Alright, so last night's 100 lap LM event is in the books, and I want to talk about that a bit. I've been doing this for a while now. Most of you guys know me and know that if ever I criticize, I do so because Delaware has been my refuge since I was a kid...that I love the place and I want it to be the best it can be.

But this one's going to be harsh. I'm bitter today. I wrote it off to heat of the moment last night, but today I'm

Just. So. Disappointed.

For those who weren't there, the race ended much like the 200 did last Labor Day, with 95 percent of the race being most excellent, only to turn monstrous in the last few laps when the legit racing ended and the officials took over the show.

The scenario: Great race. Great field of Late Models. 95 laps of jockeying, passing, pit strategy, battles for position...awesome awesome race. One for the ages.

But then a caution flies (legitimately) with a couple laps to go.

There's a restart. The guys take the green flag and roar into turn 1. No wait. One guy was ahead of the other. Wave it off - caution flag, couple guys stack up in the slowdown, clean up the mess.

Another restart. Green flag. Time to go. Except green doesn't really mean time to go. One guy is further ahead. They roar into turn 1. Call back the green and throw yellow. Another slowdown, another spin, another cleanup.

One more restart. Green...hey its really green this time. Third place car loops it trying to make a crazy pass on the backchute. Another caution...but hey, they were about to call back the initial green anyway because...you guessed it...one guy was further ahead when they crossed the start line. So the guy who spun...under green not yellow, gets his spot BACK....after spinning under GREEN. (Green meaning the green lights are on, which indicates racing is on...unless of course the officials SAY its yellow, even though its GREEN. In which case you guys oughta just forget the flags and lights in the first place because now they're just there for decoration.)

Then it gets better: The final restart. The green flag flies...but the caution lights are still ON. It stays green but the yellow blinkers don't stop blinking until the leaders have made it around to turn 2. To be honest, I don't know how much of a difference that part made to the outcome of the race.

Now...here's the best part: (It was actually horrible and awesome at the same time.) We've got two announcers, spinning the whole thing and making it sound like this is all just the greatest thing since the 79 Daytona 500. Oh yes, they're talking about gamesmanship and tactics and all that stuff and making it sound like this crap was the REAL key to winning at Delaware....that this is what its REALLY all about. We've got these guys faking each other out, brake-checking to keep the other guy off guard...all the while just creating more bent up cars, and doing nothing but interrupting a perfectly good race to give the announcers something to talk about.

So...maybe someone can explain this to me, because I really don't understand it. For years, restarts were never an issue. The pace car went in off the back straight. The green flag flies and the guys are on it by the time they hit turn 3. End of story. When the lights go green, the race is on. Green means go. Simple.

Why did we decide that wasn't good enough?

Then I believe the rule changed to as long as the polesitter (responsible for setting the pace to the green) crossed the start line first it was all good. It was the outside pole guy's responsibility to keep up with him. Fair enough...and green still means go.

But what happened last night, and at the 200 last September....I don't know what the frickin' rule is.

So, I leave you with this Delaware. You are the grand old lady of asphalt racing in Ontario. Our drivers are second to none and we owe NOTHING to ANYONE. When a big LM race happens here, it should be the best of the best. A big event worthy of a little reverence, where driver skill, mechanical wizardry, pit strategy, endurance and chutzpah should win the day. Our drivers are skilled, are the best there is, and are quite capable of putting on an amazing, entertaining show by the nature of their own skills and talents. We have been doing this since 1952 and have never needed to contrive shootout endings before. I won't say don't start now, because its already started, but you CAN stop it. Green means go...its the only rule you need.

Because this stuff....Labor Day and last night...fans are eating it up now. Yes, as they kept reiterating on mic last night...the crowd WAS entertained. No question on that. But the pressure will be on to create this every time, and that is a very slippery slope.

OR what you can do is this: Embrace it. On Labor Day, just scrap the whole 100 lap thing. Make it a 10 lap race instead. Don't make the guys waste their stuff, or employ pit strategy or endurance strategy, or really use any of their skills at all. We'll just do a 10 lap free for all, with false starts, lots of wrecks...should fill an hour or so.

It'll be awesome.

Delaware, I love you. I really do. That's the only reason why.

So there you go. Let me have it if you like. Agree, disagree, analyze, tell me I'm an old fart that can't understand "the new racing" ...whatever. Just don't be quiet about it.