Yeah, it’s that time ‘O year again,. Yuhs know, Thee Most Wonderful time ‘O Spew! Uhm, when I subject Y’all to mor of my witty repartee from thoust Mystical Isle of Nofendersville with my End of Year Overall Winners selections, Mateys! Which Y'all can Compare 'N Contrast with last year's choices below.
This year I’m doing things a ‘lil BassAckwards,
like are you surprised? Having done my Overall Choices before doing my IndyCar and Formula 1 selections, which
I know Y’all can hardly wait for Yuck Yuck Yuck! Can Yuhs Say 2022?
As Here goes
Nothin', with another Bevy 'O totally Un-Scientific, Non-sensible, Zany Off Ye
Cuff selections made below….
While Y’all can Compare ‘N contrast these
choices with last year’s No Fenders selections in the following link.
http://www.nofenders.net/2021/12/the-un-golden-locked-down-golden_01175942209.html
CATEGORIES
1. Driver of Year
Winner: Romain Grosjean
So it’s simply amazing to Mwah how once can go
from Hot Headed Tail ender Charlie Haas Formula 1 Pilote to whom Hands Down was
my IndyCar rookie Of the Year (ROY) winner! As sorry Scott McLaughlin who won
this Honour solely due to competing the entire season! And we won’t even bother
with that other star rookie driver Jimmie Johnson…
Have to say it must have been the combination
of how Romain so openly welcomed his change of scenery and totally embraced
IndyCar’s, along with his amazing comeback story following his Great Balls ‘O
Fire escape in Bahrain! Along with driving for the Minnowesqe Dale Coyne
Alphabet Soup Brigade that simply made me smitten with the Frenchman’s rookie
campaign in Indy Cars, as Yuhs just couldn’t escape the positivity Vibe’ that
followed him the entire IndyCar season, leaving All other contendahs’ for this
category feeling Stale, Blase and Contrite!
Other Choices
Surely All of the “Usual suspects” would typically
apply, but like I just said above, and like Sinead O’Connor famously Crooned a long
time ago, albeit over a different subject: “Nothing compares to You,” romain!
2. Story of Year
Winner: Bob Jenkins, Robin Miller and Uncle Bobby’
Sadly for Mwah, Thars No Bigger story of the
year other than the Uber Unfortunate loss of Ye Curmudgeon ‘O
IndyCar’s ‘Ol r’, aka robin Miller! As this was one of the
few “Voices” I sought out on a Daily basis via his wonderful work at Racer.com,
where I logged onto every day multiple times to “See” what latest story or News
Miller had written for us…
And for as large as a presence Miller was as a Journalist, I’m
also very Sad over the Death of Bob Jenkins, who I always felt had to be the
most Humblest person in Broadcasting! As I cannot say anything better than what
Simon Pagenaud said about him when Bob first divulged his Brain Cancer. As the
2019 Indianapolis 500 winner said Hearing Jenkins voice at the Speedway was
like a Hug! As you Always knew where you were whenever hearing Jenkins voice
over the PA at Mother Speedway, where Bob just oozed passion every time I heard
him talking to “Us” over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s speakers. Along with feeling his love and appreciation for the
Brickyard!
I suppose it’s symbiotic, karmic or Apropos that Robert William
Unser, better known as Uncle bobby decided to take the Chequered flag this year
at the Age of 87, appropriately during The Month of May! Since He and Miller
were longtime Pals’, and I always think of Miller’s wonderful impersonation of
Unser and that Hilarious Uncle bobby roast that Robin MC’ed in 2019. As I can hear
bobby asking Miller did you bring Receipts wit Yuhs?
While we lost another icon of Motorsports golden Years with
the passing of bob Bondurant, who along with being an accomplished racer, taught
countless thousands of aspiring racers how to be better drivers.
And then, as I was beginning to Wrap-up this riveting No
Fenders tome, word came of Uncle bobby’s younger brother Big Al’, nee Al Unser
Sr’s passing on December 9th at the Age of 82 after a 17 year battle
with Cancer.
