NASCAR on TV this week

Pace Laps: Almost Isn’t Enough, Keselowski’s Comeback And Refueling

*Sprint Cup: A Series Of “Almosts”* Saturday night’s Richmond race, a prime example of why winner Kevin Harvick is called “The Closer” leaves behind a long list of “what might have beens.” The driver of the No. 29 Chevrolet, used to charging from behind in crunch time came from seventh place, making daredevil moves on a green-white-checkered finish and only led a grand total of three laps during the race.

But Harvick’s gain, “Happily” stealing a trophy underneath everyone’s nose left up to a half-dozen drivers scratching their head. Once again, Matt Kenseth and the No. 20 Toyota had the dominant car, leading the most laps (140) only to have the wrong handling package down the stretch. Coming home seventh, he’s now led a total of 303 laps the last two weeks and has just 37 points to show for it. Clint Bowyer, who also led a huge chunk of the race (113 circuits) had no choice but to settle for second.

The Big Six: Questions Answered After the Toyota Owners’ 400

*Who…gets my shoutout of the race?*

One thing about racing — sometimes the driver who _should_ win doesn’t, and that’s exactly what went down on Laburnum Avenue Saturday night. *Juan Pablo Montoya* had the best car late and was driving like he owned the place before a late crash by Brian Vickers shuffled the field and left Montoya on the outside row for the restart. That was all she wrote as it was Kevin Harvick who was able to make the move to the front on a green-white-checkered run to the finish; Montoya was left sitting fourth.

Nationwide Breakdown: ToyotaCare 250

Brad Keselowski’s 2013 was off to a solid, if unspectacular start; eight races in the Sprint Cup Series had yielded four top fives and seven top 10s, but recent weeks had found him less and less a part of the conversation when it came to victories. Despite entries in every Nationwide Series race to that point, he had only managed two top-5 finishes, while fellow Cup regular Kyle Busch ran away with the majority of the first six races.

NASCAR Penalties Need To Fit The Crime

_”There is no truth. There is only perception.”_ _Gustave Flaubert_

The beauty of sports is that they’re a form of entertainment. You don’t need to know every lap, number, and fact in order to lay back and enjoy the show. That’s why for every diehard, no matter what you’re covering there’s about ten other people who know just enough to get by. Life has a funny habit of getting in the way of these hobbies: kids, work, bills, or even a beautiful Spring Day, which more than half the country experienced on Thursday that clearly supersedes some 30-minute research into the NASCAR Rule Book.