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On Second Thought Maybe Jimmy Spencer was Right

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by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

February 7, 2010 4:11 pm CST 3 Comments

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The Budweiser Shootout was the first time NASCAR Sprint Cup cars took the track in anger for 2010. Good show and bodes well for the Gatorade Duels this Thursday and the Great American Race on Valentines Day.

The prelude to the Bud Shootout was the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, kick off race for the 2010 ARCA Racing Series Schedule.

Even if you’re not an ARCA fan, you surely had heard plenty leading up to this race. It was the first stock car race for Izod Indycar Series star Danica Patrick, and the hype has been incessant since mid December. No matter which side of the Danica fence you’re on, you had to be curious about how she’d do, right?

This was potentially the biggest showcase the ARCA Series has ever had. But on Saturday morning, I caught this tweet while scanning the Saturday racing buzz…

TheDalyPlanet “The ARCA race is a joke. We can kill drivers. They crash too much and don’t use common sense.” Jimmy Spencer on SPEED.

I responded… onpitrow “Really? Jimmy Spencer on crashing and common sense? Gimme a break

Spencer’s apparent slap at the ARCA Racing Series kind of ticked me off. But after watching another ARCA race on a restrictor plate track, I may be a convert to Mr Excitement’s line of thinking.

There are too many inexperienced drivers allowed to race in ARCA’s biggest events. The 2010 race was hard for me watch, even with the obligation to cover the Danica craze. And I am a big ARCA fan.

Congratulations to Bobby Gehrhardt on his sixth ARCA Daytona win. But the race just sucked. A wreck-fest, with too many cautions, too long in duration. The wrecks were bigger than they had to be - due mostly to inexperience, it seemed. There was no continuity to the race. I would say that there was too much testosterone and not enough brains, but I don’t want to insult the six female drivers in the field.

I know ARCA needs to race at the big tracks. That’s where their TV partners - and sponsors - want them to be. But this race couldn’t have been good for business.

Thankfully, Spencer was only partially right.

Photo credit: Round Girl Jen by BethAnne Heisler - OnPitRow.com

Filed under: ARCA Remax Series, Danica Patrick, Daytona International Speedway 

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Comments

3 Responses to “On Second Thought Maybe Jimmy Spencer was Right”

  1. User Avatar Marc on February 9th, 2010 4:33 pm

    Ref Daily Planet’s “ARCA race is a joke,” snark.

    The only thing that proves is he’s far, far behind the knowledge curve.

    ARCA has raced at Daytona since 1964, at Big Bill’s request I might add, and the event has been and always will be a crash fest.

    As it is at Talladega and many times Pocono.

    His statement is on par with Captain Renault’s: “I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!”

  2. User Avatar Charlie Turner on February 9th, 2010 10:53 pm

    Daly was actually quoting Jimmy Spencer. And Spencer should know better for sure.

    I know the history too. But that said, the last two ARCA Daytona races haven’t been very good shows.

  3. NASCAR’s Best Race Didn’t Measure Up : NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie on February 13th, 2010 11:12 pm

    [...] On Second Thought Maybe Jimmy Spencer was Right [...]

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