This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is deep in the heart of Texas to bring you this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. This week's dish is a heapin' helpin' of Texas-style BBQ, complete with all the fixin's one could ever want to have, and washed down with plenty of Coke. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: this week's winner gets to be first in line. I think he started somewhere around Irving and worked his way to the front. (Actually, he started 30th.) Give credit to Mike Ford and the rest of the 11 crew in making the car better as the race went on. He takes the points lead over Jimmie Johnson with two races left. But it's far from over.
Roush Fenway Racing: led by Matt Kenseth (2nd), they had two other drivers in the top 10: Greg Biffle (5th) and David Ragan (8th). Even Carl Edwards ran well until fading to 19th. They were strong when they unloaded and stayed strong throughout the race weekend.
Mark Martin: he's running like the Martin of last year--being there at the end and giving himself a chance to win the race. Since Dover, the 5 team has turned the corner, giving them optimism going into next year.
Joey Logano: easily his best career finish at Texas. He ran strong all race long and even led late. Good job kid!
Paul Menard: another strong effort from the #98 driver. I'm looking forward to seeing him run in an RCR car next season.
Kevin Harvick: he started 26th but as is his MO, he worked his way to the front. Was about to fade into oblivion until a very late caution came out and he pitted. Benefitted from being on the opposite side of Greg Biffle and JJ being behind Biff. (Biffle had no second gear and had to lay back on restarts.)
Jeff Gordon/Jeff Burton: I'm only putting these two in here for what happened after a caution. Burton wrecked Gordon under caution, Gordon was none too happy (and I don't blame him ONE BIT) and brawled with Burton on the backstretch. Gordon threw a punch that grazed Burton in the ear. In the words of my fellow blogger YeeMum, HE (Gordon) HITS LIKE A GIRL! THOSE ARE NOT MY WORDS! It looked like Gordon confronted Burton with bad intentions and was ready to kick some serious ass. GOOD FOR HIM! I'm an RCR fan (Harvick being my favorite RCR driver) and that was totally unnecessary by Burton. Needless to say, it ruined a strong run by Gordon.
Honorable Mention: Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, and Marcos Ambrose.
THE BAD
The 48 pit crew: to put it mildly, they were PUTRID. In fact, they were so bad they were replaced IN MID-RACE by the 24 crew after Gordon and Burton's wreck. Prior to the mid-race yanking, the 48 crew was consistently costing JJ positions on pit road. The 24 crew did a much better job and put JJ in a position to steal a win. Could a crew swap be in the works? It worked for the 29.
THE UGLY
Martin Truex Jr.: he brought out multiple cautions for accidents. No matter what the 56 crew tried to do to the car to tighten it up, it wouldn't tighten. The final caution he caused finished off the 56, bringing an end to a VERY ugly day.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
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11 comments:
given that, despite not being listed in that stupid AT&T poll, Kyle's pit crew have been the best all year by some margin, I wonder if JGR will swap them with Denny's when we get to Homestead...
I give Kyle an UGLY for spinning, speeding, and shooting.
Totally uncalled for. The official that he disrespected had nothing to do with his speeding penalty. I hope M&Ms and JGR fine him also. Like what Home Depot once did to Tony.
I thought Denny's crew was solid, but not spectacular. Denny did the rest today. Denny HAS to be considered the favorite to win his first Cup title. Don't be surprised if the 24 and 48 swap crews at Phoenix.
Yeah, that was an oversight on my part, Kyle giving the international "You're #1, buddy" signal to the NASCAR official. He was unfortunate he wasn't parked--he'd have only lost a couple more positions!
There sure was a lot of emotion displayed by Jeffy, Jeff, Kyle, and the 48 pit crew as they packed up the 24 pit. Great race, and with Phoenix next, it's only going to get more intense!
CR, I agree! I think Hamlin's due for a slip up--I think the pressure's going to get to him. Even in the post-race interview he was feeling the pressure. JJ's Four-Time, and Harvick's won a couple of Busch Series titles, so he knows how to win championships.
I reckon all of them are feeling it, Jon. Harvick has to feel bummed out that his great car went to crap like it did, Vader's not used to doing the chasing and Denny's never won a title before, lol
jon,
I've got to agree with tez... It's a high pressure crap shoot. Of the three one will crap out, two will contend to the end sweatin' bullets all the way...
Kyle blew up and got what he deserved... UGLY!
Tez, Phoenix seems to be a MUCH-needed tonic for Harvick. When he slapped the wall it tightened the car up considerably and it went to junk. He was fortunate that Carpentier brought out the caution with seven laps to go so he could pit and have the crew loosen the car up. He went to fourth at one point before fading to sixth. Had the caution NOT come out, Harvick would have finished in the teens, and his title chances would have been done.
Dwindy, he sure did! I have a feeling you're going to see JJ crap out and have it be a shootout between Hamlin and Harvick at Homestead. It's going to be a small mistake that does them in, like a speeding penalty on pit road late in the race to try to get track position. They'll get a pass-through penalty under green, and put them a lap or two down. Small mistakes have plagued the 48 team all year and it's going to bite them BIG TIME at Phoenix. The 48 crew HAS to be demoralized and that mid-race yanking WILL weigh on them big-time. (Unless Hendrick has the guys from the 24 crew go to the 48 and vice versa.)
I am very interested in seeing how JJ's crew recovers from that smack down. I think Knaus has ruined their morale for the rest of the season but I could be wrong - maybe they bounce back with a vengeance!
I think JJ dominates as usual in the desert - I've seen him win way too many times. BUT I am not going this time so maybe someone else will steal a win to keep it interesting.
Kristen, Hendrick swapped crews for the remainder of the season. Gordon's old crew is with JJ, and vice versa. Worked for Harvick and Bowyer earlier in the Chase. I don't think it's going to work this time. I think you'll see a new champion this year. The 48 top to bottom has had issues, and the pressure of being the four-time defending champion is wearing on that team. Harvick is in the best position, believe it or not. He and the 29 team have NOTHING to lose, so they're going all-out. Hamlin's team now has to play defense, and you can sense the pressure they're feeling in Mike Ford's postrace interview.
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