TBK-Light.com

It's the start of a busy two weeks in Concord, North Carolina, where Bruton Smith's palace of speed, sound, and world's largest (and perhaps most unnecessary) TV screen plays host to two of NASCAR's most anticipated events. This week: the Sprint All-Star Race.

Last year, the format called for winners of the first four segments to start at the front for the final segment. The egg was soon in NASCAR's face when drivers won their segments and then proceeded to fuck about in dead last for the rest of the race until the ending segment. Already showing he had the car to beat in Segment 1, Jimmie Johnson started up front and predictably decimated the field in the final 10-lapper to win an overall unremarkable All-Star Race.

As with 2012, the race will consist of five segments totaling 90 laps (Four 20-lap segments and an ending 10-lap segment) with a mandatory 4-tire stop before the final segment. This year's event features 19 of NASCAR's best, plus the top two finishers of the 40-lap Sprint Showdown (two 20-lap segments) and the winner of the Sprint Fan Vote competition. To curtail last year's debacle, the running order after Segment 4 will be reshuffled based on the drivers average finish in the first four segments, after which the drivers will take their mandatory stop and line up for Segment 5 in the order they exit the pits.

Along with the All-Star festivities, the Trucks take to the track on Friday night, while the ARCA boys head to historic Toledo Speedway in a live televised event on Sunday.

Sprint All-Star Race Entry List
Sprint Showdown Entry List
Trucks @ Charlotte Entry List

ARCA @ Toledo Entry List

I'll be down there for the race. Leaving tomorrow afternoon. I very much prefer the All Star race. It's at night, race is split up so it can't really drag and can have some decent action. Let's hope it's more like 2010. Might go to qualifying and truck race but I always say that but end up in Uptown.

_________________
Go Miami Dolphins!
Go New York Yankees!
Go New York Rangers!

Bummed I won't be able to make it to Toledo this time. I am bowling in a tournament in Reno this weekend.

Heading up to Toledo on Saturday morning, ARCA Truck Series runs Saturday and then the big show on Sunday of course. They have a pretty decent entry list for the race on Sunday. I've got four more ARCA Truck Series races planned in addition to the ARCA Racing Series events already on my schedule. Gonna be a busy season.

I'll be there for the Toledo race 3rd year in a row for me.

I'll be heading up tomorrow for the whole speedweeks, ending with the 600.

Most excited about next Tuesday and Thursday though; I'll be attempting to race the Legends All-Star race after Coke 600 Qualifying.

I've never been to any races at CMS so it should be fun.

It is quite fun. Next week they have Speed Street in Uptown Charlotte. Usually a good amount of bands playing. There's some good bars and resturants around too. I'll be there Saturday, just outside turn 4, across the street, tailgating right next to the road. Got a big ass cooker this year!

_________________
Go Miami Dolphins!
Go New York Yankees!
Go New York Rangers!

Stupid gimmicks.

_________________
Gael

I like that.

It's basically the same as it has been in recent years with the exception of the no speed limit on pit entry. You could speed out of pit road on pit exit only in the past. Problem with that was to hurry up the qualifying, they'd alternate pit stalls from car to car (example pit stalls 24 and 25) so really the car in the pit stall closest to pit entry (24) would get more time to "speed" on pit exit.

_________________
Go Miami Dolphins!
Go New York Yankees!
Go New York Rangers!

_________________
Gael

She was eligible for the fan vote last year, iirc....and Bobby Labonte still was second to Joon.

The media complaining about it being about Danica yet they practically created Danica-mania to begin with. God I just hate the media sometimes.

_________________
Go Miami Dolphins!
Go New York Yankees!
Go New York Rangers!

I don't like the idea of no speed limit for pit road entry for the All-Star race qualifying because while it seems like a neat/exciting idea, I worry of something happening again like what happened to Mark Martin last year at Michigan.

_________________
Gael

Im really hoping for a good All-Star weekend, the last 2 years have been absolutley BRUTAL....Some of the most forgettable action of the year,

Hopefully it's not another episode of Jimmkhana.

I think the only reason for the no speed limit on pit road during qualifying is so Kyle Busch can get the pole. We all know DW and Larry McMac will be GUSHING about how he makes up so much time during his in and out laps.

I hope we get it in. As we get closer the forcast has creeped up to 50% - 60% chance of rain with scattered t-storms.

_________________
Go Miami Dolphins!
Go New York Yankees!
Go New York Rangers!

what action?

Exactly.

_________________
Ducks Angels Sounders Spurs

Hmmmm.....



EDIT: Jennifer Jo Cobb (10) and Mike Harmon (84) in neighboring garages. If you've read the RDT recently, you'd get the context of this.