Patrick wants Danica, then BY GAWD, he’ll get Danica!
Holy Humping Hamburgers, Batman!
Welcome to the home of cheap laughs, grease and Chinese food in really small containers. I’m your host with the most for another exciting venture into the world of stock car auto racing, plus a little open wheel coverage for Patrick Nguyen and the millions of red-blooded males that salivate at the sight of a really hot woman in a really fast car. We’ve got a lot on tap this week (partially to make up for missing our little date two weeks ago, along with last week’s little snafu, which I’ll get to in a moment), all of which includes a look at some of the major stories that broke over the week (and there were some big time news bits out there this past week), a quick review of Pocono, along with final analysis on the NASCAR All Star Challenge/Nextel Open and the rest of Speed Weeks coverage, plus a really comprehensive look into the next to last NASCAR on FOX broadcast in 2005! Plus all the other useless junk that takes up space in this here bad boy!
But before we begin, let’s discuss last week’s rather unique diatribe against the regime known as NASCAR. Generally, most people were either understanding (ie Nguyen) or downright glad to see me finally come to the light (ie Eric). Surprisingly, I haven’t gotten any emails or comments as to how I’m just a frustrated redneck that hates the idea of those damn Yankees getting our sport. That wasn’t the point of the column, nor is it representative of my personal opinions to begin with. I think Patrick Nguyen nailed the sentiment best with his response in his latest digs, which can be found here. It’s not that they’re leaving their roots, per se. More or less, it’s that they’re trying to ignore their roots altogether. That’s what put a bug up my ass. But thanks to everyone who commented, regardless. Now then, old to new business that deals with another old topic.
The following was originally meant for the Pocono weekend column
Now then, to explain my absence last week (and no, it wasn’t because I still haven’t finished the RaceDay Pulse, more on that too). I spent a considerable amount of time sick over the past week, and thanks in no short part to the lack of rest I received (I spent damn near 35 hours straight), I was pretty much a mess most of last week. I’m finally back to 75 % or so, and work has resumed on the RaceDay Pulse for the races in question. There is no Dover Pulse however, since I didn’t bother watching but twenty laps of the race before I finally conked out for good on Sunday afternoon. With this introduction being wrote on Wednesday, the RaceDay Pulse and this very column will be up Saturday afternoon, so have no fear. Speed Addict is here! With that, let’s crank it up…
NASCAR Stat Tracker
This is the latest experimental feature here at Speed Addicts, and is pretty much what helped keep me sane this week while my good friend Adam flew back home. To Jamaica (insert *tear* here). So while he’s sitting fine in Negril getting drunk, I’m here to bring you the feature so hot, it makes Danica Patrick look like the love child of Kurt Busch and Lord Alfred Hayes: NASCAR Stat Tracker! Here’s how it works…
Each week, we’ll take a look at a driver or a team of drivers, and track their progress through the course of the week. In this, we’ll be looking for their car performance in the practice sessions, Qualifying position, Happy Hour runs, any and all implementations performed during the week due to accidents or failures, and general buzz from trackside. Hopefully, this will give you an idea as to who to put your money on and who not to, though I’d really watch the SPEED Channel before making stupid choices with your money. With that said, we’ll randomly select today’s victim(s)…
And the winner is: Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated!
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
#08 Budweiser Chevrolet
Position in Points: 16th (as of Pocono)
Crew Chief: Steve Hmiel
Best Finish: 3rd Place (Daytona 500)
Worst Finish: 42nd Place (UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 – Las Vegas)
Best Qualifying Position: 5th Place (Daytona 500)
Worst Qualifying Position: 40th Place (Auto Club 500 – California)
2004 Finish at Michigan: 21st Place
2004 Qualifying Run at Michigan: 11th Place
2005 Qualifying Position: 41st Place
Dark days have descended over the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet camp, and for good reason. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has attempted to shake things up within DEI by orchestrating a “crew-swap” with teammate and occasional sparring partner Michael Waltrip. Unfortunately, Junior and new crew chief Pete Rondeau could not find a successful formula together, and Rondeau was ditched two weeks ago for Steve Hmiel, father of rookie Nextel Cup competitor Shane Hmiel. As of Pocono, Dale Jr. still sits without a win in the 2005 Nextel Cup Season, and is preparing to race at one of his worst tracks, historically.
Analysis: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not a wise selection this week or next if you’re running an office pool. Despite his troubles in 2005, Junior seems to struggle on the wide-open Superspeedway circuits (Michigan and its sister track, California). Michigan, unlike its larger counterparts in Talladega and Daytona, uses no restrictor plate, which virtually eliminates the type of draft racing that you will see during a restrictor plate race. For some reason, Dale can’t seem to compensate for this deficiency. In his run earlier this year at California, Junior not only posted the worst qualifying position of the year (starting on the second to last row in 40th), but also suffered the first of his tire problems, cutting two left front tires down during the course of the race, and damaging the aerodynamically vital design of the car and effecting its airflow. In other words, he tore up the car, in an eerily similar matter to the way he damaged his car at Pocono. Unfortunately for Junior, what culminated in a poor run at California is likely a forerunner to the troubles he’ll encounter at Michigan.
Junior was 35th fastest in the first practice at Michigan this week, posting a speed of 186.047 MPH, a full 1.2 seconds slower than the fastest driver in practice (and eventual pole sitter) Ryan Newman. With speeds nearing 195 MPH during race conditions with draft considerations, Junior’s car is just not up to par with the leaders. His qualifying effort of 188.260 MPH was a minor improvement from his practice runs, but his overall pickup on the fastest cars only registered at 1.176 Seconds off the leader’s pace. Though he gained nearly two miles per hour on his lap speed, his overall improvement was only .024 seconds, which lands him at the back of the field in provisional land. Even worse, Junior’s performance decreased in Happy Hour, where he posted a top speed under simulated conditions at 185.610 MPH, which is 1.3 seconds slower than co-leaders Ryan Newman and Jeremy Mayfield in Happy Hour. This indicates that Junior isn’t running as well with other cars as he is turning laps by himself, a major problem considering the nature of Michigan. With his car running nearly a second and a half slow, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not only be left behind by the field, but with the seemingly consistent fall-off in his car’s performance so far this week, it will take a near-miracle to configure the car in a set-up that may provide Junior a chance to win. If anything, though, Junior does have a sort of resiliency about him that sometimes keeps him in the hunt for a win. Unless a major change is performed between now and the drop of the green flag, though, Junior will not fare well at Michigan. Race Prognosis: Poor.
Martin Truex, Jr.
#01 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Chevrolet
Position in Points: 42nd (as of Charlotte)
Crew Chief: Kevin Manion
Best Finish: 7th Place (Coca-Cola 600 – Charlotte)
Worst Finish: 34th Place (Daytona 500)
Best Qualifying Position: 10th Place (Daytona 500)
Worst Qualifying Position: 32nd Place (Aaron’s 499 – Talladega)
2004 Finish at Michigan: N/A
2004 Qualifying Run at Michigan: N/A
2005 Qualifying Position: Not Running
Michael Waltrip
#15 NAPA Chevrolet
Position in Points: 15th (as of Pocono)
Crew Chief: Tony Eury, Jr.
Best Finish: 2nd Place (Subway Fresh 500 – Phoenix)
Worst Finish: 38th Place (Auto Club 500 – California)
Best Qualifying Position: 1st Place (Pocono 500)
Worst Qualifying Position: 38th Place (Aaron’s 499 – Talladega)
2004 Finish at Michigan: 10th Place
2004 Qualifying Run at Michigan: 19th Place
2005 Qualifying Position: 30th Place
Although their standings in the points are close to being identical, the 2005 season has seen the rise of stock in the Michael Waltrip camp, two season-starting DNF’s at Daytona and California be damned. With a mix of bad finishes sprinkled here and there, Waltrip has come on strong as of late, securing six Top 10 finishes so far, including strong finishes at Texas (6th), Phoenix (2nd), Talladega (3rd), Richmond (9th), and Pocono (5th). He also logged a 7th Place finish at Atlanta, helping boost him to 15th in the Nextel Cup Points Standing, a mark which he hasn’t set for himself in two years. Although Michigan has given DEI Cup drivers problems in the past, Michael is riding a wave of success that may translate in a victory at the Superspeedway in Brooklyn.
