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Nineteen heat races and a ten lap feature. That Allstate 400 at the Brickyard was more like what we’re used to at the Friday and Saturday night short track races around here than one of NASCAR’s biggest extravaganzas.

I’ll bet Jimmy Johnson doesn’t care about that though. Johnson had the best car all day, even if he only got to show it off in ten lap sprints. But with his win, you have to look at Jimmy as one of the guys who may be able to challenge Kyle Busch, once we get to the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Throw Carl Edwards into that mix too.

Goodyear’s tire woes made for a less than satisfying Brickyard race. But this stuff has happened before, and with the continuing development of the New Car, it’s likely to happen again.

There was plenty to talk about after the race. Toss your opinions in on these four Fast Lap questions and place your bets on whether the Pocono tire will be better.

1: Will Tony Stewart be able to successfully juggle his responsibilities as driver of the #20 and as owner of the #14 through the rest of 2008?

2: Would an open test at Indy have been able to head off the tire problems before the race weekend?

3: NASCAR’s attempt to cut Toyota horsepower in the Nationwide Series didn’t slow down Kyle Bush on Saturday. Is engine restriction the best way to regain parity?

4: Did Rusty Wallace lose some of his credibility by saying Ryan Newman was fired by Penske; then have Roger turn around and say he wasn’t?

Limit your answers to 100 words or less, but come back throughout the week to defend your ground and throw some tire debris those not as smart as you. This is the Fast Lap comment blog and we will be taking selected questions and responses to use in an upcoming video feature for OnPitRow.com and Bench Racing TV.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Can anyone stop Kyle Busch from running away with the 2008 Sprint Cup Series championship? That’s the question I read and heard most during the, so-called, week off just passed.

It’s the same question that was on most lips this time last year as the Cupsters cruised into Indy. The difference is that in 2007, the can’t miss winner was - Jeff Gordon. How’d that work out?

The guy who won the ‘07 Cup was the same one who kissed the Bricks at Indianapolis - Jimmy Johnson. In fact, taking the checkered flag at the Brickyard has been a good predicter of that year’s champ. Six of the winners in the fourteen year history of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard have gone on to win the series the same year.

Now six out of fourteen isn’t all of them. But if Kyle Busch wins this week at Indy, my money goes on him in the Chase for sure.

Chase these four, sharp, flat lefties as you wait for the the Greatest Spectacle in…. oh…sorry….The Brickyard 4…..what, it’s not that either? Here is your weekly Fast Lap assignment.

1: Jeremy Mayfield’s PR guy has been working overtime this week trying to get his boy on owner’s lips for some of the openings for 2009. As a car owner would his good outweigh his bad?

2: Matt Kenseth won the race at his hometown track-Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin on the off weekend. Other drivers spread themselves around the country doing the same thing to relax. As a car owner wouldn’t you be a bit worried?

3: Is this year’s rookie pool disappointing and who is your Rookie of the Year candidate now?

4: Does NASCAR belong at Indy?

Remember, no more than 100 words per answer. We will be using the best stuff ON PIT ROW and in a new, regular video segment on Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Two weeks off until the Cupsters resume at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

That was a hell of an end to the Lifelock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.  Kyle Busch once again won the last lap dash to the checkered flag.  This time he bested his old teammate, Jimmy Johnson.  It was impressive.

But I get the feeling that Johnson is taking the measure of the Shrub.  Dialing in, along with the best crew chief in the business, Chad Knaus, the #48 Lowes Chevrolet for when it really counts.  The last ten races. The Chase to the Sprint Cup.  Just like 2007.  Can’t hardly wait, myself.

Until then, we’ll have to cope.  Cope with unrelenting silly season stuff.  Wade through a hip-deep slop of rumors about who will drive for whom.  And in what car, painted in whose colors.

Enough for now.  Watch the Craftsman Trucks and the ARCA RE/MAX cars at Bruton’s new baby, Kentucky Speedway, this weekend.  And maybe sip on a Bourbon while thinking about these four, fast left handers .

1: Is Kyle Busch’s seventh win good for racing like Tiger Woods winning every week is  good for golf?

2: How did the TNT coverage stack up to the Fox coverage

3: Should Kyle Petty take a full time broadcast gig in 2009, if offered?

4: Over or under-Michael Waltrip Racing will field two and a half cars in 2009.

It’s the Fast Lap and these questions will be a big part of this week’s ON PIT ROW.  The best answers and comments will be considered for a brand new video segment OnPitRow.com.  So don’t hold back.  Kyle Busch doesn’t.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

For a long time I thought the trips to Chicagoland for NASCAR races felt odd. You just don’t think of NASCAR when you think the Windy City. But I’ve changed my mind.  Stay with me now.

Chicago of the 1920’s was the home of one of the most notorious gangster-bootleggers of all time - Al Capone. I don’t know if any of Scarface’s drivers ever aspired to take their Duesenburgs and Packards to the race track or not. But not much more than a generation later, bootleggers of a different sort took to the tracks of the south just fine, thank you.  And Bill France built an empire from that.

