Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide weekly commentary, discussing various topics in motorsports. The majority of our content will focus on NASCAR but other disciplines will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major (mass media concentration) and minor in Journalism. In addition, he contributes to motorsports coverage at The Podium Finish and serves as the co-host of GRID Live. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. In the closing laps of the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway, Felix Rosenqvist tried hunting down Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon for the lead and crashed while trying to get around lapped traffic. Unfortunately, the result did not reflect the Swedish racing driver’s strong performance. As Rosenqvist enters his sophomore season of IndyCar competition, will there be some pressure on him to perform? Lambeth: I think we should see growth from Felix Rosenqvist this year. He showed some flashes of brilliance in his rookie campaign. Notably, he came close to stealing the win at Mid-Ohio from Scott Dixon last season. Rosenqvist had a chance to win at Texas, but came up short with a wrecked car. He does not have to beat Dixon every weekend, but he must take care of the car and avoid losing valuable championship points. Rosenqvist seems capable of becoming a weekly contender, potentially having a breakout season. However, he cannot let incidents like Texas occur on a regular basis or pressure will start building. We saw how quickly Chip Ganassi Racing moved on from Ed Jones, with 2018 being his only season as a member of the organization. Lee: When you race for a big team like Ganassi, the expectations are always going to remain pretty high. Rosenqvist had a solid rookie year. Of course, he had some trouble in the final laps last Saturday night. With a long way to go in the season, he created a bar from his rookie season, so this year he’ll have to continue the same. 2. Ed Carpenter Racing rookie Rinus VeeKay endured a disastrous IndyCar debut, suffering a crash in practice and another one during the race that ended his night, which collected fellow IndyCar debutant Alex Palou. Putting limited track time and a revised schedule into consideration, do you think the rookies will struggle more this season with their development? Lambeth: This may be a challenging season for the IndyCar rookies. They will not be able to go through normal routines to fully prepare for each race. Unfortunately, limited track time can be detrimental in allowing the rookies to learn new tracks and make mistakes in non-racing conditions. While I do think this year's rookie class will have some promising moments, I expect growing pains as well. Probably more than a typical season. Lee: It was already a challenging effort for rookies coming into Texas Motor Speedway for the IndyCar season opener and sadly that was the fate of Rinus VeeKay last weekend. I’m sure not having a lot of track time will harm a bit of their development this season, with the absence of practice. However, this may also be a great learning tool for these drivers as they face tracks for the first time. 3. The 24 Hours of Le Mans virtual endurance race will be shown on ESPN2, in the United States, which gets underway at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, June, 13. Viewers will have the opportunity to watch 12 hours on the channel, while all 24 hours are available on the ESPN app. With this eSports event being broadcasted on the major sports network, could you imagine having the real 24 Hours of Le Mans on ESPN? Lambeth: During these strange times for the sports world, showing the virtual Le Mans race on ESPN2 became a reality, due to major shifts in the schedule. In a perfectly normal world, we would not see anything like this, especially on a major network like ESPN in the United States. Yes, it would be nice if ESPN could actually show the real Le Mans one day. Unfortunately, I am not sure if it would be doable. Assuming normal life returns, it would be interesting to see how they could fit a 24-hour endurance race in a busy schedule, with other sports holding priority. ESPN has done a solid job broadcasting the eSports racing events though. Lee: Something I didn’t expect to see is the 24 Hours of Le Mans on ESPN2, even with it being virtual. While it’s nice that it’s on a major network, I can’t imagine the real endurance race ever being shown on ESPN. Of course, ESPN has some very capable people to do so. However, I just don’t think the network's interest is there for motorsports, in general. 4. In general, what did you think of the first ever Martinsville night race for the NASCAR Cup Series? Lambeth: For the most part, I thought the action was decent. We saw a lot of comers and goers. Plus, it was much easier for the drivers to get to the bumper and make passes, due to lower levels of downforce and a small rear spoiler. The light show at the end when Martin Truex Jr. celebrated his win was an awesome touch. Sadly, the only thing missing was the fans. I think the atmosphere would have been electric with them in the grandstands. In 2021, I hope we can put this global pandemic behind us, so fans can attend next year's Martinsville night race. Lee: Low downforce, high horsepower and the “Paper Clip” lit up in the summer night sky, sign me up every year. I thought the first two stages were pretty entertaining and the final stage was so so. Overall, there was a ton of passing on track and a lot of bumping and banging as it should be. Hopefully, we can see that place under the lights with a packed house next year. 5. On Wednesday evening, NASCAR made the decision to ban the Confederate flag from the track. Last Sunday, prior to the Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, NASCAR President Steve Phelps acknowledged the current state of America, taking a stand against racism and bigotry. Do you think this will end up being one of the most progressive weeks in NASCAR history? Lambeth: In the future, I think we will look back and reflect on this week as one of the most important ones in NASCAR history. Given recent developments in the world, NASCAR finally made the decision to get rid of the Confederate flag from the track. The symbol makes some folks feel uncomfortable enough to avoid coming to the races. By removing it, NASCAR wants to be more inclusive and create a welcoming environment. In addition, they showed support for the LGBTQ+ community too, not just the black community. As we move forward, it will be interesting to see if we are witnessing a culture change in NASCAR. Lee: In my years of supporting NASCAR, this was something I couldn’t imagine seeing in my lifetime. With the Confederate Flag being banned from all NASCAR events, I think it is a huge step in the right direction. I’ve had a lot of my friends and family reach out to me now because of this happening. We need the culture change if we want NASCAR to keep moving forward; it’s welcomed change. 