I was looking at the Speed Performance Awards website today and was contemplating their choices for the Oops Award, Best Move, and Biggest Hit. So far I've not made up my mind on the Best Move award.
Oops Award
This is a no-brainer for me. Lewis Hamilton crashing into the back of Kimi Raikonnen at the Canadian GP this year has to be the biggest Oops of the year. Hamilton crashed into the back of a stopped car on the pit lane; how do you beat that?
Biggest Hit
This one in my mind is a tie between Stephane Ortelli in the LMS at Monza and Michael McDowell in NASCAR at Texas. Both are spectacular in nature and the fact that both drivers survived (although Ortelli definitely got the short end of the stick) is amazing. If forced to pick between the two, I would have to pick Ortelli at Monza simply because of the way his car flew just over McNish's Audi.
Mac McCormick
kf4lmt@comcast.net
19 November 2008
13 November 2008
Over the next few weeks, month, or however long it takes me to do it, I'll try to do a stream of conciousness review of the 2008 racing season from my perspective. I'll more or less blog it as it comes to me, so don't expect regular postings on it...
Performance of the Year
Without a doubt, the Performance of the Year was Alan McNish in the Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta. It was the best drive I've seen this year and perhaps the best drive I've ever seen. McNish spotted the field 2 laps at the start and willed his car not only to the lead lap but to the lead of the race in the last 2 hours of the race. Looking on, you could tell he was not to be denied. Christian Klien, in a faster car, simply had nothing for McNish at the end.
Most Improved Driver
This season's Most Improved Driver would have to be Felipe Massa. Sure he had a slow start to the season and his drive at the British GP at Silverstone had to be embarassing but on the whole, his season showed massive improvement over previous ones. He clearly outperformed his teammate, World Champion Kimi Raikonnen and came within a single point of the World Championship this season. If you were to have told me this time last year that Massa would have been a title contender right to the end, much less the way it actually turned out I would have called you mad. Massa exhibited not only improved skills this year but a higher confidence level. That higher confidence is what I think bumped him up a notch.
Mac McCormick
kf4lmt@comcast.net
Performance of the Year
Without a doubt, the Performance of the Year was Alan McNish in the Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta. It was the best drive I've seen this year and perhaps the best drive I've ever seen. McNish spotted the field 2 laps at the start and willed his car not only to the lead lap but to the lead of the race in the last 2 hours of the race. Looking on, you could tell he was not to be denied. Christian Klien, in a faster car, simply had nothing for McNish at the end.
Most Improved Driver
This season's Most Improved Driver would have to be Felipe Massa. Sure he had a slow start to the season and his drive at the British GP at Silverstone had to be embarassing but on the whole, his season showed massive improvement over previous ones. He clearly outperformed his teammate, World Champion Kimi Raikonnen and came within a single point of the World Championship this season. If you were to have told me this time last year that Massa would have been a title contender right to the end, much less the way it actually turned out I would have called you mad. Massa exhibited not only improved skills this year but a higher confidence level. That higher confidence is what I think bumped him up a notch.
Mac McCormick
kf4lmt@comcast.net
11 November 2008
Veterans Day 2008
On Veterans' Day I usually find myself working. This year, I had the holiday off and spent it observing Veterans' Day with my family; my father is a 20 year Navy veteran. With my parents, I travelled to the Veterans' Day Ceremony at the Veterans Park of Effingham in Springfield, GA. After the ceremony, I took them to lunch. After lunch, we came home and my father I spent time together searching for Veteran's Day special event stations on amateur radio. All in all, it was a day well spent in remembrance of those who have served our country.
Below, my Uncle Laverne and my father, Mac Jr. both of whom are retired US Navy Chief Petty Officers. Uncle Laverne was interviewed by WTOC after the ceremony.
Below, A Vietnam Veteran and an Iraqi War veteran talk about coming home from their tours.
Family and friends look at the names of the Veterans from Effingham County listed on the monument's wall. Effingham County Veterans from the Revolutionary War to present day are listed.
Mac McCormick
kf4lmt@comcast.net
Below, my Uncle Laverne and my father, Mac Jr. both of whom are retired US Navy Chief Petty Officers. Uncle Laverne was interviewed by WTOC after the ceremony.
Below, A Vietnam Veteran and an Iraqi War veteran talk about coming home from their tours.
Family and friends look at the names of the Veterans from Effingham County listed on the monument's wall. Effingham County Veterans from the Revolutionary War to present day are listed.
Mac McCormick
kf4lmt@comcast.net
04 November 2008
Lewis Hamilton - F1 World Champion
Congratulations to Lewis Hamilton, the new Formula 1 World Champion. He is both the youngest every F1 World Champion, he is the first black F1 World Champion. Congratulations must also go to Felipe Massa on how he handled his championship shortcoming. Crestfallen as he obviously was to come so close, he was gracious in defeat. How he conducted himself during the podium ceremony and post race interview was an object lesson in sportsmanship.
I was glad to see Hamilton win the championship given that it seemed late in the season that the FIA was doing almost everything in it's power to see that he didn't. Some of the penalties issued to Hamilton and not issued to Ferrari drivers were close to being blatantly biased.
That said, it was also sad to see Massa not win the championship. In my opinion, he is the most improved of any driver in any major series this year. If anyone had suggested that Massa would have been one point from World Champion at this time last year, he would likely have been laughed at. Despite his horrible performance at Silverstone, Massa has improved drastically in both pure performance and racecraft since last season. Against the predictions of most, he outperformed Kimi Raikonnen in most races and was heads and tails above Raikonnen in the overall championship.
Mac McCormick
kf4lmt@comcast.net
I was glad to see Hamilton win the championship given that it seemed late in the season that the FIA was doing almost everything in it's power to see that he didn't. Some of the penalties issued to Hamilton and not issued to Ferrari drivers were close to being blatantly biased.
That said, it was also sad to see Massa not win the championship. In my opinion, he is the most improved of any driver in any major series this year. If anyone had suggested that Massa would have been one point from World Champion at this time last year, he would likely have been laughed at. Despite his horrible performance at Silverstone, Massa has improved drastically in both pure performance and racecraft since last season. Against the predictions of most, he outperformed Kimi Raikonnen in most races and was heads and tails above Raikonnen in the overall championship.
Mac McCormick
kf4lmt@comcast.net
Voting
I woke up early to go vote this morning, with the plan to be there just before the doors opened. When I got there around 6:45 AM, the line was already forming. In the almost 20 years now that I've been voting at the Southside Baptist Church, I've never seen a line and never had to wait! It was wonderful to see such a turnout for an election. I hope this indicates an extremely high turnout overall for the 2008 election.
It only took about an hour to vote, from the time I stepped into line until I walked out the door afterward. Once inside, the process went very smooth. There were plenty of poll workers to handle things and the only wait once you got inside was for an open machine.
Mac McCormick III
kf4lmt@comcast.net
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