The Life and Times of Statboy

Yeah about those regular updates...

2010-12-28T21:29:00.003-05:00

My bad. Life has been busy. Besides, I have Twitter to keep folks updated on what's going on in my life.

Anyway, since the end of the 2010 NASCAR season, folks have tried one way or another to explain how to fix one thing that has gotten totally out of hand over the last decade or so: Sprint Cup drivers winning races and championships in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

I remember as a boy watching Nationwide (then Busch Grand National) Series races where guys like Mark Martin, Harry Gant, and the Intimidator Dale Earnhardt himself winning NNS races. But the thing about that era Cup driver coming over and moonlighting on Saturdays was the fact that a) they didn't race every week and b) they didn't win every week.

Nationwide only drivers competed for wins and championships and attracted top-dollar sponsors throughout the late 90's when NASCAR's boom really got started. That carried over to the 2000 season as well. But then, in 2001, something happened.

A full-time Cup driver also ran for, and ultimately won, the Nationwide championship.

I have nothing against Kevin Harvick, but his running both series is really the catalyst for what we have now: a "junior" series that has dwindling attendance and television ratings, an obvious lack of high-dollar sponsors going after non-Sprint Cup drivers, and unfortunately a class of talent that will never be able to groom their abilities and have the chance to move into a top tier ride.

Harvick, along with names like Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, and Brad Keselowski are the stars of the Nationwide Series. Problem is they also run full-time in the Cup Series.

So basically what you have is a Nationwide Series that has lost its identity. Most folks call it "Cup Lite" (yes I spelled that correctly.)

So how do you fix this problem? Well there are several things that could help, but ultimately it comes down to one thing.

First: the small steps. The new Nationwide car. It debuted at Daytona in July. Junior took it to victory lane first. So folks are automatically in love with this new car. I agree. I got to take a look at one up close that hot July weekend, and I gotta say these new cars that will run full-time in 2011 are awesome. I think the racing is gonna be incredible in 2011 and since they are the little cousin of their Sprint Cup equivalents, the cost of building cars should go down for independent owners in this series because you can race the same car at Bristol that you can race at Michigan or Talladega.

Another option that I think should be implemented, but know very little about, it more stock parts and stock engines. Make the cost of running this series a little bit lower and owners could potentially be able to sign new and retain current sponsors because the cost of the series would be lower. I've heard several drivers say a top-tier NNS team could run on about half the current budgets if NASCAR stepped in and made the rule book a little easier to get along with.

Next, get rid of all these Sprint Cup/Nationwide companion events. In 1996 there were 12 stand alone races. Last year there were 9. If more Cup drivers had to go somewhere else in a weekend more often, I honestly think fewer would want to run the full Nationwide season. Of course with easier ways of traveling and most of these drivers having their own planes to fly around the country in, some one say this option really doesn't matter. Take what you want from it.

Ultimately, it all comes down to money. Didn't we know this was coming? The series has what I would say three times as much money pumped into it yearly than it did a decade ago. The series has built an identity of where it's perfectly acceptable for Cup drivers to race and win on Saturdays. And until NASCAR comes out and declares that this is a development series then Cup drivers are going to continue to win races. Only twice in 2010 did a non-Sprint Cup regular win a race, and a Nationwide-only competitor hasn't won a championship since 2005.

This series will continue to be dominated by Cup drivers until someone says what its supposed to be; what it was designed to be: a development series.

Gamecocks open 2010 with 41-13 rout of Southern Miss

2010-09-03T08:41:00.005-04:00

Junior quarterback Stephen Garcia and freshman running back Marcus Lattimore found the endzone twice each on Thursday night to lead the South Carolina Gamecocks (1-0) to a 41-13 victory over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (0-1.)

Garcia went 16-23 for 193 yards and Lattimore in his debut with the Gamecocks carried the ball 14 times for 54 yards and two scores.

Alright well there's your official morning after introduction to this story. Truth be told I don't care about numbers today. The Gamecocks last night proved to me that this years' team is a team that can win. It's a team that's talented enough to win and win big. And it's a team that might actually at the end of the year, play for an SEC championship.

By the way- that's the first time since the Liberty Bowl in 2006 that a Carolina team has put 40+ points on the scoreboard. Impressive? Yeah I'd say so.

Granted, Thursday's win was against a Southern Miss team from Conference USA, but of the teams in the conference the Golden Eagles are one of the elite. I guess. Honestly, being a fan of an SEC team, Conference USA isn't even on my radar.

Getting back to last night: Marcus Lattimore is a true freshman from perennial South Carolina high school powerhouse Byrnes. He made the decision to come to Columbia back in the winter and I knew it was going to be fun for the next four years. This kid has that x-factor - the thing that makes someone special in this game. He has the ability to make holes when they aren't there and can sniff out coverage before the play starts. To be a freshman and have that ability is quite unique. If he can stay out of off-field trouble, I seriously, SERIOUSLY, look for this kid to do great things.

Stephen Garcia impressed me last night as well. After all the distractions and all of the Spurrier "Well, Stephen Garcia isn't real good right now, but anyways..." from spring and fall practices, I was concerned that the junior from Florida was going to go out and fall flat on his face in the season opener. After a rough start, he showed why he is one of the best SEC quarterbacks out there today. Bouncing off of players to score a touchdown and finding the strength to extend his arm past the goal line when being slammed into for his second touchdown of the night. Great all around performance by Garcia, the backfield, and this talented core of wide receivers.

I said yesterday that Carolina has the chance to win eight or more games in 2010. After last night, yeah, I believe that.

South Carolina will open SEC play next Saturday afternoon when the Georgia Bulldogs come to Williams-Brice Stadium for a noon kickoff.

Oh yeah

2010-09-02T13:53:00.002-04:00

I went with a new look for this blog. I figure if I'm going to make an effort to update on a regular basis that I should go with something that's not white background with black text and garnet headlines and links.

It'll probably change a few more times.

Oh and Go Cocks!

Welcome to next year...

2010-09-02T13:09:00.004-04:00

I may be a little premature when I say this, but my Magic Eight Ball predicts an 8 win season for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Deep breaths folks.

I haven't really been able to pay attention much to fall camp because I kinda work in a business where the goal is to go as fast as possible, but from all indications the Old Ball Coach has him something to work with finally.

It's always been my opinion to lay low when you realize you have something going for you. In college I always tried to keep quiet when I understood the material (which is why I was always talking) and over the last few weeks, granted, Steve Spurrier has had a lot to deal with. NCAA investigators, claims that players took discounts to stay in a hotel near campus before dorms opened, and a Columbia media that constantly tries to discredit what ever this program has built during Spurrier's tenure have been the talk of the town and the national media as well.

All that aside, I think Spurrier's sly way of conducting business the last few weeks is a sign that this team is ready to move out of the 115 years of mediocrity it has seen and into an elite powerhouse in the South Eastern Conference and the NCAA as well.

Although I'm sure somewhere along the line there will be hiccups to this grandiose plan I have derived here today. But I think the leadership is in place to help get this team over that proverbial 7-game hump. It's been a while since the Gamecocks scored 8 wins in one season. Maybe its time for that to happen again.

I've always believed that success and momentum are hard to get but easy to hold on to. And for momentum and success the football team need do nothing but look down the road at what the USC Baseball team accomplished in the College World Series in Omaha back in July. Winning the national championship in one sport fully has the ability to spread to other sports in Columbia.

I also believe that once a coach has figured out how to win that he can win anywhere. Spurrier is a Heisman Trophy winner, has coached a Heisman Trophy winner, and has coached a national championship team.

"Why not us" was the phrase Spurrier used after being hired as head coach of the Gamecocks back in 2004. Why not us this year?

Eight wins would be awesome, but honestly I think this team is capable of much, much more.

Enjoy the season folks. This really could be next year.

Why 19 is bigger than 79

2010-08-31T10:17:00.004-04:00

Ok weird title I know, but I have a point to all of my madness.

I know in real numbers that 79 is way bigger than 19. But today, it's gonna be reversed. I'm sure some of you are saying right now "wow that idiot must have failed math." Well I did (a couple of times) but that's beside the point.

Over the last 3 years, Kyle Busch has put up remarkable win totals in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck series. He's now got 79 total over the three series (19 Cup, 40 Nationwide, 20 Trucks.)

And the majority of those have comes since he moved out of the inn at Hendrick Motorsports following the 2007 season, and into the season of a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing at the beginning of the 2008 season. He's scored 58 wins in that time frame over the three series. Yeah, that's impressive.

He won the Nationwide Series championship in 2009 - another trophy that some could say elevates him to elite status in NASCAR.

He started his own truck series team earlier this year and has been to victory lane in it 4 times this year, including the last two in a row at Bristol and Chicago.

Two weeks ago he did the triple at Bristol, winning all three races which is something that I figured he'd end up getting around to one of these days.

He's accomplished all of this against some very, very difficult competition, including his own JGR teammates Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano and 4-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.

All this success, however, isn't all that great in my opinion. Yeah, like I said, 19 is bigger than 79.

Kyle Busch is a Sprint Cup Series driver. He should be winning all of the lower support series races he enters. Why? Because he's better than his competition in those races. There's a reason why he climbs behind the wheel of an upper tier car on Sunday and those other Nationwide and Truck series drivers don't.

He's driving equipment in the lower series that is so much better than his competition it's not funny, and when he wins I don't think he should brag about it. Rather he should say yeah I whipped em again. Give me the trophy and the check and let's get outta here.

Wrecking Jennifer Jo Cobb to win at Bristol in the Truck Series shouldn't be celebrated. Wrecking driver X in the Nationwide Series to take the lead shouldn't be celebrated. Making a pass on the outside of Jimmie Johnson for the win in the closing laps of the Sprint Cup race in Chicago - now that's impressive. That's what should be celebrated.

My point is this: people may say Kyle is one of the greatest ever; he may reach 100 wins across the three series; he may do this and he may do that, but until he wins championships and more races in the Sprint Cup Series, what does all this Nationwide and Truck success do to further his career? In my opinion, not much.

It's like Brett Favre going back to the college ranks. It's like Greg Maddox throwing in the minors. It's like Michael Jordan in a pick-up basketball game. Succesful athletes are celebrated and honored for winning at the highest level, not for beating up the younger, less experienced and less talented folks in a lower division.

I'm sure when Kyle reaches 100 wins across the three series that the media will appoint him the new King of NASCAR. But hopefully, if most of those wins aren't in the Sprint Cup Series, that they will think before they speak.

19 is bigger than 79. But call/email/tweet me when Kyle reaches 200 wins in the Cup Series - then we'll talk.

People Will Talk... about High School Football

2010-08-27T11:23:00.003-04:00

Wow... Two days in a row. People are gonna start talking.

Anyway, Week #1 of High School Football in South Carolina is tonight, and I thought I'd share a few thoughts on the sport that takes my small hometown of Camden, SC under storm every fall.

Technically it's Game #2 for CHS tonight as they did play and win a "Week 0" game last week. But for our purposes it is officially Week 1 in South Carolina.

Camden opened the season with a 28-21 victory over the Spring Valley Vikings at Zemp Stadium in Camden. This is a series that has been on again-off again since 1970. But it was the first meeting between the two schools since my freshman year of 1997, a game that the Vikings won in Billy Ammons' final season as coach at Camden.

Tonight the Bulldogs will make a nearly 2-hour drive to Ware Shoals, SC (Where?) for a matchup with an inferior opponent. I say inferior... honestly I know nothing about Ware Shoals. I don't even know their mascot believe it or not. But, that's where Camden is going tonight.

Ware Shoals became the second game of the year after CHS decided not to play in-county rival North Central. That was a series I enjoyed, but in reality needed to end. North Central is a very small Class A school in the northern half of Kershaw County. And while it did provide them an excellent opportunity for a large crowd (which means more $$$) the games were blowouts and really did nothing to progress the teams every year.

Camden and North Central interestingly enough never played each other in the regular season until 2006. Yeah I know that's weird - 20 miles apart and didn't meet until NCHS had been around for nearly three decades.

Tonight Camden should pick up win #2 of the season as they look ahead to a matchup with the West Florence Knights next Friday night at home, a game I will be at... as a spectator. It'll be the first time since 1995 that I've actually gone and watched a Camden game as a fan. Very, very weird.

You can hear tonight's game on KOOL 102.7 FM or online at www.kool1027.com.

Yep, I had to get that plug in.

I'm back...

2010-08-26T10:55:00.002-04:00

Or, atleast I'm gonna try to be back. It's been crazy these last 12 or so months and I have seriously neglected this blog. My bad.

I'm gonna try to update more often in the future. Instead of going with long, drawn out stuff, I think my goal should be to just write short updates - blurbs, random thoughts, etc. - just to keep folks updated (the 1 person who is actually subscribed to this blog that is.)

Anyway, it's an off-week in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the final one of the season. Atlanta is next week, followed by Richmond, and then the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup kicks off in New Hampshire in September.

Should be a fun ride to the title as there really hasn't been a clear-cut favorite throughout the entire season. Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon have been 1-2 in the points for weeks now, but I don't know if consistency can win this chase this year. I think wins will be big. Someone needs to seperate themselves from the rest of the field.

Until next time, there's my random update for today. See you again in 3 months.

I say goodbye to a friend and an uncle

2010-08-11T20:35:00.002-04:00

It's been about three weeks now since my family lost a dear son, brother, father, uncle, and friend. My uncle, Toby Eddings, passed away on July 24, 2010 at the age of 52. It was the that day his daughter Tiffany was married and on a weekend that brought the highest and lowest of emotions to my family.

It occurs to me that I have yet to properly say goodbye to my friend, and he was a friend. With the fast-paced life I've chosen to take on working in NASCAR (where I fly to a track on Thursday, go hard for three days, fly home Sunday night, and spend two days recovering before prepping and heading to another city) I've found it difficult to stop and take a minute and see what's happening around me.

Often in life, we never realize how much someone means to you until they are gone. This is no different. Never again will I be able to jab with him about college football at Thanksgiving. Never again will he be pestered by my grandmother (his mother) and my mom (his sister) about going to the doctor, or wearing cologne at the dinner table (which I laughed at even if nobody else did.) And never again will I be able to share stories of my career as a sports journalist.

He and I shared a lot of similarities. Both of us caught the journalism "bug" at an early age. He was a statistician for Camden High School athletics as a teenager. He worked for WACA Radio in Camden, S.C., which later became WCAM Radio and eventually into WPUB/WCAM Radio, where I spent seven years of my life as an on-air talent.

We both grew up in the same house - my room was the same room he once had. He enjoyed making people laugh, much as I do, and we both had no greater joy than impressing my mom and grandmother talking sports on the couch at home.

Both of us stubborn, thinking we know more than everyone else (I also get this from my dad so don't think the Mays side of my family is no different.) And both of us share a very dry wit and sense of humor.

I remember the first time I got to sit in the play-by-play chair as voice of the Camden Bulldogs. The regular play-by-play guy had a separate engagement and was unable to announce that night. I got tagged to fill his spot. It was my audition as a year later I became the full-time Voice of the Bulldogs. Toby listened that night on the internet and later wrote a very flattering blog post, hailing my ability and the fact that he was proud of my career choice.

I wish I had kept that blog post - I can't find it online anymore.

Later as I grew as an announcer, and then when I was hired by Sprint Vision in January, his pride in me grew. I've learned in the last few days that he often bragged about me to his friends and co-workers.

I know his life at times wasn't easy. His divorce, numerous medical problems, and having to move to Georgia and then North Carolina to find a newspaper job were all difficult times. But I think that didn't bother him. At the end of the day he was able to be proud of what he'd done that day.

I said earlier you often don't realize things until its too late to do anything about it. I hadn't seen him since Christmas. And now living just 40 minutes away from him, I feel worse that I never made an effort to drive down after work just to go have dinner or share a story.

Not to get too sappy, but I encourage whoever reads this to make that effort.

The past few weeks have been difficult for all of us and I'm sure in the weeks and months ahead, particularly the holidays, will be even tougher.

I take comfort in the fact that he was a very religious man, and also that his ailments that took such a toll on him over the past two years are no longer hurting him. I wish I could have spent more time with him over the years, but the memories will always be special.

I feel the most pain for my grandmother, my mom, his children - son, daughter, and son-in-law - and especially to his friends that he touched on a daily basis.

We all must go on. Life doesn't stop, for me especially. So with this, I say goodbye to my uncle. My friend. He's really not gone as long as we remember him.

AMS is filled with great NASCAR moments

2010-03-04T11:06:00.006-05:00

(So, most of you probably know that I got hired to be a producer for Sprint Vision and I've spent the last month and a half living the dream. I meant to update that but never got around to it. So here's some random thoughts to chew on...)

After the madness that was Speedweeks 2010 at Daytona, followed by two weekends on the other coast, NASCAR finally returns to the southeast this weekend with the Kobalt Tools 500 for the Sprint Cup Series and the E-Z-GO 200 for the Camping World Truck Series at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

AMS is a fast 1.54 mile quad-oval that has been a fixture on the Cup Series since 1960. When I say fast I mean it too... the track record was set in 1997 by Geoffrey Bodine at over 197 mph and is the fastest single car lap on a non-restrictor plate racetrack that currently sits on the schedule. Glenn "Fireball" Roberts won the pole for the inaugural event and went on to win the race as well. The track has seen many renovations over the years from the building of new grandstands, new garages, a complete track redesign in 1997 to name a few; but it has seen its share of exciting door-to-door racing.

But I think more or less, Atlanta Motor Speedway is home to some of the greatest moments in the sport's history. I begin this walk down memory lane at the 1992 Hooters 500: the final race of the season that year. The moments that happened in that race will go down as legend... Richard Petty's final race and Jeff Gordon's first - the passing of the torch if you will. The epic points battle that came down between Bill Elliott and Alan Kulwicki in the closing laps that gave Kulwicki the title by just leading one more lap than Elliott did. The unfortunate turn that took away Davey Allison's shot at winning the title in a wreck on the frontstretch. Or maybe its the fact that both Kulwicki and Allison were both killed within a year of that race that made the players so much more of a part of that race. Many call the 92 fall race at AMS the greatest in the history of the sport. Hard to top that one for sure.

The fall 1996 race was also a good one. This championship run came down between Hendrick Motorsports teammates Terry Labonte and Jeff Gordon. Early in the race, the 24 team had a problem with loose lugnuts warping the stud of a tire. Repairs cost Gordon nearly three laps but in typical "Rainbow Warrior" style, the car was able to get back onto the lead lap. However Labonte would prevail and pick up his second series championship. The race was more memorable because Bobby Labonte, Terry's younger brother, won the thing. Both took a victory lap side by side to celebrate. I wish more people would remember this race when bringing up the best AMS events over the years.

