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A brand new tradition: Labor Day Southern 500 from Atlanta |
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TALKIN'N RACING
Ever since we were kids growing up, we marked the beginning and end of summer with major auto races. Memorial Day weekend meant the Indianapolis 500 and the beginning of summer. The Labor Day weekend meant the Southern 500 from Darlington South Carolina. No matter what else went on during those weekends, come race time we were glued to the radio or TV. Planning our holiday weekends around the race broadcast was a tradition we enjoyed year after year.
A few years ago with soaring attendance, growing TV ratings and new network contracts guaranteeing a huge cash flow figure, NASCAR’s management got a bit full of themselves and decided they needed a stronger presence in major markets. In one of their dumbest moves of that time they took the Labor Day race away from tiny Darlington and moved it to Southern California. Bad move. The palm tree and latte set never did embrace NASCAR racing. The races at California Motor Speedway (excuse me, Auto Club Speedway) never have drawn a decent crowd.
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Making Bristol Motor Speedway history |
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Last Saturday Night marked the 100th Cup Series Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The track’s original owners Larry Carrier and Carl Moore opened the famous half mile track in 1961. At the time it was named Bristol International Speedway. In the original concept the track was a perfect half-mile as opposed to the .553 mile oval it is today. It was originally a lot flatter and was an asphalt surface, unlike today’s high banked concrete surface.
The original configuration for the Speedway had concrete bleachers that held 20,000 fans. Today the track’s grandstands have seating for 160,000 race fans. What hasn’t changed over the past 100 races is the action and competitive drama. In 1961, Fred Lorenzen sat on the pole for the track’s first Cup race. Jack Smith won the race after dominating most of the event and leading 243 laps.
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Second time around for the Next Generation |
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The NASCAR Nationwide Series new car made its second appearance last weekend at Michigan International Speedway. The race featured a different track distance and layout than its debut at the 2.5 mile Daytona International Speedway. It may not have had the storybook outcome of the historic July 2nd race, an emotional win for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet, but it does have the same air of excitement aimed at the new models for Dodge (Challenger), Ford (Mustang), and the sporty look of the Chevrolet Impala.
Too bad GM will not race its new Camaro. It seems like a natural and a big step forward; the big three manufacturers each racing their new generation pony cars. It also gives the Nationwide series a distinctively different look from the cars in the Cup Series. Unfortunately, Toyota does not have a pony car so they will stick with their Camry. Maybe someone can put a bug in GM’s ear. Get with it guys. Race the Camaro.
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First and foremost “Smoke” is a racer |
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Coming into last Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen, the talk was all about Tony Stewart. A notoriously slow starter each season, Stewart can generally be counted on to hit his stride as the season moves into the summer months.
For whatever reason, this season has been a bit different. Heading into last weekend, 21 races into the season “Smoke” had yet to visit victory lane.
He is one of eight winners from last year who have yet to win a race in 2010. Stewart is in pretty good company as several other top name drivers have also failed to garner a win so far this season; Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, and Brian Vickers.
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See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil |
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“Keep Your Trap Shut”
Things seem to be getting a bit more rocky in the kingdom of NASCAR by the week. A season that promised to get back to some good old fashioned fender banging racing and began with the words, “Have at it boys,” has become the season of “Keep your trap shut.”
Declining attendance and TV ratings, topped off by the a day-long national TV display of empty grandstands at the recent Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, have really got the sports powers that be with their knickers in a twist. It’s circle-the-wagons time at NASCAR headquarters.
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