Pedregons lose the sportsmanship trophy!!

[Burnt Nostrils]

We'll see just how bad this is seen by the NHRA if that footage gets used on pre-race shows like the Lee Beard deal or the Herbert/Millican's-crew deal was run one thousand times on-air for entertainment purposes.

They'll probably fine them both big-time as if this is unacceptable behavior, then play the clip all next season at every race.

I think Bobby is right on with his thoughts on next season. The NHRA and ESPN will make a ton of dough on this deal. We will all see it milked for YEARS to come.... Regardless of the opinions whether Force laid down the fact remains that the sport will benefit from this carnival.

So, I ask you, were these two stars in on the set up? Mr. Light sure seemed eager to play down the whole ordeal. Follow the money and you will determine how far this will go....

Regardless of the countdown C-Ped is getting a financial benefit... The fun has just begun!

 

[cp]

Oh by the way...if Tony does lose his sponsor, I found somebody that would be fit.

 

[Gipraw]

Seems hypocritical to me for Tony to claim that he has to stand up and say something. Easy to do now. If you had a real spine, you would have done it when you worked for Force.

Oh .. wait .. you didn't have a problem with a teammate laying down for you when it won you your first championship?


I don't like what Force did at all. But Cruz whining about it (after congratulating Force to his face), and Tony getting all righteous about it after allowing the same thing to help him win his first championship, is just sour grapes.

Guess what .. you had a chance .. get your own car down the track, Cruz, and Force doesn't have the opportunity to play games.

 

[scooter]

You can take the boy out of the trailerpark but you cant take the trailerpark out of the boy. Tony talked shiznit under his breath when John walked by and John called him on the carpet for it. Tony hid behind the "give the fans a fair race, I beat my brother last year" flag. Cruz is probably still bustin Tonys ballz for that move. I recall Tony Schumacher disregarding Rick Stewarts "cut it" signal to win the championship a few years back. This kind of thing has been going on for years folks, get a clue. I found it amusing that Dunn did an interview with Mr. Kalitta for this race, think Conrad, or Big Jim for that matter, would have put up with Tonys smart mouth back in the day?...............Thats thinkin with yer dipstick Jimmy!
Good on Tony for talkin trash when he knew the probable outcome, Good on John for standing up for himself and his team, remember guys its a business. And good on Dunn for calling it as he saw it. Loved his comment a few races ago when his Pops name came up as his team owner, Dunn said " Big Jim , yeah I got issues" Read and discuss.

 

[lmhb oyf]

Hey Drew, if I remember right at Norwalk I believe it was, didnt ole little Wilk lay down for Tasca? So I guess you have to say F*CK Tasca and Wilk now too huh? If the shoe fits.......

Considering how Wilk didn't face Tasca at Norwalk, I'd say he definitely didn't lay down for him.

However, since you want to question Tim's character, let me say that I know Tim and I know many people close to him that would back me up on this...Tim's too old school and one of the most genuine stand-up guys you'll ever meet on and off the track. Just ask any other racer out there.

In fact, I'd say that he's a rare example in today's professional sports world of what represents good sportsmanship and hard work. Plus he shows total respect for his peers and also is genuinely humble when it come to the opportunity to be where he's at in life and what he has at the track, in his business and at home with his family.

He's just not that kind of guy.

 

[lmhb oyf]

I'm probably wrong, but I simply see this as a desperate man who is probably on his last leg as a team owner, doing whatever he can to get some extra exposure. The budget issues have already surfaced, and even though his team has been doing well with Dickie's old tune up, he needed all the extra TV time he could get. He knows how to play the game and he knows lobbing bombs over at Force will get him the extra TV time he needs.

No way. The last thing this was about was fishing for sponsorship. Of all the tactics one could use to get exposure, this is probably dead last in any marketing 101 class.

This was simply someone finally stepping up and publicly saying what many feel and have felt for a long time, but are for whatever reason afraid to address in an open forum.

The NHRA and JFR got called on the carpet and even more ballsy, ESPN essentially backed it up. Not a good day for JFR and the NHRA image.

 

[lmhb oyf]

Drew you should calm down.

It's all good.

However, that is much calmer and cleaner than when it happened. You should have seen me in the local lounge when it all went down.

I was with some hardcores and some newbies watching the broadcast (we left and did the convenient 12 mile drive home after Wilk went out in Rd.1) and as soon as they mentioned Hight facing John in Rd. 3 we ALL said "here comes the dive".

We just hoped that John could make it believable so casual fans wouldn't think it was "fixed". Well, not only did John not sell it but worse yet it was one of the most unconvincing dives we'd ever seen. We all went ballistic.

It freaked people out.

 

[demonictoyz]

Someone had the Balls to say something about the John Force show. its about time. NHRA is going down hill!!!!

