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Tag: Dale Earnhardt Jr

  • Two in a Row: Kevin Harvick Wins The Goody’s Fast Relief 500

    Two in a Row: Kevin Harvick Wins The Goody’s Fast Relief 500

    Last week at the Auto Club Speedway, Kevin Harvick only led one lap on his way to victory.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert ” align=”alignright” width=”203″][/media-credit]
    Kevin Harvick is ecstatic in victory lane at Martinsville
    This week, Kevin Harvick led six laps, including the last four, as he took his second win in a row at Goody’s Fast Relief 500 in Martinsville.

    The win marks the 16th win of Harvick’s Sprint Cup career and his first ever at Martinsville Speedway.

    “Just an awesome day,” Harvick said in victory lane. “I didn’t think we had the car to do that and we came back up through there. We took those two tires there and that seemed to wake up us.

    “Everybody on this team has done an awesome job. When they told me I was the quickest, I didn’t believe them till I got up to the front there.”

    Harvick took the win after passing Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the lead with four to go.

    “It was fun racing Dale Jr.  there,” Harvick continued. “I hate to be the bad guy, but we’re in it to win it.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. was leading the race after bumping Kyle Busch for the lead with 21 to go.

    “I tried to put together some laps there but the back of the car wasn’t in the back of the track enough,” Earnhardt said. “The 29 was coming and there wasn’t much I could do. Got a little loose into one, wanted to do a little cross over move and when I got into three, I wanted to get the nose in there. I didn’t want to get into him too much as I got into Kyle already while we were racing for the lead. We came close, but we didn’t get there.

    Earnhardt found himself in contention after taking two tires on an earlier pit stop while the leaders took four.

    “We had a top 10 car there,” Earnhardt said. “Steve did some awesome strategy to get up there. That’s basically what got us there. We had a car that ran good for 15 laps and hopefully allowed me to get the jump there.”

    Kyle Busch, meanwhile, finished third after being involved in the race for the lead all day.

    “Just didn’t have a short run car today,” Busch said. “Unfortunate, as the car was awesome. Had a great car on the long run and we didn’t get a long run there.”

    Juan Pablo Montoya, who got up there with the same strategy as Earnhardt, finished fourth while Jeff Gordon rounded out the top five. Matt Kenseth finished sixth, followed by pole sitter Jamie McMurray, David Ragan, Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin.

    Tire issues were seen throughout the day, involving David Gilliland, Dave Blaney, Hermie Sadler, and Trevor Bayne.

    The major wreck of the day, however, happened on lap 221 when Martin Truex Jr. plowed into Kasey Kahne and the wall after his throttle hung up. The wreck resulted in a thirty minute red flag to clean up the wreck and fix the safer barrier.

    “Our biggest problem is we got behind at the start,” Kahne said. “The handling went away as the track started to take rubber and we got caught back in there. Once I got hit, that was where I knew the throttle or something had stuck on Martin’s car as he drove me through the wall. Hopefully we can salvage something.”

    “Again, thanks to NASCAR and all the guys who build safer barriers and everything,” Truex said. “10 years ago, I wouldn’t be here; 

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert ” align=”alignright” width=”203″][/media-credit]
    Kevin Harvick is ecstatic in victory lane at Martinsville
    so I’m thankful for that. The NAPA Auto Parts crew on working hard on this car as we were working at it today. Kasey helped my car slow down. It was kind of a blessing that he was there.”

    Following the caution, two more cautions came out back-to-back involving multiple cars.

    On lap 232, Harvick made it three-wide as Brian Vickers squeezes up into Kurt Busch, sending him flying into the curb and then into Bobby Labonte. Dave Blaney and Joey Logano spun behind them.

    Then on lap 241, Paul Menard spun thanks to contact from Brad Keselowski, collecting Michael McDowell and Casey Mears.

    With his third place finish, Busch took the points lead, five points over Carl Edwards and 12 points over Jimmie Johnson. Johnson fought back to 11th after a speeding penalty while Edwards finished 18th.

  • California Dreaming or was it a nightmare?

    California Dreaming or was it a nightmare?

    The shortest race of the year 2 hours and 39 minutes was perhaps the longest for fans viewing on TV. California showed once again why it has been reduced to only one race.

