Since racing gets started for the weekend tonight, I'll present this a little early.
But not forgotten: Jesse "The Rocket" Hockett passed away one year ago. His presence and legacy is still witnessed every day at nearly any sprint car race in the country. Rest in peace.
3 to get ready: One of the best weekends if you're a sprint car fan. The ASCS Midwest makes a stop at I-80 tonight, JMS Friday (for a potential $3K payout if they raced at I-80) and Eagle's weekly show on Saturday (combined with an expected large crowd from their free ticket giveaway). If you are so inclined, Albion will host the Holt County 360 Sprints on Friday as well.
I plan on being at one of these - likely JMS. Work and a youngin' in the crib make a late Thursday not so good, and for the same reasons, I usually bolt out shortly after the show on Saturday nights. I gotta be honest - trying to get out after the races following of one of the free ticket nights at Eagle is just...awful.
Alpha-Bits: The annual Alphabet Soup featuring Super Late Models runs Sunday night at I-80 Speedway. This show has produced some wild (and wooly) finishes in recent years. I think it should be on each fan's yearly agenda.
Soap box derby: Last week's sprint car finish at Eagle certainly wasn't to Jack Dover's liking. After passing eventual race winner Logan Forler, he was sent back to second position after a yellow flag where officials scored back to the previous lap, and Dover ostensibly hadn't been in the lead at the line. From my vantage point it was the right call. Simple fact is, if you weren't in the lead when they crossed the line on the previous lap, and the race is scored back a lap - it doesn't matter where you were in corners 2, 3 and 4. The line is where the race is scored. For the record though - it's time to go back to split yellow flags. The technology is there - and really - it isn't a matter of technology.
When Dover failed to line up in second (word is the in-car Raceceiver wasn't working, though Eagle officials state they made it clear on the track - eventually threatening the black flag), the Springfield, NE driver was penalized back to fourth place. A late race charge wasn't enough to take the race and Forler guarded the remaining fast line to take his first win at Eagle, a nice grab for the Washington driver.
Dover spoke his mind at the post-race interview. I was about 10 feet away and...I heard none of it. In fact, I didn't realize something was said until I saw something next day. Should I have listened? Probably.
The fact that I didn't? It's not a judgement on someone, it's just that it's nothing new. When a call is made regarding a pair of drivers, 100% of the calls made will piss off 50% of the people involved. Every time. Because someone had a mic in front of them is only giving entertainment value. Nothing changes.
Happy Birthday, BA: I-80 Speedway photographer Brandon Anderson is celebrating the Big 3-0 this week.
That's it for today - have fun this weekend and be safe! Also, take time to remember what Memorial Day is about: a tribute to our fallen soldiers. Take a moment to pay some respect.
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1 comments:
Amen on the entertainment value. Regardless as to whether a call was right or wrong, it was still the call made. We all have to abide by it. We also have to keep in mind what kind of example we are setting for our young aspiring fans when we take the mike. We all have to be careful which product of our environment we emulate
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