Kevin Harvick won at Martinsville today. Dale Earnhardt Jr. came in second, narrowly beating out Kyle Busch for the spot. Juan Pablo Montoya came in 4th, and Jeff Gordon finished 5th.
This was Martinsville at its best. Good racing, good finishes, and the oldest track on the NASCAR circuit keeps putting people into the stands. I don’t think today was a sellout by any means, but for a track in a town rather off the beaten track in southern Virginia, Martinsville never ceases to please.
Several years ago, after Dale Earnhardt died, I figured that eventually we would see Earnhardt Jr. and Harvick racing for wins against each other. This isn’t the first time, obviously, but for me, at least, it was a win-win situation. Nothing can be better than to see two of my favorite drivers fighting for the lead with laps to go at a track like Martinsville. The drag race to the finish line with Dale Jr. just edging out Kyle Busch put the icing on my race day.
It’s not that I don’t like Kyle Busch. Not as a racer at least. I know that Kyle is one of the toughest drivers out there, and he’s smart as well. As far as talent, Kyle Busch has it all.
I’m still working on the personality part of the Kyle Busch equation though. He seems a little more calm so far in 2011, and I like that. His mostly reasoned responses to media question make him better received than his old snarky personality made him sound. If indeed Kyle is really coming around, I welcome him to NASCAR. Be aggressive as you want to be on the track, just don’t whine about it when it all blows up in your face later. Maybe that was just the old Kyle Busch. The new Kyle I’ve seen lately is a lot easier to take, especially on a full stomach. I’m not sure that I like Kyle yet, but I do respect him more.
When Martin Truex Jr.’s throttle got stuck open and he hit the wall, taking Kasey Kahne with him, I gained a lot of respect for Martin when he jumped out of his car and went to check on Kasey. To me, that showed character as a driver. Martin didn’t need to do that, but it was obviously important to him to make sure that a fellow driver was OK after a pretty bad wreck. Fortunately, Kasey was, but Martin what I wish some other drivers would do in the same situation. Go check on the other guy if you’re OK. That’s the old school thing to do.
Martinsville, from it’s bright pink hot dogs down to it’s great racing epitomizes what racing ought to be. Small tracks, small towns, tasty eats, and good hard racing.
What could be better?
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Martinsville: Make Sure You Try Out the Hot Dogs
Martinsville is famous for its hotdogs. Go eat one. It's pink, but it won't kill you.
I love Martinsville, because it's two drag strips connected by two U turns. Oh, wait, I'm pretty sure someone else has already said that. Believe me, it's not easy being original in a world where it seems like everything has been done, said, or written at least once.
I love the short tracks. I always have. I love Martinsville, Richmond, Bristol, Dover, Phoenix, and even Darlington, even though Darlington technically doesn't qualify as a short track. I love the fact that the drivers have to really crank that steering wheel around like they don't do on 1.5 mile tracks. It's fun, it's awesome, and oh, did I mention the great pink hot dogs?
Expect to see a hot dog wrapper or two on the front grills of some of the race car. That's a tradition at Martinsville too. Somehow, some of those pieces of paper end up on the track, and when one gets hung in front of the radiator of a race car, overheating can occur. It's just part of the game at this wonderful track in southern Virgina.
Martinsville is the oldest, I think, track currently on the NASCAR circuit. It's a wonderful example of how racing used to be. I love it, and if you're a NASCAR fan, you should too.
I really don't care who wins this weekend, but I'm very happy that we're racing on one of the greatest tracks in the series this weekend. I'm going to eat a hot dog in celebration.
I love Martinsville, because it's two drag strips connected by two U turns. Oh, wait, I'm pretty sure someone else has already said that. Believe me, it's not easy being original in a world where it seems like everything has been done, said, or written at least once.
I love the short tracks. I always have. I love Martinsville, Richmond, Bristol, Dover, Phoenix, and even Darlington, even though Darlington technically doesn't qualify as a short track. I love the fact that the drivers have to really crank that steering wheel around like they don't do on 1.5 mile tracks. It's fun, it's awesome, and oh, did I mention the great pink hot dogs?
Expect to see a hot dog wrapper or two on the front grills of some of the race car. That's a tradition at Martinsville too. Somehow, some of those pieces of paper end up on the track, and when one gets hung in front of the radiator of a race car, overheating can occur. It's just part of the game at this wonderful track in southern Virgina.
