Opinion: Let Them Race
Friday, June 2nd, 2006 12:42pm CDT
By , Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
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[thumb:273:l:s=1:l=x]A year of bad decisions and bad calls by NASCAR has finally come together to make a good call. The return of the Busch Series to Martinsville Speedway. NASCAR ran their first race at the .526 mile track on July 4th, 1948. NASCAR has run at the track, that has been referred to as two drag strips and two turnarounds, 57 of the last 59 years. Hopefully NASCAR will allow the short track action that Martinsville has become known for to continue on as it returns in 2006 at full force.
NASCAR will be building on the great racing already seen in 2006 in July with the Goody’s 250 BUSCH Series race. NASCAR will then follow up that event with the Whelen Modified Series on September 2 as the fall starts to heat up in Henry County, Virginia. October will bring the mountains alive as NEXTEL Cup qualifying begins on October 20 for the Subway 500. NASCAR didn’t stop there though, as the trucks will hit the track on the 21st for another action packed weekend event.
What will have to happen for it to continue to be a success? NASCAR has to let short track racing be short track racing. It is just a Saturday night show down!! Yes, there is going to be some door handle to door handle racing, but there will also be the use of the chrome horn and you can count on trading paint and tempers flaring. That is what Saturday night thunder is all about.
NASCAR will need to back off, let the drivers be drivers and settle it on the track and not in the “Big Yellow Truckâ€. I agree that they need rules, but they also need to let drivers drive and not in a train either. Let them trade paint and mix it up. Don’t limit the bumpers so they can’t touch anyone. I know that they can’t let people knock other drivers out the way, but you have to let them race.
A major part of NASCAR has been the high action tracks. Look at what happened to the sport when Richard Petty and the Allison’s got into it at Daytona. Then turn another page to the Dale Earnhardt era. Earnhardt was know as a good driver, but not with a lot of patience on a short track. He was not scared to use the chrome horn to push some one up the track to get underneath them to accomplish the pass. Earnhardt at times even got ruff enough to push people totally out of the way and even wreck them. Yet he rarely ever made a trip to the big yellow truck. That’s the type racing that Martinsville is capable of.
NASCAR has made an outstanding decision to bring Martinsville back in full force, with all the top series making an appearance. It may not have the largest seating capacity in the world, but being able to sell out shouldn’t be what it is all about. It should be the quality of racing. Martinsville has the ability to provide some of the best racing action of the season. Martinsville has never been about the big corporation. It has always been a solid place that a father could enjoy the race with his entire family, clean restrooms, good racing and outstanding race track food. Them dogs are damn good.
Don’t forget the best part of racing though and that’s the fans. So pack the coolers, pack the grill and make it at least a full day family affair. As always at NASCAR events, you can’t forget about the tailgate.
About the author:
Tim Spencer grew up in the hills of W. Virginia, and currently resides in the Norfolk, Va area. He has served his country proudly for the last decade as a member of the United States Navy. Prior to this, he could be found playing in the dirt on the local bullring’s. Why he gave up racing to float on the ocean, we’ll never know, but we’re proud for his success and dedication to our great nation.
Filed Under: Busch Series, Craftsman Truck Series, Damn Good Points, Features, Guest Authors, Nascar, Nextel Cup, The Soapbox, Tim Spencer, Tracks
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