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  • RFF Fantasy Racing Game
    • 2018 Fantasy Game >
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Richmond
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Bristol
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Texas
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Martinsville
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Auto Club
      • Fantasy Picks ~ ISM
      • Fantasy Picks - Las Vegas
      • Fantasy Picks - Atlanta
  • Guest Appearance Writers
    • Story of a Lucky Penny and the Underbird
    • Earnhardt and Childress ~ Round 1
  • PattyKay Lilley
    • PattyKay Lilley 2018 >
      • We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us
      • All the News Unfit to Print~ All-Star Edition
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ No One Is Listening
      • Alan Kulwicki Will Always Be a Champion
      • 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame ~ Selections and Elections
      • Fontana to Martinsville and All About the Fan Experience
      • Kevin Harvick Is Right ~ Grass Roots Racing Does Matter
      • The Road Less Traveled
      • Surefire Cost Cutting Ideas for NASCAR
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Too Much Is More than Enough
      • I Remember You ~ My Personal Tribute to Dale Earnhardt
      • An Earnhardt Kind of Day
      • Remembering Neil Bonnett
      • Daytona Fever
      • NASCAR Looked the Other Way
      • A Look in the Rear View Mirror ~ Keith Jackson
      • The Product Is Encumbered and Therefore Not Marketable
      • Its January Already
      • The Perfect Storm and a Sad Farewell
    • PattyKay Lilley 2017 >
      • That Time between Christmas and Daytona
      • The Christmas Story My Mother Told ~ 2017
      • I Still Believe in Santa Claus ~ Jimmy Spencer
      • A Defining Moment in NASCAR History
      • Remembering the Final Winston Cup Banquet ~ 2017
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Dont Believe Your Lying Eyes
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ One Last Ride
      • As the 2017 Season Draws to a Close
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Who Is Not Speaking to Whom?
      • The Little Track by the Railroad Track
      • NASCAR Goes Country
      • Tales of the Talladega Curse ~ 2017
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Sad Times and Poor Broadcasting
      • Not One Knee Was Taken During Solemn Prerace Ceremonies at Dover
      • The White Cliffs of Dover ~ Delaware
      • History Holds the Back Story ~ RPM
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Someone Ought to Say It!
      • Characters Add Character to Racing
      • In Darlington, Everything Old Is New Again
      • Remember When NASCAR Was All About the Fans?
      • From Michigan to Richmond and All Points In-between
      • Racing at the Glen and Millennials Can Learn from Geezers
      • When the Points Arent the Points and 2+2 Doesnt Equal 4
      • When Rednecks Ran NASCAR
      • Dear Brent Dewar, About That Star Mangled Banner
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Silly Season Is Only Silly for Some
      • Looking Back ~ A View from the Rearview
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ On Road Racing and Dirt Racing
      • Defeat Snatched from the Jaws of Victory
      • Ninety Miles an Hour down a Dead End Street
      • The Good, the Bad and the Intolerable
      • Verrrry Interesting
      • D-Day Demolition Derby at Dover
      • Memorial Day Means So Much More than Racing ~ 2017
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ NASCAR Why Do You Refuse to Listen?
      • A Tale of Two Weekends
      • Remember Adam Petty
      • Truth Will Always Serve Better than a Good Story
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Vaya con Dios
      • It’s Bristol Baby, but Which Bristol?
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ When Enough Becomes Too Much
      • A Sunday Drive, Texas Style
      • One Helluva Good Race; Sorry You Missed It
      • As Requested By the Fans… and Other Fairytales
      • Smokey Yunick Belongs in the NASCAR Hall of Fame
      • NASCAR Hall of Fame ~ Selections and Elections
      • Some Facts Are Indisputable and Some Folks Enjoy Being Unhappy
      • At Daytona, Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
      • A Few More Nicknames and Some Quaint Quotes
      • Nicknames in Racing Have to Be Earned
      • Drivers, Please Start Your Engines
      • The Voice of One Fan Only
      • Fly on the Wall ~ Speaking of Carl Edwards
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Hopefully the Voice of Reason
      • U.S. Nationals, and We Are Not Talking Drag Racing Here
    • PattyKay Lilley 2016 >
      • The Christmas Story as My Mother Told It
      • We’re Gonna Miss the Man Called Smoke
      • The New Twelve Days of a NASCAR Christmas
      • Remembering The Final Winston Cup Banquet
      • Let’s Talk About Indy Instead of Homestead
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Why All The Secrecy?
      • Martinsville ~ FUBAR
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ And the Fans Need to Be Heard!
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ NASCAR Doesn’t Love Me Anymore
      • Under The Charlotte Lights...Again ~ Lady in Black
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ A Question For Brian Z. France
      • Who’s Abbott, Who’s Costello and Who’s on First
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Where Have All The Race Fans Gone?
      • Throwback ~ The Lady In Black
      • Throwbacks and Tributes and Memories, Oh My
      • Someone Asked About the History of North Wilkesboro
      • Mid-Ohio Mayhem ~ All In Fun
      • His Name Is Waddell Wilson ~ Remember That Name
      • J. D. McDuffie ~ Lived and Died for Racing
      • Attendance and Ratings ~ Do They Matter?
      • Winston/Nextel/Sprint Cup ~ What Comes Next?
      • Davey in Retrospect
      • Twisted Sheet Metal and How A Race Should End
      • Is NASCAR For Sale?
      • Wreckin on the Road ~ Lady in Black
      • Marty Robbins ~ NASCAR Balladeer
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Those Silly Ol’ Lug Nuts
      • Junie Donlavey ~ True Pioneer of NASCAR
      • Tim Richmond ~ Right to the Bitter End and Beyond
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ The Penthouse and the Outhouse
      • Memorial Day Means More than Just Racing
      • Dover - The Good The Bad and the Unacceptable
      • Down Memory Lane ~ Smokey Yunick
      • Best Damn Garage In Town
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Talladega: Too Much of a Bad Thing
      • Tales Of The Talladega Curse
      • A Few Words About The Old Bristol
      • NASCAR Hall of Fame ~ How the Election Process Works
      • A Sunday Drive, Texas Style with the Lady in Black
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Where Have All the Fans Gone?
      • Alan Kulwicki - Always A Champion
      • Volkswagen Isnt Just a Bug Anymore
      • Racing Is For The Young As Well As The Old
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ From The Desert To The Mountains
      • Would You Like Fries With That?
      • A Few Words on Flag Etiquette
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Great Racing But Poor Coverage
      • Leaving Daytona And Headed For Atlanta
      • Dale Earnhardt ~ I Remember You
      • Charter of Franchise, It's All Good
      • Neil Bonnett: Racer, Broadcaster, Legend, And Man
      • A Racer For All Seasons!
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Six Generations Of Cars And Fans
      • Curtis Turner Inducted Into NASCAR Hall Of Fame
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Improving The Fan Experience
      • The Official Everything Of NASCAR
    • PattyKay Lilley 2015 >
      • It’s Hard to Say Goodbye to So Much Talent
      • The Christmas Story My Mother Told
      • And How Would You Like That Dashboard: Analog or Digital?
      • The Twelve Days of a NASCAR Christmas
      • Who You Callin' A Rookie?
      • And Then There Were Four
      • There Really Was A Race In Texas
      • A Twilight Happy Ending And Sunshine On The Horizon
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ The Luck of Austin Theriault
      • What It Wasn't, Was A Restart
      • Playing The Blame Game
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Am I Still A Race Fan?
      • Under The Charlotte Lights With The Lady in Black
      • It's Probably Not Safe If It's Not SAFER
      • Missing: Race Teams And Sponsors!
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Getting Started, Word Games and Playoffs
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ What Happens When Racing Becomes Soporific?
      • Darlington In The Rearview And Richmond Right Up The Road
      • The Lady in Black at the Riot in Richmond
      • Retro ~ Everything Old is New Again at Darlington
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ So Much Happening And Most Of It Bad
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Actions Detrimental
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Fans Have Some Responsibility, Too
      • The Passing Of A Giant
      • Something Happened At Pocono That Almost Everyone Missed
      • Kissing The Bricks With The Lady In Black
      • Time To Say Goodbye, To A Track And To A Man
      • The Brickyard 400 In The Rearview ~ What Happened?
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Leaving Sparta For Loudon
      • Logic 101 ~ When in Doubt, Rely on Common Sense
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Kentucky Speedway Needs To Be SAFER
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Fireworks At The Firecracker
      • Some Things Just Aren't News
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ On The Road Again
      • NASCAR Fans Didn't Fit The Stereotype
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ A Fan's View On The State Of The Sport
      • The Lady In Black Pokes Fun At Pocono
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ No One Knows What Goes On Behind Closed Doors
      • One LAP UP With The Lady In Black
      • Making Racing Safer With SAFER
      • Memorial Day Should Mean More Than Racing
      • Showdowns, Trucks, A Starlit Night, And A Couple Guys Named Smith
      • Remembering Adam Petty
      • A Lady Makes Her Debut, And We're Not Any SAFER In Kansas, Toto.
