Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to the another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide a weekly discussion each Wednesday on various topics in motorsports. Most content will focus on NASCAR but other racing series will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major with a concentration in mass media and minor in journalism. He is a contributor to The Podium Finish and RockinghamNow. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program, and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. The 2019 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour did not disappoint as the race ended with a thrilling finish. Porsche Young Professional driver Matt Campbell left it all on the track, and squeezed his way past Jake Dennis to take the overall victory in the closing minutes. Campbell’s gutsy move earned Earl Bamber Motorsport its first win in their GT3 debut. In general, how exciting was this year’s 12-hour endurance classic? Lambeth: Matt Campbell put together a masterful drive, giving Earl Bamber Motorsport its maiden victory in the team’s first race in GT3 competition. Campbell, Dennis Olsen and Dirk Werner gave Porsche factory driver, Earl Bamber, something to smile about as his own team secured overall honors. The racing throughout the Bathurst 12 Hour was fantastic. There was hardly a dull moment. Manufacturers such as Porsche, BMW, Bentley, Aston Martin, Nissan and Mercedes battling for the win in the closing hours of the race displayed the amount of parity in GT3. Campbell certainly licked all of his stamps and sent them, passing Jake Dennis’ Aston Martin in a very tight spot. Without a doubt, Campbell maximized the potential of the Porsche 911 GT3 R to lead his team to a significant win in a crown jewel event. Lee: While I’m not familiar with every single driver in the field, for the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race, it’s one that I mark on my calendar each year to kick off the racing season. The race itself was thrilling but the final 20-minute dash to the checkered flag was incredible. Porsche Young Professional driver Matt Campbell put together a classic drive that included a very risky, but neat pass on the Aston Martin of Jake Dennis to take home the victory. 2. Conor Daly has secured the most competitive ride of his career for the month of May. Daly is set to drive the No. 25 Honda, sponsored by the US Air Force. The native from Noblesville, Indiana will attempt to make the 2019 Indianapolis 500 with Andretti Autosport. How crucial is this opportunity for Daly and his future hopes to return the NTT IndyCar Series full-time in the future? Lambeth: This is Conor Daly’s time to shine. He secured a top-notch ride, which could put him in position for a decent result. Andretti Autosport has a strong reputation for bringing race-winning equipment to the Brickyard in the month of May. After struggling to find a full-time deal in the NTT IndyCar Series, a flawless performance at Indianapolis could turn around the American’s career. He needs to maximize the opportunity and show the world that Conor Daly is worthy of a full-time ride with a top-tier team. Lee: To many, it’s about time that Conor Daly gets a chance in a great ride. This is a pretty crucial time for him as he prepares to make the field of 33 for the Indy 500. This could be a make or break moment for the young driver. If he performs well, this might help him in the long run and possibly secure himself a high level ride in the NTT IndyCar Series. 3. Last week, teams from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series tested the 2019 aero package at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Journalist Jeff Gluck provided his take on the new rules package and motorsport.com’s Jim Utter did the same. Between NASCAR’s live stream and Gluck’s periscopes, what are your initial thoughts on the the 2019 aero package? How do you feel about the reaction on social media? Lambeth: Based on the footage from the test, I believe that it is still too soon to make a fair assessment of the 2019 aero package. Of course, the cars were much closer together and it seemed difficult to pass the leader. I am not praising or trying to down the package, but I think we need to wait until we have a 40-car field in racing conditions before casting judgement. In my opinion, we need to give it some time and a couple of races. Then, feel free to assess the package after giving it a chance. The reaction on Twitter was largely negative, for the most part. I understand that you will not please everyone with the rule changes. However, what is the point in repeating the same negative comments over and over all day long? This accomplishes absolutely nothing. There is a difference between constructive criticism and downright negativity. After a while, the repetitiveness really gets old. I cannot imagine if we have to hear the negativity each week until November. I am struggling to understand why some choose to criticize a product that has not experienced the real test yet. After we get a couple of races under our belt, then we will see if the 2019 aero package is a success or failure. Lee: Gotta crack my knuckles for this