Full Throttle

Ho-hum! 2006 Busch Series Champion Kevin Harvick won the Sam’s Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park Saturday.

It’s his eighth series win of the year as he continues on his quest to acquire more championship points in a single Busch season than a 16 year-old prom queen has pimples. On the night before the prom, with no Clearisil within reach!

Harvick was followed across the line, after the almost obligatory green/white/checker finish, by Clint Bowyer,Carl Edwards, Johnny Sauter, and Shane Huffman.

Of more interest was Juan “Don’t Call Me Pablo” Montoya who finished in 11^th place in his first NASCAR start after a couple prelims in Chip Ganassi’s ARCA car. Although his finish wasn’t as “clean” as he would have hoped for - Montoya got into the J.J. Yeley causing Yeley to spin and later was involved in another spin, which he said was his fault.

It’s that second spin and Montoya’s remarks about it that should alert the veterans that the “Non-Pablo” needs to be straightened out on. About both spins he said:

“I spun around a couple of guys, but both of them - my front bumper was in their door when it happened, I said ‘I need to try to stop doing that because I am damaging my car.’

“But there are some guys out there who would race like it’s the last lap. It feels like kindergarten out there.”

Emphasis mine. The respect and leeway given to those that have stuck their bumper along side a drivers door has been an ongoing problem in both Cup and the Busch Series.

It’s been one of those dreaded “unwritten rules” (read: respect others) that has been around at every level of stock car racing and has been lost at it’s highest level. If the overtaking car gets that deep alongside, according to the “rule,” give way and either attempt a crossover move to retake the position, or resign yourself to the fact you just got smoked by a faster car.

And Frankly, Montoya feels the way he does because he is in kindergarten and that’s why the vets need to alert him to “the rules” and unwritten ones as well. And that includes Yeley who should have given up the position.

And BTW, don-cha think Elvira is a bit… shall we say, “overblown” as the race Grand Marshall? Now Julie Robert, that’s another story!

Memphis Motorsports Park, Jaun Montoya, Busch Series, NASCAR, Sports, Kevin Harvick, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle