Last Lap: Mailing it in

When the 2004 Nextel Cup Season In Review DVD reaches the Kansas Speedway portion, Edwin McCain or Sara Evans, or maybe some tone deaf yahoo butchering his way through a karaoke train wreck better be singing "Could Not Ask For More" in the background.

Marty Smith

Doesn't matter who's signing. It's the message. The Banquet 400 was everything a NASCAR fan could ever ask for, which means it wasn't what we expected.

We anticipated boredom -- the majority of flat track competition in 2004 has proven only slightly less enthralling than reruns of "Saved By The Bell: The College Years" -- but we got spectacular.

We assumed a couple of championship chasing Young Guns would lead a parade to the checkers, but we got two victory-starved veterans speeding door-to-door in the season's closest green flag finish.

Throw in the dramatic -- MB2/MBV Motorsports has been through hell and back in the year-plus following Jerry Nadeau's debilitating crash at Richmond, and Ryan Pemberton had never won a Cup race in more than seven seasons as a crew chief -- and it's Hollywood material, baby.

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It just doesn't get any better. How could you possibly ask for more?

Hit it, Edwin.

Way to go, Joe!!

Marty,

When was the last time one person won the Winston/Nextel pole, the Busch race, and the Winston/Nextel race in the same weekend? Has anyone ever won both poles and both races in the same weekend? Thanks.

Tom Blue

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

That's a negative, Thomas. Front Row/G.I. Joe has officially created a new category in the history book.

Joe Nemechek Credit: Autostock

According to Michael Payne -- NASCAR Statistical Services' answer to Funk & Wagnall's -- no driver has ever pulled the Busch/Cup sweep during a weekend he also earned the Cup pole. Payne counts 19 series sweeps in NASCAR history, but none of those drivers had ever led the field to the green flag in the Cup race until Nemechek did so last Sunday.

No doubt Hasbro, Inc., is planning a commemorative G.I. Joe Nemechek action figure. (Busch Series uniform sold separately).

Marty,

What's your take on the length of the race season? I feel like it's too long, because it interferes with football season (which always wins at our house!) and it's obvious that it's not about competition, but about the dinero from racetracks and TV residuals. And you guys actually have to do the traveling!

Amy

Hoboken, NJ

AB-SO-LUTE-LY. If the Nextel Cup season were any longer it'd be a sentence, not a job.

And it's not going to get any easier anytime soon, either. Considering that NASCAR is aggressively moving forward with proposed venues in Washington state and greater Manhattan, we'll either stay put at 36 points races or, Heaven forbid, expand the season even further.

Homestead-Miami Speedway Credit: Autostock

Your assessment that it's about money is accurate, as well, Amy. At this point it seems almost elementary: Everything NASCAR does is about cash flow. But the bottom line is, while expansion and commercialism are often hard for fans to accept, it's a business and businesses' reason for being is to make money.

Here, in my mind, is a viable remedy to the ever-evolving Nextel Cup schedule. (This plan originally appeared in Last Lap back in July).

Stage two-day shows, each day with a morning practice, a midday 50-mile/lap qualifying heat race and an afternoon 200-mile/lap feature. That way, fans get to see their favorite driver race four times in one weekend and we're in and out in two days.

Excluding Rockingham (gracious, it pains me to say that), there are currently 22 stops on the Nextel Cup tour. But add Seattle and New York, we're at 24. So if we race everywhere once, and return only to Daytona, Talladega, Charlotte, Bristol, Richmond, California, Texas, Vegas and New York, we'll be at 33 points-paying events, and 35 events overall with the Bud Shootout and the All-Star race. Allow Phoenix to retain their two dates until New York is finished.

That's an entire month off we don't currently get, and the only folks forced to sacrifice are the owners of the Super 8 and the Days Inn. And, heck, on average they're already raking in two grand a week for every booked room, anyway.

Hey Marty,

Listen, I was watching qualifying on Friday and I want to know why NASCAR doesn't allow the Busch Series drivers to qualify on scuffed tires but the Nextel Cup drivers can. Hope you can help.

Thanks

Shannon, Panama City

Credit: Autostock

You are correct, Shannon. NASCAR does not allow Busch Series teams to qualify on scuffed tires in an effort to save teams money. Without this rule, teams would have to test to see whether sticker tires or scuffs perform better.

