I am most serious when I say that the announcers for ESPN would not go 3 minutes at a time without promising the “big one”.  It was all they could talk about.  When the last lap crash commenced, one of them, I believe Dale Jarrett, almost delighted in the pronouncement that “here it is, the big one we’ve been waiting for” only to be disappointed that it involved on two cars which is incredible!!!  I was so sick of hearing “the big one” that when I went for my ice cream cone after the race, I ordered a medium rather than my usual “large”.

This is my assessment of the sixth race of “The Chase”, another asinine product of NASCAR’s marketing idiots.  The Sunday race was, in almost all respects, a very good race.  Competition was awesome with 52 lead changes and although it still appeared each driver needed at least one “partner” to get it done, I saw some excellent racing for position throughout the race. The move Jamie McMurray made to take the lead late in the going was absolutely flawless and proved, once again in my book, that McMurray is an under rated driver.  I really like the guy and to see him and his son react to Victory Lane was as good as it gets in racing.  I love that aspect of the family connection.

You may remember that last week I made the statement that NASCAR would manufacture a late race caution to assure a green-white-checkered finish.  I was, obviously, wrong about that.  I had a couple of e-mail exchanges with someone I deeply respect questioning why I would think NASCAR would manufacture a caution and while I supported my belief that has been done, he supports his belief that it has never happened so I respect that.  We will not continue that discussion further as neither of us will be swayed in our opinion and either of us could, in reality, be right so what’s the point?

Now, the biggest discussion I have heard since Sunday evening was “why not let them race back to the line” after the wreck on the back straight on the last lap?  After all, wasn’t Junior setting up McMurray for the pass?  Wasn’t the wreck in such a location that would allow the cars to cross the line under green and then be capable of stopping before reaching the accident location?  Didn’t NASCAR already allow such a race back to the line once this year in a very similar circumstance?  You can bet it is Junior Nation raising the biggest stink over that decision.  As the old saying goes, I don’t have a dog in this fight so I will only say that I wish NASCAR would come up with some consistency to the way it makes decisions.  I wonder if Monday morning brought a different outlook to Race Control when they thought of what could have been if they had allowed a race back to the finish line?  A great, exciting finish and if Junior had won, all would overlook the fact that there was no “big one”.  That will be the focus of discussion for a few days now until the next NASCAR ruling of whatever arbitrary matter may arise.  Or, imagine, much to the delight of ESPN, the race back to the flag DID produce “the big one”.  Wouldn’t that have made it all right with the world?

Immediately after the race in ‘Dega, the ESPN crew changed their focus and their entire mantra from the “wild card race” at Talladega to the now suddenly more important “wild card race” at Martinsville.  They didn’t get the big one at ‘Dega so now they want to be sure we know that Martinsville is a tight little track where accidents can, and do, happen frequently and anyone of the Chase contenders could be involved and lose those valuable points.  I am fully aware that it is the job of ESPN and all their folks to “hype the race” to the fullest extent, but it becomes tiresome when the hype is so focused on losing points rather than on gaining them by good finishes.  Jimmie Johnson is a master of Martinsville compared to Matt Kenseth.  What were they saying Sunday?  Matt hasn’t finished in the top ten at Martinsville but once in his career?  I didn’t run to the statistic board to check that out, but it really doesn’t matter.  Matt has been running consistently all year and his “luck” has been phenomenal. I guess we can’t judge what will be this coming weekend by what has been in the previous races there. The circumstances are nowhere near the same.  Kenseth is not in a Roush car this year.

Oh, and did you hear Kyle Busch’s radio transmission when Brad Keselowski was running behind him Sunday?  Seems he was a little more than “rattled” that Brad was so close at such speed.  Iwouldn’t have thought that of Kool Kyle, but you could hear it in his voice as he was trying to get his spotter to make nice to Brad’s spotter.  Guess Brad “got in his head” as they say.

And speaking of spotters, have you heard that it was the fault of Sparkle Pony’s spotter that she fell out of the top ten?  Seriously she said that her spotter messed up when she was trying to make that last pit stop which caused all the problems she encountered.  Surely, the quote of the race was from the mouth of the pony when she said “we win and lose as a team” meaning that she wasn’t going to come down hard on the spotter.  Excuse me!?! “win and lose as a team”? Seems to me you’re doing one fine job of losing, it’s the winning part you haven’t gotten down yet.  What about your competition for Rookie of the Year?  Didn’t I see him up there leading at one point and consistently running up front?  Oh, and what about your teammate, Austin Dillion, running what, his fifth or sixth cup race?   Wasn’t he actually battling for the win on that last lap?  Wonder how long it’s going to take NASCAR to figure out you aren’t the magnet for fans they anticipated you would be although, God knows, they’ve done everything they can to make you appear so.

So, we are down to four races left in The Chase.  Jimmie has a four point lead over Matt.  Kyle Busch is still saying he can win, as is Kevin Harvick.  Busch went on record Sunday as saying he had plenty of opportunity to “wreck Keselowski” last year when Brad was running for the Cup but didn’t do it.  Does that sound to you like Brad is “in Kyle’s head”?  It is going to be worth watching every time the 2 get near the 18 to see what reaction Kyle has.

I am very pleased that we got past Talladega without the “big one”.  Yea, I know NASCAR it is going to hurt your marketing campaign for next year,  but how about considering leaving the “mayhem mentality” to that insurance company that advertises such misleading information.  Let’s talk about racing.  Let’s talk about the side-by-side, bumper-to-bumper dueling that is what racing is all about.  It’s not about the spectacular multi-car accidents, or the intentional wrecking of a competitor on a short track.  But, in reality, I guess if you don’t put a competitor in the wall to gain a position at Martinsville, you are not giving your required 100% effort. You know NASCAR will fine you for that, don’t you?

We are winding down the 2013 season.  It’s been a season of surprises, of disappointments, and or real uplifting moments.  As these last four races lead us to a new Champion, whether it is Johnson, Kenseth, Busch or Harvick, it will be over.  Then the talk will turn to Daytona and a new season.  Sitting here now, I can’t begin to form an opinion of what to expect for the 2014 season.  Being the fan I am, I have to express some concern that NASCAR has continued to motor down the highway to an undetermined destination.  Like so many, NASCAR refuses to stop and ask directions although they want us to think they are doing exactly that.  But that is a topic for another Legendtorial.