Race React: Happy Birthday Ford!

by Jim on June 17, 2013 · 0 comments

How fitting that on the 110th birthday of the Ford Motor Company, Greg Biffle gets Ford their 1,000 NASCAR Cup victory. This caps off a period of resurgence for the manufacturer that got out of the gate slow to start 2013. Not only was Biffle good Sunday, we saw a good amount of Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and even a dash of Ricky Stenhouse near the front.

For anyone paying attention, Danica Patrick ended up running better than her fellow rookie boyfriend Stenhouse. The former Indy car racer finished 13th, while the former Nationwide Series stud fell back to 16th. Not really a fan of the number 10, but by the same token, I can’t say I bear the same animus towards Danica.

Those who bear ill will towards Hendrick Motorsports had a good day yesterday. Jeff Gordon got caught up in Bobby Labonte’s mess, Kasey Kahne tagged the wall while in the lead, Dale Junior blew a motor and Jimmie Johnson blew a Goodyear while trying to reel in the Biff. For all Jimmie’s misfortune, he’s still running nicely out front in a meaningless points race.

Yep, Tony Stewart is truly back. He said his car wasn’t top five quality, but he kept his ride free from carnage and reeled off a top five. Wild card? Who needs it? Smoke is stout for summer. Another guy known for nursing less than stellar cars to top finishes, Kevin Harvick found himself the beneficiary of Jimmie’s foul fortune for a handy second place finish.

Did anybody else noticed Jeff Burton finished tenth? It seems like a million years since he won a race, but I am noticing he’s getting closer than he’s been in a while, and between all the penalties and back luck, who knows? He could end up in the Chase.

Has Toyota found the happy medium? Well, let’s put it this way: Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer all made the top ten. Kenseth, Truex and Busch didn’t appear to have winning cars, but were solid all day. Truex lamented that he had a good long run car, but just didn’t have it for the short ones.

Speaking of Toyota, you can all but stick a fork in Denny Hamlin. In light of his injury, what he’s doing is nothing short of remarkable. It’s just too darn hard to make up a four race absence. Would he be better off taking more time off to heal? I don’t think his competitive nature will let him.

Did anyone else notice A.J. Allmendinger ran 19th in the 47? It’s things like that that make you wonder what that says about Bobby Labonte. Yes, this fan is in denial. I thought it was a bit amusing when TNT’s Adam Alexander said the Labonte’s spin that collected Jeff Gordon was a wreck combining the winners of five Cup championships. Ahem, Gordon won four those. With that said, in this opinion, if you win a season championships, you’re Hall of Fame caliber. It’s definitely not a blind squirrel finding a nut moment. I’m just saying.

By the way, I thought TNT’s broadcast was much better this go around. Without picking on anybody else, I appreciate the cable networks less carnival like, buttoned down approach. I REALLY like the “through the field” feature. I also think TNT does a better job than the others of chronicling races for position behind the leaders.

I call it “Race React,” because this is just this obsever’s off-the-cuff reaction to what he saw. Feel free to throw in anything else you noticed from Sunday.

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Conversation In The Nation: NASCAR’s Smartest Drivers?

by Jim on June 15, 2013 · 6 comments

Edwards at MISMichigan pole-sitter Carl Edwards made recent appearance on the Discovery Channels “Big Brain Theory.” As I understand it, Edwards served as a judge for a competition involving, naturally, cars. It got me to wondering……

Who are (in your opinion) the smartest drivers in NASCAR? I have a top five list (not necessarily in order) of my own to get the conversation flowing…..

1. Carl Edwards- Did you know the one time Missouri Tiger was once a substitute teacher? You don’t need to be licensed for the job, but suffice it to say you can’t be a dummy and teach either. Regardless of whether you think he’s genuine or fake, the Columbia native is always well-spoken and has the manners to shed his shades while doing an interview. If you need further proof…..he’s married to a doctor. Kate works with patients who are recovering from brain injuries.

2. Tony Stewart- I give Smoke the nod for his business acumen. Not only is he of course very involved with the racing team (Stewart Haas) that bears his name, he is also owner of the famous dirt track at Eldora. Not much is said about any formal post-high school education, but there’s ample evidence to suggest Tony has good “people sense.” He’s hired well for his organization, and the way he plays the media is the stuff of legend.

