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At least Robby Gordon got to race in a resurrected Dakar Rally this past week. Made a hell of a showing too.

The rest of those of us with a racin’ jones - at least of the NASCAR variety - had to endure more Petty drama and Ganassi gnews. I’m tired of this stuff. We need to get back on the track, ya know?

Steve’s doing his best. Ferreting out stuff for him, me and hopefully some of you all to argue about. That’s what this Fast Lap thing is all about. NASCAR debate. It gets pretty lively ON PIT ROW sometimes. Try these four fast ones. Leave your comments here or call us for free on Tuesday at 5 PM ET for free at 877-502-8255.

1: Should NASCAR be okay with letting Robby Gordon run a Dodge in the Shootout?

2: Who will be the odd man out at Yates Racing now that Bobby Labonte is in the fold with the HOF Racing satellite ride?

3: Should NASCAR follow Michael Waltrip’s advice and ban on track testing permanently?

4: Two no-brainer selections for the first Hall of Fame class.

Personally, I think the “no brainer” question is unfair. Steve, after all, has an advantage on those. But what the hey. Give it a shot. It’s the Fast Lap at OnPitRow.com.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc

Is it coincidence that the Sprint Cup Chase heads to the hottest place in NASCAR just when the suits in Daytona  would like you to think that the playoff pressure is heating up for Jimmy Johnson and Carl Edwards?  I think not.

You gotta give Edwards and crew chief Bob Osborne credit. They aren’t holding anything back in their attempt to make a game out of this Chase thing. Between banzai passes and high-stakes fuel strategies, the Office Depot Racing team is hangin’ it out.

The 2008 Chase has become - perhaps always was - a classic Chevy  vs Ford battle. Dodge never showed and Toyota, strangely, never contended.

Last night’s live radio version of the Fast Lap  was a classic battle too. Steve put up a good fight, only to be over-matched by his more experienced, and intelligent, opposition - me. At least that’s what I think. We’ll put our opinions up here later but in the meantime, we’d like to see yours. Here you go. Batter up! 

1: NASCAR is backing off its 24 practice dates in 2009 strategy. What is the right number?

2: What was Greg Biffle REALLY asking after the race by wondering how the #99 team got 8 more laps to a tank of fuel than his #16 team?

3: Dale Earnhardt Jr. said the season is too long. If it is, what is the right number?

4: Should there be any concern in the Joe Gibbs Racing organization over Joey Logano’s lack of performance in their cars?

Four Fast Laps but you only get a hundred words or less to respond to the questions. After that, the gloves are off and you can defend your position just like David Gilliland or Scott Speed. And nobody will sanction you even a little bit. Come on, we want to argue with you.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

For me, there has always been something special about Atlanta Motor Speedway. I think it goes back to the days when Bill Elliott was stomping everyone in that old Melling T-Bird. The track was - and still is - wicked fast and the Elliotts had it figured out. Or something figured out, anyway.

Now it seems that Chad Knaus, Jimmy Johnson and that no. 48 Chevey team are the ones with most of the answers, while many of their competitors are still trying to figure out what questions to ask. Johnson will be tough to catch if he doesn’t slip up some how. At this point in 2007, Jimmy was one race into a string of four straight wins that closed out his second straight Chase to the Cup championship. The hopes of fans who want to see “anyone but Johnson” at the head table in New York, rest on the likelyhood of J J running headlong into somebody else’s “racin’ deal”. Good luck with that.

And good luck with these four, highly banked, non-restrictor plated Fast Lap questions.

1: Should NASCAR start the Chase drivers in the front of the field every week of the Chase?

2: Has the time come for car owners to start releasing their lame-duck drivers to make room for the 2009 line up?

3: Is there any place with better racing than at Martinsville?

4: What is the most probable merger scenario?

 Remember, 100 words or less for your answers. But this is a debate blog, you know? Come on back and tell me what you think of my comments. Or Steve’s, or whomever’s. Stir the pot you know and we may use your insight on the next ON PIT ROW.

The new car looked awfully squirrely at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday. The current tire package seemed to keep these cars right on the very edge “whoa Nellie” the whole day.

For the second straight week, Cousin’ Carl Edwards owned the last 100 miles or so and led a relative parade of Fords including teammate Greg Biffle and Yates Racing’s Travis Kvapil. Kvapil’s sponsor-less, all white #28 sure looks strange out there, but after two straight strong runs, the colors ought to start popping soon.

Two nasty, hard crashes by Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon were a reminder that auto racing is still dangerous business. The new car and safety equipment may have prevented tragedy.

There were other issues, in and around the actual race and Steve and I will be fighting about some of them ON PIT ROW this week. Check out these four high banked lefties and show us what you got in the comment section.

1. Did NASCAR make the proper call on the #99 team’s pit infraction?

2. Is it time for Team Red Bull to pull the plug on A J Allmendinger?

3. Should the Coca Cola 600 or the Indy 500 move back to Memorial Day, so more drivers could attempt “the double”, or is that all just a stunt?

4. How can NASCAR inspectors allow the #48, #88 and #17 teams to “fix” minor problems after the cars failed pre-qualifying inspections, then go through inspection again without penalty?

Remember, this is the Fast Lap and your comments are limited to 100 words or less. So be fast and be prepared to come back throughout the week to defend yourself. Some of your fellow commenters just may bump draft you a little hard. We’ll use the best - or worst - stuff on a future broadcast of ON PIT ROW.

Photo credit - Icon Sports Media, Inc.

 

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 Car.  The 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

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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