This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the desert this week (drying out from Daytona, no doubt) for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, southwestern-style.
THE GOOD:
Denny Hamlin: he gets first billing as this week's race winner. He redeemed himself after dominating the fall 2010 race there but ran out of gas late. He is now the points leader. Good job Denny!
Kevin Harvick: he led the most laps in the race and had a stout car. David Reutimann bringing out the caution for blowing an engine did not help, as Harvick had to pit just outside his pit window. He ran out of gas as he was taking the white flag and was on Hamlin's rear bumper. Still, he has a good start to the season.
Greg Biffle: he had a strong car early in the race, faded a bit, then came on strong at the end. He was running some of his best lap times late in the race. He's looking like the Biffle of a few years ago when he was a consistent finisher in the top 10, mixed in with winning a few races each season.
Jimmie Johnson: he came into Phoenix on a mission after his awful Daytona. He was in the top ten for pretty much the whole race, and it looked like he had the car to beat early on. But as the track got hotter, he couldn't run on the bottom as well as he did early in the race. Still, the fourth place finish gets him out of negative territory.
Brad Keselowski: not bad for starting 28th at a track where you need a good starting position. Through good pit strategy and smart adjustments, the Blue Deuce got better as the race went on. Good job BK!
Honorable Mention: Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, and Joey Logano.
THE BAD:
Michael McDowell: the Phoenix native drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. Too bad for the hometown fans. He ran a total of eight (out of 312) laps before declaring himself done for the day.
THE UGLY:
Clint Bowyer: not so much for him, but for the tire issues he had early in the race. He cut the right front tire twice within the first 30 laps. He found himself several laps down and never recovered.
ECR Engines: three cars that had ECR horsepower had engine issues: Jamie McMurray, David Reutimann, and Jeff Burton. McMurray and Reutimann blew engines, and Burton finished the race on seven cylinders. Burton was having a stout top 5 run when he lost a cylinder.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!
Showing posts with label Denny Hamlin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Denny Hamlin. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Sunday, June 19, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 Heluva Good! Sour Dips 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the Irish Hills region of Michigan for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with lots of snack foods and washed down with plenty of Coke. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: he gets this week's top spot as the race winner. Despite starting 10th, he fell backwards early. But the 11 got stronger as the race went on, and a great final pit stop put him out in front, and he led the final 8 laps. He must have got advice from Kevin Harvick this week on how to close, and paid attention. In times past, he would have settled for a top 10, but he was in desperate straits entering the race. Now he's in ninth place in the standings with a win in hand. It's still tenuous, but aside from the road courses, he's entering a favorable stretch of the season for him. Good job Denny!
Matt Kenseth: he had one of the best cars today, leading 16 laps. He spun the tires on the final restart, and had a self-imposed bobble on the final lap, costing him any shot at a win. A win would have tied him with Kevin Harvick for most wins this season. Next up is serpentine Sonoma, a track that has NOT been kind to him. Plus, he got bit by small mistakes on pit stops.
Kyle Busch: he was stout, leading 60 laps, and looked like he had the car to beat in the second third of the race. But on the final restart, he got shuffled back. He rebounded well enough to finish third.
Paul Menard: haven't seen you in awhile in this neck of the woods, Paul! He was strong in practice, had a good qualifying run (he started 9th), and spent a good part of the race in the top 10. He was bit by the last caution because had it been a fuel mileage race, he had enough to go the distance and the top 3 didn't. (Hamlin and Busch were a half-lap short, and Kenseth was a lap short.) A very solid run to go with strong practice and qualifying efforts.
Carl Edwards: he led a good portion of the first thirds of the race, leading 30 laps, and was always lurking. Although he started 23rd, he greatly benefitted from a lightning-fast first pit stop. (Maybe the fastest pit stop of the season so far.) That put him near the front, and he did the rest.
Greg Biffle: Biff led the most laps (68) but was shuffled back on the final restart. For awhile it looked like he was on a Sunday afternoon drive, with clean air and the field in the distance. A very solid all around run--good pit stops, no major issues in the pits, and a strong car added up to a very good run, save for the final five laps.
Kurt Busch: he was stout from the time the Double Deuce was unloaded. He won his third straight pole and led nine laps and might have had a chance to win if not for the final caution.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin, and Brian Vickers.
THE BAD
Michael McDowell: he ran a grand total of 28 laps before declaring himself done for the day. The official cause listed was "electrical." ME: Start and Park. He drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room prior to the race.
The race itself: it was a FREAKING SNOOZEFEST. It was between the U.S. Open golf tournament or this race. The Open won out more often than not. I should have recorded it to play it back every time I have trouble sleeping. If you're a smart doctor out there who has a patient or two that has trouble sleeping, get a tape of this race and GIVE it to your patients. They'll LOVE you for it. When you have GOLF winning out over a NASCAR race, it shows you how bad a snoozefest the race ACTUALLY was.
TNT (NOT dynamite): their race coverage was HORRENDOUS. Lindsay Czarniak is the one oasis in the desert that is TNT. Hopefully they'll get better for the Coke Zero 400.
THE UGLY
Jimmie Johnson: JJ was involved in an early crash, and by the time the damage was fixed, he was two laps down. A sub-Good to him for gaining spots through attrition. But he lost a few spots in the standings and is now fifth. While he'll still make the Chase, it's going to be harder for wins to come by. Every driver save the start and parkers is gunning for Five-Time, no one more so than Kevin Harvick.
Juan Pablo Montoya: he made a MAJOR tactical mistake when he realized that he was about to run out of gas and made a hard left turn right into Andy Lally. The subsequent damage put JPM two laps down and he never recovered. A shame, really, because that "Cars 2" scheme was SWEET.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in and post your comments.
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: he gets this week's top spot as the race winner. Despite starting 10th, he fell backwards early. But the 11 got stronger as the race went on, and a great final pit stop put him out in front, and he led the final 8 laps. He must have got advice from Kevin Harvick this week on how to close, and paid attention. In times past, he would have settled for a top 10, but he was in desperate straits entering the race. Now he's in ninth place in the standings with a win in hand. It's still tenuous, but aside from the road courses, he's entering a favorable stretch of the season for him. Good job Denny!
Matt Kenseth: he had one of the best cars today, leading 16 laps. He spun the tires on the final restart, and had a self-imposed bobble on the final lap, costing him any shot at a win. A win would have tied him with Kevin Harvick for most wins this season. Next up is serpentine Sonoma, a track that has NOT been kind to him. Plus, he got bit by small mistakes on pit stops.
Kyle Busch: he was stout, leading 60 laps, and looked like he had the car to beat in the second third of the race. But on the final restart, he got shuffled back. He rebounded well enough to finish third.
Paul Menard: haven't seen you in awhile in this neck of the woods, Paul! He was strong in practice, had a good qualifying run (he started 9th), and spent a good part of the race in the top 10. He was bit by the last caution because had it been a fuel mileage race, he had enough to go the distance and the top 3 didn't. (Hamlin and Busch were a half-lap short, and Kenseth was a lap short.) A very solid run to go with strong practice and qualifying efforts.
Carl Edwards: he led a good portion of the first thirds of the race, leading 30 laps, and was always lurking. Although he started 23rd, he greatly benefitted from a lightning-fast first pit stop. (Maybe the fastest pit stop of the season so far.) That put him near the front, and he did the rest.
Greg Biffle: Biff led the most laps (68) but was shuffled back on the final restart. For awhile it looked like he was on a Sunday afternoon drive, with clean air and the field in the distance. A very solid all around run--good pit stops, no major issues in the pits, and a strong car added up to a very good run, save for the final five laps.
Kurt Busch: he was stout from the time the Double Deuce was unloaded. He won his third straight pole and led nine laps and might have had a chance to win if not for the final caution.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin, and Brian Vickers.
THE BAD
Michael McDowell: he ran a grand total of 28 laps before declaring himself done for the day. The official cause listed was "electrical." ME: Start and Park. He drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room prior to the race.
The race itself: it was a FREAKING SNOOZEFEST. It was between the U.S. Open golf tournament or this race. The Open won out more often than not. I should have recorded it to play it back every time I have trouble sleeping. If you're a smart doctor out there who has a patient or two that has trouble sleeping, get a tape of this race and GIVE it to your patients. They'll LOVE you for it. When you have GOLF winning out over a NASCAR race, it shows you how bad a snoozefest the race ACTUALLY was.
TNT (NOT dynamite): their race coverage was HORRENDOUS. Lindsay Czarniak is the one oasis in the desert that is TNT. Hopefully they'll get better for the Coke Zero 400.
