All-Star race fun for fans
This week is all about the All-Star race. This week is for the racing fans to enjoy as the teams have a little fun. Aside from the drivers getting the spotlight, crew chiefs and pit crews get in on the action. Last night the pit crews had their Pit Crew Challenge. Teams compete one-on-one against each other to determine who has the best pit crew. Fans love the challenge and the crews go all out since the results determine pit road selections for the All-Star race itself.
Tonight the Craftsman Trucks compete in the only points race this week. The big day is Saturday and here is where just about everyone on the race teams gets involved. Crew chiefs start it off with their own race in the inaugural Kobalt Tools Crew Chief Race. Racing in Thunder Roadsters, they will compete on a quarter-mile track.
Then five select drivers will put on a show for the fans as they try to prove that they have the best Victory Lane moves. There will be no back-flipping or fence-climbing, but they will execute burnouts and donuts.
Then they have to demonstrate precision driving into Victory Lane. Both of these events will be shown on TV as part of the pre-race ceremonies and you can bet that there will be a lot of smack going on before and after the events. Next year NASCAR will have to figure out an event that the car owners themselves can participate in.
The main event of the night is the All-Star race. Drivers and car owners who have won races in the current and preceding year are eligible for the race. Past Cup champions in the last 10 years and drivers who have won the All-Star Race in the past 10 years are also eligible. Just about everyone else will try to become eligible in the Sprint Showdown. This race will consist of 40 laps run in two 20-lap segments. The first and second place finishers in this race become eligible for the All-Star race. The fans get to vote one more driver into the All-Star race.
The All-Star race will be 100 laps broken down into four 25-lap segments. The yellow flag will wave between all segments and drivers may pit to make tire changes, add fuel, and make minor chassis adjustments. Between the 3rd and 4th segments, drivers must make at least a stop-and-go pit stop.
So what is this all about? No points for the Sprint Championship are awarded. This is all about bragging rights and the money. An event record purse of $3,308,251 is on the line with $1,012,975 going to the winner. Teams will be more aggressive on their set-ups and more aggressive on the race track. It’s all about winning. Past run-ins could come into play during the race. Do you really think Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants to see Kyle Busch win this thing? I think not. The race lends itself to crashes since the cautions between segments keep the field bunched up and all restarts are double file. Last year the Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, took each other out.
Teams stay in Charlotte for next week’s COCA-COLA 600, the longest race on the schedule. The INDY 500 is contested earlier the same day but no NASCAR driver will be doing double duty this year.
My grandson Justin raced in Kentucky last week and once again he had a very competitive race car. Starting 14th, he moved up to third and then had to give up track position for a much needed pit stop. Moving up to 8th with 20 laps to go, Justin got caught up in Frank Kimmel’s spinning car.
This relegated him to a 21st place finish.