We’re on the weekend with wide open racing on tap setting the stage for Memorial Day weekend. For those who only tune in to racing on the occasional big event, the Indy 500 opening rounds are this weekend. Qualifying is set for both Saturday and Sunday with the green flag coming next weekend. On top of getting primed for open wheel Indianapolis, the NASCAR All Star is Saturday evening.

So far, the NASCAR season has been hot with rivalry, controversy and some raw nerves. Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart and Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch. Joe Gibbs, Matt Kenseth and NASCAR. Penske and NASCAR.

That almost begins to cover the range of friction leading up to Charlotte…

The All Star format sets out four opening heat races leading to the final showdown. There are no Cup points. This is a simple drive to win for a big payday. A really big payday. The overall winner opens the wallet to receive one million dollars. If that same driver wins all five segments there is an additional one million bucks thrown in.

Now… Who isn’t going to try to drive to two million dollars? Throw in the shadow of the baggage being brought to Charlotte by drivers holding a chip for some other and you open the gate for some real racing from flag to flag.

Look at this way. The last piece of chocolate cake is on the buffet. You want it. And as you make your way for it the guy that cut you off for the last cut of prime rib is also going in. Are you going to be polite and give way or are you putting “prime rib” into the champagne fountain and going for the cake?

Yeah… That’s the All Star race. Previous infractions, real or imagined, all flood into view if you’ve been spun or walled by the driver in front or beside you. If a nudge is going to put him off pace and net your bank account a cool million, and that driver has cost you position in the past, that decision may be very easy and tempting to make.

Or maybe you consider the past rivalries coming in and try to position yourself to take advantage of two hot tempers taking each other out and giving you a shot to cruise right on by and to the bank…

Or maybe your season hasn’t been as well as you would like and a win and payoff could put you back in with some momentum…

Or maybe you just want a million bucks…

Or maybe you’re thinking of those IndyCar drivers and how luxurious it must be to go race with no pressure. After all, it’s only the Indy 500. What is that when you are a fender, and a decision, away from a million dollars?