Richmond the perfect next step for NASCAR season

We haven't even reached the one-third point of any of NASCAR's three national tours and I'll tell ya, enough's happened to make you laugh, make you cry -- and at the very least leave you shaking your head saying "I can't believe he did that," or "what in the world was he thinking?"

So in a lot of ways, that makes it perfect the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series are both racing at Richmond International Raceway's short track this weekend, where everything's up close, personal and yeah, not warm and fuzzy, but for sure interesting.

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And the Camping World Trucks, after their typical fits-and-starts beginning to the season, are out in Kansas City just in time for -- or right after -- the groundbreaking ceremony for International Speedway Corporation's casino project. They'll begin their first stretch of serious racing by tackling Kansas Speedway.

The most interesting aspect is that, for the first time in about four race weekends, there are no real weather concerns. That does nothing for the demeanor of those fans in Texas and Talladega who were deprived of races by the weather -- and their schedules.

But I hope it provides some extra impetus for Richmond to put some more butts in its grandstand seats because, unofficial crowd estimates aside, attendance has been really, really hurting for a number of weeks.

The Sprint Cup Series, obviously, has the most going on -- both on and off the race track.

On track just has to be the most important, right? And it's fascinating that Kevin Harvick, who's currently the king of that racing chess game called Silly Season, is the series' most recent winner on-track, while also being the division's most prized free agent in the behind-the-scenes dealings.

Richmond creates a certain fascination because of four-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson's record there -- but more because you can't help but think "what are those Hendrick boys gonna do next?" (Continued)