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.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 Good Sam 500
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the heart of Dixie, Talladega, for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with BBQ and all the fixin's. Served Southern-style, of course, and wash that down with PLENTY of Coke and sweet tea! Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Clint Bowyer: he gets this week's top spot as the race winner. He had a stout car all day long, as evidenced by his last lap pass on his teammate Jeff Burton. Very rarely was he in mid-pack, where all the trouble was. (Ask Kevin Harvick about that.) For Bowyer, it was his first win of the season, it was car owner Richard Childress' 100th win as a car owner, and it breaks the tie between RCR and Hendrick Motorsports for most wins at Talladega. It was RCR's third win in the last four Talladega races. A very nice parting gift for RC, indeed. Good job Clint!
Jeff Burton: this was his best finish of the season, and it looks like things are starting to turn around on the 31 team. Try as he might, he just didn't have the juice to hold off Bowyer for the win.
Dave Blaney: the third-place run tied his career-best finish. He and Brad Keselowski worked very well together: a veteran of plate racing and a youngster. More importantly, it was HUGE for his team as they have some breathing room inside the top 35 now. A very nice birthday present, indeed. (Blaney's birthday is tomorrow.) Happy Birthday!
Brad Keselowski: he did a great job pushing Blaney to the front all day. And unlike some drivers that thought you could win the race halfway through (Allmendinger and Ambrose come to mind), Keselowski stayed patient and was rewarded with a solid fourth place finish, plus moves up three spots to third, 18 points behind leader Carl Edwards (who I think will points race his way to a championship).
Brian Vickers: another very solid Talladega run for BV. Perhaps he's auditioning for a ride next season, as Red Bull is pulling out of NASCAR at the end of the season. He led three laps en route to a top 5 finish. He has one of his two wins at this track, this same race in 2006.
Kasey Kahne: much like Vickers, he had another solid Talladega run. UNLIKE Vickers, he'll be driving the 5 car at HMS next season. (This makes it four makes in four years: Dodge in 2009, Ford in 2010, Toyota this season, and Chevrolet next season.)
Tony Stewart: Smoke led the most laps, but got shuffled back when he and Paul Menard got separated late in the race. He gains a position in the standings, but is 19 points behind Edwards.
Michael Waltrip: I've got to give a shout out to ole Mikey! He kept the car in one piece, stayed out of trouble, and was rewarded with a top 10 finish.
Denny Hamlin: he lost a lap early when he lost the main draft, got it back under caution, and kept the 11 in one piece. He eventually finished in the top 10.
Honorable Mention: Matt Kenseth, Juan Pablo Montoya, David Ragan, Jamie McMurray, Robby Gordon, Paul Menard, and Kevin Harvick.
THE BAD
Kevin Conway: he ran a grand total of two laps before declaring himself done for the day. Yeah, you guessed it: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room before the race. He hotfooted it out of town with his earnings faster than the laps he turned on the track.
AJ Allmendinger/Marcos Ambrose: sorry guys, I have to put you here. Your carelessness in a crowded part of the track definitely killed Kyle Busch's chances at a title, and put a serious dent in Kevin Harvick's title chances. Harvick gave you guys PLENTY of room; I guess the WHOLE state of Alabama was too small for you guys! (Harvick and Menard had BOTH of their left side tires on the double yellow and were GIVING you the position, but you guys ****** it up!) IF Harvick wins the title (and it's looking quite remote now, thanks to you guys), it will be NO thanks to you guys. EVERY FREAKING YEAR someone has to get a LITTLE TOO RACY WHEN THEY DON'T NEED TO. SHEESH!!! Next time do us a favor: don't be so careless and reckless when you're in a pack of cars; they WERE trying to give you the position, but you decided to get racy!!
THE UGLY
AJ Allmendinger/Marcos Ambrose: see above.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours. HINT: I'm pretty upset right now, as you can tell. (The two guys I DON'T want to win the title are 1-2 in the standings and Kevin's half a race out. Thank you, AJ and Marcos for that.)
