ESPN Richmond Documentary Tells the Cold Hard Truth

Tim Richmond was NASCAR rock.

Bold, wealthy and wide open, he blazed onto the racing scene in the  mid-1980s and turned the good ol' boy contingent on its ear.

He was smooth with the ladies.  At home in the Hollywood Hills. A veritable force behind the wheel.

But even Richmond's larger-than-life personality couldn't change a culture which had yet to come to terms with AIDs.  In fact, he couldn't even deal with the diagnosis himself.

And that's the cold hard truth which ESPN Films powerfully details in Tim Richmond: To the Limit, the newest documentary in the 30 for 30 film series which premieres Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

Produced for ESPN by the NASCAR Media Group, the film is an effective combination of racing history gold and raw emotive moments that hit you in the gut like a punch you weren't expecting.

The footage of Richmond and Dale Earnhardt battling head-to-head are archival ore.  And at times, the documentary images make you long for the NASCAR of old.  When Harry Hyde manned the pits. When "The Winston" said it all. When Chase was just something Rosco P. Coltrane did to the Duke boys.

Then there are the present-day NASCAR interviews which bring you back to reality with a thud.  And more of-the-era clips which remind us that though the past had its shining moments - it also had its flaws.

There are the memories of Greg Louganis. News footage of Ryan White. An almost youthful Dan Rather expounding the ramifications of AIDs. 

Director Rory Karpf does an excellent job of weaving these capsular moments in time into the warp and woof of Richmond's story, constructing a larger cultural picture which is all-too easy to forget.

However, it's Richmond's sister, Sandra Welsh, who more than anyone in the film, captures the raw pain and fear which haunted Richmond and her family as the disease took hold.

Before he was finally denied entrance into the 1989 Busch Clash at Daytona, Welsh said Richmond seemed to realize - if not accept - that his racing days were at an end.

"He thought about taking the car into the wall really, really hard and killing himself," Wolf said.

Richmond, who had once won seven races in one year, died in a Florida hospital on August 13, 1989.

He was 34.

And although Richmond never went public with his disease during his lifetime, his story still serves as a poignant reminder of the brevity of life, the importance of tolerance, and the power of personal choice.

Why NASCAR Fans Like Harvick

If lots of NASCAR fans have their way, Kevin Harvick will be the man who kicks Jimmie Johnson off the Sprint Cup pedestal.

Harvick, who is currently third in points, trails Johnson by just 54 ticks - mere peanuts.

And while the current Sprint Cup champ has been dubbed "vanilla," there's little chance that Harvick would garner such a moniker.

Rocky road? Maybe.  Vanilla? Never.

Harvick can be a punch-throwing good ol' boy one minute and a strategic-thinking team owner the next. He has been known to cuss out the media on a bad day, but he has a rep for being always gracious with fans.

He's a winning driver and a successful businessman.  And, thanks in large part to his presence on Twitter, fans know he's one of the funniest NASCAR drivers around.

But enough of my Harvick assessment.  I recently asked fans to tell me what they like about the driver of the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil car.  Here's what a few of them had to say -

"I like Kevin because of what he did after Dale Sr. was killed - how many young drivers could step into shoes as big as Dale's and survive in this sport? He handles situations with grace and humor sometimes, wit sometimes, and then at times (with reporters and drivers) is arrogant and cocky, but with fans he is thoughtful and very available. No other driver has these qualities, so how could you not like Kevin?" Jeannie J.

"He is just one of NASCAR's nice guys. I have met him and his wife several times and they are just really down-to-earth people," Michael H.

"Harvick is great. He stepped into big shoes and took on a huge challenge. He is outspoken and isn't afraid to move someone," Jonathan G.

"Consistency. Lead the year without the hype." Steven B.

"He's in your face, tells it like it is. No apologies. Loves his job but has fun while doing. Fierce competitor. Plus Bristol in 02 vs Biffle!" Kelly C. 

"Why I like Kevin Harvick? What you see is what you get. He is who he is and is fine with it!" Denise H.

And finally this quote from Bryan N. - who won an autographed Kevin Harvick hat for this answer: 

"I like Kevin Harvick because he always has that fire to win. He's also a great car owner. He is a threat to win in whatever he races."  

The fans have spoken.

