MichiganCircleTrack.com is the online home of the MARC Times Racing News & Michigan Racing Scene and MARCTimesTV.

It was the worst race since the 2000 Daytona 500, which is generally regarded as the worst race ever by everyone..    and this was really, really close.

The problem starts with NASCAR panicking and it ends with NASCAR panicking.

The panicking started with the first practice session, when despite all their efforts it became readily apparant that a 2-car breakaway could and was going to happen.  It also became apparent that drivers were fully aware that you were going to have to bump-draft to get enough momentum to get a run.

This is what happens when you design a car and impliment an engine package which puts the drivers in a box they can't get out of.

So Sunday Morning, Helton laid down the law, saying aggressiveness, particularly bump drafting and pushing in the corners with a two-car breakaway, wouldn't be tolerated.

And so 450 miles of follow the leader racing insued.  Perhaps the single-file train that seemingly lasted forever was the drivers' way of showing NASCAR their displeasure for the league not letting them race like they're accustomed to here.  Kyle Busch smugly said this is what's called a drivers' union. He also said it was B.S. and suggested that if this is what NASCAR wants, then the race should be shortened to 75 laps.

And so..  with a handful of laps left..   it finally happen, the big one.  As is the case with Talledaga, its not a question of if it will happen, but when it will happen.  When however, is not suppose to include a car going airborn.  NASCAR hates cars that fly.

NASCAR also provided how freaked out they were by a car gets airborn, because they completely melted down when Newman flipped.   If his radio antenna hadn't been broke in the wreck, they might have handled things better, but when they couldn't get a reply from him at all on the radio they completely freaked out.

They didn't close the pits on time, cars got into the pits (Jimmie Johnson) when pits should have been closed and the Red Flag flown. 

Once they lifted the Red, they didn't take care of the track properly, they false started 3 laps in a row..  meaning, 3 laps in a row they said they were going Green next time around, but then didn't..   Every car on the track (whom hadn't pitted yet) was within 3 laps of running out of fuel..    they all thought they could make it, but each time NASCAR false started..  it dropped more guys out as they ran out of fuel.

The restart was a complete abomination, cars in the middle of the pack running out of gas, the start was strung out, the front car got away and on a restrictor plate track, no one can pass for the first 2 laps anyhow.

I don't really want to take anything away from Jamie McMurray.  He did his job.  He won the race.  It wasn't his fault that NASCAR screwed the show up so bad.  Its kind of sad in a way, he won't be remembered as being the guy that won the race, but rather, that guy who happen to win the race that NASCAR screwed up.

It was a disgrace and NASCAR should be ashamed of themselves.