Intimidator, I looooove paint schemes.
My fave of last year was the one by Raymond Vanderlinden, winner of Kodak's "Ink Ryan's Ride" contest:
http://www.kodak.com/US/images/en/corp/1000words/jennyc/no12.jpg
― felicity, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:17 (sixteen years ago) link
You have to realize it's been like 15 years since I watched Nascar regularly...when I lived at home and my dad turned it on on Sunday afternoons. Pretending to like Nascar was a hell of a lot less annoying than helping in the kitchen, and then I sort of got...sucked in.
― Laurel, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:19 (sixteen years ago) link
My friend Say got to like it because she always had races on when she did her housecleaning.
It's a totally different sport than it was 15 years ago. I only like safe NASCAR. I like reading about the history but I can't bear to watch pre-SAFER barrier tape.
― felicity, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:26 (sixteen years ago) link
right, the hanseatic league had something to do with it too
― gabbneb, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:27 (sixteen years ago) link
BTW, Intimidator, only the New York Times Titlecases "NASCAR." They insist on reporting NASCAR as "Nascar," similar to how they report NFL as "N.F.L."
― felicity, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:35 (sixteen years ago) link
How do you make an acronym lower-case?
And do they say, "Mr. Gordon passed Mr. Earnhardt in the final lap...."
― Pleasant Plains, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:43 (sixteen years ago) link
haha
― gabbneb, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:45 (sixteen years ago) link
If it's good enough for the Gray Lady...no, srsly who am I fooling, I just don't care that much. :)
― Laurel, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:48 (sixteen years ago) link
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2008) - Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will make a return visit Tuesday to Washington D.C., for a trip highlighted by a White House meeting with President George W. Bush.
Johnson will join the President in the Oval Office for a meeting and photo, a yearly tradition for whoever wins the NASCAR Sprint Cups Series championship.
Roffle. Exactly. (Sprint replaces Nextel as series sponsor in 2008).
― felicity, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:48 (sixteen years ago) link
They would, if Mr. Earnhardt could get to the final lap before hatching his engine.
― felicity, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:52 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh jesus, you must not read much from the BBC News site. They do that to EVERY acronym, and it makes my blood fucking boil.
― Rock Hardy, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:55 (sixteen years ago) link
Okay, not every single acronym, but the ones that have wordlike pronunciations. Unesco, but not CIA.
― Rock Hardy, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 21:57 (sixteen years ago) link
"There's this delightful American comedy show about the Korean War called 'Mash'."
― Pleasant Plains, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 22:06 (sixteen years ago) link
"Rofl"
― felicity, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 22:10 (sixteen years ago) link
I love NASCAR. My first race was a couple of years ago at Fontana, the um...SONY HD 500? I had a blast. It was loud and smelly and exactly what I thought it would be...and I loved every minute of it! We even tailgated, and the folks were very friendly, and really not much different to tailgating at the football when you get down to it.
I find though, I actually don't enjoy watching the racing on tv as much as I did when I saw it for real. And being a rookie, I seem to mainly get interested once the Chase starts...but gimme time!
My favorite driver is Jimmie Johnson...because he was driving the Spongebob Squarepants car at the Fontana race. I wish I had a better reason than that...but I stand by it!
― VegemiteGrrrl, Wednesday, 6 February 2008 02:36 (sixteen years ago) link
Today I downloaded Joe Satriani's soundtrack for the Xbox NASCAR game and checked out Mario Batali's NASCAR tailgate cookbook.
― Abbott, Wednesday, 6 February 2008 03:00 (sixteen years ago) link
this was sort of it for me too - it was good background noise for doing work or cleaning. you don't really miss much by not actually watching most of the time.
― gabbneb, Sunday, 10 February 2008 18:05 (sixteen years ago) link
"Can Carl Edwards do it again, or can David Reutimann close the huge margin that left him the runner-up last year in what is now the Nationwide Series?"
that's just wrong.
― gabbneb, Sunday, 10 February 2008 18:36 (sixteen years ago) link
Nationwide-league, even
― gabbneb, Sunday, 10 February 2008 18:37 (sixteen years ago) link
"Jack" Villeneuve, huh? Isn't that a basketball team or something?
― gabbneb, Sunday, 10 February 2008 19:01 (sixteen years ago) link
maybe Tony's sister could get him to cut the hair?
