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A NASCAR BLOG BY Art Weinstein

Things I wonder …

Aug 27
Things I wonder, as the NASCAR heads into the Southern 500 weekend (sorry, old habits die hard):

• Did Kyle Busch spend the final 30 laps of the Sharpie 500 at Bristol thinking of an insult to hurl at Carl Edwards? Whether or not you think Busch had it coming or got a taste of his own medicine or whatever, his likening of Edwards to Mister Ed, the talking horse from the classic TV series, was funny. It brought to mind some of the classic insults in NASCAR history, from Cale Yarborough calling Darrell Waltrip, “Jaws,” to Dale Earnhardt Jr. calling Todd Bodine “a cue-ball-headed fool.” I’d much rather hear zingers like that after a race than hear a driver get out of his car and thank a half-dozen sponsors.

• It was revealed last week that Havoline, a longtime sponsor in NASCAR Cup racing, will not return as a sponsor for Chip Ganassi Racing next year. That has prompted concern that corporate America is bailing out of the sport, that soon, half the garage will be without a primary sponsor. That topic comes up every year about this time, when a longtime sponsor announces it’s leaving the sport. Yet new sponsors always step in to fill the void. Even in a down economy, expect that trend to continue.

• Tony Eury Jr. has a thankless job as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief. If the two win the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship this year, some Dale Jr. fans will undoubtedly complain he would have two, three, maybe four consecutive championships if it weren’t for Eury’s leadership. Eury Jr. faces unrealistic expectations from the driver’s huge fan following, which leads to a barrage of criticism when something doesn’t go right.

• Some fans think 18-year-old Joey Logano may be the next Casey Atwood. Atwood, of course, was a hot young driving prospect a few years ago who has gone onto an average career. Fans who feel that way should adjust their medication. Logano will have some growing pains next year in the Sprint Cup Series, but he is a future champion.

Average Rating: 2.7

Comments

10 responses to "Things I wonder …"
  1. 1
    del brown said:
    Aug 27, 2008 at 10:59 AM

    * Kyle was probably thinking mainly about getting around Carl * Not only are team sponsors are abandoning NASCAR. Series sponsors are bailing as well. While most will be replaced it's likely the sponsorship dollars will decline. * Though many may disagree I think Eury Jr. is doming ok considering he's working within a 'new' organization and with some new crew members. * Best of luck to Logono. I have a feeling he'll be ok with the help he'll get from Zippy and the rest of the JGR organization.

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  2. 2
    beth emerson said:
    Aug 27, 2008 at 12:09 PM

    Look at that pee wee herman calling Edwards Mr ed. they both make me sick. i am already sick of the Kyle Carl show. Lets get the real guys in this so the two of them can eat there dust. Two little boys trying to be men.

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  3. 3
    Ronald Schwalbe said:
    Aug 27, 2008 at 3:47 PM

    Things "I" wonder - - Why does NASCAR preach safety and then go crazy delaying the start of so many races that the drivers have to fight a setting sun and visibility is downright dangerous? Only the fall Rockingham race used to have that problem and now - - several times a year the drivers are almost BLINDED due ONLY to changed start times. I ALSO wonder why everytime NASCAR institutes a "cost saving rule change" -it costs teams MILLIONS of dollars ??

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  4. 4
    Richard Clower said:
    Aug 27, 2008 at 7:13 PM

    I hate it, but Nascar just isn't as entertaining as it was 10 years ago. Too many marketing guys, corporate guys calling the shots. Let em race, let em cuss, let em knock each other around a little bit. Bring back the excitement and raw emotion that racing is all about. I am so sick of every interview sounding exactly the same as the last one. Too antiseptic, too planned, too corporate!!

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  5. 5
    Peter Reiser said:
    Aug 28, 2008 at 9:27 AM

    When Kyle referred to Carl as "Mr. Ed-like," I assumed that that was Carl's nickname in the garage. Have you seen those teeth? I agree about Tony Eury's plight. It is a lose-lose situation OR maybe we make more out of it than it really is. Factions of JR Nation have to be a bit envious of the rivalry that has developed between this year's best drivers, Carl and Kyle. They hoped that it would be JR and Kyle, but right now he is not in the same league. I like JR, but he doesn't seem to have that "rough edge" that both Kyle and Carl obviously have. I will be interested to see what Logano does with HoF racing this year. The 96 has struggled all season, so without the best equipment etc., it will be interesting to see how he performs. At Gibbs next season, they will undoubtedly give him the best of the best of everything to make sure he succeeds. For that reaso, I don't think he will go the way of Casey Atwood

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  6. 6
    Bob Sodetz said:
    Aug 28, 2008 at 2:13 PM

    The "Mr Ed" comment is great! So is the Pee Wee Herman from Beth (although Beth always sounds bitter). I always like Stewart's calling Edwards "Eddie Haskell" a few years back - it appears Stewart had it right way back then - especially wheh "The Carl" went after Kennseth. This kind of stuff is great for NASCAR!

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  7. 7
    justin haynes said:
    Aug 28, 2008 at 10:16 PM

    The problem Tony Eury jr. has is that his driver just isn't as good as his fans think he is.

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  8. 8
    Busch Fan said:
    Aug 29, 2008 at 1:54 PM

    Great comment #7 I agree he does not have that win or nothing mentality(sp). I recall the first road course this year he was on the radio and said something to the effect of I will let him by he is the road pro how can you ever think like that and win a race. You should have the checkers or wreckers idea if not that at least agree that 2nd place is first loser... GO BUSCH

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  9. 9
    Scott Baker said:
    Sep 2, 2008 at 1:38 PM

    I too wish JR had a little more of that, "I HAVE TO WIN THIS RACE" attitude. Sometimes he seems to be content to just turn laps. Drivers that have The Burn(IMHO); Edwards, Kyle Busch, Biffle, Johnson, Robbie Gordon, Hamlin & Kenseth. Drivers that sometimes have The Burn, Gordon, Stewart, JR, Kurt Busch, Martin, Newman & JPM....and maybe because of the points situation, Ragan

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  10. 10
    Jack Keough said:
    Sep 4, 2008 at 9:29 AM

    i also agree with justin. i am no Dale Jr hater "BUT" in spite of the fact that he has many fans he is not Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart and certainly not Dale Sr. get off Tony Jr, he and Dale are doing the best that they both can Junior is a good top 5 driver who may or may not win a championship. enjoy what you got!!!

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