Busch or Earnhardt? Take the Quiz

Busch celebrates his Cup win at Bristol
Motor Speedway.

Even after all the racing excitement north of the border this weekend, Kyle Busch and his Bristol sweep are still a hot topic among race fans.

Busch's Tennessee coup, along with his confrontation with Brad Keselowski and his taunting of the Bristol crowd, has once again got people talking 'bout Rowdy - for better or worse.

One faction has dubbed him the best thing to happen to NASCAR since Dale Earnhardt. Others say Busch IS the new Earnhardt. Meanwhile, those who disagree call such comparisons with The Intimidator pure NASCAR blasphemy.

Granted, there's a great biographical rift separating the two drivers. For one, hardscrabble Earnhardt dropped out of school to work as a mechanic while Busch learned to drive on a Vegas cul-de-sac.

But what's more to the point is how well do fans really know the accomplishments of either driver? Are their driving personalities so similar that comparisons are warranted, or is this all a bunch of bunk?

To that end, answer the questions below with either "Busch" or "Earnhardt" and judge for yourself . Click on the comments for the answers.

1. Who has more Cup wins during his first five full-time years in Cup competition? (full-time meaning years in which the driver ran every race)?

2. Who has the most wins in what's now the Nationwide Series?

3. Who has more wins in a single Cup season?

4. Who won the Cup championship his first full-time season in the sport?

5. Who said the following -

"Second place is just the first place loser."

"It's no secret how much I want to win as a driver, and I want to win as a team owner just as badly."

"If you're not a race driver, stay the hell home. Don't come out here and grumble about going too fast."

"We were lucky, but a lot of times you make your own luck."

"If I had to go back and do it all over again, which I can't, I'd probably do it again"

"I'm not happy unless I am winning,"

"You can't let one bad moment spoil a bunch of good ones."

"I was either going to move him out of the way or he was going to get out of the way."

"I was waving at the crowd."

"You've got to be closer to the edge than ever to win. That means sometimes you go over the edge, and I don't mean driving, either."

Signs You're Too Obsessed With NASCAR

Last week as I was driving to work, I crested a small suburban overpass only to discover debris on the highway. Large pieces of wallboard, recently fallen from a nearby truck, hit the hood of my car and then created a vortex of suction which forced me to pull over and rid my car of the offending material.

First, let me state for the record that I drive a standard foreign import. I do not drive, and have never driven, a stock car.

Second, my mechanical abilities end with checking the oil and changing a tire. Yet regardless of this reality, the first thought that entered my mind when hitting the said wallboard was, "I hope that didn't just damage the splitter".

Seriously.

It took me a moment to fully understand what had just happened within the synapses of my brain. 

Namely this: no longer do I exist in the mundane world of the non-NASCAR fanatic.  A world where cars are just tools for commuting. Where points mean extra credit with the boss.  Where weekends are spent doing yard work and visiting places like museums and the cinema.

I've offically become a NASCAR obsessive - and this incident was just one of the signs.  If I had paid more attention, I would have seen this coming a long while ago. 

So, as this fanatic sets her DVR to record the NASCAR Hall of Fame specials tomorrow, I give you the top 10 warning signs that you may be overly obsessed with NASCAR:

10.  You don't have any vacation days left at Christmas because you've spent all your time off at the race track.

9. You sneak out of church early so you don't miss the green flag on Sunday morning.

8. Your pets have names like Daytona, Junebug and Rowdy.

7.  Sometimes, while looking in your rearview mirror, your first thought is, "uh-oh, they're three-wide behind me".

6. You sing the NAPA Know How song in the shower.

5. You won't pay to see a first-run movie, but you've invested in TrackPass, Sprint FanView and a scanner.

4.  You can't remember your best friend's birthday or your parents' anniversary - but you can recite the years Dale Earnhardt won each of his seven championships without a moment's hesitation.

3.  You can beat the pants off all comers in a round of NASCAR math.

2. Somehow, buying an RV seems like a better investment than paying for college tuition.

1. You can actually understand what Darrell Waltrip is saying.

Dale Jr's No. 3 Wrangler Tribute - Smartest Business Move of the Year

Today's announcement that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet at Daytona this summer may have been the worst-kept secret in all of NASCAR.

But the lack of shock value at the car's unveiling didn't seem to matter to the tried-and-true Earnhardt fans watching the live webcast streamed by DEI this afternoon.

