Reality Unseen

Carl at Talladega

Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski have been at it again.  It all began in April of 2009 when Bradley K. gave Carl a great push at

Carl at talladega finish line

Talladega to take the lead and dumped Carl to take the win.  Brad held his line, Carl tried to block sending his car into Brad’s then into Ryan Newman’s car.  From the hood of Newman’s car Carl’s car went airborne into the fence.  A feud was born.  Bradley K.  got the win and Carl, got out of his car and ran across the finish line.  Yeah,he ran.  At the end of last year’s season Denny Hamlin made a statement about Bradley K. and his overly aggressive style of racing saying that Brad would find out when he got to the Sprint cup level his style wouldn’t be tolerated.

Also that he, Denny Hamlin would be the first at the pay window handing out Brad’s comeuppance.  Flash forward a year and sure enough Bradley K. has been in the mix a lot in cup races.  True, Denny has had his own issues this season with knee surgery and an inspiring string of wins post surgery but he’s been quiet about Brad.  Too busy winning.  Carl seems to have taken Denny’s spot at that window.

Brad in Atlanta

Witness Atlanta in March when Carl hit Brad and sent Bradley K’s car into a flip and subsequently into a wall at Atlanta Motor speedway.  Carl said that he would race Brad the way he raced him.  Carl also admitted that he intentionally put Brad into the wall he just didn’t think Brad’s car would go airborne.  NASCAR’s response to this incident was that it was good hard racing.  Enough said.   Last weekend it happened again at Gateway International Raceway.  This time after several laps of hard, tight, aggressive racing Bradley K. bumped Carl, after racing a little while longer Carl bumped him back sending Bradley K. into the inside wall subsequently wrecking or causing 9 other cars to wreck.  These are the facts and history of this feud between these two talented and competitive drivers.  Now for my opinion.

I waited a few days before beginning to write about this subject.  If you’ve read this blog at all you know that Carl is my driver.  I love his style of racing, yes he is aggressive and he’s come up with some really crazy and sometimes inspired bits of driving.  Carl has good car control granted he’ s not Jimmie Johnson, who has supernatural car control most of the time, but it is good.  What I saw at Gateway was proof of the difference in Carl’s control and experience and Brad’s car control and experience.  The bump Brad put on Carl was hard but Carl could handle it.  He regained control and continued forcing Brad down to the bottom of the race track.  When Carl hit Brad, yeah it was a hard hit, but I believe a more experienced driver could have handled that bump and maybe gone up but not hit the wall or cars behind him.  I think about the bumps and runs Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson exchanged earlier in this season.  That was payback but they both held on and didn’t wreck each other, it was short track, ” I’m gonna move you out of my way” racing.

brad and carl bristol 2010

“Considering that Brad wrecks me with no regard for anyones safety or hard work, should I: A-Keep letting him wreck me? B-Confront him after the race? C-Wait til bristol and collect other cars? or D-Take care of it now? I want to be clear that I was surprised at his flight and very relieved when he walked away. Every person has to decide what code they want to live by and hopefully this explains mine.” Carl Edwards after the Atlanta race.

Was Bradley K. the victim much of NASCAR nation seems to accept him as being, not hardly.  Carl is not the playground bully and Brad is not the innocent kid, I think they are 2 competitors who are too much alike.  Carl has the advantage of age and more racing experience but they are well matched in guts and in your face style racing maneuvers.  I do not agree with NASCAR’s fining Carl money and points without doing the same for Bradley K.  Putting them both on suspension would have been fine if that was the entire penalty.  It took 2 to cause that wreck.  I don’t think Denny was carrying on about nothing when he voiced his frustration about Brad’s racing habits.  Now that Carl has been fined and gotten the collective finger wag he’ll probably calm down when it comes to Brad but I guarantee there will be someone else who will pick this up with Brad for the simple fact that he hasn’t changed what he does on the race track.  Eventually it will be your fault Brad.  Don’t misunderstand me, I think Brad is immensely talented but he is also extremely aggressive and sometimes those ideas he has on the track are not good ones.  Bradley K. get some better car control since you’re gonna race like that.

