Most of my life, I've not been a Gordon fan. I was always an Earnhardt fan, but times are changing, just like Nascar is. Jeff Gordon is a current driver, and still very competitive. Jeff Gordon has won 81 Cup races and has won 4 championships. Let's face it folks. Like him or hate him, Jeff Gordon is now the grand old man of Nascar.
Jeff's career started in 1992, and he has won an incredible 81 races! I'm guessing that he's going to win more too. Darrell Waltrip? Bobby Allison? Kiss your records goodbye, because this guy is going to beat you.
I have been an Earnhart fan all of my adult life. I graduated high school in 1981, the year after Dale Earnhardt won his first championship. I've been an Earnhardt fan since before I was out of high school. I grew up near a town called Greer, South Carolina. Greer is about 85 or so miles southwest of Charlotte on Interstate 85. Nascar was something my friends in school talked about. It was something we all watched, whenever we had a chance to watch it.
In 1992, Jeff Gordon started his first Winston Cup race, and as it turned out, the only race he ever ran with Richard Petty. This was the Hooters 500, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, in beautiful Hampton, Georgia. The King was done, but nobody knew back then that a new era in Nascar racing was about to start.
In that race, Bill Elliot won. Richard finished 35th, and the young kid named Jeff Gordon finished 31st. Dale Earnhardt finished 26th. Imagine if that were Dale Jr. today? Poor finishes happen, and that's life in racing.
The point of this is that Jeff was on the track with the King, Richard Petty, in 1992. It was Richard's last race. It was Jeff's first.
When the era took hold, it took hold by storm. In the 1990's Jeff Gordon dominated the series. He didn't win all the championships, but he won a ton of races. Jeff didn't actually start winning until 1994, but he won 2 races that year. In 1995, he won 7 races. The next two years, he won 10 races each. In 1998, he won an incredible 13 races. Along the way, up until 2001, he managed to win 4 Cup championships as well.
Jeff Gordon has been booed by Earnhardt fans, and by Southern fans in general. Jeff was born in California, and grew up in Indiana. He looks like a Hollywood actor, and he speaks in obviously carefully prepared scripts, or so it would seem.
In 2003, Jeff broke up with his wife, a former Miss Winston, Brooke. The divorce was messy, and the tabloids had a field day. Gordon haters rejoiced, and Jeff kept winning. A couple of years later, Jeff met his future wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, and they got married. The couple have a baby, named Ella Sophia, and suddenly I was a Jeff Gordon fan. I don't know why, but fatherhood made Jeff Gordon suddenly a human being for the first time in his life, at least to me.
When asked about his daughter or his wife, Jeff smiles, a genuine smile. Not a factory made to order smile. I like to see it, and I'm glad to include myself among the number of Jeff Gordon fans now.
He's not my favorite driver. Don't think that he is, but I'm a fan. For years I felt that Jeff, and his protege, Jimmie Johnson were some kind of factory made race drivers. They never showed any emotion. Their responses to questions in interviews were robot like. I don't like that. I like real people driving race cars.
Something about having a baby made Jeff a little more human. He seems like a likable guy now. He's not the robot he used to be, he's a happy father and husband. He's a family man now. He still drives race cars at very high speeds, but at some level, it seems that Jeff Gordon is finally at home. He's human, and feels the same emotions that all of us do.
I like Jeff Gordon. It took a lot of years for me to say that, but I do. I hope he will be able to hold his grandchildren in his arms, in his rocking chair.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Beware of reporters with "interesting" tidings.
Ok, Tony Stewart will buy out Gene Haas, and will work closely with Hendrick to get the team up to speed. Ok, Mark Martin is leaving DEI and will run in the 5 car, possibly with or without Brad Keselowski. Ok, Martin Truex Jr. will leave DEI and possibly drive the 5 car or the new 33 of Richard Childress. Ok, Casey Mears will be looking for a new ride. Ok, Jeff Gordon just had NASA agree to a contract to paint a huge 24 on the full moon.
Ok, maybe that last scenario was a little too crazy for anyone to believe, but we are all currently enduring the usual silly season rumors, and I caution all fans of any driver to wait until the ink is on the paper before celebrating, or having thoughts of suicide.
We see this every year. So-and-so's definitely going to this shop. This driver will be in this car with this sponsor. We see it every year. There's nothing new about it.
Already this year, we heard that Bobby Labonte's move to the new Richard Childress team was a done deal. All that needed doing was to make the announcement. Well, how did that turn out? Bobby Labonte recently announced a 4 year deal with Petty Enterprises. Where's that reporter that broke that story now? he's announcing some other 'done deal'.
