This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in Homestead for the final edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served south Florida style, and washed down with plenty of cold Coke. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: Smoke HAD TO win this race to win the title. And he did. He got it done. With five wins in the Chase, he earned his third title. The win tonight proved his mettle. He had to overcome some early adversity: debris from another car punctured a hole in his front grill and the 14 crew had to do repairs under multiple cautions. He passed over 70 cars on the way to the win and the title. He was simply better than Carl Edwards at the end. Although he and Edwards tied in points, Stewart wins due to more wins (5) to Edwards' lone win at Las Vegas. Congratulations Smoke!
Carl Edwards: he led the most laps but was unable to catch Stewart when it mattered. Stewart just had a car that was that much better. Edwards had a great season but lost the title due to his one win this season. Good job this season, Carl!
Martin Truex, Jr.: another strong run by Truex. He was stout all race, and led six laps en route to a third place run. This helps build momentum for next season. Now if they can start strong, they have a chance to make the Chase next year.
Matt Kenseth: he had a typical Kenseth run--strong, with little attention. He did lead 15 laps en route to a fourth-place finish. He also finished fourth in the points this season, overtaking Brad Keselowski.
Jeff Gordon: for awhile it looked like he would have something for Stewart and Edwards but faded a bit at the end. He still had enough to lead seven laps and a fifth place finish.
Kevin Harvick: Happy started 21st, and slowly moved his way towards the front. While he had a strong car, he led 11 laps through pit strategy. He was strong, but not stout. I thought he had a top 10, but not top 5, car. His 8th-place finish was about right. Harvick finished 3rd in the points, about right for the season he had.
Honorable Mention: Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Brad Keselowski, and Kyle Busch.
THE BAD
Michael McDowell: two weeks after subbing for Kyle Busch at Texas, he draws the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting, held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. He runs a grand total of 14 laps before declaring his season to be over. (Hmm, I wonder if any of the start and parkers WANT to miss those meetings? I imagine they do.) He hotfooted it out of town faster than any lap he turned in the race.
Ford FR9 Engine: with Marcos Ambrose and David Ragan blowing engines, and Greg Biffle losing a cylinder (and eventually his engine), I'm sure it made Edwards quite nervous. Yes, the engine gets a lot of HP, but also there is a greater likelihood of a blown engine.
Jimmie Johnson: he had issues with the 48 early on. The hood was up, and they eventually diagnosed the problem (carburetor malfunction). JJ lost several laps as a result. This capped his worst season in the Chase era.
THE UGLY
None that I saw.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
Showing posts with label Tony Stewart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tony Stewart. Show all posts
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 AAA Texas 500
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is deep in the heart of Texas, Texas Motor Speedway, for this week's edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served BBQ-style, with plenty of heaping helpings of beef brisket, complete with all the fixin's and washed down with the beverage of your choice. Remember, in Texas, EVERYTHING is bigger! Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: Smoke is becoming a regular in this spot, at least in the Chase. Once he took the lead, he was DOMINANT, and the only time he relinquished the lead was during green flag pit stops. The 14 crew hit on the setup again, and it didn't take long for Smoke to get to the front. He's become the man to beat. He is strong at each of the final two tracks: Phoenix and Homestead. The win was his fourth of the season, all in the Chase.
Carl Edwards: try as he might, he didn't have enough to catch Stewart. His points lead is cut to three now. He was stout early, faded midway, then rebounded to a second place finish.
Kasey Kahne: he is stout on the 1.5 mile tracks, and Texas is no exception. He looked the part, even getting a lucky break on a caution when he had just exited pit road when the caution came out. Because he was still on the lead lap at the time, he didn't have to pit, and he came away with the lead at that point. If he's that stout in the #4 Red Bull Toyota, he's gotta be licking his chops when he begins driving the #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports next season.
Matt Kenseth: once again, a typical Kenseth performance--steady, not spectacular. He was strong early, and pretty much stayed in the top 5 throughout the race.
Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr, and AJ Allmendinger.
THE BAD
J.J. Yeley: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. He ran a total of 10 laps before declaring himself done for the day. He hotfooted it out of town faster than he actually ran on the track.
Joe Gibbs Racing: without their top driver for the weekend (more on that later), they had no input on the changing track conditions. For all his faults, Kyle Busch is excellent on providing vital information to his team and his teammates as a whole on changing track conditions. He was not racing, and the other members looked lost. Michael McDowell was never a factor and finished three laps down. Joey Logano blew an engine and finished 37th. Even Denny Hamlin was a couple of laps down at one time. Hamlin rebounded to finish 20th.
Kevin Harvick: gotta put him here. He came into the race 21 points back in third place. He's still in third place, but 33 points behind points leader Edwards. He was never a factor, and even when he was running sixth at one time, he struggled to find the handling on the 29 car. He was also the victim of bad pit strategy late when he took two tires on his final pit stop and went backwards, all the way to 13th. I always had the sense the 29 team missed on the setup, anticipating a cloudy day and evening, and when the sun came out during the race, they were toast.
