Though this space is not devoted to Dale Earnhardt Jr, I have never been shy about being fan of Dale’s, and I can definitely say that I am a proud member of the Junior Nation. OK, maybe not the various websites or message boards out there, but I am a proud Dale Jr. fan.
That being said, what the heck is going on with the 88 team this year? After a little show of brilliance at Daytona, Dale Jr. appears to be mired back in the back once again in 2010. Business as usual, you could say.
As a fan, it’s terribly disappointing. The Junior detractors gleefully say that the 88 team’s 2010 performance just backs up what they’ve been saying all along, which is that Dale Jr. is overrated, and basically has way less talent than the blind Junior followers think he has.
I still say, and will continue to say that any driver with 18 Cup wins and two Nationwide (Busch) series championships under his belt has to have more going for him than having a famous daddy. Folks, you simply don’t get those numbers without talent as a driver, and there’s no way you’re going to convince me that I’m wrong about that. I would say the same thing about Jimmy Spencer, if he had the numbers to back him up. But Jimmy Spencer doesn’t.
I like Kyle Petty too, but he does not have numbers as favorable as does Dale Jr. The fact is, Dale Jr. has just had some really horrible luck, and there are obviously still some major problems on the 88 team as a whole.
It’s beginning to appear that the move to Hendrick Motorsports just isn’t working out for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Perhaps I will be proven wrong in the next few weeks, and no one could be happier about proven wrong than I would be.
Speaking of drivers needing to turn their fortunes around, how about Kevin Harvick? Kevin his charging hard, getting good finishes, and currently leads in points. The only thing left in Kevin’s turnaround is a win, and that can’t be too much longer in coming.
This weekend the NASCAR traveling show moves on to one of my favorite tracks, Bristol. With little to watch over the weekend but basketball and the F1 face in Bahrain, or where ever the heck it was, I’m ready to seem some good, hard short track racing.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Taking The Good With The Bad
There has been a tremendous amount of controversy concerning the incident at Atlanta between Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski. The details have been reported many times in many other places, so I won’t bother going over the details. Suffice it to say, Carl Edwards punted Brad Keselowski, and Brad wrecked in spectacular fashion, with the car flipping upside down, and Brad was obviously peeved at his colleague for his efforts.
The wreck was eerily similar to Carl Edwards’ wreck at Talladega last year, which, of course, occurred at the hands of Brad Keselowski. I’m not talking about who was at fault there, because we all have opinions, but it appeared that Brad had the line at Talladega, and Carl was trying to block on the last lap of the race. Remember, however, that last year we saw this spectacular crash on the last lap of the race, with both Edwards and Keselowski going for the win.
At Atlanta last Sunday, the crash occurred near the end of the race, but not on the last lap. Carl Edwards was 150-something laps down, with no hopes for a win, but he definitely was trying to take Brad out. In that, Carl Edwards was hugely successful.
Carl Edwards was parked for his part in the wreck, but he basically had nothing to lose. Brad was driving a lead lap car, so Carl’s actions cost Brad quite a bit. Had this incident happened last year, Carl would likely have been parked a race, fined, what to most of us would have been a huge amount of money, and placed on probation until the Chase portion of the season, if not for the entire year.
This year, of course, is different. NASCAR has said they were going to relax the rules, and we, as fans, for the most part cheered. We were all happy to see NASCAR letting the drivers race, and that’s pretty much what we’ve seen so far this year. Carl Edwards’ actions at Atlanta were a little over the top, and he got penalized, a little bit. Three weeks of probation? In a way, I don’t see much wrong with that.
In other ways, however, I see a lot wrong with this situation. Carl Edwards, many, many laps down, used his car as a weapon to take out a lead lap car. I doubt that even Carl envisioned Brad’s car flying through the air, possibly ending up in the catch fence as did Carl’s car did last year at Talladega.
Remember the fall race at Talladega last year? We were introduced to a young woman who happened to be sitting in the front row at ‘Dega in the spring race, and caught a piece of metal in the face when Carl Edwards’ car shredded itself in the catch fence. Drivers getting hurt is one thing, but fans getting hurt is NASCAR’s worst nightmare.
We wanted to see a kinder, gentler NASCAR as the rule makers in the sport. We apparently have been given exactly what we wished for. Now, we all have to live with the bad as well as the good. We’re seeing better racing, but at what cost?
