Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide weekly commentary, discussing various topics in motorsports. The majority of our content will focus on NASCAR but other disciplines will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major (mass media concentration) and minor in Journalism. In addition, he contributes to motorsports coverage at The Podium Finish and serves as the co-host of GRID Live. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. Last Sunday, NASCAR hosted a tripleheader at Pocono Raceway with the three national series. Trucks, Xfinity and Cup put on a long day of racing at the Tricky Triangle. In the future, do you think NASCAR should look at tripleheader weekends? Lambeth: I think it would be interesting if they went down that route. By doing this, you will have a full day of racing. It might be good for the folks watching at home, but what about people at the track? I have no idea if they would be willing to sit in the grandstands for hours and hours, especially on hot summer days. We do not want them getting dehydrated or suffering an even worse fate. I like the concept of a tripleheader on the same day, but I think it truly depends on the track and time of year. Lee: It would be something to see a tripleheader in one day, but I don’t think it will happen like that very often in the future. While we got a very unique experience last Sunday to have all three series, I think some may find it as too much to handle in one day. Of course, there are a ton of factors that may cause problems, including weather, but I would rather have doubleheader days instead of triple. 2. Go Fas Racing announced that Patriots of America PAC has partnered with the team, sponsoring Corey LaJoie's No. 32 Ford Mustang for nine races, running a "Trump 2020" paint scheme. This generated mixed emotions from fans on social media. On the other hand, the FIA does not allow any sponsorship that relates to the political world. NASCAR does not have a policy against political sponsorship. Should NASCAR revisit this area? Lambeth: While NASCAR does not have a similar policy as the FIA when it comes to political sponsorships, I think it is definitely something they can revisit. Times are changing. In 2018, Santino Ferrucci tried to run a "Make America Great Again" livery on his Formula 2 car and it was denied by the FIA. Lee: With the current climate, it is something that should be taken into consideration just like the FIA does. However, I think this year it makes more of a difference, based on the current political climate. 3. In the All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, NASCAR will introduce the "choose cone rule," which is commonly used in local short track racing. What do you think of NASCAR's decision to experiment this rule in the All-Star Race? If all goes well, should it become a common rule next season? Lambeth: It seems like the All-Star Race is becoming an event that is used to experiment with new ideas or concepts. The choose cone rule is popular in the short track community and makes things very interesting with restarts. If it works well in the All-Star race, I would not have an issue with it being introduced next season regularly at certain tracks. Lee: With the new rule, I think it gives some new spice to the race that people have been asking for a long time with the new venue. Adding what’s known at a Saturday Night Short Track and on the local circuit, it is a pretty cool thing to happen during the All-Star Race. 4. Lewis Hamilton unveiled a special helmet, bringing awareness to the Black Lives Matter movement. The six-time Formula 1 world champion has been very vocal about the fight against racism. In addition, Mercedes switched to a black livery to stand with Hamilton. Are you impressed by Mercedes for taking this matter very seriously? Is Hamilton doing a solid job showing leadership during these tense times? Lambeth: Yes, Mercedes does a lot of credit for standing with Lewis Hamilton. They are listening and willing to be a part of the change. Hamilton has shown tremendous leadership and is not afraid to speak his mind. Without a doubt, he will continue to be a strong voice as he uses his platform to fight for a better society for all. Lee: Absolutely, I don’t think once Lewis Hamilton has missed the mark in terms of making an effort to make a change. I’m sure in his time he’s heard a plethora of things but even then he hasn’t been scared to stand for social issues. He’s definitely been using his platform to bring awareness during these times and it’s greatly appreciated. 5. Seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus, meaning that he will miss this weekend's Brickyard 400. Justin Allgaier is set to replace him in the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. In addition, IMSA driver Felipe Nasr tested positive for coronavirus as well, with Gabby Chaves replacing him at Daytona alongside Pipo Derani at Action Express Racing. Was it inevitable? Lambeth: To be honest, I'm surprised that we have not seen something like this happen way sooner. At this rate, it was going to happen eventually. Unfortunately, Jimmie Johnson became the first NASCAR driver to test positive. Hopefully, the seven-time champion and his wife will recover soon and get back to doing what he loves. We will probably see more positive cases and people falling ill in the motorsports community soon. I wish I felt more optimistic but it just seems inevitable. Lee: This was the one thing everyone worried about as sports began to start back up. Now, for it to happen to one of your most famous drivers, I’m sure not too many could imagine when it comes to big name drivers listed. With people moving around in different places it was bound to happen to someone. It will be interesting to see how things move after this weekend. 6. