Richard Oliver: Cowboys' Hall-of-fame QBs find life rough in the fast lane
Express-News
FORT WORTH — It is a concept that Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach would have found unacceptable during their remarkable NFL careers.
But in NASCAR, it's just part of the game.
Losing.
The former quarterbacks, Super Bowl champions and the preeminent names in Dallas Cowboys history, have partnered up to form Hall of Fame Racing, fielding the No. 96 Chevrolet driven by Tony Raines.
In less than two years of full-time competition, however, the arrangement has brought only snatches of success and nary a victory. Along with learning about everything from pistons to points systems, the businessmen have been forced to learn a bit about patience.
"I don't want to over-characterize it and say it is not going as we hoped," Aikman said Sunday morning, shortly before Raines started in the 27th spot at the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. "I just think we all feel we can be better than where we are right now."
The team, which ironically shares garage space, equipment and advice with the veteran organization run by Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, posted only two top-10 finishes last year en route to placing 26th in the Nextel Cup standings.
As goal-setting goes, it represented a change of pace for the owners. Once NFL Cowboys, they found themselves NASCAR Cardinals.
The evidence of it came last month at Las Vegas when, after the unheralded Raines crossed the finish line, the 65-year-old Staubach offered his wife a joyful high-five.
He was happy with a 19th-place result.
"Last year, we had hoped to be a top-25 team," Aikman said, "and this year, we hope to be a top-20 team."
The year after that, there are hopes of expanding to include at least one more car, aiming a bit higher than middle-of-the-pack finishes.
Such as something super, for instance.
"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, trying to get another car, (so) that we don't take care of the car that we have got," Aikman said. "We are trying to go about building a team and an organization that is going to be here for the long haul and not do anything foolish that is going to compromise those goals."
That will require stubborn patience — but it's getting tougher.
On Sunday, Raines finished 13th. There were high-fives all around.
FORT WORTH — It is a concept that Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach would have found unacceptable during their remarkable NFL careers.
But in NASCAR, it's just part of the game.
Losing.
The former quarterbacks, Super Bowl champions and the preeminent names in Dallas Cowboys history, have partnered up to form Hall of Fame Racing, fielding the No. 96 Chevrolet driven by Tony Raines.
In less than two years of full-time competition, however, the arrangement has brought only snatches of success and nary a victory. Along with learning about everything from pistons to points systems, the businessmen have been forced to learn a bit about patience.
"I don't want to over-characterize it and say it is not going as we hoped," Aikman said Sunday morning, shortly before Raines started in the 27th spot at the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. "I just think we all feel we can be better than where we are right now."
The team, which ironically shares garage space, equipment and advice with the veteran organization run by Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, posted only two top-10 finishes last year en route to placing 26th in the Nextel Cup standings.
As goal-setting goes, it represented a change of pace for the owners. Once NFL Cowboys, they found themselves NASCAR Cardinals.
The evidence of it came last month at Las Vegas when, after the unheralded Raines crossed the finish line, the 65-year-old Staubach offered his wife a joyful high-five.
He was happy with a 19th-place result.
"Last year, we had hoped to be a top-25 team," Aikman said, "and this year, we hope to be a top-20 team."
The year after that, there are hopes of expanding to include at least one more car, aiming a bit higher than middle-of-the-pack finishes.
Such as something super, for instance.
"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, trying to get another car, (so) that we don't take care of the car that we have got," Aikman said. "We are trying to go about building a team and an organization that is going to be here for the long haul and not do anything foolish that is going to compromise those goals."
That will require stubborn patience — but it's getting tougher.
On Sunday, Raines finished 13th. There were high-fives all around.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:16 PM
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