― gabbneb, Sunday, 10 February 2008 19:10 (sixteen years ago) link
hey what happened to Tony Raines? I liked that guy.
― gabbneb, Sunday, 10 February 2008 19:21 (sixteen years ago) link
Alex in NYC (this is a guess. [this is only a guess.])
I can't remember if I ever responded here, but suffice to say -- this was very accurate guess. Nascar is for morons.
― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 10 February 2008 23:54 (sixteen years ago) link
http://trackbunnyfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/078-723509.JPG
― gabbneb, Monday, 11 February 2008 00:53 (sixteen years ago) link
Vegemitegrrl, I love Chad Knaus, Jimmie Johnson's crew chief. Tyra had Jimmie Johnson on her show last fall (it's hilarious - search youtube).
If Hendrick Racing were an office, Jimmie Johnson would be that guy at work who somehow sucks up to the big boss (Jeff Gordon) at every possible chance but is so deadpan about it that you just have to tip your cap.
― felicity, Monday, 11 February 2008 17:57 (sixteen years ago) link
Abbott, I also have Mario's NASCookbook.
Ryan Newman "wrote" a cute book on the dogs of NASCAR. Proceeds go to animal recue.
― felicity, Monday, 11 February 2008 18:04 (sixteen years ago) link
I was bummed "Front Row" Joe Nemechek was bounced to third in qualifying and has to race on Thursday. He's a one man team with a one man dream.
― brownie, Monday, 11 February 2008 18:17 (sixteen years ago) link
That happened at Daytona in the early 90's right? I seem to remember that.. as well as another year @ Daytona where he fucked up his car hitting a seagull
So since there's no more NFL I should pick a driver to root for.. but I have no idea who most of these guys are..
― daria-g, Monday, 11 February 2008 18:51 (sixteen years ago) link
See above re Junior and Newman. No special reasoning re the latter, who was a semi-random pick, but he's a younger guy who's not a star, but with his fair share of top tens, and might or might not make the Chase. He's also writing a 'column' for Y! Sports this season (not that there aren't others who 'blog'). Maybe Carl Edwards would be a more interesting choice? I don't know who would be closest to home - one of these guys is from OH near PA but don't remember who.
― gabbneb, Monday, 11 February 2008 19:09 (sixteen years ago) link
Were you previously someone else, brownie?
― gabbneb, Monday, 11 February 2008 19:11 (sixteen years ago) link
I used to play play ILX fantasy baseball (lawrence_kansas)
― brownie, Monday, 11 February 2008 19:24 (sixteen years ago) link
Hello LAWRENCE_KANSAS! I found you!
― felicity, Monday, 11 February 2008 19:31 (sixteen years ago) link
Hi!
when jim thome broke my heart I fled to the Browns
― brownie, Monday, 11 February 2008 19:38 (sixteen years ago) link
daria-g there are several drivers from Virginia ... most competitive one right now is #31 Jeff Burton
― zaxxon25, Monday, 11 February 2008 20:38 (sixteen years ago) link
I like Burton, but he's from the Southside and not the youngest guy around. Maybe Hamlin is the one for daria? The guy I was thinking of earlier was Dave Blaney, who's more Western Reserve-ish and maybe a little too low profile.
ok this picture - http://www.newsweek.com/id/109579
― gabbneb, Monday, 11 February 2008 22:49 (sixteen years ago) link
holy shit Kasey Kahne's middle name is Kenneth, WTF
― daria-g, Monday, 11 February 2008 22:51 (sixteen years ago) link
wait until you meet Kale and Kole
I wonder if they listen to KUBE
― gabbneb, Monday, 11 February 2008 22:52 (sixteen years ago) link
I was just hoping they never get anything monogrammed.
How about Ryan Newman?
― daria-g, Monday, 11 February 2008 22:54 (sixteen years ago) link
http://www.adrants.com/2007/02/kasey-kahne-bends-over-for-allstate.php
― gabbneb, Monday, 11 February 2008 22:54 (sixteen years ago) link
Ryan Newman, Dave Matthews fan? - http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/5659466/NASCAR-on-FX-preview:-10-Laps-with-Ryan-Newman-
― gabbneb, Monday, 11 February 2008 22:57 (sixteen years ago) link
hey guys, is our boy marcos ambrose making any waves? is the team he's running with any good? it's hard to follow nascar here if you don't have pay TV. (or a job - they play the races on a monday morning here due to the time difference.)
we had nsacar for about 10 years down here after a well-known businessman and former racer built an oval at the road circuit he owned. all the cars were basically old ones imported from the US, so the local variant (auscar) got more popular. both forms have kinda died off now; it's a shame, they were good to watch. road racing is the dominant form over here though, always has been.
