Category: Things

Sunny skies, cool temperatures and the lovely-voiced Ed Roland kick things off at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Nice to see talent singing the national anthem for a change. Ed and his current band did a very nice job, as I would expect. The boy’s talented.

Have to say I agree with DW. The 5 minute clock is just too short since they’re including pit in and pit out time. Two stops means they actually only have three minutes to work on the cars and while I believe the crews are talented – they aren’t Hogwarts students. Continue reading “2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race Two Atlanta”

Boring Xfinity race. Kybu wins

Chase Elliott was in the tv booth for the Xfinity race, but so was Michael Waltrip so we opted for the radio broadcast instead. I’m bummed because I wanted to hear Chase in the booth – though not badly enough to tolerate Michael Waltrip.

One of the guys on PRN said, during the Xfinity race, he thought the stages were really adding something to the racing, but advised the listeners that it was just race two and that they should withhold judgement of the racing until later in the season. So its okay for him to judge the racing and the addition of stages, but the money-paying fans should withhold their judgement. Seriously? You get paid to be there, but you think you should tell the fans how exciting the stages have made the racing, but tell them they shouldn’t make up their minds yet. Basically believe what you – who get paid to be there – say, not what they – who pay to be there – see. That is something most of the people paid to talk about NASCAR tend to do that drives me bananas. Don’t urinate on my head and tell me its raining.

He also said that the stages created a lot of storylines each week. That was one of the reasons he gave for his approval of the stages. Since I’m not a lazy/busy/desperate/paid journalist – just a fan – I can honestly say storylines mean nothing to me. I’m looking for good racing, not storylines. Continue reading “2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Two Atlanta”

The sun is shining for the Daytona 500. ‘Big Daddy’ Jeff Gordon will lead the field to green driving the pace car. Fun. The Thunderbirds are flying over the track. Nice! Gotta love the spectacle. It’s kinda funny to see him in a blue button-down with a tie and his red seatbelt buckled on. With pole-sitter Chase Elliott behind him, as well as outside pole-sitter Dale Earnhardt Jr its a pretty nice Hendrick start to the race. There’s not a cloud is site as the cars do the parade laps. What a gorgeous day. MRN is saying the temperatures will get into the low 70s, though they’re in the mid 60s now. LaDanian Tomlinson waves the green flag starting the race. Owen Wilson gives the command to start engines.

I heard someone earlier saying we wouldn’t see the racing we saw from the Xfinity and Truck races. That would be a shame, because truly those have been the best races I’ve seen in several years. They were infinitely more exciting than just about any individual race in recent memory. I want more of the excitement I have had the pleasure of enjoying over the past few days rather than what has become typical Cup racing. Continue reading “2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race One Daytona”

What did Shannon Spake do wrong that she’s stuck with Larry McReynolds and Michael Waltrip on the desk. I was looking forward to watching – and listening – to her work, but I can’t deal with blathering buffoon one and two. Sigh. Oh well, poor Shannon! At least it’s sunny. Time to find out what’s on the radio broadcast.

Hmmm, KHarv and Adam Alexander. Well KHarv should make it interesting. I’m kinda looking forward to that – unless they’re stuck with Larry Mc stinking up the broadcast.

NASCAR seems to be doing the hard sell for the 500. I saw Roger Penske on CNBC leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I heard Daniel Suarez on NPR yesterday making me proud of him. There have been other things throughout the week. I still question whether marketing is more important than racing/skill/talent, but then I look back at the big events of the past year, and have to say maybe it is. Sad, but probably true. Continue reading “2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race One Daytona”

Kaz Gala leads the field to the green flag after winning his first career pole in the Truck Series.

The race is off to a banging start as a multi-truck pile up on lap two results in half the first segment’s lap being run under caution. Noah Gragson, Ryan Truex, J.J. Yeley, and many others were caught up in that wreck.

Contact between the front row trucks of Christopher Bell and Brett Moffitt on lap 19 ends the stage with Johnny Sauter the winner of stage one.

Johnny Sauter leads the field to green for a 20 lap stage two. Continue reading “2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race One Daytona”