Coca-Cola 600, Race 12© Thomas M. Sampson
May 29, 2000
DW buys ride, race team web sites, and the Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte, NC.
"Ol' DW" Buys Ride.............. He Had To Be In The Show
That's the sad part of it folks, to some, it's just a show. Some of our drivers aren't out there to race, to compete for the win, they're just out there for the show. The odds of them winning a race are practically nil, because they're not going to compete at the higher speeds, balancing the racecar on the edge of destruction. That's what you have to do to win in Winston Cup.
Ol' DW used to do it, he's won 84 races and three Cup Championships. He's had a very illustrious career, certainly one to be proud of. He just can't handle the high speeds anymore. I'm a little older than DW, and I know I couldn't do it. I recently took a trip to North Carolina, and can attest that Interstate 95 was a trip within a trip. I'm just about comfortable driving 75 MPH in the middle lane, and cars were passing me in the left and right lanes like I'm standing still. The only way DW can win another race, is to force himself to do something he's not comfortable with, and that's a recipe for disaster. We don't need to see DW make a trip to the hospital.
DW's latest outburst against NASCAR's second round qualifying is one of the reasons he has been nicknamed "Jaws." It's a wonder that he doesn't get fined for "actions detrimental to NASCAR." He's certainly been speaking out a lot this season about the way the sanctioning body runs things. And, I expect he'll continue to do it the rest of his final "Victory Tour" season. It kind of makes me wonder what he'll be saying when he gets in the TV announcers booth next season, and will he be able to keep the job?
I found it quite admirable of DW to relinquish the racecar back to Carl Long after the rain delay, giving the newcomer a chance to get in some "seat time" in a Cup race. I know that must have made Long feel a lot better about his relationship with his "new friend." It certainly didn't hurt DW any either.
Web Sites......... Teams and Drivers
Lots of Cup teams have their own web sites, and most of them are excellent sources of information. One of the top sites to get my vote is Joe Gibbs Racing . This site includes the current Cup points leader, Bobby Labonte, and his teammate, Tony Stewart. All aspects of Joe Gibbs Racing are covered here, along with an online store and a message board where you can discuss racing with other fans.
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