First up, is an admission that I finally agree with Kyle Busch about one thing. No, Jeff, I am not becoming a Kyle Busch fan as you once predicted, but I am in full agreement with him that the advertising efforts from Chris Browning and his staff at Darlington Raceway, which exalted the boxing glove clad Kyle and Kevin Harvick, were in poor taste. Kyle opined that sponsors looked upon such advertising as negative publicity and I have to agree with Kyle on that one. Kyle has, much more so than his brother, tried very hard this year to be a softer, gentler Kyle. Whether or not the Busch temper curse will raise its ugly head later this year remains to be seen, but so far this year he has raced clean and has, from all I’ve seen, been a gentleman.
Also, there were many advertisements on TV from Darlington which showed races from there over the years; some great footage from the 50s and 60s. While I appreciate seeing those scenes, it does pain me to compare what we had back then with what they call racing at Darlington now.
Again, remember, I am not a Kyle Busch fan, but another issue from Darlington has me in his corner for this one although he has not, to my knowledge , made any statement whatsoever in this regard. This concerns Ms. Danica Patrick. Kyle was parked, and rightfully so, for what he did in the truck race at Texas last year. Ms. Patrick, however, dumps Sam Hornish, Jr. AFTER the checkered flag, admits it, and NASCAR had indicated that she “may” receive punishment at Darlington. I have not read nor heard ONE word about anything NASCAR may have done about her actions. Not only that, but there was a time, and I’m not sure when it ended, that new drivers at Darlington had to take a “rookie test” and be approved before racing. Not only did Ms. Patrick avoid the rookie test but she turned down an opportunity to ride with David Pearson or Cale Yarborough around the track. She did, however, arrive at a press conference driving a race car and was wearing tight leather and very high heeled shoes. I read that, didn’t see it, but the source was very reliable.
If you gather that I have no use for Danica Patrick, you would be right. Some of the reasons have to do with the way she was praised and glorified Friday night in the Nationwide race where she finished 12th I think, in a lackluster finish while two young drivers in whom I have a great deal of interest, Timmy Hill and Danny Efland, finished in the top twenty and Danny Efland with almost NO financial support of any kind outside his family. He didn’t have a mark on his car until very late in the race when Kurt Busch slid into him and even then Danny held his own, came out of that without damage and continued. Yet, that was only the third time Efland’s car had been shown and the ONLY time he was mentioned. I didn’t hear Timmy Hill mentioned once until the final rundown was given. Folks, that’s just not right. The "Face of NASCAR" or not, that young lady is not, in my opinion, worth that. But there is more.
Before we go to the more, I do want to take a moment to compliment Carl Edwards (please note PattyKay I did not call him “Duck Boy”) on the outstanding job he did in the announcer’s booth for television Friday night. He was/is the most professional driver turned commentator that I’ve heard in quite awhile. There is no way to compare him to the two idiots from Owensboro because he is so far above those two.
Now, on to Saturday night and the “Southern 500” as they choose to call this night time spectacle. As my Legendtorial stated emphatically last week, Darlington has always held a special place for me. The Southern 500 belongs on Labor Day, during the daylight, and in spite of efforts to equate what they run there now at night to the historic Southern 500, it is not the Southern 500. The first 300 laps of that race Saturday night were more reminiscent of the Southern 500 Parade they used to hold in downtown Darlington on Labor Day weekend. Just missing the Shriners in their laughable cars, but otherwise, it was, for the most part, a follow the leader round and round. Frankly, I still think watching cars run Darlington, even in the single file formation, is thrilling, but it isn’t exactly racing. And this follow the leader deal is NOT because Darlington is a one groove track as certain talking heads want us to believe. It is, and I realized this in spades Saturday night, the current state of affairs in NASCAR Cup races that we’ll ride until 50 miles to go and then we’ll race. Is that fair to the fans that bought the tickets? Could that be a reason not many are buying tickets? Could that even be the reason not that many tune in to watch on TV? Think about it. What say you?
Ok, now this is going to sound like a broken record, but I’m going to have to say it one more time. The Waltrips disgust me! Listening to them makes my ears hurt; looking at them makes my eyes blur, and to know they get paid for being on television leads me to believe that television is a vast wasteland, as was once stated by someone of stature. To watch Mikey wiggle around and shake like he needs to find a bathroom real quick every time he mentions Danica Patrick is revolting. And D. W. is worse. Near the end of Saturday’s race, Danica was running 36th, six laps down when Mikey, D.W. and Larry Mac went into a praise mode, talking about what a great job she was doing in her first attempt at Darlington as the camera stayed on her, running the low groove for the most part. Now I do have to give her credit. She has raced Darlington and I haven’t. So have many, many other drivers with far less financial backing and equipment than she had and they have done far better. Danica’s comments about the race, before and after, sound as though they were scripted by a speechwriter for some politician who is pulling the wool over the eyes of the public. Ms. Patrick is certainly pulling the wool over the eyes of the racing world with what she is doing and moreover, being allowed to do by NASCAR. Don Imus and Rush Limbaugh got in trouble for calling certain females by less than favorable handles so I’ll not go there tonight because I don’t want the wrath of Zeus Radio to come down on me. That Zeus dude plays with lightning bolts.
I am sick of Danica Patrick. I am sick of D.W. I am sick of Mikey. I am so sick of the phony baloney being put out by NASCAR and the folks at FOX that it is unlikely that I will tune in for the All Star Race or the 600. NASCAR faces a huge problem with the All Star race which I’m waiting to see how they will resolve. They have Queen Patrick NOT qualified for the event. They have King Dale, Jr. also not qualified. Although there are already several scenarios by which both can make the All Star race all those scenarios smell to high heaven. I really do want to see how they resolve that problem. I can see the pencils coming out for that blank page in the rule book.
Ok, for those of you who take exception, e-mail me at legendtim83@yahoo.com. Any of you who agree are welcome to e-mail me too. Always great to hear from the listeners. One thing for sure, if the young man in Charlotte who got so upset with me a few months ago for saying good things about D.W., here’s your chance to e-mail me again. As before, I’ll answer your e-mail. As before, you’ll get my absolute opinion. Unlike the last e-mail exchange however, I will not try to defend D.W. I tried. I truly have tried. I am taking my medication, unlike Kurt Busch, but even highly medicated I can no longer tolerate what is happening to my sport. I am aware there are those of you who will e-mail me and tell me I owe it to NASCAR to hang in there. I once believed that and I want to believe that again. But tonight is not one of those nights.
Oh, and D.W., if you’re listening, tell me again why Darlington is called “The Lady in Black”. I really need that explained from your point of view. Seriously, D.W., you and I need to talk.
