Follow the Leader
Written by Douglas Brown · February 12, 2008
Well it’s February and in Motorsports that means one thing: Daytona. This year, “The Great American Race” welcomes an influx of international stars also known as “Guys That Used to Pilot Really Fast Cars.”
New York Times: Trade-In: Open Wheel for Stock Cars
Super Bowl coverage has passed (Can you believe the Pats(y) lost?) and editors need something to write about. The Yankees and Mets are withdrawing from HGH and the Knicks suck. Don’t even get me started on the Rangers. College basketball gets more coverage than the Blueshirts! Yet, the New York Times, notorious for their lack of motorsports coverage, ran a story on the new-to-Nascar group of international and previously open-wheel series drivers.
Here we go agian. From my remote viewing location (the pages of AutoWeek magazine) I laughed all season long at AJ Allmendinger’s “dinger” of a performance (23 Avg. Start, 32 Avg. Finish). I’m still amazed Montoya won the Rookie of the Year Award, although he did win one race (road course!) and finished in the Top 20 points, somehow.
This season Dario and Sam jump ship from the IRL and Hornish all but admits that he’s scared of today’s Indy Car speeds. The French-Canadian connection arrives with Jacques Villeneuve (Please, just retire. With some dignity) and Patrick Carpentier (From the “Where Are They Now?” files).
They all say the COT (a.k.a. “The Car To Puts Ya To Sleep”) is a major factor for the moves. Carpentier explains the learning curve is much flatter as all drivers and teams are adapting to the new machines. Plus, it’s a safer ride. Since when did racing cars, or better yet going faster than the other guy become all about safety? Oh right … 2/18/01. Hope the COT makes Sam and Dario “I Didn’t Know The Race Was Over and Almost Killed Us Both” more comfortable as they move closer to bedding their careers forever.
I understand the economics of racing. I understand the ego-confidence issues for high dollar athletes and drivers. I understand driving in Nascar is easier and slower (and safer?) than other series. Just understand that I won’t be watching. I’ll be getting some Sunday afternoon Zzzs on my cot.
WELL, aren’t a pleasant, refreshing and positive type of guy! Until such a time as you have somthing intelligent and interesting to say perhaps you can do us all a favor and retire yourself!
“Since when did racing cars, or better yet going faster than the other guy become all about safety?”
Guess you forgot about the a death that shocked the world on 1 May, 1994.
Or June 12, 1966. Both deaths in their time made it “all about safety.”
Many sad days in the motorpostrs world, and I’ve witnessed two in person. NOt a good feeling for anyone.
I will edit myself with the correction:
FROM “become all about safety?”
TO “become ONLY about safety?”
I heard a joke once about turkeys drowning in the rain because they don’t have sense enough to look down and the rain flows into their nostrils. In your case we would have to add arrogance to the stupidity. Have you ever raced anything? Racing at 20 MPH is great if the race vehicle, (bike, kart, whatever) is at the edge of it’s performance envelope. Meanwhile, your open wheel (non-F1) boys will be trying to get someone to come buy tickets for their bankrupt sport that they are (like you) too arrogant and stupid to understand why no one watches. BTW real men don’t question other men’s courage.
Ahh Doug, you have thrown a cat amongst the OW vs Tin Top’s debate”.God Bless your little keyboard. I’m probably the last one to comment with any objectivity, my signature in the forums is ‘Toilets have doors’. LOL
However, may I please remind everyone to attack the message not the writer. The last thing we need on these boards is a return to the vitriol displayed a few weeks back over the Lewis Hamilton racism story. We are all big boys & can have a civilized disagreement.
I back every comment except the writer and eaterg, I think Dario & Sam will do very well in this series. Just because the other series are having some trouble doesn’t mean they can’t bounce back. Just like Champ and Indy are looking at maybe coming back where they once were and putting it all together where it needs to be, the bosses of the two series need to have a sit down as they say in mob movies and kiss and make up. Lets have a real Indy 500 then ticket sales will break records and raitings will rival the great American race. As for F1 we will just have to wait and see(baby steps). There have been many sad days in all of motor sports, the most recent is (Funny car driver Eric Medlen)So lets just stop saying my series can beat up your series! And lets just enjoy racing as a sport itself.