The Frontstretch: Tires Too Hard To Handle At Lowe's by Dennis Michelsen -- Tuesday October 17, 2006

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Tires Too Hard To Handle At Lowe's

Nextel Cup Making The Grade · Dennis Michelsen · Tuesday October 17, 2006

 

Pace Laps

Note to Brian France : NASCAR ratings continue to fall too far for it to just be NBC's fault.

Can't we get decent tires at Lowe's Motor Speedway? This place used to give us the best racing around, and now it is just a wreckfest waiting to happen.

The clean bill of health for Benny Parsons was clearly the best news of the week!

Event Grade: C
Ever since the Humpy-gating, this place has lost its ability to put on a great race. Now, the pavement is just fine but so fast Goodyear can't seem to make the right tire any more. Maybe it is time to change manufacturers and give someone else a chance to do things right!

F for Mark Martin's Luck
Was it all J.J. Yeley's fault? Probably not, but the timing was just another in a series of the bad luck blues that has kept one of the best drivers ever to race in NASCAR from a chance at an elusive title he covets.

D for NASCAR Officiating
Throwing the small fuel cells on the cars made this race a joke! Add the fact that they threw the green flag while clean up vehicles were still on the track the night after a scoring screwup and you have to wonder which one of the Three Stooges was in charge at Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend!

C for Matt Kenseth
A team in the middle of a championship hunt should not be average, but Kenseth was again this week. Suddenly, this team looks vulnerable on the intermediate tracks that dominate the rest of the chase.

B for Tony Raines and Joe Nemechek
Both guys deserve a tip of the cap after surviving a crazy race at Lowe's. These teams have struggled through awful seasons, but on Saturday night, their drivers proved they have more talent than they have displayed this year.

A for Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kahne is not likely to win the championship, but might singlehandedly force NASCAR to make rule changes next season. No doubt, a series-leading six wins for Kahne already marks an impressive year, no matter where he finishes in the championship points.

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al
10/18/2006 10:01 AM
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You are right it is more than NBC’s fault. I can watch the race and three other programs at the same time due to all the commericals during the race broadcast, I was not able to do that two years ago. and believe me there is plenty of other good stuff to watch. NBC uses too many in car cameras and I get very bored of just watching one car when there is a whole race going on.

Fred
10/18/2006 11:53 AM
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I’m not sure I understand why the tires were too hard. Riggs took the pole at over 191mph and the race pace was as fast as anywhere. That seems more than fast enough. Any faster and NASCAR will be dragging out the restrictor plates. As far as I know, everybody is on the same tires. If they are equal, the best team wins.

 

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