Hopefully, NASCAR’s new attitude won’t cost a fan’s life. I applaud what NASCAR is doing, but risking hurting fans by relaxing the rules is in no way going to help this sport. I know, any one of those 43 cars could have flipped upside down during the Atlanta race, because NASCAR still has those stupid, dangerous wings on the cars, but hopefully that will all change at Martinsville.
The wreck was eerily similar to Carl Edwards’ wreck at Talladega last year, which, of course, occurred at the hands of Brad Keselowski. I’m not talking about who was at fault there, because we all have opinions, but it appeared that Brad had the line at Talladega, and Carl was trying to block on the last lap of the race. Remember, however, that last year we saw this spectacular crash on the last lap of the race, with both Edwards and Keselowski going for the win.
At Atlanta last Sunday, the crash occurred near the end of the race, but not on the last lap. Carl Edwards was 150-something laps down, with no hopes for a win, but he definitely was trying to take Brad out. In that, Carl Edwards was hugely successful.
Carl Edwards was parked for his part in the wreck, but he basically had nothing to lose. Brad was driving a lead lap car, so Carl’s actions cost Brad quite a bit. Had this incident happened last year, Carl would likely have been parked a race, fined, what to most of us would have been a huge amount of money, and placed on probation until the Chase portion of the season, if not for the entire year.
This year, of course, is different. NASCAR has said they were going to relax the rules, and we, as fans, for the most part cheered. We were all happy to see NASCAR letting the drivers race, and that’s pretty much what we’ve seen so far this year. Carl Edwards’ actions at Atlanta were a little over the top, and he got penalized, a little bit. Three weeks of probation? In a way, I don’t see much wrong with that.
In other ways, however, I see a lot wrong with this situation. Carl Edwards, many, many laps down, used his car as a weapon to take out a lead lap car. I doubt that even Carl envisioned Brad’s car flying through the air, possibly ending up in the catch fence as did Carl’s car did last year at Talladega.
Remember the fall race at Talladega last year? We were introduced to a young woman who happened to be sitting in the front row at ‘Dega in the spring race, and caught a piece of metal in the face when Carl Edwards’ car shredded itself in the catch fence. Drivers getting hurt is one thing, but fans getting hurt is NASCAR’s worst nightmare.
We wanted to see a kinder, gentler NASCAR as the rule makers in the sport. We apparently have been given exactly what we wished for. Now, we all have to live with the bad as well as the good. We’re seeing better racing, but at what cost?
Hopefully, NASCAR’s new attitude won’t cost a fan’s life. I applaud what NASCAR is doing, but risking hurting fans by relaxing the rules is in no way going to help this sport. I know, any one of those 43 cars could have flipped upside down during the Atlanta race, because NASCAR still has those stupid, dangerous wings on the cars, but hopefully that will all change at Martinsville.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Cautious Optimism
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his first pole position since 2008 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and the Junior Nation is jacked up. They ought to be, because maybe this means the 88 team is finally getting the wheels back on the track.
Poles do not make race wins, however. Dale Jr. has won at Atlanta before, so he knows how to do it. For all of those who think Dale Jr. is a shoe in to win the race today, I would advise against it. Not that cautious optimism is wrong, but don’t be horribly disappointed if Dale Jr. gets a top 5 or top 10 finish today. Either of those would be fine.
Dale Jr. needs a good finish today, because even though he finished well in 2 out of the 3 first races of the season, he needs to finish consistently in the top 10 if he’s going to be a contender this year. Whatever handling problems seem to plague the 88 team need to go away, and they need to go away fast. Hopefully, the return of the spoiler will alleviate at least some of the handling problems.
Personally, even though he’s starting from near the back of the field, Kevin Harvick is one of my favorites for a win at Atlanta. Harvick has been there basically in all three of the first few races, and he’s due, and you can tell he wants it pretty bad. Of course, I wouldn’t count out either Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, or Mark Martin, because they’ve all looked pretty good in practice this weekend.
Even though Greg Biffle is going to a backup car, he showed that he has maybe the winning line down, and that’s up high on the race track. Greg could win this race as well if they can get the backup car working right.
This might be the week that Martin Truex Jr. breaks out of the doldrums as well, because in Happy Hour on Saturday, Martin seemed to have something going on with the car. Personally, I’d like to see Truex get his first win for Michael Waltrip Racing.