Probably my favorite was the 2000 Cracker Barrel 500 and that is for one reason and one reason only: Earnhardt won it. But it was a really cool finish and he didn't even wreck anybody to do it. The 3 car was able to hold off a charging Bobby Labonte for the win by just a few inches. What a great day that was - I remember it well. The first half of the race was cut off in South Carolina due to a Clemson basketball game being on and, apparently, the game took precedence over the race. Bummer. That was the next to last win for Dale Earnhardt Sr. as he was killed 10 months later on the last lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001.

Which sets up my final AMS moment for this post.

The tragedy of the passing of Dale Earnhardt in February 2001 was one that I didn't think NASCAR would be able to get over and if it did it would be a while. Enter Kevin Harvick. In the car that Earnhardt would have driven at AMS that spring, the rookie held off Jeff Gordon in almost the exact same manner that Earnhardt held off Labonte a year earlier. I think the sport began to heal a little bit that March afternoon in 2001.

So Atlanta Motor Speedway has seen some great moments. Maybe we'll see another this weekend. Enjoy the show folks.

Commentary: Fox, Hurney to stay at Carolina in 2010

2009-12-28T14:39:00.006-05:00

John Fox has apparently saved his job... for another year at least.

A report in Monday's Charlotte Observer says that both Fox and Panthers' General Manager Marty Hurney will both return in 2010 but that no extension will be given to Fox, who has taken the Panthers to the post-season three times since being hired in 2002 to replace George Seifert who led the Panthers to a dismal 1-15 season.

The report credits the Panthers' upset wins over the Minnesota Vikings on December 20th and this weeks 41-9 shocker over the New York Giants as the catalyst for keeping Fox around another year.

Fox, Hurney, and the current coaching staff will stay in 2010. But then the question of what's next will be the topic of conversation on ESPN and various radio and television markets in the Carolinas and probably around the nation as well. The Panthers are currently 7-8 on the season heading into the season finale with New Orleans on Sunday afternoon.

Fox is one of two coaches in NFL history to inherit a team with only one win in the season before their arrival and later take that team to a Super Bowl. And that's pretty remarkable considering the only other coach to accomplish that was Vince Lombardi.

The Panthers have enjoyed the most success in their short history with Fox at the helm. His 68 wins are by far the most in the history of the franchise. In fact he has 22 more wins than Dom Capers (1995-1998) and Seifert (1999-2001) combined. He took the Panthers to their only Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2003 season. He's taken the Panthers to the playoffs three times which is twice more than Capers did (1996). He has turned the franchise into one of the elite in the NFL with an explosive wide receiver in Steve Smith, a multi-time Pro Bowler Julius Peppers, and what I think is the best running back tandem in the league with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

But does he deserve to stay around another year? Despite another season of missing the playoffs after a disastrous start I'd have to think the answer is yes. Here's why: Who else are they gonna get to coach the Panthers? The list of quality coaches is very short right now in my opinion. Most of the top coaches already in the NFL are staying put. They've got success right now and why should they change that and risk being a failure?

Obviously the top candidate is former Steelers coach Bill Cowher. But other reports suggest he may be snatched up by Tampa Bay during this off-season. Who else can take over this franchise and win immediately? A college coach? Maybe another year of coaching changes in NCAA and NFL levels might land the Panthers a winner.

The second question I pose is this: does Marty Hurney deserve to stay around another year? Absolutely not. Look at the talent the Panthers have right now on both sides of the ball. Look at where the Panthers are struggling right now (specifically at quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive secondary.) How can a general manager of an NFL franchise not work to fix those problems? Part of the reason the Panthers struggled earlier this season was because Jake Delhomme couldn't find anybody downfield that actually wore a Panthers uniform. Interceptions were expected when he played. The Panthers have nobody to really compliment Steve Smith at wide receiver (now nobody after Smith's season ending injury on Sunday) and the defense struggled to contain both the pass and run until the last two weeks.

If the Panthers do not fix these problems in the off-season they will struggle again next year. I'll permit keeping John Fox but there is no reason at all to keep Hurney. The Panthers have gone to the playoffs three times in this decade. If significant changes aren't made now they might not make it back there for a long time to come.

Jimmie Johnson named AP Male Athlete of 2009

2009-12-21T21:48:00.005-05:00

It's been about a month since I last posted. In that time I've graduated college and embarked on a new chapter in life. Just wanted to get that out of the way and now on to my point...

Monday morning Jimmie Johnson was announced as the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. He beat out names like Peyton Manning, Alex Rodriguez, and (yes) Tiger Woods. He became the first NASCAR driver to ever win the award. Yes, Jimmie Johnson has done something else that Petty, Earnhardt, Pearson, and Yarborough never did. Just the fact that Johnson was in the running is remarkable and it boasts so much about how NASCAR's place in mainstream sports media has jumped over the last decade. When I began watching NASCAR in the late 1980's, I doubt anyone would have selected a racecar driver as male athlete of the year. Here we are: December 21, 2009, and it's become reality.

I've talked at length about the enormity of the Johnson's accomplishment this year. A fourth straight championship is remarkable in any sport. I've noticed over the years that drivers who win a lot get booed by fans. Gordon, Stewart, Kyle Busch all come to mind for receiving their fair share of boos. But in the races I've been to in the four seasons that Johnson has taken home the crown, I don't ever remember hearing boos. I don't remember hearing cheers either. Are NASCAR fans nonchalant about Johnson and what's he done?

But back to the point at hand and this morning's announcement of Johnson's newest title. Take a look back at the 2009 sports world. Let's see what's happened in the last 12 or so months. A-Rod finally won his World Series title, Big Ben Roethlisberger won the Super Bowl with great heroics, Peyton Manning is on the verge of perfection in this year's version of the National Football League. And Tiger Woods overshadowed both John & Kate separating on national television and Mark Sanford and his antics with South American women.

But whatever Rodriguez, Roethlisberger, Manning, and Woods have done this year, have they done more than what Johnson has done? The obvious answer is no and anyone who is still thinking about this question needs to hit the refresh button because you are taking WAY too long.

I think NASCAR fans look at this from a two-fold standpoint. First, those that are Jimmie Johnson haters don't like this because it's Jimmie Johnson and they'd rather someone else had won the award. On the other hand, you've got a core group of NASCAR fans, some of whom have felt very neglected by mainstream media over the years, that are just happy that a driver had been chosen.

I remember when Dale Earnhardt made the cover of Time Magazine following his February 2001 death at Daytona. I remember thinking how huge it was for the sport to have one of its own on the cover despite the manner in which Earnhardt got there. Last February I was surprised to see the number of different national news outlets that were on hand for the season-opening Daytona 500. And now I'm seeing news people from all over the world at Daytona to watch Danica Patrick make single-file runs in an ARCA car (a topic by the way that I haven't even begun to vent about and will do so at length at a future date and time.)

But the fact of the matter is that the Associated Press has named a NASCAR driver as it's male athlete of the year. I like the idea and I say that while disclosing that I'm not necessarily a Jimmie Johnson fan. It's true I didn't like him that much when he first got into the sport and he certainly didn't help his cause with me when he won his first, second, and third championships. But you've got to respect the man and his latest accomplishment.

Take pride NASCAR. For the next 12 months you have the top male athelete in your ranks. Enjoy the ride. Maybe five in a row will also warrant the honor as well.

Jimmie Johnson is one of the greats. Period.

2009-11-23T14:18:00.004-05:00

Sunday afternoon Jimmie Johnson locked up his fourth consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship. On route to the title this year, he scored seven victories, three poles, 15 top 5's, and 23 top 10's. In his four championship seasons (06, 07, 08, and 09) he has accumulated 29 victories, 64 top 5's, and 94 top 10's.

Allow me to do the numbers for you: in 144 starts in those four years, he won 20.1% of the races, finished in the top five in 44.4% of the races, and finished in the top 10 in 65.3% of the races. That my friends is what you call domination.

The man has accomplished something that no other driver in the 61 year history of the sport has done and he's done it without boasting about his ability, but rather giving credit to his Hendrick Motorsports team. He's done it by consistently finishing races and finishing well (only seven DNF's in that four year streak.) And he's led laps and gained bonus points as a result (over 6,300 laps led in that time.)

Folks, what don't you get about this guy? He might be the best ever. He was hand picked by Jeff Gordon. He was mentored by Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon. He grew up racing motorcycles on dirt before switching to off-road racing and finally to stock cars. He has car control down to a science. He has strategy and knowledge of the sport down. His crew chief is the most detail guy I've ever seen on a pit box and was a protege of Ray Evernham (who I might add was one of the greatest crew chiefs of all time.) There is a reason why the #48 Lowe's team has been at the head table at the banquet for the last four years.

Jimmie Johnson has not ruined NASCAR. He has not ruined the chase. He has realized how to win the chase and that's what is most important. He's realized how to make this racecar do what he wants it to do and he's figured it out faster than a lot of other guys. And when I talked about the COT and his figuring it out I'd also like to point out that he won two championships with the old car as well.

Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus have done something that nobody else has been able to do. Petty couldn't do it, Pearson couldn't do it, Yarborough almost did it and failed, and Earnhardt and Gordon all came close but failed.

To the people who are upset at this point or stopped watching the Chase after the Talladega race I am very sorry that you didn't get to witness history. When you look at all the sports dynasties out there, Jimmie Johnson ranks among the greats.

In the late 90's Jeff Gordon and his Rainbow Warriors had a banner in their shops. On that banner was a checklist of goals. It went from Upstart to Contender; From Contender to Winner; From Winner to Champion: and from Champion to Dynasty. Jimmie Johnson is a dynasty. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer in my opinion. His legacy will live on for the ages. And if you think for one minute that he shouldn't be called "Great" then look at what he's done and look at what others have tried to do.

He may go for five. He may go for six. He may surpass Earnhardt and Petty and win eight in a row. The thing is until someone steps up to prove him otherwise, Jimmie Johnson is currently the best driver in the sport. And for anyone to downplay what he's accomplished in the last four years or to say he couldn't stack up with the Yarboroughs, Pettys, and Pearsons is just plain wrong.

Congratulations Jimmie, Chad, and Mr. H. I'm waiting to see what you can do in 2010.

Chase Clinch Scenarios...

2009-09-08T23:52:00.002-04:00

It's that time of the year again when the Sprint Cup Series converges upon the 3/4 mile Richmond International Raceway to determine the 12-member Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The last 25 grueling races all come down to 400 laps on Saturday night. I've decided to post on here for easy reference the Chase clinch scenarios for the drivers who are still not mathematically eligible for getting into the Chase.

First and foremost, the following drivers are locked in going to Richmond: Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin.

The following drivers are still eligible and here are their scenarios for getting in (from NASCARMedia.com)

Carl Edwards
Edwards is currently 105 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, he will clinch if he finishes:
· 24th or better
· 25th and leads at least one lap
· 27th and leads most laps

Kasey Kahne
Kahne is currently 96 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, he will clinch if he finishes:
· 21st or better
· 23rd and leads at least one lap
· 24th and leads most laps

Kurt Busch
Busch is currently 95 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, he will clinch if he finishes:
· 20th or better
· 22nd and leads at least one lap
· 24th and leads most laps

Juan Pablo Montoya
Montoya is currently 88 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, he will clinch if he finishes:
· 18th or better
· 20th and leads at least one lap
· 21st and leads the most laps

Ryan Newman
Newman is currently 81 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, he will clinch if he finishes:
· 16th or better
· 17th and leads at least one lap
· 19th and leads the most laps

Mark Martin
Martin is currently 69 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, he will clinch if he finishes:
· 12th or better
· 14th and leads at least one lap
· 15th and leads the most laps

Greg Biffle
Biffle is currently 68 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, he will clinch if he finishes:
· 11th or better
· 13th and leads at least one lap
· 15th and leads the most laps

Matt Kenseth

Kenseth is currently 20 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, he will clinch if he finishes:
· Second and leads at least one lap

· Third and leads the most laps

Brian Vickers currently sits 13th, 17 points ahead of Kyle Busch. He would need to gain 21 points on Kenseth and stay ahead of Busch to clinch a Chase spot.

Busch, 37 points behind 12th, needs to gain 17 points on Vickers and 37 points on Kenseth to clinch.

David Reutimann, 132 points behind Kenseth, has an outside shot at clinching. He would have to gain 133 points on Kenseth. A maximum of 161 points can be made up in a given race.

Ok... now that you are totally confused, just watch the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Saturday night. It'll all make sense in time.

No to Rain Tires... Yes to Earlier Start Times

2009-08-10T08:50:00.002-04:00

The idea of using rain tires for the Sprint Cup Series at a road course is not only absurd, it's just plain dumb.

I want to tell a little story, and then I'll tell you my answer to those who insist we could have gotten that race in yesterday by using rain tires.

About 14 years ago, NASCAR decided to go race in Japan. They were gonna go to a road course in Suzuka, Japan and they needed to insure that the race could be run on the scheduled date and time and couldn't stay in the country any longer than necessary. So Goodyear built NASCAR a rain tire. I think they practiced in the rain during that first weekend in Japan. After NASCAR stopped going to Japan, the need to absolutely get a race in on the scheduled date on a road course went away.

Flash forward to 2005 when the NASCAR Nationwide Series ups and goes to Mexico. They are in a different country with deadlines to race and get back across the border. The teams had to race when scheduled and couldn't wait another day. So Goodyear pulled back out the rain tires and ever since the crazies in NASCAR land have said we can race in the rain on a road course.

The Nationwide Series did it in Canada last year, and while it may have been fun for the drivers (at times mind you), the fans were forced to sit in the rain and forced to watch a bad race.

The Sprint Cup Series is the biggest form of motorsports in the country. To put on a race in the rain that is gonna produce few passes and multiple accidents is just plain wrong. There's no reason for that nonsense.

I will tell you a solution to prevent what happened yesterday from happening again.

You ready?

Start the race earlier. Earlier start times could have gotten in atleast half of the race yesterday. If not half, then a good portion of it and we wouldn't have to race the full distance today. A 1:00 start would have gotten in the entire Daytona 500 back in February. NASCAR has moved the start times back to around 2:00 (Daytona started at 4:15 EST) for most tracks because they want to pick up on the west coast crowd. I've done some reading on the internet and I think most west-coast folks don't like the start times we've got now. They seem to prefer the earlier start times from a decade ago so they don't spend the entire middle portion of their day watching the race.

I think the ratings will pick back up from starting at 1:00 EST or earlier. I also think the ratings would pick back up by fixing the car and getting the bells and whistles out of the way at ESPN and FOX. Watch how TNT and SPEED broadcast NASCAR races. That's the way to go.

One Week to go...

2009-08-07T09:13:00.003-04:00

Camp for Camden High School concluded yesterday afternoon and the first scrimmage is tonight at South Carolina State University. Lugoff-Elgin also hosts a scrimmage tonight at Lugoff-Elgin Stadium, which I think I would like to go to. Summer school is over at USC and teachers for the Kershaw County School District report on Monday. All these signs can only point to one thing.

It's Time for High School Football.

It's hot outside and kids around the state have been sweating like there's no tomorrow for a week. Of course some teams choose to practice at night. Which is what Camden has done; practicing around midnight during this week's camp. There's one week to go before the season begins and the first time under the lights in front of actual people takes place at Zemp Stadium in the 34th edition of the Camden Shrine Club Football Jamboree.

I'm excited. I've said it before, other than the weeks leading up to the Daytona 500 in February, this is my favorite time of the year. The Sprint Cup Series is heading to some fun race tracks. The summer is slowly coming to an end and fall is almost upon us. And the start of High School, College, and NFL Football are all very near.

I think it might have something to do with the fact that we live in a "Football" community. Camden's been playing football for 115 years. While Lugoff-Elgin and North Central haven't been in existence that long, each have a tradition of excellence when it comes to the gridiron. But the community embraces football. Each Friday night Zemp, L-E, and Boonetown stadiums are all packed with fans eagerly awaiting that first big play for a touchdown, hear the marching band play their fight song after a victory, and wake up the next morning beaming with pride that their team has won.

This year's football season presents some very interesting story lines for all three Kershaw County schools. We'll start with North Central. 2009 marks a new era as Louis Clyburn comes to town to take over as the school's head coach. Clyburn grew up just a few miles from NCHS and graduated from Camden High School in 1990. After stints as a college assistant, he became head coach at Andrew Jackson a season ago, bringing the Volunteers up to one of the upper echelon teams in class AA. Now he comes to Boonetown and will try to regroup and rebuild that team after a disappointing 1-9 2008 season. Numbers are up at NCHS, and things are looking up for the Knights as they try to dethrone Chesterfield as the top dog in class A in South Carolina.

Lugoff-Elgin is a team that I'm really not sure about for 2009. They were strong a year ago, going to the Upper State Semi-final game against Daniel. The Demons lost a lot from last year's team, but in reality they have a lot coming back including starting quarterback Forrest Koumas. Koumas is an outstanding baseball player, but the football team I think is going to rely on him more than Scott Jones would like. I think LE can go deep in the playoffs this year if their running game can stay on point. I think the running game is gonna be key for these guys. Their defense was also strong a season ago and I think they've got most of those guys back. LE has one chance left to do something in class AAA, as it's projected they will move to class AAAA in 2010.

Camden has had success on the hardwood and baseball diamond this year. Both Boys Basketball and Baseball teams advanced to state championship games, with the Basketball team winning their first state title in 51 years, and the baseball team coming up just one run short against Belton-Honea Path. Camden turned things around last year with a 7-6 record and with an experienced quarterback, running back, and a pair of wide receivers coming back, I think they can continue the success they've seen this year. The biggest question is going to be the defense, who has lost their top two tacklers from a season ago. Chris Outten graduated, and Roland Johnson has transferred to Byrnes. Camden's offensive line is experienced at places, but will see some youth this year. The wide receiver core will see Alvonta Jenkins team up with Brandon Kersey and Trevor Jefferson, who transferred back to Camden after leaving during last season.

I'll be hosting a special Round Table Season Preview for Kershaw County Football next Thursday night (August 13th ad 6:00 on KOOL 102.7 FM) and we'll talk more about the three county schools. And don't forget the 34th annual Camden Shrine Club Football Jamboree on Friday, August 14th. KOOL 102.7's live coverage begins at 6:00. Kickoff in the first mini-game is at 6:30.

ESPN and Brickyard Flops on Sunday

2009-07-28T17:15:00.002-04:00

The 16th running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard was heralded as a must-see event by the folks at ESPN in the buildup to the portion of the season where the network, along with ABC, broadcasts all NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide events. The 17-race stretch not only includes the Brickyard but the night race at Bristol and the entire 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup.

ESPN was set up by a great Camping World Truck and Nationwide series races at O'Reilly Raceway Park, which is across town from IMS. The racing at the 5/8 mile was spectacular to say the least. We saw two-wide (and often times three-wide racing) at the bullring in the closing stages of both races. Ron Hornaday made history by becoming the first driver to win four truck races in a row and Carl Edwards charged from the back and held off Kyle Busch for the win. ESPN was set. They had the momentum going from the Nationwide broadcast, which was very well put together.

