Finally the Sprint Cup Series has a little spice.
The 2008 season has been downright boring if you’re not a fan of Kyle Busch or Carl Edwards.
It’s almost like the two drivers, who have combined to win 14 of the 24 races this season, owed a little something to the sport to pump some life into it.
They delivered last weekend at Bristol, when Edwards and his No. 99 Office Depot Ford bumped Busch out of the lead in the race’s final laps to pass him and win. There was a war of cars and words after the race, and it finally gave people something to talk about other than the ho-hum events on the track.
"It’s the classic good guy versus bad guy scenario, which is perfect on the media side,"
said Tony Stewart during his visit to Texas Motor Speedway on Tuesday. "I played it up on my radio show last night, too, so I’m eating it up like you guys are, too. It’s definitely something that’s good. I think it’s good to have a rivalry like this at this point of the season going into the Chase."
Edwards, who is perceived to be the good guy, didn’t apologize after the race. Busch, who finished second, ran into Edwards during his victory lap and was upset with the way he was passed. Busch then said Edwards was "Mr. Ed-like,"
a reference to Edwards’ pearly-white but rather large teeth.
The thing about the pass was that it was no big deal. Stewart said it was mild by Bristol standards and that Busch was just upset because he dominated the race only to finish second.
But how and why the incident happened doesn’t really matter. What matters is that this week no one is talking about magnets under gas pedals, bad tires or a Toyota advantage.
And with NASCAR about to go head-to-head with the NFL and baseball playoffs, it can’t hurt.
There’s actually a little real-life bad blood working in a series that has been smoothed over by big-money sponsors and drivers afraid to say the wrong thing.
Now NASCAR’s two super teams have a little animosity built up for the stretch. Both drivers were placed on probation for the next six weeks Wednesday, which should add another element to the stretch.
"You know, the rivalry stuff, we all have it,"
said two-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson in the weekly NASCAR teleconference. "Especially as the Chase gets closer and everybody that has a shot at this thing is going to find ways to motivate themselves and areas they can potentially play mind games in or be out on the track and try to intimidate someone, and that stuff is just is part of any championship battle."
The rivalry should make for great television, which has ABC/ESPN happy. The networks will televise the final 12 races of the season, and you can rest assured they’ll play up the confrontation, as well they should.
NFL regular-season games are going to start a week before the Chase does. While Busch vs. Edwards may not be the Cowboys vs. Redskins, at least it’s a start.
Pit stops
Logano set for Cup debut: Joey Logano will drive in seven Sprint Cup races this fall as a tuneup for 2009. Logano, 18, will make his Joe Gibbs Racing debut Sept. 6 at Richmond International Raceway and drive again for JGR at Atlanta. Logano will also drive Hall of Fame Racing’s No. 96 Toyota in five races, including at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 2.
