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Build Your Own Brickyard Experience is an interactive fan website that allows you to learn more about Brickyard experiences, choose how you would build your own experience, and then share what your Brickyard 400 experience looks like with friends and family.

This blog series follows Brickyard 400 fans and their experience and tips for attending a race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Are you new to the Brickyard 400? Jennifer Meyering, blogging to share her experiences as the winner of an all-expenses paid trip to the 2011 Brickyard 400 race from NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin (read more here), shares how she will build her own Brickyard Experience:

Recently, I checked out this great website from the IMS that tells you about the various Brickyard 400 race weekend activities and lets you “Build Your Own Brickyard” experience. I was lucky enough to win my tickets and a trip to this year’s Brickyard 400 from Denny Hamlin in a Twitter contest, but I still decided to give it a try! Here are some of the activities I picked for my Brickyard Experience, and why…

The first thing I looked for was a chance to visit Gasoline Alley. I mean, isn’t this part of the ultimate Indy Motor Speedway experience? To be able to see the cars, crews, and maybe a driver or two, go back and forth- that’s what Gasoline Alley is about to me. I had to include this in my experience.

Another thing I included was Kiss the Bricks. Again, when you think of Indy Motor Speedway, you think of that yard of bricks that the winner gets to kiss. And isn’t the name of the race the BRICKyard 400… That right there tells you how important the bricks are. For me, no Brickyard 400 experience would be complete without including “Kiss the Bricks”.

Fans pose and Kiss the Bricks during the 2010 Brickyard 400 weekend

One of my son’s favorite things about NASCAR is the pit stops. He often plays with his Legos and makes cars and then pretends to take them through pit stops. He loves to talk about changing tires and carrying tires and fueling the car. I had to include “Time for a Pit Stop” on my Brickyard Experience.

A young fan takes a pit stop challenge

During our previous race experience, we were able to go back and see teams working on the cars in the garages. This was one of the highlights of our race weekend, because we found out just how wonderful all the team members are on the race teams. We were able to interact with many of them and they showed us how NASCAR really does care about it’s fans. So when I saw that I could include “NASCAR Garage Area” as part of my Brickyard Experience, I couldn’t pass it up!

A glimpse into Juan Pablo Montoya's Garage

One of the great things about NASCAR is how fan-friendly the drivers are. They rarely pass up a chance to sign autographs and give back to the fans. My son loves collecting autographs, and, well, so do I! When I was looking around the website at the various experiences, I saw that there was not one, but two experiences I could add to try to get autographs- “Thunder Alley” and “Can You Sign My…?”

Another experience that was an absolute necessity to add was the “And the Winner is…” To be able to see a driver win one of the biggest races in the NASCAR season in person is just so exciting! Even though going to a race is about much more than seeing who takes the checkered flag, seeing that is definitely high on the list of must-do’s!

During a NASCAR race (or practice), it’s great to be able to listen to the interaction between a driver and his crew on the scanners. Also, as a parent, the scanners and headphones are great for decreasing the noise of the cars for kids. My son loves being able to switch back and forth between drivers and hear what they say! These reasons are why I added the “Scanning all Frequencies” to my Brickyard 400 experience.

There were many other great options that I added to my Brickyard 400 Experience. Some of them include, eating hot dogs, watching qualifying and practice, and taking lots of pictures (lots and lots!). Honestly, it was hard to choose from all the different things there are to do when attending the Brickyard 400. And if I went back and made my experience again, I bet it wouldn’t look the same- something else would catch my eye and I would that!!!

Ready to Build Your Own Brickyard Experience?  Check out what Jennifer’s experience looks like here.

New to this blog series? Check out the first post from a young professional in this series here.

Just love racing in general? Check out how a fan of the IMS might build their own Brickyard experience here.

Bringing out your family? Read more about what a family experience might look like here.

