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I don’t know about you, but I’m crossing my fingers that the motors and the tires hold up for the whole 500 miles of the Kobalt Tools 500 this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It’s about time to see a full compliment of NASCAR’s best go at it on a really fast track. Lets find out where we are with this new car on the kind of track where most of the races are run.

Three of this weeks Fast Lap questions touch directly or indirectly on engine effected results from the last couple races. I think it’s time for some cheating. Maybe a nice, convoluted conspiracy theory. But that’s just me. 

Just don’t bring up Digger. Please.

The Fast Lap Blog is going to go through some changes here shortly. We’ll still pose the four questions. And we, for sure, are hoping for spirited debate. But we’re going to put a couple more  conditions on the answers you post. Stay tuned.

1: Could you see Kyle Busch moving to the US formula 1 team in 2010?

2: Would anyone other than Jimmie Johnson be allowed to return to the track with his rear bumper support dragging the asphalt?

3: Is NASCAR’s no testing policy starting to rear its ugly head with all the engine problems?

4: Will Mark Martin lose interest in the season if his season doesn’t improve in one helluva hurry?

There you have them. Four fast, southern flavored, high banked testers for ya. Leave your answers – 100 words or less (for now) – in the comment section. Then come back and defend yourself. You never know who might take umbrage to your opinions. We do like a good argument around here.

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Daytona Beach. What would you pay to watch that squirrely Current Car in a stock car race on the Beach at Daytona?

I know, the beach track is long gone. But wouldn’t that be a gas, watching modern Cup cars race on the sand? I got a chance to help call the two ARCA races that were run on mile dirt tracks at Springfield and Duquoin, Illinois last summer. If that was close to what we could expect in the 21st century on the beach, it would be cool indeed.

Maybe NASCAR needs to think about, outside-the-box ideas like that to help bring the fans back – which is the way to eventually re-attract the sponsor bucks that today’s Cup teams need to survive. NASCAR beat writer, Dustin Long of the Landmark Newspapers has published his NASCAR Fans Bill of Rights, which is much more common sense than my thought. Dustin solicited and surveyed NASCAR fans during the recent off season and came up with a reasonable list of what NASCAR fans should be able to expect. I hope someone in Daytona is listening.

The first Fast Lap dust-up of the 2009 season is next. Make your best pass at these four, highly banked and restrictor plated fast ones. Lets get this season rolling.

1: What was the biggest surprise in qualifying for the Daytona 500?

2: Elliott, Stewart, Terry Labonte and Kvapil are in-which other four have the best chance of making the race?

3: Did the Bud Shootout deliver?

4: Is the new car a perfect match for Daytona?

Simple yet argumentative. Just like Steve. Bring it on NASCAR-o-philes! We haven’t had a good debate since Robby Gordon supposedly wrecked somebody. Wait…….

The Fast Lap is ON PIT ROW’s longest running regular feature. Well, it is if you don’t count the whole “Steve is an idiot” gag. And I look at that as, well, a natural phenomenon.

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At least Robby Gordon got to race in a resurrected Dakar Rally this past week. Made a hell of a showing too.

The rest of those of us with a racin’ jones – at least of the NASCAR variety – had to endure more Petty drama and Ganassi gnews. I’m tired of this stuff. We need to get back on the track, ya know?

Steve’s doing his best. Ferreting out stuff for him, me and hopefully some of you all to argue about. That’s what this Fast Lap thing is all about. NASCAR debate. It gets pretty lively ON PIT ROW sometimes. Try these four fast ones. Leave your comments here or call us for free on Tuesday at 5 PM ET for free at 877-502-8255.

1: Should NASCAR be okay with letting Robby Gordon run a Dodge in the Shootout?

2: Who will be the odd man out at Yates Racing now that Bobby Labonte is in the fold with the HOF Racing satellite ride?

3: Should NASCAR follow Michael Waltrip’s advice and ban on track testing permanently?

4: Two no-brainer selections for the first Hall of Fame class.

Personally, I think the “no brainer” question is unfair. Steve, after all, has an advantage on those. But what the hey. Give it a shot. It’s the Fast Lap at OnPitRow.com.

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I know, I know. Call me a slacker. I am what I am, and that’s all what I am, as Popeye the Sailor Man used to say. Better late than never, as my dad often said on those nights when he stopped for a cold one, or four. Never eat spinach with a stranger was another saying, that seems like it should fit here, but doesn’t.

