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Random thoughts about NASCAR as the traveling road show heads to the heartland and a Sunday show at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

So what's all the fuss about water bottles and what drivers do with them. From this standpoint, it's quite simply making a mountain out of a hole hill.

Of course if one's favorite driver is slowed by the mole hill, then it's a different story. Just look at the reaction from Loudon last Sunday as the result of a yellow flag being thrown at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Water bottles on the track isn't new. Drivers don't want to take the chance of an empty water bottle eventually finding its way behind the gas, or brake, pedal and neither does NASCAR.

In a weekly interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio , Steve O'Donnell, executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said it's not a new issue but drivers should not press their luck with intent.

“If someone is purposely trying to manipulate a caution, that's not something that is going to be tolerated,” O'Donnell said, “and we'll have to look into that further as we go and we'll address that with the teams also.

“Coming off pit road sometimes you see it down on the apron where some water bottles are discarded.”

NASCAR did not/could not determine whose bottle it was. Short of an on-the-spot DNA test, or a lucky television shot, that would be hard to prove.

Golf and tennis may be gentleman's sports, but gentlemen NASCAR drivers go to the very edge

Midweek race: Seemingly, each year there is always talk of NASCAR holding a Sprint Cup race during the week, much like the Truck race this week at Eldora . It has the potential to generate good viewing numbers and perhaps get some folks interested in the sport who otherwise don't watch.

The sports calendar is very crowded, that's a fact. Depending on the season, the calendar is full of baseball, hockey and basketball games at virtually every level.

However, if NASCAR should consider a midweek race (preferably at a short track), the Wednesday after the annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game would be the ideal date. There are no baseball games scheduled, both hockey and basketball are out of season; it's the perfect date, the only major league event on the schedule.

Remembering Coach: While many folks have many different memories of “Coach,” the late Les Richter, there is one not many know about: his impact on getting NASCAR to the Brickyard.

Richter is perhaps best remembered in NASCAR for having run Riverside International Raceway; preceding Mike Helton as vice president of competition; being a founding member of the International Race of Champions; or helping Roger Penske in building California Speedway (now Auto Club Speedway).

He was also a lobbyist for NASCAR and spent time not only in Washington, D.C., but in Indianapolis. He was very much a behind-the-scenes player in getting the Hulman family to approve the stock car organization holding a race at the famed track.

Richter is in both the College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame. His name has been included in discussions for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, but has not been in the final list in several years.