Today’s going to be exciting, folks. Atlanta always is. I pray we have a good race and everyone walks away safely today.
Poles do not make race wins, however. Dale Jr. has won at Atlanta before, so he knows how to do it. For all of those who think Dale Jr. is a shoe in to win the race today, I would advise against it. Not that cautious optimism is wrong, but don’t be horribly disappointed if Dale Jr. gets a top 5 or top 10 finish today. Either of those would be fine.
Dale Jr. needs a good finish today, because even though he finished well in 2 out of the 3 first races of the season, he needs to finish consistently in the top 10 if he’s going to be a contender this year. Whatever handling problems seem to plague the 88 team need to go away, and they need to go away fast. Hopefully, the return of the spoiler will alleviate at least some of the handling problems.
Personally, even though he’s starting from near the back of the field, Kevin Harvick is one of my favorites for a win at Atlanta. Harvick has been there basically in all three of the first few races, and he’s due, and you can tell he wants it pretty bad. Of course, I wouldn’t count out either Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, or Mark Martin, because they’ve all looked pretty good in practice this weekend.
Even though Greg Biffle is going to a backup car, he showed that he has maybe the winning line down, and that’s up high on the race track. Greg could win this race as well if they can get the backup car working right.
This might be the week that Martin Truex Jr. breaks out of the doldrums as well, because in Happy Hour on Saturday, Martin seemed to have something going on with the car. Personally, I’d like to see Truex get his first win for Michael Waltrip Racing.
Today’s going to be exciting, folks. Atlanta always is. I pray we have a good race and everyone walks away safely today.
Answering Reader's Questions
As part of the routine of writing on this site, I often am asked questions by readers. Sometimes they come as comments posted here, but more often than not, they come in the form of an e-mail, which, of course is OK by me. My e-mail address is jimcinsc@gmail.com.
I’m not an expert on anything, and I can only tell you that anything you read here is purely my opinion. With that in mind, I decided that maybe I should put some of the questions and answers here, where all can read. I only use the reader’s name and location if they consent. So far, all the folks I’ve corresponded with have not had a problem with that.
So here goes. If you like this type of stuff, let me know, and I’ll be happy to do more of it.
Jayson from Milford, Delaware asks “I saw on TV that Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya were friends. What was that stuff at Vegas all about?”
I can only say that I don’t know exactly what kind of relationship that Jamie and Juan have, but I think it was a racing deal. Jamie would never have taken out his teammate on purpose. Jamie McMurray not only took out Juan as a contender in the Las Vegas race, but he also took himself out. I think it was a total accident, and Jamie apologized for it. It was a big blow to the Earnhardt-Ganassi team, but they will recover and both will probably be strong contenders at Hampton, GA this weekend.
Sarah from Lansing, Michigan asks “What is going on with the 24 team? I thought Steve Letarte was supposed to be a genius, but that last call for 2 tires instead of 4 hurt Jeff (Gordon’s) chances of winning. I’m so sick and tired of seeing Jeff lose races because the team can’t get it together.”
Sarah, all I can say is that Steve blew that call. They had 35 or so laps to go, and they needed most of a full tank of gas, so they had time to put on 4 tires. I know that Steve Letarte is beating himself up over that call, but he was trying to keep Jeff out front, and he did, but we all know what happened after Johnson, Knaus, and company put 4 fresh Goodyears on the 48. When I saw that the 24 only took 2 tires, I knew that the race was pretty much over.
Steve Letarte is a good crew chief, and the fact that he’s been with Jeff Gordon for so long says a lot. Chad Knaus, on the other hand, has an almost paranormal ability to make the right calls in the pits. Is Chad a better crew chief than Steve? Statistics sort of prove that, at least over the last few years. Jeff will win more races. He should have won on Sunday, but he didn’t. Jeff Gordon will win some races this year.
Jonathon from Gallup, New Mexico asks “Do you think the COT (Car Of Tomorrow) is good for NASCAR? If so, why?”