one... The 2019 aero package has been the biggest talking point since NASCAR announced it last season. Needless to say, I spent a good deal of time watching the package live. So far, I’ve noticed that it’s hard for drivers to pass the leader. Also, a lot of the mid-pack drivers were able to pass each other quite a bit, especially during the cooler session in the evening. However, in an age of instant reaction, (virtually what social media has become) it’s very easy to just automatically agree with every single person and hate the new, on-track product. I understand the frustration from fans to an extent, but let’s face it, none of what we saw was true, racing conditions. None of this has been used in a full race yet. Therefore, there’s only so much you can really take from the test session. Actually, let the product marinate before you prepare to judge something. This aero package might be interesting to some people while others might downright hate it. There’s no way that people in real life have this much energy to be negative about everything, it’s frankly unhealthy. Give something a chance like most would do anything else. 4. Last Friday night, five new members were inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame: Jack Roush, Alan Kulwicki, Davey Allison, Roger Penske and Jeff Gordon. In your eyes, how did each individual make an impact in the sport? Lambeth: A great group of individuals were inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame this year. Starting with Jack Roush, he is a legendary team owner, who has won NASCAR championships at each level of the national series. His commitment to the sport, plus the start of the Roush-Yates alliance helped transform Ford Performance. Roush has certainly accomplished a lot during his time in NASCAR. Alan Kulwicki was an old school racer. The 1992 Winston Cup champion took the fight to teams with better funding. Kulwicki did things his own way and won the title as an owner/driver with limited money pouring into the program. This is probably something that will never be replicated at NASCAR’s premier level ever again. His death was a dark day for the sport. I must admit, I had no idea who Kulwicki was until the “Dinner with Racers” podcast deeply explored his career. After learning about Kulwicki, it made me really respect what he did with little, in comparison to the bigger organizations. Prior to his tragic death, Davey Allison was having a very successful NASCAR career, following in the footsteps of father, Bobby Allison. If the helicopter crash did not occur, I wonder what Davey Allison would have accomplished throughout the remainder of his career. For both Kulwicki and Allison, there is certainly a question of what ifs. Roger Penske is a household name in multiple disciplines of motorsports. He has accomplished more than most team owners could dream of. “Penske Perfect” earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame. Although “The Captain” has earned many significant honors throughout his life, there is still more for him to accomplish. Finally, Jeff Gordon is credited for taking NASCAR mainstream. His personality off-the-track and driving talent helped the sport grow its recognition to a national audience. When the common individual heard the word, “NASCAR,” Gordon’s name would come to mind. It brought new eyes to stock car racing as the sport continued to grow. When you add four Cup championships, 93 Cup wins, winning the most prestigious NASCAR races multiple times and completely dominating certain tracks during his career, Jeff Gordon could be in the conversation as one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all-time. Lee: For starters, this was my favorite class next to the Class of 2015 that has the addition of Wendell Scott. First, Jack Roush is an absolutely storied man in the history of NASCAR, one of the pioneers of modern safety in NASCAR racing with his invention of the roof flap that has saved plenty of drivers over the years. Let alone, he is one of the greatest car owners in the history of NASCAR. Alan Kulwicki was the true definition of a guy who made something out nothing. His historic championship run in 1992 is one that I don’t think we’ll ever see again. Although his determination and efforts will likely never be seen again, I believe he is one of the greatest NASCAR champions. Davey Allison is someone I wish I had seen compete while he was alive, from what I’ve seen in documentaries. He was a personality that NASCAR still needs in the modern era. Besides his genuine spirit, his stats are very comparable to some of our current champions and I think he would have won multiple championships in NASCAR if had he lived. After watching the mini-doc “Quest for the Empty Cup: The 1992 Championship,” I had a different level of respect for him. As for Roger Penske, he’s a guy across the board in motorsports, so you have to just give a ton of respect to him. He’s won in almost everything you could ever think of and let alone one of the greatest businessmen in motorsports. Finally and surely, a very important one, Jeff Gordon, the driver who was Dale Earnhardt’s rival for many years completed an absolutely class career. Besides being known on the race track, Gordon still has that superstar personality and vibe to match his 93 wins in Cup. Easily, he can be thrown in the conversation of being one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. The amount of attention he brought to the sport was amazing. Still, to this day, you can find someone rocking a throwback “Rainbow Warrior” jacket and everybody knows that’s a Jeff Gordon jacket. 