But when the green flag fell on Sunday, ESPN failed to deliver and the Allstate 400 also failed to deliver. To summarize it: the tire debacle from a year ago would have been more entertaining than the 400 miles of mediocrity I saw on Sunday.

Let me clear up a few things: I was pulling for Juan Montoya to win. But the manner in which he dominated the race made it boring. He had a five-second lead at one point. Even for the most hardcore NASCAR fans (which I count myself as) it was hard to watch. If not for the final 25-lap duel between Mark Martin and eventual winner Jimmie Johnson, the race would have been a total flop.

Goodyear brought a great tire. But this car isn't meant to be raced on this track. Stockcars in general aren't meant to be race on this track. Do I think NASCAR needs to leave the Brickyard? Yeah I do. We've got tracks all over the country that produce better racing. Let's try going there instead of continuing to go back to Indianapolis for a boring race. The same could be said for the Auto Club Speedway as well.

ESPN didn't have much to play with on Sunday, but what they did have they totally flopped. I was thrilled when Jerry Punch was named the Play-by-Play guy for NASCAR on ESPN in 2007. I felt better knowing that he was up in the booth simply because of his history in the sport. He was one of the best in the business on ESPN races in the 90's and he was in the booth for Earnhardt's final win at Talladega in 2000.

But seven years past between Punch's last stint with NASCAR and his current role. He's the wrong person up there. He's bringing down the broadcasts, and I'm concerned about how the final 16 races will go. NASCAR right now needs a punch in the stomach (no pun intended there.) They need someone who can put excitement in the racing. They need a production team who comes from a racing background and understands what to look for during the race broadcasts. ESPN doesn't have that right now. What they have is a bunch of "stick and ball" guys running things in the production truck, and a pit reporter who was put in the booth to be the voice of the franchise.

ESPN does have superior pit reporters, a good balance in the infield pit studio, and two great analysts in the booth who help out Punch. But ESPN failed to deliver on Sunday, just like the race did itself.

I'm actually looking forward to the race at Pocono now. What does that say?

Quick-Fix Change for a Big Problem

2009-07-18T23:16:00.002-04:00

There's a show on Food Channel called Quick-Fix Meals. On this program, a female host prepares large amounts of one particular food for multiple meals during the course of a single week. This is advertised as a way to help save time for people who have busy schedules. Essentially, Quick-Fix is this program's way of saying they are solving problems.

Well a few weeks ago NASCAR made a Quick-Fix to its top two touring series by introducing the Double File Restarts-Shootout Style. I think tonight was an excellent way of viewing how the practice has changed the sport.

NASCAR scheduled a truck race at one track to start at 7:30 eastern and a Nationwide race start at another track at 9:30 eastern. So essentially they are gonna run the equivalency of an almost 500 mile race at two tracks with two series. On two television networks.

The truck race was intriguing to watch, but I think that Mike Skinner, Matt Crafton, and Timothy Peters could have put on more of a battle with Ron Hornaday that what we actually saw if the truck series used the double file restarts. This is the only of the top three series that has yet to introduce the new rule this summer. I'm hoping NASCAR is holding off so they can also announce at the same time that teams can change tires and fuel during the same pitstop which has been a total disaster and really a joke in 2009.

Now watching the Nationwide race (and I'm probably one of the few on the east coast that are watching it at this point I'm sure) the double file restarts have made this race a lot more competitive than it has been in the past. Last year in this 250-mile event at Gateway International Raceway, there were a total of 12 lead changes. I think just past the half-way point there have been 11 or maybe 12 (or more.)

These new restarts made the Infineon Sprint Cup race watchable. They made New Hampshire and Daytona more interesting than ever, and they are making the Gateway Nationwide race a sight to see in the latter stages.

The sport is better because of double file restarts. The sport is better because of the COT, safer barriers, and HANS devices. However starting a 250 mile race at 9:30 eastern is something else. I'll blog later about my opinion on uniform start times for all races. But that's for another day. I'm going to enjoy the rest of the Nationwide race now.

2008 Camden Football Archive

2009-07-17T16:26:00.003-04:00

For the last two days after I've returned from my "vacation" I've been listening to the 2008 KOOL 102.7/StarTime 1590 archive of Camden High Bulldog Football. This is fun. It's awesome to go back and relive the excitement of high school football. For me, 2008 was my first at the play-by-play spot for CHS Football and I'm amazed at how I've grown in the role over the last 12 months.

I've had a lot of experience calling games during the calendar year 2009. I was on the call for both of Camden's state championship runs in boys basketball and baseball. Through my experiences with that, and observing how professional broadcast crews work, I feel that the 2009 high school football season will be awesome.

I started the trek back to the past listening to the Camden-Hartsville game, my first official appearance as the Voice of the Bulldogs. It's amazing how I've changed the way I announce. I'm now more experienced with what to do in certain situations. I enjoyed reliving the calls of the touchdowns- the triumphs; and all the memories from a year ago.

The fall is a magical time of year for me. Football is starting up, NASCAR is in the Chase for the Sprint Cup part of their season, and the Gamecocks... well they are the Gamecocks. I enjoy the fall more than any other time of the year (sans the weeks leading up to the Daytona 500.)

I'm looking forward to being on the call for another season of CHS Football- the 115th season of CHS football I mind you. The preparation for the game: doing depth charts, memorizing names, and working on the pre-game show are just some of the things I'll be doing over the next four months.

Aside from the on-air stuff, I get to hang out in the pressbox for junior varsity and 9th grade football, and I'll be calling at least three middle school games this year.

The fall will be packed with excitement week in and week out. Despite the strain it puts on my relationships with friends and family, it really is a fun time of year and I'm really looking forward to it.

The Mayfield Saga Continues...

2009-07-16T17:32:00.003-04:00

Ok, so I was out of town this week and didn't have a chance to check out NASCARLand as much as I probably should have.

I wish I kinda hadn't kept up at all.

The Jeremy Mayfield saga has dominated the NASCAR world in recent weeks and it took another turn on Wednesday afternoon as NASCAR announced that the results of a second drug test last week reported back positive again for methamphetamine. Mayfield's step-mother went on record as saying she saw the driver take meth over 30 times in a seven year period. Mayfield claims she was being coached up and that she lied about the issue because of their strained relationship.

You know that when Mayfield was contacted by NASCAR over a week ago to take that second test that he ducked out of contact for a while, claiming he couldn't find the testing center and that he got the call too late to report to the testing facility when they wanted him to. Then NASCAR security ended up going to Mayfield's house to obtain the sample. I'm sorry, but when NASCAR comes a calling you answer the phone and don't try to play cover up.

I heard a caller call in on Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 128 this morning saying that if his employer came to his house and demanded a drug test be taken that they would both end up in an emergency room. I applaud the hosts for the show holding back because I would have let loose with something like, "well sir you don't work in a situation where you are operating a 3,400 pound weapon at 180 miles per hour and don't make millions of dollars a year."

At this point, after two failed tests and months of "he said-she said" between Mayfield, his law team, NASCAR, and NASCAR's drug testing facility, Mayfield just needs to admit he was wrong, back out of the sport, and go on about his way.

His career is effectively over at this point. I think most within the NASCAR community will admit that, and to some extent I think Mayfield might think that.

Hopefully the Mayfield Saga is behind us all now. As the sport approaches the race at Indy next week, and the Chase for the Sprint Cup not far after that, NASCAR drivers, media, and fans need to move on and keep the momentum going that the sport has been building the last few weeks. I know the ratings and attendance are still down, but the racing has been better at times since the advent of "Double File Restarts-Shootout Style" seven weeks ago.

Jeremy has thrown away an opportunity that thousands of short track drivers around the country dream of: driving a racecar and winning at NASCAR's top level. It's the same opinion I had when hearing about the mistakes made by Shane Hmiel, Aaron Fike, and Kevin Grubb.

Jeremy Mayfield's story, like so many others who get caught up in drug addiction, is sad but it's time for all of us to move on.

I think Jeremy needs to move on too.

Vickers Wins 5th Pole... But What's He Doing Next Year?

2009-07-10T10:12:00.002-04:00

Brian Vickers put his Red Bull Toyota on the front row last night for this Saturday's LifeLock.com 400 at the Chicagoland Speedway. It's Vickers' 5th pole of the 2009 season. He has been consistent at times this year, but has also seen his share of struggles. Everyone in the Cup garage thinks Vickers is very close to breaking Red Bull into the win column. But my question is if he's doing better this year: winning poles and contending for wins, why hasn't the team inked a contract extension for next year? Do they not like leading laps and winning poles? Would they prefer Vickers' teammate Scott Speed who failed to qualify multiple times this year to be the front runner? Or would they like IRL's Danica Patrick to come to NASCAR and run 40th every week in the 83 car? Where will Vickers end up? I think he would be a good fit at Stewart-Haas Racing personally.

The 83 and 82 will lead the field to the green flag shortly after 8:00 Saturday night. But where will Vickers race next year is the question at hand.

Rain, Rain Go Away and Tony Jr. to Crew Chief for Keselowski at Chicago

2009-07-09T16:13:00.003-04:00

Rain Postpones Wednesday's Dixie Youth Action
It looks like we might get more rain for the second night in a row which could again postpone Dixie Youth Baseball in Bishopville, S.C. Last night torrential rains halted the start of the game between Kershaw County National and Chesterfield and delayed it until tonight. The game was called off about 20 minutes before the 7:00 scheduled first pitch.

I'd like to point out that the field resembled a water reservoir BEFORE the heavy rains began to fall. It was at the point the heavy stuff started that we made our way out of town and I can only guess as to what it looked like after the heavy rain fell. We'll try it again tonight. Join Tyler Cupp and myself for the call on KOOL 102.7 FM beginning at 6:45.

Eury Jr. to Crew Chief for Keselowski at Chicagoland
Tony Eury Jr. will be the crew chief for Brad Keselowski as he attempts to qualify the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports at the Chicagoland Speedway this weekend. Eury Jr. had of course been the crew chief for the sport's most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. but was removed of that title after the Coca-Cola 600 in late May. Keselowski had been working with now current crew chief for Earnhardt Jr., Lance McGrew.

Official: Truex to MWR in 2010; Waltrip to Partial Schedule

2009-07-07T14:05:00.002-04:00

Michael Waltrip Racing announced earlier today that Martin Truex Jr. will join the team in 2010 and drive the #56 NAPA Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Truex's contract runs out at the end of 2009 and he will finish the season with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing in the #1 Chevrolet. He says he is totally committed to EGR and looks to finish the second half of the season on a strong note. He currently sits 24th in points with only three top 10 finishes.

Waltrip on the other hand will stay in the #55 Toyota next season and run a partial schedule to focus more on being a car owner. NAPA has signed on for a multi-year contract to sponsor Truex. Waltrip has four career Sprint Cup wins, two of which were the Daytona 500 in 2001 and 2003.

Baseball Action Continues...

2009-07-07T08:52:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure where or when, but I'll be at a ballpark somewhere today as Dixie Youth and Dixie Boys Baseball continues in Kershaw County. We still have a team going strong up in Lancaster at the Dixie Boys level, and in Dixie Youth there's a team that has won 5 straight games over the last week and a half playing in Bishopville.

We have now covered 15 games over a 12 day period - something I'm awfully proud of.

I'll say that I'm very tired though and Summer 2 starts today at USC. Little sleep... lot of driving... confusing schedule... gotta love Dixie Youth and Dixie Boys Baseball.

Mayfield not entered at Chicago

2009-07-06T15:00:00.003-04:00

Update: NASCAR on Monday said they want Mayfield back on suspension from competition and they have filed papers to have the same judge who lifted his suspension to go back on his decision. This should get interesting over the next few days (as if it hasn't been already.)

Jeremy Mayfield is not entered for this Saturday night's LifeLock 400 at the Chicagoland Speedway. Mayfield won an injunction last week to allow him to return to Sprint Cup competition but could not get his Mayfield Motorsports #41 Toyota to Daytona on time nor could he find a ride over the weekend for the Coke Zero 400. Mayfield released an open letter this week saying he was planning to return to the sport but didn't specify when.

Mayfield hasn't raced since Richmond in early May and was suspended for violating NASCAR's drug policy on May 9th.

MWR to announce Truex on Tuesday

2009-07-06T12:27:00.005-04:00

Update: The MWR presser will be at 12:30 Tuesday afternoon and I think it's gonna be carried on SPEED.

Tomorrow Michael Waltrip Racing will announce that 2-time Nationwide Series champion and current driver of the #1 Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing Sprint Cup Chevrolet will join MWR in 2010. With the announcement of Truex, it's highly anticipated that Michael Waltrip himself will step down from a full-time driver next season and only run a partial schedule. This will allow Waltrip to concentrate more on his duties as a car owner and his television responsibilities as well.

Waltrip has 4 career Sprint Cup wins including the 2001 and 2003 Daytona 500. Truex got his first career Sprint Cup win at Dover in 2007 and before that won the 2004 and 2005 Nationwide Series championship, driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Chance 2 Motorsports.

One of my favorites...

2009-04-30T14:59:00.003-04:00

Over the years as my career in sports broadcasting and journalism has evolved, there was always one voice and one writing style that I tired to emulate. That's because this one character always had a reason for saying something and he always knew what he said was, in his opinion atleast, the right answer.

Tuesday that voice and that talent was silenced. Charlotte Observer motorsports writer and co-host of The Morning Drive on Sirius Satellite Radio David Poole died of a heart attack shortly after signing off the air Tuesday morning.

I admired David because he really didn't seem to care what others thought of his ideas and always tried to see both sides of a NASCAR issue. He argued every caller that called his show and when he debated them, he debated via facts. I always knew that he'd come up with some stat that was really from left field and didn't back down from his opinions. I think a lot more journalists should share the same philosophy.

Now I didn't always share the same ideas as David did. I screamed at my radio on Monday morning driving back from Talladega about his ideas to bulldoze the banking at Talladega because of the danger it posed to drivers and fans. Some of those fans were injured in a last lap wreck that saw Carl Edwards' Ford fly through the air and into the catchfence in the trioval at the Alabama track. I belive there are other options to make the track safer for fans and drivers, but this isn't the time to talk about that.

I give props to Dave Moody and Mike Bagley who somehow managed to both make it through four hours of programming on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning. I don't think I could have done what those guys did.

I'll always remember David Poole for his opinions and those hilarious Dramatic Readings each week on TMD. His voice is now silenced, but his influence on me and the rest of the NASCAR media will forever be felt.

Wow... that was like a month ago

2009-03-18T10:56:00.002-04:00

Yeah, so I had this great elaborate plan to document every part of my trip to the 51st Daytona 500 last month. Today is March 18th and the race at Daytona was February 15th, so I'm a little late with all that stuff.

I really did have a great plan for everything. I was gonna talk about walking through the Daytona Fan Zone and seeing AJ Foyt a couple of times. I was gonna talk about standing atop the Fan Zone to watch practice on Friday. I was gonna talk about watching Smoke win the Nationwide race, the look of terror on people's faces during that horrific wreck during the Truck race, and sitting in the tv compound food tent on Sunday morning knowning that it was gonna rain at some point during the day. I could also talk about standing in the old victory lane where Dale Earnhardt celebrated his only 500 victory in 1998.

Oh, I had a bunch of stuff to talk about for sure. But, a lot of stuff has happened since I got back.

Combine school, and a playoff run for Camden that culminated with me calling the AAA Boys Basketball Championship game at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, and I haven't really had time to update my trip to the Great American Race.

I'm past the half way point for my penultimate semester of college, and I've got to admit I don't think I've really learned anything. It's like I've learned more about how to call a basketball game and design a website than I have anything sitting in a classroom. My choice for classes this semester was not as good as it could have been and now I'm having to deal with that. Hopefully I'll be able to pass everything and move on in life. And I'll tell you now that the summer is going to SUCK because I need to take 4 classes this summer to assure graduating in December.

There were no NASCAR races last weekend. Everything was on hold because the powers that be didn't want to compete with college basketball conference tournaments. Hey, for me it wouldn't have been a problem because my team was done on Friday. Hey NASCAR, next time you plan an off-week, just look at who South Carolina's playing to determine if you should do it then or push it back a couple weeks.

Anyway, I need to wrap things up for now. Apparently the USC Sumter faculty thinks its necessary for me to go to class today. I'm really kicking myself for not finishing school when I was supposed to.

The Saga That is Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2009-02-24T09:46:00.002-05:00

Alright, alright. Here we go...

I didn't see the wreck that was started when Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brian Vickers got together on the backstretch during the Daytona 500 last week while I was actually at the racetrack. I heard the commotion on my headset and saw the cars after they were towed back to the Sprint Cup Series garage. But not until yesterday afternoon did I actually have time to sit down and review the video of the accident in detail.

And guess what... Dale Earnhardt Jr. is totally responsible for what happened. It took out the dominant car (Kyle Busch) and wrecked several others that had legitimate shots at going to victory lane (i.e. Jamie McMurray.) Of course I'm not gonna say that without watching the tape first. I'm expected to be the Dale Jr. supporter that I am and not question his integrity on the racetrack or his ability as a Sprint Cup Series driver.

Now, let me answer a few questions that have been raised this week on Sirius NASCAR Radio and various other talk shows (i.e. The Locker Room Sports Show on KOOL 102.7)

First, did Junior wreck Vickers? Yes.
Did Vickers block Junior which caused the wreck? Yes.
Was Junior frustrated over dumb things he'd done on pit road ALL WEEKEND? Yes.
Did Junior want to get back on the lead lap? Yes.
Did Junior INTENTIONALLY wreck Vickers in an attempt to get back on the lead lap? I still say the word "intentional" when used to describe an event happening at 190 miles per hour is absolutely absurd.

Now, here's my thing about all of this. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is expected to lead every lap and win every race. Junior Nation expects it and the media criticizes him when he doesn't. And at that point being a lap down, not in position for the lucky dog, and knowing rain was coming, he did what he could to try to live up to those expectations. At Daytona more than any other track, the fans expect him to win the race. He screwed up earlier in the day (on pit road twice) and then he screwed up on the racetrack.

That unrealistic expectation of winning every race needs to be dropped. He's not Dale Earnhardt Sr. He never will be. I've never expected him to be. He doesn't have the raw talent and ability that Dale Sr. had. People ask me why am I a fan of Dale Earnhardt Jr. My answer is I've been an Earnhardt fan all my life. But what people don't know is that I followed Junior through the Nationwide Series (formerly Busch Series) in 1997, 1998, and 1999. I bought the AC Delco hats and t-shirts and I celebrated when he won the championships in 98 and 99.

And following Dale Sr.'s death in 2001, I didn't necessarily pick another driver to pull for. I flip-flopped between Junior, and Kevin Harvick, and Bobby Labonte, and hell I even thought about switching to the dark side and pulling for Jeff Gordon. But it wasn't really until late 2002 that I became a Junior fan. And my loyalty to Junior has continued even through the switch to Hendrick Motorsports.

