Published: July 27, 2008 10:26 pm            

From the Press Box: Spell blame at Indy C-O-T

Indianapolis — The seeds of the disastrous Allstate Brickyard at the 400 weren’t sowed on Sunday.

In fact, all parties did everything they could given an untenable situation on race day. This wasn’t the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix scenario in 1995, when political back-biting led to inaction, which led to a six-car joke, which probably accelerated Formula One’s departure from the track. Conversely, NASCAR, Goodyear and the track tried to do all they could once they realized they faced the nightmare scenario.

That doesn’t make Sunday’s Brickyard any less farcical than the 2005 USGP. Instead of bang for their considerable NASCAR buck, ticket-buyers at Indianapolis basically got several sprint-car-style heats.

That’s great for the Action Track, but at Indy?

“It was a ridiculous race. There was no racing involved other than the mandatory cautions, which was ridiculous,” driver Ryan Newman said.

So what’s to blame? The involved parties weren’t pointing fingers.

“This is nobody’s fault. It’s the entire package [car, tire, track] and that’s what we need to understand,” Goodyear director of race tire sales Greg Stucker said.

The unity in the face of an embarrassment is touchy-feely and all, but blame for this one is easy to spell out ... C-O-T. NASCAR’s ballyhooed Car Of Tomorrow was the only variable that changed from a normal 2007 to a bastardized 2008 race.

Weather conditions were typical for the Brickyard ... hot and muggy. The track is the same. Three Brickyards have been run with minimal problems on the controversial diamond-ground surface.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve raced here with the surface the way it is. To pick on the surface wouldn’t be fair. Coupled with the new car, and not having a test here, didn’t help us at all. You can say the surface is abrasive, but we’ve accomplished full races here,” NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said.

The tire compound, problematic in early stints on the diamond-ground surface in past races, was the same. Goodyear tested a tire that had better wear characteristics during its April test at Indianapolis, but drivers rejected it because it sacrificed grip.

Which leaves the COT, a disastrous combination for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unfortunately, assumptions were made about the COT that didn’t turn out to hold water. Pre-Brickyard testing was kept to the limited April tire test because the powers-that-be thought the tires would be enough. Wrong. Equally wrong was the idea that tires would “rubber in” as usual after multiple laps of green-flag running after Saturday’s practice. It never happened.

“It is the same compound we raced last year, and the wear improved over the course of the day last year to the point where we could run the full stops. That didn’t happen today; we need to understand why,” Stucker said.

Sunday’s tire problems were the worst indictment yet of a car that leaves a lot to be desired as the standard-bearer of NASCAR.

It was already disliked in some circles. The COT is viewed by some as antithetical to stock car racing, since it eliminates even the minimal appearance that it is a stock car. Fans don’t rave about its inability to produce exciting races. And it’s been hard for NASCAR’s partners, like Goodyear, to adjust to it.

“This car is definitely different. There’s no question about it. I said earlier, it is challenging, but we need to understand what the challenges are and try and figure it out,” Stucker said.

No one wanted to come out and publicly criticize the COT. NASCAR president Mike Helton won’t stand for it; he admonished NASCAR’s drivers at Michigan in June to keep quiet about COT-related issues. But several post-race analyses pointed right at the COT.

“Understand that this car has about 40 or 50 percent of the downforce we used to have,” said Chad Knaus, crew chief of Jimmie Johnson’s race-winning car. “To think Goodyear could make that [downforce] up? I think they did an OK job considering that.”

The COT is going to continue to vex NASCAR for the foreseeable future. In a difficult economy, financially hamstrung auto manufacturers are starting to revisit their considerable NASCAR investments. Since the COT has little to no relevance to auto technology as it adapts to energy concerns, the COT creates an opening for budget hawks to potentially commence cuts in the sport.

What can be done to prevent problems at future races? It might take drastic measures.

“We need to test ... with all of the cars at all of the tracks. This car is a different animal. We have to recognize that,” Hendrick Motorsports CEO Rick Hendrick said.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Joie Chitwood said the track would make itself available for future testing. Smart move, considering Sunday’s race was a disaster.

Unfortunately, the COT is a lemon that’s going to keep leaving a bitter taste in the mouth of NASCAR fans.



Todd Golden is sports editor of the Tribune-Star. He can be reached at (800) 783-8742 or todd.golden@tribstar.com

        

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