    The weekend at California was marred by rain, weepers and long drawn out green flag runs. Though many at the track said the racing was better than normal and excellent in most cases, the TV audience saw little of it. Between long commercial breaks that missed cautions and on track action, along with very poor camera work the day proved to be a dull grey day until the last 10 laps of the race.

    The final stop and the end of the race was as good as it gets. Kyle Busch took the green flag with 9 laps to go on old tires with Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart following close behind. Johnson took the lead on lap 198 with a low side pass on the Interstate Batteries Camry. The racing between them allowed Harvick to catch the pair and overtake Busch whose Camry had developed a progressively tight condition.

    Kevin Harvick flexed his muscle and let the 5 time series champion know he was there and he would not go quietly. Harvick who ran up to the back bumper of the 48 Lowes Chevrolet on the back stretch managed to loosen the champ up just enough to make his pass on the high side coming out of 4 and then out ran the 5 time champ back to the checkers.

    The champion showed his composure and showed his class with gracious congratulations to the winner and acknowledged that Harvick was undoubtedly the class of the field on the final run. Harvick when told they lead one lap stated, “Yeah but it was the one that counted.”

    The class of the field for most of the race was Kyle Busch. Busch lead for 151 laps and finished third. But Kyle’s weekend did not start out typical for Kyle Busch. He wrecked his primary car on his first lap on the track when he hit a wet spot coming out of turn 4. Relegated to a back up he and his team fought to regain their momentum in a [media-credit name=”Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”272″][/media-credit]shortened practice session leading up to qualifying. Busch pulled off an 8th place qualifying run and never looked back.

    He dominated the race until the last restart when Jimmie Johnson would take the lead on the low side coming out of 3. Busch would say later that the car just continued to tighten up on the exit of the corner and at the end he had used up everything he had.

    Joe Gibbs Racing experienced another weekend of engine failures with Joey Logano losing one after happy hour and Denny Hamlin losing one during the race. When Coach Gibbs was asked if the recent fire and explosion at their engine shop was playing a role in the failures he stated that it was not and they simply needed to work on their durability.

    Another standout this week was Brian Vickers. In his first strong performance after his health issues forced him to vacate his seat last year, Vickers pulled off a strong top ten finish with 8th.

    Tony Stewart had a strong run until the last restart of the race when he faded to 13th. Smoke was obviously upset and declined comment following the race. Smoke showed dominance and skills that are found in few driver seats in the series however. When informed the change he wanted was maxed out he said simply, I will figure it out from here. And he did with smooth skill and confidence. The late race fade was certainly not indicative of his performance.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr, showed a consistency that we have never seen from him throughout his career with a 12th place finish. Earnhardt credited his crew and his equipment with the success and stated that if he had qualified better he would have had a better finish. “If we just qualify better, we’ll be all right,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It’s not allowed us to show as good as we really are. … We’re a top-10 team. We’re doing pretty good.” He stated that he had a top 5 car for about 60 percent of the race. Even with the strong finish, Earnhardt dropped to 12th in the points going into Martinsville.

    TV broadcasters raved about the finish of this race. The finish was incredible. It was exciting. It was action filled and it took place in 10 laps. The first 390 were not exciting. The last 10 laps don’t make a good race. The race was boring. Whether it’s the track or whether it’s the new car on the track, doesn’t change it. The people in California deserve their date but something has to be done to improve the competition on the track. Shortening the race by 100 laps didn’t improve the competition only the length of the boredom.

    Thoughts and best wishes go to Joe Slingerland, the rear tire changer for the Hendrick Motorsports Amp Energy Chevrolet, who was injured on the first pit stop of the day.  The tire changer apparently suffered a hamstring injury during the first pit stop and was taken to the infield care center by stretcher. Steve Letarte reported on Sirus Radio that he would be checked out by an orthopedic specialist on Monday in Charlotte.

    ~~~~~ **** ~~~~~

     

    Congratulations to Kevin Harvick and his Richard Childress team on their exciting victory in Sunday’s race. Also congratulations to Kyle Busch on his Saturday victory in the Nationwide series race.

    That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: After Kyle Busch took the lead on the final pit stop, Edwards chased the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota over the final 45 laps at Bristol, nearing the lead on occasion but never overtaking Busch. Despite pulling close enough to implement the tried-and-true “bump and run” ploy, Edwards, in the No. 99 Roush Fenway Ford, settled for second, then made it clear that he still “owes” Busch one.

    “That’s right,” Edwards said. “Kyle wrecked me in Phoenix, and although it was unintentional and Kyle apologized immediately, I made it known to Kyle that I still retain the right to exact payback. I gave him something to worry about. As my primary sponsor for the race, Scott’s EZ Seed, would suggest, I ‘planted’ a seed.”

    As you may have heard, Gilbert Gottfried was fired from his duties as voice of the Aflac duck for some insensitive remarks he posted on Twitter. I heard Kyle, the Keselowski clan, Kevin Harvick, and many of my other rivals got a little excited when they heard that I lost my ‘voice.’”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch was strong all day, leading 153 of 500 laps, including the final 45, to conquer Bristol again, a day after claiming the Nationwide Scotts EZ Seed 300 on Saturday. Busch has now won the last five NASCAR races at Bristol, including the last two Sprint Cup races there. He vaulted eight places in the point standings to sixth, 17 behind older brother Kurt.

    “The word ‘sweep’ has become synonymous with ‘Kyle Busch,’” Busch said. “You can call me ‘The Broom,’ but only under one condition: that you call Carl Edwards ‘The Dustpan,’ because he ate my dust.”

    I understand Edwards ‘owes’ me something. I assume that would be ‘congratulations.’ Maybe Carl should act more and think less when he has a chance to bump me out of the way for a win. I drive with a simple motto in mind: ‘It’s better to owe apologies than to owe congratulations.’”  

    3. Kurt Busch: Busch finished seventh in the Jeff Byrd 500 at Bristol, posting his fourth top-10 finish in as many races this season. Busch took over sole possession of the Sprint Cup point standings, and now leads Carl Edwards by one point.

    “Between my brother Kyle and I,” Busch said, “we have 10 wins at Bristol Motor Speedway. Sure, we face our share of criticism, which is called getting ‘Busch-flacked,’ but we dominate at BMS, and that’s a ‘Busch-fact.’  Edwards should have taken Kyle out when he had the chance. I can promise you that if it would have been me in that situation, Kyle would have been in the wall. As it was, nothing happened. The race itself was a lot like Kyle’s televised wedding on the Style Channel: uneventful.”  

     4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led a race-high 164 laps at Bristol, but finished third behind Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, who battled for the lead before Kusch pulled away for a comfortable win. Johnson hoped that contact between the two rivals would open the door for the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet to slip by for the win. As it was, Edwards raced clean, only to regret not racing Busch harder.

    “Carl should have seized his opportunity while Kyle was right in front of him,” Johnson said. “Apparently, Carl took Kyle’s Yosemite Sam ‘Back Off!’ mud flaps a bit too literally. Come November, his failure to act may very well be the difference in finishing second or third in the Chase.”

    Frankly, I’m amazed at all the talk about a so-called ‘feud’ between Kyle and Carl. It may be the first feud in NASCAR history initiated by a driver not wrecking another. I was content to cruise in third and watch the action, or lack of it, unfold in front of me. It reminded me a lot of trailing Denny Hamlin last year, in which I sat back and watched him unravel in front of me.”

    5. Paul Menard: Menard continued his surprising start to the season, working his way to a fifth-place finish at Bristol and again leading the charge for Richard Childress Racing. Menard moved up one spot in the point standings to fifth, only 14 out of first.

    “If you asked ten people on the street,” said Menard, “if they know who Paul Menard is, I’m guessing five would say ‘no.’ Of those five, three would be teammates of mine at RCR. But I don’t mind my lack of recognition and fame. Despite my obscurity, I’ve become one of the most feared drivers on the NASCAR circuit. In fact, some have taken to calling me the ‘Anonymity-ville Horror.’” 

    6. Tony Stewart: Stewart damaged the front end of the No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet when he rear-ended Stewart-Haas teammate Ryan Newman, as Stewart tried to avoid the spinning No. 47 of Bobby Labonte. The damage incurred only worsened persistent handling problems, and Stewart eventually finished 19th, the last car on the lead lap.

    “Ryan and I both needed repairs after that collision,” Stewart said. “I guess that’s what you call ‘teamwork.’ What can I say, though? There was nowhere I could go. My view was obscured by smoke. ‘View obscured by ‘Smoke?’ That’s a refrain that the chubby version of Tony Stewart heard quite often when he sat in the front row at drivers’ meetings.”

