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October 24, 2006
Georgia On My Mind
By Mark Young
This weekend could prove to be a make or break race for many of the Chase drivers as the traveling Circus we know as NASCAR sets up camp near Atlanta, Georgia. The movement up and down among the top ten in the points standings was so drastic that I think I need some Dramamine after trying to sort things out. The races in recent history at Atlanta have been fast, and furious and I expect this weekend to be no different. In fact, with the Chase being as tight as it is I would expect things to get turned up a notch or two.
Dale Jr., Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson, and winner Kasey Kahne all finished in the top ten back in March when the boys first visited Atlanta. Harvick has a win there as well and Bush likes those 1.5 mile tracks so things are going to get interesting. Atlanta used to be the final race of the year and that always seemed to add to the great racing that goes on there. Whether it is the new or old track layout, there has always been great racing at Atlanta.
There was a time a few years ago when Bobby Labonte owned the Atlanta Motor Speedway. He visited victory lane there more times than Jimmy Spencer visited the concession stands at Martinsville last weekend, six to be exact if you are keeping track at home. But things faltered a bit at Gibbs' joint and now Bobby is wearing Petty blue. If any of you remember, Labonte was having his way with the field back in March before engine problems sent him to the house early. How many of you out there realize that Bobby Labonte has had four top tens in the last five races? I didn't until this morning because......he isn't in the top ten so NBC doesn't give a rat's behind. The clock is ticking and I think it might just go off in Atlanta on Sunday, just imagine the headlines. "Bobby LaBonte takes Petty blue back to victory lane". Has a neat ring to it doesn't it.
Has anyone else noticed that the House of Roush appears to be falling apart? Carl Edwards hasn't won a race all year. Greg Biffle has only one win, a far cry from his performances of last year and Jamie McMurray has basically been non-existant. Matt Kenseth is the only driver from the mighty Roush empire to do anything all year. Rumors are flying around everywhere that Jack is going to clean house, but who are you going to clean house with Jack? You have raped your Busch Series teams by throwing all of your Cup drivers in them and now have an empty basket where a bunch of young driving talent used to be.
October 24, 2006 | Permalink
Comments
I was thinking this might be the weekend that Roush starts to put things back together.Carl Edwards likes this track.
I agree with you,no telling what the chase will look like this time next week!
Good post,nice food for thought.
Posted by: Short Lady | Oct 24, 2006 12:03:38 PM
GO GET EM Mark! I think # 17 will be our next Champ, BUT this weekend belongs to...#43!
Posted by: Tbfka#5 | Oct 24, 2006 2:05:18 PM
I found myself on Sunday telling a buddy that I didn't care where any of my favorite drivers finished if Bobby could have won.
Posted by: Mark | Oct 24, 2006 2:47:35 PM
LOL, Jack would just do another "Racing Reality Show" for new talent. With the talent he has onboard though I'd be looking into a management issue. Biffle and Edwards arent slouches and should not have slumped that far. Also, even though in "My Chase" Martin was eliminated, you might have given him a nod as the other Roush car in the "Other Chase."
Petty Blue in victory lane...you aren't serious are you? Although, if Petty Enterprises was to scrap it's way to a win, I'd like it to be Kyle. Truly an admirable man. I also like him 500times better in the booth than some other windbag I won't mention.
Nice read...
Posted by: Keith | Oct 24, 2006 6:56:29 PM
Jack Roush has seemingly mortgaged his future hasn't he? He put Cup drivers in all of his Busch cars, and now it seems like no one is ready to step into a Cup car. He got some good sponsoship deals for a while in the Busch series, but he's paying for it now.
But mostly this year with Roush I think that the competition has caught up. If you look, Childress, Petty, and even Hendrick have improved, especially on the intermediates where Jack had a huge edge. It couldn't last forever.
But never count out the Cat In The Hat. I'm even willing to bet that Jamie will bounce back with a vengeance. I don't often see a Roush car have two bad years in a row.
Posted by: Kurt Smith | Oct 24, 2006 7:27:32 PM
Fennig is back up to cup next year.
I like the posts about Jack putting all his cup drivers in Bush. They did quite well if you don't count Harvick. Flipper Carl is only 720+ points out of first. There is a lot of unrest in that camp.
Posted by: 328 | Oct 24, 2006 10:13:30 PM
Kurt you bring up a good point. You mentioned all of the teams who have improved on the 1.5 tracks but NOBODY has mentioned the improvements there at DEI. Jr. was horrible there and this year has ran extremely well...
Posted by: Mark | Oct 24, 2006 11:22:45 PM
Hmmm wasn't that WHERE "Cussin" Carl took Jr out?...Michigan....Atlana...Wonder if the 2 can make nice!
Posted by: Tbfka#5 | Oct 25, 2006 1:30:32 AM
Mark, absolutely, I forgot Junior's improvement. He hadn't been good at the intermediates for most of his career but they've been great at them this year. That could be the difference that gets Junior a Cup. Mea culpa.
Posted by: Kurt Smith | Oct 25, 2006 8:33:35 AM
All it is going to take is one little slip up by Kenseth and we could find Jeff Gordon on top of the heap. This one could go down to the wire in Homestead just like when Kulwicki won his title.