THE GOOD
Clint Bowyer: he gets this week's top spot as the race winner. He had a stout car all day long, as evidenced by his last lap pass on his teammate Jeff Burton. Very rarely was he in mid-pack, where all the trouble was. (Ask Kevin Harvick about that.) For Bowyer, it was his first win of the season, it was car owner Richard Childress' 100th win as a car owner, and it breaks the tie between RCR and Hendrick Motorsports for most wins at Talladega. It was RCR's third win in the last four Talladega races. A very nice parting gift for RC, indeed. Good job Clint!
Jeff Burton: this was his best finish of the season, and it looks like things are starting to turn around on the 31 team. Try as he might, he just didn't have the juice to hold off Bowyer for the win.
Dave Blaney: the third-place run tied his career-best finish. He and Brad Keselowski worked very well together: a veteran of plate racing and a youngster. More importantly, it was HUGE for his team as they have some breathing room inside the top 35 now. A very nice birthday present, indeed. (Blaney's birthday is tomorrow.) Happy Birthday!
Brad Keselowski: he did a great job pushing Blaney to the front all day. And unlike some drivers that thought you could win the race halfway through (Allmendinger and Ambrose come to mind), Keselowski stayed patient and was rewarded with a solid fourth place finish, plus moves up three spots to third, 18 points behind leader Carl Edwards (who I think will points race his way to a championship).
Brian Vickers: another very solid Talladega run for BV. Perhaps he's auditioning for a ride next season, as Red Bull is pulling out of NASCAR at the end of the season. He led three laps en route to a top 5 finish. He has one of his two wins at this track, this same race in 2006.
Kasey Kahne: much like Vickers, he had another solid Talladega run. UNLIKE Vickers, he'll be driving the 5 car at HMS next season. (This makes it four makes in four years: Dodge in 2009, Ford in 2010, Toyota this season, and Chevrolet next season.)
Tony Stewart: Smoke led the most laps, but got shuffled back when he and Paul Menard got separated late in the race. He gains a position in the standings, but is 19 points behind Edwards.
Michael Waltrip: I've got to give a shout out to ole Mikey! He kept the car in one piece, stayed out of trouble, and was rewarded with a top 10 finish.
Denny Hamlin: he lost a lap early when he lost the main draft, got it back under caution, and kept the 11 in one piece. He eventually finished in the top 10.
Honorable Mention: Matt Kenseth, Juan Pablo Montoya, David Ragan, Jamie McMurray, Robby Gordon, Paul Menard, and Kevin Harvick.
THE BAD
Kevin Conway: he ran a grand total of two laps before declaring himself done for the day. Yeah, you guessed it: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room before the race. He hotfooted it out of town with his earnings faster than the laps he turned on the track.
AJ Allmendinger/Marcos Ambrose: sorry guys, I have to put you here. Your carelessness in a crowded part of the track definitely killed Kyle Busch's chances at a title, and put a serious dent in Kevin Harvick's title chances. Harvick gave you guys PLENTY of room; I guess the WHOLE state of Alabama was too small for you guys! (Harvick and Menard had BOTH of their left side tires on the double yellow and were GIVING you the position, but you guys ****** it up!) IF Harvick wins the title (and it's looking quite remote now, thanks to you guys), it will be NO thanks to you guys. EVERY FREAKING YEAR someone has to get a LITTLE TOO RACY WHEN THEY DON'T NEED TO. SHEESH!!! Next time do us a favor: don't be so careless and reckless when you're in a pack of cars; they WERE trying to give you the position, but you decided to get racy!!
THE UGLY
AJ Allmendinger/Marcos Ambrose: see above.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours. HINT: I'm pretty upset right now, as you can tell. (The two guys I DON'T want to win the title are 1-2 in the standings and Kevin's half a race out. Thank you, AJ and Marcos for that.)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 Bank of America 500
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the hub of the sport, Charlotte Motor Speedway, for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served up BBQ-style, with a heaping side of helpings and Coke to wash it all down. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Matt Kenseth: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He was solid all race, and got better in the closing laps, overtaking Kyle Busch for his third win of the season. More important, he gained four positions in the standings.
