[Bob Tanner]

Once more the trucks put on a great show.

For the second time in a week a home boy from Mobile went to Victory Lane. If you missed it, you missed some good, hard, racing. Good job, Rick Crawford. That was a heart-felt statement post-race about he dedicating the race to everyone who ever had faith in him or gave him a penny. I wonder where that came from?

I wish IRP would put in graduated banking, ala Tucson and Homestead. After all these years, IRP is still a one-groove track, and it's difficult to run side-by-side.

[TN_Gal]

Yep..I agree. I watched it too. Was supposed to go Rodeo-ing but we had some real nasty storms come thru so we stayed home.

Those trucks run hard every lap...Bliss was doing good, then he got passed in a 3 wide for first place..that was COOL

[A pirate]

It sucks that I didn't get to watch this race. I love watching the trucks and dumbass me forgot they were on.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by TN_Gal

Those trucks run hard every lap...Bliss was doing good, then he got passed in a 3 wide for first place..that was COOL

I know he's a bit above the ideal age but I'd like to see Mike get another chance at Cup. He's a phenomenal driver and I've seen him do amazing thing with a sprint car.

He's another one, like Brendan Gaughn and Casey Atwood, who got a raw deal in their last Cup ride. I still can not fathom why Carl Haas dumped Bliss for a consummate whiner and general putz, like Jeff Green? Green, Kenny Wallace and Mikey battle it out each week for the lead in Bob's Battle of the Driving Talent Challenged.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Too bad I didnt get to watch it. I left later than expected so Im still on the road. Im at a Library in Randleman NC. Stopped by the North Wilkesboro Speedway and got some pics. When I get set up Ill post them.

[A pirate]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I know he's a bit above the ideal age but I'd like to see Mike get another chance at Cup. He's a phenomenal driver and I've seen him do amazing thing with a sprint car.

He's another one, like Brendan Gaughn and Casey Atwood, who got a raw deal in their last Cup ride. I still can not fathom why Carl Haas dumped Bliss for a consummate whiner and general putz, like Jeff Green? Green, Kenny Wallace and Mikey battle it out each week for the lead in Bob's Battle of the Driving Talent Challenged.

There has got to be a reason this is going on. Mikey of course owns his own car and someone must owe Rusty a lifetime of favors for Kenny to still be driving. Jeff Green? You got me on that one unless blackmail is involved. A few years ago in the Busch series the number 4 car...I can't remember who drove it but I always thought he deserved a legit shot in the Cup series. Jeff Purvis maybe. Ward Burton should have had a ride already. What I don't understand is, how someone struggles in the Davis car(s) or a lower tier team and then is never heard from again. Lesser equipment is going to make you slower, it's not that hard. I am surprised Blaney is still around though. He seems to be an exception. I also thought Skinner drove the 31 farely decent too, though I honestly don't remember that too well.

We, you and I Bob, should make a list of drivers that never had a fair shake. That would also lead to a list of drivers that for whatever reason had more than their fare share.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by A pirate

There has got to be a reason this is going on. Mikey of course owns his own car and someone must owe Rusty a lifetime of favors for Kenny to still be driving. Jeff Green? You got me on that one unless blackmail is involved. A few years ago in the Busch series the number 4 car...I can't remember who drove it but I always thought he deserved a legit shot in the Cup series. Jeff Purvis maybe. Ward Burton should have had a ride already. What I don't understand is, how someone struggles in the Davis car(s) or a lower tier team and then is never heard from again. Lesser equipment is going to make you slower, it's not that hard. I am surprised Blaney is still around though. He seems to be an exception. I also thought Skinner drove the 31 farely decent too, though I honestly don't remember that too well.

We, you and I Bob, should make a list of drivers that never had a fair shake. That would also lead to a list of drivers that for whatever reason had more than their fare share.

One more name you could add to those who never got the break they needed was Hank Parker, Jr. He actually won a BGN race. One more who disappeared this season was Brandon Whitt, of the CTS. He toughed it out in 2004 and was so-so competitive last year, even winning one race. Then, the team folded and Brandon went to who-knows-where.

IRT the BGN #4 ride (Porter Cable Pontiac) , it was Jeff Purvis. Jeff's career came to an untimely end in 2001 when he had a bad wreck. I believe he suffered a head injury similar to Ricky Craven, and Steve Park. To my knowledge, Jeff hasn't returned. He did have a couple of marginally good rides in Cup, the best probably being a fill-in slot in the Country Time Chevie.

Another driver who took it tough was Steve Grissom. He had a decent ride with Gary Becthel's #29 Cartoon Network Chev and was in around 15th place after 10-12 races when his crew chief, Buddy Parrott quit unannounced. Steve and Gary never could put it together after Buddy's loss and <poof> two years later both were history.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by TN_Gal

Those trucks run hard every lap...Bliss was doing good, then he got passed in a 3 wide for first place..that was COOL

I still say the trucks are the closest thing we have to old school racing. You can beat the living ☻☻☻☻☻☻ out of those things and still contend for the win.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

IRT the BGN #4 ride (Porter Cable Pontiac) , it was Jeff Purvis. Jeff's career came to an untimely end in 2001 when he had a bad wreck. I believe he suffered a head injury similar to Ricky Craven, and Steve Park. To my knowledge, Jeff hasn't returned. He did have a couple of marginally good rides in Cup, the best probably being a fill-in slot in the Country Time Chevie.

A sad bit of news on Jeff Purvis.

It was reported in the Mobile [De]Press Register this morning (8/6/06) that last night, around 2300, Jeff Purvis was pulling a hauler with his car in it up I-65 near Cullman, AL and blew a tire. He lost control, cross the median, stuck another car and the rig burst into flames. Jeff was medivac'd to Birmingham for severe injuries and was found to have suffered a broken neck.

It was reported that he suffered severe head trauma in 2002 at a BGN race in Nazreth, PA. He sat out 2003 and 2004 and began a comeback on a limited schedule in 2005, running late models. This is what he was hauling when the wreck occured.

My prayers go out to Jeff and his family and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[TN_Gal]

Oh how sad....that is the second hauler wreck this year that i have read.
A broken neck is catastophic injury if survived. So, so sad....

[Quality88]

Just read that article on nascar.com. Awful thing. My prayers go out to Purvis and family.

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

I want to send my prayers too, to Purvis and his family . With all the amount of people involved in racing I think its lucky there are not a lot more sad news. I think for the most part they have to be some safe driver.