Jonathon, my personal jury is still out debating that particular question. The COT is a safer car, for sure, and I’m always for safety. As dramatic as crashes are, I never want to see a driver get hurt, or God forbid, killed. I think all true fans of the sport feel the same way. I do think that the COT has made for some lousy racing lately, however. The wing was a horrible idea, and the sooner we get back to the rear spoiler, the better. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of NASCAR’s penchant for evening up the playing field to the extent that they have. I’d like to see innovative crew chiefs figure out ways to beat the competition on the track, just like they used to do back in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. To me, the COT was NASCAR moving one step closer to the old IROC series, where each competitor was given a car that prepared just exactly like all the others. IROC is dead. There’s a reason for it.
Bring back the spoilers, relax the rules a little, and NASCAR will be just fine.
LJ from Medford, Oregon writes: “You stupid redneck Dale JUUUUUNIIIOORR lovers are idiots. That boy can’t drive a racing car. The sooner you stupid (expletive deleted) figure that out, the sooner you will find a driver who ACTUALLY can drive a tractor, much less a racing car. All this love for the Jr nation is totally stupid, dude”
LJ, you know what? I’d like to find out how many tractor races you’ve won. If you’ve won 2 championships in the 2nd level tractor racing series, and 18 tractor races in the premier tractor racing series, you and me can talk. You don’t win the races that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won without the ability to drive. He’s won the Daytona 500, dude. He’s won at Bristol, Richmond, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Chicago. LJ, that dude knows how to drive a tractor! Go fix your mommy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and have a good day, dude.
Finally, Rich from my home state of South Carolina asks: “Why do you write?”
It’s really simple, Rich. I don’t know how to do much of anything else.
Let me know what you think, or ask me your own questions either by commenting here, or you can leave me an e-mail at jimcinsc@gmail.com.
I’m not an expert on anything, and I can only tell you that anything you read here is purely my opinion. With that in mind, I decided that maybe I should put some of the questions and answers here, where all can read. I only use the reader’s name and location if they consent. So far, all the folks I’ve corresponded with have not had a problem with that.
So here goes. If you like this type of stuff, let me know, and I’ll be happy to do more of it.
Jayson from Milford, Delaware asks “I saw on TV that Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya were friends. What was that stuff at Vegas all about?”
I can only say that I don’t know exactly what kind of relationship that Jamie and Juan have, but I think it was a racing deal. Jamie would never have taken out his teammate on purpose. Jamie McMurray not only took out Juan as a contender in the Las Vegas race, but he also took himself out. I think it was a total accident, and Jamie apologized for it. It was a big blow to the Earnhardt-Ganassi team, but they will recover and both will probably be strong contenders at Hampton, GA this weekend.
Sarah from Lansing, Michigan asks “What is going on with the 24 team? I thought Steve Letarte was supposed to be a genius, but that last call for 2 tires instead of 4 hurt Jeff (Gordon’s) chances of winning. I’m so sick and tired of seeing Jeff lose races because the team can’t get it together.”
Sarah, all I can say is that Steve blew that call. They had 35 or so laps to go, and they needed most of a full tank of gas, so they had time to put on 4 tires. I know that Steve Letarte is beating himself up over that call, but he was trying to keep Jeff out front, and he did, but we all know what happened after Johnson, Knaus, and company put 4 fresh Goodyears on the 48. When I saw that the 24 only took 2 tires, I knew that the race was pretty much over.
Steve Letarte is a good crew chief, and the fact that he’s been with Jeff Gordon for so long says a lot. Chad Knaus, on the other hand, has an almost paranormal ability to make the right calls in the pits. Is Chad a better crew chief than Steve? Statistics sort of prove that, at least over the last few years. Jeff will win more races. He should have won on Sunday, but he didn’t. Jeff Gordon will win some races this year.
Jonathon from Gallup, New Mexico asks “Do you think the COT (Car Of Tomorrow) is good for NASCAR? If so, why?”
Jonathon, my personal jury is still out debating that particular question. The COT is a safer car, for sure, and I’m always for safety. As dramatic as crashes are, I never want to see a driver get hurt, or God forbid, killed. I think all true fans of the sport feel the same way. I do think that the COT has made for some lousy racing lately, however. The wing was a horrible idea, and the sooner we get back to the rear spoiler, the better. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of NASCAR’s penchant for evening up the playing field to the extent that they have. I’d like to see innovative crew chiefs figure out ways to beat the competition on the track, just like they used to do back in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. To me, the COT was NASCAR moving one step closer to the old IROC series, where each competitor was given a car that prepared just exactly like all the others. IROC is dead. There’s a reason for it.
