Help Needed ASAP For Sam Ard
Right now, 2-time Busch Series champion Sam Ard and his wife Jo could use some big time help with repairs on their house and getting some major appliances replaced as the ones they have are on their last legs. As you know, Sam is suffering from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases and outside of what he gets from the VA and Social Security, they have no other income since NASCAR doesn‘t have any sort of pension or medical plan for those that gave their all. So if anyone out there is in the construction or appliance business near the Pamplico, SC area and can lend them a hand, let me know and I’ll put you in touch with them.
Jeremy Mayfield on Race Hub
Jeremy Mayfield is supposed to be on Race Hub Tuesday night at 7:00 PM. Of course, all it takes is one phone call from Daytona to put the kibosh on it. But should it actually happen, it’ll be interesting to see if the interview is about Jeremy’s legal battles or if it’s an announcement that he’s going to be racing again as there’s been a rumor once again about him and IndyCar.
Why the Big Push on Practice?
Think back over the last few years and the Booth Bozos stating week in, week out that somebody had won practice. They were laying the groundwork for this season‘s qualifying. It doesn’t take a marketing genius to figure that one out. Plus, as qualifying is now “important”, it gives the tracks and sanctioning body yet another way to gouge the fan who shows up to watch practice. Some tracks will start charging the fan to watch practice or up the price on the tickets for practice by another $10-$25 over and above what‘s currently being charged, not including the shipping, handling, and processing fees which add another $20 to the cost of the ticket.
And what about the actual times and speeds? Will the teams, media, and fans at home be able to keep track of them independently or will we have to take the word from Mafia Mike in Race Control that the speeds are what they say they are? After all, JPM is still waiting on that printout for his speeding penalty at Indy he was promised. And there have been cases of inspectors ignoring modifications made right under their noses and Race Control moving up positions of wrecked cars on the track to make sure certain drivers made it into the play-offs by moving them up another position or two even though their car was way behind other wrecked cars even before the wreck. So here’s yet another opportunity for manipulation by the sanctioning body to help out their Chosen Ones.
Who’s to Blame?
When the 2011 season wraps up and the excuses start pouring out on why the grandstands were empty and the TV ratings were worse than last season, who will be blamed for it? Will it once again be the economy? Dale Jr’s performance? Jimmy Johnson winning 6 in a row? The non-Kool Aid drinking media telling the truth? Or will some new scapegoat be blamed? Think about it, write down your choice on a piece of paper, and tuck it away until after the season and see if you were right. The one excuse you won’t see being offered up? The sanctioning body and its leadership.
Poll Results - Bud Shootout
Based on the last poll I ran regarding the Bud Shootout and whether or not the rules changes will affect viewership, 38% will watch it, 28% won’t watch it, 19% won’t watch the Shootout or any other NA$CAR event, and 14% aren’t sure. My thanks to all who participated in the poll.
Twitter Traffic
According to some Twitter traffic from Bob Pockrass, the 2010 finances were released by NA$CAR’s conjoined twin ISC and they don’t look pretty. “ISC has release its 2010 financials. When looking at base operations, net income down 19% from $90.6M to $73.2M”. “Total ISC revenues down 6.9%; Admissions revenues down 17.9%”.
Dustin Long sent this tweet out about the Truck Series:
NASCAR.com streaming of Truck races continues partnership with Speed in having Speed content on the website.
The NHRA Could Face Legal Issues
Unlike NA$CAR, the NHRA is supposed to be a non-profit organization. However, according to Marcus S. Owens, senior member of the law firm Caplin and Drysdale who filed the complaint, “It appears to be operated for the benefit of those who run the show, much the way a business is operated for the people who own the business.” The complaint contends the majority of the NHRA’s revenue is derived from nontraditional sources for a trade association. The NHRA is supposed to be representing the drag racing in and before Congress and government agencies. The complaint alleges the NHRA puts most of its focus on holding public, televised races which appears to violate various IRS rules regarding non-profit organizations.
I guess we’ll see how this works out with the IRS or if lobbying and “the greasy palm quiets the wheel” makes the complaint go away.
Ted Musgrave to Run This Season?
