Arrogant = Kyle Busch = Sore Loser and yet, even more.

I do not remember any driver [...]]]> Photo by Icon Sports Media
I do not believe I need to say the driver’s first or last name nor the car or truck numbers he drives in each of the series he is running in again this season.

Arrogant = Kyle Busch = Sore Loser and yet, even more.

I do not remember any driver being so arrogant and so untouchable as Kyle Busch is when things do not go the spoiled brat’s way. For one, he certainly needs to do a lot of growing up. I do not want to hear anyone say (but they will), that Dale Earnhardt was that way. 98% of the time Dale would talk to the media when things went right or wrong. Those doing the interviews might not like to hear what he had to say but he did not back down and run from anyone.

Tony Stewart has always reminded me of Dale and the way he has always handled the media. Tony does not back down and run away from post race interviews or after a track incidents that might take you and your car out of contention.

Oh yes, without a doubt, Busch is talented behind the wheel of everything he drives and he does win races. I for one would not want to be anywhere around him when incidents happen as they did to
him in the Nationwide race when his own teammate admittedly said in a interview post race “that
he messed up.” He tapped his stable mate and probably cost Busch to lose the race. I heard one of the commentator’s up in the Fox broadcast booth today comment that his crew chief would not even talk to him after the Nationwide race.

Sad that a rookie would stand up and allow himself to be interviewed but his partner on the track, Kyle Busch chose to walk away each time post race with his tail tucked between his legs. I thought it was very nice the way you stepped off the cart taking him to his motor coach walking away leaving your girlfriend behind. Very polite and courteous to her Mr. Busch. Perhaps your horrible personality and arrogant ways mean nothing to her for other reasons.

You need to grow up and face the post race interviews or interviews when the race is still going on and you are taken out of contention and face the media. You need to tell your handful of fans what you thought happened whether your opinion is right or not. Your fans deserve to hear what you have to say and not see a big crybaby walk away each and every time.

The bows you make each time you do win races is far from making you a role model aka mentor for children of any age., especially as popular M & M’s are to kids. Heck, I use to like them but it is a candy I have dropped off of my snack list as long as they sponsor someone who is so arrogant and not a nice person in the public eye they will stay off.

I understand it is your goal to win more NASCAR races then the record Richard Petty holds for winning racing in stockcars. You might want to make King Richard a role model or perhaps one of your fellow Sprint Cup drivers like Dale JR who you criticized so much. If anyone has a thousands reasons to walk away from a interview, it should be Dale JR yet he stands up and tells it like it is. He is polite gentleman he has always been whether winning or on a losing streak as he has been on.

It is my opinion only but those NASCAR wins should not be a combination of what you win running in all three series, Sprint Cup, Nationwide or the Camping World Truck series. Mr. Petty won those 200 races driving stockcars alone. Those are the only wins that should count towards your attempt in breaking Mr. Petty’s record.

We all know that 1 + 1 = 2 and 2 + 2 = 4 and by now, unless you live on another planet, Dale Jr. is in a long winless streak and Kyle Bush is the so called, named by me, “King of the Hill” when it comes to racing.

Why [...]]]>

Photos by ICON Sports Media

We all know that 1 + 1 = 2 and 2 + 2 = 4 and by now, unless you live on another planet, Dale Jr. is in a long winless streak and Kyle Bush is the so called, named by me, “King of the Hill” when it comes to racing.

Why does the news media whether it be in your daily sports section of your local newspaper, your favorite TV sports announcer and every race site all over the Internet keep on repeating what we fans already know. You each have ran “old” news about the 18 and 88 into the ground.

I sure won’t say how I feel about some commentators. One in particular who resides in my home state after a transplant from another keeps talking non-stop pre-during and post every Sprint Cup race each weekend about how great Kyle is and how bad Dale JR doing. I truly wish sometimes he would retire. Do I need to name names? I don’t think so.

It would take a NON fan of NASCAR and as I said above or someone living on another planet who never heard of NASCAR not to acknowledge the talent Kyle Bush has behind the wheel of whatever he is driving. We have been known to have Outhouse races here in Tennessee and without a doubt, if Kyle Bush entered, I guarantee you his ‘Outhouse’ would win and the news media would talk it into the ground about how poorly Dale JR’s pit stops were. Kyle Bush seems to have it together along with a super crew chief and over the wall pit crew.

I have friends who turned against Dale JR when he left what use to be his Daddy’s business, DEI. It is my opinion only but in all fairness, he was given no choice but to make a move. He made a move and one that he felt what was best for him. I cannot stand when I think about DEI, what use to be Dale Earnhardt’s dream and the ‘Legacy’ that he built for each of his children conjoined with another racing enterprise. When I hear the words, “Chip and Dale,” it makes me cringe.