Analysis: Though Michael’s car is nowhere near the top of the leader board as pertains to individual times and speeds, Waltrip seems to be in far better shape than his teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. He finished his first practice session as the 27th fastest, logging a top speed at 186.611 MPH. That’s a 1.115 Seconds differential between himself and the leader. Though he qualified 30th in the field, his individual lap speed clocked in at 190.491 MPH. Compared to the leader Ryan Newman’s qualifying time, Waltrip actually closed the distance between he and Newman to .728 seconds. And despite falling off slightly from the leader with a 188.324 MPH top speed in Happy Hour (falling back to .751 seconds behind the leader), Waltrip actually logged in as the 24th fastest in the session, showing measurable improvement from his previous runs. Though his car is not likely strong enough to finish in the Top Five, Waltrip may be able to find his way to a Top 15 finish. Anything stronger would require luck and several cautions that would shake up the order of the field. Of the DEI contingent, Waltrip has the strongest chance to win. Race Prognosis: Moderate.
Track Profile: Michigan (aka Old California)
Location – Brooklyn, Michigan (Irish Hills)
Date Opened – October 13th, 1968
Designed By – Charles Moneypenny
Infield/Exterior Road Course Designer – Stirling Moss
First NASCAR Event – June 15th, 1969
Winner – Cale Yarborough
Banking – 18 Degrees
Distance – 2.0 Miles
Design – Tri Oval
“Sister” Track – California Speedway
Misc. – Michigan International Speedway boasts not one, but two road courses: a 3.0 mile exterior road course, along with the capability of creating two 1.9 mile interior road courses. The road courses, though no longer raced on, are used by Michigan Law Enforcement for traffic testing purposes.
Michigan International Speedway was originally constructed in 1968 for a cost of $4-6 Million. It’s initial proprietor and prime investor was a man by the name of Lawrence LoPatin, whose vision for a speedway in the Irish Hills of Michigan called for a 2.0 mile tri-oval to be built, with steep banking at 18 degrees, and a geographical setting that would put it in close proximity to Detroit, Chicago, the Midwest, and even Canada. The original Michigan Int’l Speedway had a seating capacity right at 25,000 people. It’s 12,000 seat grandstand, along with two smaller grandstands on either side, made it a profitable venue by 1960’s standards, though NASCAR would consider it low today, even by Busch Series standards. Over the course of thirty five years worth of renovations and improvements, the seating capacity has jumped to the 137,000 mark, making it one of the bigger race locations on the circuit.
There have been three “regimes” in the history of Michigan International Speedway. After LoPatin’s American Raceways, Inc. declared for bankruptcy in 1971, Roger Penske (the same Penske as referred to in today’s NASCAR), bought the track for roughly $2 Million. My, how times change, no? Anyways, Penske, who was perhaps more of a visionary than the ambitious LoPatin was, set out immediately on track renovations in the midst of the 1970’s Oil Crisis. The seating capacity jumped to 125,000 during his reign, along with the modernization of the track. Luxury suites, new garages, control towers, fan amenities, and entrance pavilions, among other itineraries would implemented at the speedway over the years, helping make Michigan one of the most profitable race markets in the process. Michigan was so profitable, in fact, that Penske used the track as concept designs for two other tracks; California Speedway (which he had built in the mid 1990s) and the former Busch staple-pin Nazareth Speedway in Pennsylvania (which he actually rescued from bankruptcy). By 1998, Penske owned forty-five percent of Miami-Homestead, and even bought outright the much maligned North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham.
