A Parasite

Parasites, in case you didn't know, are living things that make their living off of usually larger living things. Remoras are fish that basically make their living off of sharks. Mistletoe, romantic as it might be, is actually a parasite that lives in trees.

Every Friday it seems there is a new parasite on the loose in the Nascar world. For at least the last three Fridays, it seems that Kyle Busch has opened his mouth and disparaged Dale Earnhardt Jr.

On Friday, June 19th, 2009, Kyle said some things, and I'm only paraphrasing here. Kyle apparently said that he was truly the most popular driver in Nascar. He's the most popular because he keeps the sport and it's followers buzzing. That is true, in one sense, I suppose. Kyle also said that Dale Jr. is not the most popular driver, in fact he's the most loved. That probably is also true, at least the part about being the most loved.

Kyle Busch seems to be thriving off of Dale Jr.'s so far dismal season. Since Dale Jr. left DEI and made the move to Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Jr. has won only one points race, while Kyle has won a lot of races in all of Nascar's top 3 series. Kyle has also publicly set himself a goal of snagging 200 wins the three series before he hangs up his helmet for good. It would be an impressive, if somewhat meaningless goal. 200 wins in Nascar makes one think of Petty's 200 wins, which all came in the top series of Nascar, the old Grand National series, now called Cup. 200 wins spread among all three series, would be impressive, and as a personal goal, nothing's beyond reason.

The fact that Kyle Busch keeps bringing up Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s name in his weekly forays into stirring the pot are interesting, to say the least. The fact that he spends so much time trying to stir up not only Nascar fans, but in particular the Earnhardt fans is in part genius, and also in part pathetic.

Kyle Busch epitomizes exactly why Darrell Waltrip was not one of my favorite drivers. Yep, Ole DW did much the same thing early in his career. He disparaged Richard Petty as as being too old to see. He disparaged Dale Earnhardt as being illiterate. Waltrip has often expressed his admiration for Kyle Busch, and it's easy to see why. Kyle is now what DW used to be. DW might want to remember that he used to be, and still is called by some people, a different nickname than 'DW.' They used to call Darrel Waltrip 'Jaws.'

In the less polite society which is the 21st century, people call Kyle Busch more names than I can remember Waltrip being called. At least publicly. But what many have yet to realize is that there is genius to Kyle's seeming jealousies

In fact, it's a calculated ploy that is paying huge dividends. To some people, all press, whether or not it's good or bad, is a good thing. Kyle Busch is one of those people. Darrell Waltrip thrived on such press early in his career. Dale Earnhardt did as well. Now Kyle Busch is not only enjoying the press, he seems to be thriving on it.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. seems to have always taken the opposite approach in his professional career. The haters out there will never agree, but Dale Jr. has tried to be a good guy. It appears to not be in his nature to be the bad guy. Dale Jr. appears to be a genuinely likable man, who wants to make not only his sponsors happy, but his fans as well. The former party guy is now a major league business man, and he's still Nascar's official Most Popular Driver, despite what Kyle Busch says.

Kyle Busch enjoys a lot of notoriety in the press now. He's enjoying the role of being Nascar's official bad boy. Dale Earnhardt eventually turned the corner and became a popular driver near the end of his career. Darrell Waltrip also became a much loved driver.

Can Kyle Busch do the same? Maybe when he gets older.

Right now, Kyle Busch is a parasite, capitalizing off of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s fame and popularity.

Being A Loyal Fan Means Different Things to Different People

There are as many reasons for being a fan of a particular race car driver as there are fans. Those of us who consider ourselves Nascar fans probably have at least one or two drivers we pull for.

For some people, winning is all that matters. If a driver wins a lot, you might consider yourself a fan. If a driver rarely wins or is not often competitive, you might ignore that driver totally. Many people who are what I consider to be casual fans of the sport probably fall under this category. Everyone likes a winner, myself included, at least sometimes.

Long time fans of the sport, of which I am one, begin to notice other aspects to who we cheer on to win and those whom we quite frankly hope to see coasting into the garage with a plume of smoke following the car. Nascar is unique in a way. Drivers are relatively few in numbers, compared to other sports. In racing, the driver is the face of the entire team, most of the time. Casual fans don't know the names of the crew chief of their favorite driver often times. Very few of them know the name of their driver's jack man or rear tire changer.

Long time fans eventually learn these things and more. We watch the TV interviews. We read every story in the newspapers and on the Internet that we can get our hands on. We read and participate on message boards. Some of us even start writing or Tweeting about it. Some of us are full of crap, too. Some of us make sense at times.

The reasons for being a fan of a certain driver are about as diverse as the stars in the night time sky. Some of us like the attitude a driver displays on or even off the track. Some of us just pull for whoever is hot at the moment. Some of us just like a driver because he seems like a nice person.

Case in point: I am an unabashed Kyle Petty fan. Kyle has not driven a single Nascar race in 2009, but I'm still a fan of his. Kyle has won relatively few races in his career, especially compared to his famous father's career. Kyle never won a Cup championship. But I like Kyle none the less.

I've been a regular fan of Nascar ever since Kyle's career began. I followed his career, as did many, because he was the son of the King. Though Kyle's career on the track has been less than stellar in some ways, he's more than made up for that from his actions off the track.

In 2000, Kyle's son Adam lost his life in an accident during practice at New Hampshire. Adam, by all indications, was a very talented young driver. His death caused a tremendous amount of grief in not only the Petty family, but in the Nascar family as a whole. Adam was just beginning his Cup career at the time, and just how good he could have been is a question for the ages. Davey Allison is another driver whom I often wonder about; how different this sport might be right now had he not died tragically in a helicopter accident at Talladega. I never knew either of these young men, but I had a lot of respect for both of them.

My respect for Kyle Petty is boundless though. In honor of his son, he and wife Patti organized and launched the now famous Victory Junction Gang Camp in memory of Adam. Every year, the camp helps a lot of kids with not so bright futures. Kyle and Patti, as well as many other members of the family have made VGJC a wonderful place. Members of the family don't just include people who's last name happens to be Petty. Many of the drivers in Nascar have devoted not only their money, but their time. in order to make VGJC what it is today. Family, at least in Nascar, doesn't just mean people who share your last name. That's one of the reasons why Nascar is a special organization in my eyes.

Some drivers just connect with you on a very personal level. Most of you know how it feels to meet someone new, say on your job, or at school, and you immediately feel a certain 'click'. You either know you're going to like that person or that you won't like them. Sometimes a personal experience is involved as well. I met a guy the other day who told me that he was a huge Kevin Harvick fan because he once got an autograph from the driver and Kevin was very nice and polite to him. He wasn't that much of a fan before that event, but he will forever more be a 29 fan because Harvick was a nice guy. That's the way it often happens in the racing world.

Whatever your reason for being a fan of a certain driver, remember, the person across the hall or down the street, or in the next cube at work probably has their own reasons for being a fan of someone. Personally, I'm a fan of drivers who are down to earth, with few pretenses. There are still a few out there, who might have more money than they will ever spend, but never forgot where they came from. They almost never get shot in night clubs in big cities either, nor are they arrested for driving while intoxicated or for having a bag of some controlled substance in their cars.

There are exceptions of course, but for the most part, Nascar remains a true family sport.

Enjoying Racing on a Budget

Times are hard. They are for me, at least. Probably, most people reading this have had to cut back on expenses a little.

If you're a racing fan like me, it means it's costly to buy tickets and go see a Sprint Cup, Nationwide, or Camping World Truck series race when the NASCAR traveling show rolls into a town near you. For me, it's just too costly, period.

I do enjoy seeing live racing though. I love having my eardrums blasted until they feel like they're bleeding and inhaling exhaust fumes from engines burning racing fuel. I love smelling burned rubber and hearing sheet metal tearing and screaming in protest. I have a solution to this need for speed.

I am lucky enough to live only a mile or so from a small race track in the upstate area of South Carolina. I can hear the cars practicing on Tuesday afternoons when I'm home. They race on Friday from spring til fall. When I have an extra $10.00, I head off to Anderson Motor Speedway, in beautiful Anderson, SC for a Friday night of fun.