Build Your Own Brickyard Experience is an interactive fan website that allows you to learn more about Brickyard experiences, choose how you would build your own experience, and then share what your Brickyard 400 experience looks like with friends and family. This blog series follows Brickyard 400 fans and their experience and tips for attending a race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Are you a young professional? Read on to find out Annie’s tips for attending the Brickyard 400:

Tell us about yourself, your family, your friends, are you from Indianapolis?
My name is Jimmie McMillian. My wife’s name is Tamara McMillian. We have twin 2 year old boys Lance and Xavier. We are both originally from Chicago. I have lived in Indianapolis for 11 years. My wife has lived here for 6 years. We are both attorneys.

We are fully committed Hoosiers. We have a significant family presence in the city of Indianapolis. Our friends range from our colleagues in the Indianapolis Legal Community, to my fraternity brothers in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Tam’s sorority sisters in Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and our motorcycle club brothers and sisters in 317 Ryders M/C. At various points and time throughout our time in Indianapolis, we have shared the joy of attending events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with our family and friends.

How long have you been attending the Brickyard 400 and do you attend any other events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? I have been attending the Brickyard 400 since 2001. I have attended the Indianapolis 500 race. We attended the Formula One race with The Honorable Justice Frank Sullivan Jr. of the Indiana Supreme Court. As avid motorcyclist we have attended all of the Indianapolis Redbull MotoGP events.

What is your favorite part about coming out the Brickyard race?
The sights and sounds that are signatures of NASCAR racing. NASCAR fans are so visibly committed to their driver. T-Shirts, Hats, Coolers, Flags, Headsets. Each and every lap you can feel the eager anticipation that something may happen to bring their driver to the front. You can feel the power of the cars in the sound of the engines. Attending the Brickyard 400 makes you feel so proud to be an American. From the National Anthem and flyover to the winner crossing the row of bricks it is a great adrenaline rush. We sit in the Pagoda section across from Pit Road. The cars and paint schemes are great. To watch the Pit Crews perform is amazing. It is truly a bucket list experience.

Kurt Busch's crew executes a pit stop at the 2010 Brickyard 400

What makes the Brickyard special and different from other NASCAR races?
It is at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the most historic raceway in all of motorsports. Everyone wants to be a winner in Indy. When you go to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum you instantly understand the long history of this race track and its importance to the owners, drivers and pit crew that compete for the bragging rights to say I won in Indy and I kissed the row of bricks.

2010 Brickyard 400 Winner Jamie McMurray takes the Checkered Flag across the Yard of Bricks

What are your “insider” tips for someone attending the race for the first time?
Be prepared for a potentially blazing hot day. It gets very hot here in August. Come prepared with lots of water. Make sure you give yourself time to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum while you are at the track.

Share your favorite Brickyard memory and race moment:
Tony Stewart winning the Brickyard 400 in 2005 and climbing the fence. I yelled and screamed for every lap. I was constantly on my feet. I felt like I was in the car driving with him. I am a huge Tony Stewart fan. He is from Indiana. So many people in the stands were high fiving, hugging each other and just celebrating after the win. As we were walking to the car, everyone was in such a great mood. It was fantastic.

Ready to Build Your Own Brickyard Experience? Start by checking out what a Family experience might look like here.

Young Professional? Check out the last post in this series here!

As February rolled around, the IMS Street Team turned its attention to the Dealer Expo. This year’s expo, the country’s largest power sports trade show, took place Friday, Feb. 18 through Sunday, Feb. 20. In efforts to share the exciting news about the fourth annual Red Bull Indianapolis GP, the Street Team and IMS staff headed to the newly expanded Indiana Convention Center for the weekend.

The team shared some key highlights that are being added to this year’s Red Bull Indianapolis GP such as “Main Street,” which can be seen below and will be filled with vendors, entertainment and, of course, motorcycles. “Main Street” will be located between Turns 9 and 10, along the green, dotted path which will be a “cruise path” so fans can cruise in and out as they please.

