Forum Activity for @ernest-sutton

2-Man Bobsled Racing

General

It seems to me that what used to be some of the best racing on the Cup circuit, i.e. Daytona and Talladega, has degenerated to something that reminded me of 2-man bobsled racing. Besides this particular impression, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., was quoted as saying that he and Jimmie Johnson had a prerace agreement that he would stay committed and hopefully push Johnson to the win. Has the objective ofNASCAR racing declined so much that drivers are now committing themselves to 2nd place or worse? I always thought the definition of racing was to see who could get to the checkered flag first.
updated by @ernest-sutton: 04/01/17 03:45:29PM

Question of the Day for March 29,2011

General

I like Kyle Busch's driving style and I believe he is one of the best talents on the tracks today. His NASCAR record and his wins in those threeseries is admirable.However, I don't see how anyone can just lump all his wins into one category. To my knowledge, that's never been done before. If that were legitimate, then you have to take a look at past drivers such as Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, Buzz Stevens, and many more who had NASCAR-sanctioned wins. I didn't see the exchange between the commentators last weekend, but frankly, I don't understand why any experienced NASCAR person would even broach that subject.

Question of the day for March 27, 2011

General

I really liked the #22 black and gold '62 Pontiac Catalina that Fireball Roberts drove to victory in the '62 Daytona 500......back when stock cars were real. It was sponsored by Stephens Pontiac in Daytona and built by Smokey Yunick, and I thought it was the prettiest race car I had ever seen. I was a huge Fireball Roberts fan at that time, but I never cared as much for the red and white version of the same car (or maybe the '63 version).Ialso really enjoyed watching any of the Plymouth Superbirds and Dodge Daytonas when they were running. Those cars just looked fast........even when they were sitting still.

The new Bristol

General

Without itemizing all the changes which have occurred in NASCAR racing over the last 8-10 years............tracks, cars, rules, formats, etc.............it seems to me that the sport has just gotten progressively worse with each change. I believe the direct result of this regression has been the declining ticket sales and declining TV ratings. I don;t understand why the powers-that-be in the NASCAR "ivory tower" have been seemimgly blind to the reasons for these happenings..................especially since they have been brought to their attention so many times. It's as if they just turn a deaf ear to the fans............especially those loyal core fans who made the sport what it is.

Question of the day for March 25, 2011

General



Pete Banchoff said:

Wow PK, lots of talent sitting on that cart!! Great picture.

Got that right, Pete.........and those were the good ole days.

Question of the day for March 25, 2011

General

Yes, I did meet my favorite driver face-to-face, and he was everything I ever thought he was. I was fortunate enough to be in the Daytona pits/garage area in January, 1997 and 1998, when several teams were there for tire testing. In 1997, I met Richard Petty, had my picture taken with him, and just generally hung out in the garages all day. I have always been a big Richard Petty fan and I don't believe there has ever been a better goodwill ambassador for NASCAR racing than Richard. He was never too busy to stop and talk to a fan, express his appreciation for the fans,or give an autograph. In January, 1998, Richard Childress was there with his teams and I was fortunate enough to meet my other most favorite driver of all time, Dale Earnhardt.........had my picture taken with him and his famous #3. Dale was not always quite as accessible as Richard, but he was friendly and accomodating on that day. Of course, he had to be careful to protect his reputation as The Intimidator. In my opinion, there has never been a more talented driver than Dale on the NASCAR tracks, and I loved watching him race. To say that I was impressed with both of these meetings would be an understatement. I could not believe my good fortune of being in the right place at the right time. Furthermore, Earnhardt was not the cold, unfriendly person that many people thought he was. That man was anonymously generous so many times that most people were unaware of , but as I said earlier, he had to be careful to protect his Intimidator reputation. That was the year he won the D500......which I was fortunate enough to be a witness to, as well.

Question of the Day for March 24, 2011

General

This one's pretty easy for me. I have watched races in Daytona from just about everywhere around the track - infield, pits, grandstands, etc.............but on February 18, 1979, I was in the infield between turns 3 & 4. Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough had been battling for the lead much of the day, and on the last lap of the race as they were approaching turn 3, they got together and wound up taking each other out of the race. I still cannot tell you to this day who wrecked who..........but that is when the famous fight occurred in the grass between turns 3 & 4 between combatants Cale, Donnie, and Bobby Allison......as Bobby had stopped to check on his brother. Sometime afterward, Bobby uttered those famous words that "Cale just kept banging his nose on my fist". Of course, Richard Petty was the unexpected beneficiary of the last lap situation between Donnie and Cale as he went on to win his 6th Daytona 500. This was also the first live-televised NASCAR Grand National race............and they could not have picked a better one to show to a television audience.

Question of the Day for March 23, 2011

General

My father introduced me to stock car racing back in the late '40s/early '50s - dirt track in Albany, GA, called Suicide Circle. I guess he began taking me there when I was about 6 years old.Once it gets in your bloodstream, it just never goes away. Some of the drivers I still remember are Eddie McDonald, Harvey Jones, Gober Sosebee (1 race), Aubrey Holley, Sam McQuagg. Most of the same drivers raced at Valdosta 75 Speedway (late '50s/early '60s), Valdosta, GA,where I witnessed Cale Yarborough get his 1st Grand National win around '65 or '66. My first experience seeing asphalt racing was the Atlanta 500 in 1960 - had never seen race cars go that fast before. I also remember seeing my first race on the Daytona track in '63 - the D500 when Marvin Panch got hurt in a practice accident and Tiny Lund drove Panch's Holman/Moody Ford to victory. I was a huge Fireball Roberts (#22 Pontiac)fan in those days and couldn't believe those '63 fastback Fords had finished 1-2-3-4-5 that day. Those were the "good ole days" of stock car racing when "stock cars" were really stock cars.

Question of the Day, March 22, 2011 Decade of the 70s

General

No contest - Richard Petty with 5 championships............Cale Yarborough also made very significant contributions to the sport.

Question of the day for March 21, 2011

General



Frank Craig said:

There is no question.Wendell Scott,because of what he had to go through in those times.

As much as I respect what Wendell Scott did against incredible odds (considering the environment of that decade), I don't believe he had as much impact on NASCAR racing as the others memtioned here (Petty, Pearson, Roberts, and Johnson to a degree). I was going to Grand Naational races in those days and saw Wendell race many times.........I always greatly admired what that man was able to accomplish in what was typically known as a "white man's sport" in those days. I will always have a huge amount of admiration for his determination and stick-to-itiveness to just keep on keeping on with only his family for help and support.