No friends for #24???

[NAPAFISH]

Is this why he gets shuffled out of the draft so far???

Gordon said the way Earnhardt pushed several cars around Talladega Superspeedway during Sunday's Nextel Cup race violated the warning that NASCAR president Mike Helton gave during the drivers' meeting.

Earnhardt said Gordon's complaint was hypocritical.

"I pushed Jeff Gordon into the lead five freaking times," said Earnhardt.

"And every time I do that he complains that I'm bump-drafting in the corners. I'm just not going to push him anymore."

Earnhardt seemed offended by Gordon's comments, saying he tried to help Gordon out by drafting him on a day when few would.

"Every time I help him out he never gives it back in the turn," Earnhardt said. "That's why he don't have too many friends out there. I was trying to be his only friend besides his teammate to draft with him.

"When it comes to drafting, there ain't anybody that does it any better. Everybody wants to be in front of that 8 car when it's time to go."

Earnhardt said his warning, which came shortly after Gordon made his comments on television, was a result of bumping in the turn. He backed off from then on even though he never felt anybody was in danger.

"There's so much grip my mom could drive these cars," he said. "There wasn't no way I was going to spin nobody out. I guess it made Jeff Gordon a little nervous."

NASCAR, despite warning Earnhardt once late, for the most part sided with Earnhardt.

"We didn't see any excessive bump-drafting," said Jim Hunter, NASCAR's vice president for corporate communications. "I know Jeff had some comments about that, but we didn't see anything we needed to react to."

[Sifty]

It was funny how after the "BIG ONE" they where interviewing the people that where involved and Gordon was the only one that thought it was to aggresive out there.

Sifty

[eyepatrol]

There was one other guy but I can't remember who it was anymore.

[eyepatrol]

Quote:

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"We didn't see any excessive bump-drafting,"

---

Quote:

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"I know Jeff had some comments about that, but we didn't see anything we needed to react to."

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That's darn funny....Hunter must have had a lot to smoke and drink by the time he made that comment. If they didn't see any excessive bump drafting and if they didn't see anything worth reacting to, then why did they warn Junior during the race???????

Somebody doesn't have their head screwed on very straight.

[harvey lee]

They saw questionable bump-drafting and not excessive bump drafting.

Warning for questionable--no penalty for excessive.

[eyepatrol]

Perhaps, but he said they didn't see anything worth reacting to, yet they did react to Junior's bump drafting by telling him to cool it a bit. That in itself is a reaction from something they saw.

The comments made by Hunter just seem awfully diplomatic to me....maybe he should be running for office?

[LMITOUT]

You have to be diplomatic when 95% of the stands are wearing red. He's no dummy!

If Gordo can't handle it (big surprise being the twirp that he is) then quit. He's just PO'd that nobody will work with him so he doesn't want ANYBODY to be able to bump draft. Jr. tried to help him but never repaid the favor, another big surprise.

Jr said that he could have pushed Vickers around the entire track earlier in the race but feared NASCAR may issue him a black flag. He said it was so easy with the smooth and grippy track that those two could have pulled away from the entire pack.

[eyepatrol]

Yeah, but the drivers also know that if/when Gordon gets out front, he's one of the best in the business at protecting the lead especially late in the race. They all know he has strong cars at the plate races and they would rather not have him up front. Just like when Junior and Mikey were strong. Nobody, absolutely nobody wanted them two to hook up and be up front. Even if they were by themselves, drivers didn't want them up there 'cause they knew they were strong and hard to pass.

On a side note...where are the fishing biting up there? Haven't seen a report from you in the Hutch forum for a while.

[harvey lee]

I would rather be second at a plate track with a friend behind me with 1 to go.That guy if he is up front by himself[even Gordon] is a sitting duck unless you are the biggest blocker and the best at doing it.

[eyepatrol]

True, but I've seen Junior, Gordon, and Stewart make their cars pretty darn wide on the final lap. Those 3 guys are very good at doing that.

[LMITOUT]

Sorry BC, haven't been on the lakes much this fall and with pheasant opening this weekend I don't know if I'll make it out anymore but I hope to try a time or two yet. I'm heading back to ND for some action and I probably won't even buy a stamp here this year. Waste of time and money.

[jbtwins24]

well there was 3 more guys that said that, forgot who though.

[outdoor ran]

Who needs friends when your already a 4 time cup champ