Some would say the best Fast Laps ever - the 50th 500

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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.

February 18, 2008 2:17 pm CST 6 Comments

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After listening to the various announcers in the immediate after-race of the 50th Daytona 500  I’m not sure if they were more excited by Ryan Newman’s very popular victory or the stunningly competitive performance of the New CarThe Great American Race lived up to it’s name in one of - if not THE - best of all time.  And the CoT has arrived.

Newman’s triumph was  Roger Penske’s first ever Daytona 500 win too and that was another feel good thing about the race.  The Penske one-two finish, with Kurt Busch an adventurous second place headed a surprising seven Dodges in the top ten.

The Hendrick Motorsports power house and Roush-Fenway’s Ford factory team struggled.  The Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas looked to be the strongmen most of the day but in the end, could not hold off Flyin’ Ryan and the Dodge Boys.

Those might well have been the best Fast Laps ever - we’ll talk about that.  Next up is  a trip to the Republic of California and these four un-restricted Fast Laps.

1. Were the Daytona 500 results a preview of the rest of 2008 or just the usual plate-track one offs?

2. Where do you rank this 500 in relation to past Daytona 500 ’s

3. Have we seen the end of the “Big One” with the arrival of the New Car?

4. Did anyone expect the over/under on Jacques Villeneuve’s NASCAR career to be the under at one race?  

The Fast Lap has no restrictor plates but you’re answers are limited to 100 words. Give us your best and don’t forget to come back and defend your position throughout the week.  We’ll use the best stuff for a future ON PIT ROW

Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman - Getty Images for NASCAR

Finally Fast Laps that really count - sort of

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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.

February 4, 2008 11:26 am CST 4 Comments

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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