If online chatter is any barometer, Earnhardt  fans and Junior Nation alike were thrilled to the gills about Dale the younger driving his father's famous number (and the old-school paint scheme) on the Daytona asphalt. Many watching the web cast commented they had already pre-ordered the diecast, t-shirts and other merchandise that will be available as part of the special car's promotion.

It's just such fan reaction that will make this unexpected collaboration between the oft-maligned Teresa Earnhardt, Dale Jr. and Richard Childress go down as racing's smartest business move in 2010.

Let's face it. Ticket sales are down. Merchandise sales stink. Fans have less income and are highly particular about how they spend it. In this economy, you have to offer spectacular product to make big bucks.

And with the Daytona race coming on the heels of Earnhardt's induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, nobody could argue that the No. 3 Wrangler tribute, and all that when into making it happen, is pretty darn spectacular.

Per the offical Daytona International Speedway press release -

The legendary No. 3 car with Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel will be returning to the historic high banks of Daytona International Speedway in the Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday, July 2.

"The No. 3 car has always been a favorite among our race fans here at Daytona,” said Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig. “Having Dale Earnhardt Jr. competing at the ‘World Center of Racing’ with the storied No. 3 will be an exciting moment that all race fans will want to witness in person.”

Tickets for the race are available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/ or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Photo: The Earnhardts and Richard Childress pose with the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet which Dale Jr. will drive this July at Daytona, from @MikeDavis88 via Twitter.

ESPN to Release Commemorative Dale Earnhardt Bookazine

As NASCAR prepares to welcome the inaugural class into its Hall of Fame, ESPN pays tribute to Dale Earnhardt, the sport’s greatest hero, with a collector’s edition commemorative bookazine: “Dale Earnhardt: The Legend Lives” – available nationwide March 30 for $9.99.

The 100-page book celebrates every step of Earnhardt’s rise through NASCAR’s ranks, from turning a wrench on his daddy’s late-model sedans to showing his youngest boy, Dale Jr., the quickest way around a track. The stories and rich photography show sides of Earnhardt rarely seen by fans, told by those who knew him best: his son, Dale Jr., his team owner, Richard Childress, his gas man, Chocolate Myers, and NASCAR’s CEO, Brian France; along with a team of the most respected motorsports writers in the business — Ed Hinton, Ryan McGee and Marty Smith, to name a few.

FEATURES INCLUDE:

ALONG FOR THE RIDE Being a passenger with Dale at the wheel was anything but dull. BY ED HINTON

FIRST-CLASS DRIVERS Junior Johnson and Richard Petty remember their Hall of Fame classmate. BY RYAN MCGEE

THE WHOLE PACKAGE Earnhardt changed NASCAR with his mind as much as with his right foot. BY BRIAN FRANCE

FATHER KNEW BEST Dale didn’t finish school, but his daddy gave him a true education. BY RYAN MCGEE

RIGHT BESIDE HIM Teresa Earnhardt is the engine that’s kept DEI going. BY MIKE HEMBREE

THE DALE TRAIL Pilgrims flock to Kannapolis to uncover their hero’s roots. BY RYAN MCGEE

SON OF A GUN Add to the legend this tale of a boy, a dad, a toy car and a pistol. BY MARTY SMITH

TOTAL ACCESS: THE JUNKYARD DOGS No. 3‘s infamous gas man takes us over the wall. By CHOCOLATE MYERS

THE WINNING CUT Think Dale was intimidating on the track? Try cutting his hair. BY MARTY SMITH

“I WISH I COULD’VE RACED HIM” Today’s top driver remembers his first encounter with Big E. BY JIMMIE JOHNSON

Monte Dutton - Eyewitness to NASCAR History

Agree with him or no, you’ve got to respect a guy like Monte Dutton. Dutton, who has been covering NASCAR since 1993, is one of the few journalists who can rightly be called an eyewitness to NASCAR history. And, when it comes to putting today’s NASCAR into context, this historian is no revisionist.

His assessments of the sport are blunt. His belief in the NASCAR party line often skeptical. But his journalistic candor is well-earned and, you could say, a logical result of his firsthand view of the sport’s evolution.