The digital Fast Laps are back after a couple week hiatus. The respite wasn’t planned, exactly, but it was appreciated by the hack that writes this thing. ON PIT ROW hasn’t missed a beat – Fast Lap wise – and Steve-O and I have had some spirited debate these past two weeks. But it just isn’t the same without you. Damn, that sounds like a Barry Manilow song. Whatever, it’s open testing at OnPitRow.com. Try these three cookiecutter-ish quick ones.
1: Will the lack of testing by Cup teams cause fans to loose interest in NASCAR during the off season?

2: With just two, as of now, drivers slated to run for Rookie of the Year honors in the Cup Series, will that battle be better than the 2008 crop produced?

3: What was a bigger story in 2008; Junior finally winning a race after two years or Jeffy not winning for the first time in 14?

4: What is your wild-yet plausible-prediction for the 2009 season?

Take a shot. Let us know what you think about these four NASCAR related topics. Limit your answers to 100 words or less, but then come back to ridicule your fellow Fast Lappers and to defend your place on the track.

Up to now I have been able to ignore the fact that the weather around here has turned cold. A much longer, and warmer fall season and the fact that NASCAR was racing somewhere relatively semi-tropical helped. Now both are over for another year.

Unlike many of the regular NASCAR TV and radio shows that close it down for the winter months, ON PIT ROW and the blogs at OnPitRow.com are active all year long. Though this Fast Lap blog got a bit bogged down the last two weeks. My bad. If you missed the radio show last week, here are the Fast Lap questions that Steve and I chewed on during the week immediately following Jimmy Johnson’s historic three-peat. 

1: With all the pending layoffs forecast in NASCAR, should the drivers take a pay cut to help curb expenses?

2: With the close points races in the Truck and Nationwide Series’ should the Chase go the way of the spinner wrench?

3: Are you saddened by the end of Jeff Gordon’s 14 season win streak?

4: Should NASCAR be worried that only three drivers won 27 of the 36 races in 2008?

I think we may have laughed about these topics more than argue this time. That is not normal. Let us know what you think about ‘em.

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The fact that I’m more than a little late in posting this weeks Fast Lap questions allowed me two things. One, a chance to sleep and two, the opportunity to showcase Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s most famous car, one last time.

The old No. 8 just won’t be the same – even less of the “same” than it’s been this year – when the company that fields it is called Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Or whatever it’s going to be called now that it’s not going to be DEI.

Teresa Earnhardt and Chip Ganassi (with Felix Sabates) must have read the same writing on the same wall and decided that a good IRL team and a great museum could make a fair Sprint Cup team. At least they hope so. I’m not as sure.

1: Brian France said NASCAR’s primary focus is controlling costs. Where should they start?

2: Has the #48 team redefined the term “points racing”?

3: Can NASCAR ever be taken seriously if its late TV coverage has to be moved to a cable network?

4: Jimmy or Cale?

There’s some pretty good discussion – read argument – material in those four, tight little corners this week. Steve and I about wore each other out – especially on the TV deal – ON PIT ROW Tuesday night. I want to hear , or I guess read, what you have to say. Let ‘er rip in the comment section. We will too, I promise.

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Is it coincidence that the Sprint Cup Chase heads to the hottest place in NASCAR just when the suits in Daytona  would like you to think that the playoff pressure is heating up for Jimmy Johnson and Carl Edwards?  I think not.

You gotta give Edwards and crew chief Bob Osborne credit. They aren’t holding anything back in their attempt to make a game out of this Chase thing. Between banzai passes and high-stakes fuel strategies, the Office Depot Racing team is hangin’ it out.

The 2008 Chase has become – perhaps always was – a classic Chevy  vs Ford battle. Dodge never showed and Toyota, strangely, never contended.

Last night’s live radio version of the Fast Lap  was a classic battle too. Steve put up a good fight, only to be over-matched by his more experienced, and intelligent, opposition – me. At least that’s what I think. We’ll put our opinions up here later but in the meantime, we’d like to see yours. Here you go. Batter up! 

1: NASCAR is backing off its 24 practice dates in 2009 strategy. What is the right number?

2: What was Greg Biffle REALLY asking after the race by wondering how the #99 team got 8 more laps to a tank of fuel than his #16 team?

3: Dale Earnhardt Jr. said the season is too long. If it is, what is the right number?

4: Should there be any concern in the Joe Gibbs Racing organization over Joey Logano’s lack of performance in their cars?

