Rookie Rants: Three Ways NASCAR Drives Me Nuts

[Scott]

I absolutely love NASCAR. It consumes my weekends. It compelled me to join Quack in putting this site together. It’s even driven me to the point where I’m on the verge of buying a second Sirius satellite radio, just for one channel… 128… The NASCAR station. They don’t offer channel 128 over their Internet broadcast, which is what I listen to while I work.

With that said, there are a few things about this sport that drive me up a wall. Unfortunately, these are things I’m going to have to learn to accept, as they will not change. I’m hoping that, by writing this, I’ll get them off my chest, and be able to accept these (perceived) faults, by knowing that I’ve been heard.

Rant 1: Teams

Racing is an individual sport, as well as a team sport. The “team” aspect of it comes from the driver, crew and organization. It should not take the shape of other drivers. I find it absolutely ludicrous that owners are allowed to have teams that consist of more than one driver. I liken this to what baseball would be today if George Steinbrenner owned the Yankees and the Red Sox.  Think that would be bad? Imagine Georgy owning 4 teams!

Simply put, people who are competing against each other should not be on the same team. The fact that drivers who are competing against each other, but share an owner, are allowed to talk to each other on the radio during a race is ridiculous.

Whether or not Driver 2 is going to wreck Driver 1 to get the win should be up to nobody but Driver 2. Having an unofficial relationship with Driver 1, or basing your decision on what happened last time the roles were reversed is one thing. Deciding against it because you’re on the same team is just nuts. In an individual sport, teams compromise the integrity of competition.

Rant 2: Drivers in Multiple Series

I understand this one, but I’m still bothered by it. I’m talking about seeing big-name (top-12 even) Nextel Cup drivers competing in the Craftsman and Busch races.  I understand NASCAR probably encourages the big boys to compete in the little guy race to put butts in the seats, but I don’t like it. The Busch race should be a time for the up-and-comers to shine. I watch the big boys on Sunday. I don’t need to see them stealing the little guys’ thunder on Saturday too. I’d like to see the Craftsman and Busch series handled more like minor leagues than they currently are.

Rant 3: The Fans

I simply don’t understand the attitude some fans display toward the drivers that aren’t at the top of their “favorites” list. Next time you find yourself booing your least favorite driver during pre-race introductions, stop. Just stop and think for a moment.

Think about how great you have it as a NASCAR fan. I mean, just how bad is this guy?  If you still feel like booing, ask yourself how this guy you hate stacks up against some of the dudes fans of other sports have to deal with. Compare him to Terrell Owens. Compare him to Bill Romanowski. Compare him to Barry Bonds or Bill Lambier.  You can’t. There is no comparison, and I didn’t even touch the criminal element found in other sports.

It saddens me to see that there are so many fans out there that, seemingly, don’t appreciate just how good they have it. Not every driver fits your vision of what a perfect role model should be, and they may not all be perfect angels. But rest assured that the field is loaded with athletes of much better character than you’ll find in just about any other sport.

These rants probably sound stupid to you because you’ve been around the sport a lot longer than I have, and “get it” a lot better than I do. In fact, a few years from now, when I’m more familiar with the sport, there’s a good chance I’ll “get it”, and these rants will sound stupid to me. Perhaps to my detriment, I have no hesitations about flaunting my ignorance.

[CodeBlueEMT]

 Well said. Rant on..........

 Shayne

[TeamBlueOval]

I personally disagree with all of them, but I can see your points.

[SD90MATT]

I'll be the first to admit that all the drivers have more racing talent than I ever will, even that dart with no feathers David Ragan. I admire & respect them all (to a point), but I'm still gonna cheer wildly everytime Jr. wrecks or get wrecks. There are guys, or "teams" if you will, you love & guys (teams) you love to hate. Thats racing.


Matt

[Signspotter#19]

Teams: I agree, my driver gets screwed by his teammates more than anyone else.
Drivers in more than one series: I agree to a point. One Busch driver who was not a Cup driver once said he enjoyed racing with the Cup drivers because it was preparing him for when he would actually be in the Cup. I think if they race in the Cup, they can't race for points in the other series. They can race, just not for points
The fans: I still say NASCAR has the BEST fans than any other sport. As for booing, we do boo for drivers and laugh when bad luck fall upon them. I do this not necessarily because I think he is a bad person or bad role model, but in the race itself, I don't like that person. It has nothing to do with that person as a role model. The drivers that I detest the most are very generous people. It is nothing personal toward the driver as a person. The fans get along with each other in a crowd with this going on because it is just understood that this is how it is. I hope all this made sense.

[ivgotitbad24]

I boo bad driving more than disliking of a driver.  Most nascar fans are like Jimmy Spencer we don't forget things that happen so some drivers deserve the boos because of on track incidents, unless of course its Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson not sure why they get booed.  GO JEFF GO!!!!

[TeamBlueOval]

unless of course its Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson not sure why they get booed.  GO JEFF GO!!!!

It couldn't be because of the constant whining and arrogant attitudes... 

