If you are a NASCAR fan, then you know that last week was an off week for the Cup series. And since there was no racing, there is nothing for me to write about except for the fact that there was no racing.

And it leads me to ask, why?

Why have I seen six races in 2010 and seen not one, but two off-weeks in the young season? Great finish at Atlanta, then an off-week. Two great finishes at Bristol and Martinsville, then an off-week. It’s not a good thing.

In the last month, there have been two Cup races. What is this, the IRL? The truck series? NASCAR’s scheduling killed any buzz it had created with some good racing.

The Carl Edwards-Brad Keselowski flap was dead by the time they pulled into Bristol. Quick, somebody tell me who won at Martinsville?

I know I wrote about this a bit a couple of weeks ago, but here we are in the second off-week, and the problem has only gotten worse for me.

And as you all know, it’s all about what I want.

NASCAR needs to go back to the drawing board when it comes to the Cup schedule. Why do you have two off-weeks in four weeks then only have one over the next 31?

From Phoenix this weekend until Chicago in July, there is no break. Then, from Indianapolis to Homestead in November, there are no off-weeks. That’s a 14-week stretch followed by a 17-week stretch.

While I will enjoy my uninterrupted racing action from here on out, I just think it’s dumb and counterproductive.

I get having Easter Sunday off. That just makes sense, even though some have argued for racing on Easter. But why not run a Friday-Saturday Nationwide-Cup event, much like this weekend at Phoenix or at Darlington, where the goal is to avoid racing on Mother’s Day?

What I don’t get is that off-week four weeks into the season. I get that it’s part of NASCAR’s traditional scheduling, but it’s a holdover from a schedule that had six or seven less races and had a month-long extravaganza at Daytona to kick off the season.

Now the schedule is much more packed with races and less time spent at Daytona in February. There is no need for a March off-week.

I see the need for some time off for the drivers and teams. A 36-race season is a whole lot of on-the-road grind for everybody involved. But the schedule isn’t going to get any easier, and dumping events is not an option.

Kentucky wants a race. Las Vegas and Kansas City want second races. Rockingham back on the schedule would be nice. Those are more scheduling problems.

Next year, we may not have to have this argument, because there may not be any off-weeks — or not. I don’t think NASCAR will go beyond the current 36-race schedule. But something has to give with this on-again, off-again run to kick off the year.

Simple solution, lose the March off-week. Move it back into the season a little more. Let some of the action build before sending everyone home for a couple of weeks.

Because without the racing action, I sure don’t have much to write about.