A Voice For The Fans ~ Is Over-hype a Word?
by: PattyKay Lilley
Hey racefans, did you hear the news? Junior won at Michigan! Yes, no kidding! He really did WIN! Of course, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski all have two victories each this year. Who cares? Junior WON! It’s wonderful, awesome, fabulous, fan-damn-tastic, and any other adjectives you care to insert! Junior finally took the checkered flag… but the sun will set in the west tonight and rise in the east tomorrow, just the same as it always has. The price of a gallon of either gasoline or milk will not be affected and the Presidential election will still be scheduled for November.
If that all sounds just a tad sarcastic, well… ya think? Don’t misunderstand; I like Junior as well as any other driver out there, but good grief, the ladies and gentlemen of the fourth estate are killing him!
Likewise, they are killing Danica Patrick in the same way. Those two are huge personalities in the sport today, larger than life, as they say, yet neither has done anything to deserve the massive hype and overkill they are receiving. Thank your lucky stars that they are not a couple or an “item” as they say on the rag shows on TV. That would end all racing in NASCAR in favor of an endless stroll through Camelot. Please know that I gagged on saying that.
Beyond that, Junior is second in the point standings. Praise the Lord! The lad is having a good year! Alas, that year is not even half over, and the time to celebrate is not yet at hand. There’s a quiet fellow named Kenseth sitting in first place, but it is the story of poor Matt’s life that no one talks about him. They didn’t even talk about him when he won the last Winston Cup in 2003. (I did, but “they” didn’t) His Championship was referred to as “boring”, and indeed seemed to have spawned the horrid system we see today… the one they call “The Chase.” Nope, neither fans nor media seem to care about Matt at all… but Junior won a race!
At the risk of not being considered a “proper” member of the motorsports media, which indeed is something I strive not to be, I’d like to suggest that there are at least one or two other stories in the wacky world of NASCAR that are at least as worthy of ink and air time as the three-day marathon of stories about the win at Michigan and O*M*G*, the kiss is Victory Lane. You folks do realize that Junior is 37-years old and doesn’t need permission to kiss a girl, don’t you? On that note, even though I will be a fan of his father for a lifetime, isn’t it about time he was allowed to just be Dale? It is his name, after all, and I see no disrespect in letting him use it.
In perusing the points, I see one driver that stands out as outstanding… pun intended… and that’s the older gentleman in 23rd place. That, gentle readers, is Mark Martin. Usually there would be nothing spectacular about 23rd place until you realize that the rest of the “regular” drivers have 15 races in their total, while Mark has run only 12. Even 3 races down to the field, he is good enough to maintain that position and collect three poles along the way, all at the tender age of 53. Go Mark!
And as long as I brought up the subject of regular drivers, has it crossed anyone’s mind that there are only 30 drivers that have raced all 15 races this year? Has it further crossed anyone’s mind that thirty is five LESS than are guaranteed a spot in any given race? Just looking at that stat and thinking about it kinda upsets the equilibrium doesn’t it? Something is way out of balance there. If you are thinking that NASCAR is guaranteeing spots in every race to teams that have every intention of starting, parking and collecting a check at the pay window, you would be correct. What could possibly be wrong with that picture?
For openers, it tends to make a mockery of the whole sport. Where is the challenge? Why do the fans no longer come to the track on qualifying day? Why even bother to qualify at all? Let’s just have the cars not in the exalted top-35 run a Hooligan race for placement at the rear of the field. NASCAR thought so little of qualifying that for the year 2011, they changed the entire format of the “Busch Clash”/”Budweiser Shootout” from a race for pole winners to some sort of clone of the All-Star race. Nice going fans, because it was You, the FANS, that convinced them what a mistake that was and our pole winners’ race was back this year. (Wasn’t it amusing to hear the FOX crew telling us all what a great idea it was to have a race for pole winners… as though there had never been one before?)
And then, gentle readers, let’s look at an example of over-hype in the opposite direction. Over the weekend, one of our members at RacersReunion posted an article from ESPN about a small dust-up on Saturday between Kurt Busch and Marty Smith. I posted my answer on the Forum Board, and it presents well the “other side of the coin.”
Ya know what? Despite the fact that no one gives a ding-dong what I think, I’m gonna tell you anyway. Just read that piece over a couple of times and then tell me what in Hades Kurt did wrong THIS time? Is he somehow honor-bound to smile pretty for Marty Smith’s camera? It is my contention that the media are ganging up on Kurt like sharks that smell blood in the water, and they are making Kurt the chum.
