HARRISBURG, N.C. – California’s Logan Seavey topped the Chili Bowl, Nashville native Josef Newgarden won the Indianapolis 500, sprint car racer Logan Schuchart became an instant millionaire and the roar of NASCAR Cup Series engines once again echoed through the foothills of Wilkes County, North Carolina.
With Labor Day behind us, wind-chill temperatures will soon replace heat indexes as another remarkable racing season speeds toward the checkered flag.
But before that happens, I was just thinking …
■ NASCAR’s 75th Anniversary was a lot hype and very little substance.
■ Why do so many racing commentators yell at the viewers?
■ Daytona’s new slogan: The World Center of Wrecking.
■ In nearly 160 starts, the Haas F1 Team has never had a podium finish.
■ Politicians in the Hoosier State continue to favor horses over horsepower for racing at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
■ Lawyers will be the only winners in the ongoing dispute concerning Alex Palou’s services for next season.
■ A round of applause for Bob Sargent and his team at Track Enterprises for breathing new life into pavement late model racing.
■ Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., continues to be racing’s version of a three-ring circus.
■ The wheels are finally turning on an $89 million renovation of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
■ After 40 years, I’ve somehow transitioned from journalist to content creator.
■ Buc-ee’s is the modern version of Stuckey’s.
■ It’s only a matter of time before a big-name NASCAR driver becomes embroiled in a betting scandal.
■ Jonathan Davenport may actually be Superman.
■ How many racers are currently participating in Toyota’s Driver Development Program?
■ Did Jim Cantore determine the 30-minute wait time for the lightning clock?
■ Knoxville Nationals winners Greg Weld, Jan Opperman, Joe Saldana and Steve Kinser have raced in the Indianapolis 500.
■ Paul Tracy probably won’t get a Christmas card from Ken Schrader.
■ It’s been 99 years since Tommy Milton won the inaugural race at Charlotte Speedway, a 1.25-mile board track located in Pineville, N.C.
■ Art Pollard drove a turbine-powered champ dirt car in the 1971 Hoosier Hundred.
■ Romain Grosjean has fallen far short of expectations since joining Andretti Autosport prior to the 2022 NTT IndyCar season.
■ How many 1969 Chevrolet Camaros met their demise on a short track or at a drag strip?
■ In auto racing, the words winner and champion are not interchangeable, and they are often used incorrectly.
■ Roger Penske is 86 years old and Jim France is 78.
■ Indy NXT standout Christian Rasmussen is not related to three-time Indy 500 starter Eldon Rasmussen.
■ Jerry Gappens, general manager of Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, gets our vote for short-track promoter of the year.
■ The NASCAR Cup Series needs a few more team owners like Justin Marks.
■ Next year’s SRX schedule should include a visit to the high banks of Indiana’s Winchester Speedway.
■ When the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum opened in 1991, I predicted it wouldn’t survive three years. Boy, was I wrong.
■ Roger Penske’s efforts to spruce up Indianapolis Motor Speedway were on full display during the NASCAR/IndyCar weekend.
■ Construction crews have been moving dirt for a new road course outside of turns one and two at Charlotte Motor Speedway since late May.
■ Has anyone got eyes on the next Kyle Larson?
■ In the late 1970s, my high school had an Indy 500 club.
■ Remember the name Katie Hettinger.
■ A tip of the hat to longtime NASCAR publicist and track operator Kerry Tharp as he rides off into retirement.
■ It’s just plain fun to say Carson Hocevar.
■ If a restaurant gives you an order number, don’t sit there like a bump on a log when your number is called.
■ At what point does Yung Money become Old Money?
■ Tommy Baldwin will win his battle with cancer.
■ It’s been 30 years since Dave Blaney won the Chili Bowl.
■ NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Parker Retzlaff looks a lot like Harry Potter.
■ It’s a good time to be a fan of the USAC Silver Crown Series.
■ Steve Kinser won a record 56 sprint car features in 1987.
■ Does Christopher Bell still have a midget in his dining room?
■ At age 74, it’s time for John Force to enjoy the fruits of his labor.
■ Whatever happened to Australia’s Calder Park Thunderdome?
■ I’m totally worn out from thinking too much.
This story appeared in the Sept 20, 2023 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
