Kyle Busch blew down a track today under a red flag. That's good sportsmanship, isn't it? Who cares that he might have killed someone. That's just who Kyle Busch is, isn't it?
If Kyle Busch wants to be Dale Earnhardt, he's got a long way to go. He just doesn't have the class yet, or the experience, or the maturity. Dream on, Kyle!
Kyle, part of who Dale Earnhardt was, was to take responsibility for his mistakes. Have you, Kyle Busch ever taken responsibility for any of yours? Not really. Have you, Kyle Busch, ever apologized for driving like a total idiot? No, you have not. Have you, Kyle Busch, ever admitted that you're an idiot? No, you have not.
Kyle, do you think driving into blinding smoke with your foot pegged on the gas was going to get you noticed? Bingo. You're right, it did. Because after you left Texas in a huff, Dale Jr., the guy you wrecked, got into your car and finished the race. Dale Jr. had the grace and the class to not leave in a huff, but I guess You never even thought about that fact, that you would look like a complete idiot, because you were missing in action at a race track. Way to go, Kyle.
By the way, Kyle, the car you nailed was Jr.'s car. He had enough grace and class to stay and finish YOUR race, while you flew away. Nice move, Kyle.
If you have a problem with getting released by Rick Hendrick, get over it. Dale Jr. has about 100 times more class in his little finger than you have ever shown in your life.
Kyle, quit being such an idiot. You've got so much raw talent, but you've got so little maturity, it's pathetic.
Grow up, Kyle Busch.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Thanks, Folks.
You've all been my rock lately, and I appreciate it. I've had a bad couple of days, but it's getting better now. Thanks for the kind e-mails you've sent, and I apologize from not sticking to the subject lately, like I should.
Nascar has not changed much over the years. You've got a few good teams, and you've got some also ran type teams. Mostly the teams to beat are now Joe Gibbs Racing, Roush, Hendrick, and maybe Richard Childress Racing and possibly Dale Earnhardt Inc.
The DEI cars have been running well as of late, as have the RCR cars. Roush has been stinking up the race as well, with Carl Edwards. Hendrick has only one win so far, but they're cruising for more. You can't really count Chip Ganassi out of the race or GEM racing, with Ray Evernham. Lots of things can happen between now and the beginning of the Chase for the Cup.
The Silly Season is become even more heated. Where will Martin Truex Jr. drive next year? How about Tony Stewart? Time will tell, I suppose. It's now looking like Bobby Labonte will stay with Petty for a while, and I think that's because he's working on trying to turn that operation around. Bobby Labonte is a class driver, and he could most likely driver for RCR, or DEI or even Rick Hendrick next year, if he wanted to. Bobby apparently has chosen to stay at Petty, and I think he's a great guy for doing it.
I can't wait for Darlington because it's one of my favorite tracks. The racing there is always intense, and this weekend promises no different. Will Kyle Busch get his first top 10 ever? Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally break the winless streak? Will Jeff Gordon win number 8 at the Lady in Black? Almost anything could happen.
Thanks, folks. You put up with a near breakdown by me yesterday, but I'm much better now. I'm ready to serve you again with what I do best, which is write about Nascar. Bear with me, and we're going to have a lot of fun this year.
Until next time,
God Bless you all,
Jimmy C.
Nascar has not changed much over the years. You've got a few good teams, and you've got some also ran type teams. Mostly the teams to beat are now Joe Gibbs Racing, Roush, Hendrick, and maybe Richard Childress Racing and possibly Dale Earnhardt Inc.
The DEI cars have been running well as of late, as have the RCR cars. Roush has been stinking up the race as well, with Carl Edwards. Hendrick has only one win so far, but they're cruising for more. You can't really count Chip Ganassi out of the race or GEM racing, with Ray Evernham. Lots of things can happen between now and the beginning of the Chase for the Cup.
The Silly Season is become even more heated. Where will Martin Truex Jr. drive next year? How about Tony Stewart? Time will tell, I suppose. It's now looking like Bobby Labonte will stay with Petty for a while, and I think that's because he's working on trying to turn that operation around. Bobby Labonte is a class driver, and he could most likely driver for RCR, or DEI or even Rick Hendrick next year, if he wanted to. Bobby apparently has chosen to stay at Petty, and I think he's a great guy for doing it.
