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NASCAR’s Second Season

September 15, 2007 By: Jim Category: Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., David Reutimann, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., The Chase, Tony Stewart No Comments →

It all starts tomorrow campers! The Chase is on beginning at Loudon, New Hampshire. All week long there’s been a load of buzz and speculation on what the final 10 races of the 2007 season hold in store.

I’ve got my swami turban on and heck my opinion counts for no less than Rusty Wallace, so here goes:

1) The primary battle for the Nextel Cup will come down to two teammates from HMS- Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. My heart’s with Gordon, if I had to bet money, I’d go with Jimmie.

2) Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards will push these guys real hard and should not be counted out. Oh, count Kurt Busch in this group too.

3) This year’s chase will put Martin Truex and Clint Bowyer on the map- so to speak. I had no idea who Truex was when this season started. I do now.

4) I really like Jeff Burton but I just don’t know if he can be better than top 10.

5) Clint Bowyer will win a race before the year’s over.

6) Due to his success this season, Denny Hamlin may steal some more of the young female vote from Kasey Kahne.

7) The Rushville Rocket in the #20 Home Depot Chevy will win one more race in a Chevy before moveing on to Toyota in 2008.

8) We may end up forgetting that Kevin Harvick is even in the Chase. Still a good racer though. Same for Matt Kenseth.

9) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will still keep stealing the spotlight away from the Chase. Not his fault. He will win a race before this year’s over. Could be at Mardi Gras, I mean Talledega.

10) Tony may win tomorrow at New Hampshire. He was crazy fast yesterday. Big Shrub and Jimmie may have something for him.

11) A Toyota will win one race before it’s over in 2007- thanks to either Brian Vickers or David “The Beak” Reutimann.

12) And the winner of the 2007 Nextel Cup is………Jimmie Johnson in a repeat.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: How one fan’s opinion changed of NASCAR’s favorite son

September 14, 2007 By: Jim Category: Uncategorized 4 Comments →

I’ve never been a drinker of the Earnhardt Kool-aid. In fact, I used to joke that I became a Jeff Gordon fan just to yank the chains of Earnhardt Nation. I used get so mad when I’d see people with window stickers of the little boy peeing on the number 24, and just reveled in Gordon’ first three titles, knowing how mad it made the followers of #3. Though I felt bad for his family and fans when he died, I transferred my disdain from The Intimidator to the one known as “Lil ‘E’”.

I really did not follow NASCAR that closely until this year. Still, as an overall sport-aholic, I still knew enough to know that I related better to Gordon’s California upbringing, business-like approach to NASCAR and Christian beliefs than I did of the old-school, “rubbin’s racin’” mentality with beer-guzzling fans like Dale Earnhardt. I also heard the stories of how Earnhardt took out Terry Labonte in a couple of races, and his antics with another one of my favorites, Darrell Waltrip. Knowing this, you can imagine how I felt when Dale Jr. won the Daytona 500 in 2004. “Junior Nation is going to be more obnoxious than ever”, so I thought. I admit I felt no sorrow for some of the struggles he had. I didn’t understand I had followed a path parallel to “those blasted Earnhardt fans.” Just as they tranferred their love from Senior to Junior, I transferred my disdain from Senior to Junior.

Then 2007 happened, heralding the beginning of a more close association with the sport. First, members of my family signed on with Junior Nation. My son (a bit of a bandwagon rider- typical of a 4 year old) liked #8 because of his likeness in the movie “Cars” and even my beloved wife drank the Kool-Aid (a double shot, I think). This is where the conversion in my thinking began to take place.

Yes- like many other women, my wife does have an affinity for how he looks. Now, I have taken notice to the fact that he’s much taller than me, has a head of hair much ruddier than my salt and pepper head, and he’s got a cooler accent. But- there’s more. She became a Junior fan because of his down-to-earth Opie Taylor persona, his flare for a bit of mischief, and most of all, because she wishes for him a chance to break free of his dad’s gargantuan shadow to carve out his own place in racing history. What’s more, I’ve come to notice how accomodating he is to fans and media (no matter how much of a pain the keister they are sometimes), and his genuine love of children and sensitivity to those young ones whose lives will likely be short. He got me there. Having once had a terminally ill younger brother (a victim of Cytstic Fibrosis), I can’t even begin to tell a figure like Dale Earnhardt Jr. how much his kindness impacts lives. I even choke up at the thought of it.