Martinsville is the oldest, I think, track currently on the NASCAR circuit. It's a wonderful example of how racing used to be. I love it, and if you're a NASCAR fan, you should too.
I really don't care who wins this weekend, but I'm very happy that we're racing on one of the greatest tracks in the series this weekend. I'm going to eat a hot dog in celebration.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Great Race at California. Say What?
It's seems strange to say it, but the last 10 or so laps of Sunday's California race were among the best I've seen so far in the 2011 season. Just when it looked like Kyle Busch was going to complete another sweep weekend, he falls from first two third in just a couple of laps.
Kevin Harvick came seemingly out of nowhere and passed first Busch, then Jimmie Johnson, who only himself had just passed Kyle for the lead. Kevin put his front bumper to the rear of Jimmie's Chevrolet, got Jimmie loose, and passed on the outside.
But wait, this really happened at California? Indeed it did.
I will admit, the first 190 laps or so were not very exciting. I was about ready to quit watching the race altogether when JJ and Kevin began to close in on Kyle. I'm glad I hung around to watch the end.
I already had said to a friend how much I liked the paint scheme on the 29 Chevy of Kevin Harvick. At California, he had Jimmy Johns as his primary sponsor, and the car, at least from the side, was white. It reminded me of his cars during his rookie Cup season in 2001, when he won his first cup race in only his third start at Atlanta. (Oh, how I missed Atlanta this spring, but more on that at another time)
Congratulations to Kevin Harvick, Richard Childress, and all the RCR guys in a great win in Kevin's home state. That win will probably rank up there with some of Kevin's favorite wins, considering who he passed in the final laps to take the checkered flag.
Kevin Harvick came seemingly out of nowhere and passed first Busch, then Jimmie Johnson, who only himself had just passed Kyle for the lead. Kevin put his front bumper to the rear of Jimmie's Chevrolet, got Jimmie loose, and passed on the outside.
But wait, this really happened at California? Indeed it did.
I will admit, the first 190 laps or so were not very exciting. I was about ready to quit watching the race altogether when JJ and Kevin began to close in on Kyle. I'm glad I hung around to watch the end.
I already had said to a friend how much I liked the paint scheme on the 29 Chevy of Kevin Harvick. At California, he had Jimmy Johns as his primary sponsor, and the car, at least from the side, was white. It reminded me of his cars during his rookie Cup season in 2001, when he won his first cup race in only his third start at Atlanta. (Oh, how I missed Atlanta this spring, but more on that at another time)
Congratulations to Kevin Harvick, Richard Childress, and all the RCR guys in a great win in Kevin's home state. That win will probably rank up there with some of Kevin's favorite wins, considering who he passed in the final laps to take the checkered flag.
Friday, March 4, 2011
On Monday Morning, Everyone's an Expert
I listen to sports talk radio quite a bit. Most of the time, the coverage of anything related to NASCAR is severely lacking, but I do perk up when events occur that catch the attention of even the most diehard stick and ball radio guys who would rather talk about college basketball RPI’s than they would even mention any kind of automobile racing, especially NASCAR.
Trevor Bayne’s win at Daytona on Sunday changed all of that. I didn’t listen to the radio all day, since my paying job requires most of my attention between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm. I do listen on the way to work, while I’m at lunch, and on the way home, however. Early this morning, I listened to one talk show host who kept referring to the Daytona 500 winner as ‘Trevor Payne,’ or sometimes ‘Travis Payne,’ and I was yelling at the radio, which turns out to be a very productive exercise. It’s productive if you’re trying to roughen up some already scratchy vocal cords anyway, which I have, due to a recent cold. Unfortunately, it’s not very productive for much else, except making the cats give me one of those ‘he’s losing his mind again’ looks.
This particular host had a caller who tried to correct the last name of the driver in question. The host quickly ignored the caller’s attempt to correct a mistake, and announced that he basically watches all the races, and he knows what he’s talking about. Interesting, because I watch all the races that I can, but sometimes not all of them. For instance, I did not get to watch the Craftsman Truck race on Friday, nor did I catch the Nationwide race on Saturday, nor did I see the Twin 150’s on Thursday, because calling in sick just to watch two qualifying races just didn’t quite outweigh my need for a paycheck, but even I knew who Trevor Bayne was. I know more about him now than I did Sunday morning, but even I knew his name was ‘Bayne,’ and not ‘Payne.’
