Ariticle on Jeff Gordon and what could have been

[TimmyZ1]

Makes some nice comments on how difficult the racing actually is. The article is decent my only quibble is Blount the writer makes out Gordon's 4 victories as equal to what Foyt, Mears, and Unser have done

http://espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/co...rry&id=4349839

This is always and interesting week to read what the Nascar pundits have to say about Indy and generally some discussion of open wheel follows. Yes some of them are majorly slanted in Nascar's favor but there is still some good intelligent discussion

[gurneyeagle]

Makes some nice comments on how difficult the racing actually is. The article is decent my only quibble is Blount the writer makes out Gordon's 4 victories as equal to what Foyt, Mears, and Unser have done

http://espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/co...rry&id=4349839

This is always and interesting week to read what the Nascar pundits have to say about Indy and generally some discussion of open wheel follows. Yes some of them are majorly slanted in Nascar's favor but there is still some good intelligent discussion

Yea, but it really pisses me off when the NASCAR crowd takes credit for SAFER barriers, the HANS device, etc.

I guess considering some of the absolute morons they have doing commentary - Kenny Wallace and Jimmy Spencer come immediately to mind - I shouldn't be surprised. How can Spencer not know that Rick Hendrick, not Rick Hendricks, owns Gordon's car?

The butchering of the English language by Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds is almost criminal. I actually feel bad for them sometimes.

DW and his goofy little brother - don't get me started!

[rrrr]

Makes some nice comments on how difficult the racing actually is. The article is decent my only quibble is Blount the writer makes out Gordon's 4 victories as equal to what Foyt, Mears, and Unser have done

http://espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/co...rry&id=4349839

This is always and interesting week to read what the Nascar pundits have to say about Indy and generally some discussion of open wheel follows. Yes some of them are majorly slanted in Nascar's favor but there is still some good intelligent discussion

I don't think Terry compared Gordon to Foyt, Mears, and Unser. What he said was "He has won four times on those hallowed grounds in the No. 24 Chevy, doing in a stock car the same thing that made legends of Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears in Indy cars."

Blount is far from a "NASCAR pundit". He spent many years following the IRL and was one of its biggest supporters in the media. When he switched over to NASCAR reporting, more people read what he had to say and the ESPN.com gig followed. Believe me, Terry "gets it" about IMS.

I miss seeing him around town and at TMS. He is one of the "good guys" of motorsports journalism.

[Tree0404]

Yea, but it really pisses me off when the NASCAR crowd takes credit for SAFER barriers, the HANS device, etc.

I guess considering some of the absolute morons they have doing commentary - Kenny Wallace and Jimmy Spencer come immediately to mind - I shouldn't be surprised. How can Spencer not know that Rick Hendrick, not Rick Hendricks, owns Gordon's car?

The butchering of the English language by Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds is almost criminal. I actually feel bad for them sometimes.

DW and his goofy little brother - don't get me started!

blah blah blah, while they are ignorant of some topics, they're much more colorful than the indycar commentators - gimme the nascar guys any day

indycar needs to add someone with kenny's or jimmy's enthusiasm

[NoviVespa]

If the mentioning of Gordon compared to Foyt, Unser and Mears is an issue, why has not the name of Schumacher been mentioned?

[NoviVespa]

blah blah blah, while they are ignorant of some topics, they're much more colorful than the indycar commentators - gimme the nascar guys any day

indycar needs to add someone with kenny's or jimmy's enthusiasm

I'll go with that. What a tremendous failure was not having Larry Rice in the booth.

[gurneyeagle]

blah blah blah, while they are ignorant of some topics, they're much more colorful than the indycar commentators - gimme the nascar guys any day

indycar needs to add someone with kenny's or jimmy's enthusiasm

blah, blah, blah? - Colorful.

Enthusiasm and stupidity are two differnt things. Mike Joy, Ned and Dale Jarrett, the late Benny Parsons can/could communicate effectively without being idiots. Some of the NASCAR coverage is bordering on WWF/cage fighting crap.

