NASCAR is a funny sport. Other sports have their biggest event at the end of the season. NASCAR stages its premier event right at the beginning. Maybe to keep you interested. Judging from my viewing last season, not.so.much.
One of the biggest differences between NASCAR and, oh, say, football is that if a driver took a knee during the National Anthem, the pit crew from the next stall over would probably run over an beat the crap out of him after the flyby. Case in point: A couple years ago, the cameras caught Jeff Gordon talking during the anthem. Talking. After it was over, I checked Jeff’s Twitter feed. He was being excoriated for talking during the anthem by even his FANS. Something like 50 tweets kicking his ass. So this is refreshing. I prefer hands over hearts but reverence is enough for me.
Okay, now then. NASCAR has changed the rules for the championship once again. I’d tell you about them, of course, except (1) I seriously doubt anyone cares and (2) they are so convoluted that they will require a slide rule and referencing my high-school trigonometry book. I’ve always wondered why math books have more than one edition. I mean, is there something NEW in Geometry?
Oh, right. Common Core. I forgot. There’s something new in everything with Common Core. Thank God my son is no longer in school. I would be hitting the heavy meds every night. I think the biggest problem we are going to have with Common Core is that you’re going to see a whoooole generation of kids unable to figure out how to balance a checkbook.
Oh, that’s right. No one does that anymore either.
I hope Donald Trump gives the Drivers’ Call to Start the Engines. In 8 years, Obama NEVER gave the call, but Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 did. I think Clinton might have, but they didn’t really televise in those days, and if Bill wasn’t going to get some air time out of it, I doubt he’d participate. Besides, Clinton was so in love with the sound of his own voice they probably were worried that he’d just keep on talking.
My driver used to be Jeff Gordon, then I switched to Tony Stewart when Jeff started sounding too much like a whiny liberal. Tony’s retired, so surprisingly I’m back to the 24 Car and rooting for a new kid named Chase Elliott (now if that isn’t a race-car driver’s name, I don’t know what is). He endorsed Trump early in 2016 – my kinda guy.
Dear God, this kid looks barely old enough to SHAVE.
The biggest question with the Daytona 500 lately has been if they even finish the race on Sunday. Many years it’s rained out and we’re treated by Fox Sports to interviews with every driver who would rather be anywhere than in front of a microphone standing under an umbrella. Some years ago, the track collapsed during the race and formed a hugh sinkhole. That certainly put a real damper on things, since suddenly these racer types were finding out how it felt to deal with a California freeway. Here’s hoping it starts on time and ends the same day – it kinda takes the “GREAT” out of the Great American Race when it’s being scheduled like a mini-series. #MakeDaytonaGreatAgain!
There will be crashes. There will be spills. In my house the bet is always at what point token diversity complete washout driver Danika Patrick goes a lap down or has a wreck that takes out a dozen cars. Steak dinners are riding on it.
As always, this is the Sunday open thread. So discuss what you will, CPAC, the Sunday morning news shows, why the Game of Thrones premier is delayed until June, the upcoming Lenten season. Whatever works.