The point here is this: Don't believe anything until the driver and the owner both announce it publicly. Last year, we heard that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was going to Gibbs. We heard he was going to RCR. We heard that he was going to drive for his own team, JRM. We all heard those were 'done deals' from various sources. We also heard that he was driving the 8, or the 81, or the 3 and a few other numbers. None of us knew the details until Dale Jr., Kelley, and Mr. Hendrick himself sat on stage at JR Motorsports.
Sports reporting is competitive by nature, and some of the reporters could give the drivers a lesson in competitiveness. Every reporter in the business is eager to get the scoop, and who knows who their sources are, especially if the sources are only identified as 'undisclosed'?
I'm going to be quite frank with you. As a long time fan of this sport, I've read articles written by supposedly true Nascar 'Insiders' who have no business writing for this sport, or any other, as far as I'm concerned. Their only purpose is to break headlines, and in this new era of the Internet, to get hits on their websites. I have to admit, it's tempting to write puff pieces or hit pieces on this very blog, just to get hits. I don't advertise here, so that does me little in the way of profit, so I don't do it. This blog let's me speak my mind, to have a somewhat collective conversation with those of you who take the time to read what I write. I do not make one single cent from doing this, so even though I will be honest and admit that I do like the hits, it's for my own enjoyment as a writer. This blog will never pay the light bill or buy me a new car. I mostly love reading the stats and seeing what kind of audience I've got.
But then again, I'm not a reporter. I post opinion pieces here. I've got opinions about a sport I've loved for so long, and sometimes those opinions change. I may repeat a recently reported rumor, but I'm only going to offer an opinion on that, not state whether it is true or not. Nascar does not include me in their discussions. Neither do the teams. I've been lucky enough to correspond via e-mail with a couple of drivers, who shall remain nameless, but they don't tell me anything that you don't already know. I'm not in the inner circle of this sport. I'm just a fan, just like you.
I would encourage everyone that reads this blog, or any other blog, or any websites devoted to Nascar, or even politics or whatever, for that matter, to check out the facts before you believe anything. There is an old saying, and it's true for many sites, because they are often right on the money in their predictions. That saying is "Trust, but verify." The next time you read a report on the AP or even the Mothership of all sports, ESPN, think about that. You may trust, but verify before you believe it. Reporters make mistakes, sometimes honest ones, such as getting the wrong impression from what a driver or team owner or crew member says. If a reporter is called for the mistake, he or she should acknowledge it, and admit they made a mistake, in my opinion. Whenever I see or hear a reporter doing that, they pick up a few notches in admiration on my scale. We all make mistakes, and if you can admit to your mistakes, it only makes you a better reporter, and indeed, a better person. Learn from those mistakes, and don't repeat them, and you will be a great reporter, and indeed, a better person.
Every year I've seen some of the same people tell me that a certain scenario is indeed a 'done deal', and it turns out not to be true. To these people, all I can say is "Don't make my boots wet and tell me it's raining." There are a few reporters out there that make wild claims every year, and virtually none of them come true, yet they just move on and keep writing, or talking, and they never take responsibility for their mistakes. I won't name names, but you know who they are. It's the same pretty much every year. The names might change, but the motives don't.
There's another old adage that goes like this: "Don't believe everything you read in the newspapers." That old saying could easily be applied to today's Internet world, especially when it involves Nascar's silly season.
Ok, maybe that last scenario was a little too crazy for anyone to believe, but we are all currently enduring the usual silly season rumors, and I caution all fans of any driver to wait until the ink is on the paper before celebrating, or having thoughts of suicide.
We see this every year. So-and-so's definitely going to this shop. This driver will be in this car with this sponsor. We see it every year. There's nothing new about it.
Already this year, we heard that Bobby Labonte's move to the new Richard Childress team was a done deal. All that needed doing was to make the announcement. Well, how did that turn out? Bobby Labonte recently announced a 4 year deal with Petty Enterprises. Where's that reporter that broke that story now? he's announcing some other 'done deal'.
The point here is this: Don't believe anything until the driver and the owner both announce it publicly. Last year, we heard that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was going to Gibbs. We heard he was going to RCR. We heard that he was going to drive for his own team, JRM. We all heard those were 'done deals' from various sources. We also heard that he was driving the 8, or the 81, or the 3 and a few other numbers. None of us knew the details until Dale Jr., Kelley, and Mr. Hendrick himself sat on stage at JR Motorsports.
