Did Hamlin's ghosts in the shadows crush title hopes? (cont'd)

Hendrick's documentary TV-scarred

The documentary presentation of Hendrick Motorsports' 25-year history that aired just before ESPN on ABC's presentation of the California Sprint Cup festivities exposed a couple of dangers of time-limited television programming previewed by the media from a more wide-angled perspective.

Superstore

• Purchase your copy today!
• 1on1: Hendrick opens up

If you read rave media reviews of the premiere, then you had to be a little disappointed by the TV show, which was only an hour minus all the commercials. The reasons were the reviews said the premiere showed a balanced display of every element of Rick Hendrick's racing team's history, which included some difficult personal situations.

These included AIDS victim Tim Richmond's meteoric rise and fall with Hendrick's team in its early years, Hendrick's successful battle with leukemia and his concurrent legal issues from the mid- to late-1990s.

If you watched the TV show you only saw a couple of images of Richmond, precious few specifics on the team's racing history, nothing on the legal case and only a second-hand mention of Hendrick's leukemia, by his daughter, Lynn, in the show's final minutes.

That's the bad news, though it isn't terminal. Apparently what everyone saw at the various premieres was a version of the documentary, more than twice as long, that's available on DVD. And without seeing that, but after being involved in NASCAR through the entire history of Hendrick's organization, I'd say it would make compelling viewing for anyone with an appreciation of the sport's history -- or Hendrick Motorsports' achievements.

The TV show was heavily weighed by the October 2004 crash of a Hendrick Motorsports airplane that claimed Hendrick's son, Ricky, his brother John and his twin daughters and six other company friends and employees.

Despite the omissions and despite having lived and worked through the events of the team's entire history -- the poignancy of reliving that aspect of Hendrick's legacy, as predicted, brought shameless tears.

Heading on with Harvick

Anyone who thought Kevin Harvick might have trouble focusing, or competing as he apparently winds down his career with Richard Childress Racing -- even though it has the better part of 14 months to go -- got a lesson in pride and competitive spirit at California.

Harvick was in the mix all day before finishing 10th in his No. 29 Chevrolet. But an interview broadcast on ESPN in which Harvick likened his current career to finishing a book and saying it was good, but wanting to read another book, makes him virtually a non-stop target for weekly speculation throughout 2010 before he announces his next move -- or his intent to stay at RCR, which doesn't seem likely.

Biffle will be a show

Greg Biffle had designs on getting back into Chase contention at California, but despite having competitive cars in both Saturday and Sunday's races it seems that all Biffle has left to provide this season is some drama and maybe some fireworks as he either settles a score or two, or goes for race wins.

Kyle Busch Victory Watch

You don't want to jump on a guy when he's down, but if Kyle Busch's stomach wasn't already upset by the flu-like symptoms troubling him in California, the outcome of Saturday's event really had to push him to the verge of puking.

So for another week we repeat the phrase, until there aren't enough races left that Busch's planning to compete -- which unofficially at this point is 16 -- he has a solid chance to eclipse his 2008 record total of 21 wins (8 Cup, 10 Nationwide, 3 Truck).

Right now, Busch remains at 15 wins: 4 Cup, 6 Nationwide, 5 Truck. At this point last year Busch was at 19: 8 Cup, 8 Nationwide, 3 Truck; and with Busch being the defending champion of the Lowe's Nationwide race, can he finally break a current 11-race winless skein this week to get his points lead comfortably padded, again?

The opinions expressed are those solely of the writer.