2010 USA Nationals review

Here is my take on this year's USA Nationals from Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wisconsin, which were sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. 

First, the Dirt on Dirt Pay-Per-View coverage for the first 2 nights was absolutely fantastic.  Night 3, the money night, was quite frustrating.  I ended up leaving and going out on the town that night.  Fortunately I can go back and watch everything I missed thanks to the archiving.  I did see that they had a ton of issues other than what I thought they were.  Overall it was a great effort by Michael Rigsby, Amber Vander Pluym Rigsby, Todd Turner, Steve Gigeous, and everyone else responsible for putting on the production.  I want to extend my deepest and sincerest thanks to them for doing what they did.  I know they learned from this experience and if they do another production, it will be better than this.  Awesome job for your first time everyone!!

Now, on to the racing itself.  I have seen varying opinions about the racing.  Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.  I might as well throw mine out there as well.  The racing in the features the first 2 nights wasn't bad. I liked the idea of having a dash for the heat winners to set the first few rows of the feature instead of a redraw.  Would have liked to see that be an 8 lapper but it wasn't bad at 5. Track was a bit choppy and VERY fast.  I like wet and heavy tracks, but that was a bit too heavy, but not terrible.  Heats 4 and 5 were filled with a lot of action and very racy.  The dash, mentioned just above, was insane. The leader did get away but the racing for every spot behind was intense.   Saturday night was waaaayyyy too fast.  Yes there was some good racing, but just look at the carnage that resulted due to the track conditions.  I know people are tired of seeing dryslick racing all of the time, I am among those.  However, that was the definition of being too wet.  There was a ton of torn up equipment even on those who did survive 100 laps.  That track was entirely too choppy.  There were more than just a couple of ripples.  It was rutty and rough.  When Scott Bloomquist, someone notorious for taking care of his equipment, says he has to do major repairs and scrap some things on HIS car, that is saying something.  The feature would have been a lot better if they had left the track alone and let it change over 100 laps.  It would have started out fast and changed as it went along.  Those kinds of tracks truly showcase who the good drivers are because they have to adapt to ever changing track conditions. Love the driver intros that they do.  It really gives it that big event feel like a heavyweight fight.  There are a ton of things I and a lot of us didn't see since we weren't there in person, which is why being there is the best thing there is.  This was the next best thing.  This was strictly a review of the racing and the broadcast, not of the whole event, including other festivities and activities that we weren't able to see or experience since we weren't in attendance.   Congratulations to Tim McCreadie on winning the tuneup race Thursday night, and to Scott Bloomquist on winning his 5th USA Nationals title, equaling the mark of Billy Moyer.