Brad vs Carl - Lessons Learned

When you grab the tail of a dragon, you just might get burnt. Brad Keselowski grabbed Carl Edwards tail when he hit Carl in turns 1 & 2 of the last lap and got burnt a half a lap later. Brad and Carl passed each other a number of times without hitting each other. What Brad has to learn is if you have to hit someone to pass them, you just might get hit back.

I just do not understand why Brad, his family & many fans think he was a victim in the Gateway last lap deal. If Brad would have passed Carl without hitting him, Carl would not have hit him to re-pass him. Simple. Carl passed Brad to get the lead without hitting him. Why Brad thought he had to 'move Carl over' to pass is beyond me. What is even more amazing is why Brad was surprised when Carl 'moved Brad' to take the win a half lap later.

It looked to me after numerous replays on many TV shows that Brad moved up to block Carl, almost like he thought Carl would get into him and Carl moved down to 'move Brad over'. And they had a racing deal on the last lap, within sight of the checkered flag.

Whatever the small details happen in the last lap, the main lesson from the last lap deal is simple. If you hit someone to pass them, you just gave them the green light to hit you to re-pass you.

After almost 40 years of watching racing, I still do not understand why a driver thinks they have the 'right' to hit / move over / rattle their cage / etc. another driver to pass them. You pass clean, you most likely will not get hit so they can re-pass you. Ask Mark Martin or better yet, watch him race. His 40 Cup wins prove you do not need to hit someone to pass them.

Brad, you are getting a rep as a dirty driver. Now the payback is not any fun. Brad, learn to pass without hitting someone and you will not end up in the wall anymore. Simple.

What's the Big Fuss about Danica?

If you read any blog, listen to any racing show or read any racing publication, you would think Danica Patrick is either going to save or wreck stock car racing. I really do not know what the big fuss is about Danica trying out stock cars. She is a racer and has sponsorship for a stock car, so let her race. Just like any racer, she is either going to do well or not do well.

Let her give it a shot. At the end of the year, then we can grade her. She has only tested a stock car, not ran one stock car race, yet some are writing her off already. Others think she got her ride because she is female. Some think others should have the chance before her. And then there are those that think her running stock cars will save NASCAR. Only time will tell.

Racing is sponsor driven today, in case you have not noticed. She has done well in different forms of open wheel racing. She is a racer and she has a sponsor. Let her race. In a race car running around a track, unless you know who is in the seat, you cannot tell if the driver is male or female, what color they are or how old they are. The bottom line is how well they do on the track. Performance counts. At the end of the year we all will know if she will continue in stock cars or like some other open wheel drivers trying stock cars, give it up.

2010 Will Be Better

It has been a long time since I posted anything on my racing blog. It is not that I have lost interest in racing, just that some major forms of racing have lost interest in me, the long time racing fan.

NASCAR and other forms of major racing organizations have been courting the "New Fan" and forgetting about me and my fellow long time fans. This caused a temporary jump in interest in the sport. Increased attendance at races and sales of race items skyrocketed. But that was short lived.

The economy has had something to do with shrinking interest in auto racing, mainly NASCAR, but that is not the only reason. That "New Fan" that NASCAR courted, has moved on to some other fad. Some have stayed and will be long time fans. But a big chunk of that "New Fan" influx of fans have moved on.

There will be another influx of Danica Patrick fans that were never race fans, but are drawn to the news buzz of Danica mania. Some will stay and some will more on.

But the bottom line is the long time race fan. One that has been a fan for some time and will remain a fan for the rest of their life. That is the base of auto racing. That is who NASCAR and other forms of racing should not forget. I am hoping 2010 will be better for those fans.