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is preparing for a race weekend with a full schedule. On Saturday, the NTT IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series will compete on the IMS road course. Meanwhile, the NASCAR Cup Series concludes the weekend with the Brickyard 400 on Saturday afternoon. Many fans are looking forward to the IndyCar-NASCAR doubleheader. Do you think we will see IndyCar and NASCAR share the track more often down the road? Lambeth: With Roger Penske in control of the IndyCar side of things, I think we certainly have a better chance to see NASCAR and IndyCar share the track more often. When the fans are able to get back to the track and paddocks interacting with each other, I believe that it will be great for all involved. A lot of folks would love to watch crossovers occur too, with an IndyCar driver racing in NASCAR and vice versa. Lee: Just as Kobe said, with Roger Penske being in control, it makes for a world of a difference. I think with him at the helm, we will do something like this again at circuits that pair up with NASCAR and IndyCar. It’s already been cool to see the both combined, but I can’t imagine how it would’ve been with fans mixing disciplines for the entire weekend. 7. On Saturday night, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship returned to action for the first time since the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January. 26 cars entered the WeatherTech 240. With several teams being affected by the global pandemic and a low car count, should we be worried about IMSA's future? Lambeth: It is certainly something to pay attention to. Before the pandemic struck, car counts were already declining. Now, other teams have been forced to change their racing programs, due to the pandemic. Sponsorship may be a little harder to find as many businesses struggle to get back on their feet. Hopefully, this is not the beginning of a sad situation unfolding in IMSA. Lee: It’s noticeable for sure, but I think this is partially a COVID-19 deal and part of an already declining car count. I think it hurts more in this time than anything but I wouldn’t worry fully about IMSA. I believe once things get back to normal it should be okay for teams once again when it comes to finding more sponsorship
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Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide weekly commentary, discussing various topics in motorsports. The majority of our content will focus on NASCAR but other disciplines will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major (mass media concentration) and minor in Journalism. In addition, he contributes to motorsports coverage at The Podium Finish and serves as the co-host of GRID Live. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. The ACO announced a new schedule for the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is set to get underway on Sept. 19. The schedule is condensed with only four days of track action. As other racing series around the world get back into the swing of things, will a condensed schedule help lower the costs during these unprecedented times? Other ways to reduce costs? Lambeth: Racing series across the globe will not have a choice, but to find ways to reduce costs for race teams. They were put in quite an unfortunate situation and must take the necessary steps to ensure their future. As for the revised schedule for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, I think they could further reduce costs by eliminating some of the practice sessions. These teams are professionals and should be able to prepare for the race with limited practice. Then again, you have Le Mans rookies who need to get track time, in order to be prepared to take on the demanding, high speed circuit. Lee: At this point, I think you have to always think on a bigger scale when it comes to racing. If you want teams to survive during this time, I think having a reduced schedule can help with the cost of going from track to track. Of course, rookies in this situation may run into problems at Le Mans, but that’s going to be the risk this year. 2. Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wright Motorsports had to withdraw one of their Porsches from the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD Sprint Cup Championship. The No. 91 entry was set to be shared by Jeroen Bleekemolen and Anthony Imperato, with sponsorship from Henry’s Repeating Arms. Unfortunately, the sponsor is experiencing some tough times, following the shutdown. With a lot of businesses struggling to get restarted, do you think it will be more challenging for race teams and drivers to secure sponsorship? Lambeth: As we look ahead to the future, it may get a little challenging for drivers and teams to find sponsors to support their racing programs. While some businesses are slowly but surely finding their footing again, there are still quite a number of them still struggling to get going. This is a sad situation for both sides. Unfortunately, it is hard to determine what will happen next with the sponsorship situation, but I can imagine that it may be difficult for some to secure deals for the remainder of the racing season into next year. Lee: This may be a challenging time for teams trying to gain sponsors for a limited schedule rather than having a full season of sponsorship. It’s going to be hard once things get back to normal somewhat. It could be a tough time moving forward for many teams as we get through these strange times. 3. IndyCar announced that fans will return to the track during the doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway next month. As more fans are beginning to return to the grandstands, are racing series taking the precautions needed to ensure the safety of the fans? Lambeth: As long as the tracks are following guidelines from health professionals and doing exactly what they should be doing, I think you can definitely reduce the spread of COVID-19. Of course, there will still be positive cases. You cannot escape that fact. However, being as safe as you can be should reduce those chances. I hope the fans who are fortunate enough to attend races during this time period enjoy themselves but I want them to be safe as well. If a track is not going to look after the health of its paying spectators, then people can take matters into their own hands to protect themselves from getting infected or infecting others. Lee: As time moves forward, we’ve had more tracks announce that fans will be able to attend races. Despite there being a limited number of fans in the stands, I think every track needs to make sure everyone is wearing a mask. While this is a personal risk for more people, I believe that the main goal should be making the environment as safe as possible at all times. 