THE Official 2008 NASCAR Thread! - Page 2

JonInMiddleGA · 02-25-2008, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lathum

Maybe since the Frosted Flakes car didn't give it away Nascar stopped being about the good old boys about 10 years ago

And it hasn't been nearly as interesting or entertaining since.

Of course, in JJ's case, driving for the Evil Empire doesn't help either.

CU Tiger · 02-25-2008, 09:15 PM

NASCAR was headed corporate and slick in the mid 90s.
It was kind of a bad omen, when the first race of the network TV deal was the end of the line for #3.

Dale took NASCAR to the grand stage, but he didnt get to play.

Regardless of what some thought of him, he was beloved by his peers, and respected by Mike Helton and many of the NASCAR officials. He could tell them to go to hell, and would, and get awy with it. NASCAR has been largely unchecked for 7 years.

I remember being in North Wilkesboro for a race in the mid 90s in early October and it rained like a bitch. Nascar was drying the track and such, when Dale walked up to Helton and Bill, Sr (my step dad used to work for a number of Nascar teams and we would go to the locals and be in the pits, so this literally happened 10 feet away from me) and says "You guys do what you want, the weather man saidd its raining all day and into tonight, Im leaving and going to [he called a guy's name I dont recall, obviously a mutual friend] deer hunting I will see you tomorrow.
Helton fired back, "Go ahead. The minute you leave the grounds before the race is called, you will be disqualified even if we run tomorrow.
"Fine by me, but move that car off the front row your damn self, and oh by the way, it's your ass that's going to b paying fans their refund when you tell them you DQ'd me for leaving a wet ass track that no one could race on. And by the way, every fan who has to work will be an Earnnhardt fan tomorrow, gonna cost ya a bunch."

He slipped the Gargoyles sunglasses on and walked away. They raced the next day, he was there and I got to skip school and stay. He didnt win, but he beat Nascar that day.

They need it today. I pulled for who ever the steep dad drove for and he never worked for Dale, but I've never forgot that, and the leveerage it represented.

JonInMiddleGA · 02-25-2008, 09:51 PM

The influence that Dale, Sr. had & the role he played as essentially the check & balance system between the drivers & the officials has been a topic I've seen in numerous articles over the past couple of years, most often specifically about the vacuum that's existed since his death (and subtly how it's contributed to the changes that have taken place).

For several years it seemed that Tony Stewart was the closest thing to an heir apparent but it didn't seem he really wanted that role/wasn't always completely comfortable speaking for every driver instead of just himself. Oddly enough, it seems that Jeff Gordon has started to age into that role on occasion being someone that the suits will listen to and who really doesn't have much fear of them at this point in his career.

I say "oddly" although I believe Dale knew that eventually Gordon would be more typical of what NASCAR would become, he just wasn't interested in seeing it happen before it's time/before his time was finished. He also knew that Gordon wasn't ready to take on that role, which I believe had a lot to do with why he rode him early on ("Wonder Boy"). The fact that his time was cut short impacted the course of events almost certainly more than we will ever know.

DanGarion · 02-26-2008, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And it hasn't been nearly as interesting or entertaining since.

Of course, in JJ's case, driving for the Evil Empire doesn't help either.

Ah jealously for the California boy. Oh well, not everyone can be as great as us...

JonInMiddleGA · 02-26-2008, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dangarion

Ah jealously

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

(or is spelled the way you think it's spelled either)

DanGarion · 02-26-2008, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

(or is spelled the way you think it's spelled either)

It's alright to hate the best. I'm used to people hating the best, since everyone else wants to be it. But IMO if you hate the best you tend to be jealous of the fact that they have something you don't.

JonInMiddleGA · 04-04-2008, 05:54 PM

Video of a scary looking crash during rookie Michael McDowell's qualifying run today at Texas. Hits the wall head on at speed then barrel rolls down the track ... and walked away waving to the crowd.

The SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barrier saved this guy's life as far as I'm concerned.

DanGarion · 04-04-2008, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Video of a scary looking crash during rookie Michael McDowell's qualifying run today at Texas. Hits the wall head on at speed then barrel rolls down the track ... and walked away waving to the crowd.

The SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barrier saved this guy's life as far as I'm concerned.

IF only there was a video...

JonInMiddleGA · 04-04-2008, 06:20 PM

Okay, maybe this one will work

RendeR · 04-04-2008, 06:31 PM

Holy

Hell

Thank god for safer barriers....

