The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 Sylvania 300

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in picturesque New Hampshire (always beautiful this time of year there) for this week's heaping helping of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served New England-style, with plenty of clam chowder and Coke to wash it all down. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Tony Stewart: Smoke took the checkered for the second consecutive week, and with that, he takes the points lead as well. After having to sweat it out to make the Chase at Richmond, this team is on a roll. He was the beneficiary of Clint Bowyer running out of gas with two laps to go. He led for only the final two laps, but that was enough. Through good pit stops and pit strategy, the 14 team was able to gain track position and put him in position to win. Good job Smoke and the 14 team!

Jeff Gordon: he was battling for the race lead and the win until he was told by his crew chief Alan Gustafson to go into conserve mode, as Gustafson feared the 24 might not have enough fuel to make it to the end. He did, and ended up with a much-needed top 5 finish. Gordon led the most laps in the race, so an extra Good for that. Gordon moves up to fifth in the points standings, and is within striking distance.

Brad Keselowski: he stayed out on a caution and got track position. He was able to maintain it throughout the remainder of the race. He was running in mid-pack when he stayed out. He didn't fall back much on the subsequent run. With a solid second place run, Bad Brad moves up to third in the standings.

Greg Biffle: we haven't seen the Biff here in this neck of the woods in a VERY LONG time. He finally put together a very solid race from start to finish, and the result is a strong top 5 run. (I think he wants to climb out of the #4 spot in the pecking order at Roush Fenway, as he's fallen behind David Ragan.)

Roush Fenway Racing: led by Biffle (3rd), Matt Kenseth (6th), David Ragan (7th), and Carl Edwards (8th), RFR had a very good day at their erstwhile home track, much better than what I can say for the parent club Boston Red Sox, who are about to experience an epic, cataclysmic collapse not experienced in the history of baseball: blowing a NINE game lead in the month of September. But I digress. RFR cars were solid all day, and although they didn't contend for the win, they hung around in the top 10 for much of the day. (The Red Sox, on the other hand, are NOT hanging. They're about to get swept by the Yankees and fall into a tie with the Tampa Bay Rays for the wild card.)

Brian Vickers: even though his future is uncertain at this point, the Red Bull driver was stout throughout. For awhile it looked like he and teammate Kasey Kahne were contenders for the race win. Whoever hires him will get a solid enough driver that can put together good solid runs. He is driving for his future these last remaining races. Good run today.

Honorable Mention: Juan Pablo Montoya and Regan Smith.

THE BAD

Travis Kvapil: he drew the short stick today. He ran a total of 10 laps before declaring himself done for the day and hotfooting it out of Loudon with his earnings. (Supposedly he wanted to catch the beginning of the Packers vs. Bears game.)

ESPN's coverage: the Nonstop is a great idea, but CUT AWAY from the commercials when a caution flag comes out!! You can get back to the commercials after the pit stops!

THE UGLY

Kurt Busch: for uttering a profanity that made it on air in the pre race show, and to the 22 team for failing prerace inspection. But I'll admit, his rants to his crew chief are compelling. (Addington knows how to handle them; he handled Kyle's rants last season.)

Clint Bowyer: for running out of fuel as he took the white flag.

Gil Martin: for going with no tires on Kevin Harvick's next to last pit stop. A four tire change would have set him up PERFECTLY to go with two on the final stop. Martin didn't call his best race today. He goes here.

Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 Lenox Industrial Tools 301

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the picturesque hamlet of Loudon, NH, for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served up New England-style, with clam chowder, lobster chowder, and any kind of chowder you can think of, and washed down with PLENTY of Coke. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Ryan Newman/Tony Stewart/Stewart-Haas Racing: Newman gets first mention, and Smoke goes in here as well because Newman and Stewart qualified 1-2 and finished 1-2. Both drivers worked on long runs in practice, and when they unloaded, they were stout. Newman set a track record in winning the pole. An extra Good goes to Newman for winning the Modified race (from where else, the pole) yesterday. SHR became the first team to qualify AND finish in the front row since the 1989 Daytona 500, when Darrell Waltrip (qualified 2nd, won race) and Ken Schrader (qualified 1st, finished 2nd) accomplished the feat for Hendrick Motorsports. With the win, Newman now has a win in hand, and that helps his Chase chances. GREAT job SHR!

Denny Hamlin: the victim of a spinout, the 11 team fought back and through sound pit strategy and timely cautions (more on those later) put themselves in contention to possibly steal a win. That didn't happen, but Hamlin goes here because the crew did a great job in the pits and Hamlin did the rest.

Joey Logano: did he steal Kevin Harvick's playbook? Because he was a nonfactor until very late in the race. He gets a much-needed top 5 run.

Jimmie Johnson: he still has that lucky horseshoe, because he was a nonfactor for about 250 of the 301 laps of the race. He took advantage of Kyle Busch's early accident, Kevin Harvick's troubles, and Carl Edwards' fade to take over the points lead.

Bobby Labonte:  he was solid today, and came away with a much-needed top 10 finish. For Labonte, it was his first top 10 finish since the Daytona 500.

Kasey Kahne: the driver of the #4 Red Bull Toyota was racy today. He was in the top 10 for a good portion of the race, even leading for a time. A good solid run.

Honorable Mention: Martin Truex, Jr, Marcos Ambrose, and Kurt Busch.