I just finished watching Trevor’s appearance on ESPN’s NASCAR show on Monday evening. The young man is nearly impossible to dislike. His enthusiasm is contagious. He’s a very real, excited young man with a very personable and engaging personality. If I were the Wood Brothers, I’d make darn sure this guy doesn’t get away. He reminds me of the son I never had, but wish I had. The guy prayed over the radio on his pace laps before the green flag dropped. He was 20 years and one day old when he won the Daytona 500, in only his second career Sprint Cup start.
Several talk show hosts today have repeatedly talked about how Trevor won the biggest race in only his second race, as if he’s only been in a race car one other time in his life. That, of course, is not true. Trevor has been racing since he was knee high to a grasshopper, and achieved much national acclaim racing carts as a boy. He’s been around the Nationwide series for a while. In other words, the kid has been driving competitively most of his life. The talking radio heads don’t seem to grasp that, and I actually heard one guy today try to make the argument that this is just proof that NASCAR is all a farce, just a sham, because some kid who has no idea what being a race car driver is all about just won the biggest race in his sport. This gem of a host made a comment that Trevor probably doesn’t even know how many wheels there are on a stock car, because he’s never raced but one time before. No, I’m not talking about ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser, either. This was some guy who typically engages mouth before brain, and since in his mind, NASCAR isn’t a sport anyway, why waste the time to actually research a subject on which you are about to pontificate?
Those you who listen to sports talk radio can probably tell me some even better stories than the couple I’ve shared with you. As a NASCAR fan, I take a little pride in listening to these experts on all things sports, and knowing that even I know more about my sport than they do, no matter how well connected they try to appear to be. One host I listened to today made the usual comments about Trevor being a ‘novice racer’, but when a caller who actually was a fan called in and set the host straight on Trevor’s pedigree, the host quickly admitted that he doesn’t actually watch NASCAR, he just scans the headlines. I give this guy his props, he admits when he knows he’s delved into an area that he really doesn’t know anything about. Unfortunately, many taking radio heads won’t admit that they’re wrong about anything.
I suppose just to prove a real expert knows what he’s talking about, Trevor Bayne will have to change his last name to ‘Payne.’
Trevor Bayne’s win at Daytona on Sunday changed all of that. I didn’t listen to the radio all day, since my paying job requires most of my attention between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm. I do listen on the way to work, while I’m at lunch, and on the way home, however. Early this morning, I listened to one talk show host who kept referring to the Daytona 500 winner as ‘Trevor Payne,’ or sometimes ‘Travis Payne,’ and I was yelling at the radio, which turns out to be a very productive exercise. It’s productive if you’re trying to roughen up some already scratchy vocal cords anyway, which I have, due to a recent cold. Unfortunately, it’s not very productive for much else, except making the cats give me one of those ‘he’s losing his mind again’ looks.
This particular host had a caller who tried to correct the last name of the driver in question. The host quickly ignored the caller’s attempt to correct a mistake, and announced that he basically watches all the races, and he knows what he’s talking about. Interesting, because I watch all the races that I can, but sometimes not all of them. For instance, I did not get to watch the Craftsman Truck race on Friday, nor did I catch the Nationwide race on Saturday, nor did I see the Twin 150’s on Thursday, because calling in sick just to watch two qualifying races just didn’t quite outweigh my need for a paycheck, but even I knew who Trevor Bayne was. I know more about him now than I did Sunday morning, but even I knew his name was ‘Bayne,’ and not ‘Payne.’
I just finished watching Trevor’s appearance on ESPN’s NASCAR show on Monday evening. The young man is nearly impossible to dislike. His enthusiasm is contagious. He’s a very real, excited young man with a very personable and engaging personality. If I were the Wood Brothers, I’d make darn sure this guy doesn’t get away. He reminds me of the son I never had, but wish I had. The guy prayed over the radio on his pace laps before the green flag dropped. He was 20 years and one day old when he won the Daytona 500, in only his second career Sprint Cup start.
