Sunday, May 20, 2012

Answering Those All-Star Race Tweets and E-Mails

Dave, did you like the new (All Star) format? I did for the most part, except when JJ & the others won their segments & hung out in the back. But that was the rules & I would've done the same thing. – Mike (via Facebook)

  n  I did enjoy the format, Mike. But unfortuately, NASCAR can’t force someone to race hard if he doesn't want to. I understand why Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski hung back the way they did; to save their equipment and tires and give themselves the best chance to win that $1 million first prize. But understanding it doesn’t mean I have to like it. My main concern is not for Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing or Penske Racing. I’m concerned about the fans that laid down their hard-earned dollars to see the 48, 17 and 2 cars race all-out, all night Saturday. If I have a beef, it’s with those who elected to give less than 100% Saturday, not with the format of the race.

That All Star race sucked. Worst All Star Race ever, and I don’t say that about races. – Charles (via Facebook)

n  Charles, were you still cutting the grass when Jamie McMurray came from the back of the Showdown all the way to second place, only to lose the final transfer spot on the backstretch of last lap? Were you raiding the refrigerator when AJ Allmendinger slashed his way from dead-last to second place in the Showdown, wdown, taking the transfer spot from McMurray on the backstretch of the final lap. Did you miss Earnhardt and Allmendinger come from the back of the All-Star field to run up front all night, with Earnhardt winning a segement? Did you miss Jimmie Johnson storming from sixth to the lead in just a handful of laps to win the first segment? Did you miss Kahne and Keselowski racing side-by-side for eight consecutive laps? Did you mis all the stretegy twists? MAN, you missed a LOT!!!!taking the final transfer spot from McMurray with a “checkers or wreckers” move on the backstretch of the final lap? Were you in the bathroom when Jimmie Johnson stormed from sixth to first in a handful of laps to win the opening segment of the All-Star Race? Had you nodded off by the time Allmendinger and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., stormed from the back of the All-Star field to contend for the win? If so, you must have also missed Kasey Kahne and Brad Keselowski hammering away at each other, side-by-side for five uninterrupted laps, along with at least three four-wide battles through the corners and some amazing strategic twists along the way.

Sounds like someone was watching one car, not a race. – Robert (via Twitter)

n  Robert, I have always believed that basing your opinion of a race on how your driver finished is usually a bad way to go. Jimmie’s fans thought Saturday’s race was a hum-dinger. Edwards fans? Not so much.

They paraded around for 3 segs, Kenseth spun his tires and the #5timecheater got away. That's not exciting, it’s a waste of time. –Brandon (via Twitter)

n  Brandon, please refer to my previous answer. ;)

Hey Dave, will this count as a win for the 88 bunch, or does it have to be a points paying race? – Dave (via Twitter)

n  Since the Sprint Showdown is a non-points event, Saturday night’s victory does not bring our long national nightmare to an end. In terms of morale, the importance of that checkered flag cannot be overstated.

I didn't like the segment leaders hanging back. How about we seed them by laps led, instead of the order they won? – Robert (via Twitter)

n  I like that, Robert. In fact, I like it a lot! Would you be available to meet with Marcus Smith and the Marketing Department from Sprint sometime next week?

@AJDinger is my wife’s favorite driver, just because she likes to say `Dinger!’ – Seth (via Twitter)

n  I’m guessing she would have LOVED Dick Trickle!!

Bobby Labonte? Really!?! Not saying he wasn't big in his day, but if I was guessing the top 15 fan vote, he wouldn't have been there. – Lucas (via Facebook)

n  Not a lot of people predicted Truman over Dewey in the 1948 Presidential Election, either, which is exactly why it’s so important to vote!

What's more interesting about Days of Thunder; how much the tracks have grown, or the fact that Harry Gant still looks the same? – EJ (via Twitter)

n  Those are both pretty amazing, EJ. Let’s call it a push!

8 comments:

  1. Love Robert's idea of seeding the shootout by laps led. How 'bout we do away with the segments and just let'm run for 80 or 90 laps followed by the ten lap shootout?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Robert G.7:56 AM

    Glad I could provide a problem with a solution.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Robert For President!

    I also agree with Moody, that having only one driver to watch, and living and dying by how that one driver does, must make this a horrible sport to be a fan of. There was some serious racin' going on Saturday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, but I gotta disagree. When you watch your favorite sport, most people cannot be objective enough to separate wins or loses from the quality of the action at the event. If your team wins, it was a great game, but if they lose, it was a lousy. The same applies to racing. It's hard to root for everyone.

      Delete
    2. I respect your opinion. I find that I am as pumped up after a race that was hard fought and ends with a great battle, as I used to be when Dale Sr. won. I have drivers I pull for, and others I don't like. I use the race to the checkers a few weeks ago between Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin as an example. Don't particularly care for either one of them, but it was a helluva race. If its a dull race its a dull race. I just feel sorry for the fans that don't get the full enjoyment from the sport, instead choosing to tune out after lap 2 because their guy had some bad luck.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous12:09 PM

    I'm suprised there wern't any 'Four More Years' signs from the non-Junior Nation fans.


    Doug from NJ

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous1:41 PM

    It was not what i was looking for. Feel sorry for those who PAID to go. Nascar has issues.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mandate a 4 tire stop before the last segment so that way it's not as big of a facade.

    There was racing at times Moody, but can you really argue that the last segment in itself was anti-climatic at best? Jimmie drove off and left the field while everyone else went single file. Not saying I wanted to see wrecks, just saying we aren't seeing all that much side by side happening on it's own.

    Perhaps the 48 was just THAT much better. I just did not like that if you didn't win a segment, you virtually had NO chance to win. Allmendinger said as much on his radio which is why they took 4 tires at the end. They were screwed either way.

    I would like to see an intermission between segments 2 and 3 next year personally. Give some teams some time to make some serious adjustments if they have to so that we are giving the FANS a worthwhile side-by-side show.

    ReplyDelete