I also watched the movie “Dale” recently, which not only gave me a newfound respect for the “man who could see air”, but also for his son, who will always carry the legend of his dad with him. It’s unavoidable, and he knows it, and in some way you can see he’s embraced it. No matter what Dale Earnhardt, Jr. does, he’ll never be everything his father was. It’s impossible. Dale Jr. is just a different guy, and that doesn’t make him less of a man than Dale Sr. I think it can be said that Junior learned from his father’s mistakes and is a better person for it. If Dale Earnhardt can see Junior from Heaven, I’d venture to say he’s proud of what his son has become.

Regardless of how his stats look compared to his father, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a darn good driver. He has two Busch Series titles to his credit, and 17 wins on the senior circuit. That puts him ahead of Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch. Heck, that puts him close to respected old schoolers like Ricky Rudd and Bobby Labonte. He’s won big races at Daytona and Talladega. More than that, he’s dealt gracefully with a media glare that his father never dreamed of at the age of 32. Yeah, he’s run his car too hard at times, and his driving has annoyed a racer or two, but he’s had some glances of real racing brilliance at times. It makes me wonder how the change of teams will affect his career.

I can now say that my affinity for Dale Earnhardt Junior is only eclipsed by my long-time favorite Jeff Gordon followed by Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin. Junior’s a good guy and I wish him all the best. Next season, he’ll have the best resources in the business at Hendrick Motor Sports and he’ll still have his cousin and buddy Tony Eury Jr. to scrap with over the radio during the races. Best of all, Junior has plenty of time to carve out a legacy of his own. As I momentarily ponder the passing of my own well-respected and revered father, I relate well to what must pass through Dale Jr.’s mind. If I could call him tonight and convey a word of wisdom, it’d be this: “Remember this- your dad has always been proud of you. You’re not his clone. Be proud to carry the man’s name, but never forget to be what he raised you to be…..the best that you can be, whatever that may look like.”

From one Junior to another, I’m pulling for you. May you race long and successfully.

For The Love Of Racing (inspired by Stanton Barrett & Sage Karam)…..

September 13, 2007 By: Jim Category: Uncategorized 1 Comment →

To think I almost skipped last night’s edition of “NASCAR in Prime Time.” I was tired and sick, and a little tired of Johnny Sauter and Juan Pablo Montoya. I almost missed the best episode yet of this summer series.

“Living The Dream” was the name of last night’s program. A very fitting title. We were treated to photos ot Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo “back in the day” (I was especially amused by the photo of young Tony Stewart with a bowl on his head for a helmet). It reminded us again of how it all started for the best drivers in the world- very young. We also got a close look at Sage Karam, a 12-year-old competing at Grand Nationals in one of the top go-kart series in America. We also got to meet a NASCAR driver I’ve never heard of before last night’s program…Stanton Barrett.

I really want to focus on this guy. From the ABC series we learn that Barrett is an accomplished stunt man, the son of an accomplished former Hollywood stunt man. The 34-year-old from Bishop, California wants more than anything to RACE. I’ve talked here before about the passion of NASCAR fans, but lat night we learned of the passion of the drivers. Barrett could have an easier life simply being a stunt man. He’s well respected for it, and he’s got some major productions to his credit. But Barrett wants to race. His Hollywood career serves to finance his dream. I hope stunt driving pays well. His team is the definition of bare bones. Getting qualified is a major struggle from week to week, and then when he gets in, he’s pretty much putting together a rag-tag pit crew that has never worked together before. Through following this racer, we see the importance of a good crew, as an incompetent crew takes a pretty fair driver in a good car and completely ruins any shot that Stanton Barrett has at contention. I don’t think most guys could endure this kind of frustration. Viewers can really come to appreciate the value of funding for a racing team. It’s obvious that Juan Pablo and Smoke didn’t start like this- getting the backing of major teams such as Chip Ganassi and Joe Gibbs. Stanton Barrett has his wallet and his girlfriend as his only means of support.

