Mario Andretti trying to find His way to Denny
Hamlin’s Timing Stand, Err Pit Box in Avondale. (The Tomaso Collection)
Who says the Andretti’s have a lock upon victory
curses, Eh?
As everyone in Ye blogosphere is currently
lamenting the retirement of Marco Andretti ending the family’s legacy at Mother
speedway, my mind was elsewhere…
Nope, I didn’t “watch” the whole G-Damn race,
But! I did tune-in at the start and pitter-pattered about until some 30-plus
laps to go in Stage 2. Up until A.J. Allmendinger smacked the Wall! Reportedly
His second hard crash of the weekend.
As its still weird to Mwah hearing Leigh
Diffey’s voice calling NASCAR races. Tuning into the Playoffs finale, where I
could only stomach so much of Jeff Burton’s nasually, ear splitting reed tonal
voice! Switching over to “watching”, Err listening to The Sting on Turner
Classic Movies instead…
As I’d say the irony of The Sting wasn’t lost
on Mwah some 24 hours later!
Whilst I suppose due to my deteriorating
eyesight, having “seen” the movie many times before. I instantly recognized
Spicoli’s favourite High School teacher Mr. Hand’s voice. With Ray Walston
playing J.J. Singleton, which I’d never noticed before, but I digress…
When I left the broadcast, Denny Hamlin was
still out front by some three seconds and had led an astounding 157-laps!
Thus you could imagine my surprise to learn
Monday morning that Hamlin, who led a race leading 208-laps and was leading by
three seconds with three laps remaining, came up short! Err was visited by the
Ghost of the Andretti’s…
As Kyle Larson finished third and Hamlin P6 on
the Rucky Dawgs’ Checkers or Wreckers race restart. Courtesy of Larson’s
Hendrick’s teammate, and fellow Championship Contendah’ William Byron, who blew
one of Goodyear’s new, softer tyres, CoInky-dense?
Hamlin won six races this year vs. Larson’s
three. With Larson having been winless since May, albeit notching some 18
Top-5’s and 22 Top-10’s, but still, not winning since May, say what?
As Hamlin said if you can’t win this one, He
doesn’t know how you’re gonna win one, i.e.; Championship that is. As Hamlin,
age 44 was trying to win His first title in 20yrs, not to mention reportedly
His father is dying…
But seriously? Why did NASCAR let Goodyear
bring brand new softer rubber to the Championship deciding race in The Valley
of the Sun?
As I’m pretty sure that Hamlin takes little
solace over having won His 60th NASCAR Cup race this season. Tying Him for 10th
overall with Kevin Harvick. And just three wins behind Rowdy Holmes’, err Kyle
Busch. Whilst the late Intimidator’, Err ‘Ol Ironhead’,
nee Dale Earnhardt ranked 8th overall, has 76 wins…
