Well, the drought is over. After 76 races, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is finally back in victory lane. The Earnhardt Nation rejoices, Dale Jr. has a genuine smile on his face again. Today, all seems right in the world once again.
There are detractors of course. There always are. During the closing laps, before the green-white-checker finish, Dale Jr. was using an old racer's trick to save fuel, by gunning the throttle, and then shutting off the engine. At times he nearly passed the pace car, and Nascar was warning him not to do that. Some fans said that Dale Jr. did pass the pace car and should have been black flagged. I can say that I never saw that happen, but we all see what we want to see sometimes. Nascar did not black flag Dale Jr. and he got the checkered flag, once again under caution. Dale Jr. did not have enough fuel to do a burnout, much less even get to victory lane without a push. Some have said that he has to have enough fuel to drive to victory lane under his own power, but I do know that this particular theory is complete hogwash. Nascar only requires that the winner coast across the start-finish line under his own power. That's exactly what Dale Jr. did.
It appeared that on the final stages of that last lap, 2nd place car Kasey Kahne was prepared to give the 88 car a push, and had he done so, that would have probably given Kasey the win, instead of Dale Jr. Kasey never touched Dale Jr.'s car though, so no harm, no foul. I don't think Kasey's intent, if indeed there was any, was to prevent Dale Jr. from winning. I think he thought possibly he might help out a buddy. I don't know what was going through Kasey's mind, but thankfully he never touched the 88 car, even if he was probably thinking he might be helping. Kasey was obviously not in a position to pass the 88 car had it slowed dramatically. He was right behind Dale Jr. the entire last part of the lap, and I'm guessing his intention was to help, not hurt.
But enough of the haters and the grousers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has finally got rid of the curse, got the monkey off his back, finally broken the streak, or whatever phrase you'd like to use. It was an emotional time for Dale Jr. fans, as we saw crew chief Tony Eury Jr. with tears in his eyes, and maybe even a few in owner Rick Hendrick's eyes after the checkered flag. Teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were gracious enough to come give the new guy a hug and congratulations in victory lane. I imagine Casey Mears did so as well, but if he did, TV failed to show me that.
Dale Jr. was obviously the big winner yesterday, but having watched Dale Jr. for so many years now, as happy as he is for the win, he's probably happier for his fans. Several times in his post race interviews, he referenced his fans, basically saying that he was happy because he knew his fans were happy. This is one of the reasons I am a Dale Jr. fan. He gives back to the fans, and he worries about whether they are happy or not. Most drivers are glad to have their fans, but they don't really show the concern that Dale Jr. has in the past. Dale Jr. has done various DVD and TV projects, and when asked why, he said "It's for the fans. It's to say thank you."
A lot of people realized one of the strange statistics from yesterday's race. Dale Jr. won, after a 76 race winless drought. Dale's father won 76 Cup races in his career. Dale Jr. broke the drought on Father's Day. In a touching post race moment, Dale Jr. mentioned that he wished he could tell his dad Happy Father's Day, but of course he can't, but Dale Jr. said it anyway by winning. I can't imagine a Father's Day present that Dale would have been more proud of.
Tony Eury Jr. made a gutsy call by not pitting Dale Jr. in the closing laps of the race. They all knew they would be very close to running out of fuel, but he made the gamble, and it paid off. Tony Jr. has been the subject of much criticism over the last year or so, and many say that Dale Jr. would be better off with a different crew chief. But Dale Jr. has been adamant that Tony Jr. stay with him. They are cousins, and grew up together. They often fight, just like all brothers do, but they are very close. Dale Jr. is very comfortable with his cousin and close friend on top of the pit box, and yesterday showed they they can be a winning combination. I never heard Darien Grubb's name mentioned last night, but I imagine his input was crucial in the fuel mileage decision as well. Well done, Darien, Tony Jr. and all the Dew Crew! You finally got the win, and you did so in splendid fashion.
A lot of the grousers out there conveniently forget that Dale Jr. won the first two races he ever ran in his new 88 Chevrolet. He won the Bud Shootout and his qualifying race at Daytona in February. Those weren't points races, but they were races. A race is a race, and a win is a win. Now that Dale Jr.'s finally won a points race, hopefully people will get off his back, at least a little. Some people, who should know better, also overlook the fact that Dale Jr. has been in 3rd place overall in points for sometime now. They also conveniently overlook the fact that he has been the most consistent of all the Hendrick cars. Up until yesterday, Dale Jr.'s numbers were very impressive in 2008, and the only thing missing was a win. Well, he's got it now, and a win is a win, and it will always be scored in the record books that way.
Win number 18 puts Dale Jr. in some fine company on the list of all time wins. 18 wins puts him in a tie with Geoffrey Bodine, Harry Gant, and Neil Bonnett. One more win will put him in a tie with Buddy Baker, Davey Allison, and Fonty Flock. I know most of you have never heard of Fonty, but that will be a subject of this blog in the future. This first win of the season is crucial for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s career, and it's just one more mountain that he's climbed. Dale Jr. is in a good position to compete for his first championship, and if he keeps up the consistency he's shown so far this year, he will definitely be in the running to get championship number one.
