| | | | | | | | |  | | | | Come this Sunday, most race fans will sit down and tune in to their local ABC station and watch 500 miles of door-to-door pushing and shoving racing at Martinsville Speedway. Some will do it on large screen TVs with surround-sound systems putting out enough watts to be heard in the next county.
Why do we do this? Simple. NASCAR fans are just like any other sports fan: We want the most realistic experience possible no matter the cost. By the way, I'm no exception either. As a reporter, I’m also a NASCAR fan at heart. So if you come in my living room on Sunday you might want to bring the ear muffs.
While thousands of dollars of technology gear may very well produce a life-like experience, of course nothing compares to being there and seeing the spectacle that is NASCAR. Last weekend at Lowes Motor Speedway, I was lucky enough to have a ticket for the Bank of America 500. If you’ve ever had a ticket to a NASCAR event, you know the week preceding it is the longest week of the year.
After getting hardly any sleep on Friday, I was up at the crack of dawn Saturday morning. I already had my camera and cell phone fully juiced up, along with two sets of batteries for each. With a quick stop for gas at drive-thru station to save time, I settled in for the three hour trip to where I belong, the track. The drive was fairly calm until we saw the NASCAR Holy Grail: The sign that reads “Exit 49 Lowes Motor Speedway.”
Welcome to NASCAR country! Here’s where the crowd picks up and you truly see Americans of all different shapes and sizes mesh together as one. The topic is no longer about your background or your tax bracket, it’s about one thing: Which car number do you have stuck on your window? Some fans give rebel yells, others just nod and smile.
After blazing straight to the parking lot we headed to our seats, just feet from where 43 cars, each with 800 horsepower, would come to life in just under two hours. We passed through the pearly gates of Lowe’s Motor Speedway and entered heaven for the next four hours.
Stepping out into the grandstand, the view was breathtaking. Everything you see on television -- the pit boxes, the logos, the cars -- is brought to life in blazing color and detail. It puts HDTV to shame.
With the simple command, “Gentlemen, start your engines!” the mass of horsepower took on a living, breathing, life-form of its own. The stands below my feet vibrated, the hairs on my neck stood up and I realized I had arrived!
For most fans, the race is about cheering their favorite driver to victory. I have favorite drivers, but for me it’s about respect. I am always awed by the tremendous amount of money and man-hours that go into the 800 horsepower machines hurling forward at nearly 200mph.
To race inches apart in million-dollar machines takes a talent few have. I was lucky enough to be able to see 43 of the best drivers in the world compete to win the Bank of America 500. When the checkered flag waved, Jeff Burton took home the trophy.
When the race day had started, my mind was a blank canvas. Now it’s filled with images and memories that will last forever.
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So the restrictor plate four wide drafting exercises came to an end for the 2008 season Sunday with the conclusion of Talladega. That’s not all that came to an end. It looks like common sense is running a little short too, but that could carry on for weeks to come. We as fans enjoy watching the mass of speed inches apart coming at us at over 200mph, but is it practical? It’s a matter of who you ask and what you like. Dale Earnhardt Jr. loves the place, while Mark Martin has said on many occasions he’d just as soon skip it. I’m middle of the road on this. On one hand, I think it’s pretty awesome to watch the large mass of horsepower just inches apart. But on the other, it’s not really racing so changing some rules might not be a bad idea.
Let’s take a look at things shall we? Restrictor plate racing is one thing and one thing only: It’s a chess match of who’s in the right line, where they are, and who can push the hardest. Where’s the racing in that? I mean come on, the Wallace brothers at one point and time were both in the top 10. Name one non-restrictor plate track where that happens? It doesn’t. That’s fine however, because every driver deserves a few moments in their careers to be in the spotlight.
NASCAR and Goodyear yet again dimmed the lights and twisted things up. Was anyone paying attention when Dale Jr. blew a tire with 13 laps on it in practice? That would be clue No. 1. Brian Vickers blowing another tire and causing a massive melee of scrap metal would be clue No. 2. And last but not least, Denny Hamlin hit the wall so hard after a tire exploded he spent the night in the hospital. NASCAR, is this really what needs to be going on? I guess nobody was paying attention to what happened at the Brickyard right?
