Race Journal Online by Carol Einarsson

"I believe anybody who tells you he is unbiased is a liar. Being human gives you bias, and you can't avoid that. The best you can ever hope to be is fair."
-David Poole

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Joe Gibbs is Happy to be Second. Do you know why?

Official Beasts of RJO

07/30/1993 - 01/11/2010

Cheers and Jeers

Cheers and Jeers: Frisky Tony Still Streaking in Atlanta By Carol Einarsson \| 09/07/2010

CHEERS to the piece on Mark Martin. “He brings ethics, he brings intensity, he brings commitment that very few people can match.” And is there anyone that’s more effectively taught Carl Edwards how to race? “No sir, that is not how I want to do it! Can we start over?” CHEERS to Ella’s first words on camera. Who’s gonna win the race tonight? “Papa.” No pressure, Jeff. CHEERS to Joe Gibbs’ invocation. Can’t he just do it every week? Please?? CHEERS to a track announcer with authority in his voice, but did he used to work for WWE? Next time, though, don’t trample on the “Amen” of the invocation. Read more...
Comments: 23	Last Activity: 09/08/10

Cheers and Jeers: Kyle Busch Wins Again, Beats a Field of Truck Racers By Carol Einarsson \| 08/31/2010

An excerpt: CHEERS to the “EnjoyIlliniois.com” from Chicagoland, not just because we like the truck series, but because we like the name of the race and the state-sponsored website. Any attention is good attention when it reinforces that the state name doesn’t end with “-noise.” And as long as I’m on the pronunciation soap box, maybe I should suggest a tourist website to a certain city in Iowa: SpendYourCoinInDesMoines.com. CHEERS to Bollegraaf sponsoring Steve Park, though we wonder what exposure they hope to get that will increase their business. One of the services they offer, as listed on their website: “Advice for a solution of your waste stream.” CHEERS to Mike Harmon, because we like seeing him in a race machine that’s all in one piece. His name remains synonymous in my mind with that horrific wreck. Read more...
Comments: 35	Last Activity: 09/02/10

Cheers and Jeers: Bristol Main Course - Busch Wins His Own Way By Carol Einarsson \| 08/24/2010

An excerpt: CHEERS to Ruth Graham praying thanks that the rain held off, and that “Lord, we know you enjoy a good race…” It’s good that God can multi-task or else the world would fall apart one August night every year. CHEERS to the MRO children of drivers and crews for the best anthem all year. If that doesn’t well up your eyes, there’s just somethin’ wrong with you. And what a joy to see the crowd of little kids growing bigger again! Anyone else wondering why JPM didn’t let his kids participate? CHEERS to a FULL STADIUM of race fans. Where are your economy excuses now, NASCAR? It’s not the economy, it’s the racing. Put on a good show at a great track and you don’t find yourselves making excuses for giant gaping empty stands. It’s Bristol, baby!! Read more...
Comments: 38	Last Activity: 08/31/10

Cheers and Jeers: Bristol Bonanza: A Side of Nationwide - NASCAR Stays Silent, and Gifts Another Asterisk Win to Kyle Busch By Carol Einarsson \| 08/21/2010

CHEERS to Mike Rife for a great prayer, but Julie Roberts didn’t seem quite sure what key she should be in. We’re also not a big fan of whining the national anthem. And yet… by comparison to last week at Michigan, well… CHEERS to the Food City 500 – the Food City 250, rather. C’mon, it’s Bristol, we all want more racing! JEERS to missing Allen Bestwick, and our prayers for his family. CHEERS to a career military man taking time to write, but comparing wartime deployment to life on the road with the Nationwide series? I dunno about that. CHEERS to Elliott Sadler on the pole! Having his name in the news and the books will surely provide carry-over confidence to his full-time job. And what better way to prove to your boss that he’s giving you crap for cars than to succeed in other equipment? Read more...
Comments: 22	Last Activity: 08/23/10

Cheers and Jeers: Bristol Starter - Camping World Truck Series By Carol Einarsson \| 08/19/2010

