great post- god bless DW and all the old timers
Here's another one....
Trouble looms for NASCAR
There is a problem looming on the horizon for NASCAR, darkening the sky like an approaching thunderstorm and roiling the air like a tropical storm.
And unless the sanctioning body gets a handle on it, ill winds could be blowing for years to come. That was the assessment of Nextel Cup driver Jeff Burton of Richard Childress Racing, speaking with reporters Tuesday.
Alluding to the arrival of four Toyota teams plus an unspecified number of other outfits featuring high-profile drivers unknown to the fan base and media, Burton portended hard times for existing teams unless they hunker down, retain good people and generally keep their houses in order.
The problems don't stop there.
NASCAR's increasing popularity in the racing community is placing a premium on skilled drivers and the like. That is creating a dearth of experience that will result in increasing payroll bills and more seasoned drivers finding seat time in place of the young guns who had been the rage.
In sum, the normally frank and usually upbeat Burton transcended caution and bespoke troubled times.
"Next year's going to be tough," he said, echoing sentiments expressed by former Roush Racing teammate Mark Martin, who spoke with reporters on Monday.
"If you look at what's going on in the sport and you look at how many teams . . . the teams we know about that are coming into the sport, there's some we don't know about, there's some you guys (media) don't know about. The competition level next year is going to be intense."
Normally, increased competition would be welcomed by any racing series. Burton sees another side to it.>>>>>>>>MORE
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060712/COLUMNISTS0303/607120361/1062/sports