Mike Skeen Goes NASCAR

#21

This was the first NASCAR race that I’ve watched all year. Do they all end like that?! Christ. That’s not racing.

Papis’ post-race interview was a disgrace. Screw him. He should be ashamed, but assholes like that never are…

sigh

#22

Hey, I’m one of Mike’s biggest fans, but…

Watching the videos at NASCAR.com (you’ll have to search for the last lap wreck) it looks like Skeen couldn’t make the divebomb stick, washes into Papas and takes them both out.

I do not have any data on what might have preceeded the wreck.

It gets nasty after that , so much so that the girl friend and Papas make it onto ESPN’s Sportscenter.

Not how we wanted to see this one play out.

RP

#23

Skeen has a good sponsor in the folks at Hawk. He did not pay for the ride.
He really doesn’t have any money.

RP

#24

[quote=“victorhall” post=73826]This was the first NASCAR race that I’ve watched all year. Do they all end like that?! Christ. That’s not racing.

Papis’ post-race interview was a disgrace. Screw him. He should be ashamed, but assholes like that never are…

sigh[/quote]

Vic, I’d like to agree with you,but you have to ask who is the new kid in town and who is the established racer. Where is the love? Better yet, respect? Again, I do not know what might have preceeded the last lap dive bomb.

There is a printed copy of an interview with Mike and he brings up the dreaded NASCAR rear wheel hop problem.

Yes, this one is going to be ugly, it has made it to ESPN’s Sportscenter.

RP

#25

Robert,
Clearly I would have a hard time being objective in my post-race analysis, and I haven’t seen the video from Mike’s perspective. From Papis’ view, it looked as though Mike may have been a bit over-agressive, but again, hard to draw any concrete conclusions from what I saw on TV, regarding the racing…

However, Max’s post-race interview was classic. Classic asshole. Or child. Or childish asshole. Either way. Skeen is such a soft spoken gentleman, that it really irks me to see Papis pull that type of publicity BS. I imagine that this is how NASCAR breeds its “rivalries” though. The Hatfields vs. the McCoys. Ratings before anything, and the racing itself be damned…

I don’t know Max Papis. I’ve heard his name before, but after yesterday, I will never cheer for him.

-Vic

#26

Mike posted up his perspective on FB:

#27

What would racing be without some drama…

#28

They say any publicity is good publicity but I really hope the owners/sponsors can look past all of this BS and see what a great race the team ran and all of the potential to win races Mike has. Such a great guy.

#29

Making a dive-bomb in the last corner is just a dumb move - a 4th place finish, prize money and a clean truck would be a lot more valuable to his team (and even Sponsor, I would bet…) than a 13th place crash out. I haven’t seen the video but speculating based on the “wheel hop” issue.

Same thing with P1 and P2 - that was just an ugly dive bomb punt. I don’t understand how there aren’t penalties in NASCAR? Why on Earth would you EVER want to lead going into the final lap or corner if all you have to do is use the guy in front as a brake and turn them around??

This race just reinforces why I don’t watch NASCAR - it’s the WWE wrestling of the motorsports world.

#30

In-car video from Papis’ car starts around the 25 second mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AOyj1nQAqVk#t=25

Max hit Mike in the LEFT REAR. Didn’t seem like such a dive bomb. More like lack of situational awareness on Papis’ part and an aggressive pass that would have been successful otherwise.

#31

I’ve watched a few of the videos.

Where was the yellow flag for the incedent involving the first two cars at the same corner?

Waiting for instructions from Daytona to wave the flag?

RP

#32

I thought I saw a yellow at start finish?? Does NASCAR race back to the stripe on roadcourses? I know they used to at least on ovals as they were all full course…

Al

#33

Al, I really don’t know.Yes, there was a yellow at start/finish when the checkered flag flew.

Club racing can be diffferent?

RP

#34

@Julian - thanks for posting the video, I couldn’t find it earlier.

The fact that the RF/LR is where the contact is made has little to do with whose fault it is… you can imagine if I’m 20 cars behind you heading towards a right-hander and I simply don’t brake, as you turn-in, you could easily hit my LR as I sail by you 50mph too fast to turn-in. Yes, you hit me in the LR, but there was no way for me to make the turn without hitting you so clearly that isn’t your fault, right?

