Forum Activity for @andy-denardi

Changes to Hall of Fame Eligibility Process and Voting

Stock Car Racing History

Good point on Wendell Scott. It may seem callous or racist, but I don't think Wendell belongs in the Hall of Fame based on the criteria we've set for everyone else. Sure, he endured a heck of a lot and was robbed of a win and his dignity; but he was a champion of a man not a champion driver. I would not object to a large display detailing his travails, but he doesn't have the bona fides to stand beside David Pearson. A Landmark Award would be a small measure of compensation.

Changes to Hall of Fame Eligibility Process and Voting

Stock Car Racing History

"Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions" - in other words, Anne B France is going into the Hall of Fame and we don't care what you think. This is also how they assuage the Raymond Parks people without admitting that Big Bill didn't do it all himself. This is probably the only cookie that Parks and Byron will get because they're too old for the desired demographic to care about. Bruton Smith gets one of these too.Schrader is a racer's racer. He's been everywhere and run most anything. But he's doesn't have Hall of Fame qualifications in the top three series. If he's done well in the lower tier then he should go in, but I don't know his record. Hornaday is a four-time champ, but failed in the big leagues. I think there's a difference between someone like Richie Evans, who dominated his series for many years, and someone who tried for the top and retreated to the lower series. I wouldn't object to Hornaday getting in, but I'd rather see fewer really great drivers than many pretty good ones.Martin & Elliott are shoo-ins for the Hall of Fame. There are many others I'd like to see get in first, but I understand why they want to rush things. Labonte? Alright, he's got two championships, but he's 32nd on the all-time wins list. I wouldn't hurry on that one. Honestly, I'd put in Herschel McGriff and James Hylton before any of those named above.i like that they're reduced the field from 25 to 20. Less dilution of votes across several well-qualified candidates. I think it would have worked better if they had increased the number elected by two or three instead.

#43 Picked from 137 Million Smithsonian Objects in 19 Museums as One of Top 101 Iconic American Items

General

I believe that these are the only other sports items in the list:
1937 Negro League Baseball
Muhammad Alis Gloves and Robe
Michael Jordans Jersey
1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Jersey

The only other automobile is a 1913 Model T Ford

Remember Wrestler Andre the Giant Living in Ellerbe and Frequenting Rockingham Races?

Stock Car Racing History

I didn't know Andre but have a similar memory.

As a teen, I vividly remember the day that I, in my Vega, honked the horn at some junk of a car that was taking too long to make a left turn. Out of the car came the 500+ pounds of Haystacks Calhoun, who happened to live down the street. He walked over, picked the front of my car about two feet off the ground, and held it there for about ten seconds while cursing like a sailor. That got my attention and I was a much more polite driver for years afterward. My front bumper was permanently bent into a frown just in case I ever forgot the lesson.

Would the Tweens, Twerps, Twerks, Twits and other Young Social Media Types Watch These Trucks???

Stock Car Racing History

Robbie Gordon believes they will. To the best of my knowledge, it's not making him a rich man, but it's successful enough.

Why Today's Sports Experts Need Racers Reunion

Administrative

That's not the sad part.Most of these guys are not racing fans and have no knowledge of the history of the sport. They rely on press statements to get the articles written.The sad part is that the mistakes they make are duplicated from official NASCAR sources. If this were an article on football, both the newspaper writer and the publicist would be fired within a day. The problem goes deeper than the kids running the Twitter feeds. I'd be willing to bet that Brian France can't tell you who was the Winston Cup champion the year he took his present position. I'll give him a hint: the same person as this year's champ.

Chevy SS

Current NASCAR

Chevrolet won the manuufacturer's championship last weekend for the 100th time in a row. With a car that may not be in showrooms until the last race of the season. Really?That sure would have made it easier for Ford in 1963, Dodge in 1968 and Chevy in 1986. You know, when they had to rush out a new model with a revised back window in order to qualify for homologation rules. Maybe they can lure Chrysler back by alloing them to run the sleek Alfa-Romeo that's been promised and undelivered for four straight years.
updated by @andy-denardi: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

Oct 27, 1973: The IROC series debuts

Stock Car Racing History

Based on several of the views that Keselowski has expressed this year, I don't consider his to be an informed opinion. I like him as a person, and I like that he's willing to speak his mind instead of toeing the NASCAR line. But I think he's at least one beer short of a six-pak.

The Wikipedia page for the Race Of Champions is convoluted and hard for me to read, but it appears as though the F1 stars should be used to getting beaten. I don't recognize the names of any of the winners, they mostly seem to be rally and DTM guys.

From what I've seen of those races, it's a reasonably fair competition. It would be nice if they could extend it over a few days and use full racetracks, but then you run into the scheduling problems that IROC had. If we wanted to determine an overall US champion, the races are already in place - Sebring - Daytona 500 - Indy 500. You'll no longer have identically prepared cars, but you'll have a fair idea of who's the best anyway.

Oct 27, 1973: The IROC series debuts

Stock Car Racing History

Those early Porsches had odd handling that probably gave the NASCAR guys a lot of headaches but David Pearson seems to have picked it up pretty quick. He genuinely was the best NASCAR driver of his era, possibly ever. I'm not sure how expensive it would have been to continue in the Porsches, I'm sure the manufacturer was picking up most of the bill. I think they went to the Camaro immediately afterward and that probably didn't give anyone an advantage. They were closer to Trans-Am than Winston Cup at that point, and European drivers were used to driving powerful sports cars.I wish it could continue, but they have an invitational European race that seems to come pretty close. Several types of cars and drivers from all of the major disciplines. It doesn't get a lot of publicity and I forget what it's called, but the NASCAR guys seem to hold their own. I think the rallye drivers usually take the trophy, which is not all that surprising considering the car control those guys have mastered.

The 43 will NOT race at Martinsville this weekend

Current NASCAR

I knew that Richard had been in different numbers and also about the Ulrich #6, but I didn't remember Kyle and Richard swapping numbers. I was an intermittent race follower during the Eighties because TV coverage wasn't great.

Yeah, you answered my question. I'd forgotten about Kyle going back to run Petty Enterprises, so I didn't realize it was that recent when he made the race and the #43 didn't. I was thinking of the days when Richard was still running and Kyle hadn't gone to Sabates.

If Bill Jr. were still running the show, this weekend's Martinsville race would be one of those days when he'd turn a blind eye one of Maurice's "extra-potent" engines. I don't think he ever gave anyone "the call", but he was a master promoter and knew how to use the tools at hand in an effort to get the greatest amount of positive press. There's not a person who doesn't want to see a blue Petty car in victory lane again.