I was going to write about this past weekend, but I was disappointed that Jimmie won again that I just couldn’t put my heart into a post about Bristol.  Before I depart from Bristol, I will say Bristol racing hasn’t been Bristol racing (well in this race fan’s opinion) for a couple of years.  Every time the prerace shows talk about the beatin’ and bangin’ as well as the tempers flaring during and after Bristol, but it has been a little tame compared to previous races at Bristol.  Congrats to Jason Allgaier for his first win in the Nationwide Series.  I have to give props to his teammate Brad K. for not trying to dump him like some other driver (who shall remain nameless) did to another driver.  But on the flip side, would Brad K. been up on the bumper a little more if it had not been his teammate?

I have been watching NASCAR for a few years now.  I know it is probably not as long as some of you, but I feel I have invested quite a bit of time to the sport.  People still wonder why I follow this sport (and yes, IT IS A SPORT).  A sport that has 43 cars going round in circles at high speeds for hours.  It’s hard to describe sometimes to those stick and ball fans exactly my passion, but every once in awhile someone gets it.  I have been ridicule and poked fun at because of NASCAR, but it’s been mainly by my friends, family, and coworkers.  But as you know, it is all done in love and friendship so it doesn’t bother me.  What does bother me is when people who don’t take the time to understand me and the sport I love that gets me all riled up.  I have been “accused” by the misunderstood that the only reason I watch NASCAR is because I want to see the crashes.  That would be far from the truth.  I hate crashes.  Who really wants to see drivers crash into one another at high rates of speed just for entertainment value?  If you like cars crashing into one another, I would suggest you attend a demolition derby.   If that is the reason you come to NASCAR fine, but step back for a moment and give NASCAR a chance. 

Just got from reading one my other fellow NASCAR fans blog.  And the recent post (as written by a guess blogger) made some excellent points about competition and the sport of NASCAR.  It is a sport and a sport is competitive.  There are winners and losers.  We don’t always like who wins and we root for some to even lose.  We thrive on rooting for certain drivers to have a bad day.  Case in point–Jimmie Johnson.  I said I wasn’t going to mention anything, but the post I just read triggered all these lingering feelings about Jimmie Johnson.  I make no bones about the fact that I have never been a fan of Jimmie Johnson.  I do give him credit for the job he has done over the past four years.  He and Chad have this Zen lke thing going on that is scary, but I am tired of seeing the #48 in victory lane. 

 On Sunday, Kurt Busch said it best after finishing third…losing to the 48 sucks (or something to that affect).  It does suck.  The other drivers know what they need to do–driver faster and better than Jimmie.  But sometimes you have the better car and have good runs, but sometimes Jimmie still finds a way to win.  I have seen Jimmie come into a race with a piece of junk and finish first or in the top 5.  I have seen luck go his way and you wonder, WTF…and wonder if some other force is at work.  But bottom line is the #48 has found a way to win and dominate the series over the past four years.  I belive the other drivers are stepping up to try and challenge Jimmie, but the #48 team always seems to be one step ahead of the game.  It’s getting to the point where I find myself rooting for anyone else to win (and yes that would include Dale Jr.).  I know the boys are in Martinsville this weekend and well, we all know how the #48 loves Martinsville.  So I beg of you of  Mr. Stewart, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Busch, or any other driver out there–bring it…beat the #48.  If not, he will win.  He will leave Martinsville with 40 bonus points.  If Jimmie is leading in The Chase…well…you know the rest of the story.