CALM BEFORE STORM? MAYBE
After Richmond, expect intensity to hit high gear
One of NASCAR’s biggest nights used to happen at Richmond International Raceway, where the drama of which drivers would make the Chase for the Sprint Cup played out under an intense spotlight.
This year, though, there doesn’t seem to be much excitement. Yes, there are technically five of 16 playoff spots up for grabs.
But barring a first-time winner such as Kasey Kahne or Tony Stewart, the chances of a current Chase driver falling out are slim. (Clint Bowyer has a 29-point lead over Aric Almirola for the final spot.) Something crazy would have to happen in order for the playoff field to change at Richmond — and this hasn’t exactly been the craziest of NASCAR seasons when it comes to on-track action.
Heading into the Chase, the story of the year has been Kyle Busch’s comeback. He broke a leg and a foot in a crash at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 21 in the Xfinity Series opener, missed 11 races and then came back to win four races and make the playoff by getting himself into the top 30 in points.
Other than that, the hot topics have revolved around which aerodynamic package NASCAR should use at its races to offer fans a more exciting product and drivers a more challenging car, Austin Dillon’s scary crash into the catchfence at Daytona, Jeff Gordon’s upcoming retirement from Cup racing and NASCAR’s position on the Confederate flag.
But the story lines that have traditionally sparked conversation from race to race — those that focus on the drivers battling each other — have been largely absent. Rivalries? Fights? Tempers?
A summary of the whole season in that department could fit into a single tweet.
Coming off last year’s explosive Chase, this season figured to see more action — especially when NASCAR decided to have all cars stop on pit road this year (in order to remove a tapered spacer that reduces horsepower). Surely, being in close proximity after a race would spark something between drivers.
There was seemingly no one upset after the night race at Bristol Motor Speedway — often a breeding ground for outbursts — nor after last weekend’s event at Darlington Raceway, despite a track-record number of cautions.
Perhaps the reason for a lack of rivalries is because the drivers are closer than they’ve ever been. They’ve communicated as a group via text, formed a drivers council to meet with NASCAR (even electing representatives) and have been around each other enough to understand the consequences of their actions.
A Chase driver — which is almost half the field of full-time Cup drivers — simply cannot afford to have a feud carry over into a playoff where four teams get sent home every three weeks. One bad race in a three-race stretch might be enough to end someone’s championship hopes, so it’s better to make peace than retaliate.
That seems to have made the regular season a bit tame. But that was also the case last year — the first under the revamped Chase format — and the 10-week playoff then more than made up for the lack of excitement.
The new format has made the championship a realistic possibility for every competitor — just look at Ryan Newman nearly taking the title last year without win- ning a race — and the intensity of eliminations caused tempers to flare several times.
That’s not to say NASCAR is in for a repeat of Matt Kenseth mugging Brad Keselowski between haulers at Charlotte Motor Speedway or Kevin Harvick pushing Keselowski into a brawl with Jeff Gordon (and their race teams) at Texas Motor Speedway.
But passionate and angry drivers won’t be able to help themselves from showing their emotions once the Chase pressure intensifies. And that could happen as soon as the first round, beginning next week at Chicagoland Speedway.
There might not be much drama at Richmond, but it’s coming in the weeks ahead.