Based on what Ted has written on Facebook, he’s working on a deal to run the 2011 season using some Roush-prepared Fords in the Busch series. It sure would be good to see Ted back on the track. Ted’s one of the few drivers left who has a set of brass ones to call things the way he sees them and does so. There’s not many drivers who’d park a car and walk away from a ride like Ted did back in November 1999 when he walked away from the #75 car because the team owners wouldn‘t listen to what Ted had to say about improving the car and team performance.
Carnival Game
I do like how Shawn Courchesne described the new points system and the changes for the 2011 season. It’s like a game of 3 card Monte. And he also brings up some very valid points regarding the regional series like the Busch East, Winston West Series, and the Modified Series not being mentioned. Are they also affected by these rule changes? Faux King Brian seems to have forgotten about those series. But then, he can barely remember the Craftsman World Truck Series. Yes, that’s what Faux King Brian called it during his babbling at the HOF in Charlotte.
Blind Drivers Getting a Chance to Drive
While I think it’s interesting that technology could possibly allow blind drivers to return to the roads at some future point or maybe even race, the fact that these two articles disappeared from where they were originally reported from makes me wonder if somebody in Daytona Beach was wanting to make a big PR splash with this idea or if they simply wanted it squashed.
Google originally found them at MSNBC but apparently they removed them from their site, it's not even relocated or in their archives and links from MSNBC's own search engine are broken.
Nothing quite like having a free media to report what’s happening in the world.
http://www.thehindu.com/sport/motorsport/article1134106.ece?css=print
http://www.suite101.com/content/daytona-hosts-blind-driver-challenge-demonstration-at-rolex-24-a338445
Al the Indycar seats are filled. Mayfield won't be going there. In addition, you need to bring money and/or sponsorship to get an Indycar ride. Jeremy's money is going toward his legal issues and I expect that any major sponsors will stay far away from any drug taint until he proves himself innocent.
ReplyDeleteI think he's innocent but acted like a jerk for so long before the allegations that everyone is happy to leave him on the side of the road. Stick a fork in him.
I always liked Jeremy and have followed since day one. However as good as he was/is I think the politics in the organization worked against him,whether he had a problem or not he knows the truth and it would not be the first time the Daytona group has paid for decisions detrimental to peoples success.I think there are other drivers that have issues away from the track,mental and physical, they become manifest in racing situations,wrecks and challenging situations during competition I don't care for some of these drivers actions and the parent body just lets it go,just sell tickets seems to be the main goal as always, but this continuing looking away has driven too many fans away from the sport. Remember,all they want you to know is what they tell you,remember that before passing judgement on people in this business.
ReplyDeleteRef:NHRA,a non-profit organization,should be NO profit at all with what the controllers of this organization get paid. I don't suppose the IRS looks at what they take in versus what they pay the competitors,who shell out a lot of money to just run their cars.I know the transportation ,food,and lodging costs,are just horrendous,this measly return has put so many real racers out of business it is unbelievable;much less the amount of high dollar and I mean high dollar sponsors,who they ran away because of the costs versus return.Thats why you see all the different companies sponsoring the different sites where they run,you never know when you buy a ticket who will be there,as advertised, and I am only talking the touring pros,short fields have become commoner as time goes by,but,the ticket prices don't change with short fields,a true scam of the paying public,another investigating is due here,all I can say is it will be probably too little too late with this group,maybe a Congressional hearing would be more in order or a grand jury convening in Indianapolis or New York and get to the bottom of this "Association?"Certainly not having it in California where all the paid culprits live. Turn out the lights the party is over!
ReplyDeleteYou did not post my comments,if I knew that I would not have wasted my time,I just know you will not give me a reason
ReplyDeleteSomebody should mention the Sam Ard situation to Home Depot and Lowe's, maybe they could hook up with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition...
ReplyDeleteHeck, a collection taken up from just the Chase drivers might solve Sam's problems.
Not posted my comments,why do you even have a site,I wrote two today and you are afraid of something or you would post the TRUTH. Leonard
ReplyDeleteLeonard, I do have other things I do during the day, so your comments weren't immediately posted. I do moderate the comments at various times during the day. So be patient.
ReplyDelete