This weekend was an off weekend for the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Drivers, so they had a chance to sit back and watch the Camping World Truck Series meet by the “Old Oak Tree” for a beat em and bang em up match in Darlington!
The NCWTS was a pretty decent race. There were 10 Cautions and 21 on the Lead Lap for 147 lap race. It does sound pretty high for a number of cautions, but Turn Four was the killer part of the track that ate up the right side as drivers drove off turn Three to gain the momentum heading down the Front Stretch. I really hope when the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Drivers make their trip to Darlington it will produce more action! For a couple of drivers, Kasey Kahne started second, next to first time Pole Position Winner Cole Whitt as he “Tamed the Lady In Black” coming in Eighth Place. The race was pretty much dominated by Kasey Kahne as he led for four times for a total of Ninety Five Laps.
I am not sure if anyone else notice or is concerned about Darlington as they sponsored the race, “Too Tough to Tame 200″. Is this lack of sponsorship for drivers also a huge concern for Tracks nationwide? I ask this in retrospect to the closing of Gateway International in Madison, Il, as they failed to obtain sponsorship for this year. We have been to Gateway International four years in a row, and it is a fantastic facility to host night racing. It is just sad to see smaller capacity locations not be able to keep the funding they need to operate. I hope someday soon they will re-open!
On another note, last weekend in Las Vegas, we were witnesses to another record set by Danica Patrick, as she was the first to become the highest-finishing female in NASCAR history since Sara Christian finished fifth in 1949, only the second season in NASCAR’s history. Previously this year, Danica set a record at Daytona International Speedway for becoming the first female to lead a lap.
Also this year, Dale Earnhardt Jr has finished in the Top Ten for the first three races! After a bad few years since his last win in Michigan in 2008, good ol’ Junebug is pretty happy to start off well! Why Rick Hendrick took three years to make a change for the better, we will never know.
This coming weekend the Nationwide and Sprint Cup drivers take to the track in Bristol! Maybe this will be the beat em bang em up match I am looking for! I do know that this weekend will either start a few new feuds and continue some from the past, Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers might agree! This weekend will start a five race series for Sprint Cup, and Nationwide series has two races before they start a nine race series after a break.
I am looking forward to seeing what will be some great racing to come as we will be making our way to Talladega within the next few weeks!
Everyone enjoy the rest of your night and have a great week!
Terry
