NASCAR is all about personalities nowadays. It’s sad because I was a huge NASCAR fan as a kid and now I really am not that interested. Clone cars and vanilla personalities just don't get it.

A few weeks ago Gibbs drivers Kyle Busch and Joey Logano guest hosted the WWE Monday night wrestling show and it was incredibly pathetic. Busch played himself, which means he was a “heel” and Logano played the role of the “baby face.”

NASCAR is really no different than professional wrestling when it comes to egregious self promotion. NASCAR promotes their drivers as being the world’s best drivers, but rarely do any of them compete outside of NASCAR, unless it’s to take a trip down memory lane and mix it up on a short track with the locals, usually for a promotional fee in a top notch ride. There once was a time when you could find guys like Cale Yarborough, Tim Richmond, and Bobby and Donnie Allison at Indy, but those days are long gone.

A few years ago Tony Stewart was all primed to step into one of AJ Foyt’s cars at Indy, but was contractually obligated to decline. That’s total garbage! Could it be that the folks in Daytona are afraid to let the world see how their “best” stack up against world class competition?

Of course what goes around comes around, or so it seams. The argument could be made that the IndyCar types haven’t done so hot outside of their element, down in NASCARland. It’s plenty obvious that no open wheel driver has landed a top notch ride since “Smoke” jumped into tin tops full time, arriving on a championship winning team. Now that the Ganassi cars are sporting bow ties it’s amazing how much Montoya has “improved”, but I wonder how “Sudden Sam” would do with a similar ride, instead of a second-string Dodge. Don’t forget, about 10 years ago during Speedweeks, Jimmy Vasser and Little Al picked up some good rides and were both running well until they got caught up in some wrecks not of their own making.

The difference is, of course, the IndyCar guys aren’t afraid to accept the challenge of stepping into another type of race car, and NASCAR… well it seems pretty obvious.

IndyCarDude - 17 November 2009 02:47 PM

NASCAR is all about personalities nowadays. It’s sad because I was a huge NASCAR fan as a kid and now I really am not that interested. Clone cars and vanilla personalities just don't get it.

A few weeks ago Gibbs drivers Kyle Busch and Joey Logano guest hosted the WWE Monday night wrestling show and it was incredibly pathetic. Busch played himself, which means he was a “heel” and Logano played the role of the “baby face.”

NASCAR is really no different than professional wrestling when it comes to egregious self promotion. NASCAR promotes their drivers as being the world’s best drivers, but rarely do any of them compete outside of NASCAR, unless it’s to take a trip down memory lane and mix it up on a short track with the locals, usually for a promotional fee in a top notch ride. There once was a time when you could find guys like Cale Yarborough, Tim Richmond, and Bobby and Donnie Allison at Indy, but those days are long gone.

A few years ago Tony Stewart was all primed to step into one of AJ Foyt’s cars at Indy, but was contractually obligated to decline. That’s total garbage! Could it be that the folks in Daytona are afraid to let the world see how their “best” stack up against world class competition?

Of course what goes around comes around, or so it seams. The argument could be made that the IndyCar types haven’t done so hot outside of their element, down in NASCARland. It’s plenty obvious that no open wheel driver has landed a top notch ride since “Smoke” jumped into tin tops full time, arriving on a championship winning team. Now that the Ganassi cars are sporting bow ties it’s amazing how much Montoya has “improved”, but I wonder how “Sudden Sam” would do with a similar ride, instead of a second-string Dodge. Don’t forget, about 10 years ago during Speedweeks, Jimmy Vasser and Little Al picked up some good rides and were both running well until they got caught up in some wrecks not of their own making.

The difference is, of course, the IndyCar guys aren’t afraid to accept the challenge of stepping into another type of race car, and NASCAR… well it seems pretty obvious.

As an open wheel fan and a NASCAR fan I always get a laugh when Indycar fans try to diss NASCAR as a SPEC series. It is like they are not even aware that Indycar uses the same Chassis's and Engines. How much more "clone" can you get?

The reason they have come from Indycar is because they are afraid that series is going to die.

TRD-Man - 17 November 2009 02:17 PM

johnalex1273 - 17 November 2009 01:34 PM

Lovey-Dovey - 17 November 2009 01:10 PM

^ There are thousands of Dale Jr's out there, well minus the famous name but with more talent, that will never get a Cup ride for they aren't vanilla enough to suit the corporate sponsors.

Quick story on that.

Dale Jr used to race every saturday night at Myrtle Beach Speedway back in 94' and 95'. The guy that was kicking every body's butt there at the time was Charles Powell III.

Well one weekend Powell had the track championship sewn up, so his team traveled out to Nashville to run a Big race they were having. Dale Jr raced that night at Myrtle Beach and won his first feature. The next week , someone asked him what did his dad say about winning and Jr told them Dale Sr made him feel about an inch tall. Jr said he called his dad after the race all excited, but Dale sr asked him, "how did Powell do?" Jr said to his dad Powell wasnt here tonight he was in Nashville to which his dad responded " well then you didnt win".

Old man was tough on Jr but he knew he had to beat the best to get better.

Great story... I am still waiting for Junior to get his "first" win for Hendrick. Not a fuel mileage win where everybody else runs out of gas.... but a real win. Hands down no doubt about it butt kicking... Can't wait.
Having said that I also look forward to Reutimann and Logano's very first wins. I mean real win... not a "I was leading when the race was stopped" win....

A win is a win. At the end of the day there all the same.

