Need for Speed
A NASCAR BLOG BY Jared Turner
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Prepare yourself for more ho-hum racing
Jun
3
Overshadowed by the “Busch-whacking” (forgive me) that Kyle Busch administered to his overworked competitors in Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway was the overall ho-hum nature of the affair.
Consider that:
- All of one pass for the lead occurred on the track over the 400-lap duration (the other passes were on pit road or during a cycle of green flag stops)
- Busch’s margin of victory over second-place Carl Edwards was 4.22 seconds, a hefty distance by most any standards
- The final 153 laps were run caution-free with few changes for position among the frontrunners
- A grand total of six, yes six, cars finished on the lead lap
For a track already considered a possible candidate to lose a race date in the not-so-distant future, the Best Buy 400 didn’t do much to pad Dover’s place on the series schedule.
Add the fact that Busch, NASCAR’s most reviled competitor, was clearly headed for victory lane barring a complete meltdown, and “Big Bummer 400” would have been a more fitting title for the event in the minds of many paying customers.
From the number of visibly empty seats in the stands at race’s end, masses of ticket holders clearly weren’t interested in witnessing another smoky burnout from the driver who has become the chief object of their ire.
Of course, it didn’t help matters that Dale Earnhardt Jr. – the very antithesis of Busch in the eyes of the bulging Junior Nation – was just driving around trying to collect points after being involved in a lap 16 crash.
The worst news is that from the reviews of some drivers who participated in last week's test at Pocono Raceway, this Sunday’s race at the triangle-shaped track doesn’t figure to be exactly a thriller, either.
Bring on the Busch-whacking. Before long, we’ll all be sawing logs.
Consider that:
- All of one pass for the lead occurred on the track over the 400-lap duration (the other passes were on pit road or during a cycle of green flag stops)
- Busch’s margin of victory over second-place Carl Edwards was 4.22 seconds, a hefty distance by most any standards
- The final 153 laps were run caution-free with few changes for position among the frontrunners
- A grand total of six, yes six, cars finished on the lead lap
For a track already considered a possible candidate to lose a race date in the not-so-distant future, the Best Buy 400 didn’t do much to pad Dover’s place on the series schedule.
Add the fact that Busch, NASCAR’s most reviled competitor, was clearly headed for victory lane barring a complete meltdown, and “Big Bummer 400” would have been a more fitting title for the event in the minds of many paying customers.
From the number of visibly empty seats in the stands at race’s end, masses of ticket holders clearly weren’t interested in witnessing another smoky burnout from the driver who has become the chief object of their ire.
Of course, it didn’t help matters that Dale Earnhardt Jr. – the very antithesis of Busch in the eyes of the bulging Junior Nation – was just driving around trying to collect points after being involved in a lap 16 crash.
The worst news is that from the reviews of some drivers who participated in last week's test at Pocono Raceway, this Sunday’s race at the triangle-shaped track doesn’t figure to be exactly a thriller, either.
Bring on the Busch-whacking. Before long, we’ll all be sawing logs.
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Comments
1 response to "Prepare yourself for more ho-hum racing"
emily bagwell said:
Jun 6, 2008 at 7:45 PMOn point! Winning races may make a champion, but maketh a super hero, it does not. Kyle Busch a Dale Earnhardt---Me thinketh not!!! If he were, the stands would have remained full till the emd. Oh NASCAR, wherefore art thou????
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