[Bob Tanner]

Hey, Nevada, did you read Matt's post-Homestead column? I'll post a few exerpts; it looks like Matt has many of the same opinions we hold so near and dear.


THE FOLLOWING IS REPRINTED FROM MATT MCLAUGHLIN'S FINE COLUMN IN RACING STALKERS
"Championships presented by Some Phone Company. Let’s face it, the Chase was genetically engineered in the labs of Mad Dr. Brian France to be the King Kong of sports championships. Instead we ended up with a little monkey that screeches a lot of hype but barely has the strength to lift a banana to its mouth. It’s time to take the pathetic little beast behind the garage and put a bullet between its eyes.

The influx of new teams for 2007 spurred by Toyota ’s arrival on the scene has already claimed its first victim. Cal Wells has shut down his PPI racing operation and laid off most of the shop employees. With the team outside the top 35 in points and thus not guaranteed a spot in the first five races of next year finding a sponsor proved to be impossible. Of course when Wells firs arrived on the scene he took the Tide sponsorship away from Ricky Rudd’s team (and McDonalds from Bill Elliott’s team) causing that operation to shut down. That’s the thing about riding this merry-go-round. It always moves in circles.


Relentless red hot hype unbacked by substance, poorly written comedy, amateurish music videos, raging egos, poorly timed commercial breaks, a relentless litany of sponsor plugs, and overdone pathos…..yep, NBC pulls out of NASCAR coverage hitting on the same eight cylinders when they arrived. But rest assured Bill Weber has sung his last love sonnet to Jimmie Johnson and Rick Hendrick until at least next summer. He’ll just have to send them gushy Hallmarks in the meantime.

Things we can live without in 2007: “Points as they run now” graphics ten laps into a race, the NASCAR wedding shower ad, broadcasters talking to drivers during the pace laps, wheels on race cars painted any color other than black, any fowl that isn’t breaded and deep fried,the Hollywood Hotel and anyone named Waltrip.

Now that Jimmie Johnson has that big champion’s check maybe he can hire a wardrobe consultant for his wife. Seriously who dresses that woman, her dietician?"

Man! You just gotta love the guy!

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Hey, Nevada, did you read Matt's post-Homestead column? I'll post a few exerpts; it looks like Matt has many of the same opinions we hold so near and dear.


THE FOLLOWING IS REPRINTED FROM MATT MCLAUGHLIN'S FINE COLUMN IN RACING STALKERS
"Championships presented by Some Phone Company. Let’s face it, the Chase was genetically engineered in the labs of Mad Dr. Brian France to be the King Kong of sports championships. Instead we ended up with a little monkey that screeches a lot of hype but barely has the strength to lift a banana to its mouth. It’s time to take the pathetic little beast behind the garage and put a bullet between its eyes.

The influx of new teams for 2007 spurred by Toyota ’s arrival on the scene has already claimed its first victim. Cal Wells has shut down his PPI racing operation and laid off most of the shop employees. With the team outside the top 35 in points and thus not guaranteed a spot in the first five races of next year finding a sponsor proved to be impossible. Of course when Wells firs arrived on the scene he took the Tide sponsorship away from Ricky Rudd’s team (and McDonalds from Bill Elliott’s team) causing that operation to shut down. That’s the thing about riding this merry-go-round. It always moves in circles.


Relentless red hot hype unbacked by substance, poorly written comedy, amateurish music videos, raging egos, poorly timed commercial breaks, a relentless litany of sponsor plugs, and overdone pathos…..yep, NBC pulls out of NASCAR coverage hitting on the same eight cylinders when they arrived. But rest assured Bill Weber has sung his last love sonnet to Jimmie Johnson and Rick Hendrick until at least next summer. He’ll just have to send them gushy Hallmarks in the meantime.

Things we can live without in 2007: “Points as they run now” graphics ten laps into a race, the NASCAR wedding shower ad, broadcasters talking to drivers during the pace laps, wheels on race cars painted any color other than black, any fowl that isn’t breaded and deep fried,the Hollywood Hotel and anyone named Waltrip.

Now that Jimmie Johnson has that big champion’s check maybe he can hire a wardrobe consultant for his wife. Seriously who dresses that woman, her dietician?"

Man! You just gotta love the guy!

So was there something written in this article that was not factual ?????

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

So was there something written in this article that was not factual ?????

The only questionable thing I could find was the statement about any fowl served as food should be breaded and deep fried.

I recommend going to Racing Stalkers and read the entire piece. As usual, Matt nails it right on the head.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Hey, Nevada, did you read Matt's post-Homestead column?

Man! You just gotta love the guy!

Yes, I read it yesterday as a matter of fact. As usual, Matt hits the proverbial nail on the head.

And yes he is awesome, and has been my favorite Na$car writer since his days on the old SpeedFX website. Thanks again for re-uniting me with him again after I lost him for a couple of years.

