STP and ‘The King’ Reunite
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[/media-credit]No one that has followed racing for any length of time does not associate that Blue and Red number 43 to STP and Richard Petty. STP and Richard Petty are synonymous with performance and racing.
STP is returning to Nascar after a 5 year abscence in partnership with the King RPM and A.J. Allmendinger. STP with it’s new ownership from Armored Auto Group is seeking to renew it‘s relationship with Nascar and Richard Petty. STP will return with the original blue and day glo red paint scheme on the 43. The paint scheme Petty said was a compromise originally as he wanted the car blue and STP wanted the car Red. “So we compromised on what you saw on the track.” That paint scheme would win the 79 Daytona 500 which was the first broadcast of a Nascar race and the 79 season was the 7th Championship.
A.J. stated he felt fortunate to be driving the new/old paint scheme and he hoped to show STP what they have to offer now and in the years to come. He stated it’s a great partnership and he hopes to have the association for years to come.
It was noted that the 37 year relationship between the King and STP is the longest in motorsports. The only relationship close is the Dupont Jeff Gordon relationship which is 18 years in duration. Allmendinger stated he hoped to continue his relationship with STP for another 30 years. The King stated, “It’s just a given thing, STP/Richard Petty, and Motorsports go together and they always have.”
With the change in ownership and the change from the 4 car team to a 2 car team, RPM is building foundations. With the Roush Yates relationship RPM is seeing improvement in performance this year as compared to last year with just the 2 cars. “We are learning what it takes to run upfront.” said Allmendinger. “I am learning and the team is learning.”
History is closer than we think. It often repeats itself. This weekend our new fans and young fans will once again see the legendary and iconic STP 43 with a new generation driver and a new logo on the hood. But the paint and the connection remain. For 37 years Richard Petty and STP have fueled the dreams of young want to be racers. This week at Kansas the dream will live on.
What If Junior’s Last Name was Smith?
Twice this year, the fans of NASCAR’s most popular driver have had their hopes rise only to fall in the closing laps. No driver has the fan base of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. These fans are extremely loyal to their driver to extent that they reject all others. This is why it has become so frustrating for them. Dale Jr., as he is fondly known, hasn’t won a race for a while—a long while. Earnhardt hasn’t won a Sprint Cup point race since 2008. He’s only won two races in the last five years and yet, his fans still come out to races, wear their various green or red clothing and root like the devil for their hero. It’s almost an addiction or so it seems.
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[/media-credit]Many credit his popularity to the fact that he is his father’s son. Dale Earnhardt, Sr., was legendary. He won seven NASCAR Sprint Cup championships and his driving style and persona struck a chord with NASCAR fans everywhere. When he was killed while racing in the Daytona 500 on February 18, 2001, many of the senior Earnhardt’s fans became loyal to his son, and that hasn’t been fair to Junior. In fact, the father and the sons are very different. While the father wheeled a car hard and didn’t mind using his bumper to move people out of the way to win, the son has a much different style and a lot less success on the racetrack. The expectations that he is his father, or would have the same success, have put tremendous pressure on Earnhardt.
So, what if his name wasn’t Dale Earnhardt, Jr.? Let’s say his name was Dale Smith, Jr. Would fans have the same adoration for him? Would they be satisfied with his record? Would every race be so important? Would Dale drive more relaxed and be more confident? All good questions.
Let’s compare Dale Jr. with a driver who’s fan base is minute in comparison, is hardly noticed or mentioned by the media or the fans in the stands, and has similar statistics. Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. raced together in the minor leagues of NASCAR – the Nationwide Series. They pretty much entered the Sprint Cup Series at the same time. The tale of the tape is strikingly familiar. They’ve both been in 417 races. Kenseth has the most wins (20 vs. 18), the most top ten finishes (168 vs. 156), and more pole positions (16 vs. 10). Kenseth also has a Sprint Cup championship in 2003, and yet his name is not a household word, nor is he the darling of the media types who cast commercials. In fact, I’ve seen Kenseth in street clothes move through a race track unnoticed by all but a very few. Let Junior try that. There might be a riot. It’s obvious that the name means a lot. And the pressure that goes along with it comes nearly once a week has to be unbearable.
If his name was Smith instead of Earnhardt, it’s fair to assume that the son of a legend might be more relaxed and perform better, or is it? Earnhardt was leading in the closing laps at Martinsville, only to have a faster Kevin Harvick pass him for the win. Fans were chewing their fingernails and some appeared to be praying. The same was true at last week’s 600-mile race at Charlotte Motor Speedway when Earnhardt ran out of gas on the last lap, giving the win to, yes, Kevin Harvick.
I think it’s time for Junior fans to just let Junior be Junior. Pretend for a moment that he is Dale Smith, Jr., a pretty good racecar driver with 18 career wins. Take the pressure off and find another driver to root for just in case things go wrong for Junior. Don’t leave early when he’s not doing well and don’t blame everyone from the crew chief to the owner when things don’t go well. There is no doubt that the man can wheel a racecar, but putting pressure on him to replicate what his father did is a little much.
He’s having a fine season so far, and that should be good enough.
Family Time in Charlotte
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[/media-credit]CHARLOTTE – I never grow old of seeing the wonder in a child’s eye when they attend a Nascar event. Last weekend, I attended the All Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. However, I wasn’t there as a member of the media. No, I was there as a fan of racing and more importantly as a father. Many families have traditions; the All Star race is one for my family. My wife and I have two wonderful sons and spending time with them is always great, but there is something special about a race weekend.
My youngest son is five years old and he can’t get enough of race cars and monster trucks. It was a special moment as I watched his eyes light up as the cars were pushed onto the starting grid and the excitement he had when Jimmy Johnson took the lead during the race. Then as I carried him on my shoulder to the car following the event, I had to laugh and nearly cry when he leaned into my ear and said “this has been a really fun night daddy.”
This memory was fresh in my mind as I walked through the garage and pits this weekend in Charlotte for the Coca Cola 600. It has always been said that Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. For many, the weekend is an opportunity for family reunions. Nascar’s annual two week visit home to Charlotte is no different. With so many teams based in and around the Charlotte area, this is an opportunity for drivers and crew members to spend time with family, both on and of the track.
There were many high profile examples to be seen, such as Matt Kenseth celebrating his Nationwide victory with his wife and children, Jeff Gordon and David Reutimann sharing their parade laps with their daughters, but to see the real impact, you had to look beyond the headliners. Many crew members had spouses and children in both the garage area and pits before and during the race. Dan Collins, who drives Brad Keslowski’s hauler and is also a member of the pit crew had his wife and son, Hunter, in the pits with him. Dan said “having this two weeks to get to spend with the family means everything to me and them. We enjoyed it like fans this weekend – we camped in the infield all weekend.”
Seems from year to year, that there is debate of moving the All Star race away from Charlotte. As someone that lives in Charlotte, I am glad they haven’t as it allows me the opportunity to enjoy the sport with my family. Most in the garage area feel the same way and are happy that Nascar has chosen to give them this break from the road.