Track map of this year's Red Bull Indianapolis GP.

One of our biggest changes that we were eager to tell everyone is that our gates will be open until 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 and Saturday, Aug. 27! There will be more than 12 hours of activity on and off the track each day! Fans and motorcycle enthusiasts were just as excited to hear this news as we were to tell it.

The entire weekend at Dealer Expo gave us a great opportunity to talk to folks who have been attending the race since 2008 and some who we will attend for the first time this August. Additional information can be found here.

The 1910 Indian that Nicky Hayden rode in 2008 was a big attraction.

Blythe and Maddie at the 2011 Dealer Expo

The weekend didn’t stop there, by any means! IMS hosted a kick-off party for the start of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Sunday. Fans join us at Jillian’s Downtown in Indianapolis to watch the Daytona 500 and get a chance to win some prizes, play games and enjoy some great racing.

This weekend also is full of events for the team. Friday through Sunday, the team and a few partners will be at the 20th annual Motorcycle Expo at the Indiana State Fairgrounds continuing to promote the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. On Saturday, Feb. 26, the team will be at the Children’s Museum for Engineer’s Day. If your child, niece, nephew, grandchild or neighborhood friend is an IMS Kids Club member, this will be the first of many fun opportunities for them to attend this year. (Spoiler Alert: If you purchase a Kids Club membership at the Children’s Museum on Saturday, you will receive free IMS Silly Bandz!)

This is yet another exciting weekend for the IMS Street Team, and there will be many, many more to come! March has lots of surprises in store for the collegiate crowd, including our first ever Snake Pit Tour! Stay tuned for those dates. Until next time, remember – only 93 days left until the start of the Indianapolis 500!

Fans often list among their top reasons for joining Twitter as wanting to connect with and follow celebrities and organizations they are passionate about. Sometimes, Twitter users receive an added perk of a fun contest or cool giveaway. This was the case for followers of Denny Hamlin this past December when the #11 FedEx Toyota Camry driver declared that he was going to give away an all-expenses paid trip to anywhere in the United States (Read an article on the contest from SBNation here).

Fans can follow Denny on Twitter @DennyHamlin

The contest quickly caught a lot of buzz in the Twitterverse and Jennifer Meyering of Pennsylvania won by correctly answering that the sum of all the presents in the “12 Days of Christmas” is 364. So where did this self-professed Denny Hamlin fan decide to go? Disney World? No. California? No. Jennifer quickly (and excitedly) chose to bring her family to the 2011 Brickyard 400 race in Indianapolis.

When asked what led him to give away a vacation to a lucky fan on Twitter and his reaction to the winner choosing to attend the Brickyard, Denny shared that:

“Well, I prepared myself because you never know what they’re going to say.  But the winner was a true race fan.  That was very cool.  So she decided she wanted to go to the Brickyard, which is great that she could go anywhere and she decided she wanted to go to a NASCAR race.  For me that is very rewarding to see that happen.  I don’t know, for me, I just have moments where I look around and think about how fortunate I am and want to give back to the people that help in these stands and watch these races and buy our souvenirs.”

Keep an eye on IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com this year as Jennifer and Denny both prepare for the July 31st running on the Brickyard 400. Below, Jennifer shares her passion for NASCAR and the reasons why she chose an all-expenses paid trip to the Brickyard.

Denny Hamlin and Mike Ford talk strategy at the 2010 Brickyard 400 (Photo by LAT)

The first NASCAR race I remember watching on TV was the 2001 Daytona 500. I’m sure this wasn’t the first race I watched, but for reasons obvious to fellow fans, it stands out in my mind. Now, I try to watch every race during the NASCAR season. My DVR gets quite a work out from February to November!

When people ask me what it is about NASCAR that I love, I can’t answer just one thing. The racing, the sound of the engines, the people- I love it all! The things that I love the most are the drivers and the personalities in the sport of racing. For me, compared to other sports, the people and drivers involved in NASCAR are some of the most “real” and fan-friendly people out there.

