POLL - It's most difficult to be a fan of....

[James J.]

We've all got our favorite drivers and we have chosen them for varying reasons.  And sometimes our favorite drivers make genuine mistakes or like everyone does from time to time, they say something without first thinking.  Other times they just seem to be prone to making boneheaded moves on a routine basis making us all wonder, "what the hell were they thinking?" or "how the hell did they get a Cup ride?".   Still others possess all the talent in the world and are truly inspiring to watch on the track.  But once the helmet comes off they've got the personality of a horse's ass and/or spew quick venomous comments and quips like a ticked off rattlesnake with no shade in the heart of Texas (this can be the case regardless if they finished 1st or 43, with our without all the fenders).  And yet others, well, they seem to possess all of the above characteristics.

For whatever the reason, driver's get reputations from their actions (real or perceived) on and around the track.  Reputations that most likely are not deserved and far from accurate if we knew the driver on a personal basis and away from the track.  Reputations that sometimes overshadow all the good they do off the track.

However, thinking of active full-time NEXTEL Cup drivers, I've listed some that must just make it quite difficult to be their fan.

Which TWO drivers do you think are the most difficult to be a fan of?  You know, if you're a fan of this driver you're going to take some slack and ribbing from other fans.  If you're a fan of this driver, you might have to spend a good part of your racing discussion time defending their actions or standings.  Or, if you're a fan of this driver there are just some weeks you don't wear the t-shirt or hat.  Maybe if you're a fan of this driver you sometimes need to lie and not claim him as your favorite driver because you're just embarrassed. 
LOL

Since there can be several reasons why you might pick a driver, I've set the poll up to allow you to vote TWO times.  That way if you want to mark a driver for his on track shenanigans and another for his off track personality malfunctions you can.

[Butterbean]

Dale Jr is not listed.  Why?  He'd get my two votes.

[SMOKEN14]

I voted for Robby Gordon My 2nd choice would be Jimmy Johnson WHY isn't that jerk on the list ? 

[flamehothead]

My 2 picks are Robby Gordon and Montoya and here is the reason.

R.Gordon - Need I say more lmao.

JPM - He wants to be the Driver, Crew Chief, Car Owner, Tire Changer, and Gas Man and when he doesn't like the call the Crew Chief makes he just flat tells him off and his buddy Chip will fire the Crew Chief. JPM will continue to have problems until he learns to listen to what the Crew Chief has to say.

IMO that is the same thing that hurt Rusty Wallace towards the end of his career. He always wanted to call the shots and tell the Crew Chief what to do when thats not how it works.

As most of you know I'm a Stewart fan and I don't always agree with what Stewart says and does but I would back him up in a Heartbeat because like Sunkist said, Most of these drivers are really great people OFF the track.

I think alot of race car drivers get a bad rap because here you have a driver in race cars that cost Millions of dollars, They are racing for a championship and alot of money so when they hit the wall or someone helps them hit the wall you have a reporter sticking a microphone in your face and they are expected to remain calm long enough to do a interview, Think NOT.

[DotheDew88]

I would have to say JPM and Robby Gordon because they both act like pompous arses. Pretty boys who have probably used their looks to get them places, girls etc.. LOL  And where was Jimmy Johnson's name?

[Tyyrus]

Well I went with Harvick because he always appears to have a Chip on his Shoulder ! But I respect his Driving Abilities ! Second Choice was Pee Wee Herman with a Bad Attitude , Kyle Busch !  Again he has tons of talent as a Driver but sheeesh...what a arrogant little puke !  Then again he has had his older Brother as a Roll Model...Go Figure lol ! 

[James J.]

The driver's I listed in the poll were ones that I thought were most likely to be:
1) party to some sort of racing altercation or verbal argument with driver/media
2) have been the subject of some controversy this year, and most years
3) seem to have an extreme reaction from fans of either love 'em or hate 'em

Honestly, I didn't think Jimmie Johnson had such a reputation. He's a clean driver, doesn't seem to have problems with attitude towards other drivers, media, officials, etcetera.   And I'm sorry, it's not difficult to be an Earnhardt fan.... period.  Remember, this isn't a popularity vote, it's a poll to see which driver makes it hard to be their fan.  How can it be hard to be an Earnhardt fan?  He doesn't go around causing tons of wrecks, doesn't embarrass himself, sponsor or his team with his actions, interviews or post race discussions, etc.

I'm surprised Kyle Busch hasn't gotten more votes. 

[KurtBuschFan]

Kurt Busch got a bad rap when he was younger, and to this day it still bites him in the rear.  He's definitely cleaned himself up alot...otherwise I'd still hate his guts.  Yeah he still does stupid stuff sometimes, but for the most part he's gotten better.  And Jeff Gordon still gets crap because he came in at a time when Dale Sr. was HUGE and started beating him...alot.  That's why to this day he's hated so much.  And I've noticed more now (don't know if this was the case alot previously) but he seems to complain a bit more now.

