Too early for Steve Park ???

[RaceFanStan]

Steve looked great early on taking the lead. I can't help but think that Steve may have come back too early, that was a big mistake that he made.

I can't help but to believe that Steve was trying too hard when he made contact with Stacy, Steve drove it in too "hot" and slipped up into Compton, Steve and Craven both blamed Stacy, I don't agree that it was Stacy's fault. JMO

The race seemed to be rough on the leaders.

[Roselady3]

Seemed ? ? ? ?

Most of you know my opinion on Steve's type of Injury & his slow recovery.
God- I DO hope that everything is alright- But in the back of my mind, I see alot of familiarities that are NOT good!

[Lars]

Look how long it took Ricky Craven to 'fully' recover.

[RaceFanStan]

I can't help but think that Steve "pushed" his recovery too fast.

[Dick Blom]

Originally posted by Stan_MarlinMan
I can't help but to believe that Steve was trying too hard when he made contact with Stacy, Steve drove it in too "hot" and slipped up into Compton, Steve and Craven both blamed Stacy, I don't agree that it was Stacy's fault. JMO
The race seemed to be rough on the leaders.

I agree Stan, I think Steve was simply trying too hard. He got into Jeff Gordon slightly in almost the same place as he got into Stacy, it looked on replay that he "might" have touched Craven when he got by him for the lead, then he bumped Rick Mast in his rush to get past him. I think Steve was just in way too much of a hurry to get past Compton.

But then Tony didn't do a lot better with Buckshot, it looked like Tonly could have gone high to avoid him, but maybe not.
Did anyone notice that Jeff Grodon led 176 laps or so, passing lapped cars for most of those without getting into anyone?

I know when Steve Park nudged Jeff while passing him for second place(I think), Jeff backed off noticably and gave Steve a lot of room after that, as a result he had enough space to simply drive by all three cars, Compton, Steve and Craven during the wreck.

Even Marlin gave Jeff a backhanded complement on this sort of thing when he said he just tried to follow Gordon when Tony wreck because Jeff has such a knack of getting past the wrecks, or something to that effect

[Flintstone Flyer]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dick Blom
[B]


Did anyone notice that Jeff Grodon led 176 laps or so, passing lapped cars for most of those without getting into anyone?

I don't think he has gotten into anybody for quite a while now has he!

[Lars]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Flintstone Flyer
[B]

Originally posted by Dick Blom
Did anyone notice that Jeff Grodon led 176 laps or so, passing lapped cars for most of those without getting into anyone?

I don't think he has gotten into anybody for quite a while now has he!

Brooke might disagree!

[Irene]

Lars that was BAD!!!!!!

[Lars]

I know ....had to get my one & only one pot shot in on Jeff.

[KC]

I think he is far too eager to prove he is still the same racer. I heard an interview with him on Saturday morning on ESPN RPMRadio and his speech was a little slow and measured. Even he mentioned it. He said that he feels the same as ever, still feels like he can race, but he sometimes struggles finding the words. He looked like he was out to prove a point and when the lapped car didn't immediately make way he forced it and crashed out. In the end it did more to hurt his chances than help. Obviously he was fast, the car was good, but he did not show the patience to make the pass where he was faster than the guy.

I hope he does come back 100%. He just needs to understand that it may not all happen in the first race.

[Flintstone Flyer]

From Monte Dutton's Nuts and Bolts:

Steve Park, leading the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400, made a rash move to pass the lapped Pontiac of Stacy Compton. When Park's Chevrolet lost its grip, the result was a crash that eliminated Park and the second-place driver, Craven, from contention. "As the leader of the race, Steve (Park) has got to make good decisions," Craven said, "and I think the decision to pass where he passed was questionable."

Monte Dutton gives his opinion: "Park, who was returning to the circuit after a long recovery period, pinned the blame on Compton for not giving him enough room. But Darlington is a narrow track, and it's hard to see how Compton could have given him more room than he did."


I tend to agree.