2007 NASCAR Season: My Top 35 Memories -- Nascar and Racing FanHouse

The 2007 NASCAR seasons is in the book and oh ... the memories and monotony. I will remember it most as the year Dale Earnhardt Jr. left the company his father started, Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus dominated and the season droned on in the car of tomorrow.

Here are the Top 35 things I will remember most about the 2007 NASCAR Season, in (mostly) chronological order:

1. AOL Sports welcomed NASCAR into the Fanhouse

2. Mark Martin didn't win the Daytona 500

3. Michael Waltrip Racing's Intake Gate

4. Washington State dissed NASCAR fans

5. Juan Pablo Montoya won in Mexico

6. Car of Tomorrow debuted at Bristol

7. Team Red Bull mechanic Jimmy Sprinkle murdered

8. The Virginia Tech Tragedy

9. Kevin James' Engine Command

10. NASCAR sued AT&T

11. Michael Waltrip fell asleep at the wheel

12. Tony Stewart's beef with NASCAR

13, Kasey Kahne called David Stremme fat

14. Announcement of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s departure from DEI

15. #8 Budweiser team assessed first COT penalty

16. Busch brothers took each other out in the All-Star race

17. Kurt Busch endangered a crew member without stiff penalty

18. Miss Ella Sofia Gordon arrived on the scene

19. NASCAR on ESPN on ABC debuted and sucked

20. Aaron Fike's Arrest

21. Ray Evernham and Erin Crocker came out

22. Robby Gordon got parked for a Nextel cup event for his actions in a Busch race

23. The Blaniac Challenge (VJGC is going to collect $45 from TGOM)

24. Labor Day at California Speedway was HOT

25. Mears yielded a position to Busch (honorable mention: Mears gets first career win)

26. It rained in Kansas

27. The government dissed NASCAR fans

28. Tony Stewart's beef with ESPN

29. Tony Stewart's beef with Paul Menard

30. Carl Edwards beef with Matt Kenseth

31. Paris Hilton discovered NASCAR drivers

32. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s struggles

33. Jimmie Johnson's dominance

34. We lost Bill France Jr., Benny Parsons and Bobby Hamilton

35. 'Twas the season of breakups and the Biffle wedding

Thanks for the NASCAR memories, 2007. Don't go anywhere, readers. The Fanhouse will be blogging throughout the off-season and will be back with more commentary on many of the aforementioned items. Tomorrow we begin the 92-day countdown to the 2008 Daytona 500.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-19-2007 @ 12:25AM

Savannah said...

wow I had already forgotten a few....
guess the ones that stick in my memory is the whole Junior thing and Benny Parsons.

Uh and I thought about that the othe day....what ever became of the Fyke guy...is he still messed up on drugs or what happened to him?

11-19-2007 @ 10:09AM

Don said...

3pack: ABC/ESPN,CHASE & COT made 2007 a total waste !
Nascar is in a major downward spiral IMHO.

CJ said...

Aaron Fike made a plea deal and is in drug rehab.

11-19-2007 @ 10:10AM

Mike said...

Congrats to Jimmie Johnson for an incredible run in the chase. Also, I would like to congratulate Bill France for creating "Champions" that otherwise would not have been and being the new Robin Hood. Although Jimmie would certainly not qualify as "poor" or a "Poor driver" ( he is the next great driver in my opinion and his record will prove that) that will be my new name for Mr France. He must be a Democrat.
I think TGOM missed a golden opportunity write about and list "Engine Gate" at DEI for her list. Certainly there was much more said about that problem than many of the items in the list given.
I am now retiring for the off season and do not know if I will return next season or not. I am sure that will make many of you happy but the ones it does are most likely the ones that just never got it. For me, while yes, this has been an outlet for me to express my opinions on many things I do and do not like about Nascar. It has also been a way to have some form of intelligent conversation and debate among the bloggers on the variety of topics Geoff and TGOM had to offer. In real time we would not have the time to think before we actually speak. Here, in Internet world, you actually get to think it, edit it, before you post it. I congratulate Ron on figuring out what I was doing very early in the game.
There are way too many of you that I have enjoyed a healthy discussion with to thank here and some that have not been posting in a while but I cannot go without selecting a couple out.
Kimbo; I am quite sure it will all work out for you this Christmas. As you know, I am actively looking for a newer motorcycle and Ohio seems to have lots of them for sale. It is not out of the realm of possibility that I will find my Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad cruiser in Ohio. As my stepdaughter and Daniel now live there and took our only grandchild with them, coming there to pick up a bike could serve a dual purpose for me, well three or four if you count the fact I could actually meet you and Ron.
Ron; If I come to Ohio you can damn sure bet I will be looking you up dude. I am going to take you up on that offer for a ride in your rocket mobile. 165MPH in 8.1 seconds. Yeah baby!!!!!!! I would not miss that for the world. Even though I almost NEVER drink any longer I will have to buy you a beer.
Tanner, CJ, Cynthia, Susan, Brad, oh my God dude, you are out there on your own little planet too. I swear some of what you said was like reading my own writing. Oops, ADD kicked in. Anna, TGOM and Geoff of course, Octane, RC, DA24JG, Kevin, and Don E. I know I am leaving off some very special people here and I am sorry for that but my memory sucks sometimes. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I want to wish everyone a happy Holiday season and please remember, it is Christmas on December 25. it is not some generic "let's not offend anyone bull crap gift giving date" on the calendar. It is the date we have picked as the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. If you don't want to participate in that then don't but don't expect me to say "Happy Holidays" after Thanksgiving. I say it now to include the three holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. But after this Thursday it is Merry Christmas. Please give at least one small gift to Toys for Tots if you can.