Yet, for the love of racing, Stanton Barrett goes on. You really can’t help but wonder what a good team, a good ride and good direction from a team could do with this guy. Barrett’s no dummy. Besides his accomplishment on camera, Barrett has also gotten into bobsled racing and other winter pursuits. The guy just lives to race, in spite of the obstacles. You want to see Barrett win, but even making in the Busch Series has proven to be a tall order. Thinking of the driver of the #30 Chevrolet made me think of another racer a little like him from another era……Dale Earnhardt.

Now hold on, Earnhardt fans, I’m not comparing their driving skills. “The Intimidator”, rumored to be able to “see air” was a one-of-a-kind. But Barrett’s struggles remind me of what we now know of Earnhardt and how he struggled mightily to get his career off the ground. Like Barrett, Earnhardt sacrificed a lot to get his dream started. Stories abound of how the great driver of the Mr. Goodwrench Chevy used to share a mattress with Teresa in a trailer home. Earnhardt sacrificed two marriages before marrying a woman who had the racing background to understand her husband’s great abiding passion. When I think of all the money and the difference it makes in today’s racing scheme, I can’t help but wonder if Dale Earnhardt could have even got started in today’s NASCAR climate. I seriously wonder.

You can’t help but wonder how long Stanton Barrett can hold on. Approaching his mid-thirties, the clock is working against him. I think he already knows that. It is my sense that Stanton Barrett will hang on as long as he can, because as long as he’s hanging on, there’s still hope. What a story it will be if he can. Face it, folks. I WILL root for Barrett because he is DOING what I DREAM about. More power to him.

As for Karam, it will be interesting to see where his dreams take him. Will he follow in his idol Tony Stewart’s steps, or will he become NASCAR’s answer to Todd Marinovich, a young man groomed from the cradle to be an NFL quarterback whose career was an abject failure. It remains to be seen. Ultimately, the passion has to be there. Time will tell. Karam did overcome a shoulder injury to win at Grand Nationals. Through the stories of each of these drivers, we learn that perseverance is a very necessary character trait for a racer. Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya, though they’ve had a different kind of struggle (I think Barrett would give his right foot to have Tony Stewart’s problems), we saw first hand their struggles and how their love of racing pulled them through- for Stewart, he has gone on to serious Cup contention, and the rookie from Colombia won his first Nextel Cup race at Sonoma.

Last night’s program open my eyes like no other has into the mind of a racer. It was pretty incredible. I wish them all, from Tony Stewart to Sage Karam- all the best.

For them, and because of them, we’ll be watching.

The Buzz (9/12 Edition)

September 12, 2007 By: Jim Category: DEI, Joe Nemechek, Kenny Wallace, Sterling Marlin, Travis Kvapil No Comments →

What’s what’s buzzin’ today……

DEI Sabotage. It’s really pathetic that this rumor even has traction. Mark my words, if Teresa Earnhardt undercut and sabotaged Dale Jr.’s chase for the Chase, the I’m an NBA point guard. Humorous when you remember that I’m 5′7 (and 43). That would have been a hugely bad business move. The Intimidator’s wife is a smarter woman than that.

Driver Movement. Kenny Wallace will substitute for the injured Ricky Rudd this week in the #88 Snicker’s Ford. Travis Kvapil returns to Nextel (oh, make that Sprint) after having last drove the Tide machine. No word on where David Stremme will be next. I’ve gotta be thinking there may be room at DEI/Ginn.

Spurned Drivers Sue.I really thought Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin got a raw deal when they were let go by Ginn Racing, but it looks like from everything I’ve seen the contracts were honored. It would have been nice to have them finmish the year better than that.

Gotta go. NASCAR in Prime Time is on now. Tune in to that……I’ve enjoyed it.

