We're running down the top stories of the 2009 season, and we're inside the top 10 now. Today, some that will make you cringe and some that will make you proud.
9. The battle of Jet Ski and The Hamster. Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin have been yapping at each other for the better part of two seasons, and by the end of 2009, everything finally came to a head. Hamlin pledged to wreck Keselowski at Homestead, and did just that, earning himself a penalty in the process. Still, the way Jet Ski races, it's likely he'll make other enemies before too much longer. This one ain't over yet.
8. Rain, rain, go the hell away. In the dead of winter, it's tough to recall, but we lost quite a few races to rain earlier this year, starting with the Daytona 500. Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano and David Reutimann were the beneficiaries, snagging rain-shortened wins. And around these parts, we set attendance records for chats held during Monday races (doesn't anybody work anymore?), where we had to answer the same questions 500 times: no, NASCAR has nothing to do with the weather; yes, this is bad for racing; yes, this happened in the Old Days too; no, they can't just put on rain tires and go. Clip and save this for next year.
7. The return of the Mark. If Mark Martin had managed to close the deal on the Sprint Cup, this would've ranked a lot higher -- probably No. 1, matter of fact. But since he fell just a wee bit short, he's a wee bit back. Still, Martin's return to prominence was one of the great (and truly pleasant) surprises of the 2009 season. Not only was he not finished, he'll be racing with us for another two seasons. Anybody not happy about that is just plain mean, I tell you.
Coming up: the surprises of the year, both positive and negative.
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