that all our efforts here on this site and elsewhere haven’t gone unnoticed. They didn’t address all our concerns but at least they seem to have finally heard us which is a new direction for the blind and deaf leadership that put money ahead of fan loyalty. (Now if we could just get the candidates for POTUS to stop harping about CHANGE and get back to the basics of what made this country the greatest nation ever.) Sadly missing from the speechifying up in Charlotte was any solution to the Nationwide fiasco. Also nothing was announced about the 21 year old requirement for CUP drivers.
One comment by Humpy Wheeler stood out. He said, “We need to get back to banjos and scrap the violins.” Well, sort of. We need to get rid of the telecasters’ insistence on blasting our very nerve endings with that hip hop, heavy metal, hard rock crap and tone it down to moderation. I’m not saying we have to go Bluegrass style country but Country music is no longer country either. Look how successful Monday Night Football was with that Hank Williams, Jr. lead in. So Brooks & Dunn will be the opening show at Daytona and some will complain while most will applaud. One thing was glaringly missing from the King’s commentary. No comment about how poorly the E$PN TV partnership was working out. I would have gained a lot of respect if he had expressed disappointment with E$PN’s lousy coverage and he’d taken them to task to better present the product. It was pointed out that they were working on standardizing starting times closer to 2PM. His only comment about TV was the ratings still being good when compared to other sports. Then he proceeded to endorse the check and run giggling to the nearest bank.
Speaking of TV coverage, I watched the ESPNC replay of the 1990 Daytona 500. The coverage, compared to the crap ESPN/ABC insults us with, was truly awesome. The wide angle shots showing the field was impressive. Even with Dale, Sr. running away with the race they managed to keep a tone of excitement without hype. The number of long forgotten drivers in that race really stirred some old memories of the better days gone by. The outstanding feature of the presentation was the complete starting field rundown with pictures of all the starters. Now we only get the top ten at best with a fast scroll of the rest across the bottom or top of the screen. Ned Jarrett’s voice was so reassuring and is truly missed as we also all continue to miss Gentleman Benny. Hearing Chris Economaci also brought back memories of a more laid back time in our beloved sport. Seeing Buicks, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs also stirred old, fond memories.
Here’s another “Shazam” moment for ya. Not only did His Highnass listen to us, so did the suits up in Bristol, CT. E$PN got the message loud and clear that Rusty, Brent and Suzy were losers in the viewership’s opinion. Crusty will be replaced in the booth by Dale Jarrett. Crusty will move to the infield studio with Brad Dougherty and Allen Bestwick. Suzy Kolber will replace Allen on pit road. My preference would have been to move Allen to the booth and put Dr. Jerry back on pit road where he was outstanding plus his medical expertise has been put to use there in the past. Regardless, it can only go up from last year’s disaster. The only downside is the return of Tim (listening to grass grow) Brewer and that stupid tech center thingy. Not mentioned was whether the daft tracker was sent to the recycle bin. Also not mentioned was changes to the production crew actually covering the race that consists of forty three cars versus the three they have traditionally shown between the incessant commercials. Now we need Fox to wake up and get rid of “I Kid Because I Care” Myers and the ever stupid Hollyweird Hotel.
So long as the idiotic top thirty five rule remains in effect the change allowing those outside that elite group to qualify as a group is good. This is somewhat of an equalizer but needs further review. As it now stands, as I understand it, those outside the top thirty five will qualify at the end of the session. This may or may not work dependent on when the qualifying session starts. If started with relatively cool track conditions that warm up as the session unfolds then those GOGH teams will suffer a penalty and should be allowed to make their runs first. The opposite would apply where qualifying starts in the heat of the day and runs into twilight where the track will cool.
I have long criticized the process whereby the fines and penalties were placed in the point’s fund. Moving those funds to the NA$CAR Foundation fund is a good start but I would have much preferred the be invested in a benevolence fund to help present and past drivers pay for long term treatment as a result of racing accidents. Too many of the old time drivers have been reduced to poverty after their meager insurance ran out and we are the only major sport not taking care of our past heroes.
The Beach leadership seems to feel that our beloved drivers have been put in a bottle that prevents them from expressing feelings and opinions. They supposedly are of the mind that an errant expletive won’t be penalized and criticism of their rulings will be tolerated. We can only hope and wait to see how this comes to fruition. They also seemed to feel the penalties levied last year may have been too harsh. Frankly, they weren’t harsh enough where cheating/rules violations were involved. Instead of suspending crew chiefs, monetary fines and a point’s loss send the cheating team home. Problem solved real quick.
