Competitors Fierce or Friendly?

Leon — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:27:08 +0000

(photo courtesy Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

There was a time when race car drivers would do ANYTHING to win a race! Do the names like Dale Earnhardt, Sr., David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Fireball Roberts, and Junior Johnson ring a bell? These men were hard charging, blatantly fierce race car drivers.

Yeah I know that was long ago and in a far away place right, kind of like Star Wars? Wrong!!! That was NASCAR competition, pure and simple!

What is with these so-called team mates being so happy, friendly, wanting to help their team mates score extra points by pulling over and allowing their team mates to lead a lap and pick up 5 bonus points? What happened to the fierce, macho competitive edge that was once displayed? Where is the game face of these “steely eyed“, fearless men?

Has Corporate America taken control of the one last bastion of fierce, masculine, take-no-prisoners type of independent competition?

Was too much made out of the competitive beating and banging of team mates, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, after all, they are both four time Sprint Cup champions? They are supposed to have that “fire in their belly”! Do you think that Junior Johnson, Cale Yarborough,David Pearson, or Richard Petty would have pulled over and let his team mate lead a lap for some bonus points? I think NOT!

What is your take on the subject of team mates?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

My NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees

Leon — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:59:19 +0000

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(photo from nascar.com)

NASCAR has decided to leak slowly some of the 25 people who are on the first ballot for the initial induction into NASCAR’s Hall of Fame.

The first individuals to be inducted into the Hall of Fame should be, really, a no brainer for NASCAR! Unfortunately, NASCAR has limited the first class to five inductees, only. The life of NASCAR is now 60 years old and to just select 5 people for the first class is extremely unfair!

To have a 60 year history, and to limit the first class of inductees to just 5 people seems to be self defeating. It would seem that for the first class of inductees, those persons who were the pioneers and the backbone of NASCAR’s early years and growth, should be enshrined in the first class.

Here is my list for the first class to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame:

1. Big Bill France for obvious reasons, the founder of NASCAR

2. Bill France, Jr., got R.J. Reynolds on board as title sponsor

3. Lee Petty, Petty Enterprises

4. Richard Petty, 7 championships and 200 victories

5. Junior Johnson, driver,owner, car, and engine builder

6. David Pearson, 104 victories

7. Darrell Waltrip, 84 victories

8. Bobby Allison, 84 victories

9. Cale Yarborough, 83 victories and 3 successive championships

10. Dale Earnhardt, Sr., 76 wins and 7 championships

11. Rick Hendrick, car owner

12. Richard Childress, car owner

I could add a few more that are worthy to honored in the very first class of inductees. However, this is my initial class of inductees to NASCAR’s Hall of Fame.

What is your opinion? What would your initial classs look like?

Working On My Redneck ™ » david pearson

Competitors Fierce or Friendly?

My NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees