Feud of the Week: IRL revival, road weary in Mexico, Junior's time - NASCAR

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1. Hawks N Cards asks: Will the factors of unification, Danica's victory and a potential Graham Rahal/Marco Andretti rivalry finally bring open-wheel racing back?
Brian De Los Santos	Pete Pistone
Everything is coming together perfectly for open-wheel racing. It started with the unification of IndyCar and Champ Car and now with the renewal of Danica-mania, it's a great time to be the IRL. With the Indy 500 on the horizon, there's going to be a lot of press, most -- if not all -- of it positive in the coming weeks. I don't know that a Rahal/Andretti rivalry will move the needle all that much, but with the history of their families in the sport, it's certainly another brick to build upon. There's a lot of good PR out there for open-wheel racing right now. But the meal ticket is Patrick. If she becomes a consistent winner, American open-wheel racing is going be back in full health in no time.	Things couldn't be going better for open-wheel racing, and all those factors will add up to an increase in exposure and awareness for IndyCar racing. But it will still take some time, because you can't erase nearly 15 years of doing things the wrong way overnight. Exciting races and young American talent, along with finding the right venues to host events, are the keys for the IRL to bring the sport back to life. Certainly with Danica-mania now back in full bloom and talent like Andretti and Rahal, the foundation is in place. Danica's win was huge to bring the sport back into the mainstream's consciousness. And what better time to pique interest than right now as we get ready to head to Indianapolis for the month of May?

2. Only 57,000 at last weekend's Nationwide race in Mexico City, down from nearly 73,000 in 2007. Is it time NASCAR abandons its international plans?
Brian De Los Santos	Pete Pistone
No. It makes good business sense to expand and go international. But NASCAR is going about it all wrong. The problem is that NASCAR is selling the wrong product to the international audience. The bread and butter of NASCAR are short tracks and superspeedways. But what do they get in Mexico and Canada? Road courses. It's like being the owner of Luigi's Pizza Parlor but instead of the owner touting his great pizzas, he tries to market fish sandwiches. When the NFL goes overseas, it doesn't change the rules to appeal to soccer fans. I don't know many fans who got hooked on NASCAR after watching a road-course race. NASCAR needs to sell what it's good at -- ovals and side-by-side, door-banging action.	I can't think of a worst way to spend a Sunday afternoon than watching the Nationwide Series on a road course, no matter what country the race is in. The Mexico experiment is obviously fizzling, but from a business standpoint, I don't see NASCAR bailing anytime soon. There's too much invested in trying to cultivate the sport with the Hispanic community, and NASCAR has also started a developmental series in Mexico. But as a fan, I'd much rather see that date brought to a deserving track in the United States, just not a road course. Stock cars road racing is just something I'd rather not see.

3. The Cup Series is in Talladega. Is this the week Dale Earnhardt Jr. ends his winless skid?
Brian De Los Santos	Pete Pistone
In light of Danica Patrick's victory, NASCAR sure could use a shot in the arm like a Dale Earnhardt Jr. victory at Talladega to steal back the spotlight. I'd certainly put him at the top of my list, not only because of his history at the track (five victories, nine top 10s in 16 visits) but Hendrick Motorsports' success at Talladega as well. The organization has won the past four races there and five of the past six. I'm not going out on a limb to say that along with Hendrick's Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, the Joe Gibbs Racing trio of Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart are the favorites.	The way the stars and numbers are lined up for Junior this weekend at Talladega, you'd have to say so. He has won five times at 'Dega, and Hendrick Motorsports has won four straight. Earnhardt is the prohibitive favorite, and in my mind, he really needs to get this winless streak over with as soon as possible -- it reaches its two-year anniversary next weekend in Richmond. Despite what he and crew chief Tony Eury say, the pressure to win is building, and with no more excuses like faulty DEI engines or inferior pit crews, Earnhardt has to back up the hype right now.