A Voice for the Fans ~ Actions Detrimental…
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I bid you welcome gentle
readers, and as always, a warm welcome to our assigned reader of all things
NASCAR, whose job it is to run to the proper authorities and tell on us if we
should get out of hand and speak a word of disrespect that might be in violation
of rule 12-1: Actions detrimental to the
sport of stock car racing. Please, stick around and take notes. Have I got
a column for you!
It’s Tuesday morning as I pull up to my keyboard and consider all that’s going on around me this soggy, grey morning in the beautiful Great Smokey Mountain foothills of North Georgia. In an hour or so, Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 Chevy for Stewart-Haas Racing, will announce a new sponsor for that car next year, replacing the departing “Go-Daddy” so long associated with that beautiful lady. Like most “secrets” in the garage, this one falls under the description of “worst-kept”, as said sponsor is widely rumored to be Nature’s Bakery, and the car will be done in a lovely light turquoise blue to match its lovely driver… and no, she herself is not turquoise, but definitely lovely. Hopefully, this news will force a small but vocal group of grumpy old men to put a sock in it and quit rejoicing that she lost Go-Daddy. If you could read instead of simply hate on sight, you’d know that company announced financial woes on a grand scale long before announcing they’d be leaving NASCAR sponsorship in their rearview mirror.
Danica… You GO girl!
Now why, oh, why did I go ahead and write that knowing it would be announced long before this article makes print? I’m just ornery like that sometimes, I guess. It is now a “done deal” as Stewart –Haas Racing has announced a new multi-year (3) contract with driver Danica Patrick and a contract of the same length with Nature’s Bakery as primary sponsor of the #10 car. Nature’s Bakery will appear on the car for 28 races in 2016. Congratulations to all concerned! Just look at this!
It’s Tuesday morning as I pull up to my keyboard and consider all that’s going on around me this soggy, grey morning in the beautiful Great Smokey Mountain foothills of North Georgia. In an hour or so, Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 Chevy for Stewart-Haas Racing, will announce a new sponsor for that car next year, replacing the departing “Go-Daddy” so long associated with that beautiful lady. Like most “secrets” in the garage, this one falls under the description of “worst-kept”, as said sponsor is widely rumored to be Nature’s Bakery, and the car will be done in a lovely light turquoise blue to match its lovely driver… and no, she herself is not turquoise, but definitely lovely. Hopefully, this news will force a small but vocal group of grumpy old men to put a sock in it and quit rejoicing that she lost Go-Daddy. If you could read instead of simply hate on sight, you’d know that company announced financial woes on a grand scale long before announcing they’d be leaving NASCAR sponsorship in their rearview mirror.
Danica… You GO girl!
Now why, oh, why did I go ahead and write that knowing it would be announced long before this article makes print? I’m just ornery like that sometimes, I guess. It is now a “done deal” as Stewart –Haas Racing has announced a new multi-year (3) contract with driver Danica Patrick and a contract of the same length with Nature’s Bakery as primary sponsor of the #10 car. Nature’s Bakery will appear on the car for 28 races in 2016. Congratulations to all concerned! Just look at this!
Now, let’s shift gears
for a moment and return to Michigan for a couple of topics. Remember, this
scribe told you she had faith in Roger Curtis, who for all intents and purposes
IS Michigan International Speedway,
to take the lead in SAFER barrier installations? Good call, as this statement
was almost immediately forthcoming from the Speedway.
“After this weekend's NASCAR events, the track will work with Cheaha Construction to install an additional 7,500 linear feet of SAFER barriers to the outside walls along the frontstretch and backstretch, as well as the inside tri-oval pit wall.
"We will continue to review the facility to provide updates as circumstances warrant," the track's statement read.
This, in addition to what we all saw this past weekend has been done to date, should complete the coverage of Michigan walls with SAFER barriers! Roger, we just can’t thank you enough! We knew if anyone would show the way, you were our best bet… “We” being the fans that care.
