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Showing posts with label no respect. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no respect. Show all posts

Monday, September 21, 2015

Ryan Newman's consistency pays off in first Chase race

Who wasn't proud of Ryan Newman on Sunday? He finished in fourth place at Chicagoland Speedway to start the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship as he showed purpose, determination, and his signature consistency.

It was that consistency that nearly won him a championship last year.

NASCAR engineered the Chase for the Championship to give stock car racing an exciting playoff to end the season, not unlike other sports. Their most recent version of the Chase was billed as 'all about winning.'

Newman proved that isn't quite the case since he didn't win a single race last year, yet came nearly a hair's breadth from becoming the sports' champion.

Winning used to be everything in racing. It was a drivers' sport. But the rules have changed since a generation ago when all the decisions were made by the driver and his race team. There is more of an emphasis today on racing being a spectator sport. I don't see it that way and I admit it galls me a little when they call races a show for the fans. But this way, there is more money in it. While still a sport, racing now emphasizes it is more of a business.

Today, NASCAR is in complete control of the cars, the drivers, the tracks, the television viewing, the commentators; everything.

In an effort to create a greater spectacle, NASCAR has brought the latest adaptation to the sports' version of its championship playoff, with the Chase for the Championship. NASCAR thought they had the best of both worlds in their latest points system that awarded a point for each position gained on the track, a point for leading a lap, leading the most laps, and three points to the winner of the race. They advertised the new and improved Chase as having an emphasis on winning. Yet, Newman proved them wrong. Let's face it, as long as points are awarded, a mediocre or inexperienced driver who gets lucky and wins one or two, shouldn't be considered a champion. But consistency is also rewarded with points. That is where Newman excels, as he proved last year. There wasn't much NASCAR could do about it either, because he played by their rules. Race car drivers and his fans recognized that Newman worked hard to earn every point he got for which he was rewarded in the end.

Everyone had an opinion about the non-winning driver in championship contention. Comments at the end of last season were as varied as a Presidential race with Democrats and Republicans sniping at one another. And some of those comments were just as ugly. There were the Newman supporters, such as myself, who often faced off with fans of other drivers who didn't finish so well, who were flat out against a non-winner being eligible for a championship. There was a virtual war of words slung on social media and attached to magazine articles over Newman's being in the final four of the elimination round without winning a race. For those of us who follow Newman, we know he earned it. Announcers and even NASCAR knew he earned it.

But for those race fans who rarely saw Newman on the track, never saw him interviewed on television, or hardly ever even heard his name, they saw Newman as a johnny-come-lately who didn't deserve to be contending for a championship. For that, I blame those TV analysts that ignored Newman all season for whatever reason. I have my own ideas about why that is. In fact, I wrote a blog post last year that called Newman NASCAR's Rodney Dangerfield, because like the late comedian, Newman gets no respect.

NASCAR seemed to have it in for Newman too because he doesn't kowtow to them. He plays by the rules for the most part and uses the system to his advantage wherever he can. Basically, in my view, he outsmarts them and they don't take kindly to that. They also don't like that he is his own person and is not easily controlled. So when Newman bested two of the four drivers in the final heat of the Chase last year, coming in second, less than a half-second behind Kevin Harvick who ultimately won, some pretty nasty things were said.

The bottom line on Sunday, was that Ryan started the race in sixth position--based on the results of the first practice speed when qualifying was rained out. On on the last restart, Newman showed his championship potential. He restarted in 14th, after getting shuffled back in the prior restart. But during those closing six laps of the race, Ryan powered his car past ten others to finish fourth. It was amazing! It was a very good way to start the Chase for the Championship. As I've always said, Newman is the one to watch!

Monday, July 28, 2014

Ryan Newman is NASCAR's Rodney Dangerfield

Ryan Newman #31
Ryan Newman #31 (Photo credit: CANDID1PHOTO)
 Ryan Newman gets no respect

When Ryan Newman ran his qualifying lap Saturday, who knew? Despite posting the second fastest run at the time, Newman was one of the few, if not the only driver that wasn't shown on television. 

I was watching, waiting for him, but never did get a glimpse of the red and white #31. It was merely announced that Newman placed second. I an so tired of not seeing his lap. And, this isn't the first time.


As usual, Newman's on-track performance took a back seat to other more important broadcasting priorities. There must have been a commercial or a vital interview.  ESPN is not the only network; FOX likes to ignore Newman too. I wish Newman's fans would start calling them on it. 

NASCAR broadcasters need to do a better job, to at least appear unbiased, if they ever expect to be taken seriously. A reputation in journalism, like any other profession, needs to be earned. 

Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Photo credit: kagilbert45)
Newman is smart and witty. He has an incredible sense of humor that I, for one, would like to see more of. Newman speaks his mind though, NASCAR doesn't like that. For NASCAR, it is all about control. Perhaps NASCAR should realize that attitude lacks traction with the viewing public. Perhaps it is NASCAR itself that keeps fans from filling those seats at race venues. It was shocking how many empty seats there were at Indy during the Brickyard 400.


It is somewhat ironic that ESPN should ignore Newman, since he was last year's Brickyard winner. Until Kevin Harvick qualified, Newman held the track speed record. Imagine this year's coverage, had Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won last year...

Sunday's race

While Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway did not end quite the way I wanted--with a second consecutive victory for Ryan Newman and his #31 Quicken Loans car--Jeff Gordon deserves congratulations for a well-executed race. His fifth career win at Indy is impressive.

Newman, who ultimately finished in the top 12 fought hard to better his track position all day. With an error in his first green flag pit stop, he lost positions that were difficult to make back up. But, his perseverance will keep him eligible to make the Chase for the Championship, as of now.