Sports reporting is competitive by nature, and some of the reporters could give the drivers a lesson in competitiveness. Every reporter in the business is eager to get the scoop, and who knows who their sources are, especially if the sources are only identified as 'undisclosed'?
I'm going to be quite frank with you. As a long time fan of this sport, I've read articles written by supposedly true Nascar 'Insiders' who have no business writing for this sport, or any other, as far as I'm concerned. Their only purpose is to break headlines, and in this new era of the Internet, to get hits on their websites. I have to admit, it's tempting to write puff pieces or hit pieces on this very blog, just to get hits. I don't advertise here, so that does me little in the way of profit, so I don't do it. This blog let's me speak my mind, to have a somewhat collective conversation with those of you who take the time to read what I write. I do not make one single cent from doing this, so even though I will be honest and admit that I do like the hits, it's for my own enjoyment as a writer. This blog will never pay the light bill or buy me a new car. I mostly love reading the stats and seeing what kind of audience I've got.
But then again, I'm not a reporter. I post opinion pieces here. I've got opinions about a sport I've loved for so long, and sometimes those opinions change. I may repeat a recently reported rumor, but I'm only going to offer an opinion on that, not state whether it is true or not. Nascar does not include me in their discussions. Neither do the teams. I've been lucky enough to correspond via e-mail with a couple of drivers, who shall remain nameless, but they don't tell me anything that you don't already know. I'm not in the inner circle of this sport. I'm just a fan, just like you.
I would encourage everyone that reads this blog, or any other blog, or any websites devoted to Nascar, or even politics or whatever, for that matter, to check out the facts before you believe anything. There is an old saying, and it's true for many sites, because they are often right on the money in their predictions. That saying is "Trust, but verify." The next time you read a report on the AP or even the Mothership of all sports, ESPN, think about that. You may trust, but verify before you believe it. Reporters make mistakes, sometimes honest ones, such as getting the wrong impression from what a driver or team owner or crew member says. If a reporter is called for the mistake, he or she should acknowledge it, and admit they made a mistake, in my opinion. Whenever I see or hear a reporter doing that, they pick up a few notches in admiration on my scale. We all make mistakes, and if you can admit to your mistakes, it only makes you a better reporter, and indeed, a better person. Learn from those mistakes, and don't repeat them, and you will be a great reporter, and indeed, a better person.
Every year I've seen some of the same people tell me that a certain scenario is indeed a 'done deal', and it turns out not to be true. To these people, all I can say is "Don't make my boots wet and tell me it's raining." There are a few reporters out there that make wild claims every year, and virtually none of them come true, yet they just move on and keep writing, or talking, and they never take responsibility for their mistakes. I won't name names, but you know who they are. It's the same pretty much every year. The names might change, but the motives don't.
There's another old adage that goes like this: "Don't believe everything you read in the newspapers." That old saying could easily be applied to today's Internet world, especially when it involves Nascar's silly season.
Exclusive Post Race Comments from Infineon!
A lot of people don't know this, but this week, the Jimmy C's Nascar Blog had hidden microphones in various haulers and press rooms at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Some of the comments were surprising, to say the least.
Kyle Busch, current points leader and race winner: "I love Northern California! They really know how to appreciate a good bow here! Hey, I just found out I'm an accomplished road course ringer!"
Juan Pablo Montoya: (in a radio conversation with his crew chief) "But Brian, the gas gauge reads full! What? That's the temperature gauge? Now you tell me!"
Tony Stewart: "I just wanted to dispel any more rumors that I'm going to be Richard Childress' 4th driver."
Kevin Harvick: "I just wanted to prove to the world that I'm just as good as any Joe Gibbs Racing driver!"
Jamie McMurray: "Wow! I finally got on TV! And during a race!"
Jeff Gordon, in a radio conversation with owner Rick Hendrick: "Rick, I've got a plan. Nascar and TNT need the ratings, so why don't we just let the bad boy win another one?"
Casey Mears, singing softly to himself: "I ain't got nobody, nobody cares for me, nobody, nobody..."
Jimmie Johnson: " I think Greg (Biffle) saw a right hand corner, when I know I clearly saw a left hand corner. It's like.... Greg was just in another dimension, and he was right behind me! He was in the mirror universe, where right is left and left is right. I'm telling you, it was scary!"
Greg Biffle who during the race mysteriously sprouted a mustache and goatee: "All of a sudden, the light shimmered, and it's like everything was backwards. I could have sworn that was the 84 car in front of me, not the 48!"
