NASCAR 2016 running thread

Hmmm. Maybe the one posted directly above. LOL. The angle they showed at the end Sunday it sure as hell looked to me like Truex won. Gordon called it for Hamlin and I was like WTF is he talking about. Wasn't until the replay that I realized he was right.

 

This is fun. A sandstorm is turning Las Vegas into a dirt track.

 

Wind was a factor all day. It caused a delay early in the race, some problems later on when the sandstorm skirted the track, and a funny moment during the postrace. Keselowski was doing his burnouts and had an American flag wedged into his window netting. The wind ripped it right out of his car and onto the track.

 

Was surprised when he jumped out and retrieved it!

 

At least the racing seems to be better.

 

Nice moment today between Gordon and DW debating tires over position during a restart.
Gordon wound up being right, but it was fun listening to them go back and forth.

 

Another moment for NASCAR's Flag Follies reel, too. Jimmie Johnson pulled alongside the flag stand to get the checkers, but wasn't right up against the wall so the guy had to throw it to him. It missed, and fell onto the track. Johnson had to clamber out of his car to get it, but had a hard time since he was still pretty close to the wall. Kind of funny to watch.

 

Gordon is already one of the best ex-player commentators in any sport I have ever heard. He's actually informative on every comment, which in a sport built on technology is pretty important.

 

Gordon ate DW's lunch on that debate, as you noted he knew about the track and its wear on tires than the older guys.

From what I've heard of him he's great in the booth ... My only concern would be his ability to be critical of drivers for mistakes and miscues. That's one of the things I've enjoy with Kyle Petty.

 

FOX has never really had a commentator that has been critical. Maybe that's by design, but I hope as Gordon grows in his role, he can look at situations with a more critical eye. Or express them, at least.

 

I will compliment NASCAR on the new aero package. The racing has been much better this year, even at Cali and Vegas, which for the most part have been 300 parade laps broken up by debris cautions.