I’m not going to try to sugarcoat that one. California was kind of boring.
OK, really boring.
You know what? I’m OK with that, simply because there aren’t going to be 36 good Cup races a year, and I’d much rather watch a boring race that takes less than two hours and 40 minutes to fins than a marathon race that takes four hours. I’ll sacrifice nodding off for a sore rear end from sitting too long.
While last year’s race at Auto Club Speedway was very good, this year’s boredom wasn’t totally unexpected from California. On the bright side, now we’ve got a whole year until the next race runs there.
And now for some other thoughts from the weekend:
- Maybe the California race was a prelude to Martinsville? Sorry, but I don’t find Martinsville as thrilling as many. Sure, what Denny Hamlin did last year was awesome – much like what Kevin Harvick accomplished Sunday – but Martinsville drives me crazy sometimes. I wouldn’t complain if the race was shortened 100 laps.
- Yes, there’s a serious problem with the Joe Gibbs Racing engines. Hamlin’s the prohibitive favorite at Martinsville along with Jimmie Johnson, but that’s if his engine will make it the entire race.
- Who would have thought that Jamie McMurray would be 28th and Joey Logano would be 29th in the points standings after the first five races? Does the 2011 season have something against the color orange? (Speaking of colors, the yellow and brown UPS car for David Ragan isn’t very pretty.)
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s season is even more impressive when you think about where he’s qualified in the last four races. Junior’s highest qualifying effort is 22nd and the other three starts have been 30th or below. If he and Steve Letarte can start qualifying in the top 15, Junior Nation’s going to be celebrating a win sooner rather than later.
- How were all three of Roush Fenway Racing’s Nationwide cars unsponsored on Saturday? Is RFR asking above market value per race? Seeing three white cars was pretty stunning.
- What’s the over/under of cautions during Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville? Nine? And no, Angela and Amber Cope aren’t expected to be on the entry list.
Finally, I’d like to take the time to say thanks for reading this column, whether it’s for the first time or for the last time. A whirlwind of events over the last three months have kickstarted my life into high gear – and it’s time to move on to those other things. But don’t worry, I’ll still be around and following NASCAR as much as ever, and I’ll still be on Twitter. Know I appreciated every comment, both good and bad through the years…
The Frontstretch Staff is made up of a group of talented men and women spread out all over the United States and Canada. Residing in 15 states throughout the country, plus Ontario, and widely ranging in age, the staff showcases a wide variety of diverse opinions that will keep you coming back for more week in and week out.
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