Oh my the 'net is buzzing with articles about how Robby Gordon is pretty much one step away from being the Antichrist. How he should have his NASCAR license revoked, how Childress should "fire his sorry butt", and what a poor driver and all around person Robby Gordon is. Gordon fans then band together to cheer on their hero, saying that everyone has a bad day now and then, Stewart "had it coming", Biffle "had it coming" and the reason that other drivers (such as Jeff Gordon), always badmouth Robby is because they're jealous. Yes, I read that one myself – Jeff Gordon is jealous of Robby Gordon's talent. Where is the rationale in that? You remember Jeff, that "other" Gordon who kinda wrapped up a trophy-shelf full of Winston* Cup Championships. Last I knew, it took talent to win just one Championship.

It's stuff like what happened at Loudon last weekend that turns your average, adoring fan into a saber-toothed tiger! Every fan thinks their driver is the best there is, and bless them for that. Without die-hard driver fans, NASCAR wouldn't be the sport it is today.

All of this aside, NASCAR will likely have its focus this coming weekend on the 31 car and you can bet that in race promos on TV they will eventually work in the film footage of Robby Gordon spinning Biffle, thus collecting Mayfield and Stewart. As much as it should not have happened, you couldn't pay anyone to choreograph publicity for the sport like that. People will be tuning into the Dover race just to see what's going to happen between 3 cars, and 3 cars alone; #31, #16, #20. Drama? Yes! I will bet the $0.10 in my overalls right now that the Dover television rating are higher than last weekends apparent decline.

You can rest assured that as Dover comes and goes, and the remaining races are run, other names will override Robby Gordon's. What happened at Loudon will be a distant memory and new villains will emerge. The entire points lineup could do a complete flip-flop with Mayfield being on top, and Jeff Gordon being 10th. All it takes is a bit of bad luck, bad timing, or that "villain" again. And villains turning into victors, and heroes.

*Yeah, I know, its now NEXTEL Cup, but my photographic memory only knows of Winston Cup Championships as there has never been a NEXTEL Cup Champion to date… in the history of the world….. ever…… yet.

Lori Munro
Lori's War-Wagon – 200mph cartoons
http://www.war-wagon.com