Why are you a fan of your driver?

zevious

zevious

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Do you recall how and why you became a fan of your driver?
 
For years, I was a fan of Dale Jarrett. When he retired, I started looking for a new driver to root for.

I knew that I wanted to root for someone a little more aggressive than DJ.

I knew that Kyle Busch was going to want to prove a point when he was dumped from Hendricks and I also knew that JGR was switching to Toyota. I knew there had to be some horsepower advantage or they wouldn't be making that move to something virtually unknown. This sounded like a winning combination to me. Who doesn't want to root for a winner?

So before the season started, I decided that I was going to follow Kyle Busch. I also started watching the truck races and more of the Nationwide races than I had in the past. To this day, I watch NNS and CTS mostly only if KB is racing in them. Cup is my main interest when it comes to racing and that's mostly enough for me.
 
I started rooting for Mark Martin because I loved the Valvoline paint scheme. Always been a fan of Mark.

Harv took over the #29 after Big E died and I liked him instantly.

I always liked Rusty Wallace, John Andretti and Ricky Craven as well.
 
I like Harvick because he's one of the few that's not scared to say what he's thinking at the time..
 
I became a fan of Stewart (before he became an owner and calmed down), Harvick, Robby Gordon, Kurt (before he calmed down) and more recently Montoya and Kyle because they brought or bring excitement to an otherwise boring ass sport.


Ever since the damn car changed it seems all we can count on are those guys to add something these days. If nascar didn't have the jerks and hot heads there would not be much to watch anymore. Darlington was a fluky good race, Richmond sucked, Bristol now sucks, Dover could very well suck, etc... I can't stand the fact that I now normally wish for a caution with 5 to go just so there is a possible close finish.
 
I like Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon because they're good drivers, and good people. :)
 
chromehorn said:
I became a fan of Stewart (before he became an owner and calmed down), Harvick, Robby Gordon, Kurt (before he calmed down) and more recently Montoya and Kyle because they brought or bring excitement to an otherwise boring ass sport.


Ever since the damn car changed it seems all we can count on are those guys to add something these days. If nascar didn't have the jerks and hot heads there would not be much to watch anymore. Darlington was a fluky good race, Richmond sucked, Bristol now sucks, Dover could very well suck, etc... I can't stand the fact that I now normally wish for a caution with 5 to go just so there is a possible close finish.
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I don't know how NASCAR has managed to destroy Daytona, Talladega, Bristol and Richmond and they're getting ready to ruin Phoenix.

If they ruin Pocono and Martinsville, I'll be pissed.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
I don't know how NASCAR has managed to destroy Daytona, Talladega, Bristol and Richmond and they're getting ready to ruin Phoenix.

If they ruin Pocono and Martinsville, I'll be pissed.
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I don't want to high jack the thread with this topic but luckily I don't think Martinsville can be messed up since its so short but it has to be the shape of the new car. It's rare that once a guy gets out front in clean air, do we see anyone come close to catching him. Even if it's a driver I like I can't stand seeing the leader have a 2 or 3 second gap and nobody gaining ground. You can't tell me that out of 43 cars, all the talent the big teams have building these cars, the talent of the crew chiefs and pit crews that only one car at a time has it figured out each race. Once a decent driver in an above average car gets in clean air for a lap or two, he's gone until the next yellow flag or he wears his tires out before the next guy.
 
chromehorn said:
I don't want to high jack the thread with this topic but luckily I don't think Martinsville can be messed up since its so short but it has to be the shape of the new car. It's rare that once a guy gets out front in clean air, do we see anyone come close to catching him. Even if it's a driver I like I can't stand seeing the leader have a 2 or 3 second gap and nobody gaining ground. You can't tell me that out of 43 cars, all the talent the big teams have building these cars, the talent of the crew chiefs and pit crews that only one car at a time has it figured out each race. Once a decent driver in an above average car gets in clean air for a lap or two, he's gone until the next yellow flag or he wears his tires out before the next guy.
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And that's every race. One cars gets a 7 second lead and everyone from 2nd on back is racing for 2nd. Happened with the old car, but it wasn't as frequent and it didn't happen at Bristol, Loudon and Richmond every race.
 
chromehorn said:
I don't want to high jack the thread with this topic but luckily I don't think Martinsville can be messed up since its so short but it has to be the shape of the new car. It's rare that once a guy gets out front in clean air, do we see anyone come close to catching him. Even if it's a driver I like I can't stand seeing the leader have a 2 or 3 second gap and nobody gaining ground. You can't tell me that out of 43 cars, all the talent the big teams have building these cars, the talent of the crew chiefs and pit crews that only one car at a time has it figured out each race. Once a decent driver in an above average car gets in clean air for a lap or two, he's gone until the next yellow flag or he wears his tires out before the next guy.
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And it's even worse this year... must be the new nose and spoiler. Only reason we've had great finishes are because of late race cautions.
 
