I’ve got to preface this post with the following words you’ve read before from me: I’m a first year NASCAR fan. That being said I was quite surprised at the outpouring of hostility directed toward one of the brightest stars NASCAR has seen in quite some time thanks to a racing incident in Richmond last Saturday night. Do you recall the incident? It occurred after Denny Hamlin had tire problems and lost control of the Sprint Cup race as well as first place as a result. Both Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kyle Busch simultaneously passed Hamlin, thus setting the scene for a race to the finish by these two drivers.
First, I understand that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the most popular NASCAR driver of them all right now. His NASCAR gear is number one in sales and that alone tells the story. Second, I’ve got to say that the intensity of emotions NASCAR fans have for their favorite drivers is unrivaled in any of the other sports I’m familiar with. I had heard about this and was aware of it in passing as a sports fan, but I had never become directly involved... until now.
I’ve become very interested in this young driver Kyle Busch. I figured that since I’m a new fan, why not follow an essentially new driver. This guy’s style has been likened over and over again to a young Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s style. The win at all cost mentality that eventually gained Earnhardt at first begrudged respect and eventually out and out love and admiration as one of the greatest NASCAR drivers to ever don a racing helmet, is mirrored in Kyle Busch’s driving. Dale Senior’s untimely death, at a time when his son and namesake, Dale Jr. was starting to make a name for himself on the Cup circuit, transferred the lion’s share of Dale Sr.’s huge fan following directly over to Jr. These steadfast fans remain firmly entrenched behind Dale Jr. to this day.
Enter a new young prodigy, and almost all of the sport’s fans have taken exception to what he’s done. The NASCAR media seized the opportunity whenever the brash young man spoke his mind, usually without thinking how his comments might be perceived (a trait common in most young people), and suddenly Kyle Busch is seen as a threat and the villain. Several respected and long-time NASCAR followers have made the comparison between Earnhardt Sr. and Kyle Busch’s driving. Earnhardt had to scrape and crawl his way to a chance in this sport and when he finally got it, there wasn’t anyone or anything going to stand in his way. He assaulted his fellow drivers and was known for his recklessness. Never willing to back off, always looking for the opening and (early on in his career) rarely displaying patience, Dale Earnhardt Sr. had a terrible reputation. He was blamed time and time again for the poor showings of the more popular drivers of that day, and he let the criticism run off of him without showing a care. Does this sound familiar?
So wouldn’t you know it… The son of the man many people compare Kyle Busch’s driving style to, the man who most of Dale Sr.’s fans have transferred their loyalty to, the most popular man in NASCAR today, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch end up racing side by side on a fast short track. Mr. Popularity verses the driver everybody loves to hate. The driver who has personified the “Good Guy” image, the most commercialized face of NASCAR, the hometown southerner verses this vile, brash, in your face guy from way out west. Then, to add insult to injury, Earnhardt and Busch come together as they enter turn three at the end of the 397th lap of a 400 lap race. The proverbial good guy, most everybody’s favorite, the guy who hasn't won a race in two season's worth of races, loses control and wrecks finishing in 15th , while “bad guy” Busch, although not winning the race, finishes in good order for second to become the new points leader in the 2008 Sprint Cup.
Methinks you may not win new friends with this one.LOL I didn't get to see the race. Whatever really happened will be good for the sport this week. (I don't "hate" or even dislike drivers. I am not a fan of either one of these guys.) Excellent job with this, thanks.
I just want people to take a look at Kyle Busch in terms of who he drives like and how it became a "wouldn't ya know it" moment in Richmond when he came up against Dale Jr., not to mention the fact that these two are tied together thanks to the change Hendrick made before the season began...
D-Man...welcom to NASCAR. Have you ever seen NFL fans go so crazy over a regular season game?
One word in particular in your post says a lot. THREAT. That is how many fans see Kyle B. now. They know that the more he wins, the less their fav wins. These same fans felt the same way about Jeff Gordon when he started taking wins away from Dale Sr.
I have to agree that NASCAR fans are among the most passionate in sports, but that is nothing compared to the emotions generated by the Texas A&M-University of Texas rivalry. You've seen that ESPN commercial where they're playing charades? That's no joke. The Aggies hate the Longhorns and the Longhorns hate the Aggies. Every year before the A&M- UT football game, Reveille (the collie who is the A&M Corps of Cadets mascot) and Bevo (the UT Longhorn) have to be moved to an undisclosed location for their own protection. You think that security was beefed up around Kyle Busch Saturday night- that was nothing compared to what security is like for the teams, coaches, band, cheerleaders, and mascots for this one football game. And like the good Father of the church whose sign you posted, A&M fans aren't afraid of using the Lord to bash their rival. The best selling bumper sticker/window decal in College Station is the outline of the UT Longhorn with the horns sawed off and the words Psalm 75:10 underneath (All the horns of the wicked will I also cut off).
For the record, Kyle Busch is on the short list of drivers that we cheer for (and will probably be the main guy when Tony Stewart retires). He's not Tony Stewart (not yet, anyway), but I have no doubt that one day he will surpass Tony in number of wins and most likely number of championships. When that happens, it will not change my opinion of him one bit. I will still cheer for him everytime he's on the racetrack
Last edited by SpeedBeagle20 on May 4th at 11:00 PM.
Dwindy... good post. I like the fact you added the video's to really give a visual of the truth of the matter. I think Kyle's style of driving is like Sr.'s and people forget that all most are comparing is the driving style and not their characters (other then Sr. didn't give a rip if he took you out for the win...lol).
Hanahan, I'd heard about this but seeing is believing...
I thought it was very interesting that the video I found trying to illustrate the young Earnhardt Sr.'s driving style almost duplicated the circumstances that happened Saturday night, right down to it occurring on the Richmond International Raceway! The popular driver involved in a wreck with the relative newcomer that everybody had formed up against and then the attitude Dale showed at the end of the video... Couldn't have found a better example of what I'm trying to get across to people.
The A&M - Texas rivalry is definitely something to behold... I've been around some pretty good college rivalries in my time too. NASCAR appears to transcend regional rivalries in it's scope. My gosh, the lines are drawn on a national scale.
I'm just trying to pump some sense into this confrontation. The two guys were racing to win. Neither was going to back down. Would we want it any other way?
I hope that people have calmed down enough since Saturday night and are now willing to push their emotions aside and look at what happened through the eyes of reason. It seems to me the very same fans that are willing to go after Kyle were originally Dale Sr. fans, a man indicted for the very same things that Kyle has been since subjected to while becoming a force in NASCAR. I don't expect them to come full circle and become Kyle fans, but I'd like to think they can see the similarities between the two and come to at least respect Kyle as the second coming of Dale Earnhardt Sr. that he appears to be...
Dwindy1,
There's a valid reason Jr. Nation is so disliked by non-Jr. fans. They can NEVER be objective when Jr. is involved even when he admits he "pinched him down and got him loose" and even when his crew chief also said it was just a racing deal. I wanted Jr. to win and still hope he eventually wins a championship but some of his fans perfectly fit the stereotypical "ignorant scarlett neck" grouping in which many put them. I use scarlett because it would just show up as a bleep otherwise.
I hear what you're saying. A little harsh wouldn't you say? I can understand how fervently these fans wanted to see their favorite driver at long last win and when he didn't, possibly due to a racing incident with the current "bad boy", their unbridled passion for Jr. blinded their common sense... Hopefully they can eventually see the similarities between Kyle and Dale Sr. Maybe they will come around...
Dwindy1,
I hope the comparisons of Sr. and Kyle subside because Sr. was well known for intentionally wrecking people he couldn't pass and Kyle doesn't have to intentionally wreck anyone. Toyotas are going to be the strongest cars for the next few years and he has the talent to win multiple championships without resorting to Sr. tactics. There's a difference between being extremely agressive and intentionally wrecking people. I never understood why guys put up with Sr. as long as they did.
I've heard that about Sr. and then I've heard people make that same claim against Kyle. I don't have a frame of reference other than heresay on Earnhardt Sr.
I heard the Fox announcers jokingly refer to a sequence Saturday night where one of the drivers passed Kyle Busch and then I think it was DW that said "I'll bet that guy is wondering 'Now why did I do that? Now Kyle's right on my rear end!"
I do know this, Earnhardt Sr. was known as the Intimadator for a reason...
Dwindy- You've nailed it for the most part...its the golden boy v. the bad boy and the rivarly will be great for NASCAR.
I find it very interesting (from my shrink perspective) to see how fan's passionate beliefs about their drivers or even just the sport skews their reactions. Everyone does it, it just depends on your viewpoint...thats what makes the fans so great!
In fact, in the garage at Phoenix some of the Penske folks were asking me who the most "irrational" fans were, and at the time we were stuck between Jr's fans and Stewarts! Course by "irrational" they really meant the most passionate and blind! LOL
Dwindy 1 As with every piece or soap opera you've got to have a hero and a villain. Or what would NASCAR be without those two characters ? Nothing more than watching members in the House of Congress making complete as*ses of themselves.
Look I'm a good guy really I am .
You may not know me but I'm Dale Earnhardt Jr and I race cars and I love my job. And I'm a hero to the masses of NASCAR fans. That's why they looovvve me !
I know, or maybe I'd better say I hope... that once the intensity of the moment has passed, the fans will take a look at their reactions and think better of the loyal opposition. Right now there is one heck o####ap between the two camps.
Although it really stirs the emotions, I agree this type of rivalry is a good thing for NASCAR.
It really does resemble a soap opera, or the old time good guy / bad guy story line. Sure makes for a lot of fan interest. What will happen next? Tune in next weekend to the Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington!
Thanks William and thanks for your efforts putting that on each week! I've told several others about how it has brought my interest in racing generally and NASCAR in particular to another level.
Thanks again William! Here's hoping spring has sprung up in your neck of the woods!
Dwindy
A lot of these soaps tend to have sex , drugs and violence as part of the storyline. However in NASCAR thus far there's been very little of the sex and drugs. And only a small preclusion as to the violence. So one out of three can't be bad at all at this juncture. But many of us are living in hope that it'll be livened up with some of the former.
rampant' aka tophatal .........
Last edited by rampantfanatic on May 5th at 1:04 PM.
I think NASCAR pretty much imitates life in the good old U.S. of A. just as the other sports do, but the sex and drugs have pretty much been kept under wraps...
Amen...dwindy...I agree on all of your points. Junior Nation is a powerful group in NASCAR...they will defend him no matter what. While you have to admire their passion, they also tend to be myopic when wrecks occur. It's never his fault.
I had no idea just how typical what happened in Richmond actually is... It's commonplace... WTH are these people so upset about? It's really looking ticky tscky to me now.
I sure have gone to school on NASCAR the past few weeks. Wouldn't ya know I start pulling for a guy that turns out to be a lightening rod! I can't get over the similarities between Dale Sr. and Kyle Busch coupled with the Dale Jr. fans absolutely denying it... It's so obvious. I guess love has no reason...
Dwindy I for one am still waiting to see how sex and drugs'll manifest itself within NASCAR ? It's not as if one could ever imagine any of these guys lightin' up a joint let alone one of 'em espousing their views on the use of marijuana let alone any other drug of choice.
And when it comes to sex more likely than it's what goes on behind closed doors they'd rather be left behind closed doors. !
I'm a sports fanatic living on the west coast of Florida. I'm a rare bird that moved here from the left coast a couple of years ago. I advocate an even playing field in all of life's endeavors.
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