Last week it was Sonoma, a road course set in a beautiful background with curves and hills and places one could speed up and those where one had to slow down. This week it is Chicago. It is round.
Stage points? We don’t need no stinkin’ stage points. Pit late, then say hello to my little friends. Fresh tires. Now, they proved to be the key to victory at Sonoma.
Father’s Day, or was it Father’s Week? With time off, the boys took a little time for some R&R as they get set for the road course at Sonoma on Sunday. While all had some time with the family, some mixed in some other activities, while others dwelt on the race to come.
Last year, Kevin Harvick made a substantial impact for many young drivers, including NASCAR Next driver Will Rodgers. This year, five NASCAR Monster Energy Cup series drivers will start in the NASCAR K&N Pro West race in Sonoma on Saturday, June 23.
Rain. Sometimes rain really sucks. Outside my window, nothing but rain. In Brooklyn, Michigan, a two hours rain delay, a window for NASCAR, and with 140 miles still to go the rain returned and the racing ended. It was cold, wet, and miserable...both here and there. Just a perfect bloody Sunday.
Another weekend. Another race. Another track that does not excite me. Welcome to NASCAR. Michigan International Speedway, located in the lush, rolling Irish Hills, is about 40 miles southwest of Ann Arbor. The fact it is considered a sister track of Texas, and the basis of the facility in Fontana does not exactly thrill anyone, but they do go fast there.
Man, Pocono is pretty. It is so green. Watching a race from there is like watching a video on kittens or puppies. You might not be riveted to all you see, but you could calmly drift away to your happy place as you find yourself in the midst of peaceful meditation.
Some things matter. Some do not. Every weekend, no more than 30 entries matter to some degree. The rest do not. Most weekends NASCAR features a race and while some matter to race fans, most do not. Bristol, Charlotte, Darlington, Daytona, Sonoma, and Talladega races matter due to what they deliver and a long history of tradition.
Jeff Gordon. Four-time NASCAR champion. Three-time Daytona 500 champion. Four-time Brickyard 400 winner. Six-time Southern 500 victor. Three-time World 600 champion. Three-time All-Star race winner. Winner of 93 Cup races. He probably was the most automatic inductee into the Hall of Fame since Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.
For Sale. National sanctioning body. A real fixer upper. Updated safety features. Decades of tradition. All offers to be considered. Contact Goldman Sachs for further details.
