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2B ♦ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2006' jggiggi \ Here is our weekly selection of bloopers, Inconsistencies, In decipherable remarks, fractured moments and maniacal deci sions from the past season. Save your money, kid David Ragan, slated to re place Mark Martin in 2007, had a rough day at Martinsville Speedway, one of the sport's tougher tracks. Afterward, he was blamed for several crashes, drawing the notable ire of veter an Ken Schrader and reigning champion Tony Stewart, who called the 20-year-old Ragan “a dart without any feathers.” Ragan and Stewart had never met, so Ragan took an unusual step in order to get to know Stewart. He bid $5,750 at a charity auction, earning a pre race ride around Atlanta Motor Speedway with Stewart. Stewart noted, somewhat whimsically, that Ragan could have saved himself the money by giving him a phone call. Keep it fair In a late-season race at At lanta Motor Speedway, NASCAR officials waved a caution flag for debris at a time when Dale Earn hardt Jr. needed it in order to pit without losing a lap. Skeptical re porters chuckled when the site of debris was first cited as being in turn two, then turn three. When officials issued their "cumulative report" a few laps later, the rea son for the caution was listed as “TBD” for “to be determined." One observer suggested that the acronym was really for "to benefit Date." He got that right David Pearson, second in all time victories with 105, ap peared at an Atlanta Motor Speedway press conference sponsored by Nicorette. After ward, a local reporter posed a question to the three-time cham pion, a former smoker. "Mr. Pearson, for many years NASCAR was sponsored by to bacco, and now it has a busi ness relationship with a product that helps people stop smoking," said the reporter. "What do you think that says?" “I think it pretty much says that NASCAR will do anything for money." Pearson replied. A strange disparity Two spring races had to be run on Monday after being rained out on the scheduled date. After an estimated crowd of 85,000 went home disappointed, only 20,000 or so showed up the fol lowing morning at Atlanta. When similar circumstances occurred at Talladega the two tracks are no more than a two-hour drive apart five races later, a crowd estimated at 135,000, or about 87 percent as many as the day before, returned on Monday. i-EGENOS^WPEGRE Trivia Questions 1. The final race of seven-time champion Richard Petty's ca reer was also the debut of what future champion? 2. In what year was Petty's first championship? 3. In what year did Winston be come a major sponsor of NASCAR? 4. In what year did Nextel suc ceed Winston as the premier series' corporate sponsor? Answer 1. Jeff Gordon 2. 1964 3. 1971 4. 2004 ■ “The car got really good, and then I ran into the wall." Jeff Burton, after an Atlanta crash. ■ “I was a doctor one year, a football player and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle a few times. Maybe this year I'll go as Tony the Tiger." Kyle Busch, on his Halloween plans. ■ “I hope this will shake the branches of corporate America. I wish I could've been here 20 years ago. Who knows how long my career will last?” Bill Lester, on becoming the first African-American to compete in NASCAR since Willy T. Ribbs. ■ “If it don't have headers, a four-speed (transmission) and slicks, I don't do no good with it.” Bobby Hamilton, whose career was interrupted by his treatment for cancer. ■ ‘I hate to see Kurt Busch win. What a whiner.” Kevin Harvick, after finishing second to Busch in the spring race at Bristol ■ "I'd still like to whip his ass. Before the year is over, he'll make a fool out of Roger Penske.” Harvick, continuing his diatribe. ► If you have a question or a comment, write: NASCAR This Week, c/o The Gaston Gazette, PO. Box 1538, Gastonia, NC 28053 Top drivers hit jackpot with postseason awards ■ Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson’s bonus for winning the title amounted to $6,785,982, bringing his season total to a record $15,770,125 and his career earnings to over $44 million during five full-time years at NASCAR’s pre mier level. ■ The Awards Ceremony, at New York's Waldorf- Astoria Hotel, was the scene of an awarding of $22,081,489, divided among the top 10 drivers, each of whom received more than $1 million. ■ In addition, llth-place finisher Tony Stewart received a $250,000 bonus, and Stewart’s total point-fund award was $1,143,888, not to mention $310,000 for three special awards: Bank of Amer ica Card Services Mid-Race Leader Award, USG Im proving the Finish Award and Wix Lap Leader Award. Stewart’s total earnings in 2006 were Fizzle at the Finish NASCAR awards ceremony was scripted, like the racing itself By Monte Dutton NASCAR This Week A few observations on the Nextel Cup Awards Ceremony and the season that preceded it: ■ The “host,” comedian/actor Jay Mohr, was handling those duties for the third year. He was horrible. Rela tively few of his jokes were funny, and perhaps the sole high point was his brief, spontaneous impersonation of Christopher Walken, prompted by the onstage appearance of a similarly spontaneous Dale Earnhardt Jr. ■ Lack of spontaneity is probably the biggest reason the banquet is a colos sal bore. One gets the impression that the humor is watered down by