“Most of the people who do what I do originally didn’t know much about it, they were signed by a newspaper, and they know all about it now. But they don’t have the perspective,” Dutton said. “The first race I ever went to was at Bristol when I was seven years old. A Jarrett won - Ned Jarrett.”

Witnessing the ascendance of more than one Jarrett into racing’s upper echelon is just one of the changes Dutton has seen over the years. Most notably, Dutton has watched NASCAR enact myriad rules in an attempt to officiate the ever-changing sport. Yet as any student of the sport’s past will tell you, some of the tight controls which are now the norm have led to some negative consequences.

Take the generic look of the race cars, for instance.

“When I first started covering races in 1993, I remember marveling when I was driving to a race that the rarest thing you’d ever see would be a Ford with a Dale Earnhardt sticker or a Chevy with a Bill Elliott sticker,” Monte said. “Well now they’re all Hondas. And I think that NASCAR is sort of insulting fans in trying to tell them the decal of a headlight is the difference between a Ford and a Chevy.”

Dutton’s comments bring to mind the lyrics of an old David Lee Murphy song about a barmaid who spent her time breaking up fights over Chevys and Fords. Yet today’s fans are more likely to get into fights over Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. than the make of their favorite driver’s car.

“Now NASCAR will say ‘Well, it’s the driver now. Brand loyalty’s not as important,’ ” explained Dutton. “Well they pretty much destroyed brand loyalty. It was their own concerted attempt to do that, by gradually making the cars more and more alike.”

Dutton said the equalization of cars started in the late 1980s because the Fords had an advantage aerodynamically. So, to even out the racing, NASCAR allowed Chevys and Pontiacs to put window glass in the back. This decision snowballed into the more generic-looking cars seen by fans today. And less innovaton in the garage.

“Gradually over time, it became where teams, instead of relying on their own ingenuity, began relying on NASCAR to solve all their problems, and NASCAR was only too happy to oblige, but I don’t think it’s for the good.” Dutton said. “They’ve just systematically undermined it (brand loyalty). There still is brand loyalty, but it’s not what it was. And it’s hurt the manufacturers too.”

Ironically, NASCAR’s current economic woes may lead to a return to greater brand identity, including modifications to the sheet metal on the cars. Talk about coming full circle.

“I think it might be about to happen, because NASCAR never does anything unless you hit ‘em in the pocketbook and they’ve done all kind of things now because attendance and TV ratings are going down,” Dutton said. “They’re losing money so they’re rethinking all these things.”

Spoken like a true realist.

NASCAR-ista note: Thanks to Monte Dutton for taking the time on a busy race day to do the interview and for David Cohea of NASCAR This Week for setting things up and contributing photos. In addition to covering NASCAR for the Gaston Gazette, Dutton moonlights as a singer/songwriter. Check out his music on Facebook and MySpace.

Sounds Like a Recession-Friendly Deal To Me ...

Bank of America, the Official Bank of NASCAR, is providing fans an opportunity to kick off the 2010 NASCAR season by attending the most prestigious race of the year – the Daytona 500-- for free.

NASCAR fans, like all Americans, have been impacted by the bad economy, travel costs, and lower personal spending funds so Bank of America is providing the opportunity for fans to attend the race free when they show their passion for NASCAR and sign up for NASCAR Banking products with Bank of America. When fans open a NASCAR Checking account and apply for a NASCAR Banking credit card, they can acquire two tickets to the Daytona 500.



The offer is available now on the Bank of America website and will last until Feb. 5th. Right now, you can choose from credit cards featuring these drivers - Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne and Rusty Wallace. Even more drivers will be added later this year.

A NASCAR Birthday Tribute to Elvis

It's the 75th anniversary of Elvis Presley's birthday (or, as I like to call it, Elvis' 75th birthday) and I just couldn't let the day go by without posting a little something about The King of Rock 'n' Roll.

I grew up with a Mama who grew up loving Elvis. So a few years ago, with feelings of reverence and fun that a few years ago, she and I and Mom's two older sisters embarked on a pilgrimage of sorts. We left Alabama on Highway 78 and headed to Presley's birthplace in Tupelo, Miss. and once we toured that tiny shotgun shack, we drove on to the Memphis Mecca of Graceland.

We booked the gold and platinum suite at The Heartbreak Hotel (located at the end of Lonely Street, no less) and we spent the weekend roaming the property off Elvis Presley Boulevard. I loved every minute of it - and I've wanted to go back ever since.

