Morgan Sheperd/Joey Logano Incident

[luke81]

After seeing Logano's in-car video, I have to agree with him. Shepherd got loose and slid high in 2, then came back across the track to the way bottom and he had to have just driven the car into 4 way way too hard to ever end up touching the 22 car. Shepherd's spotter had to have been telling him "outside outside" and being that many laps down there was no reason to even be anywhere near the 22. Stupid.

[egspeedway]

After seeing Logano's in-car video, I have to agree with him. Shepherd got loose and slid high in 2, then came back across the track to the way bottom and he had to have just driven the car into 4 way way too hard to ever end up touching the 22 car. Shepherd's spotter had to have been telling him "outside outside" and being that many laps down there was no reason to even be anywhere near the 22. Stupid.

So is passing on the outside at the apex.

[Benny The Mule]

This is only an issue because it is being made as such.......if anyone else would have done it no big deal. but, because the moron on the mic instantly said something about age everyone jumped on the band wagon. and for joey...........suck down on the door of a 16 lap down car in the turn............ya, he's a real pro in my book. PPFFFTT!!!

[OldSchool+]

"After seeing Logano's in-car video, I have to agree with him."--Luke

Indeed, his car was hit in the left rear, but the in car would look identical if he just drove across Morgan's nose (not sayin' he did, just sayin' you cannot tell from that vid).

Additionally, the turn immediately prior to the accident, you could also see that Morgan struggled through the turn.

Joey simply got too close, and he won't make that mistake again, not with Morgan, not with Terry Labonte, not with Kevin Harvick.

Also, thumbs up to Roger Penske, who carried himself like the grownup he is afterwards.

[luke81]

I don't think it's worthy of any sort of penalty or anything, I just think Shepherd needs to know better - and i think he probably did at one time before he forgot.
In my own opinion, once you're that far down you're not longer racing. You need to give up position to the cars that are still racing. Purely my opinion, and how I would handle it in that spot.

[OldSchool+]

And a parallel opinion:

>Somebody is "the slowest car on the track" every week. If he/they park him, somebody else is the slowest, and so on.

>Minimum speed is a double edged sword. If it is "your" guy that is trying to make laps with a taped on rear quarter and no front sheet metal, minimum speed works against him...

>I have a great deal MORE respect for a driver/team that will attempt the whole race, regardless of having little-to-gain. I understand the start-n-park guys, but I still like the ones that hang in there better.
Additionally, it seems like it is the Labontes, and Kenny Schrader that really try to race only when they can attempt the whole thing--all class acts.

>Morgan should "know better?". Just cannot agree with that one, but you are certainly entitled to your opinion.

[Darren]

Have not been to TBARA race in awhile, however, they left lap cars out on the track, seem esp. on a 1/4 mile track that was more of a risk then a NASCAR race. Also at short tracks on a reg. night same thing. Sheperd and the older guys have earned the right to race. Logano and the younger drivers most likely make in one race what the ones that made this all possible for them in a year.

[OldSchool+]

"Logano and the younger drivers most likely make in one race what the ones that made this all possible for them in a year."--Darren

Indeed, and excepting "Jaws" (DW), they whined a lot less, too.

[luke81]

>Morgan should "know better?". Just cannot agree with that one, but you are certainly entitled to your opinion.

I maybe should have explained that one a bit....cause I don't think Shepherd is a dummy. In this case he knew he had an ill handling car, and he knew what having a car on his outside does to the handling....so if he lifts 20 yards earlier to give Logano the position not only does he not wreck the 22, he doesn't bust up the 33 car either. Penske doesn't care, they have over 50 cars in their shop. I have a feeling Joe Falk doesn't have that kind of inventory in the 33 shop.
Either way, racing deal and everyone moves on.

[OldSchool+]

Luke,

Sure, but in the "should know better" dept, Joey had much more to lose--and therefore should have been more cautious. Morgan was much slower, why not wait just a second and pass on the straight?

Annnnnnd think about it--If you are wrestling an ill handling car, mirror driving may not be your top priority--and the danger is coming from behind--fast.

If you are in Joey's high dollar ride approaching the wobbly handful, you are in a much better position to control the situation by not putting yourself at risk--you can see it in front of you.

"Either way, racing deal and everyone moves on."--Luke. For sure!

[luke81]

No doubt Joey could have handled it different as well. I would think Shepherd's spotter would have been blowing him up telling the the 22 was coming outside fast, so he shouldn't have had to use the mirror at all....but for all I know his spotter was busy with a chili dog and told him nothing at all!

[OldSchool+]

"I would think Shepherd's spotter would have been blowing him up telling the the 22 was coming outside fast, so he shouldn't have had to use the mirror at all....but for all I know his spotter was busy with a chili dog and told him nothing at all!" --Luke

Close--The spotter was having the dog & coke due to exhaustion from screaming that all day! "22 outside. 14 outside. 41 outside!"

[zerofor]

The point I was going after

Zerofo--

Nope, but (no sarcasm intended) what point are you going for, sir...?

Assuming they are physically fit, I don't think what an insurance company thinks should be the deciding factor...do you?

ps--you saw as much on the radio as we did on TV.

Is like it or not,at some point age does diminish skills.Either by your unwillingness to push the car as hard as you could or the decision making process of what to do in certain situations.Look,no knock here against Morgan but obviously there is not a long list of car owners willing to put him in their rides despite the fact he is a long time vet and (at one stage in his career)a proven winner.And the few chances he's got to run have been in less than competitive cars.There has to be a point when someone steps in at some level because some of us would be racing in our wheelchairs.Nascar should have taken the lead several years back by turning the truck series into a place where guys like Morgan,Bobby and Terry labonte,Jeff Burton,Sterling Marlin,Mark Martin etc to go race,advise the young kids on they're way up and bring star power and crowds into an otherwise unnoticed series.

[OldSchool+]

I would respectfully disagree.

IMO, you are done when you are tired and/or hurt too badly.

Alternatively you are done when you can no longer draw sponsorship (& they want Jeff Gordon/Jamie Mac good looks), or an "independent" ride.

Finally, NASCAR is aware of your concerns and has their physical and brain activity baseline requirements.

I question the brain activity/concussion problem with at least one of the (much) younger drivers, but again, NASCAR is at the switch.

Hit all the check boxes, climb into the car. Simple.