Auto Mobiles Updates: [NASCAR-Group] Talladega'd: Life in the slowest winner's circle

First of all, a quote from George Carlin: "Why would anyone watch cars
go this fast? It's the *&%@ wrecks, that's why! I couldn't give flyin
*&%@ who wins these things, its the same group of rednecks anyway..."

A point that, althoughbeit, no one in their right mind wants to see
anyone get hurt. In fact, we want to see what Scott Riggs did a few
years back after doing some spectacularly performed floor gymnastics in
that 10 car. Get out, jump up and down on that heap of crap and shake
them arms in the air like a madman. Or perhaps it's the other version
when Elliot Sadler demonstrated just how aerodynamic the old version was
when he did that "lost in a tornado" flying barrel rolling jaunt through
the back stretch, all the way to turn four. I'm sure that one of the
saftey guys had to remind him that his name wasn't Catherine the Great,
and that he was indeed on planet earth. My point: Nascar slapping this
plate on these engines, resulting from an almost completely tragic
flying into the catch fence from Bobby Allison in 1987 at the start
finish line, only aided the chance for a wreck, and brought in a new
generation of "the big one". A phrase that is notorious to driver and
fan alike. Just like a doctor, conversely, who left a scapel in a
patient, or sawed off the wrong leg, Nascar has been so focused on the
slowing of race cars that it never dawned on them till last spring to
reinforce the catch fencing?

Let's face it, why we love Talladega Superspeedway is simply because a
true fan will anticipate that big wreck, but at the same time, watch
closely the chess game, that only seems to be there in the last 50 or so
laps.

What of the driver's take on this? Well, listening to Ryan Newman this
week prompted me to remember a quote from the late Dale Sr. "What's my
job? Go fast, turn left, win" Let's face it, Ryan, I realize the
drivers are the ones that take the biggest risk, but my goodness, did no
one tell you that there'd be Daytona and Talladega races when Penske
stuck you in that 12 car? Is not the point to drive fast, go left, and
win? Inasmuch as I have assailed Goodyear, this track is the easiest on
tires at the highest speeds, and there fore, shut your whiney ass Ryan
and quit making it as though Nascar hasn't done enough. They've done far
too much already. IF there be a driver that hates it THAT bad, then by
all means, Ryan, fall back on that engineering degree and get out of the
car. In short tracks and plate races, yes, I said plate races, with the
advent of the softer walls, and now stronger fences.. LET THEM RACE.
Goodyear is still years away on making a safe tire for Atlanta and the
like, and can only give the hardest compounds for the tracks that are in
reality, more dangerous than Dega/Daytona. Anyone with any real idea,
knows that the testing ban was to give Goodyear a chance to catch up
anyway. But here we are.. Talladega. A name in Nascar that used to raise
the short hairs on the back of my neck, now has it raising my short
attention span, and wondering just how rich the inventor of DVR/Tivo
really is. It has been reduced to 180mph parade laps. It is a showcase
of sponsors. It is sad, almost like watching an old dog get sick, to see
what they have done here.
The crash last spring was a fluke. Anyone could tell that Edward's car
was coming back down only to be Sammy Sosa'd into the fences. My biggest
problem with that? Jim Hunter's quote.."I think the drivers know they
have equal share in what happened..." What a joke... how's about gettin
rid of that stupid yellow line rule or atleast amend it to if a safe
pass is completed, then great.. if that driver has to bang them up to
get back above the line, then give the spot back. Had Kes dropped below
it, he was done. Carl admitted he was trying to block and was late
getting there..

I said some time back that it doesn't matter what.. to have other
drivers NOT in the chase hang back, Nascar should also pick up the check
for these teams when the sponsors, who are exiting this sport, pull
their sponsorship for 'lack of performance issues'.

Finally this: I know I have been negative on Nascar for a while now.
But, it's like some idiots dismantle your favorite landmark, or better
yet, to me, like watching the next door neighbor poison your favorite
animal. Nascar WAS my thing growing up. They didn't take the tackling
and hitting out of football, and made it safer. They've taken the racing
out of racing, and made it a pillar of salt, eroding in a rainstorm of
ignorance, the flooding of politically correct stupidity. Mike Helton
said after Dale Sr's death, "we do not react for the sake of reacting"..
what a departure. Now, all it takes is a couple of media reports from a
few trying to make a career to get them to remove all things elemental.

A musical interlude for you today...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moCf_pghM-U&feature=PlayList&p=6C3E63BAD9\
5C4CAE

If there was a song that defines me.. this would be it...

Moi

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