Weekend In New England, Yatta Yatta Yatta

This weekend, while the truckers take a nap the Cupsters and claims jumpers will be making their first visit of the year to New Hampshire.

New Hampshire is a dreary track, partly because of its configuration — at a tick over a mile, too long to be a short track, and far too flat to generate much in the way of racing excitement — but mostly due to its history. Ten years have not erased the stains off its walls where first Adam Petty and then Kenny Irwin Jr. died.

Back to the present. The Nationwide race, unless you’re transfixed by the points battle between Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards (and who is… er, isn’t), will be noticeable mostly for the presence of Paul Hospenthal’s wife, somewhat better known as Danica Patrick. While her being there will, but of course, bring out the haters in full force — here’s looking at you, Jeff Gluck — it also puts fans in the seats. And viewers in front of televisions. Which, be it directly or indirectly, pays the salaries of said haters who are members of the media. So perhaps they should STFU. Or prove they’re big tough boys by, instead of belittling Danica, ripping on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and not hiding their fat face from fans at NASCAR races.

As to the Cup side of things, the overriding theme this weekend seems to be who’ll wreck who, who doesn’t respect who, blah blah blah. Whatever. While certainly drivers cannot allow themselves to be pushed around, it would be preferable for cooler heads on all sides to prevail. In case no one’s noticed, neither the #45 Sprint nor the #42 BellSouth cars will be in the race this weekend. Best to avoid stupidity running the risk of their being a third car on that last.

Enjoy the weekend, everyone.