Two-fer for Kenseth

The putrid racing at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana (or whatever the southern California speedway is called nowadays) had me seriously contemplating switching to the Academy Awards late Sunday night. And this is coming from a guy who, not too long ago, thought “Slumdog Millionaires” was a film about landlords and the dilapidated apartments they rent to poor tenants.

Would it kill someone to initiate a green flag pass for the lead more than just a couple times over 500 miles? When is NASCAR going to wake up to the fact that this 2-mile flat oval just is not designed for stock cars? IndyCars, maybe. But please, Brian France, get rid of the two races at Fontana.

The racing didn't deter winner Matt Kenseth, who is already proving he’s a contender after his second victory in as many weeks. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle offered the only other legitimate runs against Kenseth, who drove away from all of them at the end. Gordon mounted a decent challenge with a few laps remaining, but his tires were shot at the end.

Regardless of the mild Kenseth/Gordon duel in the closing laps, the racing was weak. It’s time for NASCAR to re-evaluate the California Speedway experiment. It’s just not a good follow-up act to Daytona Speedweeks.

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I’d like to applaud Dick Bergren for that wonderful Victory Lane question he asked the race winner. I think a four-tire pit stop lasts longer than that poor excuse for an interview. When are these race “reporters” going to learn we’d rather hear a lengthy Q&A with the winner, than what the 10th place finisher was thinking on Lap 154. Just spend some extra time with the winner!

These television networks owe it to the drivers, teams and sponsors. Give them some credit and air time. Kenseth won the race, so he deserves to have the maximum exposure. One question isn’t going to cut it. Next time, Dick, try thinking of a follow-up.

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What the hell is FOX doing with this stupid Digger Cam? Sure, it was mildly humorous the first 1,000 times ole Digger popped out of his hole, wearing a scarf and goggles, before ducking back in with the cars roaring by. Then Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip decided to kill the cartoon critter by saying each time, “You better run back into that hole, buddy!”

Now FOX has gone too far with the Digger Family. The computer-animated foursome of furry characters practically blocks the entire camera view. There are quite a few profane words tossed at the television each time they appear before scurrying back into the dirt. If FOX does not immediately cease and desist, I might be forced to contact an infamous gopher exterminator...Digger, meet my good friend Mr. Murray.