Jun 27th, 2011 by T.C.
We saw it at both Road America and Infineon. Bent sheet metal and angry drivers filled the garage area after the races. You would have thought we had just raced at Martinsville or the old Bristol. Papis was angry with Villeneuve, Stewart and Vickers were at odds, and no NASCAR clash is complete without a JPM and Brad K. sighting. And wait, was that Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick shaking hands post race?!
Road course racing at the Nationwide and Cup level always seems to be a very tough proposition. The level of ability from the front of the field to the back varies wildly, and it always leads to a lot of on track action. Even for those who have a ton of road racing experience and talent, these races are no walk in the park.
The varied experience levels coupled with race tracks that can be very difficult to pass on means madness could ensue. Drivers often decide it’s easier to move a competitor than it is to set him up and make a clean pass. And as we saw today, often the “moved” driver gets angry, and then gets even.
There are also plenty of cases where guys end up wrecked simply because another driver ran out of talent. Trying to fit race cars into holes where there really isn’t a hole, or charging corners way too hard is usually a recipe for disaster.
All things considered, I thought both the NNS and Cup races from this weekend were wildly entertaining. There was plenty of action, drama, strategy, and “boys have at it” to satisfy any race fan. And because of the great racing we continue to see at these tracks, it’s about time NASCAR finally added a road race to the Chase. Our champion should be well rounded, and there are plenty of top flight tracks in this country that would serve NASCAR well.
Finally, I’ve heard some of you were less than pleased with TNT’s coverage on Sunday. It’s definitely a shame that the networks continue to struggle with what exactly the right formula is for covering NASCAR events. Things like RaceBuddy are a big step in the right direction, but they need to keep working. Let’s hope they work out some of the kinks before we head to Daytona this weekend.
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