      • Talladega ~ The Curse And SAFER Barriers
      • Pretty Words And Strong Words: Steve Byrnes And SAFER Barriers
      • Bristol, By Any Other Name
      • The NASCAR Hall Of Fame ~ How It Works
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Old Races And New Walls
      • The Lady In Black - The Magic Of Martinsville
      • Revisiting Martinsville, Without Jesse Jones
      • The Lady In Black - The Fontana Furnace
      • Sometimes, You Just Have To Laugh
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Our Drivers DeserveThe Safety Of SAFER
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Send In The Clowns
      • SAFER! Just Do It!
      • The Choices of NASCAR, February 18th, And A Million Points Of Light
      • A Perfect Storm And A Sad Farewell
      • They Didn't Have To Go That Way
      • I Fought The Law And The Law Lost!
      • A Voice For The Fans No More
      • The Day The Vortex Theory Was Tested
      • Do We Miss Daytona Testing
      • Autographs And Memories
      • Always Hoping For A Happy New Year
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ A Cup Full Of Snow
  • Frank Buhrman
    • 2018 Frank Buhrman >
      • NASCAR Needs More Racers Like Those Who Came Up Through the ASA
      • Does Our Future Keep Going Around in Circles Or Will Other Options Bring the Fans Back
      • In Chartered NASCAR Theres No Room for Guys Like Texan H.B. Bailey
      • Sponsors ~ Who Are They and What Do They Do
      • Its Martinsville ~ Let the REAL Racing Begin
      • Maybe its NASCARs Inspection Process that Really Needs Inspecting
      • Las Vegas’ NASCAR Success Blessed By the Spirit of the Late Mel Larson
      • Stock Car Racing Magazine ~ Lessons Learned from Old Covers
      • Celebrate the Trophy and Money, Daytona Winner, but Don’t Count on Winning that Cup
      • Strollin Down the Beach
      • How About a Swap?
      • The Chili Bowl
      • They May Be Tomorrows NASCAR Stars, But Are They Anybodys Heroes
    • Frank Buhrman 2017 >
      • Make This a Christmas to Remember!
      • Winters Cold Is Colder without Racing. What Can We Do to Get Some
      • A New Champion - and One from NASCARs Infancy
      • Old Stats Are Fun, but They Shot Down a Good Theory
      • Martinsville Went Right, So What Keeps Going Wrong?
      • A Field of Dreams that Never Came True
      • Do NASCAR’s Screw-ups Even Matter If Motorsports Have No Future?
      • Does Speed Make the Speed-Sport More Exciting?
      • My Intro to Charlotte Motor Speedway
      • Racing Grand Nationals Once Meant Prepping Your Car in a Hurry
      • Driver Development Programs Need to Get the Gong
      • Drawing Attention to NASCAR in a Good Way
      • Little Joe, Junior, Gentleman Ned and Mr. Modified on Fairgrounds Dirt
      • Darlington ~ Back Then, It Was Something Special
      • Where Else Has NASCAR Raced in These States?
      • The Formula for Success is Not Obvious in Appealing to Millennials
      • Will NASCAR’s Aging Fans Demand that Medicare Pay for More Comfy Seats at the Speedway?
      • Kyle Larson Wins Races of All Kinds, and He Might Just Save NASCAR
      • With Writers and Racetracks, Age Can Be Everything
      • NASCAR Has It All, So Why Am I Happy Watching the Races at Lizard Creek?
      • Wood Brothers + Blaney = Good News for NASCAR
      • Who Could Make NASCAR A Little Spicier?
      • A Little Ramble in Delaware
      • Not The Masters, But the Wood Brothers Truly Have a Tradition like None Other
      • Speeds Were Slower, Drivers Still Came and Went, and NASCAR Survived
      • A Quick Surf Through NASCAR History
      • More than the Loss of a Great Driver
      • Little Martinsville Is the Monster Track of NASCAR Cup Series History
      • California Not So “Golden” A NASCAR State
      • Franks Guide to How to Fix All That Ails NASCAR
      • A Little Vegas History and Long Trips to Races
      • The Real Dirt on Atlanta’s Racing Past
      • Would More Fans Watch if a “500” Was a “Triathlon?”
      • Media Coverage Today Could Be A Lot Worse
      • Another Link between Short Tracks and What Ails NASCAR
      • Lets Go Back To The Old Definition Of Cheating
    • Frank Buhrman 2016 >
      • Bringing Back the Excitement – One Fan’s Ideas
      • Racing Road Trip: Let’s Head to… Where?
      • Bring Cup Racers Back to the Bullrings
      • Discover Some "Mud Roots" Racing!
      • Memories, Gripes and Maybe a Little Dreamin
      • Frank Likes The Chase...Kind Of
      • 1960's: NASCAR's Northern Tour
      • Chicago: The First Races In The Second City
      • Richmond "Action": Then And Now
      • 1950 To Now: Ladies Attack The Lady In Black
      • Radical Thought: Let Drivers Develop Themselves
      • 1967: With Lower Banking And Smaller Crowds, Bristol Was Still A Big Deal
      • Coverage of Racing Has Changed With The Sport
      • More Bluegrass Than Green Flags For NASCAR In Kentucky
      • The Day Goliath Roared (sort-of) In NASCAR Racing
      • Is A Blast From The Past What NASCAR Needs In The Future
      • Give a Nod to Larry LoPatin for NASCAR Motors in the Motor State
      • Pondering Racing’s Future in Charlotte . . . and Trumansburg
      • Frank's Loose Lugnuts
      • Fix it, Forget it, or Let Nature Run its Course
      • Oh, The Yellow Flag of Texas
      • A New Track, Some Old Memories . . . But Where is the Lake
      • Let’s Have A Sprint Cup ‘Blindfold Race,’ With Donald Trump Guiding Who?
      • Maybe The Ghost of "Fireball" Can Call The Auto Club 400 Winner
      • It ain’t like it used to be . . . (and sometimes that’s a good thing)
      • Sure, Atlanta Can Be Cold In February, But Remember Richmond?
  • Vivian Simons
    • Vivian Simons 2018 >
      • The Fan Experience
      • Where Were You When
      • Young Racers vs Kyle Busch
      • Daytona Has Come and Gone - Part 2
      • Daytona Has Come and Gone - Part 1
      • Hey Have You Heard the News
      • Daytona Memories - Again
      • Vehicles and Life Must Change
    • Vivian Simons 2017 >
      • Christmas Wishes to Our Staff
      • Old Versus New - History and Memories
      • Musings During the Off-Season in NASCAR - Again
      • It Is What It Is!
      • Sponsors, Drivers, Tracks & NASCAR
      • Some Funny Things Happened on the Way to the Playoffs
      • Is It a Race or a Show?
      • I Am a Race Fan that Wants to See the Race!
      • Road Course Ringers ~ Are They a Good or a Bad Thing?
      • Phases & Memories = Good Old Days By An Older Fan
      • Who's Gonna Fill Their Seats?
      • Is the Cup Half Full or Half Empty?
      • Observations from the Atlanta Races
      • Musings During the Off-Season in NASCAR
    • Vivian Simons 2016 >
      • Christmas Wishes
      • Is It Racing Or Just A Show?
      • Drivers Or Racers
      • And So It Came To Be
      • The Trucks, The New Chase, And The School Yard Bully
      • The Chase Is Coming! The Chase Is Coming!
      • Parity...Or Toyota Domination?
      • Invasion Of The Lower Tier Victory Snatchers!
      • High Banks and Memory Banks
      • A Road Course Is A Course (Of Course, Of Course...)
      • What Sort of Race Fan Are You?
      • NASCAR Hall Of Fame Or Hall Of Fave?
      • NASCAR's Generation Gap
      • Tony Stewart, NASCAR and Lug Nuts
      • Racing 101
      • Television Coverage Of NASCAR Racing
      • Is The Xfinity Series Fair?
      • Follow The Leader
      • Daytona Memories
    • Vivian Simons 2015 >
      • Addiction, Disillusionment, And Conforming
  • David Nance
    • David Nance 2018 >
      • There Is No Racing This Weekend
      • Martinsville Inspection Procedures = New Crew Chiefs by Friday
      • For a Moment All Was Right with the Racing World
      • Oh Where Oh Where Is NASCARs Driver Alert System
      • Qualifying Concept Long Overdue - Race for the Green
    • David Nance 2017 >
      • Thank You Bud
      • All about the Price Tag
      • And the Real True Playoff Winner Is
      • The Perfect Storm
      • If We Are Going to Have a Playoff, Make It a Real One
      • Outrunning the Bear
      • Level Playing Fields Not Until All Winners Face R &D Inspections
      • Is It Time For Encumbered Starts?
      • Kevin, I Dont Believe Ida Told That
      • And Stomped that Sucker Flat!
      • A Sons First Race… Through the Eyes of a Dad
      • Take Em To The Fence
      • Kyle's Mic Drop ~ Just One of Those Racing Deals
      • Remember When DW Was Monster Energy?
      • We Have Ourselves A Summit!
      • The Hunt for the NASCAR Canary
      • Penalties ~ DW Had A Better Idea
      • If FOX Covered the Kentucky Derby
      • Media Coverage Today Could Be a Lot Better
      • The Week in NASCAR - Opportunity Lost
      • Will Karma Smile on NASCAR?