Four Fast Laps but you only get a hundred words or less to respond to the questions. After that, the gloves are off and you can defend your position just like David Gilliland or Scott Speed. And nobody will sanction you even a little bit. Come on, we want to argue with you.

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Let’s not kid each other, OK? Jimmy Johnson has this thing about as locked up as a chastity belt on prom night or the next Detroit Lions opponent. Johnson’s going to win the Sprint Cup – his third straight – unless aliens come down from the Planet Roush and take Jimmy and Chad Knaus away to some world that’s never heard of bump-stops, restrictor plates or the difference between loose and tight. 

But that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to argue about. This here Fast Lap blog will never run out of topics that Steve can raise the idiot quotient on. Like the four fast, high-banked doozies that follow.

1: The truck series saw Ryan Newman pass teammate Ron Hornaday to win, but cost Hornaday 10 points in his championship battle. Should there have been team orders?

2: How can Carl Edwards be happy with the tire at Atlanta while most other drivers were complaining about no grip?

3: Does AJ Allmendinger being the best finishing Gillett-Evernham car again show that he’s better than the equipment he had been driving?

4: Because David Reuttiman could have won the Nationwide race if he had “moved” Carl Edwards out of the way on the final lap, but didn’t; is he a good sport or a fool?

Let fly with your opinions but be prepared to defend yourself.  Because there are no limits to Steve’s confidense in his positions. Or my disdain for the same. The Fast Lap is NASCAR debate. You can hear it live at OnPitRow.com every Tuesday at 5 PM ET or do the digital version right here any day of the week.

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For me, there has always been something special about Atlanta Motor Speedway. I think it goes back to the days when Bill Elliott was stomping everyone in that old Melling T-Bird. The track was – and still is – wicked fast and the Elliotts had it figured out. Or something figured out, anyway.

Now it seems that Chad Knaus, Jimmy Johnson and that no. 48 Chevey team are the ones with most of the answers, while many of their competitors are still trying to figure out what questions to ask. Johnson will be tough to catch if he doesn’t slip up some how. At this point in 2007, Jimmy was one race into a string of four straight wins that closed out his second straight Chase to the Cup championship. The hopes of fans who want to see “anyone but Johnson” at the head table in New York, rest on the likelyhood of J J running headlong into somebody else’s “racin’ deal”. Good luck with that.

And good luck with these four, highly banked, non-restrictor plated Fast Lap questions.

1: Should NASCAR start the Chase drivers in the front of the field every week of the Chase?

2: Has the time come for car owners to start releasing their lame-duck drivers to make room for the 2009 line up?

3: Is there any place with better racing than at Martinsville?

4: What is the most probable merger scenario?

 Remember, 100 words or less for your answers. But this is a debate blog, you know? Come on back and tell me what you think of my comments. Or Steve’s, or whomever’s. Stir the pot you know and we may use your insight on the next ON PIT ROW.

I love Martinsville. Or maybe it’s just a short track hang-over from the ARCA Championship weekend at the equally short, and fun as hell, Toledo Speedway. At least it was fun for Steve and me. Don’t know about Scott Speed and Ricky Stenhouse Jr or any of the others who got their rides short-tracked to greater and lesser extents. I can tell you it was a blast to watch.

Congrats to Justin Allgaier for keeping his head on and winning the race and the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship.  It’s on to the Nationwide Series in Penske Racing’s no. 12 and by the looks of Allgaier’s Friday showing at Lowes, he’ll do just fine.

Scott Speed had major short-track issues and may find a distinct lack of allies as he tries to make his Sprint Cup debut at Martinsville this weekend. Speed might want to tackles these four, tricky Fast Lap questions to work out some of his frustration, hmm?

1:  NASCAR threw up a trial balloon at Lowes this week seeking reaction to shrinking the field size at all three series races, How will that help NASCAR?

2:  While everyone else has moved up and down in the Chase standings, Johnson has held firm at the top. Can Burton or Biffle knock him out of the lead?

3:  If one of the NASCAR axioms is that crew chiefs and drivers must have “chemistry”, what are teams hoping for with their “driver de jour” programs?

4:  How might a GM-Chrysler merger affect NASCAR?

Go ahead. Show Speed how it’s done. Be assertive, but know your limits – 100 words or less – and don’t take any schtuff from your fellow Fast Lappers. We’re looking for the best for the new Fast Lap Show, coming to a blog near you.

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