5. The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season-opener takes place on Saturday at Daytona, while the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season begins at New Smyrna Speedway on Sunday. What type of action should we expect from each series this weekend? Lambeth: ARCA and K&N always produce close action. There are a lot of young drivers looking to make a name for themselves this season. While much of the focus will be on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this weekend, do not forget about the incredible action: ARCA at Daytona and K&N at New Smyrna. There is no better way to kickoff the 2019 season than a superspeedway and short track race. Some of the drivers competing in each event will likely be racing in Cup years down the road. Lee: A-R-C-A NIGHT IN AMERICA! Do I have to say anything else? As usual, it’s going to be a good show on the high banks of Daytona for ARCA. It’s always a treat to watch every year! I’m happy that they’ve changed the G-W-C rule which will hopefully prevent the mess of what happened last year. As for New Smyrna, that place is quite special to me since it was the first late model race I ever saw. The World Series of Asphalt Stock, along with the K&N Series, should be fun with tons of young and talented drivers! 6. On Sunday afternoon, we will set the front row for the 61st running of the Daytona 500. After qualifying, the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of 2019, The Clash, will take place on the high banks of Daytona. Who will sit on the front row for The Great American Race? Predict the winner of The Clash. Lambeth: I think Richard Childress Racing will continue their good fortunate from last year’s Speedweeks by locking down the front row. Rookie Daniel Hemric will start on pole and defending Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon will start alongside him. I predict that Brad Keselowski will begin the new season in victory lane by winning The Clash. Lee: So glad that it’s finally time for the Great American race! As for qualifying, for the 61st running of the event, I believe a car out of the Hendrick camp will take the pole. I’m going with the young gun Chase Elliott to take the pole for the Daytona 500. I’m going to switch to the Toyota side and pick Denny Hamlin to win The Clash! 7. What is your biggest hot take heading into the 2019 NASCAR season? Lambeth: I believe that Bubba Wallace and Richard Petty Motorsports will make significant gains since last season. I am predicting a top-20 points finish for the team. After a full year of experience under his belt, Wallace and the No. 43 team are ready to bring the legendary number closer to the front of the field. Although I think the playoffs are slightly out of reach, Wallace can put together some decent runs this season. The 2019 aero package could play into their favor by bringing the competition closer. Lee: One way to close a column out is a good ole’ spicy take. For my take, I can see Ryan Preece making the playoffs and he’ll be crowned the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year. His story of moving up to Cup is one I have enjoyed to watch, from his attachment to grassroots racing to roughing up Elliott Sadler at Homestead-Miami. I think he’ll have a solid rookie campaign in 2019 and will be one to watch throughout the season. Extra Point: On Monday afternoon, NASCAR announced a series of changes. Which one stands out the most? Lambeth: After so many years of frustration, NASCAR FINALLY decided that it is time to disqualify illegal cars. It never felt right to me for them to “penalize” an illegal car, but it was more like a slap on the wrist. I applaud NASCAR for developing a backbone and no longer tolerating cars that failed to follow the rules. In my opinion, this is a decision that was long overdue. As Nick Bromberg says, what a time to be alive! Lee: Well, well, a rule change that many people have wanted for quite some time, and that’s disqualifying drivers at the track for “major” penalties in post-race inspection. A lot of people have wanted this to happen for years. I really hope that NASCAR sticks to their guns on this one and truly lay down the law on illegal cars. On Monday, with all of the breaking news, this is the one that many people have come to agree on.
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The road to pursuing a career in the world of mass media and journalism started two years before contacting RockinghamNow. As an 8th grader at Reidsville Middle School, we were about to enter a world of unknowns with high school off in the distance. One day, my class was discussing career choices and the obstacles of building a career in the real world. I wanted to be a part of NASCAR as it is the sport I love more than anything. After my teacher overheard a conversation with some friends, I will never forget the disheartening words that followed.