No doubt the COT is a new animal for teams to learn, but Goodyear and NASCAR had plenty of R&D time to get a tire compound that would stay under the car and they’ve yet to do it. Fans yet again paid premium gas prices to see their favorite driver needlessly in the garage area. I hope someone out there is paying close attention. Fans aren’t going to keep giving NASCAR many more chances before they just turn to the NFL on Sunday.
Wait, I’m not done yet, while it was pretty awesome seeing Tony Stewart get his first win this year it would have been even sweeter for DEI’s Regan Smith to have gotten his first career win. Personally NASCAR can play high speed traffic cop all they want up until the last lap. On the last lap it’s like this: Get a new paint brush and paint the yellow line white, throw the gloves off and whoever crosses the line first will be in victory lane!
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | | A little luck never hurt anyone. But a lot of luck? Well, sometimes it can come back and bite you.
Most everyone expected Kyle Busch to continue his dominance and cruise right on into Homestead as the 2008 Sprint Cup Champion. I wasn’t quite so convinced.
Legendary driver Darrell Waltrip, now a FOX analyst has always had this term he likes to call the “luck bank.” Yes, the luck bank is an imaginary place drivers go when they need something good to happen or to keep something good going. The luck bank, however, is a lot like a real bank and you can’t dip your hand in but so many times before you run out of luck. If you ask me, that’s exactly what Kyle Busch has done and he’s out of luck.
Kyle Busch is the newest driver in the Joe Gibbs Racing stable. As with any team, goals are set at the beginning of the season. Some are achieved and sometimes are not. Busch exceeded everyone’s expectations by winning eight races in spectacular fashion. But now there’s a problem. We’re in the Chase, where the pressure is on and the shinning star seems to have dimmed right before our eyes.
The other stars that have taken his place have the initials RFR for Roush Fenway Racing. Roush drivers Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, and Matt Kenseth have come to the dance party and they aren’t just dancing. Oh no, they seem to be doing the two-step all over the competition right now. For now we can have as many stars as needed, but come Homestead there’s only room for one.
Let me go ahead and say Carl Edwards is my pick for the 2008 Sprint Cup champion. I know we’re just two races in and it’s very early to be naming a pick, but I’m doing it. Cousin Carl will make good on the championship delivery just like his sponsor Office Depot does office supplies. He will be sitting at the head table in New York for the awards banquet in December.
The relationship Edwards and crew chief Bob Osborne have is like nothing I’ve seen before. They have the chemistry, the will to win and the competitive fire to fuel a championship. Yes, Carl has been to the luck bank a few times this season, but he did put a little back in with a rule violation earlier in the season. I believe he has one more withdrawal left. It’ll be an early holiday gift with a back flip on the side. Anytime I think of Carl Edwards I think of a radio transmission I heard from his crew chief and it went a little something like this: Go get ’em Carl!
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | | Paging Brian France to operating room No. 1: We have a code red! That’s right, NASCAR is about to be on life support if things keep up at this pace.
Over the past few months the country has been in an economic recession, the price of gas is still at an all-time high and you’re going to have to work pretty hard to get the average American to part with a hard-earned dollar. Not long ago, I read an article about Atlanta Motor Speedway hiring a marketing agency to help sell tickets in these tough economic times. Just a few weeks ago I saw photos at both Daytona International Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway of many empty seats. Just last year most NASCAR events were standing room only.
And guess what? Our millionaire NASCAR drivers are feeling the pinch too. A few weeks ago Navy announced it would not renew its sponsorship of Brad Keselowski after this season. Texaco also announced it would be parting ways with the Chip Ganassi organization.
In the past two years, NASCAR has made major changes to the sports landscape. The Car of Tomorrow was introduced to the Sprint Cup Series, and this week we have the introduction of a new Nationwide Series car, set to debut sometime in 2009-10. I’m all for putting a new product out in the interest of safety. To me all the other benefits of the new generation cars are just icing on the cake.