NASCAR Nation? Try NASCAR World

September 11, 2007 By: Jim Category: State Of The Sport No Comments →

As we make our way down the home stretch, I can’t help but think of all the discoveries made in my first year of regularly following NASCAR. Along the way, I’ve made a few discoveries:

1) NASCAR fans are passionate!I’ve been hanging around the sports scene for 30 years, and I can tell you there are no more passionate people on earth than the followers of Earnhardt, Junior, Jeff Gordon, Smoke and even Kasey Kahne! That passion manifests itself in good ways (the sense of community among fans on places like message boards, the outpouring of sympathy upon the families of drivers that died) and bad ways (throwing beer cans at Gordon in Talledega when he passed Earnhardt on the all-time wins list). NFL fans don’t even come close to this, I’ve not seen it in NBA fans or MLB fans in some years. Even Jim Rome has backed off on his criticisms of “Neck Car” because of the fans.

2) NASCAR is everywhere!Have you checked you cereal or cracker boxes lately? We’ve got car cut-outs on Chicken In A Biscuit boxes, HMS license plates given away on the boxes of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Vitamin Water trucks that say “Raising Kahne” in obvious reference to the driver of the #9 UAW/Dodge. My 4-year-old son thinks Home Depot is the “Tony Stewart” store, Office Depot is the “Carl Edwards” store, and on and on. We even have NASCAR in prime time, for Heaven’s sake! I remember a day when you’d be lucky to get 15 minutes of a NASCAR event on “ABC’s Wide World of Sports.”

3) It’s not just a man’s world.I honestly thought I’d never see the day when I’d find a sport where my wife is as passionate about as me. My wife LOOOOOOVVVVEESSS Junior, and she’s as involved in every race as I am. I look at the Yahoo Answers! forum- there’s just as many women there as there are men- and it’s not just because they think a driver is sexy! They love the speed as much as the guys do! It will be just a matter of time when we have a Danica Patrick type who will take NASCAR by storm.

4)NASCAR is a tightly run shipI can assure you the NFL’s Roger Goodell, the NBA’s David Stern, and MLB’s Bud Selig would just die to trade places with the likes of Brian France and Mike Helton. Think of how many times a driver has spouted off after a race, and has then come out of “The Trailer” looking like a whipped pup. I’ll agree with some folks by saying that kind of power can be badly misused, and you can only hope Mssrs. France and Helton get that. On most days, I think they do. What they get is that this sport is still about the fan. I’d love to see those guys get ahold of Barry Bonds and set his arrogant attitude straight. I like how there was no pussy-footing around with the Craftsman Truck Series driver was busted for heroine. See ya later, pal! You’re out!

5)People just love talking about NASCAR!There re message boards everywhere. It’s too bad Yahoo Answers! doesn’t keep a tighter rein on miscreants who invade the forum to cause trouble. But you know what, good comes out of it. There’s a new nascardriversrule group on Yahoo! As well as nascarlfordummies. Not much gets by these fans. It’s also cool to see the experienced share their knowledge with the less experienced. I just don’t see that kind of community other sports.

6) Foreign influences are finding their way in, making it a NASCAR world. Word is out that names like Villanueve and Franchitti will be joining names like Montoya and Ambrose soon. Of course, Toyota joined the Nextel Cup landscape this year, and will be supplying a major team in Joe Gibbs’ Racing next year.

Do you honestly think Bill France, Sr. had any idea how HUGE this sport would become? Maybe? No doubt, he engineered and pioneered a lot of what we see now. Has the sport changed? Oh yeah! Old schoolers would say for the worse. Many of those old fans aren’t following as closely, but they’re still following it and hate to admit it. I think we’ll continue to see changes and watch the sport further evolve. That’s the beauty of NASCAR, they don’t treat change like a disease. They rather tend to embrace it.

I think this may be the sport’s finest hour!

THE CHASE: IT’S WIDE OPEN NOW

September 10, 2007 By: Jim Category: Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, The Chase, Tony Stewart No Comments →

It’s chase time! This is new to me. I find a lot of old school NASCAR fans who really hate the idea, but on first glance, I like it. Think about it, up until the finish of the Chevy Rock ‘n’ Roll 400, Jeff Gordon was cruising along with a nice, fat lead. Suddenly, on the basis of wins, Jimmie Johnson is suddenly ahead of him, and from here on out, I don’t think the Rainbow Warrior will be mailing it in.
I’m looking forward to wide open crazy racing over the last 10 of 2007- ya know, the kind of racing we saw on the final laps of last night’s race at Richmond. It was cool to see the likes of Junior, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson going toe-to-toe. In the field, we have:

Jimmie Johnson, #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet. He’s behaving like a guy who wants a repeat of 2006. Week after week, he’s a contender. Johnson had a mid-season slump, but he’s sure running right now.

