Fearless NASCAR Critic Passes Away at 76

^{Feb 10, 2025 | Edition #135}

👋 Dear Motorheads,

We’re saddened to share that the beacon of fearless storytelling has passed away at 76. Ed Hinton, the man who saw it all—from the Petty era to Earnhardt Sr. to Johnson—is no longer with us. Hinton was the kind of writer who never had to think twice about his words—they just flowed, raw and real. ESPN gave him the freedom to do his thing, and he nailed it every time. Surely, reporting wasn’t the same ever since you retired, Ed. You’ll be missed!

🫡 The Lucky Dog Salutes

The Journalist Who Questioned NASCAR’s Safety

The best way to describe Ed Hinton is a fearless motorsports journalist, known for being controversial when all he spoke was the truth. There, that should be his legacy! He may have stopped writing about motorsports a decade ago, but his voice through his words still rang in our ears. But now it feels like there is a void. And no one can tell how long it would take to fill it!

Hinton’s writing was journalism at its purest—just the facts, no matter who they were about or who they might upset. He didn’t sugarcoat things, and that’s what made his work so powerful.

Perhaps the most famous piece he wrote was on NASCAR safety and he pretty much hit hard on NASCAR for ignoring it. If you see the publishing date, it was Feb 11th, 2001. And just a week later, Dale Earnhardt Sr died. That's when NASCAR took notice, and the SAFER barriers were brought in.

Hinton at that time was working with the Los Angeles Times. In his report, he wrote, "Adam Petty should be alive today. So should Kenny Irwin, another rising NASCAR star who died of nearly identical injuries only eight weeks later. So should five of the six other NASCAR drivers killed in the last decade. And so--all told--should at least 12 of the last 15 drivers killed in major auto racing worldwide since 1991, if only . . ." You must read this bold narrative- 'WHAT PRICE SAFETY?'

Hinton ahead of time… kept repeating in the article when he wrote that if "soft wall technology... had been in place, the last decade might have brought an end to the dying." That’s pointing fingers at NASCAR. That was him! Plain and brutal. He knew the sport and knew Earnhardt personally.

Even on the night of Sr's passing, he was stunted. Hinton had lost a friend. So, he decided to write a heartfelt note; under the heading ‘Riding with Earnhardt was knowing him.’ It was this one anecdote from Interstate 40 when Earnhardt (having Teresa, kids, and Hinton in the car) drove at 105mph. You must read.. as Hinton narrated their near-death escape.

Another highlight from the Hinton-NASCAR narration is his powerful profile on Wendell Scott which he wrote in 1986. And, how can we forget his book, DAYTONA (2001), that will always be a return present to the community? You can get the book here.

And his farewell piece in 2014: 'Hinton Seeking the Next Big Adventure' really shows what a simple man he was. And the veteran journalist lived a full life! But still, his words will live on forever!

🔎 The In-Depth View

Is NASCAR Making a Mistake?

Have you seen the recent commercials for the IndyCar season? If not, let us tell you, they are something else. And, their next face? You must take a look.

And this drops right before NASCAR’s biggest race. The 30-second Daytona 500 commercial feels like a full-on throwback and Joey Logano’s right in the middle of it. Maybe it’s their way of spotlighting the defending champ. Either way, it’s worth a look…this February 16 reveal needed a better show. 

On the contrary, the Indycar Ads have a strong narrative, a whole story. It looks like FOX is not prioritizing NASCAR and they are all okay with it. Even, Brian Herbst, NASCAR’s executive VP, recently said, “I do not [have any concerns].” But.. hey.. the Lucky Dog does!

Remember when NASCAR used Dale Sr's legendary Goodwrench car? We loved that. Sr winning the Daytona 500 on his 20th attempt is one of the top moments. NASCAR could have related it to something current. Maybe Kyle Busch could have been there instead of Logano. Rowdy's on his 20th attempt too. In an RCR car, no less. That would have been a nice build-up to the 500.

And there SHOULD be concerns on the NASCAR end. The Daytona 500 might be the biggest race, but no way it is as popular as it used to be. At least, there could be better storylines. Say, Denny Hamlin bagging his 4th win or NASCAR’s most popular driver repeating what Bill Elliott did (Clash+500 win)! That could tune in more fans… No? It's puzzling to us why FOX is not capitalizing on that! 

Maybe there’s a reason—FOX did take over IndyCar rights from NBC. But still, they could be doing something similar for NASCAR. The new media deal gave them 14 races to promote. We even checked their Instagram, hoping for some Daytona 500 hype. Found this post and got excited… but it was just another IndyCar ad featuring Josef Newgarden and Joey Logano.

