MOTOR SPORTS: 2001, a race odyssey.. or..The Spinny's

The SpinToWin Opinion - Off Week

Hey Racefans! First off, I hope you all had an outstanding Easter. Myself, I had to work. Not once, but twice on Easter Sunday. Low man on the totem pole, I guess. Anyway, I'm going to take advantage of the week off and bring you the first in a four-part series called "2001: A Race Odyssey." Each part will be a quarterly award column, where I will bestow upon our favorite drivers the lowest form of award possible; "The Spinny's." Each "Spinny" will be awarded to a driver of racing personality who best fits the categories, which I myself, have created just for this purpose. The winner of each Spinny will go on to the end of the year Spinny banquet and face off against other Spinny winners in their same category. May the best person win!

The Spinny for Best Victory Of The First Quarter goes to: Three way tie to Michael Waltrip, Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler. There's nothing like seeing a first time winner, and I can only imagine what these guys felt when they saw the checkers fall on their own car first.

The Spinny for Worst Loss Of The First Quarter goes to: The entire racing community for the loss of Dale Earnhardt. The drivers, the fans, the officials. Everyone knows what Earnhardt meant to this sport. You either loved him, hated him, or you were somewhere in between, but everyone respected The Man In Black.

The Spinny for Most Bumblin, Rumblin and Stumblin Of The First Quarter goes to: Another tie, this time, between Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Bobby Labonte. All are having VERY sub-par seasons so far, and if they don't get them turned around quickly, this season will be over for them, really before it even started.

The Spinny for the "I Can't Believe He Hasn't Won Yet" Of The First Quarter goes to: Johnny Benson. Yeah, I know, I pick him to win every week, but you know….you just know….you feel how close it is.

The Spinny for "It's Better Than We Thought It Would Be." Of The First Quarter goes to: FOX's coverage of NASCAR Racing. The guys at FOX must have been paying attention, because, while we thought it would be commercial filled and poorly covered, it really hasn't been too disappointing. There have been a few "oopses," but nothing too horrible.

The Spinny for Top Feud Of The First Quarter goes to: No, not Jeff and Tony, but the Press, the Courts, and NASCAR. The war to keep photos of Dale Earnhardt's autopsy private has been a fairly ugly one.

The Spinny for Surprise Contender Of The First Quarter goes to: Sterling Marlin. Marlin had a race or two last season where he would shine, but this season he is there every week.

The Spinny for Off-Season Move Which Had The Biggest Impact On NASCAR In The First Quarter goes to: Goodyear's new tires. One word: Outstanding! The racing is better, and the tires last longer, making for a less expensive sport. Believe it or not, that may eventually trickle down to the average racefan.

The Spinny for "Right Church, Wrong Pew" Of The First Quarter goes to: Dale Jarrett. His early quarter voicing of an uneven playing field looks a bit silly now, doesn't it? Yet, next week, at Talladega, don't expect Jarrett to make it three in a row. The plate tracks should belong to the Chevy's until a change is made.

The Spinny for Smiling In The Face Of Absurdity Of The First Quarter goes to: Kyle Petty. For as much as a fixture as Kyle Petty is on the NASCAR Circuit, he is constantly being sent home by guys who qualify with slower speeds than his own.

The Spinny for Most Popular Driver Of The First Quarter goes to: Without a doubt, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

The Spinny for Least Popular Driver Of The First Quarter goes to: Robby Gordon. Hey Robby, don't come back, crybaby!

The Spinny for Comeback Of The First Quarter goes to: Kevin LePage. LePage is only 43rd in points, yet the promise he has shown in the three races run since stepping into the #4 car, as well as being ahead of two drivers who have almost double his starts earn LePage this award.

The Spinny for Lowpoint Of The Quarter goes to: The passing of Dale Earnhardt.

The Spinny for Highpoint Of The Quarter goes to: Kevin Harvick winning in only his third start.

And finally….

The Spinny for Driver Of The First Quarter goes to: Dale Jarrett. Sorry, I know other drivers are having career years so far, but Jarrett's three wins and 123 point lead are trump on the field, and when the end of the year comes around, we'll see if I was correct in this early call.

Well, Gang, I hope you found this entertaining, because I certainly enjoyed doing it. The next quarter runs up until the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, so, until that point, The Race Odyssey Continues….

Until next time, my friends…

-- Feedback can be sent to Jim@SportsFanatics.net