THE UGLY
Kyle Busch: he was rightfully parked through the weekend for rough driving during the Craftsman Series Truck race when he put Truck Series contender Ron Hornaday into the wall DURING the caution on Lap 14. Hornaday got loose, made contact with Busch, and sent both of them into the wall. Busch was within his right to be displeased, but wrong for putting him into the wall like that. Further penalties are forthcoming. His JGR teammates missed his valuable input, as he is one of the best drivers out there when it comes to providing information about the changing track conditions. Hopefully Busch will look in the mirror, learn from this, and resolve to make himself a better man without changing his driving style too much.
The race itself: I considered it a snoozefest, as most 1.5 milers are. I found my mind wandering because of the sheer boredom. It's no fun when all four Roush drivers are in the top 5. And there's still another 1.5 miler to go! Sheesh.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: Smoke is becoming a regular in this spot, at least in the Chase. Once he took the lead, he was DOMINANT, and the only time he relinquished the lead was during green flag pit stops. The 14 crew hit on the setup again, and it didn't take long for Smoke to get to the front. He's become the man to beat. He is strong at each of the final two tracks: Phoenix and Homestead. The win was his fourth of the season, all in the Chase.
Carl Edwards: try as he might, he didn't have enough to catch Stewart. His points lead is cut to three now. He was stout early, faded midway, then rebounded to a second place finish.
Kasey Kahne: he is stout on the 1.5 mile tracks, and Texas is no exception. He looked the part, even getting a lucky break on a caution when he had just exited pit road when the caution came out. Because he was still on the lead lap at the time, he didn't have to pit, and he came away with the lead at that point. If he's that stout in the #4 Red Bull Toyota, he's gotta be licking his chops when he begins driving the #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports next season.
Matt Kenseth: once again, a typical Kenseth performance--steady, not spectacular. He was strong early, and pretty much stayed in the top 5 throughout the race.
Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr, and AJ Allmendinger.
THE BAD
J.J. Yeley: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. He ran a total of 10 laps before declaring himself done for the day. He hotfooted it out of town faster than he actually ran on the track.
Joe Gibbs Racing: without their top driver for the weekend (more on that later), they had no input on the changing track conditions. For all his faults, Kyle Busch is excellent on providing vital information to his team and his teammates as a whole on changing track conditions. He was not racing, and the other members looked lost. Michael McDowell was never a factor and finished three laps down. Joey Logano blew an engine and finished 37th. Even Denny Hamlin was a couple of laps down at one time. Hamlin rebounded to finish 20th.
Kevin Harvick: gotta put him here. He came into the race 21 points back in third place. He's still in third place, but 33 points behind points leader Edwards. He was never a factor, and even when he was running sixth at one time, he struggled to find the handling on the 29 car. He was also the victim of bad pit strategy late when he took two tires on his final pit stop and went backwards, all the way to 13th. I always had the sense the 29 team missed on the setup, anticipating a cloudy day and evening, and when the sun came out during the race, they were toast.
THE UGLY
Kyle Busch: he was rightfully parked through the weekend for rough driving during the Craftsman Series Truck race when he put Truck Series contender Ron Hornaday into the wall DURING the caution on Lap 14. Hornaday got loose, made contact with Busch, and sent both of them into the wall. Busch was within his right to be displeased, but wrong for putting him into the wall like that. Further penalties are forthcoming. His JGR teammates missed his valuable input, as he is one of the best drivers out there when it comes to providing information about the changing track conditions. Hopefully Busch will look in the mirror, learn from this, and resolve to make himself a better man without changing his driving style too much.
The race itself: I considered it a snoozefest, as most 1.5 milers are. I found my mind wandering because of the sheer boredom. It's no fun when all four Roush drivers are in the top 5. And there's still another 1.5 miler to go! Sheesh.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 Tums Fast Relief 500
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in southern Virginia to bring you this week's heaping helping of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served with PLENTY of Martinsville Hot Dogs, and washed down with copious amounts of Coca-Cola. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: he wasn't very good at the start of the race; in fact he was fighting tooth and nail with Denny Hamlin to keep from being lapped when a caution came out. But through a series of pit stops to gain track position and some great pit stops late in the race, he was able to hold off Jimmie Johnson. With the win, he moves to second in the standings, 8 points behind Carl Edwards. Chance to win the championship: VERY GOOD.
Jimmie Johnson: he held the lead on the final restart but was not able to hold off Stewart. He was strong throughout the race, and was pretty much in the top 10 the entire race. Johnson is still 43 points behind Edwards with three races left. He's still mathematically in this, but he's going to need stout runs while the five drivers above him struggle. Chance to win the championship: ALMOST NIL.
Jeff Gordon: like Johnson, he was stout throughout the race. He had a winning car early, but tapered off later in the race when he was in dirty air. He's still 76 points behind leader Edwards. Chance to win the championship: NONE, he's done.
Kevin Harvick: he didn't have a good car early, but props to the 29 crew for making the car better as the race went on. Props also for taking two left-side tires late in the race to get track position and to lead laps. He did a good job of leading for several laps, but got freight trained. He did a good job in gaining a couple of positions in that run. He was able to escape the late race melees to finish fourth and gain five points and two positions in the standings. Chance to win the championship: GOOD, but needs help.
Denny Hamlin: for much of the race, he looked like the Hamlin that dominated Martinsville. He was shuffled back late in the race, but managed to avoid trouble and finish a solid fifth. Chance to win the championship: NONE, he's done. He's almost two races behind with three to go.