Several talk show hosts today have repeatedly talked about how Trevor won the biggest race in only his second race, as if he’s only been in a race car one other time in his life. That, of course, is not true. Trevor has been racing since he was knee high to a grasshopper, and achieved much national acclaim racing carts as a boy. He’s been around the Nationwide series for a while. In other words, the kid has been driving competitively most of his life. The talking radio heads don’t seem to grasp that, and I actually heard one guy today try to make the argument that this is just proof that NASCAR is all a farce, just a sham, because some kid who has no idea what being a race car driver is all about just won the biggest race in his sport. This gem of a host made a comment that Trevor probably doesn’t even know how many wheels there are on a stock car, because he’s never raced but one time before. No, I’m not talking about ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser, either. This was some guy who typically engages mouth before brain, and since in his mind, NASCAR isn’t a sport anyway, why waste the time to actually research a subject on which you are about to pontificate?
Those you who listen to sports talk radio can probably tell me some even better stories than the couple I’ve shared with you. As a NASCAR fan, I take a little pride in listening to these experts on all things sports, and knowing that even I know more about my sport than they do, no matter how well connected they try to appear to be. One host I listened to today made the usual comments about Trevor being a ‘novice racer’, but when a caller who actually was a fan called in and set the host straight on Trevor’s pedigree, the host quickly admitted that he doesn’t actually watch NASCAR, he just scans the headlines. I give this guy his props, he admits when he knows he’s delved into an area that he really doesn’t know anything about. Unfortunately, many taking radio heads won’t admit that they’re wrong about anything.
I suppose just to prove a real expert knows what he’s talking about, Trevor Bayne will have to change his last name to ‘Payne.’
Sunday, January 23, 2011
This Is Going To Be Fun
NASCAR has announced some new rules regarding the way things are done. That’s NASCAR’s prerogative, of course, and for a change, it appears that they are doing things that will make fans happy. What a wonderful concept.
First of all, the points rules appear to be changing once again. Supposedly, the winner of a race will be rewarded more for winning, which is a concept unto it’s self. Rather than repeatedly rewarding drivers for finishing in the top 10, the points will be more heavily favorable to the winner of the race. What goes around comes around I guess. Isn’t that the way it used to be?
There’s a shake up in the works that will effect the outcome of the Nationwide series as well. Drivers now have to choose, on their license applications which series they are competing for a championship in. I think that this will help keep the Cup guys from overshadowing the Nationwide guys. I’d rather see someone like Jason Keller win a championship in Nationwide than somebody like Carl Edwards, or Kyle Busch. Carl and Kyle play in the big leagues, and that’s where their efforts should be concentrated, as far as I’m concerned. Let the full time Nationwide guys settle it among themselves. I love that the Cup stars spice up the Nationwide series, but I’ve never been happy that they dominate it, at least as far as the championship goes.
Personally, I’m glad that NASCAR has made the changes they have, among other changes that I’m not even prepared to discuss here. I’m glad that NASCAR is being proactive about their venture, to use a little business speak. They need to keep trying to tweak the sport a little to attract more posteriors into seats, since they started playing with the format since the coronation of Brian France. They’ve played with the system so much, they pretty much have to keep playing with things to keep the fans interested. What’s most interesting, at least to me, is that the more NASCAR changes, the more it gets back to where it was a decade or more ago.
Just look at the cars. The rear spoiler is back, and now there is no strange looking front splitter on the Cup cars for 2011. NASCAR calls it something like a splitter without struts, but it’s basically an air dam, just like the old cars used to have. I like the way the new cars look compared to the ridiculous wings and splitters that we used to watch. The cars look way more like real cars to me. I’m much more inclined to buy a die cast replica more than I have been since the advent of the COT, or Car Of Tomorrow. Basically those cars were a bastardization of NASCAR’s original plan. The acronym ’NASCAR’ stands for the National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing. What the heck was stock about that wing and splitter? I know, we’ve gotten a long way from the original race cars, which were literally cars just off the dealer lots. I still somewhat wish we could turn back time and go back to those days, but I’m afraid it’s a little too late to do that. I grew up after those years though, and wish this stuff was closer to being as simple as it was back in the 1970’s. Yeah, I know, when it comes to NASCAR, I’m a dinosaur.
On a side note, so much for my plan to write more in 2011. I’ve recently been hired full time by a company I’ve worked for before, so time is a little short lately You see, my basic problem is that I‘ve got to eat. I‘d do this all day if I could afford to. I promise I will do all I can to write as much as I can at night and on weekends. My love for this sport in not diminished at all, and I plan to watch each and every single race this year, and for the rest of my life, for that matter. As long as stock car racing exists, and I’m alive, I’ll be here. You can rest assured of that.
