Before reading my Response below PLEASE remember that I have no problems with Shawn or his opinions. There are not many people out there who put the effort into articles and news of our favorite tracks and Tours the way Shawn does. BUT, I just do not agree much with his opinions of the Bristol event.

1. Shawn, I ask you how many other races the Tour runs on a track with Bristol's banking and surface. Not to mention the entirely new vision challenges. Only 4 cautions (one for rain) for a first time visit sounds pretty good to me. 

2. Ok, the race was not the most exciting event ever. BUT, it was not the much anticipated wreckfest either. It was, IN MY OPINION, played out perfectly for television. Television is the ONLY thing keeping this divison from becoming more than a Regional Series.  A basically Live (45 tape delayed) audience witnessed a historical event at NASCAR's most popular track. An event with two drivers that are pretty much household names. 

3. Shawn, I also challenge you to show me a firtst time event at any track smaller than a mile  that did not have either several wrecks or no action. If not for the double-file restart (that by the way started in NASCAR with the Modifieds) those $15 million a year plus sponsered taxi-cabs would be as exciting as watching paint dry. 

4. Finally, I do not see where this event was hyped up as much as you make it out to have been. At least this race had an exciting finish. Seems to me the Daytona 500 has WAY more hype. What a "Great American Race" or "Super Bowl Of Racing" that DEFINITELY WAS NOT!!!!!!