Speed Performance Awards Ballot

Here's my ballot for the SpeedTV Speed Performance Awards:

Oops: Oops indicates that a mistake or error has been made. Of the choices, only 3 of the 5 to me qualify as a mistake or error. Steven Wallace at Montreal wasn't a mistake, it was simply an example of a lack of experience racing in the rain. Earnhardt Jr. at Daytona wasn't a mistake or error either, Earnhardt Jr. spun Vickers on purpose. That leaves the McLaren fuel error, Briscoe at Motegi, and Latvala rolling down the mountain. While the fire and rolling down a mountain are certainly spectacular, I voted for Briscoe at Motegi because Briscoe's mistake there at a massive impact on his season; had he not crashed there, he would likely have been the IRL champion.

Biggest Hit: All six crashes in this category were spectacular and several of the cars where comprehensively destroyed. In the end, my vote goes to Scott Sharp in the Acura at Road Atlanta in honor of what his crew was able to do in a day: build a new car and get the team in the race that weekend!

Best Move: I'm not sure that it really qualifies as "Best Move" because there weren't very many good moves in the Indy 500 this year, but I'll vote for Castroneves at Indy. What he did at Indy after being out of the car for the first part of the season and having no off season testing/practice was truly impressive.

Best Finish: the two NASCAR finishes smack of blocking and I hate blocking so I can't vote for either of them. Ashley Force Hood's win was a milestone, but as a finish, was it really all that spectacular? That leaves Rossi/Lorenzo, Bergmeister/Magnussen, and Briscoe/Dixon. Out of those three it is really a tough choice because all three are thrillers. My vote goes to Briscoe/Dixon because they were wheel to wheel for the whole last lap, not just a turn or two (but all three are deserving of the win!).

Temper, Temper: Easy choice here: Scott Pruett. I've lost a lot of respect for Pruett over the last few seasons. Pruett blew his top over something that he would have done himself; I just love to watch the pot call the kettle black. In Pruett's world, if he lays the bumper to someone it is racing, if the bumper is laid to him it is unfair.

Biggest Upset: It was a tough choice between Justin Wilson and Coyne Racing at Watkins Glen and Jenson Button and Brawn winning the F1 World Championship. Given the fact that Button and Brawn won the F1 World Championship a season after the former Honda team were also-rans, I had to vote for them.

Best Rivalry: Peugeot flat outperformed Audi this year. Reed/Stewart and Hamlin/Keselowski were at times downright nasty. That left Dixon/Schumacher and Haga/Spies. In the end I went with Haga/Spies.

Biggest Comeback: I've got to go with Jorge Lorenzo at Laguna Seca. To get thrown off the bike like he did and be injured, then to race the next day - that guy deserves the ironman award!

Rookie of the Year: Franchitti and Stewart-Haas rookies? Really? Hardly. To boot, the choice they label as Franchitti is Brawn in F1! I still wouldn't consider Brawn as rookies because they have 2 veteran drivers and a veteran owner/team-boss. Kliegerman did a great job, but what Spies did in World Superbike was special.

Mac McCormick III

Speed Performance Awards Pt. 1

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