[Yelk]

The way I look at it is...if you've read one of Matt's articles, you've read them all. Let's face it, Matt has an axe to grind with NASCAR because he lost his credentials years ago. Has anyone here who ever read one his articles were he wrote something positive about NASCAR? To me, if someone is that bitter with a sport, why do they continue to keep up with it? I know I wouldn't follow it.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Yelk

The way I look at it is...if you've read one of Matt's articles, you've read them all. Let's face it, Matt has an axe to grind with NASCAR because he lost his credentials years ago. Has anyone here who ever read one his articles were he wrote something positive about NASCAR? To me, if someone is that bitter with a sport, why do they continue to keep up with it? I know I wouldn't follow it.

Differences of opinion are why they have debates and horse races. Intelligent perople can always agree to disagree.

From my personal perspective, Matt, Monte Dutton, Ben Blake and sometimes David Poole, see the current state of NASCAR much the same as many of us older fans, and we are not comfortable with the direction NASCAR is going. Writers, such the one mentioned above, use their articles as a platform to voice the same complaints that many of us have. Reading their written offerings makes me feel as though someone is giving me a voice, which as someone not affiliated with the media, I do not have.

Yes, Matt and Monte both probably have axes to grind. Matt lost a gig and Monte got a personal nasty-gram from Brian. From everything I have read all this came about when the writers in question wrote pieces which offended the NA$CAR hierarchy. Since I have never been big in neither diplomacy or ass-kissing, this makes them defacto heros in my book.

If you like NASCAR the way it is today, I applaud you. However, there are many of us who don't and it is impossible to please veryone all the time. The bottom line is, I will repeat, intelligent can always agree to disagree and still remain friends.

[Yelk]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Differences of opinion are why they have debates and horse races. Intelligent perople can always agree to disagree.

From my personal perspective, Matt, Monte Dutton, Ben Blake and sometimes David Poole, see the current state of NASCAR much the same as many of us older fans, and we are not comfortable with the direction NASCAR is going. Writers, such the one mentioned above, use their articles as a platform to voice the same complaints that many of us have. Reading their written offerings makes me feel as though someone is giving me a voice, which as someone not affiliated with the media, I do not have.

Yes, Matt and Monte both probably have axes to grind. Matt lost a gig and Monte got a personal nasty-gram from Brian. From everything I have read all this came about when the writers in question wrote pieces which offended the NA$CAR hierarchy. Since I have never been big in neither diplomacy or ass-kissing, this makes them defacto heros in my book.

If you like NASCAR the way it is today, I applaud you. However, there are many of us who don't and it is impossible to please veryone all the time. The bottom line is, I will repeat, intelligent can always agree to disagree and still remain friends.

Bob, NASCAR today is what it is. I've been following this sport since 1950 and it's healther than it's ever been. If it comes to the point that all I want to do is p!ss and moan about it..is the day I will stop following it. Kinda like I have quit following all levels of football, basketball and baseball years ago. I don't care for them anymore and I could care less who's playing or not. That's just me. I don't think I'm smarter that the folks that run NASCAR and it's not up to me to say what they should do. When it ever come to the point that I hate NASCAR as much as Matt does, I'll quit following it and you won't see me on any racing boards putting it down. You can count on that my friend.

I do think it's funny that folks start following this sport because it the "in thing" to do and come to a racing forum all pumped up about NASCAR and then think it makes them cool or experts to bash NASCAR, because again, it's the "in thing" to do.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Yelk

Bob, NASCAR today is what it is. I've been following this sport since 1950 and it's healther than it's ever been. If it comes to the point that all I want to do is p!ss and moan about it..is the day I will stop following it. Kinda like I have quit following all levels of football, basketball and baseball years ago. I don't care for them anymore and I could care less who's playing or not. That's just me. I don't think I'm smarter that the folks that run NASCAR and it's not up to me to say what they should do. When it ever come to the point that I hate NASCAR as much as Matt does, I'll quit following it and you won't see me on any racing boards putting it down. You can count on that my friend.

I do think it's funny that folks start following this sport because it the "in thing" to do and come to a racing forum all pumped up about NASCAR and then think it makes them cool or experts to bash NASCAR, because again, it's the "in thing" to do.

You and I must be about the same age because I started following NASCAR about the same time you did. We have definately found a common ground because I find myself agreeing with most of what you say above.

I realize that NASCAR isn't the same sport as it was when the drivers only had to be good drivers with lots of nerve, and didn't have to have not just that talent plus be pretty, photogenic, well spoken, and have a pleasing personality.

You and I are in agreement on our disenchantment with all things stick&ball. (I finally threw in the towell on those sports in '86 (?) when they went on strike.) We also agree about this new brand of fan who considers him/herself a fan because it's the trendy thing to be and the overpriced souvineer shirts and hats are so darn colorful.

I think my basic problem is that I have followed NASCAR for so darn long and have so much of its history to compare today's NA$CAR against. Today's NASCAR, in my mind's eye, seems to be more contrived and "choreographed" than the NASCAR I grew up following. That I don't like. On the flip side, it is still what I would consider an "American" sport (stock car racing), and its drivers provide a good example for our youth. NASCAR is relatively free of scandal and bad behavior.