By the way, there is a major redesign of this site coming up. I had hoped to get it up by the end of the year, but I ran out of time on that. I’m going to be making changes slowly through the rest of the winter, and hopefully by Daytona, I’ll have it fixed. Thank you for your patience.
First of all, the points rules appear to be changing once again. Supposedly, the winner of a race will be rewarded more for winning, which is a concept unto it’s self. Rather than repeatedly rewarding drivers for finishing in the top 10, the points will be more heavily favorable to the winner of the race. What goes around comes around I guess. Isn’t that the way it used to be?
There’s a shake up in the works that will effect the outcome of the Nationwide series as well. Drivers now have to choose, on their license applications which series they are competing for a championship in. I think that this will help keep the Cup guys from overshadowing the Nationwide guys. I’d rather see someone like Jason Keller win a championship in Nationwide than somebody like Carl Edwards, or Kyle Busch. Carl and Kyle play in the big leagues, and that’s where their efforts should be concentrated, as far as I’m concerned. Let the full time Nationwide guys settle it among themselves. I love that the Cup stars spice up the Nationwide series, but I’ve never been happy that they dominate it, at least as far as the championship goes.
Personally, I’m glad that NASCAR has made the changes they have, among other changes that I’m not even prepared to discuss here. I’m glad that NASCAR is being proactive about their venture, to use a little business speak. They need to keep trying to tweak the sport a little to attract more posteriors into seats, since they started playing with the format since the coronation of Brian France. They’ve played with the system so much, they pretty much have to keep playing with things to keep the fans interested. What’s most interesting, at least to me, is that the more NASCAR changes, the more it gets back to where it was a decade or more ago.
Just look at the cars. The rear spoiler is back, and now there is no strange looking front splitter on the Cup cars for 2011. NASCAR calls it something like a splitter without struts, but it’s basically an air dam, just like the old cars used to have. I like the way the new cars look compared to the ridiculous wings and splitters that we used to watch. The cars look way more like real cars to me. I’m much more inclined to buy a die cast replica more than I have been since the advent of the COT, or Car Of Tomorrow. Basically those cars were a bastardization of NASCAR’s original plan. The acronym ’NASCAR’ stands for the National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing. What the heck was stock about that wing and splitter? I know, we’ve gotten a long way from the original race cars, which were literally cars just off the dealer lots. I still somewhat wish we could turn back time and go back to those days, but I’m afraid it’s a little too late to do that. I grew up after those years though, and wish this stuff was closer to being as simple as it was back in the 1970’s. Yeah, I know, when it comes to NASCAR, I’m a dinosaur.
On a side note, so much for my plan to write more in 2011. I’ve recently been hired full time by a company I’ve worked for before, so time is a little short lately You see, my basic problem is that I‘ve got to eat. I‘d do this all day if I could afford to. I promise I will do all I can to write as much as I can at night and on weekends. My love for this sport in not diminished at all, and I plan to watch each and every single race this year, and for the rest of my life, for that matter. As long as stock car racing exists, and I’m alive, I’ll be here. You can rest assured of that.
By the way, there is a major redesign of this site coming up. I had hoped to get it up by the end of the year, but I ran out of time on that. I’m going to be making changes slowly through the rest of the winter, and hopefully by Daytona, I’ll have it fixed. Thank you for your patience.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Life: Is it Unfair?
Yes it’s true. We’re all going to die. I hate to bring you this bad news, but it’s indeed true.
A few minutes ago on the local news, a local college professor said, and I quote, “Any parent who feeds their children meat is sentencing them to death!”
What kind of parent would sentence their children to death? How horrible. The Department of Social Services should step in and remove these poor children from the clutches of their murdering parents. These parents should be sentenced to what? Maybe death? Does that sound about right? Would death be too good for parents who willfully kill their children by feeding them meat?
I also recently heard on the radio an expert who said that every time you inhale second hand tobacco smoke, you’re shortening your life by 5 years. Yep, he said it. I have to argue with that one though. If that were true, I should have been dead by age 4, unless I’m going to live to be 692 years old. That’s only counting other people’s second hand smoke, much less my own. Maybe I’m going to live a lot longer than 692, if the experts can be trusted.
