Final Verdict C and Notes:

By Keith Ott

  I’ve been sitting back and gathering inputs on what people thought about the race.  Inputs from both here on TR and calls to friends.   And, while I’ll personally never like the racing at Fontana, I can appreciate that some might.  Thinking about it as a whole event, I’m giving it a C.  It was a watchable event; it had moments, and will probably turn out to be right around the median as far as exciting/not so exciting events go for the season.  Had the Harvick challenge played out at the end it might have gone to a low “B.”  That was the best drama of the event and NASCAR probably wishes it had played out.

Notes:

1)       Has NASCAR gone too far with the “Red” as well as the “Yellow?”  The “Red,” in my book, is for serious injury or an incident so big that the workers would be put in jeopardy sorting things out.  It isn’t meant for a green race to the finish.  The driver, David Reutimann, was sore and out of the car (a poor finish but a great crash with a good ending) in good time…15 minutes was too long before they called that “quickie” yellow.   Also, IMO if NASCAR stops an event for that period or any period of time, then all should be free to go to pitroad, do their thing and restart in the same order. No I stayed outs, no race off pitroad.  All on and off pit road in the same order or merging back in the same order.  So, then we have the “Special Yellow” to let cars pit.  NASCAR said the tracks clear but there’s a special yellow for a quickie.  NASCAR should have said we’re staying yellow for a GWC or going green and pitting is up to you.  The Red flag is so serious it should never be used for us fans.  It’s to save lives and any other use hurts its value…NASCAR influenced the event.  JMO

2)      NASCAR 3D…WTF (what the fudge…unless you’re Navy <wink>) was on their minds?   Get the techno BS off the screen.  I don’t care if you have GPS that tracks a gnats butt to within 3000 nanometers…If I wanted to see a video game telling me what you missed I could load up NASCAR 2006 with better graphics.  Besides, for a second you had David outside the walls.  I’m sure he’s glad his GPS was off.

3)      “Commercials” and I’m not sure that this wasn’t just in my area.  But, a spot for Toyota showing a map of Toyota’s 10.4 billion $ investment in the US was interrupted by a commercial for the TV show  “24” showing an atomic bomb going off in LA with a mushroom cloud.  It just struck me as rather strange that Toyota would take this approach to NASCAR.  J/K Toyota…I for one welcome you.

4)      And the last note goes to Doug in Cali. Who says, “Maybe it’s not a bad idea to make this a 400 mile event.”  Doug, I don’t think it’s heresy,   I concur.  Especially if they kept the same time slot.  We could see the WHOLE event and all the commercials.   And, I hope Dave and Sharon return to Fontana (somebody has to…J/K) and continue to enjoy NASCAR.

Ok a few ????’s

Who painted the pace car like a Taxi?  It took me 4 cautions to figure out it was a Monte Carlo.

Is Kyle Busch’s steering wheel loose or is he just fun to watch?

LOL, ok LV coming up…Which Busch gets the first ticket?

Your comments and Viva Las Vegas!  A new track where anything goes…