Full Throttle

The Busch Series event at Kentucky Speedway had a decidedly retro-look about it.

It wasn’t exactly like the days of Sam Ard and Jack Ingram in their Sportsman days, or even resemble Randy LaJoie’s hayday of a decade ago but it was definitely different.

Partially due to this being a stand alone event, and a bit of crashing and bashing that took out series leader Carl Edwards, the finishing order did take on the patina of days gone by. In fact the top ten looked very much like a photo negative of what has been the norm with only 4 Cup regulars cracking the top ten.

Refreshing no?

First-time winner Stephen Leicht kept a Kentucky Speedway tradition alive by becoming a seventh different winner in seven Busch events held at the Sparta speed plant.

Brad Coleman also posted his career best finish with his second-place effort.

Scott Wimmer crossed the finish line in third with David Stremme and Shane Huffman rounding out the top five. Aric Almirola, Kelly Bires, David Ragan, Mike Bliss and Greg Biffle complete the top 10.

SIDE NOTES: Wonder if rookie Regan Smith had a conversation with his crew chief post race? How do you dominate the first quarter of the event and run out of gas with 75% of laps left to be run? Apparently Smith’s crew chief thought it was smart to push the limit so early. It wasn’t, it was stupid and cost the team 2 laps.

RELATED: I guess it should have been expected (the Kentucky Speedway lawsuit hasn’t been noteworthy and won’t be until court dates roll around) The Enquirer took the race weekend to remind everyone they are suing both ISC and NASCAR.

The article is a rehash of what the suit is about and breaks no new ground but a statement by motorsports industry analyst Dennis McAlpine caught my eye.

“When Kentucky was built, the expectation was that if they could prove themselves by doing well with a Busch race, then they could get a Cup date,” said Dennis McAlpine, who has provided expert testimony in the case. “I don’t think anybody’s tried that since Kentucky. Actually, I think the expectation has changed for any potential track builder to ‘You’re not going to get a new Cup race date.’ “

Expectation on who’s part? From what I’ve read the Speedway’s “expectation” amounts a what’s generally called a pipe dream, a pig in a poke, and built on a hope and a prayer they would be awarded a Cup date.

Kentucky ain’t Texas. Texas was awarded a date because the shysters uncovered a long lost promise by ISC and they settled the suit by giving them their Cup date.

Samuel Cherry the head lawyer that represented TMS at the time doesn’t give Kentucky’s suit much of a chance and in fact declined the chance to be part of the suit.