NASCAR on TV this week

Matt McLaughlin’s Thinkin’ Out Loud: Talladega-2 Race Recap

by

*Key Moment* – Matt Kenseth entered Turn 3 of the last lap a sitting duck – even though he was leading the race. Seconds later, he exited Turn 4 the only car still standing in a 500-mile event that could have easily been run as a 1-lap Demolition Derby.

*In a Nutshell* – A spectacular, heart-stopping final 20 minutes of side-by-side drama turned into an eyesore of an ending. Drivers left angry, owners lost millions, officials are lucky no one was killed, and the sport wound up with a virtual punch in the face.

No Daytona 500 For Earnhardt? NASCAR Plates Pushing Drivers To Edge

by

_“Wrecking like that is ridiculous. It’s blood-thirsty if that is what people want. I can’t believe that nobody is sensible enough to realize just how ridiculous that was. Everybody is just ‘ho hum’ no big deal… that is not alright. I don’t even want to go to Daytona or Talladega next year, but I ain’t got much choice.”_ – _Dale Earnhardt, Jr._

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2012 Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 at Talladega

by

Although qualifying doesn’t matter much at Talladega, you might think that winning the pole would make for a less stressful day. Not so for Kasey Kahne, who ran out of gas under green-flag conditions and got shuffled all over the place during the event. Then, things only went from bad to worse; he got a windshield full of Stewart’s undercarriage in the last-lap mayhem as Stewart landed on top of his car. Just like that, Kahne was relegated to a 13th-place finish.

It’s a Three-Horse Race

by

The Cup Series point system was changed last year to make it easier for fans to understand the points earned by each driver during each race. Like many changes that are implemented in sports, there are unintended consequences that can have a lasting impact. NASCAR may or may not have wanted to reward consistency more with the new point system but, in the long run, that is exactly what has happened. Drivers who finish near the front week after week often find it more difficult to overcome the point system than drivers who have sporadic performances. Unlike the old system, top of the standings results do not carry any more weight than ones in the middle of the pack. Because of that, gaining many points on a driver who does not have a DNF is nearly impossible. As a result, the 2012 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title is down to a three horse race — even though there’s still six weeks to go.

Pace Laps: Scrambled Results, Twitter Troubles and Parker Kligerman’s Future

by

*Sprint Cup: Final Finishing Order Still In Question* As we wake up Monday morning, the smoke surrounding Talladega’s last-lap mayhem from nearly 24 hours ago has yet to be cleared. Yes, we know Matt Kenseth won, with Jeff Gordon second and Kyle Busch third — those cars were the only ones to hit the checkered flag at full speed, close to damage-free after a 25-car incident wiped out the field.

Then what?

Tracking the Trucks: Fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola

by

*In a Nutshell:* Parker Kligerman took the checkered flag under caution to win the Fred’s 250 presented by Coca-Cola Saturday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway. With a big push from runner-up Johnny Sauter, the driver of the No. 7 Red Horse Racing Toyota took the lead with just two laps remaining en route to his first career Camping World Truck Series victory. James Buescher, Ty Dillon, and Timothy Peters rounded out the top-5 finishers.

Four Burning Questions: How Will Talladega Shake Up the Chase?

by

Its big. Its fast. Its scary (although not as scary as it used to be). Yes ladies and gents, its Talladega. No other track on the circuit is capable of paradoxically inspiring so much love and hatred at the same time. Of course, whether you love it or hate it, there is no questioning the fact that the Fall race at Talladega is one of the biggest and most drama-filled races of the year. And perhaps most importantly, Talladega is the track that can have the biggest impact on the Chase picture. Thus, without further ado, lets take at the big stories heading into the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500.