Expectations

When it comes to our favorite driver, or even least favorite driver, we as fans seem to heap great amount of expectations on them even when they aren’t asked for, and sometimes not deserved. When we see a proven talent take the track, we automatically assume that they’ll be an instant contender for the Championship even when the driver admits a championship isn’t a realistic expectation, and then we get upset when our expectations aren’t met. On the flip side of that coin, no matter how talented a driver is, if we don’t like them than we set the bar so extremely low, that it would be nearly impossible for them not to exceed our expectations and then we’re upset that we didn’t see it coming or that they were somehow better than we thought that they should have been.

I hear people talking about how this driver and that driver didn’t live up to the expectations set out for them, but why is it that we let the media dictate to us what expectations should be for a driver instead of actually thinking for ourselves and listening to the driver as to what expectations for the season are ? Are we not capable as people, and fans of the sport to make up our own minds on a subject, but instead feel the need to be spoon fed by the media as to what we should and should not think ? We want to sit and wait and let the media do our thinking for us, but then we verbally crucify that same media when they do not say that which we thought they should have said. We’ll await their expert opinion, their analysis, and hang on their insight, but the moment they make a bad call or a wrong decision, we immediately blast them as loudmouth idiots who should retire from the sport all together. Is it that we as fans are afraid if we were to venture out on our own and actually start to think for ourselves that we won’t have anyone to blame but ourselves when that bad analysis is made, or is it that we simply prefer others to do that which we’re afraid to do ?

When it was announced that Hendrick Motor Sports had signed Sprint Cup veteran Mark Martin, the media and fans alike immediately started traveling down the road of thought that this should be his year, that he should have no problems winning the Championship finally, that he can finally retire happy. Yet when asked about this thought process, Mark Martin all but called everyone an idiot who heaped that expectation on him. He had no idea where anyone came up with that, or who thought that they knew more about what his future held than he did. You see, the expectation at HMS was never to ensure Mark a championship, it was simply to give him the car needed and the chance to win it. This is quite different than the expectation heaved upon him, as it doesn’t create the unneeded pressure of championship or fail. It simply means that he wasn’t supposed to have to worry about car issues, sponsor issues, crew issues, that the only thing he should have had to worry about was getting out there and driving the best he could. Now of course, even by their own standards, they have come up short thus far as they have indeed forced Mark to worry about if this will be yet another week filled with car issues that will take him out of the race before he’s ready.

Week after week, we hear how Joey Logano is supposedly a bust, how he can’t stay out of the wall, and how he’ll never win a race, and that he should just retire now and give his ride to someone else. Yet, at no time did Joe Gibbs Racing nor Joey Logano ever mention these expectations of winning a race, contending for a championship, or even staying out of the wall for that matter. Their expectations were and are extremely simple. Their goal as a team is to simply get Joey as much time behind the wheel as possible, and to finish every lap of every race, that’s it. Now through no fault of his own, he hasn’t been able to complete every lap as he was caught up in the wreck at Daytona that put him out of the race, and his car suffered engine troubles at Bristol which took him out of the race. Through that which he has been able to control, he has indeed lived up to the expectations that were set down ahead of time, and has actually surpassed them by leading a lap, having a top 15 finish, and twice starting in the top 10. There isn’t a member of JGR that isn’t thrilled with how the season has progressed thus far, and he’s showing that given the chance he can indeed get a car around the track.

Prior to his coming to NASCAR, there were insane amounts of expectations both good and bad heaved upon and around Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán. It was stated that he would ruin the sport of Stock Car racing, yet we see that hasn’t even been close to the case even in the least bit. It was said that he would never win a race, yet less than half way through his first full season, he went out and won with a very solid performance. It was said that he’d never last, yet here he is in this now his 3rd full season and there isn’t a race that he has failed to qualify in and currently sits just outside the Chase. Now there are various reasons to why these expectations were cast upon him. It’s obvious he doesn’t look like the other drivers, and some people quickly formed their opinions simply based on that. There are some people that instantly took issue that he was a former open wheel driver, but had forgotten that Tony Stewart also came from open wheel. Then there are those that simply saw what amazing results he had in the past and immediately assumed they would carry over and he’d contend right away for a championship. For whatever reason one uses as to why they came up with these preconceived notions about how his career would turn out, they should also come up with a reason as to why they were wrong in doing so.

