Pre Chicago RacinDeals

NOW THAT’S RACIN: What an
incredible race. Despite the lack of lead changes, it was an exciting race. If
NASCAR could put on more shows like that, racing’s popularity would shoot
through the roof.

NBC COVERAGE: I must say I’m pleasantly
surprised with NBC’s announce team. They did an adequate job, and the only time
voices were raised was at the end when Alan Bestwick was calling the
finish.  The color guys didn’t call the play by play, and they finished
things they started.

I really missed Fox’s scrolling rundown at
the top of the screen.  With NBC’s stationary display of three positions at
a time, you have to take your eyes away from the action too long.

I’ve also seen some criticism by some
people who complained about the sound and blank or black screens. Uh, guys, it
was pretty obvious that they had some satellite trouble. With all the solar
activity going on this time of year, that’s not uncommon. They only thing they
could have done that they didn’t was flash up a "audio difficulties" 
screen when they were using the phone line for the audio. When it got back to
normal, they should have told us what had happened.

MEMO TO NASCAR: So you’ve extended Tony
Stewart’s "probation" until the end of the season. What are you going
to do if he has another outburst? Extend the probation until sometime next
year? 

Stewart should have been suspended for at
least two races. Stewart intentionally ignored your
black flag after going below the yellow line (whether or not he was
"forced" below the line is irrelevant). Add in the assault on Mike
Mulhern plus the fact that he’s already on probation, and it becomes a
no-brainer as to what his punishment should be.

The fact that a driver already on
probation breaks another rule and gets away with it pretty much means that in
NASCAR, being on "probation" doesn’t really mean much. Perhaps they
were being kind to Stewart because of the unfortunate death of his grandfather,
but that shouldn’t be a factor.

As far as his finish goes, my
understanding of a black flag is that a driver gets three laps to answer the
flag, then after that his car is no longer scored. If he got the black flag with
four laps to go, then he should only be credited as the last car finishing 159
laps, which would have put him in 31st. 

MEMO TO HOME DEPOT: If you don’t
want to lose customers, you need to reign your driver in. It’s gonna be a LONG
time before I go back to Home Depot for anything.  

MEMO TO TNT: I watched the
beginning of the Busch race to see if you were still going to have Tony Stewart
on after his actions Saturday night. Assaulting a member of the media is a
pretty serious offense. Do you really need people like that in the booth? After
I realized that Stewart was indeed going to be a part of the broadcast team, I
turned off the TV.

MEMO TO TONY STEWART: Grow up. How
may times can you issue apologies and still have any credibility?

CLOSURE: Now, can we all get back
to racing? We’ve had 6 months of Dale Earnhardt memorials, silent lap threes,
etc. Earnhardt, Jr.’s win Saturday night should bring an end to all that.

THE CALL: It’s insulting to the
sport, the drivers, and the real race fans to think that NASCAR somehow arranged
for Earnhardt, Jr. to win. But to think that at least one driver insinuated it
is even more disgusting. Sure, he’s supposedly apologized, but the genie is out
of the bottle.

FINALLY: So, big time racing has
finally come to the midwest, according to the Chicagoland speedway web site. Did
they move Indy then?

NOT SO "GROOVY": Every
driver interview I’ve seen from Chicago has had a comment about how the track
will have only one groove. They usually end up saying something like "in
two or three years we’ll have some pretty good racing here."

Two or three years?

Until the second groove comes in, you’re
telling me we’re in for follow the leader? That’s just great.