Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Back On The Racetrack
posted by Tygrrius @ 11:53 PM
"You win some, you lose some, you wreck some."
--Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
Ah, the frustrations of being a race fan. The worst part tonight, though, was not just watching a fad-of-the-week driver like Kyle Busch wreck a class-act like Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who was giving his competitor plenty of room to race with just laps to go at Richmond International Raceway. The worst part was hearing driver-turned-commentator Darrell Waltrip trot out another round of apologies for his new favorite son, Busch.
Waltrip was one of the first NASCAR racers to drive Toyota, in the Truck Series as his career was winding down. As far as I can tell, Toyota still has him in their back pocket, though. His brother Michael's 2007 startup team is also Toyota.
In the main Sprint Cup series, Busch started driving a Toyota for Joe Gibbs this season, you see, so he's suddenly become a favorite of Darrell Waltrip - known in the racing world as "Jaws" because he talks too much.
That nickname really hit home tonight as Jaws had to not only make the weekly excuse for his brother Michael's lousy performance, but also once again Busch.
How many times this season has Jaws proudly told listeners how much Busch has "matured"? Apparently, all you need to do to "mature" in Jaws' eyes is start driving a Toyota. While the Joe Gibbs team has found success with Toyota this year, the Michael Waltrip team, which was implicated in a cheating scandal out of the box in Daytona last season, continues to lag behind. If there's any justice in the racing universe, Waltrip's Toyota will remain at the back of the pack - or even better, off the track completely.
But I'm getting off track here myself. The real purpose of this quick rant is to complain about Fox Sports' coverage of NASCAR, particularly having to hear Jaws make excuses for Michael Waltrip and Kyle Busch at each and every race.
Jaws' fellow commentator Larry McReynolds was actually brave enough, briefly, to speak up tonight and point out that he found it disturbing that Busch's tires were turned in the direction of Earnhardt, Jr.'s car as the wreck began - implying that the action was deliberate on the hothead Busch's part. Busch, who likes to call himself "Rowdy" Busch after a character in the 1990 Tom Cruise racing flop Days of Thunder, of course claimed that Earnhardt, Jr. came down and caused the wreck, though the video evidence just doesn't support it.
After McReynold's statement, Jaws and his puppet, commentator Mike Joy, quickly came to Busch's defense. Jaws does a pretty good ventriloquist act, making Joy sound like he's talking without moving his lips. Larry Mac quickly retracted his statement as well. Wouldn't want to make Toyota or the Gibbs team upset, since they apparently sponsor Fox Sports based upon the amount of coverage they receive of late.
As far as the on-track incident goes, as disgusting as it was, that's racing. What goes around comes around, and Busch will get his.
What's more disturbing, though, is the ongoing annoyance of having to listen to Jaws and team in the booth every week. Why can't Fox Sports do like Fox News and present "Fair and balanced" coverage?
Personally, I'd prefer the option of somehow turning off the commentary all together, while keeping the other sound effects going - a "Crank It Up" channel, if you will. Barring that, I think it's about time Fox Sports varied its coverage a bit. NASCAR ratings have been falling lately, Emmy win or not, and I think booth burnout is part of the problem.
Why not vary who covers each race? Sure, let Jaws and team cover a few, but why not make other teams as well and rotate them?
For instance, I think Krista Voda would do a great job in the booth. I'd much rather hear her than a puppet like Mike Joy. Fox, and the other networks that cover NASCAR, need to think in new ways instead of always sticking with old stand-bys like Jaws and Joy.
There are other well-spoken former drivers out there. Get Jaws out of the booth and let's hear from them. Rotate Jaws out and bring in Dale Jarrett, the son of the man who was arguably the best NASCAR commentator ever, Ned Jarrett. Unfortunately for former champion Dale Jarrett, he spent his last races before retirement at Michael Waltrip racing, meaning that he wasn't competitive. But hey, there's a Toyota connection so maybe Fox Sports will let him in. I'd much rather hear him than Jaws these days.
While Larry McReynolds is the least annoying of the three, I would say the same should go for him. Build each booth team as a separate trio, so McReynolds would rotate out with Jaws and Joy and some other former crew chief or other NASCAR insider would take his place.
My real preference, though, is the "Crank It Up" channel. Then viewers would be able to opt out of the spoon-feeding from Jaws and company.
--Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
Ah, the frustrations of being a race fan. The worst part tonight, though, was not just watching a fad-of-the-week driver like Kyle Busch wreck a class-act like Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who was giving his competitor plenty of room to race with just laps to go at Richmond International Raceway. The worst part was hearing driver-turned-commentator Darrell Waltrip trot out another round of apologies for his new favorite son, Busch.
Waltrip was one of the first NASCAR racers to drive Toyota, in the Truck Series as his career was winding down. As far as I can tell, Toyota still has him in their back pocket, though. His brother Michael's 2007 startup team is also Toyota.
In the main Sprint Cup series, Busch started driving a Toyota for Joe Gibbs this season, you see, so he's suddenly become a favorite of Darrell Waltrip - known in the racing world as "Jaws" because he talks too much.
That nickname really hit home tonight as Jaws had to not only make the weekly excuse for his brother Michael's lousy performance, but also once again Busch.
How many times this season has Jaws proudly told listeners how much Busch has "matured"? Apparently, all you need to do to "mature" in Jaws' eyes is start driving a Toyota. While the Joe Gibbs team has found success with Toyota this year, the Michael Waltrip team, which was implicated in a cheating scandal out of the box in Daytona last season, continues to lag behind. If there's any justice in the racing universe, Waltrip's Toyota will remain at the back of the pack - or even better, off the track completely.
But I'm getting off track here myself. The real purpose of this quick rant is to complain about Fox Sports' coverage of NASCAR, particularly having to hear Jaws make excuses for Michael Waltrip and Kyle Busch at each and every race.
Jaws' fellow commentator Larry McReynolds was actually brave enough, briefly, to speak up tonight and point out that he found it disturbing that Busch's tires were turned in the direction of Earnhardt, Jr.'s car as the wreck began - implying that the action was deliberate on the hothead Busch's part. Busch, who likes to call himself "Rowdy" Busch after a character in the 1990 Tom Cruise racing flop Days of Thunder, of course claimed that Earnhardt, Jr. came down and caused the wreck, though the video evidence just doesn't support it.
After McReynold's statement, Jaws and his puppet, commentator Mike Joy, quickly came to Busch's defense. Jaws does a pretty good ventriloquist act, making Joy sound like he's talking without moving his lips. Larry Mac quickly retracted his statement as well. Wouldn't want to make Toyota or the Gibbs team upset, since they apparently sponsor Fox Sports based upon the amount of coverage they receive of late.
As far as the on-track incident goes, as disgusting as it was, that's racing. What goes around comes around, and Busch will get his.
What's more disturbing, though, is the ongoing annoyance of having to listen to Jaws and team in the booth every week. Why can't Fox Sports do like Fox News and present "Fair and balanced" coverage?
Personally, I'd prefer the option of somehow turning off the commentary all together, while keeping the other sound effects going - a "Crank It Up" channel, if you will. Barring that, I think it's about time Fox Sports varied its coverage a bit. NASCAR ratings have been falling lately, Emmy win or not, and I think booth burnout is part of the problem.
Why not vary who covers each race? Sure, let Jaws and team cover a few, but why not make other teams as well and rotate them?
For instance, I think Krista Voda would do a great job in the booth. I'd much rather hear her than a puppet like Mike Joy. Fox, and the other networks that cover NASCAR, need to think in new ways instead of always sticking with old stand-bys like Jaws and Joy.
There are other well-spoken former drivers out there. Get Jaws out of the booth and let's hear from them. Rotate Jaws out and bring in Dale Jarrett, the son of the man who was arguably the best NASCAR commentator ever, Ned Jarrett. Unfortunately for former champion Dale Jarrett, he spent his last races before retirement at Michael Waltrip racing, meaning that he wasn't competitive. But hey, there's a Toyota connection so maybe Fox Sports will let him in. I'd much rather hear him than Jaws these days.
While Larry McReynolds is the least annoying of the three, I would say the same should go for him. Build each booth team as a separate trio, so McReynolds would rotate out with Jaws and Joy and some other former crew chief or other NASCAR insider would take his place.
My real preference, though, is the "Crank It Up" channel. Then viewers would be able to opt out of the spoon-feeding from Jaws and company.
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