Everyweek I try to watch Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain and this week was no different, one thing that I watch for is the question of the week after Dave has his Take on that subject and now its the fans turn to have there say, so the question of the week was:

Should NASCAR have a podium to honor the top three finishers?

Simple put, a podium is more for the road racing series than for oval racing, the idea of putting the top three finishers up on a podium is the wrong way to go, most drivers would agree that they would not want to be the second or third place finisher and then be on display. The way Ken Schrader put it was that second place is the first loser.

For NASCAR and oval racing, its not the way to go at all, oval racing honors only the winner of the race and thats the way it should stay. If anything, the winner expecially in NASCAR should have more honor awarded to them.

One Note: Let's call it the "ultimate survivor", winning a NASCAR Nextel Cup race takes just about a perfect day and a great car, team and pit stops.

As yet another Darlington race is in the books on this Mother's day for the Busch and Cup Series, the debate lives on as we sit back and reflect on what has happened and what the future holds for next year and beyond for Darlington.

Both the Busch and Cup races remind me of last years racing, fast, rim riding, tight and aggressive, so what is it about Darlington and racing once the sun goes down... I don't know, maybe its the cooler temps or the lights, but for whatever the reason, racing this way is a must.

For Friday night's Busch race, a short 200 mile sprint race, Cup rookie and polesitter Denny Hamlin showing the field of Nextel Cup and Busch drivers just what he could do with running up front and leading late on with holding off a hard-charging Matt Kenseth and the early race leader Jamie McMurray to pull off a mother's day Busch series victory.. for Hamlin, welcome to victory lane at the lady in Black, complete with a darlington stripe.

For Saturday night on the other hand, 500 miles is not a sprint race, but once the race got into the night and the give and take driving was over, the track and drivers came out and showed action. For the FOX crew, one touch of interest was the Darlington stripe counter totally 25 the last time shown. But for this race, waiting until the last 50 miles was the key or at least 50 laps with the chase beginning, Greg Biffle up on Jeff Gordon and the gap getting tighter and tighter, 40, 30, 20, 10 to go, closing fast, 1st to 2nd, closing to within just a couple of car lengths, 5 to go with lots of traffic, 4, 2, 1, not going to do it, Greg Biffle breaks bad luck in victory lane. What a race, not bad..., did I get your attention.

With the racing done, now the debate of were exactly does Darlington belong on the Nextel Cup schedule will begin again, maybe the 500 miler should be under the lights on Saturday night Mother's Day weekend or in September on Labor day weekend or somewhere in between?

Basically, The idea of losing Darlington is on my mind more than where the 500 should be on the schedule, one thing is for sure, racing at Darlington during the day is ok, but under the lights on Saturday or Sunday night is a must. Racing under the lights at this track with all of the improvements is where its at, I would like to see the 500 back on Labor day, but its not important, just keep the race under the lights. Its that simple.. Improve the track, add more seats and have a sellout crowd year after year.

There's nothing more for me to say about Darlington, see you next Mother's Day weekend for yet another 200 and 500 miler.

To all of the mom's out there, Happy Mother's Day... To my mom, Happy Mother's Day Mom..

The words "great racing under the lights" term has been used many times to describe racing at most short tracks across the country, but that term doesn't even begin to describe what happened in the Nextel Cup race last Saturday night, all I can really say is that, thats what NASCAR racing is all about, side-by-sidebar two-by two beating and banging racing on a 3.4 mile short track, am I wrong...

What a domination early and throughout the race by Kevin Harvick and that RCR team, Harvick has been on a tear as of late in both the Busch Series with three+ victories, the points lead and in the Nextel cup with a victory at Bristol, and most of use thought that he was yet again on his way the victory lane in the 400, but that one non-adjustment of whether or not to take tires came up to bite him late on and once you go back in the field, its hard to come back up in little time. For Dale Jr, his team made all the right calls early and offen that got him up front with the other two contenders Kyle Busch and young Denny Hamlin in his first Richmond cup race who both battled for the victory, but had to settle for runner up as Dale Jr as many headlines showed sunday, "Earnhardt Jr. is back" as he lead the last 20+ laps in route to victory. What a victory... and now 6th in points.

One thing: What a great run for the new 78 team of Kenny Wallace who not only made the race, but finished 25th, good job.., the beginning.

Darlington Preview: Next up the Busch and Nextel Cup series are off to Darlington for a high-speed under the light racing event, if last year was any clue as to what might happen, this race will be interesting..

See Yeah!
(Writen on May 8, 2006)

Phoenix Cup Race: Racing under the lights in Phoenix makes for great racing, what a change from a couple of years again when the Nextel Cup Series raced during the day, the racing was interesting, but night racing is just better and it sure brings out the action. Phoenix under the lights makes the racing like a Martinsville short track.

The 500 itself was short track racing at its finest and I have never descripted Phoenix as a short track before, let along full of action. I passing was better and more drivers took risk going below the white line and some made it and other spun out. I didn't quite know what happened with Tony stewart and sending him to the back, but never the less, Smoke in all of strengh craved his way to front in no time and took the lead with eass, but not even the dominate Greg Biffle could over come the long green flag runs and the needed fuel economy. In the final laps, it was a huge domino effect with almost every driver dropping like flys into the pits for that splash of gas, but a few rolled the dice and for Harvick, he and his RCR team came up victories in a fuel economy victory to cap of his double dip after Harvick picked up his second victory in a row in the Busch Series or as some now call it the "Cup Lites".

Next up for the Busch Series and Nextel Cup Series is Talladega or my headline from last years spring race "Demotion Derby at Talladega.... for NASCAR" and it was not any better in the fall race either. One interesting change to this years Cup race at Talladega is the softer bumpers will be in place for the Cup cars, I don't know what effect that will make, bump drafting, no bumper and a hole in the radiator, think about it, its a wait and see.

Update: (from NASCAR.com Article) No penaltiy for Busch, Officials said the five-lap penalty Busch was given when he returned to the track after missing about 45 laps for repairs and reprimand later in the NASCAR hauler would suffice. What's Next?

See Yeah!
(Writen on April 25, 2006)