Kyle Busch: he led for much of the second half of the race, but Kenseth was too good late. Like Kenseth, he gained four positions in the standings.
Carl Edwards: he was stout throughout most of the race, but faded a bit late. He holds the points lead by five points over Kevin Harvick.
Kasey Kahne: had it been the 600, he might have had enough to win. He came from seventh on the final restart to finish fourth.
Marcos Ambrose: great run by the driver of the #9 Ford. He was strong from the outset and kept improving his track position. While he didn't have the car to beat, props to the crew and his crew chief for making the right adjustments.
Kevin Harvick: he was "Mr. Where Did He Come From?" again. The 29 car was plowing for most of the race, and the Pass through the Grass to avoid Kahne strangely made the car better.
Honorable Mention: Tony Stewart, AJ Allmendinger, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Newman.
THE BAD
Joe Nemechek: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. Fortunately for him, he didn't have to hotfoot it very far.
Greg Biffle: he had a stout car that COULD have won, but penalties bit him in the rear. I think he has suffered the most penalties in NASCAR. His race went from bad to worse.
THE UGLY
Jimmie Johnson: he took a HARD hit when while racing for position with Ryan Newman, he got loose, tried to save the car, and went up the track and hit the wall HARD. He also took just as hard a hit in the points, going from 3rd to 8th, 35 points behind Edwards.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Matt Kenseth: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He was solid all race, and got better in the closing laps, overtaking Kyle Busch for his third win of the season. More important, he gained four positions in the standings.
Kyle Busch: he led for much of the second half of the race, but Kenseth was too good late. Like Kenseth, he gained four positions in the standings.
Carl Edwards: he was stout throughout most of the race, but faded a bit late. He holds the points lead by five points over Kevin Harvick.
Kasey Kahne: had it been the 600, he might have had enough to win. He came from seventh on the final restart to finish fourth.
Marcos Ambrose: great run by the driver of the #9 Ford. He was strong from the outset and kept improving his track position. While he didn't have the car to beat, props to the crew and his crew chief for making the right adjustments.
Kevin Harvick: he was "Mr. Where Did He Come From?" again. The 29 car was plowing for most of the race, and the Pass through the Grass to avoid Kahne strangely made the car better.
Honorable Mention: Tony Stewart, AJ Allmendinger, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Newman.
THE BAD
Joe Nemechek: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. Fortunately for him, he didn't have to hotfoot it very far.
Greg Biffle: he had a stout car that COULD have won, but penalties bit him in the rear. I think he has suffered the most penalties in NASCAR. His race went from bad to worse.
THE UGLY
Jimmie Johnson: he took a HARD hit when while racing for position with Ryan Newman, he got loose, tried to save the car, and went up the track and hit the wall HARD. He also took just as hard a hit in the points, going from 3rd to 8th, 35 points behind Edwards.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 AAA 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the lengthy shadow of Philly to bring you this week's heaping helping of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Philly-style, with plenty of cheesesteaks and crab cakes and washed down with PLENTY of Miller Lite (be sure to drink responsibly). Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kurt Busch: he gets this spot as this week's winner. While he had a strong car throughout the day, it was in the second half of the race that the Double Deuce got better. Props to the crew for making the necessary adjustments to get the car better. The real key was getting past Jimmie Johnson on a late restart to take the lead. He was able to hold off JJ and Carl Edwards, who was making a late charge.
Jimmie Johnson: JJ started sixth, and was solid throughout the race weekend. He led early through a round of green flag pit stops. Solid, not spectacular. He sorely needed a top 3 run and got it at one of his favorite tracks. With the runner up finish, he moves up five spots in the standings, to fifth, 13 points behind co-leaders Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards.
Carl Edwards: he looked like he had the car to beat throughout the race. But he got popped for speeding on pit road, and had to serve a drive through penalty that put him a lap down. He subsequently became the beneficiary of a free pass to get back on the lead lap. Then he made his charge. He was 20th on the final restart. He finished third. Good job Carl!
Kasey Kahne: he was finally able to put together a solid run from start to finish and avoid the bad racing luck that has plagued him for much of the season. Although he didn't lead a lap, he was solid throughout. Well done.
Richard Petty Motorsports: with AJ Allmendinger (7th) and Marcos Ambrose (9th) having strong runs, it was a strong team effort. Ambrose passed Kevin Harvick on the white flag lap to gain a position to finish 9th.
Honorable Mention: Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick.
THE BAD
ESPN'S coverage: normally I would put the first start and parker here, but the coverage was PUTRID. While I like the Nonstop Coverage, CUT AWAY from the commercials when a caution comes out!! Sheesh!! I'm not so sure I'm looking forward to Fox's All-Waltrip All The Time Coverage next year, though.
Travis Kvapil: he was the first start and parker. He drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room before the race. He ran a grand total of 12 laps before declaring himself done for the day and hotfooting it out of town with his earnings.
Stewart-Haas Racing: it was a horrid day for both Ryan Newman (p23) and Tony Stewart (p25). As bad as they were, it could have been worse had it not been for some late cautions. I'm sure THEY hotfooted it out of Dover shortly after they took the checkered flag. Stewart even lost his points lead and maybe a bit of his swagger he had built up after winning the last two races.
THE UGLY
Weather: the race was run under cloudy and occasionally rainy conditions. In fact, there were a couple of cautions for sprinkles. Hopefully the weather will be better in Kansas next week.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
THE GOOD
Kurt Busch: he gets this spot as this week's winner. While he had a strong car throughout the day, it was in the second half of the race that the Double Deuce got better. Props to the crew for making the necessary adjustments to get the car better. The real key was getting past Jimmie Johnson on a late restart to take the lead. He was able to hold off JJ and Carl Edwards, who was making a late charge.
Jimmie Johnson: JJ started sixth, and was solid throughout the race weekend. He led early through a round of green flag pit stops. Solid, not spectacular. He sorely needed a top 3 run and got it at one of his favorite tracks. With the runner up finish, he moves up five spots in the standings, to fifth, 13 points behind co-leaders Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards.
Carl Edwards: he looked like he had the car to beat throughout the race. But he got popped for speeding on pit road, and had to serve a drive through penalty that put him a lap down. He subsequently became the beneficiary of a free pass to get back on the lead lap. Then he made his charge. He was 20th on the final restart. He finished third. Good job Carl!
Kasey Kahne: he was finally able to put together a solid run from start to finish and avoid the bad racing luck that has plagued him for much of the season. Although he didn't lead a lap, he was solid throughout. Well done.
Richard Petty Motorsports: with AJ Allmendinger (7th) and Marcos Ambrose (9th) having strong runs, it was a strong team effort. Ambrose passed Kevin Harvick on the white flag lap to gain a position to finish 9th.
Honorable Mention: Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick.
THE BAD
ESPN'S coverage: normally I would put the first start and parker here, but the coverage was PUTRID. While I like the Nonstop Coverage, CUT AWAY from the commercials when a caution comes out!! Sheesh!! I'm not so sure I'm looking forward to Fox's All-Waltrip All The Time Coverage next year, though.
Travis Kvapil: he was the first start and parker. He drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room before the race. He ran a grand total of 12 laps before declaring himself done for the day and hotfooting it out of town with his earnings.
Stewart-Haas Racing: it was a horrid day for both Ryan Newman (p23) and Tony Stewart (p25). As bad as they were, it could have been worse had it not been for some late cautions. I'm sure THEY hotfooted it out of Dover shortly after they took the checkered flag. Stewart even lost his points lead and maybe a bit of his swagger he had built up after winning the last two races.
THE UGLY
Weather: the race was run under cloudy and occasionally rainy conditions. In fact, there were a couple of cautions for sprinkles. Hopefully the weather will be better in Kansas next week.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
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, September 10, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 Wonderful Pistachios 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is back in action (we had to leave due to a prior committment last week, and time was tight) in the heart of Virginia for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with all the fixin's you can think of, and washed down with PLENTY of Budweiser. (Be sure to drink responsibly; we here at the crew want to see you get home in one piece.) Before I get to my nominees, I have to give a shout out to the first responders of 9/11/01. THEY are the true heroes, along with our brave servicemen and women.
