How's this for a series of unfortunate events?
Your pit crew wrecks on the way to the track. You blow an oil line during the race. You get sideways, causing a multi-car pileup. And, to top it all off, one of your buddies insults you for all the racing world to hear.
Such was Phoenix for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is finally nearing the end of a season that might well have been scripted by Lemony Snicket.
In a truly bad beginning, the vehicle in which six #88 crew members were riding was T-boned before the race near PIR. Thankfully, all passengers were unharmed. And all resumed their over-the-wall duties at racetime.
However, the situation worsened as Junior lost it near the apron and went for a slide which collected eight of his closest friends - Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers and more - in a pretty bad mashup.
But what really made the gloom loom was the post-crash chatter of a rather perturbed Tony Stewart. Smoke, who suffered some bent metal in the incident, got a little bent-out-of-shape with his supposed buddy. "No-talent SOB" were his exact words.
Sigh.
If I were Junior, I just might hide in my hauler at Homestead. After, all what are the odds that The End of this season would involve a good day at the track?
One of the race commentators opined that with the type of season the #88 team has been having, if something were to fall out of the sky, it would likely land right on Junior's car.
Perhaps Junior Nation could adopt the below Don Williams' classic as a talisman against another luckless NASCAR outing. Misfortune can't last forever, can it?
actally, it was the MRN guys that said something falling out of sky would land on Jr's car. BSPN isn't creative enough to think of something that profound. I'm really upset w/Tony's comment-can't believe he really feels that way...:(
ReplyDeleteThanks PammH. I stand corrected (was switching back and forth between ESPN and Direct TV hot pass which uses MRN).
ReplyDeleteI was disappointed in the comment as well but I did not hear the context..was it RIGHT after the wreck, in the heat of the moment? If so I understand. Smoke and Harvick used to get in lots of spats over the years and rumor had it they exaggerated some for 'media'. ?
ReplyDeleteI love Jr and Smoke and JPM & others...so I will cut SMOKE some slack..we know how mad he can get.
BUT we have also heard MWaltrip on TWIN say more than once, when you are having a bad race, that button (to talk on radio) is your OUTLET to the world outside your ca for you to SOUND OFF! :)
p.s. Typed with my gift given Tony calendar beside my bed as I wait to remove my current calendar.
I don't think Tony Stewart Really feels that Way. I think he was just a little heated after the fact. you know how he gets.
ReplyDeleteI always was a fan of Tony's but there have been many changes I have seen in him this year. His statement about Jr. was really low, especially seeing they are somewhat of team-mates. Jr. had an oil leak that should have been fixed and wasn't plus he tried to slow up for something going on up ahead of him. I think Tony most likely has caused more wrecks than Jr. has. I guess this is what the Chase has created - everybody get out of the "chasers" way. I guess next year I will not pay to watch his Prelude, it's not "charitable" to kick someone when they are down.
ReplyDeleteI have said some pretty mean things behind a crazy driver on the interstate...so.... Also if you listen to most drivers after an "incident" they are caught up in they normally don't have anything good to say about the driver who caused the melee....team mate, friend, or foe! So...I am not a big junior fan but my heart breaks for him...the races starts and you just wait and wait..wondering exactly when misfortune will strike the 88.
ReplyDeleteHow many crashes has Jr been involved or caused this year? Stewart can say that Jr is a hack because that is how he has driven this year. If Robby Gordon would have had an oil leak and not fixed it, causing an accident that took out Jeff, Jr, and Rainbow boy, Helton would kick his out of the next race and the Jr Nation would rank his up there with Schrub and the Devil as a plague on the earth. Jr and Stewart will drink a few beers in one of their mansions and be friends 2 weeks from now. Jr nation will remember this a the day another driver made their hit list...
ReplyDelete