Steve and I are always looking for ways to make ON PIT ROW more interesting - for ourselves as well as our listeners. For about seven years the show has featured a segment called the Fast Lap.
Our Fast Lap format is a familiar one to sports talk listeners. We are asked four questions - for the four corners on most NASCAR tracks - and are limited to 30 seconds of response time. The arguments that ensue make the time limit a bit arbitrary. We have fun with it.
This year we started posting our Fast Lap questions on Mondays here and at our Fast Lap blog at the Thunder Lounge site. We take comments that we get before our live broadcast - Tuesdays 5-7 pm edt - and use them as discussion points during most shows.
The Fast Lap discussion doesn't end there though. The Fast Lap blog is intended to be a comment blog. We hope to keep the debate over the four questions going throughout the week. See, your initial answers are limited, supposedly, to 100 words or less - like the time limit on the radio show. There is no word count limit on what I call counter commenting, or debating the merits of your fellow responders.
This week's debate has been pretty lame. Just way too much agreement. The following is an example:
4 Responses to “Life in the Fast Lap lane is good for Jimmy Johnson”
You can find the questions here. We invite you to join the conversation.
Luke said this on September 11th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Kumbaya my boys, kumbaya. I sense too much agreement among the throng after last night’s ON PIT ROW and reading Luke’s comments here. But right is right.
1. The Richmond races are always among the “prettiest” on the Cup schedule. Add to the look the ultra competitive nature of the track and the surface and RIR is maybe my favorite track. I like Bristol because it is unique and the night race a true sport spectacle. That said, the racing this year - at least for the lead - couldn’t hold a candle to Richmond.
2. Sam hasn’t shown much so far in his Busch Series starts but I give him the nod here for slightly more experience and better equipment/team support from Penske. But I have doubts.
3. Toss up. I’ll go with the Carpentier rumor because I did on the show(I think) but I am not really sold on the idea. The Pettys almost certainly will merge with someone. Too bad the Diamondback’s group went with H O F. The marketing contacts that those guys have are exactly what PE needs. But a strong driver to team up with Labonte would help as well.
4. I took the field on the show. Can I change my mind? Actually, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch look good to me. Throw in the RCR cars and Hamlin and the field has a chance. Pucher’s chance at least. I’m not putting any money on though without big-time odds.
charlie said this on September 12th, 2007 at 11:05 am
You know, the funniest thing Richard Petty said?
Oh, Kyle’s all right. He runs about as well as he feels that day.
That killed me. It was quite funny. Although, to be honest, that’s probably about right. I can’t imagine being in Kyle Petty’s shoes.
Luke said this on September 12th, 2007 at 11:22 am
1- The Bristol night race was a dud. At least for one trip around the sun, a night in Virginia was by far more entertaining than the one up on the border with Tennesee. Most of that had to do with getting fans aclimated to seeing a new way of racing with the CoT. It’ll return to form by this time next year.
2– Hornish would seem to be the logical choice. But who ever accused me of using logic? All defectors will have a hard time making races. Just getting into these fields is a monumental task. Visiting the truck series may be the best bet any have in getting some seat time for next year. But to answer the question–Hornish.
3– I can see the Petty-GEM deal getting done. It seems that Kyle and Ray have some mutual respect. I could see Kyle taking a managment role in a new partnership and leaving the driving to Carpentier.
4– If I had a million bucks lying around–which I don’t–I’d throw it down on the Hendrick boys in a NY minute. Sure “the field” includes the Gibbs cars and the RCR cars; but my money, as much as it pains me, would go with Hendrick. That really does cause me pain.
Steve said this on September 16th, 2007 at 6:54 am