Akers Entertains NASCAR Driver at Eagles Training Camp

Eagles fan favorite, kicker, David Akers welcomed NASCAR driver Martin Truex, Jr. at training camp this past week.   The Press of Altantic City, has a nice write up of Truex, Jr.'s visit to camp, complete with Trotter and Spikes trying to recruit Truex Jr. to the Eagles as a safety.

It seems that Akers has a passion NASCAR and even competes in an online league of racing, competing not only with Truex, Jr. but also Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Denny Hamlin and other NASCAR series drivers.  Akers leaves his better skills to the football field claiming he's not so great at racing even though he loves the sport.

Truex, Jr. on the other hand is 11th in the Nextel Cup standings.  He drives for the Dale Earnhardt Racing team aboard the #1 Bass Pro Shops car.  One might think that its a stretch for a NASCAR driver to be an die-hard Eagles fan, but Martin Truex, Jr. is a Deleware Valley guy.  Born and raised in Mayetta, NJ when Truex, Jr. wasn't winning junior racing championships at New Egypt Speedway - at New Egypt, NJ, he was watching Eagles football games.

Truex Jr., use to have his Sundays pretty free to watch the Eagles, however since winning back to back Bush Series championships when he raced on Saturdays, he's now come over to NASCAR full time and races on Sundays.  I guess he's got the TIVO fired up till November when the NASCAR season ends.

As for Akers though, the Iggles blog is reporting on the discouraging progress reports (info also via Philly.com) from him on his hamstring injury.  Even though Akers hit his first "pressure" field goal from 43 yards to give his teammates the night off on Friday,  he's still struggling to adjust to the changes in holders between Dirk Johnson and Sav Rocca. 

We all know Akers only felt really comfortable with Koy Detmer holding that ball.  Unfortunately for Akers, Koy's gone.  Unfortunately for us, visions of Tony Romo flubbing the game loosing hold for the Cowboys last year keep coming back to mind.  If a holder can't even hold the ball right, it can cost a team a lot more than just 3 points - just as Romo.