Earnhardt fans! Celebrate this week. Dale Jr. finally got the win, and now we can concentrate on following our driver on to hopefully more victories and maybe even a championship. Today, all is good in the Earnhardt Nation.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Nascar and Racism
Most people that read this blog already read a lot of other sites, and I don't really report news here. I'll simply quote a headline and a few bits of the story that appeared on Jayski's site a few days ago. This is what Jayski quoted:
"Former official sues NASCAR over harassment claims UPDATE: A former racing official is suing NASCAR, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Mauricia Grant worked as a technical inspector responsible for certifying cars in NASCAR's second-tier Nationwide Series from January 2005 until she was fired last October. Grant, who is black, alleges she was referred to as "Nappy Headed Mo" and "Queen Sheba," by white co-workers. She also claims she often was told she worked on "colored people time," and was frightened by one official who routinely made references to the Ku Klux Klan. The lawsuit, which seeks $250 million, was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.(ESPN.com/Associated Press) and see a copy of the lawsuit at FoxSports (pdf format)(6-10-2008)
UPDATE: NASCAR chairman Brian France says a former official who's suing the organization never reported discrimination or harassment claims to her supervisors. Mauricia Grant filed a $225 million suit against NASCAR on Tuesday, alleging racial discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliatory termination. France said Wednesday the detailed filing was the first NASCAR learned of her claims. "The disappointing thing is she makes a lot of claims, none of them reported," he said.(Associated Press)(6-11-2008)"
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I'm not going to comment on any particular details of the case, but if even one-tenth of Ms. Grant's claims are true, Nascar needs to fire a lot of people, and they need to take steps to make sure that anything like this never happens again. I'm not saying that any of this is true, but if any of it is, Nascar's got a serious problem.
Nascar began largely in the Southeast in the late 1940's Our part of the country has long been ridiculed, and sometimes for good reason, for being racist. Some of us remember the debacle that was George Wallace in the 1970's. Some of us remember David Duke and his fortunately unsuccessful run for public office. The South in general has a very large image problem when it comes to racism.
Some that is justified, even today. But I ask you, even if you live in New York, or Minnesota, or California, are there not racial problems there as well sometimes? The South, as a whole, has overcome many of our race problems over the last 50 years. We still have problems, but we have improved very much since the year 1950.
One of my best friends, indeed one of the best friends I've ever had, is a black man. I will use the term 'black' here, because that's what he calls himself, and I will defer to his wishes. My friend is a former collegiate athlete, and is now a law enforcement officer. He is also a loving husband and the father of 3 wonderful children. He is also a Nascar fan, and actually has attended about a handful of races, and 2 with his family. He has been to races at Darlington, Charlotte, and Atlanta. He tells me that neither he nor his family have ever had problems at any of these race tracks. He said the fellow fans were friendly, and no one ever bothered any of his family. I myself once sat next to a black family at Atlanta, and other than the fact that they cheered for a driver I didn't particularly care for, we got along just fine. I saw no one in the stands harass them because of the color of their skin.
My friend was born and grew up in South Carolina. Has he endured racist comments and harassment here in his home state? Of course he has. But when my friend got a scholarship to play football for a major university in the upper Mid West, things changed. He was one of about 7 black players on the team. The black players were ostracized and taunted by the white players and coaches. My friend endured 4 years of abject racism, and though he was cheered on the field, he was the subject of racist taunts and practical jokes in the locker room and in the dorms. My friend will tell you, frankly, that he was treated worse in the Northern part of this country because of his race than he ever was back here in South Carolina. I know that's not the norm, but in this case it's the truth.
Not that has much to do with Nascar's problem. I don't know the background of the Nascar officials that Ms. Grant accused, but I'm guessing these days that a lot of the officials are from all parts of the country. People involved in all areas of the sport are from all areas of the country. I guess the point I'm trying to get to is this: Don't blame Nacar's Southern roots and just assume that racism is common in the sport. I know for a fact it's not, at least among the teams and the fans. Sure, there are exceptions, but those are rare these days, at least the reported incidents are. In my own personal experience as a fan, I've never seen people of other races taunted at the track. One of my best e-mail friends is of Chinese decent, and she lives in Seattle, Washington. Every year, she and several of her friends go to the races in Sonoma and Fontana. They also try to make Phoenix once in a while, and last year they trekked to Kansas and Chicago. She tells me that she's never been taunted because of her race at the track. She's been taunted at work, and in restaurants, but never at a race track. I find that interesting.
Does Nascar itself have a problem? I don't know. To be honest with you, Nascar is somewhat like a castle, on top of a mountain, protected by a moat, and possibly by dragons too. Nobody outside of the corporation knows that much about the inner workings of the organization that governs the sport. Nascar has always ruled the sport with an iron fist, and has always had the mantra to the teams: "Do it our way, or just go away". Nascar basically has no oversight committee, as far as I know. What I'm saying is that if any of what Ms. Grant is accusing Nascar of doing is actually true, then Nascar needs to be taken down a notch or two. In the year 2008, co-workers don't get away with that kind of nonsense. If the courts judge Ms. Grant's claims to be true, she deserves her $225 million dollars. If Nascar officials indeed are guilty of these taunts, then Brian France, himself, needs to clean house and get rid of the offenders.
Nascar is a multi-billion dollar business, and is trying to become the USA's most watched sport. If indeed they have racial problems inside the company, they need to fix it now, or expect to be trashed in the media for years to come. I know that Nascar has tried to get more drivers and teams of different races involved in the sport, and I applaud that. I think the teams are trying to get the best people they can get, regardless of skin color or sex. The bottom line is this: If Nascar has problems within it's organization, they need to fix it, and they need to do it quickly. There is no room for discrimination because of either race or sex in today's America. If Ms. Grant's accusations prove to be false, then shame on her. If any of her claims turn out to be true, shame on Brian France and Nascar.