[James J.]

I thing Gordon has actually gotten better.  Wasn't there a race once where he was crying on the radio to his crew chief about how bad his car was.  Maybe it was at Indy, and he was still running top 10.  ?  This was a long time ago, but my own personal perception is that he's gotten better.

[Chris]

I had to go with Harvick... his PR persona and what he shows the fans is totally different from what he shows and acts like in private.  I first thouight (like most) he was OK, and kinda a fan.  But when we raced the CTS and he ran some races he was a TOTAL ass (how big and bold can I make that).  He'd come into the pits, wide open and send fans scattering,.. get out cussing his crew members, acting like he was some kinda little God.
I was glad to be at the Martinsville CTS race when he showed his ass, and then tries to show up the NASCAR officials and they parked his for the CUP event.  He pulled his same stunts during practice and qualifying.  As you know there is only one garage area at Martinsville, and we all pitted on pit road.  Several times he also hit fans who were in a marked 'safe' area... but he drove into the area gunning his motor and helling for folks to move the 'f**k out of the way'.

Needless to say I'll never be a Harvick fan no matter what he does.  If he lost his CUP ride, and never got another one it would suit me just fine.

As far as my second vote.  It was a no-brainer also.  Who else but loud mouth, hot head Tony Stewart.  He even showed himself again yesterday.  On the tight pit road at Dover he got bloccked in a little by Menard, and Mendar ended up getting out in front of him and he was hitting him in the rear end, coming out of the pits, and pulled up next to him all upset as they got on the track.  All is right with the world as long as "King Tony" gets his way and no one questions him.  But if any little iota goes against him (in his mind) what would be considered fair racing for everyone else - he gets all hot under the collar, and thinks he's been wronged and thinks he owes someone a 'payback'
Such a whiner

[Tonyfan14]

Well I haver never ever been ashamed to wear my Tony shirts or say that I am a fan of his but going to races back in 02-04 was tough. I still remember the first race I ever went to was when I was 12 years old and some guy starting cussing me out because of something that Tony did. It isen't that bad anymore case in point yesterday. He got mad at Paul and hit him and the crowd cheered him the next time by. 4 years ago and he would have been booed so it isen't really that hard to be a Tony fan nowadays. But if something does come out I have no problem defending him till the very end.  And Chris, Paul didn't just block Tony on one stop he did it every stop they made. And this was AFTER he said that he would work with them. I would be mad too if I was Smoke.  My other vote went to Jeff Gordon just because at the race yesterday his fans took a beating from other fans.

[Chris]

And Chris, Paul didn't just block Tony on one stop he did it every stop they made. And this was AFTER he said that he would work with them. I would be mad too if I was Smoke.

Well I kinda tried to watch for that... IMO if Menard blocked Smoke in ... it was pretty much out of his Menards hands...
I mean I kinda look at it this way.  Granted Tony was faster than him on the track,.. so he would be running in front of him on the track... both were a lap down so they would always pit together.
Tony would get to his pit stall first,.. and with the tiny pit stalls at Dover... Paul didn't have much choice but to nose his car in, and make sure his rear got in so he was making a 'legal' pit stop.  Whats he supposed to go,... go around a pit the next lap so he don't block Tony in and then come out LAST at the end of the line.  Tony's partly to blame for having to pick a bad pit stall because of qualifying so poorly.  If he would of had a better qualifying lap,.. he could of picked a better pit stall....

As far as one fan picking on another because of who you root for.... thats just out of line.  Some good natured kidding may be OK... but to be abusive or anything of the such... thats wrong.

[Tonyfan14]

From what I got from Tony's scanner Paul was stoping shot in his pit box when he didn't have to. Now my seats were in turn 3 so I couldn't see the pits but that was what Tony and Zippy were complaing about every stop and it is very unlike Zippy to complain about anyone during the race. You are right though that Tony was to blame for starting so bad. He just never really qualifys well. Course if his car was better during the first 200 laps he would have been able to stay on the lead lap and the whole thing never would have happen but in his words his car was "plowing like a dump truck" for the first 200 laps. I'm just glad that he didn't get all worked up about Paul and make it ruin his day.

[Chris]

I'm just glad that he didn't get all worked up about Paul and make it ruin his day.

yeah... that way what surprised me... the first time it happened... Tony was beating on Paul pretty good coming down pit road... theen pulled up beside him once on the track...
It Paul had though fast (as tough as those front splitters are)... when Tony pulles up he could have just used the RF of that splitter to cut his left side tire and sent him a message right back.
Would of been Tony's fault for driving up beside him,.. and if Paul made it look 'innocent' could have blamed it on Tony himself.

[Tonyfan14]

See I missed all of that. I saw the pull alongside bump on the big tv but not the pit road bumping.