Bring back the spoilers, relax the rules a little, and NASCAR will be just fine.
LJ from Medford, Oregon writes: “You stupid redneck Dale JUUUUUNIIIOORR lovers are idiots. That boy can’t drive a racing car. The sooner you stupid (expletive deleted) figure that out, the sooner you will find a driver who ACTUALLY can drive a tractor, much less a racing car. All this love for the Jr nation is totally stupid, dude”
LJ, you know what? I’d like to find out how many tractor races you’ve won. If you’ve won 2 championships in the 2nd level tractor racing series, and 18 tractor races in the premier tractor racing series, you and me can talk. You don’t win the races that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won without the ability to drive. He’s won the Daytona 500, dude. He’s won at Bristol, Richmond, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Chicago. LJ, that dude knows how to drive a tractor! Go fix your mommy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and have a good day, dude.
Finally, Rich from my home state of South Carolina asks: “Why do you write?”
It’s really simple, Rich. I don’t know how to do much of anything else.
Let me know what you think, or ask me your own questions either by commenting here, or you can leave me an e-mail at jimcinsc@gmail.com.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Dale Jr. What's The Deal, Dude?
After finishing 2nd in the 2010 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 32nd at California, many laps down from the leader.
I have purposely not read the message boards. I’ve not even read most of my e-mail, because I really don’t want to prejudice my opinion because of what other Dale Jr. fans say.
What I saw on Sunday was a driver with an ill handling car, who broke his left axle on a pit stop, and the pit crew wasn’t ready to deal with it. During qualifying on Friday, I saw a guy with a fast car but no brakes, and that basically screwed his attempt to get a good starting position. What the heck is going on with the guy that’s supposed to be getting major attention by the engineers, and the owner of the car, Rick Hendrick?
Crew chief Lance McGrew was very vocal about it, even over the radio on Sunday. Not being ready to go with a replacement axle was a huge mistake. Broken axles are not very common during a race, but it is a part that can be replaced on pit road, and apparently, the 88 crew wasn’t ready to deal with that particular circumstance.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the switch to Hendrick to run with the best equipment, the best possible personnel, and win races and championships. What’s wrong here? Seriously, I want you to tell me. Has the driver just forgotten how to drive? Is there a mismatch in crew chiefs? Do they need to fire them all and start all over again?
Let me know what you think. Your guess is at least as good as mine. For a driver like Dale Earnhardt Jr., this is not going to work. This situation has to improve drastically.
I have purposely not read the message boards. I’ve not even read most of my e-mail, because I really don’t want to prejudice my opinion because of what other Dale Jr. fans say.
What I saw on Sunday was a driver with an ill handling car, who broke his left axle on a pit stop, and the pit crew wasn’t ready to deal with it. During qualifying on Friday, I saw a guy with a fast car but no brakes, and that basically screwed his attempt to get a good starting position. What the heck is going on with the guy that’s supposed to be getting major attention by the engineers, and the owner of the car, Rick Hendrick?
Crew chief Lance McGrew was very vocal about it, even over the radio on Sunday. Not being ready to go with a replacement axle was a huge mistake. Broken axles are not very common during a race, but it is a part that can be replaced on pit road, and apparently, the 88 crew wasn’t ready to deal with that particular circumstance.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the switch to Hendrick to run with the best equipment, the best possible personnel, and win races and championships. What’s wrong here? Seriously, I want you to tell me. Has the driver just forgotten how to drive? Is there a mismatch in crew chiefs? Do they need to fire them all and start all over again?
Let me know what you think. Your guess is at least as good as mine. For a driver like Dale Earnhardt Jr., this is not going to work. This situation has to improve drastically.
California, Version 2010
I think I forgot to mention it last week, but congratulations to Jamie McMurray for winning the Daytona 500 in only his first points race for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. I watched Jamie during speed weeks, and was surprised by how strong he seemed to be right out of the box in that number 1 Chevy. He got a great win, and he deserves it.
Back to the present. Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson for his win at California’s Auto Club Speedway, and though I’m not shocked that Jimmie Johnson won at California, he probably is. The timing of that last yellow flag was perfect for Johnson. Had it not been for that fortuitous series of events, it’s doubtful that he could ever have taken away the lead from the Richard Childress Racing duo of Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton. Though Harvick charged hard in the last laps, a brush with the wall ended all hopes of frustrating Jimmie Johnson’s 48 team’s resurgence to dominance.
