Racin\’ Round: Silly season begins

Happier times for some drivers

I love this time of year, you know the weather gets a little better; the kids go back to school, the drivers for all the series start to whine.
It’s silly season again, and it isn’t just the Nextel Cup drivers that are whining, IRL drivers have joined in as well as the Champ Car Circuit, local drivers are complaining also, shoot it’s August, it must be National Race Whining Month.
I used to revel at some signs around local tracks; I even put one up at Canyon Raceway in Phoenix, Ariz. It was simple, “No Crybabies”, was all it said. Of course it didn’t keep any out, they still come in and when some start whining, they all start whining.
It is one of a promoter’s most frustrating duties every week. The constant complaints will wear you out! Some are legitimate, but some are just horrible.
When I was the announcer at Manzanita Speedway, also in Phoenix, I was bombarded one night in the booth by a group of mothers. The good kind, not the bad kind. I guess I had been mispronouncing a young man’s name for several weeks, and they wanted justice. Up the grandstands they marched with torches in hand, one had a pitchfork. Six of them came to carry me out and dump me in the middle of the dirt track, bury me and I would never be seen again. Their mouths were frothing with foam, they were yelling and screaming, making noises that I had never heard before. When they reached the tower, which was two stories in the air, thank god they were all too tired to carry me, and I got away. I never mispronounced a name again.
Of course it wasn’t that bad, I might have made up some of that story, but my point is relevant.
This week we have learned of the demise of the Jeff Burton/Jack Rousch marriage. We also learned that Jamie McMurray isn’t happy at Gannassi/Sabates racing. He says he doesn’t like the cars he gets, so he may be heading over to another Dodge team. If you ask me he’s lucky to be where he is, but who knows maybe he doesn’t get as bad of cars as Sterling Marlin gets.
We also heard about NASCAR crying that the drivers aren’t following protocol at the track. They shove the Powerade bottles out of the way, and then don’t show up to the victory lane party. Jimmie Johnson was fined $10,000 for shoving that bottle, and NASCAR finally decided to accept Jeff Gordon’s apology for loosing his head and not going to victory lane.
What are they going to fine Tony Stewart? Maybe they’ll give him the “Golden Toilet” award at the banquet. Stewart certainly put a new meaning to “you gotta go when you gotta go.”
We’ll have a great few weeks here soon, I can promise that. Someone will get fired, another will head for that car, and we may even see a switch or two come out. Burton heads for Childress, Carl Edwards will come to Rousch and McMurray will continue to drive the Havoline car for the time being. What’s next, who knows, and who cares.
Till next time, keep turning left.