6. Bubba Wallace has emerged as a leader, using his platform to speak out about racism, social injustice and police brutality. After he called for Confederate flags to be banned from all events, NASCAR listened and made the request a reality. Additionally, he started wearing a t-shirt that said, “I Can’t Breathe” and “Black Lives Matter,” while wearing an American flag mask. At Martinsville, Richard Petty Motorsports ran a Black Lives Matter paint scheme. Meanwhile, Wallace and other drivers standing with him started using their platforms to support this cause. What are your thoughts on the leadership of Bubba Wallace during these challenging times? What is the significance of having his competitors supporting his message? Lambeth: Bubba Wallace is a brave soul. In his current role, he has the platform to speak out and bring awareness to an emotional topic. Unfortunately, he received some backlash for supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and changes in NASCAR. A lot of folks out there are clearly narrow minded, wanting no part in changing their ways and educating themselves. In 10 to 15 years, we may look back on Bubba Wallace as the man, who helped change NASCAR's image to the general public. Seeing other drivers standing with Bubba is definitely a wonderful sight. Together, they can change the sport for many decades to come. Lee: I think from the start of his career till now, Bubba Wallace has been through quite a few things as driver. Sadly, I knew the backlash was going to come to him for supporting Black Lives Matter. It’s pretty sad that people can’t take the time to see that it’s clearly a movement for positive reasons and not to exclude others. I think his role is huge as it is and years down the road we’re going to look at Bubba as part of a movement for not only a better space in motorsports, but in the world. 7. With NASCAR making significant moves to show a more welcoming atmosphere, professional athletes from other sports and celebrities voiced their support on Twitter. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman were among those to acknowledge the sport, especially Bubba Wallace for running a special Black Lives Matter paint scheme. With the sport being in the national spotlight, do you think NASCAR fans will become a more diverse group, years down the road? Lambeth: Without a doubt, I think this opens the door for more people to get into NASCAR. More eyes are on the sport as they are a constant sight in the headlines. This time it is for all the right reasons, minus the Ray Ciccarelli situation. When professional athletes and celebrities are chiming in, their fans are exposed to everything happening in NASCAR. Even if they do not have a good understanding of the sport, it should make them a little curious to learn more. It seems like NASCAR is more than willing to alienate the part of the fanbase that refuses to let go of the Confederate flag, in search of a more diverse group. They have so much to gain, with little to lose. In my opinion, this is a good risk to take. Exclude the bigots and keep promoting diversity and inclusiveness for all good souls. While there is certainly a long way to go, NASCAR taking a stand for what is morally right should pay dividends in the long haul. Lee: In the last four days, it’s been quite overwhelming to see how many athletes have reached out in support of Bubba Wallace. It’s been amazing to see the likes of Richard Sherman, LeBron James, Alvin Kamara and many more high profile athletes paying attention to NASCAR. When people have a high level of influence, they typically make their fans want to do the same exact thing. In the distant future, I think these moves will make people want to freely come to events and have a good time.
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Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide a weekly discussion each Wednesday on various topics in motorsports. Most content will focus on NASCAR but other racing series will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major with a concentration in mass media and minor in journalism. He contributes to motorsports coverage at The Podium Finish. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. Aston Martin Red Bull Racing announced that Alexander Albon will stay with the team, in 2020, as Max Verstappen’s teammate. Meanwhile, Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly remain at Toro Rosso. Do you think Albon can challenge Verstappen? Are you surprised that Kvyat and Gasly are staying put? Lambeth: I actually believe that Albon’s form is rivaling Verstappen’s, at the moment. The kid has plenty of upside. Give him a full season in Red Bull equipment and we will see what he can really do. I have a feeling that he will push Verstappen to become an even better driver. As for the unchanged driver lineup at Toro Rosso, it does not surprise me at all. They do not have anyone in the Red Bull Junior program ready for a promotion. Kvyat is making the most of his return to the team. Plus, Gasly seems more at home here, in comparison to his time at Red Bull. This decision was almost a no brainer. Lee: I had a feeling this signing was on the way for Aston Martin Red Bull Racing. He’s had a solid season being sixth in the points and this was only on a half season. I think he can have a breakout year in 2020 and very well may turn into a great teammate for Max Verstappen. As for Kvyat and Gasly, I don’t think either surprise me because I don’t think there’s anyone ready to make the jump to their senior program. 