2009 NASCAR running thread

I know full well it is the France family, just a play on the name. You know, like some people say Brain instead of Brian France.
As for the Earnhardt quote, I was thinking of this one, which I'm pretty sure was from the summer Daytona race in 2000 (not to be confused with his Daytona 500 comments that year about NASCAR killing the racing at Daytona and Bill France Sr. rolling in his grave):
“If you’re not a race driver, stay the hell home. Don’t come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you’ve got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants won’t climb up there and eat that candy ass.” Separate from his Richmond comments about safety and how the HANS device was a noose.
NASCAR wasn't about to tell Earnhardt to use the HANS, since Earnhardt would get upset and thus Earnhardt Nation would revolt, even with all the deaths that could have been prevented over the years with the HANS device, dating back to J.D. McDuffie.
From what I recall, NASCAR didn't even mandate drivers to wear gloves in 2001 -- just recommended gloves. And with the belts, I believe Simpson's contention was his belts wouldn't break if properly mounted. Earnhardt was known to have his belts mounted in a way that compromised their integrity in an extreme circumstance like the double impact in the fatal accident. Can't remember if any tests were done to confirm that.

 

Your points leader wrecks hard on lap 3. Reutimann ran out of talent again and bumped the 77, which broke loose and hit the 48.

 

Holy crap. I saw that and went - Huhhhhh? I'd almost suggest a NASCAR conspiracy to help goose ratings for the remaining races but......

 

RT @JennaFryer: According to ESPN, if the race ended right now, 4-time1 would be 31 points out of first. Mark Martin 84 out. MAJOR DEVELOPMENT. #NASCAR.

WRITETHRU: 99, 42 wreck, 24 spins out but appears undamaged.

1Code for Gordon.

 

So I'm watching the end of the Nationwide race and once again Kyle Busch blows off an interview. Doesn't he realize that sponsors don't pay millions for their driver to win, but to run long and up front to get their names out there. Of course, racing well enough so someone WANTS to interview you is what its all about. I don't know why anyone would sponsor the guy.

 

Because he gets more camera time than anyone else in the sport? He's running in three series, off and on, and generally toward the front in all of them.

 

So by not doing interviews, he's helping the sponsors by not showing off his sparkling personality? I get it. Maybe he figures NASCAR needs a "bad boy" and figures he can't compete with Gordon, Johnson and Edwards in the smooth category.
I just wonder what he's like at sponsor appearances.

 

That says more about your parenting than it does about her.

 

NASCAR question - if a driver has a beef with another driver in the Nationwide series is it part of the code that the "payback" must be delivered in the same series?