Stock car racing haters, just don't bother trying.

I used to think Dale Jr was a mush mouthed halfwit, but it turns out he isn't.  At least, not totally.  My opinion started to change when he was in as a guest analyst at a Talladega Nextel race, and he spoke using complete words and demonstrated some actual knowledge and character.  I think Rick Hendrick and his wife might have sent him to a couple of Toastmasters meetings, or something, because he even said some interesting stuff in post race interviews sometimes.

 His podcast has gotten progressively better over the years, to the point of me waiting impatiently for Mondays to see whats up.  Ryan Blaney this week, Tony Stewart last week, The Eurys the week before, and Jeff Gordon for the last one last year.  The whole last year was good.  The year before, not as good.  Prior to that, well, lets just say he was getting better.

www.dalejr.com  The Dalejr download.  If you are a NASCAR fan I recommend it.

For what it's worth, it's not drivers I hate, or the cars or the tracks or even the culture -- it's the unsportsmanlike bull**** that NASCAR allows to take place on track that puts me off. 

No worse that team rules in F1. Every sport has stupid things attached to it. 

nderwater said:

For what it's worth, it's not drivers I hate, or the cars or the tracks or even the culture -- it's the unsportsmanlike bull**** that NASCAR allows to take place on track that puts me off. 

NASCAR is pure whitebread now compared to what it used to be......

Yeah, we don't have any fist fights after wrecking each other when running one and two on the last lap.

I watched Dale Jr.'s commentating of the Rolex 24 this year. He had a few interesting things to say, but mostly was there to ask dumb questions. I liked listening to his story of driving in the 24 hrs with his dad. 

I wasn’t a huge fan of Jr the driver but Jr the person as always been pretty entertaining.  I’m glad that he was mature enough to get out of the seat before he got hurt any worse and seems to really being enjoying life.    

In reply to T.J. :

Sometimes you need someone to ask dumb questions.  There were a lot of viewers that were only watching because Jr plugged it. By getting answers to questions that seem dumb they can learn what’s going on. I have friends that never watched before that are talking about going to an IMSA race now.  That wouldn’t have happened without him telling them to watch. 

I'd much rather listen to Jr talk about anything than listen to Jeff Gordon. Something about the pitch of his voice or the cadence in which he speaks is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Hell I'd rather listen to Ward Burton than either of them.

In reply to Nick Comstock :

We met Ward Burton at Richmond one year and a someone asked if he voiced Boomhauer.  I couldn’t understand his answer. 

Jr gets serious + in my book for being mature enough to pay attention to the head trauma issue in a mucho-macho sport. His book sounds interesting, even to a non-fan. 

The other drivers seem to be mostly interchangible walking ad bots. Zzzzzz. 

Nick Comstock said:

I'd much rather listen to Jr talk about anything than listen to Jeff Gordon. Something about the pitch of his voice or the cadence in which he speaks is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Hell I'd rather listen to Ward Burton than either of them.

His nasal voice bugs me, but the download with him as guest is really interesting.  

Streetwiseguy said:

I used to think Dale Jr was a mush mouthed halfwit, but it turns out he isn't.  At least, not totally.  My opinion started to change when he was in as a guest analyst at a Talladega Nextel race, and he spoke using complete words and demonstrated some actual knowledge and character.  I think Rick Hendrick and his wife might have sent him to a couple of Toastmasters meetings, or something, because he even said some interesting stuff in post race interviews sometimes.

 His podcast has gotten progressively better over the years, to the point of me waiting impatiently for Mondays to see whats up.  Ryan Blaney this week, Tony Stewart last week, The Eurys the week before, and Jeff Gordon for the last one last year.  The whole last year was good.  The year before, not as good.  Prior to that, well, lets just say he was getting better.

www.dalejr.com  The Dalejr download.  If you are a NASCAR fan I recommend it.

You were probably joking but Toastmasters will make a world of difference IF you have a group willing to give solid criticism.  When I was doing it everybody was too scared to offend anyone and most never improved because of it.

Before the Rolex, several teams/manufacturers held press conferences in the room adjacent to the media center. I stopped by the Acura presser and was chatting to a friend when I thought, Hey, that guy waiting to interview a driver looks familiar.

It was Dale Jr. 

A 401 CJ said:

Streetwiseguy said:

I used to think Dale Jr was a mush mouthed halfwit, but it turns out he isn't.  At least, not totally.  My opinion started to change when he was in as a guest analyst at a Talladega Nextel race, and he spoke using complete words and demonstrated some actual knowledge and character.  I think Rick Hendrick and his wife might have sent him to a couple of Toastmasters meetings, or something, because he even said some interesting stuff in post race interviews sometimes.

