Bye, bye, Dale Jr.
For the first time in more than 40 years, there won't be a Dale Sr. or Jr. on the track. That's a lot of legacy that's leaving the sport. Say what you want about the other veterans coming back -- and about the young up-and-comers -- but it's going to a long, long time before the sport sees another pair like those two. And, it may be a long time before we see a driver go out by chugging beer on the track.
Martin Truex Jr. cues the waterworks
There's no crying in -- NASCAR? Well, sure there is, and Martin Truex Jr. showed that. Really, did anyone deserve this more? Furniture Row Racing has had a year right out of a Shakespearean tragedy. A valued crew member died. Truex's long-time girlfriend has been battling cancer and team owner Barney Visser had emergency heart surgery and still won't be well enough to attend the award's ceremony on Las Vegas. The win is nice, but not nearly as important as a life lost and two more that could have been.
I felt horrible for Danica Patrick while watching her TV interview
That's what raw emotion looked like, when Patrick wrecked at Homestead and ended her 2017 season. I give her all of the respect in there world for enduring an NBC interview when she obviously would have preferred to be in the garage, throwing and kicking stuff everywhere. But instead she gritted her teeth and did what she did on the track -- game it her best.
A gun to the head means it's time for Formula 1 to pull out of Brazil
Brazil isn't the safest place in the world, not even close. And when members of team Mercedes were held up at gunpoint -- one member had a gun held to his head -- it sparked concern outrage, as it should. But it should spark something else. F1 needs to pull out of Brazil. Heck, most international sports teams need to pull out of Brazil. After that scary incident, we heard more tales of vicious holdups. With something like this, once is enough, and we have more than once. Get out of Brazil. F1, before someone gets killed.
QUICK HITS
- Elliott Sadler, who has built a fabulous career, came off as a whinny little girl complaining about Ryan Peerce
- Speaking on complaints, Kyle Busch claiming Joey Logano was in his way at Homestead sounds thin
- While Kes' complaints (see a trend?) about Toyota can get tiresome, he's right that Ford needs to step up or risk being crushed next season
- I think when Danica races in the Indy500, it will be the highest-rated race of the year
- Brendan Gaughan is taking a step back; I'll miss his old-school toughness
- Brian France and his NASCAR cronies say the sport is doing great. Where can I get what they're smoking?
- There's a reason Derrike Cope is still around; he's done it all and it more than a driver for StarCom Racing
- This week's shout-out: Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal. He covers the business side of NASCAR like no one else.