If I were king of the NASCAR Cup world things would be different. The very name 'NASCAR' is an anachronism. Truly 'stock' car racing probably only existed for about as long as it took for a driver to break a stock front end suspension piece and clobber a wall. In the interests of safety, first and foremost, and a decent racing product 'stock cars' are an ever-evolving toy. All very well and good. Drivers have died as the years rolled on but perhaps, hopefully, we'll have witnessed the last. In a seemingly divided racing world I think it safe to assume that all are in agreement on the safety improvements found in the new style car.
Gone too are the days of mass attrition in races. We take reliability for granted in NASCAR now. Having 43 cars on hand at the finish of each race only increases the odds of having a great finish. Since this is my perfect racing land that would mean 43 lead lap competitive cars. ...fantasy still but it would be cool.
The talking heads and NASCAR spokespersons claim that as the teams gain a better understanding of the new car the on-track product will improve and the hoped-for side-by-side racing will appear. Perhaps. Perhaps not. I don't have a handle on the aerodynamic problems that seem to plague the new car on those oft-hated mile and a half tracks. (Spit with me now: ptooey) I'm sure NASCAR has someone on that. But so long as the current setup is not working now is the time to implement my suggestion. Keeping everything the same under the skin of the cars, return to your roots NASCAR! Bring back stock appearing bodies! Make each brand identifiable.....
without the aid of stickers!!
I'm guessing a stock Camry body will not fit on the COT chasis with them big ol' racing slicks on there. That's fine. Scale the bodies up. But put back all those nuances that make each particular brand identifiable. It can be done. The wizards that build these cars can mold sheet metal (sheet metal!) as a sculptor molds clay. Add those door seams. Lift those side skirts. Round out those doors. Dirty the car up, aerodynamically speaking. By most accounts the car doesn't drive worth a damn anyway. NASCAR, now is the time to do this. The old school fan (the core fan...NASCAR, are you listening?) is angry. Extend the olive branch. And make it a good impression of an olive branch and not the cheap plastic ones you're using now.
Showing posts with label NASCAR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NASCAR. Show all posts
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Bristol: Help Control the Excitement - Have Your Track Spayed or Neutered
I think we'll need one more race to definitively prove that 'They' have ruined Bristol. Kyle Busch is just so annoyingly good these days that I'm inclined to believe that even if the race on Sunday had taken place on any of the previous Bristol racing surfaces the outcome would be the same. Little or no evidence for or against the charge can then be gleaned from his performance. The same can't be said for what unfolded in his wake.
It was an almighty bore.
Busch spent so little time in contact with 2nd place on back Fox naturally focused on the rest of the field. I didn't see much action back there. I don't blame the designers or builders of the new, progressively-banked surface. They were tasked with creating a second racing line. Mission accomplished. Who I do question is the person or person's who requested said work be undertaken. I ask, from a fan's point of view, what was wrong with Bristol? The driver's love it but I doubt highly that you can sell 160,000 tickets to see more of what was (wasn't?) on display on Sunday. The great season of zzzz saunters on.
For once the Green, White, Checkers rule might actually have guaranteed the 'rightful' winner his win. Lap traffic might have come into play had the last caution flag not come out when it did. Denny Hamlin might, might, have caught Busch. As it was, he had no chance of catching Busch on that last restart. My heart rate actually slowed as the green flew that last time so sure was I of the outcome.
Hooray for Marcos Ambrose. A little street cred earned. It's a shame his engine developed a case of the hiccups late in the race but given how relatively little time he's spent in NASCAR and how thoroughly out of reach from everyone Busch put the win, I think it safe to assume that team and that driver are more than a little proud of their effort. For the first time in my life I think I'm right to say you read it here first: this cat can run with the so-called big boys.
"Phew", says Mark Martin. The accepted take on Martin is that he's a very smart racer. Given that, given his team's ability to build exploding engines and end up saddled with exploding tires coming into Sunday's race and given how well in-hand Busch appeared to have the race as it rolled on, I doubt Martin pushed things very much. I think that team was quite happy to bring it home where they did and start salvaging their season.
Dale Earnhardt Jr's excuse list grows. He points to a poor qualifying effort for his poor finish, qualifying 34th, starting at the back and coming home 14th. That doesn't really cut it as Jeff Burton had a poor qualifying run, starting 40th but still managed to come home in 8th position. This poor devil couldn't be feeling more pressure if he was sitting at the bottom of the ocean. I think if his name wasn't Earnhardt and his mug wasn't plastered on a million t-shirts (number one is sales....) he would be winning or at least running better. His folksy demeanor and pedigree obviously appeal to a lot, nay most, NASCAR fans, but if commercial work counted towards championships Michael Waltrip would be the Richard Petty of his time. Earnhardt Jr's halting manner of speech of late is either indicative of a distracted nature or a brain injury. I don't say that lightly or in jest. The man appears too ill-at-ease and fidgety during interviews these days. He doesn't look well.
It was an almighty bore.
Busch spent so little time in contact with 2nd place on back Fox naturally focused on the rest of the field. I didn't see much action back there. I don't blame the designers or builders of the new, progressively-banked surface. They were tasked with creating a second racing line. Mission accomplished. Who I do question is the person or person's who requested said work be undertaken. I ask, from a fan's point of view, what was wrong with Bristol? The driver's love it but I doubt highly that you can sell 160,000 tickets to see more of what was (wasn't?) on display on Sunday. The great season of zzzz saunters on.
