There’s No Comparison

Once again, NASCAR reaches far to seek new lows.
Its spokespeople on ESPN have attempted to compare Kyle Busch with Michael Phelps, calling Busch, “the Michael Phelps of motorsports.” I can think of no greater way to insult the 2008 winner of eight gold medals.
NASCAR, if you’re trying to recover from the Brickyard debacle and your downward marketing spiral, at least tell your PR people to keep their sanity. Busch couldn’t stand upright on the same stage as Richard Petty, A.J. Foyt, Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong or Michael Phelps. Or hundreds of others.
To place him in that league is the childish admiration of a passing idol. Your viewers aren’t stupid. Don’t try to feed them the same dummy pills that you take.
Jim Speckbrock
The Villages, Fla.

Get It Right, USAC

Aug. 7 was to be the second of five nights of the USAC-sanctioned Indiana Midget Week. The evening of Aug. 6 at 8 o’clock, I watched as the bone-dry track was being graded and assumed water would be applied sometime that evening.
Obviously, that didn’t happen because at 3 p.m. on Aug. 7, the track was still bone dry. Watering started soon after, but during wheel pack by track vehicles, dust was billowing up.
Before any race cars took to the track, spectators near me with scanners said USAC wasn’t going to go on with the race for safety reasons. The footing for the frontstretch wall protruded out over the the track surface, which I saw personally. Reportedly, there were rebar ends protruding through the concrete, presumably the wall. There was something outside turn two that would have presented a hazard had a car gone over the wall. There is no catch fence in turns one and two or down the backstretch.
USAC haulers started leaving. The PA was poor, but I didn’t hear any explanation.
Grumbling and discontent grew with threats being voiced. Two lines formed at the exit, the second of people waiting for a refund. The promoter said no, but caved in and gave refunds.
Why did USAC not know of the track conditions prior to race day?
I traveled from California to see about 20 races over several weeks and am extremely disappointed about that evening. I certainly  have nothing good to say about Union County and will tell friends about the fiasco.
If there were any first-time spectators, they certainly left with terrible impressions. Otherwise (aside from the Brickyard 400), I saw many good races.
Robert Lewis
Anaheim, Calif.

Miller Gets Graded

Kevin Miller, CEO of USAC, claims this will be a new USAC.
Well, here is his record for the year:
• A midget race at Tri-State Speedway was to be co-promoted by USAC and POWRi. USAC told POWRi that it would be the promoter and would not co-promote. POWRi said,  “OK. We’ll just run out our home track at Belle-Clair Speedway.”  The result, the race was canceled. A new USAC.
• Indiana’s Midget Week was scheduled to be six races in six days. Then, the first race at Kamp Speedway was canceled so USAC could promote the sprint race at Oskaloosa, Iowa, on the same night. On the second night at Liberty, USAC canceled the race for safety reasons. That track has never been a good track for sprints or midgets. Did USAC check out this track before scheduling this race? Now, Midget Week went from six races to four.
Mr. Miller, so far, you are not off to a very good start. I’ll give you grade of D-minus.
John Ashcraft
Seymour, Ind.

Get It Right, IRL

What’s the matter with the IRL? It took them 10 years to get a following, and what do they do? Next year, they’re running eight road courses.
I’ve tried to support them by attending three or four races a year, but they’ve lost a fan now. Can’t they get it in their fat heads that people in the USA just don’t give a hoot about road races?
It didn’t take long for all the fat cats of CART to take over and change everything to their way. What’s really different from the old CART and IRL now? We don’t have but a few American drivers anymore, driving road courses for a bunch of snobby, rich car owners. I’ve already given away my four tickets to Chicagoland this year, and I won’t be attending Indy or any other IRL race next year.
Dave Patterson
Rockford, Ill.

It’s Walker’s Fault

Well, Tyler Walker got pitched out of NASCAR for good reason. And after that stunt in the feature at Knoxville, when he didn’t pull off the track when he had the chance, he caused Jason Meyers to lose the race.
Meyers had a good lead on Donny Schatz and wouldn’t have been caught. If I was in Meyers’s shoes, I would’ve broken his nose for that trick. Better yet, make him take another urine test. Walker knew better than to stop on the track like that.
Of all people, the No. 15 car had to be the one to come out on top. I still hate the guy — always have and always will.
At least it wasn’t sanctioned by the World of Outlaws.
Richard Burch
Mansfield, Ill.

Get It Right, Clayton

John Clayton is wrong about the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. It is the authentic, original bell that was rung in the Pennsylvania Statehouse (later renamed Independence Hall) on July 8, 1776 to call Philadelphians to hear the reading of the Declaration of Independence. John saw the real Liberty Bell in that pavilion. He must have misunderstood the park ranger, or maybe the park ranger did not know what he was talking about.
John says he went to Freedom Hall — Freedom Hall is a basketball arena in Kentucky. He was probably thinking of Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell has not been there for 32 years. It was moved in 1976 to a pavilion in preparation for the bicentennial as many visitors were expected and the bell was not very accessible in Independence Hall. It was moved to a new, improved pavilion in 2003. There is nothing wrong with that as it gives any more people the opportunity of seeing it many more times.
John can still visit Independence Hall. The bell that is in Independence Hall is a replica that was given to the U.S. as a gift, as was the bell in the nearby modern tower, which was a gift from Queen Elizabeth during the bicentennial.
Anyway, John should print a correction and apologize for dissing Philadelphia and the Liberty Bell as just so much hype.
Jim Thomas
Michigan via Philadelphia

Dodge Blew It

Well, Dodge did it again today in NASCAR — one Dodge (19) on the lead lap at the finish, and the only Charger in the top 20. Toyota had five in the top 20.
With the No. 9 car going up in smoke and finishing 40th, it doesn’t look as if Dodge will make The Chase.
With this kind of record, you would think Dodge would be embarrassed and just let the teams out of their contracts and concentrate on making passenger cars that get better mileage and forget racing. Ronnie Householder has probably said to hell with racing quasi-stock cars.

Jim Schmitt
Liberty, Mo.

Agreeing With Gary

I think Gary London nails the current issues concerning NASCAR in his columns. While not having been around near as long as Gary, I do remember in the past when someone mentioned “Junior,” they were referring to Junior Johnson, not Dale Earnhardt, Jr. I like Dale, Jr. — classy man and a very good racer. Same with “Gordon,” but it used to be Cecil Gordon, not Jeff. I remember when Childress drove the No. 3.
Gary is spot on when he says NASCAR’s current state of affairs started after Dale Sr.’s passing. I’m not sure what the answer is here, but I know it’s been ages since I went to a race in person, and it’s also been quite a long time since I’ve watched one flag to flag on TV.
I know I’m not alone in this category either. The racing is just not very good for a variety of reasons. Safety is a great thing, but not all of what’s happening with NASCAR is progress.
Where to start? Can The Chase and the Lucky Dog and start racing back to the yellow. That alone would dispense with a lot of debris cautions. Wishful thinking.
John Clark
Newcastle, MaineJ