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.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
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.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Daytona '500' Predictions
And so the big race is upon us. If it seems like the 2008 NASCAR season just ended it's only because it just did. Keeping with the latest trend among NASCAR fans the first point I raise in my new racing blog is a criticism. The Cup racing season is just too long. We've been back and forth to the great racing buffet and now we have a big league stock car racing tummy ache.
More on that in a future blog but now back to THE race. Based on the races of the past few years at the superspeedways we should be in for an entertaining show. Esthetics aside, the criticism that dogs the new car doesn't seem to follow it to Daytona or Talledega. The boxy nature of the car lends itself to tighter packs and tighter packs lend themselves to more blood-thirsty crowds. Or maybe blood-thirsty isn't the right phrase. I mark these races on my calendar and I'm not a happy camper if I miss one. But what makes a good race? Competition. And you can't get more competitive than when you have the entire field under a blanket. I expect to see the field accordion as the race rolls on. Cautions will bring the pack together. Green flag periods or little slips and slides mid-pack will have them strung out. As those green flag periods go on the draft will take over and that long string of bees will become an angry swarm. I don't think we'll have to worry about seeing too much of the passing-free freight train that seemed to be the bane of the superspeedways in the mid- to late-nineties. ...that's my recollection anyway. Remember how ticked off Earnhardt was in 2000 with the lack of passing after the '500'?
Ideally we'll see a slow build toward an exciting finish. That's a broad definition of my perfect race. You'll need some bent sheet metal along the way (but not the Big One.....the very worst drawback to plate racing. I don't go in for what does or doesn't constitute a 'real' fan but something doesn't seem right if you sit there waiting for half the field to be wadded up in one fell swoop). I'm neutral with regards to the Green-White-Checker rule. I can understand the point of view of the traditionalists who argue that races have ended under cautions for years and that's just the way it should be. And the action junky in me wants my Darlington/Busch-Craven finishes each and every time. Ideally, a race ends with exciting, action-filled just-to-the-brink-of-a-yellow-but-not-any-further laps. The trend at the plate tracks is towards chaos but, if the Shootout means anything, they can somehow keep it together.
Speaking of the Shootout, aside from the closing laps, I think last weekend's race shows us what the cars and drivers are capable of but don't expect to see the same pace in the '500'. And neither should you look to the '150's for a preview for Sunday. Those races were so far removed from the Shootout. There were lots of different objectives on display on Thursday. Among the bulk of the teams the idea was not to do anything stupid. For a few those races were their '500's. And for a few more it was a Shootout. So the big one on Sunday will consist of elements of both with the Shootout mentality gradually coming into play around the 450 mile mark. There will then come a point, and don't we all love it, when dreams of dollar signs and glory trump live-and-let-live and points racing.
Predictions
Relying on my many years of dozing in front of the telly on Sunday afternoon's I'll now make my predictions for a handful of drivers on Sunday. In no particular order:
Tony Stewart. Fat Elvis. The man is racing. It should be that whenever anyone looks up race car driver in an encyclopedia (ie, Google it) it would Tony Stewart's name that would come up. As great as he undisputedly is as a driver I fear for him this year with his new team. Recent history has not been kind to owner-drivers in the world of big time stock racing. Ol'DW is a good example. An example of what can happen. Or not happen. As in Darrell did not win much after forming his own team. He points to the choice he made of building his own engines as his downfall. If he had opted to stay put or at least continue leasing engines he probably would have continued his winning ways instead of suffering a rather sad end to a great career. (Earnhardt smashing him into the wall at the Winston didn't help much either. I'll write more on DW later.)