I can't wait for Darlington because it's one of my favorite tracks. The racing there is always intense, and this weekend promises no different. Will Kyle Busch get his first top 10 ever? Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally break the winless streak? Will Jeff Gordon win number 8 at the Lady in Black? Almost anything could happen.
Thanks, folks. You put up with a near breakdown by me yesterday, but I'm much better now. I'm ready to serve you again with what I do best, which is write about Nascar. Bear with me, and we're going to have a lot of fun this year.
Until next time,
God Bless you all,
Jimmy C.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
My Faith
Is what keeps me alive sometimes. I believe there is a God, but beyond that, you don't need to know.
I pray, daily, and sometime many times a day. It's all a part of life. I do it. You might consider doing it too.
I've prayed for my buddy, who just lost his mother. I felt bad because I couldn't be there. My truck broke down on the side of the highway near Hendersonville, NC.
When LA3Fan says her prayer, right before all the races on the Dale Jr. Pit board, I'm there, and I say Amen. I never want to see a driver hurt, or killed. I don't care who my least favorite drivers are, I never want to see them hurt or killed. I just don't want to see it.
I'm spiritual in a weird way. I don't cling to any particular religion, but I pray. I pray that ever single driver in every single race walks away. I pray for that every single weekend.
I don't care whether you're spiritual or not, but I'd ask you to say a prayer, to who ever you might pray to. These guys are going fast, and they need your help.
God Bless.
I pray, daily, and sometime many times a day. It's all a part of life. I do it. You might consider doing it too.
I've prayed for my buddy, who just lost his mother. I felt bad because I couldn't be there. My truck broke down on the side of the highway near Hendersonville, NC.
When LA3Fan says her prayer, right before all the races on the Dale Jr. Pit board, I'm there, and I say Amen. I never want to see a driver hurt, or killed. I don't care who my least favorite drivers are, I never want to see them hurt or killed. I just don't want to see it.
I'm spiritual in a weird way. I don't cling to any particular religion, but I pray. I pray that ever single driver in every single race walks away. I pray for that every single weekend.
I don't care whether you're spiritual or not, but I'd ask you to say a prayer, to who ever you might pray to. These guys are going fast, and they need your help.
God Bless.
Random Thoughts heading to Darlington
I write because I can, and not because I'm good at it. I write to get better, each and every day. I'm at somewhat of a disadvantage, because I'm white, southern, and male. Some folks can spout off almost anything and get noticed. I can't. So I write.
I try not to be controversial, because I'm not one to stir up the muck. I like to please people, but I know that I can't please everyone all the time. And when I irritate you with my words, just remember, they're words. I don't have enough bullets to kill everyone that disagrees with everything I say! Not that I'd want to do that anyway.
I found it interesting to note that I got a lot of readers on my recent post about Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Some actually responded and were very kind. What you don't know is the number of people that e-mailed me and told me some horrible things would happen to me if I keep bashing Kyle Busch. I'm guessing that this was maybe one or two people with multiple e-mail addresses that e-mailed me over and over. Most of the messages were the same: "Kyle Busch is GOD!" "Kyle Busch will kill you." You guys keep it up. You're hilarious. I hope your Mommy doesn't find out that you're sending hate mail and death threats.
In a way, I guess I'm getting noticed the way Kyle Busch is, but saying a few things that I believe are true and getting hammered for them. I know the e-mails are a bunch of bunk, but they still make me feel somewhat sad, like the kids in this country can not be educated more poorly than they are. I know deep down that I'm just doing what I was born to do. You, as the reader, have the option to read or not read. If you read, great. If you don't read, I don't mind.
I would ask this though. Mothers and fathers, check out what your kids are doing on the Internet. This can be a dangerous place, and you need to monitor what your kids are doing. I've got some ip addresses that I can hand over to a federal investigator, and he will move on them, because these are death threats. I'm not going to do that, because I know these are kids, but please know that eventually they will end up in a lot of trouble, if their idea of fun is to send death threats to an author.
Moving on, I have read many stories over the last few days about the Earnhardt/Busch incident at Richmond. The press seems to be divided pretty much evenly about who's fault the accident was. There are Jr. haters and Jr. lovers in the press, so objectivity is out the window here. Some claim that Dale Jr. should have stayed high, because if he gets wrecked, people will blame the other driver. What drivel. Jr. has the same right to race where ever he damn well pleases. Excuse my language, but I'm starting to get tired of the press bashing Jr. for racing hard. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a man, and he's willing to own up to his mistakes, when he makes them. That's something that cannot be said for Kyle Busch.
