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Posted on June 2, 2007
Top of My Head –
Loudon
Thumbing My Way
Through The Countryside
Looking back on the
weekend of racing just ended, I must say
there was a lot that made me happy, and
probably just as many things that made
me grumpy. So I think it’s time for a
round of Thumbs Up – Thumbs Down.
So let’s DROP THE GREEN!
Thumbs Down to
NASCAR and their decision to bench
Craftsman Truck driver Ted Musgrave. I
saw the incident in question and I agree
he should have been penalized, but how
was what Ted did any different from what
Kurt Busch did on pit road back at the
Dover race. I still can see Tony
Stewart’s crewman jumping to avoid
Busch’s #2 car. NASCAR has made a big
deal over trying to keep penalties
equal. If Busch wasn’t suspended,
Musgrave shouldn’t have been, either.
Thumbs Up to
Travis Kvapil for winning his second
race out of the last three. I always
said Travis should go back to the trucks
where he had all his success. I’m happy
that I’m right about SOMETHING this
season. And you don’t have to look it
up, because I just did.
Thumbs Up to a
wonderful feature on the Pettys’ Victory
Junction Gang camp. If that didn’t make
you smile, then there’s no hope for
you. Think of those kids next time you
do something as simple as play ball or
go for a walk.
Thumbs Down to
“Born to be Wild”. I used to like that
song. But not after hearing it at least
7,281 times since TNT started their
coverage. And why the lame, almost
note-for-note cover? Couldn’t the
network afford the real version by
Steppenwolf?
Thumbs Up to my
man Sterling Marlin on celebrating his
50th birthday, but Thumbs
Down to the Speed boys for not so
much as a little interview with him. I
remember when Ken Schrader turned 50,
they did an interview and teased him
about his AARP membership. Just a
couple weeks ago Phil Parsons turned 50
and the crew presented him with a
rocking chair. Actually, the Booth Boys
finally DID mention Sterling’s birthday,
saying it was today, July 1, and that
Jeff Burton had turned 40 yesterday,
June 30. In truth, Sterling’s birthday
was the 30th and Jeff’s the
29th. Oh well, I guess wrong
information is better than no
information at all.
Thumbs Down to
such a late start for an East Coast
race. It was nearly 3:00 p.m. before
the green waved!
But Thumbs Up to
an incredibly beautiful performance of
the National Anthem by Denise Doucette.
Years ago there was a wonderful singer
by the name of Roget Doucette who sang
the Canadian National Anthem at Montreal
Canadiens hockey games, and his
performance would leave me breathless .
I wonder if she is a relative.
Thumbs Down to
this week’s statement of the obvious
when Ward Burton brought out the race’s
first caution, to which one of the Booth
Boys added, “But not on purpose…” Oh
what the heck, I’ll give them a
Thumbs Up, too, for making me
laugh.
Thumbs Down to the
year’s most tasteless commercial.
Mitchum. Bouncing Beach Babes. Enough
said.
Thumbs Down to Joe
Nemechek’s spectacular crash, but
Thumbs Up and ten points for style.
WOW! And Thumbs Down to the
Booth Boys for never mentioning that Joe
was okay. I’m assuming he was.
Thumbs Down to the
general Keystone-Kops quality of some of
the pit stops.
But Thumbs Up to
Carl Edwards for managing to overcome
his pit disaster and finish in 13th
place. Not what he’d hoped for, I’m
sure, but better than a DNF any day.
And a BIG Thumbs Up
to Denny Hamlin and the whole Number
11 team for bringing it all home for the
first time since the Pennsylvania 500
last August. Now if he’ll just let go
of the trophy long enough to have it
shipped home.
Oh, and a P.S. Thumbs
Up to everyone who pointed out to me
that the song “Like A Rock” was used in
advertisements for Chevy trucks, not
Ford. Ironic, since I drive a Chevy
truck!
As for next week’s race,
I’m going to pick Boris Said to
win. He loves those restrictor plate
races, and it would make my kid brother
the Said Head very happy. And my
dark-horse is my man Sterling, who used
to rule the restrictor plate tracks. I
believe he has one more win in him
before he says Happy Trails.
And how will TNT’s much
touted “Wide Open Racing” turn out? You
know I’ll have an opinion.
Wavin’ the Checkers
for Now…
ON TO DAYTONA!
You can contact
Becky at
marlinmama@gmail.com
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