I can see Darrell taking Tony aside and warning him of the perils. Perhaps Tony would heed his words. Perhaps not. I'm thinking that part of the reason that drivers, or business people or whoever, strike out on their own is to not have to do things the way someone else wants you to do them. Wouldn't he want to call all his own shots? Granted Tony is relying on top-notch Hendrick chassis and engines so that removes those pieces from the equation. I think it comes down to time management. But then again it's not as if he's starting from scratch. Perhaps he's content to rely on or slightly modify the existing command structure, for lack of a better phrase, and focus solely or mostly on driving rather than be a racing pharaoh. I've never been an owner in any capacity but I've pestered many an owner, boss, etc for anything and everything from the critical to the trivial. I wish him well. Prove me wrong, Tony, prove me wrong.
If he does win, it doesn't necessarily mean that he's going to have a great year. He and Newman lost their primary cars on Saturday but I don't think that matters too much. These teams are professionals. They keep meticulous notes and the cars they build must be the next best thing to clones.
Ryan Newman. He did it once. No reason to think he can't do it again. New team, working for Mr. Racing. Lots of easy story lines here.
Jimmie Johnson. I only 'hate' the guy because he wins too darn much. That team is killer. You all know the stats. If he stays out of trouble, keeps his stablemates within sight and the field doesn't turn their backs on him he's a shoe-in. Boo-urns.
Jeff Gordon. Ditto. These cats have the best of everything and the talent to make the most of it. If 'hunger' means anything, Gordon will win. I'm willing to think he's ready to avenge himself to all the critics who finally had a chance last year to lay into him and his team.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. This guy is starting to grow on me. I was never a fan of his father but, newsflash to me, he isn't his father. He runs restrictor plate races just as well as his father though. As good a chance as any front runner. His to lose.
Kyle Busch. I thought I saw a bit of over-aggressiveness in the truck race on Friday night. Talent to burn and undoubtedly more mature than last year but I think the potential is there for him to burn bridges. Still, you'd be a fool to count him out.
Carl Edwards. Flipper. On a roll. ...is this getting boring...another guy that could very easily win. The randomness of plate racing plays no favourites. For devilment I'll use Carl as an example of how you can have the driver, the car and the crew to make it a cakewalk but be clobbered by someone else's moment of inattention.
Mark Martin. He came close a few years back and who wouldn't want to see this guy win? Mark and Bill Elliot represent a previous generation and no doubt are cheered on by a segment of NASCAR fans that remember, or think they remember, a time when racing and racers were different. If this is the year Mark Martin has been given all he needs to win that elusive championship then a '500' win would be a good start. Then again, if championship is on his mind, Martin might be points racing in a race that most drivers, up until the drive home after the checkered flag, consider to be a season unto itself.
Kevin Harvick. Sneaky little bugger. Doesn't he have a knack for jumping out and grabbing these things at the very last possible moment? If he does it again on Sunday it'll be a reputation-defining moment.
Joey Lagano. I try not to write what everyone else writes but he looks like a child. Apparently he can drive. I haven't seen much from him in the few Cup races he's run and he didn't get a chance to do much in the Shootout. He did well in the 150's but, as I've said, everyone played nice. The people that call the shots don't just put anyone in their cars. Jeff Gordon tore up many a race car when he started and he did alright in the long run. He might get knocked around but what better way to learn? Let's set aside the report cards (not a knock on his age) and see what the season brings. You just might be bad mouthing a future champion.
The Dark Horses
The vagaries of restrictor plate racing put victory within the reach of some teams that might not otherwise have the chance.
Martin Truex, Jr. Huh? Dark horse? The pole sitter? Yeah. Too many other strong cars and more experienced drivers for me to say it's his to lose. I don't expect him to bust out with this race. No stats or logic behind this one. Just don't know enough about him or hear enough about him.
Bobby Labonte. Dark horse and another sentimental favourite of mine. This guy has paid his dues with Petty the past few years. It's a shame he couldn't resurrect that team but now it's time for him to get back where he belongs. Dark horse though... .
A.J. Allmendinger. As I write this, he's my top dark horse pick. If he doesn't win tomorrow, he'll win before the year is over. A lot of people in the know praise this kid.