Like many a NASCAR fan, Elvis also loved cars, speed and the big show. And I've no doubt that were he alive today, Elvis would be the biggest NASCAR hound of them all. One could even argue - as did writer Colleen Kowalewski in a 2500 word paper - that there are striking simiarities between NASCAR's own legend Dale Earnhardt and the mythic status of Elvis Presley.

But such a comparison is a little bit heavy for our purposes. So, for a more light-hearted commemoration of Elvis' special day, check out this video snippet I unearthed on Youtube - it's Dale Earnhardt Jr at Elvis Week last year. Enjoy - and Happy Birthday Elvis!

What Was Good About NASCAR in 2009

Bloggers and fans often take a lot of flack for being too negative. We're quick to criticize the sport we love and the NASCAR powers-that-be don't always appreciate that our sometimes negative comments are usually well-intentioned.

It's human nature to be quick to criticize and slow to praise. And, in looking back on the 2009 NASCAR season, there was plenty that was praiseworthy. Maybe it was a long time coming, but here's my take on a few of the positive developments in 2009 :

Double file restarts "shootout style" - One of the better decisions made by NASCAR this year was establishing double-file restarts for the Cup and Nationwide series. The new rule has made for some exciting late-race green flags. And anything that adds more excitement to a Cup race is welcome indeed.

Driver safety - While there is definitely some tweaking that needs to be done at restrictor plate tracks, the Sprint Cup cars are safer now than ever before. The fact that Carl Edwards and Ryan Newman are walking around in their right minds is proof positive of that. Kudos to NASCAR for their commitment to safe cars and safe racing.

Cheap seats - The continued economic recession did mean one boon to fans in 2009 - cheaper admission to most of the tracks. And, fortunately for us, that low-cost trend is continuing in 2010. Backstretch tickets for the Daytona 500 begin at $55. Add in free parking and that's not such a bad deal for The Great American Race.

NASCAR gets more credit - In recent years, NASCAR has steadily been gaining traction in the widers sports world as a legitimate athletic endeavor. And Jimmie Johnson's historic four-in-a-row championship only added to NASCAR's cred and acceptance among more mainstream audiences. Johnson was named the 2009 Male Athlete of the Year by The Associated Press - the first time a NASCAR driver has won the award.

Hall of Fame Inductees - The inaugural inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame make a fine company indeed. Back in October, NASCAR announced the five members of the first HOF class - Richard Petty, Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Dale Earnhardt and Junior Johnson. Just thinking about what those five people have meant to the sport gives me chills. And I can't wait for the Hall to open to the public in May 2010.

The Fourth NASCAR Day of Christmas: Four Championships

In case you didn't hear it enough in November, let me reiterate. Jimmie Johnson is the first-ever consecutive four-time Cup champion in NASCAR history.

Dale Earnhardt didn't do it. Richard Petty didn't do it. And alas, neither did Cale Yarborough. Johnson and Johnson alone is king of the NASCAR heap.

And that's not all. In 2009, Johnson took seven trips to Victory Lane, racked up 16 top five finishes and led a career-high 2,238 laps.

Not bad for a guy who's only been racing at NASCAR's highest level since 2001.

And the hits keep coming. Today, it was announced that Johnson has won the Driver of the Year Award for the third time - an honor which encompasses all the racing series in the United States and is voted on by 20 journalists and broadcasters nationwide.

With stats and accolades coming out his ears, you might ask what can possibly be left for the champ to conquer?

Only a little thing called the Rolex 24 at Daytona. That's where you'll find Johnson come January 30 and 31, as he races with teammates Jon Fogarty, Alex Gurney and Jimmy Vasser. To date, Johnson's best finish at the marathon event is second place - a spot he earned in both 2005 and 2008. But with a win this go-round, Johnson would become the first Cup champ EVER to win the Rolex title.

And a win for JJ isn't that far-fetched. If the past four years are any indication, Johnson will likely best this race too. Right now, there doesn't seem to be any kryptonite that can slow Superman down.

Photo info: Jimmie Johnson celebrates his fourth consecutive Sprint Cup championship at Homestead, courtesy of Reuters

Searching for NASCAR Answers

Think Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the most searched driver on the 'net? Think again! According to the folks at Ask.com, more people searched for Tony Stewart and Jeremy Mayfield (this past week at least) than ol' Junebug.

