There used to be an old joke among NASCAR circles: how do you know when it’s going to rain? When they are racing at Rockingham. Well, we can change that answer to just “when they are racing.” After a water-logged Dover last weekend, this upcoming weekend at Charlotte doesn’t look to be any better with Hurricane Matthew looming.

I like the chances of a Red Sox/Cubs World Series. I’m a huge Red Sox fans, but it’s hard to root against the Cubs after 108 years of futility.

Kenny Bruce has a great piece on North Wilkesboro on NASCAR.com. Hard to believe it’s been 20 years since NASCAR raced there. There are now no full-time drivers left in Sprint Cup who raced there. Jeff Gordon was the last one. He actually won the last race held at the historic speedway.

Hey Leon, domo arigato, Mr. Roboto.

I spent last weekend in Las Vegas with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Not that I am complaining about the trip, but I cannot, for the life of me, understand why there is a standalone truck race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The crowd was decent for a truck race, but teams have mountains of expense getting there for a one-day show. The team I help out, Ricky Benton Racing, finished 14th with driver Parker Kligerman, by the way.

Tyler Reddick won the truck race. He is not one of the eight Chase drivers in that series. I don’t care what they say, this is NASCAR’s biggest fear in this format.

What in the hell is going on with the Panthers?

So far in the Sprint Cup Chase, I am pretty happy with my predictions. If only I could do that well in my fantasy football leagues.

After winning two of the first three Chase races, Martin Truex Jr. is the prohibitive favorite to win the 2016 Sprint Cup. Raise your hand if you predicted that at the beginning of the year so it will be easy for us to identify the liars in the room.

I have a new favorite football player: Penn State’s kicker Joey Julius. Homeboy is the biggest kicker I have ever seen and lays the wood on returners.

I learned something pretty cool after the Dover race: Brad Keselowski leaves a case of Miller Lite at every race winner’s motor home post-race. To quote the 2012 champ, “that’s pretty damn awesome.”

Last Sunday I also learned “shooting a bow and arrow” will get you a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the NFL. That rates up there with Ron Cherry’s “giving him the business.”

I have been involved in journalist endeavors for a long time; actually longer than I care to admit. In all those years, I have found nothing more pathetic than a reporter fight on social media.

I know they are the Browns and live their lives in the cone of sadness, but they got jobbed on a phantom fumble during their game against the Redskins last week. They don’t need help losing games.

Despite my predictions, I was hoping to see Tony Stewart make a deep run into the Chase this year. Just to make NASCAR mad.

This may be one of the funniest headlines I have ever read: Trump Supporters Spent the Debate Tweeting at Jon Lester Because They Thought He Was Moderator Lester Holt.

Andy Cagle Racing Columnist
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_Cagle2.jpgAndy Cagle Racing Columnist

By Andy Cagle

Racing Columnist

Andy Cagle writes a weekly NASCAR column. Follow him on Twitter @Andy_Cagle.