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I just spent the last few hours watching (and then discussing) the incredible impact David Beckham has had on Major League Soccer - the American soccer league most sports fans have been missing until earlier this summer when "Goldenballs" appeared on the scene (I swear, that is one of Beckham's actual nicknames - I couldn't make that up even if I tried, I'm just not that good).
In front of over 66,000 fans in New York City (okay, East Rutherford, New Jersey), David Beckham proved one man can indeed make a difference as he introduced a new set of fans to the sport that is soccer (normally, the New York Red Bulls draw around 11,000 fans per game).
That got me thinking - where is NASCAR's David Beckham??
For the last two years, pundits and detractors of the sport have continually pointed to the empty seats at certain tracks (Cough Cough *California Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway* Cough), and of course, the supposedly dwindling TV Audience.
Whether that argument is valid or not is fodder for another blog - my question is - who can be NASCAR's Beckham?
Personally, I thought Juan Pablo Montoya would be that person the moment he announced he was leaving Formula One to come stock car racing. Unfortunately (and I have no specific data to back this up - so please don't accept this as gospel but just an observation) I still see empty seats at the same locations as I did last year - and the TV numbers are not growing - despite NASCAR's thinking that a new Hispanic audience would suddenly emerge.
Is there a driver that would have the impact on NASCAR that Becks is having on the MLS? Should NASCAR look at one of their current drivers and market him better - perhaps leading to him (or she) being Beckham?
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Ever since news about the merger between Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Ginn Racing became public, it has been appalling to me to read various media types talk about how the "Losers" in the deal were Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin, the two drivers who lost their rides as a result of the deal.
No offense to either Nemechek or Marlin, but I won't shed a tear for them.
I will, however, pass along my best wishes and say prayers for those former employees over at Ginn who are out of jobs as a result of the decision.
According to a few media reports released today (one source being Scene Daily), former Ginn Racing crew chief Slugger Labbe estimated that a total of 124 employees lost their jobs - a list of people that include pit crew members, fab shop guys, secretaries...You know, people who have not earned millions of dollars in this sport by racing but are the behind the scenes people; most of whom live paycheck-to-paycheck but are as integral to the success of NASCAR as the multi-millionaire drivers themselves.
Unfortunately, those estimated 124 people will not be the only ones who will suffer this fate.
Beginning at Daytona International Speedway in February, over 50 teams said they intended to compete full time. Several hundreds of people took jobs in this industry as they believed the teams they were joining would last at least through the 2007 season, no matter what the results were.
As Ginn Racing proved, that is not necessarily the case.
Not only does it take a lot of money to compete in NASCAR, but it also takes some luck - as only 43 teams make the field every week (35 of which are locked in, making it very difficult for new teams to compete).
In the next few weeks, keep an eye out as more teams (particularly the newer ones) announce mergers – or worse yet – shut down the doors altogether.
It’s okay to feel bad, just make sure it is not for the drivers but rather the real losers in the deal - the regular people that are out of jobs.
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So how was your break from NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series racing?
After a week respite, the premier stock car series in North America returns to action this weekend with the running of the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard. In that time off, I have heard from several fans that they did some very unique things on their last Sunday without NEXTEL Cup Series racing before the end of the season (I was not as adventurous - I just went on holiday for a week in Phoenix).
Anyways - on to my point for the day.
My colleague Pete Pistone always rails against the NEXTEL Cup Series calendar - particularly the week off early in the season and the lack of breaks from here until November. What do you think should be done? How should the off weeks be reworked? Should races be cut out of the schedule?
My suggestion - cut the season to 30 races (Pocono, New Hampshire, California, Dover, Martinsville and Atlanta/Lowe's (either or) - time to kick back one of your two race dates). Add a few more open weekends - including one right before the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup - and tada! A season that is compelling yet offers necessary breaks for fans and teams alike.
What do you think?
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I am currently watching the rain delayed Firestone Indy 200, and things are not looking good for 2006 IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish.
No, it's not the fact that he is running ninth right now (I expect him to bounce back and finish inside the top five), it’s the way his IndyCar Series season has been going so far.
Despite clearly stating several times in the offseason (including on a number of occasions to me personally) that he was focused on repeating as champion at Team Penske, you can tell that he is clearly not as sharp on track as he has been in the past. Throughout this campaign, he has made mistakes on and off the track, causing him to score just one victory and five top-fives in 10 starts.
As a result, he began today's race 97 points adrift of the surprising champinoship leader, Dario Franchitti, in fifth place.
