As the fans stream from the parking lots after the Coca-Cola 600, here's some final thoughts on the weekend:- Is Kasey Kahne for real? We've seen him run well and win at the 1.5-mile tracks often, but can he make 2008 a season to remember? Winning two-in-a-row at Charlotte is a great thing, but will the No. 9 be around in the Chase?
- Kurt Busch Was Pissed. Busch cut down a right-front tire on lap 161 while having his best non-restrictor plate run of the year. He was in second at the time, but had led substantially before that. After the accident, Busch was irate over the team radio and here's some of the important lines I remember.
"Typical Penske Racing s***. I was loose, how in the (bad word) do I blow a right front tire?"
It continued for a while after that, with Busch trying to get an answer as to how it happened. There seems to be some frustration there, and you wonder if that means that the seat is getting warmer for Busch. - Track Position Is the Wonder Drug. I'm going to write more about this later in the week, but track position was the single-most important thing drivers could have Sunday night. For instance, Jeff Gordon ran similar lap times for much of the race while in 20th-place as the leaders did, but he couldn't go anywhere. That's the biggest thing NASCAR needs to work on.
- I love fuel mileage. How fitting was it, in times of $4/gal gasoline to have teams getting good finishes based on how efficiently they used their fuel? Kidding aside, watching the strategy of Edwards, Gordon, and Junior for the final 62 laps is as, if not more, entertaining than a side-by-side duel late for the win. It's a definitely a "you have to be at the track" thing, though.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Maturity Still Impresses Me. Most drivers -- like, uh, Kurt Busch -- would have been tremendously ticked off to blow a tire while leading and be taken out of contention. Never once, though, did Earnhardt Jr. get worked up or angry after hitting the wall with the best car in the field on lap 296. Instead, he stayed patient, helped diagnose problems, didn't draw any significant penalties while hustling around under yellow to fix the car, and even provided some comic relief by saying "Yeah, blew a tire. That's cool" after hitting the wall.
That's the mark of a guy who has a future as the top dog on stage in New York. - Charlotte Bites Vickers. Again. Brian Vickers is going to win a race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, even if it kills him. I told my dad Friday night that Vickers looked like one of the top dark-horse favorites, and sure enough, he got out front early. Vickers would have had something for Kahne, I think, but a loose wheel sent the Red Bull Toyota flying into the turn 1 wall on lap 183.
- To Keep the Wheel or Not? Speaking of that loose wheel, NASCAR immediately went to confiscate Vickers' bouncing wheel that sailed into the first row of the camping section.
Now, I may be in the minority in saying this, but because that 80-lb flying wheel could have killed someone (as they have in the past), I would gladly give up the wheel if NASCAR can figure out a way from having that happen again. Would it have made a cool souvenir? Definitely. Would that souvenir been as a cool had someone at Dover next week been injured by the same thing because NASCAR wasn't able to find the problem? Nope.
I don't mean to be a negative Nancy, but the truth is NASCAR cannot allow parts like that to find themselves into the stands. Hopefully, a tether of some sort can come out of it. - Juan Pablo Montoya Is Great Fun on the Radio. After his little skirmish with Tony Stewart early in the race, Juan desperately wanted to catch Stewart again to hit him back. As Stewart started to pull away, Juan kept trying harder until he nearly put his No. 42 in the wall in Turn 3. A laughing Montoya came over the radio and simply said "Woops, Too Hard" to which his crew chief replied, while laughing, "Yep, keep on digging".
Well, that pretty much wraps up the "Live from Lowe's" coverage for the weekend. The next race on my calender will be Indianapolis for the Brickyard 400 (err... Allstate) in July, and there's a possibility Chicago might sneak in there. As always, I'll be playing armchair Sprint Cup driver at the FanHouse in the mean time, too.
I hope you've enjoyed some of my coverage, as I've had a ball while being here. The race was chock full of several great elements of NASCAR, the weather was great, and the people of North Carolina impress me more every time. I'll definitely be back for my 14th-straight race next May. For the first time in a long time, I feel like NASCAR is starting to turn the corner, and become more much, much more fun again with a good cast of characters and many drivers that can win.
That, for me, is exciting.
Now, it's back to the Hoosier State. Enjoy your Memorial Day.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-26-2008 @ 4:10PM
don Emerson said...
Nice job of reporting Geof, thanks. You're right about one thing, the TV may show the race better, but there's so much going on outside of the cameras view that you just have to be there to see and feel it. I agree, Nascar may have turned the corner and put the fun back into racing. Let's hope they don't start again with the silly rule changes at the last moment. Yeah I agree,he might not be the best driver around but Jr is a pretty cool guy and handles himself pretty well considering the tremendous pressure his fans put him under. I'd like to see him take home the crown before he hangs his helmet up. I'm still amazed at the year Kyle Busch is having and it's just the thing Nascar needed to bring back some of the fans it has lost over the last couple of years. His secret ...loads of talent, and a burning desire to win. Too many of the other drivers are content to just stay in their comfort zone, then blame the car for their poor finish. Perhaps as Kyle gains more fans and publicity they will catch the fever and remember what racing is all about. Works for me...