You might also be surprised to learn that NASCAR statistics take a back seat to more -- errrr -- interesting aspects of racing. In fact, more folks want to know how NASCAR drivers go to the bathroom during a race than say who won the Lifelock 400. The answer to the bathroom conundrum per Ask.com? "Drivers take measures to prevent needing to go during a race."

The top NASCAR releated searches for the week are below. You just never know what some folks are dying to find out!


Top-10 driver searches on Ask.com
1. Tony Stewart
2. Jeremy Mayfield
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Dale Earnhardt
6. Kasey Kahne
7. Mark Martin
8. Jimmie Johnson
9. Kyle Busch
10. Carl Edwards

Top-10 NASCAR-related questions on Ask.com
1. How do NASCAR drivers use the bathroom?
2. What does NASCAR stand for?
3. How many times has Jeremy Mayfield been married?
4. Who won the Lifelock 400?
5. Who is Tony Stewart dating?
6. How much do NASCAR drivers get paid?
7. How do NASCAR drivers go to the bathroom?
8. At Indianapolis Motor Speedway , the 1/8 mile short straight-aways between the first and second, and third and fourth turns are termed what?
9. Who holds the cup series qualifying record at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
10. When is the next NASCAR race?

Top search results are for the week of 7/13/2009 – 7/19/2009

Says Gordon: "There's No Comparison" Between Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt

Jeff Gordon was asked Friday how he would compare Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Kyle Busch. His response? "There's no comparison."

But when pressed to explain, Gordon did draw certain distinctions between the two drivers. Namely that Earhardt was always a man in control while Busch is a little more wild and untamed.

“Well I didn’t race against Earnhardt when he was in his early twenties. Maybe they would have been the same then. Kyle is just this incredible talent. He can put a car on the edge like nobody I’ve ever seen. The difference is that up until maybe this year, I really see him maturing so much over the last couple of years. But up until this year, he was a guy that he would put it so far on the edge that he was making mistakes or would take it too far."

And taking it too far, is something Gordon says that Earnhardt would never do. "Earnhardt was rarely on the edge to be honest with you. But he was more of a bully. He’s a guy that you never count him out. He was just tough as nails. He’d be a lap down and come back and be battling for the win at the end of the race and was just a totally different type of racer and how he approached it, than Kyle. As far as results, I guess you could maybe compare results because they both really get the results. But to me, how Kyle goes about getting the results is still a little bit young and like this guy trying to tame a bull, you know. And when he first started, he was riding that bull in a china shop. But now he’s learned how to ride it in a rodeo arena, you know (laughs) and control it, and maybe back off just a little bit when he needs to and get it to the end and have the results."

Although Gordon claims that there's only one man to beat at Martinsville this weekend--teammmate Jimmie Johnson--he does admit to always keeping one eye on Kyle Busch.

“I’m way more nervous about Kyle this year than I ever have been. I think he really needed to go through last year, his first year at Gibbs, and learn some of the pitfalls and learn how to just continue to mature. I think this year, he could be way more of a threat for the championship when this season is all over.”

NASCAR -- Not Just for Southerners Anymore

During a week in which the stars of NASCAR head to a quintessential Southern race track, allow me a geographical observation. There must be something in the water beyond the Mississippi, River, because NASCAR talent sure does seem to be headed west.

And it's not just me. The numbers bear it out. Compared to just 10 years ago, fewer and fewer top drivers hail from the home of the Confederacy.

At the end of the 1998 season, eight of the top 12 Winston Cup drivers were from states below the Mason-Dixon. Guys like Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labonte were at the top of the heap. And NASCAR talent was still predominantly Southern. Of course there were a few interlopers -- like Rusty Wallace and Geoffrey Bodine -- but by and large, the top drivers were Southern-born and Southern-bred.

Ten years later, the geographical terrain of NASCAR talent has seen a seismic shift. Instead of Southern drivers ruling the points standings, the guys from California, Missouri and Washington state are snagging the top spots. In 2008, only three of the top 12 drivers were from the South. And, so far in 2009, only two of those in the top 12 are Southerners by birth.

