Wow what a difference a few weeks can make. Tony Stewart only a month ago was very unhappy with his team’s performance. Two weeks into the Chase and he is undefeated and the point’s leader. Many kudos to the Stewart-Haas team on a truly amazing turnaround.

I still have to say that it adds fuel to the fire that is my dislike of the Chase system. I don’t know exactly what the points would be without the Chase after Sunday’s race, but I know “Smoke” would still not be near first. OK, enough of that.

I’m pretty pleased that Sunday’s Cup race was much better than the snooze fest that was the Truck Series race on Saturday. Kevin Harvick said it best by calling it, I believe; “a terrible race”. Not too many times any more that almost the entire field is one lap down, but this was close!

Made me think of Jeff Burton’s 300 lap victory there without a lead change (with restrictor plates) a few years back. However, the Whelen Modified race with restrictor plates was amazing as usual.

I went to Hickory Motor Speedway over the weekend for this year’s installment of the Bobby Isaac Memorial. The limited late model field was 21 cars strong, and at the end of 50 laps; first and second slid across the finish line sideways, side by side; in a tremendous finish.

The main event was up next with 14 late model stocks in attendance for the 150-lap event (usually 200 laps, more on that in a second). The majority of the race was pretty much follow the leader, but a late race caution set up a great 10 lap dash to the finish between 2011 track champ Jesse James Lefevers and Austin McDaniels. Lefevers led the first 149 laps to get edged at the line by mere inches in another great finish. Made it all worth the price of admission!

Now back to the 50 lap reduction to Sunday’s main event. The track said this was done to reduce the costs to teams (gas+tires). Yet they set it as a two-day show. So at the very least, each team had two days of pit passes instead of one. If a team came from out of town, it also meant a night of hotel(s).

I just don’t see how this saved any money for the teams. More like it made more for the track. By the way, day one was nothing more than practice and qualifying. Maybe this is why there were only 14 cars…..

Well that’s all for me, until next week; keep the shiny side up!

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