THE GOOD
First Responders/Armed Forces: you all are the true heroes. You did your jobs in the wake of a terrible attack on our nation, and you did it to the very best of your ability. Great job, guys and gals. May we NEVER forget and take for granted the job you do.
Kevin Harvick: it's been awhile since we've seen you here. Normally, I put the winning driver first, but since the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 is tomorrow, I put the First Responders/Armed Forces first. Now back to Harvick. He had the dominant car tonight, but got caught in the pits when the caution came out midway through the race. He had to take the wave around. In the following run, he made up many positions. On the money stop, he came out first, then subsequently drove away on the restart. He had to hold off a hard-charging Carl Edwards to win his fourth race of the season and tie Kyle Busch in the points heading into the Chase. (It's too bad it's not the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 anymore; he'd have had the hot band of the moment in Victory Lane with him like he did with the Barenaked Ladies in 2006.)
Carl Edwards: he had the car to beat midway into the race. He had the best car on the longer runs, but the final run was too short a time for him to contend for the win. Had there been a few more laps to go, we'd be seeing him and not Harvick in Victory Lane.
Jeff Gordon: he took the lead from Harvick late but a subsequent caution and a less than stellar pit stop bit him. He came out fourth after the final pit stop, got shuffled back a bit on the subsequent restart, but rallied to finish third. He enters the Chase with momentum, extending a streak of top 13 finishes he started at Infineon. He'll be tough to beat in the Chase.
David Ragan: he gave a whale of an effort to win the race, and had he won, he'd have clinched a Chase berth and not Denny Hamlin. Ragan was solid all night long. Although he never led, he was consistently in the top 10 throughout the race. Unfortunately for Ragan, rumors are swirling that Clint Bowyer could be moving into the 6 car and Ragan into a third RPM car. Regardless, a very solid run by Ragan.
Kurt Busch: he had quite the adventure this evening, particularly with Jimmie Johnson. They couldn't seem to stay away from one another. This observer couldn't help but laugh when he envisioned a fight between Busch and Johnson. (Slap fight, perhaps?)
Kyle Busch: patience was the word du jour for his race. He went a lap down, rallied, and subsequently finished sixth. Patience and Kyle Busch haven't always gotten along. This should serve him well in the last 10 races. An extra Good goes to Kyle for having the best paint scheme.
Tony Stewart: he's run the best he has this season when he's needed it. He clinched a spot in the Chase with his seventh place finish, and Smoke has some momentum now. Chicagoland is a track he's always run well at. (He needed to finish 14th or better.) Good job Smoke!
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: he had some harrowing moments tonight, but righted the car, finished 14th, and clinched his Chase berth.
Denny Hamlin: he clinched the final wild-card berth when Menard found trouble, and Ragan didn't win the race.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman and Mark Martin.
THE BAD
Paul Menard: he needed to win to clinch a Chase berth. He had a bad run and found trouble. He finished the race, but in 34th, 81 laps down. (I normally put the first start and parker here, but the DFL driver finished last due to an accident, so that doesn't count.)
Jeff Burton: the momentum he had built up since Watkins Glen has vanished. It looked like the 31 team was heading in the right direction, but they took a giant step backwards. It didn't help that he cut a tire and slapped the wall. He was briefly in the top 10 but went backwards shortly thereafter.
THE UGLY
Jimmie Johnson: he's been on this list more times in recent weeks than in the last five years put together. Perhaps he IS feeling the pressure of defending his title yet again. Or perhaps other drivers are taking more liberties in pushing JJ around. Harvick started that at Fontana when he shoved JJ into turn 3 much harder than JJ wanted to enter the turn. (By the time JJ righted the car, Harvick drove past him for the win.) The reason he's in the Ugly category is because of his post-race whining about Kurt Busch. (I think Busch is living in JJ's head rent-free.) JJ got loose, made contact with Busch, and slapped the wall. Actually, Busch being there saved JJ from a MUCH worse situation where he could have finished in the upper 30s, so he should THANK Busch for that.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
First Responders/Armed Forces: you all are the true heroes. You did your jobs in the wake of a terrible attack on our nation, and you did it to the very best of your ability. Great job, guys and gals. May we NEVER forget and take for granted the job you do.