Kurt has a temper; that is an established fact. He is noted for not being a good interview, and will never win a personality contest. That’s just fact. So why, in the name of all that’s holy, do they continue to follow him, aggravate him and bait him? Is that some folks’ idea of fun? Well, it’s not MY idea of fun in any way.
Go back over the articles on Jayski’s page for the past two weeks. I’d wager without even peeking that perhaps a full 50% of them are about Kurt. Are we having fun yet?
A while back, when I decided that I was ready to return to writing actively for RacersReunion, Jeff asked me what I liked to write. I answered, “Whatever the rest of them are not writing about.” Motorsports, especially when narrowed to one sanctioning body, can be made boring when everything one sees, hears or reads is about the SAME THING!
It is NOT news that it’s easy to upset Kurt Busch. The NEWS yesterday was that the same Kurt Busch brought an ill-handling racecar to a third-place finish. For anyone else, that would produce good news. For Kurt, it’s yet another barb from yet another member of the exalted MEDIA! There have been many times when I have shrunk from even being considered a part of that term, and indeed, this is beginning to be one of them.
~PattyKay… maybe not such a great interview my own self!
Jeff, the HMWIC (Head Man What’s In Charge) around here, posted back, “Was that a hissy fit?”
I answered back, “Pretty much, but I can do better if you really [tick] me off.”
And on that note, be well gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling. It looks so good on you!
~PattyKay
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Nice job, PKL! You must feel a huge relief getting that off your chest…lol.
You had best be nice to me. I’m the best writer you have, and never mind the obvious comment. Others have “promised.” Ahem…
Does Jeff remember, “Riverside Raceway” in Dez Moines?
Can’t say Phil. He doesn’t get emails on my posts, so I’ll try to kick him out here sometime later. Not sure why he’d know Iowa. He’s down here in my part of the world… the great Southeast, but he does know a lot. I’m “assuming” you are not talking about the Riverside in California, which now lies beneath the ground under a cursed shopping mall. There is one in Iowa, but my expertise ends there. Never been that far west.
Tell Jeff to quit stomping his feet— I will commend you your little invocation on Jr and even rowdy’s Bro. But wait we missed one that wasnt to happy Sun after the Race. I guess finishing second —–behind Jr is not the norm o–well ———————-memories
Johnny, Tony is not as evil as he seems. He loves to spark the Media and he does it to perfection. Surely you recognize sarcasm when you see it. You are a master at it. If he ticks some people off along the way, well… so be it. Kinda sounds like me, doesn’t it?
Patty Kay, You are right about Tony. He loves to be sarcastic to bait the press and so many people take it the wrong way. The frenzy the media works people (fans) into sometimes is just downright hilarious. But then, I remember what happened to Hank Williams Jr when the press and fans kept pushing him to be like his Dad. It saddens me that they won’t leave Jr alone and let him be himself rather than some sort of reincarnation or something he would rather not be. Of course, this is all just my opinion.
Vivian, what a revelation! You and I agree. Funny, but I honestly don’t recall a time when we didn’t agree, even in our rating of TV coverage all those years ago. I do remember Bocephus and the misery the media put him through. (And yes, fans deserve a share of the blame in both instances) I’ve always credited that with the words to “Family Tradition”, a song I really would have preferred had not been written. The pressure under which they can put a person, especially one that is young and vulnerable, is tremendous and should not be abused, but who’s going to convince them? I just keep doing what I do and hoping it might reach just one person.
I’m glad you’ve learned to say “tick” me off.
I also told you that Kurt was the best driver out there.
Jerry, though I didn’t need you to tell me Kurt can drive, did it ever occur to you that might be why I call this “A Voice for the Fans?” We know beyond a doubt that we are read on Daytona Beach. Fans tell me things, I pass them along.
Oh, and what makes you think it said “tick” originally. Note the brackets Professor.
Very good, PK – keep up the good work. It’s becoming more and more amazing to me at how similar you and I think. What’s that saying about great minds? LOL. At any rate, you’re doing a good job and I’m really enjoying your writings. Some of your stuff might sound like a hissy fit at times, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the garbage being produced by many of these so-called media jerks who probably do not possess even half of the racing knowledge that you have. Thanks much.
Thanks for the kind words Ernest. We do seem a lot alike, you and I. Wonder if it’s an age thing. ~LOL
Oh, and this is just between the two of us of course, but I do my best work in the midst of a hissy fit. Gotta work up a bit of a lather to tell it as it really is.
