Since we seem to be on the theme of close finishes this week, I went and found this on youtube of the 10 closest finishes in NASCAR history. The 2003 Darlington one of Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch was quite good. One question: Who do you think announcer Darrell Waltrip was wanting to win that race? Just askin'
Showing posts with label Darrell Waltrip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darrell Waltrip. Show all posts
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Dale Jr. and the Bud Shootoout
Yes, now we can smell the start of the NASCAR season, as it's less than one week away before the first points race. Of course, you've got the Daytona twin qualifying races Thursday afternoon to wet your appetite. I've followed NASCAR for years and never tried to figure out how the drivers that need the transfer spots to get into the 500 get them. It's just too complicated and I'd rather just watch what will hopefully be some good racing.
Which brings me to the Bud Shootout.
The first NASCAR competition on the new pavement at Daytona was I thought, a little disappointing at the end. Yes, they can say there were more lead changes in those 187 plus miles than there have been in 25 Daytona 500s, but what really matters is coming down to the end how many guys had a chance for the win? The answer was four and that's not a good number. If the answer had been 12 or 15, OK, I can live with that. If the answer had been more than 20, now that would be better. NASCAR won't likely let a four-car pack control the final laps in the 500 Sunday, they may pay somebody to throw some debris on the track to cause a yellow, to bunch the field back up if that happens.
So, let's just hope the 500 has a better finish than the Bud Shootout.
And for the record, I've always hated the yellow line rule. Either you can pass'em or you can't.
On to Junior.
Yes, everyone is loving it that he's on the pole after Sunday's qualifying. There are two things to say about that: 1) It should be no surprise. He loves Daytona and it is probably one of the few places where he still have confidence to go fast. 2) Where you start at Daytona is pretty much meaningless, except for the fact that if you start up front it might help you avoid "the big one" early in the race. But that stuff usually happens later when everyone forgets they're going 206 mph and starts bumping each other around.
Don't get me wrong. I like Junior, though he's not my favorite, he's a easy to pull for. If he would happen to win at Daytona it would be great for him and the sport, but winning Daytona does anything but guarantee success for the rest of the season.
And one last bit: Darrell Waltrip's new word when it comes to drafting, coopitition, yeah, I'm into it, even though I often agree more with what Larry McReynolds says than what Darrell says.
Later this week, I'll have my season picks to make the top 12 Chase for the Championship.
Which brings me to the Bud Shootout.
The first NASCAR competition on the new pavement at Daytona was I thought, a little disappointing at the end. Yes, they can say there were more lead changes in those 187 plus miles than there have been in 25 Daytona 500s, but what really matters is coming down to the end how many guys had a chance for the win? The answer was four and that's not a good number. If the answer had been 12 or 15, OK, I can live with that. If the answer had been more than 20, now that would be better. NASCAR won't likely let a four-car pack control the final laps in the 500 Sunday, they may pay somebody to throw some debris on the track to cause a yellow, to bunch the field back up if that happens.
So, let's just hope the 500 has a better finish than the Bud Shootout.
And for the record, I've always hated the yellow line rule. Either you can pass'em or you can't.
On to Junior.
Yes, everyone is loving it that he's on the pole after Sunday's qualifying. There are two things to say about that: 1) It should be no surprise. He loves Daytona and it is probably one of the few places where he still have confidence to go fast. 2) Where you start at Daytona is pretty much meaningless, except for the fact that if you start up front it might help you avoid "the big one" early in the race. But that stuff usually happens later when everyone forgets they're going 206 mph and starts bumping each other around.
Don't get me wrong. I like Junior, though he's not my favorite, he's a easy to pull for. If he would happen to win at Daytona it would be great for him and the sport, but winning Daytona does anything but guarantee success for the rest of the season.
And one last bit: Darrell Waltrip's new word when it comes to drafting, coopitition, yeah, I'm into it, even though I often agree more with what Larry McReynolds says than what Darrell says.
Later this week, I'll have my season picks to make the top 12 Chase for the Championship.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Who's the real champion?
NASCAR named its latest class of five Hall of Famers this week. The organization limits it to five per year, and this is the second class that was named. There was one driver named this year, who should have made it last year, and one driver who could have made it this year, but didn't that helps us yet again define class.
Last year, the first class was named and in what was a definite error, David Pearson was left off. He won 105 races, second only to Richard Petty's 200. Pearson without question should have been in that first class. The fact that he was overlooked put a serious dent into the credentials of the voters. His rivalry with Petty when the sport was first hitting the television airwaves in the late 1960s and early 1970s helped draw fans to the sport. Just five guys or not, he deserved to be on the first ballot.
However, Pearson was an easy pick to make it in this year, and he did, being named on 94 percent of the ballots (what those other six percent were thinking, who knows?). When Pearson was asked if he was bitter about not making the first ballot, he said he certainly was not. That's a champion-like reaction to what could have been a not-so-pretty situation.
One former driver, and current announcer, who didn't make it this year was Darrell Waltrip. He's going to make it eventually, probably next year. He deserves it at some point, with over 80 victories. However, all Waltrip could was go to Twitter and tweet about how disappointed he was and how unfair the process was for not letting him in.
Not the reaction of champion. So, if I was on the voting panel (which I'm not), I'd have to think about it before I vote for him next year. If someone wants into the Hall of Fame, having a Hall of Fame attitude when things don't go your way when you want them to should be requirement.
Last year, the first class was named and in what was a definite error, David Pearson was left off. He won 105 races, second only to Richard Petty's 200. Pearson without question should have been in that first class. The fact that he was overlooked put a serious dent into the credentials of the voters. His rivalry with Petty when the sport was first hitting the television airwaves in the late 1960s and early 1970s helped draw fans to the sport. Just five guys or not, he deserved to be on the first ballot.
However, Pearson was an easy pick to make it in this year, and he did, being named on 94 percent of the ballots (what those other six percent were thinking, who knows?). When Pearson was asked if he was bitter about not making the first ballot, he said he certainly was not. That's a champion-like reaction to what could have been a not-so-pretty situation.
One former driver, and current announcer, who didn't make it this year was Darrell Waltrip. He's going to make it eventually, probably next year. He deserves it at some point, with over 80 victories. However, all Waltrip could was go to Twitter and tweet about how disappointed he was and how unfair the process was for not letting him in.
Not the reaction of champion. So, if I was on the voting panel (which I'm not), I'd have to think about it before I vote for him next year. If someone wants into the Hall of Fame, having a Hall of Fame attitude when things don't go your way when you want them to should be requirement.
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