THE UGLY
Jimmie Johnson: JJ was involved in an early crash, and by the time the damage was fixed, he was two laps down. A sub-Good to him for gaining spots through attrition. But he lost a few spots in the standings and is now fifth. While he'll still make the Chase, it's going to be harder for wins to come by. Every driver save the start and parkers is gunning for Five-Time, no one more so than Kevin Harvick.
Juan Pablo Montoya: he made a MAJOR tactical mistake when he realized that he was about to run out of gas and made a hard left turn right into Andy Lally. The subsequent damage put JPM two laps down and he never recovered. A shame, really, because that "Cars 2" scheme was SWEET.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in and post your comments.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The 12 Chase Drivers for 2011
Greetings my fellow NASCAR fans! A new season is upon us. This is where you hope SOMEONE will be able to dethrone Jimmie Johnson THIS season. Having said that, here are my 12 drivers that will make the Chase this season, in predicted order of finish, starting with 12th. (An asterisk next to their name denotes wild card.)
- Jeff Burton*: he'll finish just outside the top 10, but will make it based on his three wins going into the Chase. But there are too many other good drivers ahead of him for him to make serious noise in the Chase. Predicted finish: 12th.
- Clint Bowyer: he'll be more consistent than last season. Predicted finish: 11th.
- Tony Stewart: I'm probably going to catch some flak from Smoke fans, but I see him having one bad race early in the Chase that will have him trailing the field. That one bad race will cost him a chance to win his third title. He'll do his best to catch up, but I only see him gaining three spots. But, if he avoids that, he'll be in contention. (I hope he's consistent, and he's in contention heading into Homestead.) Predicted finish: 10th.
- Jeff Gordon: we'll see him in Victory Lane this season. Paired with Alan Gustafson, I won't be surprised to see him contend for the title. However, I see him falling a bit short. Predicted finish: 9th.
- Kyle Busch: he'll be the only Busch Brother in the Chase. It's either going to be hit or miss. He'll have a few misses along with a lot of hits. He'll run better than last year, but the competition is very intense, and he'll fall short. Predicted finish: 8th.
- Greg Biffle: we'll see Biff in Victory Lane a few times this season, and he'll be strong heading into the Chase. But I see a late season fade. Predicted finish: 7th.
- Denny Hamlin: last year had to be demoralizing, when he had the championship lead going into Homestead, but made that crucial error allowing Jimmie Johnson to overtake him. I see some hangover this year. Predicted finish: 6th.
- Matt Kenseth: he'll be his usual consistent self in the Chase. He'll finish where he started in the Chase. Predicted finish: 5th.
- Jamie McMurray*: he'll finish behind Burton in the regular season standings, but get in based on his three wins going into the Chase. I see him getting on a roll and winning a couple more races in the Chase. He'll be in contention heading into Homestead, but struggles at Homestead will cost him a chance at a championship. He'll learn and grow from this. Predicted finish: 4th.
- Carl Edwards: he ended last season on a roll, winning the final two races and establishing himself as a contender. IF he finishes as strong as he starts, he COULD end up dethroning JJ. But I don't see it happening, at least not this year. He'll be stout, but fall just short. Predicted finish: 3rd.
- Kevin Harvick: he had arguably the best season of his Cup career. He led the points for much of the season. Due to the bonuses in the Chase, he started in third and finished there. He'll start in third and improve a position. Predicted finish: 2nd.
- Jimmie Johnson: he'll be here until someone dethrones him. I look for him to win a very tight battle between him, Harvick, and Edwards. Your 2011 Sprint Cup Champion: JIMMIE JOHNSON. Predicted finish: 1st and still Champion.
Those are my 12 Chase drivers for this year. It was very hard deciding on WHO was going to make the Chase, as I think 15 drivers could be Chase contenders. Just as I see these drivers I think could win it all: Johnson, Harvick, Edwards, McMurray, Stewart, Gordon, Kyle Busch, and Hamlin. LET'S GO RACIN' BOYS!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Reflections on the 2010 NASCAR season
We have one race to go before a bow is put on the 2010 season in NASCAR. One race. Four hundred miles. Three drivers within 46 points of each other. All that work from January to this point comes down to this, and possibly the final pit stop of the season. But before I get to the drama, I want to reflect on this season as not only a NASCAR fan, but as a Kevin Harvick fan.
Coming into this season, I had hopes that Harvick would bounce back and make the Chase. At the very least break his long winless streak. He finished the 2009 season strong, giving me and many other Harvick fans hope. Happy started strong and I was hoping Daytona would be where he would break his streak. He got bit by the new three G-W-C rule. Then consecutive second place finishes to Jimmie Johnson at California and Las Vegas and the lucky horseshoe quote after California.
Harvick took the points lead early in the season and held it for 20 consecutive weeks. FINALLY, that elusive win came at Talladega when he edged Jamie McMurray in a photo finish, making a gutsy pass with roughly a quarter mile to go. The pass was perfect; if Harvick passed too soon, McMurray could respond. If it was too late, he wouldn't have enough room to pass McMurray.
Happy would follow up with wins at Daytona and Michigan. The win at Michigan totally floored and surprised me. He not only won, he led the most laps en route to the win. He was STOUT. The late Dale Earnhardt won at Michigan ONE TIME, in 1990. Up to that point, it was RCR's only win at Michigan. If a Chevy won, it was usually from Hendrick Motorsports. But Michigan is where Roush Fenway Racing is usually dominant. I'd have been happy with a top 10!
Going into the Chase, Harvick lost his points lead to Denny Hamlin. He was 40 points behind Hamlin at Loudon. He's lost six points since. Now he has to make up all 46 points. It doesn't look good for Harvick, but 46 points is not a lot of ground to make up, particularly if Hamlin struggles and Harvick has a strong run. And Homestead may be Harvick's strongest track. He's completed every lap of every race, and has a slew of top 10's. In fact, in his last five Homestead starts, Harvick has four top 5's.
NOW the drama. As mentioned earlier, the top three drivers (Hamlin, Johnson, and Harvick) are within 46 points of each other. NONE of these drivers can afford even a minor slip up. A mistake or penalty can cost a driver a championship. Although Hamlin leads Johnson by 15 points, he's feeling the pressure of being the hunted. Johnson has not trailed going into the final race since 2005. Normally this race is a coronation for Johnson.
The scenarios.
Coming into this season, I had hopes that Harvick would bounce back and make the Chase. At the very least break his long winless streak. He finished the 2009 season strong, giving me and many other Harvick fans hope. Happy started strong and I was hoping Daytona would be where he would break his streak. He got bit by the new three G-W-C rule. Then consecutive second place finishes to Jimmie Johnson at California and Las Vegas and the lucky horseshoe quote after California.
Harvick took the points lead early in the season and held it for 20 consecutive weeks. FINALLY, that elusive win came at Talladega when he edged Jamie McMurray in a photo finish, making a gutsy pass with roughly a quarter mile to go. The pass was perfect; if Harvick passed too soon, McMurray could respond. If it was too late, he wouldn't have enough room to pass McMurray.
Happy would follow up with wins at Daytona and Michigan. The win at Michigan totally floored and surprised me. He not only won, he led the most laps en route to the win. He was STOUT. The late Dale Earnhardt won at Michigan ONE TIME, in 1990. Up to that point, it was RCR's only win at Michigan. If a Chevy won, it was usually from Hendrick Motorsports. But Michigan is where Roush Fenway Racing is usually dominant. I'd have been happy with a top 10!
Going into the Chase, Harvick lost his points lead to Denny Hamlin. He was 40 points behind Hamlin at Loudon. He's lost six points since. Now he has to make up all 46 points. It doesn't look good for Harvick, but 46 points is not a lot of ground to make up, particularly if Hamlin struggles and Harvick has a strong run. And Homestead may be Harvick's strongest track. He's completed every lap of every race, and has a slew of top 10's. In fact, in his last five Homestead starts, Harvick has four top 5's.
NOW the drama. As mentioned earlier, the top three drivers (Hamlin, Johnson, and Harvick) are within 46 points of each other. NONE of these drivers can afford even a minor slip up. A mistake or penalty can cost a driver a championship. Although Hamlin leads Johnson by 15 points, he's feeling the pressure of being the hunted. Johnson has not trailed going into the final race since 2005. Normally this race is a coronation for Johnson.
The scenarios.
- Hamlin: if he finishes ahead of Johnson and Harvick, he wins the title. Hamlin can still win the title if: 1) he wins the race and Johnson finishes second and leads the most laps; 2) he finishes second to Johnson AND leads the most laps.