I do however, think one thing has been forgotten in the entire process, and that is how much it costs an organization to develop a new car.
One of the main goals of the new car was to make the sport more affordable for all involved, but instead things seem to be going the opposite direction. Teams must spend money to be competitive, but they can only spend money if they have it and few teams have it to spend.
The powerhouse teams with the big superstars will have money because the superstars themselves attract the dollar. What if you don’t have a superstar driver? Then you’d better hope your sponsor never leaves and continues to open up its deep pockets for skyrocketing bills.
NASCAR I hope you’re listening. Right now you have an attendance problem in the stands, but if things keep up, you just might have an attendance problem on the race track.
It shouldn’t cost so much to build a competitive car. Adopt the policy most of your smaller divisions have chosen and use crate motors that are mass produced and all teams get the same product. Take a look at what used to be the IROC Series where all cars were equal.
Cheaper more competitive racing is a better show. As a fan I don’t care what my favorite driver has in his car, but you can better believe this: If they day ever comes that he can’t afford to be in his car I’ll be turning the channel.
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | | Can someone clear up the muddy water please?
Folks I'm a NASCAR reporter, which means I read massive amounts of stats, stories, and interviews on a daily basis and put it in my memory bank until I need it at some later date. Few times does something I read stay at the front of my mind more than a day or so. Here we are however, a week removed from the Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch incident and Bristol. And I'm still at odds about it.
In January, NASCAR said it wanted drivers to be more emotional this season to help add entertainment value to the product. Bristol comes along – a track known for bumping and banging – and low and behold Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards choose to show their displeasure with each other after the checkered flag. From my seat I saw two things occur: Busch nudged Edwards to show his emotion on how Edwards passed him for the victory, and in return Edwards made a choice to spin Busch on the front stretch.
Immediately after the incident both drivers were called to the NASCAR hauler to discuss the matter with series officials. The NASCAR hauler is like the school principal’s office – things happen inside that office and only those involved know all the details. NASCAR pulled out the rule book and made a decision to place both drivers on probation for six races due to the incident.
So why am I fuming? We had the first and second place drivers in the points standings battling for a win. In the end they didn't like each other and settled their differences after the checkered flag. The incident had absolutely zero impact on the race outcome. The most damage done throughout the entire scene was some bent sheet metal, along with a couple of bruised egos.
What most would deem as showing emotion, NASCAR sees as a penalty. What exactly does showing emotion mean to NASCAR? If that's not it then I don't know what is. But I can say this: NASCAR is a sport, not fictional sports entertainment. I expect to see unscripted heat-of-the-moment battles. Until NASCAR clears up exactly what "Show more emotion" means, then nothing at all has really changed. | | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | | The President gives a State of the Union address. Well, how about one for NASCAR?
I was watching a preview show on The SPEED Channel this weekend and I got really curious. The guests were talking about how the sport has changed: We now have the Car of Tomorrow, and suddenly over the past few months we’ve seen all these teams merging with big business or sports franchises for more money ¬-- or “resources," as they call it.
Doesn't this go against NASCAR’s ultimate goal of leveling the playing field?
The purpose of the COT was two-fold: To create a safer car and to cut costs in order to give the underfunded teams a shot at winning races.
Now sit down and scratch your head for a minute. Anyone see something wrong with this besides me?
The COT is supposed to cut costs. That's just dandy if it cost everyone a certain amount to build, but what about research? Hendrick Motorsports has managed to run ahead of the COT learning curve, and it stands to reason that all these teams that have partners with limitless pockets will catch up fast.
That alone might be good for the sport, but doesn't that leave the teams without partners in the cold? Purpose defeated if you ask me.
NASCAR right now has to ride a fine line in controlling the sport. Fans in the seats put money in the pockets right? NASCAR’s rule-makers can't tick us off, but they can't control the size of team bank accounts either. What do they do?