Thank you so much for putting in writing what us “just plain fans” feel! I’m happy for Junior! He finally won his 2nd race in 6 years! (I just read he’s the on Forbes as highest paid driver….wonder since he finally won a race for Hendricks will he get a raise?). I absolutely have nothing against Junior..but I would have liked to see another car or two..or action in the pack..those last 30 laps of the race….but hey Junior’s car did have a nice wrap job! By the way what happened to put Martin 5 laps down? I like Kurt ..most of the time I feel the media reap what they sow in interviews…I would love to see Kurt replace Newman at SHR in 2013! now that would be a SHR threesome to watch!
Hi Erin! Thanks for the comments. First I have to say that there is no such things as “Just plain fans.” All fans are special. That’s a lesson that NASCAR forgot for a while, and they too are now reaping what they have sown by way of empty grandstands and sagging TV ratings.
If Dale can maintain his placement at or near that top of the points, that would be a huge adrenalin boost for the whole sport. I look forward to it with fingers crossed.
I’ve wanted to do a column for the fans for years, but circumstances didn’t allow for that until now, and I am loving it. As I told someone else earlier, I listen to what the fans are saying… not the media, but the fans themselves, and give them a voice here to be heard. If you like what you see, tell all your friends.
As for Mark, he was another victim of a Toyota engine with only 10 laps to go. He was running 7th until it blew.
You know, I’m sure polls have been conducted on this Junior thing, but I find it so difficult to believe if not for Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR would be in the so called pits! I truly just don’t get it. I have a fav driver, Stewart, whom I have followed since his Indy ride…in NASCAR before his passing I enjoyed Kulwicki . My watching the races however, is not about an individual driver, but about the sport itself. I wonder if the Junior fans who would leave the sport if Junior was not racing anymore are really racing fans, or people who feel the need to ride the coattails of the son of The Intimadater?
Erin, I used to have a favorite driver, and it was Dale’s Father, Dale Sr. However, I’ve never forgotten and often said that it takes ALL of them, which at this time is 43 drivers, willing to risk life and limb on a given weekend just for my entertainment. It’s tough to run a race with only one car, not to mention boring. With that in mind, I always cheer for all of them, some more than others maybe, but I do really appreciate everyone that answers the green flag.
NASCAR at this time has more problems than whether Dale wins a race. All of us have opinions on solving the problems, some might work and some might not. Regarding people leaving the sport, NASCAR fans are a dedicated lot. Many fans did leave when Dale Sr. was killed at Daytona in 2001.
Forget the current fads; Dale Earnhardt Sr. was truly the “Face of NASCAR” and death wasn’t supposed to happen to heroes… but it did. A lot of fans did leave when he died, and other aspects of the sport itself changed radically, some things, such as safety measures, greatly improved. Other things went another way.
Would the son carry the same weight as the father? I really don’t know, but I do know it’s possible. And… I do know that our words will be read by someone that matters,so never be afraid to have your opinion and share it.
I wish that we had better tracks and drivers in Sprint Cup and we didn’t throw Monkeys at Danicamaniac and her overfed hype machine. I’d prefer to know drivers before they where famous instead.
Tony, in my humble estimation, we have the best tracks in the world, except that too many of them too closely resemble each other today, and we also have the best drivers, just not enough of them. There’s plenty of talent to be had. A visit to your local short tracks will attest to that. As with everything else, it’s all about the money, and there isn’t any.Teams that should be competitive are struggling even to field a car.
It’s a cycle, and those of us with long memories know we’ve been through it before. It’s racing, and I’m sticking with it, as I’ve always done. I’m pretty sure you will too.
I am shocked, SHOCKED that a Hendrick Motorsports driver won a Cup race at Michigan! AND, Katty Pay… he got a kiss from his girlfriend.
On another subject, Tim Flock raced with a monkey in his car a few times in the 50′s. NOW we have a monkey DRIVING the Pimp Daddy Nationwide #7. :::cough:: haha
Steven, you seem to take it for granted that a Hendrick car would win at Michigan, but if you check your facts, you’ll find that Ford, not Chevy, has been the dominant car in the Irish Hills over many decades. Without the onset of the COT alias IROC cars, they probably still would be.
I do believe I covered the now infamous kiss in Victory Lane, and it may not surprise you to know that Jocko Flocko was a good friend of mine. ~LOL (He really was adorable)
While I know you are joking with me, others may not, so I’m going to ask you to tone down the Danica jokes a bit. Children read here too you know. Now behave young man or Mama will wash your mouth out with Ivory Soap…eeew, just the thought of that is punishment.