NASCAR should throw a caution at cautions

This is a rare weekend off for NASCAR's major racing divisions. One wonders why, given that we are only four races into the season, but NASCAR does things its own way.

Speaking of which, I take issue with NASCAR's throwing a caution flag for anything that happens in the vicinity of the racetrack, as happened during Atlanta's Cup race last Sunday. True, it wasn't very bright of Marcos Ambrose's crewman Jimmy Watts to chase a loose wheel into the infield, but by the time the caution flag flew he was well on his way back to pit lane.

The timing of the caution flag was unfortunate, coming in the midst of green flag pit stops and trapping all but six cars a lap down. Watts was immediately suspended for the remainder of the race, and subsequently received a four-race suspension until April 22. However, I think that NASCAR is sometimes a bit hasty with the caution flag. A simple spin and recovery on a mile and a half track doesn't necessarily require a caution (and often doesn't get one in the last few laps of a race), but I guess that NASCAR will seize any excuse to bunch up the field for an exciting restart.

The most enjoyable thing about the Atlanta Cup race, in my opinion, was Kurt Busch's victory lap in reverse. The least enjoyable was FOX's ever-growing obsession with their stupid cartoon gopher Digger. The in-track camera angle is interesting, and the cartoon overlay of Digger popping into his hole was cute ... once. But who needs to watch a feature-length cartoon and listen to the broadcast team fawn over an imaginary rodent for the entire pre-show and race? Could merchandising have something to do with it? I wonder how many Digger hats and T-shirts are sold? Or is it just that FOX and NASCAR are going after the toddler demographic? Inquiring minds want to know.

I got some more information last week on Reno-Fernley's upcoming dirt oval track season, courtesy of Nevada Motorsport Productions. March 29 and April 5 are set for Test and Tune days for prospective competitors. The season-opener is a two-day doubleheader with a Friday and Saturday night show featuring IMCA Modifieds, Pro Stock, Hobby Stock, Dwarf cars, Pure Stock Minis and Rat Mods. The new track operators have set a season format of "Fast Friday Nights" for the local racing divisions and "Saturday Night Super Show" featuring a wide range of events including motorcycle and ATV flat-track racing, and the "TUFF CUP 4X4 Challenge."

General admission for Reno-Fernley racing this season is only $7, with discounts for kids and seniors. Racing will start at 7 p.m. on Fridays and 6 p.m. on Saturdays. For the two Test and Tune Sundays, admission is free, and hot lap sessions will run from 1-6 p.m.

Local racer Bobby Hodges is going to step his efforts up a notch in 2009, competing for both the Westcar Late Model Series championship and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series California state and National Championships.

His weapons will be a pair of Western Late Model stock cars with sponsorship from the Nevada Automotive Test Center. Hodges, a 19-year-old freshman engineering student at Cal Poly will compete in 16 events at All American Speedway in Roseville, California, running in both series in nine race nights.

He will also compete in NASCAR late model races at the recently reopened Stockton 99 Speedways and at Madera Speedway.

Hodges ranked in the top 250 NASCAR Whelen All American series racers in 2008, despite only running in nine NASCAR points races, half of the 18 events NASCAR allows drivers to count toward the national championship.

Hodges scored four runner-up finishes in 2008, while accumulating an impressive 75 percent top ten finishing record, but he has yet to score a feature race win in late model competition.

Hodges hopes to change that particular statistic in his first race of the 2009 season, the Twin 50 event at Madera Speedway on March 21.