"Former official sues NASCAR over harassment claims UPDATE: A former racing official is suing NASCAR, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Mauricia Grant worked as a technical inspector responsible for certifying cars in NASCAR's second-tier Nationwide Series from January 2005 until she was fired last October. Grant, who is black, alleges she was referred to as "Nappy Headed Mo" and "Queen Sheba," by white co-workers. She also claims she often was told she worked on "colored people time," and was frightened by one official who routinely made references to the Ku Klux Klan. The lawsuit, which seeks $250 million, was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.(ESPN.com/Associated Press) and see a copy of the lawsuit at FoxSports (pdf format)(6-10-2008)
UPDATE: NASCAR chairman Brian France says a former official who's suing the organization never reported discrimination or harassment claims to her supervisors. Mauricia Grant filed a $225 million suit against NASCAR on Tuesday, alleging racial discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliatory termination. France said Wednesday the detailed filing was the first NASCAR learned of her claims. "The disappointing thing is she makes a lot of claims, none of them reported," he said.(Associated Press)(6-11-2008)"
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I'm not going to comment on any particular details of the case, but if even one-tenth of Ms. Grant's claims are true, Nascar needs to fire a lot of people, and they need to take steps to make sure that anything like this never happens again. I'm not saying that any of this is true, but if any of it is, Nascar's got a serious problem.
Nascar began largely in the Southeast in the late 1940's Our part of the country has long been ridiculed, and sometimes for good reason, for being racist. Some of us remember the debacle that was George Wallace in the 1970's. Some of us remember David Duke and his fortunately unsuccessful run for public office. The South in general has a very large image problem when it comes to racism.
Some that is justified, even today. But I ask you, even if you live in New York, or Minnesota, or California, are there not racial problems there as well sometimes? The South, as a whole, has overcome many of our race problems over the last 50 years. We still have problems, but we have improved very much since the year 1950.
One of my best friends, indeed one of the best friends I've ever had, is a black man. I will use the term 'black' here, because that's what he calls himself, and I will defer to his wishes. My friend is a former collegiate athlete, and is now a law enforcement officer. He is also a loving husband and the father of 3 wonderful children. He is also a Nascar fan, and actually has attended about a handful of races, and 2 with his family. He has been to races at Darlington, Charlotte, and Atlanta. He tells me that neither he nor his family have ever had problems at any of these race tracks. He said the fellow fans were friendly, and no one ever bothered any of his family. I myself once sat next to a black family at Atlanta, and other than the fact that they cheered for a driver I didn't particularly care for, we got along just fine. I saw no one in the stands harass them because of the color of their skin.
My friend was born and grew up in South Carolina. Has he endured racist comments and harassment here in his home state? Of course he has. But when my friend got a scholarship to play football for a major university in the upper Mid West, things changed. He was one of about 7 black players on the team. The black players were ostracized and taunted by the white players and coaches. My friend endured 4 years of abject racism, and though he was cheered on the field, he was the subject of racist taunts and practical jokes in the locker room and in the dorms. My friend will tell you, frankly, that he was treated worse in the Northern part of this country because of his race than he ever was back here in South Carolina. I know that's not the norm, but in this case it's the truth.
Not that has much to do with Nascar's problem. I don't know the background of the Nascar officials that Ms. Grant accused, but I'm guessing these days that a lot of the officials are from all parts of the country. People involved in all areas of the sport are from all areas of the country. I guess the point I'm trying to get to is this: Don't blame Nacar's Southern roots and just assume that racism is common in the sport. I know for a fact it's not, at least among the teams and the fans. Sure, there are exceptions, but those are rare these days, at least the reported incidents are. In my own personal experience as a fan, I've never seen people of other races taunted at the track. One of my best e-mail friends is of Chinese decent, and she lives in Seattle, Washington. Every year, she and several of her friends go to the races in Sonoma and Fontana. They also try to make Phoenix once in a while, and last year they trekked to Kansas and Chicago. She tells me that she's never been taunted because of her race at the track. She's been taunted at work, and in restaurants, but never at a race track. I find that interesting.
Does Nascar itself have a problem? I don't know. To be honest with you, Nascar is somewhat like a castle, on top of a mountain, protected by a moat, and possibly by dragons too. Nobody outside of the corporation knows that much about the inner workings of the organization that governs the sport. Nascar has always ruled the sport with an iron fist, and has always had the mantra to the teams: "Do it our way, or just go away". Nascar basically has no oversight committee, as far as I know. What I'm saying is that if any of what Ms. Grant is accusing Nascar of doing is actually true, then Nascar needs to be taken down a notch or two. In the year 2008, co-workers don't get away with that kind of nonsense. If the courts judge Ms. Grant's claims to be true, she deserves her $225 million dollars. If Nascar officials indeed are guilty of these taunts, then Brian France, himself, needs to clean house and get rid of the offenders.
Nascar is a multi-billion dollar business, and is trying to become the USA's most watched sport. If indeed they have racial problems inside the company, they need to fix it now, or expect to be trashed in the media for years to come. I know that Nascar has tried to get more drivers and teams of different races involved in the sport, and I applaud that. I think the teams are trying to get the best people they can get, regardless of skin color or sex. The bottom line is this: If Nascar has problems within it's organization, they need to fix it, and they need to do it quickly. There is no room for discrimination because of either race or sex in today's America. If Ms. Grant's accusations prove to be false, then shame on her. If any of her claims turn out to be true, shame on Brian France and Nascar.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Big News at Petty Enterprises
Richard and Kyle Petty today announced their new partnership with Boston Ventures, an equity firm that will be investing heavily in the Mooresville, NC race team. Kyle introduced David Zucker, who will be CEO of the new organization, the first time in it's history that Petty Enterprises has not had someone named Petty in charge.
