This week, the Crappafoni pictures crew is in the mountains of New Hampshire to bring you this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with New England Clam Chowder as the main course, washed down with copious amounts of Samuel Adams. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Jimmie Johnson: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He was strong in practice, strong in qualifying, and strong in the race. While he only led 8 laps in the race, he led the most important lap.
Tony Stewart: Smoke overcame a bad pit stop early in the race when his gas man didn't completely fill up the tank and had to pit off sequence the remainder of the race. But in the end it paid off as he was able to take the wave around on a late caution. Great job by Smoke in fighting through heavy traffic to finish second. He led two laps through two rounds of green flag pit stops.
Kurt Busch: like Johnson, he was strong in practice, strong in qualifying, strong in the race, and led 8 laps. Only difference is in the finish. For a moment, it looked like the Blue Deuce WAS going to win. But he didn't get a far enough lead and Johnson applied the chrome horn in kind.
Jeff Gordon: he was mired in the lower half of the top 10 on the final restart, but got a GREAT run and passed a bunch of cars in Turn 1 to vault into fourth, where he eventually finished. While he didn't lead a lap, he was strong throughout.
Kevin Harvick: Happy did a great job in climbing from 24th starting position. At one point he was third, but got shuffled to fifth on the final restart. He didn't lead a lap, but was very patient in picking his way through the field. A solid points day for Happy as he is 105 points ahead of Johnson. As the races wind down to the Chase, he could clinch a spot by the time the Bristol night race.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: he started even farther back than Harvick, starting 31st. Like Happy, he showed great patience in picking his way through the field. Even though he's 13th in the points, he's only three points back of Carl Edwards for the final Chase spot. Junior's GOTTA be salivating because guess what's next: Daytona! I wouldn't rule out a Jr victory at Daytona. The 88 team is putting it together at the right time and they are gaining momentum as the races wind down.
Ryan Newman: Flyin' Ryan was solid all day. He kept the 39's nose clean and was in the top 10 for much of the race. He led a lap in an early round of green flag pit stops. That one lap led gave him the five bonus points he sorely needed to gain one position in the points and is only 15 points behind Edwards for 12th. He's ONE point ahead of Clint Bowyer.
Honorable Mention: Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Jeff Burton, AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, and Marcos Ambrose.
THE BAD
Max Papis: he drew the short stick at this week's start and parkers meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. Mad Max ran a grand total of 11 laps before calling it a day.
Reed Sorenson: WHY were you racing a lead-lap car like you were trying to get your lap back. I'd totally understand IF JPM was leading the race and you were trying to get your lap back. He was faster than you; you should have let him go. You just PLAIN DUMPED HIM. You have talent, but ZERO track sense. Relinquish the ride and give it to Mattias Eckstrom.
THE UGLY
Reed Sorenson: see above.
Kasey Kahne: he's not so much Ugly as Unlucky. He led the most laps before he blew an engine. A sub-Good for that.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
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9 comments:
I missed most of the race. So thanks for the rundown Jon!
No problem CR! You didn't miss much!
the race *just* kept me awake once the V8's were done...took a nap afterwards though, lol
It was a snooze fest at best. And to think I woke up to see JJ win.
Wake me up when Daytona starts.
Right on this week. Too bad the dinger got shuffled back late. It was fun seeing him up front. Also, it was a great run by Harvick. He looked like Mark Martin out there by keeping his nose clean and showing up at the front at the end.
Tez, don't blame you one bit for that nap! I imagine the V8 races were a LOT more interesting!
Photogr, I'm just glad Loudon's out of the way! But then we have Pocono and Michigan awaiting later in the summer. Can we LOSE Pocono and Michigan??
JM, thanks. I agree with you about Dinger running up front. Harvick's run was clutch, because JJ was up front all day and he only lost a few points to JJ. But there were a couple of instances where Harvick could have been caught up in someone else's mess. A tough break for Kahne when his engine blew up. He had the best car up to that point.
I would give AJ a Good. He was top 5-8 all day.
Junior would not have even been top-10 at the end if Burton or Sorenson could drive. Don't get your hopes up too high for Jr at Daytona either. It's been a long time since he won a points race at a plate track. 5 or 6 years, at least.
Really proud of the #2 crew - that was a test setup for Chase they ran and made work...these guys could give JJ, Hamlin your beloved Happy a run for the champ this year!
Gene, AJ was strong. An oversight on my part.
Kristen, they're going to be strong in the Chase. I wouldn't rule out a run for the title.
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