- Johnson: HE wins IF he wins the race, leads the most laps, and Hamlin finishes fourth or worse; or he finishes four positions AHEAD of Hamlin and ahead of Harvick.
- Harvick: HE wins the title IF 1) he wins the race and leads the most laps AND Johnson finishes fourth or worse AND Hamlin finishes 8th or worse. But assuming none of the three wins the race but each leads laps, Harvick wins the title if he finishes six positions AHEAD of Johnson and ten positions ahead of Hamlin.
While Harvick has the toughest road to climb, he does have the experience of winning two Busch Series titles, so he knows how to win a championship. Obviously Johnson is Four-Time, and the record speaks for itself. While I'd love for Harvick to win, my head says Johnson is Five-Time, with Harvick finishing second in the points and Hamlin third. Something tells me Hamlin is going to struggle big time, and Johnson and Harvick will fight it out for the title.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Phoenix Pit Selections
I never thought in a million years I'd be talking pit stall selections. But after last week's wild and crazy race, pit stall selections have come to the forefront of a hotly-contested Chase race. I will break down the stall selections of the three contenders for the title, starting with the leader, Denny Hamlin.
- Denny Hamlin: the points leader selected stall #18, behind the 88 team of Dale Earnhardt Jr, and ahead of the 31 team of Jeff Burton. This selection is a crapshoot, particularly if both Jr and Burton are running well. Hamlin could potentially have problems either coming into or going out of the pits, or both. Then again, Hamlin could have clear sailing later in the race, saving precious seconds.
- Jimmie Johnson: the 48 team selected stall #39, behind the 09 team and ahead of the 98 team of Paul Menard. This is less dangerous than the 11's selection for two reasons: 1) the 09 team is typically a start and park team and Johnson would have clear sailing going OUT of the pits; 2) it's one of the first stalls coming into pit road. Based on this, Johnson has a slight advantage over Hamlin to start, but could be neutralized if Burton and Earnhardt Jr. are off the lead lap.
- Kevin Harvick: he ended up with a GREAT selection. Here's why: he is behind the #36 and ahead of the #09, both start and park teams. By mid-race, he'll have clear sailing into and out of stall #37. Plus he's two stalls ahead of Johnson, so the #29 crew can play Jedi mind tricks on the #48 crew!
Based on the circumstances, Kevin Harvick has a clear advantage over both Johnson and Hamlin. Of course, things can change in an instant. Harvick could have clear sailing as soon as the first pit stop. This irony cannot be lost: Menard was also behind Johnson at Texas. Something to think about.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly -- 2010 AAA Texas 500
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!
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!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2010 Tums Fast Relief 500
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is doing a rapid-fire The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, in honor of NASCAR's shortest track. Plenty of Martinsville Hot Dogs were consumed, washed down with lots of Coke. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: he won the race. Best car at the end. Cuts points lead to six in arrears. Popular win at M'ville.
Mark Martin: where did he come from? Great rally by the Old Man. Still very competitive.
Kevin Harvick: best career finish at the Big Paper Clip. Also gained some points going into Talladega. Great rally from 36th starting position!
Kyle Busch: another superb rally from deep in the field. Ran a smart race. Avoided brake issues. Was good on long runs.
Jimmie Johnson: always runs well at the Big Paper Clip. But he did have his points lead over Hamlin and Harvick cut.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: used sound strategy in staying out during a caution to get track position. Led at one point in the race, making Jr Nation very happy. Faded a bit at the end, but was still strong.
Jeff Burton: led the most laps and got the additional five bonus points.
Honorable Mention: Joey Logano, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton, Brad Keselowski.
THE BAD
Greg Biffle: had all kinds of issues. Stick a fork in him, he's done.
Sam Hornish Jr: tete-a-tete with Scott Speed sent Regan Smith behind the wall when Smith was punted into the wall. It was a blatant punt of Speed. Hornish should have been parked for the rest of the race.
Jeff Burton: gotta put him in here because so many drivers were complaining that he was brake checking on restarts. NASCAR warned him on that. Later he and teammate Kevin Harvick had a brush-up on track. Should make for an interesting drivers' meeting at the RCR camp this week.
THE UGLY
Tire issues: there were a multitude of drivers that cut tires in the last few laps of the race. The last run was the longest of the race, and it was nearly 100 degrees on the track.
That's it from Martinsville. See you all at Talladega!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: he won the race. Best car at the end. Cuts points lead to six in arrears. Popular win at M'ville.
Mark Martin: where did he come from? Great rally by the Old Man. Still very competitive.
Kevin Harvick: best career finish at the Big Paper Clip. Also gained some points going into Talladega. Great rally from 36th starting position!
Kyle Busch: another superb rally from deep in the field. Ran a smart race. Avoided brake issues. Was good on long runs.
Jimmie Johnson: always runs well at the Big Paper Clip. But he did have his points lead over Hamlin and Harvick cut.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: used sound strategy in staying out during a caution to get track position. Led at one point in the race, making Jr Nation very happy. Faded a bit at the end, but was still strong.
Jeff Burton: led the most laps and got the additional five bonus points.
Honorable Mention: Joey Logano, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton, Brad Keselowski.
THE BAD
Greg Biffle: had all kinds of issues. Stick a fork in him, he's done.
Sam Hornish Jr: tete-a-tete with Scott Speed sent Regan Smith behind the wall when Smith was punted into the wall. It was a blatant punt of Speed. Hornish should have been parked for the rest of the race.
Jeff Burton: gotta put him in here because so many drivers were complaining that he was brake checking on restarts. NASCAR warned him on that. Later he and teammate Kevin Harvick had a brush-up on track. Should make for an interesting drivers' meeting at the RCR camp this week.
THE UGLY
Tire issues: there were a multitude of drivers that cut tires in the last few laps of the race. The last run was the longest of the race, and it was nearly 100 degrees on the track.
That's it from Martinsville. See you all at Talladega!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2010 Air Guard 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the mid-South for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with crab cakes from neighboring Maryland and washed down with copious amounts of Coke Zero. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin/Joe Gibbs Racing: as the race winner, the Hamster gets first billing. He led the most laps en route to the win. As good as the Hamster is at Pocono, he's even better at Richmond. He's already led over 1,000 laps at RIR. With the win, he clinches the first seed in the Chase. Not to be outdone, Kyle Busch started 32nd and finished second. Busch gave it all he had in the closing laps but didn't have enough for Hamlin. And what about Joey Logano finishing a very solid fourth? Logano, in fact, had the best car and might have won had a late caution came out. For one organization to finish 1-2-4 is OUTSTANDING.
Jimmie Johnson: it's been awhile since he's been in this category. He was at the point for awhile and had a stout car on short runs, but faded a bit on long runs. A much-needed third place finish was what the 48 needed going into the Chase.
Marcos Ambrose: gotta give props to him. He started 13th and started moving towards the front in the second half of the race to a fifth place finish.
Clint Bowyer: with a solid sixth place finish, he was able to clinch the final Chase spot. He got five bonus points for leading a lap, which was HUGE.
Kevin Harvick: he started somewhere around downtown Richmond. (Actually, he started 20th, not conducive to a potential race winner.) He dropped back to 26th at one point before he slowly started working his way towards the front, moving up to sixth at one point. While he had a solid car, nobody was going to beat the Gibbs cars tonight.
Carl Edwards: he started from the pole and led the most laps in a race in two years. He was stout at the beginning, but he began to fade in the second half of the race, eventually finishing tenth.
Honorable Mention: Juan Pablo Montoya, AJ Allmendinger, and Ryan Newman.
THE BAD
Dale Earnhardt Jr: I normally put the first start and parker in this spot, but I'm making an exception tonight. He started towards the front and quickly went backwards. And kept going backwards. And kept going backwards. You get my point. I think it was when he realized he had a bad car, he got discouraged and his driving showed it. Normally, when a driver has a bad car, he usually finishes a couple of laps down. He finished SIX LAPS DOWN. It's partly due to Hamlin having a stout car and very few cautions (three, to be exact) coming out.
Greg Biffle: he was like Dale Jr--once the green flag dropped, he went backwards. He finished five laps down, not what you want going into the Chase.
THE UGLY
ABC's coverage: enough said. And we have TEN more races of this?
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin/Joe Gibbs Racing: as the race winner, the Hamster gets first billing. He led the most laps en route to the win. As good as the Hamster is at Pocono, he's even better at Richmond. He's already led over 1,000 laps at RIR. With the win, he clinches the first seed in the Chase. Not to be outdone, Kyle Busch started 32nd and finished second. Busch gave it all he had in the closing laps but didn't have enough for Hamlin. And what about Joey Logano finishing a very solid fourth? Logano, in fact, had the best car and might have won had a late caution came out. For one organization to finish 1-2-4 is OUTSTANDING.
Jimmie Johnson: it's been awhile since he's been in this category. He was at the point for awhile and had a stout car on short runs, but faded a bit on long runs. A much-needed third place finish was what the 48 needed going into the Chase.
Marcos Ambrose: gotta give props to him. He started 13th and started moving towards the front in the second half of the race to a fifth place finish.
Clint Bowyer: with a solid sixth place finish, he was able to clinch the final Chase spot. He got five bonus points for leading a lap, which was HUGE.
Kevin Harvick: he started somewhere around downtown Richmond. (Actually, he started 20th, not conducive to a potential race winner.) He dropped back to 26th at one point before he slowly started working his way towards the front, moving up to sixth at one point. While he had a solid car, nobody was going to beat the Gibbs cars tonight.
Carl Edwards: he started from the pole and led the most laps in a race in two years. He was stout at the beginning, but he began to fade in the second half of the race, eventually finishing tenth.
Honorable Mention: Juan Pablo Montoya, AJ Allmendinger, and Ryan Newman.
THE BAD
Dale Earnhardt Jr: I normally put the first start and parker in this spot, but I'm making an exception tonight. He started towards the front and quickly went backwards. And kept going backwards. And kept going backwards. You get my point. I think it was when he realized he had a bad car, he got discouraged and his driving showed it. Normally, when a driver has a bad car, he usually finishes a couple of laps down. He finished SIX LAPS DOWN. It's partly due to Hamlin having a stout car and very few cautions (three, to be exact) coming out.
Greg Biffle: he was like Dale Jr--once the green flag dropped, he went backwards. He finished five laps down, not what you want going into the Chase.
THE UGLY
ABC's coverage: enough said. And we have TEN more races of this?
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Heluva Good! Snacks 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the backyard of the Big 3, Michigan, to bring you this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, midwestern-style, complete with BBQ beef and all the fixin's, washed down with plenty of Captain and Coke. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as race winner, he gets first billing. He was stout, and it didn't take him long to get to the point. Once at the point, he pretty much stayed there the rest of the race. Everyone else was battling for second place.
Kasey Kahne: he was at the point for a little while. He was strong throughout, but like everyone else, he had nothing for Hamlin. Now he heads to the track where he won at last year.
Kurt Busch: he had one of the three best cars but it was all about Hamlin.
Jeff Gordon: steady and consistent. He gained a little ground on Four-Time aka Jimmie Johnson in the points.
Tony Stewart: this is Smoke's time of year. All but four of his career wins have come after the Coca-Cola 600. As the weather heats up, so does Smoke. He is now in the top 12 in the points, moving Clint Bowyer to 13th.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: this was his best run in some time. He moved up two positions in the standings, and making the Chase is a realistic possibility now.
Honorable Mention: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle, Joey Logano.
THE BAD
Max Papis: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting and ran a grand total of eight laps before declaring himself done for the day.
Casey Mears: it was bad enough that he wrecked his teammate Scott Speed, but on pit road, he wrecked David Ragan, ending Ragan's chances of a top 10 finish.
THE UGLY
Casey Mears: see above.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as race winner, he gets first billing. He was stout, and it didn't take him long to get to the point. Once at the point, he pretty much stayed there the rest of the race. Everyone else was battling for second place.
Kasey Kahne: he was at the point for a little while. He was strong throughout, but like everyone else, he had nothing for Hamlin. Now he heads to the track where he won at last year.
Kurt Busch: he had one of the three best cars but it was all about Hamlin.
Jeff Gordon: steady and consistent. He gained a little ground on Four-Time aka Jimmie Johnson in the points.
Tony Stewart: this is Smoke's time of year. All but four of his career wins have come after the Coca-Cola 600. As the weather heats up, so does Smoke. He is now in the top 12 in the points, moving Clint Bowyer to 13th.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: this was his best run in some time. He moved up two positions in the standings, and making the Chase is a realistic possibility now.
Honorable Mention: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle, Joey Logano.
THE BAD
Max Papis: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting and ran a grand total of eight laps before declaring himself done for the day.
Casey Mears: it was bad enough that he wrecked his teammate Scott Speed, but on pit road, he wrecked David Ragan, ending Ragan's chances of a top 10 finish.
THE UGLY
Casey Mears: see above.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the mountains of northeast Pennsylvania to bring you The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with Philly cheesesteaks (GO FLYERS!), and Tasty Cakes, washed down with copious amounts of Coke Zero. Enjoy!
Denny Hamlin/Joe Gibbs Racing: as the race winner, Hamlin gets first billing. He had a very stout car and led the most laps. Kyle Busch, Hamlin's teammate, led early and often. Busch was very rarely out of the top 5 as he started from the pole, eventually finishing second. And even Joey Logano was having a very strong run late when he and Kevin Harvick made contact, ending any chance of Logano finishing in the top 5.
Tony Stewart: Smoke was not a factor for three quarters of the race. It wasn't until successive cautions came out with around 40 laps to go that he found himself in the top 3. He pretty much hung out in that position for the remainder of the race. It was one of those "better to be lucky than good" races that he needs if he is to make the Chase. An extra Good for gaining four spots to 12th and being in a position to make the Chase. Here we go, Smoke's about to get blistering hot now.
Kevin Harvick: Happy started 22nd and slowly worked his way towards the front. Once he got into the top 10 he stayed there pretty much for the remainder of the race. He and Logano made contact late, ensuring Harvick of a fourth place finish and Logano a frustrated and angry driver. He and Logano have a history dating back to Bristol earlier this year. Although Kyle Busch finished two positions ahead of him, Happy still maintains the points lead.
Jimmie Johnson: JJ started 25th and was about to turn into Mr. Where-did-he-come-from? Unlike at Charlotte, the 48 crew was at the top of its game, consistently gaining positions after pit stops and making good adjustments to the changing track conditions.
Clint Bowyer: he was stout in the middle of the race, leading all his laps (59) in that part of the race. He slapped the wall coming out of Turn 3 and the 33 crew had to make lengthy repairs to the car under caution. He did well in finishing 9th. At least for today, he showed what he's capable of doing.
Honorable Mention: Kurt Busch, Jeff Burton, Juan Pablo Montoya, AJ Allmendinger.
THE BAD
Joe Nemechek: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting, also drawing the envy of the other S & P's. You could ALMOST hear him teeheeing to the others after he left the meeting. He ran a grand total of--wait for it--SEVEN LAPS.
The race coverage: particularly during the prerace. Every time one of the commentators was about to make a point, sound troubles popped up. It got better as the race went on, though. Good effort.
THE UGLY
The Big One: it happened on the last lap of the race, in the backstretch. Kasey Kahne had a run on his teammate AJ Allmendinger, who went to block him. Kahne ended up cutting the grass and lost control of the car. He then went up the track in front of several other cars, most notably Mark Martin and Greg Biffle. Kahne had such momentum that he plowed into Martin and Biffle and nearly went OVER the fence. If not for the trees above and behind the fence, Kahne WOULD have jumped the fence. Several other good cars were torn up as well, most notably Jeff Gordon's and Marcos Ambrose's cars.
Joey Logano: it's not often that I put a driver in the Good and Ugly categories, but I must. It's understandable to be frustrated and angry after having a good run ripped from you. But he parked right beside Kevin Harvick's car on pit road, spoiling for a fight. Joey, HUGE NO-NO. Don't start what you can't finish. Harvick took care of Carl Edwards with NO problem in October 2008, after Talladega. It's understandable that you want to go, but Harvick is NOT one guy you want to throw down with. If he can whip Edwards with relative ease, you'd be NO problem for him. Harvick had that look of "let him come to me, we'll settle this here and now, and it's not going to be pretty." Take a night to think this over and talk it out with Harvick in the next day or two. Logano then upped the ante, insinuating that Harvick was hiding behind (wife) DeLana's racing suit. Again Joey, you're making a HUGE mistake trying to take on Harvick. He's trying to downplay the incident as a racing incident (which it was) while you're running your yap making personal attacks.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Denny Hamlin/Joe Gibbs Racing: as the race winner, Hamlin gets first billing. He had a very stout car and led the most laps. Kyle Busch, Hamlin's teammate, led early and often. Busch was very rarely out of the top 5 as he started from the pole, eventually finishing second. And even Joey Logano was having a very strong run late when he and Kevin Harvick made contact, ending any chance of Logano finishing in the top 5.
Tony Stewart: Smoke was not a factor for three quarters of the race. It wasn't until successive cautions came out with around 40 laps to go that he found himself in the top 3. He pretty much hung out in that position for the remainder of the race. It was one of those "better to be lucky than good" races that he needs if he is to make the Chase. An extra Good for gaining four spots to 12th and being in a position to make the Chase. Here we go, Smoke's about to get blistering hot now.
Kevin Harvick: Happy started 22nd and slowly worked his way towards the front. Once he got into the top 10 he stayed there pretty much for the remainder of the race. He and Logano made contact late, ensuring Harvick of a fourth place finish and Logano a frustrated and angry driver. He and Logano have a history dating back to Bristol earlier this year. Although Kyle Busch finished two positions ahead of him, Happy still maintains the points lead.
Jimmie Johnson: JJ started 25th and was about to turn into Mr. Where-did-he-come-from? Unlike at Charlotte, the 48 crew was at the top of its game, consistently gaining positions after pit stops and making good adjustments to the changing track conditions.
Clint Bowyer: he was stout in the middle of the race, leading all his laps (59) in that part of the race. He slapped the wall coming out of Turn 3 and the 33 crew had to make lengthy repairs to the car under caution. He did well in finishing 9th. At least for today, he showed what he's capable of doing.
Honorable Mention: Kurt Busch, Jeff Burton, Juan Pablo Montoya, AJ Allmendinger.
THE BAD
Joe Nemechek: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting, also drawing the envy of the other S & P's. You could ALMOST hear him teeheeing to the others after he left the meeting. He ran a grand total of--wait for it--SEVEN LAPS.
The race coverage: particularly during the prerace. Every time one of the commentators was about to make a point, sound troubles popped up. It got better as the race went on, though. Good effort.
THE UGLY
The Big One: it happened on the last lap of the race, in the backstretch. Kasey Kahne had a run on his teammate AJ Allmendinger, who went to block him. Kahne ended up cutting the grass and lost control of the car. He then went up the track in front of several other cars, most notably Mark Martin and Greg Biffle. Kahne had such momentum that he plowed into Martin and Biffle and nearly went OVER the fence. If not for the trees above and behind the fence, Kahne WOULD have jumped the fence. Several other good cars were torn up as well, most notably Jeff Gordon's and Marcos Ambrose's cars.
Joey Logano: it's not often that I put a driver in the Good and Ugly categories, but I must. It's understandable to be frustrated and angry after having a good run ripped from you. But he parked right beside Kevin Harvick's car on pit road, spoiling for a fight. Joey, HUGE NO-NO. Don't start what you can't finish. Harvick took care of Carl Edwards with NO problem in October 2008, after Talladega. It's understandable that you want to go, but Harvick is NOT one guy you want to throw down with. If he can whip Edwards with relative ease, you'd be NO problem for him. Harvick had that look of "let him come to me, we'll settle this here and now, and it's not going to be pretty." Take a night to think this over and talk it out with Harvick in the next day or two. Logano then upped the ante, insinuating that Harvick was hiding behind (wife) DeLana's racing suit. Again Joey, you're making a HUGE mistake trying to take on Harvick. He's trying to downplay the incident as a racing incident (which it was) while you're running your yap making personal attacks.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Gas and Go--Charlotte (Spring Race 2010)
This week's Gas and Go is a home game--Charlotte, NC. I will offer some short takes and maybe an unusual fact or two leading into the race, and pick a winner.
- Kurt Busch has momentum going into the 600, coming off his win at the All-Star Race last weekend. However, he has never had a top 10 finish in the 600. This track is not one of his better tracks.
- On the other hand, Jimmie Johnson practically OWNS this track. He should have had one more win in 2002, but he overshot his pit on the final pit stop of the 2002 race, giving the victory to his future Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin. In that race, it was Martin's superior conditioning that enabled him to stay alert those last 100 miles.
- Johnson is the only driver to ever win at Charlotte on a last-lap pass, passing Bobby Labonte with 100 yards to go in the 2005 Coca-Cola 600.
- Hendrick Motorsports has won 8 of the past 14 races overall at Charlotte, four in the 600: Johnson from 2003-2005 (3 in a row) and Casey Mears in 2007 for his only Cup win.
- I'll stop blathering on about Hendrick Motorsports/Jimmie Johnson, and go a different direction. David Reutimann's first career victory last year made him the sixth driver to get his first win in the 600-mile race: David Pearson (1961), Jeff Gordon (1994), Bobby Labonte (1995), Matt Kenseth (2000), and Casey Mears (2007) were the others.
- Thinking of you: Bill Frances Sr and Jr, Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, and the late Dale Earnhardt. (The five charter NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees.)
- Look for the usual suspects to run up front: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Matt Kenseth.
Predicted Race Winner: Denny Hamlin. This guy is a threat to win every week; it doesn't matter the kind of track or the track conditions. He's finally learning how to be consistent, and not overdrive the car. He's always had the talent, but not always the consistency. He leads a JGR 1-2 finish with Kyle Busch finishing second. The rest of the top 5: 3) Johnson; 4) Kenseth; 5) David Reutimann.
That's my Gas and Go for Charlotte. Feel free to read and comment.
Information courtesy of www.nascar.com and www.racing-reference.info.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Showtime Southern 500
This week, the Crappafoni Picture crew brings to you, in High Def, this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with a Hollywood flair fused with a Deep South flavor. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He had a stout car throughout the weekend. He was strong in practice, strong in qualifying, and strong in the race. So much for ACL surgery. He LOOKS like a championship contender. A Darlington Sweep is something he can hang his hat on. Now he's tied with Jimmie Johnson for the most wins this season. (Hopefully there will be beautiful weather next week in Dover, as Hamlin has won on either a Saturday or Monday.)
Jamie McMurray: he started on the pole and led many laps throughout the race. Finishing second to Hamlin at Darlington, there is no shame in that. Cupcake was stout in qualifying, strong in practice, and strong in the race. Being back with Chip Ganassi seems to agree with Cupcake.
Kurt Busch: he started 14th and quickly worked his way towards the front. Although he didn't lead a lap, he put himself in a position to have a strong finish. All in all, a good job by the Blue Deuce and his crew. Good job guys!
Jeff Gordon: he led the most laps in the race but was snakebit (again!) on the final caution. He lined up as the final car on the lead lap. He did a great job in finishing fourth. I was convinced that this was the weekend he would win.
Juan Pablo Montoya: he's been a regular here in recent weeks. He drove the wheels off the Target Chevrolet to a fifth place finish. I wouldn't count him out of Chase contention yet. He gained another spot in the standings. One thing that helps him immensely: Richmond is the final race before the Chase, and he runs very strong there. He was stout, and this was easily his best run at Darlington. This bodes well for him in the future. He'll get that win in the not too distant future.
Kevin Harvick: he was buried deep in the field, starting 35th. Happy slowly worked his way to the front, and even led a lap through green flag pit stops, getting the five bonus points. That was HUGE. He also took advantage of Jimmie Johnson's misfortune when Johnson was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got plowed into by AJ Allmendinger. With his sixth place finish, he has opened up a 110-point lead in the standings, the largest margin in Cup this year, and the largest of Harvick's Cup career. (In 2006, he won the Busch Series by nearly 1,000 points.)
Regan Smith: despite driving for an underfunded team, he managed a top 20 finish at FREAKING Darlington, NOT an easy track to do well at. (He finished 17th.) For a time, he was running in the TOP TEN, before fading. He was running as high as sixth. He was very strong throughout the race and kept the 78's nose clean. Kudos to him for running a smart, efficient race. What helped was that he had the ECR engine package underneath the hood. The top 20 finish was HUGE for that team. Good job Regan!
Honorable Mention: Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, and Brian Vickers.
THE BAD
Dave Blaney: he was the first one to start and park. Poor guy, ended up drawing the short stick in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. He deserves better. I would have put Reed Sorenson here, but his day ended due to an early accident.
Sam Hornish Jr: Darlington wasn't too kind to him, as he was the cause of multiple cautions. I think he wanted to stay in bed and skip Darlington altogether, as he looked like someone on his fifth Jack and Coke.
THE UGLY
Sam Hornish Jr: see above.
Bobby Labonte: he also was the cause of multiple cautions. As much as I've always liked Labonte, could the end of his career be near? He's been a great champion, but IMO this is a case of hanging on too long. It's kind of like Willie Mays playing center field for the New York Mets. (That visual is BRUTAL, as Mays hung on for FAR too long; he should have retired after the 1971 season, his last good season.)
Those are my nominees. Feel free to come in with yours.
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He had a stout car throughout the weekend. He was strong in practice, strong in qualifying, and strong in the race. So much for ACL surgery. He LOOKS like a championship contender. A Darlington Sweep is something he can hang his hat on. Now he's tied with Jimmie Johnson for the most wins this season. (Hopefully there will be beautiful weather next week in Dover, as Hamlin has won on either a Saturday or Monday.)
Jamie McMurray: he started on the pole and led many laps throughout the race. Finishing second to Hamlin at Darlington, there is no shame in that. Cupcake was stout in qualifying, strong in practice, and strong in the race. Being back with Chip Ganassi seems to agree with Cupcake.
Kurt Busch: he started 14th and quickly worked his way towards the front. Although he didn't lead a lap, he put himself in a position to have a strong finish. All in all, a good job by the Blue Deuce and his crew. Good job guys!
Jeff Gordon: he led the most laps in the race but was snakebit (again!) on the final caution. He lined up as the final car on the lead lap. He did a great job in finishing fourth. I was convinced that this was the weekend he would win.
Juan Pablo Montoya: he's been a regular here in recent weeks. He drove the wheels off the Target Chevrolet to a fifth place finish. I wouldn't count him out of Chase contention yet. He gained another spot in the standings. One thing that helps him immensely: Richmond is the final race before the Chase, and he runs very strong there. He was stout, and this was easily his best run at Darlington. This bodes well for him in the future. He'll get that win in the not too distant future.
Kevin Harvick: he was buried deep in the field, starting 35th. Happy slowly worked his way to the front, and even led a lap through green flag pit stops, getting the five bonus points. That was HUGE. He also took advantage of Jimmie Johnson's misfortune when Johnson was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got plowed into by AJ Allmendinger. With his sixth place finish, he has opened up a 110-point lead in the standings, the largest margin in Cup this year, and the largest of Harvick's Cup career. (In 2006, he won the Busch Series by nearly 1,000 points.)
Regan Smith: despite driving for an underfunded team, he managed a top 20 finish at FREAKING Darlington, NOT an easy track to do well at. (He finished 17th.) For a time, he was running in the TOP TEN, before fading. He was running as high as sixth. He was very strong throughout the race and kept the 78's nose clean. Kudos to him for running a smart, efficient race. What helped was that he had the ECR engine package underneath the hood. The top 20 finish was HUGE for that team. Good job Regan!
Honorable Mention: Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, and Brian Vickers.
THE BAD
Dave Blaney: he was the first one to start and park. Poor guy, ended up drawing the short stick in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. He deserves better. I would have put Reed Sorenson here, but his day ended due to an early accident.
Sam Hornish Jr: Darlington wasn't too kind to him, as he was the cause of multiple cautions. I think he wanted to stay in bed and skip Darlington altogether, as he looked like someone on his fifth Jack and Coke.
THE UGLY
Sam Hornish Jr: see above.
Bobby Labonte: he also was the cause of multiple cautions. As much as I've always liked Labonte, could the end of his career be near? He's been a great champion, but IMO this is a case of hanging on too long. It's kind of like Willie Mays playing center field for the New York Mets. (That visual is BRUTAL, as Mays hung on for FAR too long; he should have retired after the 1971 season, his last good season.)
Those are my nominees. Feel free to come in with yours.
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Samsung Mobile 500
This week's delayed version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly comes from deep in the heart of Texas and served Texas BBQ-style, with beef brisket and hot chili. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as the race winner, he gets first billing. So much for that ACL tear. He's been on a tear of a different sort, winning two of the last three races and showing why he's a threat to Jimmie Johnson's reign of championships.
Jimmie Johnson: stout as usual. He was bearing down on Hamlin and nearly stole one. He takes advantage of Kenseth's and Biffle's tire issues and increases his lead to 108 over Kenseth and 128 over Biffle.
The Busch Brothers: Kyle finished third and Kurt finished fourth. Both brothers had strong runs throughout the race.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: I have questioned his desire and committment on more than one occasion, often falling back to the reasoning of "he has a new crew chief." He looked like the Dale Jr of old, a Dale Jr his fans have been yearning for for a LONG time. He started fifth and very rarely was out of the top 10. He either stayed put or moved forward. Good job Jr!!
Kasey Kahne: he was strong throughout the weekend, giving Rick Hendrick a sneak preview of what may be to come in 2012. He was strong in qualifying, strong in the one practice, and strong in the race.
Honorable Mention: Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex, Jr., and Greg Biffle.
THE BAD
Dave Blaney: he drew the short stick in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room before the race, as he was the first to park it for the day. He ran a grand total of--wait for it--20 laps before he declared himself done for the day.
Brian Vickers: he brought out TWO cautions for tires going down. All in all, not a good day for the Red Racer.
THE UGLY
The mini-Big One: this happened on Lap 317, and took out a number of good cars. Six drivers ended up taking their cars to the garage: Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, and Carl Edwards. Could this be a preview of things to come at Big Bad Talladega?
Weather: a persistent, misty shower yesterday was the cause of both the Nationwide and Cup races being postponed until today.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as the race winner, he gets first billing. So much for that ACL tear. He's been on a tear of a different sort, winning two of the last three races and showing why he's a threat to Jimmie Johnson's reign of championships.
Jimmie Johnson: stout as usual. He was bearing down on Hamlin and nearly stole one. He takes advantage of Kenseth's and Biffle's tire issues and increases his lead to 108 over Kenseth and 128 over Biffle.
The Busch Brothers: Kyle finished third and Kurt finished fourth. Both brothers had strong runs throughout the race.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: I have questioned his desire and committment on more than one occasion, often falling back to the reasoning of "he has a new crew chief." He looked like the Dale Jr of old, a Dale Jr his fans have been yearning for for a LONG time. He started fifth and very rarely was out of the top 10. He either stayed put or moved forward. Good job Jr!!
Kasey Kahne: he was strong throughout the weekend, giving Rick Hendrick a sneak preview of what may be to come in 2012. He was strong in qualifying, strong in the one practice, and strong in the race.
Honorable Mention: Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex, Jr., and Greg Biffle.
THE BAD
Dave Blaney: he drew the short stick in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room before the race, as he was the first to park it for the day. He ran a grand total of--wait for it--20 laps before he declared himself done for the day.
Brian Vickers: he brought out TWO cautions for tires going down. All in all, not a good day for the Red Racer.
THE UGLY
The mini-Big One: this happened on Lap 317, and took out a number of good cars. Six drivers ended up taking their cars to the garage: Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, and Carl Edwards. Could this be a preview of things to come at Big Bad Talladega?
Weather: a persistent, misty shower yesterday was the cause of both the Nationwide and Cup races being postponed until today.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly--Ford 400
For the final time this season, the Crappafoni Pictures crew brings you The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, south Florida style, served up with a Cuban sandwich and paella. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Jimmie Johnson: rarely do I put a non-winner in this spot, but as the first four-time champion, he belongs there. He IS the definition of a dynasty. Considering he's in his early 30's, he could very well end up rewriting the NASCAR record books in terms of number of championships. Had he won the race today, it would have been his 48th career win.
Denny Hamlin: not a bad way to end the season for The Hamster. He took the checkered flag and gained momentum for next season. To start the race 32nd and win is a testament to his crew. They did a fantastic job. He'll be a force next season.
Jeff Burton: although he was faster than Hamlin the last 20 laps or so, he didn't have enough to catch his fellow Virginian.
Kevin Harvick: he unloaded a stout car, was quick in qualifying, practice, and the race itself. He led a total of 56 laps en route to a third place finish, nipping Kurt Busch at the finish line.
Kurt Busch: he was strong, and considering this was his last race with Pat Tryson as his crew chief, the Brew Crew dug hard and showed their mettle. Good job Kurt and crew!
Martin Truex, Jr.: this was his last race in the #1 car and he made it a very solid one. This team has struggled pretty much the whole season, and the ninth place finish erased some of the disappointment. Plus, he ran the fastest lap of the entire race.
Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, AJ Allmendinger.
THE BAD
ABC: BAD coverage as usual. Where was the coverage of the exciting duel between Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick to finish third? I'm thankful that ABC's not covering the Daytona 500 next year.
Juan Pablo Montoya: it's been a long time since I put him here, but I must. He rammed Tony Stewart in the rear after Stewart slid in front of him. Stewart didn't like that, so he retaliated in kind by making contact with Montoya, cutting his tire in the process and causing him to wreck. Later, Montoya punted Stewart, drawing a black flag from NASCAR and serving a two-lap penalty.
Erik Darnell: he caused a multi-car pileup ON A CAUTION. He was in front of a line of cars when he apparently realized he was about to miss his pit. He slammed on the brakes, causing a multi-car pileup on pit road. Elliott Sadler was one of the victims of Darnell's idiocy, suffering severe front end damage and knocking him out of the race. (And yes, Paul Menard was also in the middle of it!)
THE UGLY
Marcos Ambrose: he had issues early in the race. First it was a cut tire that caused him to go a lap down, then he had to go behind the wall for an engine issue. He returned to the track, finishing 16 laps down. Two sub-Goods: first for leading four laps early in the race, then gaining eight spots through attrition.
Those are my final nominees of the season. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Jimmie Johnson: rarely do I put a non-winner in this spot, but as the first four-time champion, he belongs there. He IS the definition of a dynasty. Considering he's in his early 30's, he could very well end up rewriting the NASCAR record books in terms of number of championships. Had he won the race today, it would have been his 48th career win.
Denny Hamlin: not a bad way to end the season for The Hamster. He took the checkered flag and gained momentum for next season. To start the race 32nd and win is a testament to his crew. They did a fantastic job. He'll be a force next season.
Jeff Burton: although he was faster than Hamlin the last 20 laps or so, he didn't have enough to catch his fellow Virginian.
Kevin Harvick: he unloaded a stout car, was quick in qualifying, practice, and the race itself. He led a total of 56 laps en route to a third place finish, nipping Kurt Busch at the finish line.
Kurt Busch: he was strong, and considering this was his last race with Pat Tryson as his crew chief, the Brew Crew dug hard and showed their mettle. Good job Kurt and crew!
Martin Truex, Jr.: this was his last race in the #1 car and he made it a very solid one. This team has struggled pretty much the whole season, and the ninth place finish erased some of the disappointment. Plus, he ran the fastest lap of the entire race.
Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, AJ Allmendinger.
THE BAD
ABC: BAD coverage as usual. Where was the coverage of the exciting duel between Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick to finish third? I'm thankful that ABC's not covering the Daytona 500 next year.
Juan Pablo Montoya: it's been a long time since I put him here, but I must. He rammed Tony Stewart in the rear after Stewart slid in front of him. Stewart didn't like that, so he retaliated in kind by making contact with Montoya, cutting his tire in the process and causing him to wreck. Later, Montoya punted Stewart, drawing a black flag from NASCAR and serving a two-lap penalty.
Erik Darnell: he caused a multi-car pileup ON A CAUTION. He was in front of a line of cars when he apparently realized he was about to miss his pit. He slammed on the brakes, causing a multi-car pileup on pit road. Elliott Sadler was one of the victims of Darnell's idiocy, suffering severe front end damage and knocking him out of the race. (And yes, Paul Menard was also in the middle of it!)
THE UGLY
Marcos Ambrose: he had issues early in the race. First it was a cut tire that caused him to go a lap down, then he had to go behind the wall for an engine issue. He returned to the track, finishing 16 laps down. Two sub-Goods: first for leading four laps early in the race, then gaining eight spots through attrition.
Those are my final nominees of the season. Feel free to come in with yours!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly--Tums 500
After a one-week hiatus, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the hills of Virginia to bring you this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served with Martinsville Hot Dogs and plenty of Coke to wash it down. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: he gets first billing this week as the race winner. He proved to be best on restarts and drove away from Jimmie Johnson on restarts. He also got the five bonus points for leading the most laps in the race. A very popular and very good win in his home state.
Hendrick Motorsports: led by Johnson's runner-up finish, they also placed Jeff Gordon (5th) and Mark Martin (8th) in the top 10. Unfortunately, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had tire issues and finished 29th, two laps down. But prior to the tire issues, Jr was stout and running in the top 10. It appears that the Cup trophy will stay in-house with Johnson. Even with a runner-up finish, Johnson increases his points lead.
Juan Pablo Montoya: he was stout, and led laps, but due to his finishing behind Johnson, he lost ground. While he had an excellent car, he couldn't quite get up to the front when it counted. Still, his fifth top-5 of the Chase bodes well for him, with Big Bad Talladega coming up, and 'Dega being one of his best tracks.
Kyle Busch: it's been awhile since we've seen you here. Welcome back. He led laps for the first time in the last seven races. Very un-Kyle like. Perhaps it's an indicator that your season is turning around and that you'll be a threat next season.
Jamie McMurray: it's been eons since we've seen you here, Cupcake. Glad you made it here. While he didn't have a particularly strong qualifying session, props go out to the crew for making the #26 stronger as the race went on and putting him in a position to finish just outside the top 5.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Brian Vickers, and Joey Logano.
THE BAD
David Stremme: I'm going to have to call him out for causing the wreck that collected Sam Hornish Jr., and being a nuisance and a PITA. Once again, he was driving with his head up his arse, just like at Watkins Glen when he took out two top 10 cars in one wreck. Just four races left before he's no longer in Cup, and BK is in that rig. I'm counting the days.
THE UGLY
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: tire issues on two separate occasions kept Jr from a top 10 finish. He had a top 10 caliber car if not for the tire issues.
Kasey Kahne: he was the cause of two cautions. I could put him in the Bad, but chose to put him in this category.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to chime in with yours.
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: he gets first billing this week as the race winner. He proved to be best on restarts and drove away from Jimmie Johnson on restarts. He also got the five bonus points for leading the most laps in the race. A very popular and very good win in his home state.
Hendrick Motorsports: led by Johnson's runner-up finish, they also placed Jeff Gordon (5th) and Mark Martin (8th) in the top 10. Unfortunately, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had tire issues and finished 29th, two laps down. But prior to the tire issues, Jr was stout and running in the top 10. It appears that the Cup trophy will stay in-house with Johnson. Even with a runner-up finish, Johnson increases his points lead.
Juan Pablo Montoya: he was stout, and led laps, but due to his finishing behind Johnson, he lost ground. While he had an excellent car, he couldn't quite get up to the front when it counted. Still, his fifth top-5 of the Chase bodes well for him, with Big Bad Talladega coming up, and 'Dega being one of his best tracks.
Kyle Busch: it's been awhile since we've seen you here. Welcome back. He led laps for the first time in the last seven races. Very un-Kyle like. Perhaps it's an indicator that your season is turning around and that you'll be a threat next season.
Jamie McMurray: it's been eons since we've seen you here, Cupcake. Glad you made it here. While he didn't have a particularly strong qualifying session, props go out to the crew for making the #26 stronger as the race went on and putting him in a position to finish just outside the top 5.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Brian Vickers, and Joey Logano.
THE BAD
David Stremme: I'm going to have to call him out for causing the wreck that collected Sam Hornish Jr., and being a nuisance and a PITA. Once again, he was driving with his head up his arse, just like at Watkins Glen when he took out two top 10 cars in one wreck. Just four races left before he's no longer in Cup, and BK is in that rig. I'm counting the days.
THE UGLY
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: tire issues on two separate occasions kept Jr from a top 10 finish. He had a top 10 caliber car if not for the tire issues.
Kasey Kahne: he was the cause of two cautions. I could put him in the Bad, but chose to put him in this category.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to chime in with yours.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Chevy Rock 'n Roll 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the mid-South region, Richmond, VA, for the Chevy Rock 'n Roll 400. This is the last race before the Chase starts, so a rockin' good time is to be had by all. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He led the most laps en route to his first ever win at Richmond. He was running in the top 5 pretty much the whole race. As recently as 2004, he was WATCHING the race from the stands. A very popular win among the fans. Now he's seeded fourth in the Chase, and is a threat to win the title.
Kurt Busch: he rebounded nicely from last week's disaster at the ATL. Although he didn't lead a lap, the Blue Deuce was stout throughout the race en route to a second place finish.
Jeff Gordon: since he already had clinched his spot in the Chase, the only thing he was racing for was a win. While he led laps and had a top-5 car, he fell short of that goal. He comes into the Chase with some momentum.
Mark Martin: the pole winner led at the outset of the race before surrendering the lead to Hamlin. The five bonus points were huge. He was stout and was in the top 5 for much of the race.
Kyle Busch: try as he might, even though he finished fifth, he still missed the Chase by eight points. He ran well tonight, and was in the top 10 for most of the race. But as he said in the postrace interview, it was the fact he wasn't as consistent as he was last year.
Brian Vickers: his seventh place finish, coupled with Matt Kenseth's freefall, clinched a spot in the Chase. It looked bleak after the final pit stop when he came out behind Kyle Busch. But he got it done on the track, passing cars when he needed to.