OK, maybe Anderson, SC isn't so beautiful, unless you just have a thing for small southern towns. I like it though, which is good, because it's been my home for the last 10 years. There are bright spots to living here though. Lake Hartwell, which can be truly beautiful, is only a few minutes away. The Blue Ridge Mountains are only a short ride away as well. Plus, I'm situated almost exactly half way between Atlanta, GA, the original big city of the south, and Charlotte, NC, which is basically the center of the NASCAR universe.

Anderson Motor Speedway itself is wonderful. It offers the best of short track racing. I sometimes travel to probably the best known track in the area, which is Greenville-Pickens Speedway, which at one time was on the old NASCAR Grand National circuit. People like Richard Petty, Ralph and Dale Earnhardt, David Pearson, and a host of others used to race here on a regular basis. Big Bill France had a hand in making GPS happen, way back in the late 1940's.

Around here, there are a lot of race tracks, but I bet that if you live in the US or Canada, chances are there is a nice short track within driving distance of you. Either paved or dirt, it's all fun. Most of these tracks only charge ten bucks or so a head, and most of them let the kids in for free. Enjoy a hot dog and a Coke. Bring your own stuff and have a tailgating party. A lot of tracks will sell you an infield pass as well, so you can be even closer to the racing.

Today's NASCAR stars all have run races at tracks like these, and in most cases got their starts in racing at short local tracks. The short track heroes you see this week might be the Cup superstars of tomorrow.

It's inexpensive, wholesome fun for the entire family, and who knows, you might meet the next Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Carl Edwards before the rest of the world knew who they were.

Support your local race track! This is where stars are born.

What is Dale Jr. to do?

I guess the short answer is: Focus. Ok, you can quit reading now.

I've just violated all the rules of journalism by giving away my key word in the first sentence. But I don't blame anyone if they don't read the rest of this.

Let's say you're an up and coming race car driver. Let's just say. You can beat most of the guys on the local quarter mile tracks almost every week of the season. Maybe you're a high school student looking at final exams next week. Maybe you're a 40 year old father of 3, and have a job, a wife who supports you, but also just wants to get away from not just you, but of course, the 3 kids.

Let's just say.

If you were 40, you'd probably give a large part of of your family treasures to be one of the guys in Nascar. In any division, the Camping World Trucks, the Nationwide Series, and especially the Sprint Cup Series.

If you're 17, you're probably thinking the same thing.

Nascar is often the same for people of all ages. Whether you're 17 or 90, you, as a fan, have often dreamed about strapping on a race car and doing great things under the cameras and eyes that follow the sport. More important than the publicity is the winning.

Imagine crawling out of a race car in Victory Lane at the Daytona International Speedway in February, being showered with beer, champagne, Gatorade, Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, or who knows what.

In Dale Jr.'s case, he experienced all that in 2004. Can you imagine the feeling he had when he climbed out of that number 8 Chevrolet?

Personally, I can't. I can't imagine that feeling. Ever.

But I'm a mere mortal, not a superstar like virtually all of the Nascar drivers we see each week. I write about the sport I'd love to live, but never will.

Among superstars in Nascar, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the biggest star. He never asked to be what he is, but he is, like it or not.

Now it's time to pony up, for Dale Jr. He just got a new crew chief, which means to most of the world that he should perform better. Some seem to assume that simply changing the crew chief will solve all of Dale Jr.'s problems. It won't.

Winning is a total commitment to every level of putting a car on the track and making it go fast. Some of that is totally out of the driver's hands, but a lot of it is in his hands. Only the driver can get the most out of a race car. The crew chief can try to get it as good as he can, but in the end, it's the driver against the other guys on the track, and often enough, the track itself.

Sometimes it's the driver against himself.

Sometimes it's time to just go with the flow, to let go, to just have fun. Personally, there have been times in my life when I just quit caring about the standards with which I was collared, and just felt like what I needed to do was what I personally felt like I needed to do.

In most cases, I found extra strength to do what needed to be done, and ended up the victor in the struggle in which I was embroiled.

My advice to Dale Jr.: Have some fun, get loose, and just do what you feel is right.

In the long run, that might lead to focus. Figure out where you want to go, and visualize it. Then go for it.

On to Michigan

Nascar's top series visits Michigan International Speedway this weekend for the LifeLock 400.  Few drivers will be riding higher going into this weekends race than Tony Stewart, who scored his first victory as a team owner last week at Pocono.

One driver who has to be hoping for a major turn around in his season has to be Denny Hamlin, who basically was out of the Pocono race before the oil got hot in the engines last week.  Another driver who wishes he could catch a break is Kevin Harvick.

Team Joe Gibbs has two drivers catching all the publicity, mostly in good ways, in the names of Kyle Busch and Joey Logano.  Busch, though continuing to be controversial for his antics on and off the track, has been winning.  Logano has showed a marked improvement over the last few weeks, and appears to be destined to get his first Cup series win before the year is over.  Denny Hamlin, on the other hand, seems to be cursed.

Richard Childress Racing seems to have problems of a different sort.  Though the RCR cars have run well at times, they've had relatively little to show for their efforts, both in the Cup series and the Nationwide series as well.  RCR cars, which have seemed so dominant in recent years in the Nationwide series, have yet to score a single victory in 2009.  In Cup, it's worse.  RCR seems to be falling behind the curve more and more as the season goes on.  It doesn't appear that it's equipment all the time, it just appears to be bad luck, or in other words, being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Another driver who would very much like to turn his season around is of course the much maligned Dale Earnhardt Jr., who this week returns to the scene of his one and only points win in a Hendrick car.  Still trying new crew chief Lance McGrew on for size, Earnhardt Jr. feels the pressure to perform as he probably has never felt it before.  Changing crew chiefs is not likely to solve all the 88 team's problems, but it's a start, I suppose. 

Michigan could be an important turning point for several drivers in 2009.  Time is running out for the guys trying to make the Chase, and winning at Michigan could go a long way toward turning a lackluster season around.

Stewart-Haas Racing is now on the Map!

Congratulations to Tony Stewart, winner of the Pocono race.  

Tony did what he needed to do, holding off the Roush Fords, and making himself the first owner/driver to win a race in more years than I want to think about.

Who would have thought, just one year ago, that the new Stewart-Haas team would be in victory lane in a points race in 2009?

I would and did.

Tony Stewart has taken the old Gene Haas company and given it a total kick in the pants.  It needed it, and Tony provided it.  

Tony Stewart is a true super star in NASCAR.  He's won in every endeavor he's ever attempted, and now, as an owner, he's won again, proving that even owner/drivers can win.

Smashing the Race Trophy You just Won = No Class

I watched Kyle Busch lead practically every lap at Nashville on Saturday night.  For me, it was a rather boring race until I watched the victory lane celebration.

Nashville has long awarded a custom Gibson Guitar as a trophy for the winner of it's biggest NASCAR event.  This particular guitar was hand painted by popular artist Sam Bass.

Kyle Busch took the guitar and smashed it to smithereens.

I'm beginning to realize the genius in Kyle's sometimes bizarre behavior.  Acting the way he does keeps him in the news.  Even bad press is still press, and Kyle Busch appears to be using all the press he can to perpetuate the legend that Kyle Busch seems to have running through his head.

When I was a kid, I had a neighbor who was possibly borderline psychotic.  He was a nice kid, but he kept up a running radio show in his head about his own exploits, and would often recite them, as would a radio announcer, while he was playing various games.  "And here comes Jack [not his real name] to the plate.  Jack's been batting .765 this season, and has 400 home runs.  Can Jack hit number 401?"  In his head, Jack was the greatest athlete that ever lived.  In reality, Jack couldn't hit even a very slow underhand pitch.  

Jack ran his own radio show playing football or basketball as well.  Jack often tackled himself, simply getting his feet tangled up while trying to run.  Jack often busted himself in the mouth trying to dribble a basketball.  But in Jack's mind, he was the greatest.

I have this mental image of Kyle Busch pretending he is the biggest rock star in the world, and smashing a guitar on stage is a dream of his that he finally fulfilled last night.  He said on his radio that he wanted every member of the team to have a piece of that guitar.  

