( Title-wise I could have gone with Jerry Jeff, but I suspect The Dirt Band would be more recognizable. )

At some tracks single file racing is acceptable. Bristol should be another, but Nascar ( or track owners ) has decided that Darlington should stand alone in this category  -  but only once a year. For reasons other than good racing, we go twice to too many other places.

The uncharacteristicly long green runs gave the cars that are normally always a  lap down a chance to race for position with a lot of A list drivers. I’m sure they enjoyed that for a change.

While researching, I re-learned the last Rebel 500 was 1982. I don’t know about then, but in 1967 (Rebel 400) and before, the race was started with the rebel flag instead of the green flag.

After Saturday’s race I’ve decided that I prefer cautions for debris ( warranted or not ) than for single car spins that end up out of the racing groove and then continue on with no danger to anyone. If I were Elvis ( and still alive ) I’d have to get a new TV every time that happens.

On an unrelated topic, the best thing about golf is you get to wear pink pants in public. And Kevin Na should have Ralph Kramden as his caddie.

Just curious. Whatever happened to Jeremy McGrath’s stock car career?

If Ned was in the booth we’d know what’s up with Doug Heveron.

By Gary Erdakos

Ref: racing-reference.info, Greg Fielden’s “Forty Years of Stock Car Racing”, Richard Sowers’ “The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing”.

I have for a very long time believed there are three sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth. As it turns out, after listening to the post ” mini-big one ” interviews, there is a fourth side. The Martin Truex, Jr. side.

As long as we’re on that subject, it’s obvious the horseshoe that appeared to be placed in the 24 car  prerace was quite ineffective. Superior voodoo will have to be employed for that team to make the chase.

Once again, other same venue events proved more exciting. The ARCA and Nationwide races were both more compelling. Congrats to Brandon McReynolds on an amazing display of understanding and ability. And I bet Kyle Busch thought, after the way Saturday played out, on Sunday he had the 2 right where he wanted him. Kudos to Brad for taking notice and appropriate action to overcome what appeared to be a no-win situation.

I’m not sure why, but I found it quite pleasing when Danica punted Hornish after the race on Saturday. What’s curious, however, is she got to go home without first being invited to the Nascar hauler. Although “invitations” have been extended to her and Sam when they get to Darlington, it’s still a bit out of the ordinary.

Enough of Dega.I’ve got to tell you all about a wonderful event held at Charlotte May 1. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the first superspeedway race under the lights, CMS had a free ” drive-in movie ” evening displayed on the world’s largest ( 200 ft. ) HD tv screen. But instead of a movie, they showed the 1992 Winston ( and Winston Open ) – aka ” One Hot Night “. Prerace featured an on stage discussion panel and Q and A – hosted by Doug Rice and Marcus Smith – with Robin Pemberton, Larry Mac (wearing the same crew shirt he wore for the original event), Mike Joy  and ( I don’t know why ) Matt Kenseth. Although I was well aware of the outcome of the race, if I were witnessing it again for the first time, as  the white flag flew, I would say there was no way the 28 – about 10 car lengths behind -  was going to win. Oh, and besides free admission, they served $1.oo hot dogs.

Another end of an era. After a lifetime of living in Wilkes County, Jr. Johnson is moving from a “holler” to a Hollow (Quail Hollow, that is). He’ll no longer  – as he has done until very recently – be working the farm/ranch and every morning cooking up a red-eye gravy breakfast for the hands and any visitors who happened to wander by. You can read the story here.

It occurred to me recently that, among the many things I am ignorant of, I don’t know for sure what constitutes taking the checkers. They always talk about “crossing the finish line”, but, since the painted line is maybe a foot wide, is it breaking the plane of the front of the line that counts? It seems the definition of scoring varies from sport to sport:  ball crossing the goal line?, all of the puck crossing the goal line?. Now I’m even confused about those other sports.

If Ned was in the booth we’d know what’s up with Mike Potter.

As Mike LaFontaine said in “  A Mighty Wind “, “wha’ happened?”.

A perfectly fine race was interrupted by … I don’t know what. It started with some farcical caution with the 31 and went downhill from there. Not that I’m averse to the outcome, but it seems like the race director was abruptly awoken from the last couple weeks of racing and leapt at the first chance to make something happen. I’m probably wrong and, after everything is parsed, Nascar most likely made all the right decisions. Unfortunately, in many circles, perception is reality.