For once the Green, White, Checkers rule might actually have guaranteed the 'rightful' winner his win. Lap traffic might have come into play had the last caution flag not come out when it did. Denny Hamlin might, might, have caught Busch. As it was, he had no chance of catching Busch on that last restart. My heart rate actually slowed as the green flew that last time so sure was I of the outcome.
Hooray for Marcos Ambrose. A little street cred earned. It's a shame his engine developed a case of the hiccups late in the race but given how relatively little time he's spent in NASCAR and how thoroughly out of reach from everyone Busch put the win, I think it safe to assume that team and that driver are more than a little proud of their effort. For the first time in my life I think I'm right to say you read it here first: this cat can run with the so-called big boys.
"Phew", says Mark Martin. The accepted take on Martin is that he's a very smart racer. Given that, given his team's ability to build exploding engines and end up saddled with exploding tires coming into Sunday's race and given how well in-hand Busch appeared to have the race as it rolled on, I doubt Martin pushed things very much. I think that team was quite happy to bring it home where they did and start salvaging their season.
Dale Earnhardt Jr's excuse list grows. He points to a poor qualifying effort for his poor finish, qualifying 34th, starting at the back and coming home 14th. That doesn't really cut it as Jeff Burton had a poor qualifying run, starting 40th but still managed to come home in 8th position. This poor devil couldn't be feeling more pressure if he was sitting at the bottom of the ocean. I think if his name wasn't Earnhardt and his mug wasn't plastered on a million t-shirts (number one is sales....) he would be winning or at least running better. His folksy demeanor and pedigree obviously appeal to a lot, nay most, NASCAR fans, but if commercial work counted towards championships Michael Waltrip would be the Richard Petty of his time. Earnhardt Jr's halting manner of speech of late is either indicative of a distracted nature or a brain injury. I don't say that lightly or in jest. The man appears too ill-at-ease and fidgety during interviews these days. He doesn't look well.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
March Atlanta Race - Busch Whoops Field
It's getting more and more difficult to defend NASCAR to the uninitiated let alone entertain questions about the sport. And it's not as if there are long lines of the NASCAR-curious. I get the feeling NASCAR management has wrung just about every new fan out of the big wet towel that is the North American sports-minded audience. Perhaps I'm being swept along in the seeming flood of "What's wrong with NASCAR?/What can we do to fix NASCAR?"-themed articles, blogs and comments but I'm more inclined to list my gripes with the Cup series these days than rave about how fantastic the racing has been this year.
It hasn't.
The race at Atlanta wasn't a bad race but it wasn't a great race. No doubt about it, Kurt Busch and his boys put a whoopin' on the field and on his own car. Did you see the right side of the #2 after the race? That much should appeal to the grassroots. By Kurt's own admission the run-in's with the wall came at moments in the race when he abandoned his strategy of racing the track instead of racing his competitors. Maybe Kurt bought into the weekend's theme that the Atlanta track has become the "new" Darlington with its reported lack of grip and worn surface? I think he deserves all the more credit for winning if the conditions were that bad.
What a shame then that he had to diminish his win with that silly reverse victory lap. This I expect of someone like Michael Waltrip but not a past Champion. In a series that now rivals professional wrestling for shtick, gimmicks and cringe moments this was a new low. On one hand the broadcasters present a picture of the drivers as fearless warriors, risking life and limb in the quest for glory. On the other hand they come across as mindless corporate shills mugging for the camera awkwardly playing "Garage Band". I'll forgive Kurt Busch this episode as a misguided attempt at originality in a homogenous sea of bland.
One positive thing to say about the teams performance is the point that a driver or a team or a car does not have to be 'off' by much to be really off. Aside from a strategy call win last year the #2 team had very little to show for their efforts at the end of the year. There 43 teams each week all clambering over each other to get to somewhere. Not all of them are striving to get to the top judging from the start and parker's. (Overheating? Really? I think the Bliss team's first item to work on is their imagination.) In a sport measured in terms hundredths and thousandths of seconds there are an enormous number of cracks to fall into. And it doesn't take too much to fall out of sight. My point being is it very difficult to succeed at this level of racing. Kurt Busch didn't forget how to drive. They were just a little off. And no knock on the skill and determination of any driver or team that becomes entirely dominant but it is much more interesting and exciting to see teams rise and fall over the course of weeks and months and seasons. Seems the Busch (elder) team is on the rise.
Lastly, I've developed a new rule of thumb for anticipating the level of excitement to expect during a race, restart, etc. It's an inverse rule. The more the broadcasters (Yes, Fox, I'm looking at you) go bananas and claim the proceedings are "fixin' to get good", the less likely it is something exciting will happen. On matters other than technical I regard the opinions of Mike, Larry and Darrell on par with those of politicians. Luckily they still maintain a chemistry which is enjoyable.
It hasn't.
The race at Atlanta wasn't a bad race but it wasn't a great race. No doubt about it, Kurt Busch and his boys put a whoopin' on the field and on his own car. Did you see the right side of the #2 after the race? That much should appeal to the grassroots. By Kurt's own admission the run-in's with the wall came at moments in the race when he abandoned his strategy of racing the track instead of racing his competitors. Maybe Kurt bought into the weekend's theme that the Atlanta track has become the "new" Darlington with its reported lack of grip and worn surface? I think he deserves all the more credit for winning if the conditions were that bad.
What a shame then that he had to diminish his win with that silly reverse victory lap. This I expect of someone like Michael Waltrip but not a past Champion. In a series that now rivals professional wrestling for shtick, gimmicks and cringe moments this was a new low. On one hand the broadcasters present a picture of the drivers as fearless warriors, risking life and limb in the quest for glory. On the other hand they come across as mindless corporate shills mugging for the camera awkwardly playing "Garage Band". I'll forgive Kurt Busch this episode as a misguided attempt at originality in a homogenous sea of bland.