Patience gentle readers, I do want to get to Bristol, but simply must stay at Michigan long enough to ask how everyone liked the “High drag package” that was slated to give us great racing, albeit in a pack, and lots of passing. From my seat in the living room, I could swear that the leader not only couldn’t be passed, but for most of the race, couldn’t even be approached. So much for pack racing, as two or three laps after each of the few restarts we saw, (Debris cautions) the cars were strung out like beads on a cheap necklace… far apart and separated by erratic distances. Brian, Steve, Mike et al, you can plaster as much lipstick on that pig as you care to, but what I saw at Michigan was not racing, and that gentlemen, is a shame. She’s a great track that left on her own can produce great races. The low downforce deal from Kentucky might well have benefited more at Michigan than what you chose. This scribe cannot wait to see them race that again at Darlington!
Regarding this next point, I know I wasn’t alone in noticing this, as I’ve already fielded many, many questions on what might be the cause. I’m speaking here about the reticence on the part of any driver to speak out and give an actual opinion on the High drag fiasco. Several declined to comment, and the most outspoken of all of them, Brad Keselowski, gave only the following cryptic statement…
"It's not my deal, man. It's not my right to say. It's not my sport, so whatever they want to do, we'll race it. That's my job. I think we saw almost exactly what everybody thought we'd see. I'll let you guys (media) judge whether that was good or bad."
Point taken, and my “opinion” has already been stated, loudly and clearly. Gentle readers, I’ve no clue what our drivers have been threatened with this time, but I get the distinct feeling of Deja vu as it brings to mind those secret penalties for tweeting things not to the liking of one Brian Z. France. You know… tweets detrimental to the sport of stock car racing. Apparently we can add opinions to tweets, which now appear on the list of things you must not do or voice when you drive for NASCAR. A few might feel this out of line, but I’m betting on a standing ovation when I say that probably the most detrimental thing that has ever happened to stock car racing is Brian Z. France. He has singlehandedly taken this sport from the second most watched sport in America straight down the toilet bowl, and the water is swirling my friends… the water is swirling.
Oh heck, let’s stay with Michigan just a bit longer, as the overnight ratings are out for the race at that beautiful track, and guess what! Michigan could only muster a 2.4 overnight on NBCSN, compared to a 3.0, two years running, for the same race on ESPN. Nope, it’s not that it moved from National Broadcast to Cable. This one is cable vs. cable. That’s a full 20% drop when competing with another cable channel. The Band-Aid isn’t stopping the bleeding folks. Someone better get a tourniquet, and quickly! We’re in dire danger of losing this patient.
Finally, we can move on to the upcoming night race at Bristol. This is the one folks! This is the race for which it was once so difficult to secure tickets that folks were actually leaving them to loved ones in their wills. Seriously! Well, a combination of recession, cars that couldn’t race (See: COT) and Bruton Smith bowing to fans that kept wanting a different “fix”, has made that no longer the case… but it is still, as they say, “Bristol Baby!” It’s almost everyone’s favorite night of short track racing, where debts are repaid, grudges settled and both feelings and pride wounded deeply by the time it’s over. I think at least three times I’ve done columns bearing titles similar to, “Who’s Not Speaking to Whom?” following a Bristol night race. No, it’s not as crazy as it used to be, but then, they don’t sell as many tickets as they used to sell either.
Let’s take a look at a “refreshed” map of Bristol Motor Speedway with regard to the status of SAFER barriers.
“After this weekend's NASCAR events, the track will work with Cheaha Construction to install an additional 7,500 linear feet of SAFER barriers to the outside walls along the frontstretch and backstretch, as well as the inside tri-oval pit wall.
"We will continue to review the facility to provide updates as circumstances warrant," the track's statement read.
This, in addition to what we all saw this past weekend has been done to date, should complete the coverage of Michigan walls with SAFER barriers! Roger, we just can’t thank you enough! We knew if anyone would show the way, you were our best bet… “We” being the fans that care.
Patience gentle readers, I do want to get to Bristol, but simply must stay at Michigan long enough to ask how everyone liked the “High drag package” that was slated to give us great racing, albeit in a pack, and lots of passing. From my seat in the living room, I could swear that the leader not only couldn’t be passed, but for most of the race, couldn’t even be approached. So much for pack racing, as two or three laps after each of the few restarts we saw, (Debris cautions) the cars were strung out like beads on a cheap necklace… far apart and separated by erratic distances. Brian, Steve, Mike et al, you can plaster as much lipstick on that pig as you care to, but what I saw at Michigan was not racing, and that gentlemen, is a shame. She’s a great track that left on her own can produce great races. The low downforce deal from Kentucky might well have benefited more at Michigan than what you chose. This scribe cannot wait to see them race that again at Darlington!
