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I got a chance to talk to Dale Jr. last night about the Memorabilia issue that was going on and he told me that he’s not very happy. Supposedly his old race shop (DEI & Richard Childress) took his memorabilia off the walls throughout the whole shop and removed a number of his cars from the show floor. Initially when Jr heard about this he brushed it off and tried to ignore it, but since he’s had time to think about it, he’s extremely frustrated. Dale Earnhardt Jr explained it was a low blow to not only him but also his team. They worked their butts off to get him his Daytona 500 win as well as his Busch Series Championships. The sad part is that his old team still works for DEI and has to just pretend like it’s no big deal.
In defense to DEI, they tried to explain to the press that the only reason why they moved his cars from the show room was to make room for the luncheon everyone attended. They also made it clear that they dedicate over half the show room to Dale Jr and the only reason why they took his merchandise out of the gift shop was because he no longer races with them and they don’t have a contract with Budweiser.
Maybe this little issue got blown way out of proportion. The only question I want to know is if Ricky Bobby’s autographed photo is still on the wall. (I don’t know if you remember, but in the movie Talladega Nights Dale Earnhardt Jr. walks up to Ricky Bobby and asks him for his autograph)
What’s your opinion about this issue? Is it blown way out of proportion or do you agree with Dale Earnhardt Jr getting a little upset?
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With the Daytona 500 coming in less than 17 days, I wanted to post the test times from earlier this month. It looks like Dodge has the advantage over the manufacturers going into the race with 5 out of the top 10. But Toyota’s 2008 debut looks pretty strong with 3 of their drivers coming in the top 10. My boy Tony Stewart just squeezed into the top ten with the new Toyota but let’s wait and see how he does when he gets out on the track. I can already see him driving by Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin and then pushing Franchitti and Kasey Kahne into the wall. Should be some interesting racing especially with all the changes NASCAR has implemented as well as the number of team and car changes.
There’s been a lot of opinions about Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his teams decision to purchase the #88 from the Yates team previously used by Dale Jarrett. Some people love the new number because it’s similar to his old number, and some people hate it because the #88 has always been associated with Dale Jarrett. In my opinion I think that numbers are numbers and if you’re a true NASCAR fan like I am then who cares. If Dale Earnhardt Jr. wanted to race a car with the number 000283 on the side then let him do it. The only real problem I would see is if a fan wanted to get that number tattoed on their chest or if they wanted to put it on the back of their car. It might be kinda long!
Fans piss me off when they critque and go over the top about stupid things. I guess every fan is different and every fan is passionate about different things. But I’ve read a lot of blogs and websites where people are turning their back on Dale because he’s switching not only numbers but also sponsors. Who cares if he switches from the #8 Budweiser car to the #88 Mountain Dew/AMP car… you should like the driver and the personality of the driver, not the number on the side of his car or the sponsor that is paying big bucks to be a part of his team. As long as Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the same guy and doesn’t go and get a new personality or driving skills then I think everyone should calm down. If anything, change is a good thing. It may spark up a championship season. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Alright… as you all know I don’t like to pick favorites because I want to stay politically correct, but for 2008 I’m going to pick Tony Stewart to do well. There’s just something about the way he drives and his attitude on the track that I like to watch and hope to see. I’m not gonna lie though… if I don’t see him get pissed off or nudge a few cars this year I might lose interest in him. But the reason why I’m routing for him this year is because he’s jumping into a new Toyota. It may not sound like a big deal, but he’s been driving a GM for the last 9 years and has been extremely successful. The Toyota had a rough season last year and only made two top 5 finishes and neither of them being trips to victory lane. I think that if anyone can take the car to victory lane its Tony Stewart and the Joe Gibbs team.
Rumors are going around though that Tony is enjoying his new ride so far. We all know that it takes a lot time for a car to get dialed in, but what we didn’t know is that Joe Gibbs and his team have spent a whole year doing so. I have a feeling that Tony Stewart and the Joe Gibbs team are going to come out smokin. Kyle Busch who is Tony Stewart’s team mate has already had the fastest track time this year during testing on the Daytona speedway. You may be asking yourself why a team would switch to a new car if they’ve been so successful with their current car. The only answer I can come up with is technology is forever changing and if you’re not on top of your “A” game then you might as well sit in the back of the pack. I think it’s too early to decide how he’s going to do especially since he’s only had three days of test time on the Daytona Track. But mark my words, he’s going to come out strong and I have a feeling that he’s going to be unstoppable. As Ricky Bobby says, “If you’re not first, you’re last.”
