To all the naysayers who believe there's no room at the NASCAR inn for races on road courses, I need only smile and point to Sunday's Centurion Boats at The Glen. The race had it all: drama, generosity, intrigue, comedy, controversy, heartbreak, potential fisticuffs, fantastic racing and most important of all, potential.

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It was unlike anything you'll ever see at an oval track. Not that there's anything wrong with oval racing, because there isn't. Not one thing. Ovals must always serve as the foundation of this sport. But considering all they bring to the series, NASCAR should seriously consider adding a third road-course race to its Nextel Cup calendar.

And why not? As it was this weekend, road races are as compelling as any race on the circuit. The beauty of road races is that there's a genuine sense of anticipation and desperation on every lap. Drivers are constantly being hounded for position. Every pass is a flirt with disaster. Drivers can swap positions in successive corners. And a couple times per race, banzai moves are made with varying degrees of success. Isn't that the stuff of epic races?

Competition-wise, the action on a road course is hard to beat. The cars run so close together that the slightest bobble opens the door for the person behind to make a move. Then the drama really begins, because passing on a road course is not just a matter of a driver grabbing and holding the bottom groove as the guy in front slides up the track.

Passing on a road course forces drivers to process a lot more information in far shorter periods of time and with far greater frequency. In a matter of about one second, often less, all these questions (and more) have to be asked, evaluated and answered by a driver before attempting a pass:

• How realistic of a passing opportunity is this?
• Is a pass advisable at all on this part of the track?
• Is the move I need to make within my own skill set?
• Are the car's brakes behaving like they're supposed to?
• Can the car's tires handle this move?
• Who am I passing?
• Do I trust him?
• Does he see me?
• Can I beat him in a fist fight?
• What gear am I in?
• What gear do I need to be in, and when?
• What's the grip like off line?
• Can I emerge from a four-wheel, power-on slide while side-by-side with this guy and keep my car pointed in the right direction?
• Will I finish the pass before the next turn (which is coming up about three seconds)?
• If not, will I be in a position to complete the pass at the exit of that corner?
• Is there debris on the track right where my tires are likely to be?
• Is the corner worker waving a local yellow flag?
• Is the guy behind trying to put a move on me?
• Is there still time to pull off this pass?

The ability to successfully process all that information, pass after pass, lap after lap, for 90 laps is what separates drivers like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart from everyone else in the field.

Even the best have their moments, though, as we saw Sunday. In a testament to how hard each was pushing at the time (about nine-and-a-half-tenths by my reckoning), we saw both Gordon and Stewart misjudge their braking going into Turn 1, induce wheel hop and hand the race lead to the other. Burn those moments into your memory bank. That will never happen again. The only difference between the two incidents is that Stewart had time to get back the spots he lost.

NASCAR's road races improve the breed of all its drivers. A driver's ability to sense, process and act on all information that comes his way during a road race can only add to his skill set and comfort level back on an oval. All ships rise with the tide.

As it is right now, road races account for about 5.5 percent of the Nextel Cup schedule. Adding a third race will bump that to a little more than 8 percent. If you put on your NASCAR marketing cap for just a moment and consider its plans to increase international exposure for the sport, adding a third road race only makes sense.

First off, a third road-course race will generally increase NASCAR's appeal to international audiences and is a great way to get your foot in the door. Where to race, you ask? With no regard for International Speedway Corp.'s profits, I'd take one race away from California Speedway (until they prove they can sell the place out) and move that race to Laguna Seca. Another option is to take one of the Pocono races and move it to Road America. Or most outlandish of all, give one of California's or Pocono's races to Indy, run it on the road course and call it the Brick Road 400 (kilometers, trademark property of Tom McCarthy).

That third road race will only make NASCAR more desirable a career option for drivers from outside the United States. With international interest piqued, someone could build a three-quarter-mile oval, a la Richmond International Speedway, in Canada or Mexico or both, and you've got yourself a good start at establishing this uniquely American form of motorsports on the world stage.

Can you say international television rights?

But it all starts with great racing, which we certainly had plenty of this weekend. Heck, last weekend in Canada, too. And at Sonoma. And in Mexico City. When the racing is that good, you don't have to be from America to appreciate it.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.