     But times have changed. I’ve slimmed down, gas prices are up, the ‘new’ Kyle Busch is in, and Carl Edwards chickened ‘out.’”  

    7. Ryan Newman: Newman finished 10th at Bristol, posting his third top-10 result of the year, and improving two spots to third in the Sprint Cup point standings. Newman, along with teammate Tony Stewart, trails Kurt Busch by 12 points.

    “It was a solid day for us,” Newman said, “and third in the point standings puts us right in the thick of things. I can’t complain, and I won’t complain, otherwise, people may take to calling me ‘Knock-it Man’ instead of ‘Rocketman,’ which obviously doesn’t apply since I don’t win anything anymore.”

     They don’t call Bristol Motor Speedway the ‘Bull Ring’ for nothing. That became even more evident when they announced the attendance for Sunday’s race, and everyone in the sparsely populated complex uttered a collective ‘Bull!’”

    8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 11th in the Jeff Byrd 500, just missing his third top-10 finish of the year. He advanced two places in the points standing to crack the Top 10 in ninth, where he trails Kurt Busch by 26.

     “Not only does Junior Nation have a buzz,” Earnhardt said. “Junior Nation is abuzz. Thankfully, most members of the Nation are optimists, which means they see a glass as half-full, which inevitably means they’ll soon make it all empty.”

    “Now, the sales of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. merchandise are booming as always. And we’re hoping that fans will also flock to buy merchandise bearing the likeness of Danica Patrick, who drives for me for JR Motorsports. One particular item is sure to be a hot seller. It’s a pair of ladies underwear balled up and shrink-wrapped in No. 7 GoDaddy.com packaging. We’re calling it ‘Danica Patrick’s Panties In A Wad.’”

     9. Kevin Harvick: Harvick drove the No. 29 Budweiser Chevy to his second top-10 result of the year, leading 37 laps and finishing sixth, right behind Richard Childress Racing teammate Paul Menard in fifth.

     “After such a lackluster start to the season,” Harvick said, “it’s satisfying to finally post a finish worthy of my sponsor, Budweiser. It’s great to be associated with the Budweiser brand and its mascots, such as the Clydesdales and the Dalmation, which, up until Bristol, have both been considered faster than my No. 29 Chevrolet.”

     10. Juan Montoya: A promising day at Bristol was derailed near the halfway point at Bristol when a loose right-front wheel forced Montoya to pit on lap 247. The No. 42 Target Impala dropped two laps down, and Montoya struggled to a 24th-place finish, three laps down.

     “A loose wheel for a loose cannon,” Montoya said. “I was three laps down and even I considered taking Kyle Busch out of the lead. Of course, it wouldn’t have been for the lead, but it would have made good Target practice for the next time. What gives, Carl Edwards? Of all times, this was one when ‘Thunder Valley’ actually needed some ‘thunder.’ As it turned out, Carl was ‘all talk;’ the race was ‘no action.’”

  • Get Out The Broom, Get Out The Oscars – It’s Bristol Baby!

    Get Out The Broom, Get Out The Oscars – It’s Bristol Baby!

    Bristol Baby! That was the cry that echoed through thunder valley in east Tennessee this weekend. It brought with it the visions of past champions and bumping and banging and smoking and choking race cars all trying to claim the prize of being the crown jewel’s favorite prince.

    There would be issues with tires. There would be issues with drivers. And that was before the green flag ever dropped on a race. Racing would just bring more drama and temper flares. Why? Because it’s Bristol Baby one of the most coveted trophies on the Sprint Cup circuit and she did not disappoint.

    The weekend began with what started out to be near disaster with the Goodyear tires. The track would not rubber in. The tire compound instead of rubbe[media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]ring in the track and adding grip, turned to powder and gathered in the corners of the ½ mile high banked speedway. The tires were down to the cords in less than 30 laps according to some competitors. “One of the things we see here at Bristol is we see early wear,”  Rick Heinrich, of Goodyear said. “Generally, the track will darken, the track will rubber in, the wear improves. And we didn’t see that normal improvement.”