4. During last weekend's Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Joey Logano held up race leader Chase Elliott, allowing eventual winner Denny Hamlin to take the lead. Do you think this was payback from the incident at Bristol Motor Speedway? Lambeth: Without a doubt, Joey Logano saw a perfect opportunity to return the favor to Chase Elliott. Luckily, Elliott did not get wrecked but Logano held him up long enough to aid Denny Hamlin. No harm, no foul. After Elliott took away Logano’s chance to win at Bristol, Logano switched roles and ruined Elliott’s hopes of winning at Homestead. Is this little feud over? Stay tuned. Lee: I’m not sure “payback” is the exact word in this case, but more so a driver’s memory is pretty long. Drivers don’t forget about the way you race them and Joey Logano was a prime example of that. He didn’t wreck Elliott or anything but he actually put some action behind making it difficult for another driver. Is it anything bigger than that? We’ll have to wait and see. 5. In 2021, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik and Red Farmer will get inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Did the voters get it correct? Do you think Carl Edwards' shock retirement will end up hurting his chances of getting in down the road? Lambeth: The voters did a solid job with the selection of next year’s NASCAR Hall of Fame class. Junior, Stefanik and Farmer are very deserving. If I had a vote, I would probably choose the same three. I think Carl Edwards will get inducted at some point, but he probably would have a stronger case without the early retirement. To make this perfectly clear, Edwards' decision to walk away from the sport was his choice and I totally respect him for deciding to leave during his prime years. If he stayed, I think he would have accomplished a lot more and maybe secure the Cup title that escaped him. He will get in at some point. Lee: I think this was a pretty solid class! I’m super ecstatic about Red Farmer being part of the class. He’s one of those guys that I’ve been rooting for to get into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and I think a lot of people will be amazed by his story. I’m not sure if Edwards’ shock retirement will be his downfall because he has a case based on others that have made it in. 6. Initially, open-wheel and sports car racing veteran James Davison was set to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. However, NASCAR decided that it was not the best idea for him to debut at this particular track. Therefore, Davison's Cup debut will have to wait until Pocono. Did NASCAR make the right decision to prevent the five-time Indianapolis 500 starter from competing this weekend? Lambeth: Absolutely. Given his resume, I typically would not have an issue with a driver like Davison making his Cup debut at Talladega. However, without practice, qualifying and changes to the aero package, I think holding off until Pocono is a smart idea. Superspeedway racing is a different animal. Honestly, I think he would have been fine competing in the Cup race at Talladega if he entered the ARCA or Xfinity race to gain experience. Typically, at the beginning of the season, you will see several drivers enter the ARCA Menards Series season opener at Daytona to gain approval to run at superspeedways in the national series. Lee: I think they made a solid decision. I know people are on the “Well, he raced at Indy, so this should be no problem at all.” But a guy that’s never been in a Cup car, I don’t think it’s just that simple. Along with that, this isn’t new at all. Even Juan Pablo Montoya had to make an ARCA superspeedway start in 2006 just to be prepared for that style of racing. 7. Following Ryan Newman's terrifying crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500, NASCAR made several changes to the superspeedway package. How do you think the changes will impact the on-track product? Lambeth: Due to changes with the superspeedway package, we are heading into Talladega with a few unknowns. During the early laps of the race, it would not surprise me if the drivers get in a single-file line and log laps for learning purposes. When they get more laps under their belt, I think we will see the action intensify. I am not an engineer so I have no clue what the on-track product is going to look like. The speeds should be lower in the pack, given less horsepower this time around. However, I still believe that we should still witness a wild Talladega race filled with intense action, crashes and close calls. More importantly, I wish for a safe race. Newman’s crash prompted NASCAR to respond accordingly as an effort to keep all drivers safe at these speeds and racing conditions. Lee: The removal of the ducts from the car and a reduction of horsepower will be done for Sunday’s race and we may see drivers play it conservative in the opening stage. They may not get super racey until the middle of the race, but I think we should still get a pretty good race this weekend. Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide weekly commentary, discussing various topics in motorsports. The majority of our content will focus on NASCAR but other disciplines will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major (mass media concentration) and minor in Journalism. In addition, he contributes to motorsports coverage at The Podium Finish and serves as the co-host of GRID Live. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. In the closing laps of the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway, Felix Rosenqvist tried hunting down Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon for the lead and crashed while trying to get around lapped traffic. Unfortunately, the result did not reflect the Swedish racing driver’s strong performance. As Rosenqvist enters his sophomore season of IndyCar competition, will there be some pressure on him to perform? Lambeth: I think we should see growth from Felix Rosenqvist this year. He showed some flashes of brilliance in his rookie campaign. Notably, he came close to stealing the win at Mid-Ohio from Scott Dixon last season. Rosenqvist had a chance to win at Texas, but came up short with a wrecked car. He does not have to beat Dixon every weekend, but he must take care of the car and avoid losing valuable championship points. Rosenqvist seems capable of becoming a weekly contender, potentially having a breakout season. However, he cannot let incidents like Texas occur on a regular basis or pressure will start building. We saw how quickly Chip Ganassi Racing moved on from Ed Jones, with 2018 being his only season as a member of the organization. Lee: When you race for a big team like Ganassi, the expectations are always going to remain pretty high. Rosenqvist had a solid rookie year. Of course, he had some trouble in the final laps last Saturday night. With a long way to go in the season, he created a bar from his rookie season, so this year he’ll have to continue the same. 2. Ed Carpenter Racing rookie Rinus VeeKay endured a disastrous IndyCar debut, suffering a crash in practice and another one during the race that ended his night, which collected fellow IndyCar debutant Alex Palou. Putting limited track time and a revised schedule into consideration, do you think the rookies will struggle more this season with their development? Lambeth: This may be a challenging season for the IndyCar rookies. They will not be able to go through normal routines to fully prepare for each race. Unfortunately, limited track time can be detrimental in allowing the rookies to learn new tracks and make mistakes in non-racing conditions. While I do think this year's rookie class will have some promising moments, I expect growing pains as well. Probably more than a typical season. Lee: It was already a challenging effort for rookies coming into Texas Motor Speedway for the IndyCar season opener and sadly that was the fate of Rinus VeeKay last weekend. I’m sure not having a lot of track time will harm a bit of their development this season, with the absence of practice. However, this may also be a great learning tool for these drivers as they face tracks for the first time. 3. The 24 Hours of Le Mans virtual endurance race will be shown on ESPN2, in the United States, which gets underway at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, June, 13. Viewers will have the opportunity to watch 12 hours on the channel, while all 24 hours are available on the ESPN app. With this eSports event being broadcasted on the major sports network, could you imagine having the real 24 Hours of Le Mans on ESPN? Lambeth: During these strange times for the sports world, showing the virtual Le Mans race on ESPN2 became a reality, due to major shifts in the schedule. In a perfectly normal world, we would not see anything like this, especially on a major network like ESPN in the United States. Yes, it would be nice if ESPN could actually show the real Le Mans one day. Unfortunately, I am not sure if it would be doable. Assuming normal life returns, it would be interesting to see how they could fit a 24-hour endurance race in a busy schedule, with other sports holding priority. ESPN has done a solid job broadcasting the eSports racing events though. Lee: Something I didn’t expect to see is the 24 Hours of Le Mans on ESPN2, even with it being virtual. While it’s nice that it’s on a major network, I can’t imagine the real endurance race ever being shown on ESPN. Of course, ESPN has some very capable people to do so. However, I just don’t think the network's interest is there for motorsports, in general. 4. In general, what did you think of the first ever Martinsville night race for the NASCAR Cup Series? Lambeth: For the most part, I thought the action was decent. We saw a lot of comers and goers. Plus, it was much easier for the drivers to get to the bumper and make passes, due to lower levels of downforce and a small rear spoiler. The light show at the end when Martin Truex Jr. celebrated his win was an awesome touch. Sadly, the only thing missing was the fans. I think the atmosphere would have been electric with them in the grandstands. In 2021, I hope we can put this global pandemic behind us, so fans can attend next year's Martinsville night race. Lee: Low downforce, high horsepower and the “Paper Clip” lit up in the summer night sky, sign me up every year. I thought the first two stages were pretty entertaining and the final stage was so so. Overall, there was a ton of passing on track and a lot of bumping and banging as it should be. Hopefully, we can see that place under the lights with a packed house next year. 5. On Wednesday evening, NASCAR made the decision to ban the Confederate flag from the track. Last Sunday, prior to the Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, NASCAR President Steve Phelps acknowledged the current state of America, taking a stand against racism and bigotry. Do you think this will end up being one of the most progressive weeks in NASCAR history? Lambeth: In the future, I think we will look back and reflect on this week as one of the most important ones in NASCAR history. Given recent developments in the world, NASCAR finally made the decision to get rid of the Confederate flag from the track. The symbol makes some folks feel uncomfortable enough to avoid coming to the races. By removing it, NASCAR wants to be more inclusive and create a welcoming environment. In addition, they showed support for the LGBTQ+ community too, not just the black community. As we move forward, it will be interesting to see if we are witnessing a culture change in NASCAR. Lee: In my years of supporting NASCAR, this was something I couldn’t imagine seeing in my lifetime. With the Confederate Flag being banned from all NASCAR events, I think it is a huge step in the right direction. I’ve had a lot of my friends and family reach out to me now because of this happening. We need the culture change if we want NASCAR to keep moving forward; it’s welcomed change. 