rusty for setting the record straight.  Thanks for trying to be an insider, the guy with the inside scoop.   Rusty, just in case ABC/ESPN didn’t tell you, when you want to report a news story, make some calls to the parties involved.  Check your facts, confirm the facts with multiple sources, check your facts again, have a superior check the story for errors and then run with the story.  If the story pans out then you did a great job, if it doesn’t then something went wrong in the process.  Running with a story because you know someone or you think you know how they operate is just not enough.  You were a great champion and a great racecar driver, as a journalist, you are a great racecar driver.

By Scott Karow

I have to admit that one of the more frustrating developments in NASCAR lately, although extremely common and completely within the rules, is the hiring of past champions to pilot underperforming race cars. Now I’m a young buck, so I don’t remember this happening much before the days of ole’ DW in the #1 car, but the past few years have seen a ton of guys jumping into rides for one, two, five races simply because they possess the coveted “past champion’s provisional”. Please hear me clearly-I LOVE guys like Terry Labonte, Bill Elliott and Dale Jarrett-these guys are legends and deserve to race as long as they’ve got the fire in their bellies-but to do it this way seems just wrong.

Now I understand that in a sport where the little man has little chance of competing for a championship, this is a way to be included in races where they might otherwise not be able to compete. But when I look at Petty Enterprises utilizing Terry Labonte in the 45 ride the past few weeks, I shake my head. Petty Enterprises has not struggled financially over the past several years-they’ve had a primary and often a secondary sponsor for the 45 for the better part of the car’s existence. Money isn’t the issue like it is for so many other teams. Granted, that ride is filled with tragedy with the passing of Kyle’s son, but it still is a Petty Enterprises ride. Most any young up-and-coming driver would give their right arm for a chance to driver of the family of the King.

The main reason I see for the non-performance of this team is Kyle’s declining interest in racing the car. I mean he stepped out of the car to be a TV analyst for goodness sake…show me a racecar driver willing to step out of his ride mid-season; it’s never happened. It just about sent me over the edge when I saw that Kyle put Labonte back in the 45 this weekend for the Brickyard AFTER he has already fulfilled his commitment to TNT as an analyst. Where’s he gonna be? In the garage? On the pit box? If he’s signed on as the driver, he needs to be in the car, no questions asked. I don’t blame Terry Labonte for wanting to drive a racecar-but to say having Terry in the race does anything to improve the team is a farce. Granted, Terry has had better success than Kyle in the car (why, you ask?) But more than likely, he’ll get his 50-60 points, the 45 will continue to be outside the top 35 in points and eventually Terry’s usefulness this year will be spent on a team that simply doesn’t have the desire to compete anymore. I think it’s a shame for Terry-and I think it’s a shame for Petty Enterprises. Nobody wants to hire a past champion without any provisionals left.

Kyle, you’re a great man and a great humanitarian…bravo for all you do for others. It’s time to do something for yourself and step away and give a young driver the opportunity of a lifetime

By Sam Atwell 

What a wonderful weekend at Chicago for Richard Petty.  It was an awesome celebration of the 50 years Richard Petty has been in NASCAR racing.  It was really satisfying to see a real hero be celebrated by the sport. I really enjoy looking back at the past to see where we came from.  If you have listened to the radio show at all you will know that I am very much a traditionalist, I don’t care for a lot of changes.  That is what I like about The King.  He was a great racer and he is now a great ambassador for the sport.  No one will ever match the number of wins he amassed in his career.  Only one man has matched the number of championships by Richard Petty.  Until recently I thought that only one current driver would even have a shot at reaching the number of championships that he has, but now I am not so sure. 

Back in the day Petty and the other first generation drivers would run two to three times a week. They didn’t make   money that these drivers today make, they didn’t have the sponsorship money that the teams today have, but they built this sport to what we have today.  We should celebrate all the first generation drivers.  We wouldn’t have the sport today we have if it weren’t for Cale, Bobby, Donnie, David, Tiny, Fireball and the list goes on and on. 

Not only was The King a great racer, he and his family are just incredible human beings.  What Richard and his family (Linda, Kyle & Patty) have done with the Victory Junction Gang Camp is beyond amazing.  The number of children that they have served are in the thousands, the happiness that they have spread, from the tragedy of losing a grandson and a son is beyond amazing.  They have used what NASCAR gave them to touch people in a very personal way.

I can only hope that with the new investors that Petty Enterprises can return to their past glory.  If you reap what you sow, then when the Petty’s harvest what they have sown will see the #43 car back in victory lane in the near future. 

So from one fan, Thank you, King, job well done.