Kevin Harvick: it's been awhile since we've seen you here. Normally, I put the winning driver first, but since the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 is tomorrow, I put the First Responders/Armed Forces first. Now back to Harvick. He had the dominant car tonight, but got caught in the pits when the caution came out midway through the race. He had to take the wave around. In the following run, he made up many positions. On the money stop, he came out first, then subsequently drove away on the restart. He had to hold off a hard-charging Carl Edwards to win his fourth race of the season and tie Kyle Busch in the points heading into the Chase. (It's too bad it's not the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 anymore; he'd have had the hot band of the moment in Victory Lane with him like he did with the Barenaked Ladies in 2006.)
Carl Edwards: he had the car to beat midway into the race. He had the best car on the longer runs, but the final run was too short a time for him to contend for the win. Had there been a few more laps to go, we'd be seeing him and not Harvick in Victory Lane.
Jeff Gordon: he took the lead from Harvick late but a subsequent caution and a less than stellar pit stop bit him. He came out fourth after the final pit stop, got shuffled back a bit on the subsequent restart, but rallied to finish third. He enters the Chase with momentum, extending a streak of top 13 finishes he started at Infineon. He'll be tough to beat in the Chase.
David Ragan: he gave a whale of an effort to win the race, and had he won, he'd have clinched a Chase berth and not Denny Hamlin. Ragan was solid all night long. Although he never led, he was consistently in the top 10 throughout the race. Unfortunately for Ragan, rumors are swirling that Clint Bowyer could be moving into the 6 car and Ragan into a third RPM car. Regardless, a very solid run by Ragan.
Kurt Busch: he had quite the adventure this evening, particularly with Jimmie Johnson. They couldn't seem to stay away from one another. This observer couldn't help but laugh when he envisioned a fight between Busch and Johnson. (Slap fight, perhaps?)
Kyle Busch: patience was the word du jour for his race. He went a lap down, rallied, and subsequently finished sixth. Patience and Kyle Busch haven't always gotten along. This should serve him well in the last 10 races. An extra Good goes to Kyle for having the best paint scheme.
Tony Stewart: he's run the best he has this season when he's needed it. He clinched a spot in the Chase with his seventh place finish, and Smoke has some momentum now. Chicagoland is a track he's always run well at. (He needed to finish 14th or better.) Good job Smoke!
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: he had some harrowing moments tonight, but righted the car, finished 14th, and clinched his Chase berth.
Denny Hamlin: he clinched the final wild-card berth when Menard found trouble, and Ragan didn't win the race.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman and Mark Martin.
THE BAD
Paul Menard: he needed to win to clinch a Chase berth. He had a bad run and found trouble. He finished the race, but in 34th, 81 laps down. (I normally put the first start and parker here, but the DFL driver finished last due to an accident, so that doesn't count.)
Jeff Burton: the momentum he had built up since Watkins Glen has vanished. It looked like the 31 team was heading in the right direction, but they took a giant step backwards. It didn't help that he cut a tire and slapped the wall. He was briefly in the top 10 but went backwards shortly thereafter.
THE UGLY
Jimmie Johnson: he's been on this list more times in recent weeks than in the last five years put together. Perhaps he IS feeling the pressure of defending his title yet again. Or perhaps other drivers are taking more liberties in pushing JJ around. Harvick started that at Fontana when he shoved JJ into turn 3 much harder than JJ wanted to enter the turn. (By the time JJ righted the car, Harvick drove past him for the win.) The reason he's in the Ugly category is because of his post-race whining about Kurt Busch. (I think Busch is living in JJ's head rent-free.) JJ got loose, made contact with Busch, and slapped the wall. Actually, Busch being there saved JJ from a MUCH worse situation where he could have finished in the upper 30s, so he should THANK Busch for that.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly -- 2011 Irwin Tools Night Race
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in Thunder Valley, aka Bristol, for this week's heaping helping of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, unofficially brought to you by Hamburger Helper. Have nothing to wash down that Hamburger Helper with? NO problem--there's PLENTY of Miller Lite! Enjoy! (Please drink responsibly. We don't want to hear of you getting popped for DUI.)