Jeff Gordon, #24 Du Pont Chevrolet.. My personal favorite. A 5th Nextel Cup seems like a fitting finish for a guy who just became a dad, and has been behaving like a real leader out there. All you folks who have been labeling Gordon a whiner must admit he has been vocal in his praise of other winning drivers, and he’s taken responsiblity for the mistakes he’s made. Gordon’s first four Cups came from 1995, 1997, 1998 & 2001.

Tony Stewart, #20 Home Depot Chevrolet. Smoke’s recent performance has done nothing to tarnish his image as a strong second half driver. With his recent wins (especially at his beloved Indianapolis) and strong finishes, all the conterversy seems to have faded into the past. He’s going great, just when he needs to. Smoke has two Cups to his credit from 2002 & 2005.

Kurt Busch, #2 Miller Lite Dodge. The big blue beer can has just been flying as of late. Was he unstoppable at Pocono and Michigan, or what? It’s been a slight surprise to see him kind of back away at the end of the last two races. No doubt, he’s represented Penske and Dodge well. “Big Shrub” is looking for Nextel Cup number two, winning his first in 2004.

Carl Edwards, #99 Office Depot Ford. The King of Concrete is sure to win at least one title this year. As far as I’m concerned, the mockery he’s made of the point standings in the NASCAR Busch Series makes a case for the chase. As good as he is, it’s easy to forget he’s a young guy, and this is only his second chase. It might be kinda cool to see a back flip in response to a 2007 Nextel Cup presentation.

Kyle Busch, #5 Kellogg’s Chevrolet. By no less than Kyle Petty (who’s probably seen a race or two), “Little Shrub” has been called the best young racer in NASCAR today. He definitely reinforced the notion with a dominating performance in the Busch race at Richmond Friday night. For Kyle, a Nextel Cup title would be a fitting swan song for the Hendrick Motorsports driver headed next year to the Joe Gibbs’ Racing team.

Denny Hamlin, #11 Fed Ex Chevrolet. Denny has done nothing but make noise (99% positive noise) since coming on board in 2006. He’s been racking up wins here and there, and along with Tony Stewart, gives JGR a powerful 1-2 punch. Don’t count him out. His chase opponents sure aren’t.

Martin Truex, Jr., #1 Bass Pro Chevrolet. Thanks to Truex, Dale Earnhardt Inc. has representaion in the Chase. He hasn’t been around all that long, but don’t forget he was a two-time (2004 & 2005) winner of the Busch Series title not all that long ago. A Cup would sure cement Truex as a leader at DEI.

Matt Kenseth, #17 De Walt Ford. The 2003 winner of the Nextel Cup has flown under the radar this year. It seems like the only time I hear much about him is when he’s complaining about how his car is running. But, by golly, here he is. He does have one victory to his credit (the 1st race at Fontana this year), and his appearance among the list is testament to his consistency.

Jeff Burton, #31 AT&T Chevrolet. J.B. is one of three Richard Childress Racing drivers in the chase. He’s had some real ups and downs, but somehow, he’s here. The victory at Texas was a great moment for the pride of South Boston, Virginia in 2007.

Kevin Harvick, #29 Pennzoil Chevrolet. The 2nd member of the RCR team in the chase. Kevin had to race smartly last night to weave his way in. The winner of the Daytona 500 and All-Star Weekend managed to thread the needle on what seemed like every crash. There must have been some nervous moments when he had all that grass caught in his grill, but “Happy Harv” made it through.

Clint Bowyer, #07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet. If you’ve read articles or seen stories about him, you know this guy could easily be the face of NASCAR. The Kansan has a certain middle-American charm, and he is a car guy through and through- complete with an oval track in his back yard- something to do when he’s not restoring cars. It’s hard to believe that as good as Bowyer is, he hasn’t won anything at this level yet.

