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. 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. 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. Last Friday night, Kyle Larson returned to the track for the first time since using the n-word during a live stream of an iRacing event hosted by NASCAR driver Landon Cassill called “Monza Madness.” As a result, Larson was dropped by his sponsors and fired by Chip Ganassi Racing. Then, he was suspended indefinitely from NASCAR and forced to complete sensitivity training. While he remains suspended from NASCAR competition, the World of Outlaws allowed him to compete in a sprint car event at Knoxville Raceway, following his completion of the sensitivity training. In the A-Main, Larson started 18th and ultimately ended his night in 10th-place. Have we seen the last of Kyle Larson in NASCAR? Or will there be a path for him to return to the top level of stock car racing? Lambeth: Although I do not think Kyle Larson's NASCAR career is necessarily over, he will have to overcome some steep hills if he wants to return. Using the n-word in the first place was totally unnecessary and uncalled for. In my opinion, nobody should ever say that word. As a result, he was punished significantly by losing his sponsors and Cup ride at Ganassi. Without question, it will take time for him to repair his image for a new team and sponsors to take a chance on him. In all honesty, I think he will have a path to return to the NASCAR Cup Series at some point. However, the road there will not be an easy one. Lee: Despite Larson being cleared to race in the World of Outlaws, the biggest question to many is when will his NASCAR return happen? Honestly, I don’t think there’s a proper timetable for him to return. Losing Chevrolet was a huge deal but being a major image liability to companies is going to be the biggest harm. He must be “clean” in the eyes of sponsors for him to return to a competitive ride. 2. Formula 1 silly season started with a bang as it was announced that Scuderia Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel would part ways at the end of 2020. What’s next for Vettel? Lambeth: At this point, I am not sure if Vettel has any options unless he is interested in going to Mercedes. It would be odd to see him being teammates with Lewis Hamilton. If he does not join the Silver Arrows, then he could always sign with a midfield team, but it is hard imagining that he would be content riding around in uncompetitive equipment. At age 32 and four titles on his resume, Vettel does not have anything else to prove. If he wanted to retire from Formula 1 at the end of 2020, he would still be considered one the most successful drivers in the sport's history. Lee: After the fallout with Ferrari, I’m not sure if it’s going to be a simple road for Sebastian Vettel, due to all the drama that transpired. The four-time world champion is currently 32 years old. Regarding his age, it isn’t a nail in the coffin for his career but his options are limited. With Daniel Ricciardo signing with McLaren, it seems pretty grim at the moment for Vettel to be in a Formula 1 car next year. This one will be tricky for him moving forward. 3. Following the news of four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel’s tenure at Ferrari ending later this year, Maranello was quick to name Carlos Sainz as Vettel’s replacement for the 2021 season alongside young star Charles Leclerc. Did Ferrari make the right move to pursue Sainz, instead of promoting Italian driver Antonio Giovinazzi from Alfa Romeo Racing? Lambeth: No one can deny that Ferrari is planning to build the team around Charles Leclerc. They gave him a contract extension, locking up the young talent for the foreseeable future. I think Sainz is a safe choice by Ferrari. He has always been a prospect with tons of potential. For any driver, having the opportunity to race for Ferrari is quite a blessing. As for Giovinazzi, I am not surprised that he did not receive the promotion from Alfa Romeo. When Leclerc drove for the same team, he put together dazzling performances that left many impressed. I have not seen the same from Giovinazzi. However, when the 2020 season starts, the Italian driver will get his chance to show Ferrari they made a mistake. Lee: Carlos Sainz moving to Ferrari was a move that I wasn’t thinking about at all, if I’m being honest. I thought Antonio Giovinazzi was going to be the next up in the order. It will be interesting to see the 25-year-old driver paired up with the even younger Charles Leclerc. This one remains questionable in my eyes. In a year, we may come back to this and say it was a great move. 4. With Carlos Sainz leaving for Ferrari, McLaren chose to sign seven-time Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo to a multi-year contract, beginning in 2021. Ricciardo joins Lando Norris as the entire team continues its march up the grid. Is Ricciardo the right fit for McLaren? Lambeth: I think McLaren really fits Daniel Ricciardo. He almost signed with the team a few years ago, before