NASCAR Star Rescues Hurricane Survivors While White House Sleeps, Ex-Racer Bashes Sport & Angry Fans Walk Away
Final Monday of September. Which means we're … one! … day away from October. Scary movie month. Autumn in full swing. Pumpkin this, pumpkin that. The best.
It also means the NASCAR playoffs are reaching a boiling point, as is the season. We've got one month of NASCAR automobile racing left in 2024 before we take a winter nap. Let me say that again … ONE MONTH. Six races. That's all we've got left. And then – poof. Gone. Just like that, she's over.
Man … 36 races really fly by!
(No they don't. The NASCAR season is wayyyyyyyyyyy too long, but that's another story for another day).
Anyway, all that to say that Ross Chastain won at Kansas over the weekend, which means no playoff driver has yet been locked into the next round, and now we're off to Talladega, where all hell always breaks loose.
Welcome back, Watermelon Man! Been a while since you won an auto race. Good stuff. Sad for Kyle Busch, though. My God. Is he miserable or what? What a season.
What else do y'all wanna talk about today? Well, what if I told you that NASCAR – both past and present – is doing more for the Hurricane Helene victims than anyone in the White House? Oh, THAT catches your fancy? Thought so! You'll see.
Speaking of past drivers … Mark Martin – yes, the fella who used to drive that beautiful Viagra car – took poor Steve Phelps and shoved his ass in a locker last week. Mark's never been one to mince words, and buddy, he's only getting better with age. Like a fine wine, baby!
Four tires, a touch of Sunoco racing fuel, and maybe a Xanax for angry Mark Martin … Monday Morning Pit-Stop – the ‘We’ve Got Choppers In The Air!' edition – is LIVE!
Don't love starting this way, but we have to
Normally, I like to start … at the track. Seems like a solid way to begin this award-winning column each week, doesn't it? We had a race yesterday at Kansas. Let's talk about it first. Simple.
But we've got bigger, more pressing matters going on in this country right now that need our attention. Lord knows they ain't getting much from the White House!
Hurricane Helene absolutely ripped through the south last week. It started about 80 miles west of my town, and just cut a diagonal line of destruction from Florida though Carolina. Devastation everywhere, mainly the Big Bend area of Florida, and the Carolinas.
Shows you how much of a monster she was, frankly. The two most impacted areas were hundreds of miles apart. Wild.
Anyway, I say all that not to get today's class started on a sad note, but a positive one. While Kamala campaigns and Joe sits on a beach somewhere, former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, along with current team owners, are aiding anyone and everyone in the North Carolina area.
Legends:
While we're on the topic of NASCAR legends …
Biff! Love Greg Biffle. Fun fact: my first race I ever covered at Daytona (or anywhere) was Biffle's final Firecracker 400. He somehow STARTED on the pole, which shows you how insane he is. He was 46. What an icon.
Anyway, good for Biffle and the Hendrick/Gibbs duo for getting their asses outta bed and doing something for the folks of Carolina. We've got people stranded all over the place in those areas, and Biffle just casually fired up the chopper and started scanning mountain tops for survivors.
Legend. Take notes, 1600 Penn!
Speaking of ex-NASCAR drivers who have backbones the size of Chicago, anyone heard from Mark Martin lately? No?
Well, you're in luck!
Kyle Busch is numb and I don't blame him
Get ‘em, Mark! That’s #MyDriver. God, I loved Mark Martin back in the day. Guy was the best. He's known as the driver who was great but never great enough to win a title, and that's fair. He never won a championship, which is still a shocking stat.
But whatever. I don't care. He's an absolute PISTOL off the track, loves Donald Trump – and this country – and hates the stupid ass numbers being moved up on the race car. And you know what? He's right. He's 100% right.
When NASCAR bent the knee to woke advertisers and gave them all that door space, the sport died a little. It's been all downhill since. It looked dumb three years ago when it started, and it looks dumber today. Mark's right.
Make NASCAR Great Again and move the numbers back!
OK, let's head to Kansas before we go wheels up to ‘Dega and check in with Kyle Busch, who probably should’ve won yesterday's race:
Mail time!
Poor Kyle. Guy has six races left to keep the 20-year streak alive, but I don't think it's gonna happen. Just seems like everything's stacked against him this year.
His car was ASS in the first part of the season, and his luck has been ASS-ER here in the second part. Can't win for losin.' At least he seems fully checked out at this point. Love that for him.
OK, couple quick-hitters as we barrel towards ‘Dega for what’s sure to be a tame, quiet race. First up? Mail time!
From John in Lexington:
But Leigh Diffey is worse. He’s not getting better. He doesn’t realize stock cars drive differently than Indycars. He’s ruining the little that’s left to enjoy in Cup racing these days.
Thanks, Kentucky John!
Yeah, I'm still not sold on Leigh. I didn't love Rick Allen, so I guess I can't complain too much, but there's just something I don't love about Leigh. Maybe it's the voice? Does that accent belong in NASCAR? I don't know.
Does that make me racist? I don't know that, either! Do you? Let me know!
Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.
Next? First-time caller Jody left me this voicemail last week:
Big time racing fan here since I was a little girl. Loved watching the races on tv and at local tracks (when I could beg my dad enough he’d cave & take me).
Used to call Bristol racing the Bristol B$tch; lots of beatin & bangin & down right running thru ‘em racing. I gotta say, this new NASCAR has lost its thrill.
Thanks, Jody! The Bristol Bitch! Love it. Jody also added a few words about Bobby Labonte's backside later on in her email, but I won't include those here.
Bobby – if you're reading this, give me a ring! Do I have someone for YOU.
Finally, from Dale (not Earnhardt, sadly):
I was (at Bristol) and I dozed off at some point during the last fifty laps. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. So sad.
My family asked me if I was going up next year and I said I was going to sit that one out. Great crowd and everything was perfect except for the race. Friday was kind of a blah race except for the Dale part. Glad you are a part of the Monday routine.
Solid weekend of ARCA racing & some more nonsense that takes us to 'Dega
Yeah, nobody liked that Bristol race last week. Nobody. I have a dozen emails that share pretty much that exact same sentiment. Was Kansas any better? Sure. Definitely. But still … not great. We need ‘Dega to give us a spark this weekend.
She usually does, so standby and hold the line!
OK, couple quickies from the ARCA fellas before we call it a day. That's right, ARCA!
Congrats to Trevor and Natasia! Thanks to the crack research department here at OutKick, it appears Natasia is a former Miss Teen USA competitor out of California. She's also a racer herself.
Love these two. Love that VL interview. Love … love.
God, I love this country. God bless the US of A.
OK, that's it for today. Off to ‘Dega we go. Strap in, because I think we’re gonna be in for a doozy.
Take us home, Steve Post!