And the talent isn't just diverse on the track. More and more folks in the garage are hailing from non-rebel states as well--seven of the current top 12 crew chiefs hail from up North or out West.

It's ironic that a sport viewed by many Americans as simply catering to its good ol' boy fan base is actually pretty diverse when it comes down to who's succeeding at the highest level. And that's good for NASCAR. The more diversity the sport can get within its ranks, the more new fans will be drawn to the races.

Now if we can just get a chick in the driver's seat ...

Kyle to F1? Say It Ain't So!

When word broke today that Kyle Busch's agent said the driver is "leaving the door open" for a switch to Formula One racing, there were -- most assuredly -- legions of NASCAR fans who heaved a collective sigh of relief and muttered a "good riddance" under their breaths.

This news was probably also viewed as a providential blessing straight from the throne of heaven by the small, struggling Camping World and Nationwide teams who are dog-tired of gazing at Kyle's bumper, while their opportunity to impress potential sponsors grows bleaker with each race he wins.

Yes, Kyle is arrogant, at times mean-spirited, and he often acts like he's God's gift to motorsports. However, the loss of Kyle Busch to Sprint Cup racing would be a terrible blow to the series.

Imagine the Sprint Cup Chase without Busch. Who would fans boo with snarls of disdain? Who would they blame for every wreck, spinout and caution that hampered their favorite driver? And who would take his place as King of All Things Theatrical and Antagonizer of Earnhardt and Edwards?

Though Tony Stewart has had his moments, and Denny Hamlin can be obnoxious when necessary, there's just nobody like Kyle for racing excitement, quotable interviews, and sheer blood-boiling drama.

Don't believe me? Just imagine how much fun we would have missed without moments like these:

"Some guys having some bad days and not doing their best out there, just made their bad day our bad day. It's just a shame. It's just unfortunate that two guys got together that were a lap down that were fighting over nothing."

“It's unfortunate that a guy that's messed up his whole day on pit road and screwed up that he has to make our day worse.”

"He hit me getting into Turn 1. Whatever. Carl's going to say he's sorry, that he didn't want to race that way, but he always does. We'll take it, we'll go on and we'll race him that way in the Chase if that's the way he wants it.”

"He was slowing me down a tremendous amount. I was either going to move him out of the way or he was going to get out of the way."

"I left a lane for him on the outside because I knew he was going to have a good run coming off the corner. He ran me over for no reason whatsoever.”

"He'll always come back and say he's sorry, He did it at Milwaukee and he's done it a few other times. It's just his normal fashion. That's fine. I've grown to know that now."

“I guess Harvick didn't have very nice things to say, and Carl got his feelings hurt.”

"Walking down pit road, [when] saying congratulations to Jeff Gordon, I got blown off. I guess I'm the outsider looking in now and I'll probably not be invited to the team meetings next week."

Yes, Kyle is the man we love to hate. But let's face it. We'd all hate it if he left.

Eight Years Ago Today - In Memory of Dale Earnhardt

It's hard to believe it's been eight years since Dale Earnhardt died. I only saw him race in person once. It was my first-ever NASCAR race - the 2000 All-Star race at the Lowe's Motor Speedway. I was new to the sport and didn't know a scoring tower from a pit box. But I did know about Dale Earnhardt. After all, Earnhardt transcended NASCAR. He was a legend unto himself. And I'm grateful I got to see him race at least one time.

To honor Earnhardt's memory, there will be a candelight service tonight at the headquarters of Dale Earnhardt Inc. Press release below:

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (January 5, 2009) – Fans of Dale Earnhardt are being asked to pay tribute on Wednesday, February 18th in honor and memory of the legendary driver.
A guest book will be available throughout the day at Dale Earnhardt Inc. for those wishing to document their memories of Dale, while a candlelight tribute will be held outside the headquarters on Hwy #3 in Mooresville from 6:00-8:30 PM.
The facility will be illuminated with candles while commemorative decals, prayer cards and hand held candles will be distributed to everyone in attendance.
The facility’s gates will remain open through 10 p.m. for those that cannot attend the candlelight portion but still want to pay tribute to the legendary Dale Earnhardt. Those unable to attend are encouraged to light a candle in remembrance of Dale Earnhardt at home that evening.

http://www.daleearnhardtinc.com/content/news/default.aspx?StoryID=2312