Regarding this next point, I know I wasn’t alone in noticing this, as I’ve already fielded many, many questions on what might be the cause. I’m speaking here about the reticence on the part of any driver to speak out and give an actual opinion on the High drag fiasco. Several declined to comment, and the most outspoken of all of them, Brad Keselowski, gave only the following cryptic statement…
"It's not my deal, man. It's not my right to say. It's not my sport, so whatever they want to do, we'll race it. That's my job. I think we saw almost exactly what everybody thought we'd see. I'll let you guys (media) judge whether that was good or bad."
Point taken, and my “opinion” has already been stated, loudly and clearly. Gentle readers, I’ve no clue what our drivers have been threatened with this time, but I get the distinct feeling of Deja vu as it brings to mind those secret penalties for tweeting things not to the liking of one Brian Z. France. You know… tweets detrimental to the sport of stock car racing. Apparently we can add opinions to tweets, which now appear on the list of things you must not do or voice when you drive for NASCAR. A few might feel this out of line, but I’m betting on a standing ovation when I say that probably the most detrimental thing that has ever happened to stock car racing is Brian Z. France. He has singlehandedly taken this sport from the second most watched sport in America straight down the toilet bowl, and the water is swirling my friends… the water is swirling.
Oh heck, let’s stay with Michigan just a bit longer, as the overnight ratings are out for the race at that beautiful track, and guess what! Michigan could only muster a 2.4 overnight on NBCSN, compared to a 3.0, two years running, for the same race on ESPN. Nope, it’s not that it moved from National Broadcast to Cable. This one is cable vs. cable. That’s a full 20% drop when competing with another cable channel. The Band-Aid isn’t stopping the bleeding folks. Someone better get a tourniquet, and quickly! We’re in dire danger of losing this patient.
Finally, we can move on to the upcoming night race at Bristol. This is the one folks! This is the race for which it was once so difficult to secure tickets that folks were actually leaving them to loved ones in their wills. Seriously! Well, a combination of recession, cars that couldn’t race (See: COT) and Bruton Smith bowing to fans that kept wanting a different “fix”, has made that no longer the case… but it is still, as they say, “Bristol Baby!” It’s almost everyone’s favorite night of short track racing, where debts are repaid, grudges settled and both feelings and pride wounded deeply by the time it’s over. I think at least three times I’ve done columns bearing titles similar to, “Who’s Not Speaking to Whom?” following a Bristol night race. No, it’s not as crazy as it used to be, but then, they don’t sell as many tickets as they used to sell either.
Let’s take a look at a “refreshed” map of Bristol Motor Speedway with regard to the status of SAFER barriers.
With the description of
what was added before the April race given by Jerry Caldwell, this is my best
representation of what the map should look like now. This map was hard to read
on Google Earth, and the original imagery is from 2012, so it may be off by a
bit, but not too much. Mr. Caldwell, this is a tiny track. The track that
preceded yours on the schedule, Michigan, has arranged to complete coverage of
the walls on that big, sprawling 2-mile track before year’s end. It’s time to
do the same for tiny little Bristol. She might be small, but her concrete walls
are just as hard as anyone else’s, and we, the fans that care, care most about
our drivers. Your profits do not compare where human life is at stake.
And, with that said, let’s all look forward to some Saturday night racing on the only track that should ever have a night race… It’s Bristol Baby!
Overall, there has been sadness in several corners of the racing world this week. Tuesday saw a final good-bye to our “Gentle Giant” as Buddy Baker was eulogized and laid to rest. A host of very familiar names filled the congregation, from Brian France and Mike Helton to Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Ryan Newman, Don Miller, Tom Higgins, Bud Moore, Waddell Wilson and Humpy Wheeler. Newman, Miller, Higgins and Allison were among the pall bearers, and Wheeler spoke at the service. Buddy Baker will be missed by many, and you’ll find this scribe somewhere near the top of that crowded list. He was special, in a way that is beyond description by the human tongue. He was… Buddy Baker… and that says it all.
And, with that said, let’s all look forward to some Saturday night racing on the only track that should ever have a night race… It’s Bristol Baby!
