NASCAR
Last weekend, March 17 to 18, I attended the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup races in Bristol with my uncle. He had been to Bristol two other times but it was the first trip for me.
Bristol Motor Speedway's nickname is Thunder Valley, and it is easy to see why as you approach the track. The track isn't really in the city of Bristol, it is a few miles southwest of it, and it really does kind of rest between two mountain chains. One looks more like the Blue Ridge Mountains, while the other is more of a jagged and rocky-looking chain. The track is small but has stands that rise up all around it that gives it a bowl-stadium like appearance and it rises above everything else in the valley sitting there by itself.
I enjoyed both races and there were way fewer cautions than I expected in either race, but the green flag laps didn't drone on quite as bad as they can at Charlotte sometimes (Charlotte and Richmond are the only two other tracks I've been to). We sat on the backstretch near the entrance to Turn 3, but you could easily see the action on the frontstretch from our seats, so that probably helps the green flag laps go by faster -- you can see action anywhere on the track at any given moment, unlike Charlotte, which is 1.5 miles long (Bristol is a little over 1/2 mile). It can be difficult at Charlotte to see what is happening on the backstretch when sitting on the frontstretch.
While I enjoyed the racing for the most part in my first trip to Bristol, the track hasn't been selling out lately, which used to be a mere formality. Finding tickets to Bristol used to be extremely difficult. Economic factors paired with a resurfacing of Bristol in 2007 have driven down attendance. Many fans think the racing at Bristol isn't as intense as it used to be following the resurfacing. The track now has what is called variable banking in the corners, meaning the track is banked less steep closer to the apron and banked steeper closer to the wall. It allows for more two-by-two racing. Cars can run a good lap either close to the bottom or closer to the wall. Before the resurfacing, a good lap at Bristol meant running close to the bottom in the turns. That meant that often, drivers bumped other drivers to get them out of the way and pass. The need for that has decreased and so the traditional style of racing at Bristol has been altered.
Brad Keselowski won the Sprint Cup race, giving him two in a row at the track because he won the night race in August. Tony Stewart has already won two races early in the Sprint Cup schedule, at Las Vegas the week before Bristol and this past Sunday at California, giving him victories in seven of the last 13 Sprint Cup races dating back to last season when he won five of 10 in the Chase to win the championship. Normally, Stewart is a driver who doesn't get stronger and start winning races until later in the season, so we will see what this means now that 'Smoke' has two wins already. Despite winning the title last season, Stewart fired crew chief Darian Grubb, a controversial move. The explanation was that Stewart decided on the move before they started winning races and he wasn't going to go back on his decision. Stewart hired Steve Addington and so far, the team hasn't missed a beat and might have gotten better.
The NASCAR season continues Sunday at Martinsville in Virginia.
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NFL
NASCAR has started up, we are still in the middle of March Madness with the Final Four coming up Saturday, spring training for Major League Baseball is coming to a close (the Athletics and Mariners opened up regular-season play today (Wednesday) at 6:10 a.m. ET in Japan though opening day isn't until next Thursday), and the NBA and NHL playoff races are heating up, but the National Football League can't seem to get out of the headlines even in its offseason, for both good and bad reasons. I doubt the league is worried about that. Here is a look at some of the headlines:
Emergence of Robert Griffin III: For the longest time, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was the clear-cut No. 1 overall pick for the draft coming up in April. He's been described as a once-in-a-generation quarterback. In the past month or so, though, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III has impressed scouts so much that the Colts seem to be at least considering selecting Griffin instead. The Redskins, sitting at No. 6 in the draft, traded up to get to the No. 2 pick from the Rams, presumably to get Griffin III. I'm sure they would "settle" for Luck as well.
Redskins and Cowboys hit with penalties: Speaking of the Redskins, they and their biggest rival, the Cowboys, have been hit by the NFL with penalties which will cost Washington $36 million in cap room and Dallas $10 million. The two teams from the NFC East front-loaded contracts in the uncapped year of 2010 despite being warned not to do so. Both teams are appealing the decision. For more on this story, check out this link: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/37436/cowboys-skins-must-think-they-can-win
Peyton Manning goes from "The Horseshoe" to a full horse: Peyton Manning and the Colts parted ways and after a week or so of being "recruited," one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the league ended up in Denver with the Broncos. Executive vice president of football operations and former Bronco great John Elway lured Manning to the mile-high city and once you think about it, the move makes sense. If Manning really wanted to stay in the AFC, like some analysts thought, check. Winnable division? Check, you bet. The Broncos won it last year at just 8-8. Good team? Check, pretty good. Tim Tebow, definitely not as good a quarterback as Manning, led the Broncos back from a 1-4 record to win the division, make the playoffs, and beat the Steelers in the first round in 2011. Surely Manning can do just as well if not better. This story would be one the biggest of the offseason so far, if not for that Mr. Tebow.
Tebow "Jets" across the country from the Rocky Mountains to the Big Apple: Tebow was traded to the Jets once the Broncos signed Manning and around 200 media members attended his introductory news conference Monday. Crazy. He's supposed to be the backup quarterback to Mark Sanchez. Can you imagine what the media storm will be like if this guy starts? Plays well? Wins? Wow.
