SM Staff

Kurt Busch will be a 2x NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) champion; it's simply a matter of when it will happen. Although he and Furniture Row Racing are fast this year, I doubt his second championship will come in 2013 but I will be very surprised if they don't make the chase and win at least one race. Kurt has matured so much as a driver in the last year and has shocked me with his abrupt attitude change.

I hate to quote the Beatles, because it dates me and after watching the Billboard Awards, I get the feeling that no one knows what’s good music is anymore, but all I can say is the first line of a great Beatle song. I heard the news today, but oh boy. The latest news is Bruton Smith, billionaire CEO of Speedway Motorsports is considering moving the fall Charlotte race to Las Vegas.

Reflect back to the early to mid 2000’s. The All-Star Races during those years were action-packed and go for broke events. Team owners told their drivers to only bring back the steering wheel.

My friend Monte Dutton, who is one of the best or probably was one of the best writers on the NASCAR beat, tweeted Saturday night that unlike normal races, the format actually seems to encourage all hell breaking loose UNTIL the end.

Brandon Watson would start off exactly where he left off as he would the victory in the Lucie Alywin Memorial 50 presented by North Toronto Auctions after leading from the pole.

In continuing last year’s success, Gary McLean would win the North Toronto Auction 30 at Sunset Speedway after taking the lead from Matt Barton on lap nine.

Ken Schrader may just be the oldest winner in the history of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, but he is no doubt the happiest after taking the checkered flag first in the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care this weekend at Toledo Speedway.

Now that the All-Star Race is over, the criticism/praise of NASCAR's new format begins! After fairly exciting on track action during the first four segments, Jimmie Johnson stole the show in the final 10 lap dash after battling with teammate Kasey Kahne with 8 to go.

When NASCAR announced earlier last week the new wrinkle to Sprint All Star qualifying – that there would be no pit road speed limit in the mandatory four tire pit stop which every driver must do in a three lap qualifying session – many people were skeptical.

For the fourth time in his career, Jimmie Johnson scored victory in the Sprint All-Star Race. He did it in classic Jimmie Johnson fashion by not coming alive until the last segment and then doing an all-out blitz to the finish. The race was rather calm, but the historic run by Johnson makes up for some of the vacant storylines this race had.