To those who turned on Dale JR because of his move to HMS, in my opinion, were not a true fan of his to begin with. I was a fan of his father and would still be if he raced till he retired. That was not mean to be. I along with other fans of the man in the black # 3 went long times without a win but I never once stopped being a fan. A fan can only call themselves a true fan if they stick behind their driver win or lose. That is how I feel about Dale JR. Win or lose, I will wear my 88 National Guard gear to each and every race I go to and if not there, I will wear it on race weekends.

You can write all you want to and you can talk the talk about what is going wrong with Dale JR this year but he is the only one who truly knows why things are just not coming together for him and the team. I read and hear the words, “he is not focused.” Oh well, who could be focused with all he has had thrown at him personally for the last 7 or 8 years or perhaps longer? He is having a bad year and just let it go at that. I just hope he stays off the Internet and avoids reading some of the bull I have been reading.

Now lets talk about the “King of the Hill” who seems to be taking endless bows each race weekend. I’m not a fan of Kyle but that sure does not mean I do not recognize what a bushel full of talent he has when he climbs into the drivers seat. I remember over the years many other drivers had the same kind of winning streaks or seasons full of wins just like Bush. One driver I can think of who is currently running the Sprint Cup circuit is Jeff Gordon. It amazes me that it seems that no one likes a winner. The boos we hear Kyle Bush getting are no different than the boos that Jeff Gordon received.

Have any of you listened post race real carefully lately? The Bush is not getting booed nearly as much as he once was. I guess Jeff felt relieved when the boos he use to get were passed on to Kyle and Mr. Bush won’t be the last to be booed for being a winner.

Now to finally get to my point which will probably end up being ‘pointless’ in the long run. It takes 43 drivers to make a full Sprint Cup race and not just two. It would be nice to read more about each of the drivers whether they are in the top ten or in the bottom ten. Forty three plus turn out for qualifying for each race. It is time that they each are recognized especially the smaller teams with the economy the way it is for each of us. It would be nice to see more coverage FOX on each driver no matter where they are running instead of having to try and keep up with the run of positions across the top of the TV screen.

I have been an editor of a free NASCAR newsletter going on ten years and this year has been the worse so far to try and link articles about more then 2 or 3 drivers. I have thousands of subscribers and every driver out there racing has fans. It would be nice if I could find articles and even blog links about their favorites too.

Oh yeah, before it gets reported all over every form of media available, a news bulletin just came in. “Dale JR probably won’t make the Chase.” It’s not over yet but it looks like he and quite a few other drivers won’t make it. It is obvious to all fans who has a chance and who doesn’t and also, who is pretty much locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup for 2009.

Oh heck. I just realized that I am guilty as each of you I have criticized above are. I just wrote a commentary about the 88 and 18:) Well, guilty as charged. I had to vent even though it won’t do any good.

Each year it [...]]]> Is it surprising to me that in a little over a year after Dale Earnhardt Jr. left DEI for Hendrick Motorsports that situations appear worse at DEI? Absolutely not. I said even before that the bricks now have apparently began to crumble, and that something was wrong behind those closed doors.

Each year it was taking longer for Dale Jr. to get a signed contract. It is pretty obvious to me now that I was right along with thousands of others who had the same feelings about things going haywire or not the way the one in charge demanded them to be. It is more like wanting to be so vindictive that you cut off your own nose to spite your face. Granted, no matter what all went on behind closed doors Dale Jr. did not strike back as he could have. I admit, he handled all of the many changes including leaving better then I or any of his fans did or have.

Perhaps if I had not been a diehard fan of his Dad for twenty five years plus I would not have the sick feelings that I hold so deeply inside my heart. His children, DEI meant the world to Dale. It was always family first but that did not last long once he was gone. Sad but true. I also wonder if those who stuck by Mrs. T and I am sure they felt they were doing the right thing that Dale would have wanted things to be still feel the same way?

I can’t imagine anyone feeling that Dale would be happy of what all has went on at DEI since we lost him. In my heart I knew once Dale Jr. made the decision he did which had to be one of the hardest he has or will ever make in his life, (hopefully) to leave DEI, his father’s corporation was the beginning of the end in my eyes for DEI and ‘The Legacy.’

I agree it was a very bright idea of someone at DEI to bring on Mark Martin to drive the famous number 8 in 2008 . It was good business strategy. Everyone including me knew Mark is a driver who is liked, respected and who could hit the track driving the number 8 at Daytona with no repercussions from Dale Jr. fans. It worked and it has all year.. The number 8 meant a lot to Dale Jr. being the car number that was his grandfather’s. The price was too high for Mrs. T or DEI to ever let it go. Why do a last ditch nice thing for Jr.? It was another way of making emotions run high for Dale Jr. which to me was the ultimate goal of everything that led on for years before Dale Jr. left DEI at the end of 2007. If anyone thinks Dale would be proud of to see how his children for the most part, Dale Jr. was/is treated, you are very wrong.