Just because I, and some others complain about NASCAR doesn't mean we hate it. Maybe it means we like it too much and hate the direction it's going. I know that NASCAR is what it is and we are powerless to change its direction. But that knowledge reminds me of a John Connelly novel I recently read where a woman was about to get raped. With his knife at her throat the rapist said, "It's gonna happen, Honey. You can't stop me so you might as well lay back and enjoy it." I get that same feeling everytime I hear Brian France come out with a new edic.

But, as I previously stated, we can agree to disagree and still remain friends.

[Yelk]

Bob, sure thing we are friends. About the only thing that tee's me off about NASCAR is their diversity crap. I don't believe in giving anyone anything...earn a ride like everyone has done from the start. I admire Wendell Scott for what he did and he earned it under tough conditions. I attended a 1/4th mile dirt track at Camp Butner, NC in 1950 when he ran. The last race I saw him run was at Occoneechee Speedway at Hillsboro. NC in 1964. He raced because he loved it.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Yelk

Bob, sure thing we are friends. About the only thing that tee's me off about NASCAR is their diversity crap. I don't believe in giving anyone anything...earn a ride like everyone has done from the start. I admire Wendell Scott for what he did and he earned it under tough conditions. I attended a 1/4th mile dirt track at Camp Butner, NC in 1950 when he ran. The last race I saw him run was at Occoneechee Speedway at Hillsboro. NC in 1964. He raced because he loved it.

Don't get me started about NASCAR "Diversity Program!" You think I rant and rave about NASCAR's Playoff system, the Provsional system and Cup Raiders? You ain't seen nuthin' yet!

The first time I saw Wendell was the '64 Daytona 500 (where incidently I paid a grand total of $7.50 per to see the 500 from row 15 of the Oldfield grandstands! Oh, for THOSE days once more!) . I believe '64 was the first year he ran more than a handful of races. I have the upmost respect for that man, not only for what he accomplished with the material available to him but because it was the mid-60's and segregation was a way of life in the South, and a majority of the midwest for that matter. It must have gotten awfully lonely down there in the pits.

Now NASCAR wants every third new driver to speak two languages and to have a race in Mexico where.... <sigh> I'll save that for another venue and not in this forum.

Anyway, I believe we have found solid common ground. Looking forward to discussing things with you again.

[Yelk]

I believe we do have common ground. Okay, let me ask you this...who is your all time favorite driver? Mine is David Pearson, who I think is the best driver to ever strap themself into a stock car. Also, anyone else care to add to this.

Also, sorry all ya'll folks for Bob's and my banter. Didn't mean to ignore ya'll. Ya'll truely are some good folk here.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Just because I, and some others complain about NASCAR doesn't mean we hate it. Maybe it means we like it too much and hate the direction it's going.

BINGO!

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by Yelk

Also, sorry all ya'll folks for Bob's and my banter. Didn't mean to ignore ya'll. Ya'll truely are some good folk here.

Not to worry, it was great reading!
And welcome to the forum Welk, even if it is nearing hibernation mode.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Yelk

I believe we do have common ground. Okay, let me ask you this...who is your all time favorite driver? Mine is David Pearson, who I think is the best driver to ever strap themself into a stock car. Also, anyone else care to add to this.

Also, sorry all ya'll folks for Bob's and my banter. Didn't mean to ignore ya'll. Ya'll truely are some good folk here.

Like you, I believe David Pearson's performance will be hard to beat. For shear intensity and ability to work a plan and stay with it, I can think of no driver to come close to David. The fact that he won his first championship by 3000 points and didn't run a complete season is unbelievable.

I have no absolute favourite driver. I rank mine by eras.

For the first part of NASCAR's history I like both Curtis Turner and Junior Johnson If it weren't for Curtis there'd be no Charlotte Motor Speedway today and who knows where NASCAR would have been?
For the 60's it's David and Joe Weatherly.
Fore the 70's it was Richard and Dave Marcis. I liked it when Dave stood by his principles and told Dodge and K&K Insurance where they could stick their Charger Daytona.
In the 80's I followed Tim Richmond. There is no telling how for Tim could have risen in NASCAR IF he'd stayed away from the working girls.
In the 90's was Dale. Not only do I think he was a great driver, he was a great leader, a trait hard to find these days.
This decade I don't see any driver who doesn't suffer from a primadonna syndrome. Lot's of raw talent out there but no consistant integrity. With some exceptions this current crop of drivers would have taken it tough if pitted against the drivers of the 50's and 60's, in the same equipment they had at their disposal back then.

But then, I'm your basic curmudgeon too, so my point of view is obviously tainted.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

This decade I don't see any driver who doesn't suffer from a primadonna syndrome.

Bob, whats your take on Kasey Kahne? That kid is about as humble as they get, and LOVES his racing roots........dirt! Personally, I haven't seen a "primadonna" bone in his body.