― haitch, Tuesday, 12 February 2008 00:00 (sixteen years ago) link
he's running in the 2nd-tier series that I pay no attention to, dunno
― gabbneb, Tuesday, 12 February 2008 00:04 (sixteen years ago) link
Hm Sam Hornish was born in the same city I'm currently living in so he'll get sympathy. He'll need it as his car was 3 or 4 mph slower than the pole sitter.
― brownie, Tuesday, 12 February 2008 14:38 (sixteen years ago) link
his transition hasn't been the smoothest
Who's Chasing for the Gabbneb Cup? Glad you asked! After Gordon:
Martin - test pilot enthusiasm (and haircut) with real graciousness; too old/part-time to focus on, but you can't not like the guy Edwards - I like the I'm-just-here-to-race, man demeanor - seems like a pretty smart guy under the business plan; also, reminds me of a really good KS-MO dude I went to school with (not named eddie), at least when he isn't wrecking someone Shrub - I guess I like the excitable younger guys? his gawkiness and frustration/resignation are kinda laughable/cute, and the kid's got talent Stewart - hot-tempered heartland culture of complaint guy should be far from my type on paper - Gordon's much more my kinda poster boy - but he can be pretty charming and generous and seems so committed to racing without borders and is too good a driver not to like Johnson/Knaus - the better half might be a robot, but as above, a sharp one, and i like the understated sense of humor and, well, manners, and anyway I'm too nu-Nascar not to go along here; Dave Matthews and Kenny Chesney? Said - fuck the ovals; his time coming, any day, don't worry bout him, no Montoya - fuck the haters; viva la open-wheel reconquista Burton - more admiration than affection, but seems like such a good dude; my idea of a concession to the roots
on the bubble Villeneuve - if he makes it this year, I gotta root for a guy named Jacques; could become a favorite Truex - mid-Atlantic-ish guy can do exciting things under green, but kinda boring outside the car Raines - if he can get a ride Junior - a gimme Sadler - reminds me of dudes I hung out with over summers in DC years ago - v different, but fun; more interesting off the track tho Mears/Gustafson - too grayscale for his dayglo car, but the flipside of corporate is sharp, and (probably) talented Reutimann - sunshine coast Jesus freak who I ignored last season turns out to be modestly articulate and could be of interest in the B---- Series this year?
― gabbneb, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 06:29 (sixteen years ago) link
Martin Truex Jr. is not boring. He's just chill.
― felicity, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 09:26 (sixteen years ago) link
Yes, Marcos Ambrose is on the radar. His Kingsford Charcoal fire car caught on fire in one of the Busch races last year -- I wish I could find tape but NASCAR Now went to town on it. Haitch, I think you can stream races online at NASCAR's web site.
Marcus Ambrose was also leading the Montreal road course race last year until . . .
[Interior, ESPN studio}
ESPN desk (referring to Robbie Gordon): Rusty, have you ever before seen a LAPPED car spin out the leader, drive past the BLACK FLAG, and then do a VICTORY BURNOUT next to the race winner?
[Cut to Rusty Wallace, trackside]
Rusty Wallace: . . . No.
It was punk rock. Zero respect. Suspended for the next race and fined about ten gazillion driver points.
We should talk about burnouts some time.
― felicity, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 09:44 (sixteen years ago) link
hahaha, that is hilarious.
― daria-g, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 16:13 (sixteen years ago) link
I like those Wagnerian (ahem) burnouts against the wall under the lights.
― gabbneb, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 23:37 (sixteen years ago) link
burnouts are never, ever, not good.
― haitch, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 23:42 (sixteen years ago) link
Have you ever been to a race? What is it like?
I think this video of Fontana captures the flavor pretty well:
Hollywood Nights - NASCAR Style by Low Budget TV
The green flag start in this video is about as thrilling as a Duke-Carolina basketball game in overtime.
Does anybody here follow drift racing? All I know is that they get style points for the drifts and that they use stock Japanese subcompacts.
― felicity, Thursday, 14 February 2008 21:25 (sixteen years ago) link