I am very happy that my trips to DEI were made when Dale was still alive as I for one including hundreds of my NASCAR buddies will never return. Most owners or lets say probably 98% of them are at the tracks each weekend if possible. Very seldom did or do we ever see Mrs. T at the tracks standing beside Dale Jr., Martin Truex Jr. or anyone else who drove/drives a DEI car. That stopped when we lost Dale. I don’t want to hear that is the reason she stayed away was losing Dale. Look at Richard Petty and Kyle Petty who lost a grandson and a child on the track practicing at Loudon, NH. It was a horrible tragedy for the Petty family to endure but they are at the tracks each weekend. On top of everything else Kyle took over driving the number 45, his sons car. Victory Junction is a wonderful family tribute created in Adam’s memory and will be for years to come.

Excuses, really poor excuses but it proved to me that very little was cared about the horsepower of a stockcar. The only horsepower that seems to interest Mrs. T is the Equestrian 4-legged kind as Taylor is a expert rider and competes in what now is an Equestrian Division owned by DEI.. I guess it is called branching out into all kinds of horsepower. This is the link that tells about the 4 legged division of DEI and the talented Equestrian rider, Taylor. (http://www.ginnracing.com/content/news/default.aspx?StoryID=2129).

Back in 2007, besides DEI, Sharpie came on board as a sponsor of Taylor’s Equestrian Barrel Racing Circuit. Taylor has chosen her own way to try and continue The Legacy of her father. She is to be admired for this. I just feel Mrs. T should share the love with all of Dale’s children as they each have the one thing in common, the Intimidator was their father. Some time spent at the tracks, the stockcar kind where drivers are racing to win and bring in money for DEI would also have been nice if Mrs. T would take some time to attend perhaps a handful out of 36 races.

I wonder how much Mark Martin was really paid just to jump in and drive the # 8 for DEI for just a year until the waves calmed down? I am sure it had to be a lot. I admit, I am happy he was the one who has taken on driving it the first year. Perhaps if the number 8 is back on the track in 2009 it won’t matter who is behind the wheel. Dale Jr. is the man of his own and it does not matter to me if he drives a car with NO number. I am a Dale Jr. fan even if he raced a lawnmower. DEI retaining the number 8 meant absolutely nothing to me as long as Jr. could deal with their decision as best as he could. I kind of like the 88. After all Dale Jr. is continuing a tradition of making that Dale Jarrett number still famous and perhaps taking the number even further into racing history.

Rumors are flying that this might be Mark Martin’s last year with DEI and he may be making a move to drive for Hendrick Motorsports in 2009. Isn’t that interesting? All kinds of rumors are going around as to where Mark Martin might land for 2009 if he leaves DEI. Another rumor is that he might drive for JR Motorsports and share a ride with Keselowski or even become a teammate of Tony Stewart. The very latest rumor I read on the Internet this morning is that Stewart and Truex might team up together. Truex whose contract is still being negotiated with DEI and nothing agreed on to date ends this year. Sometimes it is best to move on. DEI will be fortunate if they can retain three full-time Sprint Cup drivers for 2009 the way things look now.

Things look dim at DEI. To me they have looked dim at DEI for a long time the day the lights went out at Daytona in turn 4 on February 18, 2001. It will never ever be the same. I hope what Dale intended The Legacy to be will one day return for his children if nothing else and I do mean ALL of his children. No one will ever leave behind at DEI what Dale, a Seven Time Winston Cup Champion did. If it were not for Dale and his talent behind the wheel there would never have been the creation of DEI, The Legacy. Dale, the Man in Black made DEI and it is SAD that we all lost out, especially his children when we lost him.

A disgruntled Earnhardt fan, you might call me that and perhaps more but it is as plain as the writing on the wall. Those of us who have been around for a long time knew what Dale wanted for his children and what heart went into building DEI for his children and their children for generations to come. Someone behind the doors at DEI never intended to strive to continue doing that. If so, things sure would be different now. Having a birthday celebration each year won’t bring in the money lost when Dale Jr. moved on. I have friends who attend and they truly do it each year with a lot of heart and love for the ‘Man in Black.’ Just like this past birthday celebration for Dale, I’d rather be in Talladega watching Dale Jr. race at a track his father dominated and loved to race at more then any other track.

I own all of the Intimidator’s memorabilia I need and I do own a lot. Each was purchased prior to February 18, 2001 except for some special die-casts Dale Jr. drove in honor of his father while being a DEI employee. The only place you will find me is standing in long lines buying souvenirs is for 88 merchandise along with some memorabilia for a handful of other favorite drivers. I am either in line or on the Internet making my purchases. My Dale Jr. collection probably surpasses what I have of his Dad as I began collecting his memorabilia in his beginning years. Granted I’m sure the reason for that is that the industry in souvenirs has quadrupled since the days when this sport began. At one time you could not even get a T-shirt let alone a cap or sticker of your favorite driver.

I do hope that someone turns the lights back on at DEI before they shutdown forever. That can happen but the memories of Dale will live in each of we fans as long as we live. I miss him every race day and always will.