This is way too long. I'll add more as the season rolls on but I'll learn to run sprints instead of 600-milers. I'll also be posting a '500' recap. ...no doubt to explain away my wrong predictions.
More on that in a future blog but now back to THE race. Based on the races of the past few years at the superspeedways we should be in for an entertaining show. Esthetics aside, the criticism that dogs the new car doesn't seem to follow it to Daytona or Talledega. The boxy nature of the car lends itself to tighter packs and tighter packs lend themselves to more blood-thirsty crowds. Or maybe blood-thirsty isn't the right phrase. I mark these races on my calendar and I'm not a happy camper if I miss one. But what makes a good race? Competition. And you can't get more competitive than when you have the entire field under a blanket. I expect to see the field accordion as the race rolls on. Cautions will bring the pack together. Green flag periods or little slips and slides mid-pack will have them strung out. As those green flag periods go on the draft will take over and that long string of bees will become an angry swarm. I don't think we'll have to worry about seeing too much of the passing-free freight train that seemed to be the bane of the superspeedways in the mid- to late-nineties. ...that's my recollection anyway. Remember how ticked off Earnhardt was in 2000 with the lack of passing after the '500'?
Ideally we'll see a slow build toward an exciting finish. That's a broad definition of my perfect race. You'll need some bent sheet metal along the way (but not the Big One.....the very worst drawback to plate racing. I don't go in for what does or doesn't constitute a 'real' fan but something doesn't seem right if you sit there waiting for half the field to be wadded up in one fell swoop). I'm neutral with regards to the Green-White-Checker rule. I can understand the point of view of the traditionalists who argue that races have ended under cautions for years and that's just the way it should be. And the action junky in me wants my Darlington/Busch-Craven finishes each and every time. Ideally, a race ends with exciting, action-filled just-to-the-brink-of-a-yellow-but-not-any-further laps. The trend at the plate tracks is towards chaos but, if the Shootout means anything, they can somehow keep it together.
Speaking of the Shootout, aside from the closing laps, I think last weekend's race shows us what the cars and drivers are capable of but don't expect to see the same pace in the '500'. And neither should you look to the '150's for a preview for Sunday. Those races were so far removed from the Shootout. There were lots of different objectives on display on Thursday. Among the bulk of the teams the idea was not to do anything stupid. For a few those races were their '500's. And for a few more it was a Shootout. So the big one on Sunday will consist of elements of both with the Shootout mentality gradually coming into play around the 450 mile mark. There will then come a point, and don't we all love it, when dreams of dollar signs and glory trump live-and-let-live and points racing.
Predictions
Relying on my many years of dozing in front of the telly on Sunday afternoon's I'll now make my predictions for a handful of drivers on Sunday. In no particular order:
Tony Stewart. Fat Elvis. The man is racing. It should be that whenever anyone looks up race car driver in an encyclopedia (ie, Google it) it would Tony Stewart's name that would come up. As great as he undisputedly is as a driver I fear for him this year with his new team. Recent history has not been kind to owner-drivers in the world of big time stock racing. Ol'DW is a good example. An example of what can happen. Or not happen. As in Darrell did not win much after forming his own team. He points to the choice he made of building his own engines as his downfall. If he had opted to stay put or at least continue leasing engines he probably would have continued his winning ways instead of suffering a rather sad end to a great career. (Earnhardt smashing him into the wall at the Winston didn't help much either. I'll write more on DW later.)
I can see Darrell taking Tony aside and warning him of the perils. Perhaps Tony would heed his words. Perhaps not. I'm thinking that part of the reason that drivers, or business people or whoever, strike out on their own is to not have to do things the way someone else wants you to do them. Wouldn't he want to call all his own shots? Granted Tony is relying on top-notch Hendrick chassis and engines so that removes those pieces from the equation. I think it comes down to time management. But then again it's not as if he's starting from scratch. Perhaps he's content to rely on or slightly modify the existing command structure, for lack of a better phrase, and focus solely or mostly on driving rather than be a racing pharaoh. I've never been an owner in any capacity but I've pestered many an owner, boss, etc for anything and everything from the critical to the trivial. I wish him well. Prove me wrong, Tony, prove me wrong.
