SM Staff

Things have been quiet around these parts lately. Some by choice, a little by outside factors which took away time normally devoted to breaking down the latest NASCAR news. But, I haven’t been completely cut off from the racing world. The races were watched, dissected and discussed. And it was during that quiet time, removed from the journalism side, that viewing racing from a different perspective brought forth many thoughts.

In my next interview, I had the honor of speaking with Brian Keselowski. Brian is the older brother of fellow NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski. He is a past winner in the ARCA Racing Series and is a competitor in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driving the no. 92 Chevrolet Impala for K-Automotive Motorsports. Here is my interview with Brian.

Call it whatever you want but the Bristol Motor Speedway has a new surface with different racing we’ve never seen before at Bristol. Some people are referring to the new surface as a return to the “old Bristol” which featured one lane racing on the bottom and beating and banging.

With their intro songs, as well as the voices of their children singing the national anthem ringing in the drivers’ ears, here is what was surprising and not surprising from 52nd Annual Irwin Tools Night Race at the new, old Bristol.

The smell of race fumes. The roar of the cars going around the track. The fans cheering, booing and getting excited for a night race at Bristol. All of those things are what you can expect at Bristol on race weekend. The Bristol Motor Speedway is unlike any track on the NASCAR circuit.

Ryan Briscoe capitalized on a great opportunity Sunday afternoon at Infineon Raceway to earn his first win in over two years. Will Power dominated the first half of the race, but on lap 64, things went amiss.

We all saw it. Then we all saw it again and again and again. That, of course, would be Tony Stewart's helmet toss at Matt Kenseth's race car during the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

With two races remaining before the 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship begins, the first drivers have been locked in. It was Denny Hamlin in Victory Lane for the first time at Bristol but he has yet to earn his spot, even with three wins this year.

Kyle Busch and the Bristol Motor Speedway are synonymous. Busch and Victory Lane at Bristol even more so. But following the two races he competed in this weekend, Busch couldn’t get out of Tennessee quick enough.

To say that the 2012 NASCAR season has been a steep learning curve for Danica Patrick is an understatement. In her first full season in the Nationwide Series, Patrick has had her share of ups and down as well her share of obstacles in making the transition from open wheel racing to stock cars.