The Final Word

Jimmie and Jeff, taking turns ruling the roost at Dover, at least they did until a fox ventured into the hen house in the form of a loose wheel that required a unscheduled stop for tightening.

600 miles might be too long a race, but the final 70 of the 400 laps provided some pretty good action. The Coca Cola 600 gave Kasey Kahne his first win as a Hendrick driver, his 13th of his Cup career.

The Southern 500 at Darlington is tradition. Sometimes it is good, such as during the latter portions of the event, and sometimes it is not. Sometimes there are no cautions, sometimes that leaves very few on the lead lap, and sometimes NASCAR has to throw a caution for debris, or too many mosquitos, or whatever they can think of.

There are many experts out there, some who are actually the real deal. When it comes to motorsport racing, I'm no expert but I have been a paid chronicler of events much of my life. An expert observer, one might say.

There is that old saying that states the more things change, the more they stay the same. There was Kyle Busch winning the spring race at Richmond back in 2009. Then again in 2010. In 2011. Then last Saturday night. Four straight spring race wins at a track he has always done well at.

If you are not a real NASCAR fan, but the kind who doesn't know a Harvick from a Hamlin, who seeks wrecks not racing, who can't tick off the boys who have won a race this season, then Kansas probably was not for you.

Leading the pack? Check. Winning a race and ending a 49 race slump? It was mission accomplished for Greg Biffle Saturday night in Fort Worth when he got by Jimmie Johnson with 30 laps to go and held that lead right to the checkered flag.

Martinsville might have started a wee bit boring, got real interesting in the second half, then went plain nuts at the end. Jeff Gordon, the star on this day, was leading, trying to fend off team-mate Jimmie Johnson for the win with three laps remaining.

Tony Stewart won it, his second of the season, which is pretty good for a guy who rarely wins before June. Jimmie Johnson was belching smoke and spilling oil after a line broke, but the caution came out at just the right time so he could finish 10th.

Bristol is a place where bashing and banging is expected, yet while there was some of that going on, it proved to be just nice to watch last Sunday. Unfortunately, it was not exactly a hang on to your seat kind of affair.