2. Rebellion Racing took care of business, winning the FIA WEC 4 Hours of Shanghai. The trio of Bruno Senna, Gustavo Menezes and Norman Nato claimed the overall victory, defeating Toyota’s LMP1 Hybrid. Toyota driver Sebastien Buemi described the racing as “artificial,” due to the introduction of a success handicap. The goal is to create closer racing in the championship’s top category. Meanwhile, Gustavo Menezes believed that it helped produce “real racing” in LMP1 for the first time in a while. Is success handicap a good or a bad thing? Lambeth: Since this is the final year of the LMP1 regulations, I actually do not blame the series for trying to put on a better show. Since Audi and Porsche departed the LMP1 ranks, Toyota has dominated with its hybrid technology. The non-hybrid prototypes literally did not have a true shot at winning. With the success handicap, it allowed Rebellion Racing to blow by Toyota on the straights and ultimately secure the grand prize. However, I totally understand Buemi’s frustration. Toyota is usually blowing off everybody else’s doors. Last weekend, the roles were reversed. They were in unfamiliar territory. With the Hypercar era starting next season, you might as well try something to “fix” the racing for a season until the new regulations begin. It might be artificial like Buemi said, but it definitely put on some solid racing. Lee: In quite a fashion, Rebellion Racing picked up a win in Shanghai. Most folks probably thought it would be dominated by Toyota. Despite the BoP (Balance of Performance), I think you still have to give credit where credit is due when someone does beat you. I don’t think the “artificial” comment would have been made if Toyota won. I think the handicap can be a benefit in a class where most of the time one team dominates and takes it home. 3. Let’s talk about the package. Since ISM Raceway is hosting championship weekend, in 2020, was the on-track product last Sunday unacceptable? Should NASCAR consider making changes such as a smaller spoiler and less downforce for the 750 horsepower package? Lambeth: In my opinion, something must be done with the package that includes 750 horsepower. I am not an engineer but I think the small blade and less downforce would be a step in the right direction. I completely understand that every race will not be a “Game 7.” However, the drivers and fans deserved better than last Sunday’s race. With ISM Raceway hosting the championship race, in 2020, NASCAR should definitely consider making some changes to this particular package. Without a doubt, the latest Cup race at ISM Raceway should be deemed as unacceptable. I do not anticipate any changes, but I hope to be proven wrong. Lee: I think it’s quite clear that there has to be a change moving forward and that’s quite a simple fix to me. Small blade and lower downforce have to be implemented at the short tracks and road courses next year. I hope this changes but I’m not sure it will with no changes announced yet for 2020. 4. JD Motorsports announced that Jesse Little will join its 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series program as a full-time driver. Could this finally be Little’s big break in his career? Lambeth: UNC Charlotte’s Jesse Little will have the opportunity of a lifetime. Going full-time Xfinity racing with a program owned by Johnny Davis and Gary Keller should definitely be considered a big break. This team is known for giving drivers a chance to showcase their skills behind the wheel. Ross Chastain is the prime example. Without his performances in the 4 car, he might not be where he is today. Chastain should serve as a good inspiration for a young driver such as Little looking to make his name in the Xfinity Series. Lee: The UNC Charlotte student is definitely a driver who deserves an opportunity to have a full-time ride. If there’s anyone who can make something out of very Little, it’s been him. Having a chance to be in a JDM car for a full year will be good for him. I think it may show a lot of people that don’t know, the type of talent he possesses. Best of luck to Jesse Little in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. 5. Prediction: 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series champion. Lambeth: Ross Chastain. There is going to be a watermelon party in South Beach! Lee: This is the only similar pick me and Kobe have. I think Ross Chastain can take it home and finish writing the storybook championship ending. 6. Prediction: 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion. Lambeth: Christopher Bell. This is the perfect way to go out on top, before graduating to Leavine Family Racing’s Cup program. Lee: I’m going with Justin Allgaier! Despite only having one win this season, I think he’ll be a sleeper pick for Saturday. 7. Prediction: 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion. Lambeth: Denny Hamlin. This could be his best chance to secure a title, so he will go all out and make the most of it. Lee: I’m taking Martin Truex Jr. I think out of the Championship 4 drivers, he’s the best at Homestead, in my opinion. It wouldn’t shock me if he wins his second title! Bonus Point: Peugeot will return to top flight prototype racing in 2022, with the French manufacturer announcing its commitment to the FIA WEC Hypercar concept. What are your thoughts on Peugeot returning to the sport? Lambeth: As a kid, I remember racing their last generation LMP1 car on Gran Turismo 6. The 908 HDi FAP is by far one of my favorite prototypes of all-time. Having them return is great for the sport. If all works out, it will be them taking on the likes of Toyota and Aston Martin for overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Now, if we can get DPi to Le Mans with Hypercar, the 2020s should be a golden age for sports car racing with a variety of manufacturers. Lee: I think it’s huge that they are coming back to race on the world stage again. All you need is Audi to return and we’ve got ourself some early 2000s prototype racing. It’s great to have a household name coming back to the sport, so I’m pretty thrilled about it. BRING. BACK. THE. PLAYSTATION. LIVERY. PLEASE. Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide a weekly discussion each Wednesday on various topics in motorsports. Most content will focus on NASCAR but other racing series will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major with a concentration in mass media and minor in journalism. He is a contributor to The Podium Finish and RockinghamNow. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program, and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. Under NASCAR’s new rule, for illegal vehicles, Ross Chastain was disqualified from the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway. After sweeping both stages and dominating, the Niece Motorsports truck was declared “extremely low” in post-race inspection. With Chastain’s victory given to Brett Moffitt and a major hit to the #MelonManChallenge, do you think Niece Motorsports can secure a playoff berth? Lambeth: This disqualification likely caught everybody by surprise. Many individuals begged NASCAR to completely disqualify illegal vehicle for years. While I am disappointed for Ross Chastain and Niece Motorsports, I am truly glad that NASCAR is standing up and taking away wins now. I believe the majority of racing series, across the globe, have rules for disqualification and NASCAR is finally joining the party. You could see how excited Chastain and his team were in victory lane. They were tickled to death with joy and excitement. I bet it was heartbreaking when they got the confirmation. Nevertheless, I still believe in their ability to win again and get safely inside the top-20, in points. Despite the setback, I fully expect the #MelonManChallenge to be one of the top storylines to follow in the Truck Series. Lee: It took halfway through the year to finally get a disqualification and it happened to be a fan favorite, with Ross Chastain failing post-race inspection at Iowa. Just of note, the ride height rule is really an unfortunate deal for the trucks, with them already being so low to the ground. Personally, I think that should be done away with as a rule. He still has a shot at making the playoffs, given a few of the drivers he has to pass aren’t running full-time schedules this season. This will be interesting to keep track of as the regular season dwindles down. 2. Johnny Sauter and Austin Hill were involved in some on-track drama in Iowa. Hill did not appreciate how Sauter raced him, so he decided to take care of the matter and send Sauter spinning into the wall. Afterwards, Sauter retaliated by wrecking Hill under caution. Do you think this was totally uncalled for? Should Sauter receive a suspension? Lambeth: Apparently, there was bad blood between Sauter and Hill, in the past, leading up to their argy bargy on the track. It seems like Hill got tired of putting up with Sauter's antics and decided to do something about it. Since both are locked in to the playoffs, wrecking Sauter is probably not the smartest thing to do. Ask Joey Logano what happens when you make an enemy and how it ends in the playoffs. As for Sauter, I think intentionally dumping Hill under caution is totally uncalled for. NASCAR made the right decision to park him for that action. I would rather see drivers get out of their cars and settle it post-race, instead of tearing up equipment. Based on history, I think a suspension for Sauter would make sense, if NASCAR remains consistent. However, I would not be mad if Sauter avoided suspension. Well, he got suspended for the upcoming race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Life moves on. Lee: Sauter and Hill had a run-in back at Texas, just a week ago. To nobody’s surprise, Sauter simply was being himself. The social media world erupted when Sauter wrecked Hill under the caution and it was quite the show for those at Iowa. While I don’t think NASCAR should suspended him, for the wreck, it would surprise me if they ended up doing it (NASCAR suspended Sauter for one race). There’s a lot of inconsistency when it comes to these types of decisions. 3. Rising talent Chandler Smith made his NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series debut last weekend at Iowa Speedway. Smith started on the pole, thanks to the cancellation of qualifying. However, the 16-year-old led some laps and ended the day in the top-10. Do you think Smith will become the next young star from Toyota Racing Development? Lambeth: Like many others, I have read about Chandler Smith's amazing performances on short tracks. He appears to be the real deal. In his Truck Series debut, he led a good amount of laps and earned a respectable finish. If he continues this form, I believe that he could follow in the footsteps of Erik Jones and Christopher Bell. Lee: Iowa has been a very kind track to the young drivers. The 16-year-old driver led a good deal of laps, in the opening stage of Sunday’s race. Once his truck was in traffic, that’s where he found a few problems but still had a solid day overall. TRD has been the king of finding talent, so it will be interesting to see Smith development as he moves up the stock car racing ladder. 4. Christopher Bell earned his fourth victory of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season last Sunday at Iowa Speedway. At this point of the season, last year, Bell only had a single win. Is he the championship favorite? Do you expect the “Bell to Cup” rumors to pick up even more as the weeks progress? Lambeth: Without a doubt, I think Bell is the favorite to win the championship. But Cole Custer and Tyler Reddick will be in the mix too. It has been a joy to watch these three develop into superb talents over the years. We will likely continue to hear speculation about Bell's future until his 2020 plans are confirmed. Lee: There’s no way you can tell me that Bell isn’t the favorite to win the Xfinity Series championship. I think the fight will come down to him, Cole Custer, Tyler Reddick and Justin Algaier when we reach Miami in November. The rumors are going to keep ramping up as many of us in the NASCAR world know how talented he is. It’s tough being in the Gibbs camp with almost nowhere to go at this point. 