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Friday, November 08, 2013

Lance Dewease is the new driver of the Dietz 14, but is that a good fit for Lance?

So it was announced yesterday that Lance Dewease was hired as the new driver of the C.C. Dietz #14 sprint car. Now I tweeted the news yesterday after local sports reporter Jeremy Elliot reported it, and made the comment that I wished Lance all the luck in the world in his new ride HE was going to need it. Now I have taken some flac for this because I'm not being positive or I am "Putting down one of the Nicest teams around". Hell I was told I have no respect for anyone. Really? My answer back was I was just sharing my honest opinion on this subject. Now let me explain a little bit more for people like Mr. Baker who claim I have no respect for anyone.

Did I make this comment to show disrespect towards one of the nicest guys in the pit area? NO!!! Did I make this statement towards the 14 to show disrespect? I guess you can look at it that way.

 Let me ask you all a little question. How can 3 drivers get in that car and look so God awful in it? Kevin Nouse has been the only driver that made that car go fast, and that's a testament to how good the 2013 Williams Grove 358 Track Champion is as a driver. Are you telling me with a straight face that Brian Leppo looked good in that car? If you are I must have been drunk because I sure as hell didn't see it. Maybe Brian just forgot how to driver after getting out of the Keen 17 car after Mr. Keen passed away last year. But here is something to think about....Brian looked good in winning a race at Lincoln in the 17 car, jumped into the 14 car and could not get out of his own way while going backwards every week  (Of coarse that's only when it finished a race and not being hauled off the track on a wrecker), only to jump into the 51 at the Williams Grove National Open last year and almost win the darn thing.   Now lets look at this years driver Gerard McIntyre Jr. While not in the same league as Mr. Nouse or Mr. Leppo as far as career accomplishments go, G-Mac is a 3 time winner in the 410 division. That kid (and yes he is still just a kid) finished the 2012 season running top 3 in the last 3 races at Lincoln Speedway, only to once again like Brian not be able to get out of his own way while going backwards every week.

Now is that the teams fault? Maybe!!! Reports from different sources claim that the 14 team would not listen to the drivers when it came to setting up the race car. Now ask yourself how can a driver make a car run good and win races if it's not set up for them to drive? Makes you look at Brian's stint in the car and sort of wonder if it was Brian driving over his head that lead to that many wrecks or was it not liking the way the car was set up and not being able to do anything thing about it but try and make chicken salad out of chicken shit every week while in the car.

 Gerard looked like a rookie most weeks but when he jumped in the family 16 car for the 358/360 challenge race he finished a strong 3rd. When asked by myself the following week how it felt to run up front and get some confidence back all he did was smile and say "It was nice to have a good car to drive" Hymmmm?

Now how does this all lead to Lance and what I said on Twitter?

What happens if Lance gets in the car and the team acts the same way? Would they be that stupid? I would hope not for the teams sake. They have one of the arguably top 3 best drivers of the past 20 years in their car. The man has won every big race in our area and is coming of a season where he had only 2 wins, but finished in the top 10 54 out of 67 races he ran. THAT'S LEAVES ONLY 13 TIMES LANCE DID NOT FINISH IN THE TOP 10!!!! How could you not listen to a driver that good.

For the sake of the team I hope they listen and the team runs up front every week. I hope they come out the box fast and put it in victory lane opening day at Lincoln Speedway. I will be the 1st one to stand up and admit I was wrong, but It's not up to me, its up to Lance and the 14 team to prove me wrong, and for Lance to do that he is going to need a lot of luck.

BEST OF LUCK LANCE, if anyone can do it, ITS YOU.

Feel free to let your feeling be known. Am I off base in the way I'm looking at this? Leave your comments in the comment section  (Be a man and sign your name I always do) or feel free to tweet me @BillMcIntyreIII as I do my best to respond back to everyone.

With that have a great weekend,
Bill McIntyre