On another radio station, a NFL type expert said that the only thing NASCAR accomplishes is killing people, both drivers and fans. He said people get killed every year driving around in stupid circles, killing and maiming others as they go. He told his audience that “untold numbers of fans die every year as the direct result of watching drivers going around in circles.” I have news for you, buddy. Untold numbers of people die every year from crossing the street to get in a cab or catch a bus. A lot of people die when they slip on their steps. Some people choke at restaurants eating salads too.
Every NASCAR driver, as well as any racing driver period, knows that every time he straps on that car or bike or boat or airplane, or whatever, that he or she might die. That’s a given. It’s always in the back of their minds. They choose to take the risks anyway. Some do it for the thrill of living on the edge. Some do it for the money. Some do it to become celebrities, whether it be on a worldwide basis, or just in their own communities. There are as many reasons to race as there are potential racers. I don’t know the exact stats, but I would guess there are anywhere between a few thousand to a few million people who wish they could sit in the driver’s seat that’s currently providing a place for the butt of their favorite driver to make a living in.
I’m not making fun of vegetarians here. I have some very close relatives who don’t eat meat for religious reasons. I can respect that. Beliefs are beliefs, and they have theirs and I have mine. I’m as likely to give up my beliefs as they are, so there’s no reason to contest our beliefs. They are family, and I love them just as much as anyone else in my family. I eat meat. I like it. To me, it’s protein that helps invigorate my body quickly, and I like the way most meat tastes. Yes, I’m a steak and hamburger kind of guy. I’ve never forced anyone to eat a hamburger. I’ve tried to smoke alone or only around other people who smoke. I don’t want nonsmokers to be violated. I respect their wishes, and only hope they can respect mine as well. That’s all I ask.
I have to laugh at people with PhD’s that try to scare people about how deadly life is though. I mean, how deadly is life? If you’re born, don’t you die? Isn’t birth your one way trip to death? As far as I know, the only person who once died who is still around is Jesus Christ, but that’s another religious thing, isn’t it? That’s a matter of belief. I suppose the belief that kids will die way early from eating meat is what? A belief?
Kids get killed in traffic accidents every day. Kids get killed by hitting curbs on their bikes. Kids die. That’s a fact. I don’t know of anything sadder than hearing that a child died. It’s not fair, it’s unjust, but so far, the human experiment has shown that sometimes kids die. Sometimes. One absolute is this: All human beings die too. It’s hard for many of you to imagine, but it’s true. You’ll die one day. So will I. Whether it be from second hand smoke, eating meat, or turning stupid circles around a track, it will happen to each and every one of us one day.
In The Green Mile, a movie I would highly recommend if you haven’t already seen it, there is a quote. “We all have a life to give.” My theory about life is to give it all you’ve got. It won’t last forever, no matter how much meat you don’t eat or how much smoke you don’t inhale.
A few minutes ago on the local news, a local college professor said, and I quote, “Any parent who feeds their children meat is sentencing them to death!”
What kind of parent would sentence their children to death? How horrible. The Department of Social Services should step in and remove these poor children from the clutches of their murdering parents. These parents should be sentenced to what? Maybe death? Does that sound about right? Would death be too good for parents who willfully kill their children by feeding them meat?
I also recently heard on the radio an expert who said that every time you inhale second hand tobacco smoke, you’re shortening your life by 5 years. Yep, he said it. I have to argue with that one though. If that were true, I should have been dead by age 4, unless I’m going to live to be 692 years old. That’s only counting other people’s second hand smoke, much less my own. Maybe I’m going to live a lot longer than 692, if the experts can be trusted.
On another radio station, a NFL type expert said that the only thing NASCAR accomplishes is killing people, both drivers and fans. He said people get killed every year driving around in stupid circles, killing and maiming others as they go. He told his audience that “untold numbers of fans die every year as the direct result of watching drivers going around in circles.” I have news for you, buddy. Untold numbers of people die every year from crossing the street to get in a cab or catch a bus. A lot of people die when they slip on their steps. Some people choke at restaurants eating salads too.