For one of the first times in several years, I was impressed with the quality of the racing at Fontana on Sunday. I don’t know whether it was the tire that Goodyear brought to the track, or if it’s because the teams are starting to get a handle on the new car, but the race at California was worthwhile for a change.
NASCAR and track officials seemed to get a handle on the weepers that perpetually plague this track in the February race, and a wet track never really was a factor for a change. I still don’t know that California really should have two race dates every year, but I have to say that I enjoyed the race I saw on Sunday.
Jimmie Johnson’s win was meaningful, because Sunday marked Jimmie’s 48th win in the Cup series. Jimmie Johnson has won 48 Cup races, all of them in the 48 car. That’s a milestone, because JJ’s first win came back in only 2002. If I’m not mistaken, that first win also occurred in California. For those of you who follow statistics, you have to think about a few things. It’s possible that Jeff Gordon, who has won a ton of races and 4 championships, might have passed his peak as a driver. Jimmie Johnson is younger, and he’s already won 4 championships as well. Has Jimmie peaked yet as a driver? I really don’t think so. Jimmie might have a few more championships left in him. Jimmie Johnson is the only current driver that could seriously compete to equal or even surpass Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt in Cup championships. That’s food for thought.
I give at least 50 per cent of the credit to crew chief Chad Knaus for the 48 teams success. Sure, Jimmie is a very talented driver, but Chad is an uncommonly exceptional crew chief. The relationship between Johnson and Knaus is one of the best I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been watching for a long time. I don’t know that Richard Petty and Dale Inman even had as good of a driver - crew chief relationship as Jimmie and Chad have.
Many would say that Jimmie’s victory at California on Sunday was a fluke, just a great piece of luck, and they would be correct in saying that. Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson have that going for them though. Part of it is instinct, part of it is pure luck, but the 48 team has it, and however they do it, they get the job done.
I haven’t read any estimates of the total attendance at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, and I don’t have much of a feel for it, except that I do know that FOX seemed to avoid camera shots of the grandstands during the race, which tells me all I need to know:
Many Californians missed a pretty decent race on Sunday. It’s a shame, but there are valid reasons why, and I’m going to lay it all out for you in a future article here. I have my theories about why major metropolitan areas seem to not generate great numbers for NASCAR events. I’ll share them with you at a later date, God willing.
This week, it’s on to Las Vegas. From Daytona to Southern California to Nevada is a brutal tour for the NASCAR teams’ logistics departments. So many miles to travel in so little time. My FDNY hat’s off to all the car hauler drivers, the team hauler drivers, the owners and drivers’ motor coach hauler drivers. These guys are running a marathon every February, and they do it all very, very well!
I’ve got a lot more thoughts about Sunday, and I will share them soon.
Back to the present. Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson for his win at California’s Auto Club Speedway, and though I’m not shocked that Jimmie Johnson won at California, he probably is. The timing of that last yellow flag was perfect for Johnson. Had it not been for that fortuitous series of events, it’s doubtful that he could ever have taken away the lead from the Richard Childress Racing duo of Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton. Though Harvick charged hard in the last laps, a brush with the wall ended all hopes of frustrating Jimmie Johnson’s 48 team’s resurgence to dominance.
For one of the first times in several years, I was impressed with the quality of the racing at Fontana on Sunday. I don’t know whether it was the tire that Goodyear brought to the track, or if it’s because the teams are starting to get a handle on the new car, but the race at California was worthwhile for a change.
NASCAR and track officials seemed to get a handle on the weepers that perpetually plague this track in the February race, and a wet track never really was a factor for a change. I still don’t know that California really should have two race dates every year, but I have to say that I enjoyed the race I saw on Sunday.
Jimmie Johnson’s win was meaningful, because Sunday marked Jimmie’s 48th win in the Cup series. Jimmie Johnson has won 48 Cup races, all of them in the 48 car. That’s a milestone, because JJ’s first win came back in only 2002. If I’m not mistaken, that first win also occurred in California. For those of you who follow statistics, you have to think about a few things. It’s possible that Jeff Gordon, who has won a ton of races and 4 championships, might have passed his peak as a driver. Jimmie Johnson is younger, and he’s already won 4 championships as well. Has Jimmie peaked yet as a driver? I really don’t think so. Jimmie might have a few more championships left in him. Jimmie Johnson is the only current driver that could seriously compete to equal or even surpass Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt in Cup championships. That’s food for thought.
