Just can’t believe Waltrip’s story in “Partgate”
April 3rd, 2008, 5:37 pm · Post a Comment · posted by rhoeft
So, Michael Waltrip maintains that his team did not steal Jack Roush’s sway bar, and he’s got Jeff Gordon acting a his point man.
Wow, I know I feel better.
In case you haven’t heard, this incident, which is now being referred to “Partgate,” revolves around a sway bar, that belongs to the Roush-Fenway Racing team, which was found to be in the possession of Michael Waltrip Racing. Roush contends that someone from Waltrip’s team stole the part.
Waltrip contends his team having the part is just a mix-up. And he says Jeff Gordon is his spokesperson.
Gordon says, in so many words, that Roush is making too much of the whole affair.
Hmmm …
For the record, Roush says the sway bar in question has a distinctive paint job, is numbered, and has a unique design and configuration. On top of that, the sway bar fits only Roush’s Ford Fusions, and Waltrip’s team consists of Toyotas.
Double hmmm …
Waltrip and Gordon both say that “parts are left laying around” after post-race inspections, and “at times get picked up and mixed up.”
So, if that’s the case, let’s say you’re a Waltrip team member, and you’re picking up parts that have been left “laying around.” And you’re trying to tell me you’re going to pick up a sway bar that is painted like nothing else in your team’s inventory, not to mention is shaped like nothing else in your inventory?
Please!
Waltrip also says that on any given race weekend, “there are more than 70 racing vehicles in a NASCAR garage and parts get strewn about and mistakes are made.”
All I can say about that is I’ve been to NASCAR races, I’ve been in the pits, and in the garage area, and it’s been my observation that the crews don’t leave parts laying or strewn about. I admit it might be a bit of an exaggeration, but you could eat off the floor in nearly all of those garage stalls, they are kept that clean and tidy.
Waltrip also says Roush is making too much of the incident. And Gordon backs him up.
Triple hmmm …
If memory serves me correctly, some years ago it was Roush who contended that Gordon was benefitting from the use of a tire softening compound, which is illegal. It was never proven, I don’t think, but right after that little incident, NASCAR changed the rules in regard to how tires and when tires are distributed to its teams before a race. Just a conincidence? I think not.
That leads me to think that Gordon probably isn’t a fan of Roush or Roush-Fenway Racing, and it should be no surprise that he’s in Waltrip’s camp.
I’m not in either camp, but in my opinion, the more Waltrip tries to downplay this incident, and the more he makes light of it, and the more silly excuses he comes up, the more I believe Roush has a case.