Saints hit hard for bounties program: A few weeks ago, it was revealed that the Saints were involved in a bounty program whereby players would be given extra cash for knocking certain players out of games. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams seemed to be the ring leader of the program and head coach Sean Payton never stopped it. Williams, who was hired by new Rams head coach Jeff Fisher in the offseason, is now suspended indefinitely and Payton has been suspended for the season though he might appeal. Payton needs to promote an assistant to head coach for this season or hire someone from outside the organization. A rumor has been floating around that Payton's longtime mentor, Bill Parcells, is a candidate. This should be an interesting season for the Saints. They are a good team but it could be tough to hold it together and have success.
Last weekend, March 17 to 18, I attended the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup races in Bristol with my uncle. He had been to Bristol two other times but it was the first trip for me.
Bristol Motor Speedway's nickname is Thunder Valley, and it is easy to see why as you approach the track. The track isn't really in the city of Bristol, it is a few miles southwest of it, and it really does kind of rest between two mountain chains. One looks more like the Blue Ridge Mountains, while the other is more of a jagged and rocky-looking chain. The track is small but has stands that rise up all around it that gives it a bowl-stadium like appearance and it rises above everything else in the valley sitting there by itself.
I enjoyed both races and there were way fewer cautions than I expected in either race, but the green flag laps didn't drone on quite as bad as they can at Charlotte sometimes (Charlotte and Richmond are the only two other tracks I've been to). We sat on the backstretch near the entrance to Turn 3, but you could easily see the action on the frontstretch from our seats, so that probably helps the green flag laps go by faster -- you can see action anywhere on the track at any given moment, unlike Charlotte, which is 1.5 miles long (Bristol is a little over 1/2 mile). It can be difficult at Charlotte to see what is happening on the backstretch when sitting on the frontstretch.
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| Defending Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart nhms.com |
Brad Keselowski won the Sprint Cup race, giving him two in a row at the track because he won the night race in August. Tony Stewart has already won two races early in the Sprint Cup schedule, at Las Vegas the week before Bristol and this past Sunday at California, giving him victories in seven of the last 13 Sprint Cup races dating back to last season when he won five of 10 in the Chase to win the championship. Normally, Stewart is a driver who doesn't get stronger and start winning races until later in the season, so we will see what this means now that 'Smoke' has two wins already. Despite winning the title last season, Stewart fired crew chief Darian Grubb, a controversial move. The explanation was that Stewart decided on the move before they started winning races and he wasn't going to go back on his decision. Stewart hired Steve Addington and so far, the team hasn't missed a beat and might have gotten better.
The NASCAR season continues Sunday at Martinsville in Virginia.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NFL
NASCAR has started up, we are still in the middle of March Madness with the Final Four coming up Saturday, spring training for Major League Baseball is coming to a close (the Athletics and Mariners opened up regular-season play today (Wednesday) at 6:10 a.m. ET in Japan though opening day isn't until next Thursday), and the NBA and NHL playoff races are heating up, but the National Football League can't seem to get out of the headlines even in its offseason, for both good and bad reasons. I doubt the league is worried about that. Here is a look at some of the headlines:
Emergence of Robert Griffin III: For the longest time, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was the clear-cut No. 1 overall pick for the draft coming up in April. He's been described as a once-in-a-generation quarterback. In the past month or so, though, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III has impressed scouts so much that the Colts seem to be at least considering selecting Griffin instead. The Redskins, sitting at No. 6 in the draft, traded up to get to the No. 2 pick from the Rams, presumably to get Griffin III. I'm sure they would "settle" for Luck as well.Redskins and Cowboys hit with penalties: Speaking of the Redskins, they and their biggest rival, the Cowboys, have been hit by the NFL with penalties which will cost Washington $36 million in cap room and Dallas $10 million. The two teams from the NFC East front-loaded contracts in the uncapped year of 2010 despite being warned not to do so. Both teams are appealing the decision. For more on this story, check out this link: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/37436/cowboys-skins-must-think-they-can-win
Peyton Manning goes from "The Horseshoe" to a full horse: Peyton Manning and the Colts parted ways and after a week or so of being "recruited," one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the league ended up in Denver with the Broncos. Executive vice president of football operations and former Bronco great John Elway lured Manning to the mile-high city and once you think about it, the move makes sense. If Manning really wanted to stay in the AFC, like some analysts thought, check. Winnable division? Check, you bet. The Broncos won it last year at just 8-8. Good team? Check, pretty good. Tim Tebow, definitely not as good a quarterback as Manning, led the Broncos back from a 1-4 record to win the division, make the playoffs, and beat the Steelers in the first round in 2011. Surely Manning can do just as well if not better. This story would be one the biggest of the offseason so far, if not for that Mr. Tebow.
Tebow "Jets" across the country from the Rocky Mountains to the Big Apple: Tebow was traded to the Jets once the Broncos signed Manning and around 200 media members attended his introductory news conference Monday. Crazy. He's supposed to be the backup quarterback to Mark Sanchez. Can you imagine what the media storm will be like if this guy starts? Plays well? Wins? Wow.
Saints hit hard for bounties program: A few weeks ago, it was revealed that the Saints were involved in a bounty program whereby players would be given extra cash for knocking certain players out of games. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams seemed to be the ring leader of the program and head coach Sean Payton never stopped it. Williams, who was hired by new Rams head coach Jeff Fisher in the offseason, is now suspended indefinitely and Payton has been suspended for the season though he might appeal. Payton needs to promote an assistant to head coach for this season or hire someone from outside the organization. A rumor has been floating around that Payton's longtime mentor, Bill Parcells, is a candidate. This should be an interesting season for the Saints. They are a good team but it could be tough to hold it together and have success.
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