 His podcast has gotten progressively better over the years, to the point of me waiting impatiently for Mondays to see whats up.  Ryan Blaney this week, Tony Stewart last week, The Eurys the week before, and Jeff Gordon for the last one last year.  The whole last year was good.  The year before, not as good.  Prior to that, well, lets just say he was getting better.

www.dalejr.com  The Dalejr download.  If you are a NASCAR fan I recommend it.

You were probably joking but Toastmasters will make a world of difference IF you have a group willing to give solid criticism.  When I was doing it everybody was too scared to offend anyone and most never improved because of it.

Wasn't joking at all.  No idea if Toastmasters was part of the deal, but somebody taught the kid how to speak in public.  There is no doubt of that-.

In reply to Dave M :

Bubba Wallace is the rare exception. He has a ton of personality.

Meh, haters gonna hate.  NASCAR isn't perfect by any stretch, but I enjoy it. 

I wasn't a "fan" of Jr as a driver...I don't really have a favorite driver anyway, I just like the sport.  I do think he's a much smarter guy than most people give him credit for.  I also think he does a pretty darn good job in the booth.  I have to start listening to the podcast to see what I think of it. 

A few years back I was watching David Hobs?? , English ex F1 driver and was an F1 commentator as he was on about slipstream or something like that.  Anyway he said some about it being a big deal in NASCAR and saw one of there commentators talking about the same exact issue...."of course he wasn't speaking English, but that was the gist of it" ......and whatever I was drinking at the time came out my nose but that pretty much sums up what most people I know think of NASCAR.  It's not hate, it more "well aren't you so cute playing race cars". ;)

DirtyBird222 said:

nderwater said:

For what it's worth, it's not drivers I hate, or the cars or the tracks or even the culture -- it's the unsportsmanlike bull**** that NASCAR allows to take place on track that puts me off. 

NASCAR is pure whitebread now compared to what it used to be......

Maybe, but much of the "bumping/rubbing is racing" will get you sanctioned in other racing series, or you and the other driver out and sanctioned in open wheel racing. 

That's exactly what puts me off of it too. If you are faster, you shouldn't have to "push" the car in front of you out of the way.

In reply to mke :

He has quite a bit of knowledge about stock cars, before he was an F1 commentator David Hobbs covered NASCAR for CBS and ran a Daytona 500 in the 70s. 

I used to really be a Nascar hater, F1 purist.  A lot of it was not liking some of the atmosphere but also my lack of technical knowledge about the cars.

It wasn't until I realized the complexity of ice skating a heavy high power beast on tiny tires.  Seeing folks turn the road course cars into really affordable track beasts was also really educational.  I didn't realize just how fast they were on the cheap.

My thoughts were confirmed as I've spent some time in the last years with the dirt track guys.  Talking with those guys in the pits really opened my eyes, they are doing some really technical stuff on the cheap and in the dirt.

Being really good at anything is really hard.  Some things are also really expensive to be really good at so not many ever get the chance to try.  Others, Like NASCAR or baseball or golf  are really really boring so most people don't care if its hard or easy or cheap or expensive, they just aren't interested in watching or caring about it and I'm certainly in that group.   NASCAR and its spinoffs are great at getting used parts that are still mostly good onto ebay at decent prices...but I've never been able to sit through an entire race or being myself to care who won.  Its got nothing to do with hating NASCAR its more about failing to see any relevance in it.  Personally I feel basically the same way about F1...they build really cool stuff but its always stuck me as a race car concept that has been obsolete since about the 70s when they really became more airplanes than cars.  I prefer to go to an autocross honestly where real people race their real cars....still no actual point to it but it feels more real to me so I "get it".

Bring on the hate, but . . . I think that kind of racing takes a ton of talent and nerve, and the team has to be a really well-run operation.  I think the drivers and the fans are warm and welcoming people, and the league reflects that vibe.  Given a choice between watching a Cup race or a baseball game on TV, I would rather watch the Cup race.  But damn they both take a long time and the gaps in the excitement can be long.

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

I spent a few hours with Dale Sr. He’s an interesting guy but hated to talk about Stock car racing. I would too if every minute of every day you get know it alls with opinions.  

The guy I’d like a conversation with is Jimmy Johnson. 

In reply to Wally :

Oh, I agree. I mean he drive in the race previously so it's not like the whole deal was a total unknown. He was playing a role. 

I was a NASCAR hater.  Wouldn’t even watch a single lap.  This is boring I said.  Then one night I walked into my uncle’s living room.  Big screen TV.  HD.  Big Surround Sound.  Bristol.  Night Race.  OMG.  It’s like I’m there but with free beer and all the M&M’s I can eat.