But what Junior did on Sunday was inexcusable. I'll admit it now after reviewing the DVR even though I wouldn't on the Locker Room Monday night, or to anybody else I've talked to since. As an Earnhardt fan, I apologize to everyone whose favorite driver was taken out in the wreck (that's for you Bobby.) I also apologize to everyone for saying so many times over the years that Dale Jr. was capable of winning a Sprint Cup Series championship and being competitive enough to win a bunch of races. At this point in his career, I think that a championship is out the door. I also think my allegiance to him as a fan has begun to dwindle. Overrated is a term that has really begun to sink in with me when talking about his Sprint Cup Series career recently.

If it were any other driver, 2 Nationwide Series championships as a driver and 2 more as an owner, 18 Sprint Cup wins (including the Daytona 500) and driving for the most successful team in the modern era would be a very respectable career. Unfortunately for him, 100 wins and 10 championships wouldn't begin to make the fans happy.

I'm criticized for being a Junior fan, cheering when Jimmie Johnson won his 3rd championship last year, saying Kyle Busch is a good driver, and dipping out when it comes to answering the hard questions about an idiotic move at Daytona. So I ask you this: If I wasn't a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan, who should I pull for? Gordon? Johnson? Stewart? Shrubby? I'm not saying I would switch over, but I want some input, remembering that I've been an Earnhardt fan since I started watching racing in the late 80's.

I'll take your suggestions here. I want real reasons and not just some dumb answer for your choice.

2009 Chasers

2009-02-18T09:08:00.001-05:00

I know I haven't posted about Daytona in a few days, but I'm still not caught back up on everything I missed here in the real world while I was down there.

But it occurs to me that I never documented my Chase drivers for 2009. Well, here they are:
Jeff Gordon
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Carl Edwards
Matt Kenseth
Greg Biffle
David Ragan
Kevin Harvick
Jeff Burton
Clint Bowyer
Kyle Busch
Tony Stewart

Daytona (Thursday)

2009-02-12T19:34:00.002-05:00

Thursday was go or go home day for 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers. I was down on pit road after the second Gatorade Duel race and was right there when Jeremy Mayfield and AJ Allmendinger got out of their cars after they raced their way in to Sunday's 51st running of the Daytona 500.

The look on their faces, and their crew guys and family, was priceless. Mayfield Motorsports didn't exist a month ago and Dinger lost his guaranteed starting spot the week before the Budweiser Shootout. For the first time in a while they, along with Scott Riggs and Regan Smith, will get a somewhat comfortable night's sleep tonight because they are in.

However, there were a bunch of guys not so lucky. Boris Said, Geoff Bodine, Kelly Bires, and Kirk Shelmerdine are among the guys who will load it up and head for home tonight. I can't begin to imagine what they are thinking. Bodine and Shelmerdine planned to run the entire season. I wonder if those plans have now changed.

***

Thursday was a long, hot day at Daytona. My feet ache and I'm a little sunburned. I got a story into the pre-race show, and it didn't go over as well as I'd hoped, but it was still there. Basically it goes like this: when it was time to talk about Dale Earnhardt Jr, I suggested to the producer and the talent guy that we should say nothing (in the best Seinfeld fan-way I can.) And he did. And it was gonna be great but the people in the stands really didn't get what we were trying to do. Oh well, I tried.

Tomorrow I'll get to sleep in for a bit, then it's back to the track for Nationwide qualifying and the Camping World Truck Series race tomorrow night. That event is always fun to watch because their is side-by-side racing and beating and banging. There's a full-field of trucks tomorrow night and most of those guys need a good showing to stay on track for the full season.

As always I'll have more from Daytona throughout the weekend.

Daytona (Wednesday)

2009-02-11T19:42:00.003-05:00

So if everything goes to plan, I'll have suggested and had aired the greatest story in the history of NASCAR Racing during the Sprint Vision pre-race for the Gatorade Duels tomorrow afternoon. Of course, this could be the worst thing I've ever suggested in my life. More on that later.

After the very comfortable drive to Florida (except through the construction zone that was ALL of Georgia) I got to the hotel and really enjoyed my afternoon. Got to sit in on the SV pre-race show prep for tomorrow (hence the opening paragraph above) and then caught up with my friends early in the evening. New Hampshire was a long time ago so it was nice to hang out with the crew for a little while. We're going to dinner in a bit and then who knows whats to follow. I just know I've got to be in the lobby at 8:45 in the morning.

I drove by the track today on my way in and it was a circus. The economy has hit NASCAR hard, but evidently fans are flocking to Daytona this weekend for what is sure to be an entertaining opening to the 2009 season.

Tomorrow's qualifying races will have some interesting points to it. In the first 150 miler, there are 6 drivers going for 2 spots. I'd take my chances in that race if I was Brad Keselowski, Joe Nemechek or Scott Riggs. But race number 2 has 10 guys going for 2 spots and that is gonna bring the fireworks. The difference between a guaranteed quarter of a million bucks to start on Sunday and loading up the truck tomorrow is huge-- this year more than ever.

In race number 2, you've got former Daytona 500 champs Geoffrey Bodine and Derrick Cope, not to mention a few other guys who have some crews that have put in alot of long hours over the last few months. And depending on what happens it could be a long weekend for those guys. I get to stick around until Sunday. Those guys who don't make the show tomorrow have to be out of the garage by sundown. The hopes and dreams of three months will go with them when they head back through the tunnel.

I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow, except to say that we will all be entertained by the twin 150 mile last chance races. I'll have more from my trip to the 51st Daytona 500 all weekend long.

18 Days and Counting...

2009-01-27T20:45:00.004-05:00

It's only 18 days until the 51st running of the Daytona 500. Only 18 days until the start of what some people are calling the most pivotal year in NASCAR history. The economy has hurt the sport over the last three months. It seemed like things were going fine until the off-season started, then it was a free-for-all, which will (hopefully) come to an end with the Daytona 500 on February 15th.

Now, enough with the generalized thoughts about Daytona.

It's only 14 days until I leave for my second trip to the Great American Race. This time however... things are gonna be a little different. Let's get in our time machine, turn on the flux capacitor and rocket up to 88 miles an hour. Set the machine for 2005.

The 2005 Daytona 500 was my first. Left on a Wednesday, came back on a Monday. Had great seats in the Earnhardt Tower and watched Jeff Gordon win. That race was a time when things were very different for me. Back then, my biggest aspiration to do as little productive things as I could. Matter of fact the only thing I really wanted to do was announce high school football (for free at that time) and announce at the dirt track in Chester. 2005 was also the year that I decided that I hated college and didn't want to go anymore.

Alright... back in the time machine, back to 88 miles an hour, and back to the here and now.

It's 2009. I've realized that college is important and I'm getting the hell out in December. And I'm going back to the Daytona 500. But I'll be there on the other side of the track. The first time, my dad asked me if I wanted to get pit passes. I said no. I wanted to be in the infield because I was working. Well, in 14 days I'm leaving for Daytona to go work. It's at the point now where I haven't actually gotten it through my head that I'll be in victory lane at the end of the race on February 15th.

I'll talk about victory lane later, but for now this simply is a trip that I can't quite put into words at this point. I thought I had my "How did I get here" moment when I walked through the garage that first time at Pocono last June. I think the awesome will be turned up on that a little more when I make my way through the garage on Gatorade Duel day.

The Daytona 500 means so much to me, for no other reason than the fact that I grew up an Earnhardt fan. That race... it's just... All that there is. It's the World Series, Final Four, Super Bowl, and Masters all rolled into one. When the race is happening, it's almost a surreal type deal. You talk all winter long about the Daytona 500; who's gonna win, who's not gonna win, who's gonna win the championship. But then the race starts and you think it's not real. Like it's just any other event. Then when it's coming to an end you think my god, the Daytona 500's almost over.

I'm hoping that this isn't the last time I go to work at the Daytona 500. I know I have to make a good impression over the next three months and really work my butt off to get to where I want to be. Hanging on to the back of a billboard for four hours on a Sunday afternoon as the cars move past me at 190 miles an hour is the goal, obviously, but sitting in an air-conditioned truck pushing buttons at Pocono on a hot August afternoon isn't that bad.

I know this: carrying a tripod and batteries is where I want to be on this Sunday afternoon. Next year, hopefully, I'll be carrying a microphone.

What. Was. That?

2008-07-28T22:52:00.004-04:00

Darrell Waltrip suggested dragging tires around the track all night long to rubber it up. Goodyear thought they should bring in tires scheduled to go to Pocono next week. NASCAR thought they should throw cautions every 15 laps to allow teams to change tires. All of these suggestions came up over the weekend in an attempt to not turn the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis into a wreck-fest.

But everything that was done (or suggested) did nothing to prevent the most pathetic excuse for a race I've ever seen in almost 20 years of watching NASCAR racing. This, my friends, was a travesty.

If you didn't see the Allstate 400 from the Brickyard on Sunday afternoon, go out to a local track Saturday night and just watch for a few minutes. You'll get the idea. Basically, the 160 lap race was broken down into 15 or 16 lap segments of green flag and then a NASCAR issued caution flag, allowing teams to change tires. This was what NASCAR thought would be the only way to prevent a tire from blowing out as a driver was going into a corner at 200 miles per hour.

Everyone knew tire wear would be a problem going into the weekend. It always has at Indy. That place is rough. It was built 100 years ago for open-wheel cars to run on, not these monsters that the Sprint Cup Series is running these days. It was ground down a few years ago to allow for better handling cars. That's great. But when a tire is down to the chords after 8-10 laps there is obviously a problem - a problem that everyone thought would get better. It didn't by the way.

The media says not to blame Goodyear, the track, or NASCAR. That it was circumstances that allowed the outcome Sunday. I personally blame all three.

First, I blame Goodyear for coming to the track with a pathetic tire. They have for a long time. May I redirect you to the spring race at Atlanta? How can Jerry Punch do a voice-over for ESPN saying that Goodyear tires are track tested and are the best out there or whatever and then continue to watch what was going on Sunday afternoon? David Poole of the Charlotte Observer and Sirius Radio's The Morning Drive says we don't need a tire war like we saw in the early 90's. I tend to believe that if you bring in another tire manufacturer (such as for example, Hoosier) that the product they put out there will alleviate the problem of a tire war because Goodyear will be put to shame. Then we can get down to decent racing.

A side point: I can't remember when a fuel issue (an actual problem with the fuel itself and not mileage) affected a race to the point where the teams could only go 10 laps.

Next, I blame the track for grounding it down several years ago. They spent millions of dollars to repave the dumb thing and then they grounded grooves into the surface in an attempt to smooth it out. Um... HUH? There are laser guided paving machine things that can make a surface of a racetrack as smooth as possible. Why not use it instead of creating grooves in the track surface. The purpose of the grounding was to improve handling for Indy cars, which is apparently IMS's bread and butter. Ok, maybe it is actually their bread and butter and not apparently. Repave the track Tony George. You'll thank yourself later.

Finally, I blame NASCAR. WHY WASN'T THERE A FULL-FIELD OPEN TEST HERE LAST WEEK? I mean, they had an open test at Pocono... was Indy booked that day or something? If the Brickyard 400 is truly the second biggest race of the year, then why wasn't NASCAR there last week testing? Chicago is a stone's throw from Indy in the grand scheme of things, why not stop by there on the way home and test for two days? I also think that NASCAR should loosen restrictions on certain aspects of this new racecar. If it is the future, then fix it now and prevent bad racing and poor handling.

You know, the fastest car the entire weekend did in fact win the race. And I think he could've won if there weren't pit stops every 15 laps. I just think the route to victory would have been a little more interesting.

I'm a fan and I'm still gonna watch the Poconap 500 on Sunday, but the memories will linger from Indianapolis for the rest of the season. Personally, I don't think we should be going to Indianapolis Motor Speedway anyway. O'Reilly Raceway Park would be a good filler in its place.

Or maybe a second race at Darlington.

Or A race at Rockingham. Or North Wilkesboro.

Yeah, I know I'm slack...

2008-07-27T08:43:00.002-04:00

But I've got good reasons for not updating my trip to Chicago.

It's a little thing called Summer School.

I documented here last summer about the amount of time summer school takes up. Well, it's true. I wake up, I go to class, I go to the station, I go home and go to sleep. Repeat.

Chicago was fun. I just hate that I've been to six NASCAR sanctioned events in 2008 and Kyle Busch has won half of them. Not to mention the fact that he won last night's Nationwide race at ORP, even after NASCAR took away some of the Toyota's horsepower. I'm not even going to turn on my Sirius this week. I think I'll vomit all the way to Sumter and back if I did. But I digress.

Anyway, back to Chicago. I'm finally starting to see a difference between how racetracks used to be built and how newer ones are these days. There was nothing around the Chicagoland Speedway. There was no city, no neighborhood, no nothing. I'm not sure if I like that or not. I got to spend a lot of time with the actual MRN (radio side) guys during my trip. That's the side of this business I want to be on. Not the television stuff. TV stuff just gets in the way. Radio is the fun part.

I'll say this the media center was excellent, and since nobody had mechanical problems or wrecked hard enough to crash out at either the two races we did, I got to spend a lot of time in the media center.

I think this new racecar really has just baffled everybody in the garage area. All except Steve Addington and Kyle Busch. They seem to flourish in this thing. Maybe the reason why the two were mediocre in past seasons before joining forces this year was because they needed this type of car to perform well. But then, they had 16 chances to do something in this car last year apart and couldn't contend for a lot of race wins. Maybe just the combination of the two are unstoppable.

But I like to think that Kyle Busch wins races just to spite me. And I've gone into another tangent.

I'm gonna stop now before I say something I shouldn't. But I'll leave you with this: Chicago was fun, Watkins Glen will be fun even though I have hatred in my heart for that racetrack, and please Kyle Busch- just wreck once. That's all I ask.

Back from Chicagoland...

2008-07-13T22:01:00.003-04:00

And I promise I'll update my trip. I've slept for most of today so far, which means I probably won't sleep tonight, but I'll post some stories later in the week.

But this first story has to be told.

Wednesday night the entire crew that was already in town went out for dinner. It was a nice place-- which used to be a church-- that served great Italian food. There were about 16 of us, so we took up two full tables. I sit down at one and a couple other folks sit with me. A few minutes later, the final car gets to the restaurant and walk inside. One person sits down and then another until there is one empty seat at my table and one person left to sit in it.

So as I'm sitting there drinking my... Coke, who sits down? Legendary broadcaster Barney Hall. That's who.

I thought I was gonna pee on myself.

A few minutes pass and Paul finally says something to the effect of, "Barney have you met our intern this week yet?" After saying no, he shakes my hand and I barely get out my name. Then I say it's an honor to meet him and I'd been a fan for a long time.

He sat there a minute and then finally said, "Well you're not that old so it must not have been that long."

The entire table laughed and apparently the story got told at the MRN Production meeting on Thursday. What a great introduction. I know I'll never forget it.

Well that's all for now as I'm going to try go back to sleep for a few hours so I can get up and go to class, work, and do a 2-hour talk show.

Smoke... it's time to move on

2008-06-30T14:49:00.004-04:00

The time has come, I believe, for Tony Stewart to move on.

After a decade at Joe Gibbs Racing with two championships and over 30 Sprint Cup victories, 2008 should be the final season for Stewart to climb behind the wheel of the #20 car. Much to the dismay of my friend Christian Scott whose apartment is filled with orange Home Depot stuff, long-time fans will have to pack the old behind and move on. Much like the last 10 months for me moving to a new ride at Hendrick Motorsports, a new number, and new sponsors for Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2009 will be the same for Tony Stewart fans.

I think Sunday's race at New Hampshire was the kicker for Stewart. After dominating much of the race, Stewart's bid for a win came short when rains approached the racetrack, and instead of a win or atleast a top 5 finish, Stewart was forced to settle for 14th.

The success and luck he has enjoyed since 1999 is obviously done. Smoke said in a very painful interview with TNT on Sunday that his luck has run out. Twice in the last year, rain has taken a win away from him (the other at Kansas last fall.)

I don't think it has anything to do with crew chief Greg Zipadelli. I don't think it has anything to do with Gibbs' move to Toyota this year. I think it has to do with the fact that things continue to change in NASCAR all the time, and this year is no exception. The new racecar has thrown even veteran drivers a loop, and it seems anymore that once a guy gets dominant in one point of the race, he stays that way throughout and only an accident, mechanical problems, or bad pit strategy keep them from victory.

All season long, with a few exceptions, we've seen a driver dominate the race and go to victory lane. At Las Vegas, Carl Edwards was the dominant car and overcame pit problems to win. Last week at Infineon, Kyle Busch led over 75 laps en route to victory. But some strong cars aren't as lucky.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was set to win the Coca-Cola 600 only before an accident took him out of contention. Before that, he was going to win at Richmond before Busch took him out with a handful of laps remaining.

But yesterday at New Hampshire, Smoke was the man, not surprising to anybody, and it looked like he would keep his tradition of burning up the track during the summer months. The stage was set for him to win until late pit stops where he took tires, others took fuel only, and some stayed on the racetrack hoping the rains would come.

The rains came and stopped the race with 17 laps to go. After a short window, NASCAR called the race and Kurt Busch was declared the victor, not Stewart or any of the other cars who ran up front most of the day.

Bad luck, bad cars, and other wildcards are causes for Smoke to jump ship. And with the announcement that Casey Mears will not return to Hendrick Motorsports in 2009, I think Stewart is set to take the empty room in the inn. I hope for Tony's sake he decides not to enter in to partial ownership and drive for Haas CNC Racing next year. I think that's career suicide. Why go to a team that struggles to make races?

As a Hendrick Motorsports fan, I welcome Tony Stewart into the organization if he so chooses. Even if that means that Joey Logano will drive the 20 car next year. I'll just have to deal with that.

Pocono Trip (Sunday)

2008-06-16T09:15:00.005-04:00

After three days in the Poconos taking in all of qualifying, practices, and the ARCA Crash Fest 200, it was finally time to get down to business in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500.

Sunday morning meant leaving the hotel way early and getting to the track, well, way early. But, we beat traffic so everything worked out in the end. The bad part was since we got there at 8:00 and there was nothing to do until noon, there was a lot of time sitting around doing nothing. Oh well, atleast we were at a racetrack and not somewhere else. I must say, Sunday morning at a racetrack is very... relaxing.

I had time to walk around the pitroad area and experience first hand what goes into preparing for a Sprint Cup Series race. The cool part was the fact that Junior's pit was right in front of the MRN truck. The bad news: I was going to be on the complete other end of the frontstretch for most of the day, so I didn't get to see anything there.

