Crazy finish in Canada has NASCAR truck series people talking

In an attempt to generate interest in the Oct. 1 Solar 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it was written in this space last week that the field for the inaugural Chase for the Championship in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series was shaping up nicely.

“Wah, wah … wah, wah, wah … wah, wah ….”

Remember in Peanuts, when the teacher or some other adult would be talking, and you’d hear that muffled “wah, wah” voice, and Peppermint Patty would lapse into a coma at her desk?

That’s what a preview of the truck series playoffs must now sound like to race fans after the slam-bang finish of Sunday’s truck stop at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park — which used to be, and still should be, called Mosport.

After trying to wreck race leader Cole Custer multiple times, John Hunter Nemechek finally succeeded as the racing pickup trucks bore down on the checkered flag.

There was a cloud of dust that would have impressed Woody Hayes on third-and-short. The racing pickup trucks crashed across the finish line in “Days of Thunder” style. Nemechek even said “Rubbin’ is racin’” afterward.

But who won?

It took NASCAR about five minutes to declare that Nemechek had won, by hook or by crook. Mostly by crook.

While NASCAR was deliberating and editing the video for consideration on “Plays of the Day,” Custer was lying in wait for Nemechek. He sprinted and tackled Nemechek in front of the flag stand.

For the briefest of moments, it looked as if it could develop into something resembling the Allison Brothers vs. Cale Yarborough fracas in their famous tag team match after the 1979 Daytona 500.

Alas, young Nemechek had his helmet on when equally young Custer tackled him. And so that was the extent of it. In terms of genuine ill will and animosity, there appeared to be a tad more than when truck drivers John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher of Las Vegas exchanged head noogies after a run-in at Gateway Park near St. Louis in June. But only a tad.

Sometime soon, young John Hunter Nemechek and equally young Cole Custer probably will be given a bonus by NASCAR. They were not penalized for their actions.

The adults at stock car racing headquarters have spoken.

“Wah, wah … wah, wah, wah … wah, wah ….”

GREEN-WHITE-CHECKERED

• John Hunter Nemechek is the son of former NASCAR competitor Joe Nemechek. John Hunter was named for his racing uncle of the same name — an uncle he never knew.

John Hunter Nemechek also was the name of Joe Nemechek’s kid brother. That John Hunter Nemechek was killed as a result of a truck series crash at Homestead, Florida, on March 21, 1997. I’ll never forget it, because that was the same day Las Vegas Motor Speedway had its inaugural NASCAR event, a Busch Series race.

Joe Nemechek was racing here that day. He led the first 38 laps.

I seem to recall that afterward, when the media was advised not to ask about the crash in Florida, Joe Nemechek was asked about it anyway.

• It’ll be Back to School Night at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring on Saturday — students, staff and faculty at area schools will get in free, and educational types will wave the green flag and sing the national anthem. Nobody is expected to take a knee. A lot of students will even be driving the racecars.

Opening ceremonies are set for 6:55 p.m. For tickets, call 702-644-4444 or go to LVMS.com

• In the little biography under his picture on his Twitter account, it says Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a retired service mechanic, former backup fullback for the Mooresville Blue Devils soccer team and an aspiring BBQ Pitmaster competitor.

But that’s all he is these days after a crash that resulted in concussion-like symptoms that won’t go away.

I think Junior was only goofing when he put that up. But now he’s out for the season, and now his 1.67M followers are hoping he can be a stock car driver again instead of a backup fullback for the Mooresville Blue Devils and those other pastimes.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ron Kantowski can be reached at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. His motor sports notebook runs on Friday. Follow him on Twitter: @ronkantowski