    NASCAR competition director Robin Pemberton, looked a lot like the championship crew chief he is when he became proactive and drew the line in the sand and said Not again. Goodyear swapped Right side tires out on Saturday for the teams of both series. The new tires were the same tires used in August of last year at Bristol.

    The tire situation is, according to former series champion, Kurt Busch a result of the new car. “We’re either fine and sliding around or we’re blowing out right side [tires],” Busch said. “To me, I still think the cars are just too heavy, too high a center of gravity. And we’ve put Goodyear in a box with this [new car chassis]. It’s been like this since 2007.”

    The Nationwide series qualified on the new tires and the Cup series had final practice with one set of the new right sides. There were minimum failures noted the remainder of the weekend.

    The weekend’s drama was not at an end however, on the starting grid of Saturday’s Scott’s EZ Seed 300, Jennifer Jo Cobb refused to take her Ford Mustang on the track. Cobb stated that she had been told 10 minutes before the command to start engines that she would be a start and park to save the car for California. “”I have a commitment to my sponsors, my fans, NASCAR that I won’t start and park,” Cobb said. “I’m very serious about my career and my performance, and I’ve worked hard to prove it to everyone. I had already bought tires for the race, so you can imagine that this was a blow to my principles and my finances to get this news.”

    Car owner of 2ndChance Motorsports, Rick Russell, told a different version of the story. Russell said “I already had my entry in for Bristol and California, and we killed our car in Vegas in a wreck,” Russell said after the race. “So only having one car, I got the thing rebuilt and we brought it up here with the intentions of staying out of trouble and running a few laps and going home with the car in one piece, so we could race next week in California.” Russell said on Saturday, that he made it plain to those at the track Friday they would not be doing anything other than starting and parking the car.

    Russell said Cobb and crew chief Steve Kuykendall went behind his back to hire a crew for this race after Russell left his crew at home with the understanding the car would run only a handful of laps.

    When Cobb balked at the plan to start and park the car, Russell threatened to have the car black flagged, within his rights as a team owner.

    NASCAR advised Russell to remove the car from the starting grid and find a driver. He did just that and put Chris Lawson in the car. Lawson made 4 laps and returned to the car to the garage area as he was instructed.

    “At that time, some of the crew tried to take parts off the car while it was sitting behind the hauler,” Russell said. “So I had the officials stop them and then they called track security and I told them I wanted a sheriff down here with warrants.”

    Cobb claims that she was offered a ride for California by a NNS team owner that competes regularly before she was even out of her fire suit. Although, no announcements were made as to which team that was.

    The relationship was ended publicly by both parties via social media. With ownership and driver/crew chief tweeting that the partnership was over. Accusations were hurled by both parties and the he say/she say war began and ended not only on national television but on the internet.

    The whole debacle was distasteful and distracting. To air one’s differences on TV and the internet smacks of Charlie Sheen like tactics. In fact the results were the same, it made both parties and NASCAR look not only stupid but petty and immature.

    First off to buy parts, pieces and tires for a car that does not belong to you is very much like renting a house installing central heating and central air and then moving and thinking you are going to take it with you. It’s not going to happen.

    Second, to sign a contract with a relatively inexperienced female driver for 5 races less than a week after Danica’s schedule of the first 5 races is announced is an attempt to compete for the attention and press that female drivers seem to warrant these days. To then allow others to know you intend to fire her before her final race without telling her first is low and unprofessional.

    Third, to get out of a car on the starting grid because it goes against your principles is admirable, however, you should never have gotten in it to start with. You should never have taken driver’s introductions and you should never have walked out to the grid. When you did and then refused to fire the engine and take the car to the track, start and park or not, you abandoned your position, the fans, the sport and the team that you assembled yourself.

    This drama showed the entire series in a bad light and the sport as well. As if that drama wasn’t enough, another one was right around the corner with yet the other female driver in the series, Danica Patrick.

    Patrick and Ryan Truex had raced one another hard for position for several laps. Both cars were laps down to the leaders and running well back in the pack.

    On Lap 248, Danica Patrick’s Chevrolet tangled with the Toyota of Ryan Truex, spun and slammed nose-first into the Turn 1 wall. Patrick, who was running two laps down in 17th at the time, thought Truex moved off the front stretch wall into her racing line.

    Danica’s on track response was to climb from her car after safety officials lowered her window net for her and to walk up the track and gesture to Truex as though to say what the heck.