On the other hand, as is often the case, a ” lesser series ” provided the better racing. On Friday evening, with a couple laps to go, there was no way Kurt Busch was going to win. Another of those ” worth the price of admission ” moments. He not only didn’t have the better car, he had older tires. There have been relatively few races where sheer determination has prevailed. This was one of them. ( Think D.Jarrett/D.Allison, Gordon/Burton et.al., Craven, etc. )

So this was the first ” Capital City 400 ” since 9.7.80. In that race, with 3 cars finishing on the lead lap, were, among others, Richard Childress (11th), Jimmy Means (13th), Dave Dion (9th), Eddie Dickerson (21st) and 29th, and last, J.D. McDuffie.

4.28.67:  @ Savannah, John Sears – 6’2″, 270 lb. – who raced to his first pole and led 3 laps, ” went out with rear end problems “. The report doesn’t elaborate.

If Ned was in the booth we might know what’s up with Dave Dion and Eddie Dickerson.

By Gary Erdakos

Ref: racing-reference.info, Greg Fielden’s “Forty Years of Stock Car Racing”, Richard Sowers’ “The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing”.

I bet Nascar is sure glad to be headed back to its home territory for the next month and a half or so.

On the surface, the last 2 races didn’t look much different, but Kansas seemed to have more intrigue. Obviously, as the race unfolded, the result was more unexpected than at Texas. There seemed to be much more battling for positions throughout the pack. In addition to the slower than Texas speeds, changing track temps became a factor. This just adds more credence to my belief that Goodyear holds most of the cards in determining the quality of the racing.

Let me reiterate: every race doesn’t have to be a (viewer’s) gem. If they were, there would be no gems. I can wait patiently for the next memorable moment/race and still appreciate the interim racing however it unwinds. However, not all of us agree. Jeff Owens of the Sporting News has a different take. To me it’s the “channel surfing” take. Of course, his take is what builds the luxury suites. You can read it here.

4.28.67: At Savannah, John Sears – 6’2 and 270lb – raced to his first pole and led 3 laps. He “went out on lap 107 with rear end problems”. The narrative doesn’t elaborate.

If Ned was in the booth we’d know what’s up with Bob Brevak.

By Gary Erdakos

Ref: racing-reference.info, Greg Fielden’s “Forty Years of Stock Car Racing”, Richard Sowers’ “The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing”.

Is Bruton going to have to tear up this track too?

And then there was the return to The Rock. Not that the racing at the  front of the field there was any better, but at least the track and the rest of the racing had character. The more I think about it, the more I believe that Goodyear has the main influence on whether or not a race is noteworthy. Unless tire wear is a key factor in a race, it soon becomes relatively predictable. Or fuel mileage then becomes a major issue, and nobody (meaning me) wants that.

Congratulations to Andy Hillenburg on a successful event and a nice crowd. But what about the Nelson Piquet move? In his defense (unless his team gave him prior warning), forever the number 1 pit stall has allowed the driver to leave his stall at a higher rate of speed than the other drivers. Since ESPN‘s camera got that stall, the pole sitter was expected to do something completely different than he has been trained to do. Maybe it’s something Nascar might think about doing for all the races. On the other hand, since the pole sitter doesn’t get any points for that achievement and any monetary gain is insignificant, I guess it’s OK he/she gets some advantage.

And then there was a race at Long Beach. I don’t put the IRL on for the racing, but listening to Bob Jenkins, Wally Dallenbach and Jon Beekuis (with Robin Miller in the pits) is such a pleasure and education.

If Ned was in the booth we’d know what’s up with Christian Elder.

By Gary Erdakos

Welcome back Barney Hall of MRN. Those of us who listen to the races on the radio – and web – have missed your eloquent presentations.

The ending notwithstanding, the 2% of the race with 20% still remaining (the battle between the 11 and the 48 ) was well worth the price of admission. It’s that kind of battle that really makes you wish you were there.

My initial reaction to the events at the end was one of despair. It appeared we were robbed of what was to be a great finish by some selfish action. Normally I don’t watch all of the post race interviews. Having done so this time, I was reminded that one should be cautious in reacting to situations before having all of the facts – whether it be about hoodies, “who shot JR?”, or why someone parked their car on the race track. I listened to David Reutimann’s explanation and I believed him. I was satisfied that it was just one of them racin’ deals. Too bad, and move on.

