Congrats to the 2018 NASCAR Hall of Fame class. I was happily shocked to see Ray Evernham and Ron Hornaday included so early. I love ’em both, but it seems a bit soon. I am thrilled that Robert Yates is in while he’s still with us and I hope the same can be said at the induction ceremony. I’m glad to see Red Byron inducted. I am a firm believer in the people – champions – who were the foundation of NASCAR – I almost said ‘our sport’ – getting inducted long before the most recent superstars. If I had my way Ray and Horny wouldn’t have been eligible for another decade at least and wouldn’t have been inducted until well after then – if they continued to only induct 5 per year. I’m a fan of both and feel they should be in the Hall of Fame – just not this soon. Too many ‘racers’ from back in the day, who built NASCAR and fought for its very existence, are not honored in the Hall. On this Memorial Day weekend NASCAR would do well to also memorialized those who gave their blood, sweat, tears, health and, in some cases, their very lives, for the sport we love.
Now the one inductee I find myself on the fence about is Ken Squier. I still have issues with a reporter being included. I am all for the Squier award. I think that is an appropriate place for media – acknowledged separately. I’m a fan of Ken’s soliloquies, but I don’t know that they earn him a spot equal to Richard Petty’s in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. That seems to be a bit of a stretch. Maybe he really was that important to the sport. I know I would never put any of the current, and recent, broadcasters in that category. I miss Steve Byrnes like nobody’s business and think he was great at what he did. I don’t think that makes him a NASCAR Hall of Famer. If we’re going with people who contributed I expect we’ll see wives and officials also included as they provided as much, and often more, to the sport as reporters.
I’m bummed that Red Horse Racing has suspended operations. I’ve been keeping my eye on them for the past couple years, wondering what was going wrong. Timothy Peters is a proven talent and it seemed his equipment quality was deteriorating. I appreciated the ‘small team that could’ with the driver who worked hard and didn’t have a rich daddy. I hope they will be able to return to the sport. I’ve seen a lot of talented quality leave and a lot of rich kids arrive. It hasn’t been a positive trend. Yeah the rich kids are easier to fund since their dads pay for them to indulge their whims, but the human connection between the fans and the drivers is lost. Hardworking fans have little in common with dilettantes. I root for a resurgence of talent taking a driver and team from poverty to super-stardom becoming the norm, not the exception in NASCAR. Yeah, I’m a dreamer.
The 2018 schedule is out. Changes a sprinkled in. They’ve not yet come up with a better date for Atlanta – my primary concern. They did take that boring Chicagoland race out of the Chase. Eventually I’ll get around to calling it the playoffs. It still feels dumb to me, so not in this sentence. You know people who will become saints have a process where they are recognized as such. Seems as though their opposite should also have something similar. Steve O’Donnell claims – from both sides of his mouth – “Fan feedback was a major driver in developing these schedules, and we worked very closely with the industry to set the stage for an exciting 2018 season,”. I’m still wondering where he the crazy fans he claims want the nightmares he creates are found. I just don’t believe there are enough people with these dreadful ideas whom get a chance to speak with him and give him their feedback. I have more faith in the fans (in spite of listening to NASCAR radio’s sycophants).
Kevin ‘Happy’ Harvick will lead the field to the green on Sunday evening. The 600 will be broken up into four stages.
Feel better Big Daddy. Jeff reportedly has a bad cold and stayed home today. I hope he does the same if he’s still feeling poorly on Sunday. People who can stay at home when they’re sick should do so out of respect for their co-workers, their families and themselves.
NASCAR News:
- 2018 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class Announced.
- Jim France to Receive 2018 Landmark Award.
- Smith in No. 43 for Coca-Cola 600.
- CMS Introduces ROVAL for 2018 Fall Race.
- Charlotte Adding Traction Compound.
- Wood Brothers Unveil Darlington Paint Scheme.
- Driver Parade Lap to go Through MIS Infield.
- Shriners Hospitals for Children Partners with Ragan.
- RCR Announces Competition Changes.
- Darrell Waltrip says NASCAR is at a crossroads, but offers a 4-point plan to fix it.
- Rookies Test at Darlington.
- Kevin Harvick: Current state of Truck Series schedule ‘makes me mad’.
- Playoff Makeover Headlines 2018 NASCAR Schedules.
- Red Horse Racing Suspends Operations.
- Top College Athletes Descend on Charlotte for NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine.
- Ford chooses Sebastien Bourdais replacement for Le Mans (and it isn’t Tony Stewart . . . yet).
- Opinion: 2018 Call to the Hall.