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CONCORD -- Has NASCAR racing become a lost art?

In this ADD world of pop-ups, cut-ins and instant updates, society wants action and wants it now. Yet, this era of NASCAR doesn't always deliver. Saturday's All-Star race proved another such example.

Drivers complained about an inability to pass. Runner-up Greg Biffle couldn't understand how he lost when he had two fresher tires than winner Kasey Kahne. Carl Edwards, strong in the middle of the race, was baffled why his car changed so much and he was mired mid-pack at the finish.

Fans filled Internet forums with complaints about boring racing. This isn't the first time they've cried for better racing. Or declared they're done with the sport (even as TV ratings improve).

Sure, everyone talked about the finish at Richmond earlier this month when Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. made contact, but don't forget that Denny Hamlin led 381 of the first 382 laps. Kyle Busch led 93 of the last 98 laps and won at Darlington. Texas proved so dreary -- Edwards led 122 of the last 125 laps -- that NASCAR added a two-day test at Lowe's Motor Speedway in hopes of providing better racing for the All-Star event and this week's Coca-Cola 600.

"The test did nothing to help us," Matt Kenseth said.

Saturday night's All-Star race, known for its crashing and controversy, had neither. It also didn't have a caution.

"You couldn't run as close as you normally would and that probably kept everybody from having problems," Tony Stewart said.

When Kahne motored past Denny Hamlin's sputtering car for the lead with 17 laps left, there wasn't anyone close enough to challenge. It then became a matter of reaching the finish and Kahne deciding how he'll spend his portion of the $1 million he earned.

"As far as the car, the tires, the track, it's difficult," Kahne said. "It's difficult to pass cars. It's difficult to run behind cars. It seems like they don't work as well."

Races aren't decided as often on the track as they are in the pits, the garage or back in the shop. That's nothing new but maybe that's what the sport has become. Sure, there will be on-track battles sometimes but other places will be more about what is done off the track.

Credit crew chiefs Chad Knaus and Kenny Francis for not having their drivers, Jimmie Johnson and Kahne, take tires on the final pit stop Saturday night. That gave them the track position both drivers hadn't had in the first 75 laps. Johnson, who couldn't crack the top five in the first three segments, was first for the final 25-lap segment (he finished fourth). Kahne, who had the same problem, restarted second.

Is watching what a pit crew does or doesn't do enough to entice a fan to pay $75 or more for a ticket? Is it enough to lure that fan to pay nearly $4 a gallon to drive to the track and sit in traffic to see those few seconds when the race is decided?

The racing, fans hope, gets better as teams learn how to make the new cars run at the bigger tracks. It will take time, which will mean this weekend's Coca-Cola 600 might need a fantastic finish to make up for what could be a dull race.

"It should be a real tough, tough 600," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. "Probably tougher than any other one any of us has ever ran."

The key question in this issue revolves around the fans. It goes back to something Johnson said after finishing second at Texas when he was peppered with questions about the quality of racing that day.

"Did you enjoy the race?" Johnson said. "That's the ultimate judge of it."

It's an answer that could scare NASCAR -- one that could lead series officials to make some changes to improve the racing.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com

Race Finish

FIN. ST. DRIVER CAR LAPS MONEY

1. 24 Kasey Kahne Dodge 100 $1,012,975

2. 5 Greg Biffle Ford 100 $455,950

3. 14 Matt Kenseth Ford 100 $137,975

4. 21 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 100 $97,950

5. 12 Tony Stewart Toyota 100 $92,950

6. 8 Ryan Newman Dodge 100 $87,950

7. 23 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 100 $82,800

8. 11 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 100 $101,800

9. 13 Mark Martin Chevrolet 100 $80,800

10. 19 Carl Edwards Ford 100 $154,800

11. 16 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 100 $78,775

12. 10 Bobby Labonte Dodge 100 $77,775

13. 17 Casey Mears Chevrolet 100 $76,775

14. 15 Juan Pablo Montoya Dodge 100 $76,275

15. 2 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 100 $85,675

16. 4 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet 100 $75,400

17. 22 AJ Allmendinger Toyota 100 $75,300

18. 9 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 100 $75,200

19. 6 Jamie McMurray Ford 100 $75,100

20. 7 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 100 $75,000

21. 18 Dale Jarrett Toyota 100 $74,900

22. 3 Kurt Busch Dodge 100 $79,800

23. 20 Denny Hamlin Toyota(e) 84 $74,700

24. 1 Kyle Busch Toyota(e) 50 $199,601

* All drivers were running at the end of the race unless noted: (e) engine

Race Statistics

Time of race: 1 hour, 8 minutes, 38 seconds.

Cautions: None.

Lead changes: 7 among 7 drivers.

Lap leaders: Ky.Busch 1-38; C.Edwards 39-50; D.Earnhardt Jr. 51-64; G.Biffle 65-75; D.Hamlin 76-77; J.Johnson 78; D.Hamlin 79-83; K.Kahne 84-100.

Leaders summary (Driver, Times Led, Laps Led): Kyle Busch 1 time for 38 laps; Kasey Kahne 1 time for 17 laps; Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1 time for 14 laps; Carl Edwards 1 time for 12 laps; Greg Biffle 1 time for 11 laps; Denny Hamlin 2 times for 7 laps; Jimmie Johnson 1 time for 1 lap.