July 6, 2011
By Chuck Abrams
OK, the Daytona races are over and we only have one more restrictor plate race left, which is Talladega in October. I am OK with that.
For some reason, the tandem racing is still in neutral for me. Granted the racing can be exciting and there are lots of lead changes. But no one gets points for the number of lead changes and with this type of racing, it is kind of a manufactured number for me anyway.
The best thing about Daytona are the double file restarts, late in a race where just about anyone has a shot at the win.
Unfortunately, the double file restarts are also one of the worst features at Daytona when all common sense leaves some driver's minds and they suddenly think they are in demolition derby.
You may argue that the fastest car may not always win in this type of late restart and you are right. But the fastest car doesn’t always win a race, especially at a restrictor plate track. Often, strategy determines the win. Like the King (Richard Petty) said years ago, put yourself in position to win and then things sort themselves out from there.
David Ragan did just that this weekend. He put himself in position to win and darned if he didn’t bring home the checkers -- whether it was by luck, skill or team rules, it was a win.
On NASCAR.com there is a poll underway for who had the most impressive weekend performance -- Danica or Ragan. Danica is winning by a lot.
Funny though, they did not ask about Joey Logano who hands down, had the best weekend at Daytona. He might also be on the verge of having the best stretch of his young career. With his pole start and top 10 at Infineon, his third place finish at Daytona, he now heads to Kentucky where he has been very, very good in the Nationwide Series. If that can translate to Cup racing this weekend, he will be looking pretty good. Two wins and in the top 20 would look very sweet on his Chase resume.
How about that save Jeff Gordon made Saturday night? 90 degrees to the track, hits the apron and still straightens it out without hitting anything and finishes sixth. I’d say that was about the only circumstance I accept hearing a driver saying how satisfied they are with a top 10 finish.
Now, back to real racing at Kentucky.
This is the first trip there for the Cup teams although many drivers have raced the track in the Nationwide Series races or in testing.
It is another 1.5-mile track, with slightly less banking than at Chicago and Kansas. I am not always a big fan of the 1.5-mile so-called cookie cutter tracks, but I am expecting a good race Saturday night -- and a good crowd. There should be no empty seats this weekend. Fans in the area have been dying to see this race and have supported all the other forms of racing that have gone on there with terrific reviews form the drivers.
Nestled about halfway between Louisville and Cincinnati, this is NASCAR country make no mistake about it. No longer will Kentuckians be forced to head to Tennessee, or worse Indiana, to see a Cup race. We now have a track to call our own even if it took the Cup guys a while to get there.
A big shout out to all my peeps in the Bluegrass State and in the greater Kentuckiana area. Go see a first class race and be nice to the Hoosiers and Buckeyes. They are probably going to be jealous and will be recognizable by the tourist look on their faces.
Let me know your thoughts.
Drive fast, turn left and keep the shiny side up.
The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.
Feel free to send Chuck your thoughts on this and other race topics at