Massey shortchanged
Space is unlimited here on the World Wide Web.
We can write to infinity, although it’s unlikely anyone would want to read that much of my stuff.
But in the world of printed newspapers, space is limited.
Reporters and editors have to make tough decisions when determining what will appear in a newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal in my case.
I was not going to be able to write more than two stories from Sunday’s championship eliminations of the Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, so I made the call to focus on the championship battles in Top Fuel and Funny Car. That’s why rookie Spencer Massey did not receive much coverage for his second Top Fuel title for team owner Don Prudhomme on Sunday at LVMS.
The biggest story in Top Fuel was that Larry Dixon pulled to within one point of leader Tony Schumacher, who has won the past five championships.
That was the story that appeared on the front sports page of the R-J.
The other story keyed on Robert Hight’s dominant performance that virtually clinched the Funny Car championship after he eliminated Ashley Force Hood in the opening round, and Tony Pedregon and Ron Capps lost in the second round.
So Massey’s upset of Dixon didn’t get the exposure it would have warranted had the championship races not been so compelling.
Not only was it the second title for Massey, who should be this year’s rookie of the year, but it also pitted Dixon against the team he drove for last year.
Add to that, the legendary Prudhomme has yet to sign a sponsor for 2010. If that doesn’t happen, Sunday could have been the last time Prudhomme races at Las Vegas.
I was interviewing Dixon in his pit area when Massey and Prudhomme were speaking in the LVMS dragstrip media center, and I missed some great quotes.
Like Prudhomme’s about racing against Dixon’s team which is sponsored by a Qatar sheik.
“I’ve raced against a lot of rich SOB’s in my life, but never a country,” Prudhomme said. “The sport has changed so much. I never dreamed I would see the day that these multimillionaires would be in the sport.”
Prudhomme remains optimistic about returning next year.
“We're working on things for next year. We're not done yet. This kid is like the greatest I've ever seen. I just hope we are able to continue.”
Maybe Prudhomme should solicit support from Iran or Russia. Or like he joked, ask for a federal loan.
Danica and Junior
All rumors point to IndyCar racer Danica Patrick competing in some NASCAR races next year for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports team in the Nationwide Series. That could include the Feb. 27 Sam’s Town 300 at LVMS.
ESPN.com reports she is close to signing a two-year deal with the team that operates Nationwide cars for Hendrick Motorsports.
Earnhardt’s Nationwide team and Patrick both are sponsored by GoDaddy.com.
Patrick has signed a contract extension with Andretti Green Racing to run in the IndyCar series but has been sniffing around NASCAR garages for the past couple of years.
The last thing the struggling Earnhardt needs is to add the distraction of Patrick. Of course, she will be one of the few drivers he can beat.
SI.com, citing sources in the NASCAR garage area, claims Patrick has been asking for $300,000 per race in Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
She wouldn’t be worth that much if she raced naked.
Speaking of IndyCar
The IndyCar series announced it has signed sports clothier IZOD as title-rights sponsor. It will be the first time since 2001 that the open-wheel series has had a primary sponsor.
The Van Heusen brand became the official apparel sponsor for the series last year.
It could become mandatory for every IndyCar driver when not in a driving suit to walk around in an IZOD sports shirt with collar up and the arms of a sweater wrapped around their necks.
I didn’t know IZOD still made shirts. Guess they aren’t sold at Walmart and Target, my clothiers of choice.
That makes sense, though. Most of the country doesn’t know IndyCars still race outside of Indy.
