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Nascar and Racing

Nextel Cup Awards Banquet In Review

Posted Dec 01, 2007 3:54PM By Geoffrey Miller (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, NASCAR Awards, NASCAR Media Watch, Nextel Cup

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Just in case you missed Friday night's NASCAR Nextel Cup Awards Ceremony, or if you're looking for a refresher, here's a recap of the goings on from the Waldorf Astoria Grand Ballroom in New York City.

Jimmie Johnson is your $15 million man -- Johnson took the stage last Friday night in New York, but walked off with the most. Contributing to his $7,996,421 in 2007 race winnings was a check of $7,317,499 from the point fund for his first-place finish in the Nextel Cup standings. Together, Johnson's 2007 winnings totaled $15,313,920.

Jeff Gordon, in second, took home $10.9 million for the year.

Tony Stewart Courting Greg Zipadelli? -- Before each driver that finished in the Top-10 had their chance on stage, ESPN ran video with each having a conversation with their wife. That was the streak, at least, until Tony Stewart was introduced.

"I'm really look forward to my tenth year with everyone at Joe Gibbs racing with my crew chief Greg Zipadelli, who I guess since I'm not married, you kind of had to fill the wife role in the video for everyone tonight," said Stewart. "Sorry, babe."

Classic.


Brokaw Delivers Fitting Tribute -- NASCAR recruited long-time NBC news man Tom Brokaw to do one of the most moving parts of the evening. NASCAR lost many, many great people in 2007 including Bill France Jr., Bobby Hamilton, Benny Parsons, Billy Hagan, Ray Cooper, Shav Glick, Joe Collins, Pete Babb, Dennis James, Morris Metcalfe, Michael Klemm, and Dr. Bruce Kennedy.

None of them were more influential to the sport than Bill France Jr. Brokaw told an interesting story about France's love of Taco Bell and talked of his "sense of humility and being in touch with common taste" when it came to running NASCAR for 30+ years. Brokaw did a great job of being able to reminisce about the losses the sport has seen while at the same time keeping the mood reflective, and not overly sad.

David Spade: Not Really that Funny -- Last year, NASCAR had Jay Mohr. This year, they hired David Spade.

As the token comedic entertainment for the evening, it seemed like Spade knew he was in over his head. Or is it that Spade just isn't very good at connecting with an audience? Spade's best joke of the evening consisted of his trip around Darlington in a TV ride-along with the "one driver who wasn't good enough to race" Wally Dallenbach.

It all went downhill from there. Will Ferrell or Kevin James, anyone?

Clarkson Over-Shadowed by Conversation, Yawns -- Grammy-winner Kelly Clarkson has sold 11 million albums in her career. Apparently no one in the audience had ever bought one.

In between songs in her two-song set, you could hear the clinging of glasses and conversation and you had to feel bad for Jimmie Johnson & Co. who couldn't get up and move around due to being on-stage. NASCAR really needs to find someone that isn't B-list or that people in the audience would enjoy. Kenny Chesney, Big & Rich -- someone that has more connection and fans in the NASCAR world might be a better idea.

Overall -- The evening wasn't horrendous and I've definitely seen more boring versions of the awards show. It's a shame that drivers have to fit such a mold of the black-tie extravaganza because it doesn't hardly let any emotion show through. Doubly a shame is the fact that ESPN can't find a way to even get this program on at a reasonable hour for east coast fans on ESPN2. ESPN Classic just isn't shown in enough places for everyone to see it.

My big question though is why don't we have our Busch and Truck Series champs there, too? Aren't they important?

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