Last Rites
Playing sports in Bakersfield isn't a rite, it's a passage.
A blog about Sports & Recreation and Kern County.
|
It's official Tour of California to make stop in Bakersfield Add another name to the list of Condors fans No sponsor, no ride for Mears in 2010 Effing Favre to Simply Favrelous NASCAR rumors: Boys of Bakersfield could be cancelled? Colts prefer Playboy model's husband rather than former BC standout Casual fans could be priced out for Jam Manny's blunder great news for Yankees Blitz, Jam, Blaze ... minor league sports flop in Bakersfield Is your bracket busted? January 07 February 07 March 07 April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09 August 09 September 09 October 09 November 09 
RSS 2.0    Share!
|
|
|
Harvick's victory tarnished only by national media, not race fans
The national media, ... errr just more East Coast bias, has suggested that Kevin Harvick didn't win the Daytona 500. Mark Martin was robbed of the victory by NASCAR.
Here are just a few examples of what I'm talking about: Only the record books will say this was the Daytona 500 Kevin Harvick won. History and lore will resonate with the one Mark Martin lost—or had taken away from him on a blown call, or was robbed of, depending on your point of view. -- Ed Hinton, Orlando Sentinel And this clever play ... I watched the Daytona 500 on TV Sunday for four or five hours. Wish I knew who won. They say Kevin Harvick did, but I don’t think he did. I think Mark Martin won that race. Martin got robbed. He should call State Farm and file a claim. -- Mike Downey, Chicago Tribune OK, so it's just not an East Coast bias. NASCAR officials spent the better part of a week at Daytona International Speedway hunting down cheats, suspending crew chiefs and stamping their feet while publicly demanding credibility from their race teams. But when the season-opening Daytona 500 was over Sunday night, it was NASCAR’s credibility that was under scrutiny. A chain reaction of crashes and a late yellow flag after the race had been decided left questions about why NASCAR officials ignored protocol at the most crucial moment of the most prestigious race of the season. And in the process, victory slipped through the grasp of the veteran driver Mark Martin. -- Viv Bernstein, Los Angeles Times Did the writers see the same race that I did? The lead changed three times before the wreck occurred on the last lap. Harvick nosed Martin twice. So to suggest that Martin would have won had NASCAR thrown the yellow flag is a clearly a matter of perception. When NASCAR instituted the "green-white-checkered flag" in 2004, they did it to keep fans from throwing empty ice chests, full beer cans and everything else that wasn't bolted down onto the asphalt as race-after-race ended under yellow flags in 2003. Now, the fans get what they want but still the media is clamoring, "Mark Martin was robbed." Would the media be crying foul if it was Jeff Green? Boris Said? Or how about known cheater Michael Waltrip? Highly unlikely. But because its's the ageless and omnipotent veteran Mark Martin, NASCAR owes him a win. You don't get trips to victory lane by being the guy that's run more laps than any other driver not to have won the Daytona 500. You do it by being the first to cross the finish line. That's what Harvick did. 31 comments from 15 users
1
posted by
robbwillis
on Feb 20, 2007 at 01:02 PM
Mark Martins' team should have thrown a little red flag out onto the track before Harvick raised the trophy over his head. Then, a track official could have stuck his head under a cloaked replay TV for about five minutes. After about a dozen totally trashed race cars were repaired, they could have redone the last lap for a fair result.
posted by
dusty1215
on Feb 20, 2007 at 01:12 PM
Sourgrapes..fark em..Kevin won fair and square. How about when they call the race because of rain after a certain number of laps..there is always an excuse why someone else didn't win.
posted by
blognroll
on Feb 20, 2007 at 03:28 PM
He won it fair and square. How dare they rain on his parade, and ours! They are all a bunch of cry babies. posted by
koztarr
on Feb 20, 2007 at 03:49 PM
I quit watching the races last year when it seemed like every race ended under yellow. Let'm race. Mark Martin didn't quit racing because there was an accident behind him.
