by richard teague tinynascars@yahoo.com
You know I’m tired of reading, writing and hearing about the “DEI Saga,” Michael Waltrip not making races, and all the other stuff that seems to be in the news nowadays. Aren’t there other things to find out about? How about Jeff Gordon winning his 76th race and tying Dale Earnhardt? Yeah, that’s a thing to be proud of Jeffrey, even if there were a few people that didn’t like the fact that you did it. Sure, there were fans in the stands that booed or threw things on the track, but it seemed to me that most of them cheered when Gordon did that lap with the 3 flag. They should realize that Jeff is a champion and he will win another championship and many more races just like Dale would have if he were here.
What if Earnhardt had not died in 2001 and raced for the past 6 years? Would he have won so many races that Gordon wouldn’t have even been close to him? How ‘bout another championship? Was there another one in the cards for him, maybe even more? Here’s another what if: after seeing all these guys retire, step back or cut back, what if Senior decided to do the same? Gordon would still catch his record anyway. Can you possibly imagine what it would be like to hear Dale Earnhardt say he was going to retire at the end of the season? You all know how you felt when Bill, Darrell, Rusty and so many that you cheered on for so long decided to quit. Seems like every year, one of my all-time favorites hangs up his helmet and makes room for a new comer.
So be happy for Gordon. I know I am, and I hope he wins many more races and maybe a championship before he retires. To show anger towards a person just because they best another’s record is something I cannot understand, but it happens in all sports. Commend this person for their achievement and don’t condemn them, it only shows your ignorance of the sport and humanity. Remember that records are what they are, made to be chased after and captured by someone that has the abilities and the desire to attain these high goals set before them. It is what makes us all better in the long run. Some kids just dream about being on a racetrack and winning races with legions of fans cheering them on. Their fans want them to be the best and if it means beating an icon’s record, then so be it.
Last year, I used to run Tony Stewart down, but I finally came out and admitted that I was a closet Stewart fan. But last week, you may have read me running him down again about the Juan Montoya remarks he made. This week, I’ll make another comment about Tony- Aw, too bad Tony. You didn’t have a good time at Texas Motor Speedway and now you’re thinking about retiring. Here are a few things Stewart had to say after the race: ‘I’m ready to retire’, ‘As soon as I get enough money saved’, and ‘It’s like nothing we can do is right.’ There’s that we crap again. My personal favorite was, ‘It’s disheartening when you have 180,000 people booing you every time you come around. That’s what makes this stuff not fun anymore. It’s not about the racing.’
Tony, Tony…is it always supposed to be fun? If you want respect and knock the way the other guys drive, then fun ain’t the word. Haven’t you put a few cars out of races, like you did last year when you didn’t make the chase but drove the wheels right off that #20 Home Depot car? People still thought you might win the championship anyway. Dang dude, you’ve been in the Cup about 8 years and you are already thinking about retiring? Give me a break. Look at this week, a second place finish and back at it like you should. That’s the way to do it, so let’s not talk this quitting crap. Besides, do you think that Gibbs Racing and Home Depot would let you leave? Not in a heartbeat. If you think Jack Roush twisted Mark Martin’s arm, well y’all ain’t seen nothing yet.
Here’s a little thought for you. What if Mark Martin should somehow be in the top 12 with a couple races left in the regular season? He’s supposed to sit those out, but will he? If you go to Jayski’s and look at Mark’s proposed schedule for 2007, he’s only in 20 points races and they’re scattered around. I think there maybe a chance he could make the chase. The two key words at the top of the list are ‘could change,’ and you know it would change if he’s close. Mark says he is following his plan, but goodness gracious, wouldn’t he go for it and race? I mean, he tried for so many years with Roush Racing. Perhaps now with Ginn the change means something. Oh yeah, he’s in a Chevrolet and said early on how he thought it was him, but now he’s thinking maybe it was the equipment he had. You know, a Ford.
Yes, I know that I’m pipe dreaming about Martin and chases and championships, but gee whiz folks, doesn’t everybody like Martin? Would you be happy for him or would you throw beer cans on the track? He dropped a bunch of spots by taking off those weeks, but he came back and picked right back up, so don’t tell me he can’t get in the chase unless it’s mathematically impossible. Be a killjoy and email me to say he can’t, but I’ll still keep a candle lit on the start/finish line for him just in case. Of all the drivers that have ever driven in the Cup, Winston or Nextel (and soon to be Sprint Cup), Mark Martin is one that really deserves a championship, don’t you think? Especially now that he’s in a Chevrolet.
It’s about time for “Dega” as in Talladega, where the boys meet the men and the big one could be coming at any time. You know, I have always wondered why there aren’t any other tracks in NASCAR that have the word ‘super’ in their name. Cars race at Daytona and other big tracks at super speeds, but only Talladega is a ‘superspeedway’. Why is that? Maybe the degree of banking, because it’s hard to even walk up the face of any turn there. Could it be the 212.809 mph a young man from Georgia once drove there? What about the 2.66-mile tri-oval, the biggest track in NASCAR? Or the seating for 175,000 fans? That’s a lot of dogs and beers to sell, ain’t it? The reason I like most is that Talladega Superspeedway is in the greatest state in the union, Alabama.
Whatever the reason, this weekend will be absolutely amazing. I can hardly wait for the Aaron’s 499 at some other NASCAR track (yeah, right). The real cars are back this week, but there is something else I’m looking forward to. It’s the fall race at ‘Dega when the bricks hit the pavement and we get to see if those little crappers can run 200 miles per hour and hold up. Sure, they want a mile track, and I tell you I have not changed one bit. I hate them, and watching the COT race is a joke! Brian France says that NASCAR will decide this summer if the little rats start full-time in 2008, but I say postpone it for at least another 30 years. Then you can put phasers and photon torpedoes on them and beam ’em around the track. Gosh, is it obvious I think the COT is a mistake?
That’s it for this week, and I know y’all are sure dang glad I didn’t say anything about Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Michael Waltrip. It’s not that I didn’t want to, but if y’all heard how John and me talked about them this week, you’d kick us out of the country and call us I-don’t-know-what. It was some awful talking about them two. I do know this for a fact: if you need to make a comment, save it, pack it in a paperback and bury it at sea. No, not really, you can do it at tinyascars@yahoo.com, and just like normal, if it ain’t NASCAR, It ain’t s**t!
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