5. Toyota Gazoo Racing claimed its second-consecutive victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The No. 8 Toyota TS050 Hybrid of Kazuki Nakajima, Sebastien Buemi and Fernando Alonso captured back-to-back Le Mans victories, but the trio also captured the world championship. Would you consider this a successful Super Season for Japanese manufacturer? Lambeth: It was an all-Toyota affair during the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship season. The Japanese manufacturer easily dominated the LMP1 class. The non-hybrids had no chance to truly compete. Toyota were in a class all of their own. However, I do not want to discredit their accomplishments this season. Toyota deserves praise for executing their plans and collecting the prizes at the end. I am gutted for the No. 7 Toyota though. Jose Maria Lopez, Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi were in the perfect spot to win Le Mans until problems struck, late in the race. Maybe their luck will turn around next season! Lee: Toyota have done it again at Le Mans, in a dominating fashion this past weekend. Toyota has flat out dominated the LMP1 category and their hybrid program is clearly the class of the field. People have complained about “no competition.” If you look back on history, in the fastest class, no matter the era, there’s been strings of manufacturers dominating for years. For some reason, there is an odd desire for “parity,” which is something that never existed at any level of professional racing or sports. Kudos to Toyota, for dominating one of the biggest races on the calendar. 6. The 24 Hours of Le Mans ended early for the No. 64 Corvette C7.R, due to an incident with a GTE-Am car. Marcel Fassler, who was behind the wheel of the GTE-Pro Corvette, tried overtaking Satoshi Hoshino’s No. 88 GTE-Am Porsche and resulted in a heavy shunt for the 64. Ultimately, this forced Corvette to retire one of its entries, early in the race. Race officials claimed that Fassler was at fault for the incident and fined him. In your opinion, did the officials make the correct call? Lambeth: To be honest, I think they made the wrong call to blame Fassler for the incident. Could Fassler have waited, before overtaking Hoshino? Absolutely. If you watch the replay, you can clearly see Hoshino move slightly to the left and clip the Corvette, sending it for a wild wide. I think it was an error on Hoshino's part. Lee: Tough break for the Corvette team this past weekend, after being taken out very early and then blamed for the incident. I’m not sure what the race officials were thinking, fining the car that was shunted into the barrier. It doesn’t make much sense honestly. 7. Keating Motorsports' GTE-Am class victory no longer exists as the No. 85 Ford GT was disqualified from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ben Keating, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Felipe Fraga are no longer class winners. Ultimately, handing the win to the No. 56 Team Project 1 Porsche 911 RSR of Jörg Bergmeister, Patrick Lindsey and Egidio Perfetti. How would you feel if you were disqualified from one of the biggest races in the world, after initially being declared the winners? Lambeth: My world would be completely shattered if my Le Mans victory was taken away from me. I cannot imagine the range of emotions at Keating Motorsports. You spend months preparing for the twice-around-the-clock French endurance classic and it is all taken away from you. Ultimately, the rules are the rules. Wins should be taken away if a car does not meet the proper regulations. Ben Keating responded to the heartbreak in a classy manner and he will move on from here. Lee: Can you imagine having the weekend of your life, in France, just to get a call like this on Monday morning? I’d be absolutely gutted to find out the news about being disqualified from Le Mans. You just have no idea when you’ll be back at Le Mans, let alone compete at the same level that they did last weekend. Extra Point: Road course racing will be the theme this weekend. NASCAR makes their annual visit to wine country for some fun at Sonoma Raceway, while IndyCar will tackle the twists and turns of Road America. Why should race fans plan for a weekend in front of the television? Lambeth: Fans of road course racing will enjoy a great weekend of motorsports. I am excited to watch the NASCAR drivers take on the full Sonoma circuit. Only if a certain track could #RunTheBoot next….. IndyCar at Road America should be a decent show as well. I recommend planning your weekend, watching all of the action at Sonoma and Road America. Road course racing is one of my favorites and I expect nothing but entertainment. Lee: It is finally time for the first road course race of the season for NASCAR as the Cup Series and K&N Series take on the full circuit at Sonoma. It should be quite the race with the new configuration. Also, IndyCar takes on Road America, which is one of my favorite tracks on the schedule. It should be a fun event. A full weekend of road course racing is always great. Definitely watch both this weekend! Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to the another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide a weekly discussion each Wednesday on various topics in motorsports. Most content will focus on NASCAR but other racing series will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major with a concentration in mass media and minor in journalism. He is a contributor to The Podium Finish and RockinghamNow. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program, and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. Tyler Reddick’s mistake, on the final lap, benefited Cole Custer as he took the No. 00 Ford Mustang to victory lane, in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. Was this one of the best Pocono finishes, in recent memory? Lambeth: Without a doubt, this was one of the most exciting Pocono finishes in a while. Tyler Reddick and Cole Custer put on a show for the fans, on the final lap. Reddick was driving so hard that he tagged the wall a bit, at the entrance of Turn 1, trying to defend Custer. Ultimately, a slight bobble in Turn 3 cost him the victory. Custer was in the right place at the right time. Nevertheless, these young guns are proving their worth in the sport. Lee: Although the Xfinity Series has a short bill of history at the “Tricky Triangle,” that was one of the most exciting races I’ve ever watched at Pocono in quite some time. Those final laps were so much fun, although Tyler Reddick almost kept it together after bouncing off the wall. Cole Custer managed to steal the win. That type of racing is what will forever give merit to the tagline, “Names Are Made Here” 2. Brandon Brown earned a 13th-place finish in last Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Tricky Triangle. This ties his career-best result. Are you impressed with the performance of Brandonbilt Motorsports? Lambeth: It is always a nice sight to see one of the smaller teams, in the Xfinity garage, obtain decent results. Brandon Brown is displaying his talent behind the wheel, challenging quality competition in the Xfinity Series. This organization continues to improve each week. Lee: Solid finish for one of the smaller teams in the NASCAR Xfinity Series garage! Brown has had a solid season as a whole. He currently has an average finish of 16.6, which is up seven positions, in comparison to last season (23.6) It’s always great to see smaller organizations make progress on a year-to-year basis. 3. Should we listen to Kyle Busch and stop asking “package questions?” Lambeth: At this point of the season, I think we should finally have enough information to make a fair evaluation of the package. In my opinion, it works well at some places but not others. One size cannot fit all. Honestly, I do not blame Kyle Busch for getting frustrated. I think we all know how he feels about the package loud and clear. Lee: Package? We talking about the package? Kyle Busch has had enough questions about it and he has all the reason to say that. The package won’t change and it’s what we will have until 2021 possibly. The speculation needs to just come an end on everyone’s end, if we're being honest. Bottom line is that the package has had some success and some failures so far this season. 4. Racer.com’s Marshall Pruett revealed a plethora of information within the motorsports community, specifically dealing with the future of hybrid technology. What are your thoughts on this type of technology? Does anything surprise you from Pruett’s piece? Lambeth: I think hybrid technology is the inevitable future of motorsports. Whether you like it or not, it is definitely going to happen someday. It is a matter of when, not if. As long as we find a way to prevent what happened with the LMP1 hybrid class, I think the major series in motorsports should evaluate the move. We cannot have teams trying to outspend one another or it will kill the sport. You do not want a two-car Toyota LMP1 race. The most surprising thing from Pruett's article is near the very end. It concerns the possibility of the ACO separating itself from the WEC and realigning with IMSA. If that turns out to be true, it would send massive shockwaves throughout the sports car racing community. Talk about a game changer. Lee: Based on the current state of the world, none of that surprises me that the thought of hybrids continue to spark within motorsports. Hybrid technology is going to come in full force within the next decade or so. The one thing that also stuck out to me is the likelihood of the ACO splitting from away from it’s “baby,” the WEC and trying to make ties with IMSA. That itself could be a groundbreaking moment if it does happen in the future. 5. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East put on an entertaining show last Saturday evening at Memphis International Raceway. With just 20 points separating the top-5, in the championship standings, do you think the K&N level produces some of NASCAR’s closest racing? Lambeth: If you are not watching the K&N Series East and West, then you are truly missing out on some of the best stock car racing. Despite low car counts, the drivers put on a show. Plus, both championships remain wide open, so it is anyone's game. The schedules consist of short tracks, road courses and a dirt track. Honestly, it does not get much better than that! Lee: The NASCAR K&N Series has been rather good this season and, thanks to FansChoiceTV, we are now able to witness and be part of the entire season. I think this series and the NASCAR Pinty’s Series are the most underrated divisions in stock car racing. If you haven’t watched yet, you get a plethora of tracks, drivers and just flat out great racing! 6. In a rare moment, Scott Dixon crashed out of Race 1 at Belle Isle, leaving him in quite a hole for the championship. However, the usual Dixon showed up to win Race 2, recovering from the poor, previous result. The Iceman is now 52 points behind championship leader Josef Newgarden, heading into Texas this weekend. When things seem to go south, how does Dixon continue to salvage something out of nothing? Lambeth: Simple. His name is Scott Dixon. He is a five-time IndyCar champion for a reason. Whenever you think he is going to have a bad weekend, Dixon always pulls a rabbit out of his hat. Crashing out of Race 1 put him in a hole. However, he managed to pull himself out a bit by winning Race 2. Despite being 52 points back, do not count him out for the championship. We still have a good amount of races remaining. Do not be surprised if the Iceman heads into the season finale at Laguna Seca, fighting for his sixth title. Lee: In this moment, I think people need to realize that Scott Dixon is one of the most underappreciated drivers at times and let alone champions of IndyCar. The five-time champ has won at least one race for the last 14 years and he will continue that streak after winning at Belle Isle. At age 38, he is quite the savvy veteran. It almost seems like he has never lost a step and is always a threat to win the race or championship. 