by richard teague tinynascars@yahoo.com
Hey Mikey, Should I Call The Cops? You know, I really don’t like kicking a guy when he’s down, and maybe I shouldn’t, but Michael Waltrip is having an absolutely horrible season and things keep piling up on him. Crashing a car on the way home and not calling the police is strange. So you only live a mile away and you know the way home, but it might have kept you from being charged and having to go to court if you had used your cell phone. Just where were you when the highway patrol came by your place at 2:30 in the morning? Still walking home? If ya coulda only held it in the road for sixty seconds more, you could’ve driven there.
Were you driving one of them Cars Of Tomorrow home since you ain’t been behind the wheel of one much and just wanted to see if they were as safe as they’re cracked up to be? Seventy in a fifty-five and drifting off the road in a turn and then over compensating back left and loosing it altogether? Have you been away from racing that long that you don’t know how to drive a family sedan (or a COT)? It must have been a Car of Tomorrow the way it went sideways into a telephone pole and then rolled, ending up on its side. At least you still know how to get out of that rascal fast, because a passerby said you bailed out of the car and started hoofing home. Really Mike, where did you go after you left the scene of an accident?
I’ll say this much, you’re true to your sponsor the way you came jogging back by the following day and the TV crew was there to do an interview, just like in the winner’s circle, wearing that NAPA hat and all. The only thing I think I missed was that instead of “we did this” and “we did that” like all drivers do at the track, you could only say “me” and “I.” I hope that when you go to court May 14th D.W. can put in a good word for you like he did with Toyota. Speaking of Toyota, have they stepped up to help ya out so that you can qualify soon? I’m sure NAPA was happy with the free TV time on the local news.
I guess y’all have realized over the early part of the season that I’m not tickled with Michael Waltrip Racing or its owner. I really don’t know why that is, unless I’m not a Toyota fan. Or perhaps it’s the fact that Dale Jarrett left Yates Racing and took UPS with him. I never could figure UPS’s logic with that move. It could have been NAPA going with Mikey and leaving DEI, but DEI is another thing right now with the stuff going on over there. I never understood themove from them at all, since they were the only team that ever had any Cup wins. Man, I thought Junior had adopted you as a brother or something, the way you two ended races together. Guess that shows what I know about how people act in public and behind closed doors.
You know, Michael, I think it must be alright if I get on your case once and a while, since you do it in that commercial about the loud noise and “when are you going to drive faster” and all. Hey Bubba, I’m willing to forgive and forget Daytona, the fuel deal, and even you not being in a race since then. Ya need to look at other problems. Put those behind you and relax and drive the car, because you hardly ever see an owner/driver so good on a track. Delegate some of those headaches out and work your game. Looks like Toyota and NAPA are in for the long haul behind you as their team, but just how long of a haul is what I’m worried about. And Dude, I know you are too, so just race the car and let Dale race the truck!
Well, ol’ what’s his name will be back this weekend with double-duty in the Busch Series race for his old boss Jack Roush. On Saturday in a Ford and then in his winning Chevrolet on Sunday. Yeah, Mark Martin comes back with a vengeance after a few weeks off, so you guys better look out. He just might make it a daily double with two wins this weekend. I’d like nothing better than to see him take both races at Texas, and that is a possibility with him all rested up and ready to go. I bet these last two races were tough on Martin, having to sit out, but that is what he has wanted to do for some time, so we’ll see just how time off will affect him. For a guy that is taking it easy this year, he sure is driving a bunch of different cars. He’s got several more runs in the Army car and will drive for Rick Hendrick in three Busch races. Heck, he’ll even be in the Craftsman Trucks for the Woods brothers five more times this year.
One good thing is Mark isn’t going to have to drive a COT in either race, but he’ll get his shot at the little bugger soon enough. I’m dying to hear his thoughts about the car afterwards. Like I said, Martin is driving anything this year and I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone doing just that, except for Kenny Schrader. He’ll get behind the wheel of anything. If this is Mark’s last season in NASCAR as a driver, he is making it one to remember. I bet you that Motorsports Authentics (that’s the diecast car makers of Brian France and Bruton Smith) are busy making everything he sits in for this season. There are a whole bunch of M.M. fans out there, and to be honest with y’all, I already got my 1/24th scale #01 Army car with his name on it.
Well ol’ too-tough-to-tame may be getting a makeover and a new name (something like “really-too-tough-to-tame”) with the new pave job and the improvements that ISC has planned after the May race. I wonder if the work at Vegas made them want to show off and spend big bucks to improve something that might not need it. The track’s surface may have been what made it too tough, and drivers had to work when it came to racing there. It appears to me that NASCAR is doing things to tracks in what ya might call re-facing to go along with the “New Wave” fan. They drive their Beamers and Benzes to a track and they want to see something other than good ol’ Southern racing.
It don’t matter to NASCAR, just as long as the seats are full, the lines are long at the concession stands, and the dollars are rolling in. I say change every track and move on into the 21st century and run the old fans out. Heck, I’m ready to go right now, but I keep giving them second chances over and over. Pretty soon I’ll give up, as I know many have done already, with the way Brian France has changed this sport. I hope this weekend, with the big cars and a good race, will keep me awake unlike the past couple of weeks. And hopefully, Mr. Martin will win a race or two. Well, that’s about it for now, and I think y’all know how to get in touch with me, but if y’all have forgotten then too bad. You must know by now that if it ain’t NASCAR, It ain’t s**t!!
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