CHEERS to Bristol, and what was planned to be the first race of our Bristol Bonanza, actually being the second race! If you missed the modifieds, you missed a great race! JEERS to SPEED not considering that everyone isn’t watching the race in HD, so when there’s a caption across the screen, they may want to move it just a little bit to the left. Example today: “Jenn Jo Cobb’s Rookie Strip.” I hope she’s not on the pole! CHEERS to Bud Beverly from Kingsport, TN, praying a great sponsor-free invocation! CHEERS to Eddie Shelton, who we hope MIS will consider hiring for their next race. Read more...
Comments: 10	Last Activity: 08/20/10

Cheers and Jeers: Bristol Appetizer - Whelen Modifieds! By Carol Einarsson \| 08/18/2010

So I sit down and turn on SPEED wondering what time the truck race comes on and remember that first is the Whelen Modified Tour. I’ve never watched this series, but it’s at Bristol, and what do I hear? It’s Mike Joy and Dick Berggren, two of the most knowledgeable voices in racing, in the booth. And then I see another familiar face in the pits, Bob Dillner. This might be an okay thing to watch even if it’s new to me. Then I see… who’s that? Ryan Newman?? Yes, there’s a driver I know in the race, too? Well there’s only one thing I can say about all that: There’s a new addition to Bristol Bonanza Week!! CHEERS to hearing something new, “By the grace of God and 600 horsepower.” Not a bad motto to live by. Read more...
Comments: 11	Last Activity: 08/20/10

Cheers and Jeers: Harvick Wins, Newman Shoves, and Jack's Back! By Carol Einarsson \| 08/17/2010

CHEERS to Allen Bestwick, the best of ESPN, who regularly entertains us with phrases such as “Kasey Kahne showed there’d be no lame-duck let-down.” CHEERS to Kevin Harvick talking to us instead of the guys at the desk next to him. You can tell he’s accustomed to remote pre-race interviews. CHEERS to the 29 car in its Shell colors matching the colors of the grandstands at Michigan. I wonder if that’s a good sign. At least it will make it look like he has more fans at the track today than anyone else! CHEERS to honoring the Wood Brothers. We can’t do that often enough, I say! Read more...
Comments: 25	Last Activity: 08/21/10

Cheers and Jeers: Crew Chief Redeemed, and Deals Collided By Carol Einarsson \| 08/10/2010

CHEERS to “He didn’t intentionally wreck us at Pocono, but it ended up that way. So there might be some of that coming from my side of it.” The best part of that piece with Kurt Busch was the smile on Rusty’s face when they cut back to the booth. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning! CHEERS to the winner of the last August 8th Watkins Glen race being in today’s field. That was 1993, and besides Mark Martin, only two other drivers in today’s field were in that race: Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte. CHEERS also to the way Mark Martin stands like a superhero in his GoDaddy firesuit. CHEERS to an invocation without note cards, but JEERS to a sponsor mention in the prayer, and especially when that sponsor is a variant of the word “hell”. CHEERS to a reasonable anthem, but maybe pulling the mic off the mic stand prior to starting your song is a better idea. Read more...
Comments: 34	Last Activity: 08/13/10

Cheers and Jeers: The Best Medicine of All - A Win for Jack! By Carol Einarsson \| 08/03/2010

CHEERS to the professor, even if he was a little mad. Any time we can get classical music tied to NASCAR, it’s a good day. JEERS to the ESPN2 starting grid scroll. Row 7: Kurt Busch, Kevin Busch. Apparently Kevin Harvick isn’t in their race. I hope this third Busch brother is more even tempered than the other two. CHEERS to the piece on Jamie McMurray. I remain convinced that the greatest singular ingredient to success in a race car is having a team owner that knows you can win. CHEERS to Indy cutting ticket prices, but has anyone missing from the Brickyard cited ticket prices as the reason they didn’t go? Read more...
Comments: 35	Last Activity: 08/05/10

Cheers and Jeers: Indianapolis - Revenge of... the Grass?? By Carol Einarsson \| 07/27/2010

CHEERS to Rick Hendrick with facial hair? That’s gotta be making Chad crazy on a whole new level. CHEERS to Steven Curtis Chapman invited to do the anthem! Simple but beautiful. In the Chase with that one! CHEERS to ESPN’s “It’s not crazy, it’s sports” commercial with the 12 and 99 haulers. Very nice!! CHEERS to Mari Hulman George and the tradition of Indy. Read more...
Comments: 25	Last Activity: 07/29/10