7. Marcus Ericsson earned the best result of his IndyCar career, in Race 2 at Belle Isle. The Swedish racing driver crossed the finish line in second-place. The series rookie picked up his first podium, since his days over on the European racing ladder. How significant is the result for an ex-Formula 1 driver, who came across the pond to continue his career? Lambeth: This is a huge result for Marcus Ericsson. The ex-Formula 1 driver has shown signs of decent speed throughout the season. However, luck usually does not fall his way. In Race 2, Ericsson put together a complete race and stood on the podium. This should give him some confidence as we enter the second half of the season. It must be a wonderful feeling to come from the F1 environment to IndyCar, where a driver stands a better chance of making a difference behind the wheel. In the future, I think IndyCar will continue to attract drivers from the F1 world. Lee: The young Swedish driver came home in second-place in Race 2. His constant growth this season has finally paid off. It will be interesting to see how the former Formula 1 driver performs for the remainder of the IndyCar season! Hello, motorsports enthusiasts! Welcome to the another edition of Seven Points with Kobe Lambeth and Kenneth Lee Jr. We will provide a weekly discussion each Wednesday on various topics in motorsports. Most content will focus on NASCAR but other racing series will be discussed as well.
Lambeth is a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who is a Communications major with a concentration in mass media and minor in journalism. He is a contributor to The Podium Finish and RockinghamNow. Lee is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor's degree in Communications, an alumnus of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program, and an Associate Producer in Content Development for the Motor Racing Network. 1. Well, it finally happened: Kyle Busch won his 200th-career NASCAR race at the national level. Any thoughts? Lambeth: I am going to be completely honest, before my days of chasing a professional career in the sport, I was definitely not a Kyle Busch fan. I did not appreciate him winning all the time in multiple series. Just like the domination of the New England Patriots and Golden State Warriors, it grew old fast. As I matured over the years, I started to respect him as a driver. He is doing something that nobody else will likely come close to accomplishing ever again. It is cool to witness history while it is happening in front of our eyes. I am curious to see how many national level wins he will have at the end of his career. Kyle Busch is one heck of a wheelman, who will not be denied the checkered flag. Lee: Kyle Busch has knocked down quite an amazing accomplishment in this day and age. He is currently the all-time leader in both Xfinity and Truck Series. Last Sunday, Busch earned win No. 53 in the Cup Series. Now he is only one win away from being tied for top-10 (Lee Petty 54 wins in Cup) and he has easily made a name for himself over the years. His domination across all three series has been something that has never been seen before, even if people don’t like it. I think because the majority of people don’t like his ways, they aren’t going to appreciate him until his career is complete. I think you’ve got to at least respect the fact that he has 53 wins at the Cup level, which is something that has been accomplished by only a handful of drivers. 2. Cole Custer won last Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, delaying the Kyle Busch 200-win ceremony to the next day. How special is it for an Xfinity regular to beat a driver like Busch? Lambeth: As some Xfinity drivers have said in the past, Kyle Busch is the perfect measuring tool for them. Whenever you see Busch on the Xfinity entry list, he is automatically considered the favorite to win. If you can go out there and beat him, then you know that you have defeated one of the best. It must have been an incredibly special win for Cole Custer: winning in his home state and beating the driver with the most wins in Xfinity Series history. Lee: In the final stage, Cole Custer seemed to have the best car on the track at the time. The late race caution proved this point even further, after he stretched his lead to almost two seconds before capturing the checkered flag. I always think it’s great when a young guy can go out and beat the best of the best. Congrats to Cole Custer for capturing a win at what we can deem as his hometrack! 3. The No. 31 Action Express Racing/Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi claimed overall honors in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Felipe Nasr, Pipo Derani and Eric Curran each performanced above the rest on their way to victory. Derani is now a three-time overall race winner of the Florida endurance classic. Will it be hard to knock off Derani and Nasr for the DPi title? Any thoughts from LMP2, GTLM or GTD? Lambeth: Action Express Racing continues to add to its impressive, growing list of IMSA victories. They are the standard of excellence in the DPi class. It is hard to believe that Pipo Derani has three overall victories at Sebring and he is only 25 years old! The Brazilian has yet to enter the prime of his career, so there is still a lot of time left to go for Tom Kristensen’s all-time record of six overall wins. With Eric Curran stepping back to an endurance role this year, the duo of Pipo Derani and Felipe Nasr will be difficult to beat. Both are insanely fast so the competition must step up their game big time. As for the other classes, I would love to see more entries in LMP2. A single Oreca 07-Gibson each from Performance Tech Motorsports and PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports are the only full-time entrants. The Porsche GT Team recovered nicely from falling