David Zucker made statements reassuring fans of the organization that Boston Venture's primary objective will be to help Petty Enterprises regain some of it's prominence in Nascar. Basically, the Pettys will continue to do what the have always done best, leaving them free to concentrating on racing, while not having to be as concerned over the financial shape the organization has been in. It's a move becoming more common into today's Nascar climate, having seen Rousch team up with Fenway and Evernham join forces with Gillette. For an organization that has struggled over the last several years, it's a move that was bound to happen sooner or later.
It is somewhat sad, as you might say it's the end of an era, but really it's not. Kyle will continue to drive, and Richard will continue to be very involved in helping out wherever he can. Not much will change outwardly about the team, but hopefully, given time, Petty Enterprises will visit victory lane again.
The other big news at the press conference is Bobby Labonte's new contract extension. I have felt for a while that Bobby would stay with the Pettys, and indeed that will be true for at least the next 4 years. I have read some comments from fans asking why Bobby would stay with a team that has been running so poorly, but I think the answer is simple. Bobby Labonte is still a competitive driver, and he sees Petty Enterprises on the way up, and not as a declining team. Bobby Labonte is nearly the same age as I am, and I've been watching the sport nearly as long as he has. Back in the early 70's, there simply was no stock car more famous than the 43 of Richard Petty. Many people my age dreamed about driving that 43 one day, and fortunately for Bobby, that dream came true a few years ago.
I'm not sorry to see Bobby Labonte stay at Petty. As a matter of fact, I'm very happy for him. I hope very much that Petty Enterprises will now be able to recapture some of that old glory that they've been missing for so long.
Other topics covered in the press conference was Petty Enterprises will hopefully adding a 3rd car, as soon as they are able to find sponsorship and get a team and driver in place. The Pettys will also be actively seeking new sponsorship for 2009 and beyond. With the new financial backing, and the continued involvement of Nascar's winningest driver, I see sponsors willing to take a closer look at the new Petty Enterprises.
'
David Zucker made statements reassuring fans of the organization that Boston Venture's primary objective will be to help Petty Enterprises regain some of it's prominence in Nascar. Basically, the Pettys will continue to do what the have always done best, leaving them free to concentrating on racing, while not having to be as concerned over the financial shape the organization has been in. It's a move becoming more common into today's Nascar climate, having seen Rousch team up with Fenway and Evernham join forces with Gillette. For an organization that has struggled over the last several years, it's a move that was bound to happen sooner or later.
It is somewhat sad, as you might say it's the end of an era, but really it's not. Kyle will continue to drive, and Richard will continue to be very involved in helping out wherever he can. Not much will change outwardly about the team, but hopefully, given time, Petty Enterprises will visit victory lane again.
The other big news at the press conference is Bobby Labonte's new contract extension. I have felt for a while that Bobby would stay with the Pettys, and indeed that will be true for at least the next 4 years. I have read some comments from fans asking why Bobby would stay with a team that has been running so poorly, but I think the answer is simple. Bobby Labonte is still a competitive driver, and he sees Petty Enterprises on the way up, and not as a declining team. Bobby Labonte is nearly the same age as I am, and I've been watching the sport nearly as long as he has. Back in the early 70's, there simply was no stock car more famous than the 43 of Richard Petty. Many people my age dreamed about driving that 43 one day, and fortunately for Bobby, that dream came true a few years ago.
I'm not sorry to see Bobby Labonte stay at Petty. As a matter of fact, I'm very happy for him. I hope very much that Petty Enterprises will now be able to recapture some of that old glory that they've been missing for so long.
Other topics covered in the press conference was Petty Enterprises will hopefully adding a 3rd car, as soon as they are able to find sponsorship and get a team and driver in place. The Pettys will also be actively seeking new sponsorship for 2009 and beyond. With the new financial backing, and the continued involvement of Nascar's winningest driver, I see sponsors willing to take a closer look at the new Petty Enterprises.
'
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Some thoughts and stats on Michigan
Michigan has been compared to California, but other than the length of the track, it's difficult to make a comparison. At 2 miles in length, it's long straights will mean fast speeds. Of the current field of Nascar Cup drivers, Bill Elliot is at the top of the winners list, with a total of 7 wins here. Mark Martin has won here 4 times, as has the just retired Dale Jarrett. Bobby Labonte has won at Michigan 3 times in his career, and the drivers who have won twice include Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, and Jeff Gordon.
Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Sterling Marlin and Jeremy Mayfield have each won a race at Michigan. Historically, David Pearson holds the record for the most wins total at this track, with 9. Cale Yarborough won here 8 times.
In this week's race, I look for current trends to continue. Kyle Busch will probably be good at Michigan. Kasey Kahne should be strong as well. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon should do well, and maybe Jimmie Johnson will finally win at Michigan. Carl Edwards , Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth should have strong Ford race cars.
In other words, Michigan is a tough track to predict a driver with a clear advantage. The current momentum that has carried Kasey Kahne makes me think he might be a favorite, having won here before. Conjecture is fun, and can be challenging, but if we could guess what's going to happen on the track, we wouldn't have to run the races, and that would take away all the fun.
I read somewhere a comment by the guy that most experts consider to be the next super star in Nascar, Joey Logono. After a 4 tire stop in Saturday's Nationwide race in Nashville, apparently Joey was disturbed, because that put him at the back of the field running with the "trash." Saturday was Joey's 2nd ever Nationwide Series race, and he's already referring to the back of the field as "trash?"
