Somethings Gotta Give

I should probably start off with apologizing for not putting this out sooner.  I can't help it I've been dedicating every waking moment I'm not at my job (which has been a lot since I'm now a manager at a major retail store and we had a tax free weekend and an unexpected visit from the VP of marketing.  Glad to see that Human Services degree is being put to great use huh?) to the Olympic's and more specifically, the U.S. Men's Swim team.  Yes, my name is Nikki and I'm on the Michael Phelps bandwagon.  I can't help it there is something like-able about that kid (he's younger than I am so I can call him a kid)... SO with that out of the way.  (In best Heath Ledger as the Joker voice)    Here we go! 

I had this entire  rant thought up about how I didn't like the testing policy that NASCAR had and that I thought something had to change, something big.  Then I did some reading and found a few things that made sense to me.  NASCAR doing something that make sense oh my gosh!!! What is this world coming to?!?  Of course that made me change my mind on a few things and then left me with some more questions too.

In the June 25th  Charlotte Observer, said, "NASCAR may lift test restrictions: Sprint Cup teams may be allowed to test next year whenever and wherever they want to, including all tracks where they currently race. Series director John Darby met with crew chiefs Saturday following Cup practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to get their input on the testing policy. For the past several years, NASCAR has held organized tests at selected tracks and then prohibited teams from testing at any other track where a Cup race is held. But teams go frequently to other tracks where the Cup series does not race - tracks in Kentucky and Milwaukee, for instance. "The only ones who can actually tell you what they need in regard to testing are the ones who're doing it," Darby said.

Only to be followed up with this from SceneDaily.com on June 29th.  New testing policy calls for 24 test per organization: NASCAR handed teams a draft of a new testing policy Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway. The sanctioning body will take more input from teams before finalizing it. The proposal gives each organization 24 test days at tracks where the Sprint Cup teams compete, with a maximum of two cars per test. All of the team’s drivers can test, but no driver can test for a team for which he does not drive. New teams would get test days depending on how much they race. There is typically a week blackout period before a race and a blackout period from Nov. 1 through Jan. 15. The Daytona tests will remain and not be included. There is no rookie provision. “We’re probably in the 80 percent [for sure] bracket right now in that sheet – with a couple of things fine-tuned maybe,” NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said.

Now, I think the last idea could be the best because while it's great to test at tracks like Iowa, Kentucky, and other tracks they test at; how well does it really translate to tracks that they currently drive at?   Do things get lost when you're trying to translate it from the test track to the track you're running at?    The best test is to go to the actual track and just drive it.   Then of course comes the okay you've only got X amount of tests where do you spend them at?   Then there's the okay we've only got X amount of dollars for testing how do we make the most of our time and money.   Plus you have to add in the drivers are busy with their schedules.  Appearances, commercials, things like that so when would you take these tests and go to them?

There is no ideal perfect situation but bottom line...Somethings gotta give  NASCAR has to do something.  I'm glad I'm not running NASCAR, it's tough enough running my store and dealing with that I can't imagine having to run NASCAR for a day!

Now I have to go watch the Olympics :)