I started writing this blog entry last night. Only, the frosty mugs were going down a little too smoothly for a Thirsty Thursday evening and this morning when I reread what I had written, I couldn't figure out what I was trying to say. (I know, I know, what's new, right?) Anyway, I had to dump it and start fresh this morning.
Another late running race this weekend since it's at Fontana, California. Let's hope this race doesn't end short because of rain. Here's the broadcast schedule for the weekend events.
Based on how Jimmie Johnson annihilated the field here in September of last year, I am going with him for the win this weekend. In reading back through some of my old blog posts on the races at California, there's one common theme: I fall asleep during the race almost every time. It kind of made me laugh when I was reading through them. Who's your pick this weekend?
Here's the NASCAR Newscast: Auto Club 500 Preview:
I love watching these newscasts, they do get me amped up for the race.
Speaking of AMP, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been the talk of the town this week. Junior, Junior, Junior.... Seriously folks, let's be real. Not once but TWICE he made rookie-type mistakes in the pits. First mistake was that he blew right through his pit stall and had to drive on by. Second mistake was pitting outside his pit box, which he got penalized for. THAT's what put him a lap down. Stupid, stupid mistakes both times.
I don't see why he had to drive as aggressive as he did for the lucky dog spot. There was plenty of time to get that spot back. We are talking about Dale Eanrhardt Jr., right? He's a superspeedway genius. He would have been on the lead lap before the end of the race. He was just far too aggressive in doing so and took out Brian Vickers and many top contending cars because of it. I blame him for the "big one."
Jr. had a bad day. I can see giving him a pass; he isn’t a “dirty” driver. I'd have liked to see NASCAR park him for five laps like they did the day before. Not cause he did it purposefully- but because they need to get these guys to drive super respectful on these re-starts and close quarters on plate tracks. Still, he made an unpremeditated mistake at a track where if you make a mistake you wreck half the field. That is all. One can overanalyze it.
Vickers threw a block- but, let’s be honest, they all do at these plate tracks. Plate racing is getting in line and blocking people in the other line. As a matter of fact, Jr is good at the plate tracks because he is a great mirror driver. They were racing for an important position created by this “lucky dog” rule; they're gonna block.
Now, a great driver, a driver with championship aspirations drives with an eye toward a 34-race campaign, let alone another 100 laps. He backs off there. You won’t see Johnson or Martin throwing away an entire race, an entire off-season of prep because they’re real mad they were blocked and frustrated because they make moronic mistakes in the pits. But that is Dale. Junior is an average driver whose biggest problem is lap after lap discipline. He isn’t “dirty” but he obviously can be undisciplined, sloppy.
For a guy who generates a ton of ink and is a stone class act, he is a arid race car driver. He clearly has plus skills on the plate tracks- but he isn’t compelling or magnetic on the cookie cutter tracks and intermediate venues. He’s always got good gear (Truex took the second DEI car to the Chase) and good teammates/peers- and seems to have reached a ceiling of driving around in twelfth all day.
He is sort of miscast as an A-Driver on an A-Team. In an environment where he has to stand shoulder to shoulder with guys like Edwards and Kyle Busch, he is going to be an endless disappointment.
He should go to a B-level team. Take the pressure off himself. Use his grade A personal class, fan rapport and business contacts to bring resources and personnel to ramp up atwo/three car team. Drive the top effort there. Staff it with your pals. Make it fun again. Take an ownership share. One win every other year and lots of good finishes on plate tracks, as well as elevating a second tier organization to top status, would have to better than this- the endless excuses, losing and disappointment.
He have to give up dreams of winning a championship- but he isn’t going to ever win one anyway. He just isn’t good enough away from Daytona/’dega
My thinking was also that Jr got way too impatient. Wouldn't it have been smarter to work with Vickers, push him ahead where he would have more room to race?
I'll pick Kenseth. He's had a couple of wins out there and he appears to be hot right now. We'll know who's the best after the next few races.
No big wrecks this week please, Junior. I, along with alot of other people took a big hit in the fantasy leagues last week.
Frank, I think that you hit it on the head. If history will repeat itself, you just got thirty people to write to this blog. Might want to close your shades and unlist your phone number, too.
Jr really screwed up last weekend. I would give a free pass to ANYONE else but Jr. He is way more skilled at plate tracks than most drivers. I am willing to bet that (before last weekend!) he would be the most voted driver if you took a poll to see who you would rather be bump drafted by. I think he threw a 200 mile per hour temper tantrum.
I like Kyle for this weekend. I still think that kid is going to set the Nascar world on fire. Assuming no big wreck, you know he would have won the 500.
I wish I knew someone who could stay awake and call me with about 20 laps to go so I can see the "race". Jr. is an average driver who is upset that his automatic excuse for not winning a championship is now gone and he is exposed. If anyone other than Jr. had made 3 serious mistakes in one race, would they have given NASCAR enough reasonable reason to give them a drug test? My wife thinks Jr. was on something.
Jennifer is the newsroom
administrative assistant and
executive
assistant to the editor for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. She is married, lives in Pownal with her husband and son, and has been following NASCAR for many years.
About this blog:
I am hopeful that this will be a place where people can air their two cents' worth about a race, catch up on the gossip and share their opinions on the rules and regulations of NASCAR. I have always felt that there has been a need for such a place in Maine and that this blog helps to fill the void.
Subscribe