I give at least 50 per cent of the credit to crew chief Chad Knaus for the 48 teams success. Sure, Jimmie is a very talented driver, but Chad is an uncommonly exceptional crew chief. The relationship between Johnson and Knaus is one of the best I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been watching for a long time. I don’t know that Richard Petty and Dale Inman even had as good of a driver - crew chief relationship as Jimmie and Chad have.
Many would say that Jimmie’s victory at California on Sunday was a fluke, just a great piece of luck, and they would be correct in saying that. Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson have that going for them though. Part of it is instinct, part of it is pure luck, but the 48 team has it, and however they do it, they get the job done.
I haven’t read any estimates of the total attendance at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, and I don’t have much of a feel for it, except that I do know that FOX seemed to avoid camera shots of the grandstands during the race, which tells me all I need to know:
Many Californians missed a pretty decent race on Sunday. It’s a shame, but there are valid reasons why, and I’m going to lay it all out for you in a future article here. I have my theories about why major metropolitan areas seem to not generate great numbers for NASCAR events. I’ll share them with you at a later date, God willing.
This week, it’s on to Las Vegas. From Daytona to Southern California to Nevada is a brutal tour for the NASCAR teams’ logistics departments. So many miles to travel in so little time. My FDNY hat’s off to all the car hauler drivers, the team hauler drivers, the owners and drivers’ motor coach hauler drivers. These guys are running a marathon every February, and they do it all very, very well!
I’ve got a lot more thoughts about Sunday, and I will share them soon.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Things I Hope I Live To See
I hope I live to see Mark Martin win a Sprint Cup Championship. Hopefully, that will happen in the next ten or twenty years.
I hope I live to see Michael Waltrip drive on North Carolina public highways without having a wreck for at least a year.
I hope I live to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. get married, settle down, and have some kids. I really think that would help him find his place in life, and on the race track. I would really love to live to see Dale Earnhardt III win 8 Cup championships and 201 races. But I probably won’t live to see that happen even if it does happen.
I hope I live to see cures for diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer, AIDS, lupus, and a myriad of other ailments. I’d like to see a ten minute cure for a bad back as well. I’d really, REALLY like to see that bad back thing happen, like, well…… NOW.
I’d like to see Colin Braun win multiple Cup championships. I just like the guy. I’d also really like to see Marcos Ambrose win a Cup race, because I just can’t wait to hear him in victory lane. That Aussie accent just fascinates me, and I’d love to hear him really excited for once.
I hope I live to see some driver, any driver, even approach Dale Earnhardt’s passion and charisma in the sport of stock car racing. There’s some potential out there, but I haven’t seen that spark yet. I hope I live to see a driver as hungry as Dale was back when he broke into the sport. I’ll know him when I see him.
I hope I live to see Jimmie Johnson get all the acclaim he deserves, which is being the first driver ever to win four consecutive Cup championships. Jimmie wins four in a row, but what is the NASCAR world talking about? Danica Patrick, who won an IRL race in Japan, and has never won anything in a stock car? If I were Jimmie, I’d be perturbed. A female friend told me not long ago that Jimmie Johnson is better looking than Danica’s husband. I have to defer to a female’s opinion on that. What I really like about Danica is her personality. She’s a small woman, but she’s willing to take the gloves off and mix it up when she’s mad. I’ve never seen Jimmie do that. Who would be willing to give Jimmie Johnson some free boxing lessons?
I hope I live to see a world in which the sanctioning body of NASCAR lets the drivers drive, the crew chiefs make the cars faster, and fix things to where the best car wins, and only the fastest 43 cars get into the race.. Probably, that will never happen, at least in my lifetime.
I hope I see live to see that gopher on FOX TV disappear forever, and I really hope I don’t see him in the afterlife. If he’s there, I’ll…… Huh. Never thought about it before, but can you commit suicide after you’re dead? If Digger is there, I’ll find out. I’ll let you know by haunting the crap out of you about it.
Speaking of haunts, I really hope the Ghost Hunters guys will find Casper the Ghost and take some photos of him. A white sheet saying “Boo!” would be so cool! Especially if the word “Boo!” was in a comic balloon over the sheet’s head. Now, THAT would be some good TV!