[hdolan]

"The butchering of the English language by Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds is almost criminal. I actually feel bad for them sometimes. "

Indeed...what next...Cuber...

[Danny Noonan]

"The butchering of the English language by Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds is almost criminal. I actually feel bad for them sometimes. "

Indeed...what next...Cuber...

"He's out there all by hisself."

[MoparsRule]

The butchering of the English language by Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds is almost criminal. I actually feel bad for them sometimes.

Ditto that.

OTOH, MRN & PRN both put on great racing radio broadcasts, IMO.

[Corvette Jack]

France said it, once they raced at Indy "they arrived." Biggest mistake ever. I thought maybe given a free ticket I might go once to check it out. I just remembered why I haven't gone, and won't go.

[rrrr]

Can we discuss the topic instead of bashing NASCAR's TV announcers?

I find Gordon's comments interesting. He makes it clear that driving in the Indy 500 isn't something you just show up and do, no matter how good you are.

If he were to give Indy a try after he retires.....now that would be something to watch.

[11rowsof3]

Yea, but it really pisses me off when the NASCAR crowd takes credit for SAFER barriers, the HANS device, etc.

I guess considering some of the absolute morons they have doing commentary - Kenny Wallace and Jimmy Spencer come immediately to mind - I shouldn't be surprised. How can Spencer not know that Rick Hendrick, not Rick Hendricks, owns Gordon's car?

The butchering of the English language by Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds is almost criminal. I actually feel bad for them sometimes.

DW and his goofy little brother - don't get me started!

This is NASCAR too.



Open wheel snobs really tick me off...

[Hardscrabble]

...and yes, Jeffy is a talent to behold...

Some of us could see that long before he ever ventured South...

Unfortunately, Indycar owners were too busy looking across the pond for the next Guido Dacco...

[Big Mo]

Some of us could see that long before he ever ventured South...

Unfortunately, Indycar owners were too busy looking across the pond for the next Guido Dacco...

And NASCAR looks around the next Kirk Shelmerdine.

[hdolan]

Some of us could see that long before he ever ventured South...

Unfortunately, Indycar owners were too busy looking across the pond for the next Guido Dacco...

If I live to be a hundred I will never forgive open wheel for allowing the situation to arrive where young American oval talent would opt for NASCAR over Indianapolis...never...and the paper chase (Checkwriters) from CART to the IRL will forever be a scarlet letter on both of their houses...

[hdolan]

And NASCAR looks around the next Kirk Shelmerdine.

Championship crew chiefs are hard to come by...

[Hardscrabble]

If I live to be a hundred I will never forgive open wheel for allowing the situation to arrive where young American oval talent would opt for NASCAR over Indianapolis...never...and the paper chase (Checkwriters) from CART to the IRL will forever be a scarlet letter on both of their houses...

But Howard, I've been told by "experts" that things were great in the late 80's/early 90's in open-wheel....

Lost a whole generation of drivers then that wanted to go to Indy...

The sad part was the next generation (i.e. Ryan Newman, etc.) didn't even really consider open-wheel a worth-while option...

[TimmyZ1]

But Howard, I've been told by "experts" that things were great in the late 80's/early 90's in open-wheel....

Lost a whole generation of drivers then that wanted to go to Indy...

The sad part was the next generation (i.e. Ryan Newman, etc.) didn't even really consider open-wheel a worth-while option...

On the Newman quote your wrong, he has stated several times his hero was Richard Petty and was way more interested in Nascar than open wheel.

[gurneyeagle]

This is NASCAR too.



Open wheel snobs really tick me off...

LOL! If you are referring to me, you missed my point. It's not about NASCAR drivers, it's about network commentators.

This is one "Open Wheel Snob" who attends both Talladega races, the fall races at Charlotte and Atlanta, and occaisonally the night race at Bristol.

My apologies for steering this way off-topic.

[f1_indy2000]

If the mentioning of Gordon compared to Foyt, Unser and Mears is an issue, why has not the name of Schumacher been mentioned?