THE BAD

Jeff Green: he drew the short stick at today's start and parker meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. He ran a total of 11 laps before declaring himself done for the day and hotfooting it out of town with his earnings.

Debris cautions: EXACTLY one was warranted--when a piece of metal came onto the track and lay in one of the grooves. The one on lap 216 I did not see debris ANYWHERE. NASCAR, STOP throwing phantom cautions when green flag pit stops are coming up! (Had there been NO caution, and green flag pit stops, JJ would have lost AT LEAST two laps, if not more, because of a missing lugnut. This is a case of a favor being called in; JJ was struggling the whole race and NASCAR saved his bacon with that phantom caution. Just sayin'.)

THE UGLY

The race itself: there was no rhythm to the race; it kept getting interrupted by cautions.

TNT: we bid adieu to them for another season. Until they run the split screen on a consistent basis and get new announcers (Carl Edwards, please retire and join the TNT crew; you're better than what they have now!) they'll continue to be in the Ugly category. After a week break, ABC/ESPN will take over for the remainder of the season.

Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2010 Lenox Industrial Tools 301

This week, the Crappafoni pictures crew is in the mountains of New Hampshire to bring you this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with New England Clam Chowder as the main course, washed down with copious amounts of Samuel Adams. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Jimmie Johnson: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He was strong in practice, strong in qualifying, and strong in the race. While he only led 8 laps in the race, he led the most important lap.

Tony Stewart: Smoke overcame a bad pit stop early in the race when his gas man didn't completely fill up the tank and had to pit off sequence the remainder of the race. But in the end it paid off as he was able to take the wave around on a late caution. Great job by Smoke in fighting through heavy traffic to finish second. He led two laps through two rounds of green flag pit stops.

Kurt Busch: like Johnson, he was strong in practice, strong in qualifying, strong in the race, and led 8 laps. Only difference is in the finish. For a moment, it looked like the Blue Deuce WAS going to win. But he didn't get a far enough lead and Johnson applied the chrome horn in kind.

Jeff Gordon: he was mired in the lower half of the top 10 on the final restart, but got a GREAT run and passed a bunch of cars in Turn 1 to vault into fourth, where he eventually finished. While he didn't lead a lap, he was strong throughout.

Kevin Harvick: Happy did a great job in climbing from 24th starting position. At one point he was third, but got shuffled to fifth on the final restart. He didn't lead a lap, but was very patient in picking his way through the field. A solid points day for Happy as he is 105 points ahead of Johnson. As the races wind down to the Chase, he could clinch a spot by the time the Bristol night race.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: he started even farther back than Harvick, starting 31st. Like Happy, he showed great patience in picking his way through the field. Even though he's 13th in the points, he's only three points back of Carl Edwards for the final Chase spot. Junior's GOTTA be salivating because guess what's next: Daytona! I wouldn't rule out a Jr victory at Daytona. The 88 team is putting it together at the right time and they are gaining momentum as the races wind down.

Ryan Newman: Flyin' Ryan was solid all day. He kept the 39's nose clean and was in the top 10 for much of the race. He led a lap in an early round of green flag pit stops. That one lap led gave him the five bonus points he sorely needed to gain one position in the points and is only 15 points behind Edwards for 12th. He's ONE point ahead of Clint Bowyer.

Honorable Mention: Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Jeff Burton, AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, and Marcos Ambrose.

THE BAD

Max Papis: he drew the short stick at this week's start and parkers meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. Mad Max ran a grand total of 11 laps before calling it a day.

Reed Sorenson: WHY were you racing a lead-lap car like you were trying to get your lap back. I'd totally understand IF JPM was leading the race and you were trying to get your lap back. He was faster than you; you should have let him go. You just PLAIN DUMPED HIM. You have talent, but ZERO track sense. Relinquish the ride and give it to Mattias Eckstrom.

THE UGLY

Reed Sorenson: see above.

Kasey Kahne: he's not so much Ugly as Unlucky. He led the most laps before he blew an engine. A sub-Good for that.

Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!

Gas and Go--Loudon (Chase race)

This week's Gas and Go comes to you from Loudon. Since this is the first race in the Chase, it's a special Gas and Go.

1. You might not want to win this particular race: only Kurt Busch in 2004 has gone on to win the Championship.
2. You DO want to have a good finish to set up the rest of the Chase. Kyle Busch came into the Chase last season on a roll. He suffered misfortune and went into a freefall during the Chase.
3. In 2000, Jeff Burton won this race. He led every lap en route to the win, becoming only the fourth driver in NASCAR history to achieve this remarkable feat. He started second, took the lead after the first lap, and it was sayonara to the rest of the field.
4. Sadly, with the advent of debris cautions, we may not ever see Burton's feat achieved again.
5. Because of the terrorist attacks on 9/11/01, this race was postponed until 11/23/01. Robby Gordon won that particular race, highlighted by a game of bumper cars with Jeff Gordon. The win was Robby Gordon's first NASCAR win, and his first win with Richard Childress Racing. In fact, it was Childress' first win as a car owner at this track. (Kevin Harvick would win this race from the pole in 2006)
6. Look for the usual suspects to run strong: Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jimmie Johnson.
7. Since this Gas and Go is so late, I won't pick Montoya as my predicted winner.

Predicted Race Winner: Kurt Busch.