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 for 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. Formula E recently completed the Valencia Test, in preparation of the 2019-20 season. Who impressed you the most during the test? Which rookie will showcase the best performance? Lambeth: With the Formula E test complete, I have to say that Maximilian Günther impressed me the most during testing. Getting an opportunity with the BMW Andretti squad should give him a solid chance to showcase his talents. If I had to choose a rookie, I would go with Nico Müller. But his teammate Brendon Hartley, an ex-Formula 1 driver, is also a good option. Lee: Formula E is ready to go into another season and I’d have to say Maximilian Günther displayed some very impressive lap times. It should be a pretty solid season for the young driver, who made his series debut last season. While Nico Müller had solid pace, his teammate Brendon Hartley should be due for a solid rookie campaign for 19/20. 2. American driver Logan Sargeant was fastest in both sessions on the final day of Formula 3 post-season testing at Valencia. Do you think he could be the next American F1 hopeful? Lambeth: It appears that Logan Sargeant is on the right path towards the #RoadToF1. People are always asking when we are going to see the next American Formula 1 driver. Honestly, I have no idea when that is going to happen. However, Sargeant is a very promising prospect, who continues to develop his skills behind the wheel. He is definitely a name to keep an eye on as he works his way through the European open-wheel ladder system. Lee: Logan Sargeant may be America’s next hope for a Formula 1 driver. He did a solid job at Valencia. He seems to be a solid driver and certainly will continue to develop in the upcoming Formula 3 season. 3. Last week, a large number of birds flew into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and died, while others were injured or stunned. Then, a Kaulig Racing hauler was involved in a frightening highway crash. Adding insult to injury, the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing hauler caught fire. What are your thoughts on NASCAR's string of bad luck last week? Lambeth: First and foremost, I am glad that everyone involved survived the scary hauler incidents. Both situations had the potential to be a lot worse than it was. As for the birds flying into the Hall of Fame, that was one of the most bizarre news stories that I have seen in quite some time. Without a doubt, last week produced some unusual storylines. It felt like something straight out of a Halloween movie. Lee: It was a Full Moon week in NASCAR. One of the oddest weeks I’ve ever seen, if I’m being honest. Thankfully, with the hauler situations, all crew members survived. As far as the birds drilling the NASCAR Hall of Fame windows, it was one of the strangest things ever. Last week will go down as one of the weirdest weeks in NASCAR. 4. In the Xfinity race, Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell were battling for the lead at Kansas when the two collided with the lapped car of Garrett Smithley. This incident effectively ruined their chances of scoring victory. Do you think Smithley made the right decision to take full responsibility for the incident? Lambeth: Unfortunately, this is the second time that Smithley has made the headlines for the wrong reasons. However, I still believe that he was not to blame for the incident with Kyle Busch at Las Vegas. In this case, at Kansas, Smithley made the right choice to hold himself accountable. Not being aware of the approaching leaders cost Briscoe and Bell potential victory. Everybody is human and we all make mistakes, so I am sure that Smithley will learn from this and keep pushing forward. However, at this level of professional auto racing, you need to be aware and alert at all times. Otherwise, the competitors will lose a lot of respect for you. Lee: I’ll be straight up on this one, there has got to be a better amount of awareness in situations like this. It’s fine that he’s been able to admit that it was completely his fault, but you still have to be more aware, especially with playoff drivers battling to get into Homestead. 5. In his 134th Xfinity start, Brandon Jones won his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Kansas Speedway. This is Jones' fourth full season competing in Xfinity. How much do you think this moment meant to him, considering it has taken a lot longer to find victory lane? Lambeth: If you saw Brandon Jones' reaction after winning, then it is easy to tell how much his first Xfinity win meant to him. Sometimes, it just takes some longer than others to win. The longer you wait, then the win tastes a lot sweeter. Luckily, after 134 starts, Jones finally scored his breakthrough Xfinity victory. Lee: Besides the 19 team and his family, I’m not sure who could’ve called that one last Saturday afternoon. Brandon Jones was in the right place at the right time and capitalized to get his first win. That first win always helps drivers out. This will be big for his team moving into 2020. 6. Tyler Reddick and Cole Custer were involved in a post-race altercation on pit road, following some contact during the Xfinity race. Why do the playoffs always bring out emotions that you would likely never see during the regular season? Lambeth: The playoffs provide a high pressure environment and every spot on the track matters. As Reddick tweeted, both he and Cole Custer want to make it to Homestead. The two are putting it all on the line each week to race for a championship. Sometimes, you will see the gloves come off because it is a crucial time of the year. Drivers cannot afford to make mistakes or get caught up in other people's mistakes. Lee: I’m sure everything will continue to ramp up with just a few weeks left in the NASCAR season. The reigning champion Tyler Reddick and Cole Custer showed a ton of emotion last Saturday and I think it’s a good thing. The more passion the better for the sport. 7. Were you surprised that Chase Elliott made the Round of 8 over Brad Keselowski? Also, who are your Championship 4 picks? Lambeth: To be honest, I really expected Brad Keselowski to advance to the next round. To my surprise, the 2 team did not run well at Kansas. However, they fought until the end but it just did not work out. Chase Elliott performed well and earned a spot in the next round. Championship 4 picks: Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott Lee: I’m not really surprised at Chase Elliott making it to the next round. He’s been pretty solid at Kansas since he made it to the Cup Series. As for Brad Keselowski, I think it’s more of a shock given this year he’s had three wins. It seemed like the No. 2 team just completely missed the setup at Kansas. Championship 4 picks: Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Joey Logano
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