Are all drivers best friends these days??

Thegeneral23

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are all drivers best friends THESE DAYS?!! Man it seem like all of them are just to friendly.. everybody laughing and hugging each other before the race, playing with each other kids.. going to ride bikes together and riding planes together smh.. you got them broadcasting shows together, I want to see them go at each other! I want it to be competitive.. it can only be so competitive if everybody is so buddy buddy off the track.. they talk so much trash on the radio about each other then when they get off the track there best friends once again smh..
 
uh you missed last weeks race? or do you remember this guy?:D


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Or these guys?:rolleyes:

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I think your missing the point.. I'm talking bout drivers just not liking each other and wanting to just win! Every time I turn my tv or get on social media a driver is doing this with this driver and etc.. everybody is just to friendly these days.. am I missing something ? What I'm trying to say is how can it be really competitive if everybody is so buddy buddy.. truex chillen with jr all the time.. now jr and blanket best friends.. Matt kenesth riding bikes with Jimmie Johnson..steinhouse at jr house and hanging out with him and Danica it's just crazy to me how all these guys hang out with each other outside of the track..
 
So you don't think the racing is competitive? I don't get it I guess
No that's not what I'm saying lol.. what I'm saying is maybe it could be more intense and competitive if all these guys wasn't best friends and golfing and playing basketball with each other off the track
 
I get what your saying Gen123. Considering these guys spend most of there racing life together I'd say there are some friendships formed. I'm sure there are a few that don't like each other either. AS far as competiveness goes, there ain't no friends on the race track.
 
On the Gillette Young Guns front... Blaney, Elliott, Larson, Jones, Suarez and The Dillon's even... They are are cool with each other and totally hyped on eachothers achievements. They know they are the future. It's pretty cool to see.
 
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It's been a while since anyone threw a hammer at a competitor.

Memories of Steven Wallace at the Snowball Derby. :XXROFL:

Why I love Steven Wallace... if he's at the track, you know you're gonna be entertained. He's entertaining on the track and just as entertaining in his interviews.
 
Apparently nobody instilled in you as a youth that in sports you keep your emotion on the field.
 
Apparently nobody instilled in you as a youth that in sports you keep your emotion on the field.

He probably thinks Dale Sr. and Gordon really hated each other. lol

I think its the oposite. Hating and not liking another fellow driver is easy. It's the other way that's hard. Maintaining a good friendship while trying to win races against each other can make a person bitter.
 
I think the drivers can respect each other and be friends without anger or hate being involved. I don't think it takes anything away from the racing. Drivers still want to win and we have saw a team mate dump another for the win. Some may think Harvick gave the win to Blaney but I still think he gave his best to make the pass, he just didn't have the car to do it clean.
Dirty racing isn't good racing regardless of what Kenseth and Hamlin think,
 
He probably thinks Dale Sr. and Gordon really hated each other. lol

I think its the oposite. Hating and not liking another fellow driver is easy. It's the other way that's hard. Maintaining a good friendship while trying to win races against each other can make a person bitter.

I agree. I think DP and Hammy had a good friendship before he wrecked her qualifying at tona. They used to park their buses together, etc. I don't hear as much about that anymore. Racing can ruin friendships. I like SRs attitude. Off the track he'd do anything for anyone. ON the track he was mr bad ass, and didnt care who thought what. Social media has kinda ruined that...we see too much of what our heroes do off track with each other. I think in the past drivers would hang out too, you just didnt hear as much about it.
 
This is a really valid question. Thanks for posting Gen123.

Just a couple weeks ago , the mid day NASCAR -XM show with Choc and Jim were talking
about this very subject. Their question was "Should we do away with driver intros before every race
all together? because its just a big chumfest amongst friends before a battle which may dull
that competitive edge and in turn make the racing boring."

IMO these drivers are a part of a long traveling show that are together a lot. I'd rather they had
a friendly relationship with most of their combatants. I think that fosters quality racing with clean passes
which to me is more exciting than a bump and run. Nature will takes its course and you will organically
have individuals that will never get along and that will be enough to spice things up. But I really
like it when drivers come over to victory circle and congratulate the winner. I still think we get the best
out of the drivers with out a need to lather them up in a frenzy.
 
These guys live and work with each other every week. Like any work place there those who hang out together and there are those who don't. But on the the professional side they have to work with each other and they way they do their job can have serious consequences if they don't respect each other on the track. Racing being what it is, there are times drivers get mad at each other and I'm sure it carries over. The drivers have their ways to deal with it.
 