THE GOOD
Brad Keselowski: he gets the top spot this week. He had a solid qualifying run (he started 8th) and worked his way to the front. It was a gamble bringing his Nationwide crew chief to the Cup side to start the season. Kansas was where it all came together. Tonight's win established him as a LEGITIMATE threat to dethrone Jimmie Johnson. This was his second win in the last four races, and fourth consecutive top 3 finish. He'll sit in the Chase NO WORSE than third place. The Blue Deuce is clicking on all cylinders (no pun intended). Keselowski climbed to 11th in points, 20 points behind Tony Stewart. With another solid finish next week at Atlanta, he should clinch a Chase berth.
Martin Truex, Jr.: he FINALLY has a stout run--easily his best run of the season. His two-tire stop on the final pit stop was a huge gamble for track position, and he made it pay off. That took some serious stones on crew chief ChadOchocinco Johnson's part, especially since two tires wasn't working up to that point. (Man, that Ochocinco's dude's everywhere!) On the restart he was leading, and eventually finished second, holding off Jeff Gordon on those two tires (Gordon took four tires, in contrast). Good job Martin!
Jeff Gordon: he led the most laps, and had a stout car throughout the race, but the #24 faded at the end. It was too much Blue Deuce more than the 24 itself. For awhile, it looked like he would win his third race of the season, and 85th of his career, but it was not to be. Gordon needs to finish 40th or better at Atlanta to clinch a Chase spot.
Jimmie Johnson: Vader and the 48 team are showing signs of life at the right time. Although he led only a handful of laps, he was in a position to pounce. He didn't outdrive the car and was rewarded with a fourth place finish and a berth in the Chase.
Jamie McMurray: it's been awhile since I've seen you in this neck of the woods. He led a handful of laps, and was in the top 10 for pretty much the whole race. Good job Jamie!
Honorable Mention: Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, and Marcos Ambrose.
THE BAD
Robby Gordon: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting, held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. He ran a total of 10 laps before declaring himself done for the day and hotfooting it out of town with his earnings. Hey Robby, how come you ran faster when you DID hotfoot it out of town with your earnings than on the track?
Tony Stewart: Smoke was UNUSUALLY bad. Even though he has struggled at this track, that term took on a WHOLE NEW MEANING. He fought an ill-handling race car all evening. It was way too loose, then it got way too tight. The 14 team struggled with the balance of the car. The end result was a 28th place finish, three laps down. Fortunately for him, he is still in 10th place and miraculously still has a chance to clinch a Chase berth after Atlanta. That's because:
Clint Bowyer: he was just as bad as Stewart. Like Stewart, he fought an ill-handling race car. But through pit strategy, he actually finished two spots better than Stewart, finishing 26th. He STILL has a chance to make the Chase, albeit as a wild card, with a win at either Atlanta or Richmond. But with no contract extension with RCR, he may be looking elsewhere, like RPM. (I'm guessing that if he DOESN'T make the Chase, he's bolting after the season to RPM.)
Greg Biffle: he was ca-ca. He got popped more than once for speeding penalties on pit road, once during a round of green flag pit stops. He actually had a pretty solid qualifying run and was solid in all the practices leading up to the race. For the race itself, he finishes 31st, four laps down.
Kevin Harvick: another driver that wasted a pretty good qualifying run (he started 15th) with a bad race car. It was loose from the drop of the green flag to the drop of the checkers. No matter what the 29 crew did to try to tighten the car up, it was stuck on loose. Time to stop sniping at Kyle Busch and focus on what is wrong with this car and the setups, Happy. He last pitted with 130 laps to go and was just about to go a lap down when the final caution came out. He stayed out and took the wave around, putting him on the lead lap for the first time since early in the race. Alas, he got lapped AGAIN. IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK TO HAVE A CAR THAT'S AT LEAST COMPETITIVE AND CAN STAY ON THE LEAD LAP??? HMMMM? When you're outrun by Mike Bliss and David Starr at one point in the race, you have a (excuse my French) SHITTY car. JUNK THAT PARTICULAR CAR YOU RAN TONIGHT!
