HARRISBURG, N.C. — The year is almost half over and I was just thinking…
• Ty Gibbs vs. Sam Mayer could turn into an interesting — and much-needed — rivalry.
• Allen Barr should be in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
• Racing is supposed to be fun.
• Joey Logano’s long-term future is in the broadcast booth.
• Five-hundred miles at Atlanta Motor Speedway makes for a very long afternoon.
• Has anyone spotted the next Kyle Larson?
• A Chevrolet has paced the Indy 500 starting field every year since 2002.
• How does suspending crew members stop wheels from falling off of the new NASCAR Cup Series cars?
• The second World of Outlaws points race in 1978 was run at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway … so was the third, and the fourth.
• Speedway Motorsports’ Marcus Smith is quietly making his mark on the sport.
• Keep an eye on Travis Kvapil’s oldest son, 19-year-old Carson Kvapil.
• Formula 1 needs an American driver.
• Sting Ray Robb is not a nickname.
• Streaming video has reshaped the American motorsports landscape.
• How many racing series does Lucas Oil sponsor?
• Michael Andretti has apparently found a pot of gold, hence his application to the FIA to start a Formula 1 team.
• It’s been 45 years since Janet Guthrie became the first woman to start the Indianapolis 500.
• The Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb should be a bucket-list event for every race fan.
• As for Formula 1’s return to Las Vegas, we’ll quote Winston Churchill: “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
• There’s a town in northeastern Iowa named Eldora, and there’s an unincorporated community named Knoxville in eastern Ohio. Who knew?
• Kenny Schrader recently celebrated his 67th birthday.
• Hailie Deegan’s performance has fallen considerably short of our expectations.
• The NASCAR Cup Series needs more short-track races.
• Some race formats are more complicated than advanced algebra.
• Does anyone truly understand the world of cryptocurrency?
• We’d like to hear Harry Hyde’s thoughts on the Next Gen race car.
• The Superstar Racing Experience opens its sophomore season June 18 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla.
• Ronald Reagan was president when John Force scored his first NHRA national event victory.
• A tip of the hat to all those who work to accurately preserve the history of our sport.
• Jimmy Boyd’s only World of Outlaws victory came in the series’ inaugural event.
• It would be fun to watch Ryan Preece wheel a USAC Silver Crown car at IRP.
• There wasn’t a single green-flag pass for the lead in 400 laps of NASCAR Cup Series racing at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
• When at the race track this summer, please wear a hat and use sunscreen.
• Brexton Busch is assembling quite the trophy collection.
• Good to see a quartet of New Hampshire short tracks — Lee USA Speedway, Monadnock Speedway, Claremont Speedway and Hudson Speedway — actually working together.
• Construction costs for the Bryan Clauson Suite Tower at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum have been paid in full.
• MotoGP needs an American rider.
• Brady Bacon should run more winged sprint car races.
• Promoters who rely solely on social media are missing a large pool of potential ticket-buyers.
• There were actually drivers who bitterly opposed putting roll cages on sprint cars.
• Supercross champion Eli Tomac will celebrate his 30th birthday in November.
• The NASCAR Cup Series dirt race should be run at a real dirt track.
• Has the number of big-money, dirt late model races reached a saturation point?
• Tyler Courtney and his team should step up to the WoO circuit next season.
• Full time is the most overused phrase in auto racing.
• Too many pit reporters simply don’t ask good questions.
• Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team is better than his NBA team.
• It’s time to turn off the computer and head to the races.