Carl Edwards: he's gotta get his props. He battled back from a lap down, was fighting an ill-handling race car all race long, but managed to stay out of trouble. His ninth place finish was huge, as he was able to maintain the points lead going into tracks where he's been historically stout at. A bad finish, and his chances to win the title would have diminished drastically. Chance to win the title: EXCELLENT.
Honorable Mention: Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Martin Truex Jr, and Ryan Newman.
THE BAD
ESPN: the constant lovefest with Edwards was sickening. Not even an interview with Kevin Harvick after the race! Some excuse to do SportsCenter or something like that. SHEESH!
THE UGLY
ESPN: see above.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours. Last, but not least, my condolences to the Wallace family on the loss of patriarch Russ, who passed away at the age of 77.
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: he wasn't very good at the start of the race; in fact he was fighting tooth and nail with Denny Hamlin to keep from being lapped when a caution came out. But through a series of pit stops to gain track position and some great pit stops late in the race, he was able to hold off Jimmie Johnson. With the win, he moves to second in the standings, 8 points behind Carl Edwards. Chance to win the championship: VERY GOOD.
Jimmie Johnson: he held the lead on the final restart but was not able to hold off Stewart. He was strong throughout the race, and was pretty much in the top 10 the entire race. Johnson is still 43 points behind Edwards with three races left. He's still mathematically in this, but he's going to need stout runs while the five drivers above him struggle. Chance to win the championship: ALMOST NIL.
Jeff Gordon: like Johnson, he was stout throughout the race. He had a winning car early, but tapered off later in the race when he was in dirty air. He's still 76 points behind leader Edwards. Chance to win the championship: NONE, he's done.
Kevin Harvick: he didn't have a good car early, but props to the 29 crew for making the car better as the race went on. Props also for taking two left-side tires late in the race to get track position and to lead laps. He did a good job of leading for several laps, but got freight trained. He did a good job in gaining a couple of positions in that run. He was able to escape the late race melees to finish fourth and gain five points and two positions in the standings. Chance to win the championship: GOOD, but needs help.
Denny Hamlin: for much of the race, he looked like the Hamlin that dominated Martinsville. He was shuffled back late in the race, but managed to avoid trouble and finish a solid fifth. Chance to win the championship: NONE, he's done. He's almost two races behind with three to go.
Carl Edwards: he's gotta get his props. He battled back from a lap down, was fighting an ill-handling race car all race long, but managed to stay out of trouble. His ninth place finish was huge, as he was able to maintain the points lead going into tracks where he's been historically stout at. A bad finish, and his chances to win the title would have diminished drastically. Chance to win the title: EXCELLENT.
Honorable Mention: Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Martin Truex Jr, and Ryan Newman.
THE BAD
ESPN: the constant lovefest with Edwards was sickening. Not even an interview with Kevin Harvick after the race! Some excuse to do SportsCenter or something like that. SHEESH!
THE UGLY
ESPN: see above.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours. Last, but not least, my condolences to the Wallace family on the loss of patriarch Russ, who passed away at the age of 77.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
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
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.
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!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2010 Pepsi Max 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is California Dreamin' at Fontana (insert bad Mamas and Papas joke here) for this week's serving of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, with fish tacos (we're close enough to San Diego), salsa, and the toppings of your choice, washed down with Pepsi Max, of course! Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: he gets first billing as the race winner. Smoke pulled ahead of Clint Bowyer on the final restart and had enough juice to hold off Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson for his first win at Fontana. With the win, Smoke bolsters his chances of a third championship. He has matured into a solid leader and that has helped him immensely in his racing. Could he be the modern-day A.J. Foyt? (Smoke was a former pole-sitter at the Indy 500.)
Clint Bowyer: he had a stout car from the time it was unloaded until the checkered flag, and it looked like he was going to win his second Chase race of the season. But Stewart overtook him on that last restart. What DOESN'T help Bowyer is that Jimmie Johnson finished right behind him, and he was only able to gain five points on Johnson. Bowyer could win the rest of the Chase races and if Johnson keeps ripping off top 3 finishes, Bowyer won't win the title.
Jimmie Johnson: this guy keeps ripping off top 3 finish after top 3 finish. Maybe there was something to what Kevin Harvick said early in the season about JJ and the lucky horseshoe. (Perhaps JJ played Frontierville on Facebook earlier in the season and got the horseshoe that way...just a thought.) And with Jimmie's House aka Charlotte looming, don't expect things to change anytime soon.
Kasey Kahne: where have you been Kasey? Long time no see in this category! Although he didn't lead a lap (he got as high as second position), he hung around in the top 10 for pretty much the whole race.
Ryan Newman: he capped off a great day for Stewart-Haas Racing by finishing fifth. He started 14th and quickly worked his way into the top 10. Great way to rep Tornados (a frozen Mexican-style wrap made in the central California town of Dinuba) in its home state by finishing in the top 5! Newman seems to run his best when Tornados is on the hood: a win and a fifth place finish.
Kevin Harvick: he started 21st, then had to overcome a speeding penalty exiting pit road during a round of green flag pit stops to finish seventh. The penalty dropped him to 28th, the last car on the lead lap. He was about to get lapped when a caution came out. A sub-Bad to his crew for NOT helping him gain spots on pit road. He made up all those spots on the track.
Denny Hamlin: I had to include the Hamster in here because he started in the back of the pack due to a transmission change. He charged his way up the field, eventually finishing eighth. But when you have the leader ripping off top 3s, it's impossible to catch him.
Honorable Mention: Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, David Reutimann, Joey Logano, Regan Smith.
THE BAD
Roush-Fenway Racing: it was a BAD day for them. Greg Biffle blows an engine and finishes 41st. Carl Edwards has ignition issues and finishes 34th. Then David Ragan, who was running solidly in the top 15 late in the race, triggers an accident that delivers a serious blow to Kurt Busch's title hopes. (Busch would finish 21st.) Matt Kenseth limped home in 30th, the last car on the lead lap and RFR's best finisher. Biffle's done, Edwards and Kenseth's title hopes are in serious jeopardy. They're THAT close to being done.
THE UGLY
Issues: many of the Chasers had them. Biffle and Kyle Busch blew engines. Edwards had ignition issues. Kurt Busch was collected in an accident not of his doing. Harvick and Jeff Gordon had speeding penalties. Kenseth limped home in 30th. Jeff Burton finished 23rd and is pretty close to being done. Hamlin had to have a transmission changed and started at the rear of the field.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours.
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: he gets first billing as the race winner. Smoke pulled ahead of Clint Bowyer on the final restart and had enough juice to hold off Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson for his first win at Fontana. With the win, Smoke bolsters his chances of a third championship. He has matured into a solid leader and that has helped him immensely in his racing. Could he be the modern-day A.J. Foyt? (Smoke was a former pole-sitter at the Indy 500.)
Clint Bowyer: he had a stout car from the time it was unloaded until the checkered flag, and it looked like he was going to win his second Chase race of the season. But Stewart overtook him on that last restart. What DOESN'T help Bowyer is that Jimmie Johnson finished right behind him, and he was only able to gain five points on Johnson. Bowyer could win the rest of the Chase races and if Johnson keeps ripping off top 3 finishes, Bowyer won't win the title.
Jimmie Johnson: this guy keeps ripping off top 3 finish after top 3 finish. Maybe there was something to what Kevin Harvick said early in the season about JJ and the lucky horseshoe. (Perhaps JJ played Frontierville on Facebook earlier in the season and got the horseshoe that way...just a thought.) And with Jimmie's House aka Charlotte looming, don't expect things to change anytime soon.
Kasey Kahne: where have you been Kasey? Long time no see in this category! Although he didn't lead a lap (he got as high as second position), he hung around in the top 10 for pretty much the whole race.
Ryan Newman: he capped off a great day for Stewart-Haas Racing by finishing fifth. He started 14th and quickly worked his way into the top 10. Great way to rep Tornados (a frozen Mexican-style wrap made in the central California town of Dinuba) in its home state by finishing in the top 5! Newman seems to run his best when Tornados is on the hood: a win and a fifth place finish.
Kevin Harvick: he started 21st, then had to overcome a speeding penalty exiting pit road during a round of green flag pit stops to finish seventh. The penalty dropped him to 28th, the last car on the lead lap. He was about to get lapped when a caution came out. A sub-Bad to his crew for NOT helping him gain spots on pit road. He made up all those spots on the track.
Denny Hamlin: I had to include the Hamster in here because he started in the back of the pack due to a transmission change. He charged his way up the field, eventually finishing eighth. But when you have the leader ripping off top 3s, it's impossible to catch him.
Honorable Mention: Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, David Reutimann, Joey Logano, Regan Smith.
THE BAD
Roush-Fenway Racing: it was a BAD day for them. Greg Biffle blows an engine and finishes 41st. Carl Edwards has ignition issues and finishes 34th. Then David Ragan, who was running solidly in the top 15 late in the race, triggers an accident that delivers a serious blow to Kurt Busch's title hopes. (Busch would finish 21st.) Matt Kenseth limped home in 30th, the last car on the lead lap and RFR's best finisher. Biffle's done, Edwards and Kenseth's title hopes are in serious jeopardy. They're THAT close to being done.
THE UGLY
Issues: many of the Chasers had them. Biffle and Kyle Busch blew engines. Edwards had ignition issues. Kurt Busch was collected in an accident not of his doing. Harvick and Jeff Gordon had speeding penalties. Kenseth limped home in 30th. Jeff Burton finished 23rd and is pretty close to being done. Hamlin had to have a transmission changed and started at the rear of the field.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2010 Emory Healthcare 500
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is deep in the heart of the South, the ATL, for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with PLENTY of Southern hospitality and barbecue, and washed down with copious amounts of Coke Zero. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: Smoke led the most laps, he was stout from the start, and he was able to solve his restart problem just in time. Early on it was Smoke and his ex-teammate at Gibbs, Denny Hamlin, swapping the lead. Then Carl Edwards entered the picture. Smoke was able to check out shortly after the final restart and win comfortably.
Carl Edwards: this team is getting closer and closer to that win. He ACTUALLY led laps; in fact, he led more laps THIS race than in the previous 46 RACES put together! I think he surpassed Mattias Eckstrom in total laps led this year. Sarcasm aside, the 99 team is peaking at the right time. Edwards WILL be a factor in the Chase.
Jimmie Johnson: he bounced off the schneid at the right time. He was at the point for a short time en route to a third place finish and a berth in the Chase. He had been in a funk since winning at Sonoma. Perhaps this will right his ship.
