Ron Thornton

Hey, it was Saturday night racing! Well, it was, but I am not one of those old school short track kind of fans. Hell, growing up Saturday night was reserved for Hockey Night in Canada. I tuned in Friday night to Richmond seeking a preview of what might be expected.

You know you have had a bad day when you dominate a race, win it, and wind up with three fewer points than the guy who crashed out first. That is the current fate of Matt Kenseth after "winning" at Kansas when NASCAR discovered a single connecting rod in his engine that weighed less than their minimum specifications.

I have known for a long time that I tend to march to the beat of my own drummer. Maybe that is why I am not surprised to see that such notions as Earth Day, Mother Earth, and Going Green simply do not resonate with me. Of all the things that make me warm and fuzzy, the parade that is all preoccupied with the environment or carbon credits or global warming leaves me rather cold.

Well, it was Sunday. To be honest, Kansas is not exactly a marquee track just yet, but I wondered how Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano might rebound after the penalties. I also wondered if Kyle Busch might continue his hot hand.

Sometimes teams get real upset when NASCAR docks them six points for a rule infraction. I am thinking Martin Truex Jr and Waltrip Racing said thanks, as they got a peck on the cheek from momma. Compare that to the boot in the nether regions experienced by Team Penske after Texas.

When Richard Petty speaks of what he thinks about the 25 most recent nominees for NASCAR's Hall of Fame, one should listen. That does not mean I have to agree, as it was announced last week that the 20 who missed the cut last year will be joined by five more contenders for induction.

There are many reasons to watch a Cup race. You want to see if those up front can stay there, if those in the ditch can pull themselves out, to see if a safety vehicle out on the track the same time as a race car might be aware of the possible dangers.

Don't you just hate excellence? The New York Yankees won five straight World Series titles in the 1950's, 27 in their history. How should we respond? That's right, hate ‘em.

Believe it or not, there are actually some poor souls out there who still think NASCAR is only about a bunch of folks turning left. However, we know it is much more than that.

It sure was not to see Denny Hamlin behind the wheel, who is out with a back injury until Talladega a month from now. However, not only does he need to win a couple of races in the first 16 events after his return to have a chance to make the Chase, but Hamlin has to be back into the Top 20 to make those wins count.