Kasey Kahne: "I'm going to petition Nascar to award as many points for winning the pole as the race winner gets!"
David Reutimann: "Man, where did that straightaway go? Now they call it Turn 8?"
Kyle Petty, who was in the TNT booth during this year's event: "At least the entire world didn't hear me say a particularly bad word during the race this year!"
Brian France, Nascar's ultimate ruler: "Next year, I think we're going to run the race here the other way around. Let's make Turn 11 into Turn 1. We'll also award extra points for synchronized spinning."
Casey Mears, again, but this time to an empty press room: "The Kelloggs Chevrolet was..... Hello, anybody hear me? Anyone there?"
Elliot Sadler: "I don't see why a car can't win a race with 3 tires. Dale Jr. did it with no gas. Jeff Gordon did it with no water in the radiator! Next week, I'm going to show up in my blond wig and mustache, and change my luck a little."
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: "Man, if it weren't for the fact that I hate this place, I'd love it. I think me, Tony and Kenny need to buy this track, and then I'm going to get my daddy's old bulldozer and doze it to the ground. We'll put in a 2.75 mile, 36 degree banked wide oval. Then we'll buy Nascar and change the rules and do away with restrictor plates. You want to see open wheel speeds out of cars with fenders? Heck yeah, man!"
In case you can't tell, all the above comments and quotes are quite fictitious and are are solely for fun. We never mean to offend here. Well, almost never.
In memoriam: NHRA's Scott Kalitta died tragically on Saturday during a race in New Jersey. Scott Kalitta. May you rest in peace, and may the good Lord watch over your family.
Kyle Busch, current points leader and race winner: "I love Northern California! They really know how to appreciate a good bow here! Hey, I just found out I'm an accomplished road course ringer!"
Juan Pablo Montoya: (in a radio conversation with his crew chief) "But Brian, the gas gauge reads full! What? That's the temperature gauge? Now you tell me!"
Tony Stewart: "I just wanted to dispel any more rumors that I'm going to be Richard Childress' 4th driver."
Kevin Harvick: "I just wanted to prove to the world that I'm just as good as any Joe Gibbs Racing driver!"
Jamie McMurray: "Wow! I finally got on TV! And during a race!"
Jeff Gordon, in a radio conversation with owner Rick Hendrick: "Rick, I've got a plan. Nascar and TNT need the ratings, so why don't we just let the bad boy win another one?"
Casey Mears, singing softly to himself: "I ain't got nobody, nobody cares for me, nobody, nobody..."
Jimmie Johnson: " I think Greg (Biffle) saw a right hand corner, when I know I clearly saw a left hand corner. It's like.... Greg was just in another dimension, and he was right behind me! He was in the mirror universe, where right is left and left is right. I'm telling you, it was scary!"
Greg Biffle who during the race mysteriously sprouted a mustache and goatee: "All of a sudden, the light shimmered, and it's like everything was backwards. I could have sworn that was the 84 car in front of me, not the 48!"
Kasey Kahne: "I'm going to petition Nascar to award as many points for winning the pole as the race winner gets!"
David Reutimann: "Man, where did that straightaway go? Now they call it Turn 8?"
Kyle Petty, who was in the TNT booth during this year's event: "At least the entire world didn't hear me say a particularly bad word during the race this year!"
Brian France, Nascar's ultimate ruler: "Next year, I think we're going to run the race here the other way around. Let's make Turn 11 into Turn 1. We'll also award extra points for synchronized spinning."
Casey Mears, again, but this time to an empty press room: "The Kelloggs Chevrolet was..... Hello, anybody hear me? Anyone there?"
Elliot Sadler: "I don't see why a car can't win a race with 3 tires. Dale Jr. did it with no gas. Jeff Gordon did it with no water in the radiator! Next week, I'm going to show up in my blond wig and mustache, and change my luck a little."
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: "Man, if it weren't for the fact that I hate this place, I'd love it. I think me, Tony and Kenny need to buy this track, and then I'm going to get my daddy's old bulldozer and doze it to the ground. We'll put in a 2.75 mile, 36 degree banked wide oval. Then we'll buy Nascar and change the rules and do away with restrictor plates. You want to see open wheel speeds out of cars with fenders? Heck yeah, man!"
In case you can't tell, all the above comments and quotes are quite fictitious and are are solely for fun. We never mean to offend here. Well, almost never.