Jeff Burton: he pitted for four fresh tires on the final caution. Smart move. He picked his way through the field as a result. He took advantage of a contretemps between Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne in the process to finish fourth.
The Busch Brothers: when you have both brothers finishing this well (Kyle, 5th; Kurt, 6th), they've earned a spot together in the Good category. Kurt in particular battled back from a lap down to lead at one point. Kyle managed to avoid the engine issues that plagued his other teammates and was strong all race, even leading at one point.
Denny Hamlin: he was stout at the beginning, and was leading the most laps in the race when his engine blew without warning, bringing out a caution.
Honorable Mention: Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Marcos Ambrose.
THE BAD
ESPN: or more specifically, the coverage. WTH was that, cutting away from Smoke's moment in the sun (or in this instance, the moon) to go to SportsCenter? Here's what SC's covering: Tiger, Yankees, Red Sox, and THAT'S IT. NASCAR on ESPN gets shuffled away like a second-class citizen. Thankfully that was the last race ESPN broadcast. Starting on Saturday, the remainder of the races will be covered by ABC.
Kevin Harvick's Pit Crew: Harvick LOST positions in the pits consistently. He was able to overcome that on the track because he had such a stout car, not unlike Michigan. A Bad goes to Harvick himself for missing the committment cone on a pit stop and going from the top 10 to the 30's because of that one mistake. (He cut the left front tire and tore up the bumper in the process and finished the race in the pit.)
THE UGLY
Engine issues: several drivers had them, most notably Denny Hamlin. Because of Hamlin's blown engine, the guys that would normally start and park stayed out a LOT longer than usual, relegating Hamlin to DFL status. The normal start and parkers saw their opportunity to finish a lot higher than usual due to the regulars having issues.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in and comment!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: Smoke led the most laps, he was stout from the start, and he was able to solve his restart problem just in time. Early on it was Smoke and his ex-teammate at Gibbs, Denny Hamlin, swapping the lead. Then Carl Edwards entered the picture. Smoke was able to check out shortly after the final restart and win comfortably.
Carl Edwards: this team is getting closer and closer to that win. He ACTUALLY led laps; in fact, he led more laps THIS race than in the previous 46 RACES put together! I think he surpassed Mattias Eckstrom in total laps led this year. Sarcasm aside, the 99 team is peaking at the right time. Edwards WILL be a factor in the Chase.
Jimmie Johnson: he bounced off the schneid at the right time. He was at the point for a short time en route to a third place finish and a berth in the Chase. He had been in a funk since winning at Sonoma. Perhaps this will right his ship.
Jeff Burton: he pitted for four fresh tires on the final caution. Smart move. He picked his way through the field as a result. He took advantage of a contretemps between Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne in the process to finish fourth.
The Busch Brothers: when you have both brothers finishing this well (Kyle, 5th; Kurt, 6th), they've earned a spot together in the Good category. Kurt in particular battled back from a lap down to lead at one point. Kyle managed to avoid the engine issues that plagued his other teammates and was strong all race, even leading at one point.
Denny Hamlin: he was stout at the beginning, and was leading the most laps in the race when his engine blew without warning, bringing out a caution.
Honorable Mention: Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Marcos Ambrose.
THE BAD
ESPN: or more specifically, the coverage. WTH was that, cutting away from Smoke's moment in the sun (or in this instance, the moon) to go to SportsCenter?
Kevin Harvick's Pit Crew: Harvick LOST positions in the pits consistently. He was able to overcome that on the track because he had such a stout car, not unlike Michigan. A Bad goes to Harvick himself for missing the committment cone on a pit stop and going from the top 10 to the 30's because of that one mistake. (He cut the left front tire and tore up the bumper in the process and finished the race in the pit.)
THE UGLY
Engine issues: several drivers had them, most notably Denny Hamlin. Because of Hamlin's blown engine, the guys that would normally start and park stayed out a LOT longer than usual, relegating Hamlin to DFL status. The normal start and parkers saw their opportunity to finish a lot higher than usual due to the regulars having issues.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in and comment!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Kansas
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the nation's heartland, Kansas, for this week's serving of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, BBQ-style. It's been said that Kansas has the nation's best BBQ, so we're serving it with all the fixin's. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: as the race winner, he gets first billing this week. He used a two-tire stop on his last pit stop to get him out in front and he made it stand. The #14 got stronger as the race went on, and through good pit stops, the crew put Smoke in position to win. Good job Tony!
Jeff Gordon: although he never led a lap, he was strong all day and was gaining on Stewart but ran out of laps.
Greg Biffle: not bad considering he started 31st. He led the most laps in the race, and that was huge. Great run for the Biff, plus he gained a position in the points.
Juan Pablo Montoya: like Gordon, he never led a lap, but hung out in the top 10 pretty much the whole race. The fourth-place finish was huge for the #42, as he gained ground on both Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson. He was stout on the restarts and at the beginning of runs.
Denny Hamlin: he bounced back from a pedestrian run at Dover for a solid fifth place finish. It may have been the quietest fifth place finish ever, as he wasn't mentioned much.
Honorable Mention: Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, David Reutimann, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards.
