It is a good time to reflect on a couple of the still-stirring storylines from last weekend’s Daytona 500 and from last year’s Auto Club 500. I have compiled what I think will be the most intriguing questions coming into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ second race of 2009. It should be very interesting to see how these questions (and more) play out this weekend.
1. After the Earnhardt Jr./Vickers debacle at Daytona, will the two drivers mend the fence, or will the situation escalade?
I truly believe that what happened between Earnhardt, Jr. and Vickers last week will be an isolated incident. I’m sure the drivers will enter the California garage with the attitude of, “what happened last week, was last week”. I can not see Junior nor Vickers taking any more chances of damaging their seasons because of what happened at one race. Will they go fishing together this Spring? Perhaps not, but they will be cordial on the race track.
2. Will Goodyear still experience the tire troubles that have plagued them since the introduction of the COT?
Possibly. Goodyear has not been able to really get a handle on the tire issues with the COT. The COT is wider and heavier on the right side, which promotes more tire wear on the right side tires.
Stu Grant, general manager of Global Race Tires of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., hopes to find a resolution to the COT tire issues.
I don’t think we’ll see the melee that we saw at Indianapolis last year, by far. There will still be a fair amount of tire wear issues at Auto Club Speedway this week. One thing that will help the Goodyear tires this weekend, is that all three series will be running the exact same tire. Running the same tire will help to build rubber on the track which will improve tire wear.
3. Will a driver from a team other than Roush Fenway or Hendrick be sitting in Victory Lane at the end of the day?
Roush Fenway Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have dominated this event. They have combined to win the last seven races here, with Roush Fenway winning the last four. It would be a darn good bet to see a car from one of those two teams in Victory Lane come Sunday. I know who I’m picking on my fantasy team.
4. How empty will the grandstands be for the Auto Club 500?
Unfortunately, Auto Club Speedway has received a poor reputation in recent years for empty seats during the races. Last year, Auto Club Speedway’s estimated attendance was 105,000 for both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races. That is not very good for a track that seats 92,000 and is in one of the largest markets in America. California has been one of the hardest hit states during the souring economy, stating a 9.2% unemployment rate. Don’t be surprised to see a few more empty seats this weekend.
5. Will The Simpsons decide the length of the race if it should rain?
There has been quite a bit of hoopla this week over NASCAR’s decision to call the Daytona 500 after the rain came. Some have even speculated that Fox wanted the race called so that a re-start would not interfere with The Simpsons, and other shows that were coming on during prime time. My belief is that if it begins to rain in California during the race, NASCAR will decide what ever is best for NASCAR, Fox, the teams and fans (notice I put fans last).
As I previously stated, it will be interesting how these topics play out this weekend and possibly the remainder of the season.
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