This is a very impressive field. I think that due to consistency- you have to rate Stewart, Gordon, Johnson and maybe even Hamlin as favorite to take it. The Busch Brothers, Edwards, Kenseth and Truex are racers poised to pounce should the favorites fall off, and goodness knows they could. The 2007 road has had it share of potholes for Bowyer, Harvick and Burton , but there’s a reason races are run on tracks and not paper.

This will be a good one. Stick around.

Surrender at Richmond

September 08, 2007 By: Jim Category: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Race Re-caps 2 Comments →

With a certain measure of disappointment, I grapple with the fact that Junior didn’t make the Chase. He fought valiantly and raced pretty darn well until his engine blew at the end. Yet, when it all comes down, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch just wouldn’t be denied.
Like him or not, give Dale Earnhardt, Jr. respect. He laid it all out on the track and probably deserved a better fate in 2007. You won’t count me among conspiracy theorists, but DEI had some real crappy engines this year. Just like he said in the post-race interview, the number eight car ran well all year long, but it’s been one problem after another that doesn’t relate to driving. Junior showed heart, respect, and class throughout all this. Junior Nation, you can count on this: Junior will keeping pressing on give you plenty to cheer about as the last 10 races run.

Other Reflections from Richmond
(with a rock ‘n’ roll twist. Hey’s its the Chevy Rock ‘n’ Roll 400)

Top Jimmie.- If you have the album 1984 by Van Halen, you know the song. “Top Jimmy cooks, top Jimmy swings. He’s got the looks, top Jimmy- he’s the king.” Look out world! Jimmie Johnson is on the move! I’m going out on a limb and predicting a repeat for the Lowe’s 48 Chevy. The HMS boys have got it going on.

All The Young Dudes/strong>. A Mott The Hoople classic from the 70s. Some young dudes sure looked good tonight. David Ragan posts his 2nd top five of the yearand the #70 car of Johnny “NASCAR Prime Time” Sauter posted his firt top 5. On top of that, young ‘ens Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex and Denny Hamlin are all in the Chase. Ragan was just crazy fast at the end tonight.

Blaze Of Glory. This Bon Jovi tune seems fitting for Junior for all the appropriate reasons.

Ring Of Fire Yeah, I know it’s a country song, but this Johnny Cash classic from 1962 is fitting for tonight and it was a pop hit for the “Man In Black.” Tonight’s race was just filled with lots fender bending, tire blowouts and engine blow-ups. It was almost a given that Harvick would get in, because we were running out of cars. Give “Happy” credit, he sure threaded the needle through several wrecks.

Slipping AwayThis 1983 hit by former Rockpile front man Dave Edmunds may describe Jeff Gordon’s hopes if he doesn’t get himself right soon. He’s still driving well enough, but man, Jimmie has stolen his teammates mojo. It just seems that whatever Gordon comes up with these days isn’t good enough.

Well, the Chase begins in earnest next week at the Miracle Mile in New Hampshire. As good as Johnson is right now, I wouldn’t count out the likes of Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards or Matt Kenseth. Heck, they’re all good.

I’m not sure I’ve formed a real strong opinion about the Chase, other than to say that the guys there are deserving.

It will make for fun watching.

Ya’ll stay tuned.