What’s your opinion on this topic? Do you think Tony is going to lose a step with this new car? Let me know your thoughts.
Have you ever heard of the Top 35 rule? It’s a rule that was set in place back in 2005, that basically secured a starting position for the top 35 teams in the points chase at each race no matter how they qualified. The purpose of this was to make sure that there was competitive racing in the top 35 and even if a team had a bad qualifying round, it still gave them a chance to race and earn points. In my opinion this takes the “TRUE RACING” out of the sport. If 35 out of the 40 starting positions are already taken and there are over 45 teams that come to each race and try to qualify for a starting position. This means that the remaining 10+ teams have to fight for the remaining 5 positions. This could cause a lot of frustrated sponsors, and a lot of drama and doubt for the teams that are showing up not in the top 35.
Here’s what I was thinking… if I sponsored a car for a whole season and my car wasn’t in the top 35… I would be worried sick that they weren’t going to qualify and start each and every race. If my car didn’t make it into each race, then what’s the point of me spending over a $1 mil to sponsor a car for the season? If my car didn’t make it into each race and I was spending that much money I would definitely be throwing some bows. I have a feeling the reason why I don’t sponsor a team is for two basic reasons. 1. I don’t have the money to sponsor a team, and 2. I don’t have the money to sponsor a team.
I have a feeling this is exactly what Jeff Burton was thinking when he brought this up to Brian France the CEO and Chairman of NASCAR. More teams need that comfortable feeling of knowing they are going to have a guaranteed start in each and every race. Jeff Burton proposed that the number be expanded to 43 teams which would still leave a few fighting for the final qualifying positions.
I think it’s a great suggestion and will look forward to seeing what NASCAR does with it. Make sure you keep checking back for my opinion on NASCAR news, events, and drama.
Announced today, all money collected from fines levied on drivers and teams for the 2008 season will now go towards the NASCAR Foundation. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m always down for a charitable cause! Just when you thought nothing good could come from breaking the rules, NASCAR comes back to reward those who are less fortunate.
Just imagine you’re Dale Earnhardt coming out of turn 2 when out of nowhere Tony Stewart slams you into the wall. That brand new AMP sponsored #88 car all banged up… Whatcha gonna do? I’d have to run over to good ol’ Tony Stewart’s pit and wait… The minute that little cow turd pulled up I’d have to do some serious charity work on his car. Fine me till my fists hurt! I just made a charitable donation and did I mention the tax benefits?
In all seriousness, I believe it to be a respectable move by NASCAR. To learn more about the NASCAR Foundation go here.
With two consecutive points Championships in the last two years, Jimmie Johnson is unstoppable. We haven’t seen a domination like this since Cale Yarborough back in the 70’s. So will Jimmie Johnson make it a three peat and earn a title that will put him down in the history books?
As much as I enjoy going to races and watching these guys battle it out on the track, I never like to see a singe guy dominate the field. Jimmie Johnson is a great guy, and I can’t say a bad thing about him, but I truley do not want to see him number one in the points by the end of the 2008 season. I have a feeling that this is going to be the year where people start routing for the under dogs again. The Hendrick Motorsports team is exremely stacked this year especially with the addition of Dale Earnhardt Jr. They’ve got Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Casey Mears, and Dale Earnhardt… all finished top 16 in last years points. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon were number 1 and 2 and Dale Earnhardt and Casey Mears were 15 and 16.
Jimmie Johnson already has displayed his dominance in the new 2008 season and it’s only January 21st. This past Monday during both test sessions in Daytona he had the fastest car. I haven’t decided who I’m going to route for this year but I’m hoping that the three peat doesn’t happen. Who are you going to be a fan of this year? We’ve got about a month left till the start of the 2008 season and I’m champing at the bit waiting for it to begin.