You see, it doesn’t matter if those expectations laid upon a driver are good or bad, as more often than not, the driver as well as the owner do not share those same expectations. A driver and an owner sit down and actually discuss in great deal what they think would be a set of goals to driver towards, and at no point do either of them hang expectations so far in front of the driver that it creates undue stress. A driver’s job is to simply get out there and drive, that’s it. If they win races then that is a good day, and if they don’t, then depending on their expectations that could be a very bad day. If a driver or owner has an expectation that season to win the Championship, the driver then has that thought hanging over his head the entire season and will often make ignorant mistakes as he does more than he should in playing catch up so that they aren’t left on the outside looking in. This is why very seldom will you hear a driver say that winning the Championship is a goal for that season. Now of course, they will all say that they would like to win it, and that they even have a goal of contending for it, but very rarely will you get one to admit to that being the goal for the season, as it creates a scenario of anything less becoming a season of failure and disappointment.

So next time you hear a commentator, an analyst, or even another fan start to classify a driver as a loser, a disappointment, or even a bust, stop and ask yourself where this is coming from. Question their thought process behind it, and think to yourself if this is something that has been cast upon the driver by someone that is simply doing so due to their preconceived notions about a driver, or is this something that the driver and owner would actually look at as a failed goal. You’ll often find that the latter is not the case, and that people simply cast upon others that which they often can not obtain themselves. When you hear someone be they a driver, a fan, or an analyst start to talk about how a driver will never win a championship, you can pretty much guess that they themselves have not only never won a championship, but likely never will. When you hear someone talk about how a driver who hasn’t had a chance to prove himself is a bust, you can almost guarantee that they themselves wish they were in that car.

Now this isn’t to say that analyzing a driver is wrong, or uncalled for. When someone actually looks at the whole picture and actually brings fact into the situation rather than simply running with what they think, then often times it’s a good prediction. If a driver after ten seasons hasn’t produced more than a win or two, chance are good that they’re not going to be a champion anytime soon. On the other hand, if a driver after just a season or two already has multiple top 10’s and maybe a win or two, chances are good that they indeed very well could be contending for a championship in a few short years.

It’s all a matter of perception and where that perception is based. One must have the ability to approach it with an unbiased and well thought out mentality else they will be unable to view the picture without distortion. One has to be able to set their personal feelings about a driver aside otherwise they are simply viewing them through their perception of reality instead of the actual reality itself. If one refuses to admit what everyone else has seen already, then there is no point in trying to explain things to them, as they have proven that they have the inability to be objective. Each person must decide for themselves just how objective they are being towards a driver, and just how realistic preconceived notions about a driver truly are, it’s then and only then that one can make an educated analysis of a team, a driver, a season, and a career.

The Ryan Newman Foundation

The Ryan Newman foundation is a non-profit foundation designed to educate and encourage people to spay/neuter their pets and to adopt both cats and dogs from animal shelters rather than from animal breeders, as well as work to ensure families have the resources they need to ensure that they are able to spay/neuter their pets through various participating locations. They also work to educate both adults as well as children about the importance of conservation so that everyone can partake in the enjoyment and appreciation of the glorious outdoors for years to come. The foundation provides college scholarships through the Rich Vogler Scholarship program to students who are looking into careers in auto racing.

They do this through many different ways including but not limited to a series of books entitled Pit Road Pets : NASCAR Stars and Their Pets, which is a collection of stories and photographs of NASCAR stars and their pets. Some of the NASCAR personalities that have participated in the past include Ryan Newman and his wife Krissie, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson and many others. All proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Ryan Newman Foundation, as will the proceeds from the 2nd edition of the book which is set to be released in the near future with the photography sessions having taken place last month.

People are also encouraged to make donations directly to the Ryan Newman Foundation, to donate their cars and trucks that will benefit the foundation as well as being tax duductible to the donor. They have also partnered this year with the NASCAR Foundation with a portion of the proceeds going to the Ryan Newman Foundation, which donors can specifically designate their donation to benefit the foundation. In addition to all of the above, Ryan also on occasion will personally autograph items that are then donated to charity groups to auction off for their benefit at no cost to them.

Every year Ryan also hosts a fishing tournament with all proceeds benefiting the Ryan Newman Foundation. This year will be the 4th year that they have held the tournament, and though the participants vary from year to year, Ryan has managed to attend each and every year, and makes himself accessible to all those participating in the tournament. Prior to the tournament, Ryan hosts a charity gala and auction that is not only open to those who purchase tickets,but is even held at his family’s farm in Statesville, NC, and much like the other events, all proceeds do indeed go to benefit the Ryan Newman Foundation.

As you can see, both Ryan and his wife Krissie have given a big part of their lives to help our four legged friends that are unable to speak for themselves. They donate their time, their money, their contacts, and even their home to this wonderful and much needed cause.

Next time you are thinking about adding a four legged friend to your family, try checking at your local shelter, and save the life of someone that will forever be grateful and will pay it back in spades. If you have not yet got out to get your NASCAR Day Pin from your local Sunoco station, and have thought about ordering yours online, remember that you can have your donation sent to the Ryan Newman Foundation and can know that you have helped both dogs and cats alike.

