| | | | | | THINGS ARE CHANGING | Speed Geek: What are they thinking now? | |
|  | | CIA Stock Photo | Mears moved into the No. 5 car from the No. 25 after Kyle Busch was released from the ride last year. | | David Allen / Racegear.com Staff NASCAR is a performance-driven business in which the rules are very simple: If you don’t perform, you’re going to be out of a job. Casey Mears, driver of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 car, certainly found out the hard way last week. Mears was cut from the Hendrick car lineup, effective when the checkered flag falls on the last race of ’08.
Mears moved into the No. 5 car from the No. 25 after Kyle Busch was released from the ride last year, presumably to make room in the Hendrick stable for Dale Jr. in the No. 88. Was the game of musical driver seats everything Mears needed to succeed?
Let’s look at the facts. Casey inherited Kyle Busch’s old crew and crew chief. That same team (albeit with a different driver) lacked success last year and the solution was ‘Hasta La Vista Kyle.’ Less than a year later, Mears is being removed from the same seat. Did anyone bother to think that maybe it’s not the driver?
When some organizations struggle, crew changes are made and teams are overhauled. Mears wasn’t given the opportunity to overhaul his team this season. Could money have been an issue? Hendrick Motorsports is the most successful and resourceful organization in the garage area right now. Just a few weeks ago, Forbes declared the organization the most valuable at just below $340 million.
The Hendrick family lays claim to three of the biggest superstars in the sport: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. What about Casey Mears?
Unfortunately for this prodigal son, Mears seems to be the fourth spoke in the wheel. Don’t forget, Mears is the nephew of Indy Car star Rick Mears. Family blood lines don’t qualify Mears as a famous driver, but his name should get him some notoriety.
One famous last name standing beside three idols of the sport would be a hard sell for anyone. So the question begs to be asked, did Mears get a fair shot? No one knows the true answer to that question. Did Mears get the same quality of equipment as his superstar teammates? Only Rick Hendrick would know the answer to that question. Bottom line is when the people paying the bills look at the stats sheets and don’t see the car near the top, something has to change. Unfortunately for Mears, this time it was the driver.
New Testing Rules
This past weekend the idea was purposed to crew chiefs to change the testing rules for the 2009 season. Several ideas were mentioned from no testing allowed or allowing teams to test as much as they like, where they like, and how they like. Under the current testing rules teams can test anywhere they do not race during the season as they please. If teams wish to test on a track on the schedule they must do so at one of the NASCAR sanctioned test events during the year.
Testing rules were put into place to benefit underfunded teams who can’t afford to test every week. What’s NASCAR thinking here? They changed the testing rules once to cut costs. One of the reasons they built the Car of Tomorrow was cut costs. And now they would sabotage one of their objectives if they allow teams wide-open testing.
There has been no official decision on any new testing rules. But if wide open testing is approved, then teams with pockets deep enough to put team haulers on the road 52 weeks a year will reap the benefits. And those teams who are straining under limited budgets will fall further behind.
| | Posted July 01, 2008 , 6:13 pm EST
Last Updated July 02, 2008 , 2:18 am EST | | | | | | | | | | |
