After a thrilling start to the season full of action at every turn, the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series had some time to kick back and relax. Beyond just the drivers, it marks an even more important break for the crew members as they’ve been hard at work since the winter trying to get their packages set for the season.
“It is nice to have because we have been running hard and this week being very short with racing Monday and then everyone knows what happens after you win with obligations and interviews,” Logan commented pre-break. “We have been wide open for awhile.”
For the young driver, it marked a chance to take a break with his fiancé and tour around Charleston for a couple of days. Logano wasn’t the only driver who relaxed over the break as Biffle said he was heading to the beach for some rest and relaxation. Clint Bowyer, meanwhile, ran off to the Bahamas and got married.
While it brought forth lots of relaxing, it also brought forth a time of reflection. With eight races in the books at a variety of tracks, drivers and teams have a good idea where their packages stand and how their Chase chances are already shaping up.
Kevin Harvick could use the weekend to really kick back without any worries as he is locked in the Chase with a pair of wins on the end. If anything, his team could see how to prevent the freak mechanical issues that have them seeded in the bottom half of the top 30 in points.
For the drivers with only one win under their belt, this is a time to reflect upon how they’ve ran to date. They know that they’re partway to locking themselves in, bearing that we don’t have more than 15 single winners this season. However each of them wants another win to lock themselves in and feel Harvick’s security. For that reason, these guys are looking at the races where they struggled, though still having comfort in their pocket.
There are then the drivers that have yet to win a race this season and could see their Chase chances slip away with each week that passes. This becomes a time of heavy reflection in trying to improve their packages so therefore they can pick up the pace and join the other crowd. The new rules package has certainly thrown many teams for a loop in trying to figure out what it is going to take to put together the best package. Perhaps the break allows for reflection over notes and new ideas to try that will put them on the same page.
A break can be frustrating for the fans as it means a week without the racing that they’ve become an addicted to. However, sometimes a break can lead to the best racing on the flip side and what better way to bring it back then with some classic short track action that Richmond has been known to offer.