In memoriam: NHRA's Scott Kalitta died tragically on Saturday during a race in New Jersey. Scott Kalitta. May you rest in peace, and may the good Lord watch over your family.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
A Great Young Man, who Never really had a Chance.
On the day that Dale Earnhardt Jr won his first Winston Cup race, on April 2, 2000, I was very excited. I'd liked the young man since he first started driving in the Busch Series. Dale Jr. managed to win 2 Busch Series championships in 1998 and 1999. In 2000, he won just in his 7th Cup race of the season. It was a major accomplishment, and watching Dale hugging Dale Jr. in victory lane was a moment that I'll probably never forget.
There was another young driver in that race, his very first race in Winston Cup, Nascar's most elite series. His name was Adam Petty, the great-grandson of Nascar pioneer Lee Petty, the grandson of the King, Richard Petty, and the son of Kyle Petty. This was his first Winston Cup race, and sadly enough, it turned out to be his only race in the Cup Series. A little over a month later, Adam Petty died in an accident at New Hampshire Speedway during practice, on May 12, 2000. Adam was only 19 years old, and suddenly he was gone forever.
The Petty family's grief was evident, but subdued. Kyle had been in England with one of his daughters when the accident happened. Richard was quiet. But the grief they endured had to be monumental. No family, especially the Petty family, with such proud traditions, could have felt more grief than Kyle, Pattie, Richard, and all the rest of the family felt when Adam passed away at such a tragically young age.
After Adam's death, Kyle and his wife Pattie started the Victory Junction Gang Camp. This is a very special place where kids with all ailments and sicknesses get to live out their dreams. Kyle has told us that this was Adam's dream, even at only the tender age of 19. Adam wanted to help kids that are hurting, especially those in terminal conditions. The Victory Junction Gang Camp has fulfilled a ton of dreams since it's inception, and Kyle, Pattie, Richard, and untold how many drivers and friends have helped make Adam's dream a reality. There are kids that have been at the camp that have had their dreams realized, no matter how short their time is to realize any of their dreams.
I've got a friend, and he's a nice guy, and he's willing to donate his talent and time to this excellent charity. We call him TireDawg, and he posts regularly on the Pit Board, especially early in the morning. This man has his own business, but also does a remarkable thing on his own. He makes custom diecast replicas of Nascar race cars. My friend, TireDawg, will also be making these available on E-bay, and the total buyer's winning bid will be given to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. I hope to be working in conjunction with TireDawg, and will be posting links on this site. This is a worthy cause, folks. The Petty's are giving back from their success, and making kids very happy. Some of these kids won't live long, but Kyle and his family give them their dreams in memory of the son they lost.
We only live once. Get a custom made diecast that will contribute to a special cause. Our friend TireDawg makes some very good 'casts, and let's contribute to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Let's do our part and help kids that need help.
There was another young driver in that race, his very first race in Winston Cup, Nascar's most elite series. His name was Adam Petty, the great-grandson of Nascar pioneer Lee Petty, the grandson of the King, Richard Petty, and the son of Kyle Petty. This was his first Winston Cup race, and sadly enough, it turned out to be his only race in the Cup Series. A little over a month later, Adam Petty died in an accident at New Hampshire Speedway during practice, on May 12, 2000. Adam was only 19 years old, and suddenly he was gone forever.
The Petty family's grief was evident, but subdued. Kyle had been in England with one of his daughters when the accident happened. Richard was quiet. But the grief they endured had to be monumental. No family, especially the Petty family, with such proud traditions, could have felt more grief than Kyle, Pattie, Richard, and all the rest of the family felt when Adam passed away at such a tragically young age.
After Adam's death, Kyle and his wife Pattie started the Victory Junction Gang Camp. This is a very special place where kids with all ailments and sicknesses get to live out their dreams. Kyle has told us that this was Adam's dream, even at only the tender age of 19. Adam wanted to help kids that are hurting, especially those in terminal conditions. The Victory Junction Gang Camp has fulfilled a ton of dreams since it's inception, and Kyle, Pattie, Richard, and untold how many drivers and friends have helped make Adam's dream a reality. There are kids that have been at the camp that have had their dreams realized, no matter how short their time is to realize any of their dreams.
I've got a friend, and he's a nice guy, and he's willing to donate his talent and time to this excellent charity. We call him TireDawg, and he posts regularly on the Pit Board, especially early in the morning. This man has his own business, but also does a remarkable thing on his own. He makes custom diecast replicas of Nascar race cars. My friend, TireDawg, will also be making these available on E-bay, and the total buyer's winning bid will be given to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. I hope to be working in conjunction with TireDawg, and will be posting links on this site. This is a worthy cause, folks. The Petty's are giving back from their success, and making kids very happy. Some of these kids won't live long, but Kyle and his family give them their dreams in memory of the son they lost.