It doesn’t look good, Junior Nation

September 07, 2007 By: Jim Category: Dale Earnhardt Jr. No Comments →

Have you ever played on a team where you down a good ways with little time left to make up the defecit? If you have, then you know where the #8 Budweiser Chevy team of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has been operating since about the time Kurt Busch and Company began to pick up the pace with about five races to go before the Chase was locked in.
I’d liken it to a football DOWN SIX with two minutes left. Imagine you’re Junior, and you have the ball. First and ten at your own 25. You can make it down field, but it won’t be easy. This was about when Junior finished 42nd at Watkins Glen. Akin to being sacked. It’s 2nd down and 20 at the 15. Ouch!
It’s O.K. because you’ve still got 3 downs to work with. On each succeeding play, you whittle down yardage, but still no first down, and you’re no where near the end zone. Since Watkins, Junior has finished 12th, 5th and 5th. For all intents and purposes, Dale Earnhardt, Junior is facing a 4th and 10 at his own 25 and we’ve got about :30 left in the game.
It all comes down to one play.
The odds are darn near impossible. 75 yards is a lot of ground to cover in one fell swoop. And yet, there have been touchdowns scored from further out, some starting as far back as the other end zone. Now keep up with me here, race fans, because I will translate this over in one minute. I just wanna say as a Denver Broncos football fan, I lived for comebacks, thanks to the skills and heart of one John Albert Elway. As long as he was my quarterback, there was always hope as long as the boys in orange and blue had the ball and there was time on the clock. Now if I were Teresa Earnhardt, I’d be calling a come back king like Elway, or Joe Montana or even Reggie Jackson, or maybe even Curt Schilling from those crazy 2004 Boston Red Sox to channel a little pep talk Junior’s way. But back to reality, though Teresa is not the evil one her detractors make her out to be, there can be no doubt, Junior has no interest in his step-mom’s involvement right now in any way, shape, or form. Heck, even calling up the coach of Junior’s beloved Redskins could prove inspirational. Oh wait……I think Coach Gibbs might be rooting for a black #11 Chevy, and that kinda chunky guy in the orange #20 car. Sorry, Pal.
Back to the story, it has been done. There is a ridiculously small chance that the #8 Bud car go on to nail down the #12 spot in the Chase. Lil’ “E” has run well in Richmond, and you can see that he’s run an inspired race in Fontana and Bristol. Somebody else has done all the math, and I won’t bore you with re-hashing it here, other than to say that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will have to run the best race he’s run all year from green flag to checkered to even stand a chance. And he has to do it from the 21st position with a car hat has not run well in practice, and with a driver that is reportedlly not feeling well.
Oh, and then there’s Kevin Harvick.
This is not real easy for me to say, but then it gives you an idea of how much I respect the driver of #29 Chevy to say that Harvick is a force to be reckoned with. Happy has had demons of his own on the race track this year (ahem, only one was named Juan Pablo Montoya), and my own opinion is his best moments of 2007 are way behind him- with his Daytona 500 win and the All-Star weekend prize. He’s had some back luck, some really uncooperative cars, and there are still days his temper gets the best of him. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t put up money against Kevin Harvick. He’s just too good. And he starts 8 positions ahead of the beloved driver in red.
What a story a Junior comeback would make- especially considering that (in the eyes of Earnhardt nation) the cars from the Evil Empire of Hendrick are running up front. Maming in the Cashe in Junior’s final season with the company his father founded would certainly be poetic justice. Hollywood would snap this story up in five seconds. We’d all be talking about it for the next 50 years- just like we do now about the inspirational driving of Harvick and Junior in the wake of the passing of The Intimidator in 2001.
Miracles still happen.
Will they tomorrow?
Speaking as a fan, I hope so.
Tune in tomorrow to find out.

The Buzz…….

September 06, 2007 By: Jim Category: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kenny Wallace, Ricky Rudd No Comments →

O.K., so even this dedicated NASCAR fan is feeling lazy today. I don’t have much in the way of creative juices, but here are the hot story lines heading into this weekend:

#1. A Praying Junior Nation. Some poor soul with too much time on his hands or one cushy job has figured out that Dale Earnhardt HAS to run VERY, VERY well, and Kevin Harvick has to really stink to get Junior. What a story this would be if it happened. The really difficult part of this equation is not a good performance by Junior, it’s the idea that Happy will tank here. Harvick has a good history at Richmond. Hmm….I wonder just how close Juan Pablo Montoya will be to the #29 car in the line-up. LOL!

#2. Ricky Rudd is out, Kenny Wallace is in.The big story here is that the man who once ran a race with his eyes taped open will miss his first race in forever. all you newbies, take note: back in the day, Ricky Rudd was a real competitive journeyman racer. He had a streak of 16 years in a row with at least one win (he’s won 23 overall), and he once had a streak of 788 consecutive starts. It stinks that his final laps have been marred with such misfortune. Do you suppose Rick Hendrick would take him back for a couple of races?
I remember watching my first NASCAR race at the age of 13, and by golly, ol’ Ricky Rudd was in it. I’ll miss having him and Sterling Marlin around!
Kenny Wallace, rumored to be NASCAR’s leading funny man and late of the #78 Furniture Row Chevy, will take the #88 car.
#3. Speaking of old drivers……Joe Nemechek will try to get the #78 car in the race (man all these changes will make your head spin).
#4. Toyota Talk.Yep, they’re still talking about the move to Toyota by Joe Gibbs Racing. Team leaders are o.k. with it, the racers are cool with it, the fans (especially the old schoolers) HATE IT!!!! They’re dreaming of a Tony Stewart walk-out. It’ll never happen people. Unless Toyota tanks. That won’t happen either.
#5. Earth to Gordon?Some hope the result of the last few weeks mean that Jeff Gordon will be unseated as the odds-on-favorite to win the championship this year. Now compared to #4, this has a greater chance of happening. In my humble opinion, it won’t.