THE BAD
Brian Vickers: he battled an ill-handling race car to start, even BEING the caution at one point. A blown engine then put him out of his misery at Lap 208. He lost two positions in the Chase and is over 200 points in arrears. His Chase chances are done. Stick a fork in him. He can use this as a learning tool for future Chases.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: for awhile, he had one of the best cars. Then after a pit stop, he was caught speeding on pit road and had to serve a pass through penalty that put him a lap down and he never really recovered. His day ended at Lap 262 when he blew an engine.
THE UGLY
Brian Vickers: see above.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: as the race winner, he gets first billing this week. He used a two-tire stop on his last pit stop to get him out in front and he made it stand. The #14 got stronger as the race went on, and through good pit stops, the crew put Smoke in position to win. Good job Tony!
Jeff Gordon: although he never led a lap, he was strong all day and was gaining on Stewart but ran out of laps.
Greg Biffle: not bad considering he started 31st. He led the most laps in the race, and that was huge. Great run for the Biff, plus he gained a position in the points.
Juan Pablo Montoya: like Gordon, he never led a lap, but hung out in the top 10 pretty much the whole race. The fourth-place finish was huge for the #42, as he gained ground on both Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson. He was stout on the restarts and at the beginning of runs.
Denny Hamlin: he bounced back from a pedestrian run at Dover for a solid fifth place finish. It may have been the quietest fifth place finish ever, as he wasn't mentioned much.
Honorable Mention: Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, David Reutimann, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards.
THE BAD
Brian Vickers: he battled an ill-handling race car to start, even BEING the caution at one point. A blown engine then put him out of his misery at Lap 208. He lost two positions in the Chase and is over 200 points in arrears. His Chase chances are done. Stick a fork in him. He can use this as a learning tool for future Chases.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: for awhile, he had one of the best cars. Then after a pit stop, he was caught speeding on pit road and had to serve a pass through penalty that put him a lap down and he never really recovered. His day ended at Lap 262 when he blew an engine.
THE UGLY
Brian Vickers: see above.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly--The Glen
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York to present to you the rain-delayed version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, east coast wine and cheese style. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. With the win, he becomes the first NASCAR driver to win at the Glen five times. He led the most laps in the race, but had to hold off a game Marcos Ambrose for the win.
Marcos Ambrose: he finished a career-best second and led laps. He was stout throughout the weekend, and nearly completed a Glen sweep.
Carl Edwards: he finished a career-best third on a road course. He started 33rd and steadily moved his way up towards the top. Although he didn't lead a lap, he got stronger as the race wore on. The third place finish solidifies his spot in the Chase, as he SORELY needed a strong finish. The Glen was his make or break race. IMO, he clinched a Chase spot, as the remaining tracks are friendly to Edwards.
The Busch Brothers: both Kurt and Kyle got the five bonus points for leading a lap. Although Kyle had a better finish (4th vs. Kurt's 7th), both brothers had strong cars.
Max Papis: I've gotta give a shout out to Como, Italy's Mad Max. It not only was his career-best finish on a road course, it was his career-best NASCAR finish. He started 16th and finished 8th. Good job, Max!
Clint Bowyer: for a guy who admits road courses are not his best tracks, he sure did well! He started 38th and finished 9th, a MUCH needed top 10 that kept his flickering Chase hopes alive. He should still have a chance going into the final weekend before the Chase, as he goes to tracks where he runs strong.
Greg Biffle: Da Biff had a strong top 5 finish. With that finish, he improved his Chase chances. Historically, he has struggled on road courses. But not today. He was strong all weekend.
Honorable Mention: Brian Vickers, Jimmie Johnson, AJ Allmendinger, Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano.
THE BAD
Start and parkers: you people know who you are.
Kevin Harvick: he was never a factor, finishing 35th, an unusually bad position for Happy at the Glen.
David Stremme: after leading early, he dropped like a stone, finishing 26th.
THE UGLY
The Crash: this one was a doozy, even by the Glen's standards. It involved Kasey Kahne getting loose and collecting Sam Hornish Jr. Hornish then careened across the track and Jeff Gordon hit him, then hit the guard rail at full speed. Fortunately, both Hornish and Gordon are okay. A sub good to Kahne for accepting full responsibility for the wreck that finished Gordon's, Hornish's, and Jeff Burton's days early.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: he had brake issues and slammed into the tire barrier, costing him 30 laps for repairs. He would finish 39th.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. With the win, he becomes the first NASCAR driver to win at the Glen five times. He led the most laps in the race, but had to hold off a game Marcos Ambrose for the win.
Marcos Ambrose: he finished a career-best second and led laps. He was stout throughout the weekend, and nearly completed a Glen sweep.
Carl Edwards: he finished a career-best third on a road course. He started 33rd and steadily moved his way up towards the top. Although he didn't lead a lap, he got stronger as the race wore on. The third place finish solidifies his spot in the Chase, as he SORELY needed a strong finish. The Glen was his make or break race. IMO, he clinched a Chase spot, as the remaining tracks are friendly to Edwards.
The Busch Brothers: both Kurt and Kyle got the five bonus points for leading a lap. Although Kyle had a better finish (4th vs. Kurt's 7th), both brothers had strong cars.
Max Papis: I've gotta give a shout out to Como, Italy's Mad Max. It not only was his career-best finish on a road course, it was his career-best NASCAR finish. He started 16th and finished 8th. Good job, Max!