We only live once. Get a custom made diecast that will contribute to a special cause. Our friend TireDawg makes some very good 'casts, and let's contribute to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Let's do our part and help kids that need help.
Nascar and road course racing
I have to admit it, but I'm actually only a recent convert to road course racing. I used to feel that cars having to slow down to speeds of 35 miles per hour under race conditions was atrocious. Recently, however, I've changed my tune on that opinion.
Road courses provide fans to see the all around driving skills that our favorite drivers possess. Thirty six weeks a year, we get to see how they drive on various circle tracks around the country, but the road courses allow us to see the cars turning right once in a while.
Many new fans to Nascar are or once were fans of other series, such as IRL or Champ, or Formula One. Many of the races run in those series are on various road courses, at Infineon and Watkins Glen, the fans get to see cars racing on tracks they're more used to seeing. These two tracks offer a little break from what some might consider the monotony of circle track racing.
Even being what I would consider to be a Nascar purist, road courses are nothing new to Nascar. Years ago, the first race of the year wasn't the Daytona 500, as it is now. The drivers used to head to the old Riverside Speedway in California in January for the years first points event.
For the drivers, many who came up through the ranks on the circle tracks find the road courses to be a special challenge. Some don't like them, and have performed well on the courses. Others love them, but have never had much success. In the Busch Series, Dale Earnhardt Jr. once won a race at Watkins Glen, and claimed that he learned how to drive the track by playing a video game version of the race!
Love them or hate them, road courses are here to stay, and I have to admit, I'm not so sorry to see it. I've never been to a Nascar road course race, and I'm not likely to ever go to one, but I'm glad that the true fans of the road courses have their venues as well.
Road courses provide fans to see the all around driving skills that our favorite drivers possess. Thirty six weeks a year, we get to see how they drive on various circle tracks around the country, but the road courses allow us to see the cars turning right once in a while.
Many new fans to Nascar are or once were fans of other series, such as IRL or Champ, or Formula One. Many of the races run in those series are on various road courses, at Infineon and Watkins Glen, the fans get to see cars racing on tracks they're more used to seeing. These two tracks offer a little break from what some might consider the monotony of circle track racing.
Even being what I would consider to be a Nascar purist, road courses are nothing new to Nascar. Years ago, the first race of the year wasn't the Daytona 500, as it is now. The drivers used to head to the old Riverside Speedway in California in January for the years first points event.
For the drivers, many who came up through the ranks on the circle tracks find the road courses to be a special challenge. Some don't like them, and have performed well on the courses. Others love them, but have never had much success. In the Busch Series, Dale Earnhardt Jr. once won a race at Watkins Glen, and claimed that he learned how to drive the track by playing a video game version of the race!
Love them or hate them, road courses are here to stay, and I have to admit, I'm not so sorry to see it. I've never been to a Nascar road course race, and I'm not likely to ever go to one, but I'm glad that the true fans of the road courses have their venues as well.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
A Win is a win is a win is a win.
I've read on various forums this week that somehow Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win at Michigan Sunday was "not legitimate", or "should have an asterisk beside it." Excuse my language, and I'm going to try to keep this as close to G rated as I can, but those assumptions by a few of the talking heads and some of the fans are complete bull squeeze. I just have to laugh when I read people who should know better, and indeed do know better, that a win under a yellow flag is somehow not a legitimate win.
In that case, following that logic, I suppose the late Dale Earnhardt should have his 1998 Daytona 500 victory stripped and deleted from the record books. Dale finished that race under caution, but what some people forget is the fact that in Nascar, the driver who crosses the start-finish line first, whether it be under caution or green, whether he's driving straight ahead or backwards, or upside down, is determined to be the winner. The win Sunday was legitimate. If indeed Dale Jr. passed the pace car, he did not do it to the point that Nascar felt like it was a foul. Dale Jr. was indeed warned to keep his position, but that's not the first time this has happened. Nascar declared the 88 car to be the winner, and that's that.