6. Bubba Wallace has emerged as a leader, using his platform to speak out about racism, social injustice and police brutality. After he called for Confederate flags to be banned from all events, NASCAR listened and made the request a reality. Additionally, he started wearing a t-shirt that said, “I Can’t Breathe” and “Black Lives Matter,” while wearing an American flag mask. At Martinsville, Richard Petty Motorsports ran a Black Lives Matter paint scheme. Meanwhile, Wallace and other drivers standing with him started using their platforms to support this cause. What are your thoughts on the leadership of Bubba Wallace during these challenging times? What is the significance of having his competitors supporting his message? Lambeth: Bubba Wallace is a brave soul. In his current role, he has the platform to speak out and bring awareness to an emotional topic. Unfortunately, he received some backlash for supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and changes in NASCAR. A lot of folks out there are clearly narrow minded, wanting no part in changing their ways and educating themselves. In 10 to 15 years, we may look back on Bubba Wallace as the man, who helped change NASCAR's image to the general public. Seeing other drivers standing with Bubba is definitely a wonderful sight. Together, they can change the sport for many decades to come. Lee: I think from the start of his career till now, Bubba Wallace has been through quite a few things as driver. Sadly, I knew the backlash was going to come to him for supporting Black Lives Matter. It’s pretty sad that people can’t take the time to see that it’s clearly a movement for positive reasons and not to exclude others. I think his role is huge as it is and years down the road we’re going to look at Bubba as part of a movement for not only a better space in motorsports, but in the world. 7. With NASCAR making significant moves to show a more welcoming atmosphere, professional athletes from other sports and celebrities voiced their support on Twitter. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman were among those to acknowledge the sport, especially Bubba Wallace for running a special Black Lives Matter paint scheme. With the sport being in the national spotlight, do you think NASCAR fans will become a more diverse group, years down the road? Lambeth: Without a doubt, I think this opens the door for more people to get into NASCAR. More eyes are on the sport as they are a constant sight in the headlines. This time it is for all the right reasons, minus the Ray Ciccarelli situation. When professional athletes and celebrities are chiming in, their fans are exposed to everything happening in NASCAR. Even if they do not have a good understanding of the sport, it should make them a little curious to learn more. It seems like NASCAR is more than willing to alienate the part of the fanbase that refuses to let go of the Confederate flag, in search of a more diverse group. They have so much to gain, with little to lose. In my opinion, this is a good risk to take. Exclude the bigots and keep promoting diversity and inclusiveness for all good souls. While there is certainly a long way to go, NASCAR taking a stand for what is morally right should pay dividends in the long haul. Lee: In the last four days, it’s been quite overwhelming to see how many athletes have reached out in support of Bubba Wallace. It’s been amazing to see the likes of Richard Sherman, LeBron James, Alvin Kamara and many more high profile athletes paying attention to NASCAR. When people have a high level of influence, they typically make their fans want to do the same exact thing. In the distant future, I think these moves will make people want to freely come to events and have a good time. Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide weekly commentary, discussing various topics in motorsports. The majority of our content will focus on NASCAR but other disciplines will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major (mass media concentration) and minor in Journalism. In addition, he contributes to motorsports coverage at The Podium Finish. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. At the end of the 2020 season, Porsche will end its factory GTLM program in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Porsche’s withdrawal leaves Corvette and BMW as the only remaining full-time GTLM manufacturers, with an occasional entry from the Risi Competizione Ferrari. Given these recent developments, what’s next for the GTLM class? Lambeth: Porsche's withdrawal from GTLM was a massive blow to the entire category. At the end of last season, Ford ended their program, leaving six full-time entries in 2020. Assuming that Corvette and BMW remain, we are looking at four GTLM competitors in 2021. To be perfectly honest, that is not a good look at all. I am afraid that we are witnessing the death of GTLM in IMSA. For years, the category has produced some of the most exciting battles in motorsports. It is truly sad to see it in its current state. In order to fix this problem, I think IMSA may be forced to scrap the category altogether and focus on the GT3 platform. You can have a single GT formula, with driver lineups making the difference. GT3 Pro and GT3 Pro-Am could be the solution to the current platform. If it goes this way, I think the Corvette C8.R could be transformed into GT3-spec without having to build a brand new car. Lee: While the world has kept going, there has been a lot happening within the motorsports world. With Porsche planning to depart the GTLM class in IMSA, it was a major blow to the current field of cars. While Corvette and BMW remain the only two full-time competitors heading into next season, this may be the very end of the GTLM. I think the end all fix may be to create a GT3 Pro class to make it easier on teams if they move in that direction. 