"Shell’s Nitrogen Enriched Gasoline commercial featuring Kevin Harvick” Personally, this commercial isn't quite the showdown you’d see in a good Western, but it is quick and to the point for NASCAR fans, however, I love cars, and a nice burnout or donut every now and then, so even though I didn't publish that commercial, I still like the donut commercial from a while back. (From Matter-Edelman PR).
Finally the boring NASCAR off weekend is over and we can now get back to some racing and I can’t think of a better place than Bristol Motor Speedway with an unusual triple header weekend. Yeah you heard me right, of course the main focus will be on Sunday’s Food City 500 for the Cup series, however before I get into that one, personally while the Nationwide Series race on Saturday will be good, of course most racing at Bristol is good, however my focus is more towards seeing what this Saturday Night Special race is all about with celebrities racing and then pro drivers racing in the same cars.
Let’s see, a Saturday night Special race, a shootout if you will, under the lights at Bristol where the celebrities like Ray Everham, Andy Petree, Brad Daugherty, former NFL star Mike Compton, Frank Beamer, Terry Bowden, David Akers, Bill Jordan, Riki Rachtman, Doug Herbert, Ron Capps and Greg Anderson will run first, for 15-lap or 10-minute heats to help determine the starting position for their pro driver teammates, what a list of pro drivers, it’s the who’s who in NASCAR like Junior Johnson, Harry Gant, Jimmy Spencer, Jack Ingram, Rusty Wallace, L.D. Ottinger, David Green, Terry Labonte, Sterling Marlin, Phil Parsons, Larry Pearson (subbing for David) and Cale Yarborough who then will run 35 laps.
This one will be interesting considering I didn’t start watching NASCAR until 1991-1992 when I was 12 years old, I have never really seen Cale Yarborough, Harry Gant or Junior Johnson race before, of course I have watched classic races from Bristol, Martinsville, Daytona, Talladega, North Wilkesboro and more, but this should be cool, however due to Fox sports commitments, one Bristol multi-time winner, Darrell Waltrip had to pull out, I was looking forward to seeing DW and Rusty Wallace trade paint a little.
However, Sunday is the dawn of a new day, a new race, a country music star (Ashton Shepherd) singing the national anthem, I like her song "Sounds So Good", I have it on my Chocolate (MP3 Player), a chase for a top 35 in owner’s spot before the next race at Martinsville, I don’t know if NASCAR had every thought that when they created the top 35 rule, that this would be the story five races into the season and at one of the toughest, tightest racetracks on the schedule, Bristol. Right now, there are some big names sitting down 28th or lower right now in the owner’s points and some of those big names either next week at Martinsville or on another weekend might find themselves on the outside of top 35 looking in as a go or go home driver.
While go or go home drivers provide some excitement on qualifying day, granted not like the rocketman Ryan Newman was years ago in qualifying,( I remember watching qualifying in the grandstands at New Hampshire and Newman was either the last car or near the end of the grid and he went out, his first lap didn’t take the pole, however I’m just said “give him a minute” and sure enough, the rocketman grabs the pole the Sunday race.) there still is a chance that one of those drivers could go home.
So who’s on the top 35 bubble?
27. #43- Reed Sorenson with Richard Petty Motorsports: +77
28. #47-Marcos Ambrose with JTG Daugherty Racing: +75
29. #7-Robby Gordon with Robby Gordon Motorsports: +56
30. #34-John Andretti with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing: +59
(All things considering, Andretti is in a good spot right now even though its 30th, at least in the top 35 going into Bristol)
31. #77-Sam Hornish with Penske Racing: +51
32. #39-Ryan Newman with Stewart Haas: +47
(Here’s a team that has just had no luck at all with blown engines and blown tires)
33. #20-Joey Logano with Gibbs Racing: +44
(Not surprised, Logano is running well and is still learning)
34. #71-David Gilliland with TRG: +24
35. #5- Mark Martin with Hendrick: 286
(Bad luck in first four races with blown engines and blown tires)
------------------- Out of Top 35 ------------------------
36. #8-Aric Almirola with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing: - 9
(Trying to find sponsorship for the rest of 2009)
37. #82-Scott Speed with Red Bull Racing: -30
38. #98-Paul Menard with Yates Racing: -48
39. #28-Travis Kvapil with Yates Racing: -72
(Didn’t qualify at Las Vegas, I do wonder if Bristol or Martinsville is the final race for the #28 due to no sponsor. If the #28 is closed, that puts Yates Racing with just one car, #98-Paul Menard and an alliance in the same shop with #96-Bobby Labonte owned by Hall of Fame Racing)
40. #78-Regan Smith with Furniture Row: -80
You know as much as the drama of a top 35 spot is something, but the main focus should be on the racing itself, I just wish this race was run on Saturday night under the light just like the end of August race is, but hay it’s still Bristol. One more food for thought item, in this race last year, Richard Childress Racing made a good piece of history when RCR finished 1-2-3 with Jeff Burton passing a slow Denny Hamlin for the lead, holding off his teammate’s Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer, could we see this again or at least a RCR winner?
Five drivers to watch at Bristol, first and second are the Busch brothers, they both have won here at Bristol and Kurt Busch is on a role in the first four races. Third has to Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is looking to continue his climb up the standings after a tough start, fourth is concrete Carl Edwards, Edwards won last August (on my birthday, what a gift he gave me, beating Kyle Busch and then after Busch hit him in the door a couple of times, Edwards spun him out, nice touch), and of course, fifth, a dark horse and top 35 guy, Mark Martin, this is it, the bubble man, if the tires and the engine can stay in tune, I believe Mark will be fast at Bristol.
As I leave you on this Thursday afternoon, I want you to ponder this question, how has the racing at Bristol changed and do you still or now like it?
