Waking up this morning and realizing that there will be no NASCAR on today is a little disconcerting. I hardly know what to do with myself. It’s kind of like that commercial about quitting smoking where it shows people not knowing how to do regular things, like put their clothes on or get in their car, ’cause they haven’t had a cigarette. I’m having trouble watching football without thinking the flag on the play means there’s debris on the field.
Anyway, last night’s race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway was just OK. Well, at least for me. In the beginning it was exciting because I was wondering what would happen if Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick got together on the track, but then that idea was tossed overboard when Carl’s car had ignition problems.
It seems lately that when I watch a race it’s only a matter of time before everybody on my I’d-Like-These-Drivers-To-Win-Please list slowly gets weeded out and runs into trouble. Ugh. So for their sake and mine I am throwing away the list and just watching without expectations.
That being said I am truly happy for Jeff Burton and the No. 31 AT&T team. I’m glad they won. I hope that their win signifies a change in The Chase — a change that brings more drama and a close finish for the Sprint Cup Championship. And by more drama I mean on the track, not in the garage. While it did tickle me to hear about the tussle between Carl and Kevin it’s not something I’d want to see every week, not like that.
I have to talk about Jessica Simpson and her rendition of the National Anthem. I like Jessica and I have all of her CDs — except this latest one — to prove it, but I don’t know why she seemed to be trying so hard last night. I think she’s constantly trying to prove that she has a great voice and in doing so she added all these weird and unnecessary runs in the song. And she missed words too. It’s “home of THE brave” not “Home of brave.”
Photos after the jump!
Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s/Susan G. Komen Toyota, stands on the grid prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on October 11, 2008 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Kasey Kahne greets fans during pre-race introductions for the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. (Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Singer Jessica Simpson performs during pre-race activities prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on October 11, 2008 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Wife Ingrid Vandebosch (L) and Jeff Gordon (R), driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, wait by his car before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on October 11, 2008 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Elliott Sadler, driver of the #19 Stanley/Susan G. Komen Dodge, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on October 9, 2008 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Olympic gold medal swimmer Aaron Piersol gives the command to start the engines for the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. (Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)