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5-26-2008 @ 4:23PM
Peaches said...
Don i so agree everyone is in a comfort zone of just racing and making their money.Kyle has brought back excitment back to Nascar this year with old school racing,I know people are crying about his style of racing but darn,is"nt EVERYBODY HAVING FUN YET?
I AM...GO KYLE BUSCH
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5-27-2008 @ 7:44AM
art said...
the problem with nascar is toyota and the announcers pushing the foreign manufacturer down our throats i still believe toyota has a big power advantage and untill nascar gets the rules right the only way an american car win is if a toyota has a problem that is not good racin . if the cot job was to make the racin equeal than make the cars equeal it just looks like the wwf
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5-27-2008 @ 9:09AM
Kim said...
I'm sorry, Art....but was it not a Dodge that won Sunday's race (Kasey Kahne)?????
Look, we ALL know you hate the Japanese and blame them for all your misfortunes, but seriously dude....you are getting a little crazy with the Toyota advantage and rigging theory!
Here's what happened. Toyota entered Sprint Cup last year. They sucked!!!! They had the money, spent the money, and apparently hired the right people to turn their program completely around. Why is this so hard for you to believe? Toyota makes one of the best vehicles in the market of cars, the Camary. They may cost more, but they are worth it, so I hear. They outlast most American cars in longevity and cost effectiveness with repairs and so forth, not to mention get tremendous gas mileage. And for the record, I drive two American cars!
Kim
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5-27-2008 @ 9:20AM
Kim said...
And Geoffrey, yes, we enjoyed your reporting indeed.
You did an excellent job and had fun doing it, it seems, too. :-)
On the Kyle Busch thing....I am not surprised to hear him get ticked off. The kid has so much drive & ambition, a temper and high strung personality seem to just come along for the ride, too.
As for Jr. I am so glad you reported what his in-car radio communications were after the tire thing. That's awesome! I have always said I believed he was a stand up guy, and that just proves it more. He will win a championship, if not this year, next. He has one of the best attitudes of anyone I have ever seen. Patience always pays off, so hopefully it will for him, too. When he retires, I could see him as a public speaker to high school kids, inspiring them to live their dreams, go for it, but be cool about it. JMO of course.
As for Juan.....it's that darned Cuban personality! He is firey. That's why he is entertaining. :-) That's pretty funny. Could you imagine if he had caught up with Stewart and "paid him back?" Now that would have made for quite a few laughs and temper tantrums, I'm sure. Well, there's always next week!
Kim
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5-27-2008 @ 11:05AM
Jan said...
I watched this race and I think Kyle Busch has the most guts of any driver, hands down. While other drivers whine, Kyle just keeps pushing, when he led the race at one point, I was so happy for him. It was not his fault the batteries were messed up. And congratulations to Kyle for his Nationwide win, I watched that one too.
Kyle is a smart driver and it shows in his wins. I never knew about Nascar much but now I am watching them because of Kyle.
As far as the Indy was concerned I have one word: Boring, 69 laps under caution and Danica Patrick's anger a side show. She belittled those who have died driving by her bikini pictures and Princess attitude. Danica, grow up.
Jan in Beaver, Utah
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5-27-2008 @ 11:29AM
Jan said...
I am a newbie to Nascar but I think Kyle Busch is the smartest and bravest driver out there. I enjoyed watching him win Nationwide and he did very well at the CocaCola despite having battery problems, he still came in third. Listening to the other drivers whine and cry makes it easy to like Kyle Busch. I hope he wins every race. I like people who are fighters.
And the Indy was the most boring event: Sixty nine laps of yellow and then Danica's hissy fit. She belittles the drivers who have died racing and I have to question her moral intgrity by posing in a Bikini, hey I'm a woman and I don't care to see that from one who proposes to be such a good driver. Be a driver and not a model, Danica.
Jan in Beaver, Utah
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5-27-2008 @ 11:49AM
Mike said...
Kim Babe,
I have to disagree with you on one issue. I cannot possbly see Jr doing any kind of public speaking in the future. He does not appear to be comfortable when the camera is rolling and he knows his words are going out to the public. The little bit of in car radio I have heard of Jr shows a man that is relaxed behind the wheel and has no problem talking to his crew chief. However, it is not the same voice that we as the public get to see once he gets out of the car and they stick a mic and camera in his face.
MBL
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5-27-2008 @ 1:55PM
Bernie said...
Kim,
I have to agree with Mike, Jr has been a different person on camera. It looks like the pressure he's under to win a race has him on pins and needles. He needs a win badly. The expression on his face says a lot during an interview, but that's nothing a win won't cure. It shouldn't be much longer until he does win, his consistency will take care of it.