As far as I can see, Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not make a mistake at Richmond. He gave Kyle plenty of room on the bottom of the track and then Kyle got loose, and turned his steering wheel RIGHT, into the 88 car of Dale Jr. I'm beginning to think that Kyle belongs back on the dirt tracks, where hanging the tail out is just fine. That's NOT what you do on an asphalt track though. I don't think Kyle knows the difference. He drives a sloppy loose car all race long, and he doesn't care who he hits. That, my friends, is not talent. It's being a jerk.
If you can't drive the race car in a straight line, it might be time to get off the track. Kyle Busch deserves every hate mail he's getting not just from the Earnhardt fans, but from all fans of racing, everywhere. What Kyle did is a rookie mistake, but I notice he's not a rookie anymore.
Kyle, grow up. Dale, just keep doing what you do.
I try not to be controversial, because I'm not one to stir up the muck. I like to please people, but I know that I can't please everyone all the time. And when I irritate you with my words, just remember, they're words. I don't have enough bullets to kill everyone that disagrees with everything I say! Not that I'd want to do that anyway.
I found it interesting to note that I got a lot of readers on my recent post about Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Some actually responded and were very kind. What you don't know is the number of people that e-mailed me and told me some horrible things would happen to me if I keep bashing Kyle Busch. I'm guessing that this was maybe one or two people with multiple e-mail addresses that e-mailed me over and over. Most of the messages were the same: "Kyle Busch is GOD!" "Kyle Busch will kill you." You guys keep it up. You're hilarious. I hope your Mommy doesn't find out that you're sending hate mail and death threats.
In a way, I guess I'm getting noticed the way Kyle Busch is, but saying a few things that I believe are true and getting hammered for them. I know the e-mails are a bunch of bunk, but they still make me feel somewhat sad, like the kids in this country can not be educated more poorly than they are. I know deep down that I'm just doing what I was born to do. You, as the reader, have the option to read or not read. If you read, great. If you don't read, I don't mind.
I would ask this though. Mothers and fathers, check out what your kids are doing on the Internet. This can be a dangerous place, and you need to monitor what your kids are doing. I've got some ip addresses that I can hand over to a federal investigator, and he will move on them, because these are death threats. I'm not going to do that, because I know these are kids, but please know that eventually they will end up in a lot of trouble, if their idea of fun is to send death threats to an author.
Moving on, I have read many stories over the last few days about the Earnhardt/Busch incident at Richmond. The press seems to be divided pretty much evenly about who's fault the accident was. There are Jr. haters and Jr. lovers in the press, so objectivity is out the window here. Some claim that Dale Jr. should have stayed high, because if he gets wrecked, people will blame the other driver. What drivel. Jr. has the same right to race where ever he damn well pleases. Excuse my language, but I'm starting to get tired of the press bashing Jr. for racing hard. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a man, and he's willing to own up to his mistakes, when he makes them. That's something that cannot be said for Kyle Busch.
As far as I can see, Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not make a mistake at Richmond. He gave Kyle plenty of room on the bottom of the track and then Kyle got loose, and turned his steering wheel RIGHT, into the 88 car of Dale Jr. I'm beginning to think that Kyle belongs back on the dirt tracks, where hanging the tail out is just fine. That's NOT what you do on an asphalt track though. I don't think Kyle knows the difference. He drives a sloppy loose car all race long, and he doesn't care who he hits. That, my friends, is not talent. It's being a jerk.
If you can't drive the race car in a straight line, it might be time to get off the track. Kyle Busch deserves every hate mail he's getting not just from the Earnhardt fans, but from all fans of racing, everywhere. What Kyle did is a rookie mistake, but I notice he's not a rookie anymore.
Kyle, grow up. Dale, just keep doing what you do.
Monday, May 5, 2008
The Lady in Black has some new duds
With brand new pavement, and a new tunnel into the track, Darlington Raceway once again promises an exciting race on Saturday. Speeds of up to and possibly beyond 200 mph are possible there, and we will likely set new records in qualifying.
Darlington has always been the site for some of stock car's most exciting racing, and Saturday night promises to be some of the best racing ever at the legendary track.
Darlington Raceway is one of the oldest tracks in Nascar, and the tradition of hard fought racing carries on, this year with the fastest speeds ever.
