Ok, so this is the big one, the one we've all been...uh, never mind, I've just checked my inbox and apparantly if I continue that thought a J.K. Rowling is threatening to sue me.
Anyway, this isn't just restricted to a single series, this will (hopefully) incorporate everything.
Rookie of the Year - not a hard choice when you boil it down. To win 4 races (granted, you should if you are driving the best car but a win's a win all the same) and come within a single point of winning the title, it can only be Lewis Hamilton...anything less than having the #1 on his car in 2009 will be a failure however (no pressure Lewis...just don't change your name to Tim Henman over the offseason, mate).
Best Race of the Year - again, not a hard choice. You want a race to have everything; variable weather, crashes, overtaking, wheel-####ing, a charge through the field, right? Well, there was only one race that brought us all that and that was the European (or was it German this year?) Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. The skies opened on lap 1 causing a red flag as 5 cars went off about a lap later (all at the same corner...one car even brushed the rescue tractor/crane as it was retrieving the other cars from the gravel trap), Alonso and Massa provided the climatic finish while Hamilton finished an agonising second behind 2 points after a stonking drive from the back.
Qualifier of the Year - now, this is a tough one. There have been several quality drivers to consider for this one; Jeff Gordon, Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne just to mention a few. However, I'm going a bit more controversial for this one...Nico Hulkenberg. He's the new Williams F1 test driver and thumped everyone in the A1GP series this year. Not bad for a 20 year old that no one had heard of before 12 months ago.
Team of the Year - Hendrick Motorsports...do I really need to explain why? No, I didn't think so either.
Pit Crew of the Year - I'm going with the Toll HSV boys from the V8 Supercars. When the pressure was on, they delivered in the final round, getting Garth Tander from 5th to 1st and were the main reason he won the title.
Driver of the Year - another toughie. Kimi Raikonnen, Jimmie Johnson, Garth Tander, Dario Franchitti, Nico Hulkenberg all won their respective series, though only Nico won by a massive margin. However, I'm going with the man who set a few records but didn't win the title...Jeff Gordon.
Ok, so that's the official stuff out of the way so let's have a little bit of fun.
Personality of the Year - Rusty Wallace for providing us with his insightful comments and magnificent commentary...hopefully someone gives him a drive next year instead.
Crash of the Year - I think we can all agree that there were many candidates for this one. But, at the end of the day, I've given it to dragster driver, Phil Lamattina...which I think HotfootLori posted about in September.
Surprise of the Year - Clint Bowyer would, under any other circumstances, be odds on here...but I have to give this to the fact that the name 'Earnhardt' won't be in the winners list for NASCAR this year...in any category. If the number of engine failures matched his car number, he might have picked up the next award too, but it was not to be.
Miracle of the Year - Jeff Gordon not winning his 5th title? Lewis Hamilton doing the impossible by screwing up the final 2 GP's of the year to lose the championship? Phil Lamattina for surviving that crash? No...this award can only go to one thing; McLaren Mercedes F1 team. The miracle being they weren't punished more in the 'spygate' saga.
Worst Looking Car Livery of the Year - Team Vodafone in the V8 Supercars. They took the old saying "if you can't beam 'em, join 'em" a touch too far when they launched their 2007 challenger. I guess no one told them that HRT use more or less the exact same colours in more or less the exact same locations...made it hell to watch on TV.
And lastly, my favourite award...
Bone-headed Overtaking Attempt of the Year - well, Juan Montoya didn't take long to make his mark...just 3 races in fact and the mark was on Scott Pruett's right rear panel. Garth Tander nearly cost himself the V8 title by divebombing inside Steve Richards but wobbled away with a broken suspension instead. Dario Franchitti took Marco Andretti off...along with a section of his front wing which ultimately cost him a win. Quite a few to choose from I think you'd agree, but the winner has to be Kyle Busch for passing (well, trying to anyway) his brother at the All-Star race.
I thought I might as well try to give you lot a bit of a laugh heading into 2008...hope you don't mind. If anyone has a problem with who got what, you are more than welcome to argue your point/s...just be prepared for me to not care about it *laugh*
Apologies for missing out a few awards...a 'part deux' might be required to cover for that ;)
Yep this is a good summary of the results for the year. Guess the races of the world have shut down for the year. Now we got to wait till next year to get our fixes.
Nice "Tez" awards for multiple series. Even though I haven't been following F1 as much this year, my husband would always keep me informed of the amazing rookie Lewis Hamilton. What he accomplished for any rookie was amazing...but to do it in F1, truly unbelievable, and quite remarkable indeed!
I also like your Personality of the Year award for Rusty. That certainly is a a polite way of acknowledging all the discontent many have felt with his first full season on ESPN for the NASCAR races.