Penske, who had taken his company, Penske Motorsports Inc. public in 1998, eventually orchestrated a deal that would allow his company to merge with the nation’s most prolific speedway ownership group, International Speedway Corporation. ISC was founded by a man all NASCAR fans should know about, Bill France (the luminary responsible for, among other things, Daytona International Raceway and the formation of NASCAR). It was under the ISC reign (which remains the current operator of the speedway) that the “International” was inserted back into the name of the track. Penske had a sort of quirk about him, which necessitated that all his tracks simply went by Speedway. Hence, the reason why California is known not as California International or California Motor, but merely California Speedway. Yet regardless of the ownership or the name of the track, the Michigan formula has been a huge money-maker for over three decades now. With the incorporation of all the new amenities over the course of its history, Michigan International has come a long, long way from it’s initial conception. And though California may be one of NASCAR’s favorite new tracks, most fans, Southern or otherwise, will always accept Michigan as the real crown jewel of Penske Motorsports Inc.
Race #15 of 36: Batman Begins 400 from Michigan
Date: Saturday, May 21st, 2005 from Charlotte, North Carolina
Time: 7:00 PM on FX
Distance: 2.0 Miles (200 Laps = 400 Miles)
Pole Sitter: Ryan Newman (189.208 MPH)
2004 Winner: Ryan Newman (DHL 400 – June 20th, 2004)
Busch Race Winner: Carl Edwards (Kentucky)
It’s Michigan, looking and feeling as good as it’s going to get. Barring a miracle of epic proportions, you can rest assured that DEI will not be putting a driver in victory lane today. This is one of those tracks that have become a mini-version of NASCAR on the whole. It’s a track that sees an established star win here almost always; last year, it was Ryan Newman in a romp, followed by Jimmie Johnson pasting the field. Over the course of the week, Newman again has been fastest, though Tony Stewart and Jeremy Mayfield have made leaps and bounds as well. I’ve been preaching for weeks that Tony Stewart will finally end his cold streak, and this may very well be the race that I finally guess right. Of course, my unofficial dark horse is Matt Kenseth, because the poor guy needs a break here or there.
Predicted Top Five
1. Tony Stewart
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Greg Biffle
4. Jeremy Mayfield
5. Kasey Kahne
Dark Horse – Matt Kenseth
Bud Pole Award Qualifying Results from Michigan
01. #12 Ryan Newman – ALLTEL Dodge
02. #41 Casey Mears – Target Dodge
03. #20 Tony Stewart – The Home Depot Chevrolet
04. #9 Kasey Kahne – Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge
05. #19 Jeremy Mayfield – Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge
06. #18 Bobby Labonte – Interstate Batteries Chevrolet
07. #25 Brian Vickers – GMAC/ditech.com Chevrolet
08. #7 Robby Gordon – Menards Chevrolet
09. #24 Jeff Gordon – DuPont Chevrolet
10. #91 Bill Elliott – McDonald’s Dodge
11. #01 Joe Nemechek – U.S. Army Chevrolet
12. #2 Rusty Wallace – Miller Lite Dodge
13. #97 Kurt Busch – Sharpie/IRWIN Industrial Tools Ford
14. #88 Dale Jarrett – UPS Ford
15. #6 Mark Martin – Batman Begins/Pfizer Ford
16. #48 Jimmie Johnson – Lowe’s Chevrolet
17. #5 Kyle Busch – Kellogg’s Chevrolet
18. #38 Elliott Sadler – M&M’s Ford
19. #43 Jeff Green – Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge
20. #0 Mike Bliss – NetZero Best Buy Chevrolet
21. #17 Matt Kenseth – Carhartt Ford
22. #22 Scott Wimmer – Caterpillar Dodge
23. #99 Carl Edwards – AAA/Office Depot Ford
24. #42 Jamie McMurray – Home123 Corp. Dodge
25. #16 Greg Biffle – National Guard/Charter Communications Ford
26. #11 Jason Leffler – FedEx/Kinko’s Chevrolet
27. #32 Bobby Hamilton Jr. – Tide Chevrolet
28. #29 Kevin Harvick – GM Goodwrench Chevrolet
29. #10 Scott Riggs – Valvoline Chevrolet
30. #15 Michael Waltrip – NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet
31. #23 Mike Skinner – History Channel AutoManiac Dodge
32. #45 Kyle Petty – Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge
33. #31 Jeff Burton – Beneficial/Cingular Chevrolet
34. #21 Ricky Rudd – Motorcraft/Rent-A-Center Ford
35. #66 Mike Garvey – Peak Fitness Ford
36. #07 Dave Blaney – Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktail Chevrolet
37. #77 Travis Kvapil – Kodak/Jasper Engines Dodge
38. #49 Ken Schrader – Schwan’s Home Service Dodge
39. #37 Kevin Lepage – Patron Tequila Dodge
40. #40 Sterling Marlin – Coors Light Dodge
41. #8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. – Budweiser Chevrolet
42. #4 Mike Wallace – Lucas/Wide Open Energy Drink Chevrolet
43. #151 Stuart Kirby – Marathon Multipower-3 HD Motor Oil Chevrolet
Inside Pulse’s NASCAR Power Rankings
1. Greg Biffle
Like, oh my God! Biffle didn’t win at Pocono! What the Hell happened?