But wait, there’s more. Two days after the race, according to Sporting News, although his car was indeed broke, David said if he wasn’t trying to protect Danica’s points, he probably would have gotten to pit road. You can read it here. Bottom line, even when you think you have all the facts, there may be more. I try to live by the axiom that there are three sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth. It is, however, easy to forget.

But this whole fiasco gets back to Nascar‘s convoluted attempt to limit car ownership and the maze of owner/number swaps that result. Within a couple degrees of separation, somehow the 10 is a de facto Hendrick car, ergo a Hendrick car ruined Hendrick’s day. This is all irrelevant, of course if you’re a Ryan Newman fan. Wait. Isn’t he a teammate of Danica?

Considering the finishing order, I bet everyone is wondering what kind of pre race shot A.J. Allmendinger got to, as he said, ” make me feel better “.

And finally, love him or hate him ( ok, not too many love him ), whatever you think of Bruton Smith, he has never shied away form spending to make the fan’s experience better. The clamor over the Bristol racing has prompted him to spend what it takes to rectify the situation. Personally, I don’t see the problem, but I’m sure he knows better than I. He’s always been one of the very few CEOs who subscribe to what I like to call the “trickle up theory”. Take care of your customers first, and eventually you will reap the benefits.

4.1.79: At Bristol, Dale Earnhardt, in his 16th Cup start, got his first win.

If Ned was in the booth we’d know what’s up with Glenn Allen, Jr.

By Gary Erdakos

Ref: racing-reference.info, Greg Fielden’s “Forty Years of Stock Car Racing”, Richard Sowers’ “The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing”.

I suppose Mr. Harvick is back on the “horseshoe” rant re the 48.

The 54 having to go to the back for Saturday’s race begs the question how is it ( and not that rare ) that a driver misses mandatory meetings or introductions? Unless they’re ill, what could be more pressing? Is it just ennui? Maybe starting position has simply become irrelevant. That might explain blowing off the drivers’ meeting, but not snubbing the fans by missing intros. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the absenteeism is due to sponsor obligations. Once again, $ rules.

So the Supreme Being rescued Sunday’s race before Nascar had the chance to intervene with their yellow magic. I think a lot of us are grateful. Although there was still good racing going on somewhere all of the time ( as always ), sometimes it appears the size of the crowd is directly proportional to the quality of the racing. That race certainly quelled the outcry over the Bristol racing debate.

Speaking of Bristol, Dale Jr. has the best take: some races are better than others, some tracks are better than others. I say deal with it. I’m perfectly happy with great races being rare. That’s what makes them great. And although I believe there are too many tracks that inherently lend themselves to mediocre racing, great races occur on them from time to time. I suspect Rockingham, N. Wilkesboro etc. – no matter how “great” they were, probably had their share of “boring” races.

Back to Nascar’s rules. What could be simpler than ” the leader must take the green flag first “? According to Nascar, a whole lot of things, as explained by Bob Pockrass of Scenedaily.com. You can read it here.  “We don’t judge it [that close] – it’s got to be fenders,”  (and not necessarily 1-2 in that order ) according to Robin Pemberton. It may be much ado about nothing since I can’t recall any situation where someone got away with jumping the gun on the leader. Well, maybe Dale Sr. in the mid ’90′s. But that was the All-Star race.

And now to Mark Martin’s new name – ” Epic Swag “. I don’t know what that refers to, but a friend of mine gave him the monicker ” Stroker ” many, many years ago. If there’s any connection between the two nicknames, please let me know, and remember, that was my friend – not me.

3.25.73: At Bristol, Cale Yarborough lapped the field twice while leading every lap.

If Ned was in the booth we’d know what’s up with Troy Beebe.

By Gary Erdakos

Ref: racing-reference.info, Greg Fielden’s “Forty Years of Stock Car Racing”, Richard Sowers’ “The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing”.

It’s curious how drivers respond differently to the same incident. How is it that Kyle Busch slams the hood of his car and disappears for the day and Carl Edwards smiles and jokes while they’re both veritably done for the day through no fault of their own? I guess it’s the same in everyday life for all of us. ( The movie “Falling Down” is a wonderful exploration of this phenomenon .) That’s what makes the world go ’round I suppose.