THE UGLY
Greg Biffle: see above.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
THE GOOD
Brad Keselowski: he gets the top spot this week. He had a solid qualifying run (he started 8th) and worked his way to the front. It was a gamble bringing his Nationwide crew chief to the Cup side to start the season. Kansas was where it all came together. Tonight's win established him as a LEGITIMATE threat to dethrone Jimmie Johnson. This was his second win in the last four races, and fourth consecutive top 3 finish. He'll sit in the Chase NO WORSE than third place. The Blue Deuce is clicking on all cylinders (no pun intended). Keselowski climbed to 11th in points, 20 points behind Tony Stewart. With another solid finish next week at Atlanta, he should clinch a Chase berth.
Martin Truex, Jr.: he FINALLY has a stout run--easily his best run of the season. His two-tire stop on the final pit stop was a huge gamble for track position, and he made it pay off. That took some serious stones on crew chief Chad
Jeff Gordon: he led the most laps, and had a stout car throughout the race, but the #24 faded at the end. It was too much Blue Deuce more than the 24 itself. For awhile, it looked like he would win his third race of the season, and 85th of his career, but it was not to be. Gordon needs to finish 40th or better at Atlanta to clinch a Chase spot.
Jimmie Johnson: Vader and the 48 team are showing signs of life at the right time. Although he led only a handful of laps, he was in a position to pounce. He didn't outdrive the car and was rewarded with a fourth place finish and a berth in the Chase.
Jamie McMurray: it's been awhile since I've seen you in this neck of the woods. He led a handful of laps, and was in the top 10 for pretty much the whole race. Good job Jamie!
Honorable Mention: Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, and Marcos Ambrose.
THE BAD
Robby Gordon: he drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting, held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. He ran a total of 10 laps before declaring himself done for the day and hotfooting it out of town with his earnings. Hey Robby, how come you ran faster when you DID hotfoot it out of town with your earnings than on the track?
Tony Stewart: Smoke was UNUSUALLY bad. Even though he has struggled at this track, that term took on a WHOLE NEW MEANING. He fought an ill-handling race car all evening. It was way too loose, then it got way too tight. The 14 team struggled with the balance of the car. The end result was a 28th place finish, three laps down. Fortunately for him, he is still in 10th place and miraculously still has a chance to clinch a Chase berth after Atlanta. That's because:
Clint Bowyer: he was just as bad as Stewart. Like Stewart, he fought an ill-handling race car. But through pit strategy, he actually finished two spots better than Stewart, finishing 26th. He STILL has a chance to make the Chase, albeit as a wild card, with a win at either Atlanta or Richmond. But with no contract extension with RCR, he may be looking elsewhere, like RPM. (I'm guessing that if he DOESN'T make the Chase, he's bolting after the season to RPM.)
Greg Biffle: he was ca-ca. He got popped more than once for speeding penalties on pit road, once during a round of green flag pit stops. He actually had a pretty solid qualifying run and was solid in all the practices leading up to the race. For the race itself, he finishes 31st, four laps down.
Kevin Harvick: another driver that wasted a pretty good qualifying run (he started 15th) with a bad race car. It was loose from the drop of the green flag to the drop of the checkers. No matter what the 29 crew did to try to tighten the car up, it was stuck on loose. Time to stop sniping at Kyle Busch and focus on what is wrong with this car and the setups, Happy. He last pitted with 130 laps to go and was just about to go a lap down when the final caution came out. He stayed out and took the wave around, putting him on the lead lap for the first time since early in the race. Alas, he got lapped AGAIN. IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK TO HAVE A CAR THAT'S AT LEAST COMPETITIVE AND CAN STAY ON THE LEAD LAP??? HMMMM? When you're outrun by Mike Bliss and David Starr at one point in the race, you have a (excuse my French) SHITTY car. JUNK THAT PARTICULAR CAR YOU RAN TONIGHT!
THE UGLY
Greg Biffle: see above.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
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