Rating the All-Star/Hall of Fame Week: 5 Stars *****

All-Star week continues to get bigger and better each year, and this year was the complete NASCAR experience. From the pit crew challenge to the Hall of Fame inductions, everything involved in this week was worthy of a 5 Star Rating.

In one of the most competitive events of the week, the pit crew challenge had teams battling head-to-head throughout the evening, until the #11 team followed its driver’s lead and all it did was win. In the final it nosed out the #31 team, which almost won the event for the second consecutive year. The results from that event determined the order of pit stall selection, a cool twist to the normal qualifying procedure, and this year it was needed as qualifying sessions for both the Sprint Showdown and All-Star Race were rained out.

After waiting out the rain, the trucks got on the track for their turn at the “Beast of the Southeast.” Per usual, Kyle Busch led for the majority of the event. However, this week he was able to hold on despite late-race cautions and take home his second truck series victory for his own team.

Saturday night was time for the main event, and the Sprint Cup stars battled it out under the lights. The first three segments of the All-Star race were as clean as any race we have had all season. I’ve said several times recently that this group of drivers is maturing, and 20 or so of the best in the sport showed that long stretches without a caution can be done. The fourth and final segment, however, was a completely different story. Just like last year, everybody went crazy in the 10 lap dash for cash. While no driver was out of the race after segment three, only 13 drivers took the checkered flag.

Anything and everything was possible in those final laps. There was a big one, the champ spun out and two Joe Gibbs Racing teammates had to settle things in the hauler after the race. What was that about the new Kyle Busch? That looked a lot like the same brash kid who left the track at Texas while his team fixed his car in 2007. According to Denny Hamlin, Coach Gibbs and the two drivers were able to talk things out and it will be business as usual next Sunday. Hamlin did say he had to remind Busch this was not a points race. That’s why we love the All-Star race. Things happen in that race that fans don’t see week in and week out.

Also, congratulations to Kurt Busch and the #2 team. Busch was wearing out the high groove throughout most of the race, and that final 10 minute break allowed the team to get the car back in shape and dialed in so he could take off on those final restarts, which were very similar to the restarts in the last race that he won at Atlanta.

Finally, Sunday marked the induction of five NASCAR greats into the brand new Hall of Fame. What a great day. The ceremony was terrific. This will be a fantastic annual event. Throughout the coming years, people will be able to hear stories that have never, but should have been, told. Also, each year there will be five new people that will be honored. Now, even if someone’s favorite driver has retired, they will still be able to celebrate their career in the Hall of Fame. Congratulations NASCAR. This is great for the sport.

Next week is the longest race of the year, the Coca-Cola 600. After the shootouts of the All-Star race, endurance will be a factor in the 600. This is an event where the best will likely rise to the top of the leaderboard by the end of the evening. And, based on the way the #48 took control of the Saturday night event, he very well could do the same in the Sunday night race. Maybe he will be able to close the deal in this one.