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5-27-2008 @ 6:33PM
SweetPea said...
Before Junior takes on any public speaking engagements in an effort to influence today's youth, he really should enroll in some grammar classes. "It ain't no excuse in that" may endear him to Junior Nation as one of the good ol' boys but it's not the influence that today's already dumbed down youth needs in order to succeed in the corporate world and not everyone was born to a rich and famous father. Some of them are going to need social skills to succeed at a job that doesn't involve a shirt with their name on it.
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5-27-2008 @ 6:50PM
Kim said...
I think some of you missed my point on the public speaking thing. I know Jr. isn't a genius. Heck, he never claimed to be. My point is that he has an amazing attitude and could inspire some youth to aim high to achieve their dreams.
There have been many excellent public speakers who didn't have the best "grammar" or the best "speech," or even a ton of "education" behind their name. For instance, Mr. Clean (I saw him when I was in middle school, great guy, not the smartest guy in the world, but inspiring to say the least), Bill Cosby, the former coach of Notre Dame football (sorry, can't remember his name off the top of my head), and many more.
I have three intelligent children and they are preached to on daily basis by others who are far more educated than them. You know what they find the most interesting? Real people with real experience who come to speak to them about living the dream and aiming high. Danica Patrick came to their school last year and they hung on every word she said. This year it was professional football player Mike Furry. They still talk about his visit and how much he impressed them and he didn't even finish college. Not everyone has to have a "doctorate" to be a good or motivating public speaker. JMO
Kim
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5-27-2008 @ 10:14PM
CJ said...
The only thing that jumped out at me in this article is that it hinted around that Kurt Busch could be elsewhere when it was refering to his seat as being hot, so i wonder if there might be a change there at some point. I dont see that happening no time soon, but it's gotta be eating at Kurt that he isnt having the success that he had while driving for Roush. Although i think that it was a good move financially and for his image, he just isnt a threat as he use to even though he had a couple wins last year. Now, Kurt's old ride hasnt performed up to par with Jamie Mac either, but i just think that the split needed to be made. I know Kurt done it because he wanted to boost his image and wanted more control over his racing career, but it came at the price of his proformance career. I gotta tell you though, if Kurt was to leave, i dont have a clue where he'd go and who would replace him.
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5-27-2008 @ 10:26PM
Peaches said...
Guys you have to ease up off Kim now,Junior can speak very well if Darell Waltripp is interviewing him.When he was on Trackside best Coversation I"ve heard,so maybe when he retires he & DW can give speaches together.
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5-28-2008 @ 12:30AM
Don Emerson said...
Yep...you're right Peaches, I can see DW and Jr teamimg up as motivational speakers. Ahhh...I can hear it now.." boogity boogity boogity boys, let's go sell real estate" Lol Works for me.....
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5-28-2008 @ 7:10AM
SweetPea said...
If Junior teamed up with Waldrip on the speaking circuit, his grammar wouldn't matter much since Waldrip seldom gives anyone else a chance to talk. Junior could just sit there and grin and look all cute and sweet and it might make DW's long-winded speeches about himself more bearable.
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5-28-2008 @ 9:21AM
Kim said...
Thanks, Peaches. Nice to know someone's got my back.
I swear, I can't win with some of you people. I say something nice about Jr., I get jumped on. I say something negative about Jr., I really get jumped on. I guess the guy is "hands off" for critisism and or compliments, too. How annoying. I wish the other drivers were protected the way Jr. was. I guess I better respect the hands off thing where Jr. is concerned because apparently, I am not entitled to any opinions about him, his crew chief, or anything else related to him.
Kim
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5-28-2008 @ 11:45AM
Brad said...
NO NO NO Kim, your entitled to your opinion and I still Love ya. Don't take it so hard, just remember that others are just as entitled to their opinions as your are.
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5-28-2008 @ 3:19PM
lis said...
While I respect a drivers ability, attitude is important, and when you stomp on enough toes, karma and payback ya know? Kyle has a sh*tload coming his way.
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5-28-2008 @ 10:21PM
Peaches said...
As Long as he keeps driving his "Car Likes his Hair is on Fire" who cares what you think,he is still winning RACES...
"Everybody Likes A Bad Guy Every Now And Again"
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6-02-2008 @ 2:27AM
artiep300 said...
Darlington...Earnhardt Jr. has kyle busch covered. KB over drives the car into Jr. a calculated move with the wanted result of not letting Jr. win at all costs. Dale Sr. did the same thing to many a driver, but the difference is Jr. won`t put Busch in the wall if given the chance. As for Jr. being a bad interview...Remember when he was interviewed at Talladega after a win, and in the heat of the moment blurted out a cuss word??? Cost him money and points.I would be choosing my words carefully to after that fiasco...And finally all you Toyota lovers out there..ask Jack Rousch what he thinks about the equality of engines between the teams.
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