If he does win, it doesn't necessarily mean that he's going to have a great year. He and Newman lost their primary cars on Saturday but I don't think that matters too much. These teams are professionals. They keep meticulous notes and the cars they build must be the next best thing to clones.
Ryan Newman. He did it once. No reason to think he can't do it again. New team, working for Mr. Racing. Lots of easy story lines here.
Jimmie Johnson. I only 'hate' the guy because he wins too darn much. That team is killer. You all know the stats. If he stays out of trouble, keeps his stablemates within sight and the field doesn't turn their backs on him he's a shoe-in. Boo-urns.
Jeff Gordon. Ditto. These cats have the best of everything and the talent to make the most of it. If 'hunger' means anything, Gordon will win. I'm willing to think he's ready to avenge himself to all the critics who finally had a chance last year to lay into him and his team.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. This guy is starting to grow on me. I was never a fan of his father but, newsflash to me, he isn't his father. He runs restrictor plate races just as well as his father though. As good a chance as any front runner. His to lose.
Kyle Busch. I thought I saw a bit of over-aggressiveness in the truck race on Friday night. Talent to burn and undoubtedly more mature than last year but I think the potential is there for him to burn bridges. Still, you'd be a fool to count him out.
Carl Edwards. Flipper. On a roll. ...is this getting boring...another guy that could very easily win. The randomness of plate racing plays no favourites. For devilment I'll use Carl as an example of how you can have the driver, the car and the crew to make it a cakewalk but be clobbered by someone else's moment of inattention.
Mark Martin. He came close a few years back and who wouldn't want to see this guy win? Mark and Bill Elliot represent a previous generation and no doubt are cheered on by a segment of NASCAR fans that remember, or think they remember, a time when racing and racers were different. If this is the year Mark Martin has been given all he needs to win that elusive championship then a '500' win would be a good start. Then again, if championship is on his mind, Martin might be points racing in a race that most drivers, up until the drive home after the checkered flag, consider to be a season unto itself.
Kevin Harvick. Sneaky little bugger. Doesn't he have a knack for jumping out and grabbing these things at the very last possible moment? If he does it again on Sunday it'll be a reputation-defining moment.
Joey Lagano. I try not to write what everyone else writes but he looks like a child. Apparently he can drive. I haven't seen much from him in the few Cup races he's run and he didn't get a chance to do much in the Shootout. He did well in the 150's but, as I've said, everyone played nice. The people that call the shots don't just put anyone in their cars. Jeff Gordon tore up many a race car when he started and he did alright in the long run. He might get knocked around but what better way to learn? Let's set aside the report cards (not a knock on his age) and see what the season brings. You just might be bad mouthing a future champion.
The Dark Horses
The vagaries of restrictor plate racing put victory within the reach of some teams that might not otherwise have the chance.
Martin Truex, Jr. Huh? Dark horse? The pole sitter? Yeah. Too many other strong cars and more experienced drivers for me to say it's his to lose. I don't expect him to bust out with this race. No stats or logic behind this one. Just don't know enough about him or hear enough about him.
Bobby Labonte. Dark horse and another sentimental favourite of mine. This guy has paid his dues with Petty the past few years. It's a shame he couldn't resurrect that team but now it's time for him to get back where he belongs. Dark horse though... .
A.J. Allmendinger. As I write this, he's my top dark horse pick. If he doesn't win tomorrow, he'll win before the year is over. A lot of people in the know praise this kid.
This is way too long. I'll add more as the season rolls on but I'll learn to run sprints instead of 600-milers. I'll also be posting a '500' recap. ...no doubt to explain away my wrong predictions.
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