This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew brings to you, from Glitter Gulch, the glammed-up version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with glamor (Kim Kardashian, the co-Grand Marshal), glitz (Las Vegas), and grace (Jimmie Johnson). Race ya to the nearest buffet table! Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Jimmie Johnson: as the race winner, he gets first billing. While he didn't lead the most laps, and he was stuck in 20th to start, this win was as much the crew as the driver. The crew put him in a position to win by making the car better as the race went on. He also benefitted from going with four tires on the final pit stop while Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick each went with two. This is the seventh time in his career he has won at least two races in a row, and the 15th time he has won on a 1.5 mile track, breaking the record shared with Dale Earnhardt and Gordon.
Kevin Harvick: he got stuck towards the back by a poor qualifying effort, starting in 34th. But he slowly worked his way up the field to 17th at the first pit stop. Midway through the race, he and crew chief Gil Martin gambled on a no-tire stop to get track position, and it paid off, moving the #29 into the top 5. And he pretty much stayed there the rest of the race. He was able to overtake Gordon late for second, but didn't have the juice to catch Johnson. He leaves Las Vegas with the points lead intact. (I should just copy and paste last week's GBU!)
Jeff Gordon: he had the dominant car for most of the race, but a gamble on two tires on his final pit stop proved costly. He lost the lead to Johnson shortly thereafter, then lost second place to Harvick.
Mark Martin: he pretty much hung out in the lower half of the top 10 on back for most of the race, but got stronger when it mattered. Although he didn't lead a lap, he was able to keep out of trouble and had solid pit stops.
Matt Kenseth: could this be a sign that he's back and ready to contend again? He was strong throughout the weekend, qualified fairly well, and finished very strong. The move of Todd Parrott to crew chief has paid dividends for Kenseth and the #17 team, as he has run very well since the move. He had his typical Kenseth race: you don't hear from him until later in the race, then wonder, "Where did he come from?"
Joey (Kid) Logano: another strong race by The Kid. He has taken that next step in his progress as a Cup driver. He's becoming more consistent and is finding his groove. Could he make the Chase? He has a great chance if he leaves Bristol in the top 12.
Team Canada: although this isn't NASCAR-related, congratulations to Team Canada on winning the gold medal in men's hockey. And another Good goes out to the NBC hockey crew. They may be the best team of broadcasters in sports. Certainly the most underrated broadcasters.
Honorable Mention: Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle.
THE BAD
Aric Almirola: like the Good category and the winner, the first start and parker gets first billing in this category. Aric, claim your prize in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room.
Jamie McMurray: I was hoping I wouldn't have had to put him in this category all season, but I must today. He took out two good cars in Kurt Busch and Juan Pablo Montoya in a wreck. Montoya wasn't too pleased and had some sharp words for his teammate. I can imagine the tension in the EGR garage this week! Although both Busch and Montoya returned to the race, Montoya finished 20 laps down and Busch finished 18 laps down.
THE UGLY
The race itself: it was a snoozefest between Johnson and Gordon. Those of you that are sick of HMS dominance, raise your hands. (Raises hands) I was switching between the hockey and the race.
The Fox broadcast crew: as good as they were at Daytona, they were equally as bad in Vegas. It's like they're this antiseptic, politically correct, ballless crew afraid of calling anyone out. Put Mike Milbury of NBC's hockey coverage in the Fox booth and let him do his thing and get out of his way. I guarantee you, the broadcasts would be quite entertaining. I could picture him calling out the #88 crew in no uncertain terms after last week's axle fiasco.
NASCAR: what the HELL are you thinking having Kim Kardashian and Carroll Shelby CO-Grand Marshals? I wouldn't have KK as Grand Marshal for a FLEA race, much less a Sprint Cup race!! And to have an automotive icon such as Carroll Shelby SHARE the stage with KK? Are you FREAKING NUTS?? Mr. Shelby has worked in the automotive industry for a LOT longer than KK has been alive. He has designed some of the world's best cars and is STILL on the cutting edge of automotive design, even at 87 years of age. A sub-Good to Ms. Kardashian for marketing her new fragrance to a new audience.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
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8 comments:
Yay! for Joey!
of course, I shall be biased and say the TSN guys are better than the NBC ones....mainly since I didn't watch the NBC cover of 'the game'. Though I do think the US team should get a 'good' as well as without them, that game would have never been one of the best ice hockey matches in history :)
I was really checked out during the race this week despite the fact it was on most of the time...HMS up front most of the day with little to no passing for lead or elsewhere just made it boring compared to the crisp, exciting hockey game.
Kurt getting wrecked early didnt help my cause either...
Some usual Chasers having slow start this year. Atlanta should be interesting!
Jon:
I think you summed up this race when you said snooze fest. It put me to sleep for just about all the race.
Beverly, he's made dramatic strides since this time last year. For JGR, he's a keeper.
Tez, that hockey match will be talked about for many years to come. Sidney Crosby is Joe Montana on skates--doesn't have the greatest numbers, but he's cool as a cucumber on the biggest stages, and makes the biggest plays on those stages. And he makes his teammates better players.
Kristen, when HMS is leading practically every lap, it makes the racing boring. I missed the part of the race that Kurt wrecked, but Cupcake had something to do with it from seeing the highlights. If some usual chasers continue to struggle after Atlanta, look for them to be desperate at Bristol.
Photogr, it was also a good reason to get caught up on household errands and see the NASCAR.COM ticker.
Excellent GBU. Logano's big consistency test will come next week in Atlanta where he hasn't fared so well in the past.
Like your copy/paste comment. I considering doing that myself for this week's bullets... lol. I don't think the results for two races in a row have ever been so close...
Gonger, thanks. If Logano can leave Atlanta and Bristol with a top 15 finish in each race, he's almost a lock to make the Chase. In all the years I've seen NASCAR, it's the first time I can recall the same two drivers finishing 1-2 in consecutive races. And it wouldn't surprise me if Johnson and Harvick do it again.
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