One positive thing to say about the teams performance is the point that a driver or a team or a car does not have to be 'off' by much to be really off. Aside from a strategy call win last year the #2 team had very little to show for their efforts at the end of the year. There 43 teams each week all clambering over each other to get to somewhere. Not all of them are striving to get to the top judging from the start and parker's. (Overheating? Really? I think the Bliss team's first item to work on is their imagination.) In a sport measured in terms hundredths and thousandths of seconds there are an enormous number of cracks to fall into. And it doesn't take too much to fall out of sight. My point being is it very difficult to succeed at this level of racing. Kurt Busch didn't forget how to drive. They were just a little off. And no knock on the skill and determination of any driver or team that becomes entirely dominant but it is much more interesting and exciting to see teams rise and fall over the course of weeks and months and seasons. Seems the Busch (elder) team is on the rise.
Lastly, I've developed a new rule of thumb for anticipating the level of excitement to expect during a race, restart, etc. It's an inverse rule. The more the broadcasters (Yes, Fox, I'm looking at you) go bananas and claim the proceedings are "fixin' to get good", the less likely it is something exciting will happen. On matters other than technical I regard the opinions of Mike, Larry and Darrell on par with those of politicians. Luckily they still maintain a chemistry which is enjoyable.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Las Vegas Recap - no gambling metaphors here.....
Well, that was a little more like it, wasn't it? Coming on the heels of the California race, which we all can't let up on until they change the track, anything would look exciting.
What struck me about the race in Las Vegas on Sunday was how old timey it was, at least for the majority of the race. Attrition, wrecks and mistakes had more to do with the outcome than lead lap passes. A record number of cautions (14) and more engine fireworks than I can remember. People talk of the good old days in NASCAR and this race gave us a little glimpse into the past. There was a time when even the best teams learned how to change tires, calculate gas mileage and drive with fingers crossed, praying their engines held together long enough. Raise your hand all those that take reliability into consideration when making picks pre race these days. Me neither. Although less so, mechanical pride goeth before a fall still.
Jack Roush offered up a reasonable explanation as to at least his team's engine woes claiming a better-than-expected tire combined with what turned out to be the wrong rear-end gear choice lead to the failures. No doubt there'll be some scrambling and figuring before these cats in their hats get to Atlanta. The surface there is worn but it's still high, sustained rpm country that makes valve springs wish they had gone into the Slinky business instead. Hammond and Co. pointed to common suppliers of engine parts for the relatively widespread failures. Are there that few suppliers of top end engine parts out there? Then again isn't it the way things go in this sport and in life that variety is an endangered species? It would be interesting to see who gets what pieces from where.
Still others point to the economy (mostly the types that love buzz words and point to the economy as the reason it rained today). The theory is that corners are being cut and the double-, triple-, quadruple- checking system that insured bulletproof cars in the past is suffering because of it. I don't know. Maybe. Time will tell.
Kyle Busch is just the best natural driver that NASCAR has ever seen. Of course I base that on my deep knowledge of NASCAR history dating to about 1989. If you don't believe me, and you'd be wise not to, would you believe Jeff Gordon? Busch, as annoying as he can be and as limited as his knowledge of television history appears to be, is just that much better than anyone else out there today. There were a few instances during the race, shown in slow-mo replay so that us mortals could actually see it, of drivers getting the wiggles, correcting, the car taking a bite and then heading off in any direction other than straight ahead. Except Busch. To my eye he has this knack for car control that puts him above all others. If his car gets loose coming off a corner, he just seems to be able to coax it back in line with minimal over-correction. The thing just settles back in line. Much as I'd like to see close finishes it was pretty obvious that Busch was going to walk away from everyone else on the final restart.
Jeff Gordon is just lucky. Of course he's talented. You don't win 81 times just because you have good gear. But he is a lucky man. Who else shreds a fender and still comes home sixth AND leads the points at the end of the day? Grrr. This is shades of the luck of Wonder Boy Gordon. And that might not be a bad thing actually. It might be good if two superstars get hot and invincible at the same time (Busch and Gordon, for instance). Any competition would be wonderful to see. It is these stretches of single car dominance that bore me.
Could he have done so with the car of old? The slightest ding on a fender a few years back would have sent Gordon behind the wall. The new car does seem to be much tougher. I'm still not sold on the 'better racing' however.
Bobby Labonte must be feeling alright today. A nice solid 5th. I remember how DW reacted when he finished 5th at Pocono when subbing for Steve Park. It had been so long since he'd finished that close to the head of the field that the man was in tears. It wasn't quite so with Bobby Labonte (although I was surprised to see how long it has been since he's won a race) but he's been away from the performance-oriented limelight for a while.
What racing gods have it in for Mark Martin? What could he have possibly done in this life or a previous to have such crushingly bad luck. Two weeks, two engine failures. There were many, me included, who said/say this is the year that Martin has the keys to the kingdom and is being provided with all that he needs. .....except reliable engines. It still pains me that someone of Martin's standing and street cred gets out of the car after such rotten racing luck and leaves us with the impression that his sole disappointment that day was his failure to give the mighty fine folks at Kellogs a thrill. Where is the selfishness in NASCAR? There are people out there that respect a driver that puts his desire to win and compete above all other considerations. You're risking your life Martin! Stop caring what Tony the Tiger thinks!
