Sharpie 500 – Things Observed
A few notes on what was a largely uneventful evening at Bristol:
Jimmie Johnson better start racing for his championship NOW, not later. Look, over the past 3 seasons, he and the #48 team have been the guys to beat week in and week out, but somehow over the last legs of the season they lose the ability to dominate. Indy was impressive and a landmark win for them, but if Matt Kenseth takes the lead in the points going into the actual chase, I think the #48 team will have a hard time recovering psychologically….
Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans have to be relieved at the results of the past two races. The #8 team has been consistently good all season, but those consecutive 43rd place finishes sobered up even the most loyal of Bud drinkers. After qualifying so poorly at a place like Bristol, where ANYTHING can happen – well, things had to be a bit tense in the DEI camp. Great pit strategy and cool, confident driving by Dale Junior prove that this team not only belongs in the chase, but could sneak up and be real contenders…
What was up with Tony Stewart’s ride on Saturday night? Must have made a real bad shock choice or something that couldn’t be adjusted out of the car. I can’t recall the last time Tony was such a non-factor at BIS…
Jeff Burton seems to have a car that is TOO good, especially early in recent races. It seems to be a case where the #31 car is so good that the team doesn’t adjust enough on it, and as the race reaches the later stages he fades. Pacing, constant adjustments and good pit work should be the topics of choice at RCR this Monday…
Shout out to Scott Riggs and the #10 Valvoline team. Betcha Kasey Kahne was wishing that was HIS ride! Riggs showed that he belongs, and with the right situation, he can win at this level. Not holding my breath, though…
My guess is that Benny Parsons is in the midst of undergoing treatment for his lung cancer. Sad to see and hear him so drained. It takes a lot of guts to face a thing like cancer and to face it in the public eye is even tougher. Goes to show you what a night-race at Bristol means to those who live for racing…
Pastor Dave Engbrecht of the Nappanee Missionary Church got not only one, but TWO specific references to Jesus Christ into the nationally televised invocation. The officials at BIS seem to bring out the heavy-hitters when it comes to Evangelical Christian invocations, leaving no doubt that this is a “Christian” event in their eyes. Funny how “diversity” works in NASCAR, huh?
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