Clint Bowyer: for a guy who admits road courses are not his best tracks, he sure did well! He started 38th and finished 9th, a MUCH needed top 10 that kept his flickering Chase hopes alive. He should still have a chance going into the final weekend before the Chase, as he goes to tracks where he runs strong.
Greg Biffle: Da Biff had a strong top 5 finish. With that finish, he improved his Chase chances. Historically, he has struggled on road courses. But not today. He was strong all weekend.
Honorable Mention: Brian Vickers, Jimmie Johnson, AJ Allmendinger, Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano.
THE BAD
Start and parkers: you people know who you are.
Kevin Harvick: he was never a factor, finishing 35th, an unusually bad position for Happy at the Glen.
David Stremme: after leading early, he dropped like a stone, finishing 26th.
THE UGLY
The Crash: this one was a doozy, even by the Glen's standards. It involved Kasey Kahne getting loose and collecting Sam Hornish Jr. Hornish then careened across the track and Jeff Gordon hit him, then hit the guard rail at full speed. Fortunately, both Hornish and Gordon are okay. A sub good to Kahne for accepting full responsibility for the wreck that finished Gordon's, Hornish's, and Jeff Burton's days early.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: he had brake issues and slammed into the tire barrier, costing him 30 laps for repairs. He would finish 39th.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Coke Zero 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew brings you fireworks, patriotism, and lots of analysis, spaghetti-western style. This week's edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is served up Florida-style, with plenty of orange juice to wash it all down. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. Smoke dominated the race, leading the most laps, 86, and surviving a wild crash involving Kyle Busch. Busch went to block Stewart and made contact, sending him flying near the start-finish line as the race was winding down. Stewart was subdued as he celebrated in Victory Lane. He didn't like the way the race ended, with Busch flying.
Denny Hamlin: he led the second-most laps (63) en route to a third-place finish. He steadily worked his way to the front after the green flag dropped and it seemed the race turned into the Tony and Denny Show. Between Hamlin and Stewart, they led 149 of the 160 laps.
Marcos Ambrose: he's not normally known as a restrictor-plate driver. After a solid top 10 finish, we may have to rethink that notion. This comes on the heels of a top 5 at Talladega in late April. He is steadily improving, and his first Cup win could well come later this year.
Kurt Busch: the Blue Deuce led a lap and got five critical bonus points. I'm sure the Blue Crew was VERY happy to come out of Daytona with a top 5.
Jimmie Johnson: he was a beneficiary of that wild crash that ended the race. He finished second, and I'm sure the Lowe's crew breathed a HUGE sigh of relief after the race.
Matt Kenseth: he led multiple laps (3). It was critical for the Killer B's to come out of Daytona with a top 10, and they did.
Honorable Mention: Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Robby Gordon, John Andretti, Jeff Gordon.
THE BAD
Dave Blaney: ran an amazing TWO LAPS before he parked his rig for the day. Is he trying to outdo P.J. Jones? I'm waiting for the day when an S&P doesn't even take the green flag and is credited for zero laps run.
Patrick Carpentier: it wasn't long ago I gave him an Honorable Mention in the Good category. At least he tried, as he ran 18 laps before he was done for the day.
Richard Childress Racing: aside from Jeff Burton, they had nothing to write home about, save for Kevin Harvick barely escaping the first Big One. Clint Bowyer wasn't so lucky--he got caught up in the first Big One, and he lost a lap and never recovered. He finished 29th. Casey Mears also wrecked, causing substantial damage to his left rear quarter. He finished 16 laps down in 34th. As for Harvick, he finished on the lead lap, but in 26th.
THE UGLY
The Big One #1: that involved Kasey Kahne, David Stremme, and several other cars, most notably Dale Earnhardt Jr. The first Big One occurred on Lap 75. Earnhardt Jr's #88 had it's A-frame separated from the chassis, ending his day.
The Big One #2: this happened as both Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch were getting ready to take the checkered flag. Busch was leading the race and was attempting to block Stewart, but Stewart had a run on him, and the two made contact. Busch went flying and Stewart took the checkered flag. There were several other cars that were involved in the carnage.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Tony Stewart: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. Smoke dominated the race, leading the most laps, 86, and surviving a wild crash involving Kyle Busch. Busch went to block Stewart and made contact, sending him flying near the start-finish line as the race was winding down. Stewart was subdued as he celebrated in Victory Lane. He didn't like the way the race ended, with Busch flying.
Denny Hamlin: he led the second-most laps (63) en route to a third-place finish. He steadily worked his way to the front after the green flag dropped and it seemed the race turned into the Tony and Denny Show. Between Hamlin and Stewart, they led 149 of the 160 laps.
Marcos Ambrose: he's not normally known as a restrictor-plate driver. After a solid top 10 finish, we may have to rethink that notion. This comes on the heels of a top 5 at Talladega in late April. He is steadily improving, and his first Cup win could well come later this year.
Kurt Busch: the Blue Deuce led a lap and got five critical bonus points. I'm sure the Blue Crew was VERY happy to come out of Daytona with a top 5.
Jimmie Johnson: he was a beneficiary of that wild crash that ended the race. He finished second, and I'm sure the Lowe's crew breathed a HUGE sigh of relief after the race.
Matt Kenseth: he led multiple laps (3). It was critical for the Killer B's to come out of Daytona with a top 10, and they did.