    “It felt like to me that I came out of the corner, and I was running down the straight, and I felt like he came off the wall. … I know I was running him early, and he just runs hard. He’s run hard every time I’ve been around him, and it just seems like overkill.”

    Truex, admitted fault and apologized both over in car radio and post racing saying it was his fault that his car had gotten loose but it was in no way intentional.

    Patrick who was running her first short track race embarrassed herself and many other women drivers with her actions. Once again, the accident was someone taking her out. Even though her crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. told her on the radio “that is just the way it is. It’s Bristol.” Before she even got out of the destroyed Go Daddy Chevrolet. It was a play for attention and a tantrum much like those she is famous for in Indy Car racing.

    This is not Patrick’s first tirade against another young driver since coming to NASCAR. Last year after an incident with James Beuscher, Patrick again put on a Diva like display threatening the young Beuscher with retaliation for 3 weeks.

    These displays and tantrums didn’t work for Kyle Busch. They didn’t work for Kevin Harvick or Juan Pablo Montoya. And they certainly are not working for her either. Patrick has some strong skills. She has an incredible feel for the tires on the car. She has learned to control the car on super speedways and intermediate tracks. But her performances are average at best and certainly not the stuff legends are made of. Yet her attitude and demeanor all say that she views herself as better than anyone else in the series. A point of view that her finishes can not support.

    One might find it easier to forgive the forays into drama and attention seeking if she would make a commitment to the sport and series. But that commitment seems the furthest thing from her mind and her skill set makes that obvious.

    Finally, Ms. Patrick needs to consider that everyone is racing for position in a NASCAR race. Although I don’t follow Indy racing I would think that it would be the same there. No one is going to pull over and let her go. She is going to have to race hard to earn her spot and her respect from other drivers. These continued bouts of outrage over being raced hard are not the way to acquire that.

    Kyle Busch, dominated the NNS race. He stated that the tire switch made their car very loose but that crew chief Jason Ratcliff was able to correct it quickly and give him what he needed to finish the race.

    Carl Edwards made the end of the race interesting but was unable to get by the Z Line Toyota. He was followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr who over came a 2 lap deficit to finish 3rd on the lead lap in the Tax Slayer Chevrolet.

    The Sprint Cup race was steady. It wasn’t as exciting as the racing we have come to expect from Bristol, but it wasn’t a snooze fest either.

    Once again, Kyle Busch would take the Bristol sweep. Having won the last 5 races in a row at Bristol, he has obviously become the crown jewels new crowned prince.

    Again it would be Carl Edwards in the bridesmaid role with 5 time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who led the most laps of the race, bringing home 3rd.

    Strong finishes for Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Paul Menard and Kevin Harvick made for a very strong top 10. Dale Earnhardt Jr would fall just short of a 3rd straight top 10 finish. But would have another strong run finishing in 11th. The strong finish would put him inside the top ten in points for the first time since 2008.

    The excitement of Bristol gives way to California dreaming with the teams making the cross country trek once again to Fontana next week. But the echoes of thunder valley, the drama it produced, the scores that it created will not soon be forgotten. One has to know that somewhere in heaven our friend Jeff Byrd is smiling knowing that his beautiful lady is alive and well and living up to the reputation that she earned as the Crown Jewel of NASCAR.

    ~~~~~ *** ~~~~~

    Congratulations to Kyle Busch and his Joe Gibbs Racing team on their sweep of Bristol once again.

    That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.

  • Kyle Busch Sweeps Bristol Again!

    Kyle Busch Sweeps Bristol Again!

    [media-credit id=5 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]
    Kyle Busch celebrates 5th straight win at BMS
    For the second time in as many visits to Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch managed to win every race. Last August it was a triple with the NASCAR Camping World Truck, the Nationwide and the Sprint Cup, returning this weekend he captured the checkered flag for both the Nationwide and the Sprint Cup races.

