Robby Gordon was the center of pre-race attention Sunday at Mexico City. Credit: Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Cross' Words: Groingate

NASCAR kneeds to succeed in stemming physical confrontations

It wasn't quite on par with Cale Yarborough-Bobby Allison after the 1979 Daytona 500, or even Lindsay Lohan-Hillary Duff, but the Robby Gordon-Brad Parrott pre-race confrontation could pan out to be a real knee-slapper -- in more ways than one.

Then & Now Top 10 drivers' point positions after two races since 2001 Driver '05 '04 '03 '02 '01 K. Busch 1 7 1 3 42 J. Johnson 2 25 3 21 -- M. Martin 3 28 4 11 29 C. Edwards 4 -- -- -- -- G. Biffle 5 14 19 -- -- E. Sadler 6 8 14 12 11 T. Stewart 7 6 9 22 16 R. Wallace 8 13 11 10 1 S. Marlin 9 20 29 1 2 J. Gordon 10 5 13 4 7 E-MAIL Send your thoughts to Duane

Allegedly, Gordon received a knee to the groin from Parrott after making a comment about having to go to the rear of the field to start Sunday's Telcel Motorola 200. Gordon changed engines and was put at the back of the pack, but Parrott's driver, Carl Edwards, was able to keep his ninth-place starting spot despite going to a backup car.

Never one to keep an opinion to himself, Gordon spoke his mind to Parrott and a rodilla a la ingle followed.

Hello, Mexico City -- welcome to NASCAR, which looks to put its best knee ... er, foot forward at every opportunity.

After the race Parrott took umbrage with a report on NASCAR.COM detailing the scuffle with Gordon, but declined to discuss the incident. "I'll explain it to NASCAR, and I'll let NASCAR explain it to you," Parrott said. "Anybody who knows Robby Gordon knows how Robby Gordon is."

Nonetheless, what is clear is that Gordon and Parrott exchanged words, a blow below the belt was delivered and the two had to be separated, and now NASCAR will look into the issue.

In the meantime, talk radio -- from 790 The Ball in the Triad to 1080 The Fan in Portland -- will get a few yucks out of boys being boys. However, the larger question is whether Gordon and/or Parrott will get a seat in the penalty box.

Last year, Tony Stewart was fined $50,000, placed on extended probation and penalized 25 points for taking a shot at Brian Vickers following a race.

In 2003, Jimmy Spencer was suspended for one race after taking a post-race jab at Kurt Busch.

Both of those incidents -- and many other before -- were the end result of on-track issues. The Gordon-Parrott spat happened before the drivers even took their seats.

So how should NASCAR handle this WWE-style feud? For the sake of legitimacy, the Daytona suits should make a hard-line statement to ensure that this type of physical behavior is clearly addressed.

Flags

• Green -- Kurt Busch has posted top-10 starts in all four of his races at Las Vegas. No other driver has scored a top-10 start in every race that they competed in at Las Vegas, but Michael Waltrip and Bobby Labonte lead all drivers each with five top-10 starts in their seven races at Vegas.

• Yellow -- Seventeen drivers have competed in all seven Cup races at Las Vegas. Only four of the 17 drivers that have competed in all seven races at Vegas are ranked in the current Top 10: Mark Martin (third), Rusty Wallace (eighth), Sterling Marlin (ninth) and Jeff Gordon (10th).

• Red -- Jeff Gordon has finished 15th or worse in his last three races at Las Vegas, while Ricky Rudd has competed in all seven races at Vegas without scoring a top-10 finish.

Quote, Unquote

"Obviously, he can't handle any pressure or criticism at all. And he fights like a little girl."
-- Robby Gordon, on his pre-race tête-à-tête with Brad Parrott at Sunday's Telcel Motorola 200

Around the Track

Las Vegas will not have the new impound procedure.

California marked the first weekend that Nextel Cup teams utilized the new post-qualifying procedure, which is supposed to be a cost-containment benefit for teams. Theoretically, the amount of labor on special qualifying setups, plus the expense of special qualifying equipment, will be reduced.

The Saturday impound returns next week at Atlanta.

Here's an overview:

Friday -- Instead of one two-hour practice and afternoon qualifying, teams now will have two one hour-practice sessions.

Saturday -- Instead of two 45-minute practices to tune race setups, teams will qualify, then have their cars immediately impounded in their garage bays. No work will be allowed until Sunday morning.

Saturday's traditional "Happy Hour" -- the two final 45-minute practices -- will be eliminated.