I think y'all are missing the point.. I'm not saying hate each other but like the guy above me said, with the intros it's like a damn love fest.. everybody giving each other fives and hugs and laughing with each other.. it just seem weird to me.. yes I know they are together almost all year long but geesh do everybody have to be best friends now.. all I hear them say is yes my buddy was in front of me I didn't want to do this or that .. it's suppose to competitive not my buddy might be made at me.. just like with Blaney this dude was scared to death of what jr might think of him after the race!!! You want to know why? Because they live right by each other and hang out lol.. maybe I'm just crazy but all this buddy buddy stuff is to much.

I think it would be better if the dislike off of the track was more real. It'd make the racing more intense.
It's to buddy buddy right? I feel like if you don't like someone don't fake it like you do! Clearly all these guys don't get along but they all act like there best friends.. don't fake it that's all I'm saying

Apparently nobody instilled in you as a youth that in sports you keep your emotion on the field.
See your trying to be funny and taking it the wrong way.. that's not what I'm saying at all..
 
are all drivers best friends THESE DAYS?!! Man it seem like all of them are just to friendly.. everybody laughing and hugging each other before the race, playing with each other kids.. going to ride bikes together and riding planes together smh.. you got them broadcasting shows together, I want to see them go at each other! I want it to be competitive.. it can only be so competitive if everybody is so buddy buddy off the track.. they talk so much trash on the radio about each other then when they get off the track there best friends once again smh..
They all have a switch.

The longer you watch, the more sense that will make.
 
are all drivers best friends THESE DAYS?!! Man it seem like all of them are just to friendly.. everybody laughing and hugging each other before the race, playing with each other kids.. going to ride bikes together and riding planes together smh.. you got them broadcasting shows together, I want to see them go at each other! I want it to be competitive.. it can only be so competitive if everybody is so buddy buddy off the track.. they talk so much trash on the radio about each other then when they get off the track there best friends once again smh..

I heard long ago the drivers used to meet in a bar after racing... so... nothing's changed really.
 
I think it was DW that said the minute the helmet goes on, everything changes.

And again, the drivers and their families live cheek by jowl almost the entire year -- literally feet apart.
Getting along with your neighbor makes it easier on the families.
He also said just this year what I'm saying lol :idunno:
 
I agree. I think DP and Hammy had a good friendship before he wrecked her qualifying at tona. They used to park their buses together, etc. I don't hear as much about that anymore. Racing can ruin friendships. I like SRs attitude. Off the track he'd do anything for anyone. ON the track he was mr bad ass, and didnt care who thought what. Social media has kinda ruined that...we see too much of what our heroes do off track with each other. I think in the past drivers would hang out too, you just didnt hear as much about it.

Uncle Harv and DP are still buddies as they have not had incidents at 'dega, 'tona, 'chigan, 'oudon, 'nix, 'cono, 'stol, 'mond, 'ville or any other place I can think of.
 
Competitive people understand that when you are playing the game you don't have friends and everyone pitted against you has to be vanquished. When the game is over everything changes until you are back in a spot where you have to win and then you want to kill everyone.
 
Its sad that the intimidator persona of Dale has overshadowed who he really was. Yeah, Dale was ironhead, but he didnt force everyone into the wall and bend everyone's sheet metal to win. He was a finesse driver as much as he was aggressive.
The Cult Of Earnhardt members actually believe this pablum?
 
I definitely wish we had more guys going at each other. To be honest, there aren't really any tough guys in this sport. And by that I mean hard nosed. I mean...just look at how they fight...

nascar-fight.jpg


And who can forget Kenseth having Brad cornered between the haulers and putting him in a...headlock? What??
 
I definitely wish we had more guys going at each other. To be honest, there aren't really any tough guys in this sport. And by that I mean hard nosed. I mean...just look at how they fight...

nascar-fight.jpg


And who can forget Kenseth having Brad cornered between the haulers and putting him in a...headlock? What??
I'm glad you get it lol... I'm not saying hate each other and try to kill each other , but come on they can at least go at each other and take shots at each other.. none of these guys do that.. they to busy being in commercials together they hanging with each other talking to each other before and after races.. and every day I watch RACE HUB it's at least 2-3 drivers on there being buddy buddy and at least 1 crew chief being buddy buddy with another driver.. it's just over kill if you ask me.. u think when Larry bird and magic Johnson was going at each other they would do a tv show with each other??? Hell no!! Lol.. all this buddy buddy stuff I think hurts the on track product
 
I didn't see Truex at the Blaney afterparty.
Bonnett and Sr. were best buds, but I doubt that any of the Bodines spent much time at the Earnhardt ranch.
There have always been friends in the sport. There have always been rivalries as well.
 
