J R Fitzpatrick qualifies 15th in Cal.

[ernie]

Look for NASCAR potentially putting even more restrictions on the Toyota motor after the result of this race.

Doug

Shrub had an interesting observation after his qualifying run. He said that with the restrictor plate that the Toyotas had to run it made it easier to run around Fontana wide open making the transitions in the corners easier to get through. His thinking was with the extra HP the other trucks had they were over driving the turns and having to lift and when they were coming out of the turns they couldn't pick up the throttle fast enough. It's not like a short track where HP makes all the difference getting up off the corners.

Whether this was his way of jabbing NASCAR I don't know but it makes sense. at a track like this if you can get the setup right, then detuning the engine might just make for a better lap.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=9344.msg65005#msg65005

[longstreet]

he finished 22nd. was too fast exiting the pits on his last stop and had to do a pass through penalty where he chose to take tires as well.....he is sitting 10th in the points now

There were a few guys that really needed tires and fuel at the end of the race. If you know that your tires are gone and you need a splash and go to finish, what is stopping these guys from doing 1970's pit stops on the first run through? As far as I can see the only penalty is a pass through so why not go as fast as you can on your first stop in and out and then use your second stop as your penalty?

i dont think they are allowed to touch the truck on a drive thru penalty.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=9344.msg65029#msg65029

[ernie]

See one of the previous posts. JR got a pass thru and used that to change tires.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=9344.msg65033#msg65033

[longstreet]

i could be wrong but was that not under yellow and then the penalty is to the back of the longest line. either way ernie i think the new rules suck, it will kill or seriously injure someone i think by too many pit stop or too many teams pushing the right fronts. not a well thought out rule change at all.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=9344.msg65036#msg65036

[ernie]

I agree the rule sucks and someone is going to get hurt. I still maintain my previous thinking on the fast first stop. The end of the longest line penalty doesn't apply to speeding on pit road, yet. If NASCAR thinks dropping two pit guys is going to save money well.....They have already changed the rule for fuel stops. Teams were using two fuel carriers to speed up the stop. NASCAR say only one fuel guy please.
http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/trucks-nascar-tweaks-fueling-rule/

This is top tier racing. The two extra guys are just doing something else now. If they want to save money then they should just go back to the competition yellows, no green stops, that the truck series had before. Either this is top tier racing or it is not.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=9344.msg65038#msg65038