Payback - NASCAR-style

I didn't watch the Duke football game. As a UNC fan, that really sucks. Watching the replay was fun - but the excitement of seeing Miami pull off the impossible live while Duke players and fans celebrated a certain victory - that would have been stellar, uplifting.

I am disappointed I missed that piece of history - a once in a lifetime event and really, rules will probably be put in place to eliminate that from ever happening again.

But I am more disappointed I missed the first race in the Eliminator round - the final 8 - of the Sprint Cup Championship.

I am a long time racing fan, but I haven't watched much since Dale Earnhardt died on the final lap of the Daytona 500 many years ago.

Something in me changed this year after spending some time up in Virginia at the Virginia International Raceway. A story for a different time...suffice it to say - it re-invigorated my interests in racing...times TEN.

I have started following IMSA and the associated series there. And NASCAR, being in my past, fell right back into sights.

I have to say though nothing is cooler than this Chase format NASCAR is doing to decide the Champion of the year. It feels like Racing and March Madness got married.

If you don't know it - the final ten races of the season decide the champion. The Chase starts with the top 16 drivers from the season. Every three races eliminate 4 drivers from contention. So after 9 races, 4 drivers remain. Those four race one race to determine the Champion. I love the intensity.

This season 8 drivers have been eliminated, so it's to the final 8. The last 3 races before the finale. Yesterday was race one of this final three.

To set the stage, the previous race was the third race in the previous elimination round - so after the race, 4 drivers were eliminated. It was a dramatic race with a shitty ending and the winner, Joey Logano, had already won the prior two races in arrogant fashion. His win eliminated my semi-favorite, Dale Earnhardt Jr, who needed a win to advance.

Another driver, Matt Kenseth was also eliminated. He too had to win to move on because the prior week a driver wrecked him. He had led practically the entire race and was fending off an attack from a slightly faster car. That car's driver pushed him off and Kenseth went from first to last, basically. The driver that caused him to crash - Joey Logano.

Logano had an impressive day yesterday and led a lot of the race. He may have been destined to win it. Instead Kenseth made sure he didn't, by bumping him into the wall. Logano now has to win one of the next two races to make it to the finals. I hope he doesn't!..............................