Post California Commentary
Written by Ray Champagne · September 1, 2008
I need to apologize in advance for what you all are about to read. Since this was one of the most lopsided, “event” free races with more green flag laps than the RNC has attendees, there just wasn’t a whole lot of excitement to write about. But, since I am a trooper, I labor on with the job at hand: trying to extract all the pre-race sideshow commentary and in-race non excitement blathering I can muster.
- While sitting watching the pre-race, and the race itself, I had a thought to myself that I am really liking Dale Jarrett in the booth more and more every week. The man is articulate, spot-on with commentary, and brings more to the table than Rusty Wallace ever could, or did. I wonder if anyone has ever used the term “second generation broadcaster” in a sentence…at any rate, Ned should be proud of his son’s accomplishments, on and off the track. Good stuff, DJ.
- I’m glad that that creepy-ass looking guy Tim Brewer showed us what the actual NASCAR rules are regarding the offset of the rear-end housing in relation to the front of the car. This has been somewhat of a mystery to me this season, starting with the 77 car doing it at Charlotte earlier in the year. Now I know that this practice is legal and I can stop wondering why NASCAR isn’t slapping down the teams that are doing it. The 48 was “crabbing” down the track about as much as anyone ever has this weekend, and I think that if other teams don’t start following that lead on these intermediate tracks, they are doing themselves a disservice. Obviously, there is something to this.
- So Junior finally is in the chase, officially. Junior Nation can now collectively sigh in relief. My personal thoughts are that if this team doesn’t start to turn things around though, and start competing seriously for wins every week, they are not even going to come close to winning a championship. NASCAR Sprint Cup is too competitive these days to just finish in the top 10 or 15 every week and expect to take home the Holy Grail. Having pit stops that are sub-15 seconds would be a good start…if you don’t know what I’m talking about, bust open the TiVO and watch the stop on lap 112.
- How in hell can lights fall off the track? Luckily, there was no one around that spot on the track when it happened. Imagine, if you will, what would have happened if that had bounced off a car’s windshield or roof at 200+ MPH. A sharp, heavy, pointy metal object flying into a packed grandstand wouldn’t do a whole lot for NASCAR PR.
- Is the drive for 5 dead yet again? Jeff Gordon has sealed his spot in the chase, but, like Junior, this team seems dead in the water. Maybe they are just “experimenting”, but it seems to me if I was a crew chief, and my teammate set a qualifying record, I’d think about marching over to their hauler and stealing all the setup notes that I could and apply them to my own car. Instead, they went in their own direction and flailed about for the whole race.
- I can’t wait for Richmond next week. For the most part, the Chase contenders are all but sealed up, but that race for 12th is what is going to keep me watching on the edge of my couch until the bitter end next week. My prediction is that Bowyer is going to use his experience and love of the short tracks to limp into the Chase over Ragan, but that’s the best part of NASCAR - you never know what could happen.
- Hats off to the Red Bull teams - they have truly changed my mind about the level of success that they could achieve at the Cup level. Even though their pit stop performance probably killed what chances they had to win or at least top 10 their way out of California, they look to be an organization that will be a force to be reckoned with next year. I would not be surprised to see either the 83 or 84 in victory lane by November.
- The above sentiment in mind, does it make sense to shoo Scott Speed into a Cup ride next year over Allmendinger? AJ has no contract for next year, and the writing is on the wall - Speed is inevitably going to be their driver of the future, along with Vickers. I wouldn’t be the only one who thinks that maybe they should give AJ one more chance to prove that he can’t hack it in NASCAR. Red Bull most likely cannot foot the bill for 3 teams, so someone has to be the odd man out, but that 84 team has come a long way since Daytona, and it seems like it would be a shame to start back at square one.
Tune in next week - I’ll be reviewing my prognostications from a few races ago to see how well I fared. Richmond is always exciting, and the excitement level reaches Bristol proportions when you add in the desperation of having to finish well to be in the playoffs. It’s going to be a long week of anticipation. I have already bought the hot wings and beer, so I’m ready. Question is whether or not the teams on the bubble are.
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