2 weeks in...

Yeah I know it's early but some things I see from 2 weeks of the go carts with sheet metal tour.

Hendrick, Roush, RCR and Gibbs are going to dominate the sport this year. The gap between them and the other multi car teams is widening.

Elliott Sadler and his spotter said they were going to shock people this year. I'm not shocked so far.

The Dale Jarrett embarassment tour is in full swing. I sure hope the 401k boost was worth it. Yesterday was pathetic. DJ will be spoken in the same sentence as DW and the King about how they left this sport. The old guys need to learn from Rusty. Go out while you still can compete at a high level. And make a solid decision and stand by it *cough* Mark Martin *cough*. I am dying to see Mark actually skip a race in another month when he may be leading the points. Ginn racing event hinted he could change his mind.

DEI hey how about doing some R&D on that unleaded fuel. Hendrick spent 3 months working on it, and Doug Yates said they spent over a million on it. You have 4 blown engines between the Vegas test and California race. Just another reason I think Jr leaves.

Jamie McMurray I know they 2 wrecks are not your fault but the seat is getting hotter. Maybe if you had qualified better, yesterday doesn't happen that way.

First 2 drivers to be fired: Jeremy Mayfield and AJ Allmendinger. Hey at least AJ didn't wreck the car this week. He's making progress! Mayfield and his owner are already publicly sparring about the quality of his equipment. Hmmm I've seen how this movie ends. And Jeremy's sponsor, 360 OTC, last year at the announcement they said they would be advertising heavily come Daytona. Yeah. Seen an ad for 360 OTC yet? Me neither.

Fox. Dump the Fox 3D. I already saw it on camera I don't need a cheap ass computer model to replay it. Show me the real replay. And any system that shows cars running on the apron in the turns in Daytona at full speed is not worth a dime.

Memo to Ricky Rudd fans. Welcome to RYR hell. The problem at RYR was not the drivers, although I admit they didn't always help. RYR has serious issues from top to bottom. Putting Ricky in the car is not going to magically cure all. This is nowhere near the same RYR Ricky signed with at the end of 1999. An organization that had just won the Cup title. Oh and don't even start in on Butch Hylton already cause bringing in Fatback will not significantly help this team or the 38 either.

Remember everyone wanted to string David Ragan up by his ass after Martinsville last year? Hmm don't hear them now do you. So far very solid just staying out of trouble and keeping the car in one piece. Reminds me of the reigning Rookie of the Year.

Toyota has it's mouthpieces in place

So we finally got down to the start of Speedweek this weekend.

Daytona 500 qualifying and the Bud Shootout.

But what was missing from Fox/Speed's coverage?

Objectivity in the reporting and commentary on Toyota.

Let's review.

Darrell Waltrip owns a Toyota truck team. Larry Mac used to own 2 Toyota truck teams and Jeff Hammond owns a Toyota truck team.

Shocker they had nothing but good things to say about Toyota! Well in between all the commercial spots that Toyota ran thanking us for letting them in our sport. Did you get a vote in this decision? Neither did I. So quit thanking me!

DW you don't have to jump at the TV everytime little bro and his teams are talked about. DW went out of his eay yesterday "I don't ever remember another owner starting up with 3 teams like Michael has". You are right DW I can't either but then again what is the quality of those teams right now?

The 44 was a complete dog Saturday night and wasn't any better in qualifying. The 55 has been confiscated by Nascar due to a liquid found in the intake manifold. Nascar is reviewing that with a fine tooth comb. The only team that looked worth a darn was the 00 with a rookie driver.

When ESPN takes over we'll have a Dodge owner (Rusty Wallace) in the booth.

I contend that it is not possible to be a totally unbiased commentator and have a share in the owner pool too. You simply cannot serve two masters. Everytime I hear DW, Larry Mac and Hammond talk about Toyota I tend to take it with a grain of salt. A LARGE ONE.

And congrats to David Gillian on the pole for the 500. You know David Gillian. Don't know who that is? Go ask Jimmy Spencer he will explain it.

Irvin ahead of Monk...the hall has no shame

Yet again another Football Hall of Fame cycle has come and gone without the election of Art Monk into the Hall of Fame. This year Michael Irvin was voted in on his 2nd try. But how does Irvin get in ahead of Monk?

Monk played 16 seasons, Irvin 10.

Career catches: Monk 940, Irvin 750.

Monk also leads Irvin in receiving yards and Touchdowns. Both were on 3 Super Bowl winning teams.

And when was the last time you heard about Monk being in trouble or arrested?

Monk broke the career receiving record at the end of his run with the Redskins, and then left for two unproductive years with the Jets and Eagles. When he retired he was 2nd in career receptions. He has more receptions then any other player currently in the Hall of Fame.

Lynn Swann and Mike Stallworth from the 70s Steelers are both in the Hall. Their COMBINED catches do not equal Monk's.

The longer the Hall goes without Monk being in it, the more the Hall shows it is not about numbers. Irvin got in because he was a character. Well good and bad. Irvin was a showman on the field, and a troublemaker off of it.

It would be a nice tribute for Monk to go in next year with teamate Darrell Green. But I won't hold my breath on that one.