Students should be motivated to follow their dreams by their peers and elders, so imagine how I felt being told that working in NASCAR is not a realistic career choice. Over the years, my peers joked with me concerning the stereotypes about NASCAR drivers going in circles without having any talent. It was annoying at times but everything was great because I knew the truth about NASCAR. There is no point in trying to explain to someone who will not take time to listen. At times, I felt my teacher could be right about NASCAR being a fantasy for a quiet boy from a small town well-known for football. However, quitting is not in my blood so I explored one option my sophomore year of high school. I joined the Reidsville Robotics team in hopes of gaining experience in STEM education to possibly join NASCAR as a mechanical engineer down the road. Quickly, I learned that I would not have a career in engineering. Math and science are my weakest subjects, so it is easy to determine how successful I was during my on-again, off-again relationship with robotics. I met some interesting people on the robotics team and I respect those who have a passion for robots. During some meetings, I would just stand there and pretend like I knew what they were talking about. In reality, I was more lost than the direction of the Cleveland Browns franchise. In Spring 2015, the Reidsville Robotics team finished a heartbreaking 2nd place in the FIRST Robotics Competition North Carolina Regional in Raleigh. We received a silver medal but you could tell in the eyes of my teammates that they wanted more. I wanted them to win because I knew how much it meant to those who truly cared and understood the significance of a small team from Reidsville, North Carolina doing extraordinary things on the big stage. Today, I still have the medal from that day, but I feel like my teammates earned it while I was just there. They earned the medal for building an effective robot as I was simply handed one. Those who truly understood everything from top to bottom deserves praise, while I learned that life as a mechanical engineer would prove challenging. In my final two years of high school, my participation in robotics decreased significantly. This was tough because I loved it but I knew that I would just be taking up space because I did not have the smarts to be successful in this area. Sometimes, you have to be honest with yourself when evaluating your strengths and weaknesses. I figured out that it was best to focus on a new career choice rather than continue struggling in an area that would not get any better regardless of how hard I tried. Luckily, I discovered a new path during the Fall semester of my senior year. For my senior graduation project, I had to find a mentor to guide me through the entire process. My topic focused on the impact of marketing in NASCAR. Originally, I emailed some professional motorsports journalists in hopes one could find the time to be my mentor. However, it would be very difficult to communicate with someone through the internet compared to meeting with a journalist in my hometown. Next, I emailed the editor for RockinghamNow and got paired with community reporter Joe Dexter. It was incredibly nerve wracking prior to meeting Dexter because I had little to no experience in a professional environment. My mother gave me some useful tips about speaking to those working a serious job in the adult world. I was able to use the manners and professionalism instilled in me by my mother at a young age and adapted to my surroundings after the first few meetings. Dexter showed me what everyday life was like for a journalist in Rockingham County. Building connections with your peers, transcribing interviews, proactiveness, proofreading your work, and maintaining a positive attitude are a few ways towards building a solid career in journalism. Having a solid relationship with people in the community will make it easier to get the inside scoop on a developing story. When participating in interviews, it is important to have a recorder in hand rather than trying to write down everything said by the participant. Journalists must transcribe interviews to obtain quotes for an article. In journalism, the smart approach is to be proactive to ensure that all work is submitted by deadline. Before submitting articles, it is crucial to proofread a piece from top to bottom because mistakes are common in writing. Based on my experience so far, my original draft is always different compared to my final submission. Nothing can be completely perfect but you can find ways to improve your writing skills everyday. Finally, a positive attitude can be the difference between having a lovable job or dreading work. If you build a career in a field you love, then you will not work a single day in your lifetime. The most important thing I learned from RockinghamNow’s Joe Dexter is to always be myself while continuing to display professionalism and enthusiasm. Those ingredients will give me the best opportunity to find success. Working on my senior project with Dexter opened the door for an opportunity to work