Wax figures of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were unveiled at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday. I think that Madame Tussauds did an excellent job with Petty’s likeness. As you can see in the photo below it’s hard to tell which one is the real Richard Petty and which is his wax counterpart.
Unfortunately they didn’t get things quite as right for Dale Jr. I don’t think it really looks like him. I mean, his forehead isn’t nearly that large. What do you think?
In a photo provided by the Las Vegas News Bureau, Dale Earnhardt Jr., center left, and Richard Petty, center right, stand next to their wax figures during an unveiling at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday, March 9, 2007, in Las Vegas. The wax figures will be on display during NASCAR UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 before being taken to Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau, Brian Jones)
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If you’ve seen any of the headlines regarding Dale Earnhardt Jr. lately you would think this weekend’s NEXTEL Cup Series race at Las Vegas was the last race of the season. One such article was titled, “Earnhardt, Jr.’s season hinges on Las Vegas run.”
So much doom and gloom. I mean, really?? Last I checked this was only the THIRD race of the year! I know that winning a Championship relies on winning races and finishing at the top of the order each week, but crap happens and people can come back.
That’s the problem with being so popular, and being the son of a legend, everybody is watching you and they’re waiting for one little crack so they can jump on it drag it out longer than necessary.
Leave the guy alone and please stop talking about Jr. needing to jump on the Childress bandwagon. Why can’t he be successful at DEI?? I don’t see any reason why they can’t make it happen with the company his father built. The story in the end, when he does win a Championship with DEI, would be so much sweeter that way.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., left, and Martin Truex Jr. watch other drivers turn laps during the NASCAR Car of Tomorrow test at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday morning, Feb. 28, 2007, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Bristol Herald Courier, Andre Teague)
Workers paint the track at the start/finish line at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Thursday, March 8, 2007, as they prepare for a weekend of NASCAR auto racing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Dear Juan Pablo,
Congratulations on winning your first NASCAR Busch Series race! Today’s race in Mexico meant a lot to you and Latinos everywhere. I know that you were really excited and anxious to get a win under your belt, but did you really need to take out your own teammate, Scott Pruett, to do it? Frankly this type of behavior is inexcusable. You just don’t do that type of thing. You had the better car, we all knew it, why couldn’t you have held off and passed him cleanly in another area of the track?
This taints your win and even though you said you didn’t mean to, this is going to follow you around for a while. Don’t you remember just last year when Brian Vickers made that bonehead move at Talladega that took out his teammate Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Yea, many people weren’t very happy with him after that.
Your own Crew Chief, Brad Parrott, was crying after the race because he felt so bad that you screwed over someone on your team. That alone speaks volumes, as it is something that I have never seen in NASCAR before today. You should feel bad, very, very bad! You made a grown man cry!
Ok, ok, so I’m sure this will all blow over in a couple weeks, but don’t think people are going to forget about this. Make sure the next time you win you don’t step on someone else to get there.
Sincerely,
Valli
So the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway in Fontana, California was this past weekend and there were many highlights. There’s a lot to cover so lets get to it.
– R&B singer Brian McKnight sang the national anthem and was absolutely wonderful! He wasn’t pitchy at all, unlike Country duo Big and Rich at Daytona.
– Actor Kevin Costner’s announcement of “Gentlemen, start your engines” thoroughly sucked. I think they should have actor/hottie Matthew McConaughey do it every week. He was the Grand Marshal of the Daytona 500 in 2005 and he kicked butt in delivering those most famous words in motor sports. It’s not that big a deal really but it’s so nice to have someone spice it up a little. McConaughey is total character and if you’ve seen his work in the movie “Dazed and Confused” you know what I mean.
– Even though it was completely disheartening to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. leave the race early due to engine problems, it was very funny to watch him take a bow after managing to keep his car from hitting the wall. See Teresa, he can do both — be a race car driver AND a personality!
– On the other hand it wasn’t funny at all to watch David Reutimann after his car crashed into the wall late in the race. It was obvious that he was hurt watching him slumped in his seat and then slow to finally pull his window net down. Apparently the g-force impact from the crash was among the hardest ever recorded. Now there’s one record book I wouldn’t want to be a part of. But most importantly Reutimann was able to walk away from it all and is doing ok now.
– After Jeff Gordon finished 2nd on Sunday he headed over to the Vanity Fair Oscar party at Morton’s in West Hollywood with his pregnant wife (and NON-Supermodel) Ingrid Vandebosch.