Every NASCAR driver, as well as any racing driver period, knows that every time he straps on that car or bike or boat or airplane, or whatever, that he or she might die. That’s a given. It’s always in the back of their minds. They choose to take the risks anyway. Some do it for the thrill of living on the edge. Some do it for the money. Some do it to become celebrities, whether it be on a worldwide basis, or just in their own communities. There are as many reasons to race as there are potential racers. I don’t know the exact stats, but I would guess there are anywhere between a few thousand to a few million people who wish they could sit in the driver’s seat that’s currently providing a place for the butt of their favorite driver to make a living in.
I’m not making fun of vegetarians here. I have some very close relatives who don’t eat meat for religious reasons. I can respect that. Beliefs are beliefs, and they have theirs and I have mine. I’m as likely to give up my beliefs as they are, so there’s no reason to contest our beliefs. They are family, and I love them just as much as anyone else in my family. I eat meat. I like it. To me, it’s protein that helps invigorate my body quickly, and I like the way most meat tastes. Yes, I’m a steak and hamburger kind of guy. I’ve never forced anyone to eat a hamburger. I’ve tried to smoke alone or only around other people who smoke. I don’t want nonsmokers to be violated. I respect their wishes, and only hope they can respect mine as well. That’s all I ask.
I have to laugh at people with PhD’s that try to scare people about how deadly life is though. I mean, how deadly is life? If you’re born, don’t you die? Isn’t birth your one way trip to death? As far as I know, the only person who once died who is still around is Jesus Christ, but that’s another religious thing, isn’t it? That’s a matter of belief. I suppose the belief that kids will die way early from eating meat is what? A belief?
Kids get killed in traffic accidents every day. Kids get killed by hitting curbs on their bikes. Kids die. That’s a fact. I don’t know of anything sadder than hearing that a child died. It’s not fair, it’s unjust, but so far, the human experiment has shown that sometimes kids die. Sometimes. One absolute is this: All human beings die too. It’s hard for many of you to imagine, but it’s true. You’ll die one day. So will I. Whether it be from second hand smoke, eating meat, or turning stupid circles around a track, it will happen to each and every one of us one day.
In The Green Mile, a movie I would highly recommend if you haven’t already seen it, there is a quote. “We all have a life to give.” My theory about life is to give it all you’ve got. It won’t last forever, no matter how much meat you don’t eat or how much smoke you don’t inhale.
Dysfunctional Families
Hola, and Happy Holidays here from snowy South Carolina. Yes, we actually had a white Christmas, the first I’ve ever seen here. The last one was a few months after I was born, but I didn’t live in this part of the state then, and wouldn’t have remembered it anyhow.
I, like probably some of you, am a fan of the Discovery - TLC series American Chopper. The show first aired back in the early 2000’s, featuring a father and son team that built custom choppers. Various theme bikes have often been the subject of the show. The combined talents of Paul Tuetul Sr. and Paul Jr. made them famous in the motorcycle industry, and Discovery Channel made them famous worldwide. Both father and son have histories of substance abuse in their past, but overcame their problems to build a very successful motorcycle business in Orange County, New York, which is about 60 or so miles upstate from New York City. The show was originally based on showing how custom motorcycles, literally works of art are fabricated basically from scratch. Another factor soon overwhelmed the technical aspect of the show. The Tuetul family squabbles and fusses among themselves, often heatedly, and sometimes treats the audience, as well as other shop employees to the spectacle of father and son smashing furniture, doors, windows, etc. in their moments of anger. What started out being a typical reality series about motorcycle fabrication quickly became a real drama series, a reality soap opera if you will.
A couple of years, Paul Sr. fired Paul Jr., and ended up suing his son for a variety of reasons involving ownership issues of the company, which is called Orange County Choppers. Paul Jr. struck out on his own, starting up a company called Paul Jr. Designs, and he now builds choppers practically next door to OCC’s original shop.
The former father and son team have not spoken to each other in about 2 years, at least as of the latest episode. For those of you who have watched the show, you probably have your own opinions about the issues that the family faces. I will share with you my opinion about the family fight. I feel that though Paul Jr. has often acted as a bit of a diva on the show, his design prowess is what put OCC on the map. Paul Sr. certainly had a lot to do with the company’s success, and is a fairly good designer himself. Since Sr. and Jr. parted company, Paul Sr. has actively tried to sabotage his son’s budding business. Paul Sr. has talked to various vendors of motorcycle parts and apparently has attempted to bully them into avoiding doing business with his son. Paul Sr. keeps playing the part of the victim, but it is lately becoming disturbing to me to see the lengths a father will go to in order to see his son fail.
