Yes, I know that I promised to write the second installment of the “Great Brits” this week, but with it being the school holidays and the “mid-season break” in F1, I thought it would make more sense to write up a half term report for the teams / drivers thus far.
So in true British boarding-school style (and apologies for likely squeezing the last drop out of the metaphor) I present you with the good, the bad and the…..well……rather indifferent…
You gotta hand it to them, when it comes to making excuses or putting a happy spin on a bad situation, anyone remotely associated with NASCAR are the masters!
Take for instance, this little PR blurb from ESPN regarding the ratings for Sunday’s mega-exciting race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
*What happens now with … Sam Hornish, Jr.?*
I would talk about AJ Allmendinger, but that horse has already been beat to death. Sure it’s possible we’ll see him in NASCAR again, but it’s not likely. Even if he does find a ride after he’s finished with the Road to Recovery program, it likely won’t be with a ride anywhere near the caliber of Penske Racing. Open wheel rumors abound, and that looks to be his best option.
Last Sunday’s running of the 19th Annual Crown Royal Presents the Curtiss Shaver 400 at the Brickyard (whew!) was supposed to be one of the 2012 Cup schedule’s major events. Not only was the race touted for its combining of a historic past (it’s Indy!) with present-day excitement (it’s Hendrick Motorsports!), but the weekend also resonated with controversy (what was in AJ’s “B” sample? The same thing as in his “A” sample, apparently). The anticipation leading up to last week’s event at IMS promised fans all the thrills for which NASCAR has become famous.
What this meant was that it was the perfect time to grab some snacks, some cold drinks, plop in front of the television, and watch the Olympics.
While I enjoy stock car racing at Pocono, race weekends at the track are also tinged with a bit of melancholy. For more years than I care to recall, all my best buddies and I used to attend one of the Pocono races together, gathering from near and far for the annual “male-bonding weekend.” (Which is a polite way of saying drinking a truly epic amount of beer, carrying on outrageously and, in general, reinforcing every negative stereotype of stock car fans we could manage.) I can’t say whether I’ve been to more races at Dover or Pocono, or that the best races I’ve seen have been at this track, but I can say I’ve had more fun at Pocono than any other track on the circuit.
Not that long ago, many though the Camping World Truck Series was in danger of dissolving thanks to sponsorship woes that resulted in teams scaling back at the least and shutting down at the worst. But the 2012 season has brought with it a breath of fresh air in what appeared to be a quickly dying series. Despite having the best racing on the track, the division suffered from a variety of maladies that could have easily seen NASCAR make the decision to quit supporting it. Now, the Truck Series stands on a much healthier ground and has even surpassed the Nationwide Series in lasting power.
First and foremost, fans finally have the opportunity to get to know the drivers that make up the fields week in and week out. Having endured a 2011 season that focused mostly on Kyle Busch and rest the of the Sprint Cup drivers overshadowing the series regulars, there has been a rebound in the popularity and coverage.
As I write this introductory sentence, AJ Allmendinger is less than 24 hours removed from the conclusion to his career with Penske Racing. So let’s not waste any time getting to what all of you, including *James Stenton* from _Manassas, VA_ are asking this Thursday:
*So what does AJ do now? Who’s going to sign him for 2013, if anyone? And will we ever know what he tested positive for?*
James, it’s a little early to place AJ with somebody else. But what I can tell you is on the NASCAR side, based on the Road To Recovery program’s timeline the earliest we’ll see him eligible for competition is February’s 2013 Daytona 500. In between will be a rough summer and fall, filled with the sport’s step-by-step rehabilitation and personal transition as the driver also goes through a divorce.
Just as many corporations large and small debate on whether they should continue their NASCAR sponsorship deals, a small non-profit University in Ohio with the nickname of “Racers” has announced they are increasing their marketing exposure in the sport. Last week, Bristol Motor Speedway announced that the University of Northwestern Ohio will be sponsoring both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and the NASCAR Whelen Modified event.
It’s been said that the only thing consistent about NASCAR are their inconsistencies. That rang true this past Saturday at Indianapolis, when Elliott Sadler was …
*Did You Notice?…* How so many people in NASCAR are living on a prayer? Too bad even Jon Bon Jovi would know better than to believe Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is on the verge of “reviving” the sport. I know what you’re saying… who am I to shoot the messengers? After all, in the past 72 hours Earnhardt has been revered for his ability to rise for the top of the point standings for the first time in eight years; that, his win at Michigan and a rumored ability to walk on water on the way has made him a demigod during a week there hasn’t been much to write about.
But speculation, in this case can be replaced by simple fact, one quotation that more than any other explains why the 2012 version of Junior will never be the “national racing savior” for millions of disillusioned fans he once was on the verge of becoming.