    The win for Busch was his 20th in 226 NASCAR Sprint Cup starts, and his first win and his third top 10 in 4 Cup starts in 2011. This win is Kyle’s fifth at Bristol and ties him with his brother Kurt and Jeff Gordon for wins among active drivers. Carl Edwards finished second, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Paul Menard in fifth.
    After the race Edwards commented, “ It was exciting. I thought I could get to him (Busch) at the end and rough him up a little bit, and maybe get by him, but his car took off. I should have hit him harder when I got to his bumper the first time, but we were really racing hard. His car was better there at the end. Kyle did a good job, our team did a good job and we’ve just got to thank all the fans and let them know we appreciate them coming out and supporting us.”
    In a post race interview Johnson talked about his car being really good and his team working hard, but at the end it was all about track position. “On the pit stop, the rear tire changer slipped and that lost us valuable track position. We just could never get that back.” Kenseth was also happy with his fourth place finish, “We had a lot of fun out there racing today and got lucky and got the right lane on the restarts a few times. We were able to make up some positions. It took all day, but we finally were able to make some adjustments that had the Crown Royal Black Fusion pretty decent.” Rounding out the top 10 for the Jeff Byrd 500 was Kevin Harvick 6th, followed by Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman in 10th.

    Kyle Busch took a few minutes after celebrating in Victory Lane to talk about the race. “It was a lot harder today, that’s for sure. Carl Edwards kept me honest there. I was making a couple of mistakes, but nothing we couldn’t rebound from. This M&M’s Camry was awesome today. I can’t thank the guys at Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing, M&M’s, thanks for signing up for another infinite years.”

    As the series heads for Fontana next week for the fifth race of the season, there was little movement in the top 10 in points other than Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson moving IN and A J Allmendinger and Denny Hamlin moving OUT. The new leader after Bristol is Kurt Busch, with Carl Edwards on point behind in second, as Tony Stewart slips to third. Ryan Newman and Paul Menard round out the top five. Kyle Busch moved up to sixth, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Martin Truex in tenth. The top ten are now separated by 27 points as a result of the new point system in place this year.

  • Kyle Busch Victorious Again at Bristol

    Kyle Busch Victorious Again at Bristol

    [media-credit id=5 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]
    Busch celebrates Bristol NNS win
    The last time NASCAR was at the Bristol Motor Speedway, back in August of 2010, it was the Kyle Busch show as he swept all three top series races in the same weekend. The spring race at Bristol does not include a Truck series event, so the Nationwide race is the first event. Could this win could be the start of another sweep?

    Following Busch across the line was Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Elliott Sadler (the highest finishing series regular) and Joey Logano in fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Jason Leffler, Brad Keselowski and Aric Almirola.

    The 29th annual Scott’s EZ Seed 300 proved to be another event- filled race after what looked to be a smooth start. Other than a competition caution ordered by NASCAR on lap 25 to change to the new tires provided by Goodyear Saturday morning, the race remained green for 68 laps. It was lap 68 when Robert Richardson Jr. made contact with the outside wall in turn three. The damage to Richardson’s  No. 23 car resulted in lots of fluid across the track which Trevor Bayne found and it forced him into the outside wall. That spelled trouble for his day, as he finished 3 laps down in 19th place.

    The beginning of the race was not without it’s own drama as Jennifer Jo Cobb refused to start the race after being ordered by car owner Rick Russell to ‘start and park’ the car. The car eventually started and parked after 4 laps, but not before the race had reached the 100 lap marker, with the third announced driver for the car.

    The third caution for the day came on lap 183 as reigning Series Champion, Brad Keselowski cut a tire and made contact with the wall in turn 3. The last 100 laps of the race would bring out five more cautions, slowing the pace of the race. The fourth caution came on lap 201 as Aric Almirola spun the 388 car down the front stretch, while just 8 laps later the No. 05 of Willie Allen would crash on the front stretch. Lap 236 saw Bayne and Michael Annett wrecking in turn 2 while on lap 249, Danica Patrick would run into the left rear fender of Ryan Truex. Although Truex would keep control of his car and drive safely away, Patrick went into a spin and collected the outside wall ending her day with a 33rd place finish.

    The win was Busch’s second of 2011 and his third top 10 finish this year. He also lead the most laps with 268, which set an all time record for the Series with 10,045 laps led. This is also Busch’s 45th win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

    Heading to California, Jason Leffler leads the series 2 point ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr, with Justin Allgaier, Reed Sorenson and Aric Almirola rounding out the top 5 in points.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards took two tires on the final pit stop with 33 laps remaining and held off Tony Stewart, who took four, to win at Las Vegas. Edwards led 69 laps and won for the first time this year, and third in the last five races. The win vaulted him nine places to third in the Sprint Cup point standings, only seven out of first.