With the rule in place, everyone develops the qualifying set-up for stickers. There are exceptions to the rule, however. At tracks that are generally very slick, NASCAR may allow teams to scuff both the qualifying and race tires.

Random Tidbit Inquiring Minds Might Appreciate: The 2004 Manufacturers' Championship can be decided this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway. If a Chevrolet wins the UAW-GM Quality 500 Saturday, the Bowtie Brigade will clinch the Manufacturers' Championship.

It would mark Chevrolet's 28th Manufacturers' Championship since 1952, and their 24th in the 33-year modern era (since 1972). A Chevrolet has won 17 of the 30 races in 2004. Ford has nine victories and Dodge has four.

Marty,

I know that DEI stated that they will wait until the 2006 season to put Truex in a Nextel Cup car, but with the way that he is wheeling the Busch car around and running away with the Busch Series, I just feel that it is too great of an opportunity to pass up and not have him learn from Waltrip and Jr. during next season.

What do they have to lose? Definitely not sponsorship. Sponsors are lined up from Concord to Kalamazoo to get a piece of Truex -- and the eventual Rookie of the year -- whenever he does enter the Nextel Cup Series. Not to mention that it will also give Jr. another drafting partner in the restrictor plate races.

Martin Truex Jr. Credit: Autostock

VR, Bud-man

Great question, AB III. I'll agree it is slightly perplexing why Truex would run another Busch Series season when it seems he's primed at ready to hop in the No. 1 car. But once Truex or Dale Earnhardt Jr. explain their rationale it makes perfect sense.

Put simply, there's no hurry, no need to expedite the process.

During the qualifying rain delay at New Hampshire a few weeks back, I attempted to coax Truex into an explanation. Here's what he told me:

"I don't know, I guess it's hard to say when you've only (raced Cup) once," Truex said. "If we'd done it 36 times in one year we might be saying we weren't ready for it.

"So the biggest thing, I think, is you don't want to jump in too quick. I think a lot of people have done that and we don't want to be like that. We've got a lot to learn. We're learning more every week and getting better as a team every week. I'm getting better.

"I was telling somebody earlier that there's tracks we haven't even been to yet this year that we're still going to go to. No need to rush. We've got a lot to learn yet."

Fooled me.

Marty,

I was just wondering about Jeremy's post race interview when he said "Hell." Will he be fined for this or is "Hell" an acceptable word?

Kevin

No fine on this one, Kevin. NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter told me in March that "'hell' or 'damn', depending on the context in which it's used, is sort of acceptable."

Hunter said those two words are used in different forms as a means of expression and that they are subjective, as long as they aren't used to in a demeaning context. Mayfield didn't use it in such fashion, so in NASCAR's mind they're acceptable.

Dear Marty,

I want to thank you for your quick response to my last e-mail on the Earnhardt Jr. penalty. While I am sure someone will publish my request at the end of the year; I am curious as to how the point standings would be if NASCAR were using the old point system. Just from the last few races -- I have a sneaky feeling that some of those in the top 10 would not be there under the old system.

There was much to do about how long Jimmy Johnson had been in the top 10 earlier in the season when he briefly dropped out. How can a "run" in the top 10 be valid when with 10 races to go -- certain drivers are locked into a top 10 position. I know NASCAR is locked into this system but it really is bogus! There are drivers who are finishing the season strong who might have broken into the top ten -- and the points should reward those efforts.

I thought the race at Kansas was a barnburner - a number of lead changes -- good racing; however, BRING BACK ROCKINGHAM!!! ;-)

Chris Humphreys, Pastor, Atlantic UMC, Atlantic, N.C.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Credit: Autostock

Aside from everything having to do with certain four-letter words, Reverend Humphreys' concern is presently one of the most popular among the fan base. Dale Jarrett fans and Jamie McMurray fans and Kasey Kahne fans are all irritated by the fact that their respective driver of choice cannot ascend into the top 10.

Had the point system not been changed, Jeff Gordon would hold a 1-point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the championship standings. Kurt Busch would be third, 184 points out, followed by Jimmie Johnson (-223) and Tony Stewart (-271).

McMurray would be eighth and Jarrett 10th, while Ryan Newman would currently be in 11th position, some 20 points outside the NASCAR Top 10.

You can access this information at any time on NASCAR.COM. Just click the Unofficial Non-Chase Standings link.

Y'all be good. I'm off to Target to pre-order my G.I. Joe Nemechek figurine.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writers.