Random Lugnuts: "The Double" is back!

Topics:  Indianapolis 500 What is Random Lugnuts?  It's random bits of stock car racing commentary written on an irregular basis by an irregular racing fan.  The name is a reference to the lugnuts that go flying off a car during a pit stop:  you never know where they are going to go, what they're going to do when they get there, they can be annoying, they're often useless after a race, and every once in a while someone gets hit and they don't know exactly where it came from. Opinions expressed by Bill Crittenden are not official policies or positions of The Crittenden Automotive Library. You can read more about the Library's goals, mission, policies, and operations on the About Us page.

Bill Crittenden
March 4, 2014

"The Double" is back!  NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion (yeah, it's been a while) Kurt Busch is going to take a shot at the Indianapolis 500 this year before making the trip to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600.  1,100 miles in one day, and as always a shot to make history.

Okay, NASCAR driver and all-around great guy A.J. Allmendinger ran last year's Indy 500, but he hasn't had that much success on the stock car side of life, so it didn't get as much attention.

Anyway, there have been a lot of crossovers from Indy to NASCAR, most notably Kurt's teammates Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick. Dario Franchitti took a shot at NASCAR, as did Juan Pablo Montoya and John Andretti, but there have been few that have gone the other direction, and none with any real success.

We've seen what IndyCar drivers can do in a 3600-lb. stock car, perhaps it's time to see what NASCAR's best can really do against some of the world's best IndyCar drivers in 240 mph open wheel cars.

So here's my list of who I'd love to see "do the double."

7.)  Danica Patrick  Okay, not really one of "NASCAR's best," but who wants to see the driver's meeting?  "I'm baaaaaack.  Didja miss me?"

6.)  Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.  number 10 on this list's boyfriend, sometimes it's good for a relationship to have shared experiences.  And Danica giving him pointers, sitting on his pit box talking him through, what could be cuter?

5.)  Kyle Busch  of course, this hothead with awesome car control would be more exciting to watch in IndyCars on a banked oval like Texas, but anything to see what he can do at 240 mph would be welcome.

4 & 3.)  Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon  ten NASCAR Championships between them, guys that the "good ol' boys" of NASCAR never fully welcomed as their own, haven't we always wondered how this pair of NASCAR champions would stack up if they had gone open wheel?  Or is that just Southerners wishing they'd go away...?

2.)  Tony Stewart  remember how emotional he got about winning the Brickyard 400?  Or that he still honors A.J. Foyt in his car number every year?  Or that IndyCar hasn't had a great "tell-it-like-it-is" character since Paul Tracy left?

1.).  Dale Earnhardt Jr.  this year, of all years, he has the (very slim) chance to win Daytona and Indy in the same year.  Slim chance, but he could single-handedly restore the Indianapolis 500 to the level of viewership and attention it used to enjoy.

Bonus:  Tony Kanaan  I really want to see him in a competitive car at Charlotte after he's driven at Indy!