an ap proval-and-censorship process that is typical of almost all NASCAR func tions. In short, the crummy script may not have been completely Mohr’s fault. It would be amusing, though, to see NASCAR officials try to rein in a Robin Williams or a Jim Carrey. ■ Banquet or no, New York is not ex actly attuned to NASCAR. Before the banquet, the city’s premier sports radio station, WFAN-AM 660, promoted the chance to meet Jeff Gordon and Kasey Khan in Times Square. No, Kahne (aka Khan) isn’t related to Capt. James Kirk’s archrival. Neither is he heir to the weiner fortune. ■ Before the season, NASCAR polled media members as to who would make the Chase. Those predictions got only five of the 10 right, though it was a year of surprises. Few would have pre dicted that the top three of 2005 Stewart, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards would all miss it, not to mention the two previous champs, Stewart and Kurt Busch, from the Chase format. ■ Jimmie Johnson was the third choice in the preseason polling, where media members predicted a fifth championship for Jeff Gordon, with Stewart second. ■ The five Chase participants who weren’t in the preseason top 10 were Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Bur- Petty, the doctor that is, earns career honor By Monte Dutton NASCAR This Week Dr. Jerry Petty, who has cared for many NASCAR driv ers, officials and crewmen dur ing his 46-year medical career, received the Bill France Award of Excellence for lifetime achievement in New York City during Champions Week. “Dr. Petty certainly knows our sport, but more important ly, he knows the competitors and people who make up our sport,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. “Everyone in NASCAR appreciates Dr. Pet ty’s commitment to our sport.” Petty, 71, joined his Char lotte, N.C.-based practice in 1968. The Gastonia native be gan his career in 1960 as an as sistant neurological surgery resident at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. He moved to Char lotte Neurosurgery and Spine Center in 1968. “He carries that same kind of passion for the sport and all of the drivers out there be cause he wants to see it safe,” said four-time champion Jeff $8,739,169. meaning that despite his llth-place finish in points, the 2005 champion ended up with the third-highest earnings total. ■ Matt Kenseth, who finished second in the standings, received $2,841,047 from the point fund and $75,000 for the Goodyear Gatorback Fastest Lap Award. The above brought his season total to $9,524,966, or $102,202 more than he won in 2003 for the (then) Winston Cup champi onship. a Sixth-place Jeff Gordon, the all-time money leader, collected $1,495,574 from the point fund for a season total of $7,471,447. With this pay out, Gordon's career winnings rose to $82,838,526. Altogether, the point fund provides monetary benefits to the top 30 in the standings. The point fund altogether exceeded $30.4 million. ii Am- U = LEIH jZ 11 w RSi-I>l g J ifeS# fill John Clark/NASCAR This Week Greg Biffle finished second In the Nextel Cup points race last season, but failed to make the Chase in 2006. Preseason prognosticators didn't see that coming. ton, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch. The five who missed? Stewart, Biffle, Ed wards, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman. ■ Mark Martin was the only driver who finished precisely where the me dia predicted. He was ninth. ■ When Vice President Dick Cheney attended the Pepsi 400, back in July at Daytona, he referred to the president of NASCAR as “Big Mike” (Helton) and said he’d heard that what goes in the Nextel Cup hauler “is sometimes more exciting than what happens in the race itself.” Therein lies the prob Gordon. “He’s a fan, so he uses his doctor skills and every thing he knows and the knowl edge he has because he wants to bring better care to the sport for all of the drivers.” Petty has worked the infield care center at Lowe’s (then Charlotte) Motor Speedway since 1970 and has been a con sultant for NASCAR’s med ical-liaison program since 2002. A University of North Caroli na alumnus and 1960 graduate of the UNC Medical School, Dr. Petty served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force’s medical corps from 1961 to ’63. He and his wife, Audrey, have four chil dren and 11 grandchildren. Son Scott is a radiologist in Franklin, N.C. Daughter Mary Key is a speech pathologist, and daughters Kate Boyd and Laura Barrett are registered nurses. Dr. Petty also serves as a team physician for the Caroli na Panthers and has done so since their inaugural 1995 sea son. SPORTS NEXTEt ■ Something special Benny Parsons, the 1973 Winston Cup Series champion and NBC tele vision commentator, won the Myers Brothers Award, award ed by the NMPA (National Mo torsports Press Association) for his contributions to the growth of NASCAR. “All the years that I’ve been here, been at the breakfast (which it was until this year)... seeing all those people receive the awards, never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be me,” said Parsons, “because, let’s face it, it’s for the R.J. Reynoldses, the Nex tels, the Bill Frances and Bru ton Smiths of the world, people like that. The real movers and shakers in this industry. “I truly appreciate it. I really do.” ■ Champs gather The 12 champions of NASCAR’s na