Yes, part of it is the fact that his Penske Dallara-Honda is not as dominant as it was last season, but the major contributing factor for his season collapse is his constant flirtation with stock car racing.
I am not naive enough to suggest he should not be thinking about his future - every human should think about their future aspirations (I know I do) - but he needs to decide which motorsports path he is going to choose and follow it if he wants to be succesful.
If Hornish really is planning to go to NASCAR in the future - drop out of the rest of the 2007 IndyCar Series season. After doing so, he should sign-up for additional ARCA races as well as some Craftsman Truck Series races this year in order to get ready for what can only be described as a difficult transition.
However, if he really intends to challenge for an IndyCar Series title in the future (I think this season's title is out of reach), he should forget all of the extra-curricular events he has been competing in and concentrate on the IndyCar challenge.
Don’t you agree?
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RacingOne nation - I need your help!
I spent some time with friends last week, and one of them told me that she was getting more and more interested in NASCAR racing, but that she did not have a favorite yet.
My initial reaction was amazement - It is very rare nowadays that a fan can be one without having a driver he or she cheers for regularly.
Unfortunately, that was when she asked me for help. Instead of giving her my guidance (believe it or not, I really do try to stay as impartial as possible), I figured I would open it up to our community members...
Can you help me out? Don't just throw a driver's name out there, tell me why I should tell my friend she should become a fan of theirs.
I already asked some of the dignitaries here at Daytona International Speedway for the running of the Pepsi 400 (their answers are below), I beg you, give me more reasons.
It's okay to repeat drivers - just give me more reasons - I need to give her an answer pretty soon.
Thanks!
Natalie Gulbis - Professional Golfer on the LPGA Tour
We did some stuff with Dale Earnhardt Jr. today and we're a guest here of Budweiser, so we''ll be cheering from the Budweiser Suite (for him).
Kevin James - Actor - I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
(Kasey Kahne's) the guy I'm going with now because I know him - that's all I know. I know there's a lot of good guys out there, there's a lot of favorites, but after meeting Kasey and talking to him, I feel good.
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"The Sky is Falling, the Sky is Falling" No, that's not chicken little you are hearing, but rather the leadership over at Dale Earnhardt Inc., which today lost yet another key piece of their team; Tony Eury Sr. (Read: Eury Leaves DEI, Joins JR. Motorsport) Although he is called "Pops" around the garage, his real nickname should be "The Architect" as he has been an integral part of DEI since the late 80s. In that time, he has seen the organization grow from a part-time organization into a company that is considered a championship contender in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, has won numerous races (including the prestigious Daytona 500 on more than one occasion) and has the most popular driver of today, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Even during the most troubling times for the organization, most notably following the loss of team founder and friend Dale Earnhardt Sr., Eury was the one that helped keep the team together, combining his mechanic acumen with leadership that will not be understood by anybody outside that team. Unfortunately, just weeks after Earnhardt Jr. decided to leave DEI, he has made the same choice. Obviously, this move also means that Tony Eury Jr., a heralded crew chief on his own and son of Eury Sr., will be walking out of DEI at the end of the year (or perhaps earlier) - leaving the team with three major holes to fill in the coming months. While these decisions make a significant impact on JR Motorsports, an organization which currently finds itself in a similar position to that of DEI in the 80s and early 90s, it puts DEI in the unenviable spot of having to replace an irreplaceable driver, a highly valuable crew chief, and a guiding force that has been around longer than most everybody at the team (with one notable exception being owner Teresa Earnhardt, the team’s first hire). Dale Earnhardt Inc. has built an all-star team of leaders who can turn the team into an entertainment juggernaut – a group that is led by the more than capable Max Siegel – but unless they can find some good car-savvy individuals in the next few months, they won’t be more than a mid-pack team on the track in the future. Recently, all the talk has been about who will fill in at DEI for Dale Jr. in 2008. Today, I am only wondering whether there will be anybody left.
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Team or driver - which do you cheer for?
I have been pondering this question a lot lately, more than likely because of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s announcement last week that he was leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. for one of their biggest rivals, Hendrick Motorsports, in 2008.
But this is not just a NASCAR question, drivers change teams all the time and I have always wondered if fans stick with the team or continue following their favorite driver(s).
I asked this question to a friend of mine during the United States Grand Prix this weekend, and he told me that he follows the team.
"Formula One is a team sport, and like soccer, I follow the team," my friend Norbert told me. "That is why I cheer for Ferrari."
Meanwhile, a NASCAR friend of mine told me that the driver is what "Makes him watch."
"When I was younger, I would imagine being Ernie Irvin, he is someone
you could look up to. I can really care less for the team..."
