It’s time once again to get “REVVED UP!” with our weekly mailbag. We cover NASCAR, F1 and the W Series this week.
Let’s dive in:
NASCAR Hammers Cole Custer, Crew Chief for Trying to Alter Race Results
Cole Custer penalized for attempting to help fix a finish at the NASCAR Cup Playoff race at the Charlotte Roval.
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Fans Say:
• NREsq: Proper call by NASCAR. Examples cited here aren’t analogous. This was 1) At the end of a playoff race; 2) Was deliberate and obvious; 3) Was intended to keep a teammate in the playoffs and a competitor out. NASCAR did something similar in 2013 when Bowyer deliberately spun his car among other questionable moves by him and Brian Vickers (both driving for Michael Waltrip Racing—maybe the most dishonest race team ever that finally imploded from their rampant stupidity). The beneficiary was the third MWR driver, Truex, who ironically was not implicated in the cheating. The upshot was that Truex was eliminated from the playoffs, Newman ascended to take his place, and, in an unprecedented move, Gordon was added as a 13th car in the playoffs.
• oba3414: The difference I see in this situation was, he didn’t block at speed. He parked it, almost caused another wreck, let his teammate gain the needed positions to move on. Racing somebody and not letting them by, is the name of the game. I see nothing wrong with that and it has happened over and over. This was totally different and WRONG! and Briscoe should not have benefited from it…PERIOD!
Autoweek Contributor Jerry Bonkowski Says:
JB Says: While I normally would give Stewart-Haas Racing the benefit of the doubt, as NREsq pointed out, this was such an obvious rule violation, SHR has no one to blame but itself. What were they thinking? Or more precisely, WHO was the person who made that call, thinking NASCAR wouldn’t catch on? And as it turned out, Custer didn’t necessarily have to do what he did anyhow, as Kyle Larson had pretty much self-eliminated himself even without Custer’s “help,” you might say. I’m glad NASCAR had the guts to do what it did. I would have been very disappointed if the sanctioning body would have looked the other way and ignored things. I give them kudos for doing the right thing.
Reigning Champ Kyle Larson Bows from NASCAR Cup Playoff
Defending Cup champion Kyle Larson saw his Playoff hopes for 2022 end at Charlotte.
Mike MulhollandGetty Images
Readers Say:
• Roxie44: Elliott’s biggest competition for the Championship was probably Kyle Larson. Elliott did not win the race, but he is now in a much better position to win the Championship.
Autoweek Contributor Jerry Bonkowski Says:
JB Says: I couldn’t agree more with you, Roxie (several other readers also echoed your comments). With Larson and Alex Bowman both out, Elliott only has to worry about teammate William Byron—but that’s only from a Hendrick Motorsports perspective. There’s still six other drivers he has to worry about, including two each from both Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing, as well as Trackhouse Racing and SHR. But that being said, I’m still not 100% convinced Elliott will be the champ this year. Frankly, I’m thinking we’re going to see somewhat of a surprise champion–I’m leaning toward Ryan Blaney (and if he does win the title, he will do so without winning even one race this year) or Ross Chastain. And even though we still have to go through the full three races of the Round of 8, I expect Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell and Joey Logano are NOT going to make it to the Championship 4 winner-take-all season finale at Phoenix.
Cole Custer Is Not the Reason Kyle Larson Missed NASCAR Round of 8
Kyle Larson missed advancing in the NASCAR Cup Playoffs by just two points.
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Readers Say:
• zzzeke: The team made several mistakes during the season. It happens. Everybody needs to bear down and get better. Kyle Larson is still one of the very best in the world in any kind of equipment. He is aggressive and exciting to watch. That’s what it’s all about. Next year will be better.
Autoweek Contributor Jerry Bonkowski Says:
JB Says: We had over 100 comments to this story, but I’m picking just one response because this pretty much sums up the overall bigger story in my mind. It’s not so much that Cole Custer did something to help Chase Briscoe advance to the Round of 8, but rather, that Kyle Larson—as I said earlier—did what he did to himself, and that’s why he is not in the Round of 8, nor will he be able to defend last year’s championship. That being said, I am 100% convinced Larson will not be a one-and-done champion. I anticipate he’ll be back in the mix in 2023, 2024, 2025 and maybe all the way through 2030. As “zzzeke” said, Larson’s team made several mistakes this season, and they’ll all learn from those mistakes and hopefully get better, including Larson. As great of a driver as he is, he still has a tendency to make too many mistakes (including his penchant for running too high and too close to the wall, too often, on the racing surface). He won the 2021 title because his rivals made more mistakes than he did, but they also learned from those mistakes and that’s why they’re where they are at now and why he’s not in the semifinals of the playoffs.
Financial Woes Force W Series to End Season Early
The three-year-old W Series hopes to reorganize and return with new financing in 2023.
Clive MasonGetty Images
Readers Say:
• fld7891: COTA and Mexico need to immediately sue the FIA for breach of contract. We know the troll sued tracks for funding issues/failed payments in the past. And to add insult to injury, the F1 teams, who have “virtual bottomless pits of cash” owners always crying about the end-of-year cash payout amounts that are large enough to keep “W” afloat.
• roxie44: It is a shame to have any racing series shut down. Hopefully, a lot of the drivers, team members, and other employees can find good employment elsewhere.
Autoweek Contributor Jerry Bonkowski Says:
JB Says: The premature folding of the W Series really sucks because this was a unique series that not only showcased and gave female drivers an international platform to gain success and attention, it also helped the W Series become its own development series of sorts for F1, F2 and even F3. I also wouldn’t be surprised if one or two of the W Series drivers may wind up in Indy Lights in 2023 next year. I hope several of the W Series drivers, particularly Jamie Chadwick, Alice Powell, Beitske Visser, Abbi Pulling and Marta Garcia all receive offers with F1’s and IndyCar’s feeder series for 2023. But I’m also hoping the W Series returns next season as well, with bigger and better financing to help the series make it through the entire campaign. I’d also love to see W Series team owner Caitlyn Jenner recruit some of her pals in the world of sports and entertainment to become investors in the series.
