By Revinjim

From the look of the All-Star race, it was easy to see that the teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series don’t seem to have found a way to race on intermediate tracks.

The best racing all day was for second place, in both the Showdown preliminary race, and in the main event itself. Once a car got in clean air, as in the lead, it could not be passed, although some cars were able to catch up to it. The only lead changes came because of pit strategy or mechanical failure.

But, to be fair, the teams were using one-off set ups and engine packages. We should hold some hope that they have something better for the upcoming Coca-Cola 600 (formerly known as the World 600, which is what I am still tempted to call it). There has been, after all, some experience on intermediate-class tracks this year, and the testing for the upcoming race has been extensive. Maybe, just maybe, they have found something to make the car racier on tracks like Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

We shouldn’t forget that intermediate track racing hasn’t been all that good anyway, even with the older car. The trucks put on a good show, but that is with restrictor spacers and it still makes it hard to pass the lead car. The new car not only hasn’t solved the “aero-push” characteristic, it seems to have amplified it.

Monte Dutton fumes about the new car in NASCAR This Week:

CONCORD – Not every race can be a classic, but the Sprint All-Star Race is contrived only slightly less than the plot of Plan 9 from Outer Space…read more

Diecast Dude, of Restrictor-Plate This has a few words to say on the subject himself:

In-between daydreams of being a World War One flying ace or presenting himself as Joe Cool, Snoopy has on occasion tried to reconnect with his family.  An actual meeting was once arranged at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm where he was born, this being cause for great joy… up to the gathering taking place.  A dejected beagle came home, tossed his suitcase into his doghouse, and in reply to Charlie Brown asking how it went sighed , “The anticipation far exceeded the actual event.”…read more

Brian of Racedriven.com get’s downright “crabby” about the way the teams are pushing the trackbar adjustments to the limits, or possibly beyond:

For the past couple of weeks, numerous media, drivers including Jeff Gordon, teams and fans have noticed this new tread in how to get this COT Cup Series car to handle better with adjusting the rear end so the COT car turns better in the corners, but goes sideways down the straightaway’s and in a world were NASCAR is penalizing so many drivers and teams for messing with the COT, how is this … read more

Mike, of Trouble in Turn 2, gives us his weekly race review in “View From The Couch: All-Star Challenge.”

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There were a few other things that happened last weekend. The IRL continued it’s qualifying and practice sessions for next week’s Indianapolis 500, and AJ Foyt IV had a scary situation with fire and a crash. The fire was due to a loose fuel cap, and fuel leakage. Foyt received only minot burns and injuries, and will be able to race Sunday.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr announced that he is thinking of moving his JR Motorsports team from the Nationwide Series to the Sprint Cup Series, whereupon Rev’ Jim found “Grist for the Rumor Mill:”

Our regular reader knows that when it comes to silly season and rumors, Rev’Jim’s can be skeptical, and even downright cynical. So when we find something that we label “grist for the rumor mill,” is it time to be afraid?…read more

And, in the weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Series race at Iowa Speedway, Brian Ickler proved that winning a big race doesn’t always require having big money, as Marc of Full Throttle reports in “Brian Ickler tops Iowa Field.” 

Let’s just hope that everyone’s week goes better, and that the racing gets better. It should. At least, we hope it should.