A different venue, glow lights under the cars, different paint jobs, a “choose cone” … the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race was not for people who don’t like change.
By the end of Wednesday night, as always, it was just about the racing, as Chase Elliott prevailed in the annual showcase, taking home the $1 million grand prize. There was one welcome change, at least for the drivers, as fans returned to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
The pandemic-delayed race was moved from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Bristol because Tennessee allowed anywhere between 20,000 to 30,000 spectators to attend. But much to my chagrin, there weren’t many face masks worn by the crowd, judging from shots on TV. The drivers and crews have been diligent about masks since NASCAR returned two months ago, and I would have expected the fans to follow the example of their heroes. But we could debate the topic of masks all day, and this is a racing column.
It looked and felt like somewhate normal of a race because of the fans dotting the stands, especially after the race, when many rushed to the fence to congratulate Elliott — NASCAR’s most popular driver.
Going into the race, the one thing that intrigued me yet also had me freaking out was the placement of glowing lights under the cars. I expected — and dreaded — something straight out of the North End of Springfield on a Saturday night or the “Fast and the Furious” movies. Boy was I disappointed (yet also relieved) when I saw the lights were only in the rear of the car — color-coded by manufacturer. I was expecting the lights to match the cars’ color schemes, like Kurt Busch’s lime green MonsterEnergy logo. Instead, Fords had blue, Toyotas red and Chevrolets amber. It made it easier for me to track my Ford drivers, but I still expected something a little more daring. If you’re gonna go all out, go all in.
Another change I had known about in advance was a different look for the sides of the cars. The numbers were shifted closer to the rear of the car and the sponsor logo took up most of the prime real estate on the door. It was a change I was intrigued by, yet also felt should be limited to special occasions. The cars did look cool on TV, though, especially Ty Dillon’s GEICO scheme with the “Hump Day” camel.
Something I didn’t know about beforehand was the “choose cone” — a spot on the track where drivers can choose which lane they want to restart in. It was weird seeing cars veering off to one side or the other at a V in the middle of the track, but it was said that many short tracks utilize this feature already. I can see NASCAR using it at Bristol, Martinsville, Richmond and maybe even New Hampshire.
As for the racing itself, there was early disappointment in the Open race as Bubba Wallace crashed out as soon as I turned the TV on. Wallace was taken out by Michael McDowell, and he responded by putting his ripped-off bumper on the back of McDowell’s hauler. Anyone else, it would be a temper tantrum, but for Wallace, it’s somehow funny. He’s an entertaining guy.
When the All-Star Race itself began, it was clear the best place to be was out front. Elliott cruised to win the final three stages because his No. 9 car was best in clean air. A late charge by Kyle Busch just wasn’t enough, as Chase joined his dad, Bill, as All-Star winners. The Earnhardts are the only other father-son duo to win the midseason classic.
Being at a short track like Bristol made the race feel more compact. Stage lengths weren’t too long but still required pit strategy. There weren’t a lot of cautions, which was surprising for a bullring like Bristol and what was at stake.
All told, it was an entertaining Wednesday night of television — one that wasn’t very offensive to those resistant of change.
BIG BEN AGAIN: For the second week in a row, Deerfield’s Ben Byrne captured the checkered flag in the NHSTRA Modified division at Monadnock Speedway last Saturday. Byrne came from row six of the 21-car field to take the lead from Rob Richardi on lap 22 and held off a late charge by Trevor Bleau. Richardi, Matt Kimball and Brian Robie rounded out the top five.
The night’s highlight was the NHSTRA’s 50-lap Street Stock Battle of the Belt, which was won by Dave Greenslit, of Langdon, N.H. The winner of the previous week’s Battle of the Belt event at Hudson Speedway, Greenslit was not challenged as he drove away from the field. Springfield’s Tommy O’Sullivan was second, followed by his nephew, Chris Buffone.
Orange’s Justin Littlewood was the runner-up in the Late Model Sportsman feature, finishing behind Aaron Fellows, of Croydon, N.H., who continued his dominance in the division this season.
Also finishing second was Northfield’s Mike Douglas in Pure Stocks.
The Mini Stock feature saw Tim LeBlanc, of Hinsdale, N.H., taking the checkers, while Justin Harris won the Northeast Classic Lites 30-lapper.
CALL FOR HELP: I am still seeking help from Monadnock drivers and crew from Franklin County who would like to contribute to this column with a first-hand perspective, since I cannot be at the track. I’d love to ask you questions about how your season’s going, what differences there are in this COVID era, and of course I would give your sponsors some free publicity. Please reach me at the email address below. I can only be as good as the people I cover make me look.
Jason Remillard is a copy editor and page designer at the Recorder. He can be reached at jremillard@recorder.com and followed on Twitter @racinwithjason.