My thoughts at the end of the season

For those of you not obsessed with NASCAR you may want to just move along. I promise I will write about something else in the next day or two, (and it's a good one-you don't want to miss it.)

OK-Now I am NOT a fan of Jimmie Johnson. I really kept praying for Mark Martin to win the championship. I am heartbroken that Jimmie broke my man Cale's record of three in a row.
It was ok last year when he matched it because Cale came to the awards banquet and I am always happy to see him.
It just makes the sport boring when one driver wins all the damn time. Hey France's you wonder why the ratings are down? Yeah, it doesn't take a total genius to figure that one out.

Moving on-

For the life of me I cannot fathom the appeal of Casey Mears. Seriously, he has only ever won ONE race. Give me a break, if that kid's name was Casey Smith or Casey Wilson instead of Mears(nephew of four time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears), he would be working at McDonald's where he belongs. He has no talent, and no personality. Richard Childress needs to give someone else a job.

Don't know if you've heard George Gillett, the man who bought out Ray Evernham, then bought out Richard Petty and changed the name of the team to Richard Petty Motorsports(RPM), now he's bought out Yates Racing, who are the fantastic Ford engine builders, and bringing them on board at RPM. Don't know if you've ever heard the saying "To make a small fortune in NASCAR you have to start out with a large one" but for some reason that comes to mind.

Poor Dale Jr. had just another abysmal year. I really don't know how he was able to face the press week after week with their same inane questions. I really think that the problem with Dale Jr. has got to be related to the team that he took over. You see, that is the team that used to be Tim Richmond's. I've even heard driver Ken Shrader talk about the difficulties that particular team has had since the shoddy treatment of Tim by Nascar and the France's. Yeah, I'm not going to say the word cursed, but draw your own conclusions. So if any of you have any way to contact Dale Jr. please have him get a Feng Shui expert, a voodoo priestess, priest, or Cherokee Shaman to come exorcise the place. Or maybe all of the above.
Seriously Jr's poor performance is also blamed for the poor ratings and poor sales of race memorabilia. I don't know what the answer is, but I do hope for the poor kid's sake that Team Hendrick can come up with a better solution because Lance McGrew as crew chief isn't the answer. Jr. was 19th in standings when McGrew took over as crew chief, after finishing the season with McGrew Jr. finished 25th.
Does that seem like improvement to you because it sure as heck doesn't to me?!

And lastly, yesterday was one of my favorite drivers last race because he is retiring but did you hear anything about from ESPN or SPEED? NO.
Yesterday was Sterling Marlin's last race. One of the greatest racers in the sport who won back to back Daytona 500's in 1994 & 1995 a feat only accomplished by two other men, Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough.
The only reason he didn't win a championship in 2002 when he led the points for 25 straight weeks is that he had to step out of his ride because of a broken neck. He didn't know he had a broken neck until his car owner Felix Sabates called and told him he had a broken neck. At the time he took the call he was on his backhoe, clearing brush off his property(how's that for being a tough guy!)

So babes that's it for now and in only 82 days the whole mess starts over again!!

David Poole
1959-2009

I was a fan of David Poole and was a regular follower of his blog. I am stunned and saddend by news of his death yesterday.
I will miss his columns and his blog.
Rest in Peace.

Daytona 500 finally here!

This is the first time in 40 years that a Petty has not been driving in the Daytona 500.
I am not able to express my sadness over this. UGH!
I am not the only one who is upset by this. Kyle Petty isn't that happy either. Read between the lines people-Kyle is obviously terribly hurt by recent events.
I can't imagine being the son of such a wildly successful father, there is NO WAY that you can EVER measure up. Kyle Petty did give up a pretty successful career to go back home and race with Petty Enterprises. Now his loyalty has been repaid by an unceremonious dumping.
And the beautiful Petty Blue 43 is now RED! That just AIN'T RIGHT!

This is also the first Daytona 500 Sunday that I haven't been with my mama. She stayed in Lexington this weekend. Hubs brought me home and will take me back tomorrow. We have been calling back and forth to each other though.