Oh Mikey. You're on track to become a respectable driver and owner of a respectable just-outside-the-top-ten team. And then you go and try to pretend you're Harry Gant. When you do well, I cheer. When you do poorly, I join in the chorus of "Retire! Retire!" My clue that the team is doing alright is that young master Reutimann came home with a career-best 4th yesterday. Good stuff.
Talent is key. Patience for sure. But Pride can never be too far away. Jeff Burton, who had a very un-Jeff Burton run last week, lands back in the top 5 this week. I don't think it'll be long before he finds himself in a similar points position. LIkewise, look for Jimmie Johnson and his gang to remind us all of just how annoyingly good they are next week in Atlanta. Johnson will win.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr., as a driver, leaves me very unimpressed. I'm beginning to side with the boo birds and say that he is where he is, financially and team-wise, because of his last name. 29th? One engine failure, yes, but not much else to justify his position among fans this year. Not a well-rounded driver. But neither was his father for that matter. If he was as aggressive as his father (Daytona not withstanding) he'd have more wins and maybe more fans, if that's possible.
I'm still pulling for Marcos Ambrose. I just like the guy. And a professional racing champion is a professional racing champion. Besides, he has more claim to being a stock car driver than most anyone else on the tour.
Tony is probably a much tamer fellow these days even after a disappointing run for his cars. Wheel trouble? Bugs to be ironed out. You associate quality and performance with Tony Stewart so I'll doubt we'll see this again. Despite Vegas I get the impression Tony read my early blog and is now intent on proving me wrong in my prediction that the title of owner/driver would drag him down. I think if I were Ryan Newman I wouldn't sleep well at night.
What struck me about the race in Las Vegas on Sunday was how old timey it was, at least for the majority of the race. Attrition, wrecks and mistakes had more to do with the outcome than lead lap passes. A record number of cautions (14) and more engine fireworks than I can remember. People talk of the good old days in NASCAR and this race gave us a little glimpse into the past. There was a time when even the best teams learned how to change tires, calculate gas mileage and drive with fingers crossed, praying their engines held together long enough. Raise your hand all those that take reliability into consideration when making picks pre race these days. Me neither. Although less so, mechanical pride goeth before a fall still.
Jack Roush offered up a reasonable explanation as to at least his team's engine woes claiming a better-than-expected tire combined with what turned out to be the wrong rear-end gear choice lead to the failures. No doubt there'll be some scrambling and figuring before these cats in their hats get to Atlanta. The surface there is worn but it's still high, sustained rpm country that makes valve springs wish they had gone into the Slinky business instead. Hammond and Co. pointed to common suppliers of engine parts for the relatively widespread failures. Are there that few suppliers of top end engine parts out there? Then again isn't it the way things go in this sport and in life that variety is an endangered species? It would be interesting to see who gets what pieces from where.
Still others point to the economy (mostly the types that love buzz words and point to the economy as the reason it rained today). The theory is that corners are being cut and the double-, triple-, quadruple- checking system that insured bulletproof cars in the past is suffering because of it. I don't know. Maybe. Time will tell.
Kyle Busch is just the best natural driver that NASCAR has ever seen. Of course I base that on my deep knowledge of NASCAR history dating to about 1989. If you don't believe me, and you'd be wise not to, would you believe Jeff Gordon? Busch, as annoying as he can be and as limited as his knowledge of television history appears to be, is just that much better than anyone else out there today. There were a few instances during the race, shown in slow-mo replay so that us mortals could actually see it, of drivers getting the wiggles, correcting, the car taking a bite and then heading off in any direction other than straight ahead. Except Busch. To my eye he has this knack for car control that puts him above all others. If his car gets loose coming off a corner, he just seems to be able to coax it back in line with minimal over-correction. The thing just settles back in line. Much as I'd like to see close finishes it was pretty obvious that Busch was going to walk away from everyone else on the final restart.
Jeff Gordon is just lucky. Of course he's talented. You don't win 81 times just because you have good gear. But he is a lucky man. Who else shreds a fender and still comes home sixth AND leads the points at the end of the day? Grrr. This is shades of the luck of Wonder Boy Gordon. And that might not be a bad thing actually. It might be good if two superstars get hot and invincible at the same time (Busch and Gordon, for instance). Any competition would be wonderful to see. It is these stretches of single car dominance that bore me.
Could he have done so with the car of old? The slightest ding on a fender a few years back would have sent Gordon behind the wall. The new car does seem to be much tougher. I'm still not sold on the 'better racing' however.
Bobby Labonte must be feeling alright today. A nice solid 5th. I remember how DW reacted when he finished 5th at Pocono when subbing for Steve Park. It had been so long since he'd finished that close to the head of the field that the man was in tears. It wasn't quite so with Bobby Labonte (although I was surprised to see how long it has been since he's won a race) but he's been away from the performance-oriented limelight for a while.
What racing gods have it in for Mark Martin? What could he have possibly done in this life or a previous to have such crushingly bad luck. Two weeks, two engine failures. There were many, me included, who said/say this is the year that Martin has the keys to the kingdom and is being provided with all that he needs. .....except reliable engines. It still pains me that someone of Martin's standing and street cred gets out of the car after such rotten racing luck and leaves us with the impression that his sole disappointment that day was his failure to give the mighty fine folks at Kellogs a thrill. Where is the selfishness in NASCAR? There are people out there that respect a driver that puts his desire to win and compete above all other considerations. You're risking your life Martin! Stop caring what Tony the Tiger thinks!
