NASCAR Racing

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race featured a rule change where the winners of each of the first four segments got to line up at the head of the line before the final pit stop which set the starting lineup for the final ten lap sprint for the money.  I was shocked to see fans online today blasting the new format as non-competitive.

This rule change turned the All-Star event into a classic Saturday night showdown with four heat races where the winners got to start up front in the feature.  This provided race fans with five chances to see great finishes instead of just one.   For example, when in the history of NASCAR has the third segment provided a thrilling door-to-door finish like we saw on Saturday night?

Just to refresh your memories:

• 2011 - Least exciting All-Star race ever
• 2010 - Last ten laps were good, the rest wasn't interesting
• 2009 - Another 90 laps of boredom followed by 10 laps of racing
• 2008 - Every segment was a dominating win
• 2007 - Another dud

I can go on an on. 2006 wasn't any better,  2005 didn't see any racing until the final segment, etc... Let's face it.  This weekend's five separate checkered flags that actually mattered provided five times better racing than we have ever seen in an All-Star event.

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race featured a rule change which made segment wins meaningful.  Jimmie Johnson took advantage of winning the pit crew challenge and the first segment to pick up the All-Star race win and a $1,000,000 payday.

I was loving the rule changes for 2012.  This gave drivers real incentive to race hard during the first four race segments since they received an advantage for the final sprint.

Even though Johnson had them covered at the end this was still a great All-Star event.

This Saturday night the 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race rolls off at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  There are no points on the line and $1 Million waiting at the finish line for the winner.   This race tends to bring out the wild side of NASCAR's finest.

The rules for this event often change from year to year.  This year the race will run in five segments. Four twenty lap segments will be followed by the legendary ten lap dash for cash.  The big rule change for 2012 is that the winners of each of the first four segments get to move to the front of the pack for the critical pit stop which will set the starting lineup for the final ten lap segment.

I'm excited for this rule change.  Now instead of just logging laps in the early going drivers will have some real incentive to race hard for the win in each of the first four segments.  Starting up front for the final ten laps is a worthwhile prize which should have drivers racing hard all night long.   This is one of NASCAR's "Must See" events and I can't wait for Saturday night.

Another Darlington race leads to another post-race fight on pit road and another round of penalties for someone named Busch.

Last year Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick were fined $25,000 each for their post-race battle in Darlington.  On Tuesday NASCAR fined big brother Kurt Busch $50,000 for his part in the post-race war with Ryan Newman.

Kurt was fined for unsafe driving resulting from burning out through Newman's pit late in the race while Newman's crew was still over the wall.  Busch then hit Newman's car on pit road after the event.   Crew members then got involved and there was a shoving match on pit road. Two of Kurt's crew members were fined $5,000 each for their roles in the melee.

I didn't see Kurt Busch burn out through Newman's pit.  That sounds like it could have been dangerous and may have deserved a penalty.

As for all the rest of it I just have to ask, what ever happened to "Boys have at it?"

It took longer than most NASCAR fans expected but Hendrick Motorsports finally claimed their first win of 2012 and the 200th NASCAR Sprint Cup victory for the organization.

Jimmie Johnson did the honors tonight when he drove away from the pack during a green-white-checkers restart and claimed victory in the 2012 Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

This Saturday night the NASCAR Sprint Cup stars will take on Darlington Raceway in the 2012 Bojangles' Southern 500.

Even after being repaved in 2008 Darlington Raceway still chews up race cars.  Lose focus for an instant or try to push too hard and "The Lady in Black" will bite. You'll find yourself in the wall.

Last year this race was a thriller with plenty of fireworks on the track and a post-race confrontation that left fans buzzing.  I'm hoping for more of the same this weekend.

Some good news for race fans as Eric McClure was released from the hospital on Monday evening after taking a brutal hit into the inside SAFER barrier during Saturday's Nationwide Series race in Talladega.

The race was red flagged and McClure was cut from his car.  He was then airlifted to UAB Medical Center in Birmingham Alabama where he was diagnosed with a concussion and internal bruising.

This was a scary hit. (you can see it here) Thankfully all of NASCAR's safety enhancements from the last decade did their jobs and Eric McClure will be ready to race again soon, possibly even this coming weekend in Darlington.

The 2012 Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway came down to a green-white-checkers sprint to the checkered flag.

Matt Kenseth was quickest all day long but got too far out front on the restart.  Brad Keselowski played the final two laps perfectly, received a strong push from Kyle Busch and scored the Talladega win.

The jet dryers are on the track attempting to clean up from a morning shower. The start of the 2012 Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway has been pushed back to 2:05 Eastern time.

The weather forecast shows a 40% chance of thunderstorms all afternoon.  Hopefully we'll dodge the raindrops long enough to get the full race in.   We've had an exciting weekend of racing so far and I'm looking forward to today's event.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. hasn't won a race since June of 2008 but this could well be the week that he breaks his 138-race winless streak.  Junior has five previous Talladega wins and finished a strong second in the first restrictor plate race of 2012 at Daytona.

It is impossible to predict what the 2012 Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway might bring but it is a safe bet that this race will be memorable with an exciting finish.

Most important for Junior Nation is the fact that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will likely be in the mix at the end.