NASCAR Boss: ‘It’s on Me’ for Lack of Communication with Drivers over Safety Concerns
Steve Phelps, right, says he needs to do a better job of communicating with drivers on the tough issues.
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Readers Say:
• NREsq: THAT’S LEADERSHIP. A leader ALWAYS willingly accepts responsibility for the organization’s shortcomings. And directs the congratulations to the entire team.
• roxie44: Accepting responsibility fixes nothing. Working hard to obtain solutions and implementing those solutions is leadership.
Autoweek Contributor Jerry Bonkowski Says:
JB Says: Several readers shared the mixed bag of opinions as NREsq vs. roxie 44, that Steve Phelps is to be commended for a lack of communication vs. others who believed Phelps was simply following the platform of prior NASCAR boss Brian France, who rarely was seen and heard (and when he was heard, it was usually through press statements and not in-person). I’ll be honest, I really like Phelps. I think he’s a stand-up guy, is transparent and a good leader. Sure, he wants to put a positive spin on everything. That’s his job as the sport’s leader (along with Jim France). But for Phelps to man up and say, yes, there is a communication problem between NASCAR’s front office (including himself and his chief underlings) and drivers, and that he wants to work to improve that communication process, how can you not be impressed with his efforts?
F1 World Champion Red Bull Guilty of ‘Overspend Breach’ of 2021 Cost Cap
Red Bull Racing was found guilty of spending more than than the $145 million allowed in 2021.
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Readers Say:
• formuladoug: Yeah, everyone cheats, breaks rules, has goofy race admins land things in their favor, has no regard for the safety of other competitors, oh and don’t forget, the “move out of the way or I’ll crash us both” way of racing too. That’s how everything is now. Bad behavior is not only acceptable, but expected. We’ll never go back to honor, integrity, honesty, empathy, and love being the most important things to everyone. So get over it, move along, nothing to see here.
• jay5611: I wonder if we will ever find out what caused the breach. Since their submission showed that they were under the cap and the FIA indicated that that were no deliberate breaches the over spend was likely very minor. It makes me wonder if it was connected to how foreign exchange was applied. When looking at expenses in multiple currencies application of foreign exchange is always an issue.
• mtryalex: So at this point, both of Verstappen’s championships are questionable. What’s fair? What amount of cheating is acceptable and deserving of a wrist slap, and where is the line that results in forfeiture?
• ccr5793: Reading the conversations below I hope you know you can calculate the amount over based on the info in the article. I suspect that Aston Martin and Red Bull are indeed guilty. I also believe two other teams are just as guilty but did not get caught. Another example of too many rules and regulations open to interpretation. The FIA solution is going to be more rules.
Autoweek Contributor Jerry Bonkowski Says:
JB Says: I would not go so far as to say Mad Max’s two titles are questionable. But if F1 has unquestionable evidence that is irrefutable, then it MUST do something. Taking away a title (or two) is a difficult thing to quantify, let alone justify, as unless the supposed cheating was a race-in, race-out constant thing, Max should be given credit for races he won fair and square with his talent, rather than via cheating. I agree with “formuladoug” that the F1 of today leaves a lot to be desired from what it used to be like in the past. And that’s where I find quite a bit of irony, as the F1 from back in the day was oftentimes criticized because of the hard-fisted leadership and stewardship of Bernie Ecclestone. Now, with Bernie being supplanted by Liberty Media, F1 of Bernie’s era almost seems like an innocent little bird compared to some of the accusations of mismanagement and poor leadership leveled at today’s F1 teams and series leaders.
How Max Verstappen’s Second F1 Title Became A Historic Cruise
Max Verstappen’s second Formula 1 championship was clinched with four races left in the season.
Clive MasonGetty Images
Last but not least, let’s have a little fan debate:
• fal1609: I was a Max fan long before he was a champion. I saw in him a driver who was passionate and aggressive (sometimes too much so) but skilled beyond the rest of the field. It’s paid off for him and the rest of the field have a target to shoot for. Don’t be hard on the Diva and his fanboys, they indeed had the best car money could buy at the time and George Russell proved anyone could drive it competitively. Now it’s a drivers race.
• deb9414: Ah, a voice of reason.
• roxie44: You admire cheating?
• fal1609: No, I admire those with talent and that are able to put it to good use. They are and should be rewarded for that. As with many in the history of racing, some rules were stretched to the point of breaking by those not behind the wheel. If you go back and watch Max’s earlier racing, especially the races where rain played a part, you’ll see talent and finesse where right know you only seem to see (Ferrari) red.
Autoweek contributor Jerry Bonkowski says:
JB Says: While I don’t condone cheating in any fashion, I agree with “fal1609” that Max indeed earned his championship last season and this season with both talent and passion. And I can EASILY see Max win another 4-5 championships (provided he or the team aren’t caught cheating), although guys like George Russell are definitely going to give him a run for his money. Frankly, I think Russell will emerge as Verstappen’s No. 1 rival over the next several years, if he hasn’t already. And if and when that happens—if it hasn’t happened already—I’m going to be loving it because there’s nothing I like more than to see two drivers of equal talent and passion go at it race after race. I think we’ll see guys like Lewis Hamilton maybe be factors for one more championship before he retires in two or three years from now. But going forward, F1’s top lions are Verstappen and Russell in my mind.
Follow Autoweek contributor Jerry Bonkowski on Twitter @JerryBonkowski