Oh Mikey. You're on track to become a respectable driver and owner of a respectable just-outside-the-top-ten team. And then you go and try to pretend you're Harry Gant. When you do well, I cheer. When you do poorly, I join in the chorus of "Retire! Retire!" My clue that the team is doing alright is that young master Reutimann came home with a career-best 4th yesterday. Good stuff.
Talent is key. Patience for sure. But Pride can never be too far away. Jeff Burton, who had a very un-Jeff Burton run last week, lands back in the top 5 this week. I don't think it'll be long before he finds himself in a similar points position. LIkewise, look for Jimmie Johnson and his gang to remind us all of just how annoyingly good they are next week in Atlanta. Johnson will win.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr., as a driver, leaves me very unimpressed. I'm beginning to side with the boo birds and say that he is where he is, financially and team-wise, because of his last name. 29th? One engine failure, yes, but not much else to justify his position among fans this year. Not a well-rounded driver. But neither was his father for that matter. If he was as aggressive as his father (Daytona not withstanding) he'd have more wins and maybe more fans, if that's possible.
I'm still pulling for Marcos Ambrose. I just like the guy. And a professional racing champion is a professional racing champion. Besides, he has more claim to being a stock car driver than most anyone else on the tour.
Tony is probably a much tamer fellow these days even after a disappointing run for his cars. Wheel trouble? Bugs to be ironed out. You associate quality and performance with Tony Stewart so I'll doubt we'll see this again. Despite Vegas I get the impression Tony read my early blog and is now intent on proving me wrong in my prediction that the title of owner/driver would drag him down. I think if I were Ryan Newman I wouldn't sleep well at night.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
California Dreaming.....Because I'm Asleep!!
I was so uninspired by the Cup race from California on Sunday that it's taken me until Tuesday evening to bother to put something together about it. The faults of this track are obvious and have been written of many times over. For big, heavy stock cars to put on a good show at a big track they need banking. Apparently the new fangled thing is progressive banking. Fine. Throw that in there too. Something. Anything. And I think it's time we cut the California fans some slack. I couldn't see myself returning to this track for one of the big shows after more than one visit to satisfy my curiosity.
How much of Matt Kenseth and team's effort was in response to the boo-birds (me included) who minimized their Daytona 500 win* last weekend? Only they know I suppose but that had to egg them on somewhat. Anyway, it shut a lot of us up.
It looked like early on that the Hendrick boys were going to walk away with it. Just to beat a dead horse the leader at this track is just set. He can walk away and leave the rest. Even the guys in the booth thought that Gordon was going to pass Kenseth. Passing? Not here.
This was probably one of the better finishes to a California race but still it was rather meh.
What happened to Jeff Burton? He's usually there at the end. It's tough to pass on that track but I don't think they're blaming that. Others moved up but they didn't. Even Michael Waltrip moved on up all day and his man Reutimann was right in front of him at the finish.
The crab car made its return to the sport on Sunday. I know the crews are doing it to to create a little extra downforce but I find it distracting.
I see a silly article on NASCAR.com about how some top teams are in trouble. One example they cite is Jimmie Johnson being way back in the points after a crummy Daytona finish and a ninth at Cali. Yes, he faded late but you can't really hold any to their Daytona finish. Plate tracks are such a crap shoot and when you add weather into the mix I think it's foolish to be drawing conclusions about the competitive health of a Cup team.
I just can't get excited about this entry. California, you bore me to tears.
How much of Matt Kenseth and team's effort was in response to the boo-birds (me included) who minimized their Daytona 500 win* last weekend? Only they know I suppose but that had to egg them on somewhat. Anyway, it shut a lot of us up.
It looked like early on that the Hendrick boys were going to walk away with it. Just to beat a dead horse the leader at this track is just set. He can walk away and leave the rest. Even the guys in the booth thought that Gordon was going to pass Kenseth. Passing? Not here.
This was probably one of the better finishes to a California race but still it was rather meh.
What happened to Jeff Burton? He's usually there at the end. It's tough to pass on that track but I don't think they're blaming that. Others moved up but they didn't. Even Michael Waltrip moved on up all day and his man Reutimann was right in front of him at the finish.
The crab car made its return to the sport on Sunday. I know the crews are doing it to to create a little extra downforce but I find it distracting.
I see a silly article on NASCAR.com about how some top teams are in trouble. One example they cite is Jimmie Johnson being way back in the points after a crummy Daytona finish and a ninth at Cali. Yes, he faded late but you can't really hold any to their Daytona finish. Plate tracks are such a crap shoot and when you add weather into the mix I think it's foolish to be drawing conclusions about the competitive health of a Cup team.
I just can't get excited about this entry. California, you bore me to tears.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
If I were King.....
I love stock car racing. I like NASCAR and enjoy watching it. But there is room for improvement. As the season rolls on I'll add to my list of things that I'd change in the NASCAR world if I had the power to change things.
This weeks beef has to do with the late start times that we now have to contend with. Aside from the Earnhardt, Jr. incident (.....has he accepted some degree of blame yet?) this is the big topic of debate among NASCAR fans following last Sunday's Daytona 500. It could be argued either way whether (weather?) NASCAR made the decision to declare the race official too soon or just right or even if they should have done so at all. What can't be argued, and I'm far from the first to write this, is that, at the very least, had the race been started at 1:00 Eastern as it has been up until recently, there would have been a much better chance of us all seeing the event go the scheduled distance.
David Poole, so many NASCAR fans columnist whipping boy, had it right in a recent piece. Earlier on this week it looked like Mr. Poole was throwing his hands up and declaring the chances of NASCAR returning race start times to the traditional time to be nonexistent. Today it looks like he's taken up the charge to revert back to the way it was in the good old days.