      • Gentlemen... Start... Your... Commercials
      • The Untold Story of How the New Race Format Came To Be
      • Another Look at Attendance
    • David Nance 2016 >
      • Holiday Leftovers ~ Let Cooter Be Cooter
      • Holiday Leftovers ~ All I Want For Christmas
      • Holiday Leftovers ~ Grand Prix Memories
      • 20-20 + Monster Energy = Race For the Green
      • Please Let It Be Rain
      • It's Just Not Right
      • More Chase, Baby!
      • Three Laws
      • 20-20: The Rest Of The Story
      • Take A Chance, Mr. France
      • Time For A New Chase
      • And That Was Fr'istol!
  • J. L. Steele
    • J.L. Steele 2018 >
      • Back to the Future
      • Predictions and Wishes ~ Through a Hazy Crystal Ball
    • J. L. Steele 2017 >
      • A NASCAR Fans Letter to Santa
      • 2017 in the Rear View Mirror
      • A Sign of the Bad Times
      • Ken Squier at Darlington
      • Thoughts, Opinions and Rumors - Oh My!
      • Leave Junior Alone!
      • Kyle Busch is Exactly What NASCAR Needs
      • Let’s Save the Truck Series
    • J. L. Steele 2016 >
      • Brian's Big Monday
      • A Wishing Well And A Crystal Ball
      • A Parting Gift For Stewart
      • A Perfect Voice For A Perfect Time
      • Growth By Subtraction
    • J. L. Steele 2015 >
      • Meet The Racing Marine
      • A Race Fan's Christmas Wish List
      • Sunset At Martinsville
      • The Michael Waltrip Dilemma
      • The Rich Keep Getting Richer, While The Xfinity Series Dies
      • The Last Perfect Night
      • Sponsoring Drivers With Sponsor Drivers Motorsports Marketing
      • Halfway(?) Home...
      • The Essence Of Racing
      • Ranking The Truex Win
      • Visiting Victory Lane
      • The Silver Lining
      • Smoke Will Rise
      • No Comparison When Comparing Newman and Bowyer
      • Advice For Race Tracks
      • Making A Case For Kahne
      • Support Your Local Short Track
      • SAFE Is A Four Letter Word
      • Dinner With D.W.
      • Gordon's Greatness
      • Wendell Scott - Leader Of The Class
      • We Shook Earnhardt's Hand
      • Show Me The Money! (And Where It Comes From)
      • The King And I
  • Mitch Walker
    • Mitch Walker 2018 >
      • Its History, Like It or Not
      • Once the Local Tracks Are Gone
      • Kevin Harvick Gets It!
      • Racing, Broadcasting, Blocking and the Win ~ All Bad
      • Lets Go Racin
      • Untold Stories ~ Hidden History
    • Mitch Walker 2017 >
      • The Son of a Country Boy; the Son of a Champion
      • You Dont Tug on Supermans Cape
      • How It All Got Started
      • What Drove the Core Fans Away?
      • Who Benefits from the Decline in NASCAR Attendance?
      • Old School: Lessons By Legends
      • The Drs Script for the Ails of NASCAR
  • Tim Leeming
    • Tim Leeming 2018 >
      • The Magic Window ~ Closing It Up
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter 8 The Phone Rings Again and Ford Has a Better Idea
      • The Magic Window~ Chapter Seven - More Damage Than First Appeared. One Shot Deal, NASCAR
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter Six New Season, New Colors, New Number, New Sponsor, Wow!
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter Five Things Called Spacers and a Menace Named Dennis
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter Four From Disaster to Faster but Caught in a Clutch
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter Three The Kid Gets a Name and the King Comes to Town
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter Two Trailers, Late Night Talks and High Banked Asphalt
      • That Magic Window You Climb Through
      • How to Become Popular with Georgia Law Enforcement
      • Is Time Travel Possible?
      • Theres a Sign Post Up Ahead
      • An Uncles Legacy to His Nephew
    • Tim Leeming 2017 >
      • My Name Is Not Important
      • The Darlington Shocker
      • The Eclipse and a Race Car
      • Lil Bud Moore Tribute
      • The Sly FOX (Sports Network)
  • Matt McLaughlin - Anniversary Edition - 50 Years of NASCAR Racing
    • #32 - Swervin' Irvan and the Second Generation
    • #31 - Daytona - Little Cars and Big Bucks
    • #30 - Heart Stoppers, Heart Breakers and Heart Warmers
    • #29 - The Factories Go Home and Petty Goes on a Tear
    • #28 - The Daytona 500 1965-1970
    • #27 - The Daytona 500 ~ 1960-1964
    • #26 - Beyond the Beach - The First Daytona 500
    • #25 - Racing on the Beach
    • #24 - Larry LoPatin and American Raceways
    • #23 - Fuelish Pride
    • #22 - The Day the Music Almost Died
    • #21 - DW and DiGard ~ Breaking Up is Hard to Do
    • #20 - Winston to the Rescue
    • #19 - Charlotte ~ 1964 Drama & Danger - Part 2
    • #18 - Charlotte ~ 1964 Drama & Danger - Part 1
    • #17 - In the Beginning
    • #16 - Ford Strikes Out - The 1966 Boycott
    • #15 - Before he was Awesome
    • #14 - 1965 ~ Chrysler Plays Hardball
    • #13 - A Million to One
    • #12 - Seven up ~ The King Wins his Seventh Title
    • #11 - The Great Spoiler Debate of 1981
    • #10 - The Original Golden Boy
    • #9 - The Greatest Race Ever
    • #8 – The Petty-Allison Feud
    • #7 - The First Super Team
    • #6 - By the Time I Get to Phoenix
    • #5 - 1967 ~ Richard Petty Becomes The King
    • #4 - Charlotte ~ Bright Lights and Dark Days
    • #3 - Those Cheatin Ways
    • #2 - The Talladega Curse
    • #1 - Showdown in Alabama
  • Matt McLaughlin's "50 Years Of NASCAR Racing"
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction, Part 2 (Post 101)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction, Part 1 (Post 100)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Alan Kulwicki: Running Down A Dream (Post 99)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Hickory Wind Blows Cold (Post 98)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ David Slays Goliath (Post 97)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Until The Fat Lady Sings (Post 96)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Charlotte In The Fall (Post 95)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ One Magical Season, Part 3 (Post 94)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ One Magical Season, Part 2 (Post 93)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ One Magical Season, Part 1 (Post 92)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Remembering Davey, Part 2 (Post 91)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Remembering Davey, Part 1 (Post 90)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Bump And Grind (Post 89)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ High Stakes On The High Banks (Post 88)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Fall Of Richmond (Post 87)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 6 (Post 86)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 5 (Post 85)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 4 (Post 84)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 3 (Post 83)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 2 (Post 82)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 1 (Post 81)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Better Get Back To Tennessee, Jed (Post 80)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ MPH, Not MPG: The Michigan Of Old (Post 79)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Controversy-Let It Rage, Part 2 (Post 78)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Controversy-Let It Rage, Part 1 (Post 77)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Road Warriors (Post 76)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Hot Fun In The Summertime (Post 75)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Hallowed Ground (Post 74)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Hotter Than The 4th Of July (Post 73)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Close But No Cigar (Post 72)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ My One And Only, Part 2 (Post 72)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ My One And Only, Part 1 (Post 70)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ You Never Forget Your First, Part 3 (Post 69)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ You Never Forget Your First, Part 2 (Post 68)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ You Never Forget Your First, Part 1 (Post 67)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Road Rage (Post 66)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Triumph, Tragedy, And The Tunnel Turn (Post 65)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Luck Of The Irish (Post 64)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Islip: Long Island Speedway (Post 63)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Richmond, The Pettys, And The Evolution Of NASCAR (Post 62)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Kid Lightning (Post 60)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Temper, Temper! Part 2 (Post 59)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Temper, Temper! Part 1 (Post 58)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Monster Is Coming! (Post 57)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The World 600 (Post 56)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Winston: Checkers Or Wreckers (Post 55)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Occoneechee Speedway (Post 54)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Trenton: The Speedway Of The North (Post 53)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Texas World Speedway: Field Of Shattered Dreams (Post 52)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Ontario: The Best Laid Plans... (Post 51)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Do You Feel A Draft? (Post 50)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Martinsville In The Spring (Post 49)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Hickory: The Birthplace Of Legends (Post 48)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Oddities: Short Takes, Part 2 (Post 47)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Oddities: The Bizarre and Peculiar (Post 46)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ North Wilkesboro (Post 45)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Ford-Chrysler Duel (Post 44)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Bristol Stomp (Post 43)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Big Blocks, Bickering, And Bill (Post 42)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Tim Richmond: The Reason We Remember, Part 2 (Post 41)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Tim Richmond: The Reason We Remember, Part 1 (Post 40)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Too Tough To Tame For Too Long To Remember (Post 39)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Tales From Days Of Yore (Post 38)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Atlanta Motor Speedway (Post 37)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ J.D. Stacy (Post 36)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Viva Las Vegas (Post 35)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Rock (Post 34)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Daytona 500: 1994 - 1997 (Post 33)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Swervin' Irvan And The Second Generation (Post 32)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Daytona: Little Cars And Big Bucks (Post 31)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Heart-Breakers, Heart-Stoppers, And Heart-Warmers (Post 30)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Factories Go Away And Petty Goes On A Tear (Post 29)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Daytona 500: 1965-1970 (Post 28)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Daytona 500: 1960-1964 (Post 27)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Beyond The Beach: The First Daytona 500 (Post 26)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Racing On The Beach (Post 25)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Larry LoPatin And American Raceways (Post 24)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Fuelish Pride (Post 23)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Day The Music Almost Died (Post 22)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ DW And DiGard: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do (Post 21)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Winston To The Rescue (Post 20)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Charlotte 1964: Drama And Danger, Part 2 (Post 19)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Charlotte 1964: Drama And Danger, Part 1 (Post 18)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ In The Beginning (Post 17)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Ford Strikes Out: The 1966 Boycott (Post 16)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Before He Was Awesome (Post 15)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ 1965: Chrysler Plays Hardball (Post 14)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ A Million To One (Post 13)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Seven Up: The King Wins His Seventh Title (Post 12)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Great Spoiler Debate Of 1981 (Post 11)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Original Golden Boy (Post 10)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Greatest Race Ever (Post 9)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Petty/Allison Feud (Post 8)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The First Super Team (Post 7)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ By The Time I Get To Phoenix (Post 6)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ 1967: Richard Petty Becomes The King (Post 5)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Charlotte: Bright Lights And Dark Days (Post 4)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Those Cheatin' Ways (Post 3)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Talladega Curse (Post 2)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Showdown In Alabama (Post 1)
  • Season Previews
    • 2017 Season Previews >
      • 2017 Season Preview - Part 3
      • 2017 Season Preview - Part 2
      • 2017 Season Preview - Part 1
    • 2016 Season Previews >
      • Fast Forward Season Preview Part 3 - Buescher To McDowell/Dillon
      • Fast Forward Season Preview Part 2 - Biffle To Earnhardt
      • Fast Forward 2016 Season Preview Part 1 - McMurray To Bowyer
    • 2015 Season Previews >
      • Fast Forward Season Preview Part 1 - McMurray To Biffle
      • Fast Forward Season Preview Part 2 - Stenhouse To Gilliland
      • Fast Forward Season Preview Part 3 - Cassill To Earnhardt, Jr.