I doubt that Capone’s guys could put the muscle on the Sprint Cup Series any stronger than Kyle Busch has so far in 2008. The season is officially half over, and the Race to the Chase is two races deep. Six wins in eighteen races is more than a trend. The Shrub is putting his stamp on this thing. Of course, Jeff Gordon did the same in 2007.  And Jimmy Johnson got hot in the Chase and took the Cup.  As Big Al may have said - it ain’t over ’til the shootin’ stops.

Here are this week’s Fast Lap questions, brought to you by the fine folks at ON PIT ROW and the all new BenchRacers home for wayward racing lovers. We hope you will check them both out, repeatedly.

1. Could NASCAR continue, as is, without involvement from the big three?

2. Was TNT’s “Wide Open Coverage” of the Coke Zero 400 distracting or a model for others to emulate?

3. What purpose does it serve NASCAR to impound all cars after qualifying, when only a few have to really qualify to get in the race?

4. What fate does NASCAR hold for the Martin Truex team after having their car confiscated for illegal roof height?

Limit your answers to 100 words or less. But remember also, to come back and comment on the opinions of others and be prepared to defend your own positions. This is the Fast Lap.  We are going to be using the best of the commentary here in a new feature ON PIT ROW.  We want your absolute best shot. Bring it on.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

I wonder if those fortunate rains that fell on, and brought the win to, Kurt Busch at New Hampshire International Speedway yesterday will be the start of KB 1’s resurgence?

In case you forgot, Busch the Elder finished second - right on the rear bumper of Ryan Newman - the last time NASCAR saw Daytona.  Just because Kurt won in unconventional fashion, by playing the rain game, doesn’t mean this won’t start a streak.  Kasey Kahne got rolling after being VOTED into a race.  Kurt’s competitors may regret the awakening of the ex-champ.

There were other stories out of Loudon.  We’ll get to some of them.  But it’s Fourth of July week.  That used to mean it was Firecracker 400 week.  I loved that name.  That one and the Rebel 400.  Classic.  But those are gone.  Instead, you get the Firecracker Fast Lap.  Four, high banked, fast and hopefully, controversial corners for you to tackle.  Remember, 100 words or less on the answers themselves.  Unlimited words for taunting and smack-talk.

1.  What would it mean to teams if NASCAR went to unlimited testing?

2.  Would an official announcement about 2009 allow the #20 team to get on with 2008?

3.  Who should Jack Roush keep around when he has to eliminate one of his teams after 2009 - Jamie McMurray or David Ragan?

4.  Who’s your bet to join Tony Stewart as the number two driver at the proposed Tony Stewart Racing?

We have a plan to incorporate the best comments - and commentary - into a new feature ON PIT ROW or OnPitRow.com.  I haven’t, totally, figured it out as yet.  But an announcement of some kind is coming.  In the mean time, have fun with the Fast Lap.  We do.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Kyle Busch won his fifth Sprint Cup contest of the season Sunday at Infineon Raceway. That gives him at least fifty bonus points in the Chase to the first Sprint Cup. That Chase starts after only ten more races. Not all that much time for the likes of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle or other pretenders to the Cup to get on the board, get off the snide, break the ice - win something - and maybe just as importantly for Shrub haters, keep Kyle from winning everything in sight.

Some drivers need to win to keep their championship hopes alive. Others to keep their jobs. It was a matter of time before Casey Mears’ disappointing 2008 start began to dog him in the speculation department. One of the big Sonoma rumors was that Mears would be moved to create a seat in the #5 for Mark Martin, who may be moving out of the DEI stable to free a full-time seat for Aric Almirola.

The move would set Mark up for the first ever - Third Times a Charm Retirement Tour. The #5 team at Hendrick Motorsports should be better than anything that DEI is fielding these days and Mark can still drive. But would Mark Martin be any better than the fourth best driver in the Hendrick Motorsports stable today?

What do you think? And while you’re at it, give the four, flat, all left handed turns of this week’s Fast Lap some thought. Remember your answers are limited to 100 words or less. But come on back and defend your position later in the week. Defense is unlimited.

1. What happened to the boos when the Shrub won? Are California fans truly more mature than the rest of NASCAR Nation?

2. David Gilliland turned one good Busch Series finish into a full time Cup ride. Can he turn one good Cup finish into a career?

3. Does the future of the Wood Brothers lie in Marcos Ambrose’s hands?

4. Juan Pablo Montoya is quoted in the London Times saying that NASCAR is better than F1. On Sunday’s Wind Tunnel, Scott Speed said that NASCAR is much easier than F1. Who is right?

We have plans for the best responses. What those plans are, I can’t say. Trust me. Would I lie to you?  O, and listen to the live streaming broadcast of ON PIT ROW Tuesday from 5-7 pm edt.   It’s good for you and trans fat free.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

The last time the Sprint Cup circus visited the left coast the talk was mostly about what all was wrong with - take your pick - springtime weather in California, weeping race tracks, multiple races at Auto Club Speedway of Fontana via Anaheim and the sale of naming rights that create venue names too long and complicated to remember.