I know, Joey is supposedly the Second Coming of Jeff Gordon, but for an 18 year old to refer to other drivers in a series he was too young to drive in 3 weeks ago as "trash?" That's disturbing.
I don't know what they're putting in the water over at Joe Gibbs Racing these days. Joey is an up and coming driver for them, and he's already dissing his peers. Oh, but yeah, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch have been doing the same thing this year. Tony Stewart wants to leave. I wonder why?
Tony Stewart was once the latest, greatest thing in Nascar. He had won in every series he'd ever raced in, and he's certainly enjoyed great success in Nascar, with 32 wins and two Cup championships. Tony used to be criticized loudly for his sometimes brash behavior, but it's interesting to see Tony as the voice of reason and experience these days at JGR. I imagine that Tony Stewart could tell us all many, many stories about how quickly young, hotshot drivers can find grief, and it's usually of their own making. I hope Tony does get released from his contract at the end of this season, and I hope he does well in his business and racing endeavors in the future. After this year, I'm guessing he'll be tired of being the hall monitor in this Joe Gibbs owned kindergarten on stearoids.
Rumors have it that Bruton Smith has been approaching the Mattioli family about buying Pocono Raceway. Bruton just bought Kentucky Speedway, which has never had a date on the Cup circuit. I'm guessing that if Mr. Smith buys Pocono, at least one date is going to go away, and Kentucky will magically have a Cup race. I have mixed feeling about that, because although I am not a huge fan of Pocono, I don't know that we need another 1.5 mile cookie cutter track on the circuit, which is what Kentucky will most assuredly be. I know Kentucky has beautiful, up to date facilities, but do we really need another 1.5 mile tri-oval?
Personally, I'd rather see Mr. Smith invest his money in creating another bullring like Bristol, or Martinsville. Let's just do pie in the sky here. This is what I would love to see:
A 3/4 mile, high banked oval in rural New Jersey. Speeds and general racing excitement would rival Bristol. The kicker is this though. I'd put a roof over the track, and guarantee a race, rain or shine. I'm not talking about a totally enclosed arena, because the exhaust fumes would probably kill most of the crowd before the race reached the halfway point. Leave it open on the sides, or put in exhaust fans to vent out the fumes. An inventive mind such as Bruton Smith's could make this work like a charm, and the greater New York City metropolitan area would have a track, and that would fulfill one of Nascar's dreams.
I'm a South Carolinian, and I hated to see Darlington lose the Labor Day race date. I love the races at Atlanta and Charlotte. I love all the traditional old tracks. But I'd be willing to give up the fall race at Charlotte to see the spectacle of a race in the New York area, enclosed safely under a roof. It would be huge to know that you will never have a rain delay, and that the race will always run the featured number of laps. Think about it, a Bristol with a roof on it, in the biggest market in the country! The only things the fans would miss would be the fly over.
Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Sterling Marlin and Jeremy Mayfield have each won a race at Michigan. Historically, David Pearson holds the record for the most wins total at this track, with 9. Cale Yarborough won here 8 times.
In this week's race, I look for current trends to continue. Kyle Busch will probably be good at Michigan. Kasey Kahne should be strong as well. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon should do well, and maybe Jimmie Johnson will finally win at Michigan. Carl Edwards , Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth should have strong Ford race cars.
In other words, Michigan is a tough track to predict a driver with a clear advantage. The current momentum that has carried Kasey Kahne makes me think he might be a favorite, having won here before. Conjecture is fun, and can be challenging, but if we could guess what's going to happen on the track, we wouldn't have to run the races, and that would take away all the fun.
I read somewhere a comment by the guy that most experts consider to be the next super star in Nascar, Joey Logono. After a 4 tire stop in Saturday's Nationwide race in Nashville, apparently Joey was disturbed, because that put him at the back of the field running with the "trash." Saturday was Joey's 2nd ever Nationwide Series race, and he's already referring to the back of the field as "trash?"
I know, Joey is supposedly the Second Coming of Jeff Gordon, but for an 18 year old to refer to other drivers in a series he was too young to drive in 3 weeks ago as "trash?" That's disturbing.
I don't know what they're putting in the water over at Joe Gibbs Racing these days. Joey is an up and coming driver for them, and he's already dissing his peers. Oh, but yeah, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch have been doing the same thing this year. Tony Stewart wants to leave. I wonder why?
Tony Stewart was once the latest, greatest thing in Nascar. He had won in every series he'd ever raced in, and he's certainly enjoyed great success in Nascar, with 32 wins and two Cup championships. Tony used to be criticized loudly for his sometimes brash behavior, but it's interesting to see Tony as the voice of reason and experience these days at JGR. I imagine that Tony Stewart could tell us all many, many stories about how quickly young, hotshot drivers can find grief, and it's usually of their own making. I hope Tony does get released from his contract at the end of this season, and I hope he does well in his business and racing endeavors in the future. After this year, I'm guessing he'll be tired of being the hall monitor in this Joe Gibbs owned kindergarten on stearoids.
Rumors have it that Bruton Smith has been approaching the Mattioli family about buying Pocono Raceway. Bruton just bought Kentucky Speedway, which has never had a date on the Cup circuit. I'm guessing that if Mr. Smith buys Pocono, at least one date is going to go away, and Kentucky will magically have a Cup race. I have mixed feeling about that, because although I am not a huge fan of Pocono, I don't know that we need another 1.5 mile cookie cutter track on the circuit, which is what Kentucky will most assuredly be. I know Kentucky has beautiful, up to date facilities, but do we really need another 1.5 mile tri-oval?