Even after smashing the custom Gibson to the asphalt 3 or more times, the guitar was still mostly intact.  

I'm a guitar fan.  I currently own a Fender Stratocaster with a sunburst finish, and it's one of my prized posessions.  I can't play it worth a darn, but I do love to look at it.  To me, it's a work of art.

I would love to own a Gibson Les Paul, any year, any model.  To me, the Gibson LP is one of the sweetest sounding guitars ever made.

Watching Kyle smash that beautiful guitar last night was a little like watching a mother drown her own child.

Personally, I wonder what the people who worked so hard to put on the show at Nashville Super Speedway thought when they saw their carefully crafted trophy smashed.  That the beautiful guitar was going to get beer, Gatorade, Coke, etc. on it during the victory celebration was a given, but how did they feel to have to watch that beauty smashed on the asphalt?

I'm a Mouthy Piece of Something!

It's true, because someone commented on an article I wrote over a year ago about Kyle Busch.  You can go back through the archives and see the comment, because I left it there as a monument to the ultimate stupidity amplified by Kyle Busch fans.

When you're blessed with a low IQ and an apparent lack of knowledge when it comes to the English language, and an apparent lack of wits, you attack by using four letter words.  This is what Anonymous posted on my blog, on an article I wrote over a year ago.

Normally, I don't entertain garbage mouth words such as Anonymous uttered, but I leave it up here, with apologies to folks who might be offended by such words, as proof as to what it takes for some folks to be a Kyle Busch fan.

Let's examine some facts here.  I have a blog.  I write on it.  Of course I'm mouthy!  Why would I not be when I have a forum on which to write?

I have opinions.  Anonymous did too.  I invite Anonymous to get his or her own blog and dispute me.  Or just use the options on my own blog to prove me wrong, in a logical way.  Calling me bad names really means that not only do you not like what I say, but you don't have a constructive argument as to how I'm wrong in what I say.

Kyle Busch is an immature punk.  His actions prove my words.

Be back soon.

I've had some health problems that keep me away from the computer, at least for a while.  I'll be back soon, hopefully.

David Poole. We'll Miss You.

I just learned of David Poole's passing, and we'll miss him.

David wrote for the Charlotte Observer, and sites such as That's racin, and was into many other endeavors, including satelite radio.

David will definitely be missed among the people who write about and debate NASCAR issues.

From what I understand, he was instrumental in the lives of many who write or have websites dedicated to NASCAR.  

David and I corresponded from time to time.  He was kind enough to read my blogs, and he very kindly offered advice to an aspiring NASCAR writer, some of which I followed.  I was not a friend of David's, but I consider him to be one my main influences.  I never agreed with all of his opinions, but I certainly respected what he said and why he said it.  To say that I'll miss him understates my feeling greatly.

My prayers will go out to his family and friends.  I will miss what he's been bringing to the NASCAR table for over 13 years.

David, you will be missed.  I know I'll miss you.

Talladega: Love it or Bulldoze it

Since all the cars and fence parts flying at Talladega on Sunday, a lot of pundits, as well as a lot of fans have sounded off on whether or not arguably the the season's most exciting race should continue in the future as it did on Sunday.

There are a lot of arguments for both sides.  People actually got hurt on Sunday when Carl Edwards went flipping through the air into the retaining fence.  What makes things worse, Carl actually sprinted, on his own feet to the finish line, apparently unhurt in the slightest.  The people who were hurt were fans.  That has to be NASCAR's worst nightmare: Fans buying tickets and ending up in the hospital.  

Not that it's bad that Carl was unhurt.  Most of us, as fans, never want to see drivers, crew or anyone else associated with racing get hurt.  I know I never do.  Driving race cars is a dangerous pastime, and we all know the danger is there, which I suppose is one of the reasons we like it so much.  People who appear ordinary doing extraordinary things usually creates a fan base.  

My heart goes out to the people who were injured in the stands at Talladega.  They got a little more excitement than they were banking on.  I hope this won't influence their decisions about whether or not to remain as NASCAR fans.  I suppose it might make them want to choose different seats if they attend races in Alabama again though.

Talladega has been a controversial track since the very beginning.  There are many who say that the track is just too big, that the speeds achieved are just too excessive for the equipment that the racers are using.  A lot of drivers boycotted the inaugural race in 1969, including Richard Petty.  The first race in the old Grand National series ever run by several drivers was at Talladega in 1969 because of the boycott.  One of those drivers was a young guy, racing on a wing and a prayer, named Richard Childress.  Richard didn't win the race, but it was that opportunity that led to bigger and better things, which eventually included stepping out of the car and allowing another young driver to step into it.  That man's name was Dale Earnhardt.  Would Richard Childress have made it without Talladega?  Would the track's eventual driver with the races most won, Dale Earnhardt, have made it without Talladega?  Would history have been altered if Talladega was just another run of the mill track?  I suppose we'll never really know, but we do know what we have.

Richard Childress got his start there.  Dale Earnhardt had great success there.  The son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has also had great success there.  History has already been made.  We can't take it back.

If Talladega can be made safer, I'm all for it.  I visited this track in 2004, and saw one of Dale Earnhardt Jr's wins there.  The track itself, is, well, huge.  It's 2.66 miles in length.  I've been to quite a few race tracks, but never one that made me think I was instead at a rather large airport, instead of a race track.  If seen from the air, the track actually dwarfs the actual airport next to the track.  It's like the Godzilla of race tracks.  I'm not sure we don't need at least one Godzilla in the circuit.

The drivers all know the risks.  If the fans have any kind of knowledge of the sport, they know that if they sit on the front row, stuff can happen.  Bobby Allison in 1987.  Now it's Carl Edwards in 2009.  There have been quite a few others as well over the years.

It can be said that Talladega is inherently unsafe.  Even with restrictor plates, the speeds down the straights can easily top 200 mph.  My guess is that even though the roof flaps help the cars from becoming airborne when they're turned around, their effect might be somewhat negated by the fact that NASCAR now mandates this huge wing on the back of the car, which means when the car is going straight ahead, it provides down force for the rear of the car.  But, turn one of these cars around at 200 mph, does not that wing become an air foil, much as the wing on an airplane?  Does it not provide lift when the car gets turned around, instead of down force?

NASCAR, I'm sure, will endeavor to set things right before we see another Talladega race.  I'm guessing that even probably before we see another Daytona race in July, for that matter.  Safety is good, especially for the fans.  Few of them make anywhere near the money that the drivers make to take the risks that they do.  Fans pay to see the races.  Drivers get paid to put on the show.  It's logical that the drivers should take the majority of the risk, rather than the fans.

Whatever NASCAR decides to do, their decision will be met with equal praise and scorn.  I'm guessing NASCAR probably knows that by now.  They probably don't care too much either way.

But fans in the stands getting hurt is a hit NASCAR definitely doesn't want to take right now.  As a fan of the sport, neither do I.  As a human being, I hate seeing fans of any sport getting hurt just because they are fans.

Are there just certain things Southerner's shouldn't say?

I was listening to my local sports talk station today.  There's a ton of football, basketball, baseball, and even hockey coverage on it, but very little in the way of Nascar stuff.  If they hired me, I'd change that pretty quickly.

One of the announcers, who is a local guy from South Carolina, did a promotional spot for a golf club shop.  In case you didn't know, South Carolina probably has more golf courses per capita than any other state in the union.  But I digress.

This local announcer was pitching several brands of golf clubs for this shop.  Calloway, Taylor, etc.  and then he said the word that just about caused me to about wreck my truck in the middle of traffic.  "Peeing".  Now, I know that all of you know that word.  We all do it.  We all regret it when we have to do so when it's not convenient to do so.

This radio host is a southerner.  I am too.  I probably say the word the same way.  The actual name is "Ping", which is a major brand of golf clubs and accessories.  But the way some of us say it is just comical when you listen to it.

I'm not criticizing the host.  He did the best he could.  I'd probably say it the same way.  But "Ping" came out like "peeing."  "came out" is probably a poor choice of words as well.  Oops.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is often ridiculed for talking the way he talks, which is southern. Others enjoying ridicule are Ward Burton, and Bill Elliot.  

