AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > February > 22 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USWrecks spoil NASCAR fun
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
An awful lot of people got really excited about the climax of the Daytona 500 — the rampant wrecking, Clint Bowyer’s car going upside down and catching on fire, Kevin Harvick edging Mark Martin at the finish line. And I’ll admit it was a spectacle. But I’m sort of weird. I’m a guy who doesn’t like it when they wreck.
I like it when they drive.
The fascinating part of this Daytona was, at least to me, watching from on high as Tony Stewart went from 40th place (after a near-wreck on pit road and a subsequent speeding penalty) to first. I watched him every lap — I’ll admit that riding with Stewart at Atlanta Motor Speedway last fall and living to write another day made me something of a fan — and I can’t say that I’ve ever seen more skill displayed at any sporting event.
He was passing cars two, even three, at a time. He was reeling in the leaders like Quint hooking Jaws. (OK, maybe not the best example, since Jaws wound up dining on Quint.) The man regarded as the best pure driver on the circuit was motoring like the best pure driver in the history of the automobile, and when he took the lead I felt like justice had been served.
And then he wrecked. He and Kurt Busch got tangled in Turn 4, and Stewart hit the wall not far from where Dale Earhardt hit on that fateful day exactly six years earlier. A bunch of stuff would happen after that — the wrecks and the flaming finish and whatnot — but for me the oomph went out of the race when Stewart crashed. Like I said: I’m weird.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment | Categories: Mark Bradley, Quick Hit
Comments
By Buck Cochran in the NW
February 22, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this
No moment left this race for me except,Jeff Gordan running (or lack thereof) no this was a race for the Ages. A fan saw the shillis of the drivers , the knowhow of the garage people and where mistakes were made. Do you think the race wasn’t being fought hard for points even thou didn’t get any? Mark, you’ve got yourself in a jam and I’ll watch to see how you handle it. How do you love college FB. when every play involes violence, coached that way, and NASCAR drivers trying to win but save that $2 mil car he’s driving. Younger Bro had never watched a NASCAR race and watched the “500” before, his comments after the race? “I’M HOOKED!
By Observer
February 22, 2007 12:14 PM | Link to this
Apparently you aren’t concerned when “they” wreck… you’re only concerned when “Tony Stewart” wrecks. There’s a big difference.
By Georgian in CA
February 22, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this
This is like saying I like watching football, but I hate it when they do all that nasty tackling.
Dude, it’s part of racing and that’s the way restrictor plate bounces.
By jeff
February 22, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this
And I suspose you don’t like fighting in hockey either, but it sure is odd on TV news AND in the sports page, that we see more pictures of both…..
By gdawginkalamazoo
February 22, 2007 03:33 PM | Link to this
Mark, It is okay if they crash. The amount of safety in the cars today compared to six years ago is night and day. That is why you get to watch the Jack Daniels car flip upside down, catch on fire, and cross the finish line on its roof. Then you get to Bowyer climb out and dust himself off like he was in a fender bender.
I am suprised that you didn’t mention all the marketing wars going on. Especially the SHELL OIL emblems on the winner while Sunoco is the fuel of NASCAR. Talking about nasty. That’s like the Home Depot car winning at the Lowes Speedway.
By Roswell Ed
February 22, 2007 04:19 PM | Link to this
What race?
All I saw was some bit singing and 3 hrs of commercials!!
The only reason I watched was b/c it is the first event after football is over that has even a little bit of interest for me. Watching the D500 every year always reminds me of how much I dislike NASCAR, and its 50 times better than hockey or bball.
By Wayne
February 22, 2007 09:59 PM | Link to this
Too many commericals are shown during the race. I was a fan who would not miss a race. Now I do not support it or watch it. I’m mad Nascar took darlington out of racing. It’s rich boys that think they can drive. Mark Martin is the only real race car driver on the track today. Nascar attendance dropped last year and this year it will drop again.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
February 23, 2007 01:55 PM | Link to this
Has anyone noticed that when the races are on TNT they do a much better job than the newtworks do. They have to have the commercials but TNT will try to get them in before the last 20-30 laps of the race so that part is enjoyable?