It’s Just His Style

I’m certainly tired of reading and hearing about the “bump” that Carl Edwards gave Kyle Busch at Bristol for the win. It seems like it was just a few short years ago when Dale Earnhardt, Sr. did the same thing nearly every race, and it was “just his racing style.”
All the cry babies complaining about Carl’s driving style have soon forgotten how that was Dale, Sr.’s “style” all the time.
Jack DeClerk
Decatur, Ill.

So Long, Phil

I was saddened by the news of the death of Phil Hill. When he got to the other side, I hope his racing friends were waiting for him and they had a big party.
Imagine a reunion of Phil, Ferrari, Hawthrone, Collins, Behra, Gregory, Von Trips, Musso, Baghetti, Clark, Casner, Fraser, Fangio, Bonnier, Ginther, Gendebien, Trintignan, Portago, Hill, De Beaufort, , Mairesse, Lewis Evans, Ginther, Spence, Castellotti, Schell, the Rodriguez brothers, Schlesser, Blanchard, Fairman, Ireland, Bueb, Daigh, Allison, Barth and Bonetto.
I would like to meet all these guys myself. Rest in peace, Phil.
Wayne Wachtell
Cleveland, Ohio

Disappointed In Columns

I have subscribed to NSSN for  more than 20 years, and my father subscribed for many before me. As a source for accurate racing information, I am surprised that you would allow two of your columnists to dedicate their weekly column to Greg Weld without mentioning his youngest brother, Rick.
The Kansas City Star referred to Rick as a brother. He was always known as a brother. He turned many laps in a sprint car — many more than Greg, Kenny or Jerry — and he is, to the best of my knowledge, still alive. He participated in the Masters Classic at Knoxville recently.
It was rumored that he may have been adopted. I do not know for sure, and it does not really matter. I have three brothers that are not biological, two of which carry the same surname as I, and I would challenge anybody to deny me claiming them as a brother.
It was absolutely uncalled for of Dave Argabright to mention Kenny’s downfall as a part of a tribute column to Greg, along with the fact that my memory tells me Kenny spent most, if not all, of his time in a minimum-security facility somewhere in the Dakotas as opposed to Leavenworth. Poor journalism at its very best, and I’m losing faith in the publication as a whole.
Merrill Jacob
Meriden, Kan.

NASCAR Notions

It is such a shame that NASCAR only recognized three drivers — Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
I will predict that one of these three will be the champion at the end of the season, and it will most likely be Johnson as they want a three-time winner. With all the tools NASCAR has to regulate the races, this shouldn’t be hard to do.
I would also like to see the lucky dog done away with as it only helps the top dogs anyway. If they get a lap down, let them make it up the old-fashioned way — by racing harder and making it up on their own.
I also would wish that they might put a cone or something in front of the first pit so that the driver would have to turn right like all the other drivers, so that they don’t get a two- or three-car advantage. This is no fair.
Chris Shelvik
Tigard, Ore.

Wrong Choice By IRL

Where did the IRL find this “Versus” network? No matter how bad the IRL coverage is on ESPN, at least we can get it.
When John Clayton said in his column that “Versus reaches 70 million homes,” I laughed. That number had to be made up by a network big wig.
Our cable system offers Versus on its premium tier with more than 20 other obscure channels. Do I really want to pay at least $25 per month to get one channel we want? In this economy? I don’t think so.
Hazel Cotton
Texarkana, Texas

Come Back, J.J.

A superb talent in open-wheel racing, namely wingless sprint cars, J.J. Yeley eventually defected to the NASCrap scene. For whatever reason, things just didn’t work out for him there.
J.J., bring your exciting dirt-tracking style back to the short tracks. Come back to real racing.
Gary Grim
Fleetwood, Pa.

Same Old Tune

It’s Aug. 29, and they just played the national anthem at Auto Club Speedway before qualifying. The young lady — 18-22ish California blondish — added words, changed the tune, went flat and sharp randomly and reached her pinnacle when the jet-fighter formation blessedly drowned her out.
Who picks and/or auditions these people? How much money must pass hands to embarrass the fans and the anthem with these travesties week-in and week-out? NASCAR, please, embarrass yourself with the bent-dog suspension “Car of Tsimilarity,” but class up the front of the act at least.
F. William Parker
Lake Balboa, Calif.

Respectful Anthem

NASCAR kids finally gave a good, respectful national anthem. They need to do it every week. I normally mute it out it’s so bad and disrespectful.
Jim Porter
Columbus, Ind.

On The Anthem

I wrote a letter Feb. 4 called, “Anthem Woes.”
Through the years, it has been followed up on numerous times. I am so very proud that so many agree with me. Undoubtedly, the proudest moment was having Ye Ed include it in his column. Thank you, Chris.
Frank Nation
Mancos, Colo.

Memory Lane

I just read Dave Argabright’s article from the July 9 issue of National Speed Sport News about Anderson and Mt. Lawn Speedways in Indiana. When he mentioned the names of Bobby Fields, Herb Rose, L.J. Lines, Dick Hinshaw and Don Gregory, it brought back many fond memories of exciting figure-8 racing at Anderson, and the odd D-shaped oval at Mt. Lawn.
My mom and dad took me to these ovals and to Winchester Speedway in the 1960s and early 1970s when we lived in Kokomo, Ind. I also remember the hard-fought duels between Bobby Fields and Bob Lemmons through the figure-8 intersection at Anderson.
Thanks, Dave, for bringing back to me those wonderful early racing memories. I have always enjoyed your articles in this newspaper, in other publications and in your books. Keep up the good work.
Barry Brummit
Enid, Okla.

Improving NASCAR

I hear all kinds of ways for NASCAR to improve itself. Here are some ideas:
Divide the field into two groups, say 23 and 24 if 47 cars enter and have two qualifying heat races. They would be seven laps at Talledega and Daytona; nine laps at Michigan and California; 11 laps at 1.5-mile tracks; 13 laps at mile tracks and 25 laps apiece at Bristol and Martinsville.
The top-43 race, period.
All 500-mile races reduced to 350 miles. All 300-lap races reduced to 250 laps with the exceptions being the Daytona 500 and the Southern 500. The Coca-Cola 600 would be reduced to 500 miles.
Make the All-Star race a 50-lap shootout with two mandatory pit stops with the pit crew that is the fastest getting a trophy and $10,000 apiece. Caution laps do not count.
At the All-Star race and the three series races, kids from Victory Junction give the command to start engines.
The drivers’ cars sport the names of charities as well as title sponsors, chosen by the drivers.
Widen the cars by three inches and the tires by one inch.
Those are my ideas.
George Arndt
Mauston, Wis.