NASCAR drivers understand that the fans are important to their sport- without the fans, there is nothing! One of my favorite thing is following various drivers on Twitter- including Denny Hamlin. And when it comes to giving back to fans, I think Denny really gets it (of course, I may be a little biased).

On Christmas day, Denny held a Twitter contest for his fans. He asked a trivia question, and the winner would get a trip anywhere in the United States. I entered the contest never expecting to win- but I did! I was absolutely floored and in total disbelief. My son was almost more excited than I was- Denny is one of his favorite drivers (along with Joey Logano).

After I won, my husband and I immediately started discussing where we wanted to go. I knew I wanted to go to a NASCAR race. We went to the Pocono 500 last June and had a great time.

We bounced around a couple of ideas, but we wanted to really make it a special trip to remember. As soon as the thought of the Brickyard 400 crossed my mind, I knew that was where I wanted to go.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway has such an amazing racing history- I couldn’t pass up the chance to go and really experience it in person. I went to the 1995 Indy 500, but I knew nothing about racing at that time and didn’t savor the experience like I should have.  I am excited to return to the IMS and truly enjoy the full experience. This July I am going to soak it ALL in!

Denny Hamlin's #11 FedEx Toyota Camry crosses the Yard of Bricks at the 2010 Brickyard 400 (photo by LAT)

This is INDYCAR.

Welcome to 2011. No, Splash And Go is not working on the Roman or Julian calendar. It’s just getting quite busy around here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as preparations for this season — especially the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 on May 29 — are pedal to the metal.

Everything is just as hectic in the world of INDYCAR, where good news continues to be generated at a breakneck pace. The first big change is the elimination of the old Indy Racing League name and the creation of a new logo. INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard is right — the old name conjures too much bad mojo, too many memories of the split.

So INDYCAR it shall be. You won’t see any mention of Irrelevant Racing Lingo (IRL) around here anymore. Big-time open-wheel racing in North America is INDYCAR, baby.

That was just the start of the news surrounding INDYCAR during a major summit with teams, drivers and sponsors Tuesday, Jan. 11 in Indianapolis. Among other IZOD IndyCar Series nuggets, Edmonton is back on the 2011 schedule, engine displacement is being reduced from the planned 2.4 liters to 2.2 liters in 2012, double-wide restarts on ovals in 2011 will start at Indy, restarts will take place closer to the start-finish line and more.

The dramatic buzz created by these changes and other positive developments is catching the eyes of the INDYCAR blogosphere and media. Robin Miller at SPEEDTV.com pays tribute to Bernard’s role in INDYCAR’s resurgence, while Tony Johns at Pop Off Valve talks about the vital, smart decisions Bernard has made in the last 10 months. Mike Knapp at 15 Days in May mirrors the optimism of nearly every INDYCAR fan, while Christopher Leone at Open Wheel America looks at the importance the strengthened Mazda Road To Indy ladder system will play in INDYCAR’s future.

These are Timbuk3 times for INDYCAR. (Remember the classic one-hit wonder, “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades?” Yeah, they sang it.)

The good news could keep on rolling on the television front, as a proposed merger between NBC and Comcast could signal a significant change for the IZOD IndyCar Series TV package.

NASCAR also is on the verge of a major change, as NASCAR.com reported Jan. 11 that drivers will be forced to choose one of the three major series in which they want to earn championship points in 2011. This could reduce the number of Sprint Cup drivers dipping into the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series, as they won’t be eligible for championships.

This proposed move is going to take some digesting, just like the big Christmas meal I enjoyed. The ramifications are huge.

Will it reduce the marquee value of the Nationwide and Truck series if fewer Cup drivers participate? How can a driver who performs regular double or triple duty, such as Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, lure or keep a sponsor for the two lower series if he’s not running for a championship? How will that effect race teams in Nationwide and Busch owned by Cup drivers?

