NASCAR pumped
All-Star Race featured all the elements race officials have hoped for.
Side-by-side racing, a dramatic, decisive pass near the end for the win and even an old-style, on-track fight: NASCAR couldn’t be happier with what it saw at the AllStar Race Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
“As an official, but also as a race fan, it was super exciting to watch,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president for competition. “I can’t wait for 600 miles of that next week” in NASCAR’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600.
Kyle Larson got a thrilling push from Kevin Harvick after slipping between Kyle Busch and Joey Logano on a restart in the final stage to hold on for the win. When it was over, Clint Bowyer rushed at Ryan Newman in his car, raining rights and lefts through the window like an out-of-control windup toy.
NASCAR experimented with technical changes it expects will be part of the Gen-7 car scheduled for 2021, and the changes, in part, led to many crowd-pleasing moments of the sort fans have clamored for the past few seasons.
The biggest one came 12 laps from the end when Larson, restarting sixth after a caution, found a gap just wide enough to get between Busch and Logano. He vaulted forward when Harvick got on his bumper until he was out front and held on from there.
Busch and Harvick came close down the stretch and were often alongside each other in Larson’s rearview during the final laps. But Larson held on for his first checkered flag in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2017.
The tight racing no doubt played a part in Bowyer and Newman’s fight. The two connected on track several times and neither wanted to let it rest after the cool-down lap. Bowyer sprinted to Newman’s car and began throwing punches until crew members and officials stepped between.
“A lot of passion, it’s not what you want but out of a night like tonight ... you kind of expect some tempers to flare,” Miller said. “So that’s what we had. I think we’re in a pretty good place with it.”
IndyCar
Simon Pagenaud earned his first career Indianapolis 500 pole with a four-lap average of 229.992 mph Sunday, edging three-time pole winner Ed Carpenter and Spencer Pigot on Sunday. He is the first Frenchman to win the 500 pole in 100 years. Carpenter, also the team owner, will start second while Pigot, the fastest qualifier Saturday, completes the front row and Chevrolet sweep of the top three spots.