UPDATE: Denny Hamlin ended up winning tonight's AT&T 250 at Milwaukee, but he's not going to get credit. Aric Almirola officially won his first race, despite only running 59 laps.I'd imagine Almirola was ready to win that first one, but he's gotta be severely ticked that he didn't get to personally do it.
I really feel for Almirola -- a victim of money, not racing.
Original: Joe Gibbs Racing doesn't respect their employees. Or at least one.
Denny Hamlin was supposed to be in tonight's Busch Series race. Aric Almirola, Joe Gibbs Racing Busch Series driver was nominated to practice and qualify the No. 20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet at Milwaukee in preparation for Hamlin who was in Sonoma for tomorrow's Cup race.
Hamlin did indeed get into the No. 20 car, but his entrance could win Joe Gibbs Racing the "Biggest Jackass of the Year" award. Or, more importantly, it should be created in their honor.
The problem began when Denny Hamlin was late for the second time in the day. As he was arriving over the track in a helicopter, cars had parked on the helipad, blocking any chance for Hamlin to land at the track.
As Hamlin flew back to the airport, the race got under way, with Almirola starting the race from the pole (where he qualified earlier) because Hamlin wasn't available. Denny arrived at the track around ten laps into the race via police escort, irritated he couldn't land but understanding that Almirola had the reigns.
"I think Aric will do a great job. Taking him out of the car would be disrespectful," said Hamlin.
He, apparently, was the only JGR employee to feel that way.
Hamlin then ventured down to Steven Wallace's No. 66 pit box, ready to replace an ailing Wallace. That opportunity closed when Wallace decided to stick it out.
All of sudden, under the race's third caution on lap 59, Almirola was pulled in favor of Hamlin. Losing a lap in the process, the No. 20 that had run in top-3 all night with Almirola was placed in 30-something place one lap down.
Almirola steamed back to the hauler without any opportunity for ESPN2's cameras to grab a comment. JGR officials later declined comment.
With 100 laps to go, Hamlin had gotten his lap back and was in 12th-place, in great position with a great car to win the race.
If I'm Aric Almirola, I would be delivering my resignation papers to highest JGR brass at Milwaukee Saturday night.
How could you possibly drive for a team that takes you out of a perfect opportunity to win your first NASCAR race in lieu of sponsorship requests?
The answer is easy: you don't.
Burned bridges to don't build themselves back, and I sure hope Almirola can one day turn it around and stick it JGR.
That is, though, if Almirola has the self-respect to find an organization who respects its employees -- regardless if they gave you your big break or not.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
6-24-2007 @ 12:15AM
CJ said...
I agree that Aric has every damn right to be pissed, but it's not Denny's fault, he didnt even want to get in, it's half Gibbs management, and the other half is Rockwell Automation. Rockwell said they wanted Denny in the car for this race it being a hometown track for them, and even though this might go in the books as Amirola win, he cant even take joy in the satisfaction in that his first busch win, he didnt get to drive the car to victory lane and he didnt run the full race, only 59 laps, it just isnt right and im curious what Aric had to say! but i think they should've credited Denny with it, i think although it's wrong how everything went down, Denny should've been credited with the win, not Aric.
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6-24-2007 @ 1:06AM
Nathan said...
The Cup-Lite series has hit a new low never thought possible.
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6-24-2007 @ 10:20AM
Joe Bierman said...
A fine example of poor management. And this comes from JGR which is too family oriented to have Bud as a sponsor. Well you just wronged one of your family.
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6-24-2007 @ 10:25AM
jcrskins20 said...
WOW!! The original person who posted this "Aric should quit" doesn't know gibbs personnel very well. As I am certain Aric is upset with the switch, it was Denny who brought him to Gibbs in the first place. Respect for their personnel, yes they have that don't doubt it for a second. The sponsors spend enormous amounts of money and their position should very much be followed or teams in Nascar would have NO SPONSORS. Aric will most definitely get his due, he definitely has the talent for it and nobody is better at spotting talent than Joe Gibbs. Think about this, Aric should have his first win in his own car with his own sponsor, that is the natural order of things.
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6-24-2007 @ 12:25PM
John Williamson said...
If you noticed Denny was ready to releive another driver earlier. Now those folks at Rockwell really would have been upset if that happened. don't blame JGR to much. It takes a lot of money to field a team. And Denny doesn't get the money or points for the race.
I personally have subed for other drivers (after the race started) and knew very well I wouldn't get credit as far as points or money or even press. But i charged a lot for that so it really didn't make a difference
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6-24-2007 @ 12:32PM
chubby said...
Been nascar fan since early 1960 never seen or heard of another driver in any motor sport venue, taking the seat of another driver when that driver is healthy and is doing good on the track.Kind of a
unwritten rule amoung drivers,you just don't do that. Don't put the blame on anyone but Denny! he could have manned up and said No
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6-24-2007 @ 1:49PM
steve owens said...
Richard Petty took Pete Hamilton out of the 40 car Superbird at Darlington, SC 1970 after wrecking three cars.
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6-24-2007 @ 3:02PM
BILL said...
