Talladega Afternoon

So apparently I got married at just the right time. Last year I was in Jamaica for the 1^st ever Talladega to feature the Car Of Tomorrow. I came home to hear complaint after complaint about single file boring racing. Well, apparently something changed between then and now. Yesterday’s race was chocked full of excitement and I don’t care what Poole says, it was fun.

Side by side racing? Check
Lead changes? Check
Fresh faces at the front? Check
Fan favorites leading laps? Check
Big crash carnage? Check

If this is the kind of racing that I can expect from here on out at the 2.66 miler in Alabama then I’m all for it. Maybe they could release wild animals onto the track during caution, but I just don’t see it getting much better from a NASCAR stand point. With that said, I do think after the surface wears down some more, the drivers get more used to the car, and the crews get a better handle on the package we could see better racing…but that’s nothing Mike Helton can address.

Kyle Busch is on fire. There’s nothing else anyone can say but that. He’s winning everything he can win and finishing up front everywhere else. Even with the year he’s having Jeff Burton has the points lead and Jr is looming. Jeff “Gee I’m glad I’m not Ward” Burton is really impressing me over the past 12 months. His resurgence at RCR is amazing and couldn’t happen to a better guy. I hope he keeps on this pace and we seem him involved in the title picture from here on out. As for Jr. I stood in the living room yesterday after the “big one” and said “Jr. has to get in that top 20 and then what does he do? Top 10 again. I know a lot of people want to bash him until he gets that win, but when you get wrecked and turn out a top 10 finish…well, that’s the definition of a Championship year. I’m not saying he’s gonna win it, but I am saying he’s going to be a factor ALL year long.