earnhart jr
First, let me start by saying I am a "true" NASCAR fanatic, and have been for years (back to when Cale was driving).
I have always said, in my opion, NASCAR was a "true" athletic sport and drivers were "true" athletes, try having the "average-Joe" do what these death-defying drivers do, not just for one race, but an entire season. However, my opinion was been greatly altered as of yesterdays Michigan "Life-Lock" 400, not my opinion on the latter point, but on the first opinion....THE SPORT.
A sporting outcome is determined on the field, on the court, on the diamond, on the rink, maybe even by the officials, but NEVER, let me repeat myself in case you missed that last line....NEVER by management or ownership, that would be titled by another name....... maybe....... COLLUSION!!!
Maybe the U.S. Senate should leave Bob Kraft and the Pariots alone and start talking to the France Family.
NASCAR accomplised what it, not only wanted to do, but, what it NEEDED..... divert the attention of media and fans from the "black-eye" (pardon the pun) of the surprise anouncement of the upcoming racial and sexual harrasment lawsuit, to the "faux-win", no matter how fixed it was, of the NASCAR "golden-child.
Can someone please explain to me how a driver with so little to claim as accomplishments can garner so much attention by fans and media.... that however is enough for a whole series of article in itself?!?!?!
Way to go NASCAR...... "WAG THE DOG"..... noone does it better than you!!!!!
The Lawsuit
I agree with what you wrote about the racial discrimination suit against NASCAR.
And, curious to learn your thoughts on the following...do you believe that one, NASCAR's efforts to embrace diversity in their family are sincere? Or, as often is the case, is just surface and good for a moment of great PR/Branding?
If it is the first, than what do you think they will do internally to educate everyone and externally to educate and invite diversity in?
That is my concern always when a company or organization claims they embrace diversity. Do they really...with all the responsibility that comes with it, or is it a surface attempt to quiet folks for a moment?
NASCAR has a great history, but it has also been a very one way of thinking institution that does not compliment society in 2008.
Just my two cents.
Indy
Doesn't it seem kind of odd the "The Great American Race" was powered by Honda. Shame on you Detroit.
Praise the drivers and pass the ibuprofen
I love car racing and when I saw this blog I immediately read it. I have also read Racing Odds and Ends, it is also all about car racing.
toyota
now that we have gibbs and toyota together the two sneaks
detroit can forget about nascar. lets see first pearle harbor now lets let gibbs get all the info they can about the new r07 engine. im sure that wasnt any help towards making horsepower
Spinalcracker,
I wrote this last September:
General Motors took it in stride. The reaction was measured and calm and covered up the pain that all of GM's latest technological breakthroughs just got delivered to Toyota inside the head of Gibbs' engine-building guru Mark Cronquist.
Toyota needed Cronquist as much as it needed Stewart and Bush. I wrote:
They just pulled off the equivalent of Babe Ruth being sold by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees...
Doug Guthrie
NASCAR vs INDY CAR
NASCAR = 50 year old technology. Push rods, carburetor, solid rear axle.
INDY = Overhead cams. fuel injected, live axles.
The split hurt the open wheel people.
Now that their back together, let's hope they get it together.
nascar/racing
how about a little coverage on the F-1.
it does exist. thoroughbreds!
You are absolutely correct, Apache.
F-1 is an amazing technologically advanced series with great personalities. Too bad there won't be a U.S. Grand Prix this year.
-- Doug Guthrie
NHRA
Hey Doug - Actually, one of the things I like about drag racing is its television package. You know the finals are going to be on ESPN2, and usually, they are going to run from 7-10 p.m. I love that consistency. Take a look at Cup, and they are on several networks during the year, and starting times are all over the map.
Testing the racing blog forum
Testing the forum
Edward's
If I remember correctly, there were 2 hendrick cars that were off on quarter panel heights in one race (Chicago, maybe?). One was too low on the right side and one was too high on the left side. Nascar's answer was "it's ok because there was not a competitive advantage in either case. Same senario here. 25 points in the chase. What about some consistency in rules enforcement?????????
New Hampshire
What I have heard, Doug, is that Bruton Smith wants New Hampshire so he can take one of those dates and give it to Las Vegas.
Racing
Check out www.fordbook.com and read the fantastic new book called Ford and the American Dream written by Pat Doyle and Clifton Lambreth. The book provides a glance into the Ford Motor Company and blueprint for Ford to return to greatness. It's a must read. Check out the website.
Who ya picking
Let's hear it Doug. Who's going to win the Chase? I have Gordon.
Tim Wohlford on IRL/MIS
If you look at the map, there are 27 top-flite races (NASCAR, IRL, CCWS, NHRA and F1) races, selling well over 2 million seats, within a day's drive of MIS. The IRL alone has 10 of those races, trying to sell well over 600,000 seats. Might I suggest that our motorsports market is saturated, even before we look at ARCA, Truck and Busch races? Aside from the years that Toyota forced its employees to attend (PAID them to attend) the MIS Indy race, MIS drew around 45k fans. This fact doesn't help convince anyone that this race will never draw a big crowd. ISC/MIS wasn't gonna help promote this race either -- they've got their hands full trying to fill 2 NASCAR races where the attendance has show a marked decline over the past 2 years. Call me silly, but I think that ISC cares a lot more for NASCAR's fate than the IRL's fate. I don't know why anyone thinks that the IRL needs a Detroit race "for the Detroit sponsors". God knows that there are no big "Detroit sponsors" in the IRL, and none of the Detroit media covers the IRL to any real extent. I do hope that Penske pulls this off -- and the sponsorship shows the power of Roger's legendary Rolodex file -- but not everything that Roger does is successful (Nazareth Speedway, F1 and CART to name just 3 failures). The only real part where I fault the IRL is that they didn't want to do the twin-200 race idea. That resistance is stupid, and as I talke w/ IRL guys, they are dismayed at Brian Barnhart and the car owners for turning down that suggestion. Tim Wohlford, Jackson, MI
Tony Stewart
Nice commentary about Tony Stewart, Doug. Here's a guy that accused NASCAR of fixing races, then threw his teammate under the bus in Daytona. But then he has a meltdown when someone criticizes him. He's just a spoiled brat who still needs to grow up. I felt bad for Dave Burns, who had to interview him in Victory Lane Sunday. Dave used to announce the ASA races back in the 1990s, and he was always a class act.
