Great race last night. Maybe the best of the young season. And a semi-popular driver won. Sorry 24 fans - you're only semi-popular if only half the people love you, and the others wished you had cronic dysentary.
Jeff Gordon's win number seventy six ties the late Dale Earnhardt's career total and as tribute, Gordon did a victory lap while holding a big number three flag out the window.
This was a classy thing to do and Gordon and Earnhardt fans, often not one and the same, responded with enthusiasm.
Fans are fans and fanaticism often breeds contempt but Dale Sr. and Gordon always seemed to have a mutual respect for one and other. Gordon's early career respect for Sr. was more natural and understandable given the stature of Earnhardt at the time. But I still remember a champaign toast and wink from Earnhardt during the NASCAR awards banquet for Jeff's second championship. There was something in his eyes, and the little crooked mouthed grin, that said to me, "You got me this time, but we aren't done." And they weren't.
So last night was fitting.
I wonder. Ten years Fifteen years from now, if Denny Hamlin or Carl Edwards or Mika Hakinen manage to tie the great Jeff Gordon in total wins, will the same or a similar show of respect be shown?
Picture credit: REUTERS/Robert LeSieur
It was a vrooming night...kudos to 24 for toasting 3!
Posted by: Vroom! | April 22, 2007 at 08:24 PM