In another change, California Speedway is reducing its spring race distance from 500 to 400 miles. Halle-freaking-lujah. Here’s to hoping other tracks follow suit. Forcing fans to sit in front of a TV for a 500-mile race is just too much in the ADD world in which we live, especially when prominent drivers such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. even admit the middle stages of those long races are nothing but parades to cut down laps to get to the final fuel stint. Five-hundred milers should be saved for a few special places and special races.

Dustin Long remains one of the top writers on the NASCAR beat, and he came up with this interpretive gem: It seems more and more Cup teams are hiring younger drivers, but the average age of participants in the Chase for the Sprint Cup continues to rise. Age and experience always can overcome youthful exuberance, I guess.

INDYCAR and NASCAR weren’t the only series with big news this week. MotoGP seismographs jiggled Tuesday when Valentino Rossi made his official debut as a Ducati rider at the annual VROOM winter media gathering in the Italian Alps. Former American MotoGP standout John Hopkins may resurface this season in British Superbikes after an injury-ravaged spell in World Superbikes, and 2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Raikkonen looks set to stay in the World Rally Championship for another year.

Finally, CNN reported Tuesday that 49 of the 50 U.S. states were under snow. That’s not exactly a race fan’s dream. So unless you’re into ice racing or snowmobile racing, watch this incredible high-def video of Richie Tobias in a big-block modified last October at Syracuse to keep your racing fires stoked until the snow melts.

The Drive for Five is complete. Is that a legendary accomplishment or the next sign of the impending Apocalypse?

Jimmie Johnson put himself in the same room as NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt — both seven-time Cup champions — by winning his fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup on Sunday by finishing second to Carl Edwards in the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Johnson rallied from a 15-point deficit to pass Denny Hamlin for another championship. Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus endured a tumultuous Chase, during which Johnson’s crew was benched, to continue their reign over the sport.

Say it five times fast: This guy is a legend.

And the great debate begins: Is Johnson’s dominance good for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and help it gain more attention as it attempts to rebound in 2011 from a season of decreased attendance and TV ratings? Or will it hurt, as fans are getting sick and tired of seeing Johnson and Knaus hoisting the big silver trophy every year at Homestead?

SBNation’s Jeff Gluck, an avid Tweeter, posted this interesting smorgasbord of Twitter reaction from fans after the race Sunday. Many fans complained about Johnson’s victory. And those fans are wrong.

What Johnson is doing here, folks, is beyond special because it’s almost beyond comprehension. NASCAR rule makers toil long and hard to build equality into the sport. The COT has homogenized the machinery. The point system rewards consistency more than winning. The Chase system was created to prevent a runaway champion late in the season, erasing any early-season dominance. Four of the 10 Chase races are on 1.5-mile ovals, with no road courses and only one short track.

This is racing’s version of the salary cap and free agency, two components that have killed dynasties in the NFL, NBA and NHL. Yet Johnson, Knaus and Hendrick Motorsports continue to just deliver under pressure, year after year. Think about it: The last time Jimmie Johnson failed to win the Sprint Cup, only Alaskans had ever heard of Sarah Palin. Justin Bieber was a kid dreaming of stardom in his bedroom in Canada. Joey Logano was 15 years old.

Why is this criticized? Why is this seen as boring? I agree with Peter DeLorenzo at Autoextremist: It’s not like Johnson and Knaus are crushing the competition due to superior equipment, an argument that could be made about the Ferrari that Michael Schumacher drove to five consecutive Formula One World Championships last decade.

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The clock is ticking, so let the dissection begin.

No, we’re not talking about the Biology final you took as a sophomore in high school. We’re talking about the final countdown to the NASCAR Sprint Cup season finale this Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Denny Hamlin leads four-time reigning champion Jimmie Johnson by 15 points, with Kevin Harvick third, 46 points behind Hamlin. The math is so simple, yet so tough, for Hamlin: If he wins, or finishes second and leads the most laps, at Homestead, he will hoist the Sprint Cup for the first time.

