Fast Laps and Dancin’ with the Lady in Black
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
May 5, 2008 11:50 pm CDT 9 CommentsIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Darlington just might be my favorite race track in the world. Or maybe it’s Richmond. Both are traditional and unique in their own ways. But the Track Too Tough to Tame is quirkier, which gives Darlington the edge in my mind.
There was a lot to like about Saturday’s Dan Lowry 400 from Richmond International Raceway though. I liked the way it looked - Richmond under the lights just looks good. The Speed Racer #43 with the newly re-upped Bobby Labonte at the wheel was spiffy.
Richmond was heartbreaking too. What else could you call Nationwide race winner, Denny Hamlin’s flat tire after leading the Sprint Cup race all night and getting almost within sight of sweeping his home town weekend.
And the disappointment of Green Nation and Dale Earnhardt Jr himself was palpable. So close they both were to ending the winless streak at two years, only. Now it goes on, with Kyle Busch a target to transfer the frustration to. Racing deal or not, the Shrub took out NASCAR’s most popular driver.
Next up Darlington. Newly paved and soft-walled the old Lady will be different than before. While waiting to see, try testing your NASCAR chops on these four newly paved Fast Lap questions.
1. Was NASCAR’s two lap penalty to Denny Hamlin adequate for stopping on the track to bring out his own caution?
2. Is Kyle Busch’s style similar to Earnhardt Sr’s?
3. Will Joey Logano’s domination of the ARCA Carolina 500K vault him into a full time Cup ride before the end of 2009?
4. Kyle vs Junior or Kyle vs Steven?
All loyal Kyle Busch apologists are saying Rubbin’ is Racin’ this week. It is. And the Fast Lap is about rubbin’ too. Rubbin’ other NASCAR commentors the wrong way. Rubbin’ your superior NASCAR knowledge in the faces of your friends. Bring it on. We’re planning a new Fast Lap podcast for the new OnPitRadio Page at OnPitRow.com. We need you more than ever.
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. Sure, why not, all’s fair in love and cheating right? I haven’t seen a word about any possible penalties but may have missed it.It all begs the question Why?
NASCAR penalized Robby Gordon 50 driver points and fined him $15,000 for tossing rollbar padding on the tarmac that caused a yellow flag.
2. Similar, but with less finesse. When Busch comes up with a quote like “I was just rattling his cage,” than I would agree.
3. No, Joe Gibbs is to smart for that, he knows the value of experience and Logano will get what he heeds in NNS. Don’t rule out a start or two within the last ten Cup events though.
“We’re planning a new Fast Lap podcast for the new OnPitRadio Page at OnPitRow.com. We need you more than ever.”
Isn’t that nice, we’re wanted!
Would that be dead, or alive? And what’s the price on my head?
1) I think it was sufficient, and in line with previous situations of similar merit. Although it’s been a while since someone was that dumb.
2) In some ways, perhaps. Maybe right now more reflecting a much earlier style, but Rowdy’s only 23, with a lot of growing to do.
3) I doubt it. The Coach knows that more time cutting the teeth is needed, and warming up in the Nationwide Series is next on the plate. Maybe next year they might give him a couple shots to get warmed up. The only thing that may hamper that is if Smoke puts them in a position where they have no better option.
However, fresh in the mind are the tales of bringing up a great talent too early. Rarely does it actually work out.
4) Both we’re big stories this weekend. I think where Rusty said he was staying out of it was pretty funny. It was also rather funny when Steven checked up and got out of the way, feeling a return shot coming. Which tells me right there that he knew he was definitely in the wrong.
1. Yes, I think it was plenty adequate. But, really, Hamlin probably didn’t care at all what his penatly was at that point.
2. No. Busch is completely reckless and ignorant about his approach. From what I’d seen of the Intimidator, he was ruthless, but he was ruthless with a bit of sensibility to it. Like I’ve said, Busch is gonna get wrung one these days, and he’ll probably settle down a bit.
3. One of two things will have to take place in order for that to happen: 1) JGR fails to extend Tony’s contract, or 2) JGR will have to decide to field a fourth team.
4. Whichever one of them actually takes the initiative to kick his ass.
1– Penalty wise-they got what they deserved. NASCAR had to legislate stupidity in both cases. Hamlin pulled a “bush-league” move by stopping on track to bring out his own caution. That hasn’t worked in a long time, and he wasn’t very sly in his trying to hide his intent. Mikey just flat out lost his mind for a bit and putting him in time out was a wise move before he hurt himself or one of the other kids at the playground.
2– You bet it is. But don’t compare a young Shrub with a mature Sr. Compare them at the same time in their careers. Most Sr. fans either can’t or won’t remember the less “beloved” Earnhardt of his early years.
3– By the end of ‘09–absolutely. There will either be a 4th car, as per NASCAR’s new model, or a current driver will have left.
4– The Wallace-Shrub confrontation was more fun. Too bad Shrub didn’t land on his ass when Steven let go of his helmet. That would have been too funny. But, just seeing shrub trying to pull away from Wallace’s iron grip was entertaining as well. Dave Despain said Shrub is the newest bad guy in NASCAR–not bad boy–bad guy. I have to agree with that assessment.
What a nice looking 43 car. That Speed Racer design is way up on top of my best looking cars of ‘08 list.
1. NASCAR should make him start the Darlington race on the same flat tire. That’ll teach him. Or just let it go as is.
2. He certainly is aggressive. But would you compare ,say, Juan Pablo Montoya to Senior? He’s aggressive too. In fact his pass of Scott Pruett at Mexico City in 2007 was similar to what happened at Richmond last Saturday. All three drivers were/are aggressive. The difference is, Sr would KNOCK someone out of the way, unashamedly. I haven’t seen that of Kyle yet. He is more comparable to a youger Darrell Waltrip to me.
3. Logano was already on that path. The dominating win was impressive for sure. But all that could have happened to Joey at the ARCA race would have been, had he stunk it up and looked unready. Then he might have stalled his progress. That didn’t happen - not by a looonnngg shot. He is on track for the #20 ride.
4. Kyle vs Junior had the potential for the better show. Junior let it die. Steven vs Kyle is probably not over yet.
Steve-O I am partial to white cars. But this one really looked good to me too. You have now used up your one -” I agree with you” - coupon for the week.
I know I’m late with this, but what can you do? Here is my 2 cents anyway …
1. Was NASCAR’s two lap penalty to Denny Hamlin adequate for stopping on the track to bring out his own caution?
Yes.
2. Is Kyle Busch’s style similar to Earnhardt Sr’s?
Earnhardt was more calculated than Kyle is, but compared to a very young Earnhardt hmm …
3. Will Joey Logano’s domination of the ARCA Carolina 500K vault him into a full time Cup ride before the end of 2009?
Certainly his potential is good, but is the economy as good? If the big “R” (recession) remains looming over the rest of the year, maybe not.
4. Kyle vs Junior or Kyle vs Steven?
vs Steven was better
1. Yes
2. I think he is more like Greg Biffle, but with more guts and brass. Okay, maybe like a young Dale Earnhardt.
3. I think they will give Logano more seat time in the Nationwide Series before they put him Cup. He will be full time in Nationwide, perhaps given a chance to win the championship, and maybe less than seven turns in a fourth car in Cup.
4. Kyle Busch vs Earnhardt, Jr is a better rivalry, because both are in the Sprint Cup full time. Steven Wallace is full time in Nationwide, and Busch isn’t, so that won’t be much of a rivalry.