So I ask this to you fellow RacingOne readers - who do you follow: Driver or team?
Is this a NASCAR vs. Formula One deal,. where each group of fans thinks about it differently, or is this a personal thing (or possibly even a national thing, where people's opinion differs based on where they grew up).
Whether you follow NASCAR, Formula One, IRL, Champ, WoO (which I know has a very passionate group of fans - just look at their message board), NHRA, etc. - what do you think?
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First, let me say this, I think Dale Earnhardt Jr. officially announcing that he has "found room at the (Hendrick Motorsports) Inn" is an ideal situation. He announced he was leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. so that he could fight for a championship - and there is no team that is stronger than Hendrick, both in the engine department and also in the chassis side of things (c'mon, can anybody deny the fact that they have the best Car of Tomorrow in NASCAR?)
That said, a fair warning to Hendrick Motorsports: You are now the New York Yankees of NASCAR.
Despite being a championship caliber team in the 90’s, the Yankees wanted more - and they went out and stockpiled some of the best talent in baseball (Alex Rodriguez, Bobby Abreu, etc.) in order to become the only dominant team in baseball. Unfortunately, at the moment the "evil empire" went out and spent money as if it were going out of style (2000), they started falling out of the championship picture.
There are many other examples in all other forms of sports - Real Madrid (Soccer), New York Rangers (Hockey), etc.
The point being that it takes more than talented athletes to claim championships....you have to develop a sense of team and all work together for the organization to continue their championship winning tradition.
Hendrick Motorsports has long been known for being one of the strongest "Teams" in NASCAR, I hope that with their latest acquisition, they remember what got them to where they are today and don't change their winning philosophy.
That's the only way Dale Earnhardt Jr. will achieve his championship goal.
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Dear Juan Pablo,
Amigo, I never thought I would have to do this, but I think it’s time you and I talk (because somebody has to about this subject).
I have followed your career ever since I was young boy, back when my father told me to watch that “Colombiano” in the car with a Bulls eye on it. No, you didn’t have the skill of my favorite driver, Ayrton Senna, but you did have his passion. It was that particular characteristic that helped you claim victory in that first race I watched of yours (Long Beach in 1999), as well as several other victories through the years in Champ Car, IndyCar and Formula One competition.
However, you are in NASCAR now, and you can’t display that sort of fervor anymore.
Yes, all of your fans love your enthusiasm – and that’s why they cheer for you both here in the States and abroad. Unfortunately, that is also why several drivers are frustrated with your antics, with even more debating whether they should stick up for you or just skip questions about you entirely.
You see, unlike all of the other forms of racing you have competed in, NASCAR racing (both NEXTEL Cup and to a lesser extent Busch Series competition) is a marathon, not a sprint. While most won’t admit it, drivers do not look at each event as “individual races,” but rather as one long continuum per season – and every time you do something crazy like that move you tried to pull off in the All-Star Challenge last weekend (amongst others), they remember it for a long time. While you can put it behind you because you see each race as a separate event, they will not.
I know that you — and all of your fans — will reply that you “Are not here to finish 15th – you are here to win,” but this is your first season, this is when you pay your dues and make friends. At the rate you are going, you are making more enemies than friends, and that will not bode well for you as your stock car expertise increases to where you can seriously challenge for a championship (which I feel is about two years down the line at the earliest – not right now).
Take today’s 600 mile race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway – much like the season, this race is a marathon. Take your time, don’t freak out if you start losing positions early, pace yourself and see what happens. If you follow my advice, I will bet that you will probably leave the track with a top-10 finish and with your car in one piece – much better than your last NEXTEL Cup performance at this particular venue.
I know it will be tough, but please find a way to restrain that passion you are famous for. If you do, you will find yourself doing a lot better, and with a lot more friends’ on-track come the end of the season and going into next year.
If you don’t, you’ll notice those “boos” you have been getting at some tracks will become stronger and stronger. And at the rate you are going, drivers will be joining the fans at booing you pretty soon if you don’t calm down.
Just thought you should know.
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If there was ever a weekend for race fans to step away from their televisions/radio/computers and forget about racing - this is it.
Over in Charlotte, the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is running it's pointless - both literally and figuratively speaking - All-Star Challenge while Indianapolis will play host to third round qualifying (for those vital positions 23 - 33) and Bump Day (which as of right now will see all of two cars possibly getting bumped out of the Indianapolis 500).
Wow, I am on the edge of my seat as I write this </sarcasm>
Forgive me Grand Am, ARCA and WoO, but you aren't compelling enough for me to stay tuned this weekend either.
