If this is where NASCAR's headed, I say I don't want to watch the sport anymore. I've not actually watched all the races that NASCAR has ever held, but I have watched a lot of them during the 1980's and 1990's, and basically all of them since 2000. Since now that Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s so called parkable offense is now the status quo among not only NASCAR fans, but NASCAR writers, I'm rethinking my decision to get into this sport at all. I currently do some things for a couple of drivers, one of whom has been around since the 1990's.
I think some people need some basic education in NASCAR. What Leffler did to Steve Wallace was moving somebody out of the way. What Earnhardt Jr. did to Vickers was move him out of the way.
Want to go back to Bristol, 2000? Dale Earnhardt moved Terry Labonte out of the way. Labonte was furious, but Earnhardt was given the win. So now we need to fine or penalize people for touching other people?
Let's just tear the fenders off these cars and make it yet another open wheel series then. If you can't touch or rub your opponent, let's just call it another open wheel series and make the most spectacular wrecks you've ever seen. Oh yeah, and possibly deaths. Is that what you want to see? I don't.
Though the wrecks in open wheel are often spectacular, they sometimes result in death or serious injury. As entertaining as they are, I don't like to see people hurt. If you do, go watch a different sport.
As I see it, no matter how much crap Dale Jr.'s reputation is catching today, he was for once driving like his father would have driven. Rule number one: Never take that kind of crap from another driver. Rule number two: Make sure he knows where to go to even if out after the race. Dale Jr. did exactly just that, via his spotter.
As far as I know, Brian Vickers never showed up at Jr.'s hauler to even things out.
Though Dale Jr. is young, he thinks like an old school driver. He did what he had to do to stay on track. He did that. Go back and look over the history of NASCAR. I dare you.
OK so Leffler moves someone out of the way. NASCAR delivers a 5-lap penalty. Dale Jr. moves someone out of the way. NASCAR does nothing. Your "basic education" shows where the problem lies: NASCAR plays favorites with Junior and undeservedly so, with the exception of 1 official who Junior & his crew ignored. I am glad he had the balls to hold him a lap. It's not fair to the other 42 teams and their families, especially the ones who watched as their cars were mangled in an accident that didn't have to happen. Junior should have finished 36th. And as for the whole challenging Vickers via radio with his spotter? You seriously think that's mature? If Junior is such a tough guy, do it face to face like a real man before you have your spotter go relay the message. How juvenile. (Maybe he can get Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair to be his tag partner in a steel cage match.) He had a chance on FOX TV and instead he bitched about pink signs?!?! Seriously?!?! I don't recall anyone else missing their pink sign boards and pit stalls. I have yet to see the great 8/88 do anything but whine and get free passes from NASCAR and everyone else, which is what he got Sunday. It's time to stop drinking the Amp-Mountain Dew Kool-Aid. As for thinking like an old school driver, it's pretty clear the wasn't thinking at all on Sunday. Oh and the classic Bristol 2000 win was the last lap for the win, not 76 laps to go and a lap down for a silly lucky dog. They didn't penalize Kyle for trying to win against Stewart on Saturday and they shouldn't have, even if Stewart had wrecked. But Sunday's wreck most definitely deserved Saturday's treatment, if for nothing else to prevent the comparisons between NASCAR and WWE, which will continue as long as favorites are played. It was a wreck that did not have to happen but did because you have one driver acting like a spoiled brat. Go back and watch the replay of the wreck as it happened. You'll hear DW... "that was wrong... that was wrong... that was wrong..." Yes DW, that was wrong.
ReplyDeleteLet me ask you something. I don't disagree with you, really at all. It's all about perception. But let me ask you this. Did Steve Wallace get Jason Leffler parked for 5 laps because of Steve's last name? Let me ask you another question, has your driver ever caused a wreck that was questionable by NASCAR's rules? If Kyle's your driver, has he never caused an wreck that wasn't a racing deal? I agree, park Jr. for 5 laps if thats what the rules say. I say treat all of them the same, but what I'm really saying is let them race, or just call it F1 or Indy and don't let them touch anymore. Let's also take back about 50 of Dale's wins if he was wrong for touching someone. It's 2009, and it's not 1992, but are we getting into an area where touching another driver on the track is a parkable offence? Seriously. If so, there's something wrong with this picture, and if this is the case, NASCAR needs to take the fenders off the cars and have guys with British accents call the races.
ReplyDeleteI also ask you, had your driver been in Jr.'s position, would you be running him down like you are Jr.? Think about that also. I'm guessing you wouldn't be. I think Jr. screwed up by the numbers Sunday. I admit it. His most serious errors didn't happen during that wreck though. It was what put him in that position in the first place.
There is NO way NASCAR parked Leffler because of Steve Wallace. That's way, way out in left field. NASCAR polices the Nationwide & Truck Series much better than their Cup series. And while all drivers sometimes cause crashes, some are racing deals and some aren't. This was pure frustration on the 88's part. It could and should have been avoided. Rubbin' is racin'. Punting someone who is a lap down just like you are with 76 laps to go is not racin' it's stupid. Junior made 3, yes 3, on-track mistakes on Sunday. He has no one to blame but himself. It wasn't all that long ago that NASCAR couldn't go to a plate track without the 48 wrecking half the field. Looks like the 88 is trying to follow his lead. NO ONE questions Junior's driving ability on plate tracks. So why not show some restraint since his car was CLEARLY quicker and wait another lap or 2 to get by Vickers and on to the lead lap? No he decided to be a brat and take what he wanted NOW, wrecking 10 cars in the process. Very, very immature. His pit road interview was just as bad. That's like me saying I was late for work because all the signs on the interstate are painted green and look the same as my exit. And it matters not if it was the 88, 28, 29, 99, 9, 14, 18, whoever - they should have served a 5-lap penalty for causing an unnecessary wreck. I don't see any other driver out there blaming pink signs and ignoring NASCAR officials though. Only one: Junior. His name certainly fits now, cuz his immaturity is showing. I'm not even going to start on having your spotter pick a fight with a fellow driver while you are behind the wheel. And yes, if my favorite driver had pulled these stunts, I would roast him to, because I hold him to a higher standard and expect better from a ROLE MODEL! NASCAR needs to penalize whoever breaks a rule and make their rules stick across each series and forget about the morons who throw trash on the track when Junior doesn't get his way. Give me set rules, set penalties and a sanctioning body that will make & enforce the calls at every track, every race and I'll be happy. Otherwise I'll just turn on pro wrestling, since it's the same premise.
ReplyDeleteAll very good points, Bud. Thanks for posting! I actually agree with you. I'm just pointing out some of the things I've read elsewhere this week, some of which are obviously BS. I guess the point is, a driver with fans could pretty much commit an act of terrorism and some of his fans wouldn't have a problem with it.
ReplyDeleteThanks again!
Don't believe everything you read and don't worship anyone but God. And anyone you let anger you, conquers you. :)
ReplyDeleteWorship I do reserve for God. Drivers are not who anyone should worship, and frankly, there's probably too much of that going on out there. I don't really get angry about much, really. Most people who know me well know when I'm truly angry about something. I count you as one of those. Though I hope Dale Jr. does well, it's not really going to effect my life one way or another. If your driver has a bad day, you're not going to put a pistol in your mouth either. It just is what it is.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I'm glad you're reading here now! Believe me, keep reading and I'll probably provoke even more responses from you! LOL!