DEI and #8

Given that Dale Earnhardt started the company with his wife Teresa, and that she was involved in the daily running of the company while Dale was alive and he never once voiced his displeasure with how things were being run, there is no reason to think it would be any different today had he still been alive. Dale would still support any decisions his wife made in regards to the company, and he would stand behind her against all criticism and defend her till his last breath. Teresa is a woman he loved and trusted, and it would be no different now than it was then.

It wasn’t even Junior that wanted to take the #8 with him, but Hendrick who saw the marketing that DEI had already put into the number that they purchased. Junior wanted the #81 as he had previously driven it numerous times in the Busch series. DEI came up with a figure that they thought was fair given the amount of time and money they had already put into the #8, and Hendrick didn’t seem to think it was worth the asking price. A number does not belong to the driver no matter who they are. The number is bought and paid for by the team owner, and is theirs to do with as they wish. They pay good money every season to retain those numbers, and devote endless hours promoting those numbers. To simply up and give your number to a competing team would be a horrible business move. Not only would you lose the money you already have invested in it, you’d also have to purchase another number and invest millions more promoting that one to the level of the previous number. The new team receiving the number would save millions of dollars and thousands of hours as the promoting for that number was already done by someone else.

Teresa made a business move that she felt was in the best interest of DEI. She is someone that Dale entrusted to run the company and had the faith she would do it right. Like any other business out there that is in the public eye, there are going to be decisions made that not everyone is going to agree is the right decision, but they’re also not the ones that have to make the choices and deal with the consequences of those choices. Dale never would have publicly voiced his displeasure with any decision his wife made even if he thought it was the worst decision in history, he simply would have dealt with it behind closed doors. Eventually perhaps those who claim to have been fans of Dale Earnhardt will realize that they too should have the faith in his wife that he had and trust her to make the decisions that Dale obviously thought she was capable of making, even when they don’t agree with it.

Now some might say that Teresa simply lucked into the situation, though I can’t say watching your husband die in a high speed crash could be considered lucking in to anything. Teresa was involved in starting that company from the ground up, was involved in the daily operations of that company, and she was entrusted to run that company. Some might say she isn’t a businesswoman, but how many women do you know that can help build a multi-million dollar multi-car team from the ground up, keep it running day after day, and complete such partnerships as she has with someone that Dale considered one of his closest friends, Richard Childress. That’s right, she had the sense enough to seek out the help and advice of Richard Childress himself, as well as others such as Felix Sabates and Chip Ganassi, two of the biggest names in the sport. If she were such the horrible business person that she’s made out to be, I seriously doubt the above mentioned people would have anything to do with her as they too have multi-million dollar teams to worry about, as well as their reputations. Dale entrusted her with his company, Richard, Felix, and Chip all entrust her enough to partner with her, so forgive me if I don’t see where she’s been such a detriment to the sport nor to the Earnhardt name.

Then we have those that shed a tear for Junior, as if somehow he had a claim to the team. Junior had no claim to the team despite what his fans would like to think. He did not start the company, he did not invest in the company, he did not deal in the operations of the company, he simply drove for the owners just like he does now. If Rick Hendrick were to suddenly pass on, do you think Junior would be given partial interest in Hendrick Motorsports ? Of course not, he would either stay on as a driver or move to another team, just like he would for every other owner out there.

It’s rather odd that Richard Petty can toss his son aside, fire him from his position, bankrupt his company, sell his company to investors, and everyone seems to think that’s just business. Yet when Teresa Earnhardt takes partners, her step-son leaves to join another team, and she refuses to give him a number she invested years in, suddenly she’s the wicked witch of the East. People have to realize that business is business and family is family. There comes a time when the two have to be separated, and often times that leaves members of the family feeling left out or short changed, but that’s the nature of the beast. Decisions have to be made for the best interest of the business, not to please a driver. It doesn’t matter if that driver is Dale Earnhardt Junior or if it’s Joey Logano.

Until you have walked where they have walked, and been faced with the decisions they have faced, then you really have no idea what is or isn’t the best decision. It’s easy to sit at home behind a keyboard and talk about what you think of a situation, but until you’ve tried living it then you really have nothing to base it on other than what you’ve been led to believe. Especially when you have never had any contact with those involved, other than through your television. If Dale Earnhardt himself, Chip Ganassi, Felix Sabates, and Richard Childress have enough faith in Teresa to partner with her though the years, then perhaps they know just a little more about Teresa the woman and Teresa the business person than those who simply have heard about her on television over the whole couple years they have been watching the sport.