NASCAR's COT Really Does (to Quote the Race Winner) 'Suck'

Let's get right down to it. I don't like the car of tomorrow (COT). Or, car of today. Whatever you want to call the thing. It looks like a bad modified car. If I want to watch modifieds, there are better ones out there that are racier and less contrived. NASCAR is patting itself on the back for a successful first showing at Bristol on Sunday (March 25). I beg to differ. I've never seen cars go that slowly around the marvelous, steeply banked bull-ring short track. The race itself was so-so. Sometimes it was even boring. Bristol -- boring?? Just when you thought NASCAR couldn't screw up a great event like a Bristol race, they manage to do that, as well.

If NASCAR had wanted to do it up right, they would have asked Jay Signore, of IROC fame, to oversee a program setting up a generic car. At least the IROC cars were competitive and racy. Instead, they created a one-style car and convinced the major auto manufacturers to put their name brands on this styless, non-stock car. Go into your local Chevy dealership and ask for the car that 'won on Sunday.' It cannot be had. But then, who would want it anyway? The 'Impala,' 'Camry,' 'Avenger' and 'Fusion' names on the cars are just that--names. It's hard to believe that NASCAR convinced the folks running Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and yes, even Toyota, to go along with the COT thing.

The upcoming race at Martinsville also features NASCAR's concept car. Too bad. Martinsville is usually another exciting, competitive race. No doubt NASCAR will refuse to admit they made a bad call with this COT project. Instead, they'll keep forcing it down the teams and fans' throats because--mark my words--somehow, somewhere, the folks that run NASCAR will be making the profits off of the COT. Maybe they've even bought an automotive plant to manufacture the things. Whatever, however, there is only one bottom line for NA$CAR and that is the dollar.

Race winner Kyle Busch's first words after winning the Bristol event was that the car 'sucks.' Kyle, I could not agree with you more.

The Michael Waltrip Overload (Or, Won't You PLEASE GO HOME!!)

I like Michael Waltrip. I really do. He's tall, handsome, and has a good sense of humor. He can be witty. But, the fact of the matter is he has been just too salesmanlike lately and I just don't like seeing him every single time I turn on a racing show, ESPN, Speed Channel, or any sports network. The commercials (Aaron's, Dominos and NAPA in particular--who'd have thought NAPA would become a Toyota sponsor?) are getting sappier and sillier. They must be a real ego boost, but they have reached the top of the annoyance level meter in our household. There oft comes a time when a person reaches the point of overexposure. Michael--you've reached that point. Michael Saturation might be a good term for it...I actually turned off the television Sunday morning when Michael Waltrip was on yet another panel show on Speed, wearing his driving suit (guess since he didn't make the Cup race again, he felt he had to get some use out of the fancy duds), and going on and on about whatever it was he was talking about. 'Please, Shut Up!' I told him (well, it was a bit stronger than that), and I clicked the TV off. There. That was better. There's only so much jabbering one can take with all these racing experts trying to out-shout each other.

All winter, all we heard in racing news was about Michael and his newToyota teams -- how grand it was going to be, the new shop being built, hype after hype...Now, having missed 3 races in a row, one wonders how long Toyota is going to stick with Michael as the flagship for their Cup teams. He's giving new definition to the term, 'Go or go home.' ...Of course, NASCAR is rushing the car of tomarrow into usage an effort to help level the playing field for the Toyota teams. One wonders if Toyota was sold a bill of goods that was undeliverable. From an objective point of view, it rather looks that way.