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Crazy Wicked and Wild At Dega (On the Track Too) - Making the Grade Dega
4/29/08: SOZ Studios, MI - By Dennis Michelsen "DMIC" (RaceTalkRadio.com)
The debate will always rage among race fans whether Talladega offers real racing or just a spectacle. But anyone who says the Aaron's 499 was boring must lack a pulse! I prefer real racing where drivers can actually drive away from each other, but the insanity that is a restrictor plate race at Talladega leaves me breathless. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt and everyone lives to race another day. Until NASCAR finds a better way to slow the cars down we are stuck with restrictor plate racing. But until the fans start staying away NASCAR really has no incentive to do away with the restrictor plates either. As usual it was crazy, wicked, and wild at Talladega…on the track as well as in the infield!
Race Grade: A-
This race would have earned an A+ if we had gotten a shot at a last lap pass for the win! But a caution flag flew bringing a premature end to what was shaping up as a thrilling finish. This isn't racin' the way I think it ought to be but it sure ain't boring either!
F for Reed Sorenson's No. 41 Team
This has been an awful season for Reed Sorenson and the No. 41 team. Talladega was certainly not a Polaroid moment as they blew an engine just 10 miles into a 499-mile race! Changes are coming at the No. 41 team soon.
D for Roush Camber Settings
Crew Chiefs often abuse the tires to make their cars go faster. But two cars really had too much camber in their setups last week at Talladega and both were in the Roush-Fenway camp. Matt Kenseth's season just got longer with yet another bad race. Carl Edwards can't afford many more lousy races and expect to make the Chase either.
C for Haas CNC
This team has a grand total of 1 top five in 237 career starts at the Cup level so if I graded on a curve they might do even better. They made a smart move putting Ken Schrader in the No. 70 for the departed Jeremy Mayfield although engine trouble doomed his finish. A sixteenth place finish for their other driver and being in the Tony Stewart rumors were a big improvement for this team whose previous claim to fame was a sentencing hearing!
B for Juan Pablo Montoya
Maybe restrictor plate racing is the big equalizer between great and average teams. This week Montoya looked very impressive bump drafting his way to the front and staying there at the end of the race too! Now its back to tracks that will separate the great teams from the average.
A for Kyle Busch
Coming into Sunday's race at Talladega Kyle Busch had the second worst finishing average among all active drivers! Making a mistake heading to pit lane cost him a lap, which appeared to doom him to an awful finish again. But after getting the "Lucky Dog" pass Kyle Busch showed why he is the hottest driver in NASCAR this season! Are we seeing the rise of the brightest star in this era of NASCAR racing?
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