If you're from a part of the country that makes you think southern talk is alien, then I suggest you look at the roots of the sport.  Nascar grew up around tracks like South Boston, Greenville-Pickens, Metrolina, Bowman-Gray, Lakewood,  A lot of tracks were in the north as well, back in the early days.  Some of them were even in Canada.  Check them out!

Racing wasn't invented in the South.  It was just made better here.  In my humble opinion, of course!  Sure, there are things a southerner should probabaly never say into a microphone, but I don't think that it's a really good reason to exterminate us either.

Geographically Challenged? Try Driving in Circles

I live almost exactly half way between Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlotte, North Carolina.  I also live about a mile away from the principle route between these two major Southern cities, which is Interstate 85.

I provide this for information because tonight I was asked by two ladies who had just driven from Michigan to my humble hometown of Anderson, South Carolina, via Atlanta.  They were trying to find the best way to Montgomery, Alabama.  I told them they should have taken a right in Atlanta, instead of a left.

While I was standing there trying to explain to them the best way to get to Alabama, a South Carolina Highway Patrol officer pulled up.  I should explain that I was at a gas station at the time, within sight of the exit ramps at Exit 27 on Interstate 85.

The ladies disagreed with me, thought they needed to go through Greenville, SC, and continue north on I-85.  They had a map with them, and I showed them where they were, which was way the heck on the wrong side of Atlanta from Alabama.  I told them that they would get them to Charlotte, NC, and eventually, Richmond, VA if they continued north on Interstate 85.  The state trooper noticed an animated conversation taking place, and came over to help.  He listened to their query, and told them they needed to get back onto the interstate and drive back a hundred or so miles the way they had just come, and keep on going down I-85, south, in other words, echoing words I had just spoken to the ladies, because if they did so, eventually, they would arrive in Montgomery, Alabama.  The Smokey Bear hat, the uniform, the badge, and possibly the Glock pistol on his waist seemed to convince them that maybe they were wrong.

This trooper is probably about 25 years old, very professional, and gave them explicit directions as to how to get back on the interstate and head toward their destination.  They seemed to be convinced, and in some small way, I was relieved.  I thought maybe I had saved them futile trip to Charlotte, at least.  As the state trooper and I stood talking, the ladies drove away, and took exactly the wrong turn, onto I-85 north towards Charlotte, NC, in exactly the opposite direction of Montgomery, Alabama.  Oh well.

The trooper shrugged.  I shrugged.  We laughed a little.  He went his way and I went home.

On the way home, I couldn't help but think about how this little situation applied to the NASCAR race I watched last night in Phoenix, Arizona.  Pit crews, some of whom have had previous problems, continued to have problems.  Pit crews, some of which have not had many problems, suddenly had problems last night.  Sometimes the more you try to help a situation, the worse it can get.

Jeff Gordon ended up 2 laps down because of a problem on pit road.  Jeff Gordon?  The rainbow crew?  That just doesn't happen, does it?  Yes, Virginia, even the 24 crew is capable of mistakes.  They proved that to all of us on national TV last night.

That the 88 crew made mistakes is not a surprise, I suppose, but even though they missed a lug nut on the first pit stop, Tony Eury Jr. managed to put Dale Earnhardt Jr. out in front for quite a few laps by pitting off sequence.  The strategy failed, however, when Dale Jr.'s tires went away after another pit stop, and he was quickly passed, and passed, and passed again.  Eventually, he got into contact with former teammate Casey Mears, which sent the 88 into the wall.  Dale Jr. eventually finished 31st.  They 88 team made some changes on the pit crew this week.  It is yet to be determined if they helped or hurt the situation.

FOX TV showed us the extended lugs that are required by NASCAR during the race.  It takes more time to put the nuts on the lugs than it used to.  The officials want to see threads past the nuts now, in otherwords.  That all requires more revolutions of the lug wrench, and that seems to be causing some teams problems.  I'm guessing that one major problem is that the lugs extend so far past the lug nuts, that applying them to the wheels with glue has become problematic.  If you push the wheel onto the lugs too far, you risk having the lugs push the nuts off.  If the nuts fall onto the ground, they either have to be picked up and replaced, or nuts that the tire changer carries, usually on his helmet, have to be deployed.  A year ago, a 12.5 second pit stop was a good one.  Now, they're lucky if they can get one done in 14 seconds.

What's up with the pit signs this year?  Dale Jr. has complained that he can't see his at times.  I don't know why they rely on just the sign at all, really.  If you listen to Jimmie Johnson's radio, Chad Knaus counts him down to his pit, unless Jimmie takes the very first pit on pit road, as he often does.  In a sea of signs, I'm sure it's often hard to see your sign, but why can't the crews make it easier to pit the driver, without him relying on seeing his sign waving up and down?  Radio is there for a reason, and the crew chief is sitting on top of the pit box.  Why don't they make it a standard practice to count their drivers down to their pit?

Congratulations to Mark Martin on his win at Phoenix.  I know that some don't like Mark, but he tries his best to be the nice, older guy in the sport.  He doesn't always succeed, but he does try.  I assume that one day, he might succeed at retiring as well.  He's been about as successful at retiring as he has at winning a championship or a Daytona 500.  Just kidding Mark.  Congratulations.  I hope you win more this year.

Whether you're driving to Montomery, Alabama, or driving around in circles at Phoenix, or to bring things closer to the point, Talladega, Alabama, it helps to pay attention, and to hopefully know where the heck you're going before you get on the road.

No greater responsibility does a man have

Than to send his men into harm's way.  In World War II, George Patton sent men into battle knowing some of them would die.  It's a sad fact, but it's true.  George Patton's  preferred way was to let the enemy SOB die for his country, and that his own men live.  But the sad fact is, when you send men into battle, men die.

The commander of troops in combat is probably the most underrated job in the world, but probably the most important.  It's been said that the greatest job a man can have is commanding troops in combat.

This idea is somewhat the same in NASCAR.  Crew chiefs regularly ask men to risk their lives going over the wall to service a race car, sometimes while 40 or so others are speeding down pit road inches away from them.  During the average pit stop, the crew chief is asking several men to put their lives on the line to make the driver have a good pit stop.

We've been fortunate that not too many men have died on pit road over the last few years.  We've had some injured, but mostly, we've only had a few injuries, not deaths.  Thanks, NASCAR, for mandating helmets and other safety gear on pit road.  In the old days, most of them were wearing blue jeans and tee shirts, and no helmets, and sometimes one of them got killed doing what they loved the most.

Thank God that's not the case anymore.  At many tracks, we almost always see a crew member almost finishing his career in catastrophe, but thanks to the newer rules regarding safety, we haven't lost one lately.

Thanks, NASCAR.  Most of these guys work other jobs during the week, and most have families.  We're glad you're keeping them safe.

My hat's off to all the fallen out there.  May God keep you and bless you.

Wanna Fight About It?

I post this title, laughing out loud, because I know some of you will want to fight about it.  That's fine.  You don't even know what we're fighting about yet, but yet you're willing to fight.  I like that in a person.

Right now even I don't even know what we're fighting about.  All I know is that the famed '8' team is dead, Aric Almirola is out of a ride, and Teresa Earnhardt doesnt even own the number '8' any more.  Chip Ganassi does.  Chip is the 'G' part of EGR, or what's now known as Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.  Up until last week at Texas, EGR mostly featured the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevy of Martin Truex Jr, the #42 Target Chevy of Juan Pablo Montoya, and the #8 Chevy, sponsored sometimes by Guitar Hero, Metallica, and I don't know who else.  Apparently the sponsorship on the '8' has ended, and the team is shutting down.

If I had the money to sponsor the 8 car, I would.  I don't have that kind of money.  I doubt that you do either.  I hate that Aric Almirola and probably about 40 of his compatriots at EGR are now basically without a job.  Like most of you, I've been there, done that.  It's not fun.

My question to you, gentle reader is this:  Should Dale Earnhardt Jr. go to Chip Ganassi and ask to secure the use of the famous '8' number again, now that it seems to be out of action?  The '8' is the number with which Dale Jr. won all but one of his Cup races.  Has Dale Earnhardt Jr. established himself with the '88' or should he go after the '8' again now?

