Cross' Words: Talladega

I love Talladega. My first foray into NASCAR came at Alabama International Motor Speedway: May 1, 1983, when Richard Petty beat Benny Parsons to the stripe. I was hooked. ... And Sunday made me remember why.

That was racing -- man and machine vs. man and machine. The latest race at 'Dega was more slot-car racing.

• Send Duane your thoughts
• Visit BDC's Community page

And fans, throwing NASCAR under the bus isn't the solution. The Car of Tomorrow is a work in progress; anyone who believes it is -- in its current form -- the end-all for stock-car racing is inhaling the wacky weed.

The COT does have its pluses, but it's time to focus on the minuses and get the car up to speed before Daytona. Do you really believe NASCAR wants the 50th Daytona 500 to be as follow-the-leader as Sunday was at Talladega?

OK, so changes (let's call 'em tweaks; it sounds less damning) will be made. The car has been run on short tracks, intermediate tracks and superspeedways as well as on road courses. The information is being raked over and adjustments will be made.

In the meantime, we always have our memories. ... But does anything ever measure up to how it "used to be"?

Random ruminations ...

• I admit it: I've long been a fan of Jacques Villeneuve. Forget the no rooting the the press box. Forget the J-school mantra of not getting emotionally involved with a story. I've put all that to the side. And yes, I love stock-car racing and also can appreciate the talent of the open-wheelers.

Villeneuve made a classy gesture once the green flag waved at Talladega. With little more than some Truck Series seat time on his NASCAR resume, Villeneuve qualified sixth. Still, he knew there were those who openly questioned NASCAR's decision to allow the newbie to race in the biggest wild-card event in the Chase.

So when the green fell, Villeneuve fell to the back of the pack. "It was the logical thing to do. Our car was set up for qualifying, and we didn't know how it was going to handle," said Villeneuve, who finished 21st in this Cup Series debut.

"The finger was being pointed at me before the race, and that was understandable," he said. "The goal [Sunday] was to stay out of trouble and not make enemies, so next time I come back, everything will be a little easier."

• Jeff Gordon's dash to the front on Sunday wasn't as memorable as Dale Earnhardt's in October 2000, but it was edge-of-your-seat; Gordon's move to the outside lane was gutsy. But while you knew the black No. 3 was paring down the field that afternoon at 'Dega, it was a little different to see Gordon's off-color No. 24 shearing its way to the lead. Strange.

• If there was ever any doubt that the qualifying procedure for NASCAR is ... um, outdated, well Saturday should be Exhibit A in the call to action.

Guys like A.J. Almendinger, Boris Said and Scott Riggs were denied a spot in the lineup because of antiquated rules. Even go-or-go-homer Kevin Lepage (185.765 mph) was faster than locked-into-the-top-35 David Ragan (185.255), who then failed post-qualifying inspection but was still allowed to start the race. ... Tweak -- no, change the rules.

Say What?

"I was driving around with one hand, running 15th just riding, on and off the gas. It's not racing. If we're going to do that, why don't we just make it a 100-mile race, and we'll tear them all up in the first 50."
-- Ryan Newman

Figuratively Speaking

3 -- Consecutive races in which Kurt Busch has improved his position in the standings but still fallen further behind in points:

Better late than never? Several Chase drivers dramatically improved their positions during the last 10 percent of the 188-lap race at 'Dega: (Continued)