Expect fines and point deductions to be levied Tuesday against NASCAR’s top two drivers after organization president Mike Helton rules on Saturday’s cool-down collisions at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
But if Helton were acting from a fan’s perspective, drivers Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch would get nothing more than a slap on the wrist — just as in the good ol’ days — and then privately tell the two 20-somethings to “keep it up.”
The almighty sponsors might not have been amused, but the postrace bumper-car show by Busch and Edwards was a perfect way to end a relatively boring race and heat things up for Sunday’s next event at Fontana, Calif.
The rough-and-tumble ending at Bristol spawned memories of bitter rivalries between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Darrell Waltrip, and Cale Yarbrough and Donnie Allison.
“Man, that was exciting,” Edwards said after bumping Busch out of the lead and winning his sixth race of the season, second-most behind Busch’s eight. “They keep talking about rivalries; we might have one now.”
Busch is first in the standings, and Edwards is second. They are guaranteed to be among the top two when the 10-race Chase playoffs begin Sept. 14 at Loudon, N.H.
Fines or point deductions won’t change that, because the 12 Chase drivers will be seeded by regular-season wins, and nobody else has more than two.
Perhaps that’s why Busch chose to drive Edwards into the wall on the cool-down lap, and why Edwards retaliated by banging into Busch’s left quarter-panel, making him spin.
Today’s stock-car racing is too much about plugging sponsors and not enough about talking trash. But refreshingly, Edwards and Busch did more of the latter after Saturday’s 500-lap snoozer.
“That’s one of those deals where I couldn’t get by him and I couldn’t get by him and I just had to ask myself, ‘Would he do that to me?’ And he has before, so that’s the way it goes,” Edwards said of his green-flag pass.
Said Busch: “Whatever. . . . We’ll go on and we’ll race him that way in the Chase if that’s the way he wants to race.”
Voila! We have more reason to tune in to the final two regular-season races at a time when football reigns supreme. Busch and Edwards have two races left before getting serious about the playoffs.
So let them bang away and give the fans more bang for their buck. Next round: Sunday at renamed Auto Club Speedway, about 50 miles east of Los Angeles.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
BRONCOS’ STARTERS TO TAKE BREATHER IN PRESEASON FINALE
Lesser-knowns to take center stage.
Fans attending this week’s NFL games — the final week of the preseason — will pay full price to see backups battle for backup jobs.
Nothing new here, because season-ticket holders are used to it, but there undoubtedly will be some interest in our neck of the woods about what happens Friday when the Broncos visit the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium.
It is, after all, the final warm-up for the regular season, plus the last chance to watch many players before they go from an NFL payroll to the unemployed line.
Catch the game beginning at 7 p.m. on KCNC-4.
TV GAME OF THE WEEK
Buffs and Rams . . . ’nuff said.
It’s still six days away, but from a local viewer’s perspective, Sunday’s Rocky Mountain Showdown at Invesco Field at Mile High has to be the can’t-miss game this week.
The Colorado Buffaloes and Colorado State Rams meet for the 80th time, which alone is a reason to tune in. It’s become a Front Range tradition — a reason even non-football fans can appreciate and support.
It will also be the debut of Rams coach Steve Fairchild.
Catch it on FSN beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Air Force and Wyoming get underway Saturday with home games against Southern Utah and Ohio, respectively.
The Falcons, despite returning just eight starters, should breeze over Southern Utah. The I-AA Thunderbirds went 0-11 last year and are on an 18-game losing streak.
Ohio is coached by former Nebraska skipper Frank Solich.
GOOD TO BE AN OUTLAW
Lacrosse team goes down in title game.
Kudos to the Denver Outlaws, who undoubtedly deserve some kind of “welcome home” party after losing Sunday’s Major League Lacrosse title game to the Rochester Rattlers in Allston, Mass.
Denver absorbed a 16-6 loss, finishing with a 9-5 record. The Outlaws captured the Western Conference crown.
CHUTE, THAT WAS FUN
Parachuting in Longmont.
The U.S. Parachute Association’s national canopy skydiving championships will be held Thursday and Friday at Mile-Hi Skydiving in Longmont.
They’re calling it “Swoop Week” and even have a fittingly named website — — for more information.
PREP OUT
High-schoolers in full swing.
Prep football begins in earnest this weekend, with Friday night lights to be fully illuminated in virtually every stadium in the state.
As always, check out the games of the week in Thursday’s paper.
EIGHT NOT QUITE ENOUGH
Rapids hope to end skid.
Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids visit Real Salt Lake on Friday, hoping to end an eight-game road winless streak.
It gets worse: The Rapids, who have a MLS-high 11 losses, have won just once in their past six matches.