  • "Tiger" Tom Pistone ~ Racing, Now And Then
  • Previous Columnists
    • Jim Fitzgerald >
      • Jim Fitzgerald 2017 >
        • The Cup Series Is Revisiting A "Monster" From Its Checkered Past
        • Ode, To The Cup Series
        • When Do We Start Hating On Kyle Larson?
        • Attendance And The Worst Excuse Ever
        • The One I Knew About, The One That Was A Surprise, And The One That Shocked Me
      • Jim Fitzgerald 2016 >
        • Bunch of Sore Loser Crybabies (No, Not You...THEM!)
        • Look At Those Marbles!
        • I Guess We Can Discuss "Playoffs" Now...
        • How Many More Beatings...
        • Dover ~ A Bitter Sweet Relief
        • NHRA Sizzles While NASCAR Fizzles?
        • Out Of Focus: The 2016 Championship Picture
        • Ignorant Fans Of A Feather Are Dumb Together
        • That Final Lap
        • Blame Kyle Busch
        • I Thought The Daytona 500 Was...
        • Caution Clocks, Chase Formats, Heat Races, and Knee-Jerk Reactions
        • Don’t Know What You’ve Got Until It’s Gone
      • Jim Fitzgerald 2015 >
        • A Sunset On 2015
        • OWW! Track Communication
        • Bowyer And Harvick Are In It To Win It
        • A Lap Ahead...
        • Toeing The Line: Let's Argue About Restarts
        • Hot & Heavy ~ Rules, Rules, Rules
        • My Dear, Dear, Uninformed Person Speaking About NASCAR
        • The Day Rusty Wallace Scared The $&@# Out Of My Mom
        • A Lap Around: Hot Topics
        • Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - Three Times A Winner?
        • On The Dover Road
        • All-Star Memories
        • NASCAR Racing: A Team Sport?
        • Cheating The Cat
        • Cheers To The Best Beer Cars!
        • Just Don't Call It The "R" Word
        • Fans Eye View ~ Star Wars And Stock Cars
    • James Crooks >
      • James Crooks 2017 >
        • Why Talladega Scares Me and Why I Love It
        • A Six Pack Down And A Thirty Pack Left To Go
        • In The Year 2525 ~ NASCAR’s New Rule Changes for All Three Top Series
        • Thoughts As We Green Flag The 2017 Season
        • Carl Edwards, The Earnhardts, and Grandpaw
        • Get Off Your Duff and Go to the Track!
      • James Crooks 2016 >
        • All I Want for Christmas is Winston Cup Back!
        • What Happened to Roush-Fenway Racing?
        • Support Your Local Race Track!
        • The Mystery of the History(Did Anyone See It?)
    • David Fulton >
      • David Fulton 2016 >
        • The Unsung NASCAR Drivers
        • When "The Dream Team" Became A Nightmare
        • How One Little Phone Call Helped Shape The Sprint Cup Series We Know Today
        • A Record To Never Be Broken
      • David Fulton 2015 >
        • Hey Dale, What's For Dinner?
        • A German In Dale Earnhardt's Ford
        • Darel Dieringer: Boomer and a Man for All Seasons
        • A Day For Veterans
        • A Day At The Races With Big Bill France
        • Independents Day
        • Riding The Hound To Darlington
        • Camaraderie Made Racing Special
        • Crafted With Pride In U.S.A
        • Race Trains And Peach Blossoms
        • Richmond Planted Seeds With Youth To Grow Fans Of The Future
        • My NC Back Roads Journey Unearthed a Petty Family Remembrance…
        • A Tale Of Dale And A Great Old Girl
    • Jeremiah Thalheimer >
      • Jeremiah Thalheimer 2016 >
        • A Day In The Life Of A NASCAR Official
        • Move Over Football - NASCAR Is The Real Family
        • The Ultimate All-Star Format
        • Six Years, One Dream
        • The Faith Of NASCAR
        • The Benefits of the Current Sponsorship Climate
        • Up And Coming: Christopher Hogan
        • Dale Earnhardt: What Might Have Been
        • Sterling Marlin: What Might Have Been
        • Casey Atwood: What Might Have Been
        • Kenny Irwin, Jr: What Might Have Been
      • Jeremiah Thalheimer 2015 >
        • Ernie Irvan: What Might Have Been
        • Davey Allison: What Might Have Been
        • Alan Kulwicki: What Might Have Been
        • A Case For The Chase
        • A Four Year Old's View Of The Greatest Race Of All Time
        • A Phoenix Fan Memory
        • Does NASCAR = Baseball?
        • The New Souvenir Experience
        • A Review of NASCAR in the Heartland
        • The Psychology Of NASCAR
        • When Our Heroes Hang It Up
        • The Time I Helped Tony Stewart Win at Daytona
        • How Richard Petty Made Me a Lifelong NASCAR Fan
        • Why NASCAR Is Better Than Pro Football
        • The Plight Of Local Racing
        • What Was The Greatest Fight In Racing?
        • How To Make A Race Fan In Ten Minutes Or Less
        • Short Track Racing With Lightning McQueen
        • One Of The Greatest Comebacks In Racing
        • NASCAR Memories
        • Legends Never Die
        • For The Love Of Racing, Part II
        • For The Love Of Racing, Part I
        • Bobby Hamilton Was My Favorite
    • Kevin Abraham >
      • Kevin Abraham 2015 >
        • The Shift: The Chase, Cheating, And Short Tracks
        • The Shift: Changing Of The Guard, Kurt Busch, And Domination
    • David Allen >
      • David Allen 2014
    • Robyn Vandenberg >
      • Robyn Vandenberg 2014 >
        • NASCAR's Little Prince
        • How Would NASCAR Handle A "Sterling" Situation?
        • NASCAR Fans: Gotta Love 'Em!
        • When Was The Last Time You Thought Of Kenny?
        • NASCAR Races: Rigged?
        • Dale Jr. Is On Twitter And Taking Over!
        • Hey, What Are You Doing This Weekend?
