RacinDeals – The Big One

SAFE RACING: Ah, thanks to the new (old) aero rules, we had a safe
race Sunday at Talladega. There were no big wrecks like last year that initiated
NASCAR’s removal of the aero anchors, which the drivers said caused the big
wreck.

Oh, wait a minute. Turns out there was a big wreck. Hmm, we need to analyze
this further. With aero anchors, we get a big wreck. Without aero anchors, we
get a big wreck. With aero anchors, we get 49 lead changes. Without aero
anchors, we get 20 something lead changes (with quite a few of those resulting
from pit cycles). With aero anchors, we get an exciting race. Without aero
anchors, we get one car dominating because no one can pass him.

The fact is, the aero anchors had nothing to do with causing the big wreck
last fall at Talladega, and obviously had nothing to do with causing the big
wreck Sunday. So, NASCAR, as a fan, I’m PLEADING with you to put the anchors
back on the cars at the plate races. Otherwise we just have cars going in
circles at 190mph, and while that’s exciting for the drivers, I found myself
switching over to the IRL race a few times.

If you’re going to have the "big one" anyway (and that’s not a
given, since they ran caution-free last April at Talladega), why not go ahead
and put the aero anchors back on and give the fans what they deserve?

OUT OF BOUNDS: I’m glad to see that NASCAR enforced the out of bounds
rule on the last lap. Kenny Wallace was dropped back to the last car on the lead
lap after passing Sterling Marlin. Looked like Kyle Petty also passed Marlin
under the stripe, but he had enough presence of mind to relinquish the position,
per NASCAR rules.

NASCAR RULES: I.N. Sider, someone’s nom de cyber over at Valvoline,
has written a column 
about how other motorsports sanctioning bodies are following NASCAR’s lead. What
his column doesn’t make clear is that NASCAR gives the fans (the majority of the
time) what they want. The other series he talks about are "purer" in
that competition comes first, and any entertainment value in the race is
secondary. NASCAR knows that racing is show business, and without a show,
there’s no business.

OFF TRAC: Well, until they revealed their cars the other day, I had
high hopes for the new TRAC sanctioning body. But by going with so-called sports
cars instead of family cars, I think they’re missing the boat.

Although they deny that they want to compete with NASCAR, their only hope for
survival is to entice NASCAR fans watch their races. I daresay that there are
more NASCAR fans who drive a Monte Carlo than drive a Corvette. And those that
do have them, have to remove five lug nuts when they change a tire, not one big
one.

So, the combination of using sports cars (that look like those SCCA cars no
one watchs) and the fact that they’re running opposite the Busch Series doesn’t
bode well for them at all.

TEXAS GETS TWO: Not two Winston cup dates, but two TRAC dates. Plus
Bruton Smith’s Speedway Motorsports Inc. other tracks will run nine more TRAC
races.

Hmm, I wonder how involved Smith was in the formation of TRAC?

It’ll be interesting to see if any ISC tracks are "awarded" a date
or two. It’d be smart on their part to bring that series in, since I think
that’d go a long way in arguing against the contention that NASCAR and ISC are
together a monopoly.

PULITZER MY FINGER: If you had any doubts that the Orlando paper that wanted
to see pictures of Dale Earnhardt’s lifeless body has a thing against NASCAR,
you only have to read their "start" motorsports "reporter’s"
latest column, which ostensibly is reporting on the TRAC announcement. The
column is full of jabs at NASCAR.

Finding the column on the Orlando rag’s web site is left as an exercise for
the reader.

A FOOL FOR A CLIENT: Speaking of the autopsy photo issue, it seems
that the guy who put Rodney Orr’s autopsy photos on his web site wants Teresa
Earnhardt to submit a deposition in the lawsuit Orr’s father has filed against
him. He’s representing himself in the suit, so hopefully this will result in his
site being shut down.

GORDON WATCH: Will this travesty ever end? Jeff Gordon has now gone an
incredible 17 races without a win. Oh, the humanity.

SAME THING, ONLY DIFFERENT: How’s this for double speak: “This is
the same Eagle tire setup that was used last year at Fontana, but with a slight
right side compound change."  So says a Goodyear tire technician. Is
it the same tire or is it different?