unknowns like blown/cut tires, engine failures, untimely cautions and so on. From a statistical standpoint it appears that Hendrick is still top dog with JGR a viable threat to unseat them but the fall of Kasey Kahne show how the best can falter. The answer is, “We aren’t there yet.”
The Toy teams enter at least the first five races with two strikes against them as they have to qualify on time due to the egregious top thirty five rule. Regardless of how fast they are and dependent on how many cars show up, some will end up going home and immediately find themselves in deep kimche. I don’t care how you cut it, this ain’t your Daddy’s NA$CAR and the rule flies in the face of all things holy in NASCAR traditions which King Brian promised to honor. NOT. While the Toys have shown speed in early testing they have yet to show engine reliability and only time will tell if they truly compete at the CUP level. Again, “We aren’t there yet.”
Numerous drivers and NA$CAR related writers have bemoaned the new cars as undriveable and called them unprintable names. The funny thing happened on the way to the 2008 season, the drivers and teams are saying the thing isn’t so bad after all. I’ve even heard a few of the drivers’ state they really like the way it handles and they unanimously support the improved safety. Granted, it doesn’t look like the street version but neither did the old cars with their flared fenders and twisted bodies. The stock in stock cars is long gone in NA$CAR and your local tracks except for the street stocks. Once again, it’s what it is and we have to learn to live with it and hope the quality of the racing improves. Regardless of what car is in use, Ragan Smith continues to lead the spin cycle along with the newcomer open wheelers. Only time will tell, “If we are there yet.”
Speaking of the quality of racing, it is, in fact, far more competitive today than it was in the seventies and eighties. It wasn’t unusual, back in the day, for the race winner to be on a lap by himself, second two laps down and third place five laps down. A race with five cars on the lead lap was an unusual event. Today we see a final race result showing upwards of thirty cars on the lead lap because the quality of the cars, teams and drivers is so far above the days gone by. What we don’t see is the racing back in the pack since the networks seem fixated on three cars for the entire race. It isn’t the racing that sucks nearly as much as the coverage.
I watched ESPNC’s replay of the 1998 Daytona 500 presented by CBS and once again was amazed at all the drivers starting that race whom no longer race and about whom little is now known. As you all know, that was Earnhardt Sr’s only win of the Great American Race. I rooted for Dale in 1979 and part of 1980 until his aw shucks attitude disappeared and his sullen attitude took over. His rough driving that took out some of my favorites didn’t endear him to me either. Having said that, I admit that I had tears in my eyes when all the team members lined pit road to congratulate him on the long overdue win. I also had tears in my eyes when I learned he had died in the 2001 race. One attribute of his career was giving many of us a favorite driver to hate but I, along with a huge number of others, would love to have that black number 3 out there every week to keep it interesting. Some of us would cheer him on and others of us would be rooting for our driver to clean his clock. In any case, he’d give us something worth watching. In his heyday, Dale took no prisoners and the closest thing to Dale today is Tony Stewart and we’ve all witnessed the love-hate relationship our fan base has with him. Just as with politics, many conservatives bemoan the lack of a candidate equaling Ronald Reagan, race fans bemoan the lack of another Dale. These were two unique individuals in their place in time that will never be equaled or replaced. I miss them both.
While I am admittedly not a Junior fan I must admit my amazement at the behavior of DEI. I’ve tried to stay away from the gossip and mud slinging about Junior and Teresa. In fact, there is nothing more I’d enjoy than clicking on Jayski and finding not one article relating to Junior and/or DEI. Having said that, the reports out of the media tour that virtually all evidence of Junior’s existence at DEI has been erased is disturbing. This, in my humble opinion, is simply childish and vindictive. The man won two Busch titles, the Daytona 500 and the Pepsi 400 which was made possible by many of the employees who remain at DEI. Simply put, this shows the difference in the class shown by the Hendrick and Gibbs organizations and the reclusive Teresa’s small mindedness. This tells me that it wasn’t so much Junior wanting to leave his Daddy’s organization as it was Teresa’s driving him off. It would be sweet revenge if Junior is able to win Daytona in his first race for Hendrick and, frankly, I’ll be pulling for him just this one time.
As the new season unfolds there will be more questions than answers until we reach the one third point of the season. The Toys with the Gibbs drivers may well be the ones to beat. Hendrick, with all its expertise, will not roll over and play dead and may well end up being dominant again. MWR has only one of two directions to go, up or out. Our only single car owner/driver team in the form of Robby Gordon doesn’t look very strong but, again, testing isn’t a true indicator. Will the new car equalize the competition while still allowing green
flag passes for the lead? Time will tell and we all
must keep the faith and hope for the very best.
So as we approach the Great American Race
and a new season we may see the return of
great racing or we could end up with some real
snoozers. I think it goes without saying, racing
will be the safest possible with the new car and
other driver safety features.
The foregoing is one man’s opinion based on
observations and experience. You may disagree
but never be disagreeable.
Until next we meet, be safe and secure in all
your endeavors. Please watch ever so carefully
over those innocent little ones who so depend on you. May God’s blessings be with you and yours, our great nation, all who serve to protect and defend and all victims of terrorism.
Never forget 911 and always remember: We are the Land of The FREE Because of The BRAVE. Freedom is not FREE.
Want to chat with other race fans about this article and other NASCAR stuff?
Have something you want to express...email us here to submit an article.
Go visit our home page, called appropriately The Pits & check out our photos & pages. Our most popular page; Race Recon is where you get all the info you need to go to the races including local camping, hotels, bars, restaurants, tracks, golf & other important race weekend information. We also have attending a NASCAR Race tips, tailgating tips & recipes, stories, trivia, quotes & more! While you are surfing see if you are a REAL RACE FAN. Be sure to read the Fan Fables, LAIDBACK RACING’S adventures with the tailgating race fan at NASCAR tracks.