2. Carl Edwards
Did I just make a joke about Greg Biffle? My Lord, what has the world came to. Mister Edwards, by the way, just won the Pocono 500 in his first ever appearance at the track, and followed that up with a win in Kentucky this weekend in the Busch series. I think Kasey Kahne may have a challenger to the next big think credo.
3. Mark Martin
The old man still has it! Unlike Krusty Rusty, Martin has shown an innate ability to score Top 10 wins every other week it seems. Hopefully, it’s Mark Martin, not Rusty that will rethink the proposition of retiring and coming back for one more year.
4. Jimmie Johnson
Despite a slip in points over the last two weeks, J.J. is still riding a wave of success that has carried him through the first half of the 2005 season. Barring a Dale Earnhardt Jr. kind of lapse in talent, Johnson is into the Chase for the Cup.
5. Elliott Sadler
Mmm…M & M’s!
6. Kyle Busch
See: Vickers, Brian.
7. Ryan Newman
Mr. Qualifier scores another pole. In other news, Triple H sucks.
8. Michael Waltrip
A solid run at Dover two weeks ago, followed by a pole award at Pocono and a fifth place finish to boot have really helped Michael’s stock rise over the past few weeks. If he can conquer DEI’s Michigan woes, he may yet be an outside candidate for the Chase for the Cup.
9. Brian Vickers
Don’t look now, but Brian Vickers is becoming something of a race car driver. Aside from his snafu at the Nextel Open (which was discussed earlier in the column), Vickers has actually strung together a series of good runs, although some of them ended up poorly. His near-win at Pocono was a sign of great things ahead. So long as he doesn’t start spinning everyone out again.
10. Kurt Busch
Much like most of the big names over the past few weeks, Busch has seen a mix of disaster with some solid, if unspectacular runs. Thanks to a Pocono run in the Top 15, Busch makes the Top 10. Now leave me the Hell alone with the Busch mentions.
NASCAR Q & A
This is an experimental feature that I’ve been working on for awhile now. I was planning on adding this in with Know Your NASCAR, but the questions that I was coming up with really deserved their own little section. From now on, readers are welcomed to (and encouraged to) send your questions in, and I’ll answer any and all of them that I get, so long as I don’t run out of questions to answer. Plus, we’ll insert a few non-racing related questions to liven things up a bit.
Q: Is Richard Petty really the greatest driver in NASCAR history?
A: The whole argument made by what’s his name on ESPN.com arose from the fact that many of Petty’s 200 victories came at the expense of little know-nothing drivers that would race little tracks like Shelby and Greenville at the Fairgrounds. Petty raced in an era when drivers could race up to fifty times in a year, in a time when the sport was much less structured than it is today. Therefore, some people claim that Petty’s true greatness will never really be determined, because he wasn’t always racing against the “best of the best”. So, let’s fly through this bologna, post haste. Petty is called “the King” for a reason, folks. Trust me, he is the greatest. No questions asked.
Q: Which tracks produce the best racing?
