CD changer cranking out mostly oldies from the historic days of rock, country and big bands. When I have to listen to ABBA, a Swedish vocal group, to understand the words I realized how far modern day music has deteriorated.
I haven’t ran a tape on my VCR in ages but I have tons of eighties and early nineties race tapes and I’m beginning to think I’ll revisit the glory days of NASCAR before it evolved into NA$CAR. The nature of any sport is that circumstances dictate evolutionary changes but King Brian has wrought revolutionary changes that I find distracting from the original nature of our beloved sport.
As a native Hoosier, I was raised on basketball. What I see being played now looks more like football without the pads. If it were football there would be a flag on every play for holding, illegal blocking and unsportsmanlike like conduct. Both pro football and basketball players seem to be in a contest to see who can display the most tattoos. The designated hitter in the American League of baseball is sort of their Luck Dog rule and that along with the strikes have turned me off baseball. The end zone antics of too many pro football players have turned me off all but my beloved Chargers. Now our guys have picked up on this ridiculous burnout thing. Tom Landry was right. “Act like you belong there.”
As I’ve cruised the internet racing reports through the convenience of Jayski’s I am left with one conclusion. The TV coverage sucks. What little racing they let us see sucks. Regardless of what many say, the COT isn’t the main culprit. The Chase, top thirty five, lucky dog, past champion provisionals, E$PN and too many caution flags have turned most races into snooze fests. The obviously empty seats tells me that too many of us are unwilling to lay out the funds for the atrociously over priced tickets, motel rooms and, currently, the cost of gas for our travel to the races. Additionally, the racing or lack thereof, has led many to other venues for their outlet where finances aren’t their main concern.
The outcome at Homestead leaves little to anticipate as its Jimmy Johnson’s to lose and that’s unlikely. Cousin Carl, wrongly, has already wrapped up the Busch Series and the only real competitive series is left to the Trucks. Excepting the Truck race tonight, the FAT Lady has sung on what many of us consider a disastrous season. The back of the Chase field is racing for a seat at the table in New Yuk. The top thirty five is most likely already locked in as well and Junior won’t be taking the coveted thirteenth spot.
The way they’ve raced all season, Gordon and Johnson have earned their place at the top of the field and both deserve to win the Championship. The fact that they are team mates and drive for Rick Hendrick turns a lot of fans, especially the Junior Nation, off. If Jimmy wins so does Jeff as his co-owner. But, for any true racer, the money is secondary to the trophy and bragging rights. Jeff puts on a good face but I’ll bet my last good nerve he’s seething inside at the Chase format taking away his rightful claim to the Championship.
Kyle Petty has backed into the final cutoff spot of the locked in teams. Will the move from Level Cross put the Petty teams back in the running? Frankly, I doubt it and I think Kyle should have heard the FAT Lady singing the end of his driving days. Ricky Rudd is retiring again. You’ve had a great career Ricky so enjoy your family and leave the driving to the newbies. Bill Elliott isn’t doing his reputation any great service and needs to re-retire. Past champions should be just that, in the past. DJ, in my opinion, has tarnished an otherwise stellar career with his non performance for MWR.
Can we regain the old fascination with and dedication to our once great sport? Sadly, I doubt it. The only way is to get back to basics. Forget the loosing concept of The Chase. Stop locking in the top thirty five and qualify on time like the good ole days. Let the drivers have a personality and quit the cloning. Quit throwing cautions for single car spins where no damage is done and the racing groove is clear. When the pace car wins the most laps led bonus there is something wrong. Stop the Lucky Dog nonsense. If a lap down car is in contact with the leader let him race the leader to the flag stand so long as the cause for the caution is behind them. Scoring positions on the back stretch just doesn’t get it. Keep racing off pit road and on the track.
Is the COT the answer? From a safety standpoint, YES. The racing aspect remains to be seen and it will take a full season to iron out the wrinkles. The concept, in and of itself is a good one. The implementation may be lacking on many fronts. The cost with the old cars had gotten totally out of any sense of reason. When teams felt it necessary to build different cars for different tracks and wind tunnel test all of them the expense became uncontrollable to the point of extinction for some once stellar teams When did the Wood’s Brothers win their last race? All factors being equal, the COT may make them the team to beat once again.
I’ve heard and read many complaints that the COT’s are nothing more than glorified IROC. That simply isn’t true as the front ends are based on manufacturer hoods and grilles and, of course, the engines. They aren’t allowing the twisted sister fenders, grilles and greenhouses of the old car which made the competition so horribly expensive. They say you can’t find a COT on the show room floor. Well you couldn’t with the old car either. None of the current cars are manufactured with rear wheel drive, frames or two doors. Let’s face it folks, there ain’t nothing stock about anything we’ve raced for all too many years. Am I thrilled with the COT so far? No. But, I am not down on the concept as it was long overdue and since the owners wouldn’t stop twisting the bodies, NASCAR had to step in. Hopefully they’ll improve on it and the first step is to quit weighting the right side so the damn thing will turn. Simple enough?
Only time will tell if the suits can bring order and discipline to the teams and their own rules and rules enforcement. Too often I’ve heard it said that common sense and NA$CAR is an oxymoron. Will they get their feet back on the ground and get back to basics? Will the emphasis on winning become a dominant theme once again? Only time will tell. Until then we will be left wondering if The FAT Lady has sung the final curtain call on our once exciting sport.
This is, as always, my opinion based on
my observations. You may not agree but
never be disagreeable. I welcome your
feedback.
We recently observed Veteran’s Day.
This tradition is based on the eleventh
hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh
month when the disastrous World War
One came to its finality. There is another
eleventh day that I observe on a nearly
daily basis. That date is September 11,
2001 or 911. May we never forget that
nineteen demented Islamic radicals attack
ed us without true provocation and that nearly 3,000 innocents died simply by showing up for work.
May God bless you and yours, our great nation, all who serve to protect and defend and all victims of terrorism.
Never forget: We are the land of the FREE because of the BRAVE.
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