Personally, I'd rather see Mr. Smith invest his money in creating another bullring like Bristol, or Martinsville. Let's just do pie in the sky here. This is what I would love to see:
A 3/4 mile, high banked oval in rural New Jersey. Speeds and general racing excitement would rival Bristol. The kicker is this though. I'd put a roof over the track, and guarantee a race, rain or shine. I'm not talking about a totally enclosed arena, because the exhaust fumes would probably kill most of the crowd before the race reached the halfway point. Leave it open on the sides, or put in exhaust fans to vent out the fumes. An inventive mind such as Bruton Smith's could make this work like a charm, and the greater New York City metropolitan area would have a track, and that would fulfill one of Nascar's dreams.
I'm a South Carolinian, and I hated to see Darlington lose the Labor Day race date. I love the races at Atlanta and Charlotte. I love all the traditional old tracks. But I'd be willing to give up the fall race at Charlotte to see the spectacle of a race in the New York area, enclosed safely under a roof. It would be huge to know that you will never have a rain delay, and that the race will always run the featured number of laps. Think about it, a Bristol with a roof on it, in the biggest market in the country! The only things the fans would miss would be the fly over.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Women in Nascar? Bet on it!
Women have always been an integral part of Nascar, from the 1950's when a lady named Louise Smith, from Greenville, South Carolina drove in more than a few races. Louise never won, but she made an important point. Woman can drive race cars. Since the early days of Nascar, exactly 14 women have driven in the top stock car racing series in existence.
The 14 women who have competed in Nascar's top series are:
Louise Smith
Sara Christian
Ethel Mobley
Ann Bunselmeyer
Ann Chester
Marian Pagan
Fifi Scott
Goldie Parsons
Janet Guthrie
Christine Beckers
Lella Lombardi
Robin McCall
Patty Moise
Shawna Robinson
There are stories to be told about all of these ladies, but you will have to find them elsewhere. I know there are great stories about some of these ladies, because I have heard some of them, but I prefer not to write without direct sourcing for my material. In case you're wondering, yes, Erin Crocker did drive in Nascar, but in the Busch Series and the Trucks Series. Erin never drove in the Cup Series.
I feel like it's just a matter of time before someone makes it to the big time in Sprint Cup who happens to be female. I think it will take longer before someone female will be sitting in the big seat on top of the pit box though. Nascar will change, but slowly, in that regard. One day, my friend Heather from Statesville, NC will be sitting on top of the pit box for some famous driver. I'll be bragging about how I knew her way back when she wasn't famous. And she'll probably pretend she never did know me. Or she will if she's as smart as I think she is.
It's just a matter of time.
The 14 women who have competed in Nascar's top series are:
Louise Smith
Sara Christian
Ethel Mobley
Ann Bunselmeyer
Ann Chester
Marian Pagan
Fifi Scott
Goldie Parsons
Janet Guthrie
Christine Beckers
Lella Lombardi
Robin McCall
Patty Moise
Shawna Robinson
There are stories to be told about all of these ladies, but you will have to find them elsewhere. I know there are great stories about some of these ladies, because I have heard some of them, but I prefer not to write without direct sourcing for my material. In case you're wondering, yes, Erin Crocker did drive in Nascar, but in the Busch Series and the Trucks Series. Erin never drove in the Cup Series.
I feel like it's just a matter of time before someone makes it to the big time in Sprint Cup who happens to be female. I think it will take longer before someone female will be sitting in the big seat on top of the pit box though. Nascar will change, but slowly, in that regard. One day, my friend Heather from Statesville, NC will be sitting on top of the pit box for some famous driver. I'll be bragging about how I knew her way back when she wasn't famous. And she'll probably pretend she never did know me. Or she will if she's as smart as I think she is.
It's just a matter of time.
Examining relationships between drivers and fans
We are all fans of certain drivers for different reasons. The reasons can be and are as diverse as each individual fan of Nascar can be. We've all got different backgrounds, we all do different things, we all have different dreams and wishes. I can speak only for myself, and I am a fan of Dale Earnhardt Jr., and I will try once again to explain why.
I do not see Dale Jr. as a superstar, or even really as a celebrity. I see him as a guy who is passionate about his job, and he's good at that job, but other than that, despite the fact that he's in a very high profile business, he seems about as down to earth as many of my friends are, and hopefully as down to earth as I am. What you see is what you get, and in Dale Jr.'s case, I think there's a lot to like.
Dale Jr. grew up isolated from his mother, in large part. Mother Brenda was there, but after a devastating fire, he and sister Kelley went to live with their dad, who was just making a name for himself on the tracks of Nascar's Winston Cup Series, and daddy wasn't home a lot. Dale Jr. was mostly raised by his sister, and his step-mom Teresa. As it turned out, life with Teresa was not all that grand for Dale Jr., but Kelley sacrificed a lot to be there for her younger brother. Dale Jr. was sent to military school, and Kelley followed him there just so she could take care of him. Later in his life, Dale Earnhardt began to spend more time with his kids, and appreciate them more and more. Dale and Teresa's daughter Taylor Nichole probably benefited the most from her dad's presence, because by the time Taylor came along, Dale was pretty much established in the world of racing, and found more time to stay at home and be more involved in his children's lives. One of the most touching pictures that I've ever seen of Dale Earnhardt is his young daughter Taylor giving him a kiss in victory lane. It showed even old Ironheart had indeed, a real, beating heart.
When Dale Earnhardt died, he was a happy man. He was proud of his family, including his son Dale Jr. In the last years of his life, Dale and Dale Jr. became closer in their relationship. Dale was indeed Dale Jr.'s hero, and always had been, and it was good that they had those last few years together in a close relationship as father and son. When Dale died suddenly one February afternoon in 2001, suddenly all the spotlight was on the son. The son handled that sudden switch with grace and courage, even though he was hurting so badly inside.