Make sure you check back daily and see what I’m talking about because it’s going to be a crazy year and I’m going to have all the dirt and drama for you to discuss.
Howdy, my name is Ron Ripple and with out a doubt NASCAR’s number one fan. I was born and raised in a small town in South Carolina with a population of about 459. It’s basically a town where everyone knows everyone’s business and you can’t walk down to the local grocery store without someone saying your name. Growing up I’ve always wanted to get out of this place and move to the big city. I’ve only had one passion in my life and that passion was NASCAR. It was the only exciting thing in my life, and on every Sunday starting in February and ending in November, you could find me at the local bar drinking a beer watching my boys race for the checkered flag.
When I finally got out of this small town in South Carolina, I decided that I needed to move closer to Darlington so that I could see a race in person. Ever since then I’ve been traveling the circuit and have yet to miss a race. Just ask any of the driver’s who Ron Ripple is and they’ll all admit that they’ve thrown down a Bud Lite or two with me. I’ve met some great people here, and I love the racing. So next time you go to a race make sure you look for me, I’ll probably be down in the infield with a brewski in my hand, and an eye on the track.
Make sure you keep checking back on my site where I’ll be discussing NASCAR’s latest and greatest events. Hell, I might even do some interviews with some of your favorite racers. Thanks for visiting my website and if you have any questions or comments please don’t hesitate to contact me. Also if you have any insider information on the teams or racer’s make sure you e-mail me. I just reckon I love drama.
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There’s been a lot of opinions about Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his teams decision to purchase the #88 from the Yates team previously used by Dale Jarrett. Some people love the new number because it’s similar to his old number, and some people hate it because the #88 has always been associated with Dale Jarrett. In my opinion I think that numbers are numbers and if you’re a true NASCAR fan like I am then who cares. If Dale Earnhardt Jr. wanted to race a car with the number 000283 on the side then let him do it. The only real problem I would see is if a fan wanted to get that number tattoed on their chest or if they wanted to put it on the back of their car. It might be kinda long!
Alright… as you all know I don’t like to pick favorites because I want to stay politically correct, but for 2008 I’m going to pick Tony Stewart to do well. There’s just something about the way he drives and his attitude on the track that I like to watch and hope to see. I’m not gonna lie though… if I don’t see him get pissed off or nudge a few cars this year I might lose interest in him. But the reason why I’m routing for him this year is because he’s jumping into a new Toyota. It may not sound like a big deal, but he’s been driving a GM for the last 9 years and has been extremely successful. The Toyota had a rough season last year and only made two top 5 finishes and neither of them being trips to victory lane. I think that if anyone can take the car to victory lane its Tony Stewart and the Joe Gibbs team. 
Have you ever heard of the Top 35 rule? It’s a rule that was set in place back in 2005, that basically secured a starting position for the top 35 teams in the points chase at each race no matter how they qualified. The purpose of this was to make sure that there was competitive racing in the top 35 and even if a team had a bad qualifying round, it still gave them a chance to race and earn points. In my opinion this takes the “TRUE RACING” out of the sport. If 35 out of the 40 starting positions are already taken and there are over 45 teams that come to each race and try to qualify for a starting position. This means that the remaining 10+ teams have to fight for the remaining 5 positions. This could cause a lot of frustrated sponsors, and a lot of drama and doubt for the teams that are showing up not in the top 35.
With two consecutive points Championships in the last two years, Jimmie Johnson is unstoppable. We haven’t seen a domination like this since Cale Yarborough back in the 70’s. So will Jimmie Johnson make it a three peat and earn a title that will put him down in the history books? 
Howdy, my name is Ron Ripple and with out a doubt NASCAR’s number one fan. I was born and raised in a small town in South Carolina with a population of about 459. It’s basically a town where everyone knows everyone’s business and you can’t walk down to the local grocery store without someone saying your name. Growing up I’ve always wanted to get out of this place and move to the big city. I’ve only had one passion in my life and that passion was NASCAR. It was the only exciting thing in my life, and on every Sunday starting in February and ending in November, you could find me at the local bar drinking a beer watching my boys race for the checkered flag.
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