Racing To The Flag: Motorsports Hot Topics – Edition No. 6

Each week Beyond the Flag will tackle the motorsports hot topics with Racing To The Flag. Each writer will give their opinions and open the floor for debate.

Like always, not every topic is going to have the same opinions from writer to writer. If your opinion differs from those of our writers, make sure that you share it with us. You can share your side of the debate by commenting below. You can also reach out to us and share your thoughts via our various social media platforms.

Now, let’s get on with edition No. 5.

Green Flag: Did NASCAR get the penalties right for John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher?

Mike Hutton:  Yes – wimpy penalties for two wimps involved in a wimpy fight.

Martin Feigen: No, it was stupid childish behavior and represented NASCAR poorly. I would like to have seen a couple weeks off from all NASCAR activities to establish fighting on the track was a no.

Alex Herbst:  I was expecting a lot more from NASCAR after that fight. I anticipated suspensions and bigger fines. What I did not take into account that this was the Trucks Series, not the Cup guys. Big difference in the penalties they would levy because of the smaller purses. But perhaps it’s a bit of karma that Townley will be sitting out this weekend due to a potential concussion.

Matt Lovisa: Like Martin and Alex, I too was expecting a lot more from NASCAR. Not on the lines of Matt Kenneth’s suspension last fall, but somewhere closer with a one race suspension. There were two drivers out on the track during the race. Sure, it was red flagged but that is setting a precedent that shouldn’t be set.

Caution Flag: Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton tangled again on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix, for the second time this season. Was this hard racing between teammates or does Toto Wolff need to step in?

Mike Hutton:  Hard racing?  Please!  The girls of F1 wouldn’t know hard racing if they saw it, and would pull in and quit after 5 laps if they were to ever participate in a NASCAR race.

Martin Feigen: Mike is on it here, F1 has no idea what hard racing is. It has become a gentlemens racing series and team orders do nothing but hurt the sport. The idea that drivers tanging on the last lap for the win is bad is ludacris. If F1 wants to gain more of a foothold here, they need to let the drivers go at it and demand no team orders.

Alex Herbst:  By F1 standards, it was definitely hard racing and I don’t think team orders are absolutely necessary. Moments like these are what can help make Formula One take steps forward to becoming a more watchable product, instead of just follow the leader for 60 laps.

Matt Lovisa: I think it was hard racing on the last lap, between two drivers who don’t like each other very much. Team orders, however, are not entirely out of the question. Just this week Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff gave his two drivers a final warning. Something has me thinking that this won’t be the final time though.

White Flag: Was NASCAR inconsistent by throwing the caution flag late in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race?

Mike Hutton:  No.  NASCAR has always said that they will err on the side of caution in such instances.  Having now had three days to hear additional information about what information was available to NASCAR and when, they held to that standard.  There were actually two incidents in one – the first had each driver involved still moving and under power, the second had a driver get t-boned in the door for which safety equipment needed to roll.  This explains the decision not to throw the caution immediately.

Martin Feigen: With NASCAR the word “consistent” is seldom used. I can’t figure out what they are doing with throwing the caution. Apparently drivers feel the same way after hearing Ryan Newman in the drivers meeting the next day. I have given up on figuring what NASCAR is going to do in race control.

Alex Herbst:  I agree with Martin that consistency is not one of NASCAR’s strong suits. If you don’t believe me there, just look at the ever-evolving product that is the Chase. The officials need to agree to a rule of thumb on last lap cautions to end this circular conversation once and for all.

Matt Lovisa: Yes. I am all for finishing the race under green in the Daytona 500 because it is the Daytona 500, but to pick and choose when is not fair to the drivers and fans. I side with safety and I understand that the safety crews needed to get out on the track to check on the drivers. But they could have gone out as the lead cars were coming off of turn 4 and given plenty of time for them to slow down. If you were going to throw the caution flag all along, throw it the moment the accident happens then.

Checkered Flag: With nine races left until the Chase cutoff, there have been eleven winners so far. Of the drivers inside the current top 16 on points, who missed out on an opportunity to steal a winner at Daytona?

Mike Hutton:  Anyone involved in the big wreck missed an opportunity to win.  Who knows what would have played out had some of those drivers not been eliminated?  I’m not sure anybody had anything for the No. 2 car on Saturday night.

Martin Feigen: None of them, the restrictor plate races are less of a wild card for a win now than they have ever been. I don’t think that any team thinking championship puts any faith in performance on the plate tracks. From the quotes of drivers, Daytona and Talladega are just a necessary evil they do not look forward to.

Alex Herbst:  I wouldn’t say any of the ones in the Top 16 missed a chance, but ones outside the Top 16 sure did. Casey Mears and Chris Buescher looked to have a strong run before wrecks, and could’ve surprised in victory lane on Saturday night.

Matt Lovisa: Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. All have been strong at restrictor plates in the past but not very consistent or strong on the intermediate tracks this season. Dillon stated the season very strong on the 1.5-mile speedways but has since cooled off. Blaney and Earnhardt Jr. have been inconsistent at times this season and a win at Daytona would have settled their Chase hopes.

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