2. On Monday, the 2020 Indy Lights season was officially canceled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series is planning to return in 2021, following a year on the sidelines. On Thursday, the W Series announced they would be on hiatus this year, promising a “bigger and better” 2021 season with plans for at least two support races on the Formula 1 calendar at COTA and Mexico City. Are we going to see more racing series end up canceling their seasons altogether? Should we be concerned? Lambeth: Given the current situation, it would not surprise me if we see other racing series around the globe cancel or shorten their seasons. It is certainly easy to understand why they decided to focus on 2021, instead of moving on with the 2020 season. This new development is a massive blow to everyone involved in Indy Lights and the W Series. Hopefully, they will be able to bounce back from the unfortunate effects of this global pandemic. At this point, we have no idea what the future holds, so I think we definitely have good reason to be concerned. Lee: With the way things are happening, at the moment, I think we will see more feeder series cancel throughout the summer. Of course, this is disheartening as a fan of motorsports, but it is probably going to be at the best interest of the teams going forward. It’s going to be a tough time but hopefully they will bounce back in 2021. 3. Formula 1 released a revised calendar for the 2020 season. Starting with the first eight races, they will visit the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone twice, while hosting single weekend events in Hungary, Barcelona, Spa-Francorchamps and Monza. Do you think the teams will be prepared for the grind across Europe as they get back into the swing of things? Lambeth: While I believe that the teams will be fully prepared, I expect a ton of pressure on all 20 Formula 1 drivers for the first eight races. We only need a minimum of eight events for it to be considered a world championship season. With many unknowns, you cannot afford to make mistakes, even this early in the season. F1 is a global racing series, traveling to many places all over the world. If COVID-19 becomes a hot spot in certain parts of the world, F1 could be forced to shorten their season. Anything can happen. Therefore, being in a good position after eight races would be ideal. Lee: These are some of the greatest teams in the world, so I expect them all to be ready to go. But there will be a lot of high pressure moments. I think teams are going to have to be on the money just in case the season does end up shortened. I expect teams to be on their A-game during this short period of time. The next two months could make the next season of Drive to Survive must see television. 4. On Saturday night, the NTT IndyCar Series returns to action at Texas Motor Speedway for their season opener. Given the intimidating nature of the 1.5-mile, high banked, fast oval track, are you a little concerned about the drivers starting off the 2020 season in the Lone Star State? Lambeth: Typically, at this point of a normal IndyCar season, the teams and drivers are well into their routine. Racing on a mix of road and street courses, then a lot of time at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the month of May. By the time Texas rolls around, the chemistry is already present and the drivers are "in the zone." I think there is some reason to worry, since the last IndyCar race occurred last September. It has been a while since the drivers were on track in racing conditions. Starting the season at a high banked oval, without enough time to get into a rhythm makes me a little nervous. Rookies Alex Palou, Rinus VeeKay and Oliver Askew are making their IndyCar debut at Texas. I bet those three will have their eyes wide open all night long. I am a little concerned about limited practice time for these drivers to get a feel for the track. I think some folks will worry about the potential of a massive accident, due to the lack of track time to fully prepare. However, we can only hope that all drivers bring it home safely. Lee: IndyCar has joined the racing world once again as they make their return to Texas Motor Speedway. Typically, by this time, teams are in quite a groove and have seen each type of course at this point. Going in fresh to a high speed oval like Texas is going to be quite a feat. While there’s a limited amount of practice for the race, it will be interesting to see how the rookies handle it. I think the veterans will roll right out the gate without any problems, but the concern for rookies is fair. Wishing for a safe race on Saturday night. 5. In the closing laps of Monday evening’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, contact between JR Motorsports teammates Noah Gragson and Justin Allgaier sent the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro spinning into the inside wall on the backstretch, prematurely ending Allgaier’s night. Do you expect tension between the teammates in future races? Lambeth: While I would not be surprised if the drivers race each other a little harder moving forward, do not expect any major conflict between Gragson and Allgaier. I am sure that JR Motorsports will put the unfortunate incident at Bristol behind them and move on. You cannot let something like this become a distraction to the entire organization. The Xfinity championship is the main goal. Lee: Sometimes, I feel like no matter what Justin Allgaier does, it seems like he runs into trouble that’s not his fault. However, knowing Allgaier’s character, I don’t think there will be any retaliation between him and his teammate Gragson. I’m sure they’ll bounce back as a team and move on. 6. Last Sunday, Brad Keselowski won his second NASCAR Cup Series race of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway, in a thrilling finish that resulted in Joey Logano and Chase Elliott getting all tangled up. As the two leaders slid up the hill, Keselowski was in prime position to take full advantage of the situation. Any thoughts on the final laps in Thunder Valley? Lambeth: The finish to the NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol was very entertaining. In general, the race itself was pretty good. We saw lots of action, passing and drama. Chase Elliott is very lucky that NASCAR installed social distancing because Joey Logano was not happy at all. Under normal circumstances, it probably would have ended with a post-race altercation between the 9 and 22 teams. I would not be shocked if Logano pays him back at some point. Drivers always remember incidents, even the smallest ones. Lee: Bristol put on a very good show last Sunday afternoon. While some people love the old Bristol (myself