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Feb 20, 2007 at 04:20 PM
People really watch cars drive in a circle for 4 or 5 hours?
posted by
arizboy6
on Feb 20, 2007 at 05:10 PM
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO SEE MARK WIN BUY HEY THE BAKERSFIELD BOY WON LETS GET EXCITED
posted by
anonymous
on Feb 20, 2007 at 05:14 PM
No Pete, we DON'T watch them drive in circles for 4-5 hours. Two hours of that is TV commercials!!!
posted by
anglo1
on Feb 20, 2007 at 07:33 PM
I like Martin and Harvick and Martin lost to a better car and man. Robb posted something else where about the cars shapes being the same, that drives me nuts. I remember when a Dodge looked like a Dodge etc. much more interesting. I actually got to see the race in person and it was pretty cool. Actually it was windy and very cold. My first time to So. U.S. and I almost needed a translator to hold a conversation. Had some pretty funny experiences. Hoped to get some photos for some friends but it was just to crowded. Thought about Stewart for Dusty and Gordon for MVP.
posted by
dusty1215
on Feb 20, 2007 at 08:11 PM
I am so jealous Anglo..I have always wanted to see the Daytona 500 live..the whole speedweeks thing is now two weeks..remember the old days when it was speekweek?How great was that, you got to see the hometown boy win it. I saw him on Letterman last night. posted by
anglo1
on Feb 20, 2007 at 08:42 PM
A lot happened there this weekend that was fun but I feel a little funny talking about it, like I'm bragging or name dropping. One of the coolest things was a guy with me got to drive the Pierce fire truck around the track for the pre-race parade, he's a local boy to, two other KCFD guys rode on the back, I was too busy and didn't think about asking. Saw Darrel Waltrip, about three feet away, Shepard Smith [one of your favorites] he was putting on his make-up and was very friendly, Ray Lewis, the football player. The track compound is pretty amazing, NASCAR museum and all that. All in all a fun trip . Most of the fans are amazingly loyal and defensive about their driver posted by
turnbaugh
on Feb 20, 2007 at 11:28 PM
It is not a question of who won the Daytona race. It is the fact that NASCAR failed to follow its own rules and that is to throw the yellow caution flag AS SOON AS a problem occurrs on the race track. Perhaps if they had thrown the caution flag when they should have the other drivers would have slowed down and the wrecking might have been much less severe. Either way, would you really want someone to change the rules in the middle of the game. I think not. With that said if they would have stuck to their OWN rules Mark Martin would have been the rightful winner.
posted by
anonymous
on Feb 21, 2007 at 07:21 AM
It is my understanding that at the moment of the crash, Harvick was leading. He then lost the lead for 2 seconds, then regained the lead. So, if the yellow had come out, but came out when Harvick was trailing, would there then be instant replay to see what the lineup was EXACTLY at the start of the crash? So what is it?? DOes the yellow begin immediately at the start of a wreck, or does it start when the redneck starts waving the yellow??
posted by
steveeswenson
on Feb 21, 2007 at 09:01 AM
Pete, I'm with you. I can't watch cars driving around an oval for any length of time. I can watch the news clip for the end of the race. This one was especially cool. In a race toward the finish line, whatever happened behind you is irrelevant. Neither Martin nor Harvick took their foot off the gas and Harvick won by a bumper. I believe they call that racing. posted by
anonymous
on Feb 21, 2007 at 09:06 AM
I have a question for Pete...what do you do for entertainment, sit in front of your commuter screen for 4 or 5 hours and read & add posts to this blog?
posted by
dusty1215
on Feb 21, 2007 at 09:23 AM
Pete's methods of entertainment have nothing to do with whether someone enjoys watching a stockcar race. Its not like its unamerican to dislike Nascar. I enjoy it and have for over 25 years.
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Feb 21, 2007 at 09:26 AM
As much fun as that sounds anny, no that's not what I do for entertainment. It's my second job. ; ) Usually my idea of entertainment is watching a good NHL game on TV, listening to music or watching a movie. Some of the Canadian commercials are quite funny. You just don't see ones with snow and hockey on any of our local stations. Occasionally Center Ice shows a Montreal Canadians game entirely in French, complete with French language commercials. Oh, but you're probably another one of those anti French types, so nevermind. posted by
LastRites
on Feb 21, 2007 at 10:15 AM
ProgressivePete2...I saw a great Molson commercial a few days ago. I won't go into too much detail because it was pure sexual innuendo. But it involved a room full of beavers and a guy drinking a Molson.
