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.

The NASCAR Dictionary: Discretionary Penalty (AKA a Non-Call of an Obvious Infraction)

Well, we have yet another term to add to the ever burgeoning NASCAR Dictionary. Look up Discretionary Penalty and you'll find a picture of Jimmie Johnson there. Hopefully without the Mr. Ray Hair-Weave he's sporting in his latest NEXTEL commercial...

In Sunday's race at Las Vegas, a NASCAR Official intercepted a tire that came off of Jimmie Johnson's car during a pitstop at the end of the race. The equipment (tire) left the pit box and was out of control. Only the official's action kept this from being a potential safety issue. That said, NASCAR declared that they did not charge Johnson with the usual penalty for this infraction because it was a 'discretionary' judgment call. Oh, boy!! Now we have a new NASCAR policy as to when the officials decide whether or not to enforce a penalty....Or, Johnson has added a NASCAR Official to his Pit Crew....Did Johnson's whining about the late caution at California 2 weeks ago, which took him out of the lead of the race, cause NASCAR to get all touchy-feely about Poor Jimmie?...Ah, yes...another black mark on the dark and sooty face of NASCAR...and they they wonder why fans get upset that they appear to make up the rules as they go along -- even though the sport has been around for over half a century.

I can't wait to see what happens the first time Jimmie loses a lug nut during a pit-stop. Perhaps the official will go over and help put it back on the wheel. With NASCAR, one never knows...