After 12:00, it was time for the Sprint Vision pre-race show. I got to follow Paul and Thomas around while they shot some stuff and that was cool. I actually got to stir some of the conversation by noting that Travis Kvapil's crew was placing Dish Network logos on their pitbox. I asked something along the lines of, "hey, they're putting logos on the pitbox. Is that full time now," or something like that. And, right after that, Paul went over and asked the crew guys about it. No, it wasn't full time but I got to take part in the pre-race show. That was awesome.

I really felt like during the course of the weekend and that story from the pre-race that I got to share my knowledge and passion for NASCAR with the folks I was working with and I hope they realize that I want to make a career out of this.

About one hour before the start of the race, I got to go to victory lane for the pre-race activities. I mentioned earlier in this series about how Pocono does things very weird. Well, this was no exception. They seemed to do what they wanted when they wanted and didn't really care about timelines from the network television, radio, or NASCAR itself. I wish that Pocono was filled up with water and stocked with Bass. (Yeah, I stole it from Kyle Petty... get over it.)

Once the command was given, I walked back to the Sprint Vision truck to put up the tripod and get ready for the race. I finally made it back behind Jimmie Johnson's pit box right as the field was taking the green flag, so atleast I got to see the flag drop.

After that, it was pretty much just waiting in the media center for stuff to happen. I got to watch all the way up until Kyle Busch hit the wall. After that, I spent about 100 laps in the garage area waiting for him to come out and talk to the media. That sucked. I missed alot of the race because of Gomer Kyle. I didn't appreciate that. But I guess that's the nature of the job. At Chicago I hope I can atleast take a radio with me so I can listen to the MRN broadcast and atleast know what's going on.

The coolest part of the trip was going to victory lane after the race was over. Yeah it was Kasey Kahne and all that won the race, but it was still victory freaking lane for a Sprint Cup race. And I got to talk to Miss Sprint Cup for a few minutes.

I got to see myself on NASCAR Victory Lane on Speed which was very cool. My folks DVR'd pretty much everything that was on tv this weekend so I could see myself.

---------------------------------------

My overall thoughts on this weekend: Overwhelming, tiring, exciting. I experienced things that I never thought I would be able to, and I got to see things that you don't normally see watching a race from the grandstands or on television. I hope that I was a help and not just a fat guy in the way this weekend. I really hope this internship can lead to bigger and better things in the future.

Pocono Trip (Saturday)

2008-06-11T10:16:00.002-04:00

We got to the track real early this morning. I spent a lot of the day walking through the garage area and on pit road and didn't really do anything important until noon. Made my way through the Sprint Cup garage during practice. It was amazing. Like ants scattering around if you step on an ant pile or something. That's the best way I can describe it.

The ARCA 200 pre-race ceremonies began immediately following Sprint Cup practice. So after practice was over, we went to victory lane for driver intros and such. BTW- I'm sure the people at Pocono are nice, but driver intros were very disorganized I should say.

After driver intros and the command, I put my stuff back in the infield Vision truck, and headed out of the track via in the pedestrian tunnel to the television compound. Got to watch the ARCA race from the Vision control truck and they actually let me press buttons. That was freaking awesome! The folks in there told me it was boring and next time you'll get to do more, but I really had a great time with it.

Basically, what I did was flash graphics on the Sprint Vision screens, such as the driver and their hometown and all. I also got to flash the please drive safely sign. That was awesome.

The two kicks for today: 1) I got to meet Wendy Venturini from NASCAR Raceday on Speed, and 2) after the ARCA race was over and we were leaving the racetrack, we headed for one exit, but it was jammed with traffic. So, we turned around and headed back towards the track. Next thing I know (instead of heading towards the infield and out through the tunnel) we turn right and head straight towards turn 1 at Pocono! Went all the way through turns one and two and into the short chute and then headed out a gate. SWEET!!

The fan in me definitely had a great day. Got to see the garage in action, got to go to victory lane for driver intros, got to push buttons in the production truck, and I got to ride on the track.

I had so much fun today. We'll see what happens tomorrow for the Pocono 500.

Pocono Trip (Friday)

2008-06-09T22:31:00.002-04:00

Friday at Pocono=long and tedious.

After eating the best meal I've ever had at a racetrack, I made my way into the track via the infield tunnel (The infamous Pocono Tunnel turn tunnel.) While it may have been a bore for the guy I was riding with, there was really nothing better for me. After getting to the MRN truck in the infield, I got an overview of how things worked.

Finally made my way into the Sprint Cup garage! The smell was again, as always, overwhelming. I love the smell that comes off the engines. It never gets old.

After heading to the garage, infield care center, and media center, we went to victory lane.

Victory. Freaking. Lane.

Qualifying started at 3:40. Pocono is so big that after a car passed on the frontstetch, you didn't know they were on the racetrack until the got back to the line 55 seconds later. And qualifying took a long time because it's such a big track.

I pretty much felt useless today. Just alot of standing around... you know, hurry up and wait. I know that today was pretty much an orientation, but I still felt useless. They told me that's how it is sometimes, but I still wish I could've done more to help than just stand around behind the pit wall holding batteries and a camera cover.

----------------------------

I do a really good job of getting to know people I work with when I start something like this. I got to know the people today. I'm hoping they don't frown upon the interns getting to know the staff, but that's one way that I work better with people: getting to know them.

Oh yeah, I saw Steve Letarte (crew chief for the #24 Dupont Chevrolet of Jeff Gordon.) Didn't talk to him, just saw him.

Back to the other thing... went to dinner with alot of the Sprint Vision crew tonight. I'm really hoping I didn't over do it hanging out those folks tonight.

Tomorrow it's Sprint Cup practice and lead up to the Pocono ARCA 200. Hoping I get to meet more people tomorrow. Today was really an orientation and training day.

I just wish I could do more.

Oh yeah, Postman hit a bear going to the hotel last night!

Pocono Trip (Thursday)

2008-06-09T22:24:00.003-04:00

After sitting in the Columbia airport for nearly an hour and a half before my plane was scheduled to leave, I realized that flying was something that I had to deal with. The best way to do that: get on a plane. Got to Charlotte with no problem. Then when we were getting ready to leave Charlotte for Philadelphia, the captain said that we would be delayed leaving. Two hours later, we finally got off the ground.

When I got to Philadelphia, it was time to make the trek to our hotel: some two hours away. Got to ride with two really cool guys, Paul Bartholomew and Kurt Becker. It's weird talking to them and knowing that I hear these guys on the radio all the time. It's the same deal that people have talking to me who've heard me on air before.

I finally got to the hotel and got some shorts on around 11:15 or so. Man what a long day. Setting alarms and wake up calls is a difficult task in this hotel. The hotel is huge, as is my suite. It's got a three-story lobby and a waterpark that is incredible. I don't know if I'll make it back there or not, but just from looking at it through the windows, it's big.

I get to get a good night of sleep tonight because I don't leave for the track until 11:00 tomorrow. Once I get there, it's a trip to the credential truck and then into the track for Sprint Cup practice, ARCA qualifying, and Sprint Cup Series Coors Pole Qualifying.

I'll have more tomorrow.

BTW- HOW DID I GET HERE?

And so it begins...

2008-06-05T00:02:00.003-04:00

Since the date is now officially June 5th, I can say that my internship with the Motor Racing Network and Sprint Vision has officially begun. In 14 hours and 32 minutes (that's from the time in which I started writing this) I'll be wheels up from Columbia Metro Airport and on my way to Pennsylvania for the Pocono 500 weekend.

Nerves are definitely getting the best of me right now, although not for what I'll be doing when I get to the racetrack on Friday. My nerves revolve around the fact that tomorrow I'll be flying for the first time since I was in the 4th grade. That's been about 14 years since I was at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet.

It scares me to death. For some reason, I cannot seem to overcome this fear of flying. I don't know what it is. The aspect of being in a confined space doesn't bother me (I'm use to riding in buses for long periods of time.) I guess it's the 35,000 foot difference between me and the ground. I realize that flying is safer than driving a car... but I know I'm in control when I drive my Charger.

I sit here and think this is absurd to think about being afraid of flying. If I want to work in NASCAR longer than two seconds, I have to be able to fly. If being afraid of flying is all that stands in my way from living my dream, well then I'll just have to get over it.

I'll be taking notes and I'll update my trip to Pocono on here sometime next week.

14 hours and 22 minutes.

You know what... ESPN is alright.

2008-06-01T08:28:00.002-04:00

Let me preface this before I continue: the ESPN NASCAR team is alright. Pretty much everything else at ESPN from Sportscenter to College Football to "Oh God I can't go more than five seconds without talking about the Lakers or Red Sox" pretty much sucks.

Now, if you missed the rain-delayed NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Dover yesterday, then you missed a treat. From sign on to sign off, the ESPN crew did a tremendous job with the cards they were dealt. When the bottom fell out and heavy rains pelted the Dover International Speedway about one hour prior to the scheduled start of the race, the tv crew knew they would be in for a long day. And they were: the race ended at about 7:45 last night.

I've really been impressed by ESPN's NASCAR coverage this year. Last year, you couldn't have paid me to say something nice about their coverage. But this year, the on-air and behind the scenes folks have made such an improvement that I would venture to say they have the best product out there.

I think moving Rusty Wallace to the pit studio was a smart idea. He knows his stuff, but he presents it in a way that is often confusing and makes him sound dumb. He also has a tremendous conflict of interest being that he is a 2-team car owner. Last year, "My son Stephen" was almost more popular than draft-tracker. Note: Please don't bring that back.

Alan Bestwick was obviously the best choice for the host of the infield pit studio. He has about as much knowledge as any member of the broadcast media and has that presence about him that ups the level of the program.

I was very critical a year ago about the trio of Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, and Rusty Wallace. While Dr. Punch may be better suited for a pit road reporter, he has gotten better. I would like to see a little more emotion from him when it becomes necessary to do so. Remember back to Dale Sr's final win at Talladega in 2000? Jerry Punch was on the play-by-play for ESPN that day. His words sent chills down my back that day, and after watching that video a couple weeks ago, it still does. If he can bring that level of enthusiasm and excitement to the broadcast, then ESPN is really in business.

Andy Petree is the most pleasant surprise of the season. He did well in the booth last year, but I think with all the extra on-air time on NASCAR Now, he has really turned into an excellent broadcaster.

Finally, I think with the addition of Dale Jarrett later this year, the ESPN crew will gel into the successful product they produced in the 80's and 90's. I am actually looking forward to ESPN's first Cup Series race, and would gladly do without tv coverage for the six weeks that TNT has coming up.

ESPN gets what the NASCAR fan wants to see. They show the leaders; they show the back of the field. They show the winner crossing the finish line and then the rest of the cars cross the line as well: a concept that FOX still doesn't get.

FOX built their brand into the benchmark for NASCAR coverage when they took over in 2001. But in the 7 years since, their coverage has gotten a little worse each year. With Digger becoming more important that showing a pass for the lead, then the folks at FOX need to get to work during the off-season.

5 days and counting...

2008-05-31T10:20:00.002-04:00

It's five days until I leave for my first weekend as an intern for the Motor Racing Network and Sprint Vision. Five days until I go from being a fan to a... whatever the opposite is. Employee, insider, whatever you want to call it. The scope of my life will be different when I take off from Columbia Metro Airport on Thursday.

As I'm writing this I'm thinking that it's crazy to think my life will change because of this experience, but honestly it will. This is what I want to do. I guess there's a reason now why I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life back in high school and my early days in college.

Let me go back a second. I say that I am no longer a fan. That's not entirely true. I think that in order to enjoy working in a sport that is in Charlotte one weekend and Dover the next, you have to be a FAN. I'll never forget when Darrell Waltrip retired back in 2000 that he said he got into the business because he was a fan. That's something I've taken with me ever since and will continue to do so.

I got into the radio business by accident. Growing up, I never really wanted to do what I've been doing for the last five years, but as everyday goes by there is no doubt in my mind that this is what I'm supposed to be doing. People tell me I'm good at what I do. I don't really know if that's just being nice or if it is a truth. When you live in a small town, people will say nice things sometime. Now that I'm moving into a national setting, it might be the time to find out if I've actually got it, or if people have been nice. I would like to think that the latter is untrue.

As the summer heats up, I'll be exposed to things I never thought imaginable. I'll be going places and meeting people that I've only known from watching them on my television.

That being said, could Junior win at Dover so I can be a fan for a few more hours.

600 miles is a long race...

2008-05-21T15:19:00.004-04:00

And I must emphasize the word long.

I don't know what exactly Bruton Smith was thinking when he decided that the May race at his racetrack would be 600 miles long, or 400 laps whichever way you prefer to think about it. It will take over four and a half hours to run that race Sunday night. This will be my first Coca-Cola 600, and really my first point paying Sprint Cup race at Charlotte, so I really am looking forward to it.

But think about it... 600 miles. 400 laps. 4 and a half hours.

There's a lot you can do in that amount of time.

You could learn to speak some foreign language. You could practice derivatives for Calculus. Or you could write a 12-page history paper that your professor determines as elementary information that could have been gotten out of a child's encyclopedia (I'm still mad about that by the way.)

But I digress. 600 miles is still a long way.

This is the kind of race where strategy really can come into play and actually make for something entertaining to follow along with as the race plays out. If you get behind early, there is still a chance to make up for it late.

The teams will be making somewhere between 10-15 pitstops depending on how cautions go. That's 10-15 potential mistakes per pit crew member. But, it also gives time to work on a car's handling and actually get better... or in some cases get dramatically worse.

This is the kind of race I enjoy. Charlotte is a high-banked oval, set in the Carolinas, that usually produces great racing. Now that being said, the new car could (although I really hope not) take away some of the exciting and breathtaking racing that Charlotte is traditionally known for.

So as the 500 mile race from Indianapolis (those sissies) concludes, you better be ready to go. They start racing at 5:45 in Charlotte and won't be done until well after 10 o'clock.

Of course once the 600 miles is done it's time to start the race out of the parking lot. I need to get alot better at being patient through that particular race. But that is another story.

0-44

2008-05-19T13:20:00.004-04:00

After this past Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race at the Lowe's Motor Speedway, my record for going to races without seeing an Earnhardt win in person has moved to 0 and 44. (Yeah, I know there were some races that an Earnhardt wasn't actually racing, but for my purposes 0-44 is the record. )

I brought that up while sitting in traffic for two and a half hours the other night and my friend Christian replied with "yeah, but think about the probability of going to a race where he actually could win."

My response?

"Yeah, but I've seen Jeff Gordon win 7 times."

I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm actually within a one-mile radius of an Earnhardt that causes them not to win a race. The closest I ever got was in 1998 at Darlington when Junior finished a close (and I mean close) second to Dick Trickle. Back that up with a 2nd place by Junior in a 2005 Gatorade Duel race at Daytona.

My dad got to see Dale Jarrett win at Darlington three times. I've seen Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch win twice. I saw Jeff Burton win at Darlington twice in the rain. But never had I ever seen an Earnhardt win in person.

I imagine its karma or something that causes this. I think back to the times I've booed the guy who actually won each race I've been to. Saturday night, when both the Busch's were introduced, I didn't say anything. I actually clapped when Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon were introduced. Yeah, I clapped for Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. I'll give you all a minute to soak that up.

Junior took the lead mid-way through the second segment. Then, karma caught up with me after I cheered ecstatically when Kyle Busch's engine started going south. That's what I get. Next week, I'm going to sit in silence for 600 miles.

So for now, my streak continues right along with Junior's losing streak. He's now 0-72 in point races. With my upcoming internship, my streak could be 0-50 by summer's end.

I've got an idea. Howabout Junior just win on Sunday night. That'd be great.

Kyle Busch can ruin anything...

2008-05-13T15:03:00.003-04:00

As I made my way to the Darlington Raceway this past Saturday night, I thought there was absolutely no way that Kyle Busch was going to win the Dodge Challenger 500. I sat in the car, I walked down Souvenir Row, I watched driver introductions and every second of my time before the green flag fell, I knew he wouldn't win.

That feeling was backed up when Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead from Greg Biffle on lap 2. Then, a few laps later, something happened. Busch took the lead away from Junior.

Here we go again.

As Busch led early on, my idea that he couldn't win was vanquished with thoughts of him taking the checkered flag and going to Darlington's victory lane. Then, when he was penalized for a lug nut infraction, I absolutely knew he was going to win. I turned my attention from Junior and his Hendrick teammates to the 18 car, watching as he slashed his way back to the front. I would have rather watched Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson lead every single lap.

I am baffled as to how Busch has been able to dominate not just the Cup series but also the Nationwide and Truck series as well. The last couple of years Jimmie Johnson has dominated the Cup Series and Gordon was untouchable in the 90's, but never before have I seen a single driver win multiple races in the top 3 touring divisions this early into a season. I cannot explain what is going on. I have no doubt that Busch's streak will eventually end and I have no doubt that Junior will win this season.

I just wish it would go on and happen.

Busch is an idiot and why I love Darlington

2008-05-06T10:04:00.004-04:00

Yes, you read that correct. Kyle Busch is an idiot.

I'll give you all a moment to reflect on the fact that I would call a "professional" racecar driver such as Mr. Busch an idiot.

Anyway, if you want my opinion of the events that occurred in the closing laps of last Saturday's Crown Royal 400 at Richmond, then here goes: I'm a Junior fan. Junior got wrecked. I'm mad. The end.

Busch "lost control" of his car at the most convenient time of the race. Coming to three laps to go, Busch slid up in turn three at Richmond, hitting Junior and sending the 88 car into the wall amongst a barrage of obscenities and one fingered salutes from the grandstands. I say Busch lost control at a convenient time. Yeah, that's the best way I know how to put it. Busch and Junior raced side by side for several laps prior to the travesty that occurred without so much as touching once. Then when it was go time, Busch picked the time to lose control of his car.

Anyway, long story short. I'm mad that Junior got wrecked. The end.

Moving on to Darlington now. This weekend the Sprint Cup Series heads to "The Lady in Black" for the Dodge Challenger 500. This race, although not the former Southern 500, is still a race at Darlington, which is a way for younger fans such as myself to connect to the past history that is Darlington Raceway. 59 years of history almost wreak from the place whenever you go there. The names of Petty, Pearson, Yarborough, Waltrip, Earnhardt, and Gordon are synonomous with Darlington. Everytime I go to a race at Darlington, I try to get there early just so I can walk around the place and take in the atmosphere.

Why do I love Darlington? Because it's Darlington. They absolutely broke the mold when they built the track in 1950. Never again will a racetrack be built like Darlington, and there is no other place in the world that is as difficult and non-forgiving as that track is.

South Carolininians are lucky to have this place in their own backyard. I've been to every Cup race at Darlington since 1996, and I don't plan on missing one anytime soon.

And when Junior wins on Saturday night, it'll be even better.

Did I mention that he'll be driving a retro Mountain Dew paint scheme?