        • I Am A NASCAR Fan
        • An Apology To Brad Keselowski
  • RaceFansForever
  • Race Fans Forever Home
  • Race Info Center
  • Roar Of The Crowd ~ Fan Forum
  • About/Write For Race Fans Forever
  • Buddy's Page
  • RFF Fantasy Racing Game
    • 2018 Fantasy Game >
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Richmond
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Bristol
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Texas
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Martinsville
      • Fantasy Picks ~ Auto Club
      • Fantasy Picks ~ ISM
      • Fantasy Picks - Las Vegas
      • Fantasy Picks - Atlanta
  • Guest Appearance Writers
    • Story of a Lucky Penny and the Underbird
    • Earnhardt and Childress ~ Round 1
  • PattyKay Lilley
    • PattyKay Lilley 2018 >
      • We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us
      • All the News Unfit to Print~ All-Star Edition
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ No One Is Listening
      • Alan Kulwicki Will Always Be a Champion
      • 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame ~ Selections and Elections
      • Fontana to Martinsville and All About the Fan Experience
      • Kevin Harvick Is Right ~ Grass Roots Racing Does Matter
      • The Road Less Traveled
      • Surefire Cost Cutting Ideas for NASCAR
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Too Much Is More than Enough
      • I Remember You ~ My Personal Tribute to Dale Earnhardt
      • An Earnhardt Kind of Day
      • Remembering Neil Bonnett
      • Daytona Fever
      • NASCAR Looked the Other Way
      • A Look in the Rear View Mirror ~ Keith Jackson
      • The Product Is Encumbered and Therefore Not Marketable
      • Its January Already
      • The Perfect Storm and a Sad Farewell
    • PattyKay Lilley 2017 >
      • That Time between Christmas and Daytona
      • The Christmas Story My Mother Told ~ 2017
      • I Still Believe in Santa Claus ~ Jimmy Spencer
      • A Defining Moment in NASCAR History
      • Remembering the Final Winston Cup Banquet ~ 2017
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Dont Believe Your Lying Eyes
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ One Last Ride
      • As the 2017 Season Draws to a Close
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Who Is Not Speaking to Whom?
      • The Little Track by the Railroad Track
      • NASCAR Goes Country
      • Tales of the Talladega Curse ~ 2017
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Sad Times and Poor Broadcasting
      • Not One Knee Was Taken During Solemn Prerace Ceremonies at Dover
      • The White Cliffs of Dover ~ Delaware
      • History Holds the Back Story ~ RPM
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Someone Ought to Say It!
      • Characters Add Character to Racing
      • In Darlington, Everything Old Is New Again
      • Remember When NASCAR Was All About the Fans?
      • From Michigan to Richmond and All Points In-between
      • Racing at the Glen and Millennials Can Learn from Geezers
      • When the Points Arent the Points and 2+2 Doesnt Equal 4
      • When Rednecks Ran NASCAR
      • Dear Brent Dewar, About That Star Mangled Banner
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Silly Season Is Only Silly for Some
      • Looking Back ~ A View from the Rearview
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ On Road Racing and Dirt Racing
      • Defeat Snatched from the Jaws of Victory
      • Ninety Miles an Hour down a Dead End Street
      • The Good, the Bad and the Intolerable
      • Verrrry Interesting
      • D-Day Demolition Derby at Dover
      • Memorial Day Means So Much More than Racing ~ 2017
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ NASCAR Why Do You Refuse to Listen?
      • A Tale of Two Weekends
      • Remember Adam Petty
      • Truth Will Always Serve Better than a Good Story
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Vaya con Dios
      • It’s Bristol Baby, but Which Bristol?
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ When Enough Becomes Too Much
      • A Sunday Drive, Texas Style
      • One Helluva Good Race; Sorry You Missed It
      • As Requested By the Fans… and Other Fairytales
      • Smokey Yunick Belongs in the NASCAR Hall of Fame
      • NASCAR Hall of Fame ~ Selections and Elections
      • Some Facts Are Indisputable and Some Folks Enjoy Being Unhappy
      • At Daytona, Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
      • A Few More Nicknames and Some Quaint Quotes
      • Nicknames in Racing Have to Be Earned
      • Drivers, Please Start Your Engines
      • The Voice of One Fan Only
      • Fly on the Wall ~ Speaking of Carl Edwards
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Hopefully the Voice of Reason
      • U.S. Nationals, and We Are Not Talking Drag Racing Here
    • PattyKay Lilley 2016 >
      • The Christmas Story as My Mother Told It
      • We’re Gonna Miss the Man Called Smoke
      • The New Twelve Days of a NASCAR Christmas
      • Remembering The Final Winston Cup Banquet
      • Let’s Talk About Indy Instead of Homestead
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Why All The Secrecy?
      • Martinsville ~ FUBAR
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ And the Fans Need to Be Heard!
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ NASCAR Doesn’t Love Me Anymore
      • Under The Charlotte Lights...Again ~ Lady in Black
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ A Question For Brian Z. France
      • Who’s Abbott, Who’s Costello and Who’s on First
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Where Have All The Race Fans Gone?
      • Throwback ~ The Lady In Black
      • Throwbacks and Tributes and Memories, Oh My
      • Someone Asked About the History of North Wilkesboro
      • Mid-Ohio Mayhem ~ All In Fun
      • His Name Is Waddell Wilson ~ Remember That Name
      • J. D. McDuffie ~ Lived and Died for Racing
      • Attendance and Ratings ~ Do They Matter?
      • Winston/Nextel/Sprint Cup ~ What Comes Next?
      • Davey in Retrospect
      • Twisted Sheet Metal and How A Race Should End
      • Is NASCAR For Sale?
      • Wreckin on the Road ~ Lady in Black
      • Marty Robbins ~ NASCAR Balladeer
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Those Silly Ol’ Lug Nuts
      • Junie Donlavey ~ True Pioneer of NASCAR
      • Tim Richmond ~ Right to the Bitter End and Beyond
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ The Penthouse and the Outhouse
      • Memorial Day Means More than Just Racing
      • Dover - The Good The Bad and the Unacceptable
      • Down Memory Lane ~ Smokey Yunick
      • Best Damn Garage In Town
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Talladega: Too Much of a Bad Thing
      • Tales Of The Talladega Curse
      • A Few Words About The Old Bristol
      • NASCAR Hall of Fame ~ How the Election Process Works
      • A Sunday Drive, Texas Style with the Lady in Black
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Where Have All the Fans Gone?
      • Alan Kulwicki - Always A Champion
      • Volkswagen Isnt Just a Bug Anymore
      • Racing Is For The Young As Well As The Old
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ From The Desert To The Mountains
      • Would You Like Fries With That?
      • A Few Words on Flag Etiquette
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Great Racing But Poor Coverage
      • Leaving Daytona And Headed For Atlanta
      • Dale Earnhardt ~ I Remember You
      • Charter of Franchise, It's All Good
      • Neil Bonnett: Racer, Broadcaster, Legend, And Man
      • A Racer For All Seasons!
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Six Generations Of Cars And Fans
      • Curtis Turner Inducted Into NASCAR Hall Of Fame
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Improving The Fan Experience
      • The Official Everything Of NASCAR
    • PattyKay Lilley 2015 >
      • It’s Hard to Say Goodbye to So Much Talent
      • The Christmas Story My Mother Told
      • And How Would You Like That Dashboard: Analog or Digital?
      • The Twelve Days of a NASCAR Christmas
      • Who You Callin' A Rookie?
      • And Then There Were Four
      • There Really Was A Race In Texas
      • A Twilight Happy Ending And Sunshine On The Horizon
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ The Luck of Austin Theriault
      • What It Wasn't, Was A Restart
      • Playing The Blame Game
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Am I Still A Race Fan?
      • Under The Charlotte Lights With The Lady in Black
      • It's Probably Not Safe If It's Not SAFER
      • Missing: Race Teams And Sponsors!
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ Getting Started, Word Games and Playoffs
      • A Voice for the Fans ~ What Happens When Racing Becomes Soporific?
      • Darlington In The Rearview And Richmond Right Up The Road
      • The Lady in Black at the Riot in Richmond
      • Retro ~ Everything Old is New Again at Darlington
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ So Much Happening And Most Of It Bad
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Actions Detrimental
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Fans Have Some Responsibility, Too
      • The Passing Of A Giant
      • Something Happened At Pocono That Almost Everyone Missed
      • Kissing The Bricks With The Lady In Black
      • Time To Say Goodbye, To A Track And To A Man
      • The Brickyard 400 In The Rearview ~ What Happened?
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Leaving Sparta For Loudon
      • Logic 101 ~ When in Doubt, Rely on Common Sense
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Kentucky Speedway Needs To Be SAFER
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Fireworks At The Firecracker
      • Some Things Just Aren't News
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ On The Road Again
      • NASCAR Fans Didn't Fit The Stereotype
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ A Fan's View On The State Of The Sport
      • The Lady In Black Pokes Fun At Pocono
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ No One Knows What Goes On Behind Closed Doors
      • One LAP UP With The Lady In Black
      • Making Racing Safer With SAFER
      • Memorial Day Should Mean More Than Racing
      • Showdowns, Trucks, A Starlit Night, And A Couple Guys Named Smith
      • Remembering Adam Petty
      • A Lady Makes Her Debut, And We're Not Any SAFER In Kansas, Toto.
      • Talladega ~ The Curse And SAFER Barriers
      • Pretty Words And Strong Words: Steve Byrnes And SAFER Barriers
      • Bristol, By Any Other Name
      • The NASCAR Hall Of Fame ~ How It Works
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Old Races And New Walls
      • The Lady In Black - The Magic Of Martinsville
      • Revisiting Martinsville, Without Jesse Jones
      • The Lady In Black - The Fontana Furnace
      • Sometimes, You Just Have To Laugh
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Our Drivers DeserveThe Safety Of SAFER
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ Send In The Clowns
      • SAFER! Just Do It!
      • The Choices of NASCAR, February 18th, And A Million Points Of Light
      • A Perfect Storm And A Sad Farewell
      • They Didn't Have To Go That Way
      • I Fought The Law And The Law Lost!