This time we can talk about road course specialists - welcome back Boris Said- and those drivers who just can’t seem to get a handle on turning right as well as left - Matt Kenseth comes to mind.

Matt had a nice third place finish at MIS.  He wasn’t happy with Dale Earnhardt Jr getting away with passing the pace car as Junior coaxed more from a tank of gas than anyone this side of Smokey Yunick.  Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers continued their strong early summer runs.  Tony Stewart had a nice finish and gave away more cash to others in need - this time the flood victims in his Indiana hometown.

But enough of this drivel.  It’s time to argue, Fast Lap style.

1.  Should Junior have been penalized for repeatedly passing the pace car?

2.  Did NASCAR’s closed door meeting with drivers - chastising them for excessive negative comments - contradict its earlier “say what’s on your mind” directive.

3.  Is Joey Logano the real deal or just another over-hyped wannabe?

4.  Would you give up one road course race to see the Cup Series race on a one mile dirt track?

There ought to be something in those four corners that sticks in your craw.  Let us know what you think and then come back later in the week and tell everyone else how wrong they are.  I know I will.  The best and brightest may become part of a future feature ON PIT ROW.

Photo Credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc

Wasn’t it just a week ago that much of the NASCAR world was ready to concede the 2008 version of the Sprint Cup pre-season championship to Kyle Busch?  Kyle finished dead last in Sunday’s Pocono 500.  Busch the Younger’s points lead now is only 21 over steady Jeff Burton.

Here’s a question for you.  Most of the descriptions of the Shrub have been along the lines of  spectacular, dominating or fabulous.  But I just called his closest challenger, steady Jeff.  Does that mean that spectacular is over-rated?  Tortoise and the hare re-visited?

Ponder that and while at it, give us your take on four high banked, Michigan-made Fast Lap questions.  We’ll keep an eye on the weather maps heading into the first race weekend at MIS this year.

1.  Was Kyle Busch’ “doing the triple” taking on too much considering the results?

2.  Will we see airconditioning in Cup cars any time soon?

3.  Granted it’s his sponsor; but is it bad form for Kasey Kahne to be drinking a Bud during his post race interview?

4.  McMurray and Bowyer say they are staying with their respective teams.  Will there be less movement than originally thought?

It’s supposed to be hotter than Kasey Kahne this weekend in the Irish Hills.  The ON PIT ROW Pit Crew will be busy with the ARCA RE/MAX Series race on Friday and NASCAR the rest of the time.  Throw your wittiest answers in the comment section here and I might just bring you something nice from the track**.

** Another bald-faced lie.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

The contrast between Dover International Speedway and Pocono Raceway couldn’t be much greater.  The tight concrete confines of the Monster Mile are nothing like the wide, flat turns and long, engine eating straights at the Green Giant.

It probably won’t matter to Kyle Busch though.  The Shrub is putting his stamp on the early third of the Sprint Cup marathon.  Make no mistake though,  there is a long way to go. 

Remember that this Sunday too when, after 400 miles or so, you are thinking that ‘ so-and-so has this thing sewn up.  The Pocono races are 500 mile endurance tests, and there will be plenty of bitching about that this and next week.  The complaints will come from the boredom that many will suffer.  Just remember, it ain’t over ’til the fat lady says it’s over - or something like that.

And this ain’t over either.  Try out the Fast Lap questions and win valuable prizes*.

1.  Half way through the “regular season” can anyone catch Kyle Busch?

2.  Is it time for NASCAR to stop giving points at the bottom of the grid, thus keeping broken race cars off the track?

3.  Tony Stewart seemed to take the blame for the early race wreck - or was he just ragging on Elliott Sadler?

4.  Who will win the 2009 Rookie of the Year; Joey Logano, Scott Speed, Brad Kesolowski or someone else?

That’s it.  If we like what you have to say you may win a new car, or something**.  Runners up  might just get a shot to share the fame and fortune afforded the co-hosts of ON PIT ROW.  The possibilities seem limitless, don’t you think?  

* This is an exaggeration.  ** This one is an out-and-out lie.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc

This will be a somewhat truncated Fast Lap post this week as I am “off on vacation and some things are hard to explain” as Jimmy Buffet said.

The Coca Cola 600 was Looonnnggg. The Indy 500 was looonnnggg and less filling. I’ll have more to say about that later at the Bench Racing blog, but something was missing still at Indy.

The Monster Mile is next up for the Cuppers and while you wile away your week, take a shot at these Fast Lap questions and let us know your thoughts. The best - and maybe the worst - of the results might just land you the vacation fill-in gig for future ON PIT ROW broadcasts.

1. Will the victories at Lowes propel Kasey Kahne to more wins?

2. Should NASCAR allow SMI and Bruton Smith to move a race to the newly purchased Kentucky Speedway?

3. Bootie Barker says the “illegal” wing brackets on their cars have been there all year. How could NASCAR have missed them all this time?

4. Rank the 500 and the 600.

Have fun kiddies. I’ll be back to comment and attack you like a shark in a frenzy. Right now though, Margaritaville calls.

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?

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