July 18, 2008
By Guest Columnist Cathy Elliott
Nothing in life, it seems, is really ever easy or very clear-cut. Some typical phrases that tend to really rile up the naysayer lurking inside might include:
"Those roses are absolutely gorgeous."
"Good ol' Kenny Perry won the Buick Open this year!"
"Kyle Busch has won seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and is smoking everybody else, every week."
Whatever doesn't suit our particular tastes or expectations is explained away, or simply ignored. In other words, the times when things seem to be going really well for others is also the time we generally choose to show our "buts". You know what I'm talking about:
"Those roses are absolutely gorgeous, BUT watch out for the thorns."
"Good ol' Kenny Perry did indeed win the Buick Open, BUT only because Tiger Woods wasn't playing."
"Kyle Busch may have won seven times already, BUT just wait until Hendrick Motorsports' Big Three (Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.) get going."
Hello, ostriches. I know it's kind of hard to hear with all that sand in your ears, BUT there comes a time when we have to accept things for what they are.
Roses really are gorgeous.
Good ol' Kenny Perry's Buick Open victory was not his first in the prestigious tournament. He won it back in 2001 ... and Tiger played in that one.
Young Master Busch has posted seven victories so far this season, while the much-lauded firepower of Junior, Jimmie and Jeff has combined for a whopping two wins. If they're going to get going, they'd better get on with it.
Change, while inevitable and usually for the best, is rarely welcome. An especially poignant sports moment recently came just prior to Major League Baseball's All-Star game, when the Hall of Fame players in attendance were introduced. Some, like Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Ernie Banks, were already legendary names before many of us were born. Others, like Cal Ripken Jr., George Brett and Ryne Sandberg, lived their personal glory days and ended their careers while we watched. Some we loved and others we loathed, but now we recognize all of them for what they were – great.
Things change fast in the professional sporting arena, and NASCAR moves faster than most. Sadly, some of our own legendary champions, such as Dale Earnhardt, are now gone. Others, like Darrell Waltrip, Dale Jarrett and Rusty Wallace, have parlayed their expertise on the track into broadcasting careers. "The King", Richard Petty, just celebrated his 50th anniversary in NASCAR.
Time passes, with or without our consent. Like waves crashing on the beach, each new incoming tide knocks down the former sandcastles, smoothing the surface for new kingdoms to be built, with new monarchs to rule them.
Some of these new ivory tower-dwellers may turn out to be despots, BUT that's the way it is with royalty. Whether blessed with divine right or just the ability to stage a successful coup, they're better than everyone else, and there's nothing we can do about it.
In this peaceful seaside scenario, Kyle Busch has coming roaring in like a tsunami. He's also sweeping plenty of BUTS aside along the way. For example:
"He's aggressive, BUT he isn't team-oriented enough to win on a restrictor plate track." (Winner of the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27: Kyle Busch)
"He's fast, BUT he's too impatient to win on a shorter track." (Winner of the Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway on June 1: Kyle Busch)
“He can go round and round, BUT there’s no way he can get it done on a road course.” (Winner of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on June 22: Kyle Busch)
"Okay, he lucked out and won a plate race, BUT he still can't win at the big dog, Daytona." (Winner of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 5: Kyle Busch
"He has good engines, BUT it's almost impossible to beat the Roush and Hendrick cars on the 1-1/2 mile ovals." (Winner of the Chicagoland 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 12: Kyle Busch)
What's left? Oh, right ... Darlington. No one is exactly sure how to categorize the Lady in Black, as she doesn't fit neatly into any standard mold or template. BUT we do know this, because the greatest stock car racers in history have relentlessly beaten it into our brains over the past 60 years: Only the best can win at Darlington. The champions' list includes David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon.
A new name joined that list in 2008. Winner of the Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington: Kyle Busch.
Am I fan of Kyle Busch? I am not. It isn't personal. I just don't necessarily feel it is good for the sport when one driver wins too often. I favor variety.
BUT, I do recognize and appreciate things like talent and ambition when I see them, and he is so full of those things, he could explode at any moment. Spontaneous combustion, before our very eyes.
We don't have to like him in his current dominating role, BUT we have to accept it, for now at least. I have every reason to believe we're going to continue to publicly show our collective BUTS when the talk turns to NASCAR and Kyle Busch. I'm equally sure you will agree that it is in everyone's best interest to devise some way to cover those BUTS when necessary. Kyle shows every intention of continuing to kick them around for quite some time, so it’s best to be prepared.
The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.