ultimately deciding to join Renault. Him and Lando Norris should be an interesting pair. His Formula 1 experience will be important for the McLaren operation, hoping to keep rising up the grid. Ricciardo can be a team leader and young Norris will have an experienced and race-winning teammate to learn from. Lee: It’s been quite the road for Daniel Ricciardo moving along in his Formula 1 career. I’d imagine off the jump Ferrari would be a better fit but that team has had a lot of drama recently. Same thing along the line of what happened at Red Bull, being an understudy to the younger driver. For a change, this might be a solid move for him but we shall see. 5. If the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans occurs as scheduled (Sept. 19-20), GTE-Pro will lose four entries from IMSA’s GTLM class. Two factory Porsches fielded by CORE autosport and both C8.Rs from Corvette Racing have been withdrawn recently. Given the current state of the world, are you shocked by the decision? Lambeth: Given the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, tough decisions must be made for these teams to survive financially. It does not shock me at all to see Corvette withdraw their entries and Porsche pull their IMSA GTLM cars from Le Mans. Without cash flowing during these unprecedented times, teams have to do whatever it takes to survive until racing resumes. Lee: As time continues to move along, I’m not surprised. We see more and more teams drop out of events. Money is more than likely really tight and efforts are going to have to be changed throughout time in racing. I’m sure the large travel effort was a big component of their withdrawal. 6. After the firing of Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing chose 2003 NASCAR Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth to drive the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for the remainder of the 2020 season. Given his experience and success behind the wheel, why is Kenseth the right choice at Ganassi? Lambeth: Kenseth is the perfect choice for the 42 car. While most expected Ross Chastain to fill the seat, it sent shockwaves through the NASCAR community when Ganassi brought the 2003 Cup champion back to the grid. Kenseth holds years of experience as another veteran alongside Kurt Busch. After receiving a waiver, it would not surprise me if Kenseth makes the playoffs. Ganassi brings fast cars to the track and the 48-year-old still has the fire burning inside to be competitive. Lee: I think Kenseth is the right choice in this situation for Chip Ganassi Racing, especially with the way the season is going to resume. Having a veteran, championship-winning driver is going to be crucial without practice or qualifying in these events. I think he should have a good run at Darlington in both races. 7. With NASCAR returning on Sunday afternoon with the Cup Series at Darlington Raceway and a set schedule through June 21, will this serve as a much needed distraction from the coronavirus pandemic? What are the chances that new viewers starving for sports will turn to NASCAR for entertainment for at least the next month? Lambeth: Many folks all over the country are hungry for live sports on television. Luckily, NASCAR returns in a few days. During tough times, sports have always been a way to escape problems in the real world. NASCAR should serve as a nice distraction for some while others may be intrigued for the first time. I agree with Kenny about not seeing a massive blow up, like the one that put the sport on the map nationally. However, we will likely see a good number of people watch the race, who do not typically follow racing. Lee: I think a lot of people are looking for live sports to return in some form. I don’t think this will be the original blow up that helped NASCAR out decades ago, but it will be a good chance for eyes that normally wouldn’t watch. As long as everything goes according to plan, I think this will be quite entertaining especially with limited time to set up the cars. Bonus Point: During NASCAR’s hiatus, virtual racing took spotlight on the national stage. In general, what did you think of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series? Lambeth: I think it was a good way for NASCAR to take advantage of the unique circumstances. While we could not watch real racing on the track, virtual racing was the next best thing. In my opinion, showing iRacing on television was better than having no racing at all. NASCAR, FOX and iRacing deserve credit for putting together the Pro Invitational Series. As we got closer to the end of the series, I honestly lost some interest, on a personal level. As Kenny mentioned, they should have taken advantage of being able to host races at tracks that NASCAR does not go to in real life. In addition, it disappointed me that we never got to see Formula 1 driver Lando Norris or IndyCar drivers get an invite. I think these two factors would have been helpful. However, that does not matter now because NASCAR returns to real racing at Darlington in two days! Lee: With the hiatus, I think they took advantage of something that most people would’ve never expected to blow up. After a ton of debates about why people don’t like iRacing (particularly boomers), yet it became the forefront of attention. I think it was cool to see it on the national stage for someone who is an online racer himself. The one thing I wish NASCAR took advantage of was to go to “fantasy” venues on iRacing during this time. Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide a weekly discussion each Wednesday on various topics in motorsports. Most content will focus on NASCAR but other racing series will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major with a concentration in mass media and minor in journalism. 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. Kyle Busch earned his second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. He finished the 2019 season with five wins, 17 top-fives, 27 top-10s, a pole and 1,582 laps led. Also, he picked up four Xfinity wins and won all five of his starts in the Truck Series. How would you rate Rowdy’s season? Will a second Cup title silence some of his doubters, who felt like he did not deserve the 2015 title? Lambeth: Without a doubt, the 2019 season was a good one for Kyle Busch. Despite going a few months without winning a Cup race, he won the race that mattered the most, taking the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Once again, the eventual Cup champion had to win the race, in order to secure the title. I remember when he won his first championship, in 2015. Since he only competed in 25 races, due to injury, he was not viewed as a legitimate champion, in the eyes of some. In my opinion, the statistics and his talent behind the wheel speaks for itself. You have to give him credit for everything he has accomplished throughout his career. It would not surprise me if Rowdy picks up a few more titles, and puts himself in conversation as one of the all-time greats. Lee: He certainly wasn’t my pick to take home the championship on Sunday if I’m being honest. Busch last won at Pocono, in the summer, before taking the Ford EcoBoost 400. A lot of people have a gigantic asterisk marked on the 2015 season because he didn’t compete for the entire season. Personally, he played to what the rules were and took home the championship, so I’m not sure why there’s anymore to that. However, 2019 should be enough to completely lock himself conversation with being one of the all-time greats. The crazy thing is that he isn’t even done yet and probably won’t be for quite some time. He’ll be a driver people will appreciate once he hangs it up for good. 2. Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell and Cole Custer won a combined total of 21 races on the 33-race NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule. 64 percent of the time, the Big Three were pulling into victory lane. In 2020, they will graduate to the Cup Series together, competing for Rookie of the Year honors. Do you think this could be one of the greatest rookie battles that we have seen in quite some time, at the Cup level? Lambeth: I am incredibly excited for next year’s rookie class. Reddick, Bell and Custer dominated the Xfinity field this season. It was fitting to have the Xfinity championship decided among the three, young drivers. They will be a fantastic addition to the Cup Series. This battle has potential to be a thrilling one. I am planning to follow it closely. There is no reason to doubt their readiness for Cup competition. All three proved that they are capable of taking on the best drivers, on any given Sunday afternoon. It will be interesting to watch them develop at the next level. Lee: What a year of Xfinity racing we got and the “Big Three” of the series dominated by winning 21 races this season. To back those wins up, they gave us a world class race last Saturday at Homestead and I enjoyed every minute of it. Having them all move up to Cup should bring quite the battle for Rookie of the Year. I think we may finally have something rival the Newman vs Johnson battle back in 2002. I can’t wait to see how this pans out next season! 3. Speaking of Xfinity, the action at Homestead-Miami Speedway did not disappoint. Was this race the prime example of peak stock car racing? Lambeth: What. A. Race. This was one of the most exciting races of the season. It had everything you would want to produce a solid stock car race. Low downforce, small spoiler, horsepower, tire wear, older surface and multiple grooves. That is the recipe for a dream come true. The Xfinity season finale at Homestead reminded me why I fell in love with NASCAR as a little boy. Lee: It’s exactly what you want in a season finale of any capacity. The best of the best created a true “Game 7” moment on Saturday afternoon. That race is an example of what I’ve grown and always loved about stock car racing. 16 years later, I can still say Homestead going to this configuration was one of the best things ever. I absolutely loved that race; a golden way to end the season! 