just when i thought it was safe to talk trash to HH...
seriously...lol
You're a good sport, bro. I would've missed this entirely if you hadn't manned up and pointed me to it. lol.
Like I said on FB though, I still feel pretty good about his chances in the 500. Heck, anymore, a lot of guys *coughcarlcough* tend to hang out back there at plate tracks anyway, and make their move toward the front late in the race. I can't think of anyone that would have a better shot at doing that than Jr. would.
And NASCAR tends to be almost storybook in the way things happen sometimes. It's like the racing gods know what would make for the best story; something every fan, no matter their team, can embrace. Even though I'm not an 88 fan, if he fights his way back and wins the race Sunday, on the 10th anniversary 500 of Sr.'s passing, I'll probably get choked up myself.
One last time before it becomes all business. I like Jr. as a person. I respect him for handling the pressure he's got on his shoulders. I admire the way he handled his dad's death, and the fact that 200 times, yet again, on Sunday he'll pass that very spot, balls to the wall, trying to live up to a name that's larger than life.
He's also good for ratings. If he's running well consistently, the ratings will skyrocket. Higher ratings mean more sponsorship dollars. More dollars means more opportunities for guys to be legitimate competitors in this sport. And more legitimate competition means a better product. Hence, Jr.'s success is good for all of us.
In my ideal world, Jr. tears it up early in the season. NASCAR explodes in a way we haven't seen for a while. He makes the Chase. He leads the Chase for 9 races.
On the final lap at Homestead, he and Carl are tied for first in the standings. And it ends with a clean, door-to-door sprint to the finish. Carl wins by the length of Kyle's *censored*, about two inches. Everyone but Mike goes home happy.
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