I hope I live to see Paul Sr., Paul Jr. and Mikey repair their familial relationship and restart the American Chopper series, with a return to making motorcycles, not idiotic family soap operas.
I hope I live to see the day when NASCAR is America’s number one sport, because it is, after all, the only sport where people die playing the game, at least on a regular basis. People say football is like a battle, but NASCAR is all war, every week, from February until November. These guys may be friends off the track, but on the track, they have no real friends. On the last lap, everyone is an enemy.
I hope I live to meet each and everyone of you who reads this column, because you’re all very important to me. That probably won’t happen either, but even if I never met you, it was real.
Hopefully it will be real again soon.
If you’ve got anything you’d like to see, I will welcome your comments here. Just click below in the space provided, and you can add to the list or tell me I’m full of it on one or more of the suggestions I made. Any and all comments are always welcome here.
I hope I live to see Michael Waltrip drive on North Carolina public highways without having a wreck for at least a year.
I hope I live to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. get married, settle down, and have some kids. I really think that would help him find his place in life, and on the race track. I would really love to live to see Dale Earnhardt III win 8 Cup championships and 201 races. But I probably won’t live to see that happen even if it does happen.
I hope I live to see cures for diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer, AIDS, lupus, and a myriad of other ailments. I’d like to see a ten minute cure for a bad back as well. I’d really, REALLY like to see that bad back thing happen, like, well…… NOW.
I’d like to see Colin Braun win multiple Cup championships. I just like the guy. I’d also really like to see Marcos Ambrose win a Cup race, because I just can’t wait to hear him in victory lane. That Aussie accent just fascinates me, and I’d love to hear him really excited for once.
I hope I live to see some driver, any driver, even approach Dale Earnhardt’s passion and charisma in the sport of stock car racing. There’s some potential out there, but I haven’t seen that spark yet. I hope I live to see a driver as hungry as Dale was back when he broke into the sport. I’ll know him when I see him.
I hope I live to see Jimmie Johnson get all the acclaim he deserves, which is being the first driver ever to win four consecutive Cup championships. Jimmie wins four in a row, but what is the NASCAR world talking about? Danica Patrick, who won an IRL race in Japan, and has never won anything in a stock car? If I were Jimmie, I’d be perturbed. A female friend told me not long ago that Jimmie Johnson is better looking than Danica’s husband. I have to defer to a female’s opinion on that. What I really like about Danica is her personality. She’s a small woman, but she’s willing to take the gloves off and mix it up when she’s mad. I’ve never seen Jimmie do that. Who would be willing to give Jimmie Johnson some free boxing lessons?
I hope I live to see a world in which the sanctioning body of NASCAR lets the drivers drive, the crew chiefs make the cars faster, and fix things to where the best car wins, and only the fastest 43 cars get into the race.. Probably, that will never happen, at least in my lifetime.
I hope I see live to see that gopher on FOX TV disappear forever, and I really hope I don’t see him in the afterlife. If he’s there, I’ll…… Huh. Never thought about it before, but can you commit suicide after you’re dead? If Digger is there, I’ll find out. I’ll let you know by haunting the crap out of you about it.
Speaking of haunts, I really hope the Ghost Hunters guys will find Casper the Ghost and take some photos of him. A white sheet saying “Boo!” would be so cool! Especially if the word “Boo!” was in a comic balloon over the sheet’s head. Now, THAT would be some good TV!
I hope I live to see Paul Sr., Paul Jr. and Mikey repair their familial relationship and restart the American Chopper series, with a return to making motorcycles, not idiotic family soap operas.
I hope I live to see the day when NASCAR is America’s number one sport, because it is, after all, the only sport where people die playing the game, at least on a regular basis. People say football is like a battle, but NASCAR is all war, every week, from February until November. These guys may be friends off the track, but on the track, they have no real friends. On the last lap, everyone is an enemy.
I hope I live to meet each and everyone of you who reads this column, because you’re all very important to me. That probably won’t happen either, but even if I never met you, it was real.
Hopefully it will be real again soon.
If you’ve got anything you’d like to see, I will welcome your comments here. Just click below in the space provided, and you can add to the list or tell me I’m full of it on one or more of the suggestions I made. Any and all comments are always welcome here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)