Several drivers have had success here, including David Pearson, who holds the track record with 10 cup wins. Dale Earnhardt is second in the record book with 9 wins. Strangely enough, Darlington was never one of Richard Petty's best tracks, because even though he finished in the top 5 in 25 out of 65 starts, the King only won here 3 times in his career.
Among current drivers, Jeff Gordon has one 7 times at Darlington. Bill Elliot has won here 5 times, and just retired Dale Jarrett has won 3 times. Jeff Burton, Sterling Marlin, and Greg Biffle have each won 2 times. Mark Martin and Bobby Labonte have each won 1 time at the Lady in Black.
After a controversial finish at Richmond, Denny Hamlin must be looking forward to Darlington, having finished an average of 6.0 in his first two races at the track. Jimmie Johnson has an average finish of 6.8 in his 9 starts. Ryan Newman has finished on average 9th out of his 9 starts.
Darlington often proves to be a very challenging track for young drivers. Quite a few rookies have learned the hard way why Darlington is often called "The track too tough to tame."
Darlington also proves to be challenging to many veteran drivers as well. Kyle Petty has started 50 races at Darlington but has never had a top 10 finish.
Darlington would certainly be on the list of practically any driver to add to his win list. A win at Darlington looks good on anyone's resume.
Darlington has always been the site for some of stock car's most exciting racing, and Saturday night promises to be some of the best racing ever at the legendary track.
Darlington Raceway is one of the oldest tracks in Nascar, and the tradition of hard fought racing carries on, this year with the fastest speeds ever.
Several drivers have had success here, including David Pearson, who holds the track record with 10 cup wins. Dale Earnhardt is second in the record book with 9 wins. Strangely enough, Darlington was never one of Richard Petty's best tracks, because even though he finished in the top 5 in 25 out of 65 starts, the King only won here 3 times in his career.
Among current drivers, Jeff Gordon has one 7 times at Darlington. Bill Elliot has won here 5 times, and just retired Dale Jarrett has won 3 times. Jeff Burton, Sterling Marlin, and Greg Biffle have each won 2 times. Mark Martin and Bobby Labonte have each won 1 time at the Lady in Black.
After a controversial finish at Richmond, Denny Hamlin must be looking forward to Darlington, having finished an average of 6.0 in his first two races at the track. Jimmie Johnson has an average finish of 6.8 in his 9 starts. Ryan Newman has finished on average 9th out of his 9 starts.
Darlington often proves to be a very challenging track for young drivers. Quite a few rookies have learned the hard way why Darlington is often called "The track too tough to tame."
Darlington also proves to be challenging to many veteran drivers as well. Kyle Petty has started 50 races at Darlington but has never had a top 10 finish.
Darlington would certainly be on the list of practically any driver to add to his win list. A win at Darlington looks good on anyone's resume.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
"Security, we have a problem."
Last night's race at Richmond looked like it was going to be a flag to flag romp for Denny Hamlin, but that was not to be. With only laps to go, Denny cut a right front tire, and tried to stay out for the finish, even though he was rapidly losing spots. When the tire finally went, Denny got into the wall, a little, and stopped on the track. Nascar had little choice but to bring out the yellow flag. Once the caution was out, Denny drove to the pits for fresh tires. Nascar was not pleased, and parked Denny for 2 laps for intentionally bringing out a caution. Nascar does indeed frown on that, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. found out a few years ago when he admitted on the radio that he had looped his car to bring out the yellow flag. We all live and learn, I suppose, but what happened after the restart was proof that not all drivers learn.
When Denny Hamlin cut a tire, it allowed Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch to pass Denny. Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead, and was driving away by about a tenth of a second gain per lap. When Denny brought out the caution, Jr. had over a full second lead over Kyle Busch.
Throughout the Earnhardt Nation, I think hearts began to sink. I don't think anyone who has been watching Nascar more than a few races doubted that Kyle Busch was going to do something, either on the restart or immediately afterwards, and we didn't have to wait long to find out that we were all right. Kyle was trying to pass Dale Jr. on the inside in Turn 3, and got into Jr.'s left side and spun out Dale Jr. Kyle was passed during that scuffle by Clint Bowyer, who eventually won the race, after charging through the pack all day, just biding his time. Kyle Busch finished second, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 15th.