 

[RickyD]

I have just read every post here and must agree ALMOST everyone has a point. I feel that as long as NHRA allows multi-car teams they should expect some diving and not worry about "finding conclusive evidence". It is like watching politicians speak. I pretty much lost respect for T-Ped when , after Force gives him a championship he just says "later guys". I also think Force could have sold it better or could have just layed low and not try for such a cover up. I truly believe if it weren't for NHRA saying "you can't do that" he may have just fessed up and said " Bottom line, whatever it takes, this is business". But that just wouldn't be pc enough for the NHRA. I was in Seattle when the Don pulled his act and it was just too blatant also.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

. . . since you want to question Tim's character, let me say that I know Tim and I know many people close to him that would back me up on this...Tim's too old school and one of the most genuine stand-up guys you'll ever meet on and off the track. Just ask any other racer out there.

In fact, I'd say that he's a rare example in today's professional sports world of what represents good sportsmanship and hard work. Plus he shows total respect for his peers and also is genuinely humble when it come to the opportunity to be where he's at in life and what he has at the track, in his business and at home with his family.

He's just not that kind of guy.

First, let me say, we're all glad you're still here. You're too good a guy to lose from the sport. I understand your emotions. We all have them but tomorrow is another day with lots of water under the bridge.

That being said, do you really believe if a large corporation stepped up for Wilkersons to run both Tim and Daniel full time and Tim promised them the best exposure he could possibly produce, looking to maintain his sponsorship relationship long-tern, he wouldn't let one single round go to insure his son making it into the countdown knowing if he didn't do it Daniel would be watching from the outside looking in the entire rest of the season?

I've said it before and I'll say it many times again. Anyone who's played team sports understands and anyone who's run his own business understands that there are always compromises to be made for the common good of the whole. Force is way too smart to not insure Robert represents AAA for the entire rest of the year chasing a championship rather than proudly announces how he always runs heads-up while both Robert and AAA remain spectators for the rest of the year.

I highly doubt someone of Tim Wilkerson's wisdom and stature would be stupid enough to crap on both a valued sponsor and the future of his business for a single round of racing. Tim's way smarter than that and I believe you are too.

 

[Cabes]

Of course it didn't look like Force cranked the wheel to the right at the hit. Not to mention the lame light that he cut. It was bull****, and anyone who has a clue beyond what they see from the stands or on TV will get it. Then you have Dim Light saying that nothing seemed out of the ordinary with the computer read out and tune up. Chit, just drive the car out of the groove and it will blow the tires off. It was pathetic, and there are far too many in the trenches out there that know it. NHRA has one basket, and all the eggs in it came from JFR. It is sad, but it is sooooo true.

Good point. I have to believe if the roles were reversed, and Tony was up against Cruz and drove the car towards the retaining wall on the hit, NHRA would have overturned the result. But it's like the NBA's Jordan Rules.
I like both guys, but it's obvious what John was doing. Just look at all the quotes from other competitors on other websites. Tony, in hindsight, probably shouldn't have said something, but emotions take over in the heat of battle. But I don't see how anyone who viewed the tape can say this wasn't a dive.

 

[lmhb oyf]

First, let me say, we're all glad you're still here. You're too good a guy to lose from the sport. I understand your emotions. We all have them but tomorrow is another day with lots of water under the bridge.

That being said, do you really believe if a large corporation stepped up for Wilkersons to run both Tim and Daniel full time and Tim promised them the best exposure he could possibly produce, looking to maintain his sponsorship relationship long-tern, he wouldn't let one single round go to insure his son making it into the countdown knowing if he didn't do it Daniel would be watching from the outside looking in the entire rest of the season?

Bobby,

Thanks for the pat on the back but to answer your hypothetical question, no, I don't think Tim would lay down for Daniel under any circumstances and the ONLY possible scenario I could possibly see that happening was if they were both sponsored by the same company.

I guarantee you, Daniel's out there largely out of Tim's pocket.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

Bobby,

Thanks for the pat on the back but to answer your hypothetical question, no, I don't think Tim would lay down for Daniel under any circumstances and the ONLY possible scenario I could possibly see that happening was if they were both sponsored by the same company.

I guarantee you, Daniel's out there largely out of Tim's pocket.

Read my post again and tell me Tim would risk the loss of his multi-car, multi-year sponsorship for a round that means nothing for him but everything to Daniel's car and the sponsors he's pledged his loyalty to. Tim has awesome integrity. He's one of our favorite people in the entire circuit and I'll guarantee he understands business, team ownership and loyalty to sponsorship enough to take one for the good of the whole package. That's exactly what John did today. As smart a move as he's ever done for Robert, AAA, Team Force, and the future of his business in the face of a very tough economy. Tim's that smart, too!

 

[Tom]

Oh by the way...if Tony does lose his sponsor, I found somebody that would be fit.

CLASSIC Cody, I love it.

I blame Compton and Dim Light for this bull$hit, as NHRA created it when they decided to try to be ASSCAR with the "countdown". Now, put yourself in John's shoes if you can see through the trees. What does best for John Force Racing and the sponsors they represent? Drop one car from a race or drop a car and ALL of its sposors from the rest of the season? It's business, and in racing's BUSINESS world, you sometimes have to eat a little chit for the common good and to get ahead in business. If in his shoes, you would too.

