Top Row Seat - Atlanta
Dateline: 03/11/97Dale Jarrett finally got his well-deserved first win of the year and #24 had some bad luck. As a result DJ has assumed the points lead and PosterBoy fell all the way to fourth behind Terry Labonte and Mark Martin.
No suprise in Victory Lane
Dale Jarrett dominated the race this week. I'm getting sick of writing that. DJ has led the most laps in every race since Daytona (Mark Martin led the most laps at Daytona) totaling well over half of all the laps run so far this year. But coming into this race Dale Jarrett had not won in his last 13 tries.
But this time things were different. This time they kept trying to improve the handling, even when it was already the fastest car on the track. This time the handling didn't go away late in the race. This time DJ finished what he started and found his way to victory lane.
You know, Jarrett is one of those guys that you just can't dislike. I can't remember him ever being anything but a gentleman on the track and in front of the press. He's not arrogant and he doesn't risk lives while in the race car. As a rule, race fans will turn against a successful driver, but I think you'd have a pretty tough time finding many race fans who can honestly say they dislike DJ.
Pressure and Frustration for Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt again comes up short. The pressure is starting to get to him. You can hear it in his interviews, this is not the same old Intimidator. Dale used to laugh off his poor qualifying runs because he, and everyone else, knew that he'd be a factor when it came down to it. But this week before the race Dale said that "[we] can't win it from where we are. You need to be up front." Is this the same guy who has won this race starting as far back as 31st? Earnhardt is beginning to question himself. This is very bad news for #3 fans.
PosterBoy Update
Well, NASCAR's poster child didn't have a very good week. Now I'm not going to pretend that I'm not happy about his poor finish, however, I'd always prefer to see a racer win or lose on the race track instead of losing to a wreck or a mechanical failure.
I did grin a bit at the loud cheer that went up from the stands when #24 pulled it behind the wall. Hmmm, maybe I'm not the only person who's sick of him?
The Wreck
I normally don't like to emphasize the bad things that can and do happen in NASCAR. However, this weeks horrific incident involving Steve Grissom certainly bears mentioning.
The TV coverage flicked to the backstretch just as Steve Grissom got together with the spinning Jimmy Spencer. Grissom's car then careened towards the infield wall. I yelped in my living room, already sure that this was going to be bad. His car slammed violently into the inside retaining wall causing the entire back half of the car to disintegrate. Steve's car then spun and flipped it's way back up onto the racing surface where it was clipped by Mike Wallace as flames erupted up against the outside wall where the fuel cell landed after the impact.
I was stunned and beginning to feel sick. I was sure he was dead. It was one of the most brutal impacts I've ever witnessed. I offered up a prayer for his life and then sat and waited for the news that I was sure was coming. The TV coverage was tastefull. The carnage was only shot from a distance and there were minimal replays. ABC was obviously thinking the same thing I was. This was not good.
But then the news came that his eyes were open and he was holding his own oxygen mask. And then, less than an hour later, Steve Grissom himself is standing there looking almost embarrassed explaining that he had no serious injuries, no broken bones and wasn't even sore!! What an amazing testament to the safety of NASCAR Winston Cup race cars. Congratulations to Gary Nelson and NASCAR for passing this test with flying colors.
Tinkering with Greatness
I'm a little bit confused. Atlanta Motor Speedway is adding 37,000 more seats for the fall race this year. I'm certain that I saw half-full grandstands in turns 1, 2, and 4. What's the point of adding more seats when you can't sell out the seats you already have?
Why on earth would you reconfigure a race track that has consistantly given the racers multiple grooves and has given the race fans some wonderful racing (witness the 150+ lap battle between the 3, 5, 6, 21, and 99 cars for 3rd place last week). That's just what the NASCAR schedule needs is another tri-oval/double dogleg/D-shape racetrack. Let's count together. Daytona, Rockingham, Richmond, Talladega, Texas, Charlotte, Pocono, Michigan, California, and Phoenix. That's 10. That means over half of the tracks on the schedule already are "almost-ovals." Why do we need another?
Leave Atlanta Motor Speedway alone! We've seen great racing there in the past, there is no reason to mess with the future.
Great Quotes
This week's classic came from Terry Labonte's scanner via the broadcast crew. Terry, referring to the fact that Dale Jarrett had cracked a header when his primary ignition failed, said "maybe if we can get him to have the header fall off we'll have a chance."
Next Week
This coming week the Winston Cup boys have their first off week of the 97 season. But the Busch series regulars will head off to Las Vegas for their first event at that new facility. Mark Martin, winner of the last 3 Busch races in a row, will not be going to the race this week. He's staying home to work on a brand new race car to take to Darlington.
I don't normally even attempt to predict Busch races. Since the competition is so tight it is nearly an impossible task. But not only am I going to try, but I'm going to go out on a limb and pick a guy that has never won a Busch race. "Magic Shoes" Mike Mclaughlin, is going to bring home the first win of a promising career.
Go Fast, Turn Left, Stay Safe!
