SPENCER: What’s The Deal? Coke 600/All-Star

Sprint Cup

SPENCER: What’s The Deal? Coke 600/All-Star

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series action at Charlotte Motor Speedway is full of surprises...

Jimmy Spencer | Posted May 28, 2010 Charlotte, NC

Juan Pablo Montoya climbs in his car prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Photo: Getty Images)

The past week’s activities at Charlotte Motor Speedway have produced a slew of headlines, surprises and hot tempers, and we’ve still got 600 miles to go. Here’s a look at what has caught my attention:

Juan Pablo Montoya versus Regan Smith:
Montoya and Smith were racing hard in the All-Star Race, both in desperate need of a win, points or no points. But Montoya went into turn one and clearly cut into Smith and put himself in the wall. I was disturbed by Montoya’s comments afterward that some guys (Smith) were running where they don’t belong (the front) and that his accident is the type of thing that happens when you start the race by a random draw instead of based on qualifying performance. Wait just a minute, Montoya … performance? Smith has finished ahead of Montoya in five of 12 races so far this season and Smith deserved to be in that race and contending for the win just as much as Montoya. Don’t place the blame where it doesn’t belong.

Kyle Busch vs. Denny Hamlin:
Speaking of blame, I don’t think Denny Hamlin cost Kyle Busch the $1 million in the All-Star Race. Hamlin was leading the race and Busch got a great run off of turn two and pulled up alongside Hamlin on the outside. But Hamlin never moved and Busch pushed himself up into the wall – Hamlin didn’t do it to him. Rest assured Coach Joe Gibbs got hold of both guys and they all had a nice little chat, but I still think Busch faults Hamlin for what really was his own fault.

The Coca-Cola 600 – the halfway point:
The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte historically has been considered the “halfway point” of the season when teams take a step back and evaluate where they stand. It’s the 13th race this year, which is the midpoint in making the Chase. Several teams need to step it up beginning this weekend if they’re going to have a good shot at competing for the championship later in the season.

Mark Martin isn’t having the season he would like but historically runs well at Charlotte. Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman at Stewart Haas Racing are both just outside the top 12 in points, and while they’ve made up quite a bit of ground the past few weeks, I expected more out of them this year than they’ve delivered. The Roush Fenway Racing camp is barely hanging in there. The Fords haven’t won a race and Carl Edwards is nowhere to be found. Even Roush’s Nationwide program is struggling. Those guys need a strong showing at Charlotte or I’m afraid it could all be downhill from there.

Ryan Newman (Left) talks with Tony Stewart (Right) and crew member (Center) in the garage prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Photo: Getty Images)

There are some big names in the Cup Series sitting outside the top 12 in points right now and with Charlotte marking the beginning of a long stretch of races into the summer and some challenging tracks on the horizon, it’s time for these guys to kick it into high gear.

The debate over 600 miles:
It seems we have this discussion every year over the Memorial Day weekend marathon at Charlotte. Many of the Cup races are too long – Pocono comes to mind first, but I think 600 miles at Charlotte is unnecessary. Three-and-a-half hours is about the maximum you can ask a race fan to sit in the stands or stay parked on their sofas to watch a race, truly enjoy it and remain entertained.

Why should Charlotte be the exception to the rule? We whittled Dover and Michigan down from 500 miles years ago, so it seems we should drop 100 miles from the Coke 600. Why doesn’t Texas or another track get that extra 100 miles?

To make the sponsors and fans happy, I think we should consider breaking with tradition and abbreviating this one. If we could get a company to step up to the plate and sponsor a group of four big races, like Winston did with the crown jewel events at Daytona, Talladega, Darlington and Charlotte, and dangle $1 million in front of the driver who could win three of them, then I think we could get away with it and keep the fans engaged. But until then, I’d be happy with the Coca-Cola 500.

But for now, it’s the 600. But you’d better believe that with the wear and tear put on these cars Sunday, it will be the Coca-Cola 500 for some of them.

Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it in his weekly What’s the Deal? segment on NASCAR Race Hub on SPEED. He retired from driving with two NASCAR Sprint Cup, 12 NASCAR Nationwide and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory, putting him in an elite group of drivers who have logged wins in all three of NASCAR’s premier divisions. In 478 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, Spencer amassed 28 top-five and 80 top-10 finishes. He won back-to-back NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships in 1986 and 1987 on the heels of 15 victories, becoming the first driver ever to earn consecutive titles in the series. He earned the nickname “Mr. Excitement” for his flamboyant and aggressive driving style early in his racing career.

Play! SPEED Fantasy Racing and Super 7 Sweep

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jimmy Spencer

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR

SPENCER: Overhaul Ideas For NASCAR To Consider
Slow down the cars, and better racing will result...
SPENCER: Drivers Behaving Badly
NASCAR drivers...It doesn’t always pay to be cocky...
SPENCER: Know When To Step Aside
Bobby Labonte is a former Cup champion and very popular among fans...…