[The Champ]

Originally Posted by The Boss

When did they change the starting grid from points to fastest in practice when qualifying gets rained out? It's too hard to keep up with the rule changes these days!

I think it's been that way for at least a couple of years.

BTW - It really sounded like a significant portion of Danica's response was blacked out - leaving just the "hit me" comment....at least that's how I perceived it when watching it live.

My recollection while watching the race was as I posted - "The 17 car hit me." Regardless - it's never Danica's fault...

[David Holmberg]

I had to rewind it and listen to it again when I heard the spotter say "What happened this time", but it was more the tone of his voice.

Larson and Elliot are the future of NASCAR. Great move by Gordon for his after race talk with Kyle, much like Earnhardt did with him, years ago.

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by David Holmberg

I had to rewind it and listen to it again when I heard the spotter say "What happened this time", but it was more the tone of his voice.

Larson and Elliot are the future of NASCAR. Great move by Gordon for his after race talk with Kyle, much like Earnhardt did with him, years ago.

I agree & thought exactly the same thing. That kid was racing his heart out against a driver who will unquestionably be in the hall of fame on the first year of his eligibility. The week before the guys in the booth were talking about Kyle and asked who he most reminded them of - the answer was a young Jeff Gordon.

Class act move on Jeff's part, going up to him post race, I'm sure Larson will do the same 20-30 years from now.

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by David Holmberg

I had to rewind it and listen to it again when I heard the spotter say "What happened this time", but it was more the tone of his voice.

The tone was great, but there seemed to be a large gap in the transmission after, that contrary to Champ's misunderstood response above was deleted for broadcast.

Originally Posted by David Holmberg

Larson and Elliot are the future of NASCAR. Great move by Gordon for his after race talk with Kyle, much like Earnhardt did with him, years ago.

I agree & thought exactly the same thing. That kid was racing his heart out against a driver who will unquestionably be in the hall of fame on the first year of his eligibility. The week before the guys in the booth were talking about Kyle and asked who he most reminded them of - the answer was a young Jeff Gordon.

Class act move on Jeff's part, going up to him post race, I'm sure Larson will do the same 20-30 years from now.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by The Boss

The tone was great, but there seemed to be a large gap in the transmission after, that contrary to Champ's misunderstood response above was deleted for broadcast.

I asked my wife about that. She specifically remembers "The 17 car hit me." quote being broadcast too. There was a pause, but not a long one.

We even talked about how it was going to be very chilly at the dinner table for the loving couple - immediately after she blamed Stenhouse and before they showed or talked about the damage on Stenhouse's car.

Already deleted it from the DVR - so can't go back to the videotape...

I have DirecTV - maybe my broadcast deletion was different then your's???

[63Banshee]

Her boss isn't out of the woods yet --

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup...ent-grand-jury

[The Champ]

Living proof that Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo is the type prosecutor that caused Judge Saul Wachler's famous saying that a prosecutor can get a grand jury to 'indict a ham sandwich.'

There is no criminal case here. Tantillo is just making nice to the local family to show that he did all he could. Must be an election year.

[arbys]

Originally Posted by The Champ

There is no criminal case here. Tantillo is just making nice to the local family to show that he did all he could. Must be an election year.

Yes, but it also rules out any cover up and absolves the department.

[zephyrracer]

Just spreading money to the jive ass lawyers ay.

Gregg

[63Banshee]

So the grand jury is on the take or the prosecution will pull punches?

[zephyrracer]

It's not the validity but the seriousness of the charge!!!

Gregg

[63Banshee]

Yeah, no gray area in this case at all --

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by 63Banshee

So the grand jury is on the take or the prosecution will pull punches?

You failed to comprehend my statement. The prosecutor is the one that made the decision to take it to the grand jury.

Hence the expression from Judge Saul Wachler that a grand jury would 'indict a ham sandwich.'

[63Banshee]

Originally Posted by The Champ

You failed to comprehend my statement. The prosecutor is the one that made the decision to take it to the grand jury.

Hence the expression from Judge Saul Wachler that a grand jury would 'indict a ham sandwich.'

My question wasn't directed toward any one person. You missed that.

[hada76]

Originally Posted by The Champ

There is no criminal case here.

some might disagree

[63Banshee]

Originally Posted by hada76

some might disagree

No dissenting opinions are allowed.

[falcon4]

Well it is guaranteed that next year Danica Crashpatrick will finish one position better than this season, since Marco Ambrose is going back to Australia.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by falcon4

Well it is guaranteed that next year Danica Crashpatrick will finish one position better than this season, since Marco Ambrose is going back to Australia.

Not necessarily.

This year she has two rookie drivers that are ahead of her in the points (Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon) - we could have another rookie that actually has more talent than the Touring Princess come up next year too.

And then the rest of this year's rookies could improve. Justin Allgaier is right behind Panica in the points this year. His average points per race this season has been 17.6 - the Ice Queen has only averaged 20.4. Won't take much improvement for him to overtake her.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by hada76

some might disagree

Obviously.

But do they have a case?

I think this comment from a Cornell University law professor sums it up quite nicely:

By going to a grand jury, Tantillo could take the pressure off himself, said Valerie Hans, a professor of law at Cornell University and among the nation’s leading authorities on the jury system.

“One of the things I’ve learned in studying trial juries is that when you have a controversial case with high-profile defendants, sometimes it’s nice to let the jury take the blame or praise,’’ she told Motor Racing Network. “The grand jury in the Tony Stewart case might be functioning in the same kind of way ... getting the district attorney off the hot seat.’

Some additional comments from Gary Kelder, a prosecutor from 1992-98 and a law professor at Syracuse University since 1980:

Kelder said that the evidence a prosecutor may present to a grand jury can be whatever testimony has been given - Stewart has cooperated with authorities and vowed in a statement Tuesday he would continue to do so. Kelder said other pieces of evidence could include photographs and video. Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero stated two days after the incident that they had two videos of the incident. One has not been viewed publicly.

If members of the grand jury view video, they’ll see Ward leave his car and walk down the track gesturing toward Stewart’s car before he was struck.

“You have to take the context into account,’’ Hans said. “This is actually something people are pretty good at. They look at the full context. They’ll know what happened ... the behavior of the victim and evaluate that and evaluate the entire context in deciding whether or not a criminal charge is appropriate.’’

[Sidponcho]

This thread is not about Tony.

Went to the race in NH yesterday with 125,000 of my closest Redneck friends. It was a good day. Watched Danica closely all day. She did well for who she is. Stayed in the MIDDLE of the field all day. Stayed out of trouble and finished.