LastCowboys.com writer on suicide watch after Busch wins title
By Clint Newlin
LastCowboys.com Staff Writer
I’d like to start by congratulating Kurt Busch on becoming NASCAR’s 2004 Nextel Cup champion, the first Cup championship of his young career and the second consecutive Cup championship for car owner Jack Roush. This will also go down in the NASCAR history books as the closest championship of the modern era.
I’d also like to congratulate Greg Biffle for winning the Ford 400, his second victory of the season and the third of his Cup career. Jimmie Johnson (second place), Jeff Gordon (third place), Mark Martin (11th place) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (23rd place) also deserve an atta boy for their valiant efforts throughout these last 10 races.
Of course, none of this would even be possible if it weren’t for the vision of Brian France. Brian France, drunk on a lethal mixture of shortsightedness and haste, has turned Kurt Busch into a Nextel Cup champion. "The same Kurt Busch who would have finished the 2004 season 247 points behind in fourth place under the old format," you ask?
Yes....that’s the one.
Before you starting typing your e-mail to me, detailing Busch’s accomplishments or employing some trite, overused phrase like ‘….don’t watch it if you don’t like it,’ or ‘….quit living in the past,’ let me inform you that my campaign of disdain for the Chase format has nothing to do with resistance to change. If the new format didn’t have so many obvious flaws, I wouldn’t loathe it so much. And as far as the not watching it part goes….get real….it’s not the racing or the drivers that I hate.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to write a review of the Ford 400 at this time. You see….I have been placed on suicide watch since Kurt Busch won the championship. They have put mittens on my hands and taken my shoestrings to keep me from harming myself. This also prevents me from being able to use a lighter or matches to set fire to all of the Sharpies in my house. Geesh….stand out in your front yard crying like a newborn and urinating on a 1:24 scale #97 diecast, and they label you a head case!
I really don’t think I can write anymore until after I’ve had a chance to medicate myself and sleep it off. Until Monday morning….be strong.
Hey, I read that NASCAR was going to impound the cars after qualifying. So you have to qualify in race trim, and no happy hour practice. It is supposed to save money??!!??
Please add me to your PING list
I saw that 2005 will be Waltrip's last with DEI. I expect that if he struggles early he may not make it the entire season.
Apparently, many fans are interested in telling NASCAR what they think of the so-called chase. So much, in fact, that Jayski and other forums are posting the following contact info:
NASCAR's mailing address is:
1801 W. International Speed Blvd
Daytona Beach, FL, 32114
Phone: (386) 253-0611
(386) 253-8804
Public Relations (386) 253-0611
Contact Nextel:
Mr. Tim Donohue
President, CEO
Nextel Communications
2001 Edmund Halley Drive
Reston, Virginia 20191
The race features Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Loeb, and top drivers from F1 and other international series. Jeff and Jimmie represent the United States. They won the first Nation's Cup last year.
The Speed Channel's first runs will be Sunday, Dec. 12 at 8:00pm and 1:00am (Eastern time). Speed will repeat it several times during the week, so those interested should check their local listings.
Gonna have to work on starting a lawnmower league in the neighborhood.
Great thread!
I, for one shall have no withdrawal though. I missed a lot of races due to my schedule as a touring musician. Fortunately, one of my buddies taped all the races I missed, and we're gonna watch 'em during the off season! WOOOOO!
Disneyland Anaheim
Or how about Bull Riding
Ok, what do ya think about table tennis
We could do a discussion group on paint drying
Excuse me, there are some men in white coats at the door...
I wish they did more road courses and less ovals.
I've really gotten into Formula 1 because of that.
However, I still like NASCAR!
Thanks for the ping WCG...I've got a great Dale Earnhardt story I will share when I have more time. I have many other stories too...My mom dated a guy just after high school who turned out to be a sponsor coordinator for NASCAR.
Dale Earnhardt JR
“Living the Dream”
2004 Season
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Reserve yours today for only 34.95 (plus S & H).
Call us at 1-800-338-6016 to reserve by credit card or send check or money order to: CLUB E JR
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The 2004 Season in Numbers:
Budweiser No. 8 Team with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season was the most successful in the brief career of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 8 Budweiser team.
Here are the team's career-best marks this season:
(Numbers in parenthesis show the rank among all Nextel Cup teams, so (2) means second best overall this season.)
Victories: 6 (2)
Prize Money: $8,913,510 (2)
Top-3 Finishes: 13 (2)
Top-5 Finishes: 16 (2)
Top-10 Finishes: 21* (5) * ties 2003 season
Avg. Start: 11.9 (3)
Avg. Finish: 11.8 (3)
Laps Led: 1131 (3)
Laps Completed: 10,588 (2)
Led Nextel Cup Points: 10 weeks (first time to lead Cup point standings)
Stats within the inaugural 10-race "Chase for the Nextel Cup:"
Victories: 2
Top-3 Finishes: 4
Top-10 Finishes: 6
Top-33 Finishes: 10
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The Bud team won the first race of the Nextel Cup era, the season-opening Daytona 500 (supposedly that's a big race)... The team led 19 races and also won a Twin-125 qualifying race at Daytona in 2004... Due to injuries suffered in a sports-car crash in June, Dale Jr. was forced to use a relief driver for the first time. Martin Truex Jr. (Loudon) became the second driver to ever compete in the No. 8 Bud car, while John Andretti (Pocono) became the third the following week... The Bud team won races at Daytona (Feb.), Atlanta (March), Richmond (May), Bristol (August), Talladega (Oct.) and Phoenix (Nov.)... Dale Jr. had two "weekend-sweeps." winning the Busch Series and Cup Series races the same weekend at Daytona (Feb.) and Bristol (Aug.)... Dale Jr. now has a streak of five consecutive multi-victory seasons, and has been in the Cup Top-10 in points for 69 consecutive weeks (despite being docked 25 points twice in seperate uh... 'incidents.').. The fifth-place finish is the third top-10 points finish in the last four seasons.
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Dale Jr. and No. 8 Bud team career numbers: (1999-2004)
Starts: 183
Victories: 15
Bud Poles: 6
Top-3 Finishes: 37
Top-5 Finishes: 52
Top-10 Finishes: 78
Races Led: 92
Laps Led: 4440
Money Winnings: $29,555,869
Withdrawal is right...althought I must admit I am enjoying he OU sooner football season. Suppose they will ever get rid of the "luck dog pass?"