Rock & Roll, Crash & Bang 400
Step into my wayback machine for a moment and travel back to April. At the time the NBA was faced a basketball playoff year without its two biggest stars - Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett.
After Saturday nights Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway NASCAR is confronted by the same scenario. The sports two biggest stars will be sitting out the Chase and must play the role of spoiler for the remaining 10 [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/cup.jpg]NEXTEL Cup[/avatar] events. Dale Earnhardt Jr. whose fate has been sealed since mid-July, despite a win at Chicago, will miss a chance at the 5 large the Chase offers. The Chase also will be without Jeff Gordon who entered the night with a chance at slipping into the tenth and final spot but an ill handling car and a mid-race brush of the wall - “I’m done now,” he told his team over the radio.- ended Gordon’s “Drive for Five” championships.
Instead it’s a”Drive for Five” Roushketeers as all five teams made the Chase and will be looking for Jack’s third straight NEXTEL Cup Championship.
Kurt Busch,the defending Nextel Cup Champion, was dominant in the second half of the race and led 185 of 400 laps on his way to his first win at RIR. Busch now begins the
With five cars in the Chase is there ANY chance a Roush car won’t be the winner? Everybody’s sentimental favorite has to be the six, but I think Kennseth has the hot hand. I look for close racing between the 17 and Tony The Tiger, with Kennseth to take it all.
Martin and Wallace remind me of Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open today; capable of pulling off a great shot here and there but too long in the tooth to clinch the win.
I have to pull for the #6 also. I grew up within 2 miles of the Roush shop in Lavonia Mi and still have contact with a couple guys that work in the program.
I’ve been working on a “Chase prediction” post but first had to get out the F1 entry and a couple other things. At this point I’m not sure which way to go except ruling out Ryan Newman.
His performance over the last six weeks makes him an obvious choice to rule out. He has been either in the bottom half of the top ten or the bottom half of the top twenty and that isn’t good enough.
I’ve had a few laughs in the last few hours at the expense of those bemoaning the 5 Roush entries. As soon as the checkered fell in Va. the Blogs and forums lit up like the Fouth of July. 99% were crying about “parity” and “buying into the Chase.” Hardly anyone mentions piss poor performances by others as a cause.
Of course they’re not going to mention any bad performances by other drivers. Can’t let the facts get in the way. While I am disappointed that Jr. didn’t make the Chase, I would like to see the 6 take it all, or the 17, or the 16, or the 99. NOT the 97. Can’t stand that mouthy twit, and I’m glad he is leaving Rouch.
A lot of people seem to hold the same attitude against the #97. I tend to overlook most of that stuff. To reach the level of a NASCAR driver one must be what some call cocky. That same frame of mind can be called being self-assured and have extreme confidence in oneself.
Some people express this is a pleasent way some don’t. K. Busch at times jumprs into the “don’t” columum
My issue with Busch isn’t that he’s cocky, any good race car driver should be at least a little bit cocky. My issue is he’s just annoying. He tries too hard in his interviews to seem like a cool guy, and it’s not working. These PR monsters that these drivers hire need to take a hint from Jade Gurss and let their drivers be themselves. He may still be annoying but I could deal with it better and would appreciate the effort.
He’s all that, but ……….I don’t know. There’s just no humility in that one. Same goes for JJ.