The predictable cans came flying over the fence after Dale Jr. got spun. My friends, I'm as passionate about this sport than anyone, but I really hate to see this, because it has become almost standard practice now to label fans of Dale Jr. as drunks and people that willingly endanger the lives of not only race car drivers, but the safety of other fans. I go to all the races I can, and I have been known to partake of adult beverages at times, and in some cases way too many. I think it's a shame that because of the not so smart actions of a few, the entire fan base of one driver gets labeled as a bunch of drunks. I know that all the fans throwing debris over the fence are not Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans, because a couple of years ago, we saw a fan decked out in Jimmie Johnson colors being led away in handcuffs, long before Dale Jr. and Jimmie became teammates. What does concern me is perception. A few people in the media blame it all on the Earnhardt Nation, so that gives all it's members a bad name in the eyes of a lot of casual fans.
Kyle Busch, when interviewed after the race, was seemingly sarcastic about the entire affair. He seemed more concerned with the one finger salutes that he was receiving from Earnhardt fans even before the accident, than he was about the accident itself. Kyle made somewhat of a half apology, but was not very sincere about it. One suspects that Kyle was probably disappointed that he did not win the race, but he appeared to be not very sorry about wrecking the race leader. One comment, in his half apology, was the observation that now he, Kyle Busch, was going to have to "deal with it," meaning the fallout from wrecking a guy who hasn't won in 71 races, and who happens to be Nascar's Most Popular Driver for several years running.
Did Kyle Busch wreck Dale Jr. on purpose? It's possible, but only Kyle knows the answer to that, and he's not going to admit it if he did. Friday night, in the Nationwide race, Kyle got into a little dust up with Steven Wallace, which led to Kyle putting his face right in Steven's after the race, while Steven was still in his race car. Something was said about bulls, and horns, but I suspect that Kyle's biggest threat is not the horns on a bull's head, but what the bull leaves on the ground. Steven grabbed Kyle by the helmet, and Kyle backed up in a hurry, but came back to the car as team members arrived to break up the possible fight. Kyle did not get wrecked in the action on the track with Steven Wallace, and after only momentarily losing a position to Steven, hit Steven in retaliation, and regained the spot.
I've been reading certain fan's comments about Kyle Busch being the new "Intimidator". I have to laugh at that, because Kyle's main claim to fame is that he is willing to slide his car all over the track, and hit people. If he wins, great. If he wrecks himself, he throws a temper tantrum and storms away, but not before making outrageous statements in front of live microphones and cameras. Kyle does have a reputation as a hard charger, and other drivers probably do hate to see him in their mirrors, but not because of Kyle's intimidation factor, but more likely because they know he's a wreck waiting to happen. As a long time Dale Earnhardt fan, I find the comparisons between Dale and Kyle to be insulting, at best. Dale drove rough, and he drove hard, but he also drove smart. Kyle just drives rough and hard, and there are countless examples of that behavior during his Nascar career.
In Texas last year, a car spun in front of Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jr. lifted to slow down as he drove into the smoke. No one could see for a few seconds, and Dale Jr. wisely slowed down to miss the accident. Kyle did the opposite, by driving blindly into the smoke with the accelerator pegged to the firewall. Naturally Kyle hit Dale Jr. a ton, wrecking both cars pretty badly. Back in the garage, cameras showed Kyle climbing from his car, roughly shoving past his crew members and storming away. As it turned out, Kyle left the track.
Near the end of the race, the 5 team of Kyle Busch got the car drivable again, but just barely. They went looking for their driver, but he was on his way home. Dale Jr., the driver Kyle had just taken out of the race, climbed into the car and finished the race. In that instance, Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed his class, and Kyle Busch showed his ass.
I think that Kyle Busch still stings from being released from his Hendrick ride last year to make way for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Some of the remarks he's made since the announcement that Dale Jr. would be joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2008 led me to believe that he still harbors some resentment. Though Kyle has done very well at Joe Gibbs Racing, there appears to still be somewhat of a chip on the young man's shoulder.
Last night, Dale Earnhardt Jr. handled the disappointment with his usual class, not placing blame on Kyle, stating that he had not yet seen the replay. "If I do want to talk to him, I'll have to stand in line," he quipped. When he was being interviewed, he was asked if Kyle Busch was going to need extra security. "We all will," Jr. answered.
Though Dale Jr. remains 3rd overall in Cup points, Kyle Busch now is in first place. I have to admit that I was glad that Kyle Busch ended up not winning last night, because if nothing else, it was a mistake he made, if not an outright low blow to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kyle races in all 3 of Nascar's top series, and he's made quite a few enemies in all 3. I hope this young man will eventually mature and gain the respect of not only the fans of the sport, but his fellow drivers as well.
