Boogity, boogity, boogity!
Let's go bloggin', boys and girls!
Welcome to The Spotter, the latest News & Record blog and the only one devoted to racing. Or, as we say around these parts: racin'. Which most people around here, including me, take to mean NASCAR.
Driving this blog will be me, John Newsom, the News & Record's assistant sports editor. I'm no gearhead -- about all I know about engines is that they're in the front of each race car -- but I've been a big fan of the sport for a good while. As the name "The Spotter" implies, I'm the guy standing on the roof of the grandstand, looking down on the spectacle below. So what you'll get from me is not the pit road view but a more of a several-stories-up look at the sport from a fan's perspective.
A couple of people more familiar to you -- and a little closer to the action -- will pop by from time to time. Those of you who follow the News & Record's NASCAR coverage know Dustin Long, the paper's star racing writer who's starting his seventh season on the NASCAR beat. You also might get to hear from columnist Ed Hardin, who has been giving you his take on NASCAR and other sports since 1998.
So who the heck am I? People who read other parts of the paper -- meaning the news pages -- might remember my byline from atop a few of the education stories (on both K-12 and colleges) I've written since joining the paper in 1995. After a three-month gig writing editorials this fall, I got hired on as assistant sports editor at the end of January. It's definitely not the traditional path into the sports department -- it's kind of like getting a NASCAR ride after a career on the World Rally Championship circuit -- but, hey, here I am.
So strap your belts tight. We're about to fire up this blog thing and take it out for a spin.
Update (2:54 p.m.): Corrected a typo. The guys in the garage warned me that this thing would be a little loose at first.
Comments (17)
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Let me be the first to welcome you online. And as Saint Dale once said, "We're gonna run as hard as we can and see where we get to."
Looking forward to your run.
Posted on February 16, 2005 2:30 PM
Don't let's get sideways and blow an engine, now, y'hear?
Posted on February 16, 2005 2:48 PM
So, they gave the ex-education writer a blog on Nascar? What, was the obit writer too busy?
This should be fun. Have you actually been to a race, John? Was yours the only Volvo in the parking lot?
Tell us about your plans for the 500. As for myself, I'll be rushing home from church to catch the green flag. It'll be a rush 'cause I'll try to phone in my wings order on the ride home. In honor of all the new liquor sponsors, I'll think I'll try to lay in a supply of Jim Beam and Diet Mountain Dew to toast the start of the season. I don't really have a big favorite, so I'll be mainly cheering against Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and Jimmy Johnson.
My main dilemma right now is that I'm expected to be at work tomorrow, and I think that will keep me from seeing the 125s. I'm sincerely hoping Robby Gordon will race his way in. I wouldn't want to be any of the cars behind him and whatever the magic qualifying spot is.
Any thoughts?
Posted on February 16, 2005 3:05 PM
Don't be worryin' 'bout typos. Git in an' ride this pony cart!
Posted on February 16, 2005 3:12 PM
Let me throw the first chicken bone at ya.
Posted on February 16, 2005 3:15 PM
Nope, Norskar, that wasn't my Volvo at the spring Richmond race. My future brother-in-law drives an Acura, and we parked it outside the Fairgrounds in one of those industrial parks. It's not the best place to tailgate, but it beats waiting in traffic trying to get out of that place.
Posted on February 16, 2005 3:28 PM
As for tomorrow's Duels, Norskar, MRN is supposed to carry them on the radio. Can't remember offhand which station has it, but if you can sneak out to the truck (or car? a volvo, maybe? just kidding) during a break you ought to be able to catch some of it.
If you've got computer access, NASCAR.com probably will have some sort of updates, too, but its free lap-by-lap coverage is pretty sketchy, and I'm too cheap to spring for TrackPass. Is there anyone out there who uses it and knows if they'll be doing tomorrow's qualifiers?
Posted on February 16, 2005 3:54 PM
John:
Nascar.com's site claims Trackpass is free for Speedweeks.
You also may want to try Jayski.com. This site usually has a standings update which is normally just a lap or two behind the radio.
Posted on February 16, 2005 9:01 PM
Thanks, Mark. I'll try Jayski because I'll be at work all afternoon. Never occurred to me to look there for a lap-by-lap feature although it's got nearly everything else related to NASCAR.
Which reminds me: I need to add some racing links to the blog. Right now, this blog is looking a little bit like the primer-gray cars teams use in testing.
Posted on February 16, 2005 10:14 PM
Welcome aboard! It'll be a lot of fun to have The Spotter around this season.
Posted on February 17, 2005 12:18 PM
So John, do you think the big leagues of racing is just like the rules around your subdivision--that if you rear-end somebody it's your fault no matter what? Or, as Kevin Harvick sees it, did Jimmy Johnson diliberately slow in order cause the wreck that took out so many good cars?
I'd say Harvick is headed for Nascar probation yet again.
Posted on February 17, 2005 5:05 PM
Funny you should mention that, Norskar. Dustin mentioned to me the other day after the Shootout that Jimmie Johnson was working his brakes a little bit at the end of the race.
Maybe Johnson was doing the same thing again today just to keep everyone honest. 'Course, if Harvick was behind me, I'd think twice about tapping the brakes. He'd run over your dog and mine to win a race.
Posted on February 17, 2005 6:38 PM
Yeah, but did he have to take out Mark Martin in the process? Best restrictor plate car Martin has had in years, and it's totalled. Usually soft-spoken Mark was ticked.
Posted on February 17, 2005 7:17 PM
I hated that for Mark Martin. I caught the driver interviews live on the radio right after they cleared the track -- iirc, Nemechek sounded like he wanted to slap Harvick, and Martin was so hacked off he couldn't even speak. That's totally out of character for Martin, who almost always answer questions after an on-track incident.
Can't blame Martin, though. I'd be mad, too.
Posted on February 17, 2005 9:41 PM
This Blog is Blogged down.
Posted on February 23, 2005 6:03 PM
Chip - you've stumbled on the very first post. Hit "main" at the top of the page, and you'll find the rest.
Of course, you might still think The Spotter thing is blogged down. But I just wanted to make you aware that there are more posts than just this one.
Posted on February 23, 2005 6:22 PM
it really stinks when you cant find something you really want like what you say boogity boogity boogity towels to wave at a race!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on June 5, 2005 12:09 PM