Jeff Gordon and his wife Ingrid Vandebosch arrive at the annual Vanity Fair Oscar party at Morton’s in West Hollywood, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
Brian McKnight sings the national anthem prior to the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. (Photo Credit: Donal Miralle/Getty Images)
Aren’t his eyes gorgeous? And they perfectly match his sponsor’s colors
J.J. Yeley is ready to practice his No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet at California Speedway on Saturday. (Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)
David Reutimann (00) slides to a stop after a crash in turn 4 at the California Speedway in Fontana, Calif. , Sunday,Feb. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/Dave Waters)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. bows to the crowd after spinning out and missing the wall in Turn 4 at the California Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/Dave Waters)
A skull design decorates the back of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s helmet in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Auto Club 500 in Fontana, Calif., Friday, Feb. 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark Avery)
No, not that Washington. Washington state.
Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and Greg Biffle were in Olympia, Washington today trying to get the state’s lawmakers on the bandwagon to bring a $368 million racetrack to the area.
Washington must do this! If only for me — and I know everybody makes decisions just to make me happy — they should do this. NASCAR has been doing so much in this past decade to expand the sport beyond its southern roots, a track in the Northwest is the natural next step. Actually, a second race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma would be great too, but I’ll take what I can get.
Apparently the politicos in Washington state weren’t so excited by the idea, even with NASCAR royalty like Petty showing up on their doorstep. This is incredibly crazy! That’s like Michael Jordan going to Vermont and saying “Hey I think you should invest in a pro basketball team up here” and Vermont saying “eeh, no.”
They’ve got the money to do it and there are a million NASCAR fans like myself who would easily travel there to see the race every year. It’s the perfect excuse to finally check out Seattle, the Space Needle alone just isn’t enough for me.
Former NASCAR stars Richard Petty, center, has a laugh with Sen. Karen Keiser D-Kent, right, and Mark Blondin, machinist union president, right, after arriving at a hotel in Olympia, Wash. Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007, to attend a Washington Labor Council reception. To the right of Petty is former driver Darrell Waltrip and current driver Greg Biffle - a Vancouver, Wash., native The three are to meet with Washington State lawmakers Thursday morning in support of a $368 million racetrack proposal that has, so far, left many state lawmakers unimpressed. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Stock car racing fan Mathew Moriarty shows off the Richard Petty autograph he received on his arm Wednesday evening, Feb. 21, 2007, at the Waterstreet Cafe in downtown Olympia, Wash. Moriarty says he hopes to get the autograph permanently inked on his arm. (AP Photo/The Olympian, Toni L. Bailey)
Apparently Kevin Harvick hasn’t seen the animated movie “Cars,” because if he had he would have let Mark Martin win!
I know, I know, Kevin Harvick won the Daytona 500 fair and square, but still. Mark Martin has done everything but win the 500 and a Cup Championship and this is his last year racing in the Cup series. Harvick has a million years left in his career; this was Martin’s last chance.
Honestly my heart hurts for Mark Martin, I wish he could of edged out Harvick. He was so freaking close.
My other disappointments for the day included Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Clint Bowyer who both ended up in big crashes late in the race.
Overall there aren’t many highlights of note. Kelly Clarkson’s pre-race mini concert was just OK. She sang “Since U Been Gone”, “Miss Independent” (during which they unfurled a big picture of the Statue of Liberty, can you say lame?) and some new song that I’d never heard of before.
Country duo Big and Rich sang the national anthem and Nicolas Cage gave told the drivers to start their engines. I don’t know if it was just me but his hair looked a little weird (see below). At least his movie “Ghost Rider” was tops at the box office this weekend.
“Happy” Harvick himself
Winner Kevin Harvick, left, rookie David Ragan, center, and second-place Mark Martin speak during a news conference following the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter)
Luckily Clint Bowyer walked away from this mess without any problems
Flames lick from Clint Bowyer’s car, while Carl Edwards (99) passes by on the track following a crash on the last lap of the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
No autographs for you Jeff Gordon fans!
NASCAR fans peer through the windows into the garage area as Jeff Gordon watches preparations for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007. (AP Photo/Glenn Smith)
Am I right or am I right? Scary hair for Nicolas Cage
Actor Nicolas Cage, grand marshal for the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race and who appears in the upcoming movie “Ghost Rider,” speaks during a news conference at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter)
Speaking of scary hair, here’s Kelly with extensions
Singer Kelly Clarkson entertains prior to the start of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
And here’s Kelly with just her real hair
Singer Kelly Clarkson, right, talks with driver Martin Truex Jr. at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007, the day before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
insert a clip of the annoying song “bad day” here
Car parts lie outside a garage following the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
