Vegas, baby, Vegas
There is much rejoicing in NASCAR Nation: The Cup drivers will be back on the track Sunday at Las Vegas.
The season's only two weeks old, and not much in the way of news has broken out yet. (Which is both a blessing or a curse if you're racing writer Dustin Long: If there's no breaking news, you can work on some big-picture stories. But because there's no breaking news, there's the constant fear that news will break out -- or that you're missing a big story.)
But I digress. There are some story lines that bear watching this week at the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400:
Is Roush for real? Jack Roush's drivers could win the next 10 Cup titles, and race fans would still be questioning the Cat in the Hat. But a Roush driver (Greg Biffle) won the last Cup race, and Roush drivers have won five of the past seven Vegas races. (Remember Matt Kenseth? He's two-time defending race champ.) And four of the five drivers at the top of the point standings are Roush drivers. Yeah, Roush is having a pretty good year.
Is DEI doomed? Michael Waltrip hasn't finished a race this season, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. stunk up the track last year. (He finished 35th because he was driving a garbage truck dressed up to look like a stock car.) Sadly, I expect more of the same Sunday.
Can Kasey Kahne finally win one? He took the Vegas pole last year, then finished second. He's due. Why not here?
Finally, will the racing improve? The California race was bad enough, and Vegas -- a little sister to the California track -- doesn't promise to be much better. Although the Cup teams have had two weeks to solve the problems caused by the new tires and shorter spoilers, I'm expecting a lot of follow-the-leader racing and little passing. I hope I'm wrong.
Comments (2)
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Ugh, Vegas is another Found On Road Dead track. If that's what is has to be then I hope Martin wins.
DEI has had trouble on flat tracks for many years. I think the best driver they had in this situation was Park in '00 and '01 before his head injury. I believe when things dropped off for them was when the "bump/stops" were taken off the shocks during the '01 season. If I remember right there was 25 - 30 race stretch over 2 seasons when Park accumulated top 5 points and then dropped off after this mid-season rule change.
Has Kasey Kahne has as many 2nds as Gant before his first win? That may be your answer.
The racing will improve when you have 43 race car drivers as opposed to 10 race car drivers and 33 corporate spokes people. And an aero package like the Trucks.
Posted on March 11, 2005 3:57 PM
Looks like you're a prophet, Mark. Ford took 3 of the top 5 qualifying spots. Mark Martin? Only 19th, sadly. I'm really hoping Martin wins a race or three this season.
Posted on March 12, 2005 1:24 PM