I'm not a fan of that phrase. I'm not a fan of the song either but it does represent what I believe. These are the good old days. Without getting too deep I mean that the latest is the greatest. ...or should be. Classic races are fun to re-watch but tomorrow's exciting finish is all that more exciting. But obviously I don't discount the past. There is so much from the racing past I'd love to have exist these days. More on that as the blog continues.
Plain and simple, return the start times to the old time 1:00 Eastern start time. I know the big push has been on in the past decade or so with NASCAR to mine the California hills for new fans. But at what expense? Long time fans are cheesed off that they don't see complete races or that there are tortuously long pre-race shows to endure. And what is the logic behind starting the race in California at 6:00 Eastern? Someone, please.
There are my permitted exceptions to the early start rule. The Coke 600, fine as is. And Daytona in July, also permitted. The Firecracker 400 becomes the Fireworks 400. Bristol at night is cool but hasn't it always been so. Even if it did rain, both the July Daytona race and the August Bristol race fall on Saturdays so the Sunday is there as a just-in-case.
If I were king......
This weeks beef has to do with the late start times that we now have to contend with. Aside from the Earnhardt, Jr. incident (.....has he accepted some degree of blame yet?) this is the big topic of debate among NASCAR fans following last Sunday's Daytona 500. It could be argued either way whether (weather?) NASCAR made the decision to declare the race official too soon or just right or even if they should have done so at all. What can't be argued, and I'm far from the first to write this, is that, at the very least, had the race been started at 1:00 Eastern as it has been up until recently, there would have been a much better chance of us all seeing the event go the scheduled distance.
David Poole, so many NASCAR fans columnist whipping boy, had it right in a recent piece. Earlier on this week it looked like Mr. Poole was throwing his hands up and declaring the chances of NASCAR returning race start times to the traditional time to be nonexistent. Today it looks like he's taken up the charge to revert back to the way it was in the good old days.
I'm not a fan of that phrase. I'm not a fan of the song either but it does represent what I believe. These are the good old days. Without getting too deep I mean that the latest is the greatest. ...or should be. Classic races are fun to re-watch but tomorrow's exciting finish is all that more exciting. But obviously I don't discount the past. There is so much from the racing past I'd love to have exist these days. More on that as the blog continues.
Plain and simple, return the start times to the old time 1:00 Eastern start time. I know the big push has been on in the past decade or so with NASCAR to mine the California hills for new fans. But at what expense? Long time fans are cheesed off that they don't see complete races or that there are tortuously long pre-race shows to endure. And what is the logic behind starting the race in California at 6:00 Eastern? Someone, please.
There are my permitted exceptions to the early start rule. The Coke 600, fine as is. And Daytona in July, also permitted. The Firecracker 400 becomes the Fireworks 400. Bristol at night is cool but hasn't it always been so. Even if it did rain, both the July Daytona race and the August Bristol race fall on Saturdays so the Sunday is there as a just-in-case.
If I were king......
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Daytona 500 Recap..
NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR.....why do you make it so hard for me to love you? I try. I really try. A few things to discuss post-Daytona '500'.........'380'?...someone check my math.
Show-itus Interruptus
Aside from the Kennseth fans I suspect most of us are grumbling right now. Someone please compile some stats and get back to me. Has NASCAR always upset fans this much/have fans always been this suspicious of NASCAR or is this just a new trend growing since NASCAR's big growth spurt? Admittedly without any kind of fact or stat or study, I think the grumblings are growing louder. A quick scan of a few comment sections show some angry people out there tonight. However a lot of the people commenting state they have been fans of NASCAR for less than 5 years. That begs the question for me has NASCAR now not only alienated its original fan base but also the new fans?
No one likes a rain-shortened race. After huge hype it is just a colossal let down. Some amount of pouting is expected. I'm guilty. I think it shows we care. And there does come a point where it's time to throw in the soggy towel and call it a day. But I've seen Coca-Cola 600's go on way into the night after rain delays (...I think Kenseth won that too). Other less prestigious races have resumed after lengthy rain delays as well. Why call this one so early? I didn't look like it was raining in Victory Circle. The commentators were downplaying the rain for the longest time. You want a legitimate rain-shortened race and undercover victory celebration? Ron Fellows in Montreal last summer. Why not go back to starting these races earlier? I'm parroting a line here from a few writers this week but the West Coast business push plateaued. And I'll forgive this one because it's the 500 but these pre-race shows go on forever. The drivers allow themselves to look foolish as well.
The cynic in me points to network pressure to call it a day and not run afoul of sponsors who bought time for shows later on in the evening on FOX. I'm trying my best not to listen too much to the Conspiracists but I really, really don't get a good feeling from Brian France, Jr. I think his appeal to fans during the interminable pre-race show was less than sincere. In the pecking order fans are not number one. Anytime they make this much of saying they love you, it's business. And that is fine. Big time racing has always been a business. What bothers me is that the scene is so far removed from what drew me to the sport to begin with. They have succeeded in many ways but at what cost? NASCAR has lost that certain charm that is once had. That hokey, quirky, sometimes awkward but ultimately entertaining friend of ours won the lottery and despite what they promised before they moved out of the old neighbourhood, they've changed. Trying not to fall into an easy "oh, those stupid Americans" trap, NASCAR represents what is great about the US and, sadly, what can go wrong. Of course, greed is universal. They say that's progress but I liked the old version better.
