Passing Lane

A NASCAR BLOG BY Mike Hembree

Banquet leftovers

Dec 3

Well, there was some questionable veal and some kind of weird salad and the vegetables weren’t that good, either.

But seriously …
The Nextel Cup awards banquet was the best in years, but that’s not saying a lot. It was still far too long and much too formulaic.

Fortunately,  Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch detoured from prepared remarks to make their speeches quasi-interesting. The central problem with the banquet – beyond its obvious mind-numbing length – is that the people most viewers want to see (the drivers) are hamstrung by reading speeches that generally are little more than long thank-yous to team members and sponsors.

We already know that you guys appreciate Coca-Cola and Pepsi and Goodyear and Gatorade and Home Depot. Forget your supposed responsibility to read all those names from a prepared list. “Ughs,” as Jimmie Johnson might say.

Sure, the sponsors pay the freight, but they already know how much you like them. America doesn’t need to hear it again.

Instead, you guys could talk about a particular win during the year and how it happened and how it felt and how your team  put it all together in that one afternoon. Or talk about what you’ll do with the trophy. Or talk about someone who gave you your start in racing.

Tell us something we don’t necessarily know.

You guys who plan to finish in the top 10 next year, please keep this in mind. You’ll be graded later.

And stay away from the veal.

Ugh.

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