On a side note, Michael Waltrip was parked by Nascar in the latter stages of the race after colliding with Casey Mears, and then standing on the gas, pushing Casey's wrecked car down the backstretch. I knew Michael was having a bad day, but I didn't know he was having that bad of a day. Oddly enough, older brother and FOX commentator Darrell Waltrip for once had nothing to say about it.
Strange, huh?
When Denny Hamlin cut a tire, it allowed Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch to pass Denny. Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead, and was driving away by about a tenth of a second gain per lap. When Denny brought out the caution, Jr. had over a full second lead over Kyle Busch.
Throughout the Earnhardt Nation, I think hearts began to sink. I don't think anyone who has been watching Nascar more than a few races doubted that Kyle Busch was going to do something, either on the restart or immediately afterwards, and we didn't have to wait long to find out that we were all right. Kyle was trying to pass Dale Jr. on the inside in Turn 3, and got into Jr.'s left side and spun out Dale Jr. Kyle was passed during that scuffle by Clint Bowyer, who eventually won the race, after charging through the pack all day, just biding his time. Kyle Busch finished second, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 15th.
The predictable cans came flying over the fence after Dale Jr. got spun. My friends, I'm as passionate about this sport than anyone, but I really hate to see this, because it has become almost standard practice now to label fans of Dale Jr. as drunks and people that willingly endanger the lives of not only race car drivers, but the safety of other fans. I go to all the races I can, and I have been known to partake of adult beverages at times, and in some cases way too many. I think it's a shame that because of the not so smart actions of a few, the entire fan base of one driver gets labeled as a bunch of drunks. I know that all the fans throwing debris over the fence are not Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans, because a couple of years ago, we saw a fan decked out in Jimmie Johnson colors being led away in handcuffs, long before Dale Jr. and Jimmie became teammates. What does concern me is perception. A few people in the media blame it all on the Earnhardt Nation, so that gives all it's members a bad name in the eyes of a lot of casual fans.
Kyle Busch, when interviewed after the race, was seemingly sarcastic about the entire affair. He seemed more concerned with the one finger salutes that he was receiving from Earnhardt fans even before the accident, than he was about the accident itself. Kyle made somewhat of a half apology, but was not very sincere about it. One suspects that Kyle was probably disappointed that he did not win the race, but he appeared to be not very sorry about wrecking the race leader. One comment, in his half apology, was the observation that now he, Kyle Busch, was going to have to "deal with it," meaning the fallout from wrecking a guy who hasn't won in 71 races, and who happens to be Nascar's Most Popular Driver for several years running.
Did Kyle Busch wreck Dale Jr. on purpose? It's possible, but only Kyle knows the answer to that, and he's not going to admit it if he did. Friday night, in the Nationwide race, Kyle got into a little dust up with Steven Wallace, which led to Kyle putting his face right in Steven's after the race, while Steven was still in his race car. Something was said about bulls, and horns, but I suspect that Kyle's biggest threat is not the horns on a bull's head, but what the bull leaves on the ground. Steven grabbed Kyle by the helmet, and Kyle backed up in a hurry, but came back to the car as team members arrived to break up the possible fight. Kyle did not get wrecked in the action on the track with Steven Wallace, and after only momentarily losing a position to Steven, hit Steven in retaliation, and regained the spot.
I've been reading certain fan's comments about Kyle Busch being the new "Intimidator". I have to laugh at that, because Kyle's main claim to fame is that he is willing to slide his car all over the track, and hit people. If he wins, great. If he wrecks himself, he throws a temper tantrum and storms away, but not before making outrageous statements in front of live microphones and cameras. Kyle does have a reputation as a hard charger, and other drivers probably do hate to see him in their mirrors, but not because of Kyle's intimidation factor, but more likely because they know he's a wreck waiting to happen. As a long time Dale Earnhardt fan, I find the comparisons between Dale and Kyle to be insulting, at best. Dale drove rough, and he drove hard, but he also drove smart. Kyle just drives rough and hard, and there are countless examples of that behavior during his Nascar career.