as a freelancer and social media specialist for RockinghamNow. I started this unique experience in June 2017 and learned a lot about the world of communications in a few months. Sports reporter Jim Sands taught me many new skills needed to be successful in the sports world. He gave me all the tools to put myself in a great position and I made the most of every opportunity to gain valuable experience. I led a Twitter campaign by managing three accounts the past few months in hopes of growing the number of followers on social media. Based on observations, social media is the main source of how people consume the news. During high school football and basketball events, I took over the accounts of Jim Sands or Joe Dexter to provide live updates with tweets. Our followers seemed to enjoy being informed about sporting events in Rockingham County based on the amount of interaction we received. At the beginning of the project, @RockinghamNow had 1,799 followers and increased 5.96 percent. @jimsandsRCN started with 61 followers and displayed the most growth with an unbelievable percent increase of 191.8. @JoeDexter_RCN had 77 followers and the percent increase was 94.81. Whenever we posted photos from the sporting events, the interaction on the accounts went to the roof as people often liked or retweeted our content. Many of the photos posted from the games were mine and the quality of photos would not be possible without the expertise of photographer Doug Anderson. At one of the high school football games, he simply taught me how to take pictures. I was awful at taking pictures prior to meeting Anderson. A few months ago, some friends asked me to take a picture of them. After they saw the result, they immediately asked another person to finish the job. Now, my picture taking skills have improved significantly, thanks to the kindness of Mr. Anderson. As I leave behind memories in Reidsville, North Carolina, I will never forget the time my mentors invested in helping me get ready to attend UNC Charlotte. During my brief time with RockinghamNow, Jim Sands and Joe Dexter really helped me unlock my true potential as a journalist and most importantly as a person. If you spend a few months with professional journalists, you will learn to appreciate everything they do bringing stories into your home. The main piece of advice I will take with me to Charlotte is to keep pushing through to accomplish every task in timely fashion. Sands often joked about building a statue of myself sending out tweets which was my main responsibility. A statue is not necessary to prove how much one has accomplished in their life. As long as I contribute to an organization and try my best, then there is absolutely no reason to be disappointed. In the real world, opportunities are earned not given. The first week of college has ended and I survived. It was hard at first watching my mother leave me in unfamiliar territory. For the first time in my life, I truly felt alone and lost. I had not been away from home for more than two days. Growing up in a small town and moving to an area with a much larger population can definitely take some time to adjust to a new location. On Jan. 8, 2018, I started my first day of classes at UNC Charlotte. Everything was brand new for me as I had no prior experience waking myself up for class, figuring out my meals, or being completely independent. This made me realize that is was time to grow up fast. I had my share of struggles during the week as I had to use Google Maps on my phone to figure out how to get to my classes and places to get food. If you had to drink a can of beer each time I got lost, then you would be lost too but in a different way. Throughout the week, I gained a better understanding of the campus and it will continue to get better each day. The major issue I struggled with was not having familiar people to chat with. Although I still see people I went to high school with on campus, it is still not the same as those individuals who I could always count on over the years. It got very lonely many times during the first week. From watching students walk in a group to them sitting together during a meal having an excellent time, I observed each situation wondering if I will ever be the person who does not have to do everything by myself. Throughout my entire life, I have had some troubles making friends. Since I was a little boy, it has always been difficult establishing a bond with another person when I am the one taking the initiative. On Jan. 11, I saw an advertisement about the UNC Charlotte newspaper known as the Niner Times. The meeting was happening in a few hours and I almost decided not to attend. As the scheduled time grew closer, I got tired of being alone on this campus. Although I did not know anyone at the meeting, it felt so good interacting with other people. This made me realize how we can take friendships for granted. I joined the Niner Times to continue my experience in the world of mass media and journalism. This is a great opportunity for me to become a better writer and person than I was yesterday. At the moment, the dream of working somewhere in NASCAR is still a realistic career choice because I took the first step by