Winners and losers, on and off the track

Jimmie Johnson, front, crosses the finish line in front of Tony Stewart, center, and Kurt Busch, back, to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Food City 500 auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, March 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
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A poll at MRN’s Web site asked if another Jimmie Johnson win diminished your interest in NASCAR. Of the respondents, 64 percent said yes.

Well, yes, yes it does. Although I thought (hoped and prayed) Smoke would keep the lead Sunday, he gave pretty-boy an opening. He took it and the win.

Tony was pretty gracious in post race interviews. But Kurt Busch, well, he probably said it best. There are drivers out there who probably feel the same way, but just haven’t spoken it out.

“There are 41 drivers out there I’d rather lose to than Jimmie Johnson.”

There you have it folks. Even drivers are tired of Jimmie’s winning ways.

And as an aside, what’s up with the beard? Has Rick Hendrick gone soft on good grooming? We expect a scruffy Dale Jr. What’s next, Jeff Gordon with a beard? Remember when he had a fuzzy lip? Looked a bit forced and didn’t last a long time. Like JJ’s beard, it just didn’t look right.

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Can we go back to the Cousin Carl fracas? Is he on ‘roids or something? Temper, temper Carl. Anger doesn’t become you. Now he whines the other drivers are like little schoolgirls, talking and whispering behind his back.

DUH! Everyone talks about the schoolyard bully behind his back. Yes, I said bully. That’s what he seems to have turned in to for the last couple years. He started out as a nice guy with his mommy at all his races. This is what he's become.


Remember this? Kevin Harvick (left) and Carl Edwards scuffle in the garage area at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2008. Photo by Nascar Illustrated.

Man up. Take responsibilities for your actions. Certainly every time you’ve bumped a car it wasn’t someone else’s fault. Every time you’ve yelled at, pushed, shoved, pulled a punch or tried to strangle another competitor, can’t be someone else’s fault. Oh, it’s NEVER you, it’s always. . .insert a name here. Any name. Heck, MY name.

You know, even Tony Stewart took responsibility for his misdeeds and run-ins in the past, and went for anger management.

If Jack Roush hasn’t considered sending you for help with anger issues, maybe he should. Or, maybe you and the family should talk it over and consider it without a recommendation from the boss or your sponsors. Just like Home Depot, eventually they’ll tire of this sort of attention.

I know I’m tired of watching you bully everyone. Seriously, grow up.