I also agree with an on air personality I heard Monday night who said that Carl’s biggest problem is that he doesn’t know how to pay back appropriately.  He pays back too hard.  It’s true.  Carl, I don’t want you to change, race your guts out and stand your ground but please, get better and a bit less obvious with your payback.  Let’s be real every driver on that track pays back somebody at some point best to worst, that’s just the way it goes.  NASCAR said “have at it boys” so have at it.

Again, if you think for one second that this is over I have a bridge in Florida I wanna sell you.  It will flare up again.  Maybe by then Carl will be smoother, just like Jimmie and Kurt Busch are not done with each other and who knows Denny and Jimmie might not be over as well. Oh yeah and before I forget Kevin Harvick and lots of people, Carl being one, Joey Logano another.  I’m sure there is a line in front of your hauler as well K. Harv and I’m sure you’re still smiling.  That’s all I’m gonna say about this latest installment of Carl vs. Brad.  What will happen next I can’t say but it will be interesting I’m sure.  So good luck on Sunday Carl at my favorite racetrack, Indy. I hope my boy Clint Bowyer makes a good showing as well.  Clint keeps coming close but the win is eluding him.  I’m cheering for ya.

Dale Jr. in the 3

Oh yeah, I almost forgot 2 weeks ago Dale Earnhardt Jr. did a very cool thing running the #3 wrangler car at the Daytona Nationwide race to honor of his father, the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.,  also known as the intimidator.  Dale Sr. incidentally was the master of the bump and run.  It was a wonderful thing for Dale Jr. to do and Jr. sealed that deal by winning the race.  I was relieved when Jr. said he would never run the 3 again, done and dusted.  Hopefully that statement will stop future questions about him running the 3 again.   Let Jr. be Jr. and leave him be.  Now if you’ve gotten to this part and you’re exhausted that’s ok so am I.  Rant complete.

Ta luvs.

I am finally back to the blogesphere, yeah, it’s a word, and perhaps a feeling, after a much needed break.  Had to take some time to get re-acclimated to the USA and my normal life.  Whatever that is.  I miss the UK and my friends there but the really kewl thing is that they are only an email or phone call away, now if I could just get current Eastender episodes life would be so sweet.

I really enjoyed the World Cup coverage, Spain was brilliant.  What more can you say.  Oh yeah, I know, what the heck happened to England’s team.

England World Cup Squad 2010

They had Wayne Rooney,coming off of his best season ever, if you’ve read my blog at all you know I love him, Steven Gerrard, a proven scorer, Jamie Carragher, Ashley and Joe Cole, David James, John Terry, Glen Johnson, the list goes on and on.  Some of the best players in the world and yet they couldn’t play together and show their true talent.  Granted

USA soccer squad 2010

they played teammates and rivals on various teams throughout their brief world cup play but England should have done better.  As far as my own nation’s team, well, we were alright when you consider how the US has done in the past.  A salute to Landon Donovan, he was good.  A cheer for Tim Howard, he was good.  A cheer for Clint Dempsey he was good, USA might be building something and a salute to Ghana, last African team standing.  They were also brilliant.

My concern coming out of this world cup is Fernando Torres.  Again, if you’ve read my blog you know I have a theory on where Fernando will go this or next year, Manchester United.  But after watching Fernando play I can’t say that.  He’s still injured and that beautiful touch he has, that I watched all season this past year is gone.  I hope Fernando can regain it because he is a fantastic player and I think Man U can use him.  I look forward to watching him play and more importantly watching Manchester United.  Right now I am slightly bummed because I only just found out that Manchester United is playing the MLS allstar team in Houston Texas next week and I can’t go.  Oh well, I’m gonna watch it on ESPN this year and continue working on seeing Manchester United play somewhere on this planet. Until next time.

Ta luvs.