The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
THREE THINGS TOWATCH
1. Danica distress
It appears that Danica
Patrick’s NASCAR Cup Series
career could be coming to
a close. Patrick was candid
with the press at Watkins
Glen last weekend when she
told various media outlets
“no sponsors, no racing.” The
35-year-old driver is in her
fifth Cup season for Stewart
Haas Racing with little to
show for her 176 career
starts. Patrick says her
approach to the dire situation
has been “peaceful.”
2. ‘Mr. TwoMile’
After a recent spate of bad
finishes, Kyle Larson will
be happy to see Michigan
International Speedway this
weekend. Of his three career
Cup victories, two have been
at the 2-mile oval in the Irish
Hills of Michigan. He’s won
the past two Cup races there.
Larson’s average finish the
past three weeks has been
28th. Yikes! Oddly enough,
all of his Cup triumphs have
come on two-mile ovals.
3. Short-tracking
There are four races left
in the Cup Series regular
season, and two of those are
on short-track courses. After
Michigan, the schedule goes
Bristol, Darlington and Rich
mond. Bristol and Richmond
are less than a mile long.
Each of those short tracks
has seen six different win
ners in its past six Cup races.
The last time Darlington had
a repeat winner was Greg
Biffle in 2006. In other words,
plenty of opportunity.