behind during the period of rain to claim GTLM class honors. GRT Grasser Racing Team won GTD, claiming another class victory for Lamborghini. It seems like Grasser has the IMSA endurance races figured out. They should consider running the full season someday. Grasser is a world class organization and they would be instant title contenders. Lee: Action Express Racing captured the overall win at Sebring, overcoming the period of rain early in the race. They showed pace in the rain, in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, after a downpour took place and almost captured a win at Daytona. I think this win at Sebring proves the point even further that this team clearly has the pace to compete for a championship. I think they will be hard to compete with this season as we continue to move forward to October. They will be a threat for the title all season long. As for the other classes, like Kobe said, it would be great to see even more entries for the LMP2 class. I’ve always enjoyed the GTD class and I think it will be pretty competitive throughout the remainder of the season. 4. The FIA World Endurance Championship returned to Sebring International Raceway for the first time since the series’ inaugural race in 2012. After a wild finish in the rain, would you consider the 1000 Miles of Sebring a success? Lambeth: Absolutely! The addition of the FIA World Endurance Championship brought more fans to the event. It was cool to see Sebring packed, based on camera shots throughout the weekend. After a sprint to the finish, during the IMSA race, fans definitely got what they paid for. Also, they got to see Fernando Alonso win the 1000 Miles of Sebring with Toyota teammates Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima. Lee: Admittedly, I was pretty skeptical of having two major endurance races on the same race weekend at the same track. However, I think it actually helped out a ton. It brought IMSA/WEC fans and put them all in one place. Both races last weekend were run in the rain, at some points, but both series managed to put on world class shows. 5. During the Super Sebring weekend, the FIA/ACO mentioned the possibility of adding DPi cars to the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid in the future. We have seen this act before. When the next-generation of DPi regulations come to life, do you think there is a real chance for them to join the WEC Hypercars? Lambeth: Based on recent history, I think the answer is no. I hope that I am wrong though. For years, IMSA and the ACO have been trying to come up with a common set of top-flight prototype regulations. However, the two sides cannot seem to come up with a conclusion that suits everybody. DPi was originally set to visit Le Mans with standard LMP2 bodywork, then the ACO reversed the decision and outlawed DPi. I hope that we can find common ground. It would be very beneficial for sports car racing to have DPi/Hypercar eligible for both IMSA and ACO-backed championships. Lee: I think the DPi class is super entertaining for the IMSA series as it is. However, it would be great to introduce them to the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid, in the near future. Hopefully, with the proposal of the Hypercar concept, they can race with each other but this all depends on the ACO’s decision. Of course, as a guy who loves competition, it would be cool to see both of them collide at some point. 6. After a winless 2018 campaign, Finland’s Valtteri Bottas returned to the top step of the podium by winning the Australian Grand Prix. This must be a massive boost of confidence for the Mercedes driver. Based on his performance last season, in comparison to teammate Lewis Hamilton, was all of the criticism he received fair? Lambeth: When you fail to perform, driving the best car in the entire sport, then it is fair game for a decent amount of criticism. As most people know, Formula 1 is a sport with enormous pressure for its drivers to perform. Valtteri Bottas had a miserable season watching teammate Lewis Hamilton find a ton of success. Meanwhile, Bottas found very little go right for him. The biggest question heading into the season was his ability to reset his form and handle additional pressure for him to perform. With Esteban Ocon and George Russell waiting their turn, Bottas must have a spectacular year. In Melbourne, he put together one of the best drives of his career, dominating the entire race. His 2019 campaign is off to a good start. I hope to hear some more “Blunt Bottas” on the radio! Lee: Bottas finally got over the hump in the Formula 1 season opener this past weekend. I think a lot of people thought he wasn’t going to be up to par when he finished behind Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. A win like that to open the season should easily remind people that there is another talented driver at Mercedes. I’m glad he picked up a win. In hindsight, it should have people off his back at this point. Needless to say, his radio clip should be widely noted by people and an absolutely great mantra to live by. 7. The NTT IndyCar Series is heading to Circuit of the Americas for the first time. Formula 1 has raced at the track since 2012, hosting the United States Grand Prix. Will drivers such as Alexander Rossi or Marcus Ericsson have a slight advantage over the competition, given their past F1 experience at COTA? Lambeth: Based on the level of talent, in the series, a little extra seat time might help a little but not much since drivers have so much access to information nowadays. After testing for a few days and the use of simulators, I am sure that each driver will have no problem learning their way around COTA. On another note, I am excited for the season debut of Patricio O'Ward at Carlin Racing. He is the real deal. Lee: As IndyCar makes their way to COTA, it should be quite a good race for this upcoming weekend. The lack of knowledge of the track should aid the on-track product when the green flag drops. It will be great to see who can manage to adapt to the track fastest and see who will capture the win this upcoming weekend in Austin! |