Bad neighbors are a legend in suburban America. Entire movie plots have been written about awful neighbors, meant to generate laughs but also to connect with those who really do have bad neighbors. I mean, come on, does that guy have to mow his lawn right at dawn every Saturday morning?
Well leave it to a NASCAR fan to make a determined run at the title for Worst Neighbor in America. If you’re living under a rock, the “Cup” making the most news right now is not the Sprint Cup Series, but the FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup, as in the international soccer competition that has taken over nearly every corner of the Internet and you can hardly turn on the television without hearing about it. I’m not hating on soccer. It’s just the nature of such a major event that only takes place once every four years. It’s no surprise, then, that some people might be a little over-enthusiastic about the event. You know, like some NASCAR fans are about their sport.
Well one NASCAR fan just couldn’t take it when his ethnically diverse neighbor was rather verbally expressing her support for Brazil, and she had the audacity to do it while he was watching his NASCAR race. She had been wearing the team’s jerseys all week too (gasp!), but this is America, dammit, and her kind is taking our jobs! Oh, yes, he went there too, to the point where the woman called the police for her own safety.
Sigh … something tells me this lovely individual is the same type of person who mutters under his breath about Obama and “kids these days” while he picks up the newspaper from his driveway every morning. But that’s the way it is I guess. Even NASCAR has bitter, crusty, nothing-is-ever-good-enough fans who like to make others miserable.
Gee … we wouldn’t happen to know anyone like that, would we? (Mumbles something incoherent about the comments section.)
Now onto the Mailbox:
“Hi,
Just wondered if NASCAR has released the 2015 schedule yet. We are trying to set up a vacation in February to go to Arizona, and need to know when the race is going to be run. My husband wants to go out there for Cubs Spring Practice. I would probably fly out later to see the race and then we would drive back home in his car.
Thanks.” Marilyn
No, NASCAR has not released the schedule for next season and there have been enough rumors circling through the grapevine for me to caution that changes are expected next year. An entire shakeup is unlikely—and I haven’t heard the Phoenix races mentioned by name—but it might be safest to wait until the schedule is officially announced before you plan that trip.
NASCAR generally releases next year’s schedule in the fall, so we’re still a little ways out from an official release. However, I’m sure it will come with enough time for you to schedule your trip well in advance. My guess is that the Phoenix race will still be the second race of the season, but, like I said, I’ve heard enough discussions regarding changes next season that I wouldn’t bet any money on that. Just keep reading the Frontstretch and we’ll let you know as soon as it’s out!
“I was listening to Kyle Busch’s radio channel in Sonoma, and he made a weird comment after the race ended. Something like “Did M&M’s sign the contract yet” or something to that effect. Did that have anything to do with Carl Edwards? I know he’s been in the rumor mill for JGR for a while now.” Hali
Busch asked “Is the M&M’s contract signed yet”, someone (we’re not sure who) said “No,” and then Dave Rogers went into this spiel about how hard the team fought, and how much work they have to do, and blah, blah, blah….
I would imagine that would have to do with Carl Edwards winning the race since there was already a report saying that M&M’s was leaving Busch’s No. 18 car to sponsor a fourth team for Edwards at JGR. However, it’s not clear whether Busch was making the comment sarcastically because of the rumors or if he was referencing a very real negotiation going on behind the scenes at the race team. However, J.D. Gibbs said recently that M&M’s is signed with Busch through 2015, so perhaps the former is more likely.
We might be finding out very soon, as Joe Gibbs Racing is hosting a press conference this weekend at Kentucky Speedway. While the details of the press conference have as of yet not been announced … I mean, come on. What other reason could a team possibly have for calling an otherwise random conference in the middle of the season?
What’s the latest on Jeff Gordon’s back? I hadn’t heard anything about it but I’ve had enough back issues in my life to know they don’t just go away. Jaleel
Gordon said last weekend in Sonoma that he’s had cortisone shots since Charlotte and is doing TENS—which stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. The device used for TENS looks like the kind of thing you would see in old horror movies set in mental hospitals, but apparently it’s a fairly common method used to stimulate nerve endings and relieve pain. He also says he is treating his back with ice and is still doing a normal workout routine, an activity I’m sure wouldn’t be possible if his back issues were getting worse.
I found it interesting that he also commented that the plane ride to the track was harder on him than actually being in the car. Maybe someone with back issues can explain that one to me, since both require sitting for hours on end and only one of those requires physical activity.
I’m going to guess from his comments and his access to what one has to assume are high quality and well-paid healthcare professionals that Gordon is going to be just fine. The people around him know what has to be done for him to continue racing and it’s not like the back issues have contributed to any kind of downfall for Gordon. In fact, he’s having a pretty fantastic year. I’m not going to speak for Gordon, but if he doesn’t sound worried, I see no reason for anyone else to worry.