Another good race is in the can.
I love Pocono (at least on TV). This is not an opinion shared by all, as I have discovered. History has shown there are few close or exciting finishes. But there’s always good racing going on somewhere and drama surrounding the event. Not to mention the beauty and uniqueness of the venue. You could probably have every race of the season there, and each would be just about as diverse as the current schedule. Of course, we’d probably have a lot more Monday morning races.
It may have been there for years, but Sunday I just noticed the graphic “What Turn 4?” on the wall. Very funny.
So let me get this straight. Probation means it’s OK to harass (i.e. run him down as close to the grass as possible and bump-draft him on a non-restrictor plate race) your probationary buddy the week after starting probation. Even though you’ve been read the riot act, surely been reminded of your status pre-race, you must be given a warning during the race to cut it out before probation actually begins. Once again, Nascar‘s mantra: No harm, no foul. Well, sometimes.
Nascar can occasionally try to meddle with a race, but I find it hard to believe it was their fault the 14 lost 3rd gear. Also, I’ve got to give them credit for letting the 16 spin without the normally obligatory yellow.
News flash: During Speed TV’s post race show, while Jeff Gordon was guest, Ol’ DW, according to a reporter, tweeted “Jeff Gordon is one of the best drivers of all time”. I’m glad we’ve got that settled.
I may have mentioned it before, but the 42 can always find a way not to win – except, naturally, on a road course.
There were several interesting articles relative to the Busch/Harvick/Childress brouhaha. You can read them here, here, here, and here.
6.12.88: Rick Hendrick, in his 2nd – and final – Cup race, finished 15th in the #18 Hendrick Chevy at Riverside after starting 13th. Mr. Hendrick had one more start (so far) in a Nascar (Trucks) race: Topeka, 7.29.95.
If Ned were in the booth we’d know what’s up with Greg Clark.
Ref: racing-reference.info, Greg Fielden’s “Forty Years of Stock Car Racing”, Richard Sowers’ “The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing”.