Honorable Mention: Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Robby Gordon, John Andretti, Jeff Gordon.
THE BAD
Dave Blaney: ran an amazing TWO LAPS before he parked his rig for the day. Is he trying to outdo P.J. Jones? I'm waiting for the day when an S&P doesn't even take the green flag and is credited for zero laps run.
Patrick Carpentier: it wasn't long ago I gave him an Honorable Mention in the Good category. At least he tried, as he ran 18 laps before he was done for the day.
Richard Childress Racing: aside from Jeff Burton, they had nothing to write home about, save for Kevin Harvick barely escaping the first Big One. Clint Bowyer wasn't so lucky--he got caught up in the first Big One, and he lost a lap and never recovered. He finished 29th. Casey Mears also wrecked, causing substantial damage to his left rear quarter. He finished 16 laps down in 34th. As for Harvick, he finished on the lead lap, but in 26th.
THE UGLY
The Big One #1: that involved Kasey Kahne, David Stremme, and several other cars, most notably Dale Earnhardt Jr. The first Big One occurred on Lap 75. Earnhardt Jr's #88 had it's A-frame separated from the chassis, ending his day.
The Big One #2: this happened as both Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch were getting ready to take the checkered flag. Busch was leading the race and was attempting to block Stewart, but Stewart had a run on him, and the two made contact. Busch went flying and Stewart took the checkered flag. There were several other cars that were involved in the carnage.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Daytona qualifying rained out--a response
Qualifying was rained out for the Coke Zero 400. Per NASCAR rules, the field is set by owners' points. Tony Stewart has the pole per the rules. Currently, the NNS race is being run under scattered clouds. Here is my response to the current rules: TWEAK THEM.
IF the scheduled qualifying is rained out, NASCAR should make every effort to reschedule qualifying for 8 AM the next morning. Since there is only the Cup race in the evening, and weather won't be a factor, they COULD have fit in qualifying at 8 AM. If it's clear at 8 AM, then run qualifying as normal. However, if the weather is not cooperative, ONLY THEN do you set the field by owners' points.
This rule is one of those in pro sports (not just NASCAR) that gets under my craw. It sucks for those that are 44th or farther back in the owners' points that don't even get to qualify. Sucks for Max Papis--he doesn't fit the definition of a start-and-parker. Papis just missed a top 10 finish at Sonoma. And had he qualified for this race, Mad Max would have done his best to get a good finish. One silver lining--the #64 didn't qualify. P.J. Jones drove that car for an amazing two laps at Sonoma before his day was done.
Unfortunately, we'll probably have a couple of S&Ps. Anyone want to venture a guess as to who they will be? I'll guess the #37 of Tony Raines and the #36 of Patrick Carpentier.
IF the scheduled qualifying is rained out, NASCAR should make every effort to reschedule qualifying for 8 AM the next morning. Since there is only the Cup race in the evening, and weather won't be a factor, they COULD have fit in qualifying at 8 AM. If it's clear at 8 AM, then run qualifying as normal. However, if the weather is not cooperative, ONLY THEN do you set the field by owners' points.
This rule is one of those in pro sports (not just NASCAR) that gets under my craw. It sucks for those that are 44th or farther back in the owners' points that don't even get to qualify. Sucks for Max Papis--he doesn't fit the definition of a start-and-parker. Papis just missed a top 10 finish at Sonoma. And had he qualified for this race, Mad Max would have done his best to get a good finish. One silver lining--the #64 didn't qualify. P.J. Jones drove that car for an amazing two laps at Sonoma before his day was done.
Unfortunately, we'll probably have a couple of S&Ps. Anyone want to venture a guess as to who they will be? I'll guess the #37 of Tony Raines and the #36 of Patrick Carpentier.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Gas and Go--Loudon
This week's Gas and Go comes New England-style. I give you some brief insights and takes regarding this week's race.
- New Hampshire International Speedway was completed in 1990. At a distance of just over one mile, it has been described as "Martinsville on steroids."
- NHIS gives the NASCAR fans in the Northeast and Canada an opportunity to root on their favorite drivers twice a year.
- The first Cup race at NHIS took place on July 11, 1993, the Slick 50 300. Mark Martin won the pole, but Rusty Wallace won the race.
- NHIS got its second date in 1997. Jeff Gordon won the first race held in mid-September, September 14, 1997, to be exact.
- Jeff Burton won the fall race in 2000 and he led EVERY LAP in that race.
- Jimmie Johnson swept both NHIS races in 2003. Not to be outdone, Kurt Busch swept both races in 2004.
- Jeff Burton leads all drivers with four wins at the track. With a win this week, Jeff Gordon would tie Burton.
- Because of the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks and the subsequent postponement of the fall race that year, the race was run on 11/26/01. Robby Gordon got his only career oval win driving the #31 Lowe's Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. It was the last race for Lowe's on the #31. The next year, they would move to the #48 Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson.
- Look for the usual suspects to be running up front: Johnson, Burton, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Mark Martin, Martin Truex, Jr.
- If not for being so snakebit this year, I'd include Kevin Harvick among the front runners.
- There are two brother combinations that have won: Ward (fall 2002) and Jeff Burton, and Kurt and Kyle Busch.
- Thinking of you: Jerry Nadeau.
Predicted Race Winner: Tony Stewart.
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