Fans of Nascar, and members of the media that cover the race, I've got a message for you. Deal with it. When the green flag drops, anything can happen. Engines blow. Tires blow. Ignition boxes fail. Belts break. Cars hit a patch of oil or some other slick substance and spin. Drivers make mistakes. If you think Nascar can orchestrate the events that unfold on a track, lap after lap, for 400 or 500 miles, you are deluding yourself. More importantly, and more obviously, If you think that all the people involved can keep such trickery a secret, then you are indeed delusional. It's simply not possible. Nascar, for all it's faults, has to play this game straight up. If it didn't, people in the garage would all be running for the nearest microphone to voice their complaints. Sometimes we do hear complaints, but most of the time those are addressed and dealt with, not always to the complainer's satisfaction, but they are dealt with all the same.
Nascar is not in the business of providing staged performances. They provide the basics needed for racing, and the drivers and the teams put on the show. Does Nascar like it when Dale Jr. wins a race? Of course it does. But then again, they don't seem to care much if he gets spun while leading a race either. Nascar has told drivers in the past that "You need Nascar more than Nascar needs you." Dale Jr. has been frustrated when he's been knocked out of what looks a sure win, but he's also been gracious about it. He doesn't point fingers, and he usually goes overboard to take blame when in all actuality, he deserves none.
For a driver with no apparent talent, according to some, Dale Jr. has accomplished a lot in his career. He's won a lot of non points races, such as the Bud Shootout, and the Winston. He won two Busch Series championships, and has now won 18 Cup races. A lot of other drivers, who some say are much more talented, have struggled to accomplish half as much in their careers as Dale Jr. has. I have to laugh sometimes when I read on message boards something to the effect of "I know my driver is the best in the field, but wish he could finish better than 15th." Hey, fans? I've felt that way before too, when it was my driver. I knew my driver was capable of better finishes, but the equipment or some other gremlin was keeping him from winning or finishing in the top 5 or so.
When it gets right down to it, it's racing. Every week, there are 42 drivers that don't win. It doesn't mean they aren't great drivers. Nobody that can't drive a race car gets to this level. Every single driver in this field is there because they are the best of the best when it comes to stock car racing. Did Dale Earnhardt help Dale Jr. get his start in racing? Of course he did. Dale Jr. is not the only kid in the sport to be helped by benefit of what their name was. Kyle Petty knows what I'm talking about. Dale Jarrett knows what I'm talking about. John Andretti and Casey Mears know what I'm talking about. Talent basically doesn't care about names though, and none of these drivers would have ever made it as far as they did without talent of their own.
You cannot win two Busch Series championships and 18 Cup races just because your daddy was Dale Earnhardt. Some people forget that most of Dale Jr.'s Cup wins came after his father died. Probably somewhere, there are people that question the validity of every one of those wins. I know people still question his 2004 Daytona 500 win, and his 2001 Pepsi 400 win. I just have to laugh at these people, because lunacy is fun to read sometimes.
Dale Jr., you finally got the big W! Congratulations to you, and I hope you enjoy this week. Your talent as a race car driver first drew me to you, and made me watch you, but your character and personality have made me a fan.
In that case, following that logic, I suppose the late Dale Earnhardt should have his 1998 Daytona 500 victory stripped and deleted from the record books. Dale finished that race under caution, but what some people forget is the fact that in Nascar, the driver who crosses the start-finish line first, whether it be under caution or green, whether he's driving straight ahead or backwards, or upside down, is determined to be the winner. The win Sunday was legitimate. If indeed Dale Jr. passed the pace car, he did not do it to the point that Nascar felt like it was a foul. Dale Jr. was indeed warned to keep his position, but that's not the first time this has happened. Nascar declared the 88 car to be the winner, and that's that.
Fans of Nascar, and members of the media that cover the race, I've got a message for you. Deal with it. When the green flag drops, anything can happen. Engines blow. Tires blow. Ignition boxes fail. Belts break. Cars hit a patch of oil or some other slick substance and spin. Drivers make mistakes. If you think Nascar can orchestrate the events that unfold on a track, lap after lap, for 400 or 500 miles, you are deluding yourself. More importantly, and more obviously, If you think that all the people involved can keep such trickery a secret, then you are indeed delusional. It's simply not possible. Nascar, for all it's faults, has to play this game straight up. If it didn't, people in the garage would all be running for the nearest microphone to voice their complaints. Sometimes we do hear complaints, but most of the time those are addressed and dealt with, not always to the complainer's satisfaction, but they are dealt with all the same.