Watching Dale Jr.'s career has had much of story book feel to it. He's had his highs and his lows, but he's always been honest and forthright with his fans. Once again, what you see is what you get. After yesterday's race at Pocono, an obviously exhausted Dale Jr. climbed out of the race car and faced the cameras and microphones. As a fan, I was proud of his straight and to the point answers, but felt a bit of brotherly concern over the fact that his face was so red, and he had a hard time conducting the interviews without showing just how exhausted he was. Kasey Kahne, who won the race, expressed his feelings about the new car, saying it was hotter inside than the old car was. The evidence of that was clearly visible on Dale Jr.'s face in the post race interviews. Watching Jeff Burton's face, who finished 5th just behind Dale Jr., showed just how hot and tired that old tried and true veteran was too. It's obviously hot inside these cars, and with the East Coast facing record temperatures, this trend will likely continue until the crews figure out how to keep the driver cooler inside the car.
Driving one of these race cars is not all money and glamor. It's not uncommon for a driver to lose between 5 and 10 per cent of their total body weight during a hot race such as we saw yesterday for the long 500 miles at Pocono. Temperatures inside the cars often climb to 125 degrees and above. The next time you hear about a driver relaxing in his air conditioned motor coach, or flying on his private jet somewhere, think about what they endure to make the big bucks they make. These drivers are in physical pain sometimes when they climb out of these cars, but they commit themselves to get the job done.
Dale Jr. will be ok, after a day's rest. I know he's got obligations to his sponsors to keep this week, but I hope he'll have a little down time. Like I said, I don't look at Dale Jr. as a unreachable celebrity, but as a guy who worked his tail off yesterday, and he's certainly feeling tired today. Most of us work 5 or more days a week, but never reach the levels of heat and exhaustion that these drivers experience in the 4 and a half hours they entertain us each Sunday.
I do not see Dale Jr. as a superstar, or even really as a celebrity. I see him as a guy who is passionate about his job, and he's good at that job, but other than that, despite the fact that he's in a very high profile business, he seems about as down to earth as many of my friends are, and hopefully as down to earth as I am. What you see is what you get, and in Dale Jr.'s case, I think there's a lot to like.
Dale Jr. grew up isolated from his mother, in large part. Mother Brenda was there, but after a devastating fire, he and sister Kelley went to live with their dad, who was just making a name for himself on the tracks of Nascar's Winston Cup Series, and daddy wasn't home a lot. Dale Jr. was mostly raised by his sister, and his step-mom Teresa. As it turned out, life with Teresa was not all that grand for Dale Jr., but Kelley sacrificed a lot to be there for her younger brother. Dale Jr. was sent to military school, and Kelley followed him there just so she could take care of him. Later in his life, Dale Earnhardt began to spend more time with his kids, and appreciate them more and more. Dale and Teresa's daughter Taylor Nichole probably benefited the most from her dad's presence, because by the time Taylor came along, Dale was pretty much established in the world of racing, and found more time to stay at home and be more involved in his children's lives. One of the most touching pictures that I've ever seen of Dale Earnhardt is his young daughter Taylor giving him a kiss in victory lane. It showed even old Ironheart had indeed, a real, beating heart.
When Dale Earnhardt died, he was a happy man. He was proud of his family, including his son Dale Jr. In the last years of his life, Dale and Dale Jr. became closer in their relationship. Dale was indeed Dale Jr.'s hero, and always had been, and it was good that they had those last few years together in a close relationship as father and son. When Dale died suddenly one February afternoon in 2001, suddenly all the spotlight was on the son. The son handled that sudden switch with grace and courage, even though he was hurting so badly inside.
Watching Dale Jr.'s career has had much of story book feel to it. He's had his highs and his lows, but he's always been honest and forthright with his fans. Once again, what you see is what you get. After yesterday's race at Pocono, an obviously exhausted Dale Jr. climbed out of the race car and faced the cameras and microphones. As a fan, I was proud of his straight and to the point answers, but felt a bit of brotherly concern over the fact that his face was so red, and he had a hard time conducting the interviews without showing just how exhausted he was. Kasey Kahne, who won the race, expressed his feelings about the new car, saying it was hotter inside than the old car was. The evidence of that was clearly visible on Dale Jr.'s face in the post race interviews. Watching Jeff Burton's face, who finished 5th just behind Dale Jr., showed just how hot and tired that old tried and true veteran was too. It's obviously hot inside these cars, and with the East Coast facing record temperatures, this trend will likely continue until the crews figure out how to keep the driver cooler inside the car.
Driving one of these race cars is not all money and glamor. It's not uncommon for a driver to lose between 5 and 10 per cent of their total body weight during a hot race such as we saw yesterday for the long 500 miles at Pocono. Temperatures inside the cars often climb to 125 degrees and above. The next time you hear about a driver relaxing in his air conditioned motor coach, or flying on his private jet somewhere, think about what they endure to make the big bucks they make. These drivers are in physical pain sometimes when they climb out of these cars, but they commit themselves to get the job done.
Dale Jr. will be ok, after a day's rest. I know he's got obligations to his sponsors to keep this week, but I hope he'll have a little down time. Like I said, I don't look at Dale Jr. as a unreachable celebrity, but as a guy who worked his tail off yesterday, and he's certainly feeling tired today. Most of us work 5 or more days a week, but never reach the levels of heat and exhaustion that these drivers experience in the 4 and a half hours they entertain us each Sunday.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Congratulations to Kasey Kahne and other stuff on my mind.
