Sunday, June 05, 2005

One thing that I love to do to unwind from the normal day-to-day grind is to watch the “good-ol-boys” of NASCAR.  I started watching this sport 10 years ago, and have had highs and lows along the way.  I have seen great drivers accomplish great things, and I have also seen great drivers lose their lives doing what they love.  As a fan, this year, I need CPR or at the very least a season-long supply of Jolt.

Last year was a year of firsts for NASCAR, new title sponsor, new points scheme to determine the champion, and new levels of (ahem) questionable thinking from the governing body. 

This year, if you’re a fan of Dale Earnhardt Jr., as I am, you want to cry, swear, or pray that one of these weekends, the 8 team won’t suck.  Sorry to put it so bluntly, but something has got to be fixed within the DEI organization as a whole.  For a company trying to solidify plans for next season, by attempting to sign Martin Truex Jr. and decide whether to keep Michael Waltrip around for another year, this is not the way to do it.  (I won’t go into the crew changes, the crew-chief changes, and the other things that have gone on.)

There have been multiple posts on multiple message boards saying how far off base DEI is as a whole.  As a fan of that organization, and the man for whom it’s named, I must agree..  Is the problem with the people that run the organization?  Possibly.  Do the cars need to be better-prepared at the shop before their loaded up on the haulers?  Definitely.  Is the season a total wash?  Not yet.