Dodge/Save Mart 350
12:30 PM EDT (1630 GMT)
It was easy to question FOX's decision to run an hour-long prerace show Sunday. That is, until you saw what they used the extra time for.
The network spent the better part of that extra half hour Sunday showing fans the vast amount of safety advancements made in NASCAR over the past few years. We saw the first Ford race car, a 1901 Sweepstakes car, along with full explanations of the "driver's cocoon" that we hear so much about and the vast changes that have gotten driver safety to where it is now.
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| Jeff Burton was interviewed by FOX about safety during last weekend's broadcast. Credit: Autostock | ||
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Jeff Hammond and Darrell Waltrip did a great job walking the viewer through the before and afters of the safety battle. After looking at old-school driver uniforms and helmets, to be perfectly honest, you wonder how there weren't more serious injuries and deaths in racing during "the good old days."
Of particular interest was a discussion -- almost an argument between Waltrip and NASCAR president Mike Helton about when more tracks would be installing soft-wall technology. Waltrip had the guts to ask the question may fans were wondering: What's taking so long?
Helton responded with an adequate explanation, saying that while it may look like tracks are similar, each track has a different set of demands in order to make the soft walls work. He added that it's not in anyone's best interest to rush into this.
Jeff Burton, the drivers' voice of safety, was also interviewed, saying that while a lot has been done, more needs to be done.
In all, FOX gave viewers a timely, solid segment on a topic that should always be in the forefront. Safety is an issue that hits home with everybody, be it fans or front-office folk.
It's a subject that can never be overdone.
On to this week's awards...
Thanks, Dad: A nice segment was aired on Jimmie Johnson's relationship with his father Gus.
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Why Johnson gave his dad an air compressor for Father's Day -- and why Gus was so thrilled about it -- remain a mystery.
Setting a pick: Whoever made the rule that FOX's color analysts can't pick the same driver to win more than once a year needs to revisit that call. The picks of Ricky Craven (Larry McReynolds), Terry Labonte (Waltrip) and Mark Martin (Hammond) averaged a 11th-place finish.
How about letting the experts tell us who they really think will win?
He'll be here all week: While replaying Ryan Newman's fiery exit Sunday, Chris Myers said that "Flyin' Ryan became Fryin' Ryan."
Do you think Myers knows how amazingly offensive those "jokes" are?
Hammond=genius: Hammond came through big again Sunday, using the cut-a-way car to show fans exactly what caused Newman's No. 12 Dodge to literally burst into flames.
Hammond again answers the question that so many of us were wondering. Isn't that what an analyst is supposed to do?
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| Jimmie, why an air compressor? Credit: Autostock | ||
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Hulking up: How funny was the segment where Michael "Fatback" McSwain turned into The Hulk during the pre-race show? The look on McSwain's face was priceless. If you didn't see it, you really missed out.
Invented Word of the Week: Win*da (w n da) n. An interval of time during which something must happen: the pit winda is 60 laps.
Old-school joke: While cars were bunching up, jockeying for position late in the race, Darrell Waltrip said, "Don't look now, Ethel."
Who's Ethel, anyway?
Quote of the week: We go back to Newman's fireball for this week's gem. John Erickson, Newman's spotter, after doing such a great job guiding his driver to safety, said simply to Newman, "Get your ass out."
About sums it up, doesn't it?
On to this weekend's action ...
Winston Cup Series: Dodge/Save Mart 350
Site: Sonoma, Calif.
Track: Infineon Raceway (2-mile road course, 10 turns (40 feet wide))
Race distance: 110 laps, 219 miles
TV: Bud Pole Qualifying: SPEED 6 p.m. ET Friday. Happy Hour: FX 2 p.m. ET Saturday. Race: FOX 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
Last year's race: Jerry Nadeau's No. 44 Dodge suffered rear-end failure, allowing Ricky Rudd to sang his 23rd career Winston Cup victory.
Last week's race: Sterling Marlin's heartbreak turned into the third win of the year for Kurt Busch. Busch took advantage on a late race restart and held off a hard-charging Bobby Labonte for the win. Marlin, who led 102 laps, was sixth.
Potential Storyline: Jeff Gordon has a series-leading three victories at Infineon Raceway. He also has seven top-10 finishes, including three victories, in 10 races.
Point to ponder: Mark Martin has posted a track-leading 12 top-10 finishes, including a victory in 1997, in his 14 races at Infineon.
Next race: Pepsi 400, Daytona International Speedway, July 5
Craftsman Truck Series: O'Reilly 200
Site: Memphis, Tenn.
Track: Memphis Motorsports Park (.75-mile oval, 11-degree banking in corners, 4-degree banking on straights. Length of backstretch: 1,100 feet. Length of frontstretch: 1,100 feet)
Race distance: 200 laps, 150 miles
TV: Race: SPEED, 3 p.m. ET Saturday.
Last year's race: Travis Kvapil took the lead for the final time on lap 131, led 117 of 200 laps and held off Terry Cook's No. 29 Power Stroke Ford on two restarts in the last 40 laps to win by .187 seconds.
Last week's race: Brendan Gaughan took the lead from Carl Edwards with five laps to go and won the O'Reilly 400 on June 6 at Texas Motor Speedway, his third straight Texas win.
Potential Storyline: The O'Reilly 200 at Memphis marks the 200th event in NASCAR Craftsman Truck history. Among those expected to participate in the event are three teams -- K Automotive, Spears Motorsports and Ultra Motorsports -- that have competed full time on the series since the inaugural race on Feb. 5, 1995
Point to Ponder: Gaughan's Texas victory was the 40th in series competition by Dodge and the third in a row for the truck maker in 2003. Dodge last won three consecutive in 2001 when Ram trucks captured the first eight races to match the NASCAR Craftsman Truck manufacturer record.
Next race: GNC Live Well 200, Milwaukee Mile, June 28
Mark Spoor is associate producer of NASCAR.com. His viewer's guide appears each Thursday. The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.