Well just because he won the race four times is the only thing to compare. He only went 400 miles in his race wins. Weren't the other's 500 miles? As for Schumey thats an intirely different kind of racing(roadcourse going backwards). He should have won the USGP five times. Then theres that silly arguement of the guy that won a zillions times back in the early days of the track and no one ever mentions him.

[hdolan]

On the Newman quote your wrong, he has stated several times his hero was Richard Petty and was way more interested in Nascar than open wheel.

Gee Timmy, I think that's what was said...that's the point...

[rrrr]

If I live to be a hundred I will never forgive open wheel for allowing the situation to arrive where young American oval talent would opt for NASCAR over Indianapolis...never...and the paper chase (Checkwriters) from CART to the IRL will forever be a scarlet letter on both of their houses...

There you have it, folks. Howard shows his true colors......an Indyphile and open wheeler at heart. All of you that think he only likes NASCAR and eshews OW are wrong.....OW deserted Dolan, not the other way 'round.

Hardscrabble said:

The sad part was the next generation (i.e. Ryan Newman, etc.) didn't even really consider open-wheel a worth-while option...

TimmyZ1 says:

On the Newman quote your wrong, he has stated several times his hero was Richard Petty and was way more interested in Nascar than open wheel.

Uh, Timmy, please read more carefully next time.

[rrrr]

Well just because he won the race four times is the only thing to compare. He only went 400 miles in his race wins. Weren't the other's 500 miles? As for Schumey thats an intirely different kind of racing(roadcourse going backwards). He should have won the USGP five times. Then theres that silly arguement of the guy that won a zillions times back in the early days of the track and no one ever mentions him.

Blount DIDN'T compare them.....he said Gordon did in a stock car what Foyt, Mears, and Unser did.....won at Indianapolis four times.

Read the freekin' linked article if you're going to comment on it.

[f1_indy2000]

Blount DIDN'T compare them.....he said Gordon did in a stock car what Foyt, Mears, and Unser did.....won at Indianapolis four times.

Read the freekin' linked article if you're going to comment on it.

Well ok and sorry rrrr. I didn't read the article. I was just going off what everybody thought. So sorry your majesty and there is no need in being a jerk about it.

[Lucky161]

I already knew that OW deserted Howard. But what I didn't know was that rrrr was a jerk. All this time, he's just pretending to be a good guy. Inviting one and all to his trailer for the entire weekend of races at TMS and stuff like that. He sure had me fooled, I think he got me when he gave me a Greg Ray cap and invited me down to their pits.

btw, rrrr check out the short track forum. I put in the rest of the SST schedule for the year.

[rrrr]

I said the same thing in the 3rd post of the thread.....why bother posting something if you don't read the linked topic or responses to the thread?

[hdolan]

I already knew that OW deserted Howard. But what I didn't know was that rrrr was a jerk. All this time, he's just pretending to be a good guy. Inviting one and all to his trailer for the entire weekend of races at TMS and stuff like that. He sure had me fooled, I think he got me when he gave me a Greg Ray cap and invited me down to their pits.

btw, rrrr check out the short track forum. I put in the rest of the SST schedule for the year.

Yeah, Ron demonstrated he is a jerk to me when he gave me an Indy newspaper he bought off Ebay...the year...1958...the winner Jim Bryan...fooled me too Lucky...

[Matty O]

Blount DIDN'T compare them.....he said Gordon did in a stock car what Foyt, Mears, and Unser did.....won at Indianapolis four times.

Read the freekin' linked article if you're going to comment on it.

How is that not a comparison?

I'd love to see Gordon race at the 500, wish the two groups could work it out to let nascar drivers race at Indy.

[NoviVespa]

"The butchering of the English language by Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds is almost criminal. I actually feel bad for them sometimes. "

Indeed...what next...Cuber...

Now, that depends on where you are from. I am sure that a lot of people south of the Mason-Dixon Line find those gentlemen eloquent.