NASCAR on the Eve of the Playoffs

It’s been a while since I’ve appeared in these pages. My trip to Martinsville was a disaster (snowmageddon), so next on my schedule was Bristol, which despite gloomy skies, tremendous races happened. The crowd was good, but many wanted to make fun of the crowd. No, the track wasn’t full, but a good 100,000 was there and Kurt Busch outlasted and outran one of NASCAR’s darling young drivers, Kyle Larson to claim victory and qualify for the Playoffs.

Darlington is my second favorite track, but I couldn’t get there this year, much to my chagrin. It was a big crowd, and the race was good. Brad Keselowski won the race, teammate Joey Logano was second, all to the glory of Team Penske, and though Larson finished up front, he didn’t’ win, he led the most laps, and then, the atomic bomb hit.

It was a shock to everyone when Barney Visser announced that he was closing the doors of Furniture Row Racing, home to Martin Truex Jr., the reigning Cup Champion, at the season’s end. Apparently, this had been planned between FRR and Joe Gibbs Racing all along and probably Toyota Racing Development. Within a day, though there was no formal announcement, it was learned that Truex was moving to a JGR car, the No. 19 previously driven by Daniel Suarez, who had replaced the departing Carl Edwards only a short time ago. Where Suarez will end up, is rumored to be at a satellite team to JGR, but this seems to be a too familiar scenario. Sorry to say, but I imagine Suarez’s star will not move at the rate it was before. So much for diversity.

Anyway, the only questions that remain involved Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, and probably more changes. I expect Busch and McMurray to stay put, and A.J. Allmendinger to move on from the 47 car. His replacement could be anyone, or someone I don’t know. By the way, Kasey Kahne retired. No one seems to care. I think it’s a great loss, but, it will all work out. I hope.

So, we head to Indianapolis, a place the drivers love, but the fans do not. Boring races are the rule, and I imagine the place will look empty, and after two triumphant weekends, this will be a downer, and I hope that’s not the case. It will bring the haters out, but the truth is the field will be set for the Playoffs like it or not. I can’t wait to see what happens.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest articles

Bass Pro Shops, Winchester Ammunition and Richard Childress Racing Team Up to Honor Fallen...

Richard Childress Racing, Bass Pro Shops and Winchester Ammunition are partnering together to honor and remember our nation’s fallen heroes

Ryan Blaney Eyeing Second Coca-Cola 600 Victory This Weekend

Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford Mustang Dark Horse, won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2023 and comes into this year’s event with back-to-back third-place finishes in Texas and Kansas.

Spire Motorsports Coca-Cola 600 Race Advance

In 12 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Spire Motorsports has logged two top-20 finishes. Corey LaJoie posted a team-best 17th-place result in the 2023 Coca-Cola 600.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY RACE PREVIEW

Johnson got his first taste of NASCAR Cup Series competition by running three races in 2001 with Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 48 Power of Pride Lowe’s Chevrolet

Best New Zealand Online Casinos