(For that matter, why is Vickers a bad guy?)
“Dude, that is SO messed up!” “What are you thinking?” “What’s up? Do you think being popular makes you the God of NASCAR?”- That was me screaming at the TV right after the Daytona 500 incident between Dale Jr. and Brian Vickers. I SLAMMED my Bobby Labonte Interstate Batteries baseball cap to the floor in disgust.
Then I watched the replay. I watched it again. And again, breaking down every move. It’s a good thing I have my own two eyes to evaluate what happened, because I’ve already heard all manner of outrageous opinions on both sides of the coin.
It’s darn near impossible to prove intent. You can watch the replay and make the case for whatever you want. Junior Nation is standing by their man, and the anti-Junior crowd is more emboldened than ever to call him “overrated”, “a bad driver,” and one blogger even had the nerve to call NASCAR’s favorite son a “spoiled brat.”
Ah, the joys of the First Admendment.
I still say they are both at fault. Just because you CAN block, doesn’t mean you SHOULD. I also think Junior has more car control smarts than he displayed last Sunday.
To be honest with you, it changes nothing and begs more than a few questions:
If we say we want emotion, if we want old-fashioned fender-banging racing, isn’t this kind of stuff is bound to happen? If “rubbin’ is racin’” then I need help in understanding why what happened has suddenly made Dale Earnhardt Jr. the worst driver in NASCAR. Is what happened really much different than the Allison- Yarborough tussle in ‘79? What about the old Petty- Pearson battles?
NASCAR is often accused of being inconsistent with their rules. I think the standard among fans is a similar moving target. All the uproar over this incident is because it involved the sport’s most popular racer, a driver with a reputation for racing cleanly, and because those who dislike him have been looking for an excuse to demonize him.
If you want emotion, Vickers and Earnhardt showed lots of it. If you’re tired of politically correct behavior and plasticity, these two are about as anti- politically correct as they get. Vanilla? Hell no. These guys are tutti-fruity and spumoni. If you want fender-rubbin’ here’s Exhibit A. If you want a rivalry, well, I guess you can call this one.
You may be inclined to disagree, and I don’t care if you do- but it’s just quite possible that this controversy is just what we’ve been looking for.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Way to take a step back and regroup. Everyone has that initial burst of emotion. That said…
I agree they were both to blame for something that I don’t think needs to be over examined. It’s Daytona. It’s racing. It happens. I can understand giving someone the “what-for” on intentionaly and pre-meditated rough driving. However, the Vickers/Jr bumping was Vickers initiating a block which caused contact and Jr gathering his car up back into the racing area causing contact. It is what it is… It didn’t take Jr a half a lap or more to get steady and then decide to nudge Vickers bumper… It was a mere moment of reacting by both of them. If they still have issues, Bristol is right around the corner.
It should not have been done by lapded cars. Good reason to change the rule and move the lapped cars to the rear to duke it out. The difference between ‘79 & ‘09 was in ‘79 it was the last lap & for the lead.
Whether in NASCAR or me driving down the road, the guy in the back is always in the wrong (legally).
They all block whether they should or shouldn’t. Kyle Busch was blocking both lanes every time he got the lead.
If you really want to take the blame off Jr so bad, just blame restrictor plate racing.
with the rain coming that was as close to a pass for the lead on the last lap as it can get and this blame game is ridiculas vickers didn’t need to block any more than junior had to stay in the gas given the split second this all happened in makes it a racing deal just like it does when it happens to other drivers and by the way i could care less if junior or vickers ever race again because i’m a race fan who thinks hero worship is for losers
Well someone that understands what racing is all about. Whether it is lapped cars or going for the lead in the race it really does not matter. What matters is that it is look upon as a racing incident. Both drivers are at fault and both drivers should share the blame. This kind of fender rubbing, crashing and banging is what made NASCAR what it is today. This is why NASCAR is the most popular form of motorsports in North America. If anything the top series has gotten away from this because of the sponsers and corporate America wanting a stand up, well spoken robot to help sell their products. To me now the best racing series in NASCAR currently is the trucks, these guys are not afraid to mix it up and rub sheet metal. They put on a great show for the fans!
For everyone who uses the term “rubbin’ is racin”, you should know that this comment did not come from your beloved Dale Earnhardt, it was a line from the movie Days Of Thunder. On short tracks, incidental contact will happen. On superspeedways, any contact should be looked upon as a bad thing and should not be tolerated. Junior caused himself to be in the position he was in. He should say he screwed up and move on. All the whimpering he and his groupies are doing really make him look like a very little e.
I loked at it sevearl times. Jr had his nose inside Vickers quarter. If you watch when Vickers came down he hit Jrs car. That does not give the right to wreck Vickers, but he should have pulled back into his lane. Vickers spotter messed up by telling him inside!!!!!!!!! Quote from Terry Labonte I guess he caught me he was faster than me” Bristol Race. Think about it, if Vickers was such a good driver do think Mr. Hendrick would have let him go!
I have no problem with anything that happens in the heat of the race! However, after this incident between two one-lap-down competitors which takes out lead-lap cars, I lost all interest in the race. Had it been between two lead-lap cars I may have remained interested. The action of this incident wrecked the chances of competitors that deserve better. How hopeless the feeling must be for all the teams affected. I would say that both Vickers and Jr. should be ashamed that their driving skills, or lack of, caused such havoc and would hope they both learned important lessons on what not to do again. The Daytona 500 should be won by “deserving” racers not recipients of dumb luck! One lap down cars should start behind lead lap cars on all restarts!
When did blocking become OK! If you want to block, go play football. I know in most racing rules if you change you line your black flaged. The problem is you’ve got Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrup boosting they did it and got away with it. Them two need to put a sock in it and not ok some of these driving styles. I just hope this sends a message STOP THE BLOCKING!
THANK GOD…. Finally, someone has their head screwed on right!!!
Good post Jim!
Ditto what Kyle said !
You called it right JimmyMac !!!!
GR88T post !!
Hey Jack (#9):
Racing is the act of executing a slalom course with your fellow competitors as pylons. Anything else is time trials or drag racing. Blocking is not only legal, but it is the part of racing that shows how much you deserve that trophy.Vickers Blocked; Jr. punted… end of story.
If Jr had stayed on the track and hit Vickers, everyone would have called it a ‘racing deal’, even if all the leaders got taken out. If Jr, after being forced down, had held that hook a little longer, the Brain would have slid harmlessly into the infield, everyone , again, would of said it was a ‘racing deal’, and Jr. would of gotten the ‘lucky dog’. Jr’s muscle-memory probably had this figured out, but his brain kicked-in and ruined it.
Too bad.
Rubbin is racin but recking and driver in the frunt of the fiel because you are mad is not Rubbin.
Good article Jim…Fans whine they are sick of the “boring” racing with the “CON” Car of Now and NA$CAR has taken the excitment of racing away from them. The CON can’t pass, there’s no action, blah, blah, blah. Well y’all got your action @ the 500 and now y’all are blaming either Vickers or Jr. Neither is the bad guy! It was a racing incident! Get over it! NA$CAR puts these rules in, regarding lapped cars, etc. You don’t like them, contact NA$CAR, they’d love to hear from ya. The drivers are out there to WIN, not to be PC or Buddies on the track, but to WIN…IF NOT, they should be racing the Tea Cups at Disney.
Oh…and if you take the opinions from the talking heads in the booth, that’s your 1st big mistake. Have a good day now.