Congratulations indeed are in order to Kasey Kahne, who won a very hot, tiring 500 mile race at Pocono today. Kasey had the best car when it counted, and it's always fun to watch a nice young guy win a race. Kasey has been on a hot streak lately, winning not only the All Star race, but also the Coca Cola 600 as well. In my book, Kasey's hot streak is even hotter than the media's favorite child, Kyle Busch. My heartfelt congratulations go out to Kasey on his win at Pocono. I wish every young driver had as much class as Kasey does.
I've got a couple of serious questions for those of you who follow open wheel racing. I hope you understand that I am serious about these questions, and hope you don't just think that I'm throwing stones. I am woefully uninformed about open wheel racing, and would like to be educated. My first question is why is there such little passing in open wheel racing? Is it just because it's too dangerous? I'd really like to know.
My second question is how do drivers from Brazil, the Netherlands, Scotland, and other countries get their start in series such as Formula One? Are there local racing series that they dominate, as do many drivers in the US? I'd just like to know, because I just don't have time to research all this stuff. I am truly interested, and hope you all understand that my natural nature is to be curious about subjects that I know little about. You may post your answers in the comments section, or you may e-mail me at jimcinsc@gmail.com. I thank you in advance for any information you can give me.
What's going on at Gillette - Evernham Motorsports? For one thing, it looks like the 9 Budweiser Dodge is winning races. Where is Elliot Sadler and the other dude? Oh yeah, Sam Hornish, Jr. Elliot finished 34th, and Sam finished 41st. Why is there not parity between the teams who supposedly have the same equipment? I wish I knew the answer, because if I did, I'd be the hottest commodity in Nascar right now.
I'm watching Dave Despain's show right now, and they're basically talking about how passing in racing is overrated. Peter Windsor is only a Formula One kind of guy, so I guess he's used to what I call very boring racing. Like I said above, Please educate me about why I'm just missing the point when it comes to racing with no passing. I'm not trying to be a Nascar snob here, as if there was such a thing, but I'd really like to know. According to Peter, F1 is based on technology, which I understand. You find features on any F1 car that you'll never see on your car in your driveway. I appreciate that. Now they have Darrell Waltrip debating Peter, which is somewhat like having Jethro Bodeen debate the Duke of Windsor. I don't think any of these guys speak the same language at all.
If indeed, I've been wrong all these years, and side by side racing is indeed boring, we need to pass this news along to all the short tracks around the country. On any Friday or Saturday night, we see local drivers racing hard, side by side, on dirt or oily asphalt, trying to be the first to the checkered flag. I pay my 10 bucks, and rarely leave feeling like I didn't get my money's worth. Sometimes I get to see a fight or two, which is just plain fun too. I don't ever want to see people get hurt, but a good clean fight is not a bad thing to see either.
The best part of today was the TNT tribute and interview they did with Bobby Allison. Bobby still maintains that Cale Yarborough kept beating his nose on Bobby's fist after the 1979 Daytona 500. How can you not love a guy like Bobby?
I've got a couple of serious questions for those of you who follow open wheel racing. I hope you understand that I am serious about these questions, and hope you don't just think that I'm throwing stones. I am woefully uninformed about open wheel racing, and would like to be educated. My first question is why is there such little passing in open wheel racing? Is it just because it's too dangerous? I'd really like to know.
My second question is how do drivers from Brazil, the Netherlands, Scotland, and other countries get their start in series such as Formula One? Are there local racing series that they dominate, as do many drivers in the US? I'd just like to know, because I just don't have time to research all this stuff. I am truly interested, and hope you all understand that my natural nature is to be curious about subjects that I know little about. You may post your answers in the comments section, or you may e-mail me at jimcinsc@gmail.com. I thank you in advance for any information you can give me.
What's going on at Gillette - Evernham Motorsports? For one thing, it looks like the 9 Budweiser Dodge is winning races. Where is Elliot Sadler and the other dude? Oh yeah, Sam Hornish, Jr. Elliot finished 34th, and Sam finished 41st. Why is there not parity between the teams who supposedly have the same equipment? I wish I knew the answer, because if I did, I'd be the hottest commodity in Nascar right now.
I'm watching Dave Despain's show right now, and they're basically talking about how passing in racing is overrated. Peter Windsor is only a Formula One kind of guy, so I guess he's used to what I call very boring racing. Like I said above, Please educate me about why I'm just missing the point when it comes to racing with no passing. I'm not trying to be a Nascar snob here, as if there was such a thing, but I'd really like to know. According to Peter, F1 is based on technology, which I understand. You find features on any F1 car that you'll never see on your car in your driveway. I appreciate that. Now they have Darrell Waltrip debating Peter, which is somewhat like having Jethro Bodeen debate the Duke of Windsor. I don't think any of these guys speak the same language at all.
If indeed, I've been wrong all these years, and side by side racing is indeed boring, we need to pass this news along to all the short tracks around the country. On any Friday or Saturday night, we see local drivers racing hard, side by side, on dirt or oily asphalt, trying to be the first to the checkered flag. I pay my 10 bucks, and rarely leave feeling like I didn't get my money's worth. Sometimes I get to see a fight or two, which is just plain fun too. I don't ever want to see people get hurt, but a good clean fight is not a bad thing to see either.
The best part of today was the TNT tribute and interview they did with Bobby Allison. Bobby still maintains that Cale Yarborough kept beating his nose on Bobby's fist after the 1979 Daytona 500. How can you not love a guy like Bobby?
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