Can you believe this was $150 in 1972?

If that doesn’t happen, have a slide rule, abacus or an old, four-function Texas Instruments pocket calculator ready.

NASCAR beat writers and bloggers are starting to trot out various scenarios for victory for Hamlin, Johnson and Harvick this weekend. Jim McCoy at All Left Turns makes the point that Hamlin has been the dominant driver this season, won two weeks ago at Texas and was ruling the Desert Mile at Phoenix before fuel-mileage follies emerged.

Dustin Long also lays out a case for Hamlin, with one very important stat: Hamlin won last year at Homestead. Johnson never has won on the 1.5-mile oval in South Florida even though he has lifted the ultimate prize in NASCAR at the track the last four years.

But Long also writes why it wouldn’t be one bit surprising if Johnson earns his fifth consecutive Sprint Cup this weekend at Homestead, and the reasons boil down to two men: Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson. They’ve been the best driver-crew chief combination in NASCAR for the last five or six seasons. They’ve been here and done it, which neither Hamlin nor Harvick can say.

I also think Johnson is winning the psychological battle entering Homestead. He spoke like a man without a care in the world after slicing Hamlin’s lead to 15 points at Phoenix, laying all the pressure on Hamlin’s garage door. Johnson also knew Hamlin was cracking emotionally after seeing fuel strategy foil his chance to expand his points lead, and like any ruthless competitor, Johnson pressed down the boot even harder on Hamlin’s fragile psyche.

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My racing weekend could be summed up by one sentence: I didn’t see that coming.

Denny Hamlin surrendering a padded lead in the Chase for the Sprint Cup in the final laps at Phoenix due to bad fuel mileage? I didn’t see that coming. Sebastian Vettel becoming just the second driver in Formula One history to rally from third in the standings to the World Championship in the final race of the season? I didn’t see that coming.

It was one of those weekends why we dig this sport. The unexpected happened, which is one of the most appealing aspects of motor racing.

Here are the facts after the Kobalt Tools 500 Sunday at Phoenix: Hamlin leads four-time reigning champion Jimmie Johnson by 15 points entering the season finale this Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. 2003 Brickyard 400 winner Kevin Harvick is third, 46 points behind. It’s the closest three-way Chase with one race remaining.

Muzzle the mouth or walk the walk, Mike.

Now to the opinions. It might be a good idea for Hamlin’s crew chief, Mike Ford, to keep a low profile heading into South Florida this week. Ford crowed after the Texas race Nov. 7 that crew chief Chad Knaus may have lost a fifth consecutive title for Johnson by essentially firing Johnson’s crew mid-race and replacing it with the crew of Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon.

Karma bites, Mike. Johnson finished fifth at Phoenix after he went the distance on fuel. Hamlin scrambled to finish 12th, despite leading most of the race, after pitting for a splash of fuel late in the race. Knaus calculated the gas gamble correctly; Ford didn’t gamble and lost.

The end result was that Hamlin is rattled. He ripped his team after the race by saying, “Like I said, I did my job.” Not exactly a rousing vote of confidence or rallying of the beleaguered troops by a wise veteran. More of the impetuous Denny we thought had grown up. And at just the wrong time.

Johnson has Hamlin on the ropes, and he’s talking a bit of the smack of a man who knows it.

Hamlin pledges a pedal-to-the-metal approach at Homestead. He’s going to need it, as there are only two guaranteed routes to the championship for him, either winning the race or finishing second and leading the most laps.

My money still remains on Johnson to hoist the Cup for the fifth straight year. Who is your pick, and why?

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Judging by the feedback I received from the Nov. 8 edition of Splash And Go, it appears that the many dramatic subplots of the AAA 500 last Sunday weren’t enough to draw back those of you who have abandoned the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup this fall. Your attitude seems to match that of Kyle Busch to the NASCAR official during his stop-and-go penalty for pit road speeding last Sunday at Texas — the big, fat middle finger.