joining RockinghamNow to gain valuable experience covering events. Now, my knowledge will expand much deeper with the Niner Times. My journey has barely started and there is still a long way to go. With lessons learned from being a part of robotics, support from family and friends, knowledge obtained from RockinghamNow, and growing pains being away from home, I truly believe that I am ready to join the competitive nature of society. While adapting to UNC Charlotte’s environment has been challenging for me in numerous ways, I will not let fear deter me from reaching new heights. The determination to work hard in order to have a better life can be the difference between turning dreams into a reality. My senior year of high school was definitely a year to remember. I finally made it after so many years of school from kindergarten in Mrs. Dishmon’s class at Wentworth Elementary as a shy little boy to a grown 18 year old man ready to see what life has to offer after walking across the stage at Reidsville High School.
There were so many memories made throughout my high school years. From the highs to the lows, I am truly grateful for everything that has happened to me these past four years. I have grown as a person and will continue to do so as the next chapter in life will be the greatest challenge of all. When I think of the memories made in high school, Fall 2016 stands out more than a food stain on a white t-shirt. All seniors were required to complete a senior graduation project on a topic that can be applied in real-world situations. I was blessed to have the opportunity to work alongside RockinghamNow Community Reporter, Joe Dexter, who helped mentor me through my project on NASCAR Marketing. After spending a semester at RockinghamNow working on my senior project, I knew journalism was the right career for me to pursue. I will begin my life at UNC Charlotte in January 2018, which left Fall 2017 wide open for me to find something to do in the meantime. Sometimes, we leave lasting impressions on those who notice our true capabilities. During the time of my senior project, I left some people at the office very impressed with my passion for motorsports and the willingness to learn the ropes of being a professional journalist. I am very excited to announce that I will be working as a freelancer for RockinghamNow in Fall 2017, primarily focusing on local high school sports. “It’s great to have Kobe back in the fold here at RockinghamNow,” said Community Reporter, Joe Dexter. “When he came in for his senior project last year, it was clear that he was hungry to start his journalism career. His determination and willingness to get it right will take him far and help him grow as he starts his career as a freelancer. Working alongside Joe Dexter, who has been such an inspiration as my mentor throughout the entire process, will continue to provide more valuable information before I make the journey down I-85 to UNC Charlotte. Some people may believe that freelancing is not the ideal career choice, but it is definitely a great place to start especially for a student straight out of high school, according to Dexter. “Not only is it a foot in the door, but anybody that is willing to freelance is showcasing their willingness to step up to the plate when needed and get the tough assignments done,” said Dexter. “That is a huge part of growing as a young journalist and building a name for themselves. Another major part in growth is getting repetition and freelance opportunities allow up and coming journalists to do so in a professional environment. I will also have the opportunity to work alongside RockinghamNow Sports Editor, Jim Sands, who has been a vital part of my transition to becoming a freelancer. He will teach me the right ways to cover an event in a sports-minded environment, which will require taking high-quality photos, recording statistics. writing recaps of games, and much more. According to Sands, being versatile in such a competitive industry is essential to having a career that will last for many years. “Journalism is constantly changing, and if you want to survive and be successful, you have to adapt to the way people chose to consume their news,” said Sands. “If you don’t learn how to master the new technology and continue to grow, then you could very well find yourself on the unemployment line. During these next few months, I am anxious to learn from two established professionals such as Dexter and Sands as they will pass on their knowledge to a new generation. It will be crucial for me to absorb as much information as I possibly can and take full advantage of the unique opportunity that I have been given. Sands considers it a privilege to teach a student fresh out of high school the most important roles in the daily life of a journalist, before the adventure in the heart of NASCAR community begins in just a few months. “To work with a young man that is willing to put in the time and effort to learn what it is like to compete in such a challenging field, in my eyes, is a responsibility I don’t take lightly,” said Sands. “Kobe cares about what he is doing and holds himself to a very high standard. That is part of what sets him apart from most people |