You can call Harvick a hot head now, but if Montoya and Harvick was switched in that situation, the result would of been the same. It's because most people think when they get hit it is always the person behind them, but really it start 2 or 3 cars back. It happens every now and then on lfs, so its not just Harvick.
If it was me I'd just walk away . I mean sure I'd be angry, but I wouldn't go confronting and blaming people without watching the reply first. This is true for many drivers such as old school Jeff Burton. Drivers such as Harvick (and likely Montoya) would immediately confront without knowing all the details.
Hey it's New York
WTF happened in that race??? First P.J. Jones gets taken out, then Gililand spins, then Ragan spins, then JEFF GORDON THE LEADER spins with just 2 laps to go and to wrap it all up, Carl Edwards who was 2nd and had a good run on Steward COMPLETELY MISSED THE FINAL TURN........that was the weirdest NASCAR race I've ever seen.
Good run by Fellows who finished 4th, Jones who was 18th when he spun, restarted 34th and got all the way to 25th within a few laps (Kinda makes you wonder if Reutimann is competent enough to be in the cup), Carpentier scored a 22nd and Biffle who scored a top 10 with his Wii machine
I really can't see how you can say that it wasnt JPM's fault. He was obviously blocking Truex which is why he got punted. He even made the comment during one of his in car interviews that he was having to brake early trying to save his brakes. Why would you try to block someone who has a good run on you if you are braking early to save brakes? And it wasn't just a block, he changed lines 3 times trying to block Truex. I dont even think Truex hit him on purpose, he wasnt expecting Montoya to try and block so bad, and surely wasnt expecting him to brake so soon. If anyone is at fault, it is JPM for blocking Truex which is what caused the whole thing. Jeff Burton was the one that should've really been pissed. If JPM would've just held the brakes, he would've made it through.
"Truex just ran over Montoya" LOL!!!
Best part of the race was Gordon spinning out with 2 to go. I didnt wanna see Stewart win, but anyone is better then the rainbow warrior.
Montoya may have been driving too defensively, but when that happens I'd expect Truex to brake harder once he sees that Montoya wont let him through. Sure, Truex probably did brake earlier then he would have because of Montoya, but he should have known that Montoya was not going to let him and stopped trying to get past him
Also Montoya didn't brake that early, Donny Wingo (Montoya's crew chief) explained that Montoya's car is slow on restarts and the first gear is shortened (or something like that, I didn't pay too much attention to the interviews). Therefore he'll be slower on turn 1 but will gain a little more speed within the following turns.
It may be unfair for Truex to have to loose momentum just because Montoya wouldn't let him by, but running in the back of him isn't much better. (Look how Harvick and Burton got collected).
Probably saying that "Truex ran him over" is too harsh, but Truex IMO should have just accept that Montoya was not going to let him by and slow to avoid running into him, even if that's going to cost him a few positions. Montoya did his best to brake, but once a stock car wants to plow forward (as Montoya's car obviously wanted to do since it got help from Truex), IT'S GOING TO PLOW FORWARD and there's nothing you can do about it. it's what makes stock cars so hard to drive (even on ovals)
I'm not trying to point fingers, it's just one of those racing deals. All I'm saying is that Harvick's accusations was a bit uncalled for. Harvick has the right to be angry, but that confrontation was a bit rash.
What Wingo said was that JPM would be slower on the restarts and out of the pits due to that lower 1st gear. That has nothing to do with the fact that he saw Truex had a run on him and he changed lanes several times to block Truex. Why would it be up to Truex to lock his brakes up to avoid hitting a guy that was obviously looking to get hit? There wasnt a whole lot of time for Truex to react to JPM's move, he made his move to block just before the braking zone, what was Truex supposed to do? Run off into the grass because some guy with an over aggresive blocking move didnt want him to pass?
You said it yourself "once a stock car wants to plow forward, IT'S GOING TO PLOW FORWARD and there's nothing you can do about it." So what was Truex supposed to do? He did his best to get slowed down even though he was blocked by someone who was (by his own admission) having to brake earlier than usual.
We can argue all day as to whos fault it was, but in my book the whole thing couldve been avoided if only JPM would have given up the spot to Truex. He (JPM) had a fast car and probably wouldve got it back before the crossed the line for the next lap. JPM has caused several of these wrecks due to his lack of patience (taking out his team mate comes to mind).....once he learns a little I think he will be a great addition to Nascar.
I was refering to JPM's car, Truex could have just brake earlier to get rid of his momentum when heading into T1. (Like what many cars did today when they were in a giant group hug). Only if you have a run on someone and there's no one on the inside then you brake a little later to pass. Montoya was obviously not going to give up the inside line, so Truex should have stop trying to pass Montoya and just stayed behind him at a reasonable distance
It is true that if Montoya could have just let Truex go then the accident could have been avoided. HOWEVER, knowing drivers like Montoya (this includes Tony Steward and Robbie Gordon) that's likely not going to happen. IMO Truex should have realized that Montoya was NOT going to let him by and should have just brake sooner to loose his momentum to keep off of Montoya.
Again this is how I see it. All I'm saying is that Harvick's confrontation was a bit rash.
I know which one you were talking about, that was my point. Wouldnt the same apply to Truex? Truex wasnt trying to pass once JPM blocked him (the third time), I think he was content to ride behind him, he just wasnt expecting JPM to brake so soon. How was he (Truex)supposed to "stay behind him at a reasonable distance" when JPM blocked (the third time) just before the braking zone? If you can find a view from Truex's in car camera (I only saw it because I have "hot pass" through direct tv), you will see that he had no time to react to JPM's early braking/blocking. IMO, it was way to early to be blocking so bad, so JPM shouldve just let Truex by and get him the following turn/lap, like many other people were doing today.
Montoya should have realized that it wasnt the last lap and that there was still plenty of time to regain the spot.
So, to sum it up, indeed it wasnt contact from Montoya that caused the wreck, but his blocking that led to the contact.
I think Harvicks reaction was over due anyway. You do remember what Montoya did to him at Daytona?
I'll leave our argument at that (I dont have hotpass)
I really dont that was Montoya's fault. I think that was just inexperience combined with a very tight handling car. As the commentators said Montoya's car got super tight all of a sudden (which is very common in stock car racing)
. I mean sure I'd be angry, but I wouldn't go confronting and blaming people without watching the reply first. This is true for many drivers such as old school Jeff Burton. Drivers such as Harvick (and likely Montoya) would immediately confront without knowing all the details.