McDowell's crash brings bad memories to the forefront

2008-04-07T09:27:00.002-04:00

After watching rookie Michael McDowell's horrific crash during qualifying at the Texas Motor Speedway this past Friday, I began to think about some of the worst wrecks that I remember from my almost two decades of watching NASCAR racing. I've seen driver upon driver get upside down and flip wildly at Daytona and Talladega. I've seen cars absolutely demolished at other places. But it's a hit like McDowell took on Friday that brings the memory back of the darkest day that I can recall being a NASCAR fan.

It's a miracle that McDowell was able to walk away from that crash. I would imagine it might be the hardest hit ever recorded by NASCAR's black box system and we should know exactly what the numbers were in a few weeks. It scared me for a minute. The almost head-on impact with the SAFER barrier was actually more frightening for me than the 9 barrel rolls that followed.

Younger or less experienced NASCAR fans think that life threatening injuries come when a car is flipping over and over. That is not however the case. The worst injuries or even death comes when a car hits a wall head on at high speeds. We can say now that we are all thankful for SAFER walls and the HANS device. But unfortunately that was not always the case.

I've talked about it time and time again with friends but I don't mention it much while I'm on air. I'm glad that all of these safety improvements have come but I wish they had come around about 10 years earlier. If they had, then February 18, 2001 would have been drastically different.

Of course I'm referring to the accident in the last lap of the Daytona 500 which took Dale Earnhardt's life. His wreck was similar to McDowell's from Friday afternoon. But Dale's impact with the wall was intensified by the fact that there was no SAFER barrier to take away some of the energy from the car which was placed directly on the driver. There was no HANS device to keep Dale's head from shifting forward and causing a basilar skull fracture, which was his official cause of death.

Dale Earnhardt's legacy in the sport was not his 76 career wins or 7 Cup Series championships. His legacy will be felt for years as the driving force which caused NASCAR to make safety improvements to keep other drivers from losing their life. Not since February 18, 2001 has a driver in NASCAR's top three touring divisions lost his life due to an on-track accident. We have Dale Earnhardt to thank for that fact.

You can watch McDowell's wreck all you want on YouTube (it's been viewed over a million times since Friday.) You can say wow when his car begins to flip wildly through turn one of the Texas Motor Speedway. But when I see the 00 car hit that wall head on all I can think about is seeing a black car with a #3 on the side of it hitting the wall at Daytona in almost the same fashion.

Seven years later it still stings me to think about that February day. I'm glad McDowell can live to race another day. We can't say the same for those who paved the road to the improvements that saved his life.

It's that time again folks...

2008-03-26T09:14:00.002-04:00

Last year during the first off weekend for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, I made five predictions that I really thought would play out for the remainder of the season. Not to brag or anything, but I got all five correct.

Now, although the first off weekend this year falls after the 5th race, it's time to make some more predictions. Some were actually made during the February 4th edition of The Locker Room Sports Show (Monday nights at 6:00 on KOOL 102.7) and some are just after making some observations in this young season.

1) Michael Waltrip will make all 36 races
Although bold back in Feburary, Waltrip has made the first five races of the 2008 season. He did get a little help after two of the five qualifying sessions were rained out at California and Bristol, but he successfully qualified for Daytona, Vegas, and Atlanta and now finds himself in an unfamiliar position-- inside the top 35 in owner's points and guaranteed a starting spot for next week at Martinsville. In fact, all three of MWR's teams are in the top 35. David Reutimann is really starting to come into his own and rookie Michael McDowell, who is essentially replacing retired champion Dale Jarrett, will make his Sprint Cup debut at Martinsville with the comfort that he doesn't have to worry about qualifying for the race.

2) Toyota will win 5 races this season
One down and four to go but I think this number is easily achieved with how well Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Busch have been running. You throw in there an improved Team Red Bull driver Brian Vickers and the surprising Michael Waltrip Racing and I honestly think that number could be higher. Toyota has improved 100% over last year. Going to Martinsville, there are 8 Toyota drivers guaranteed a starting spot. This time last season there were none. To the dismay of Jack Roush, Toyota is for real in 2008 and could not only contend for more than 5 wins, they'll also be close to the front when it comes time to crown a champion at Homestead in November.

3) Hendrick Motorsports will win 20 races
Five races in and the one thing that I didn't see coming has actually happened. Hendrick won the pole for the Daytona 500, the Budweiser Shootout and one of the Gatorade Duels, but hasn't won anything since. No points wins through five races and everyone is saying that Hendrick is down and everyone else is so much better. Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the way sitting 5th in points, but Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are 13th and 14 in points and the series heads to a track where the two have combined for 11 total wins and 8 of the last 10 races dating back to 2003. As a new fan of HMS (one that even has purchased a Hendrick t-shirt) I can promise you that this team will get their wins this season and will be a threat for the championship. If you ask me, the most surprising theme from this team is the struggles of Casey Mears, who is currently 33rd in points. I, along with just about every member of the media, said that he would be the breakout driver this season. Last year, he struggled through the first 6 races, but then picked up the pace and was 13th by season's end. Gordon, Johnson, Mears, and Earnhardt will all visit victory lane this year.

4) The rich get richer...
But the poor get poorer. This analogy can be directly related to the struggles of some of the single car teams, specifically the famed Wood Brothers. The 21 car has made one race this season. That's right one race. Thanks to a rainout at California, Bill Elliott got into the Auto Club 500 on a past champion's provisional. He started 38th and finished 26th, one lap down to the leaders. It's a sad state of affairs when the Wood Brothers can't make a race. If 44th in owner's points isn't bad enough, they're 162 points away from 35th and a guaranteed starting spot. They would have to make make a race, which seems a tall task at this point, lead the most laps and win and then would only get into the top 35 assuming the guy who's there now finishes last and everyone between 36th and 43rd finished outside the top 30. 97 wins since 1953 will not be enough to keep this team afloat in current times. The Wood Brothers have to go out and find major sponsor dollars, partner with another successful team and hire a new, young driver if they want a chance at competing anymore. Honestly, and I hate to say this, they will not qualify for more than 5 races this season.

5) Open-wheel is not here to stay
Except for Juan Pablo Montoya. Johnny really did something last year besides get in everybody's way every week. He qualified for every race and ran somewhat competitively in those races. He won at Infineon and almost won the Brickyard 400. I think he can stay in stock car racing long term and be successful. I can't say the same for some of his open-wheel turned stock car Brethren. Just look at what Patrick Carpentier, Dario Franchitti, Jacques Villeneuve, and Sam Hornish Jr. have done this year. Aside from Hornish's car owner buying him a starting spot for the first five races, nothing. Hornish is 35th in points right now, but is just four points ahead of Jamie McMurray right now. After Martinsville, Hornish will be out of the top 35. Carpentier has made 2 races, Franchitti all five but is now below the Mendoza line, Villeneuve was booted from the 27 car before the season even started, and Hornish is probably going to be outside looking in after a trip to Martinsville. The days of successful jumps from open wheel to stock cars may be behind us. Montoya was likely the last. Stewart, Gordon, Mears, Kahne, Foyt and Mario and John Andretti will go down as the only once to successfully make the jump. I guess some of these guys should have stayed in open wheel a bit longer. Afterall, the IRL and Champ Car are getting back together. Maybe they should go back there because they don't have a top 35 rule.

It's Midnight Cinderella...

2008-02-25T00:07:00.006-05:00

I begin writing this at 12:07 AM EST on the Sunday night of the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway (and no, I will probably never call it by its new name, the Auto Club Speedway.) Apparently, NASCAR has decided that they will run the remainder of the race beginning at 1:00 AM EST.

Uh... WHAT????

I'm what you would call a DieHard NASCAR fan. I've done some pretty dumb things to watch a race in my day. In middle school, I got my parents to sign me out of school for two straight days to try to watch a race at Talladega that eventually got moved to two weeks later. Yeah, I left school early for two straight days to watch a race that never happened. All throughout college, I've skipped class to watch rain-delayed races. I even skipped class last week to run the board for the Gatorade Duels at Daytona.

I remember a Coke 600 from about 10 years ago that got rain delayed and finished around 1 AM, but never has NASCAR decided to screw the people on the east coast like they have tonight. It'll be 10:00 PM PST when the race resumes, and 1:00 AM EST. I just don't get it anymore.

I might stay up or I might not. I don't have to be in class until 1:oo tomorrow (or later today if you want to go that far) so I could just stick this thing out, assuming that my local FOX affiliate actually reverts back to the broadcast from Fontana here in a little bit.

I could do some homework... no, we all know that's not gonna happen. I could take a little nap and set an alarm for 12:55. I could go fix a sandwich or maybe play some videogames.

Or, I could sit here and type this on my laptop and wonder why I'm not surprised that NASCAR will do whatever it takes to make the fickle Southern California racefans happy while causing their "core" fan base to have to watch highlights on the 7:00 AM edition of SportsCenter tomorrow morning.

BTW Brian France, CEO of NASCAR: Your "core" fan base went to sleep an hour ago.

Update to the Saga...

1:00 came and went and with the announcement that it would be another hour before NASCAR made a decision, so I went to sleep. In the end, NASCAR decided to run the race today at 1:00 PM EST. That's great. I appreciate that. Too bad I'll be in class until 2:15. Tbe Nationwide Series race will follow the Auto Club 500, so maybe I'll get to watch that.

My favorite 500...

2008-01-13T08:56:00.000-05:00

ESPN began airing what they thought were some of the best Daytona 500's in history last Monday, counting down to the 50th running of the Great American Race next month. Last Monday's showed the 1976 classic, this week will be the 1979 race, which was the first NASCAR race broadcast flag to flag. Others will be from 1990, 1999, and 2007.

People have asked me if I had a favorite 500. I always reply with a grin on my face with, "98."

The 1998 Daytona 500 will always be my favorite edition of the Great American Race. Why you might ask? Because that was the day that Dale Earnhardt finally won the race in his 20th attempt. Obviously, this would be my favorite 500, and if you didn't see that coming you obviously have not been paying attention.

The race itself was... not that great. I think there were maybe about 15 lead changes or so and only four cautions. The race was going smoothly through the first 150 laps and then came the final round of pitstops. Earnhardt got out in front with a two-tire stop while the other leaders took four. He was able to hold off Jeremy Mayfield and then use, as the words of Mike Joy are still fresh in my ear, "the lap car of Rick Mast as a pick" coming back to the yellow flag with 2 laps to go.

Then the next line from the veteran broadcaster secured the most popular victory in the history of the sport.

"Twenty years of trying. Twenty years of frustration. Dale Earnhardt will come to the caution flag, to win the Daytona 500."

After watching the tape that night and seeing the final lap hundreds of times on various NASCAR programming, I knew that this would forever go down as the day that the sport's greatest driver won the greatest of all races.

And now as we approach the 10th anniversary of Earnhardt's only Daytona 500 win, I'm reminded of how great a day that was, not only for me and other Earnhardt fans, but for what that win did for the sport as a whole. Never before have I ever seen every crew member from every team line up on pit road to great a winning driver. I have not seen it since, and I doubt it'll ever happen again.

It was the 40th running of the Daytona 500 and it was also the kickoff for the 50th anniversary season of NASCAR. It brought more attention from national media outlets than any race ever had before. This was the start of the new modern era for NASCAR and it started with Dale Earnhardt winning the Daytona 500.

You ask if I'm a bit biased. You're right.

ESPN's marathon of the greatest Daytona 500's in history will air on Mondays at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN Classic and will run through Speedweeks in February. And when the air the 1998 race in a few weeks, I'll even skip class to watch it.

The 2007 Robbie Awards

2007-12-20T21:06:00.001-05:00

These awards are presented annually to various NASCAR drivers, crew chiefs, announcers, etc. for making my job easier or harder during the season.

Best Driver Award: Jimmie Johnson
The defending champion again showed why he is the best, with 10 wins and back to back titles. All I've got to say is: Jimmie, we got it. You're awesome.

Best Crew Chief: Steve Letarte
Although he's only been on Jeff Gordon's pit box for 2 years plus 10 races, he is quickly becoming one of the best in the business. If it hadn't been for an ill-handling racecar at Phoenix in the fall, he could be sitting at the head table in New York Friday night.

Best Car Owner: Rick Hendrick
Duh… 18 wins in 36 tries, plus the top 2 finishing positions in the points. Next year with the addition of Dale Earnhardt Jr., a 20-plus win total is not out of the question.

Most memorable moment: Final lap of the Daytona 500
With cars wrecking behind them, Kevin Harvick and Mark Martin battled to the line for the win in the Great American Race, with Harvick pulling out the victory for Richard Childress Racing, 6 years to the day of Dale Earnhardt's passing in the 500.

Most memorable lashing out: Kyle Busch
After crossing the finish line just ahead of Jeff Burton at Bristol in the first Car of Tomorrow race in the spring, the younger of the Busch brothers got out of his car and said on national television that the car, quote "sucked."

"That did not just happen" moment: Tony Stewart
It's no secret that ESPN and Smoke do not get along. After winning the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard in August, Stewart handled himself fairly well through three questions for an ESPN reporter in victory lane before dropping a four letter word and sending the media into a frenzy.

Worst race broadcast: ESPN 2 Busch Race at Mexico City
I mean, I know we were in Mexico and everything, but Juan Montoya is from South America. Say it with me: SOUTH AMERICA NOT MEXICO! The broadcast almost made me throw up. It was Juan this and Juan that. From the moment from sign on to sign off, ESPN 2 wanted to make sure everyone knew who they wanted to win the race.

Worst race broadcaster: Rusty Wallace
Aero Push, Draft Tracker, hot rod, tell you what, my son Steven… If you've followed ESPN this year, these are all phrases that make you wake up at night in a cold sweat. At least we don't have to listen to him for three months. Please ESPN, replace him with Dale Jarrett!!!

Scandal of the Year: Michael Waltrip at Daytona
I felt sorry for Michael because I know he worked so hard and spent millions upon millions to get his three-car team up and running in 2007 only to have things blow up in his face. But then the illegal substance was found and he was in a hole before the season started, one he didn't pull himself out of this year and next year isn't looking anymore promising. He's a good ole boy and I hope things turn around for him.

Worst cheater of the year: Chad Knaus
This guy may have two championship rings, but he's also been at the center of controversy his entire career. He has been suspended three times in the last three seasons, and there could be several more violations that we don't know about. Hey NASCAR, how bout that three strikes and you're out rule?

Best one liner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"And now I'd like to introduce you to my new boss for 2008, Mr. Rick Hendrick." At the time, I wanted to die, now 6 months later, I'm happy because I know my favorite driver will win 8 races next season.

Most promising rookie not named Juan Pablo Montoya: David Ragan
Made his Nextel Cup debut at Martinsville last fall and hit everything including the pace car. Had a top 5 at the season opening Daytona 500 and has really improved over the last year. I think this kid might have some potential.

Most over-used story: Junior leaving DEI/Joining HMS/Free the 8/Sponsor, etc…
The first three months of the season, all ESPN could talk about was will Junior leave DEI? Then after he announced he was leaving, it was where was he going? Then what number would he take? Then what would the new sponsor be? One reason why the racing coverage was horrible during ESPN's portion of the season: because Junior announced all those things before the Chase for the Cup began. Then Junior missed the chase and ESPN was in real trouble. Point of the story: ESPN is just terrible.

That's all for this year, join us again next year for the 2008 edition of The Robbie Awards.

Top 5 of 2007 and 2008

2007-12-15T13:21:00.000-05:00

In 5 years if you take a look back at the 2007 and 2008 NASCAR Racing seasons, you might find a strange similarity between the top 5 stories from both years. That’s because the stuff we’ve been talking about for the last 12 months will indeed be the same stuff we talk about this time next year.

My top 5 for 2007 and 2008 are as follows:

5) Mergers between teams and other investors.
It started in January with Jack Roush announcing he was taking on Boston Red Sox owner John Henry as a partner in his racing ventures. The birth of Roush-Fenway Racing was made just before the Daytona 500 and then the race was on to see who would partner up next. Roush would close the year announcing that Roush-Fenway and Yates Racing would partner up in the Ford Racing Development arena, essentially creating a 7 car team, as both individual stables will share the same equipment and some of the same personnel. In addition, Evernham Motorsports has taken on investors and Ginn Racing merged with Dale Earnhardt Inc. in August. I would look for even more mergers next year.

4) Toyota’s entrance into Cup Series racing.
Toyota came in slowly to the Craftsman Truck Series in 2004. By 2006, they had their first NASCAR championship. Also in 2006 the foreign brand announced they would make their debut in Cup and Busch in 2007. Things did not exactly go their way in the Cup series, especially when Michael Waltrip went under the gun at Daytona with the illegal substance found in the 55 car’s engine. No Toyota team won a race but they did get a pole at New Hampshire with Dave Blaney. Toyota may have upped their brand name into the upper echelon of NASCAR Racing by signing Joe Gibbs Racing to a long-term deal in August. That basically means you’ve got veteran and 2-time champion Tony Stewart, promising young gun Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Busch who some people think is the best driver out there. Toyota will definitely get their first Cup Series win next season, and maybe even contend for a Sprint Cup.

3) The Car of Tomorrow becomes the Car of Right Now.
We knew it was coming in 2007. We just didn’t know what it was going to do. The wing car made its debut at Bristol in March to mixed reviews. 16 races last year wasn’t really enough to tell us if the car will be successful long term. Of course in 2008, it will be the only car the Sprint Cup Series competes with. Maybe a full season of just dealing with this car will be the spark to allow drivers and teams to figure the car out and produce even better racing. That after all was one of NASCAR’s goals with the new car: better racing, safety improvements, and cutting costs. Safety, yeah. Better racing, not sure. Cutting costs, not according to Jack Roush. I think the new car is better than the old one and will produce better racing while lowering costs. Will it allow a team like BAM Racing to compete door-to-door with the Hendrick Motorsports of the world? Well, I don’t think anything will allow that.

And now for the top 2. These can be combined but they are better served as one and two.

2) The Dominance of Hendrick Motorsports.
18 of 36 is 50% no matter how you slice it. Add into that 3 cars in the chase with the champion and second place finishers being from your stable and you can call Hendrick Motorsports’ 2007 season complete and total domination. While Hendrick won 18 races, no other team won more than 7. Jimmie Johnson won 10 races, including 4 of the last 5. Jeff Gordon had one of his best years ever with 6 wins and 30 top-10 finishes, which is a new record. Kyle Busch is leaving but was strong for most of the year, and Casey Mears broke through with a very popular win in the Coca-Cola 600 in May, and rallied to finish 15th in the final standings. With Joe Gibbs Racing switching to Toyota next year, GM will give even more support to Hendrick. Honestly, 25 wins in 2008 is not out of the question, especially if you add in our number one story.

