Obligatory NASCAR News I Don’t Care About
I suppose for those that get their daily dose of NASCAR nonsense here I have to note the changes made to the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. But for the record I could give two whizzes into the wind about it.
In August, NASCAR revamped the eligibility for the Budweiser Shootout, with the lineup consisting of the top six teams from each manufacturer, based on the final 2008 Sprint Cup Series owner points. Eligibility is (or was) based on owners competing in this event with the same manufacturer as last year.
The announced change was quickly following be gnashing of teeth, wringing or hands, long lines at Dr. Phil’s and I suspect, a couple unreported leaps off tall buildings.
Well, don’t say NASCAR never listens to the fans because they apparently have. At least in this case.
The new revision allows each manufacturer to enter a seventh car, or wild card entry.
Smoke fans, you can rest easy, the change puts Stewart in the lineup as a wild card.
A.J. Allmendinger for Dodge (assuming he’s in the #10 GEM/Petty Dodge), Bobby Labonte (#96 Yates/Hall of Fame Racing Ford) and the #22 Triad Racing Technologies Toyota (driver TBD) are the other wild card entries.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=0cde4b98-ee1c-4022-b508-2bb529c2d99f)
Fine. Let NASCAR and A-B do what they want. The whole thing is a joke anyway. I guess its too much to expect consistency from these jugheads. I had to give a hearty belly laugh when I read 96/Bobby Labonte will sub for the shelved 38/Gilliland. By all accounts I’ve read, HOF is an affiliate of Yates - not owned by Doug. So apparently you can charity your points position away. And at 28 cars, why not just allow the other 8 cars in the garage to participate in this so-called ’shootout’ where we all know they’ll ride nose to tail until 2 laps to go.
Well “TMC”, let me not only add to this post but in a way anwser your comment.
First I could care less about the Shootout no matter the variation because it means nothing. No points, not much significance. On a base level it’s still a race, and yes I’ll watch it, but my panties will remain unbunched at the outcome.
Secondly and in part address you, many people and presumably you TMC bemoan the fact how TV only concentrates on the top ten, with occasional mentions to those to the 11-15 spots during a race broadcast.
This new format in some cases places drivers/teams that spend far less time during the regular season in the spotlight - in that spotlight - if only for one short afternoon.
To those crying about the new format…. there’s a problem with that?
P.S. I fail to remember all the whiners and complainers being so vocal when the Shootout was run with as few as 8 entries.
Whaaatt?? How did you get I “bemoan the fact how TV only concentrates on the top ten, with occasional mentions to those to the 11-15 spots during a race broadcast” from my comment? My beef is with the 96’s inheritance of points from a non-owner. But since you opened the conversation, the biggest beneficiary of this latest move is to get Smoke in the race - someone regularly covered by the networks. On one point we certainly agree. I too could care less about the race itself. Anheuser, RJR, and NASCAR crafted some brilliant ideas in the 70s and 80s with the Clash and The Winston to attract the casual and novice fan. These novelties, however, are now obsolete in my opinion, and the teams would be better off either running a points-paying race or taking the weekend off instead. But as Kyle Petty has said on multiple occasions, Cup is now a business and not a sport. So my opinion isn’t worth jack.