Spicey South of the Border Fast Laps Satisfy
by Charlie Turner
I'm Charlie Turner co-host of the syndicated, mostly NASCAR radio show On Pit Row. Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. Oh yeah, Steve is an idiot.
April 21, 2008 12:29 pm CDT 6 CommentsIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Scott Pruett wasn’t able to hold off a hard charging Kyle ” the Shrub ” Busch in the closing stages of the Corona Mexico 200, but at least this year he didn’t whine about it.
Pruett finished third, passed by the “Australian Turtle” (man, I loved those old Busch Series commercials) , Marcos Ambrose. Ambrose claimed he just needed a few more laps to run down Rowdy. Yeah, and I only need a few hairs to be a bear.
It was Busch the Younger’s first road course win and third consecutive Nationwide Series win and he did it on the track - not ON PIT ROW. Whew, I was tryin’ to figure out how to get that link in there.
Next weekend the Cupsters take to the high banks ofTalladega Super Speedway and a return there of the New Car. Well, kind of a return. The last time there it was called theCoT, among other less complimentary things. Jimmy Johnsonsays ‘Dega is the perfect CoT/NC track. I guess we’ll see Sunday. While awaiting that verdict, try on these fast, highly banked Fast Lap questions.
1. Chevy has pulled the new Camaro (and, incidentally, the Corvette) from contention as bodies for NASCAR competition. Does that kill the “Pony Car” Nationwide Series?
2. Do you like the “foreign” trips the the Nationwide Series is making?
3. Danica Patrick won an Indy Car race, finally. Will NASCAR see a competitve female driver in the next 5 years?
4. Jimmy Johnson says that Talladega is the “perfect” track for the New Car. Is that a good thing?
This is the Fast Lap so remember you get 100 words or less to answer each of these debate topics. But make sure you come back often to defend your positions and slam the hell out of every other idiot (yes Steve will be answering too) who gets it wrong. We just might use your best stuff on the next ON PIT ROW radio type program.
Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.
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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.
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1. Chevy has pulled the new Camaro (and, incidentally, the Corvette) from contention as bodies for NASCAR competition. Does that kill the “Pony Car” Nationwide Series?
Yes, but it leaves the door open for the Trans Am series.
2. Do you like the “foreign” trips the the Nationwide Series is making?
Being from Canada, I’d have to say, “Yes, and we want more!”.
3. Danica Patrick won an Indy Car race, finally. Will NASCAR see a competitve female driver in the next 5 years?
Hmm … how about this? Will we see someone in NASCAR give a competitive female a competitive ride? Certainly there are competitive females out there, and there will be even more in 5 yrs, but are some of the big teams going to step up and give them competitve rides or are they only going to drive for 2nd and 3rd tier teams like BAM (recalling Shauna Robinson drove for BAM not too long ago)?
4. Jimmy Johnson says that Talladega is the “perfect” track for the New Car. Is that a good thing?
Yes … and … no.
Yes in that it might make a competitve race to watch with lots of passing and different leaders, etc. and no because it might be too perfect for the cars which would make it hard for the cars to pass each other which would mean long lines of cars following each other unable to pass one another.
Apparently my hands don’t type as fast as my mind thinks sometimes. My answer to question 1 should read, “Yes, but it leaves the door open for the resurrection of theTrans Am series.”
To justify that answer; just look at the popularity of the new 60’s inspired Ford Mustang and with the return of the Challenger and the Camaro you’ve got the late 60’s/early 70’s style Trans Am factory wars all over again.
1) Well, without a Vette or a Camaro, what other pony car do they have? Guess it looks like mini-COT’s with a different label is taking shape.
2) I don’t think it’s bad as it is. It’s a little bit of non-US exposure for the NASCAR brand, although Mexico does come at quite the additional costs to the teams. They both are nice tracks, and the reception seems to be well, but in today’s current financial climate I can’t see it going much further.
Although I’d much rather see the investment made back home. Like, I dunno… THE ROCK!
3) I think it’s possible to see a competitive (meaning keeping it in the Top-30) female driver. There are some great talents in the wings, Alli Owens and the Cope Twins come to mind, and Chrissy Wallace was impressive at Martinsville in that truck a few weeks ago.
The question that should be raised is can they get a competitive seat, and not an “also ran” team.
4) 11 of the last 13 races at Talladega have been one by one of the current Hendrick drivers. I’d say he has reason to a) be confident, and b), believe in their current program. What I’m interested in is how much the competition has caught up at this track.
Now, as for the car itself being suited to Talladega, I don’t know. It makes me wonder though, because areo is a big deal there, and other than the plates, what’s the difference on the 1.5’s? Aero is aero, right?
1. Yes, it does … but, I don’t think NASCAR cars. It’s all about the big buck, and what draws that is having Cup drivers compete. What draws them is giving them a similar car so they have an opportunity for an extra practice session before Sunday.
2. Not really, but I can at least see the business sense in it, so I don’t press NASCAR too hard for it.
3. Chrissy Wallace has the proper backing to make her competitive in the Truck Series, and eventually the Nationwide.
4. Talladega’s not quite as fun to watch as it’s made out to be anyway.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m real jealous of Luke. He’s the only one in the room (I think) who’s smelled burning rubber and racin’ fuel lately. The smell of racing is what I miss most in the cold months.
1. The “Pony Car” Busch/Nationwide Series was doomed with the advent of CoT technology. I mean, if they want to run Mustangs and Challengers, they might just run Ferraris and forklifts. The “Decal Cup” brought to you by Fed=Ex Kinkos. Dead, dead and more dead.
2. I do because it helps to differentiate the NW Series from the others. Plus, I like Bob alot and he wants more Canadian races. Make it so.
3. Chrissy Wallace has the best - and it’s a very good - chance to be NASCAR’s Danica. But it’s probably going to be in Nationwide or Truck. Cup is a closed shop. At least at the very top, which is where you have to be to win.
4. Talladega is one of NASCAR’s most unique tracks. Wide, smooth and a plate track to boot. If the CoT needs something really unique to run on, then it’s not the race car that NASCAR says it is. I just don’t think that Jimmy is real comfortable driving something that is not really dialed in. My guess is that Carl Edwards thinks the perfect CoT track is the one where everybody hates the way the car handles. Then he just deals with it and wins.
1– The Pony car idea was a bit far-fetched to begin with when you consider that one of the key players didn’t have logical model. Toyota has nothing close ever since they discontinued the Celica. but without GM playing along, I don’t see NASCAR pursuing it any farther. Unless of coarse they want to just throw a nameplate sticker on a Nationwide CoT. No thanks.
2– I like the fact that NASCAR is willing to look into different locales for the Nationwide Series. But, in doing so they need to make sure that they are going to these new venues for the right reasons–not just for the payday. Mexico City has huge potential, but has been losing local fan interest. give Mexico one more year and if it can’t keep up move the date some place that can support it.
3– There are talented female drivers that can make it in NASCAR. I don’t believe Danica is that person. Chrissey Wallace, Gabi DiCarlo and Ali Owens all come to mind. Lets make sure they have the talent and resources to do it right.
4– Pretty much anything can run at ‘dega. The new car will put on a good show, just like the old car did. The plate will make sure of that. The only difference is that the new car is less prone to “the big one” syndrome. Some would say that’s a bad thing.
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