[Signholder]

I guess you've got it bad, nascar mania that is. Anytime something can drive you nuts, you've got it bad. Think of how many times you have been surfing the idiot box and stopped to watch the intense competition of 2 tennis players swinging at it, running back and forth, grunting with each stroke...and a stupid line judge screams OUT!!! when everybody and there dog could see that it was in.
And...Click the surfing continues.

[HERM]

alright...let me stretch first.....ahhhhh....ok, teams, could not agree more.  send thanx to rick hendricks.  drivers in multiple series, granted when you first move up, you may still need a lil extra seat timeto help you get acclimated to ur new series, but after say a year, should be a restriction.  (note here concerning those who move up to fast and have to drop back...ie..david ragan; see note at bottom)as for the fans, the booing is the passion.  most   99.99999% of nascar fans are black or white on all issues and will argue the point.  but on that same note, even with someone disliked as much as kyle bush, noone made a sound til the net came down and we knew he was ok, and everyone applauded his safety.

just a few of my thoughts.

[Scott]

but on that same note, even with someone disliked as much as kyle bush, noone made a sound til the net came down and we knew he was ok, and everyone applauded his safety.

And on the throwing of beer on the track?

Let me guess, they all make sure Jeff is already drunk before they start tossing?

[budcar8]

The ones who toss the beers are for one wasting beer and that pisses me off and two they are not real fans.  They need to get a good southern @$$ kickin!!

[#1Jimmiefan]

The ones who toss the beers are for one wasting beer and that pisses me off and two they are not real fans.  They need to get a good southern @$$ kickin!!

I couldn't have said it better!  And to echo the sentiments of others, during the race we all have drivers we cheer for, some because we are happy they are doing well and some because they wrecked. It's not anything personal, that's just the way it is. I am typically surrounded by Jr. fans at TMS with a spattering of Jeff Gordon fans, and a smaller scattering of Jimmie Johnson fans. So there I am decked out head to toe in #48 attire and we are all drinking beer, talking, laughing, sharing sun screen, etc. We give each other crap about who the other person likes and everyone has a good time. At the end of the day, you wind up with a few new friends and some great memories.

[HERM]

And on the throwing of beer on the track?

Let me guess, they all make sure Jeff is already drunk before they start tossing?

no...i repeat NO.  anyone throwing anything onto any race track should be barred from any and all sport functions for life and should spend a lil time behind bars.  there is no place for such a disrespect of safety.  anything could happen, i mis-throw and hit someone in the back of the head.  also, i mentioned in a diff thread, how far is it from throwing beers at someone after a race to throwing beers at someone during a race??  if you have not seen it, can you imagine a beer can full of beer thru a windshield at 150 mph??  if this seems far fetched to anyone, ask dick trickle about his nephew.  a up and coming driver who had debri thrown off an over pass on a interstate and thru his windshield.  when i see cans go over after a race...shivers rub thru me of the first guy drunk enough to think he is cool and tosses a brew into mid pack at talledaga at top speed.

[#1Jimmiefan]

no...i repeat NO.  anyone throwing anything onto any race track should be barred from any and all sport functions for life and should spend a lil time behind bars.  there is no place for such a disrespect of safety.  anything could happen, i mis-throw and hit someone in the back of the head.  also, i mentioned in a diff thread, how far is it from throwing beers at someone after a race to throwing beers at someone during a race??  if you have not seen it, can you imagine a beer can full of beer thru a windshield at 150 mph??  if this seems far fetched to anyone, ask dick trickle about his nephew.  a up and coming driver who had debri thrown off an over pass on a interstate and thru his windshield.  when i see cans go over after a race...shivers rub thru me of the first guy drunk enough to think he is cool and tosses a brew into mid pack at talledaga at top speed.

Very scary indeed. A few years back we had a couple of idiots throw a jar of acid over an overpass, it went through the windshield and scarred a woman for life...she just happened to be the sister of "Dr. Phil". That one got some publicity, and NOT good publicity for this great state.

[HERM]

no...i repeat NO.  anyone throwing anything onto any race track should be barred from any and all sport functions for life and should spend time behind bars.  there is no place for such a disrespect of safety.  anything could happen, i mis-throw and hit someone in the back of the head.  also, i mentioned in a diff thread, how far is it from throwing beers at someone after a race to throwing beers at someone during a race??  if you have not seen it, can you imagine a beer can full of beer thru a windshield at 150 mph??  if this seems far fetched to anyone, ask dick trickle about his nephew.  a up and coming driver who had debri thrown off an over pass on a interstate and thru his windshield.  when i see cans go over after a race...shivers rub thru me of the first guy drunk enough to think he is cool and tosses a brew into mid pack at talledaga at top speed.

[wendyrlfg]

1 - Too many commercials
2 - Cost of a ticket - can't include cost of gas with this
3- Gossip - WOW & I'll go to bed kow !!!!

[smoke14fan]

I agree with you.  I don't see your opiniion as ranting but as logic.

[ValiHessweire]

If i got enough, il take one too..

And just a few questions, if its faulty or something is wrong with it are we entitled to a full refund and, is he reliable?