Nascar is not in the business of providing staged performances. They provide the basics needed for racing, and the drivers and the teams put on the show. Does Nascar like it when Dale Jr. wins a race? Of course it does. But then again, they don't seem to care much if he gets spun while leading a race either. Nascar has told drivers in the past that "You need Nascar more than Nascar needs you." Dale Jr. has been frustrated when he's been knocked out of what looks a sure win, but he's also been gracious about it. He doesn't point fingers, and he usually goes overboard to take blame when in all actuality, he deserves none.
For a driver with no apparent talent, according to some, Dale Jr. has accomplished a lot in his career. He's won a lot of non points races, such as the Bud Shootout, and the Winston. He won two Busch Series championships, and has now won 18 Cup races. A lot of other drivers, who some say are much more talented, have struggled to accomplish half as much in their careers as Dale Jr. has. I have to laugh sometimes when I read on message boards something to the effect of "I know my driver is the best in the field, but wish he could finish better than 15th." Hey, fans? I've felt that way before too, when it was my driver. I knew my driver was capable of better finishes, but the equipment or some other gremlin was keeping him from winning or finishing in the top 5 or so.
When it gets right down to it, it's racing. Every week, there are 42 drivers that don't win. It doesn't mean they aren't great drivers. Nobody that can't drive a race car gets to this level. Every single driver in this field is there because they are the best of the best when it comes to stock car racing. Did Dale Earnhardt help Dale Jr. get his start in racing? Of course he did. Dale Jr. is not the only kid in the sport to be helped by benefit of what their name was. Kyle Petty knows what I'm talking about. Dale Jarrett knows what I'm talking about. John Andretti and Casey Mears know what I'm talking about. Talent basically doesn't care about names though, and none of these drivers would have ever made it as far as they did without talent of their own.
You cannot win two Busch Series championships and 18 Cup races just because your daddy was Dale Earnhardt. Some people forget that most of Dale Jr.'s Cup wins came after his father died. Probably somewhere, there are people that question the validity of every one of those wins. I know people still question his 2004 Daytona 500 win, and his 2001 Pepsi 400 win. I just have to laugh at these people, because lunacy is fun to read sometimes.
Dale Jr., you finally got the big W! Congratulations to you, and I hope you enjoy this week. Your talent as a race car driver first drew me to you, and made me watch you, but your character and personality have made me a fan.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
California Heat!
This week, the Sprint Cup series heads back out to California, specifically to the road course at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. Once again, we'll be treated to road course ringers, and chances are a regular Cup driver will win the race.
The statistics are very clear, and quite frankly, Jeff Gordon practically owns Infineon. He's won there 5 times in his career. Tony Stewart has won twice, and Juan Pablo Montoya, Mark Martin, and Robby Gordon have each won once at this track. Ernie Irvan won here twice, as has Rusty Wallace and Ricky Rudd. But let's face it, 5 wins is impressive, so Jeff Gordon has to be the odds favorite in this race.
Will this be the break out weekend for Jeff Gordon? He's been winless in 2008, and though he has had some great performances, he's not sealed the deal and put the car in victory lane. Jimmie Johnson has won, and now so has Dale Jr., so the pressure on Jeff is even more than normal this week, at a track at which he has dominated in the past.
Any former open wheel driver, such as Montoya or Hornish has a shot at winning a race this weekend. These kinds of tracks are their former bread and butter, and they know how to wheel a car around a road course. A ringer might win as well, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Kevin Harvick drives well on road courses, and has won on them. Robby Gordon is a road course specialist. There is a great possibility that we will see a first time winner this weekend at Sonoma.
This week, Nascar turns right, as well as left.
The statistics are very clear, and quite frankly, Jeff Gordon practically owns Infineon. He's won there 5 times in his career. Tony Stewart has won twice, and Juan Pablo Montoya, Mark Martin, and Robby Gordon have each won once at this track. Ernie Irvan won here twice, as has Rusty Wallace and Ricky Rudd. But let's face it, 5 wins is impressive, so Jeff Gordon has to be the odds favorite in this race.
Will this be the break out weekend for Jeff Gordon? He's been winless in 2008, and though he has had some great performances, he's not sealed the deal and put the car in victory lane. Jimmie Johnson has won, and now so has Dale Jr., so the pressure on Jeff is even more than normal this week, at a track at which he has dominated in the past.
Any former open wheel driver, such as Montoya or Hornish has a shot at winning a race this weekend. These kinds of tracks are their former bread and butter, and they know how to wheel a car around a road course. A ringer might win as well, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Kevin Harvick drives well on road courses, and has won on them. Robby Gordon is a road course specialist. There is a great possibility that we will see a first time winner this weekend at Sonoma.
This week, Nascar turns right, as well as left.
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