Michael Bishop LeVan
Coldwell Banker, Forehand & Co., REALTORS
mikesells4u@aol.com
434-847-7731 ext 113
434-942-8393 cell
434-847-7745 fax
"It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn
the flag."

Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

11-19-2007 @ 12:32PM

drgrcr601 said...

Mike I hate like hell to see you go. Our discussions have been stimulating to say the least. I envy your writing skills for sure. I certainly hope you return next year because I like your way of irritating me and for a selfish reason. If Jr has a good year I would like to rub your nose in it and I am prepared for quid pro quo if he doesn't.

As far as the ride goes I think I must have failed to explain that I cannot fulfill that promise. NHRA/IHRA has strict rules about that (no passengers)for obvious reasons. For you to drive my car you are required to have a competition license. BUT I have a friend who has a car that you could drive yourself. No license is required and the car runs 135 in the low 10's on a good day and it's a good ride. I'm sure he would have no problem putting you in that car and letting you experience it for yourself. Caution!! It's addictive. You will still be required to buy that beer. :-)

Have a great rest of the year Mike and I wish you and yours the best through the Holiday Season and of course a very Merry Christmas. You have my e-mail address.

Ron

11-25-2007 @ 7:52PM

racing fanatic said...

Kasey Kahne calling David Stremme fat. I am not sure why but It made me laugh again!!

Brad said...

Michael,

Man.....Are you a mind reader or what? Your welcome on my planet anytime. I am blessed to be living in a country that allows me all of the aforementioned freedoms, and I am so thankful to the past and present soldiers that have allowed me those freedoms. Although I believe next year will be terrible racing with the COT and all I really hope you come back. This site would not be the same with out your humor and knowledge of the sport and life in general. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for saying Merry Christmas. Living out here in Ca. can be a pain in the *&$ on that subject as to many people give you wierd looks when you say it. Good luck in finding your bike and you and yours have a nice Thanksgiving and Christmas. The same to all the people you mentioned also, even the morons not listed 'You know who you are'. (that does not mean everyone not mentioned is a moron)

Kim, my offer will be there if ya need it, asking for help is solving a problem and, well, we ALL need help in some way and it would be my pleasure to contribute to your familys Christmas.

Mike, again I hope to see ya back but if not be extremly careful on your motorcycle and have a wonderful life.

Aloha, Brad
Brad Parks
Bparksauto@aol.com
kindatuchy@aol.com
209-639-2010 cell

P.S. Hey Mike I'm not sure if it was you or someone else but I remember reading in a past blog that someone mentioned something about 25 fans in Ca. I just wanted to correct them, there are at least 30 of us. LOL

11-19-2007 @ 1:24PM

It's also time for me to bid my farewells for the season. I can't tell you all how much fun it has been for me to have these memorable discussions and had the opportunity to express myself no matter how moronic I appeared at times.

Mike, Kimi, Brad, Don, Anna, Cynthia, Susan, TGOM, Geoff, US Troops and all those I have unintentionally omitted, I wish you all the very best. Have a great Thanksgiving, we have a lot to be greatful for, a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. Hope to hear from you in Feb.

Ron

11-19-2007 @ 4:29PM

lisa said...

this season was kind of a bumpy season some things were good and sone things were bad but i enjoyed this season even if i only watched it on television. i hope to enjoy next years.

11-20-2007 @ 11:47AM

hope next year is better.

11-19-2007 @ 3:08PM

why drivers changing teams

11-19-2007 @ 3:10PM

does anybody what channel the cup awards will be on

11-19-2007 @ 11:39PM

Don Emerson said...

Hey gang, been a great season getting to know all of you.I had fun pushing buttons and reading the responses. Hope all of you have the best of holiday seasons, and may the coming year bring you and yours much happiness and good health.

11-21-2007 @ 3:09PM

joe austin said...

I would like to cast a vote for a catagory that does not exist yet- Watkins Glen for the nnc race of the year. That race had it all- fights, wrecks, passes through the grass (or attempts of them) hard charging, white knuckle driving, fans on track during the red flag, - you name it. What do you guys think for Race of the Year?

11-21-2007 @ 3:12PM

Lisa, I think SPEED usually covers the awards.