The Truth about How I Feel about Dale Jr.'s Season So Far
My favorite blog spot is fingerprintonline.com. I found it by chance because I’m a Dale Jr. Fan. That’s right, not a NASCAR fan, but a Junior fan. My favorite color has always been red so I guess it was mean to be. I log on daily for some humor, politics, ideas to cruise the web, and Dale Jr. information. That place has got it all. Usually I leave a comment for Jade or Mike but I sometimes censor my opinions. But this is MY blog, so this is the real deal. For years I only watched NASCAR races because my little brother and his wife were "REAL FANS" and if I wanted to spend time with them on Sunday afternoons and occasional Saturday nights, I HAD to watch NASCAR. Most of the time, OK, all of the time, I spent it giving a running commentary of the race. Of course, I delivered it in my best redneck drawl with lots of color. Sometimes I got very close to being thrown out of the house by my brother. Thank God my sister in law has a great sense of humor, and my little brother wouldn’t dare throw me out when she’s around. My most colorful comments always came during the Victory Lane celebrations. Who could possibly resist making fun of those droning odes to sponsorship? "Well, the Dupont Ford was just totally awesome today (Hold Up Sodacan) We were a little tight in the first part of the race, (Hold Up Sodacan)but I used my NEXTEL cell phone to tell my crew to give her a wedge adjustment with some DeWalt tools and fill ‘er up with a can of Viagra mixed with Gatoraide. (Hold Up Sodacan). Man, I was really giving it all I had during the last twenty laps, but (Hold Up Sodacan) but it was a hard race . (Hold Up Sodacan) If it hadn’t been for those Ritz crackers and a Coors Light on that last pitstop, I don’t think we could have made it." (Yes , I know it’s the Dupont Chevy, just trying to be nice and not let it out who I was really making fun of . Besides , FORD means Found On Road Dead)
My humorous commentaries came to a screeching halt after the first time I heard a Dale Jr. interview. As I waited with anticipation for something to make fun of, this one didn’t sound like a bag of hot air. Whoa. This guy actually sounded humble and well, nice. He sounded like he really enjoyed what he was doing and he reeked sincerity. I was at a loss for words. Who could possibly make fun of this guy and not feel just a little mean hearted. I turned to my sister in law ( a true Junior fan), and asked if he was for real. She just smiled and said he sure is! Damn, the race was ruined for me that day, nothing to make fun of.
The real turning point for me was the first time I watched a Victory Lane celebration, Junior style. Wow! Talk about pure joy. I hadn’t ever seen anyone that happy at the end of a race. He acted like a little kid on Christmas morning. I remember he thanked a lot of people, but it sure wasn’t another one of the those droning infomercials for his sponsors. No way, this was a real celebration. In all fairness, he probably doesn’t need to mention his sponsor in every other breath, because it’s already touching the lips of most of the people watching the race. I was hooked, that was the end of my commentaries. The next February, on a certain Sunday, I called up my favorite sister in law for a post race commentary. In my most solemn voice I said " You’ll never believe what I just did." She took the bait. Then in my finest redneck drawl, "Why, I just came out of the closet. I watched the whole dang race from start to finish. And Hot Damn, the boy did good!" I’ve been hooked ever since.
Therefore, the 2005 race season has been a little difficult to deal with. When the big switch took place at the end of last year, my first reaction was the world was ending. I adjusted with the rationale that I’m only a fan and the only opinion that really matters is that of the person risking life and limb on Sunday. I think that making such a major change in your working environment has to be a little like getting married, getting divorced, having a new baby, a death in the family, you get the picture. Big changes call for big adjustments and that usually takes a lot of time. So, I have patiently waited as the season unfolds. I can’t imagine how much pressure the "8" team is under this year, yet they have plugged away at it with grace and determination. I personally would love to flick the bird to a certain tv commentator (in the privacy of my own den , I do, and it feels good) and am secretly wishing a certain mean mouthed newspaper person would get a really bad case of the mumps that would last about six months.
But, I am a loyal fan and I am truly happy with a point a week in the standings. I’m sure Dale Jr. will make the chase, it’s just going to take time, so I post only positive and encouraging comments at fingerprintonline.com. But this is MY blog, and I’m going to tell the unvarnished truth. I miss seeing Junior in Victory Lane. I miss seeing a euphorically happy winner, I miss seeing someone happy just for the sake of winning.. Carl Edwards’ back flips may be cool, but hey, they’re not totally spontaneous and God forbid they ever are! So, readers, here is another of my few regrets in life: I wish to hell I had recorded the "Shit in Victory Lane" celebration. That alone could have carried me through this low time even if it lasts all year!
My humorous commentaries came to a screeching halt after the first time I heard a Dale Jr. interview. As I waited with anticipation for something to make fun of, this one didn’t sound like a bag of hot air. Whoa. This guy actually sounded humble and well, nice. He sounded like he really enjoyed what he was doing and he reeked sincerity. I was at a loss for words. Who could possibly make fun of this guy and not feel just a little mean hearted. I turned to my sister in law ( a true Junior fan), and asked if he was for real. She just smiled and said he sure is! Damn, the race was ruined for me that day, nothing to make fun of.
The real turning point for me was the first time I watched a Victory Lane celebration, Junior style. Wow! Talk about pure joy. I hadn’t ever seen anyone that happy at the end of a race. He acted like a little kid on Christmas morning. I remember he thanked a lot of people, but it sure wasn’t another one of the those droning infomercials for his sponsors. No way, this was a real celebration. In all fairness, he probably doesn’t need to mention his sponsor in every other breath, because it’s already touching the lips of most of the people watching the race. I was hooked, that was the end of my commentaries. The next February, on a certain Sunday, I called up my favorite sister in law for a post race commentary. In my most solemn voice I said " You’ll never believe what I just did." She took the bait. Then in my finest redneck drawl, "Why, I just came out of the closet. I watched the whole dang race from start to finish. And Hot Damn, the boy did good!" I’ve been hooked ever since.
Therefore, the 2005 race season has been a little difficult to deal with. When the big switch took place at the end of last year, my first reaction was the world was ending. I adjusted with the rationale that I’m only a fan and the only opinion that really matters is that of the person risking life and limb on Sunday. I think that making such a major change in your working environment has to be a little like getting married, getting divorced, having a new baby, a death in the family, you get the picture. Big changes call for big adjustments and that usually takes a lot of time. So, I have patiently waited as the season unfolds. I can’t imagine how much pressure the "8" team is under this year, yet they have plugged away at it with grace and determination. I personally would love to flick the bird to a certain tv commentator (in the privacy of my own den , I do, and it feels good) and am secretly wishing a certain mean mouthed newspaper person would get a really bad case of the mumps that would last about six months.
But, I am a loyal fan and I am truly happy with a point a week in the standings. I’m sure Dale Jr. will make the chase, it’s just going to take time, so I post only positive and encouraging comments at fingerprintonline.com. But this is MY blog, and I’m going to tell the unvarnished truth. I miss seeing Junior in Victory Lane. I miss seeing a euphorically happy winner, I miss seeing someone happy just for the sake of winning.. Carl Edwards’ back flips may be cool, but hey, they’re not totally spontaneous and God forbid they ever are! So, readers, here is another of my few regrets in life: I wish to hell I had recorded the "Shit in Victory Lane" celebration. That alone could have carried me through this low time even if it lasts all year!
posted by Hoity Toity Yankee Redneck Girl @ 4:25 PM
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