Full Throttle

Kudos to ESPN for trying something new during the Indy NASCAR broadcast. The network has always been one of the leading innovators in sports broadcasting.

Having said that, can they stop their “Draft Track” experiment now? There’s a lot to be said for the old adage, “sometimes… less is more.”

I want to see a race. A race unencumbered by graphics that appear to be some apparition of races or drivers gone past. “Ghostly” images not needed, please. (if you missed the broadcast or desire to see a video head over to Jalopnik for a slice of what it looked like. - ed)

IN OTHER NEWS: Smoke gets fined 25 points and $25,000 for Bullshit, I mean saying bullshit during his victory lane interview. Ho-hum, move along nothing to see here except to mimic Tony: “Heaven forbid you actually have fun in life.”

Al Tays, who blogs for the Palm Beach Post, has coined a new name for the Chase, Great Debris Caution.

The new name stems from the example of a race’s debris caution bunching up the field during a race much the same as the Chase does. Once the Chase starts the 12 car field is bunched with the only point difference being that earned via seasonal wins.

His point is well taken, but I don’t totally agree with this statement:

NASCAR wanted the Chase to echo the excitement of the race for playoff spots in the NFL, but there

Answer: Sebastian Vettel.

Germany’s Sebastian Vettel will replace American Scott Speed at Toro Rosso for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, the Formula One team said on Tuesday.

Who didn’t see this coming? After Speed had a physical altercation with team manager Franz Tost at the European Grand Prix all that was required was Vettel’s release as current third driver for BMW Sauber F1.

Once that was accomplished the only American driver in F1 received his pink slip in very short order.

The move is a homecoming of a sort having joined the Red Bull Junior Team in his early karting years at the age of 12 and aided by them and BMW through his Formula BMW and Formula 3 career.

An Indianapolis man has been arrested on suspicion of beating and kicking NASCAR Busch Series driver Steve Wallace on a street in Broad Ripple area of Indianapolis late Sunday, beating him and kicking him in the face.

The attack occurred after Wallace compeated in and finished 17th in the Kroger 200 Busch Series race at Indianapolis’ O’Reilly Raceway Park on Saturday.

Steve Wallace declined treatment for his injuries.

The assailant Mark Tharpe, 25, was being held in jail Monday afternoon with bond set at $15,000.

In a “perfect world” he would be arrested by Det. Steve “Book ‘em Danno” McGarrett then promptly turned over to NASCAR’s Jimmy “Mr. Excitement” Spencer for a ration of Good Ole NASCAR type Justice!

UPDATE: Later news suggests Wallace was attacked by three men as he left a local convenience store:

Upon entering the convenience store, the men commented on Wallace’s watch, a gift given to him by a sponsor after he earned his second career pole position at Nashville Superspeedway in June. After exiting the convenience store, Wallace was jumped and attacked by the group of men, who were attempting to rob him of his watch.

The young man has a lot to learn.

Especially considering the watch these thugs were asking about didn’t have Mickey Mouse hands on it and most likely cost considerably more.

Hmmm… late at night. Presumably alone. Unknown group asks about your expensive watch. Rusty and Mike have to sit the young Wallace down and teach him a little Big City Reality!

Tony Stewart may not have won what he feels is the ultimate prize in his home state, the Indy 500, but after a dominating win Sunday at The Brickyard the NASCAR side of his career has taken a decidedly “Back Home in Indiana” feel to it.

Smoke’s win in the Allstate 400 was his second at the Speedway in three years and second consecutive this season after his Chicagoland win of two weeks ago. (And certainly better than the crash he suffered Friday at His House.)

It may also give him the Radio Chatter Quote of the Year as he and Kevin Harvick battled in the last 10 laps: “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty,” he called to Harvick. “Come get you some of this.”

And he did it with no hands, at 200 miles per hour!

It’s been said Stewart is at his best during the Dog Days of Summer. With Pocono next on the schedule where Stewart has averaged a fifth place finish in the last 4 events I wouldn’t bet against a third consecutive win and a “Smoke Summer” weather forecast for this coming week.

While on the topic of average finishes; Juan “Latino Piloto is Muy Bueno” Montoya has two starts at The Brickyard. His average finish is 1 1/2 after winning the 2000 Indianapolis 500 and trailing Stewart across the line in second Sunday, both were at the wheel of Chip Ganassi machines.

And who’d a thunk it, Montoya is the “David Beckham” of NASCAR. At least that’s what one of his former F1 fans think. (last para of the story)

Not a bad weekend for Joe Gibbs. He gets another Indy win and his young development driver Joey Logano smoked the field at Adirondack International Speedway for the fourth time in nine Busch East Series events.

Mark my words, if he doesn’t get the “Almirola Treatment,” this kid will be a force to be reckoned with come next summer after he turns 18 and is slotted into a Gibbs NCTS or “Wal-Mart-Samsung-DunkinDonuts-30million dollar Series” ride.

Gannasi isn’t exactly chopped liver either. As Charlie notes Chip has 6 wins across his racing empire in the last month and is “livin’ large.”

More later….

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And that’s exactly what Jason Leffler did after banging wheels with fellow Toyota driver David Reutimann early in the race and then Greg Biffle in the late stages to win the marquee’s first Series win and Leffler’s first since 2004 in the Federated Auto Parts 300 in Nashville Spedway.

(As I write this, shortly after the checkers, there are unconfirmed reports of loud splashes being heard emanating under various high bridges throughout the US of A. Further reports suggest the floaters discovered were all wearing Fans Against Racing Toyotas T-shirts. One reporter suggested the sight of the first Toyota win and having their xenophobic hate site suspended drove them over the edge, literally. - ed)

“We’ve all been running good,” Leffler said noting Reutimann who finished third and Bliss placed ninth. “When we all run good, we all run good together. I knew it was going to be close who was going to do it, but I knew it was going to come soon.”

When the checkered flag flew it was Leffler, Biffle, David Reutimann, Carl Edwards and Friday night’s truck series winner at ORP Ron Hornaday rounding out the top five.

Pole winner Aric Almirola finished sixth in the first of five Busch events he has remaining under contract to Joe Gibbs racing.

The arrival of Toyota brought with it and “highlighted” a certain segment of NASCAR Nation that was better left ignored, for the most part they were, and still are except for the occasional bleating sheep heard in the background.

But it makes you wonder what would happen if NASCAR was infiltrated by a Frog.

Carl Haas, a partner in the new Yates/Newman/ Haas/Lanigan Racing NASCAR conglomerate, (euphemistically called the Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Racing Team) has resurrected the 2005 rumor that his CCWS driver S

(Excuse me Michael Weber, the future track