included), I thought we got a great deal of action with two racey lanes. The final laps were pretty entertaining and left me on the edge of my seat. Of course, the drama between Logano and Elliott just ramped everything up even more. 7. Following the death of George Floyd, many figures in the motorsports community have spoken out against racism and social injustice in the United States and around the world. Six-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton called out the F1 paddock for remaining silent, while NASCAR drivers Bubba Wallace and Ty Dillon engaged in respectful dialogue on Instagram Live. While professional athletes usually face criticism for taking a stand on social issues, being in the public eye, why do they need to use their platform for this very emotional topic? Lambeth: Regardless of what your opinion is on this particular subject, you are always going to make someone happy or mad. There is no in between. Everyone has different views and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. When people in the public eye speak up, I think it carries more weight than your normal individual. In my opinion, Bubba Wallace, Ty Dillon and Lewis Hamilton displayed an incredible act of leadership by speaking up. Hamilton's words carried throughout a silent Formula 1 paddock. After calling out his peers, we saw multiple drivers begin to acknowledge George Floyd's death and the social injustice in the world. Without Hamilton speaking up, I do not think that others would have said anything at all. I think Hamilton's criticism put pressure on them to make a statement. His impact is large. While covering the Xfinity race, I took a break to watch Wallace and Dillon have a respectful conversation about race on Instagram Live. These discussions are some of the toughest ones to have. However, they are necessary to move forward. Both NASCAR drivers provided good perspective and you could really learn a lot if you truly listened. Honestly, I think using your platform to speak out against racism and social injustice has more pros than cons. Will you lose some fans? Absolutely. Let the bad apples disappear. We are better off without them. The world is changing and people are beginning to open up their minds. I believe that people with larger platforms can be a benefit to everyone fighting for the same cause. However, every platform is important. Big or small. We have the power to change the world for future generations. Personally, as a black man in the motorsports community, it means everything to me watching many people speak out against racism. For years, my peers never understood why I chose motorsports, due to the common stereotypes. Without a doubt, it is a good feeling when people have your back and stand with you. Lee: As “uncomfortable” as this conversation comes across to people, I think it’s something that needs to be discussed, in general. What’s been going on in this country has been going on for a long time and it’s something that isn’t just seen in the United States. To see Ty Dillon, Bubba Wallace and Lewis Hamilton use their platform to provoke and educate people who may not understand is key. Someone might listen to any of those drivers before they do anyone else so it’s always something that helps out. I’m thankful for those who have been willing to speak up about it across the motorsports community. As time moves on, I hope that it’s a conversation that continues to echo inside and outside the motorsports world. *Check out a special program on GRID Tonight with Joe Samaniego and Kobe Lambeth, discussing racing and racism.* https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s9LzIzbvBEI Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide weekly commentary, discussing various topics in motorsports. The majority of our content will focus on NASCAR but other disciplines will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major (mass media concentration) and minor in Journalism. In addition, he contributes to motorsports coverage at The Podium Finish. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. Williams Racing decided to terminate its deal with title sponsor ROKiT as the longtime Formula 1 team evaluates the possibility of selling the team, in hopes of placing the organization in a good spot for the future. What are your thoughts on this recent development? Lambeth: Honestly, I think we will have to wait and see what happens with the future of Williams Racing. The iconic Formula 1 team has been around for many years. It would be a shame to see them disappear from the F1 grid. Hopefully, they make the best decision to secure their future as we enter a brand new era of F1. Lee: With the termination of ROKiT from Williams Racing, I’m not sure if this will be a good move for them or not right off the bat. I’m not sure if they have another set of money rolling in, but this could be bad for Williams if they don’t. 2. Following a successful meeting with Chad Wolf, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, NASCAR and IMSA executives were able to gain special approval for foreign drivers and team members to return to the United States. Why was it such an important deal for the executives to complete? Lambeth: With a good number of members in the American motorsports community living outside of the United States, it was crucial to get approval for these people to travel here. It would be nearly impossible to resume IMSA racing in July, given the number of international workers in the paddock. Recently, IndyCar rookie Alex Palou was able to return to the U.S. from Spain, ahead of his series debut next Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway. Overall, this was a move that needed to happen to ensure that all essential folks can do their job. The show must go on whether it is IMSA or IndyCar. Lee: I think this was a huge deal to get cleared with a ton of the field composing of foreign drivers. You don’t want to leave people out once racing resumes. You always want to have a full field of drivers, without having their championship battles ruined by factors totally out of their control. 