Yes, there was NASCAR racing this weekend.  The Nationwide Series made a stop this weekend in Nashville.  I like it when the Nationwide Series races when the Cup boys have an off weekend.  There was only a handful of Cup drivers in the race today.  It gives the Nationwide regulars a chance to shine and show their stuff.  I was able to watch majority of the race while tending to Little Smoke.  It’s good to have it on in the background especially when you are raising the next generation of NASCAR fan.

Once again Kyle Busch made his way up to the front.  And just like the previous Nationwide races dominated the race until the racing gods bite back.  This time he went traveling through the grass and back on the track.  It was late in the race so he was not able to come back and take the lead.  This gave last week’s Nationwide Series winner Clint Bowyer to take the lead, but with just 20 laps left in the race fellow teammate Scott Wimmer passed Clint for the lead and the win this week in Nashville.   This is the second week in a row an RCR Nationwide Series car is standing in victory lane.  This was Scott Wimmer’s first Nationwide win since 2003.

I have to admit it was nice to see someone in victory lane other than a Cup regular.   There has been great debate whether or not the Cup regulars should be racing in the Nationwide Series.  I don’t mind the Cupsters racing in the Nationwide Series, but there needs to be some kind of limitation on the Cupsters.  Perhaps some kind of tier system, I guess that’s what you could call it.  For example if the driver had been in a Cup 1-3 full seasons, they could be given a chance to run a full Nationwide season or run at the most 50% of the races.  In year 4 & 5 in Cup, the number of races allowed to enter should be reduced by another 25% and a driver should not be allowed to run the full season.  After year 5, Cup drivers should not be allowed to race in the series.  I would think if you are driving full time in the Cup series and have been able to run for 5 full seasons, you are good enough to maintain your ride in the Cup series.  The Nationwide series should be the proving ground and development series for the next generation of Cup drivers.  I think some of these young drivers come up too soon.  There are expected to perform on a grand stage every single week.  There are those drivers who can come in and do just fine at the Cup level, but for the most of them I think they need the chance to develp their skills and establish a fan base.  So when they come up to the Cup level, they will have a bit more experience and perhaps a better rate of success.

I know NASCAR is driven by the sponsors and the all might dollar.  That’s just the way it is today.  A sponsor who spends millions of dollars on a sponsorship would expect to get their money’s worth.  If I was a sponsor, I would want to sponsor a team and a driver who could deliver week to week.  But sometimes you have to take a chance with someone.  What if Home Depot didn’t take a chance with JGR and a driver by the name of Tony Stewart?  Or what about Dupont?  I just think there needs to be some kind of happy medium.  Until then I will be watching…will you?