Maybe this is a sign from the Racing Gods, since next weekend will be filled with some of the most important races of the season (Monaco for F1, the 500 for the IndyCar Series, etc.) - perhaps they want us to take a weekend off so we recharge out batteries and sit in front of the tube all next weekend - because there is not much that is interesting to me — Don’t you agree?.
I won't get into the merits of the All-Star Challenge for NASCAR (because I really don't see any - do you?) - But instead of wasting time running an exhibition event, wouldn't this be a perfect time of year for the NEXTEL Cup Series to have an off weekend instead? Shouldn't IndyCar consider scrapping this two weekend qualifying business (which is way too dragged out) and go for one action-packed Indy 500 qualifying weekend instead? Shouldn't Champ Car have kept their China date so that maybe they could hold the attention of gear heads yearning for competitive action?
Have fun answering those questions --- I’ll be watching my Mets play the Yankees and spending time with friends instead of keeping up with racing this weekend.
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Somebody answer me this one question - and then hopefully we can all stop talking about the whole Dale Earnhardt Jr. contract situation.
How does the latest rumor make sense?
According to Dave Moody's Sirius Speedway program, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will announce Thursday morning that he will be leaving DEI at the end of the season to drive for his own JR Motorsports team. Not only that, but he is also taking with him teammate Martin Truex Jr.
Aside from the logical funding questions (which I am sure have no bearing since Junior is probably bringing with him Budweiser as his primary sponsor and he can get somebody else for Truex if Bass Pro Shops doesn't come along), but how does this make sense from a racing point of view.
JR Motorsports has never competed in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, so they have no owner's points next season - meaning that both Junior and Junior (had to do it) would have to qualify for each race until they make it into the top-35 in owner's points - like Red Bull Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing is trying to do this season. Does Dale really want to deal with that? Has he seen how many races those drivers have missed because of the archaic qualifying procedure NASCAR institutes for their NEXTEL Cup series?
Second reason this rumor makes no sense is that JR Motorsports is not equipped to make the jump to a two-car outfit in Cup. Sure, they just moved into a brand new shop, but the organization is relatively new and has little experience - outside of Street Stock racing and two years of Busch Series competition.
Not even Kevin Harvick, who has successfully established a multi-car Busch program on top of his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program, wants to deal with the headache that is making the jump to the Cup Series.
There are many more questions (and I am sure you have your own so please submit them), but can somebody explain to me how this makes sense?
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Let's assume that the Associated Press got it right earlier today, Dale Earnhardt Inc. officials have told Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Elledge their price for 51% ownership; $55 Million.
My immediate reaction has stayed the same even 12 hours after reading the report - "that's pretty cheap."
Assuming that the report also got it correct and Red Sox Owner John Henry paid $60 million to get his minority stake in Roush Fenway Racing, it still makes me think that $55 million is a low price to pay for controlling interest in DEI.
Consider the fact that DEI is one of the best known teams in the sport - yes, they don't have the championships or race victories that Roush Fenway has - but they have far more awareness, and in business that is invaluable (think about it, non race fans are more likely to know the name Earnhardt than they are Roush, even if the 'Cat in the Hat' has his own version of the Mustang for sale).
While I still don't think Junior should take controlling interest in the team (look at Michael Waltrip, Dale!), if he does indeed want to pursue that option (which is understandable considering that was what his father wanted), he can easily find that money - after all, he is the most marketable NASCAR driver, and several sponsors would be willing to sign long term contracts to help him reach that goal - allowing him and his sister to get the controlling interest they so desperately want.
Yes, $55 million is a lot of money, but it is very reasonable when all things are considered.
Just a thought.
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In the world of NASCAR, Monday's are usually reserved as a day to look back and analyze the weekend's race, celebrate the winner (Jeff Burton) and look at those who may have fallen down the standings because of a poor performance (Kyle Busch, David Ragan and Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick to name a few). But because of nine laps at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, everybody (and quite possibly their mother) will be talking about Dale Earnhardt Jr. today. No, the nine laps I am referring to are not the ones before his race ending accident - when Tony Stewart spun which as a result led to Jr. getting hit from behind by Busch on lap 253 - nor are they the ones that saw "Junebug" and Jeff Gordon fight for the lead in the early stages of the race, but rather the final nine laps when the driver of the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet jumped inside Busch's No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet. "Was he trying to send a message to Teresa Earnhardt and the rest of DEI" "Will he jump to Hendrick Motorsports next season?" Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. In response, I offer only Dale's own words: "Are you crazy?" Jumping into another team's car after you are eliminated from competition is a common practice in NASCAR, but usually it is a lower profile driving making the switch - not the most popular driver in the sport. Although his post race comments did raise an eyebrow or two - "I could tell that it was a real nice car before we had the accident. Smooth steering, just smooth,'' - It was nothing more than a sign of sportsmanship from Junior, nothing more. By driving the No. 5 Chevrolet, Junior helped that team move up one spot in the final standings to 37th - one spot behind himself and one spot ahead of defending champion Jimmie Johnson. This was not an audition, nor was it a sign of things to come; it was just Junior being a good friend to some of his buddies on the No. 5 crew. Anyways, he is off to Richard Childress Racing in 2008, not Hendrick. Let the debate begin. ![Smile [:)]](/emoticons/smile.gif)
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NASCAR fans must currently be in a state of shock.
After their second break in the NASCAR calendar, racing will resume this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway - well, that's if the weather cooperates at least (and for those of you at the track this weekend, remember it could be worse, you could be under a snow delay like at Bristol last year or many baseball teams this season).
Anyways, for those of you out there that may be suffering from withdrawal following the cancellation of practice (and perhaps qualifying), check out some of the other great storylines throughout the world of racing this weekend:
1. Over in Sakhir, Bahrain, 22-year-old Britain born Lewis Hamilton is looking to make Formula One history by scoring his third consecutive podium finish to start his career. None of the greatest names in the sport - not Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher nor my favorite driver of all time, Ayrton Senna - achieved such an amazing start to their careers.
Just imagine what this kid will do in the future?
RacingOne will have coverage thoughout the weekend, while SPEED TV will televise qualifying (Saturday 7 a.m.) and the race (Sunday, 7 a.m.).
2. In California, the Champ Car World Series returns to the streets of Long Beach for the Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix, perhaps the most anticipated race on the Champ Car calendar.
Will Sebastien Bourdais climb back to the top after a dissapointing opening to the 2007 season? can Will Power or another one of the young drivers in the series claim victory? Can Paul Tracy demonstrate his skill around this circuit for a fifth victory?
NBC will show the race live at 4 p.m. (ET) Sunday, while RacingOne will also have coverage of the goings on.
3. Legendary NHRA driver John Force and the rest of his team, including his skillful daughter
Ashley Force, return to racing this weekend after skipping one event due to the untimely death of teammate Eric Medlen in Gainesville on March 23.
ESPN 2 will televise qualiying highlights on Saturday and three hours of eliminations on Sunday - and RacingOne will of course offer coverage of the event.
There is much, much more - including World of Outlaws (weather permitting), karts at Daytona, and of course local short tracks everywhere will have their own stories this weekend.
NASCAR Fans - don't be bummed about rain in Texas - use it as an opportunity to check out the best stories throughout the world of racing.
And of course, RacingOne will have the stories and details in case you miss any of it this (and every) weekend.
Enjoy the rain - I know I will.
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I'll be honest - I think I have one of the greatest jobs in
the world.
Not only do I get paid to write, a passion of mine, but I also get
to cover motorsports, another passion I have had ever since I was born.
But one of the the people who helped me get to where I am succumbed to illness earlier today. And like any other
pivotal moment in a person's life, it has made me think.
For weeks, I and others have passed judgment on NASCAR, Champ Car, and the
various other racing series we cover on RacingOne - some of it has been
positive, while most has been negative.
"The Car of Tomorrow Sucks"
"When is Champ Car going to give up and get back together with the
IRL"
"What is Milka Duno thinking going into the IRL - She sucks"
etc., etc., etc.
But on a day like today, I have thought about several subjects and put things in perspective - an excercise I hope others
do as well.
While yes, I am still frustrated that American open-wheel is split into two -
and falling further and further behind NASCAR in popularity - I find myself
being happy because there are still two very good racing open-wheel racing
series in America, and one will begin its season this weekend, giving me more chances to see the form of racing I grew up loving.
And yes, I personally think the "COT" is one of the ugliest things I
have ever seen. But today, I find myself appreciating the new car design
more and more, seeing how much safer it will make the sport (once
everybody works together to fix the burning foam issue and other problems that are sure to arise, since it is a new project after all).
So on, and so on, and so on.
I will probably go back to my old critical ways in the coming days, but at
least for one day, I have put things into perspective - and I hope everybody
takes the opportunity to do so in the near future.
I have lost one of my greatest critics and best of friends today, but if he
taught me anything, it was to look at the best of things and keep moving
forward.
Thank you old friend for making me realize that there is good in
everything.
I will miss you.
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