Guess many of you feel the same way about the Chase, which is too bad.

That’s a shame, as no one is going to convince me this isn’t a compelling Chase. The top three drivers within 59 points. Two races to go. Forget about the COT. Forget about the Chase system.

Two races to go, 59 points separate the top three. If that’s not good enough for you, maybe Travis Pastrana can save NASCAR in your eyes.

Off my soap box and on to Phoenix.

Four-time reigning Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson trails leader Denny Hamlin by 33 points after Hamlin won last Sunday at Texas. But there are few better places for a JJ rebound than Phoenix, as he has won the last three fall races at The Desert Mile.

Hamlin is hot, as he’s racing no differently during the Chase than he did during the “regular season” — the dude is driving to win. So anyone Chase naysayers complaining about conservative “points racing” better not point to Hamlin. Oh, sorry, I’m on that soap box again.

And what about Kevin Harvick? He’s 59 points behind leader Hamlin, and Mike Mulhern suggests it might be a must-win situation for Happy this Sunday at Phoenix.

It should be vewwwy interesting, as Elmer Fudd would say.

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Is this Kyle Busch after a speeding penalty or NASCAR fans who still think this year's Chase stinks?

So, Chase naysayers: Are you happy now?

If not, then just end your illusion of any allegiance to NASCAR. Just come clean: You’re not a NASCAR fan anymore.

Because if you didn’t find the AAA Texas 500 even the slightest bit entertaining, then you should just move on. Pass Go, collect $200 and move to your latest sport du jour or continue to long for the “glory days” that had no more glory than what was on track Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway.

I’m far from a NASCAR apologist, as there are times I think reading toaster oven wiring manuals is more exciting than watching a Sprint Cup race. But this season has been solid, and no race has featured more drama, excitement and over-the-top entertainment than Sunday at Texas.

Let’s start recapping the plot lines. I bet we’ll need to move to a second hand to get a complete count.

One, Denny Hamlin uses a great inside-out move on Matt Kenseth to win the race. Denny could have sat back in second and taken the safe route, knowing he still would have left Fort Worth with the points lead. But Denny did what champions are supposed to do: Drove his ass off for a victory. (It’s a shame that NASCAR doesn’t reward winning drives like this with more points, but that’s a topic for another day.)

Two, Jimmie Johnson is out of the points lead with just two races remaining. Johnson entered the race 14 points ahead in his Drive for Five, yet he left Texas 33 points behind Hamlin, in second, after finishing ninth. Kevin Harvick remains third, 59 points out of the lead, in the closest three-man race this late in the Chase since the format started in 2004.

Three, Johnson’s crew chief, Chad Knaus, benched his pit crew mid-race for poor performance, orchestrating a swap with teammate Jeff Gordon’s pit crew. It was about as stinging as a public rebuke can be, but it’s not surprising considering Knaus’ Texas-sized ego. Plus even though Knaus never has met a mirror or the pronoun “I” that he didn’t like, look at the man’s record: He delivers. Johnson didn’t seem that torn up about the divorce from his pit crew after the race.

Four, smack talk by Hamlin’s crew chief, Mike Ford. He said the mid-race Hendrick crew swap could be the tipping point toward Denny ending Jimmie’s run of four consecutive Sprint Cup titles. Brash, bold talk — you’ve got to love it.

Five, Gordon’s crew was available because Jeff Burton inexplicably took out Gordon, precipitating the Backstretch Bash. The Driver formerly known as Boy Wonder stomped toward Burton on the backstretch, gave him a strong two-handed shove and started to throw punches before being restrained by NASCAR officials.

It wasn’t exactly Cale vs. Donnie and Bobby on the backstretch at Daytona in 1979, but it was quite compelling. And because the combatants were Gordon and Burton, two of the more sage, even-tempered elder statesmen in the NASCAR garage, you know it was real.

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