      • A Voice For The Fans No More
      • The Day The Vortex Theory Was Tested
      • Do We Miss Daytona Testing
      • Autographs And Memories
      • Always Hoping For A Happy New Year
      • A Voice For The Fans ~ A Cup Full Of Snow
  • Frank Buhrman
    • 2018 Frank Buhrman >
      • NASCAR Needs More Racers Like Those Who Came Up Through the ASA
      • Does Our Future Keep Going Around in Circles Or Will Other Options Bring the Fans Back
      • In Chartered NASCAR Theres No Room for Guys Like Texan H.B. Bailey
      • Sponsors ~ Who Are They and What Do They Do
      • Its Martinsville ~ Let the REAL Racing Begin
      • Maybe its NASCARs Inspection Process that Really Needs Inspecting
      • Las Vegas’ NASCAR Success Blessed By the Spirit of the Late Mel Larson
      • Stock Car Racing Magazine ~ Lessons Learned from Old Covers
      • Celebrate the Trophy and Money, Daytona Winner, but Don’t Count on Winning that Cup
      • Strollin Down the Beach
      • How About a Swap?
      • The Chili Bowl
      • They May Be Tomorrows NASCAR Stars, But Are They Anybodys Heroes
    • Frank Buhrman 2017 >
      • Make This a Christmas to Remember!
      • Winters Cold Is Colder without Racing. What Can We Do to Get Some
      • A New Champion - and One from NASCARs Infancy
      • Old Stats Are Fun, but They Shot Down a Good Theory
      • Martinsville Went Right, So What Keeps Going Wrong?
      • A Field of Dreams that Never Came True
      • Do NASCAR’s Screw-ups Even Matter If Motorsports Have No Future?
      • Does Speed Make the Speed-Sport More Exciting?
      • My Intro to Charlotte Motor Speedway
      • Racing Grand Nationals Once Meant Prepping Your Car in a Hurry
      • Driver Development Programs Need to Get the Gong
      • Drawing Attention to NASCAR in a Good Way
      • Little Joe, Junior, Gentleman Ned and Mr. Modified on Fairgrounds Dirt
      • Darlington ~ Back Then, It Was Something Special
      • Where Else Has NASCAR Raced in These States?
      • The Formula for Success is Not Obvious in Appealing to Millennials
      • Will NASCAR’s Aging Fans Demand that Medicare Pay for More Comfy Seats at the Speedway?
      • Kyle Larson Wins Races of All Kinds, and He Might Just Save NASCAR
      • With Writers and Racetracks, Age Can Be Everything
      • NASCAR Has It All, So Why Am I Happy Watching the Races at Lizard Creek?
      • Wood Brothers + Blaney = Good News for NASCAR
      • Who Could Make NASCAR A Little Spicier?
      • A Little Ramble in Delaware
      • Not The Masters, But the Wood Brothers Truly Have a Tradition like None Other
      • Speeds Were Slower, Drivers Still Came and Went, and NASCAR Survived
      • A Quick Surf Through NASCAR History
      • More than the Loss of a Great Driver
      • Little Martinsville Is the Monster Track of NASCAR Cup Series History
      • California Not So “Golden” A NASCAR State
      • Franks Guide to How to Fix All That Ails NASCAR
      • A Little Vegas History and Long Trips to Races
      • The Real Dirt on Atlanta’s Racing Past
      • Would More Fans Watch if a “500” Was a “Triathlon?”
      • Media Coverage Today Could Be A Lot Worse
      • Another Link between Short Tracks and What Ails NASCAR
      • Lets Go Back To The Old Definition Of Cheating
    • Frank Buhrman 2016 >
      • Bringing Back the Excitement – One Fan’s Ideas
      • Racing Road Trip: Let’s Head to… Where?
      • Bring Cup Racers Back to the Bullrings
      • Discover Some "Mud Roots" Racing!
      • Memories, Gripes and Maybe a Little Dreamin
      • Frank Likes The Chase...Kind Of
      • 1960's: NASCAR's Northern Tour
      • Chicago: The First Races In The Second City
      • Richmond "Action": Then And Now
      • 1950 To Now: Ladies Attack The Lady In Black
      • Radical Thought: Let Drivers Develop Themselves
      • 1967: With Lower Banking And Smaller Crowds, Bristol Was Still A Big Deal
      • Coverage of Racing Has Changed With The Sport
      • More Bluegrass Than Green Flags For NASCAR In Kentucky
      • The Day Goliath Roared (sort-of) In NASCAR Racing
      • Is A Blast From The Past What NASCAR Needs In The Future
      • Give a Nod to Larry LoPatin for NASCAR Motors in the Motor State
      • Pondering Racing’s Future in Charlotte . . . and Trumansburg
      • Frank's Loose Lugnuts
      • Fix it, Forget it, or Let Nature Run its Course
      • Oh, The Yellow Flag of Texas
      • A New Track, Some Old Memories . . . But Where is the Lake
      • Let’s Have A Sprint Cup ‘Blindfold Race,’ With Donald Trump Guiding Who?
      • Maybe The Ghost of "Fireball" Can Call The Auto Club 400 Winner
      • It ain’t like it used to be . . . (and sometimes that’s a good thing)
      • Sure, Atlanta Can Be Cold In February, But Remember Richmond?
  • Vivian Simons
    • Vivian Simons 2018 >
      • The Fan Experience
      • Where Were You When
      • Young Racers vs Kyle Busch
      • Daytona Has Come and Gone - Part 2
      • Daytona Has Come and Gone - Part 1
      • Hey Have You Heard the News
      • Daytona Memories - Again
      • Vehicles and Life Must Change
    • Vivian Simons 2017 >
      • Christmas Wishes to Our Staff
      • Old Versus New - History and Memories
      • Musings During the Off-Season in NASCAR - Again
      • It Is What It Is!
      • Sponsors, Drivers, Tracks & NASCAR
      • Some Funny Things Happened on the Way to the Playoffs
      • Is It a Race or a Show?
      • I Am a Race Fan that Wants to See the Race!
      • Road Course Ringers ~ Are They a Good or a Bad Thing?
      • Phases & Memories = Good Old Days By An Older Fan
      • Who's Gonna Fill Their Seats?
      • Is the Cup Half Full or Half Empty?
      • Observations from the Atlanta Races
      • Musings During the Off-Season in NASCAR
    • Vivian Simons 2016 >
      • Christmas Wishes
      • Is It Racing Or Just A Show?
      • Drivers Or Racers
      • And So It Came To Be
      • The Trucks, The New Chase, And The School Yard Bully
      • The Chase Is Coming! The Chase Is Coming!
      • Parity...Or Toyota Domination?
      • Invasion Of The Lower Tier Victory Snatchers!
      • High Banks and Memory Banks
      • A Road Course Is A Course (Of Course, Of Course...)
      • What Sort of Race Fan Are You?
      • NASCAR Hall Of Fame Or Hall Of Fave?
      • NASCAR's Generation Gap
      • Tony Stewart, NASCAR and Lug Nuts
      • Racing 101
      • Television Coverage Of NASCAR Racing
      • Is The Xfinity Series Fair?
      • Follow The Leader
      • Daytona Memories
    • Vivian Simons 2015 >
      • Addiction, Disillusionment, And Conforming
  • David Nance
    • David Nance 2018 >
      • There Is No Racing This Weekend
      • Martinsville Inspection Procedures = New Crew Chiefs by Friday
      • For a Moment All Was Right with the Racing World
      • Oh Where Oh Where Is NASCARs Driver Alert System
      • Qualifying Concept Long Overdue - Race for the Green
    • David Nance 2017 >
      • Thank You Bud
      • All about the Price Tag
      • And the Real True Playoff Winner Is
      • The Perfect Storm
      • If We Are Going to Have a Playoff, Make It a Real One
      • Outrunning the Bear
      • Level Playing Fields Not Until All Winners Face R &D Inspections
      • Is It Time For Encumbered Starts?
      • Kevin, I Dont Believe Ida Told That
      • And Stomped that Sucker Flat!
      • A Sons First Race… Through the Eyes of a Dad
      • Take Em To The Fence
      • Kyle's Mic Drop ~ Just One of Those Racing Deals
      • Remember When DW Was Monster Energy?
      • We Have Ourselves A Summit!
      • The Hunt for the NASCAR Canary
      • Penalties ~ DW Had A Better Idea
      • If FOX Covered the Kentucky Derby
      • Media Coverage Today Could Be a Lot Better
      • The Week in NASCAR - Opportunity Lost
      • Will Karma Smile on NASCAR?
      • Gentlemen... Start... Your... Commercials
      • The Untold Story of How the New Race Format Came To Be
      • Another Look at Attendance
    • David Nance 2016 >
      • Holiday Leftovers ~ Let Cooter Be Cooter
      • Holiday Leftovers ~ All I Want For Christmas
      • Holiday Leftovers ~ Grand Prix Memories
      • 20-20 + Monster Energy = Race For the Green
      • Please Let It Be Rain
      • It's Just Not Right
      • More Chase, Baby!
      • Three Laws
      • 20-20: The Rest Of The Story
      • Take A Chance, Mr. France
      • Time For A New Chase
      • And That Was Fr'istol!