Twelve tracks will use the new impound procedure in 2005, including California (both events), Atlanta (both events) Bristol (both events), Phoenix (both events), Richmond (both events), Pocono (both events), Michigan (both events), New Hampshire (both events), Daytona (in July), Watkins Glen, Kansas and Darlington. ... And other venues may be added during the season, so check the track schedule before making plans.

Inside the Numbers Lap leaders at Las Vegas Rank Driver No. 1. M. Kenseth 221 2. J. Burton 205 3. M. Martin 186 4. D. Earnhardt Jr. 144 5. T. Stewart 125

Up Next

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

On Thursday, some of racing's biggest names, including Ryan Newman, Rusty Wallace and Travis Kvapil; two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves; and two-time IndyCar champion Sam Hornish Jr. will gather at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for three hours of poker. Additional players include Kenny Wallace, Jason Leffler and Richard Childress.

At stake is $50,000 for the winner's charity of choice, while the runner-up will receive $10,000 for his favorite charity. Every participant will earn his charity $4,000. The SPEED Channel will broadcast the event later this spring.

Newman, Wallace and Kvapil also will race cars promoting the new line of Mobil high-endurance motor oils during the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 on Sunday.

Fantasy Perspective

• In four races at Las Vegas, Kurt Busch has only one top-10 finish -- a ninth last year.

• Dating to last year, Jimmie Johnson has eight consecutive finishes of sixth or better, and joins Busch as the only drivers to start 2005 with two top-five finishes.

• Mark Martin has run all seven races at Las Vegas, with six top-10 finishes -- including a victory in 1998. (And be sure to check out the official Web site of Martin's "Salute to You" Tour: http://www.markmartinsalute.com/.)

• Matt Kenseth has led 221 laps of the 1,750 laps raced at Las Vegas, more than any other driver, although he has competed in just five races at the track.

Drivers at LVMS Cup races only Driver Starts Avg. Finish   Driver Starts Avg. Finish K. Kahne 1 2.000   T. Raines 1 24.000 D. Earnhardt 3 7.666   J. Sauter 1 24.000 R. Hornaday 1 9.000   K. Petty 5 24.800 M. Kenseth 5 9.400   D. Blaney 4 25.000 J. Burton 7 10.142   G. Sacks 1 25.000 M. Martin 7 10.142   M. Skinner 6 25.166 T. Stewart 6 10.500   J. Sprague 1 26.000 J. Johnson 3 11.000   R. Gordon 5 27.400 C. Mears 2 11.000   T. Hubert 1 28.000 B. Labonte 7 11.714   J. Leffler 1 28.000 S. Marlin 7 12.428   J. Andretti 6 28.166 C. Little 3 14.333   E. Sadler 6 28.333 B. Elliott 7 15.142   W. Dallenbach 3 28.666 T. Musgrave 2 16.000   S. Riggs 1 29.000 D. Trickle 1 16.000   B. Jones 3 29.333 J. Spencer 6 16.666   B. Bodine 4 29.750 K. Harvick 4 16.750   S. Barrett 1 30.000 J. Gordon 7 16.857   B. Hamilton 5 30.200 J. Mayfield 7 16.857   D. Green 2 30.500 D. Jarrett 7 17.000   J. Green 4 31.750 D. Earnhardt Jr. 5 17.200   L. Speed 1 32.000 R. Newman 4 17.750   M. Wallace 1 32.000 T. Bodine 3 18.000   C. Atwood 2 32.500 E. Irvan 2 18.000   S. Compton 3 32.666 J. McMurray 2 18.000   D. Waltrip 3 32.666 J. Benson 7 18.142   D. Cope 5 32.800 R. Wallace 7 18.714   H. Fukuyama 1 33.000 S. Park 4 19.000   K. Irwin 3 33.666 W. Burton 7 19.428   R. Craven 7 34.142 Ku. Busch 4 19.500   K. Wallace 6 34.833 R. Pressley 3 20.000   L. Foyt 1 35.000 M. Waltrip 7 20.571   H. Stricklin 3 35.666 J. Nadeau 5 20.600   J. Fuller 1 36.000 R. Rudd 7 20.857   C. Long 1 38.000 T. Labonte 7 21.000   S. Wimmer 1 39.000 B. Gaughan 1 22.000   G. Biffle 1 40.000 G. Bodine 2 22.500   S. Grissom 2 40.500 R. Bickle 1 23.000   Ky. Busch 1 41.000 B. Vickers 1 23.000   S. Pruett 1 42.000 J. Nemechek 7 23.285   S. Robinson 1 42.000 R. Mast 3 23.333   M. Shepherd 1 42.000 K. Schrader 7 23.714   K. Shelmerdine 1 43.000 K. Lepage 4 24.000

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