Was a Bill Elliott fan when I was little because as a 4 year old you know what this is
golden-arches.jpg


but I stuck with him after that era until 2004 when I jumped in with the replacement after the 2nd race when Kasey nearly got Kenseth at the Rock. Stuck with him through way to many struggling seasons.

When he gets to Cup though its Chase Elliott time:beerbang:
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
And that's every race. One cars gets a 7 second lead and everyone from 2nd on back is racing for 2nd. Happened with the old car, but it wasn't as frequent and it didn't happen at Bristol, Loudon and Richmond every race.
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Richmond is not a track where a single car should have that big a lead. It's got to be the car. Just go back to the 2005 body with safety upgardes and the racing will get better.
 
Harvick, never did get on the Junior bandwagon after Dale left us.
 
there are a number of drivers that i like more than others, most are fine with me, and a very few that i've disliked (for long). i was a racing fan before i was a driver fan and still am. give me a good race and i don't care who's in it or what type of racing it is (in general).
 
chromehorn said:
Richmond is not a track where a single car should have that big a lead. It's got to be the car. Just go back to the 2005 body with safety upgardes and the racing will get better.
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And quite honestly, in some of these races, the only reason the field hasn't been lapped and one driver hasn't led every single lap is because of cautions.

No tires, two tires, four tires, it doesn't seem to matter. At the tracks where tires don't really give off as much, you can take zero or two tires, get the lead and check out... it just seems like once someone gets the lead, they're gone until the next caution.

If we get a caution free race at Bristol or Richmond, it could very well go down as the most boring race in history.
 
When I had a favourite driver in the past they were Tim Flock, Curtis Turner, Cale Yarbrough, Tim Richmond and Dale Sr. Reason: Each one drove every race as hard as he could and it was evident that they weren't happy with anything other than a checkered flag. "Points racing" wasn't a term they used with any degree of regularity.

Now, with only a couple of exceptions the current crop of drivers are totally vanilla and I don't find much to pull for. Now I root for any driver who doesn't drive for Hendrick, Gibbs, Roush or Childress, or any of the satellite operations and who isn't a S&P'er. If any driver who doesn't drive for the above teams wins , it's a good day.
 
I became a NASCAR fan in the early 80's and like SlowNeasy, never really rooted for a driver in the beginning. I was just a fan of racing. That all changed in the early 90's:

1. Rusty Wallace - I loved Rusty's Miller Genuine Draft paint scheme. He drove a Pontiac, which was still a GM product (I'm a Chevy fan). So Rusty was my guy.

I also liked Davey Allison at the time, but Davey drove Fords. But I was able to overlook that and root for Davey Allison, the person. He was a man of character and had a grounded personality. I respected that.

2. Dale Earnhardt - In 1994, Rusty switched to Fords. So I made the switch to his nemesis, Dale Earnhardt. The Man in Black was the man I backed.

3. Dale Earnhardt jr. - Dale Earnhardt jr. began his Cup career in 2000. Now, I was rooting for both father and son.

4. Michael Waltrip - After Dale's passing, Junior gained national recognition and tons of new fans. I wanted to be different. So I rooted for Junior's teamate, Michael Waltrip. I had always like his goofy personality and wanted to cheer on a guy who some felt could never step out of his brother's shadow.

5. J.J. Yeley - Waltrip left both DEI and Chevy in 2005. I was without a driver for a short time, though still rooting for my second driver, Junior. Then I heard J.J. Yeley, a local AZ short track star, would be racing in the NNS. So I waited to see if he would move up to Cup. He did in 2006. Yeley was my guy.