The point in the OP is one thing I love about the NHL. These guys aren't talking in between plays, being friends, smacking asses and the like. They're out for blood. You literally don't even see postgame handshakes until the playoffs.
 
The point in the OP is one thing I love about the NHL. These guys aren't talking in between plays, being friends, smacking asses and the like. They're out for blood. You literally don't even see postgame handshakes until the playoffs.
That's what I'm saying ... these guys are hugging each other kids taking pics with other families .. talking about the race before the race with there hand gestures, jumping in each other interviews lol to me it's just to friendly maybe I'm wrong.. if Kyle Busch and joey really had a beef they could have handled it off track.. Kyle Busch shop it's right up the street from Penske haha.. to be honest that's the first thing I thought about was man this could be serious because Kyle shop is right by Penske.. and after that lil situation they had I never heard anything else of it lol
 
To be honest, we don't know for sure how the drivers behaved "back in the day" --- simply because the media wasn't omnipresent.
There was no instagram, or twitter, or video cameras following them 24/7. They may have been good friends, but we never saw it.

The only thing I can come up with(heaven forbid) is football. I read about injuries and fights during camp --- before the season even starts.
It's players on the same team --- sharing the same locker room --- losing their cool and taking it out on their teammates. Off the field, they
may be the best of friends --- but the helmet and pads go on, everything changes.

The same thing with drivers --
 
The point in the OP is one thing I love about the NHL. These guys aren't talking in between plays, being friends, smacking asses and the like. They're out for blood. You literally don't even see postgame handshakes until the playoffs.
They also don't face off against each other every single event of the season.
 
Is there some sort of view that back in the day all the drivers disliked each other and there were confrontations week after week? Anyone with a realistic view of those days would know that simply wasn't the case.

You mean you don't remember those brawls Mark Martin and Harry Gant used to regularly get into?

The point in the OP is one thing I love about the NHL. These guys aren't talking in between plays, being friends, smacking asses and the like. They're out for blood. You literally don't even see postgame handshakes until the playoffs.

Hockey players get mad if you invade their space in warm ups. In reality a lot of them are friends as even though they are opponents today they were teammates in junior, NCAA or another pro team.

To be honest, we don't know for sure how the drivers behaved "back in the day" --- simply because the media wasn't omnipresent.
There was no instagram, or twitter, or video cameras following them 24/7. They may have been good friends, but we never saw it.

The only thing I can come up with(heaven forbid) is football. I read about injuries and fights during camp --- before the season even starts.
It's players on the same team --- sharing the same locker room --- losing their cool and taking it out on their teammates. Off the field, they
may be the best of friends --- but the helmet and pads go on, everything changes.

The same thing with drivers --

IMO what is not being understood is what you are saying. Pros have game faces and game mentalities that are always present during the game but once it is over they return to being mild mannered reporters and good neighbors.
 
IMO what is not being understood is what you are saying. Pros have game faces and game mentalities that are always present during the game but once it is over they return to being mild mannered reporters and good neighbors.
This is just a question .. so your just fine with all the drivers high 5ing each other before races and playing with each kids and in commercials together .. on RACE HUB together all the time.. hunting , fishing. Etc etc ?
 
This is just a question .. so your just fine with all the drivers high 5ing each other before races and playing with each kids and in commercials together .. on RACE HUB together all the time.. hunting , fishing. Etc etc ?

I don't watch any pre race stuff, I record the races so I don't see any commercials, IDK and don't care about the drivers personally or give a fig about their personal lives and IDK what race hub is so I can't answer those questions.

I can say that I don't recall an instance where drivers being on friendly terms had any impact on how they raced the race can you? Didn't Carl move his teammate for a win last year?
 
I think it's the same as it's always been. Off the track is one subject, on the track can be another.

I also like to think it's comparable to when you work with a bunch of people some place... you can try to be easy going with everyone but there's always personalities which are tougher for you to stay on the same page with everyday of the week... little annoying things add up and you always remember then when that person crosses you wrong another time.

... it's gotta be like that with these guys. Over the years I heard a driver or two point out something he hates about another racer in the middle of a race. Then they'll talk at different times after races getting along. Then a season or two later something brings that same feeling and thought back up in another race...

We are all people. While what they do is different, it has to be similar to our days and thoughts through the weeks.
 
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