1) The Saga that is Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Voted as the most popular driver for the 5th consecutive season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made headlines by leaving the team his father started, in which Junior has driven for his entire career, to move to Hendrick Motorsports. Many long-time Earnhardt fans said there was no way they would continue to support Junior if he was Jeff Gordon’s teammate. I was one of those until I decided I could deal with the issue at hand. Junior was the focus in what I would say over 50 % of all newspaper, internet, and television stories on the year, not to mention the fact that all ESPN could talk about from February to May was Junior. With better equipment, a renewed focus, and not having to deal with the “jerks” at DEI in 2008, this guy has his best chance ever to contend for a championship and live up to the legacy set forth by his father and grand-father. Why is this guy the sport’s most popular driver? Just look in the grandstands this year and notice how the sea of red has turned into a sea of green and blue. Then you’ll know.

Review of my Review...

2007-11-26T23:06:00.001-05:00

Back in March I sat down and made a few observations about the first two weeks of the 2007 NASCAR season. Just to refresh your memory, here are my five bullet points:
1) Mark Martin needs to run the full season
2) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not win a race in 2007
3) FOX needs to go
4) Richard Childress Racing is Back
5) The Car of Tomorrow is today

Now let's just see how I did.

1) Mark Martin in fact didn't run the full schedule, struggled towards the middle point of the year when Bobby Ginn ran out of money, and wasn't really a threat much of the year. Maybe he should have run the full schedule to gain some more consistency. Next year he'll run pretty much the same partial schedule, except with a different number and new co-driver.

2) I called it. I just didn't realize what would happen after I called it. Junior didn't win a race, didn't make the chase, didn't stay with DEI, and didn't keep the 8. Next year will however be a different story... hopefully.

3) It turns out that in the 7 years since ESPN last covered a NASCAR race that nobody from the company actually watched a race. ESPN's coverage was so bad it made TNT's six-race stretch in the summer seem good. Fox, please put in a bid to carry all 36 races.

4) RCR was in fact back. Sort of. All three cars made the chase. All three drivers won A race. But did you hear much else from them? Clint Bowyer tried to make a run for the title but fell short when Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon started their clinic at the end of the year entitled, "How to effectively stink up a perfectly good playoff system by finishing in the top 15 every week and not letting anybody else win for 6 straight weeks." Maybe next year they'll win 2 a piece.

5) The Car of Tomorrow is no more. It is now only the NASCAR racecar. In June, NASCAR officials announced that the new wing car would be run exclusively in 2008 and beyond. The twisted sister is gone. The wing is now. However, I hope NASCAR realizes that there are a few things that need to be tweaked to make this car awesome. The racing will be much improved if they do realize these needs.

Next February I'll make some more predictions and I'll check back in November to see how right or wrong I was. I'm thinking something along the lines of Hendrick Motorsports will win atleast 20 races next year.

boy am I stupid...

2007-11-26T21:04:00.000-05:00

I may have just done one of the dumbest things I've ever done in my life. And I've done some pretty stupid things in my life.

After hosting a talk show for 2 hours I closed the show by calling myself the wrong name. I began thanking everyone who had called into the show, all the regular members in studio and our board engineer.

Then it happened.

"I am (wrong name) , good night everybody."

I could have gone on a tangent of obscenities that would have made a Carolina marching band member blush, but no. I said the wrong name.

I didn't immediately realize what I had done, but the other guy in studio with me and the tape of the show back it up. It should be noted that all recordings of the show have now been destroyed, despite requests from others.

I don't know why I did it. It should also be noted that I've been under a lot of stress the past few days and got only a third as much sleep during the Thanksgiving break as I wanted to.

I can only imagine what next week will be like. The first line of the show will be something to the extent of "he don't even know his own name," or something like that.

In 30 years if I'm still in the radio business, I know that nobody will think anything about it. But in 30 years, I'll remember this night.

If I was taking a test, I would have just lost 5 points for not putting my name on the paper.

Please, oh please let nobody have listened to this show tonight.

For everybody who called in, our regular panelists, and our board engineer, I'm Robbie Mays. Good night everybody.

CHS Bulldog Football Update

2007-10-07T11:41:00.000-04:00

On Friday night the Camden Bulldogs made the short drive to the capital city of South Carolina to take on the struggling Eau Claire Shamrocks at Bolden Stadium in Columbia.

"Struggling" should have been used loosely.

I knew the Dogs where in trouble when Eau Claire's RB whose name escapes me on this Sunday morning made his first of two 61-yard runs in the first quarter. And after being down 21-7 at the end of the first twelve minutes, I knew it was going to be a long night. But somehow the Dogs managed to get things together and ended up 50-36 victors over the Shamrocks on Homecoming night at Bolden.

Camden faced their toughest opponent of the year a week ago with Blythewood coming to town and getting a 56-14 win. I'd like to point out though exactly how classy it was for the Bengals to keep their first string offense in well into the fourth quarter when they were already up by six touchdowns. Yeah, I'm glad we don't have to play that crowd EVER again.

Camden now stands at 3-4 on the year, with wins against North Central, Dreher and now Eau Claire. The four losses to West Florence, Hartsville, Fairfield-Central and Blythewood. The Dogs will host Chester at home on Friday night. Again, this is a game that Camden could win, but they will need to step up to do it. Chester will probably end up with the region championship this year with Blythewood out of contention due to poor decisions by their coaching staff earlier in the year.

After Chester, the Dogs will play AC Flora at Memorial Stadium in Columbia on Thursday the following week, with rival Lugoff-Elgin coming to Zemp Stadium on October 26th. That game could decide who hosts a first-round home game in the playoffs, (playoffs?) which both Camden and L-E have already clinched a berth in with atleast two region wins this year. Five teams from the region go to the post-season, and with Blythewood out, you have to win two to get there.

Up until this past Friday, the spread 0ffense for the Dogs had only managed just over 500 yards through the air. Senior quarterback Jarvin Robinson though threw for over 180 yards against Eau Claire and made me look stupid because in the pre-game show I said something to the effect of if we would win, it would be on the ground.

Three and four is disappointing at this point, but I think Camden could possibly win out, getting to 6 and 4 heading into November.

Stay tuned to KOOL 102.7 and Startime 1590 sports for continuing coverage of Camden and Lugoff-Elgin High School football.

Jarrett to announce partial retirement

2007-10-07T11:32:00.000-04:00

DJ: Thanks for playing along
By Robbie Mays

Dale Jarrett is likely to announce this Thursday his plans for the 2008 season and beyond, and what he says is probably already figured out by most of the media and NASCAR fans themselves. The only question: exactly how much time will we see him behind the wheel of a stockcar in the coming years.

Jarrett will likely run a limited schedule next season for Michael Waltrip Racing. Look for him to run about six races (with the help of the past champion provisionals he is allotted every year) and look for those races to be at tracks where he has had success in the past.

If I were him, I would run the following races: the Daytona 500, both Talladega races, Darlington, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, the July 4th race at Daytona, and maybe even Indianapolis. The rest of the time, he should be in the ESPN broadcast booth for all the Busch races, and in the pre-race trailer for ESPN in the races he isn’t competing in, possibly even replacing Rusty Wallace in the booth of those Cup events.

It’s no secret that DJ has struggled this year. After using up all six of his past champion provisionals within the first nine weeks of the season, the UPS Toyota hasn’t had much success on qualifying day. Up to the fall Talladega race, Jarrett has made 20 of 30 races. When he has qualified, his best finish has been a disappointing 22nd in the season opening Daytona 500. Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Champion, was once feared by every driver on the track because of his ability to run in the top 5 each and every week. My how times have changed.

If you are unfamiliar with how DJ’s place in NASCAR was solidified, then look to when he won his first race at Michigan in 1991 in the Wood Brothers Ford, beating Davey Allison by just inches to the line. And if that solidification was in question, it was definitely in place when he went to victory lane in the 1993 Daytona 500 with Joe Gibbs Racing. He would move to Robert Yates Racing in late 1994.

Then in 1995, when Ernie Irvan returned to NASCAR racing after two years of recovery following a near fatal accident in 1994, Jarrett was almost out of a ride completely. That was until owner Robert Yates decided to start a second team in the Cup Series, and put Jarrett in it in 1996. The #88 Quality Care Ford became a powerhouse and stayed that way until 2003. Jarrett would become a favorite of my dad, and the rivalry that was the “Dale and Dale Show” was brought into my living room every Sunday.

Jarrett of course half of that, with my favorite Dale Earnhardt the other half. The two Dales would battle door to door for the next four years until the untimely death of Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500.

Now in the twilight of his career, I think DJ realizes that he isn’t as competitive as he once was. Even in his final few years at Yates, he only picked up a single win in the 2005 fall Talladega race, and that only coming after a late charge when the leaders got caught up in a multi-car accident, commonly known as “the big one.”

Jarrett’s surge in the late 90’s was one I’ll never forget. From the 1996 Daytona 500 win, to hitting the wall in the Southern 500 and losing a shot at winning the Winston Million that year, he was a spectacle on the track and one that you could always count on when making picks in the office race pool.

The son of legendary driver Ned Jarrett will be one to enjoy covering races for that four-letter network that has failed to live up to their coverage this year that once was. Dale Jarrett is one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers and will be one to look at when comparing future drivers in years to come.

been awhile...

2007-09-12T20:23:00.000-04:00

So, it's been a few weeks since I posted. First of all, Bristol was awesome! I think that the folks who watched on ESPN didn't get the full effect that the 160,000+ that were there did. Probably because of the hit and miss coverage ESPN has brought in their return year to the sport.

School started back and basically all my time has been devoted to it. I've been a little under the weather the last couple of days and have become very familiar with the daytime cable lineup because of being sick. Hopefully, I'll return to normal tomorrow.

Camden is 1 and 2. After starting the season off with a 48-14 victory over North Central, the Dogs have dropped two in a row to West Florence (14-7) and Hartsville (42-0.) Let me say that we did everything we should have done to beat Hartsville, but we didn't score a point and got 42 put on us.

The Dogs will look to rebound on Friday night, hosting Dreher for the opening game of Region III-AAA for 2007. I think we've got a good shot at it, and it will be awesome to be in the safe confines of Zemp Stadium for the game. You can of course hear live coverage beginning at 7:00 on Friday on Startime 1590, or online at kool1027.com.

Oh, did I mention I'm doing play-by-play for the Fairfield-Central game in two weeks... Yeah, thought I should mention that.

Greetings from Bristol...

2007-08-23T22:01:00.000-04:00

Well, we made it to Bristol after a short, un-intended visit to Virginia. Tomorrow night marks two firsts for myself. It's of course my first race at the Bristol Motor Speedway, a track I've wanted to come to all my life. And the next is the first time since 2002 that I've missed a Camden football game.

I send out my best wishes to Coach Neal and company, and look forward to picking things back up at West Florence next Thursday.

Now, on to Bristol.

I heard a good analogy today. Bristol is like the coliseum in Rome. It's the biggest, the loudest, and the most intimidating race track out there for fans and drivers alike. Saturday night, 160,000 people will cram into a little half-mile bullring in the hills of east Tennessee to watch the greatest drivers in the world, with the possible exception of Juan Montoya of course, battle it out. This is gonna be fun.

It may be 90 degrees at the time of the green flag this weekend, but hey... it's been over 100 in South Carolina for three weeks. It may be crammed, but most of the time I figure we'll be standing up so what does that matter. It's gonna be loud, but I like it like that. And most of all, there will be some great racing Friday and Saturday.

The powers that be at BMS decided to re-do the racing surface following the spring's Food City 500. In the past few years, the quality of racing at Bristol was diminished, so they decided to replace the concrete surface, lengthen the transitions off the corners, and take away some banking. If Wednesday night's Craftsman Truck Series race was any indication, then yeah, this weekend is going to be fun.

I'll try to post more tomorrow night or Saturday morning. For now, I'm going to watch a football game with no sound. Thanks local FOX affiliate. Thanks a lot.

Bragging Rights: The Untold Story

2007-08-20T09:30:00.000-04:00

I don't want to brag, but at the helm of 1 and a half practice games this pre-season, I think I've earned it. I am amazed that I was able to actually sound like I knew what I was talking about doing play-by-play for the Camden Shrine Club Jamboree a week ago and the James Ervin Automotive Group Kickoff Classic this past Friday night. I don't want to brag but when it comes down to it, I was good. OK... maybe not that good, but it didn't totally suck. It'll do for now.

**************

This Friday marks the start of the 2007 regular season, but I won't be apart of it. For the first time since the end of the 2002 season, I will miss a Camden football game. I feel terrible about that, I really do. I know that Joe expects alot out of me during a broadcast, not to mention the fact that I know how to set up the equipment and pack it back up. And we're playing an in-county school, one of the few times a year when we actually report on North Central sports, so I hate I'm gonna miss it.

Where will I be you ask? I've been to a Daytona 500. I've been to 7 Southern 500's. I've been to Atlanta and Charlotte. I've even been to a Busch race at Myrtle Beach Speedway. But I've never been to the Bristol Motor Speedway and that's where I'll be this weekend. I think that's a good enough excuse. The Food City 250 is Friday night and the Sharpie 500 will take the green flag on Saturday night (you can hear that race on Startime 1590 AM.)

Well, school starts Thursday, I leave for Bristol Thursday night, and the regular season starts Friday. The next 10 weeks are going to fly by, and hopefully I'll remember to keep you the readers up to date.

Call it a gain of 4...

2007-08-15T15:36:00.000-04:00

(This is another in the series of Camden High School Football broadcasts for WPUB and WCAM Radio.)

The word "call" is something that I've used throughout my life without even thinking about it. I need to call someone on the phone, or make a call on what to do with the guys on Friday night. But when I made my debut at play-by-play during the 32nd Camden Shrine Club Jamboree last week, I used the word call after every play. I didn't realize it at the time, but I need to delete that word from my vocabulary.

After a play, I would say something to the effect of "Call it a gain of 4, 2nd down and 6."
And then the next play, "call it a gain of 3, 3rd down and 3 to go." On and on I went. I figured this out listening to the tape around 12:30 Friday night. That word needs to go.

I thought for my first time out at football play-by-play that I did a good job. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad. Could I do it for an entire game at this point? No. A few more practice games, then maybe. I could do a full game in a pinch if needed.

Overall, I was happy with my performance, and I'll get another crack at it this Friday night in the James Ervin Automotive Group Kickoff Classic at Lugoff-Elgin (airtime 6:30 on KOOL 102.7 and kool1027.com) so we'll see how it goes. I'm looking forward to it.

5th year of Camden High Football Preview

2007-08-09T22:28:00.000-04:00

(The following blog is the first of a series I'm planning for the fall of 2007, chronicling my 5th year of broadcasting Camden High School Football for WPUB and WCAM radio. Check back for my thoughts during the entire Bulldog campaign.)

The long wait for the 2007 season is nearly over, as tomorrow night marks the 32nd (not 31th as the posters say) Shrine Club Jamboree at Zemp Stadium in Camden. In the first of three mini-games, North Central will take on Buford, Lugoff-Elgin will hook up with Crestwood in the middle game, and then the Bulldogs will take on Andrew Jackson in the nightcap. First, let me say I'm so excited for football to start back up. I love NASCAR, and I get excited in January and February as the start of the season nears. But for some reason I get much more excited come the first of August for some reason. Maybe because NASCAR only has a 3 month off-season, whereas high school football ended early last November. That might be the reason.

Tomorrow night will mark my debut at play-by-play for football, as I'll be on the call for the North Central-Buford contest. Joining me on the call as color commentator will be the magnificent one himself, Joe Cashion.

For North Central, they'll be looking to replace two-year starting quarterback Taghi Williams with probably Jesus Martinez. Ron Blackmon seems optimistic about the upcoming year. Their biggest problem tomorrow night will be the heat, as they have many players that play both offense and defense. If they can stay healthy, I look for them to get the win in this contest. I don't know much about Buford, but they struggled a season ago. They run the "Wing-T" offense... and let me say I have first hand experience about how that philosophy will work out.

In the middle game, it's the Lugoff-Elgin Demons against Crestwood. I know nothing about Crestwood, other than the fact that they defeated Camden in 1997 for the first ever win in school history. For the Demons, they are pretty much the only team in the county that has most things figured out pre-season. Their biggest problem to this point is the fact that the injury bug has bitten them early. I think they'll be strong throughout the regular season.

And then the Bulldogs will take to the field in the 3rd and final game. I call a total domination by Camden in this one. The Bulldogs are much improved over last year's 4-6 team. We're going back to the spread, we have a guy who can throw and guy(s) that can catch. The o-line is blocking, we've got an amazing freshman that's gonna run a lot, and the defense is incredibly fast. This team has confidence and 7 state championships later, we know what a confident Camden team can do.

So, whether you're at the game or at home, tune in to KOOL 102.7 FM at 6:30 tomorrow night for the start of another year of exciting Kershaw County High School football!

Summer School and Smoke

2007-08-05T08:48:00.001-04:00

(Summer School is definitely something that everyone should try at least once during their collegiate careers, but be prepared to spend all your time involved with it. That's where I've been for the last month and hence the reason why this is my first post since June 15th.)

Ah, Tony, Tony Tony. You've done it my friend. You've gone and ticked off pretty much everybody else in the world of NASCAR and done it in typical fashion.

The two-time champion started the season out slowly, coming in at the runner-up position so many times he could write a book about it. But then, just as he did during his last championship run in 2005, he comes on during the summer months and makes everybody else pay for getting in his way for the remainder of the year.

Yeah Jeff Gordon is consistent, but Tony is on a roll. Nobody is better than when Tony gets hot. Why? Because he get's there and he stays there. He's in the zone, and I honestly think he could win every race the rest of the season. Of course he literally won't win every one of the remaining 16 races in 2007, but he's got a shot.

ESPN does suck. Tony agrees. But they've been kind of useful the last few weeks. I think the jury is still out on the network that I grew up watching everyweek and whether they can get back to the level they were at when they were outed from the sport back in 2000. I just wish they would cover the race. I don't need a human interest story about how someone's jackman proposed to his girlfriend at the 7-11 in Kannapolis the night after his team scored a sub 12-second pitstop but lost the race because of bad fuel mileage.

Also, both Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch said they would drink a beer after qualifying on Friday at Poconap, so they could lay off Tony for saying he was gonna drink a case of Schlitz after he won at Chicago three weeks ago.

Hey ESPN, I'm gonna go to Columbia in a few weeks and find my way to the bottom of a case of Bud Light. Whatcha gonna do about that?

Over the last month, I've learned about mitosis and meiosis, the difference between transcription and translation, and the fact that protein synthesis occurs in the rough ER. I've also learned that I'm gonna have a serious problem next year when it comes down to Tony and Junior for the win in the Daytona 500. Tony is so much like Dale Sr. it's not even funny, and Junior is going to drive for the devil.

I'm glad football season is almost here. My allegiance in high school, college, and the NFL are set in place and won't ever change. Probably because they can't go drive for Rick Hendrick.

My how things can change so quickly...

2007-06-15T12:21:00.000-04:00

I said to our board engineer Dalton Galloway on Sunday after the Pocono 500 was officially called because of darkness how much I couldn't stand to watch Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports be happy and win races. Gordon's 79th and latest win came in much the same fashion that happened in the late 90's when he and the 24 team went to victory lane a total of 33 times between 1996 and 1998.