6. Tony Stewart - Yeley was released by Joe Gibbs racing after 3 Cup seasons. I was without a driver - again. There were rumors of JGR replacing their fleet of Chevys with Toyotas. One driver resisted the move. A guy named Tony Stewart. Stewart was Chevy to the bone. I liked how he backed the brand he (and I) loved. Plus, he was the person who convinced JGR racing to give J.J. Yeley a ride. Stewart forms his own team and I build up my collection of Stewart racing apparel.

Yeley is back in Cup. I root for him, Stewart, and Dale Jr., all Chevy drivers.

Whew.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
And quite honestly, in some of these races, the only reason the field hasn't been lapped and one driver hasn't led every single lap is because of cautions.

No tires, two tires, four tires, it doesn't seem to matter. At the tracks where tires don't really give off as much, you can take zero or two tires, get the lead and check out... it just seems like once someone gets the lead, they're gone until the next caution.

If we get a caution free race at Bristol or Richmond, it could very well go down as the most boring race in history.
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What do you think the older guys would say about the new car? I found this of Earnhardt in 2000, he would absolutely hate the cars these days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwh2ADVDecc&feature=related
 
Because he drives for The King mainly, but he's also from Los Gatos in California near where I did my growing up.
 
My first and foremost fav what Earnhardt and Waltrip was a close second. I then followed Steve Park, as he won the first race I ever went to, Richmond Busch Series in '96. His Pennzoil Chevy is still one of my favorite cars.

I follow Jr and pretty much who is with RCR. If I had to choice one to follow, it would be Harvick.
 
chromehorn said:
What do you think the older guys would say about the new car? I found this of Earnhardt in 2000, he would absolutely hate the cars these days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwh2ADVDecc&feature=related
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As much as I disliked him, if a race sucked, Big E said it straight up.

Now a race sucks and the drivers tell us how much fun it was and how we got our money's worth... . uh, no. I haven't been to a NASCAR race since 2008.
 
I guess Richard Petty was my first fav, but it was at a time when I lived up north and seeing a race, or hearing one on the radio was an impossibility. I had to read about NASCAR in magazines. Then I began to root for DW. In the early 80's, ESPN began to carry many races live and I started to list the winners. One name came up often, Bill Elliott and I liked the way he drove and he was in a Ford. As the years moved along, Bill was still my #1, but there was this really young kid that was racing midgets and beating the old pros of that series. I enjoyed watching him and thought he would move up to Indy cars, but Bill Davis was able to snare him and put him in the #1 Ford where he raced in the Busch Grand National series for two years. The a man named Rick coaxed him to jump to a Chevy and the rest is history Though I do root for Jeffy, I don't loudly proclaim it. I did switch to Kahne when Bill stepped out of his seat and let Kasey in. But also during those years, watched Tony Stewart just be a steady angry driver and for some reason, I liked that. Tony is now my #1 driver. There are several others that I like and others that I love to watch. As for rooting for one of those other drivers, it all depends on the situationj. If Tony is out, Jeffy doing bad, and Kasey has wrecked, I root for guys to beat certain other guys and that can change from week to week. Oh yeah, I am a closet fan of Jr.
 
I've always been a fan of the sport in general but my driver was and still is Earnhardt Sr. He was a tough competitor and fun to watch.

When Jr. came up into the Busch Series I became a fan of his too. My driver is still Jr. I'm just waiting on him to get back to victory lane. :beerbang:
 
Old number 9 was my guy, Elliot was the reason I bought two T-Bird turbo coupes back in the 80s. I liked his style, that fact that his brother could build some awesome engines, was cool too. Kahne took over for Bill and I just switched over to him and the 9. I wasn't too thrilled when Kasey ended up with Bud for a sponsor, as i detest the taste of that piss water, but i stuck with him. I'm looking forward to Chase Elliot making the big leagues some day, and by all accounts it looks like that will be soon.
 
Mopardh9 said:
. I wasn't too thrilled when Kasey ended up with Bud for a sponsor, as i detest the taste of that piss water...
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So, now you know why Anheuser Busch has all those horses:D

WOW! I guess my first fav drivers were Lee and Richard Petty and the luster never faded away from Richard. I always liked Fred Lorenzen and Fireball Roberts.
My all time favorite is Jimmy Means.
I had followed Jeff Gordon from the time he was thirteen and have been a fan ever since. I latched onto Jimmy Johnson instantly when he had that horrific crash at Watkins Glen, climbed out of the car, stood on the roof, and waved his arms as if to say, "holy cow! I survived that! I'm alive!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovukNXNikiA

But, pretty much, over the fifty plus years as a fan, I like them all. Over time there have been a few that are not as special as others but when it comes to current crop, Jeff Burton because he is a sort of statesman in the garage. Kyle Busch for his tenacity and daring do. Carl Edwards for his never give up attitude, Greg Biffle for his flat out driving style which reminds me of Buddy Baker. Bill Elliott because he seems so laid back. Mark Martin for his perseverance and the list goes on.
Of course, today, right now, I'm a BIG Regan Smith fan!
Congratulations, Regan! I hope you have many more wins.
 
Mopardh9 said:
Old number 9 was my guy, Elliot was the reason I bought two T-Bird turbo coupes back in the 80s. I liked his style, that fact that his brother could build some awesome engines, was cool too. Kahne took over for Bill and I just switched over to him and the 9. I wasn't too thrilled when Kasey ended up with Bud for a sponsor, as i detest the taste of that piss water, but i stuck with him. I'm looking forward to Chase Elliot making the big leagues some day, and by all accounts it looks like that will be soon.
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Lol I was wrong we agree on 2 things:D
 
Mopardh9 said:
Yeh huh:beerbang: Better watch out pretty soon I'll be converting you to a middle of the road Independent....lol:D
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That's Mopar code for neo-con right winger! He wants everybody to believe he's middle of the road independent but reading his posts tell a different story. They tell you his loyalties lie in the neo-con right camp. That is just outside the of the entrance of the extreme right where the born again and evangelicals camp out. ;)
 
John Galt said:
Now I root for any driver who doesn't drive for Hendrick, Gibbs, Roush or Childress, or any of the satellite operations and who isn't a S&P'er. If any driver who doesn't drive for the above teams wins , it's a good day.
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I had to stop and think for a moment about who doesn't drive for HMS, JGR, RFR and RCR or teams that don't have an alliance with them.

Sr was the man, Jr unfortunately isn't as talented or have the drive and desire Sr did. I like Burton but think he's gone when this contract expires. Jamie Mac, to quote Red Sox fans "wait 'till next year":D
 
Whizzer said:
That's Mopar code for neo-con right winger! He wants everybody to believe he's middle of the road independent but reading his posts tell a different story. They tell you his loyalties lie in the neo-con right camp. That is just outside the of the entrance of the extreme right where the born again and evangelicals camp out. ;)
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I don't even know what a neo-con is?
 
SST55 said:
I like Burton but think he's gone when this contract expires.
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http://rcrracing.com/messageboards/trans/displayShortMsgRpt.asp?type=1&id=4521

"RCR is very happy to announce the continuation of our partnerships with both Caterpillar and Jeff Burton on the No. 31 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said Richard Childress, President and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "Cat Racing has proven to be successful both on the track, with Jeff and his team's achievements, and off the track, with the creative programs provided to its customers. We look forward to building on the success of the partnership between Caterpillar, Jeff Burton and RCR for years to come."
 
After Pearson left the Woods Brothers I was looking for a new FORD driver. In the late 70's Elliott started showing up and for some reason he caught my attention. He became my favorite driver long before he won a race. Then along came Alan Kulwicki, a midwestern FORD driver.
 
I became a fan of Tony back when most people hated him. He told it like it was and didn't take crap from anyone. He's really calmed down now....
 
When I first really got into NASCAR I was an Allan Kawiki fan, we all know how that ended, then I became a Davey Allison fan, we all know how that one ended also, then it was Ernie Irvan, almost the same as the first two but not quite.
Didn't root for any one driver for awhile then I just Liked Kyle's style of driving. He wasn't happy with anything other than 1st, I also liked him because everyone else hated him.
 
ThrashN said:
When I first really got into NASCAR I was an Allan Kawiki fan, we all know how that ended, then I became a Davey Allison fan, we all know how that one ended also, then it was Ernie Irvan, almost the same as the first two but not quite.
Didn't root for any one driver for awhile then I just Liked Kyle's style of driving. He wasn't happy with anything other than 1st, I also liked him because everyone else hated him.
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i'm not sure it's good for kyle to be your favorite driver. <g>
 
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