Oh heck, I know that's going to screw up so many people's merchandising plans.  I personally haven't bought any '88' stuff, but that's only because I don't have the money to do so.  I've personally got a lot of '8' stuff, and though I don't expect Budweiser to be back in Dale Jr.'s camp any time soon, I've got some '8' diecast cars and hats, etc.

What should Dale Earnhardt Jr. do?   I don't know.  He and Rick Hendrick have a lot invested in the '88' brand now, so should they switch now that they probably have the chance?  I don't know, to be honest with you.  It might be a once in a lifetime chance to bring back the number that made Dale Jr. the popular driver that he is.  

What do you think?

Is it possible to be a fan of a spoiled brat?

I suppose the obvious answer is a resounding 'Yes.'  I'm not a fan of Kyle Busch, but I find his on and off track antics to be entertaining, at the very least.  Last week he was making cracks about the sport's currently most popular driver, and this week, he literally ran away from a disappointing finish in the Truck race at Martinsville.

I watched it live on Speed TV today.  Kyle Busch literally acted like a little boy who had been kicked in the shins and ran home to Mama.  

Of course, Kyle might have been late to do his part in an M&M's commercial or something.  I'm certainly not privy to information like that.  Believe it or not, I'm not told the details of Kyle's schedule.

I did see him, courtesy of SPEED TV, throw his helmet and HANS device onto the rear of his 51 Toyota truck, owned by his friend Billy Ballew.  After Kyle got out of the truck, he didn't talk to anyone on the team; he simply sprinted up pit road, dodging other trucks that were still coming onto pit road.  He found the gate to let him out of the track, and hopped across the wall, and walked deliberately across the track, and was let out with a sound of 'Boos' in the air.  It's possible he was late to an important meeting, of course.  Anything is certainly possible.

For some perverted reason, I find myself becoming a bit of a fan of the Pee Wee Herman looking, temperamental driver.  It's not that I hope he wins, but performances like he put on after today's Martinsville race are absolutely priceless.  If nothing else, Kyle Busch puts on a very interesting show.

The fact that he has racing performance on his side helps too.  The guy has won in virtually everything he's ever driven, and usually many times.  Kyle Busch is an obviously very talented race driver who apparently has somewhat of a short fuse.  What better guy to capture the interest of NASCAR fans?

Kyle Busch has the talent, and an attitude that tends to irritate fans of other drivers.  He is somewhat like the Darrell Waltrip of the 1970's and 1980's, and somewhat like what many thought of a young Dale Earnhardt in the early 1980's as well.  Kyle Busch is brash, he's unapologetic, and quite honestly, he's a pretty good driver.

The fact that he has major temper tantrums makes it more fun.  Of course, he's not the only driver to have them.

Former teammate Tony Stewart is famous for them.  Brother Kurt used to be, but lately, Kurt seems to be trying to emulate the Jeff Gordon/Jimmie Johnson/Matt Kenseth type of profile, basically smiling at the camera and thanking the sponsors, and never taking the bait when asked specifically about what the driver thinks about getting punted or pushed into the wall.

In some ways, Kyle Busch is old school.  He wears his emotions on his sleeve, and though he acts like a brat at times, the passion shows through.  Kyle races hard, no matter where he is, and when he loses a race, he's upset.  Maybe he carries it overboard at times, as he did today in the Truck race at Martinsville, but when you get right down to it, you have to think that he's just passionate about winning.

Is that such a bad thing?

And you thought this was going to be a hit piece on Kyle Busch.  It wasn't meant to be.

He's very passionate about whatever race he's driving in, and I, as a fan, I'm happy to see that passion in racing.  Kyle, you just keep on doing what you're doing.  You might seem like a spoiled brat at times, but at least I know why.  Keep doing what you do, and one day you'll maybe have fans like Petty or Dale Jr. does.  And maybe you won't have to mouth off about it.

Martinsville: It never ceases to be entertaining

Martinsville is the oldest continually sanctioned track in NASCAR, and this weekend showed us exactly why.  For pure short track excitement, Martinsville definitely delivers.

Yesterday's Cup race saw a lot of fender banging and bumper bashing.  Jimmie Johnson, who won the race, did so without escaping the race unscathed.  He had a late encounter with Denny Hamlin, which put Johnson in the lead, and moved Hamlin to 2nd.

Today's Camping World Truck series race provided more of the same.  After leading a lot of laps in the latter stages of the race, Kyle Busch was bumped by Kevin Harvick, which allowed Harvick to pass.  Harvick was followed by his KHI teammate Ron Hornaday, who made harder contact with Kyle Busch, pushing in the quarter panel on the left rear of Busch's Toyota which in turn caused a tire rub.  The yellow flag came out almost immediately after Harvick's pass for the lead, due to another incident on the track.  

Kyle Busch asked for his crew to check out the damage, and also rubbed the left side of his truck on the inside wall near the entrance to pit road.  Kyle inadvertently crossed the white commitment line, but stayed out on the track.  NASCAR called foul.  Kyle's chances of winning the race were obviously over.

After the race, SPEED TV's cameras where on Kyle Busch as he exited his truck.  Kyle removed his helmet and HANS device, and slammed them down on the rear of the truck.  He then sprinted up pit road, into the oncoming traffic of trucks still entering pit road.  He then hopped over the fence onto the track, walked across, and exited the track, all to audible boos.

I'll offer some commentary on this event later, but so far in 2009, the Martinsville Truck race has been by far my favorite!  Beating, banging and even a temper tantrum!  Does it get any better?

The word 'embattled' is starting to irritate me.

'Embattled' crew chief Tony Eury Jr. is still on the job.  Is that a huge surprise?

I'm not surprised.  I didn't expect there to be a huge shake up on the 88 team this week.  For some reason, I seem to be the only one who thinks so.

What has Tony Jr. done wrong except not handing Dale Earnhardt Jr. a win?  I thought the driver was supposed to be involved in wins too.  The last time I looked, the crew chief sits on top of the pit box, and the driver sits inside of the car.  Of course, the crew chief is important to the outcome of a race, but for some reason, people keep forgetting the guy that's pushing the throttle, the brake pedal, the clutch pedal, and actually turning the steering wheel.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has not been faultless this season.  Just go back and watch your Daytona Tivo again.  Don't get me wrong, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of my favorite people in the world, but he's human, and he makes mistakes, believe it or not, just like me, or possibly even you.

I know I make mistakes.  Just ask my current boss.  She'd probably talk for about an hour or more about my current transgressions.  I'm new to what I'm doing, and I make mistakes.  Believe me, I make a lot of them, apparently.  Today I think I peeved her more than I thought was humanly possible.  Leave it to me though.  I managed to do just that.

I'm just saying that even though owner Rick Hendrick says all is well, we'll see what we will see.  Nobody drives these days for Rick Hendrick without producing, and I don't think that even good ole Dale Jr. and Tony Eury Jr. will last forever without producing wins.  If they eventually don't produce wins, Rick Hendrick will demand a change.  Probably that will first be a crew chief change, but eventually that might be a driver change.

For the moment, I encourage the Junior Nation to leave Tony Jr. alone.  Right now he's the chosen man.  Let him do what he does, and quit busting his chops for at least right now.  Tony's the man on the pit box.  If he gets to stay there, fine.  If he leaves, you can have your pound of flesh then.  Right now, Rick Hendrick has faith in this combination.  He's the guy that pays the salaries and turns off the lights at night.  Let's give it a little time.

Inheriting a Name

General George Smith Patton, Jr. obviously was the son of a man by the same name.  In his case, the famous General Patton achieved most of the fame for which the "Patton" name is famous for.  Patton led and pushed his US 3rd Army across Europe in 1944 and 1945, and moved a tremendous amount of men and materiel, in the worst of conditions,  to free the elements of the 101st Airborne Division who were surrounded at Bastogne during what is now called the Battle of the Bulge.  General George Patton is a hero, not just to the US Army, but to the United States as a whole.  The man accomplished great things as a military commander, and some of that was because Patton was afraid of very few things in life.  The General was known as a risk taker, sometimes as taking unnecessary risks by his superiors.  He paid the price for that by being relieved of command more than once, but in the end, he proved to be the guy that is one of the best remembered for liberating Europe from Nazi Germany in World War II. 

