Hornish, Penske involved in the robbery of the century
Can Sam Hornish, Jr. just go away already?
Let me start by saying that I don’t have any reason to dislike Sam Hornish, Jr. I think he did an incredible job in open-wheel racing, and may turn out to be a good stock car driver; I just get very frustrated reading article after article about Hornish and his adjustment to NASCAR!
Before the 2008 season, NASCAR allowed Penske Racing to swap all of the points from Kurt Busch’s No. 2 to Sam Hornish, Jr.’s No. 77 to allow Hornish to have a guaranteed starting spot in the first five races of the season. Hornish was pole-vaulted in the standings at the expense Kurt Busch and the ‘blue deuce.’
Now, Busch, who had to qualify on time, or use his ‘past-champions provision’, has risen up the standings, close to the top-12. And, as could have been predicted, Hornish is about to leave the top-35.
I have never seen another driver earn less, and get more than Hornish. No other open-wheel driver has been as privileged as he has and he is on the verge of squandering a golden opportunity.
It is one thing to struggle to make races, and hover around the 35-line; but it is totally another to start the year in a ‘chase spot’ and be out of the top 35 six races in.
BTW: don’t tell me that he finished 15th in the Daytona 500. That doesn’t mean anything. In restrictor plate races, as long as the car finishes, anything can happen.
Patrick Carpentier, Dario Franchitti, Jacques Villeneuve, A.J. Allmendinger and Juan Pablo Montoya have all earned what they have gotten up to this point; for better or for worse.
How many more chances will Honish continue to get? David Stremme, Scott Wimmer, Jason Leffler, Mike Wallace, and hell, even Chrissy Wallace, seem like they are more deserving of a chance than Hornish.
I’m not one to question Roger Penske, but I’m not sure what his loyalties are to Hornish...but it must be undying; or stupid.
Is it possible this could be a sponsor issue. Was Mobil 1 going to leave Penske if he couldn't field a driver? Mobil 1 continues to promote Hornish as if he is Jimmie Johnson (who, BTW, Hornish spun at Daytona). I even saw an ad where you can collect Sam Hornish trading cards by purchasing a Mobil product. Ahhh, no thanks!
I don’t even think that all of this is Hornish’s fault. Who would turn down an offer like that…I just think NASCAR allowed Penske to get away with the robbery of the century. NASCAR has to change foolish rules like this, especially when drivers who have earned their points, like David Reutimann, couldn’t bring his points over from the No. 00 to the No. 44 before Martinsville.
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