This brings up the dilemma owners face when hiring drivers. Where is the line that divides intensity and desire from out of control behavior? As an owner, how do you decide when the damage is irreversible or will you hire someone without such fervor? At any level of competition, desire often separates winners from losers. Anyway, both Kyle and Carl have been over the line at times. Kyle a little more I suspect. So back to their opposite reactions. Is Carl simply the better actor?

Wow! This just in! ( Well, a few hours ago. ) The 48 just gained 25 points. What’s rarer than a Nascar penalty being overturned? Insert your favorite southern metaphor here. I don’t know what to say, except there is tremendous significance in the ruling. The pundits will certainly enlighten us over the next few weeks. This could, however, not be the godsend they believe. The adversity the 48 has always responded to positively has for now been removed. Chad may be disappointed he has to cancel his next safari.

So what’s up with the controversy over the “old Bristol v. new Bristol”? Shall we swap the old drama for the new good racing? Every Bristol race can’t be Earnhardt v. Labonte. I think Goodyear has a lot more to do with the racing everywhere than anything else.  (Except maybe for corporate track designers.)

Lastly, it’s a good thing Kasey Kahne’s spotter is his cousin.

If Ned was in the booth I suspect he would not tell us what’s up with Aaron Fike.

By Gary Erdakos

Where are the meadows? I’ve seen all the Vegas races on TV. I’ve been to the city many more times than that. I’ve watched “Vega$”, “Las Vegas” and “Melvin And Howard”. The only “meadows”  I’ve seen were man-made, i.e. Howard Hughes’ foothill home and the golf courses.

So what would Joey Lagano do? (And at what age do you start going by the name Joe?). Does his contract prohibit him from raising the competitor’s trophy over his head in victory lane? I know Nascar prohibits a driver from sweeping a competing sponsor’s display off the roof of his car, but is he obliged to hoist the enemy’s brand? Not exactly orange juice versus milk, but close. How Ridgid are the rules?

Alas, my solution to the TV v. .Com audio (from last post) has hit a snag. PRN, unlike MRN, apparently broadcasts on delay both on the radio and the website. Egad!

Speaking of the Kobalt wrench, is it standard or metric?

Have we ever been given an explanation of what “going to the back” is? Sometimes several cars must “start from the rear”. That’s not possible. I noticed the 18 had to “start from the rear”, but it appeared he was ahead of several cars. Of course, the lack of any explanation for that by the broadcasters is actually much better than their decades long attempts to explain who or why someone does or does not lose a lap while pitting when the caution comes out. I admit, this is a concept my feeble mind has never been able to grasp, so the fault doesn’t necessarily lie with the announcers. But sometimes they make it about as clear as the Nascar rule book. I am always amazed how Nascar keeps this straight. Imagine how they did this before electronic scoring! (Well, sometimes not. Remind me to talk about the ’93 Busch race at Milwaukee.)

If Ned was in the booth we’d know what’s up with Shane Hall.

By Gary Erdakos

It’s good to be back to a track where the traditional elements of racing come in to play.

Driver. Crew. Communication ( old or new style ). And management: of tires, track conditions, adjustments.

RE the 48: 4th place isn’t exactly ” cheater’s proof “, but close.

Since that’s about all I’ve got in the ” insight ” of the race category, I’ll take this opportunity to give my take on the Danica/Fox Sportscaster brouhaha. I normally try to stay away from all things Danica. She’s a race car driver and winner. I respect all of them – even those who have never won or who have never competed at the ” Major League” level. All of the other stuff surrounding her career and notoriety I also get, but am less impressed with. My only response to her dismay at being described with the word ” sexy ” is maybe she should consider her sponsor, commercials and bank account. You can’t promote and get paid for being a sex symbol and take offense at being referred to in that regard. For that reason, I sympathize with suspended Ross Shimabuku of Fox Sports San Diego, especially since, according to what I read, he didn’t actually use the word but only said maybe we could refer to her with a word beginning with “B” rather than the word “sexy”. I think he used great restraint.

3.4.79: At Rockingham, in the race following the seminal Daytona 500, Cale and Donnie again running 1-2, reprised their clash wrecking each other. This time it was lap 9. Although Cale and Donnie both called it a racing deal, it took out some of the other major players, most of whom blamed Cale. Bobby Allison was eventually the beneficiary.

If Ned was in the booth we’d know what’s up with Joe Bessey.

By Gary Erdakos

Ref: racing-reference.info, Greg Fielden’s “Forty Years of Stock Car Racing”, Richard Sowers’ “The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing”.