As one of my earliest memories of beginning my current IndyCar
infatuation is thy memory of Rootin’ for big Al to Beat his son Al Unser, Jr.
at TamiAmi Park for the 1985 CART/PPG IndyCar championship. Which the senior
Unser did by One point with a late race pass for fourth place!
https://racer.com/2021/12/11/pruett-the-understated-greatness-of-al-unser/
Honourable
Mentions
Valentino Rossi, Kimi Raikkonen
Seems appropriate that two Giants of their
respective sports, i.e.; the Creme de la Crème of Open Wheel Racing and Motorcycles would see
the doctor and The Iceman both retire the same year.
3. Race of Year
Winner: Petit Le Mans
Not sure why this race Always get’s my Nod? But
I’m guessin’ it’s got something to do with being the series final race where
many IndyCar Drivers come along to “Play” one last time before year’s end? As
once again the Overall win went down to nearly the wire. With Mazda ending it’s
IMSA Prototypes racing in true Cinderella fashion! Whilst the Championship Battle
was secured on the final corner of the Final lap!
http://www.nofenders.net/2021/11/another-petit-le-mans-closes-sports-car.html
Vice Champion: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Although you could say large swaths of this
race weren’t that great, as Lewis Hamilton simply “launched” better off the
start from second and into the lead and seemed destined to lead Flag-to-Flag.
Yet his brief encounter with Checko’, nee Sergio Perez to regain the lead after
his Pitstop was exciting! And then the World championship was thrown Upside
down when ironically the Mercedes Customer propelled Team Willy’ car of
Nicholas Latifit crashed mightly at race’s end, requiring a Safety Car. With
second place Max Verstappen brilliantly pitting for new Soft Pirelli tyres and
the controversial decision to wave the five lapped cars between Lewis and Max
ahead, Hamilton was simply a Sitting Duck on 44-lap used Hard Pirelli compound rubber
and Verstappen blitzed his way past on a final lap shootout to become F1 world
champion!
Other
Choices
Suppose only the Indianapolis 500 compares? With my
other choices of Belle Isle Race-2, the Hungarian and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix
All pailing in comparison, eh?
4. Sportsperson of Year
Winner: Alexis DeJoria
Initially thought of giving this Honour to
Smoke’s Better Half Leah Pruett, but went another direction. Especially since it was good to hear Alexis DeJoria’s name in
the Winner’s Circle again! As Alexis hadn’t won a NHRA Nitro Funny Car race
since claiming the U.S. Nationals Wayback in gory 2014, Aye Karumba! Yet
Obviously, Thars plenty of deserving candidates for this category…
Other
Choices
Leah Pruett, Britany Force, Erica Enders-Stevens
and Angelle Sampey
5. Flatliner' of year
Winner: Tim Wilkerson
Luv’ the story of how Tim Wilkerson and His
Crew picked up the racecar on Tuesday, put it together on Wednesday. Showed up
at the track on Thursday and won the NHRA series “super Bowl” event the U.S. Nationals
with only one Ford Mustang body left, the one they raced with! And then learning after the fact that it was Wilkerson’s first
win in five Gory Years! Not to mention finally breaking thru after nine runner-up
finishes…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYim9V8xAmw
Honourable
Mention
Greg Anderson
Greg Anderson who began
by “tuning” his mentor “the Professor” Warren Johnson as Johnson’s Crew Chief
to three NHRA Pro Stock Championships, Broke Johnson’s record tally of 97 Career
Pro Stock wins this season en route to his fifth NHRA Pro Stock Championship!
As Anderson finished the year on 99 wins, for which Johnson still will Not Congratulate
Anderson for! While Greg will be “gunning” to become the first ever Pro Stock
racer to capture the “Ton” mark, i.e.; 100 Pro Stock victories next year.
Other
Choices
Ronald C. Capps, Cruz Pedrgon and Steve Torrence
For the Conclusion of this Golden Tailpipe Awards Categories 6-9, i.e.; Rider of Year, Sports
Car Drivers of Year, Freak of Year and Quip of Year, Please visit the following
No Fenders link below…
http://www.nofenders.net/2021/12/golden-tailpipe-awards-2021-streamliner_0543638078.html