Now that we’ve had that little lesson in the history, let me tell you why it came to mind. I watched both the Nationwide and the Cup race from Darlington this past weekend. It occurred to me, watching the races, that the drivers handling Darlington, running right against the SAFER Barrier, is a thing of beauty. Of course, I realize that it may not be so to others, but it is to me. There is just something about Darlington and watching those drivers handle those cars around that track that compares, in my mind, to the best movements of figure skating or ballet. It is beauty in its truest form when the car, at the absolute limit of control, makes lap after lap within an inch or two of the wall. In my mind, only one other track, ever, had this beauty and that was the old Atlanta International Speedway before Bruton got his hands on it and ruined the track with the two quarter miles straights and two half-mile turns. But still, Darlington rules, hands down.
I remember going to Darlington in the days before the concrete walls, when there were only the steel guardrails. I remember watching the cars go through turns three and four, which have since been resituated to be turns one and two, and easing into that railing as they entered the turn and ridging that rail all the way until they were coming off turn four. That was the fast way around and that’s what it took to be competitive then. I remember one year, going over to watch practice and riding outside turns three and four as Cale Yarborough came around. From the outside of the track, you could see the guardrail “wiggle” as the car slid along it. To me, using the rail to increase speed was beautiful.
Then came the concrete walls. I was at most of the races run after the walls were put up so all I could see was the beauty of the competition as one driver would set up another for the past in the one or two areas of the track where equal cars could hope to pass. Now, I watch on television and the camera angles show the extreme control it takes to negotiate that track. To me, that is poetry in motion. I like it. Today, in my opinion, there is no track on the circuit that can match Darlington for the pure essence of racing a stock car. After all, the eye of this beholder sees it maybe a little differently than you may.
While we are on the subject of Darlington, congratulations to Kyle Busch for his mastery of the track “Too Tough To Tame” on Friday night in the Nationwide race. I will say, and no disrespect intended, that it’s not much of a big deal when Kyle is out there in a car so well backed financially that half the field put together can’t match his bankroll for the event. The eternal discussion of Cup drivers competing against Nationwide drivers is not to be debated here, but I do think NASCAR could do everyone more justice if points in Nationwide were awarded ONLY to the Nationwide drivers withOUT counting finishing positions of the Cup interlopers. I know NASCAR doesn’t award points to the non-Nationwide competitors but what I’m saying is that the finishing order should be determined by Nationwide competitors and points awarded accordingly. For instance, if a Cup driver wins and a Nationwide regular finishes second, then that Nationwide driver should get first place points. Say the next Nationwide regular finishes sixth, he should get second place points. Just totally disregard the outsiders in awarding the points and that would allow the Nationwide drivers to decide their championship among themselves. Just thinking that is a little more fair.
As for “The Southern 500”, albeit in name only, you have to feel for Kyle Busch to have dominated like he did to be denied with 13 laps to go. I didn’t leave the radio on long enough to hear if he was interviewed after the race, but considering his personality, if he declined, that is understandable, and although I don’t like it, I’m willing to accept it as an extreme letdown.
I would like to call attention though to the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas. Are we supposed to believe that JGR is working harder than Jack Rousch, Rick Hendrick and Richard Childress. Are we supposed to believe that with MWR fielding Toyotas that they can’t keep up with the JGR cars? Really? And explain this dominance by Matt Kenseth this year. In virtually every race, including Talladega, he could hardly be caught, much less passed. Oh, and while we are on that subject, thinking back to Talladega, I never, and I mean NEVER, want to hear Matt Kenseth, or one of his fans, complain about blocking. The moves he was making at ‘Dega were such blatant blocking that I’m surprised someone didn’t put him into the wall just for principle.
Remember when Joey Logano was considered “sliced bread” when JGR signed him? If he was so good, why didn’t he do with the 20 what Kenseth has done? Is it possible that Kenseth is the entire loaf? I never cared for Logano that much, and still don’t, but something just seems odd there. Toyota Racing Development is building the engines for JGR. They have already been caught “cheating”, and yes I know there are those listening who will scream out that the “cheating” was so inconsequential as not to make a difference. Remember Toyota’s first adventure into Cup with MWR in 2007 and the “mysterious substance” found at Daytona? What is going on with JGR Toyotas this year just seems to be out of bounds to me, but, again, that is in the eye of this beholder but it’s NOT beauty. I remember when it was first announced that Toyota was coming into Cup someone wrote an article regarding Toyota buying its way into whatever competition series would suit their purposes and would come in, buy, cheat, and steal whatever necessary to dominate. I tried to find that article for a direct quote before writing this, but can’t locate it. For you naysayers, yes, it did exist and it was written by someone with a background in motorsports.
Remember, these are my opinions, and I am not accusing, I’m merely saying that I do not accept the dominance of the JGR Toyotas in racing this year. What we are seeing, in my opinion, is an underlying current of subversity that will someday come to light. Even when NASCAR penalizes the team, the penalities are virtually overturned in every area that matters to JGR. Just funny to me, that’s all. I have to wonder when Coach Joe holds those after the race “prayer meetings” if he’s thanking God for a safe race, or praying the team won’t be caught cheating.
But, as we end The Legendtorial tonight, let’s go back to the beauty. Darlington was beautiful. The aerial shots made the track look like a string of diamonds on black velvet. The crowd looked good, and the infield, where I spent so many nights and race days, seemed packed to capacity with fans although the actual parking area allocated for fans now is nothing like it was back when I was going. Once a year Darlington shines. In some strange and odd way, it seems appropriate that it be on Mother’s Day weekend. After all, had Harold Brasington not built that track, there would have been no “mother” for Daytona, Charlotte, Atlanta, or all the other superspeedways that came after. Darlington is known as the “Lady in Black” among other nicknames, but in reality, it should be known as the “Mother of Super speedway stock car racing”. In the eyes of this beholder, that is beauty.
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