4. Matt Crafton became a three-time NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series champion. In 2019, he did not win a single race but took home the prize that mattered the most. On Twitter, some fans felt like he was not deserving, due to Crafton’s winless season. Do you think the criticism is fair? Lambeth: Hate the game, not the player. It was only a matter of time when something like this happened with the current playoff format. Plus, Crafton is not the first winless champion in NASCAR history. He was consistent too, scoring an average finish of 8.8. I understand why some people might criticize his winless championship season, but Crafton will forever and always be the 2019 Truck Series champion in the record books. You cannot change the final result. Lee: Well, it finally happened. The one thing fans feared the most, a winless champion under the current format. While he isn’t the first winless champion, I can get people’s frustration just based on the format alone. Once again, Crafton just played to the system and won the championship solely off being consistent all year. I totally understand where folks are coming from, but at the end of the day, he is the champion no matter what. 5. Stewart-Haas Racing will promote Xfinity driver Cole Custer to the Cup Series next season, replacing Daniel Suarez in the No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang. How do you think Custer will perform during his rookie year? Did Suarez deserve more time to grow at SHR? Lambeth: Cole Custer definitely deserves the promotion to the Cup Series next year. He has proven himself worthy of the No. 41 Ford Mustang, after three full seasons of development, in the Xfinity Series. Being a Cup rookie, I think he will have solid days, then he will experience some growing pains on other days. However, I do think a top-20 points finish is possible. Unfortunately, Suarez was just another victim of a cruel thing called business. Haas ran out of patience waiting on sponsorship so they decided to move on. In my opinion, Suarez was rushed up to the Cup level, due to Carl Edwards’ shock retirement. I think it impacted his development. Also, he just needs more to grow and find consistency with the same team. However, business in modern society does not always allow drivers the time needed to improve their skills. Lee: Without question, I can see why Cole Custer has been moved up to the Cup level. After hearing the rumors floating around all season long, it has finally happened and what time it is for him. His best season in the Xfinity Series couldn’t have come at a better time and he should be ready to go for next season. I think he’ll be fine, but like most rookies, there will be growing pains. I think it sucks for Suarez to be out of the ride in just a season. Daniel Hemric has faced the same fate and sometimes that’s how the business goes. Who knows, it could be the best move for him moving into 2021 with a brand new car. 6. To say the least, the Brazilian Grand Prix produced a thrilling finish with Max Verstappen ultimately claiming the victory. Pierre Gasly, who got sent back to Toro Rosso by Red Bull, finished second and scored his first career Formula 1 podium. Following the race, you could hear Gasly’s excitement on the radio. How special was this result for him personally, given everything he has been through this year? After a post-race investigation, the stewards awarded Lewis Hamilton a five-second time penalty for a collision with Alexander Albon, ruining the Red Bull driver’s strong afternoon. Therefore, the Hamilton penalty promoted Carlos Sainz and McLaren to the podium. Do you believe that McLaren is getting closer to potentially challenging F1’s Big Three? Lambeth: Gasly’s post-race reaction was a special moment for the Frenchman. You could hear the beautiful, raw emotion on the radio. This result meant the world to him. After struggling at Red Bull and getting demoted, Gasly’s form improved with a return to Toro Rosso. Thanks to some collisions, Gasly took advantage of the opportunity to score his first career podium. This is the perfect way to redeem himself. For the first time, since 2014, McLaren returned to the podium. Carlos Sainz finished third, which is the first podium of his Formula 1 career. I do not believe that McLaren can challenge Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull yet, but I think the gap is only going to get smaller. In general, the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos was a spectacular race. Lee: Gasly’s celebration at the end of the race was everything any fan could have wanted to see! After all he’s been through this season, it’s what he deserves along with his improvement, since he got back to Toro Rosso. While already having quite a conundrum of a race, Sainz being added to the podium was the icing on the cake. I don’t know if they are going to be a Mercedes or Ferrari, but they definitely are making improvements. All-in-all, it was a very fun race to watch. 