Kyle Busch won a surprisingly routine NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Dover, Delaware’s Monster Mile Sunday afternoon (only five yellows!) but the big news came out of the mouths of the announcers.
As anybody knows, the people who do the announcing of Sprint Cup races don’t say anything that isn’t approved by NASCAR. It’s not that they’re reading from a script, but they do toe the company line. They know what NASCAR’s thinking is on any subject and their statements reflect that.
Eyebrows were raised earlier this week when Charlotte Motor Speedway owner and promoter Bruton Smith mused that it would be terrific for everybody if some NASCAR drivers raced in the Indianapolis 500 and then later the same day in the Coca-Cola 600, both of which are traditionally held the last Sunday in May. Some of the Indy drivers could cross over and also race in the 600, Smith said, and if someone should happen to win both races on the same day they would be paid a $20-million bonus.
Some people poo-poohed the idea immediately. John Andretti, who’s done "the double," went on record as saying he doubted if NASCAR or any of its drivers would seriously consider it.
But during Sunday’s Dover telecast, announcers Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds both voiced approval of the idea. It was said in passing at about the 100-lap mark, and they didn’t dwell on it, but they both said the concept was excellent and well worth pursuing.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is a strong signal that NASCAR is not opposed to the idea. Which is a huge start. It likely won’t happen for a few years but the good news is that it could happen.
Meantime, Busch was followed across the line at Dover Sunday by Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and David Reutimann. Jimmie Johnson led the most laps but was penalized for speeding on pit road, dropping him to 16th.
Kyle Busch won the Nationwide race on Saturday and nearly won the Camping World Truck Race on Friday night but he ran out of gas. Nobody has ever won the "triple" (Sprint, Nationwide and Camping World races all on the same weekend) but this is the closest anybody's come.
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