BigDPW · 04-04-2008, 06:40 PM

Yeah I switched to SPEED right after this crash and the replay floored me... I was delighted to hear that he was fine... That car was trashed when they had it on the hauler...

Lathum · 04-04-2008, 06:43 PM

jesus

CU Tiger · 04-05-2008, 03:04 PM

Its a horriffic looking crash, but Im not sure SAFE saved him there....the car never stopped and was able to flip, role and dissipate the energy....

02-25-2008, 09:51 PM	#53
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	The influence that Dale, Sr. had & the role he played as essentially the check & balance system between the drivers & the officials has been a topic I've seen in numerous articles over the past couple of years, most often specifically about the vacuum that's existed since his death (and subtly how it's contributed to the changes that have taken place). For several years it seemed that Tony Stewart was the closest thing to an heir apparent but it didn't seem he really wanted that role/wasn't always completely comfortable speaking for every driver instead of just himself. Oddly enough, it seems that Jeff Gordon has started to age into that role on occasion being someone that the suits will listen to and who really doesn't have much fear of them at this point in his career. I say "oddly" although I believe Dale knew that eventually Gordon would be more typical of what NASCAR would become, he just wasn't interested in seeing it happen before it's time/before his time was finished. He also knew that Gordon wasn't ready to take on that role, which I believe had a lot to do with why he rode him early on ("Wonder Boy"). The fact that his time was cut short impacted the course of events almost certainly more than we will ever know. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

04-04-2008, 05:54 PM	#57
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Video of a scary looking crash during rookie Michael McDowell's qualifying run today at Texas. Hits the wall head on at speed then barrel rolls down the track ... and walked away waving to the crowd. The SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barrier saved this guy's life as far as I'm concerned. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

04-04-2008, 06:20 PM	#59
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Okay, maybe this one will work __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

04-04-2008, 06:31 PM	#60
RendeR Coordinator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Buffalo, NY	Holy Hell Thank god for safer barriers.... __________________ http://wotlabs.net/s...8/signature.png http://wotlabs.net/sig_dark/na/banichi18/signature.png

02-25-2008, 09:15 PM	#52
CU Tiger Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Backwoods, SC	NASCAR was headed corporate and slick in the mid 90s. It was kind of a bad omen, when the first race of the network TV deal was the end of the line for #3. Dale took NASCAR to the grand stage, but he didnt get to play. Regardless of what some thought of him, he was beloved by his peers, and respected by Mike Helton and many of the NASCAR officials. He could tell them to go to hell, and would, and get awy with it. NASCAR has been largely unchecked for 7 years. I remember being in North Wilkesboro for a race in the mid 90s in early October and it rained like a bitch. Nascar was drying the track and such, when Dale walked up to Helton and Bill, Sr (my step dad used to work for a number of Nascar teams and we would go to the locals and be in the pits, so this literally happened 10 feet away from me) and says "You guys do what you want, the weather man saidd its raining all day and into tonight, Im leaving and going to [he called a guy's name I dont recall, obviously a mutual friend] deer hunting I will see you tomorrow. Helton fired back, "Go ahead. The minute you leave the grounds before the race is called, you will be disqualified even if we run tomorrow. "Fine by me, but move that car off the front row your damn self, and oh by the way, it's your ass that's going to b paying fans their refund when you tell them you DQ'd me for leaving a wet ass track that no one could race on. And by the way, every fan who has to work will be an Earnnhardt fan tomorrow, gonna cost ya a bunch." He slipped the Gargoyles sunglasses on and walked away. They raced the next day, he was there and I got to skip school and stay. He didnt win, but he beat Nascar that day. They need it today. I pulled for who ever the steep dad drove for and he never worked for Dale, but I've never forgot that, and the leveerage it represented.

04-04-2008, 06:40 PM	#61
BigDPW College Prospect Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Raleigh, NC	Yeah I switched to SPEED right after this crash and the replay floored me... I was delighted to hear that he was fine... That car was trashed when they had it on the hauler...

04-04-2008, 06:43 PM	#62
Lathum Favored Bitch #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: homeless in NJ	jesus

04-05-2008, 03:04 PM	#63
CU Tiger Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Backwoods, SC	Its a horriffic looking crash, but Im not sure SAFE saved him there....the car never stopped and was able to flip, role and dissipate the energy....

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