Nascar

I have been a stock car fan since about '78 and when ESPN started covering NASCAR I caught every race possible. There used to be so many teams that had a chance to when every race. Petty, Junior, Woods Brothers, Allison, etc. Petty won a ton but a lot of other one car teams had a chance on any Sunday.

Flash forward thirty years and if you are not an HMS (SHR) driver, you are fighting an uphill (vertical) battle. Teams like Roush, RCR and Gibbs are in the hunt but teams like EGR, RPM, MWR or Red Bull stand a better chance winning at Power Ball and it would cost a lot less.

Has HMS (Hendricks Motor Sports with Johnson, Gordon, Junior and the old fart Martin become so dominating that it has turned many fans off and NASCAR is feeling the repercussion with disgruntled fans? Quite a few opinions have been written expressing that it has. Sort of like Baseball, Basketball and Football when a single team dominates for several seasons the local fans love it but the other teams fans get tired of it. Throw in the fact that SHR is almost a satellite team and you get total dominance. HMS / SHR has won 17 of 31 races.

Does NASCAR need to get better control over those teams like HMS / SHR and Roush that have bottomless pits of money?

The "stock" in Stock car racing is long gone and when one team is so dominant that JJ has all but been crowned there is something seriously wrong.

Between the economy, NASCARS questionable calls and the HMS Juggernaut the ALMS is becoming more interesting to watch.

I know what your are saying but I don't think its that bad. Redbull is new and got one car in the chase, MWR is new and almost got a car in the chase and will hopefully be in the chase next year with Martin. Hendrix dominates for sure but hopefully that will change. Rhoush took a dive this year. I just can't take Football anymore with all the thugs like M. Vick and what they did to Rush.

I know what you're talking about. I went to the first time trials at what is now Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol International Receway). There were also the names of Freddie Lorenzen, Nelson Stacy, Buck and Buddy Baker, Fireball Roberts and the ever present Wendell Scott to name a few more. It was more man and car against man and car. The rule at that time was in order to run it on the track you had to be able to buy it at the dealer (engine/geartrain wise). That was racing.

I have to admit I’ve been watching it like a boob over the last few years – I don’t put a lot of thought into it. Usually I fast forward to the crashes and then watch the last 50 laps. I dig the competition when it is there, but you are right there was something bugging me too about seeing JJ and MM and the same bunch up front all the time. There are those that will always be in the back not matter who they are driving for, but some others deserve a better chance that only a big money team can provide.

Juniors got problems that money can’t fix.

I still have on my DVR the crash when Tony Stewart took out Bush in the last lap. That was the best move of the year.

Actually, I have a always been a contrary cuss when it comes to Chevies. The first engine I worked on was a flattie my older brother built. Then a small block Mustang and then small block MOPARS. Don't get me wrong as IMHO there is not a sweeter sound than a 327 at high RPM going down the 1/4 mile. It just has always turned me off that when you went to a speed shop a kid could walk in and the counter guy could tell him exactly what parts he needed to make "x" HP. Much of the fun we had was figuring out how to make big power out of a 340. No menus just hard work and when you got good results a lot of fun.... When it went bad it usually meant a trip to the local junkyard for a new block etc.... Guess I just like doing it the hard way. I used to have a collection of pushrods bent at almost exactly the same place due to the odd valve train angle that the LA engines had.

Food for thought re Kyle Bush.

Who does he remind you of?
A young Waltrip or Rusty or Ricky Rudd or a smart assed Dale or a ticked off Cale or this feller named Stewart or his younger brother or a host of other young, super talented kids that needed to grow up before they got some level of respect? He has shown that he is maturing a lot this year and I'll bet J.D. is behind it just as he did with Stewart. This kid will be a champion and set records on the way.

I have been an Elliot fan since day one and always respected his personality. Never changed over all the years he's been around. Speaking of Rusty anyone remember how ticked he got over Bill's beating him in '88?


A recent article on the new COT for Nationwide said that they were looking into how to make the cars actually resemble the current models the manufactureres run. Ford is really pushing hard and there is a growing demand from fans that see the cars as basically an IROC car with different engines. Man I hope that comes true. Maybe it would transfer up to the Sprint series.

Can't wait for Phoenix and will head up on the Wednesday before the race to get a good parking spot for the 5th wheel. The "city" of RV's that springs up a PIR is amazing and a ton of fun in itself.

I guess I am the only one that likes Kyle Bush. Ever since he got booted from Hendrix in favor of Jr. Kyle has become one of my favorites along with Jr. Odd pair I know.

I think anyone over forty is pulling for Mark Martin. He is a class act.

CD,
I understand what you're saying about the fun of messing with the engine to get it to go good. I had a '62 Fairlane with a 221 V-8 that I ran the wheels off of then ordered a 289 engine overhead assembly that was bored .040 over. A lot of the outer engine parts from a 221, 260 and 289 then later some of the 302's were interchangable. Anyhow I found a Isky cam and some solid lifters plus a 4bbl carb and intake and Headman headers. It ran pretty good but still felt like it wanted more so I moved the 48 jets from the rear to the front and put 54's in the rear - - - - - -- - - - - swe-e-e-e-e-e-t.