Forum Activity for @andy-denardi

WANT TO READ ABOUT A 20 MILLION DOLLAR A YEAR DEAL IN NASCAR?

Current NASCAR

Wouldn't surprise me if they didn't have a sponsor next year. Then the big question becomes - what are we gonna call this thing? The way they've loosely tossed around names like, Grand National, Grand American, Modified, Sportsman, stritcly Stock, Cup and others, leaves the all their series with no clear definition sans sponsor.

The people that will benefit are Nationwide because that's what most fans will call it, and they'll get free advertising. I know that I still call it the Busch series. And Craftsman Trucks. There's no unifying name that they're willing to stick with for more than a couple of years. The same is happening to sports stadiums.

Force shows Rahal how fans are really the force

General

I also disagree that NASCAR understand. And I may be mistaken, but I believe that Indycar has free access to the pits at all street and road courses. Those which make up the bulk of the schedule.Graham Rahal is the typical playboy racer. His father had a tough climb up the ladder but Graham was driving $50,000 cars when he was twenty. Marco Andretti was the same although he's starting to come around. Graham's problem isn't marketing, he's well liked, photogenic and doesn't whine about sponsor appearances. The problem is that he's not living up to the hype.It's a bit unfair to compare him to John Force and his organization too. John is a publicist's dream, friendly, forthright and always smiling. Few people other than Richard Petty can match him. What Rahal should be learning is to keep your head down and do the work. even if you have 16 championships, you work hard, you treat your crew right, and you do what everyone asks you to do even though you're a superstar. If John Force was in NASCAR instead of NHRA he'd be as well-known as AJ Foyt was in the Sixties. And he would have kicked Earnhardt back to the stone age if he tried any of that bump and run stuff.One more thing. Courtney Force should be getting all the press that Danica does. She's the real deal and so was her sister Ashley.

recent Petty biographies?

Stock Car Racing History

I think the story needs to be told. Once he left Chrysler he was swimming against the tide and some newer fans might conclude he was only successful because he was Chrysler's #1 man (let's ignore Hendrick & GM for the moment).

If I may be indiscreet, the principals in this story won't be around forever. Jimmie Johnson will win at least seven championships and the feat begins to look less difficult. I'd like to see the story told before he becomes as forgotten as Fred Lorenzen and Buck Baker. Richard Petty had a profound affect on my life, up to and including my decision to move to North Carolina. I've read your stuff, I think you understand.

recent Petty biographies?

Stock Car Racing History

I was almost ready to say that Richard should pack up the team and retire, but then I saw those all blue paint jobs on the Smithfield cars. They're not going to get far with Ambrose and Amirola though. Maybe Carl Edwards will find himself locked out everywhere else and have to go to Petty. I want to see Richard in Victory Lane with the #43 just one more time. Hopefully at onbe of the old tracks, like Richmond, Martinsville or Darlington.

recent Petty biographies?

Stock Car Racing History

Have there been any fairly recent biographies of The King? I'm curious to read someone's opinion of how and why it went downhill so fast after 1979. Whether another driver could have saved Petty Enterprises if Richard had retired ten years earlier in 1982.

I know that the sport changed and few drivers are still competitive after twenty years. But Petty Enterprises knew how to build great cars and how to run a team. Kyle obviously wasn't the ticket, but could someone like Mark Martin or Dale Jarrett have kept them going? It breaks my heart to see RPM as a third tier team today.

updated by @andy-denardi: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

IT A TWO FOR JUNIOR -- Dale Jr that is

Current NASCAR

This appears to be Junior's year. That's not to say he'll win the championship, but he'll make the top six at least. It's hard to bet against Jimmie though. Even if Hendrick put all his money and effort into Junior (because he'd reap more money from it), Jimmie & Chad know enough to come out ahead.My prediction is that a Stewart-Haas driver will win it all though.

D.W., tell me again how your racing babe turned the corner at Kansas

Administrative

Don't get too proud now, Legend. By this time next year, she'll have a win on a non-restrictor plate track. It's gonna happen, even if NASCAR has to give her one of the King's super-sized engines. Her equipment is too good, and her market value is too high to let the opportunity pass. She has talent on big ovals, so maybe Michigan, Texas or Fontana. Daytona and Talladega are free-for-all's so any wins there don't count.

The girl is getting better. She only has one top 10 finish this year but has been up that high during several races. She'll be lucky to have three career wins but we can expect to see her mixing it up on occasion. She runs a long game, pacing herself to be up by attrition. Unfortunately, she hits a lot of stuff so she never gets a payoff on that strategy. She's making millions and running at the top levels of the sport, so she's got all of us beat from the get-go.

PS: Pocono was either the 2nd or 3rd race I've watched all year. It's because the Waltrips weren't there. I think the coverage was much worse than a Fox race, but it was worth it. I been watching races on TV since the Sixties so my standards for a decent broadcast are pretty low. I was satisfied with Bud Lindemann's Car & Track.

600 Tops Weekend Sports TV Ratings, But Indy Was Up & Charlotte Down - Busch says Indy Well Promoted

General

The Indy 500 has traditions. They used to be able to stretch the celebrations over the entire month. Memorial Day, Jim Nabors singing back home again in Indiana, the pace car, the Festival Parade, Purdue Marching Band, the memorabilia show, Tom Carnegie, milk in victory circle, ABC-TV. These are known to 500 fans even if they never attend the race in person. They even stole kissing the bricks from NASCAR.As I see it, NASCAR has two traditional races, The Daytona 500 and Southern 500. Daytona isn't tied to a holiday and is overshadowed by the Super Bowl a week earlier. The all-star rules change yearly, and nobody of consequence takes that race seriously anyway. We all know how the Southern 500 was torn down.The Indy 500 sells itself as a family reunion and celebration of Midwest tradition. The Daytona 500 celebrates NASCAR. The Indy 500 has been around for twice as long, but Daytona has had ample time to build something. NASCAR needs to work harder to promote more history than a five second clip of Allison & Yarbrough fighting. They need to promote the heck out of it all month. They need to more one-time rides. They need to remind people how cold it is everywhere but Florida.

Kurt Busch's 1100-Mile Day from the Indy Viewpoint

Stock Car Racing History

You have an extra character at the end of your link and that redirects the link to your Carb Day story

IF YOU WATCHED INDY OPENING TODAY YOU SAW IT FOR THE LAST TIME

Current NASCAR

It's not just that the announcing is worse, but there are a lot more promotional messages and irrelevant sponsor mentions. I could be wrong, but there seem to be many more commercials also. Bestwick did a good job in the NASCAR booth but I thought his real talent was on that panel show with Mikey and Ken Schrader. He would be great on a Wind Tunnel type show farther on in his career.