Is it just me? Tell me if it’s just me, but I’ve about had my fill of the new restart policy in NASCAR already.
Nine weeks into the 2010 season, more than half of the Sprint Cup races have featured a crash (or crashes) that set up a late restart (or restarts) leading to a green-white-checkered situation. Talladega gave us not one, not two, but three green-white-checkered restarts. That might be good for the voyeuristic thrill-junkies who like to see multiple race cars smash into each other at 200 mph. It isn’t so good for racing purists who want to see a strategic match-up between pairs of man and machine.
I suspect that no one likes the new restart rules less than Jamie McMurray right now. He was a lap away from his second victory of the season when the restart madness began. But thanks to the restarts, and a nifty piece of driving by Kevin Harvick, he dropped to second place with mere yards to go in the race.
All griping about the restart rules aside, the last lap was a real thriller. Kevin Harvick won by a nose, slipping past Jamie McMurray on the final straightaway. It was the closest finish in recent memory, and Harvick’s first win since the late 18th century, I believe.
Honestly, and just between you and me, Talladega will never be the same for me. Not since Talladega Nights – The Legend of Ricky Bobby. It was made even worse by Harvick’s sling shot move on the final lap. The announcers could have been quoting lines from the movie. Speaking of which, isn’t it about time Hollywood gave us another NASCAR themed movie? Ah, that is a column for another day.