IndyCarDude - 17 November 2009 02:47 PM

A few years ago Tony Stewart was all primed to step into one of AJ Foyt’s cars at Indy, but was contractually obligated to decline. That’s total garbage! Could it be that the folks in Daytona are afraid to let the world see how their “best” stack up against world class competition?

It appearrs that you are blaming NASCAR for Tony not running Foyt's car... they had NOTHING to do with it...
Foyt's cars had sponsorship from Craftsman Tools... DIRECT CONFLICT with Home Depot / Ridgid Tools...

just wanted that to be clear to all...(and you)

It's not driver talent or personality that makes NASCAR anymore, it's the sponsors and what they want that drives it.

Apparently they want plain average nice good looking guys peddling their products and if they're talented too then it's a bonus.

IndyCarDude - 17 November 2009 02:47 PM

NASCAR promotes their drivers as being the world’s best drivers, but rarely do any of them compete outside of NASCAR, unless it’s to take a trip down memory lane and mix it up on a short track with the locals, usually for a promotional fee in a top notch ride. ...Could it be that the folks in Daytona are afraid to let the world see how their “best” stack up against world class competition?

... It’s plenty obvious that no open wheel driver has landed a top notch ride since “Smoke” jumped into tin tops full time, arriving on a championship winning team. Now that the Ganassi cars are sporting bow ties it’s amazing how much Montoya has “improved”, but I wonder how “Sudden Sam” would do with a similar ride, instead of a second-string Dodge.

...The difference is, of course, the IndyCar guys aren’t afraid to accept the challenge of stepping into another type of race car, and NASCAR… well it seems pretty obvious.

The reason NASCAR drivers rarely compete outside their series is because in most cases it would be a step down. The only other racing series in the same league is F1. And BTW, NASCAR doesn't control what drivers do in their off time. None of the drivers get paid to race The Prelude to the Dream.

As for "stacking up against the world's best"... you're clearly biased if you don't think that many of them are in Cup. Juan Montoya, Max Papis and Dario Franchitti have all commented about how competitive NASCAR is, and even Scott F1-is-the-best-racing-series-on-earth Speed acknowledged that the talent in Cup is among the best anywhere.

As for Sam, I seriously doubt Penske is giving him a bunch of second string stuff and saving all the "best" stuff for Kurt. IMO Penske has shown a tremendous amount of patience with Sam, given all the work he provides Roger's fabricators. If he doesn't show something in 2010 I doubt that even Roger will be able to justify keeping him in a car.

And BTW, it has nothing to do with the "challenge" of stepping into another car and everything to do with abandoning a sinking ship. Danica's stated reason for wanting to come to NASCAR? Because she has to be mindful of her "brand" and the exposure that NASCAR would give her.

IndyCarDude - 17 November 2009 02:47 PM

NASCAR is all about personalities nowadays. It’s sad because I was a huge NASCAR fan as a kid and now I really am not that interested. Clone cars and vanilla personalities just don't get it.

A few weeks ago Gibbs drivers Kyle Busch and Joey Logano guest hosted the WWE Monday night wrestling show and it was incredibly pathetic. Busch played himself, which means he was a “heel” and Logano played the role of the “baby face.”

NASCAR is really no different than professional wrestling when it comes to egregious self promotion. NASCAR promotes their drivers as being the world’s best drivers, but rarely do any of them compete outside of NASCAR, unless it’s to take a trip down memory lane and mix it up on a short track with the locals, usually for a promotional fee in a top notch ride. There once was a time when you could find guys like Cale Yarborough, Tim Richmond, and Bobby and Donnie Allison at Indy, but those days are long gone.

A few years ago Tony Stewart was all primed to step into one of AJ Foyt’s cars at Indy, but was contractually obligated to decline. That’s total garbage! Could it be that the folks in Daytona are afraid to let the world see how their “best” stack up against world class competition?

Of course what goes around comes around, or so it seams. The argument could be made that the IndyCar types haven’t done so hot outside of their element, down in NASCARland. It’s plenty obvious that no open wheel driver has landed a top notch ride since “Smoke” jumped into tin tops full time, arriving on a championship winning team. Now that the Ganassi cars are sporting bow ties it’s amazing how much Montoya has “improved”, but I wonder how “Sudden Sam” would do with a similar ride, instead of a second-string Dodge. Don’t forget, about 10 years ago during Speedweeks, Jimmy Vasser and Little Al picked up some good rides and were both running well until they got caught up in some wrecks not of their own making.

The difference is, of course, the IndyCar guys aren’t afraid to accept the challenge of stepping into another type of race car, and NASCAR… well it seems pretty obvious.

lol! That was one delusional rant! NASCAR guys are afraid? Uh huh.

I am sorry, nobody is going to convince me that the best racing isn't open wheeled vehicles. I prefer that. Nothing can compare to an open cockpit, open-wheeled car going down the track. Nascar and its chopped tank design, and its moratorium on fun racing, and boring tv broadcasting(I know Nascar doesn't control that, although, I am wondering about SPEED though). Nascar maybe a few years ago was primed to jump out and take the world by storm, but this chase rubbish and 'safety tank', will only ruin the whole thing. Until Nascar is no longer a Spec Series, and allows for growth and adaptability into its cars, and also gets rid of some of its girth on the calendar, It will continue to decline.

I am sorry, nobody is going to convince me that the best racing isn't open wheeled vehicles.

With that cleared up, it's unlikely anyone will attempt to do so.

Thanks for the weekly negativity visit.