[vincesanity82]

There are plenty of personalities to stoke interest in NASCAR's Sprint Cup, just not enough rivalries. That's the view of somebody in the rare vantage point of being both a driver and a member of the media. It's not that Kyle Petty wants drivers to leap out of their cars and tackle each other. He'd just like rivalries with some staying power on the track, as it used to be in the heyday of his dad, Richard, whom, like other people in stock-car racing, he refers to as "The King." "If you go back and look at the rivalry between The King and (David) Pearson and Bobby (Allison), or the rivalry between (Dale) Earnhardt Sr. and Geoff Bodine and Darrell Waltrip or Rusty Wallace, it was a competitive rivalry. It wasn't a get-out-the-car-and-mouth-off-at-each-other rivalry. No matter how bad the rivalry got, you still respected their ability and their talent." Petty, 48, won't be racing in this weekend's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. After competing in every Cup race in Sonoma since 1990 - including last year's stint as both a driver and an analyst - he's out of the car to broadcast the race for TNT. -- SF Chronicle

TOYOTA/SAVE MART 350 / Cup needs old-school rivalries / Kyle Petty wants NASCAR drivers who feud but don't fight

[Bob Tanner]

Apparently the media hacks are getting low on their ability to find a story worthy of printing, so they're trying to drum up one?

Rivalries are easy to write about. Going out and talking to the drivers, CC and owners (figure the odds of how often a sports hack for The Chronicle does THAT!) and coming out with a story worth its weight in ink is takes some journalistic skill.

The writer's right. Rivalries make the thing more interesting but good rivalries happen naturally. They aren't something the media instigates.

[Racer Duck]

unfortunately, rivalries are not "politically correct"...

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

unfortunately, rivalries are not "politically correct"...

Rivalries are too much like "Confrontation." A definite no-no in today's "It's a sin to be offended" society.

[BiscuitMan]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

unfortunately, rivalries are not "politically correct"...

Rivalries start when the green flag comes out.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by BiscuitMan

Rivalries start when the green flag comes out.

I would like to think that about NASCAR Cup but...

Only at the local tracks, I fear. Where there isn't as much money involved.

[bamaga]

Old school like 'cale beating his nose against Bobby's fist? or old school like dale vs darrell . maybe on the track rivalry like the mid 90's Jeff vs DJ vs Mark? there have been a variety of rivalries over the years, I touched on a few. I think what really helps a rivalry today would be different manufacturers, ford vs chevy or roush vs hendrick. having the top three teams of 2007 all chevy's didn't help. Kyle vs Jr would be good, the most hated driver vs the most popular driver. different makes, different attitudes, maybe Nascar could play this up