On the Right Track
A NASCAR BLOG BY Jeff Gluck
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Notes on New Hampshire weekend
Jul
1
A few more notes and observations from the recently completed New Hampshire weekend:
• Some friends I've spoken to said the TV broadcasters mentioned that officials could have dried the track and finished the remaining 17 laps of Sunday's Cup race had they waited out the storm. That's incorrect. About 20 minutes after the race, the rain turned from an average shower into a torrential, Noah's-Ark-like downpour. By the time it stopped raining, it was dark – and there are no lights at New Hampshire, though new track owner Bruton Smith indicated he'd like to add some.
• Drivers were confused as to where they should park their cars after qualifying. Usually drivers return to pit road after their lap, but because of all the different kinds of racing at New Hampshire, pit road was occupied. NASCAR instructed the drivers to use an easy-to-miss access road on the backstretch and park just inside the Turn 3 fence. Several drivers missed, including Ryan Newman.
That created one of the more bizarre sights of the year. While the crew pushed the car from pit road to the back of the garage, TV and radio reporters actually fast-walked alongside the rolling car and interviewed Newman as he sat in the driver's seat. Newman later called being interviewed in a moving car a "unique" experience.
• Kurt Busch was given a massive live lobster – and I mean MASSIVE, like the size of a first-grade kid – as a reward for winning the New Hampshire race. Cooking that thing would have fed his entire team – although I can't imagine a pot big enough to do the job – but Busch and his wife, Eva, instead donated it to a New England aquarium so it could live out its days as a happy lobster.
• By my count, this was the fourth straight race determined in large part by pit strategy and catching the cautions at the right time. While those races might be interesting once or twice a year, sneaking into the top-five or even victory lane this way is getting old.
• Some friends I've spoken to said the TV broadcasters mentioned that officials could have dried the track and finished the remaining 17 laps of Sunday's Cup race had they waited out the storm. That's incorrect. About 20 minutes after the race, the rain turned from an average shower into a torrential, Noah's-Ark-like downpour. By the time it stopped raining, it was dark – and there are no lights at New Hampshire, though new track owner Bruton Smith indicated he'd like to add some.
• Drivers were confused as to where they should park their cars after qualifying. Usually drivers return to pit road after their lap, but because of all the different kinds of racing at New Hampshire, pit road was occupied. NASCAR instructed the drivers to use an easy-to-miss access road on the backstretch and park just inside the Turn 3 fence. Several drivers missed, including Ryan Newman.
That created one of the more bizarre sights of the year. While the crew pushed the car from pit road to the back of the garage, TV and radio reporters actually fast-walked alongside the rolling car and interviewed Newman as he sat in the driver's seat. Newman later called being interviewed in a moving car a "unique" experience.
• Kurt Busch was given a massive live lobster – and I mean MASSIVE, like the size of a first-grade kid – as a reward for winning the New Hampshire race. Cooking that thing would have fed his entire team – although I can't imagine a pot big enough to do the job – but Busch and his wife, Eva, instead donated it to a New England aquarium so it could live out its days as a happy lobster.
• By my count, this was the fourth straight race determined in large part by pit strategy and catching the cautions at the right time. While those races might be interesting once or twice a year, sneaking into the top-five or even victory lane this way is getting old.
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Comments
2 responses to "Notes on New Hampshire weekend"
Rich Hart said:
Jul 6, 2008 at 9:28 AM4ht straight race determined by pit strategy!! Yes, BECAUSE no one can pass with this crappy COT. Nascar races are increasingly becoming like F1 races--a race to the first turn or a race from pit row. If this is what we wanted, we would all be watching F1 instead of Nascar.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJean M said:
Jul 7, 2008 at 5:26 AMIt's FIXED!!! I've been trying to leave a comment for 2 weeks, Jeff. I liked your last two postings. though, I have to confess, my vote is on the Landon Cassill blog, and yeah I know... you surrendered, but your comment box wasn't working, so I think Landon's gonna have to forfeit the win, really. In all fairness. Maybe you-all will have to settle this on the links, or someplace, eh? Are you a card-sharp? : ) Jean/Calilah
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This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
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