by richard teague tinynascars@yahoo.com
It seems there have been more things happening in this first quarter of the NASCAR season than all of last year. Sure, each season starts off with a bang. Rumors and silliness started at the end of the previous year, but there has been some really weird stuff this year. Two things that we were looking forward to were Michael Waltrip and the rest of the Toyota teams in their first season. Everybody was saying that Toyota was going to spend big bucks to get a big jump in the Cup series, like in the CTS, but I don’t think they are getting their money’s worth so far. To be a real contender in the Nextel (formerly Winston and soon to be Sprint) Cup Series, Toyota needs much better stats.
As for MWR, they might be seeing the dark at the end of the tunnel real soon. There are rumors of NAPA going elsewhere since Waltrip hasn’t made a race yet. I haven’t heard how UPS feels with Dale Jarrett using his last provincial. How long will they stay if he doesn’t make races? And what about David Reutimann making the Talladega race? He was really running great until the motor blew. Can Toyota keep putting money in all three cars? I don’t think so. Granted, none of the sponsors have declared they will abandon ship yet, but like I said, it’s only a fourth of the way into the season. Things have got to change, otherwise MWR won’t last long and it won’t be a pretty sight for any of the parties involved.
I haven’t had the nerve to ask my dear friend John about Kasey Khane yet, only because rubbing salt in that wound might get him mad at me. But I will mention it here: Hey John, why is Kasey 31st in the standings? Could it be that Ray is too busy with Erin, as a former teammate mentioned last season? Is it that he’s busy trying to find a partner for his teams? What are Kahne’s troubles this year, I wonder? Will he be able to climb out of the hole and make the Chase? Sorry John, but I don’t think so. Kasey started off the season going back to wall-bashing school, which is kind of where he left-off last season.
Seems that he just can’t get enough of a break to put that Dodge up front for long enough to gain points. Nine races and he’s had one top ten with four at 31st or worse and a couple in the twenties. That don’t get ya to the Chase. He did move up two spots this week, after a 12th place, but what is going on with Evernham Motorsports? Same goes for Scott Riggs sitting in 36th place. I had hoped he would have a good year with Ray, but he can’t catch up any better than Khane. It’s a different story with Elliott Sadler, who is sitting up at 15th so far. And with the new Chase format, he could make the show. Kasey better hurry up. Then again, we’re only a ¼ of the way done. What has Elliott been getting that the other two ain’t? Sounds like Roush Racing if you ask me.
Now let’s talk about what everyone else is: the barrage of missiles that have been coming at Jeff Gordon for the past two weeks. I voiced my feelings last week, after he tied Earnhardt for wins, but when he made it 77 at ‘Dega this week, why did it happen again? Are there really that many people that don’t like Gordon? Come on people, grow up, will ya? What is the logic behind throwing beer cans at the winner of a race? Some thought it was the way the race ended and others say because he beat Dale’s record, but why would those be any reasons for doing such a dumb thing? That’s like riding down an interstate and getting a brick thrown at you from an overpass by some moron. It has got to stop.
One guy, I read, really jumped on those people’s case about it, and rightfully so. But he went just a bit too far when he said what NASCAR might do. He said that the cost of lawsuits and insurance for races would make ticket prices go up. Between added security and raised ticket prices, the real fans that go to races would be paying for what a few did. He’s right about all that, but aren’t prices up already? NASCAR isn’t going to act in this manner, they are going to make it so that you won’t be able to bring anything through the gate to a race except a cushion for your butt. Then they’ll make you pay big money for THEIR refreshments.
Please people, the ones that make it hard on others, stop with all this B.S. and accept the winner without the flurry of solid objects on the track. And all you that are next to them, point them out to the cops and officials so they can go to jail, just like the ones in Talladega last week. Hopefully all this will stop, otherwise NASCAR will make it stop and the only ones that will pay will be you, not those sickos that are causing the problem. You ask what you can do when the guy next to you throws something? Hit them in the head with your cooler! Trip them down the stands so they won’t make it back next week to do it again. Whatever you do, don’t just sit there, dang it!
There’s just too much stuff to mention in my little space, so I’ve saved the best for last. The DEI & RYR seems to be working out, and man I hope it goes through. But not like y’all think. Yates has confirmed that there are talks with DEI and vice versa, so what’s the hold up? Getter Dun! These two teams need to get back into racing. With a joint venture I really think they can do it, but it may cost some real big changes on both sides. First, Robert Yates and Jack Roush have buried the hatchet, so to speak, for the past few years and have been building motors to supply teams, so Robert has either got to burn that bridge or strengthen it. Y’all may not like the way they do that, but I bet you one billion dollars there is a manufacturer that would love it.
Now, DEI would have to sour the taste in people’s mouths to proceed in the right direction. They should switch to Fords. Ford Motor Company has got Roush Racing and that’s why you think of Ford when you think of NASCAR. Those Ford Boys are working on a deal to join their camp that would make any owner’s mouth water. We know that Teresa Earnhardt is a businesswoman, money talks and loyalty walks with her, so get ready to see some DEI Fords next year. As for Junior, I don’t foresee him in a #8 Budweiser Fusion COT in 2008, but you never know. With the way this year is going he may just move on to RCR, Gibbs or another Chevrolet team. Hey, what about Hendrick Motorsports? Can’t you just picture Jr. and JJ with Jeffy next year? Nah, me neither.
I may be wrong and he could get his way with Teresa and have that 51% he wants, but can he or would he drive a Ford? We know it ain’t going to be no Toyota (or could it be?). Like I’ve been saying this week, we’re only a fourth of the way in and with 27 more races and three quarters of a season remaining… Dang, I wish I hadn’t lost my crystal ball. If we are having this much fun with the stuff going on so far, can you even wait for the next quarter to come along? It will be like Christmas or a blind date. Maybe it will be a NASCAR Silly Season for the rest of the year, but on a magnitude that will shake the timbers of NASCAR. I didn’t even get to talk about the AT&T lawsuit.
Just one more thing before I’m done, a little something that me Mate in OZ (Australia) emailed about. I’ll quote him here, if you don’t mind, because I don’t want to get it wrong. “That commentator for the Busch series, Dr Jerry Punch, always says that Marcos Ambrose is ‘from a small island south of Australia called Tasmania’...this is kinda correct, as it is south and it is an island, but it is part of Australia and is one of our states, so this makes Ambrose an Australian! It would be the same as saying ‘someone from Hawaii...that small island west of America,’ when in fact it is a US state! “ OK Pete, I put it down for ya Mate. Maybe the Doctor will get it right the next time.
Now let’s get this right: if you need me, you can get me at tinynascars@yahoo.com, but most important: If it ain’t NASCAR, It ain’t s**t!
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