I couldn't have lost any more respect for the Pedregon brothers; I didn't have any to begin with. They're all whining little girls and always have been. But for Tony to Yak off the way he did was hypocritical even more than it was disrepectful. There are now 9 pages worth of why on this post alone, so I won't go into all the reasons why, you've already read them all. Who I lost ALL respect for (and I had been a fan of his since I was a teenager) was Mike Dunn. He, in his position leading the telecast, is supposed to be fair and objective, yet he let his mouth overide his brain today.

Speaking of E$PN, they fueled that fire anyway, when they went to Force's pit and at first he said he wasn't going there, but they kept egging him on. You can't keep poking a sleeping dog and not expect it to have enough and get pissed. And that is exactly what they did, they did it intentionally. They got John all wound up and pissed off.

I'm glad that the Safety Safari member in the red shirt was there to stop John from a fist fight, in fact, he was probably the only member of the crew large enough to have broke that up. God Bless that guy. It was going to get alot uglier than it did if it wasn't for the Safety Safari intervening. Speaking of which, none of those guys were assaulted. Yeah, John tried to push his way past them, but if you were to talk to any of them, I doubt they would say John struck them. He didn't so grow up folks. He was simply a pissed off competitor looking to put a beat down on a mouth piece who was yakking off and needed a fist in his big mouth. But hey! I'm GLAD this all went down the way it did. Why? John hasn't been running too good the past few seasons, but I think you'll see a resurgence. John runs best when pissed off and sets his car on kill. So good! Go get 'em John.

Hey Cody, could you post here or send a bigger photo of your photo shop creation? It's perfect!

 

[mastertone]

Pedregon's lose the sportsmanship trophy?!?!?!

ROTFLMMFAO!!!!!

Sean D

I Loved it! The pedrigons are just jealous little asshats!

I hate em both!

GO TEAM FORCE!

 

[ramblerjay]

You are incorrect.
Shove = push.
Striking = hit sharply.

I don't consider it striking, were talking about a sport, not a game.

call it what you want, but tolerating such actions sets a dangerous precedent for what nhra will tolerate regarding "hands on" activity with officials. i'm sure the officials will love the interpretation that "you can be shoved forcefully out of the way between two drivers about to fight, without any punishment." ultimately, this will only put the safety safari/top end officials in a more precarious position than they already are. sending a message with a one race suspension and a $20,000 fine (give 10 each to the winners of the 4-wide races in charlotte) is the only way to stop such things from happening in the future.

 

[turbo ken]

I see a fine coming, and it's T-Ped who should get it, he was the one who instigated the thing, T-Ped was the one who walked over to the other side of the return road to shoot his mouth off, and pushed John to get it started, T-Ped should have stayed on the other side with his car, and cried like the whining little baby that he is.

 

[Greg]

I just read the article on CompPlus and if Tony or Cruz were calling Force a cripple, then good riddance to them. What a bunch of scum bags.

 

[George.]

Someone had the Balls to say something about the John Force show. its about time. NHRA is going down hill!!!!

What surprised me is some of your responses here...
Force looked like an @hole egotistical child IMHO.
I'm a Force fan, but he had guilt coming out of his piehole, and his ego wouldn't let him swallow it down with some class.
What a jerk.

Everybody knows what goes on. If I were Force, I would have done the same thing, as would any other race team looking to get into the points chase, INCLUDING the Ped bros.. I've got no problem with that.
What makes me lose respect for Force was his childish temper tantrum and the lie..
He could avoided it all by not trying to lie. Does he think the public is so stupid that we'll believe everything he says? I now have lost respect for him. He said he was going after Robert. What a joke, then he obviously tosses the race. Hypocrite.
Stand up there, remove your car from that race and take the criticism like a man, or stand up there and race. Instead, he lies, and then gets pissed off that everybody in the world saw through his BS.

I applaud Tony for not making an @ss out of himself by not losing his temper, but he is also a hypocrite because he would have done the exact same thing, but maybe in a different way, but he would have done it also.. Tony was his third car for 8 years, and he knew what his role was, so what is surprising you now Tony?

Bottom line, don't lie and don't try to insult our intelligence. Just play the game like everybody knows the unwritten rule and nobody gets hurt.

The positives?
I think this whole thing was GREAT for the sport in general, and great for T-Ped. He has a built in interview spot for every race next year, and a sub plot that should last for a season or two. He is now the target for FOUR Force cars next year. That's lots of air time. I would expect his team to be very attractive to a prospective sponsor. He's cool under pressure and he's the sports biggest stars hated adversary.
Personally, I like Tony P's image and he did it justice by not acting like an out of control, spoiled little brat as John Force did...

 

[Paul]

I Loved it! The pedrigons are just jealous little asshats!

I hate em both!

GO TEAM FORCE!

Hmm, last two years JRF 0 Championships vs. Pedregon Brothers 2 Championships on a fraction of the budget. Yeah, they are jealous. You also must be a WWE fan considering what we saw yesterday. I am rooting for anyone but the 4 JFR cars to win the title after what I saw yesterday. Notice I am not acting like a first grader by saying "I hate em both", grow up and act like an adult.