What a weekend this one was in Sonoma for the Cup Series first road course race of the season and using the COT. Sunday was on to remember for some and others to just say “Now let’s Get over it and move on”, as this turned from an action-packed race in the early stages, to a fuel-mileage race with hard driving by many, I have to say I was looking forward to watching Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon crave there way to front, but it really didn’t happen, I was taken by watching Robby Gordon, McMurray and of course F1’s road course man Juan Montoya craving there way up through the field including a couple of rough driving incident for Montoya, but I wouldn’t have predicted this ending, Juan Montoya winning, picking up his first career Nextel Cup victory, first Formula 1, now this. Despite maybe or not who won or some of the off camber stuff, this one was a good race to watch and I am looking forward to Watkins Glen.
I have to say, once again it wasn’t the road course ringers making noise, but the Cup regulars doing it again and again, maybe in Watkins Glen, owners will let there regular drivers race for a change, then again its fun to watch some of these ringers go at it and show what they can do.
I was recently ask if I was impressed with Juan Montoya? At first when he came in the Series in last year and even in Febuary and March I was and I even purchased a 1/64 scale action, but now, no way. On Sunday at Sonoma, Montoya drove through just about every driver and he does that at most tracks as well. He goes beyond aggressive driving, I can understand somethings on the road course yesterday, but not at most tracks. Good luck to him, someone does need to sit him down and have a long talk with him. Now if Montoya wins another race this season on an oval and does it cleanly, I will say then he made history and congrat him.
In regards to road course racing being on all three of NASCAR top series schedules including the Cup Series, a champion is a driver who can drive on all different types of courses including short tracks to superspeedways, to road courses and even dirt tracks, I With that said, I would like to see three road course races and three superspeedway on the Nextel Cup Series Sschedule instead, one idea would be, turning the July race at Daytona into a night road course race using the same infield course they use now for the 24 hours of Daytona and the now gone IROC race or using the road course in Homestead, What a show either one of those would be.
On Friday, the story read NASCAR busts the #24 and #48 for failing inspection and parks them. Let’s be honest here, they really didn’t fail inspection, all of the templates matched up, but NASCAR noticed that both cars had some mods on the hood or fenders, they put bumps on the fends for down force between the lineup marks also know as the gray area. As a result, Parked, no practice or qualifying on Friday for both cars and they would start in the back.
After all of that, I will leave you with two questions:
First: What will the penalties be from NASCAR on the #24 and #48 – namely the modifications made to the fenders that NASCAR didn’t like (being they messed with the COT as well as what is believed to be Kyle Petty saying “What the F*** was that!” during the race on a lap 1 turn 11 incident replay with his in-car audio?
Second: Should drivers, teams, and anyone talking on the in-car and team radios be fined for what they say or should NASCAR just put a large disclaimer to anyone listen (fans and TV broadcasts included) use at your own risk?
What else could happen this week, now it’s really off to New Hampshire for me on Friday or Saturday with my headset, ticket, water, scanner and bag in hand, I’ll be in the grandstands. See Yeah hopefully in Loudon.