There has been a phrase attributed to General George S. Patton Jr.:  "Take not council of your fears."  I've read that actually this phrase might be more accurately attributed to General Phillip Sheridan, who lived and served a full generation before Patton.  Either way, General Patton apparently believed in that saying.

What has all this to do with NASCAR, which I'm sure is the question you're asking yourself by this point?  It's easy.  Think about names like Petty, Earnhardt, Eury.  Fathers and sons.

Lee Petty was Richard's father, and he was a champion in his own right, before Richard Petty ever got behind the wheel of a race car.  Most casual fans of the sport today might recognize Richard Petty's name, but few will remember that his father was a great racer before him.  Richard went on to become the "King", with 200 victories in his career.  That's a number that will not be matched.  There are reasons for that, including the fact that NASCAR doesn't sanction Cup events 3 or 4 nights a week, as they did back in the '6o's and early '70's.  Back in those days, before the days of Winston, Richard might win 2 or 3 races a week at times.  The point is, today, nobody remembers who Lee Petty was, even though he was a great driver.  They mostly remember Richard.

And then there's Kyle Petty.  Kyle has won a few races in his career, and these days he's mostly known as the guy that started the Victory Junction Gang Camp.  Kyle is an all around good guy, and he says what he thinks, which is rare among drivers, or even former drivers these days.  Personally, I have to admire that quality.

Kyle actually started the VJGC in honor of his son, who was destined to be the 4th generation Petty NASCAR driver, Adam Petty.  Adam died in an accident at New Hampshire in 2000.  Unfortunately, tragedy and grief follow the sport of NASCAR, and of course we also lost another good driver, Kenny Irwin in 2000 as well.

In 2000, a young man named Dale Earnhardt Jr. followed his father footsteps into the Cup series, and was successful.  He won his first race at Texas, and followed that up with a win at Richmond.  He then went on to win the All Star Race at Charlotte, which of course, was named the Winston then.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. was on his way.  Or so it seemed.

On February 18, 2001, the man who had won 76 races and 7 championships died.  A lot of, but not all of, the fan base who used to support Dale Earnhardt transferred it's devotion to the son.  Some of that fan base supported Earnhardt's replacement, Kevin Harvick.  Some just went away and support other drivers, but most of that fan base suddenly became Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans.  Thus we witnessed the birth of the Junior Nation.  Dale Jr. already had fans, but this unintentional result of his father's death dumped a lot more fans on Dale Jr. than he had ever had before.

Is it just because of the name?  Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. certainly bears his father's name.  For some reason, no one ever held his half-brother Kerry to the same standards.  Kerry Earnhardt, who still works for the family company, and has a son, Jeffrey, who is becoming an accomplished racer in his own right, has never been held to the same standards that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has.

I certainly don't expect Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. to do what his father did.  They both grew up under different circumstances.  All I do know is that Dale Jr. is an entertaining guy, at least in my opinion.

And about Tony Eury Jr.?  Leave him alone.  He might not be the best crew chief in the field, but he's the one that Dale Jr.'s chosen.  If you're a Dale Jr. fan and can't get past that, then find another driver.  That's the law, according to Dale Jr., and if you don't like it, take it up with Dale himself.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. may never win as many races or championships as his father has, but to me he's an interesting guy.  Interesting drivers are suddenly becoming too rare in NASCAR.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., my best advice to you is what General George S. Patton Jr. once said, or maybe it was Phil Sheridan:  "Never take council of your fears."

Some Breakout Performances at Bristol

First of all, congratulations to Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin for making it a great day for Joe Gibbs Racing at Bristol on Sunday.  Busch and Hamlin finished 1st and 2nd, respectively.  Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon also put in solid performances for Hendrick Motorsports, finishing 3rd and 4th.  Richard Petty Motorsports' Kasey Kahne continued to show strength in 2009, finishing 5th at Bristol in the Budweiser Dodge.

Two drivers who made badly needed good runs on Sunday were Mark Martin, who finished 6th, and Ryan Newman who finished 7th.  Both of these drivers are running for new teams this year, Mark Martin for Hendrick, and Ryan Newman for the brand new Stewart-Haas Racing, and both have been mired back in the pack in points thus far in 2009, mostly hampered by bad luck and engines trailing parts and oil and smoke.  It's good to see two good drivers get good finishes at Bristol.

Ryan Newman is often somewhat of an afterthought to most casual fans of the sport.  He maintains a quiet demeanor, and rarely makes waves either on or off the track.  Ryan is often overshadowed by his often flamboyant partial owner and teammate Tony Stewart.  It is sometimes forgotten that Ryan Newman is a great qualifier, one of the best in the modern era of NASCAR, and he's won his share of races so far in his relatively short career.  

Mark Martin is, of course, probably the biggest legend among current drivers in NASCAR who has never won a championship.  Mark came very close a couple of times, but has never managed to take the big trophy home.  2009 was to be his last full time season, but now he's been talking about attempting a full time 2010 run as well, and one has to wonder if owner Rick Hendrick will give him that opportunity next year, or will Mark have to go elsewhere to make that happen.  Though Mark basically has been on the verge of retiring for several years now, his priorities have changed.  He originally was going to retire to help his son, Matt, with his racing career.  Apparently Matt has other priorities other than racing, and Mark seems to have a renewed energy and passion for doing what he has done for so many years, which of course is driving race cars.

There are some fans and even sports writers who have been critical of Mark Martin's quest to keep driving, even though he's announced his retirement more than once.  The criticism seems to be that he's taking up room that could be filled by younger, hotter drivers.  I understand that argument, but I have to admit, Mark Martin has been running well this year.  He's won 2 poles so far, at Atlanta and Bristol, and though he's had problems with engines and such during the races, Sunday showed he can still run with the young guys.  To me, a guy born in 1959 is not ancient.  Of course I might be biased on that opinion, since I was only born a scant 4 years later than that.  I also have to say that when you're hot, you're hot.  50 or not, go for it, Mark. 

Has anyone noticed that Jeff Gordon has a 76 point lead over second place Kurt Busch in the points?  Though Jeff has not been to victory lane in over 45 races now, the 24 crew has done what they need to keep Jeff exactly where he wants to be early in the 2009 season.  Under the current points system, Gordon is playing the game exactly as it needs to be played, by being consistent.  Though Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth have each won 2 races this year, neither is number 1 in points.  Not exactly a criticism, but maybe a suggestion, and I'll bet readers of this article have probably thought it before:  Why not make wins count more?

Just a suggestion.

What Would You Do for the Opportunity to be a Part Of NASCAR?

I'd probably give a left part of my body, although I'm not sure exactly which one.  I have two ear lobes, do I really need both of them?  I'm just asking.  Maybe I should make that a right portion of my body, since I'm left handed.  I don't know, I don't have a lot of experience in this field.

But I know that I'd give just about anything to be able to follow the series from track to track, to have access to the garage, the crew, the chiefs, the owners, and of course the drivers.

Of course there is a certain amount of celebrity curiosity there.  I've only met a very few drivers in person, and those occasions were mostly formal, but it would be awesome to see what's going on behind the scenes at the tracks.  

To be honest with you, the only people I've ever met that I'm completely awed by are my father and my mother, who for more than 84 years have kept the bonds of a family together, through hard work and a lot of love.  These are people who have been through hardships that most of us couldn't imagine.  My father is a veteran of World War II, where he served in Europe.  My mother worked in a life boat factory to support the war effort during that time.  In other words, my parents have lived through some difficult times.

I'm much more fortunate than my parents.  I never had to go fight soldiers on foreign soil, I've never had to go through rationing for things such as gas, tires, or oil.

But I'd be willing to do just about all of those things to be able to follow the teams around to the tracks and have access to them.  It's not that I'm a groupie of any particular driver or anything, because I'm not awed by any of them at all, but it's just this:  NASCAR is one of the very few things I truly love in this world.  That's why I write about it.  

Sure, I have drivers I favor over other drivers, but in the effort to make this site not just about one driver, I've overcome some of those prejudices or biases, or at least I have so some degree.