Regardless of your personal opinion about the CON there are many drivers formerly critical of it who are now saying it’s not so bad after all. Frankly, last years running of two separate and distinctly different cars had to be a challenge. Now that the crews and drivers only have to prepare one car they are getting down to the nuts and bolts of the thing and it can only get better. Obvious cost reductions are already a factor in not requiring so many different cars which has also lessened the work load at the shops. For the near future at least, it doesn’t matter what you, I or the drivers think of it, it is what it is. As Mike Helton said, “This is the car of now.” As Kyle Petty, whom I often disagree with, says, “Shut up and drive.”
His Highnass also said they were thinking GREEN and looking at alternative fuels. This is ludicrous. Until gasoline is outlawed and alternative fuels are in common usage let’s stick with what brung us to the dance. First of all, CO2 is not a pollutant. Eliminate CO2 and we are all dead because crops won’t grow, cows won’t eat and we’ll all starve. Water vapor is the major pollutant seconded by volcanic eruptions which spew sulfur, sulfur dioxide, solid carbons and other dangerous pollutants earth wide. Until alternative fuels become the norm let’s leave the GREEN thing to Al Gore and the eco nuts.
Other than a new name the All Star race at Charlotte (I shop for paint and lumber at Lowe’s) will remain essentially the same with the exception of adding five laps to each of the four segments. One thing disturbs me. They are going to paint the walls yellow again and I found that very distracting last year and the cars didn’t stand out like they do against the white retaining walls. The Sprint yellow isn’t all that pleasing to begin with and to top it off, Sprint/Nextel is in big trouble with the loss of thousands of subscribers to AT&T and Verizon. Save their money and leave the walls alone.
There’s something that has bothered me for many a year that I‘ve been reluctant to broach. The recent comments about Ray Evernham and Erin Crocker seem to me to be way out of line in regards to history. I well remember when Bill Elliott no longer brought Martha to the races and all of a sudden they are divorced and Bill re marries. There were no rumors that Bill was fooling around and since he was a good ole boy all was well. That item was not touched by the racing media yet Ray and Erin are suddenly fair game? I don’t know the background of Ray’s marriage and neither do you. So if Bill Elliott was off limits then Ray should be also. I’m not saying I approve but just leave it alone or dig up all the dirt on Awesome Bill and Geoff Bodine to equal things out. I didn’t instigate either of my two divorces and no details will be provided.
It looks like we are in for a long season in the now Nationwide Series. Cousin Carl is again running the full season and going for the championship. That’s bad enough but the part that upsets me most is the Nationwide commercials. These are among the all time leaders in how dumb can we get type commercials. The Allstate commercials with Kasey Kahne had a theme with the three girls. The only theme Nationwide has is how dumb can we get in our battle with GEICO. So far, no cave men.
Oh boy. They sure make it tough on this ole timer. One of my favorites in the Nationwide Series is now on my hit list. I’ve supported Mike Wallace for years and there he is at Daytona in a Toy. To add insult to injury his brother, Kenny, is now in a Ford. Is there no shame? Yes, I know the Toys are built here. It’s not the fact of where they are built that bothers me but how they got here that is so troubling to this all American boy.
Even though I drive a Lincoln I’m basically a GM
man and only switched because GM left me.
Now that Lincoln has discontinued the Town Car
it looks like I’ll be stuck with a pickemup. As
NA$CAR doesn’t drive front wheel drives, neither
do I.
As always, this is my opinion based on my
observations. You may disagree but never be
disagreeable.
Once again, I remind you of the importance of
watching out for those little ones who so depend
on you for they security. The horrors perpetrated
against the defenseless little ones I read every day truly nauseates me. We had a local woman claim a car jacker smothered her little boy when, in fact, she’s the one who committed this horror. My prayers for those little ones whose lives are cut so short, for you and yours, this great nation, all who server to protect and defend and all victims of terrorism.
May we never forget the tragic events of 911 and always remember: We Are the Land of The FREE Because of The BRAVE.
Mom, apple pie, John Wayne and NASCAR racing makes America great.
Always Remember: We Are the Land of THE FREE Because of THE BRAVE.
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