Are the Tuetuls unique? Not really. Probably just about everyone who bothers to read this has experienced disagreements in their own families. I know my family has had it’s share, though for the most part, my immediate family is rather close knit, and I’m very lucky in that way. My father and me have certainly had our share of disagreements, but we managed to get over it, or at least I have. My father is now on the other side of 85, and he needs more and more assistance from his children, no matter how independent minded he is. With the recent loss of my mother, my brothers and sister worry about our dad a lot these days. Regardless of any past disagreements, I hope that my dad and I never stop speaking to each other. I can’t imagine not speaking to my father for months, or even weeks, and then hearing that he had passed away before I could talk to him. Life is just too fleeting to hold a grudge, especially with a family member.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. could probably relate to this sort of thinking. He and his father often argued and disagreed when Jr. was a teenager, and there is no doubt that Dale Earnhardt could be a difficult man to deal with at times. Fortunately, before Dale passed away in 2001, Jr. and Sr. seemed to be getting along better than they ever had. That peace of mind must mean a lot for Dale Jr. Had he and his father been on the outs as of February 18, 2001, Jr.’s father’s death would have been even harder for him to deal with.
I, like probably some of you, am a fan of the Discovery - TLC series American Chopper. The show first aired back in the early 2000’s, featuring a father and son team that built custom choppers. Various theme bikes have often been the subject of the show. The combined talents of Paul Tuetul Sr. and Paul Jr. made them famous in the motorcycle industry, and Discovery Channel made them famous worldwide. Both father and son have histories of substance abuse in their past, but overcame their problems to build a very successful motorcycle business in Orange County, New York, which is about 60 or so miles upstate from New York City. The show was originally based on showing how custom motorcycles, literally works of art are fabricated basically from scratch. Another factor soon overwhelmed the technical aspect of the show. The Tuetul family squabbles and fusses among themselves, often heatedly, and sometimes treats the audience, as well as other shop employees to the spectacle of father and son smashing furniture, doors, windows, etc. in their moments of anger. What started out being a typical reality series about motorcycle fabrication quickly became a real drama series, a reality soap opera if you will.
A couple of years, Paul Sr. fired Paul Jr., and ended up suing his son for a variety of reasons involving ownership issues of the company, which is called Orange County Choppers. Paul Jr. struck out on his own, starting up a company called Paul Jr. Designs, and he now builds choppers practically next door to OCC’s original shop.
The former father and son team have not spoken to each other in about 2 years, at least as of the latest episode. For those of you who have watched the show, you probably have your own opinions about the issues that the family faces. I will share with you my opinion about the family fight. I feel that though Paul Jr. has often acted as a bit of a diva on the show, his design prowess is what put OCC on the map. Paul Sr. certainly had a lot to do with the company’s success, and is a fairly good designer himself. Since Sr. and Jr. parted company, Paul Sr. has actively tried to sabotage his son’s budding business. Paul Sr. has talked to various vendors of motorcycle parts and apparently has attempted to bully them into avoiding doing business with his son. Paul Sr. keeps playing the part of the victim, but it is lately becoming disturbing to me to see the lengths a father will go to in order to see his son fail.
Are the Tuetuls unique? Not really. Probably just about everyone who bothers to read this has experienced disagreements in their own families. I know my family has had it’s share, though for the most part, my immediate family is rather close knit, and I’m very lucky in that way. My father and me have certainly had our share of disagreements, but we managed to get over it, or at least I have. My father is now on the other side of 85, and he needs more and more assistance from his children, no matter how independent minded he is. With the recent loss of my mother, my brothers and sister worry about our dad a lot these days. Regardless of any past disagreements, I hope that my dad and I never stop speaking to each other. I can’t imagine not speaking to my father for months, or even weeks, and then hearing that he had passed away before I could talk to him. Life is just too fleeting to hold a grudge, especially with a family member.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. could probably relate to this sort of thinking. He and his father often argued and disagreed when Jr. was a teenager, and there is no doubt that Dale Earnhardt could be a difficult man to deal with at times. Fortunately, before Dale passed away in 2001, Jr. and Sr. seemed to be getting along better than they ever had. That peace of mind must mean a lot for Dale Jr. Had he and his father been on the outs as of February 18, 2001, Jr.’s father’s death would have been even harder for him to deal with.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)