3. According to RACER.com, Arrow McLaren SP has decided to put the additional IndyCar entry on the shelves until 2021. While Fernando Alonso still plans to attempt the 2020 Indianapolis 500 with the team, a few other championship-winning drivers could have made guest appearances in the part-time entry. With Jimmie Johnson and Jenson Button rumored to make select starts with the McLaren IndyCar operation at some point, how impactful would it be for the American open-wheel racing series to add these champions to the grid? Lambeth: The addition of Jimmie Johnson and Jenson Button would be great for the NTT IndyCar Series. They are champions from their respective disciplines. I think watching Johnson transitioning to open-wheel racing, after years of being a top tier stock car competitor would be a fun story to follow. Button is the 2009 Formula 1 world champion and claimed the 2018 Super GT title. People are always interested in watching drivers try new disciplines, so I think this is something that would be very exciting, drawing in viewers from all over the world. Lee: I think the impact would be pretty huge to have Jimmie Johnson or Jenson Button join the field for an IndyCar road course race or even the Indianapolis 500. I think adding household names from other series will eventually expose fans of other disciplines to something new to their eyes. 4. Formula E driver Daniel Abt was dropped by Audi for hiring a professional eSports racer to compete for him in a virtual race. While many believed that Abt was racing online as himself, he deceived the audience as the gamer took his place. While Abt viewed the incident as playing a joke on everyone, why did he face real life consequences? Even in the virtual world, should drivers always be extra careful, especially after seeing what happened to NASCAR driver Kyle Larson? Lambeth: Although it was “just a game,” Daniel Abt faced a real life punishment, losing his prestigious Formula E seat with Audi. Drivers are always under a microscope. While I think getting fired for hiring a pro eSports racer might be a little extreme, you have to be smarter when sponsors are involved. If he truly wanted to try a stunt like this, he should have asked his employer about it. The worst they can do is turn it down. People have to remain professional at all times and be very careful. As Daniel Abt and Kyle Larson were turned into examples, hopefully other drivers learn from their mistakes so it does not happen to them. Lee: This has to be one of the strangest stories that I’ve read recently. For one thing, I want people to understand how serious this became when sponsors got involved. While many people try to fault “sim racing,” at what point do you hold accountability to the people? Is it ludacris that Abt was dropped for using a fake driver? Yes, but when sponsors are involved and expect you to do something for them, that’s the last thing you should do. I think all the people blaming sim racing for this or Larson’s incident should reconsider their stance. 5. On Monday night, Tommy Joe Martins was in position to score his first top-10 finish in NASCAR competition until a late race crash ruined those dreams. Martins had nowhere to go and got collected in someone else’s mess. With Martins Motorsports being one of the smaller teams in the garage, why is it so important for the underdogs to bring the car home in one piece each race? Lambeth: It was a heartbreaking end to the night for Tommy Joe Martins, being an innocent victim in a late race crash. Smaller teams work with tighter budgets and they do not have the same resources as the bigger teams. Therefore, they cannot afford to tear up equipment. If you wreck a Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity car, it will still cost a lot of money, but they will have another car ready to go for the next week. Some of the smaller teams would be struggling to prepare for the following race. When something goes wrong, it explains why you see drivers and crew ready to fight, producing a wide range of emotions. This is a grind and none of it comes easy. Lee: It was a tough break for Tommy Joe Martins, who was on the cusp of a top-10 finish, but got collected in something that wasn’t his fault. I think if people spend time playing the NASCAR Thunder 2004 video game, you’ll get a glimpse of what it’s like to struggle as a small team. The budget is drastically different from a larger organization. It’s tough when you build all your resources to get a good car and that happens. 6. Chase Elliott played the role of “Bounty Hunter” and claimed his prize by defeating Kyle Busch in Tuesday night’s NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Were you surprised that Elliott beat Rowdy, in his first Truck start since 2017? Lambeth: It surprised me that Chase Elliott claimed “The Bounty” in the first attempt. I expected it to happen later on but not this soon. Given the incident between him and Busch at Darlington and losing the Coca-Cola 600, Elliott was hungry and fired up to win. Lee: After the week Chase Elliott had, falling short of a victory at Darlington, this was something that wasn’t surprising to me. I felt like he was just itching to get in the truck and let alone was ready to do whatever it took to win. 7. Following significant criticism for his call to bring Chase Elliott down pit road near the end of the Coca-Cola 600, crew chief Alan Gustafson rebounded on Thursday night as the No. 9 team made it to victory lane in the Alsco 500. Even when you make a mistake, why is it crucial to move on sooner rather than later? Lambeth: You must have a short memory and be prepared to move on to the next race. If not, then it will continue to dwell on you for quite some time. Did Gustafson make a questionable call that warranted criticism? Absolutely. However, he kept on going and rightfully earned redemption. It was the perfect way to respond to the critics. Win and let those actions speak louder than words. Lee: I think everyone was pretty confused about the No. 9 team making its way down pit lane during NASCAR Overtime. The criticism was deserved from fans across the board. However, as a team, making mistakes and bouncing back is always important. Gustafson’s team did just that in the Alsco 500 and that’s what separates the good from the great teams. |