Enough All-Star Goofyness Already

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Just give me some old fashioned Saturday night hell-bent-for-leather stock car racing.

Twenty-nine drivers are entered in the Sprint Showdown race to transfer the winner and first-loser into the Sprint All-Star Race. I can live with that; its not too far of a stretch to let the second place guy into the Big Race. Letting the fans vote in another driver is a bit far fetched, for a serious race, but this is an all-star event so we can throw some belief out the window.

Using the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge to determine pit stall selection for the race is a bit off the wall, but again, I’m in on that one. The format of the pit crew challenge is a bit hokey. However, giving the over the wall guys some kudos is worth putting up with the made-for-TV antics of the event. I am a bit bothered knowing that Brian Vickers’ winning team is a PCoT (Pit Crew of Tomorrow). It was nice thinking that these guys who are changing tires and filling the tank are day to day mechanics. At least in this Red Bull machine that is bull.

Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race, with however many segments of whatever length is a worthy and entertaining all-star event. It ranks well ahead of many such stick and ball events. It is well ahead of the NHL and NFL events. The NBA all-star weekend is entertaining but the game itself isn’t very well received. Major League Baseball still does it best. The focus is more on the game itself, not the preliminary events. Sure the homerun hitting contest appeals to some; just as basketball’s slam dunk contest does.

What NASCAR does NOT need however is the Pennzoil Victory Challenge. Sorry Pennzoil but this is possibly the most ridiculous and demeaning event to grace an all-star event in years. Having drivers make “drag racing style” burnouts and 360’s before heading to a “finish line” to be judged on time and style points puts NASCAR back twenty years–maybe thirty. Who hasn’t become bored with these displays after a win? The whole burnout/360 thing has been done to death and now NASCAR, Pennzoil and Lowes Motor Speedway are throwing it in the fans faces, not only after races, but now before it begins.

Give me a NASCAR Legends Race or a Crew Chief or Media Race on the 1/4 mile at Lowes if you’re in need of some extras to fill some time and keep the live audience entertained. But, you can keep your burnouts and donuts.

And one last bit of craziness was reported by Jay Busbee at From the Marbles. Patrick Carpentier will allegedly strip naked and run the pit lane if he is voted in as the third transfer.

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“If we don’t race our way in, I promised I would run naked down pit road if they voted me in,” says the former open-wheel racer. “We’ll see if they give me that chance.”

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Read Jay’s full take on the Carpentier Streak here.

I can do without the hoopla of the All-Star Race. Especially the made for TV stuff. Just give me the Consi and the A-Main and I’d be a happy race fan.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.