Taking some inspiration from Ed Hinton, who never held back things, it's time NASCAR had someone like that again—especially with how FOX seems to be downplaying the sport lately.

Continue Reading: Roger Penske's Super Bowl Stunt Sparks Debate Over FOX's NASCAR Promotion

🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Ballot 🏁

Thank you for participating in Lucky Dog's Quick Ballot! To continue with the awards, we’ve got two more questions for you in this edition—hope you’ll show them the same love!

📈 Trending News

Can Anyone Please Stop Kyle Larson?

Seriously, we’re nearing the Daytona 500—the biggest race of the year—and Kyle Larson isn’t slowing down for even that. He’s already got the Cup trophy, a stack of Golden Drillers, and now the Gator trophy too.

Most drivers would be resting up before the 500, but not Larson and Christopher Bell. They’re keeping the momentum going. Bell’s eagerness makes sense—he’s making the most of his freedom before Coach Gibbs tightens the reins. But Larson? It looks like he’s just showing off at this point. Jokes aside, we love this rivalry. Bell snagged the World of Outlaws win on Thursday with Larson hot on his heels. But Larson wasn’t having it—he flipped the script on Friday, leaving Bell stuck in P2.

He dominated the Chili Bowl, leading all 40 laps like it was nothing. Then he rolled into Volusia Speedway Park, led every single one of the 25 laps, topped the standings, and grabbed his first-ever Gator trophy. And, the trophy it’s an actual alligator…but with a happy Larson.

And speaking of firsts… maybe the Harley J. Earl Trophy is next. Honestly, it’s surprising he hasn’t come close yet. A P7 finish (in both 2016 and 2019) doesn’t exactly match the rest of his resume. You’d think FOX could’ve spun that into a solid storyline for their Daytona 500 commercial, but instead, we got a throwback clip. Who knows, though—maybe the 12th time’s the charm.

And the way he has kicked off the year...we have a feeling...this one is going in the history books. A perfect year for him would be to win the 500. Also, assuming the double is successful, McLaren boss Zac Brown might put him in an F1 car for a few test laps. That would be something! Lastly, wrap the year with the most wins (like 2024), a championship, and a cozy Christmas celebration with the family. And we all know this is possible for Larson!

Continue Reading: Meanwhile Kyle Larson Crowns His NASCAR Successor

🔮 Lucky Dog’s Perspective

Denny Could Lose the JGR Seat

Speaking of 2025 ending on a high note, it might not be the same for Denny Hamlin. Of course, "Having one sponsor for 20 years, made things pretty easy." But sadly, that's not the case for the #11 team as with FedEx gone, they are doing patchwork for 2025.

So far, the big sponsor, Kings' Hawaiian has promised four races, and recently the National Debt Relief has signed for 4 as well. And, for fans, not seeing FedEx on the hood at the 500 is going to strangle. But, you can’t unsee this plain blank paint scheme either.

Coming back to his sponsorship...that's just 8 races out of 36! Not even one-fourth of the season. That's alarming for JGR, maybe they have some lined up but not disclosed. Or the team is putting in the money themselves? Whatever it is, they are struggling. Even Hamlin couldn't give a straight answer when he was questioned about the struggles.

"Is it concerning from my end? Maybe a little bit, but it is probably more concerning from JGR's standpoint," he said. His answer is a bit puzzling…you should listen to the entire clip where he touched upon the scary situation.

Hamlin’s contract is up after the 2025 season concludes. And JGR has not confined any extension. Maybe they are also waiting on some big names with multi-year, multi-race partnerships to come in before putting it in ink. But with NASCAR’s popularity and viewership issues, finding sponsors would not be easy. And someone like Denny Hamlin is expensive!

That's probably the reason why Bass Pro Shops is sponsoring Chase Briscoe's entire season, but they did not do the same for MTJ. Then there is also the lawsuit, maybe sponsors are skeptical. It doesn’t matter if you have 54 wins, three 500s, and many other crown jewels. 

So, Coach Gibbs' hands might be tied here. If it can happen with Kyle Busch, the winningest active NASCAR driver with two Cup championships…it can happen with Hamlin.

A lot of unknowns right now, but Hamlin in a different team could be interesting, what do you think?

Continue Reading: Denny Hamlin Discloses “Major Beef” With FOX After Exposing Consequences of a ‘Mishap’

🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Ballot 🏁

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