A: It seems like I’ve answered three variations of this question already, so we’ll do this quickly. It’s all a matter of taste, really. Some people prefer big tracks like Daytona, Indy, Charlotte and Talladega, while others prefer the tiny tracks like Bristol, Richmond, and Martinsville. Others like the mile tracks like Phoenix and Dover, others prefer road courses like Infineon or Watkins Glen. It’s your cup of tea, so experiment and see which brand you like better.
Q: What was more important – The Miracle on Ice or Ali/Frazier
A: Good God, now that’s a question that everyone could answer in a Roundtable. Even though a lot of younger fans didn’t get to see either event/events in question, that discussion would be friggin’ incredible. Anyways, the thing to remember is how much these two events captivated the nation. The Ali/Frazier trinity of boxing matches are arguably the greatest in the history of the sport. It captivated the nation firstly during the Watergate/Vietnam era, where the nation quite literally divided in support for both contenders in a sort of microcosm of the United States in their era. Though the political landscape changed over the course of their feud, it was apparent by their third and final fight that Ali and Frazier, to steal a popular quote, were fighting for the World Championship of each other. In an era when a Heavyweight Championship fight was still the premier sporting event in the country, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought to decide who really was the greatest. (Believe it or not, the outcome of their little feud was indirectly represented by the WWF in the 1980s: Ali appeared at the first WrestleMania. Frazier appeared at WrestleMania 2.)
Whereas Ali/Frazier divided the country, the Miracle on Ice united it. For those unfamiliar with the story, all two of you, the Miracle on Ice refers to the story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team, and their insane run to the gold medal at the Lake Placid Olympic Games. At the time, the Soviet Union was the premier force in the sport, seeing as they’d won every gold medal since 1960. But more than that, the country was reeling from a decade that had seen so many crisis and tragedies: Vietnam, Watergate, the Oil Crisis & Inflation, Three Mile Island, the Iranian Hostage situation, and the Love Canal evacuation, among other things. As told in the movie of the same name, Miracle, the rise to glory of a bunch of collegiate Hockey players was something that the country was ready for. Under the leadership of the late, great Herb Brooks, the U.S. Olympic team went toe-to-toe with the best in the world, and aside from the 10-3 grubbing that the Soviets handed to them in New York in an Olympic warm-up game, the United States shocked the world by demolishing some of the best teams at the time, including the highly touted Czech Republic. And even though the U.S. would beat Finland for the Gold Medal, the game everyone remembers is the U.S. – Soviet game in the Medal round. Everyone this side of the moon has heard Al Michael’s “Do you believe in Miracles?”, but the game was so much more than that. Imagine watching the Cleveland Brown’s practice squad not only making their way to the Super Bowl, but then defeating the New England Patriots to win the whole thing. That’s damn near the kind of upset that Team USA pulled off, and it’s not as much hyperbole as you’d think.
So… which one is better? I’ll leave that to up to you.
Q: Will NASCAR on FOX return for 2007?
A: Good question. WSOC-TV Channel 9 in Charlotte reported several weeks ago that NASCAR and FOX had closed down negotiations for a contract extension (!). Not cool, not cool at all! Anyways, I doubt that FOX will lose out on NASCAR entirely, unless NBC and ABC make huge offers that FOX may not be able to match. Don’t lose hope just yet, guys. We may still have NASCAR on FOX.
Q: Why does NASCAR take Happy Hour away for some races?
A: The whole impound deal came about because of the insane amount of cheating that went on during the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas this year. Because so many cars were caught with discrepancies from the standard package that everyone races with, NASCAR decided to impound the cars following qualifying, which would prohibit anyone from so much as touching the car. This, in turn, would keep people from cheating as easily, though with an increased number of wrecks during impound races, NASCAR has since begun to rethink the impound strategy.
Q: I’ve never been to a race before, and I’m curious. Why are seats closest to the track cheaper than those farther away?