Posted by: Mark | Oct 25, 2006 8:46:45 AM
Mark,
Maybe "down to the wire," but in a totally different manner. Kulwicki's was earned fighting with the top deserving contenders. This Chase format lets a guy (Gordon, in your example) in 11th in real points (565 behind Kenseth with 4 races left)vie for a title. It just doesn't quite seem as dramatic as Kulwicki's to me.
Posted by: Keith | Oct 25, 2006 9:41:52 AM
I agree with you totally Keith. The media demanded more suspense for their money and Pope Brian gave them what they wanted.
But regardless I think that Homestead will be very similar in the suspense and lap by lap changes.
Posted by: Mark | Oct 25, 2006 9:54:35 AM
The Chase is as fake as the new rule in the Swedish naked womens marathon club...They line up by cup size now.
Posted by: Keith | Oct 25, 2006 10:30:08 AM
I don't understand why all of the changes that NASCAR has insisted on implementing haven't been tried in the Busch Series...in fact the Busch series doesn't have a Chase! Wouldn't the Busch Series be the perfect forum for things like the Chase and the car of tomorrow? Then NASCAR could knock out the Buschwhackers and promote a different style of racing in Busch. And if the changes work (in the eyes of the fans, not reporters and commentators employed by NASCAR) you could implement them in the Cup series.
Posted by: Kurt Smith | Oct 25, 2006 1:10:35 PM
Kurt,
Excellent point! But, in sports I think things trickle down. If something is needed at the top level, nobody wants to see how it plays out in a lower venue...They want it now! It gravitates down...Three point shots, The Chase? When a change is needed at the top the mindset is that it starts at the top and gravitates down.
Posted by: Keith | Oct 25, 2006 1:51:49 PM
Mark, no kidding. If the headlines do read: "Bobby LaBonte takes Petty blue back to victory lane" that win would be as big as Dale winning the Daytona 500.
I was pulling for Bobby 100% at Martinsville, as I have all year long. He's going to get that 43 into Victory Lane, and I predicted he would do it this year. I hope he doesn't prove me wrong.
I agree with you again re: Roush Racing. Something just doesn't seem right. I still think they could have done SOMETHING to keep Mark Martin, even if only part-time in the 6. For so long Todd Kluever was going to replace Mark Martin. Now all of a sudden it's David Ragan.
And don't forget that Kurt Busch left his championship team the year after winning the title to join Penske. I would have thought a driver would have wanted to stick with the organization that brought him his championship, at least one year to defend his title.
Great thoughts. Let's hope next week we're all talking about the 43 in Victory Lane, and the 45 in second! (I can dream, can't I?)
Posted by: Shirley | Oct 25, 2006 2:30:09 PM
Keith isn't the sayin' "Sh#t flows down"?
43's gonna win this weekend!
Posted by: Tbfka#5 | Oct 25, 2006 2:34:39 PM
Shirley
I agree with you guys about Roush.They have announced their plans for Regan,Darnell and O'quinn.No mention of Kluever.I wonder if AAA had anything to do with Mark not sharing a ride with the rookies?
Posted by: Short Lady | Oct 25, 2006 3:14:28 PM
I don't think Mark wanted to drive there anymore. I read from a few different sources that Kurt's deal had a lot to do with money andI guess merchandise rights is a big thing there and Jack gets a really hefty chunk.
Posted by: Mark | Oct 25, 2006 3:21:21 PM
Shirley,I see we share another dream
Great Post Mark
The problem Jack Roush has , is he can't
leave things alone.
Posted by: trucker | Oct 25, 2006 3:28:05 PM
I will take the Chase and it's shortcomings over that SUPER EXCITING points battle for the championship in the Busch series. Oh wait, its over with 4 races to go. Guess I will rake leafs.
Posted by: jeff | Oct 25, 2006 5:00:00 PM
Jeff,
Even if it lets non-contenders win? Isn't it better to fix the point system, than making a joke of the sport? Lucky Dog does that well enough...Fix the points lose the Chase and Dog.
Although, "The Chase and Dog" does sound like an english pub I'd visit.
Posted by: Keith | Oct 25, 2006 5:55:45 PM
The Chase isn't going anywhere so I say the best way to adapt it is like Keith did. The worst driver the first race is out, then the next, then the next, etc. I love the idea.
Posted by: Mark | Oct 25, 2006 6:56:39 PM
Ok, so lets use your worst driver out the first race. He comes back and wins 6 out of the next nine races. Now who looks stupid. Lets use the NFL for example, the Steelers get in on a wildcard, kick butt and win the Super Bowl. Does that make them less a Champion. I don't think so. They are still playing by the same rules as everybody else. Just because they hit their stride the last four games doesn't take away from what they accomplished.
Posted by: jeff | Oct 25, 2006 7:52:55 PM
Think about what you just wrote Jeff. What if the Steelers lost the first round of the playoff? They would have been eliminated. It wouldn't matter how many games they win after that loss because according to the rules they were eliminated. The Championship in NASCAR in the past was based on consistency and I still say that though he has won 6 races a driver should not be Champion based soley on wins if he crashed out of 6 others.
The media wants drama? That would be great drama and put true pressure on these teams (as if they don't already).
Thanks a ton for your comments, you shed a lot of light on the other side of the fence.
Posted by: Mark | Oct 25, 2006 9:45:55 PM
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