Last edited by Gerrel on December 13th at 9:20 PM.
TEZ Thats funny. They'll fine them probably what all of nascar is worth. But yet not take one point away. Now why would Juan want to leave a series that has that much money floating around? That has to be the bonehead move of the decade.
Tez - Whoaaa! You changed your avatar! Ummm, what is the animal that is silhoutted supposed to be, a horse, panther or something else? Nice change though.
Last edited by Gerrel on December 13th at 10:20 PM.
Juan left because he wanted to "have fun with his racing again"....which I take as meaning that he was never going to win a F1 title so he jumped before he got pushed :P
He's a great driver when the car is under him (we've seen glimpses of that this year too...Indy for example) but his aggression tends to get the better of him too much to be consistant enough to make a tilt at the title.
Gerrel; yup, it's a horse
Last edited by Tezgm99 on December 13th at 10:22 PM.
Tez When Juan was racing IRL cars. I was a fan of his. I thought that Chip was a smart owner by letting him drive one of his Indy cars. But Im not so sure about the decision to put him in a cup car. Sure Juan is a good driver. But I just think that Nascar is to much for him. He got used to driving cars that stuck to the track, and didnt really slide like the cup cars do. He is having alot of trouble adjusting. Chip probably figured that since Tony made the transition look pretty easy. That Juan should be able to also adjust real quick. The difference is that Tony didnt spend that many years in the IRL, and also his dirt track racing really helped him alot. Juan I think because of all the time that he spent driving slot cars, is having a harder time adjusting to a car that doesnt handle like the open wheel cars.
Last edited by frevr3fan on December 13th at 10:43 PM.
3fan- LOL, that is probably why Tez is in first place when they threw the red flag on the Snowball Derby. We'll have to see how he fares in the last episode of the Derby.
A crash takes out several strong cars (to her credit, not her because she was up front at the time) and she's CLEARLY got the best car as the laps wind down but the computer senses a tire puncture and she has to pit, losing her best chance at winning.
Also, the Daytona 500 should at least get co-credit for "Race of the Year".
Ah yes, it is time for the yearly awards and such (and this gives me an idea for some blogger awards to give out). Hmmm I could have some fun with that.
Anyways, I will argue in favor of Kimi Raikkonen for Driver of the Year. Dominant win to start the F1 season, followed by a rollercoaster ride throughout the year, and then the dramatic late charge to win the Driver's Title.
The Iceman finally won that elusive title!
Meh, I guess that Jeff Gordon dude is pretty good too though.
Tez - Entertaining as usual - you certainly hit all the series!
I do have one complaint - I sit through two soakings at Kansas and that race doesn't even get a MENTION?!?
It should at least get a special reward for most messed up decision by a sanctioning body. Or does that got to FIA for doing nothing until Todt complained/tattled for a few weeks on McLaren?
Tez - All too you to follow all and keep the info coming. Great blog !!!! and you did it while driving a loos race car. One hand on wheel and one typing.
The only thing I remember about the 500 was the finish, nothing else. So that's why the GP got that one since it was the more spectacular overall race....and the fact that F1 don't have roofs yet drive in the rain, lol
Some Notable Mentions for you now;
Dario Franchitti - honoured by airlines everywhere for his amazing display of acrobatics which earnt him a lifetime supply of frequent flyer points.
Kimi Raikonnen - for showing some emotion after Brazil and proving some Australian who lives in NZ wrong by winning the F1 title...even though I still say he's a car breaker, lol :P
Most Ludicrious Decision - NASCAR for doing the impossible by beating what happened at Montreal with the farce at Kansas (there you go Iowa, I completely forgot about that one, lol)
UUUMM The avitar adding another horse to your engine in the GGW derby? According to the rules,
section xy123 ( an action detrimental to the sport of racing ) this will be an infraction and is considered nul and void your position in the race.
To the back of the longest line.
UH OH ! The WHOOPSIES are back. I guess this can be considered a rule infraction detrimental to auto sports. Fox, Back to the longest line.
Last edited by photogr on December 15th at 10:19 AM.
Tez is a rare creature; an Australian who was living in New Zealand before moving to Canada. He's also a Civil Engineer who is hoping to spend his Monday to Friday sitting in front of a computer surfing the inter...uh, working hard for an Engineering Consultant or Contractor when he finds a job. His heart is torn between his two loves; F1 and NASCAR.
Due to his high interest in those, his blogs will likely focus on them with the occasional foray into sports that don't get much (if any) mention on this website. All blogs and/or comments will more than likely have his usual dollop of sarcasm and general Aussie spin on them.
Amazingly, he also managed to score 2 MiB nominations on consecutive days (August 5 & 6, 2007) after announcing he had been keeping track of them...he's considering hiding under his bed as a result.