A: Auto Racing is different from other sports, in that the action takes place over a much broader area than football, baseball, or other sports. With 43 cars going in excess of 100 MPH at every track, sitting right by the wall may be a thrill when the cars fly by you, but if you’re sitting at a track like Daytona, you can’t see the cars anywhere else on the track except on the front stretch, which means you’ll have 45-60 second lulls where you wont see a damn thing. This is a problem everywhere, especially Darlington, where the walls are so high, it’s hard to see the cars when you’re sitting feet away from the track! That’s why the higher up you go, and the more you can see, the more you will pay.
Q: Why do you think the NASCAR Hall of Fame should go in Charlotte or Daytona?
A: Look at Football and Baseball, baseball in particular. The Baseball Hall of Fame is located in Cooperstown, New York, a little bastion of baseball in upstate New York about a half hour or so away from Albany. Baseball’s roots can be traced to Cooperstown, and Doubleday Field, and Pittsfield. Baseball is our nation’s national past time, and it isn’t in New York or Los Angeles. Football, the number one sport in the nation now, sprung up in the Midwestern United States, and is thus located in a small town in Ohio called Canton. Long way from a big city name, eh? The point is, there’s no real esthetic value that will be added by the location of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, unless the site holds with the traditions of the sport that the Hall of Fame is honoring. NASCAR can’t hold Major League Baseball’s or the National Football League’s figurative jockstrap when it comes to importance in the grand scheme of things. It’s important to remember your heritage, as Patrick Nguyen made mention of earlier this past week. It’s nothing really against New York, either; I may not like to travel there, and hate the damn Yankees, but there’s no denying that it’s a rather unique place to visit. At the end of the day, the Hall of Fame either needs to go to the birthplace of NASAR in Daytona, or in the home of NASCAR in Charlotte. Of course, we could compromise by putting it in Kansas City, where no one wants it.
Q: Will General Motors ever pull out of NASCAR?
A: Oddly enough, there were rumors several weeks ago that General Motors, thanks to their rather substantial losses over the last few quarters, would be pulling the plug on their racing division. Though it’s hard to believe, they’re may come a day when in fact, only Ford and Dodge will be left in NASCAR. Scary to think about, actually. Then again, I own a Ford, so it’s not like I have a bias towards Chevrolet or anything.
Q: What driver deserves a full-time ride in NASCAR?
A: Jimmy Spencer, without out a doubt. Mr. Excitement, despite his problems over the years, has been one of those guys that you just can’t root against. He reminds me a lot of John Daly, actually, though I don’t really understand why. With Jimmy Spencer in the field, you’re guaranteed an exciting tangle with someone else. And if Kurt Busch happens to be in Spencer’s sights, well… stoner bashing time!
Upcoming Schedule – Speed Addicts
Yes, I’m dead serious. After next week’s column, I’ll be out of town for a couple of weeks, which means that you’ll have to find your NASCAR fix elsewhere for awhile. Next Saturday, you’re in for a treat, though, as I unveil the biggest Speed Addicts column yet, featuring more material than you could ever handle! The RaceDay Pulse will be posted on Sunday afternoon for Indy/Charlotte/F1 so that you guys will at least have something to read until I get back, unless I can figure a way to have it posted while I’m away. After we get back, we’re going headlong into the final stretch leading up to the Chase for the Cup, which includes the second Inside Pulse Quarter Special edition of Speed Addicts! Plus, we’ve got Indianapolis coming up again in a few weeks, so that’s always fun to look forward to.
Victory Lap for ThePimps
Pomazak makes the world a better place. Pancakes.
Holy crap, Tal is back! Now give me my pimp, damnit! Aulbrook!
Slayer returns with more wholesome goodness. Sports fans unite! Slayer!
Eric says that I’ve returned from the dark side. Kudos, now here’s your pimp. Wrestling News, Opinions, Etc.
Patrick gets a SECOND pimp in today, because he’s that damn good. Danica’s #1 Fan!
Victory Lane
Well, another day, another column, another magical trip down the road of life. Or some garbage like that. Hope you enjoy the improvement in quality at IP Sports since the Speed Addict wont be here for a few weeks, but be forewarned. I’ll be back to make you all beg for me to leave again soon enough! I shall have my vengeance, har har! I’ll see you next week for the send-off. Peace, guys.
