Kyle Petty thinks NASCAR should not race again at Talladega Superspeedway after fans tossed debris onto the track when Jeff Gordon won there under caution April 25.
Fans were angry that NASCAR did not attempt to squeeze one green lap in before the checkered flag, especially since the ruling worked against Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was passed by Gordon just before the caution flew.
"They should not allow a race back at Talladega for throwing beer cans on the racetrack," Petty told the Roanoke (Va.) Times. "When we've got guys riding around (under caution) at 70, 80 mph, throwing beer cans on the racetrack, it's dangerous. We should not go back to that racetrack. That's pitiful that those people call themselves fans.
"That's Kyle Petty's opinion and I'll stand by that forever. I don't care how disgruntled you are, that's c---. I've been to football games and didn't like the endings. Did I pick up c--- and throw it down on the field and hit the guys in the back of the head or throw stuff at the coaches? No."
A bottle was thrown from the stands at Gordon's car on Sunday after he won the Nextel Cup race at California Speedway in Fontana. He was much less tolerant of the incident than at Talladega, saying track officials should erect signs warning of legal action, then follow through.
FLOP: After posting top fives for three straight weeks, Earnhardt was 19th at Fontana, reducing his lead in the Nextel Cup driver standings to 25 points over Jimmie Johnson and 27 over Gordon, who were second and first, respectively, on Sunday.
Earnhardt leads the standings for the fifth week.
UP TO SPEED: Mark Martin's 11th-place finish represented the second straight strong showing for the No. 6 Ford. Martin raced among the leaders for much of the previous two races, finishing sixth at Talladega but 34th at Martinsville after he encountered engine problems.
"We didn't get to finish at Martinsville, but we had a really good car," crew chief Pat Tryson said. "We had a really good car (Sunday), especially early. Thought we might have a shot to win, for sure a top-five car, and then it seemed like the last two runs just went away a little bit, whether the track changed or something happened to the car, I'm not sure. But it was a real good car."
TAKING THE HEAT: One hundred and fifty degrees is hot, dry heat or no. Outside temperatures in the high 90s, despite low humidity, raised temperatures to scorching levels inside the race cars. A team radio conversation between Earnhardt and crew illustrated that point:
Earnhardt: "You got something to cool me down - bags of ice or anything?"
Crew chief Tony Eury Jr.: "Yeah, we'll get something in there. (To a crew member) Grab a cold water or something."
Earnhardt: "I don't want any water. It gets in the bottom of the car and starts to boil. Just get me some rags so I can wipe my face. My face is burning up. Get me two wet towels. Something simple is all I need."
COMEBACK: Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, who is sitting out this season, is interested in returning with Williams, the team with which he won the 1997 title, his manager told the Sun newspaper of Britain.
"I would put a lot of money on Jacques being back in 2005," Craig Pollock said. "I have already had discussions with the right teams."
Villeneuve, 33, could be a good fit for Williams. Juan Pablo Montoya is leaving for McLaren next season and Ralf Schumacher's contract ends this year.
NHRA: Funny Car ace John Force got the 110th victory of his career, winning the rain-delayed Thunder Valley Nationals on Monday in Bristol, Tenn.
It was the first victory at Bristol Dragway for the 12-time champion, who now has won at every venue on the circuit. Force beat Whit Bazemore with a quarter-mile run of 4.781 seconds at 322.88 mph.
Tony Schumacher and Greg Anderson won in their divisions. Schumacher got his fourth win of the season and 15th career, beating Clay Millican in the Top Fuel final. Anderson beat teammate Jason Line for the second straight race in Pro Stock.
- Information from Times wires was used in this report.
