I’m joined by good friends and sometimes nemesis (or, at least on Friday’s), Charlie Turner and Tim Zaegel and this week we talk about some of the more current topics that you’ve probably found even yourselves debating over these last few days.
Over at On Pit Row, we decide what the most significant outcome was from last weekend’s All-Star Race, and over at Do You NASCAR, we’re going to re-hash the argument as to whether or not now is the time for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to bring JR Motorsports up into the Sprint Cup Series.
So, sit back and buckle up. Three questions, three voices, and three different answer … we’re about to get Loose in Turn Three!
With Kasey Kahne winning the All-Star race, does that vindicate the process of the fan vote for that event?Bruce: With Kasey Kahne winning the All-Star race, it more than vindicates the process known as the fan vote. It's also good for the sport that the wild card fan vote actually did win. It means the fans are actually onto something as opposed to the last few years then only the popular driver was not someone who was even competitive. (Not sayin' anything bad about Kenny or Kenny or who ever else got it in previous years.) With that being said, had Gibbs not tossed out experimental motors in their cars, Kahne wouldn't have even been a blip on the radar screen of finishes.. Kyle would probably had lapped everyone at the rate he was going.
Charlie: Yeah, I think it does this time. Kind of makes the fans look smart. Then Kasey and his crew chief did the rest. The real validation will be if Kahne can win the 600 the weekend. It looks like he has a chance.
Tim: I don’t see how it wouldn’t. I mean, to me, Kahne was a guy that should have been in an All-Star race anyway, and I think that’s what the vote is really all about. In most other major sports, the majority of the All-Stars are selected by the fans, whereas NASCAR has only one … I think they’ve got a good system going with the makeup of the All-Star field.
Photo courtesy of paddocktalk.com
I would also like to add that at times I think the All-Star field may be a little too deep, but I really don't see a viable way to change the format. I think that all of the race winners from the current & previous seasons deserve to be deemed "All-Stars" ... former All-Star & Championship winners are "All-Stars" ... and, I like the fact that there's an opportunity for three underdogs to get in the race as well.
ReplyDelete