Given the speed and force at which the two cars came together, it looks doubtful Skeen could have held that inside, aggressive line without hitting Papis. If that’s the case, it’s a dive-bomb but I’d like to see Skeen’s in-car to see his hands and how the car is responding to input first.

#35

[quote=“brian” post=73846]@Julian - thanks for posting the video, I couldn’t find it earlier.

The fact that the RF/LR is where the contact is made has little to do with whose fault it is… you can imagine if I’m 20 cars behind you heading towards a right-hander and I simply don’t brake, as you turn-in, you could easily hit my LR as I sail by you 50mph too fast to turn-in. Yes, you hit me in the LR, but there was no way for me to make the turn without hitting you so clearly that isn’t your fault, right?

Given the speed and force at which the two cars came together, it looks doubtful Skeen could have held that inside, aggressive line without hitting Papis. If that’s the case, it’s a dive-bomb but I’d like to see Skeen’s in-car to see his hands and how the car is responding to input first.[/quote]

I don’t agree with the idea of “no way for me to make the turn w/o hitting you”. If someone goes into a turn on my inside, I do have choices. I can choose to turn in and strike them, or I can delay turn-in and hope they either go off the turn or fall prey to my brilliant “over and under” counter move.

If I take the school line into a turn and there’s someone on my tail, I’m betting that he agrees there’s no way he can brake late enough to get along side me on the inside of the turn w/o sliding off of the turn. But if that’s my plan, I have to be be prepared for him not to agree and do it anyways. My plan, in that scenario because I’m convinced he will slide off the turn because he’s too hot, would be to delay turn-in and let him slide off the track.

#36

Ranger, sorry I’m in Brian’s camp.

Last corner pass in the manner in which Mike tried to pull it off…do we not all know better?

Where is the regard for the team that’ll have to fix the car? The money involved? Was there a waving yellow? I do not have any answer to these and it really does not matter, just all circumstances that should figure into a decision. Likewise, and this is important and I have said it before, none of us have any history of what happened xx laps prior to the wreck.

Wait, I seem to forget, this is NASCAR, it is entertainment and the post race shenannigans rate an A+ in getting media exposure. It ain’t no club racing.

Got it.

RP

#37

Admittedly, I am a Skeen fan. Nevertheless…

From Papis’ in-car, it was obvious he was set up on the left side of the track. He moved a little towards center, then a little more when it was obvious Mike was coming inside him.

In my opinion, it was Max’ double move that caused Mike to have no choice but to add braking and steering when Max pushed him to a shallower corner entry. What looked like a lurid slide into Max was – in my opinion – Mike wiggling while trying NOT to hit Max.

Mike is a good enough driver to body slam max with the cars lined up if that’s what he was trying to do.

#38

Admittedly, I am a Skeen fan. Nevertheless…

From Papis’ in-car, it was obvious he was set up on the left side of the track. He moved a little towards center, then a little more when it was obvious Mike was coming inside him.

In my opinion, it was Max’ double move that caused Mike to have no choice but to add braking and steering when Max pushed him to a shallower corner entry. What looked like a lurid slide into Max was – in my opinion – Mike wiggling while trying NOT to hit Max.

Mike is a good enough driver to body slam max with the cars lined up if that’s what he was trying to do.[/quote]

Steve, big Skeen fan too. I’ll go watch the Papas in-car, again…

Ahh, nevermind, too much time wasted on this drama already.

RP

#39

Congrats to Skeen on a great drive, made us proud! As others have said, a shame it ended the way it did.

Also, being a big Bill Elliott fan it was great to see Chase win his first race. Gutsy move on his part in that last corner.

#40

[quote=“tpr jules” post=73851]Congrats to Skeen on a great drive, made us proud! As others have said, a shame it ended the way it did.

Also, being a big Bill Elliott fan it was great to see Chase win his first race. Gutsy move on his part in that last corner.[/quote]

Ditto above, but replace gutsy with stupid.

Advice to Chase, use your head and not the car to win.

Slow in fast out, the other car is sputtering on fuel, you’ll pass him as he sputters on the next straightaway.

As Dillon articulated, he is in the series for points and Elliott is a once-in-a-while racer. Stupid move, no respect for the others in the series. Really poor to see him win in that manner, he is (I think?)better than that.

But, I get it. It is not club racing. Like this forum and its topic(s), they are both entertainment.

RP