Overall, there has been sadness in several corners of the racing world this week. Tuesday saw a final good-bye to our “Gentle Giant” as Buddy Baker was eulogized and laid to rest. A host of very familiar names filled the congregation, from Brian France and Mike Helton to Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Ryan Newman, Don Miller, Tom Higgins, Bud Moore, Waddell Wilson and Humpy Wheeler. Newman, Miller, Higgins and Allison were among the pall bearers, and Wheeler spoke at the service. Buddy Baker will be missed by many, and you’ll find this scribe somewhere near the top of that crowded list. He was special, in a way that is beyond description by the human tongue. He was… Buddy Baker… and that says it all.
Photo ~ Charlotte Observer
Also, last week at the Knoxville Nationals, Kevin Swindell, son of the great Sprint Car Champion Sammy Swindell, was severely injured in a crash. Details have been left sketchy, on purpose, as Kevin has undergone two separate surgeries to repair two fractures in his back. He also suffered an injury to his spinal cord, which remains undefined at this writing. In most cases, spinal cord injury is never past tense, but keep in mind gentle readers, that the power of prayer can work wonders at times, so please, pray for Kevin Swindell, one of our own racing family.
On another sad note, a local racer, Jim Campbell Jr. was killed in a sprint car crash Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
The crash took place during the night's hot laps, in which drivers are given a chance to warm up their race cars before the night’s racing events. No, Jim’s name was not as well-known as Kevin’s, but thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. He was also a member of our racing family. Just a note… both crashes involved cars impacting walls. The construction of said walls is not given in either case, but I can confidently tell you, they were not SAFER barriers.
One last tidbit before this goes to print… Steve O’Donnell, please tell us that what you’re hinting at and talking all around but not quite saying is that NASCAR will be eliminating the Green/White/Checker feature from the giant plate tracks. That move, if made, gets a standing “O” from this corner of fandom. It never should have existed in the first place.
Also, last week at the Knoxville Nationals, Kevin Swindell, son of the great Sprint Car Champion Sammy Swindell, was severely injured in a crash. Details have been left sketchy, on purpose, as Kevin has undergone two separate surgeries to repair two fractures in his back. He also suffered an injury to his spinal cord, which remains undefined at this writing. In most cases, spinal cord injury is never past tense, but keep in mind gentle readers, that the power of prayer can work wonders at times, so please, pray for Kevin Swindell, one of our own racing family.
On another sad note, a local racer, Jim Campbell Jr. was killed in a sprint car crash Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
The crash took place during the night's hot laps, in which drivers are given a chance to warm up their race cars before the night’s racing events. No, Jim’s name was not as well-known as Kevin’s, but thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. He was also a member of our racing family. Just a note… both crashes involved cars impacting walls. The construction of said walls is not given in either case, but I can confidently tell you, they were not SAFER barriers.
One last tidbit before this goes to print… Steve O’Donnell, please tell us that what you’re hinting at and talking all around but not quite saying is that NASCAR will be eliminating the Green/White/Checker feature from the giant plate tracks. That move, if made, gets a standing “O” from this corner of fandom. It never should have existed in the first place.
Time now for our Classic Country Closeout.
Today, I have nothing planned, so we’ll abandon any hope for a theme and just
play some music I’ve loved over m-a-n-y years. First up, compliments of my adopted
son Darrell, who is kind enough to lend me a hand whenever YouTube doesn’t yet
have what I’m reaching for. This one is from the guy that I could listen to
forever and never get tired of him, Clyde Julian “Red” Foley, and the song is “My Renfro Valley Home.” I loved this one
when I first heard it as a young child. What kid wouldn’t love a song that uses
the word, “Hoop-de-looly?” I’ve learned that this was originally recorded by
Riley Puckett, in 1934, meaning this song predates me!
Next up is a rare
musical offering from a man I could never grow tired of looking at, Robert
Mitchum, singing “The Ballad of Thunder
Road” from the movie of the same name.
Then let’s hear one that
I’ve never grown tired of dancing to. This is “The Singing Rage, Miss Patti
Page” singing “Changing Partners.”
Ah, first love is so sweet, until it ends. Then, it is forever bittersweet.
One last well-loved number for today… this is
Carl Smith, possibly the most overlooked talent of several decades, doing one
of his earliest and best… “Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way.” Carl had a
great voice and a great sound. I guess the only problem was, he wasn’t named
Hank. Right Mike?
Be well gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling. It looks so good on you!
~
PattyKay