In Texas last year, a car spun in front of Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jr. lifted to slow down as he drove into the smoke. No one could see for a few seconds, and Dale Jr. wisely slowed down to miss the accident. Kyle did the opposite, by driving blindly into the smoke with the accelerator pegged to the firewall. Naturally Kyle hit Dale Jr. a ton, wrecking both cars pretty badly. Back in the garage, cameras showed Kyle climbing from his car, roughly shoving past his crew members and storming away. As it turned out, Kyle left the track.
Near the end of the race, the 5 team of Kyle Busch got the car drivable again, but just barely. They went looking for their driver, but he was on his way home. Dale Jr., the driver Kyle had just taken out of the race, climbed into the car and finished the race. In that instance, Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed his class, and Kyle Busch showed his ass.
I think that Kyle Busch still stings from being released from his Hendrick ride last year to make way for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Some of the remarks he's made since the announcement that Dale Jr. would be joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2008 led me to believe that he still harbors some resentment. Though Kyle has done very well at Joe Gibbs Racing, there appears to still be somewhat of a chip on the young man's shoulder.
Last night, Dale Earnhardt Jr. handled the disappointment with his usual class, not placing blame on Kyle, stating that he had not yet seen the replay. "If I do want to talk to him, I'll have to stand in line," he quipped. When he was being interviewed, he was asked if Kyle Busch was going to need extra security. "We all will," Jr. answered.
Though Dale Jr. remains 3rd overall in Cup points, Kyle Busch now is in first place. I have to admit that I was glad that Kyle Busch ended up not winning last night, because if nothing else, it was a mistake he made, if not an outright low blow to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kyle races in all 3 of Nascar's top series, and he's made quite a few enemies in all 3. I hope this young man will eventually mature and gain the respect of not only the fans of the sport, but his fellow drivers as well.
On a side note, Michael Waltrip was parked by Nascar in the latter stages of the race after colliding with Casey Mears, and then standing on the gas, pushing Casey's wrecked car down the backstretch. I knew Michael was having a bad day, but I didn't know he was having that bad of a day. Oddly enough, older brother and FOX commentator Darrell Waltrip for once had nothing to say about it.
Strange, huh?
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Richmond is a special place
For a lot of drivers, Richmond is a special place. Quite a few current drivers have won races there, some have won more than once. I always enjoy watching races at Richmond because it's a unique track, 3/4 mile in length, and has seen some wild races in the past.
Drivers who have won at Richmond include Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Kyle Petty, Ryan Newman, Jeremy Mayfield, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, and Joe Nemechek. Each have a win at Richmond. There are a lot of other winners at Richmond, but these are some of the current drivers who have wins at the track.
Some current drivers have more than one win at the track, and with two wins each would include Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett. Dale won't be driving Richmond this year, so we can safely count him out on a third win this year.
Two current drivers have won 3 times at Richmond, and they were both important figures in last week's Talladega race. I'm talking, of course, about Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Richmond has been a great track for both of these drivers, and as strong as both drivers have been running lately, that trend is likely to continue for the Richmond race. Toyota teams have been strong right out of the box, and Chevrolet teams are getting better and better, especially the Hendrick team.
I can't rule out another rogue win by Carl Edwards this week, or a win by one of his Ford brethren, but I'm looking mostly at what the Toyota and Chevrolet teams will be doing. Dodge might make a run at it too, so who knows what will happen.
Right now the top rated teams by driver, and by manufacturer would have to be Chevrolet's Jeff Burton, Toyota's Kyle Busch, Ford's Greg Biffle, and Dodge's Ryan Newman. I'm just looking at total points here, not wins or anything else.
Will Richmond be another win for Toyota? Personally I hope not. I'm beginning to believe the talk that Toyota is enjoying a horsepower advantage, after the dismal performance they showed in 2007. Toyota has either really brought their game to the track, or Nascar allowed them some extra HP. It's that simple. The fact that Joe Gibbs Racing converted to Toyota for this season helped a lot, but I find it hard to believe that it helped that much. Toyota has to be making more horsepower than any other engines out there. I'm just saying!
And finally, in a new idea to include into the blog, I delve into the mailbag, or actually the e-mail bag, and take a question. And I'll try to answer it. Honest, I will!
Jason L. from Omaha, Nebraska asks "Why does Nascar pull out the yellow flag so much? Most of the time, we don't even see the stuff on the track! Do they do that to try to help certain drivers who need a pit stop?"