  • J. L. Steele
    • J.L. Steele 2018 >
      • Back to the Future
      • Predictions and Wishes ~ Through a Hazy Crystal Ball
    • J. L. Steele 2017 >
      • A NASCAR Fans Letter to Santa
      • 2017 in the Rear View Mirror
      • A Sign of the Bad Times
      • Ken Squier at Darlington
      • Thoughts, Opinions and Rumors - Oh My!
      • Leave Junior Alone!
      • Kyle Busch is Exactly What NASCAR Needs
      • Let’s Save the Truck Series
    • J. L. Steele 2016 >
      • Brian's Big Monday
      • A Wishing Well And A Crystal Ball
      • A Parting Gift For Stewart
      • A Perfect Voice For A Perfect Time
      • Growth By Subtraction
    • J. L. Steele 2015 >
      • Meet The Racing Marine
      • A Race Fan's Christmas Wish List
      • Sunset At Martinsville
      • The Michael Waltrip Dilemma
      • The Rich Keep Getting Richer, While The Xfinity Series Dies
      • The Last Perfect Night
      • Sponsoring Drivers With Sponsor Drivers Motorsports Marketing
      • Halfway(?) Home...
      • The Essence Of Racing
      • Ranking The Truex Win
      • Visiting Victory Lane
      • The Silver Lining
      • Smoke Will Rise
      • No Comparison When Comparing Newman and Bowyer
      • Advice For Race Tracks
      • Making A Case For Kahne
      • Support Your Local Short Track
      • SAFE Is A Four Letter Word
      • Dinner With D.W.
      • Gordon's Greatness
      • Wendell Scott - Leader Of The Class
      • We Shook Earnhardt's Hand
      • Show Me The Money! (And Where It Comes From)
      • The King And I
  • Mitch Walker
    • Mitch Walker 2018 >
      • Its History, Like It or Not
      • Once the Local Tracks Are Gone
      • Kevin Harvick Gets It!
      • Racing, Broadcasting, Blocking and the Win ~ All Bad
      • Lets Go Racin
      • Untold Stories ~ Hidden History
    • Mitch Walker 2017 >
      • The Son of a Country Boy; the Son of a Champion
      • You Dont Tug on Supermans Cape
      • How It All Got Started
      • What Drove the Core Fans Away?
      • Who Benefits from the Decline in NASCAR Attendance?
      • Old School: Lessons By Legends
      • The Drs Script for the Ails of NASCAR
  • Tim Leeming
    • Tim Leeming 2018 >
      • The Magic Window ~ Closing It Up
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter 8 The Phone Rings Again and Ford Has a Better Idea
      • The Magic Window~ Chapter Seven - More Damage Than First Appeared. One Shot Deal, NASCAR
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter Six New Season, New Colors, New Number, New Sponsor, Wow!
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter Five Things Called Spacers and a Menace Named Dennis
      • The Magic Window ~ Chapter Four From Disaster to Faster but Caught in a Clutch
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      • That Magic Window You Climb Through
      • How to Become Popular with Georgia Law Enforcement
      • Is Time Travel Possible?
      • Theres a Sign Post Up Ahead
      • An Uncles Legacy to His Nephew
    • Tim Leeming 2017 >
      • My Name Is Not Important
      • The Darlington Shocker
      • The Eclipse and a Race Car
      • Lil Bud Moore Tribute
      • The Sly FOX (Sports Network)
  • Matt McLaughlin - Anniversary Edition - 50 Years of NASCAR Racing
    • #32 - Swervin' Irvan and the Second Generation
    • #31 - Daytona - Little Cars and Big Bucks
    • #30 - Heart Stoppers, Heart Breakers and Heart Warmers
    • #29 - The Factories Go Home and Petty Goes on a Tear
    • #28 - The Daytona 500 1965-1970
    • #27 - The Daytona 500 ~ 1960-1964
    • #26 - Beyond the Beach - The First Daytona 500
    • #25 - Racing on the Beach
    • #24 - Larry LoPatin and American Raceways
    • #23 - Fuelish Pride
    • #22 - The Day the Music Almost Died
    • #21 - DW and DiGard ~ Breaking Up is Hard to Do
    • #20 - Winston to the Rescue
    • #19 - Charlotte ~ 1964 Drama & Danger - Part 2
    • #18 - Charlotte ~ 1964 Drama & Danger - Part 1
    • #17 - In the Beginning
    • #16 - Ford Strikes Out - The 1966 Boycott
    • #15 - Before he was Awesome
    • #14 - 1965 ~ Chrysler Plays Hardball
    • #13 - A Million to One
    • #12 - Seven up ~ The King Wins his Seventh Title
    • #11 - The Great Spoiler Debate of 1981
    • #10 - The Original Golden Boy
    • #9 - The Greatest Race Ever
    • #8 – The Petty-Allison Feud
    • #7 - The First Super Team
    • #6 - By the Time I Get to Phoenix
    • #5 - 1967 ~ Richard Petty Becomes The King
    • #4 - Charlotte ~ Bright Lights and Dark Days
    • #3 - Those Cheatin Ways
    • #2 - The Talladega Curse
    • #1 - Showdown in Alabama
  • Matt McLaughlin's "50 Years Of NASCAR Racing"
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction, Part 2 (Post 101)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction, Part 1 (Post 100)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Alan Kulwicki: Running Down A Dream (Post 99)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Hickory Wind Blows Cold (Post 98)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ David Slays Goliath (Post 97)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Until The Fat Lady Sings (Post 96)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Charlotte In The Fall (Post 95)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ One Magical Season, Part 3 (Post 94)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ One Magical Season, Part 2 (Post 93)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ One Magical Season, Part 1 (Post 92)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Remembering Davey, Part 2 (Post 91)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Remembering Davey, Part 1 (Post 90)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Bump And Grind (Post 89)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ High Stakes On The High Banks (Post 88)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Fall Of Richmond (Post 87)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 6 (Post 86)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 5 (Post 85)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 4 (Post 84)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 3 (Post 83)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 2 (Post 82)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Southern 500: The Grandaddy Of Them All, Part 1 (Post 81)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Better Get Back To Tennessee, Jed (Post 80)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ MPH, Not MPG: The Michigan Of Old (Post 79)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Controversy-Let It Rage, Part 2 (Post 78)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Controversy-Let It Rage, Part 1 (Post 77)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Road Warriors (Post 76)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Hot Fun In The Summertime (Post 75)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Hallowed Ground (Post 74)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Hotter Than The 4th Of July (Post 73)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Close But No Cigar (Post 72)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ My One And Only, Part 2 (Post 72)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ My One And Only, Part 1 (Post 70)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ You Never Forget Your First, Part 3 (Post 69)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ You Never Forget Your First, Part 2 (Post 68)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ You Never Forget Your First, Part 1 (Post 67)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Road Rage (Post 66)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Triumph, Tragedy, And The Tunnel Turn (Post 65)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Luck Of The Irish (Post 64)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Islip: Long Island Speedway (Post 63)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Richmond, The Pettys, And The Evolution Of NASCAR (Post 62)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Kid Lightning (Post 60)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Temper, Temper! Part 2 (Post 59)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Temper, Temper! Part 1 (Post 58)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Monster Is Coming! (Post 57)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The World 600 (Post 56)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Winston: Checkers Or Wreckers (Post 55)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Occoneechee Speedway (Post 54)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Trenton: The Speedway Of The North (Post 53)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Texas World Speedway: Field Of Shattered Dreams (Post 52)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Ontario: The Best Laid Plans... (Post 51)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Do You Feel A Draft? (Post 50)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Martinsville In The Spring (Post 49)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Hickory: The Birthplace Of Legends (Post 48)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Oddities: Short Takes, Part 2 (Post 47)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Oddities: The Bizarre and Peculiar (Post 46)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ North Wilkesboro (Post 45)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Ford-Chrysler Duel (Post 44)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Bristol Stomp (Post 43)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Big Blocks, Bickering, And Bill (Post 42)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Tim Richmond: The Reason We Remember, Part 2 (Post 41)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Tim Richmond: The Reason We Remember, Part 1 (Post 40)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Too Tough To Tame For Too Long To Remember (Post 39)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Tales From Days Of Yore (Post 38)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Atlanta Motor Speedway (Post 37)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ J.D. Stacy (Post 36)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Viva Las Vegas (Post 35)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Rock (Post 34)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Daytona 500: 1994 - 1997 (Post 33)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Swervin' Irvan And The Second Generation (Post 32)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Daytona: Little Cars And Big Bucks (Post 31)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Heart-Breakers, Heart-Stoppers, And Heart-Warmers (Post 30)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Factories Go Away And Petty Goes On A Tear (Post 29)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Daytona 500: 1965-1970 (Post 28)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Daytona 500: 1960-1964 (Post 27)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Beyond The Beach: The First Daytona 500 (Post 26)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Racing On The Beach (Post 25)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Larry LoPatin And American Raceways (Post 24)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Fuelish Pride (Post 23)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Day The Music Almost Died (Post 22)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ DW And DiGard: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do (Post 21)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Winston To The Rescue (Post 20)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Charlotte 1964: Drama And Danger, Part 2 (Post 19)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Charlotte 1964: Drama And Danger, Part 1 (Post 18)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ In The Beginning (Post 17)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Ford Strikes Out: The 1966 Boycott (Post 16)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Before He Was Awesome (Post 15)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ 1965: Chrysler Plays Hardball (Post 14)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ A Million To One (Post 13)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Seven Up: The King Wins His Seventh Title (Post 12)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Great Spoiler Debate Of 1981 (Post 11)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Original Golden Boy (Post 10)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Greatest Race Ever (Post 9)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Petty/Allison Feud (Post 8)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The First Super Team (Post 7)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ By The Time I Get To Phoenix (Post 6)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ 1967: Richard Petty Becomes The King (Post 5)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Charlotte: Bright Lights And Dark Days (Post 4)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Those Cheatin' Ways (Post 3)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ The Talladega Curse (Post 2)
    • 50 Years Of NASCAR Racing ~ Showdown In Alabama (Post 1)
  • Season Previews
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  • "Tiger" Tom Pistone ~ Racing, Now And Then
  • Previous Columnists
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      • Jim Fitzgerald 2017 >
        • The Cup Series Is Revisiting A "Monster" From Its Checkered Past
        • Ode, To The Cup Series
        • When Do We Start Hating On Kyle Larson?
