The Speed Channel Needs to Dump Spencer Now!

As one of the most recklessly aggressive drivers to ever have the honor of driving in NASCAR’s top series Jimmy Spencer sounds ridiculous when he criticizes other drivers for things that happen on a race track. He wasn’t even mildly successful as a driver. With his rant against Dale Earnhardt Jr. he proved that he is worse as an announcer than as a driver and that seems impossible.

Basically he said that Dale Earnhardt Jr. shouldn’t have bumped Vickers when he blocked him during the 2009 Daytona 500. If a driver intentionally blocks another by running him into the out of bounds area as Vickers did to Earnhardt Jr., he is the one who needs to be penalized. Blocking has consequences, sometimes deadly serious. Vickers shouldn’t do it if he isn’t willing to suffer the consequences.

It was too bad that Vickers couldn’t recover from the spin that took out a number of cars that were still in contention for the win. If he didn’t have such a big mouth and short memory he would remember a few years back when he spun out Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson to win the race at Talladega, Alabama. It seems both Spencer and Vickers have no memories of their past sins.

We don’t need to see another overweight, uninformed, cigar smoking big mouth on television ranting about drivers he doesn’t like. His language is not what we want our children to hear, and they don’t need to see an obese individual smoking a huge cigar. We have enough lousy role models in the sports world.

Do the right thing Speed Channel, lose the loser!

Daytona Beach, Florida

Matt Kenseth, a past NASCAR champion was declared the winner of the 2009 Daytona 500.  It was called because of rain with forty eight laps left in the premiere race of the year. Kenseth was in tears after being declared the winner, saying that it was bigger to win at Daytona than to win the NASCAR championship. 

Matt Kenseth who hails from Wisconsin led only one green flag lap before the caution flag flew, followed soon by a red flag that permanently stopped the race. The race was called because of rain, along with high humidity that would have made it impossible to dry the track before midnight. If you can only lead one lap Kenseth picked the right one to lead. As the old saying goes; it’s better to be lucky than good.

Kevin Harvick finished second. Harvick, a Bakersfield, California native was the winner of the race in 2007 blowing past a line of cars to win by beating Mark Martin by a bumper. When the rain came he didn’t have the opportunity to repeat his feat of two years ago.

A.J. Almendinger, another California native was competing in his very first Daytona 500. He had failed to qualify for the 500 in previous tries, but this year he took a brand new car, with a new team, painted in the retro colors that Kyle Petty drove years before.

Clint Bowyer, a Kansas native finished fourth in another brand new car driving for the Richard Childress Racing team.

Tony Stewart starting his first NASCAR points race as an owner/driver finished eighth. Stewart was disappointed that he didn’t get to finish the race saying, he thought he had a chance for a victory. Ryan Newman, his teammate and fellow Indiana native continued to have terrible luck that has plagued him during this years’ Speed Weeks.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., the Kannapolis, North Carolina driver who is a fan favorite and the most popular driver in the sport blew his chance to win by committing two glaring rookie mistakes. He first couldn’t find his pit stall and had to go around once again before pitting. He had to go from the front of the pack and start in the rear on the restart. To his credit he really drove hard to get back to the front, making some moves that were reminiscent of his father. His second screw up was stopping with his right front tire on the pit box line. His crew then ignored the official who told them to get the car off the line before servicing the car. Now a lap down he was trying to be the first car one lap down. Brian Vickers blocked him, he turned Vickers into the pack resulting in a wreck that took out and severely damaged a number of cars.

Now the NASCAR series goes from Daytona to California for another show next week. Then in July as sure as the sun rises in the East the good ol boys will be back in Daytona once again.