If I were travelling from track to track every week, could walk around the garage, see the sights, listen to the talk, I'd be in some strange form of Heaven.  In other words, it would be like the most fun I've ever had in my life.

The atmosphere surrounding NASCAR is somewhat contagious.  These people are making money, a lot of them are rich, without a doubt, beyond my wildest dreams.  To me, that's not the allure though.  It's just the part about being part of something.  I don't know if that makes any sense, but just to write about what I write about is a huge privilege.  Even at the stage at which I am now, which means that I'm nothing more than a fan.  I can write about things that interest me, and I get paid exactly what you pay to read this site, which, the last time I checked, was exactly nothing.

I just enjoy doing this.  The other night I had a dream where I got to interview, of all people, David Starr.  I don't know why, because I've never followed David's career, but I was interested to find out that David has won 4 races in 218 starts in the Camping World Truck Series, and has also achieved 9 starts in the Nationwide Series.  I didn't get that from the dream, of course, but I did look it up when I woke up from that dream.  

I think anyone that has the opportunity to get involved with NASCAR, should, at all costs.  I know I would.

Heck, I'd do it for free if I could.

Giving Back to the Sport He Loves.

I'm not a huge Mark Martin fan, but I've got to recognize what I consider to be a class act.  Mark Martin, through his website, Markmartin.com, will be the sponsor on the car owned by Tommy Baldwin, and will be driven by Scott Riggs.  Riggs will attempt to qualify the car at Bristol.

In this time of economic insecurity, I applaud Mark Martin for making this very nice offer of sponsorship for a team that's trying to get itself off the ground.

"I just wanted to help a fellow driver," Martin said.  "I think this is a great opportunity to get involved, and encourage others to follow my lead, including other drivers."

In order to keep NASCAR solvent, this is a huge thing.  Mark Martin is sponsoring a competitor.  Is that a great gesture or what?

Regardless of what you think of Mark Martin, I think you have to call him a gentleman, if nothing else.

I hope this trend will take off, and maybe one day we'll see JeffGordon.com on the hood of some other car, or JimmieJohnson.com on the hood of some car.  Some of these drivers have earned a lot of money, and in order to keep the sport accessible for smaller teams, some of them might have to give back to the sport that supports them.  Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr, etc.  I think you should all give this some thought.

I don't know about you, but my hat's off to Mark Martin for what he's doing for Tommy Baldwin and Scott Riggs.

It's Bristol Time!

NASCAR teams and drivers, and especially the hauler drivers were glad to get a weekend off, especially after the California and Las Vegas runs, but you, me and probably ever other fan out there are chomping at the bit to get back to it.  It's Bristol, baby, and we're going short track racing!

Bristol has been the site of some of the best racing I've ever seen, period.  Last year, the new car, or as they used to say, the Car Of Tomorrow, lessened that excitement just a little, but Bristol is Bristol, and you can't keep a great track down for long.  Bristol is one of the last true bull rings that exists in NASCAR's highest series, and I'm guessing that Sunday's race is going to be a barn burner.

Even this early in the season, we've got drivers with a few scores to settle, and what better place than Bristol, Tennessee?  The winning car may not have fenders on it, because the beating and banging is so intense there, it's part race and part demolition derby.  If you happen to be a driver with a grudge, this is the place to settle it, because there will be so much rubbing and banging that even NASCAR will be hard pressed to tell if contact was on purpose or incidental.

Should the victim of a love tap be your particular driver, you, of course, will cry 'foul!' and report it immediately to your favorite driver's message board or scream it at the TV in either your home, your local watering hole, or where ever you happen to witness the incident.  If I were you, I'd scream it out at the track itself, because it's now easier to get Bristol tickets than it has been in decades.

For me, as a fan, the main joy of watching a Bristol race is the close contact that exists there.  I enjoy watching racing at all the tracks, but Bristol is special to me.  If you've never been to your local race track, Bristol is probably the closest thing on national TV that you have ever seen that's close to the excitement that you get on a small track.  If you want to see the competition that you'll see at Bristol every week, go to your local short track and get some Cokes, or Pepsi's, maybe a hot dog, and sit back and just watch.  If you're a racing fan, believe me, it won't take you long to learn the names of the drivers and figure out your favorites.  Bristol is the national version of your local short track.  Most of the drivers at Bristol on Sunday have run at local tracks just like yours.

Some of them still do.

I admire drivers that drive anything, anywhere, no matter how large the crowd is.  If you happen to live in Georgia, you might see a big name driver running on a local dirt track near you.  If you live in California, you might see someone by the name of Mears running a local feature.  If you're lucky enough to live within driving distance of Eldora, you know what I mean.   At one of my local tracks, Greenville-Pickens Speedway, we've been blessed over the years by names like Petty, Pearson, Yarborough, Earnhardt, Keller, Pressley, and a host of others.

It doesn't matter where you live.  Chances are you've got some great drivers around, and you should go see them.  Support what they're doing, if you can afford to.

Maybe one day you'll see them at places like Daytona, Talladega, Indianapolis, and yes, even Bristol.

Fans, Fans, Fans.

Fans. If you're reading this site, chances are you are one. Or perhaps not. All I know is that fans are what makes the NASCAR world go round and round. A lot of people think it's the sponsors, the owners, or even the drivers. Sure, all those elements add value to the NASCAR experience, and having fun watching races wouldn't really be possible without them.

But fans are where it's at.  

The fans support the sponsors, and until the last year or so, bought tickets for the races. Without the fans, sponsors wouldn't be in NASCAR. Without fans, these guys might as well be driving around a cow pasture somewhere, like they did before NASCAR even was. 

NASCAR fans come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Their devotion to certain drivers is, well, fanatical at times. That's the basis of the word 'fan' anyway, isn't it?  

In other words, their driver can do no wrong, and if their driver fails, it must be either equipment failure, some other driver's fault, or their crew chief's fault. If NASCAR fans based their adoration for drivers based only on statistics, we all would have been Petty, Pearson, Yarborough, and Earnhardt fans in the 1970's and 1980's. We all would have been Waltrip fans during that time as well. In the 1990's, we all would have to have been Gordon fans, because Jeff Gordon's stats from the '90's are particularly spectacular. 

But that's not the way being a fan works. We are fans of a certain driver for as many reasons as there are stars in the evening sky. We like the way they look, or their personalities, or the way they give interviews. Some of us have personally met a driver, and he was gracious and kind. He may not produce much on the race track, but we become fans of that driver just because of a personal smile or wave. In the old days, drivers were not so much celebrities, as they now are, but more or less circus clowns. They provided the entertainment, back in the days when you could bring a family of 4 into the track for $10.00. People who populated the stands back in those days began to follow the careers of certain drivers, and eventually became fans of those drivers. Sometimes the loyalty to those drivers led to fans only buying certain types of automobiles and other products. That's what NASCAR counts on these days: Fans support the sponsors, and therefore, the sponsors support the series.  

How do you explain Bill Elliot being the most popular driver all those years? Bill has won some races, sure, and one championship even. But Bill was the most popular driver in NASCAR for many years when he wasn't winning many races, and other guys like Gordon and Earnhardt were winning races and championships. Bill is a likable enough fellow, sure, but why the MPD status? It's simple. Fans of Bill were fans whether he won or lost races. Bill's personality seemed to overcome any problems he had on the track.

The same can be said for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale has not won a championship in Cup at all. He's won 18 races, and he did win those two Busch championships. But Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s on track performance has been less than spectacular for the last few years, yet he keeps winning most popular driver awards. It's not his feats at driving that lead to those awards, obviously, it's who Dale Jr. is. 

If we all went by statistics with which to base our loyalty to drivers, we would all be Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Carl Edwards fans these days. Of course we are not. These drivers have their own fan base, some of which is based on their performance, and some of it on just who the driver is. 

There are fans of some drivers who have achieved relatively little in comparison to other drivers, yet they are free and willing to call other drivers who have achieved more as being 'idiots', or 'over rated'. That's the fun of being a NASCAR fan. Everything goes when one is defending one's driver.

