I've been travelling for nearly two weeks. I'm glad that I re-routed through Kentucky, adding only 120 miles to my journey. I had a great time at the race, easy in and easy out, first class facility in every way, and a great crowd was there. I was actually disappointed in the crowd at the green, but they just kept on arriving. And to be sure, many late arrivals had pit passes showing. I looked around during the second stage, and this was a very strong event for live attendance.
At the risk of getting lectured for my opinions by one or more Nascar hating blowhards, I liked the stage racing in person. The breaks between stages are too long, but are that way to accommodate two TV commercial breaks, same as a touchdown in football. So at least I understand it even if I don't like it. I understand those who don't like stage racing, but I'm one old school guy that likes the stages. And we had beautiful weather, a two-for-one show with the Xfinity race, and also proper officiating. I was OK with the 400 mile race distance.
It was a great experience, but not a great race. My rating of the race is 4.5, and that includes extra credit for Kyle Larson's two exciting charges through the field. This was the first bad race of the year. IMO the problem was the track, one grove only, and the hard tires. I don't think aero was the problem; it was the grip characteristics of the new pavement. I'm not sure why that was worse than last year, but it was.
Fortunately, blow out races are pretty rare today, unlike in prior decades. The field of really good teams is deeper and the parity is greater today. The tone of disgust by some who are complaining about "Nascar's pitiful product" and similar comments in this thread, illustrates how Nascar is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Blow out races were common "back in the day," but no one seems to remember those. If today's social media had existed back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's, Nascar would not have been a happy place in those decades. Today it seems that fans expect every race to be a great race, and that just ain't how sporting events work. So it's not gonna happen.
Many races back in the day and even pray tell on the much beloved and to some and cure all for all of Nascar's, ills, the short tracks, had two or three cars on the lead lap for the finish. A twisted view of Nascar exists with the highlight reels of old that shows a handful of races and racing incidents (the big one) or a close battle for the win or bump and run passing (in the grass) are shown every year. They have conditioned many of the viewers a misshapen view of the years past. Many of the same fans that complain loudly about the stages, scream to high heaven when they get a glimpse of what the majority of races back in the day were like with the winner half a lap ahead or more when the checkered flag falls like the Truex win. As they say..ah.. same ol ****
