Finally Fast Laps that really count - sort of
by Charlie Turner
Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow
February 4, 2008 11:26 am CST 4 Comments
Now that the Daytona 500 of football - the NFL’s Super Bowl - is over the nation is free to focus on what’s really important - racing. And this coming week it ain’t sporty car racin’. No sir, it’s time for fender bangin’, side draftin’, ear pullin’ (sorry Kurt, couldn’t resist) stock car racin’.
Mixed in with the practicing at Daytona International Speedway for NASCAR’s three divisions and the ARCA RE/Max Series will be an all-star race. The Bud Shootout will be the first chance to see at least a partial field of CoTs running in anger at Daytona.
The Shootout is a sprint race and a money race - there’s no saving the equipment for the long hall. Between the ARCA race in the afternoon and the Shootout Saturday night, there’s going to be a big pile of bent sheet metal.
Those won’t be the only Fast Laps this week. Try these four high banked, left-handers but remember the speed limit - one hundred words or less.
1) Who will benefit most from the new alliance; Robby Gordon or GEM?
2) With The Wood Brothers being the only full-time independant Ford team left, is Ford interested in anyone other than Roush carrying the Blue Oval banner?
3) Everyone is well aware of the lack of a rivalry between Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Is there anything currently close to the Petty/Allison or Waltrip/Yarbrough rivalries of the past?
4) Twin 150s or the 500?
So, which all-star clash will be the better competition - the Shootout or the No Fun League’s Pro Bowl? Get real - right? Give the Fast Laps your best, but be prepared to defend your position. And don’t plan on getting any tips on how to do that from the Pro Bowl.
Picture credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images
Comments
4 Responses to “Finally Fast Laps that really count - sort of”
Got something to say?
Did you know you can log in with your
Thunder Lounge account, and have your
personal avatar and site link available when you comment at On Pit Row?
Don't have an account yet? Sign-up for free.
About the Fast Lap blog
Fast Laps! Welcome to the On Pit Row Fast Lap blog. Every week On Pit Row we pose four Fast Lap questions. Four corners - four questions. On the radio show, Steve and I have 30 seconds each, to give our response to each of the four. If you are a listener, you already know that we rarely agree on any answer. The Fast Lap is NASCAR debate. Hannity and Colmes. Lincoln and Douglas. Wronkowicz and Turner. OK, maybe not Lincoln and Douglas. We have more fun than Lincoln and Douglas. Here's the challenge. We will post our Fast Lap questions some time each Monday. Four questions on topical NASCAR related subjects. Your mission is to comment with your answers and each answer is limited to 100 words. The questions, answers and comments will form the basis of this blog for that week. Comment on the Fast Lap questions. Comment on the comments. Insult the commenters. Witty ridicule is rated at least as highly as cogent commentary. Just remember that you have limited words and penalties are severe. Or not. Steve and I will select worthy blog entries to be featured on an edition of On Pit Row. That's the plan. I'm sure we will have some other things to post about each week but the intention is to pose most posts as questions. I want to argue with you! Bring it on.
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- 4ever3 on Give A Rebel Yell for Fast Laps in Atlanta
- Steve Wronkowicz on The Return of the Fast Laps
- Steve Wronkowicz on Four to Six Inches of Snow and Fast Laps in the Forecast
- Matt Mercer on Four to Six Inches of Snow and Fast Laps in the Forecast
- Marc on Four to Six Inches of Snow and Fast Laps in the Forecast
Google Search
NASCAR Fantasy Racing
On Pit Row is glad to be a part of such a great NASCAR fantasy racing game like Champs, Chumps & Sleepers. Grand prize is a Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure. How cool is that?
NASCAR Games
1) Robby to start, although it gives GEM (what should be) another car in the show to mine data from. Something they can’t say with the #10 at the moment.
2) Well, including Yates with the Roush Camp, I don’t see their interests being focused anywhere else like they will be for Jack and the family. Hence, Robby made the move he did.
3) Nothing that has seemed to last more than a race or two. NASCAR could use one, but not one that is made up by the media. Maybe with NASCAR and their supposed relaxing on the personality issue we will see some true colors come out. Other than on Tony’s show, of course.
4) That’s tough, really. The Twins are pretty much hammer down, take it all now, while the 500 has a little more strategy involved, and you can take a bit of time to analyze the chess match. If it’s prestige, the 500. If it’s total action, the Twins. Overall, I guess I’d have to say the Twins. It’s a once a year qualifying format that everyone always looks forward to, and many “desire” that NASCAR make a permanent qualifying fixture.
1. Well it hurts Ford, but that isn’t the question, is it? I give the nod to Robby. Between the lines, it sounds like, in addition to the obvious bump in technical assistance, RGM will get an infusion of cash from several sources. This business is alot about the Benjamins and now Robby will have more of them.
2. Interested yeah, but what are their choices? There were rumors in 2007 that DEI might go to Ford. As unlikely as that probably was, it may have been Ford’s best chance to pick up a significant team. Who else are they going to get? Childress? Penske? Their most obvious option is to resurrect the Yates organization. Good luck.
3. All of the contentiousness is inter-team. Tony Stewart vs Denny Hamlin and Kenseth VS Cousin Carl last year. How about everyone against Montoya - it seemed like that for much of 2007. The best bet for the future is Toyota drivers against the field. But Smoke against the Shrub has possibilities.
4. For excitement, viewability, uniquness and just staying awake, I’ll take the Dual 150 s. Plus they’re during the week. Skipping a half day of work in February is not a bad thing.
1– GEM will benefit from having a third car guaranteed to be in the first 5 races. It’s been proven throughout the sport that the larger the pool to draw information from, the better the results, Adding Robby’s team along with the engine deals with Petty and BAM makes the Dodge effort stronger.
2– Ford is in trouble. Roush holds all the cards and if like we saw with poor CoT preparation last year, he falters the whole house of cards will come crashing down, I don’t see the Wood Bros. making a fast comeback. They talked about 2 cars before Now they can barely get one car into the show consistantly.
3– The best possibility for some hard nosed slap and tickle is if Juan Pablo and some of the new open wheelers carry over some grudges. NASCAR opening up the field for more expression by the drivers may lead to some more fireworks but don’t look for “ring girls” anytime soon.
4– I love the duals. It is what “bump day” at Indy used to be. Have to do good to make the race. “Can’t push too hard–have to push it to get in” What’s a driver to do?
Hey Steve, since when does rivalry have to equal fisticuffs? Earnhardt Sr and your buddy Jeff Gordon had a hell of a rivalry but Ironhead never got accused of child abuse. I can see Juan Pablo as half of a rivalry - if he can contend for top fives instead of top tens.