Kevin Harvick: his ninth place finish was his first back to back top 10s since the final three races of last season. He started 19th and quickly moved his way towards the front; at one point he was in the top 5. The #29 team has turned the corner and Happy's back to the Harvick of old: a threat to win races regardless of the track.
Clint Bowyer: I'm over my anger over him costing Happy a win last week. He ran a strong race, and was in the top 10 for much of the race, finishing sixth.
Sam Hornish Jr.: he's starting to get the hang of short tracks. A solid seventh place finish will give him confidence for the rest of the season into next season.
Other Goods: Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Greg Biffle. These drivers have clinched Chase spots.
THE BAD
Matt Kenseth: he came into the race in 12th, the last spot before the Chase. He started bad and pretty much stayed that way the whole race. Now he's on the outside looking in. The Daytona 500 and the Auto Club 500 are very distant memories now.
Casey Mears: at one point in the race, he was in the top 15 and was running well. Then he remembered he was Casey Mears and reverted back to classic Casey Mears form: finishing a couple of laps down.
THE UGLY
Rain: fortunately, it was a passing shower and the race was delayed by only a half hour.
Tony Stewart: I've gotta put Smoke in this category. He struggled throughout the race, and an early wreck threw him off. Even though he finished 17th after starting 29th, it was the kind of race that kills momentum. Could he have peaked too early?
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He led the most laps en route to his first ever win at Richmond. He was running in the top 5 pretty much the whole race. As recently as 2004, he was WATCHING the race from the stands. A very popular win among the fans. Now he's seeded fourth in the Chase, and is a threat to win the title.
Kurt Busch: he rebounded nicely from last week's disaster at the ATL. Although he didn't lead a lap, the Blue Deuce was stout throughout the race en route to a second place finish.
Jeff Gordon: since he already had clinched his spot in the Chase, the only thing he was racing for was a win. While he led laps and had a top-5 car, he fell short of that goal. He comes into the Chase with some momentum.
Mark Martin: the pole winner led at the outset of the race before surrendering the lead to Hamlin. The five bonus points were huge. He was stout and was in the top 5 for much of the race.
Kyle Busch: try as he might, even though he finished fifth, he still missed the Chase by eight points. He ran well tonight, and was in the top 10 for most of the race. But as he said in the postrace interview, it was the fact he wasn't as consistent as he was last year.
Brian Vickers: his seventh place finish, coupled with Matt Kenseth's freefall, clinched a spot in the Chase. It looked bleak after the final pit stop when he came out behind Kyle Busch. But he got it done on the track, passing cars when he needed to.
Kevin Harvick: his ninth place finish was his first back to back top 10s since the final three races of last season. He started 19th and quickly moved his way towards the front; at one point he was in the top 5. The #29 team has turned the corner and Happy's back to the Harvick of old: a threat to win races regardless of the track.
Clint Bowyer: I'm over my anger over him costing Happy a win last week. He ran a strong race, and was in the top 10 for much of the race, finishing sixth.
Sam Hornish Jr.: he's starting to get the hang of short tracks. A solid seventh place finish will give him confidence for the rest of the season into next season.
Other Goods: Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Greg Biffle. These drivers have clinched Chase spots.
THE BAD
Matt Kenseth: he came into the race in 12th, the last spot before the Chase. He started bad and pretty much stayed that way the whole race. Now he's on the outside looking in. The Daytona 500 and the Auto Club 500 are very distant memories now.
Casey Mears: at one point in the race, he was in the top 15 and was running well. Then he remembered he was Casey Mears and reverted back to classic Casey Mears form: finishing a couple of laps down.
THE UGLY
Rain: fortunately, it was a passing shower and the race was delayed by only a half hour.
Tony Stewart: I've gotta put Smoke in this category. He struggled throughout the race, and an early wreck threw him off. Even though he finished 17th after starting 29th, it was the kind of race that kills momentum. Could he have peaked too early?
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Monday, August 3, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Pocono (2nd race)
With a heavy heart in honor of the losses of Denny Hamlin's grandmother and the mother of one of his crew members, the Crappafoni Pictures crew brings you a subdued version of this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. He raced today with a very heavy heart. One wouldn't have blamed him if he had skipped the race to be with his family. But race he did, and he finished nearly a second ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya. He was stout, and led the most laps in the race. This time he didn't let this one slip away. The win breaks a 50-race winless streak. Good job Denny, and my condolences to you and your family, and the crew member and his family on your losses.
Juan Pablo Montoya: he proved that Indy was no fluke in powering his way to a second place finish. Although he didn't lead a lap, he was stout throughout the day.
Clint Bowyer: this was a MUCH needed stout run for the #33 team. He was at the point for 23 laps in the race. He was at the point late in the race when he was overtaken by Hamlin. Still, a third place finish is much needed and much welcomed. Good job Clint!
Kasey Kahne: he was at the point for 35 laps. He started 8th and pretty much stayed in the top 10 all day. He solidified his position in the Chase.
Sam Hornish Jr: he started 29th and worked his way up. Although he never led, the #77 car got stronger as the race progressed. A shout out goes to the #77 crew for hitting the setup and consistently fast pit stops.
Jimmie Johnson: I've got to put him in this category. He was three laps down at one point due to an ill-handling car. Chad Knaus and the #48 crew showed why they're the best in the business in overcoming that three-lap deficit. Rather than packing it in for the day, they kept working on the car until they hit the setup late in the race. JJ rallied to finish 13th, just behind Kevin Harvick. Had the race gone another 10 laps, they would have been a factor.
Honorable Mention: Brian Vickers, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, and Tony Stewart.
THE BAD
Reed Sorenson: finished 15 laps down. Fortunately, he's one step above Start and Parker City.
Marcos Ambrose: he was unusually bad in this race. He should be much better at the Glen. Finished a head-scratching 8 laps down.
David Reutimann: although he finished on the lead lap, his Chase chances took a SEVERE hit by finishing 29th, the next to the last driver on the lead lap.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: he finished 28th, and his Chase chances are pretty much done now. He needed at least a top 10 to have any chance of making the Chase.
THE UGLY
David Reutimann: he lost three positions in the points standings because of his poor finish.
Robby Gordon/David Stremme: these two got into each other more than once. They decided to play bumper cars and both were penalized by NASCAR. Can you say, "Justin Allgaier in the #12 next season?"
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
THE GOOD
Denny Hamlin: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. He raced today with a very heavy heart. One wouldn't have blamed him if he had skipped the race to be with his family. But race he did, and he finished nearly a second ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya. He was stout, and led the most laps in the race. This time he didn't let this one slip away. The win breaks a 50-race winless streak. Good job Denny, and my condolences to you and your family, and the crew member and his family on your losses.
Juan Pablo Montoya: he proved that Indy was no fluke in powering his way to a second place finish. Although he didn't lead a lap, he was stout throughout the day.
Clint Bowyer: this was a MUCH needed stout run for the #33 team. He was at the point for 23 laps in the race. He was at the point late in the race when he was overtaken by Hamlin. Still, a third place finish is much needed and much welcomed. Good job Clint!
Kasey Kahne: he was at the point for 35 laps. He started 8th and pretty much stayed in the top 10 all day. He solidified his position in the Chase.
Sam Hornish Jr: he started 29th and worked his way up. Although he never led, the #77 car got stronger as the race progressed. A shout out goes to the #77 crew for hitting the setup and consistently fast pit stops.
Jimmie Johnson: I've got to put him in this category. He was three laps down at one point due to an ill-handling car. Chad Knaus and the #48 crew showed why they're the best in the business in overcoming that three-lap deficit. Rather than packing it in for the day, they kept working on the car until they hit the setup late in the race. JJ rallied to finish 13th, just behind Kevin Harvick. Had the race gone another 10 laps, they would have been a factor.
Honorable Mention: Brian Vickers, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, and Tony Stewart.
THE BAD
Reed Sorenson: finished 15 laps down. Fortunately, he's one step above Start and Parker City.
Marcos Ambrose: he was unusually bad in this race. He should be much better at the Glen. Finished a head-scratching 8 laps down.
David Reutimann: although he finished on the lead lap, his Chase chances took a SEVERE hit by finishing 29th, the next to the last driver on the lead lap.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: he finished 28th, and his Chase chances are pretty much done now. He needed at least a top 10 to have any chance of making the Chase.
THE UGLY
David Reutimann: he lost three positions in the points standings because of his poor finish.
Robby Gordon/David Stremme: these two got into each other more than once. They decided to play bumper cars and both were penalized by NASCAR. Can you say, "Justin Allgaier in the #12 next season?"
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
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