tional, regional and local rac ing series, gathered at Rocke ■ Hamlin was also honored as Raybestos Rookie of the Year, receiving a $50,000 award. ■ At the NASCAR/NMPA Myers Brothers Lun cheon in New York, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was named Chex Cereals Most Popular Driver for the fourth consecutive year. ■ Chevrolet received the Manufacturers Cham pionship for the 30th time. This year Chevrolet drivers won a record 23 races, including seven of the 10 Chase races. Chevrolet also presented Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson’s wife, Chandra, with a 2007 Corvette convertible. NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communi cations Jim Hunter won the Buddy Shuman Award for his longtime role and impact in the sport. Monte Dutton lem. (The same could be said, by the way, of the Bush White House. - ) ■ The latest, and 28 th , champion of NASCAR’s premier series bears the rap from his detractors that he is “a cheater,” an unfair designation that dates back to his crew chief’s suspen sion before the Daytona 500 and a gen eral perception that Chad Knaus has “stretched the rules.” Outside the sport, that may qualify as a criticism, but there isn’t a driver in the garage area who doesn’t wish he had a crew chief adept at said stretching. feller Center on Nov. 30 for a commemorative photo opportu nity. It’s the only time during the year that all of NASCAR’s champions are together in one location. Since 2002, this gath ering has been held in New York as part of Champions Week. ■ Big Apple parade On Nov. 29, the top 10 drivers awoke early, attended a meeting with NASCAR president Mike Hel ton, donned their uniforms, signed autographs, participat ed in live television interviews, climbed into their race cars and drove through the streets of New York in the so-called “Victory Lap,” which began with an appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” The parade began in Times Square and ended at the ESPN Zone restaurant, where drivers met with sponsors and media. “It’s pretty neat to be able to block off the streets of New York like they did,” said Kevin Harvick. “It says a lot for New THE HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL dfiE CIA Stock Photo For the fourth straight year, Dale Earn hardt Jr. is the Most Popular Driver. Awards Ceremony Where: Disney’s Grand Floridian Re sort, Orlando, Fla. When: Friday, Dec. 8 Overview: Kevin Harvick’s margin, 824 points, was the widest in the history of this or any other major se ries. The moonlighting Nextel Cup driver won nine races and finished in the top 10 in 32 of the season’s 35 races. Only two of the top 10 drivers competed in the Busch Series only. eRAFTeMAN-TROQ^I Awards Ceremony Where: Disney's Grand Floridian Re sort, Orlando, Fla. When: Sunday, Dec. 10 Overview: Todd Bodine underscored Toyota's growing domination of the trucks, which makes the timing per fect for the Japanese manufacturer’s entry into NASCAR's top series. The top four drivers Bodine, Johnny Benson, David Reutimann and David Starr all drove Tundras. Yi£TTERSFTOMOUR-REAPgf»«I NASCAR works its restart a little bit differently I work three Wissota (Wisconsin- Minnesota) race tracks as an offi cial on corner two. I work ... 75- 100 races on weekends. Why is it, in NASCAR, you cause a yellow or red (flag and) you don’t restart at the back of the lap you were running on? Example, Talladega, Oct. 8, 2006, white-flag lap: The ending should have been “8" (Dale Earn hardt Jr.), “48" (Jimmie Johnson), "25" (Brian Vickers) back to the end of the lead lap. Done deal. Another question: Why not give extra points for taking a pole and winning that race? That’s a sweep! Thomas J. Ripienski Chippewa Falls, Wis. In the example you cited, the NASCAR rules calls for the field to be ‘frozen’ at the time of the incident. This is why Vickers was declared the winner. If the rules had been config ured in the manner you suggest, the winner of that race would have been Kasey Kahne. Many have called for bonus points to be granted to pole winners, but NASCAR has, at least thus far, declined to make that adjust ment. Extra points for a sweep? That seems like a good idea to us. Note that “NASCAR This Week' is an inde pendent product and isn't officially af filiated with NASCAR, so we don't have any say in the ruling body 's policies. Send your letters to: NASCAR This Week The Gaston Gazette PO. Box 1538 Gastonia, N.C. 28053 York, accepting what we do and how big our sport has be come. It’s great to see all the people watching and partici pating.” “I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of (the Chase) for all three years,” said Mark Mar tin. “It’s gotten bigger every year. It really gives me a warm feeling about our sport, that I love so much, to see the folks here support it the way they have.” After the Victory Lap, cham pion Jimmie Johnson posed for photos in Times Square. “I’ve seen those photos with all of the other champions, and it was a moment I was really looking forward to,” said John son. “We were out there doing the photos and there were fans everywhere, screaming and yelling and getting involved. That really made it fun. “I think our season speaks for itself. I’m more focused on experiencing this moment with my wife, with my team, with Mr. (Rick) Hendrick (car own er), with Chad (Knaus, crew chief).”