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You know, you'd think based on that subject line that I was going to discuss Jerry Nadeau. (Random Nadeau shoutout! Woohoo!)
Head Trauma
I woke up migrainey. Still came in to work. I don't know whether to blame too little Coca-Cola yesterday, too many brownies, the Reese's magic shell on my ice cream (it was brownies with ice cream and magic shell - AWESOME), the cleaning I did (laundry and taking out the trash), or the fact that for the first time since college I slept until 11 on Sunday.
NASCAR - Juan Pablo Montoya
Why working with a road racer is of the awesome - he has the ability to point out stuff I totally wouldn't have noticed otherwise. Like how Scott Pruett jerked the car to block Montoya, thereby becoming complicit in the wrecking. (Hey, the other great part - I got to educate the coworker on car position and when in NASCAR Montoya would have absolute ownership of the spot.)
It's neat to have people with opposite backgrounds, because we educate each other. He knows road racing and the technical side like whoa. I know more of the "understood" rules of NASCAR and the personalities of the drivers. With regards to the Busch race, having him handy was really eye-opening because Pruett and Montoya both come from a different background than NASCAR. Their racing expectations and attitudes are different from the other guys. I can see where Montoya made a mistake that he'll have to learn from (had he pulled the same move with Tony Stewart, the reaction from the crowd would have been different, as would the reaction from the media). Also, he wasn't far enough up to really claim that position. He should have backed off. But as the coworker pointed out, Pruett ran smoothly through all turns, but he made the effort to pinch Montoya at that turn. Pruett went wider than he intended going in to the turn, left the door open and tried to correct before Montoya was in there fully and had claim on the position. The problem was, were they racing as NASCAR competitors, or were they racing as open wheel racers? In that moment, what was their mindset? (Because I honestly feel it's harder to adjust the mindset when competing against someone from another form of racing when you have experience in both. They're different styles. Different cars. The techniques used are different, as evidenced by the fact that Boris Said pretty much schools everyone on how to run road courses.)
Anyway, I think Montoya and Pruett both were complicit and sadly, that taints Montoya's first win slightly. But it's better to get some controversy over and done with early, because he is still learning. It's more than about learning to drive a different kind of car. There's also a different mindset. And I have no doubt that it's better to learn about what you do when you make mistakes in the Busch Series than to learn off the nose of Tony Stewart or Jeff Gordon. Their lessons will end up with you in the wall. Which, you know, entertaining as all get out, but not conducive to a good points day. *g*
Coming later, pictures that make me happy (as I'm cleaning off my computer).
Head Trauma
I woke up migrainey. Still came in to work. I don't know whether to blame too little Coca-Cola yesterday, too many brownies, the Reese's magic shell on my ice cream (it was brownies with ice cream and magic shell - AWESOME), the cleaning I did (laundry and taking out the trash), or the fact that for the first time since college I slept until 11 on Sunday.
NASCAR - Juan Pablo Montoya
Why working with a road racer is of the awesome - he has the ability to point out stuff I totally wouldn't have noticed otherwise. Like how Scott Pruett jerked the car to block Montoya, thereby becoming complicit in the wrecking. (Hey, the other great part - I got to educate the coworker on car position and when in NASCAR Montoya would have absolute ownership of the spot.)
It's neat to have people with opposite backgrounds, because we educate each other. He knows road racing and the technical side like whoa. I know more of the "understood" rules of NASCAR and the personalities of the drivers. With regards to the Busch race, having him handy was really eye-opening because Pruett and Montoya both come from a different background than NASCAR. Their racing expectations and attitudes are different from the other guys. I can see where Montoya made a mistake that he'll have to learn from (had he pulled the same move with Tony Stewart, the reaction from the crowd would have been different, as would the reaction from the media). Also, he wasn't far enough up to really claim that position. He should have backed off. But as the coworker pointed out, Pruett ran smoothly through all turns, but he made the effort to pinch Montoya at that turn. Pruett went wider than he intended going in to the turn, left the door open and tried to correct before Montoya was in there fully and had claim on the position. The problem was, were they racing as NASCAR competitors, or were they racing as open wheel racers? In that moment, what was their mindset? (Because I honestly feel it's harder to adjust the mindset when competing against someone from another form of racing when you have experience in both. They're different styles. Different cars. The techniques used are different, as evidenced by the fact that Boris Said pretty much schools everyone on how to run road courses.)
Anyway, I think Montoya and Pruett both were complicit and sadly, that taints Montoya's first win slightly. But it's better to get some controversy over and done with early, because he is still learning. It's more than about learning to drive a different kind of car. There's also a different mindset. And I have no doubt that it's better to learn about what you do when you make mistakes in the Busch Series than to learn off the nose of Tony Stewart or Jeff Gordon. Their lessons will end up with you in the wall. Which, you know, entertaining as all get out, but not conducive to a good points day. *g*
Coming later, pictures that make me happy (as I'm cleaning off my computer).
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