This is one of the best recaps of the NASCAR Thunder in Japan that I have read. If you would like to subscribe to the StockCarFans Newsletter the information is at the end of the article. We are not affiliated with StockCarFans but do subscribe to the Newsletter.

RUMBLINGS -- JAPAN

It's gotta be the sushi. Mike Skinner is 2 for 2 in Japan, and I hear
he's lobbying NASCAR for a series over there. I also hear he's a party
of one!

We go halfway around the world for this? Sure, it was the best race of
the 3 year experiment, but let's hope it now dies the death it deserves.

I know a little racetrack in Wilkes County, NC that would have drawn 5
times more fans, could have paid a smaller purse, would have had a full
field of 43 WINSTON CUP DRIVERS, and, more importantly, would have paid
180 points to win.....but "they" tell us we've outgrown places like that.
Instead, we go halfway around the world to perform in front of 15-20
thousand fans? We draw that many for an autograph signing at a
convenience store in Pocatello, Idaho....on a school night!

Hey, did anybody else notice on at least one of the in-car shots that
Mike Skinner was shifting coming out of 4? I guess nobody in the booth
or on pit road knew that, cause I sure didn't hear anything about it.

I must admit I fought the good fight.....I managed to stay awake till
about the last 50 laps. Thank goodness for VCR's.

Uh, Ken Squire....here's a couple phrases to help jog your memory.
Calder Thunderdome, #75 Raymoc Valvoline Pontiac, Neil Bonnett......sound
familiar?

Uh, Dr. Dick Bergren....you want U. S. race-track operators to travel
7,000 miles to see an oval track that cost $400M, with 72,000 seats, and
only about 15,000 fannies occupying them? I think they learned all they
needed to know in front of their TV's last night.

Who's gonna pick up the tab for those Winston West boys next year?
Would it be a major surprise if only about 12 cars showed up? You know
they'll get a bigger crowd at Mesa Marin, Evergreen, Altamont......

If TBS was looking for a good race to televise, I'll give 'em a tip.
In 2 weeks at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL (ever hear of that
city?), there's gonna be about 70 some-odd cars trying to make one of
the most prestigious short-track races of the year, the Snowball Derby.
It's gonna have a father-son matchup (Kyle vs Adam Petty), it's gonna
have a long-hauler (Garrett Evans is probably leaving today to make the
race from Washington State), and the list of former participants & winners
is pretty impressive. Not flashy enough, I guess.

I hope by all that is just that this will be the end of this grand
adventure, and that we'll get back to doing what we do best. With all
the racetracks in this country clamoring for dates, we should be able to
convince the sponsors that maybe they can sell a little more of their
product here (to say nothing of that intangible "goodwill") by putting
that date to good use stateside.

Actually, the racing last night was pretty good, it's just a shame that
nobody showed up to see it.

With the banquet less than 2 weeks away, and with Winter Heat just around
the corner, the off-season will seem shorter than ever. Heck, testing
starts in Daytona in 5 weeks. What off-season?

Henry Dubret (henry@stockcarfans.com)
StockCarFans Web Site/Newsletter
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