Wild Race Divides NASCAR Fans, Dale Jr. Doesn't Hold Back, Punches Thrown & Hooters Gianna Takes Spicy Shower

While most of the country watched a bunch of nerds pick which college basketball teams would be invited to the dance, us real Patriots watched one of the more insane NASCAR races that I can remember. 

That's not hyperbole, either. Now, you may have hated what you saw yesterday at Bristol. Despised it. You're spending all day today bitching and moaning about it. 

But even you can't tell me it wasn't mesmerizing. Tires blowing to pieces 50 laps into a run, marbles flying into the stands, Goodyear execs panicking in suits. It was chaos. 

Pure, raw, beautiful chaos. Which is why I obviously loved it. 

This shouldn't surprise anyone around here, but I was very much pro-Bristol. Give me that NASCAR race every week, and I'm all in. 

But I'm also big into the #content game. I need it for my survival. Some of you don't like the content, especially if it's somewhat manufactured, which is sort of what yesterday was. We'll get into it here in a bit. 

What else? Dale Earnhardt Jr. was clearly a little tanked watching Sunday's race and let it RIP on Twitter. He's on my side, too. 

We also had fists FLYING down in the Xfinity (Busch) Series, Natalie Decker spending the week working on her tan, Sam Busch by the pool and Hooters Gianna in the shower. I mean, how could you not be intrigued?

How's THAT for a loaded menu of some of our finest NASCAR WAGs? You ain't finding that anywhere else today, I promise. 

Four tires, some fuel, and then maybe a few more tires just in case these Goodyears don't make it very far … Monday Morning Pit-Stop – the ‘HAVE YOU EVER, NO I HAVE NEVER!’ edition is LIVE!

We haven't seen a NASCAR race like that in quite some time 

Look, I think yesterday was a major success for NASCAR. I don't care if you hated the racing and the tire-wear and the chaos, the black suits in the glass building across from Daytona loved it. 

Why? It got the people talking. Got the fans fired up. Had NASCAR trending all day on Elon's free speech Twitter. 

That's not a given anymore in this climate, by the way. It was back in the 90s and early-2000s, but now? No sir. 

So, yes – Bristol was a huge success. 

Now, was it a bit jarring for everyone, especially at first? Of course. I'm not sure anyone saw that coming. Having tires start to fall off/rip apart 50 laps into a green flag run is pretty unheard of in today's NASCAR, but it's not unprecedented. 

Frankly, it's what happens all the time in grassroots racing. It's the sort of racing a ton of drivers in the garage grew up in. Hell, that's probably why you had three vets – Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski – finish 1-2-3. 

If you don't know how to manage a tire, and manage your automobile, you weren't gonna be there at the end, as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville would say. 

And even some of the folks who did manage their tires well … hated it!

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is firmly in the pro-Bristol camp

Come on, Kyle! Don't be such a baby. It's better than the follow-the-leader for 500 laps, ain't it? Unless you're an F1 fan, of course. 

What did you guys think? Love it? Hate it? The pulse of the garage, at least from my very unofficial poll, seems to have liked it more than wet towel Kyle Larson. 

I hesitate to do this, because I enjoy my fairly empty mailbox, but … let me know at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com. 

Gulp. 

Look, I'd find more reaction, but you get the point. Some hated it, of course, but plenty of folks loved it. 

I think there's probably a middle ground to find moving forward for a race like this, and it's one NASCAR teams will probably find on their own. Should tires start going to hell 50 laps into a run? Maybe not. Maybe that's a little too early. 

But my guess is, teams – and Goodyear – would find a way to make them last another 40-50 laps next time, especially now that we all have a little warning. Adapt or die, I reckon. 

Now, let's check in with an unfiltered, and probably (definitely) a little drunk Dale Earnhardt Jr. to get his thoughts. 

Dale?

Everyone loves Denny Hamlin, but we're using everyone loosely 

Look, if Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s on board, NASCAR should be on board. I'm serious. That's as easy a barometer as you're gonna find in a sport. 

Before NASCAR ever does something, they need to ask themselves, Will Junior like this?

If the answer's yes, then pedal to the floor! If it's no, abort the damn mission!

Simple. Effective. Raise hell!

Now, let's talk about the Bristol crowd … it wasn't aesthetically pleasing, and that's putting it nicely. 

The ones who were there were apparently fired up. They not only booed the usual suspects, like Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace, but they also booed … Chase Elliott? 

Huh?

Wild. Do ya'll hate Chase now? Is it just because of last year and the current losing streak? Has the shtick worn off at this point? Weird. 

Anyway, back to the crowd …

Look, it was a tough spot for NASCAR and Bristol. This race is never this early in the season, for starters. That's because it's usually cold. Strike 1. 

It's also never on St. Patrick's Day, which, unfortunately, fell on a Sunday this year. Strike 2. 

Side note: Is there a more overrated holiday than St. Patrick's Day? Ask Dale, and he'll say No! And, again, he's right. 

There's no Strike 3, but you get my point. I give the folks a pass on this one. I expect a different vibe come September. 

Let's check in on the NASCAR Xfinity fellas on the way out

Denny won't say it anymore, but I will – he beat your favorite driver, losers! Deal with it. 

Now, let's quickly head down a level to the Xfinity (Busch) boys before we wrap it up with the Cup girls. 

Remember Nick Sanchez? That psychopath down there that got in a bloody brawl with Matt Crafton last fall and threatened to murder him?

Well … he's back!!!

Hooters Gianna hits the shower and takes us into a big week

Does THAT look like a cat Stewart should be messing with? I'd do WHATEVER it takes to keep Nick Sanchez on my good side. I don't care if he's 150 pounds soaking wet – those are the ones you need to keep an eye on at all times. 

He scares the bejesus out of me. Nicky here screams psycho. No shot I'd get in a ring with him. 

Now, let's enjoy the NASCAR WAGs as we cool down and get ready for a big week of March Madness. 

First up? The GOAT, of course – Hooters Gianna!

Who doesn't love a spicy shower? Ask Dale! He'd tell you, nobody!

And he'd be right … again!

Now, here's Sam Busch and Natalie Decker on the way out. Strong week for the WAGS of the Garage. Tire-shmire! That's what we really care about the end of the day!

See everyone in Austin.