They've fiddled with rules over lapped cars and brought forth the Lucky Dog. (Discuss) They've fiddled with races ending under caution and brought forth the Green-White-Checkers finish. (Discuss) Is the half-distance/official race rule written in stone or can we expect a change?
Ultimately it's NASCAR's sandbox and we have it easy as critics. Brian France made a less-than sincere appeal to fans during the interminable pre-race show.
The Winner*
Congratulations Matt Kenseth. You have officially won the 2009 Daytona '500'. (I hope I didn't jinx this race when I started writing the 500 in old timey quotations.) You kept your nose clean and were ahead of everyone else when the race was called official according to, and this seems odd for present-day NASCAR, time-honoured tradition. But I think you'll look at that big ol'trophy in the years to come with mixed feelings. You will always be a junior member of the Daytona 500 winners club. Equal but not quite equal. Still, 185 points and lots of cash. The season rolls on.
Another Big-Time First-Time Car Owner Winner
Jack Roush wins* his first Daytona 500 title. Odd. Two years in a row a major owner wins their first 500. Last year Penske. This year the Cat in the Hat. No doubt he complained that the race should have been called sooner.
FOX
DW and Larry Mac and the rest get slagged for being Hendrick/Earnhardt sycophants. Normally I say 'malarkey' but even if, who cares? But they came off looking foolish condemning Earnhardt, Jr. in one breath and then giving him a pass in the next. And they were quick and emphatic when the wreck first happened. Score one for the Conspiracists.
Still, the best team at it these days. Enjoyable chemistry.
Earnhardt, Jr.
Wow. Ok. So assume he didn't do it intentionally. It still is poor driving from a professional driver. I think Kyle Busch said it best: "Some guys having a bad day made their bad day our bad day," Pretty calm considering he looked like he was going to walk away with it all. My take is that Earnhardt was off his game because of those two boo-boos in the pits and it showed on the track. You could view it as a bit of karmic retribution for Vickers. It wasn't exactly the same thing but he clipped Johnson at Talledega a few years back. I think Earnhardt will admit to this incident not being a shining moment for him.
Kyle Busch
Tooting my own horn I did say yesterday that Busch was a more mature driver. He hung on to that lead tenaciously all day. No wonder he didn't want to fall back in the back. Bad things happen there.
I was expecting a lap penalty or something. The conspiracists will have a field day.
Tony Stewart
Tony looked strong. Had the race continued he would have been right there. He's an owner now, he'll take the points and start thinking about California.
Michael Waltrip
The man that made the unfortunate decision to put himself forth as the unofficial clown of NASCAR can run plate tracks. Too bad it's all downhill from here until Talledega.
Elliot Sadler
Hissy fit. Shut up and drive. I don't see you up at the front that often. And when you do you cry? I'd be the most miserable excuse for a driver but if you don't want to do it, I'll have a go.
Jeff Gordon
I'd be interested to hear the explanation for the apparent camber issue with the 24 car. That could have been nasty for him.
Marcos Ambrose
Feel good story, no? He was out there and got experience. Did alright for himself.
Carl Edwards
It's not really fair to be ranking these guys. The full story never got to play out. Crummy points day for this lot.
Jimmie Johnson
Rotten luck + restrictor plate + other driver error + rain = 31st. Looked like he had his hands full all day.
Joey Logano
Ouch. Who hasn't had a first day but in front of a bajillion people? For scientific purposes only, I would love to see the in-car footage from these hard crashes. Apparently it's too graphic for us delicate flowers. He walked away didn't he? Show it.
He's going to have a rough go this year. But whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. At this point he looks like a deer caught in the headlights.
Mark Martin
Alas. On the surface it didn't look as if Martin had anything for the win today but I like to think he was being wily. Either way, 16th. Meh.
A.J. Allmendinger
I thought he'd do alright. It would have been interesting to see how they would have done over the full distance
Ryan Newman
I think he's already in California.....
All in all, a disappointment. I think that NASCAR, had they been unimpeded with broadcast network business commitments, should have held on and tried to get the race going. If it was being carried by a network that could accommodate it it would have made complete sense to try to finish. Don't you pull out all the stops for the biggest event of the year?
I suspect David Poole will go along with the decision. The man isn't a fool like some of the commentors on his blog. I think he just knows when to waste his words and when to not. Me, I'm new.
Next stop:
California. ZZZZZZZ Don't plan to watch it. I hope for the best but so far the races have been awful. Expect the hype machine to be in overdrive.
Show-itus Interruptus
Aside from the Kennseth fans I suspect most of us are grumbling right now. Someone please compile some stats and get back to me. Has NASCAR always upset fans this much/have fans always been this suspicious of NASCAR or is this just a new trend growing since NASCAR's big growth spurt? Admittedly without any kind of fact or stat or study, I think the grumblings are growing louder. A quick scan of a few comment sections show some angry people out there tonight. However a lot of the people commenting state they have been fans of NASCAR for less than 5 years. That begs the question for me has NASCAR now not only alienated its original fan base but also the new fans?
No one likes a rain-shortened race. After huge hype it is just a colossal let down. Some amount of pouting is expected. I'm guilty. I think it shows we care. And there does come a point where it's time to throw in the soggy towel and call it a day. But I've seen Coca-Cola 600's go on way into the night after rain delays (...I think Kenseth won that too). Other less prestigious races have resumed after lengthy rain delays as well. Why call this one so early? I didn't look like it was raining in Victory Circle. The commentators were downplaying the rain for the longest time. You want a legitimate rain-shortened race and undercover victory celebration? Ron Fellows in Montreal last summer. Why not go back to starting these races earlier? I'm parroting a line here from a few writers this week but the West Coast business push plateaued. And I'll forgive this one because it's the 500 but these pre-race shows go on forever. The drivers allow themselves to look foolish as well.