Jason, my best answer is that Nascar will always throw a yellow flag if they are concerned about safety. Debris on the track usually means cut tires and a car goes hard into the wall. Metal debris on the track will cut tires like you or I cut into a steak. As for do they do it for certain drivers? I doubt it. When certain drivers complain about debris, they probably listen more than they listen do over drivers, but there is not much objectivity in Nascar, it would seem. Certain drivers get more attention than do others, but there's not a whole heck of a lot we can do about it. If Jeff Gordon starts screaming about debris all over the race track, Nascar probably pays attention. If Regan Smith starts screaming about it, they probably don't pay as much attention. It's not really fair, but that's most likely the way it is. Nascar does monitor the communications between driver and spotter and crew chief, and I'm guessing that Nascar probably has thrown the yellow several times over the last few years, based on what a driver or spotter says. I don't think it's right, but it probably does happen.
I hope that answers your question, Jason. I'd like to make this a weekly feature, and if you'll just send your questions to jimcinsc@gmail.com, I'll be happy to answer, either publicly, as on this blog, or privately, at your discretion. I'm not an expert, but I've been watching for a long time, and I study the science of Nascar. All opinions are MY opinions, but if you ask, I will answer.
Have a great race weekend!
Drivers who have won at Richmond include Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Kyle Petty, Ryan Newman, Jeremy Mayfield, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, and Joe Nemechek. Each have a win at Richmond. There are a lot of other winners at Richmond, but these are some of the current drivers who have wins at the track.
Some current drivers have more than one win at the track, and with two wins each would include Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett. Dale won't be driving Richmond this year, so we can safely count him out on a third win this year.
Two current drivers have won 3 times at Richmond, and they were both important figures in last week's Talladega race. I'm talking, of course, about Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Richmond has been a great track for both of these drivers, and as strong as both drivers have been running lately, that trend is likely to continue for the Richmond race. Toyota teams have been strong right out of the box, and Chevrolet teams are getting better and better, especially the Hendrick team.
I can't rule out another rogue win by Carl Edwards this week, or a win by one of his Ford brethren, but I'm looking mostly at what the Toyota and Chevrolet teams will be doing. Dodge might make a run at it too, so who knows what will happen.
Right now the top rated teams by driver, and by manufacturer would have to be Chevrolet's Jeff Burton, Toyota's Kyle Busch, Ford's Greg Biffle, and Dodge's Ryan Newman. I'm just looking at total points here, not wins or anything else.
Will Richmond be another win for Toyota? Personally I hope not. I'm beginning to believe the talk that Toyota is enjoying a horsepower advantage, after the dismal performance they showed in 2007. Toyota has either really brought their game to the track, or Nascar allowed them some extra HP. It's that simple. The fact that Joe Gibbs Racing converted to Toyota for this season helped a lot, but I find it hard to believe that it helped that much. Toyota has to be making more horsepower than any other engines out there. I'm just saying!
And finally, in a new idea to include into the blog, I delve into the mailbag, or actually the e-mail bag, and take a question. And I'll try to answer it. Honest, I will!
Jason L. from Omaha, Nebraska asks "Why does Nascar pull out the yellow flag so much? Most of the time, we don't even see the stuff on the track! Do they do that to try to help certain drivers who need a pit stop?"
Jason, my best answer is that Nascar will always throw a yellow flag if they are concerned about safety. Debris on the track usually means cut tires and a car goes hard into the wall. Metal debris on the track will cut tires like you or I cut into a steak. As for do they do it for certain drivers? I doubt it. When certain drivers complain about debris, they probably listen more than they listen do over drivers, but there is not much objectivity in Nascar, it would seem. Certain drivers get more attention than do others, but there's not a whole heck of a lot we can do about it. If Jeff Gordon starts screaming about debris all over the race track, Nascar probably pays attention. If Regan Smith starts screaming about it, they probably don't pay as much attention. It's not really fair, but that's most likely the way it is. Nascar does monitor the communications between driver and spotter and crew chief, and I'm guessing that Nascar probably has thrown the yellow several times over the last few years, based on what a driver or spotter says. I don't think it's right, but it probably does happen.
I hope that answers your question, Jason. I'd like to make this a weekly feature, and if you'll just send your questions to jimcinsc@gmail.com, I'll be happy to answer, either publicly, as on this blog, or privately, at your discretion. I'm not an expert, but I've been watching for a long time, and I study the science of Nascar. All opinions are MY opinions, but if you ask, I will answer.
Have a great race weekend!
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