Oh, you’ve gotta love it. The season’s far from over, and there’s still plenty of reasons to watch.

Keep it right here.

GIBBS- TOYOTA: A WINNING MATCH

September 05, 2007 By: Jim Category: Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 2 Comments →

What we’ve been hearing for months has become official today: beginning in 2008, Toyota will become a manufacturer for Joe Gibbs Racing, home to perennial Cup contender Tony Stewart, the up-and-coming Denny Hamlin, and soon to be home to Kyle Busch- regarded by some as the best young racer in the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit. The move ends Gibbs’ 15-year association with General Motors.

NASCAR purists are up in arms. Most fans of the traditional NASCAR bent have loathed the presence of the Japanese-based auto maker since the announcement came down that they would enter the world of NASCAR auto racing in 2007. I’ve read more than one comment that amounts to, “NASCAR is an American sport. Rice rockets don’t belong here.” The fact that Toyota cars have struggled this season has no doubt caused such individuals to snicker with glee. First, we had the Michael Waltrip Racing violation before the season even began. Second, Toyota being a bit behind the curve has resulted in several otherwise reliable drivers (Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip, and Jeremy Mayfield) struggling and often not making the field. Then, when they do, the good runs are short lived. How many times have we seen Brian Vickers and David Reutimann run well for short stretches, only to “peter out?” There’s also been more than one occasion where we’ve seen Dale Jarrett and Michael Waltrip encounter engine trouble. The maiden voyage of Toyota at NASCAR’s top level has a ride filled with sea sickness.

Given that, I’m sure that purists are questioning the sanity of Joe and J.D. Gibbs, who are putting their winning reputations on the line. I’m also sure they’re waiting for the outspoken Tony Stewart to go on some kind of strike. I mean, you can only imagine what Smoke’s reaction would be if he would run into the same problems that say, Jarrett has. You’d have to be thinking, what in the name of Dale Earnhardt is going on here?

Let me first of all say, this move has been a win for Toyota, because the switch by the Gibbs team to the makers of the Camry gives them a higher level of credibility. Purists would say “Duh.” There’s no comparing the brain trust that has produced 3 Nextel Cup championships (2 by Tony Stewart, 1 by Bobby Labonte) to Michael Waltrip Racing, Red Bull Racing, or Bill Davis. The JGR folks are proven winners and wouldn’t make the move if they thought it would ruin their standing as a top team.

It’s also a win for Gibbs as well. WHAT??? Think about it, after what has happened this year, don’t you think Toyota is HIGHLY motivated to produce a better product in 2008? No question about it! Do they have the engineering and the funds to pull it together? Hmmmm, since we’re talking about one of the top selling manufacturers in the world, I’d say, “Yes.” How about their track ecord elsewhere: the Craftsman Truck Series, for example. Toyota’s doing quite well there, thank you very much, and that’s just ONE example of how, after an adjustment or warming up period, Toyota kicks butt.

It’s real simple: Gibbs had a good gig with GM. This was not a move born of deperation or anything resembling it. I’m sure there were boatloads of cash involved and replete assurances by the manufacturer that they’d supply the product needed to continue JGR’s winning ways. Who could say no to that? It’s not like this move will destroy Chevrolet. You figure they still have Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing and DEI as top teams to represent them. I somehow think GM won’t miss Gibbs a whole lot.

So its real simple. Toyota gets a top team to work for, and Joe Gibbs gets a lot of money and support.

This marriage will work. Either that, or it will have the same shelf life of a Britney Spears union. Stay tuned.

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