3. Ryan Newman- How many drivers can actually boast of possessing a college degree. “Rocket” can, and we’re not talking Underwater Basket Weaving from Inebriated State. The Indiana native matriculated at Purdue and earned a B.S. degree in Engineering. As I‘ve heard it told, his emphasis had to do with automobile chassis. Whether or not Newman has ever put the knowledge to use, only his crew would know, but still, getting a degree like that says something good about his gray matter.

4. Jeff Burton- He’s called “The Mayor.” As far as we know, Burton has never sat behind a desk at South Boston City Hall, but he’s been known for years as one of NASCAR’s most outspoken drivers of issues of safety. Persisting rumors have it that one day the Virginia Republican may throw his hat in the ring. Hopefully, he enjoys greater success than Richard Petty did when he ran for North Carolina Secretary of State.

5. Mark Martin- Huh? Think about it, the man is in his mid-50s and he still races. Most fans know the Flying Wrinkle is a fitness fiend, having sworn off beer and cheeseburgers years ago. Martin’s proclivity for weight lifting has become contagious, as you hear of more and more drivers developing a workout routine and competing in sports outside of NASCAR. He may not top the list for book smarts, but for being smart enough to live a well-balanced life and take care of himself, Mark Martin makes my list.

The list by no means ends here. Kurt Busch once considered a career in pharmacy. Kurt’s brother Kyle had a 4-plus point GPA while he was doing his high school studies at home as he was trying to get his racing career started. You can also make an argument for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his business IQ.

What say you? By no means is this to be taken all that seriously. All these guys may really be that smart or as dumb as a bag of doughnuts, who really knows?

It makes for a fun discussion though.

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Junior, Leffler, & Other Random Thoughts

by Jim on June 14, 2013 · 4 comments

As this is being written, two Juniors- Martin Truex and Dale Earnhardt- are topping the leaderboard in opening practice. Could this be the weekend two long victory droughts come to an end? Either one would make a great story. I spoke too soon. Now, I see Kahne has raced to the top; there’s another guy expect to see in victory lane again very soon.

Am I the only who’s noticed that when Dale Jr. does post-race interviews these days, he’s making eye contact and not staring at the ground anymore? It’s good to see a man racing with confidence again. It also strikes me how aware of his fans he is. Of course, rare is the driver who has his own “Nation.”

My heart goes out to Charlie Dean Leffler. That first Father’s Day without your dad is a tough one, in my experience. I really hope one of “Left Turn’s” friends from the racing world keeps in touch with Charlie as the years go, and keeps the memories of Jason alive; especially with Charlie so young at the time of his dad’s passing. Jason Leffler’s love for his son was very apparent, and he was a fierce competitor who made the most out of what he had to work with.

Leffler’s passing is a reminder of the risk that comes with racing. May we never take for granted the days all the drivers walk away. It is certainly not a given.

On a happier note, congratulations to Trevor Bayne and his bride. How sweet it is to win the week following your nuptials.

Regarding TNT’s coverage of NASCAR, I’m a bit perplexed that a national network struggles the way they do in the their first broadcast of the season, seemingly almost every year. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable expectation, given the time they have to prepare to have a better presented telecast. Don’t get me wrong, I personally enjoy the commentary of Wally Dallenbach and Kyle Petty; and I also think Adam Alexander is a work in progress in transitioning from pit reporter to play-by-play guy. Because I work in broadcasting for a living, and know what’s involved, I’d like to think of myself one willing to cut a network some slack. I am just disappointed in what seemed like a disjointed and uneven production last Sunday. While it’s nice to have FOX’s carnival act in mothballs, a cleaner performance by TNT would sure be refreshing. Hopefully, they got the bugs worked out and this Sunday will be better. In more than one way, Michigan has to be better than Pocono.

Brad Keselowski’s comments about Hendrick and Gibbs pilfering employees and information away from the Ford teams raises a few eyebrows. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear Bad Brad has been hanging out with Jack Roush. I’ve always found the Cat In The Hat’s conspiratorial fixation with Toyota to look as silly as Mr. Rooney’s fixation with Ferris Bueller. Love ya Brad, but remember, this is a free country. Nobody is holding a gun to anybody’s head and Ford can always pursue Chevy and Toyota people.

Weather looks like it could be a factor this weekend. Here’s hoping wherever you are, you are say and sound, and that you enjoy the racing this weekend.

Until we meet again, have a great weekend, and be safe.

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