I've been a part of Saturday night racing and have seen teams get by on less than $25,000 for a budget. What happens is, the driver gets up on the wheel and drives with every bit of heart he has because winning that prize money may determine if he comes back next week or not.
Should NASCAR decide to go with stock engines for everyone? That subject has been discussed and even track tested. I don't think that's the answer. I don't think having a series like the former International Race of Champions is, either.
What is the answer? Probably an unlimited list of things. Some sort of deep pocket control would be a good start.
I'm sure you have your opinions, so lets hear them! It won't rattle my roll cage.
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | | Who's going to be this year's Nextel Cup Champion? Well, entries into the final twelve spots will be determined this Friday night at Richmond! Will Dale Jr. make it? He's over 100 points back so it's going to take a miracle folks. I'm not counting on it.
The Chase has a different look this year. But it is basically the same drivers as we've had in years past and the same drivers fighting for a spot. Ryan Newman, bless his heart can't catch a break. He's been battling to try out this Chase thing since it started a few years ago.
Do you have a winner picked already? The Hendrick crowd is always a smart pick. Personally, I like the late season pushers. Pat Tryson has that Dodge of Kurt Busch running as good as it did back in Rusty's era. Cousin Carl who really seemed to want a Sharp TV this weekend is surely going to get up on the wheel. Like his spotter usually tells him "Go get 'em Carl." Tony, well what is there to say about him? Tony's going to be himself and take no prisoners.
Folks, I'm not going to sit here and paint a picture for you and say I'm a Hendrick fan. Truth is, I can't stand any of them. Johnson's crew chief gets caught bending the rules here every few weeks and Gordon's new man on the pit box has so far followed in his footsteps. No doubt the cars are strong, but as a fan watching each week I have to question their integrity. Are they legal?
There will be a few sleepers in the group, Denny Hamlin might make some surprises and turn some heads. Bottom line, next week this time we'll know who's in. Come mid-November we'll know who did the things they needed to do to win the sports biggest prize, The Nextel Cup!
Want to run for a virtual Nextel cup? Don't forget to check out the Racegear.com Virtual Race Team over at nascar08setups.com and join us! It doesn't take money, just a love for racing and a desire to win. You don't even need a fire proof suit!
Well folks, I can see the end of the season approaching. How do you see the final 10 races? Until next time, the checkered flag is waving. Let's bring this one to the line and pick a winner! | | | Permalink | Comments (1) | | | | | | Hello all, interesting concept isn't it? No it's not like any of the reality based television shows that seem to have invaded airways. Think of it as Hendrick Motorsports on a fraction of budget.
Officially, we're called Team Racegear. But in reality, we're just three homegrown guys who love racing. We are Phil Taylor, David Allen and Coty Sawyers -- all from North Carolina. We can’t afford the million-dollar cars on the Cup circuit, so we settle for a $60 game: NASCAR '08 from EASPORTS with the XBOX 360. It's as real as it gets.
You can find us under gamertags RACEGEAR COM 3, RACEGEAR.COM 88 RACEGEAR.COM 42. We're always up to good clean racing so look us up! Want to get into a league with us? Learn some setups to make your car fast? Not a problem, we have put www.Nascar08setups.com into action. Drop by chat with us, sign up for a league, get a fast car setup, or just see what we're up to. One thing's for sure, the racing will always be clean and fast with us. You never know, you may see some special promotions for your favorite driver's merchandise during our races.
I'll leave the personal introductions to my teammates and tell you a little about myself. First, I'm a race fan to the heart. Who's my favorite driver? Dale Jarrett. When I'm not racing I'm a computer geek. I guess if you have two college degrees in computers, a guy is supposed to be that way right? I hope so or I wasted way too much money!
You can always find me taping a keyboard or a game controller. A racing fanatic and a geek at heart...what a combination right? Bottom line: I hope to meet you somewhere in cyberspace or virtual racing. Till next time.... Boogity Boogity Boogity Lets Go Racin' Boys! | | | Permalink | Comments (3) | | | | | | | |