Personally, I am a fan of not just one driver, but several. I'm guessing most of you feel that way as well, though I once got slapped lightly on the wrists, figuratively, for cheering on some other drivers as well as my friend's favorite driver. It was all or nothing for this friend, and there were no other drivers good enough to cheer for in my friend's opinion. I'm not that way. I personally like drivers based on what they've done in the past, but also on their personality and basic outlook on life. 

I don't consider any driver in any of the current NASCAR series to be a hero, but there are many that I personally admire. My last hero in NASCAR was Dale Earnhardt. Other heroes I've had in NASCAR in the past were Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, and people like Tim Richmond, Davey Allison, and strangely enough, or not, a guy named Alan Kulwicki.  

I'm fans of those guys because of not only what they did, but the kind of men they were, and for some, fortunately still are.

Four Races Into the Season: What Have We Got?

The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season is only four races old, but we're already seeing some trends developing.  The fact that the 24 car, driven by four time champion Jeff Gordon, is currently leading the points is not really a surprise.  Gordon has yet to win a race since 2007, but he's driving consistently so far in 2009, and therefore reaps the rewards of that consistency by leading the points very early in the season.

Second in points is somewhat a surprise to some, but not really to me, personally.  Driving for Richard Childress' long anticipated 4th team is Clint Bowyer, who has also not won a race yet this season, but proves that even new teams can click along and score good points after only four races into the season.  Clint obviously is not new to the Childress organization, but the number and sponsor is new.

Producing very few surprises at all are the 99 car of Carl Edwards and his teammate in the 17 car, Matt Kenseth, currently 4th and 5th in points respectively.  I think everyone expected Cousin Carl to be off and running for the title in 2009, and I doubt that anyone expected Matt Kenseth to win the first two races of the year, but I think we all knew he would probably be pretty strong in 2009.  Also surprising very few is another Roush teammate, Greg Biffle in the 16 car who is currently running in 10th in points.

I suppose that if I had to list any real personal surprises thus far in 2009, it would be how well some of the Dodge cars are running.  Kurt Busch, driving the 2 car for Penske Racing, won convincingly at Atlanta this past weekend.  By virtue of his win, and by strong runs elsewhere, Kurt is currently in 3rd place in points after four races in 2009.  Another Dodge driver who so far is having a productive season is Kasey Kahne, who drives the 9 Budweiser Dodge.  Kasey currently resides in the 9th place in points.

Another Chevrolet driver whom I should have already mentioned who's doing very well, is no surprise to me.  Kevin Harvick, who drives the 29 Pennzoil Chevrolet is currently 8th in points.  Though winless in points races in 2008 and so far in 2009, Kevin did win the All Star race at Charlotte this year, and won the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona in February.  Kevin and his team have put together strong performances so far in 2009, and I feel that it's just a matter of time before he takes the checkered flag in a points race.

There are, of course, some Toyota's in the top ranks four races into the season.  Kyle Busch, who won at Las Vegas, is currently in 7th place in the points.  That should suprise no one, as far as I can tell.  After the year that Kyle had in 2008, we knew he would probably come roaring into 2009 like a lion.  Michael Waltrip Racing driver David Reutimann is currently in 12th place in the points, and it appears that David, as long as Michael himself, may be enjoying a breakout year so far in Cup.  Michael is currently 16th in points.

Another Toyota driver I'm not surprised to see running well is the 83 Red Bull car driven by Brian Vickers.  Brian showed a lot of promise last year, and apparently the 83 team has carried on, giving Vickers some good equipment and allowing him to produce some very impressive finishes so far in 2009.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Brian get a win this season.

Some other surprises I've seen so far, and they might not be surprises to you, but they are to me.  Mark Martin, driving the 5 car for Rick Hendrick has had a horrible run of luck so far in his final push to win a championship.  Mark is currently 35th in points, far from where he wanted to be after four races.  Martin has been qualifying very well, so I see little reason to worry about him making races, but the on track problems that seem to be plaguing his Chevrolet have to be worrying him.

Another surprise for me is that Jimmie Johnson, driving another Hendrick car, the 48, and champion for the last 3 years, so far has not been able to produce what many consider to be quality runs so far this year.  Jimmie is currently in 13th in points, which for many of his fans must be highly annoying.

One of the happiest statistics for me to report, and of course this is just me, is that Tony Stewart, in his newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing team is currently 6th in points.  It's been hit and miss for SHR so far this year, since Tony seems to be running well, and teammate Ryan Newman has been struggling.  I'm a fan of Tony's, and hope to see him win in 2009 for his brand new team.  His first win for his own team will probably be the high point of his life, and I can't wait to see that happen.

There's other drivers I'm surprised about, and somewhat not surprised about, but I'll try to incorporate that into a column on another day.

To be honest with you, I'm not terribly surprised that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is currently 24th in points.  It's not that I don't like Dale Jr, but I kind of saw this coming, to be honest with you.  I'm formulating a column about that, and will share it with you soon.  The reasons why I'm not surprised at his current status may surprise some.  It's still very early in the season, and things can, and probably will change.  Whether they change for the better or the worse for Dale Jr., I can't predict, but I'm guessing some things will change.

What's the Secret behind Jimmie Johnson's Success?

A little food for thought this morning:  Why has Jimmie Johnson been so successful in Sprint Cup?  Currently, he's won three consecutive championships, plus a ton of races, at this time, 40 wins since he drove his first Cup race in 2001.  Out of 258 total Cup starts, Johnson has finished in the top 5 101 times, and 157 times in the top 10.  Jimmie has also won 19 poles in his Cup career so far.

Jimmie Johnson has never finished higher than 5th in points for any season since he began running full time in the Cup series in 2002.  Twice he finished 2nd in points, and of course, he's also finished first for the last three seasons.  To say the obvious, basically no one has enjoyed as much success in the Cup series in such a short time, at least not in a long time.  Kyle Busch is a hot driver, and he may eventually eclipse Jimmie Johnson, but so far, Jimmie has to be considered a top driver in the series since 2002.

It's often reported, and repeated by members of the various teams at Hendrick Motorsports, that all the teams share information and technology.  That may or may not be absolutely true.  One factor that comes into play is the fact that the registered owner of Jimmie Johnson's 48 Lowe's Chevrolet is not Rick Hendrick, but Jeff Gordon.  Now I'm certainly not an insider in NASCAR circles, which means I have no special intelligence or information regarding exactly how information is shared at Hendrick Motorsports.  There is an old saying, I think that can be attributed to George Orwell, which states that some pigs are more equal than others.  I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing that Jimmie Johnson is a little more equal than some of the other drivers on his team.

That's not to say that Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, and by proxy, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman are being short changed, but with crew chief Chad Knaus calling the shots, I'm pretty sure that Jimmie Johnson can rest assured that he is driving the very best equipment available, every single race.  And why not?  The man has won 3 Cup championships for Hendrick Motorsports.  Jimmie Johnson is obviously a talented driver, because great equipment or not, a poor driver could not achieve all that Jimmie has.

Jimmie Johnson is not my favorite driver.  If I based my loyalty to drivers on statistics alone, he probably would be, but that's not what I do, and I hazard to guess, neither do you.  We see little in the way of personality when Jimmie is interviewed.  He has broken out of the robot mold a little this season, sporting a beard, which surprised me.  Most Hendrick drivers are always clean shaven, even during practice, with the obvious exception being Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Personally, I find Jimmie Johnson to be a likable guy, if not particularly interesting.  He's a made for TV kind of driver, always thanking his sponsors and team, and rarely saying anything that can be construed as controversial.  In other words, he's a sponsor's and owner's dream driver.  He goes about his business quietly, and so far, has been racking up wins and championships.

Like him or not, Jimmie Johnson is an impressive driver on the track.  I know there will be knocks on Cheater Chad because I'm saying this, and there is some value to those opinions.  It could be said that Jimmie had 'special' equipment back in 2006, or even 2007.  The Car of Tomorrow rules more or less even the playing field these days though.  Though Jimmie has not won a race so far in 2009, he's still been a factor in most of the races run so far.  

God willing, Jimmie Johnson will be around for a long time.  He's not my favorite driver, but I can't help but admire his accomplishments.

Photo courtesy of Cox News.