7. It was a double disaster for Scuderia Ferrari at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Late in the race, Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc collided, forcing both cars to retire. What are your thoughts on this bizarre incident? Lambeth: I would love to be a fly on the wall at the next Ferrari team meeting. It was an embarrassing moment for the Italian manufacturer. You never want teammates to crash out of the race together. Ferrari was in position to score points, not that it matters now, but they left Interlagos empty-handed. I am curious to see how this incident impacts the relationship between Vettel and Leclerc moving forward. Things seem a bit tense at Scuderia Ferrari. Lee: It’s been an odd season with all the drama in the Ferrari camp. In this type of racing, contact really isn’t the way to go overall and definitely not hitting your teammate. I don’t know how the relationship between those two are at the moment but I’m sure it can’t be good. It’ll be interesting to see how they move forward into 2020. Bonus Point: Ex-Red Bull Junior driver Richard Verschoor won the 66th running of the Macau Grand Prix, defeating current Red Bull Junior Juri Vips. How sweet is it for Verschoor to beat a driver affiliated with the program that ultimately dropped him? American Logan Sargeant earned a third-place finish at Macau. Could he become America’s next Formula 1 driver? Lambeth: It is quite fitting that a driver Red Bull effectively gave up on won the Macau Grand Prix over Juri Vips, who currently has Red Bull support. Winning at the famous Guia Circuit was the perfect way for Richard Verschoor to respond. Only time will tell if Red Bull made a mistake by not continuing to provide backing to the talented driver. Logan Sargeant gave American fans plenty to get excited about. In his first Macau Grand Prix, he made some solid moves and took the final spot on the podium. Scoring a decent result at a tricky track like this requires skill. Hopefully, his career is managed properly and receives opportunities to develop as he moves up the European open-wheel racing ladder. In my opinion, he is currently the best young American prospect out there, with hopes of potentially making it to Formula 1 someday. Lee: The Macau Grand Prix is an interesting race and has always provided some pretty interesting results. I think it has to feel really good for him to beat the team that dropped him. He probably cracked a larger than normal smile accomplishing something like that. Logan Sargeant ended the day with a podium and it shows he very well could be the American answer to Formula 1. It’ll be cool to see how he does moving forward in his career. Bonus Point: Seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson will retire from full-time racing, at the end of the 2020 season. Are you shocked by the news? Do you think Johnson will find victory lane in his final season? How will you remember him? Lambeth: Honestly, Johnson’s retirement is not a major surprise to me, considering the rumblings I heard (from a very reliable source) in the garage about 2020 being his final season, during the inaugural Charlotte Roval weekend, in 2018. However, the shock factor is definitely felt with the news being official now. If Hendrick Motorsports can continue showing improved speed, similar to the last half of the 2019 season, it would not surprise me if he finds victory lane at least one final time. In my opinion, Jimmie Johnson is one of the greatest talents in NASCAR history. He will be missed dearly when he hangs up the helmet. Winning five championships in-a-row, seven total, tying legends such as Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. is very impressive. Plus, he won titles in different championship formats. Johnson has always conducted himself as a true gentleman on and off the track. In the end, he should be remembered for his competitive spirit, accomplishments and being a wonderful ambassador for the sport. We will probably never witness another driver come close to matching Jimmie Johnson. Imagine if he turns things around in 2020, scoring a record eighth championship. That would be the ultimate storybook ending. Hopefully, more folks will appreciate and respect a historic career, with this chapter set to end in Nov. 2020. Lee: Well it has finally happened, the seven-time champion has decided to give it one more run in 2020. The news is very shocking to say the least, I’d imagine he was going to give it at least two more years. I think 2020 will be the year when Hendrick will go all out for the 48, so a win should be on the cards for next season. I’ll definitely remember Jimmie Johnson for his championship run; I think it will be appreciated long after he’s done. Watching something like that doesn’t happen often. I never got to see Earnhardt or Petty win theirs but I did see his run. I’m sure he’ll enjoy retirement but quite an end to a storybook career. Special Note: Thank you for supporting the Seven Points column throughout the 2019 racing season. We will return in 2020 for another season of discussing hot topics. Have a wonderful holiday season! |