        • Attendance And The Worst Excuse Ever
        • The One I Knew About, The One That Was A Surprise, And The One That Shocked Me
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        • Bunch of Sore Loser Crybabies (No, Not You...THEM!)
        • Look At Those Marbles!
        • I Guess We Can Discuss "Playoffs" Now...
        • How Many More Beatings...
        • Dover ~ A Bitter Sweet Relief
        • NHRA Sizzles While NASCAR Fizzles?
        • Out Of Focus: The 2016 Championship Picture
        • Ignorant Fans Of A Feather Are Dumb Together
        • That Final Lap
        • Blame Kyle Busch
        • I Thought The Daytona 500 Was...
        • Caution Clocks, Chase Formats, Heat Races, and Knee-Jerk Reactions
        • Don’t Know What You’ve Got Until It’s Gone
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        • Bowyer And Harvick Are In It To Win It
        • A Lap Ahead...
        • Toeing The Line: Let's Argue About Restarts
        • Hot & Heavy ~ Rules, Rules, Rules
        • My Dear, Dear, Uninformed Person Speaking About NASCAR
        • The Day Rusty Wallace Scared The $&@# Out Of My Mom
        • A Lap Around: Hot Topics
        • Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - Three Times A Winner?
        • On The Dover Road
        • All-Star Memories
        • NASCAR Racing: A Team Sport?
        • Cheating The Cat
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        • Just Don't Call It The "R" Word
        • Fans Eye View ~ Star Wars And Stock Cars
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        • Why Talladega Scares Me and Why I Love It
        • A Six Pack Down And A Thirty Pack Left To Go
        • In The Year 2525 ~ NASCAR’s New Rule Changes for All Three Top Series
        • Thoughts As We Green Flag The 2017 Season
        • Carl Edwards, The Earnhardts, and Grandpaw
        • Get Off Your Duff and Go to the Track!
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        • What Happened to Roush-Fenway Racing?
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        • The Mystery of the History(Did Anyone See It?)
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        • A Record To Never Be Broken
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        • My NC Back Roads Journey Unearthed a Petty Family Remembrance…
        • A Tale Of Dale And A Great Old Girl
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        • Up And Coming: Christopher Hogan
        • Dale Earnhardt: What Might Have Been
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        • Does NASCAR = Baseball?
        • The New Souvenir Experience
        • A Review of NASCAR in the Heartland
        • The Psychology Of NASCAR
        • When Our Heroes Hang It Up
        • The Time I Helped Tony Stewart Win at Daytona
        • How Richard Petty Made Me a Lifelong NASCAR Fan
        • Why NASCAR Is Better Than Pro Football
        • The Plight Of Local Racing
        • What Was The Greatest Fight In Racing?
        • How To Make A Race Fan In Ten Minutes Or Less
        • Short Track Racing With Lightning McQueen
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        • NASCAR Memories
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        • For The Love Of Racing, Part II
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        • Bobby Hamilton Was My Favorite
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        • When Was The Last Time You Thought Of Kenny?
        • NASCAR Races: Rigged?
        • Dale Jr. Is On Twitter And Taking Over!
        • Hey, What Are You Doing This Weekend?
        • I Am A NASCAR Fan
        • An Apology To Brad Keselowski
Race Fans Forever
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Kyle Busch is Exactly What NASCAR Needs

06/27/2017

J. L. Steele

 

Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Geoff Bodine, Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick. Those are just a few of the drivers who have worn the proverbial black hat as NASCAR's number one villain over the years. Without question, Kyle Busch has joined that list and regardless of what fans think of him, that's a good thing for the sport.

One of the underlying results of being a sports fan is the idea that as the fan becomes emotionally involved with rooting for a team, player or in this case a driver, the ones the fan chooses are the "good guys" and thus, the opposition are, in the fan's mind, the enemy. Red Sox fans might cheer for another team if Boston isn't playing but under no circumstances would they ever root for the Yankees. That hatred is so deep, New York is even referred to as the "Evil Empire." In a rivalry which saw its glory days almost 40 years ago, Steelers fans would still be hard pressed to pull for the Cowboys and vice versa. The list of examples is nearly limitless.

The same holds true in racing and perhaps to an even deeper degree. If a fan's driver isn't competing for the win, it's easy to find someone else near the front of the field to have a rooting interest in as the laps wind down. It might be a teammate to that favorite driver or perhaps another car driving for the same manufacturer. The one exception in today's world of NASCAR fandom is probably Kyle Busch. You're either a fan of his or you're not and if you're not, it's almost certain that even if your favorite driver crashed out on lap one, you would never for any reason cheer for the 18 car.

Like him or not, Kyle's ability behind a steering wheel cannot be questioned, nor can his desire. What is questioned (and in 2017, it seems to be on a regular basis) is his attitude and behavior when he's not competing for a win. His fans of course, see nothing wrong with what he says or does; he's their guy. Meanwhile, fans of nearly every other driver are ready to pounce on any negative behavior he displays. To a degree, that's to be expected because after all, he's the "enemy;" the Yankees to everyone else's Red Sox. Here's the thing a lot of fans are forgetting; regardless of what he says or does, despite how churlish he may act, what he's doing is great for NASCAR. It's giving people yet another reason to pay attention to the sport.

A lot of past drivers who were the NASCAR bad guy at some point, weren't very comfortable in the role. Darrell Waltrip has said that regardless of how he acted about it publicly, deep down he hated being booed. Dale Earnhardt made the comment that as long as the people in the stands were making noise, it was a good thing. It meant they cared and it meant they were there. It's easy to believe Kyle Busch isn't concerned one bit about the boos that flow his way. 

For the past several years, one of the chief complaints about today's NASCAR is the idea that drivers haven't displayed much personality; they're not the colorful characters they used to be. Jimmie Johnson seems to be the poster child for this line of thinking, with Matt Kenseth a close second in the minds of many. They just go about their business. Johnson doesn't come across as outwardly emotional even when he wins. Kenseth of course did have his shining moment when he retaliated against Joey Logano at Martinsville in 2015.

Kyle Busch has displayed countless examples of boorish behavior on and off the track for a number of years, only this season they seem to be occurring more frequently. How he acts probably isn't going to change the minds of anyone. His fans will still love him and those who don't like him will use these episodes as more reasons to root against him. What about the casual fan though or even the non-fan?

Few things are more definitive in sports than the good guy versus bad guy narrative. A clearly defined villain gives the casual fan more reason to pay attention to the sport and yes, fighting can be good for NASCAR. Be honest; the 1979 Daytona 500 didn't become famous because there were 36 lead changes. The Allison's and Cale Yarborough fighting in turn three is what people still talk about to this day. When Kyle Busch took a swing at Logano after the Las Vegas race earlier this year and paid for it at the hands of Logano's crew, news outlets which don't normally give much coverage to the sport were featuring it by Monday morning. NASCAR knows that, needs that and perhaps it's why there were no penalties issued. 

Austin Dillon winning the Coke 600 was a tremendous story. As weeks have passed though, Kyle's post-race nose picking, microphone dropping, sour attitude is what most fans are still talking about. 2017 is Kyle's 13th full season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. His attitude can no longer be blamed on youth; it's just how he is. If you think or hope he's going to mature and become a shining beacon of good sportsmanship, you're wasting your time. If he wants to continue acting like that, great; let him. If you want to boo him and root against him because of it, have fun. If you're fine with how he acts, enjoy the show. The bottom line is, Kyle Busch is great for NASCAR. To paraphrase Dale Earnhardt's comment about being booed, as long as people are talking about the sport and its drivers, it's a good thing. Here's hoping Kyle keeps giving them reasons to talk because for better or worse, it means they're paying attention and we all know NASCAR needs all the attention it can get.

 

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The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Race Fans Forever are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of Race Fans Forever.  Race Fans Forever is not affiliated with NASCAR or any other motorsports sanctioning body in any form.
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