I went to bed Sunday night with the same feeling and how much I was gonna rail NASCAR on the Locker Room on Monday night for even attempting to start the race at 5:00 est when I knew it would take 4 hours to run the full event. The sun officially set at 8:33 in Pocono on Sunday night--- you do the math.

Monday night on the show I said those exact things. I also said that I hadn't heard any news about where Dale Earnhardt Jr. would drive next season and beyond, other than the fact that any possible negotiations were put on hold this past week due to the passing of Bill France Jr.

I went to Columbia on Tuesday to see my girlfriend and some college buddies for a few days thinking that Junior would announce sometime around Daytona in July, or maybe Indianapolis later in the summer. And then I heard it...

"Dale Earnhardt Jr. will hold a press conference at 11 am tomorrow to announce that he is going to drive for Hendrick Motorsports next season."

I nearly wrecked my Monte Carlo. After lunch, I spent the afternoon on various websites trying to confirm the news. I knew that apparently there was "no room at the inn" for Junior just three weeks ago, and now he was going to drive for Hendrick?

After several hours I finally discovered that Kyle Busch would be leaving and Junior would take over in what is the current 5 car next year. Busch was reported to be talking to several other teams when he and Hendrick couldn't work out a deal. Come to find out on Thursday that Busch knew nothing about him not driving the 5 next season until Monday afternoon, which I find to be a complete and total lie just to make him look better and Hendrick look bad. (But my real opinion of both Busch brothers can't be said in mixed company.)

At first I couldn't believe Junior would race for the enemy. I've spent the last 13 years hating Jeff Gordon and everything Hendrick stands for. I said I was done. I wouldn't follow him over there and I would find another driver to pull for on Sunday's.

And then I got to thinking... Why? Just because Junior drives for Hendrick doesn't mean I have to go out and buy a Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson hat. That doesn't mean I have to be happy when Gordon or Johnson win. I'm an Earnhardt fan. I realized that I can pull for Junior even if he drives for Hendrick.

After seeing how big the smile was on Junior's face during the press conference on Wednesday, I know how happy he is to be where he is. I predict next season that he will run competitively every week in superior equipment than what he's had his entire Nextel Cup career and do so without having to worry about what his evil step-mother will say about it.

So Junior, I will follow you to your new team. Atleast, I'm pretty sure I will. I still have until February to decide.

Guess What... DEI is still here.

2007-06-07T16:13:00.000-04:00

Martin Truex Jr. went to victory lane on Monday in the rain delayed Autism Speaks 400 at Dover, his first career Nextel Cup Series victory, and first win for Dale Earnhardt Inc. in over a year.

This victory, although shadowed by the death of former NASCAR President Bill France Jr., might be the most important win for DEI as a company.

That’s saying a lot because you have to remember that DEI has won 3 Daytona 500’s. When Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced last month he was leaving the company that his father started, people immediately began the talk that it would be the demise of a race team that was once considered a giant in the sport.

Truex said he was staying at DEI. I think several things have happened since Earnhardt Jr. said was leaving.

First, Truex is getting the best equipment. Obviously on Monday, Truex was dominant. The car that he was driving is different from the car he drove last year at Dover, because this was a Car of Tomorrow race. DEI has been behind the 8-ball (no pun intended) with the COT this year; everybody has. But the 1 car was better than the 8 car. I think in the coming months as Truex makes his run towards earning a berth in the Chase for the Cup (NASCAR’s playoff system) that he will not only out-perform Dale Earnhardt Jr., but he will do so at a startling pace.

Second, Truex has officially come out of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s shadow. A lot of people became Truex fans because they were Earnhardt fans. I’ll admit I was one of them. Truex blasted his way to 2 Busch Series championships in 2004 and 2005, and in doing so made a lot of fans because of who he was driving for. When he made his way into the Nextel Cup Series last season, he didn’t perform well. Now he has a win, is higher up in the points than Earnhardt Jr. is, and he’s going to make the Chase for the Cup. Dale Jr. will not.

Finally, and I’ll go back to my bold statement at the beginning of this rant, this is the most important win in the history of Dale Earnhardt Inc. Forget 4 Busch Series titles. Forget 3 wins in the Great American Race. Forget everything else that has happened. Truex has proven the critics wrong. I predict he will stay at DEI for a long time. I think he will have great success there. And I think no matter who replaces Dale Jr. next year, that Truex will be the face of the company. Many people think Greg Biffle will move to DEI next season. I don’t think Biffle can take over for Earnhardt Jr., so you have to go back to who was there already: Truex.

Guess what America: Dale Earnhardt Inc. can survive without Dale Earnhardt Jr. Surprise.

Why I love the Mountain West

2007-05-15T11:49:00.000-04:00

The following is a thing I wrote about 2 years ago while watching Thursday Night College Football on ESPN, and was inspired by a fraternity brother who originally gave me the idea. It is meant entirely as a joke, and I think it's good for a chuckle every once and a while.

Mountain West for BCS Champions
1st Draft- September 22, 2005
By Robbie Mays

The Mountain West is the best football conference in Division 1 Collegiate football. There are many reasons as to why this is, and many more reasons why I think the BCS champions should come from this division every year.

First of all, let me say I love how the Mountain West will play whenever ESPN will offer to put them on television. I believe the MW would play a game at 7:45 a.m. EST on Sunday mornings. Not only is the Mountain West so starved for attention, they want everyone in the country to know they are the best conference out there.

Next, most importantly, they never fail to not sell out the entire stadium. If you catch any MW game on a Thursday night, you will notice that there is plenty of room in the stadium for the crowd to spread out, and be able to sleep off that hangover they got from starting to drink at noon. I think all schools should stop selling tickets when they reach about 10,000 less than capacity.

Have you ever noticed how lopsided a Mountain West game can be? I just love watching one team run up 47 points in the first half. I think they should show every moment of the game because of this, and should never under any circumstances switch to Sportscenter to show clips of New Orleans Saints’ coaches complain about having to play a ‘home’ game at Giant Stadium in New York.

Finally, the Mountain West has superior athletes compared to the rest of the country. I mean, who wouldn’t want to play in a makeshift football stadium that doubles for a soccer stadium during the week. The painted over soccer lines are great on television, as it adds to décor of the half-empty stadium.

Oh yes, the Mountain West is the best conference in the land. From the great players and exciting last minute touchdown drives that allows the team to beat the 49 point spread, it’s an excellent division to show every week on Thursday night football.
Isn’t there a Seinfeld re-run on somewhere?

Duh...

2007-05-02T13:06:00.000-04:00

Yeah, they said it would happen if Jeff won and he did, so it did. Idiots threw debris on the racetrack after Jeff Gordon went to victory lane for the 77th time in his career, surpassing the 76 wins of the late 7-time champion Dale Earnhardt on what would have been Dale's 56th birthday at the track that is the center of Earnhardt Nation in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega on Sunday.

NASCAR, Talladega, and Law Enforcement officials declared leading up to Sunday's race that anyone caught throwing debris from the grandstands onto the racetrack would be arrested. 14 people were caught in the act, and were arrested and have been banned from buying tickets from Talladega Superspeedway to future events. Can they get someone else to buy the tickets for them? Sure.

People are made aware of others throwing debris on the track because the media says it's happening. If they don't want it to happen again, I have a simple solution:

STOP SHOWING THE BEER CANS BEING THROWN ONTO THE RACETRACK!!!

If you don't show it happening, people won't think they can get 15 minutes of fame from doing it and the problem will correct itself. Simple. Easy. Let's move on.

Furthermore, these people should not under any circumstance whatsoever declare themselves to be NASCAR fans. Anybody who insists on talking about this who has been an occasional NASCAR watcher for about 2 seconds need not talk about this. You sound like an idiot. Let's talk about David Reutimann's great run cut short by an engine problem. Let's talk about Michael Waltrip being fast enough to make the show but was sent home because of the top 35 rule. Let's talk about the great points battle that's shaping up. Let's talk about Matt Kenseth's 6th straight top 15 at Talladega. Let's talk about the fact that Mark Martin is still in striking distance of making the chase even though he has missed 3 races. Let's talk about racing, and not idiots.

And now, that is ALL I have to say about that.

Statboy's Rant for April 26th

2007-04-26T12:08:00.000-04:00

I think NASCAR fans are mad at Jeff Gordon. I think the fans are mad because he won the race Saturday night at Phoenix. I think they are mad because he is now tied for 5th on the all-time wins list with Dale Earnhardt at 76 career victories. They are mad at Jeff for waving the 3 flag. I think NASCAR fans are mad at Tony Stewart. I think they are mad at him for not staying for the post-race interview on Saturday. I think they are mad at him for going on his own radio show on Tuesday night and blasting NASCAR for over-controlling the sport and throwing cautions for debris, half the time which we cannot even see. Get over it. People are going to be mad when what they want to have happen doesn’t happen.

We all knew that Jeff was eventually going to tie and break Earnhardt’s win mark. I thought it would happen sooner than it did. The man won 33 races in a 3 year period between 1996 and 1998. Surprised he didn’t do this 3 years ago. Jeff will go on and break other records. Darrell Waltrip’s 84 win record is in jeopardy within in the next couple of years. Gordon’s dominance has dropped off over the last 5 years. But I definitely think Jeff will surpass Waltrip. He might get up to 90 or 95 wins in his career. Will he pass David Pearson’s 105 wins? I don’t think so.

As far as Tony goes, well people are gonna be mad he didn’t talk. Nothing says Tony has to give an interview for finishing 2nd. If I was running 2nd in a Nextel Cup race with 12 laps to go, and I had made the winning pass and was leading, then yeah, I’d be mad I didn’t win too. Earnhardt would have done the same thing. That’s the deal. Tony is now what Dale Earnhardt was. Whether fans choose to accept that or not. He is today’s equivalency of Earnhardt. That is all.

The State of Michael Waltrip Racing

2007-03-26T16:15:00.000-04:00

After five races, Michael Waltrip Racing is in trouble. Combined, the team has only a total of 9 starts (5 for Dale Jarrett, 3 for David Reutimann, and 1 for Michael Waltrip himself.) The team has struggled at qualifying, and when they actually do make a race, they haven't performed well.

David Reutimann, who was my early pick for Rookie of the Year honors, has two wrecks and one sub-par finish to date. He was wrecked hard at California by Greg Biffle, and caused a 4-car pileup at Atlanta. I think that maybe a full season in the Busch Series would have done some good for this young talent, and overall I think the jury is still out on whether or not he will have success at NASCAR's highest level.

Dale Jarrett has made all the races in 2007, but only once by getting in on speed. He is allotted 6 past champion provisionals to use this year, and he's already used up 4. He finished 42nd at Bristol, moving him down to 39th in owner points, which NASCAR uses to determine who gets a guaranteed spot in the race based on the top-35 rule. He has 2 champion provisionals left. He needs to qualify on speed at Martinsville this weekend, and at a place like Martinsville, a short flat track that requires alot of driving ability to master, this is a good shot to get his season back on track. He needs to save his provisionals for a place like Talladega coming up at the end of April. Why? Because that car was way off on speed at Daytona. I think you will see Dale Jarrett miss a race this year, and I hate to say that, but unless something drastic happens at MWR and I mean soon, he will miss a, or several races this year once the champions provisionals are used up.

And as for Michael Waltrip, I don't even know what to say. He went from a good-quality ride in the #15 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet a few years ago to being at the bottom of the new Toyota contingent. He has only made 1 race in 2007, and I don't see him making very many more. I predict NAPA, his long-time primary sponsor, will decide to leave that team this year, or next year, and then Waltrip will be in real trouble. I hate it for him because he is a veteran, and I would say a current, or maybe former, fan favorite. I think that overall he lacks the ability to manage a full-time Nextel Cup effort, to say nothing about managing three. With the loss of his crew chief after the disaster at Daytona with the cheating scandal has left the 55 Toyota in a hole that he will not be able to climb out of this year. Looking at the situation, I think Waltrip will make maybe 10 races this year. Toyota definetly needs to step in and give more factory support to get this team to be even close on qualifying day. Waltrip currently sits 54th in driver points, still at -27, and 50th in owner points, 307 behind 35th and a guaranteed starting spot.

Again, without some drastic actions, Michael Waltrip Racing will never become a top-tiered Nextel Cup Series team. Honestly, I wouldn't even count them as a mid-range Busch Series team.

Thoughts after Two Weeks...

2007-03-02T13:28:00.001-05:00

The Nextel Cup Series takes its first off week of the season this weekend (the reasons as which I’m not really sure seeing as how they have a 16-week stretch of racing later in the season), and here are some thoughts after the first two races.
1) Mark Martin needs to run the full season.
After two races, he is leading the point standings. Mark will be the first to tell you that he is not a very good restrictor plate driver, but after losing the Daytona 500 by .02 seconds to Kevin Harvick, that trend might be changing. Ginn Racing has obviously stepped its program up this year, and he has competitive equipment. I think that he needs to stay in that car as long as he can, which should be all 36 races. If he has a good run at Las Vegas next week, he will decide to run the full schedule. For Mark’s sake, I hope he does decide that he has a shot at a championship, which has eluded him his entire career and will go for it all.

2) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not win a race in 2007
In 2005, the 8 car struggled. But they got their act together in 2006 and ran in the top 5 in points for most of the year and has looked strong. But that team is back to its old ways from 2005 and is not looking very good at this point. It wasn’t his fault that he got wrecked in the Daytona 500, but it was the teams fault for not working on the new unleaded fuel package starting at California, and he will not run well at Vegas. I predict no wins for this team this season. If they do win, I’ll be surprised. If they make the chase, I’ll quit trying to fool people into thinking that I know what I’m talking about.

3) FOX needs to go
I’ve noticed that the FOX television coverage has gone downhill this year. If you need proof, think back to the California race when they were showing what everybody was eating for lunch that day. It’s true that the race was pretty boring at that point, but they could have gone and interviewed a crew chief or one of the drivers that were out of the race at that point. I hope that ESPN’s return will show FOX that you can just show the race and not all the flare that goes with it that NASCAR now thinks that we need.

4) Richard Childress Racing is Back
If last year’s results weren’t obvious, then I’ll tell you that Richard Childress Racing has returned to being a dominant team that has a chance to win every week. Kevin Harvick swept Daytona, and probably would have won at California if it weren’t for a flat tire late in the going. The 29 will make the chase, the 31 (with driver Jeff Burton) will make the chase, and the 07 (Clint Bowyer) has a good shot at making the chase. I think that anything less than a championship for RCR this year at the Nextel Cup level will deem 2007 as a disappointment.

5) The Car of Tomorrow is Today
Testing took place at the Bristol Motor Speedway this week for the debut of the Car of Tomorrow at the Food City 500 next month. I’ve been looking at this car for almost two years, and I gotta say that I am genuinely excited about its debut next month. I think that the racing will improve greatly with the addition of the new car. I think that the costs will go down, no matter what Jack Roush says. And I think that it will even the playing field between multi-car teams and single car teams in the long run. I think it’s a good looking racecar, and the product on the track will show it. Look for NASCAR to announce before the end of the summer that the COT will be run exclusively beginning in 2008.

That's What it Was

2007-02-26T12:56:00.000-05:00

It was what it was. It was a boring race. I am of course referring to yesterday's Auto Club 500 at the California Speedway.

There was some good racing going on though. And it was out of the parking lot after Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished blowing up his motor on lap 121. The 8 car was obviously the reason why there were around 10,000 empty seats in Fontana yesterday, and not the fact that the track has never in its 10-year history produced an epic race that people talk about for the next 3 months. The Daytona 500 was epic, it was dramatic, and people will be talking about it for years to come.

I am, and I'll admit this to anyone who asks this, a traditionalist. I think that NASCAR's roots are in the southeast and we should honor those who made the sport what it is today by racing in this area of the country. Let's take a look at the last race at the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, where NASCAR should have been racing yesterday.

Again, it was Matt Kenseth who went to victory lane in that race, after he battled it out with Kasey Kahne down to the line for the win. There was no single file racing for 300 miles. There was no random debris cautions that NASCAR made up so the field could get bunched up and the margin of victory wouldn't be two days. It was good racing. Have you ever seen a side-by-side run to the checkers at California? If you have, please remind me because I fail to recall once when that has happened.

I like Texas. I like Chicago. I'll even go as far as to say that I'll like the newly redesigned Las Vegas Motor Speedway when the Nextel Cup Series visits there in two weeks. But for the tracks that NASCAR has introduced since 1997, California is my least favorite. Maybe Cali should take a page from Las Vegas and do something to the track to improve the racing. Add banking, narrow the track up, or buldoze the entire thing and build a short track.

But for someone to say that race was exciting yesterday... well, you obviously missed the point.

I hope Brian France got to sleep in yesterday morning. I slept during the race.

Auto Club 500 Recap

2007-02-25T21:29:00.000-05:00

It wasn’t as exciting at Daytona, but in the end it was a final 4-lap shootout that set up the end of the Auto Club 500 at the California Speedway, with Matt Kenseth going to victory lane, and in the process sweeping the Busch and Cup races at the 2-mile track.

As is the norm at a place like California, engine trouble was an issue on Sunday. Martin Truex Jr. lost an engine on lap 18, and teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. blew what was left of a troubled motor on lap 121, chalking up a DNF for the second consecutive race. Kasey Kahne and Dave Blaney also suffered engine problems.

After a late caution and ensuing red flag when David Reutimann got punted by Greg Biffle and destroyed his Dominos Pizza Toyota, a shootout was set up just like a week ago.
Kenseth took off from the field and put up a huge advantage after Jeff Burton spun his tires on the final restart. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson tried to catch Kenseth, but the 17 car was too much.

Your top 10 on Sunday was Kenseth, Gordon 2nd, Johnson 3rd, Burton 4th, and Mark Martin 5th. Clint Bowyer 6th, Kurt Busch 7th, Tony Stewart 8th, Kyle Busch 9th, and Brian Vickers in a Toyota was 10th.

Mark Martin will take a 5-point lead over Jeff Burton into the off weekend next week. The Series picks back up at Las Vegas in 2 weeks.

Is that really necessary?

2007-02-25T15:26:00.000-05:00

I remember just a few years ago when you could turn on the television to watch a race, and the main story was the race. I wasn't sure where the Tribute part of the Tribute to America during last Sunday's pre-race show before the Daytona 500 was, and I definetly am not sure the purpose of this cat singing before today's Auto Club 500 at California. It wasn't even good, and I have no idea what this guy's name was.

But anyway, I remember when races used to start before I could even get home from church. Maybe we should get back to being able to turn on FOX or ESPN or TNT and the race will start within 5 minutes. That would be amazing.

It would also be amazing if they were racing in Rockingham, North Carolina today.

Welcome...

2007-02-25T15:22:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my new blog. I'll post updates and my thoughts on what is going on in the world of racing as often as I can. Check back soon for more!