I AGREE ARIC SHOULD BE PISSED, BUT LIKE I SAID BEFORE THE CUP DRIVERS SHOULD NOT EVEN BE ALLOWED TO DRIVE IN THE BUSCH SERIES. I THINK ONCE YOU MOVE TO CUP YOU CAN'T COME BACK AND DRIVE BUSCH EVEN IF YOU DO RUN A FULL SEASON,LOOK HOW MANY TEAMS HAVE TO GO HOME BECAUSE OF THE CUP DRIVERS, OR DON'T BOTHER TO SHOW. IT'S LIKE SOMEONE POSTED ABOVE IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY, AND IT'S RUINED RACING AS WE KNOW IT.
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6-24-2007 @ 4:25PM
jd said...
It,s time for the cup drivers to get out of Busch...They are not giving the Busch guys a fair chance..
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6-24-2007 @ 4:57PM
kim said...
My question is do you actually think aric will atually get the money? You know that Denny is going to want his cash for winning that race. Yes it was the sponsors decision and not dennys fault, but maybe gibbs needs take the blame and heat from the fans. I have felt they have been screwing with aric a since he started for them every time he gets in the car it seem he gets the pole or doing great but he STILL can't get a more consistant ride. Gibbs needs to take a look at the way they do things. They wont have BUD to get JR but coach can work in the NFL and they take part in the BUD pole awards, and they act so family orientated but their star driver spent all last summer taking his married girlfriend to races around the country. Its bull and they need to own up to it.
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6-24-2007 @ 6:20PM
MIKE said...
Joe Gibbs is a hypocritical skunk. He passes himself off as "joe christian" but trust me as a Washington D.C. area resident, I've seen Joe Baby in action. He's a money grubbing scumbag. That move last night was classic Joe Baby Gibbs pandering to sponsors..No class.
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6-24-2007 @ 9:26PM
Becca Lowe said...
Good christian Joe & co. Big hypocrites..
Never pull for any member of their team .
I'm sure my favorite driver is going to be removed.
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6-24-2007 @ 9:40PM
Angelica said...
It wasn't Rockwell that made the call, it was the team. But ultimately it's Denny's fault. Grow a pair and say no, kid. What a lack of class.
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6-24-2007 @ 10:29PM
Alyssa said...
The name on the car says Denny.... it is Denny's ride, that was Denny's race. Aric doesn't have his own ride and sponser for a reason..... he isn't quite there yet. It wasn't Denny's fault that he couldn't land at the track, he tried to make it on time, but unforseeable circumstances made that impossible. For Denny to say no to his team and boss would not have been a good move on his part. At the office, when your boss tells you to do something, you do it. It is disrespectful to authority if you don't. Granted, it sucks to be Aric right now, but his time will come. He has his own races to run in that car and next year with his own ride. Whether you like it or not, the Busch Series would not be as big if it weren't for the Cup guys. More people go to the races to see the big names, more sponsers will pay money to put their name on a car to get it out there. Without the double-duty fellas out there racing, the Busch Series wouldn't be there. Plus it helps get the young guys ready for Cup. If they have already raced against them for a year it wont be as much of a shock when the competition steps up another level when they move on up.
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6-24-2007 @ 11:44PM
Courtney said...
as much as it sucks for aric, it all comes down to money at the end of the day. that sponsor wanted their specific driver to be in the car at that time. it may not necessarily be all jgr, or hamlin's fault (which i don't think it's either's fault). i dare say the sponsor put the heat on jgr and said get hamlin in there and quick! i don't think it's reason enough for aric to leave, though. but i dare say when he does win a race, he'd much rather win it in a car with his own name on the top of the driver's side window, not someone else's! everything will come in due time for him and at least now he's got his name out there and gave himself some credibility. he definitely won't be left out of the team meeting come monday morning!!
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6-25-2007 @ 9:04AM
Racemom said...
As a racefan, who do you pay to see to race Aric or Denny? This was not Denny Hamlin's fault, this was the fault of the corporate sport that Nascar has become. While I feel for Aric, his job at the begining of the season was clearly defined. He is paid to practice and qualify the car. Thru no fault of either driver, Denny was unable to start the race. Blame the officials at Milwaukee, blame Nascar, don't blame these two talented young men. Aric Armorola will have his day. The fans at Milwaukee PAID to see Denny Hamlin. Denny Hamlin was not happy to have been put in that car, but he is a RACECAR driver, he wanted to race! Why would anyone fault him that? Everyone should just leave them both alone, let them do the jobs they are PAID to do, and move on.
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6-25-2007 @ 10:46AM
Gavin Ward said...
The rule should be If you are not at the drivers meeting you do not race case closed.
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6-25-2007 @ 2:29PM
Eileen said...
If Denny wasn't such a "dramaqueen" Aric would have been in the car and won the race. Instead, Denny was going to hop into a Dodge. Another person on a mesg board said it perfectly: I really wonder about Denny and his egotistical ways...
And so do I.
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6-27-2007 @ 10:51AM
Bill said...
The only thing I have is----IT WASN'T THE CHRISTIAN THING TO DO no matter what the sponsor said.Denny wasn't at the drivers meeting and he could've been there if he hadn't overslept.He could've had practice that morning and got the cup car set up and been at the track in time.That's my story and I'm stickin'to it
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6-29-2007 @ 11:44PM
JoJo said...
I am extremely disappointed in the group decision that resulted in Aric Almirola's being removed from the #20 and replaced by Denny Hamlin at Milwaukee last evening. I understand the funding and sponsor part of this equation but it was a very distasteful move. How does JGR properly make amends to the young man who was removed from the car if that's even possible.
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