Re: The #24 Team
- From: "DarkSentinel" <darksentinel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2007 04:59:56 -0800
"Mark" <mblackwell1958@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3783381c-1f04-4d03-9f46-d88890c36134@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Nov 19, 2:31 pm, "Crusader" <cru...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Hammer" <av...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:fhqots$uil$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My condolences to everyone on the #24 team, their families, friends,
and fans. What a
heartbreaking way to lose a Championship. I also offer sincere
congratulations because
they have nothing to hang their heads over, and should in fact be
extremely proud. It
was a fantastic year with great accomplishments, and if not for one
very hot team they'd
be celebrating a well-deserved title right now.
Although the Championship eluded them, they should be rejoicing about
Jeff's return to
greatness. He had an amazing season, broke/set records, and showed that
he's still great
with years of outstanding professional racing ahead of him.
He's also had an excellent year personally with his one year
anniversary and baby
daughter being born. I'm sure that will help him deal with losing the
Chase, as he's
smart enough to realize in the grand scheme those are ultimately more
satisfying &
important.
It's been 10 years since someone (Jeff) repeated as series Champion,
and only an
absolutely astounding repeat performance by the #48 team could keep
Jeff from winning
another. He'd have almost certainly won in any other year, so IMO he
should celebrate,
be very proud, and look forward to the future which looks very bright.
I'll take u at yore word Hammer. As a JG Fan & JJ Fan, but more as
an Hendrick Fan, JJ's 2nd Champ seems to have clarified for me
that I'm mostly a JG Fan-Probably cuz at 36yrs JG won't avail hisself
to many more opportunities to be a Champ (4-5 more seasons?).
Congrats to JJ who may become the 4th Greatest Driver of All-Time
before he too hangs it up in 8 more seasons.
At least JJ tied TStewart with 2 Champs to make him the greatest driver
since Warren Wallace ;) Of course it goes without saying JJ has
33Wins to TS32 in 2 less full-time seasons.
Can JJ get 50 more wins to match JG is The Question.
It appears JJ can get many more Chase Championships in the future.
CRU
Who says he is going to get 8 more years? In racing you can never
count on anything. A practice crash and a career can be over in a
flash. Its happened before. Remember Jerry Nadeau??? Hopefully he
will stay healthy, avoid injury and the distractions that come with
the job. Yet racers instinctively know better. It can happen at any
level.
Now you are saying Jeff at 36 is nearing the end of a career. Pity,
but you might be right in that the way he came in the sport very well
may force him out younger than he would have been otherwise. Many
have been competitive into their late 40s and some even in their early
50s. Late 40s would give Jeff at least 10 years or more. That was
before the Jeff Gordon era. The team owners are looking for the next
19 year old Jeff Gordon number 2. Enough of the right talent and Jeff
might be a driving coach to Ricks new drivers and a test driver to set
up the cars for them. Roger Penske has used Rick Mears for years to
help his open wheel drivers (though Rick doesn't to my knowledge test
any of the cars and certainly should not now. He feet have been
through way too much to be back in a race car.)
If Jeff quits at 40, now that he has matured as a driver, he may well
miss some of his most productive years. Yet with the money that is
involved these days, few and fewer are going to want to race as long.
Just as Jeff got in so young, he also could start to trend of finding
something else to do young too.
Everyone knows that I am not a big Gordon fan (can we say
understatement...lol). All comments about him losing his touch, and he got
cheated aside, it just seemed to me he's matured a lot. Becoming a daddy has
a strange way of doing that. I used to rag on him a lot about punting his
way to the lead, etc. Yes, he is still aggressive and a hell of a driver,
but this year I didn't hear any of the whining that used to be his
trademark. I saw a more patient, smart, and calculating driver. I especially
enjoyed the end of the Fall `Dega race.
Who cares when steps away? I mean that as HE will decide when he wants to
walk away. When he does, he will leave as one of the best the sport has ever
seen. Even though he's not tops on my personal favorite drivers list, I WILL
give credit where credit is due. People may not agree with me, but that is
how I see it.
--
Go #43!!
Ya know...the hurrier I go, the behinder I get.
Remember to always engage brain, before putting mouth into gear.
Kill the munge to reply by email.
.
- References:
- The #24 Team
- From: Hammer
- Re: The #24 Team
- From: Crusader
- Re: The #24 Team
- From: Mark
- The #24 Team
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