The cynic in me points to network pressure to call it a day and not run afoul of sponsors who bought time for shows later on in the evening on FOX. I'm trying my best not to listen too much to the Conspiracists but I really, really don't get a good feeling from Brian France, Jr. I think his appeal to fans during the interminable pre-race show was less than sincere. In the pecking order fans are not number one. Anytime they make this much of saying they love you, it's business. And that is fine. Big time racing has always been a business. What bothers me is that the scene is so far removed from what drew me to the sport to begin with. They have succeeded in many ways but at what cost? NASCAR has lost that certain charm that is once had. That hokey, quirky, sometimes awkward but ultimately entertaining friend of ours won the lottery and despite what they promised before they moved out of the old neighbourhood, they've changed. Trying not to fall into an easy "oh, those stupid Americans" trap, NASCAR represents what is great about the US and, sadly, what can go wrong. Of course, greed is universal. They say that's progress but I liked the old version better.
They've fiddled with rules over lapped cars and brought forth the Lucky Dog. (Discuss) They've fiddled with races ending under caution and brought forth the Green-White-Checkers finish. (Discuss) Is the half-distance/official race rule written in stone or can we expect a change?
Ultimately it's NASCAR's sandbox and we have it easy as critics. Brian France made a less-than sincere appeal to fans during the interminable pre-race show.
The Winner*
Congratulations Matt Kenseth. You have officially won the 2009 Daytona '500'. (I hope I didn't jinx this race when I started writing the 500 in old timey quotations.) You kept your nose clean and were ahead of everyone else when the race was called official according to, and this seems odd for present-day NASCAR, time-honoured tradition. But I think you'll look at that big ol'trophy in the years to come with mixed feelings. You will always be a junior member of the Daytona 500 winners club. Equal but not quite equal. Still, 185 points and lots of cash. The season rolls on.
Another Big-Time First-Time Car Owner Winner
Jack Roush wins* his first Daytona 500 title. Odd. Two years in a row a major owner wins their first 500. Last year Penske. This year the Cat in the Hat. No doubt he complained that the race should have been called sooner.
FOX
DW and Larry Mac and the rest get slagged for being Hendrick/Earnhardt sycophants. Normally I say 'malarkey' but even if, who cares? But they came off looking foolish condemning Earnhardt, Jr. in one breath and then giving him a pass in the next. And they were quick and emphatic when the wreck first happened. Score one for the Conspiracists.
Still, the best team at it these days. Enjoyable chemistry.
Earnhardt, Jr.
Wow. Ok. So assume he didn't do it intentionally. It still is poor driving from a professional driver. I think Kyle Busch said it best: "Some guys having a bad day made their bad day our bad day," Pretty calm considering he looked like he was going to walk away with it all. My take is that Earnhardt was off his game because of those two boo-boos in the pits and it showed on the track. You could view it as a bit of karmic retribution for Vickers. It wasn't exactly the same thing but he clipped Johnson at Talledega a few years back. I think Earnhardt will admit to this incident not being a shining moment for him.
Kyle Busch
Tooting my own horn I did say yesterday that Busch was a more mature driver. He hung on to that lead tenaciously all day. No wonder he didn't want to fall back in the back. Bad things happen there.
I was expecting a lap penalty or something. The conspiracists will have a field day.
Tony Stewart
Tony looked strong. Had the race continued he would have been right there. He's an owner now, he'll take the points and start thinking about California.
Michael Waltrip
The man that made the unfortunate decision to put himself forth as the unofficial clown of NASCAR can run plate tracks. Too bad it's all downhill from here until Talledega.
Elliot Sadler
Hissy fit. Shut up and drive. I don't see you up at the front that often. And when you do you cry? I'd be the most miserable excuse for a driver but if you don't want to do it, I'll have a go.
Jeff Gordon
I'd be interested to hear the explanation for the apparent camber issue with the 24 car. That could have been nasty for him.
Marcos Ambrose
Feel good story, no? He was out there and got experience. Did alright for himself.
Carl Edwards
It's not really fair to be ranking these guys. The full story never got to play out. Crummy points day for this lot.
Jimmie Johnson
Rotten luck + restrictor plate + other driver error + rain = 31st. Looked like he had his hands full all day.
Joey Logano
Ouch. Who hasn't had a first day but in front of a bajillion people? For scientific purposes only, I would love to see the in-car footage from these hard crashes. Apparently it's too graphic for us delicate flowers. He walked away didn't he? Show it.
He's going to have a rough go this year. But whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. At this point he looks like a deer caught in the headlights.
Mark Martin
Alas. On the surface it didn't look as if Martin had anything for the win today but I like to think he was being wily. Either way, 16th. Meh.
A.J. Allmendinger
I thought he'd do alright. It would have been interesting to see how they would have done over the full distance
Ryan Newman
I think he's already in California.....
All in all, a disappointment. I think that NASCAR, had they been unimpeded with broadcast network business commitments, should have held on and tried to get the race going. If it was being carried by a network that could accommodate it it would have made complete sense to try to finish. Don't you pull out all the stops for the biggest event of the year?
I suspect David Poole will go along with the decision. The man isn't a fool like some of the commentors on his blog. I think he just knows when to waste his words and when to not. Me, I'm new.
Next stop:
California. ZZZZZZZ Don't plan to watch it. I hope for the best but so far the races have been awful. Expect the hype machine to be in overdrive.
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