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Feb 21, 2007 at 10:24 AM
I don't think I've seen that one yet. I guess I'm not watching enough TSN.
posted by
robbwillis
on Feb 21, 2007 at 10:25 AM
I'm with you Steve; I like car racing and baseball highlights on the news, but watching either in its entirety is like watching paint dry. And like others have said, the commercials- geez...
posted by
KathyBates
on Feb 21, 2007 at 10:36 AM
Point blank, just like all races, the caution flag should have been thrown at time of the accident. No matter who you cheer for, it is the safety of others. If any of you really looked at the replay you will see that one car that was forced out onto the green that he hauled butt to get back into the pack to cross the finish line. Which without caution ended up perfect in between two cars to the finish line. I can't remember which car it was that pedal to floor to get back in the pack, it was so quick that it could have caused another mess. Basically they all knew of the accident and knew that the caution wasn't thrown and they raced to the finish line... the yellow flag should have been thrown for the safety of others.It was not a fair and square winning when there was an accident and the safety of others. Nascar should be penalized, fined and punished. posted by
anonymous
on Feb 21, 2007 at 10:48 AM
Pete, Hockey sure is exciting to watch! Those barn burner scores like 1-0 or 2-1. I am not "one of those anti-french types"
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Feb 21, 2007 at 11:03 AM
Well, that's good to hear anon. The anti French stuff is tired. You know, most games this year are not 1-0 or 2-1, but I have seen some thrilling games that ended with that score. Scoring *is* up quite a bit with the new enforcement of obstruction and other penalties of that type and the increase in the curve of the stick blade. The days of the Dallas Stars trap (and subsequent boring game) are pretty much behind us. For the most part, even a 3 goal lead isn't safe anymore. There are some really exciting young guys playing right now like Malkin, Ovechkin, Crosby, etc. that are doing some amazing things, and the salary cap has evened out the playing field for a lot of small market teams. That being said, I do understand that Hockey isn't for everyone. You know, kind of like NASCAR. posted by
anonymous
on Feb 21, 2007 at 01:48 PM
I do apologize Pete, I have you the impression that I cared to know what was going on in the world of soccer on ice. I don't care about nascar either. But for you to trivialize NASCAR to cars driving in a circle for 4 hours is the same as me saying hockey is a bunch of guys on skates playing "keep away"
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Feb 21, 2007 at 01:56 PM
I'm a bit confused anon, why are you posting on this blog?
posted by
dusty1215
on Feb 21, 2007 at 02:10 PM
Kathy, I did watch a slo-mo replay of the finish on one of Speed TV's shows. It concluded, as I and my husband did, that indeed Kevin did win..so I guess it depends on which replay you watched.
posted by
KathyBates
on Feb 21, 2007 at 04:48 PM
dusty - I am not saying that harvick won or martin, my point is that they should have waved the yellow. I am guessing you are a strong harvick fan... thats all good, it was a great ending (just like robby gordon and kurt busch at watkins glen), but the flag should have waved. Thats the only point I was trying to make.Nascar should still be 'a talkin to' posted by
dusty1215
on Feb 21, 2007 at 04:49 PM
Actually Ms. Bates I am a strong Tony Stewart fan. I just support our local stockcar talent when they make it big. Nascar is the only sport that makes the rules as the season goes along.. posted by
LastRites
on Feb 21, 2007 at 05:04 PM
My point is NASCAR shouldn't have thrown the Yellow. They, in fact, did the right thing. Ouch...that really hurt to say. NASCAR should allow a race to the finish line on the last lap only. Makes for great racing at the end of the race. On the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt was blocking for Michael Waltrip and Junior. He subsequently wrecked and we know the rest. Well, he finished 12th instead of third place. Had the Yellow flag been waved because of the wreck that he caused he would have kept third place. Tell me what makes sense about Kyle Busch, who caused the chain reaction wreck last weekend, getting third place if the Yellow flag was waved. There's no penalty for idiots like Kyle Busch who drive wreckless on the backstretch or last turn and cause a wreck and the Yellow Flag is waved. He gets to keep his position and more importantly earnings. As for the racers that cut through the grass and cross the line. That's what a real racer does. I'm tired of cab drivers like Kyle Busch and most of the young HIRED guns who haven't a clue about coming through the minor circuits to earn their stripes. We need more Tony Stewarts, more Robby Gordons, more Kevin Harvicks. A racer that can drive the wheels off anything. Not a cab driver who bought his way into a ride. posted by
KathyBates
on Feb 22, 2007 at 07:03 AM
I personally feel that anyone that didn't think that a yellow flag should have been thrown, is just plain selfish. Safety first.
posted by
CurtDalton
on Feb 22, 2007 at 08:19 AM
Are you saying there is media bias?
Surely you must be kidding!
The media is always fair, balanced, never wrong and is never self-serving.
I can't believe anyone would think the media has an agenda! posted by
steveeswenson
on Feb 22, 2007 at 08:34 AM
Bless you, Curt. People like you make America great.
1
 Loading Stories
Advertisement |