    “What does the comically oversized wrench, awarded the victor in Las Vegas, signify?” Edwards asked. “Duh, ‘winning!’ What’s my favorite luxury hotel in Las Vegas? Duh, ‘Wynn!’ Man, since late last year, all we’ve done is put wins in the record books. I wouldn’t go so far as to say ‘I win so radically in my underwear before my first cup of coffee, it’s scary,’ because only Charlie Sheen can do that. Me? I don’t drink coffee, and I don’t wear underwear, but I win anyway. Take that, Sheen!”

    2. Tony Stewart: Stewart led a race-high 163 laps, clearly boasting the day’s best car, but saw the win slip away on the final pit stop. Stewart opted for four tires for the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet with 33 laps remaining, while Carl Edwards took two, which gave him the lead, and eventual win.

    “No one can say we didn’t give it our best shot,” Stewart said. “We left it all out on the track, including the win. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. In the three races so far this year, I could have won each. But I have to be patient. The wins will come, probably when the weather heats up and I go on my usual mid-season tear. Edwards can have the back flips now; I’ll do ‘summersaults’ later.

    “As you know, I’ll be switching cars with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton at Watkins Glen this summer. He’s the best at what he does and I’m the best at what I do. And together it’s like, it’s on. It’s epic.”      

     3. Kurt Busch: Busch finished ninth at Las Vegas, surviving a spin-inducing run-in with Juan Montoya, earning his second top-10 finish of the year and leading one valuable lap in the Kobalt Tools 400. Busch is tied for first with Tony Stewart in the Sprint Cup point standings.

    “The last time Stewart and I were in the same place,” Busch said, “I got punched. I shudder to think what he would have done with fire-breathing fists. Luckily, only Charlie Sheen has those. I learned a hard lesson that day. There’s only one thing worse than picking a fight with a warlock, and that’s picking a fight with Tony Stewart.

    “Now, the subject of Stewart’s assault seems like a decent reason to give a shout out to the upcoming release of the movie Sucker Punch. And all this talk of Charlie Sheen begs for the making of the sequel to Platoon, called Buffoon.”

    4. Juan Pablo Montoya: Montoya finished third in the Kobalt Tools 400, racing in the top 10 for most of the day. Montoya led eight laps on Sunday, and jumped five places in the point standings to fourth, seven points out of first.

    “The No. 42 Clorox Chevrolet was fast on Sunday,” Montoya said. “I like to call her ‘Bleached Lightning.’ It’s ironic that NASCAR would allow a bleach product such a prominent advertising role. Why? Because the last thing this sport needs in more ‘whitening.’

    “I may not be the most popular driver here in America, but I’m a total frickin’ rock star in Colombia, which might as well be Mars as far as the typical NASCAR fan is concerned.”

    5. Ryan Newman: Newman posted his second-straight top-5 finish of the year with a fifth at Las Vegas, joining Stewart-Haas teammate Tony Stewart, who finished second in the top 5. Newman is fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings, ten points out of first.

    “Obviously, Tony should have won the race,” Newman said. “Had he not been penalized for leaving his pit stall with the air hose still attached, we’d be celebrating a Stewart victory. And speaking of ‘air ho’s,’ Charlie Sheen’s been on television an awful lot lately talking about his live-in ‘goddesses.’ Hey Charlie, that’s not Adonis DNA and tiger blood coursing through your veins. It’s penicillin.”

    6. Kyle Busch: Busch, a Las Vegas native, saw his day at his home track end abruptly when the engine of the No. 18 blew on lap 107, just 20 laps after a blown tire had sent him into the wall. Busch, in the Snickers Penaut Butter Squared Toyota, finished 38th.

    “There was absolutely no indication the engine would go,” Busch said. “It was a lot like Charlie Sheen: it just ‘quit’ with no reasonable explanation. Then it caught on fire. That sucks. What do you call an engine that’s afire and has gone kaput? ‘Hot Shot.’ Hopefully, I won’t have to experience that again. Incidentally, that’s what moviegoers said after the first installment of Hot Shots.

    “As you may know, my New Year’s Eve wedding to Samantha Sarcinella was televised on the Style Channel last Saturday. It’s a monogamy story. It’s like an organic union of the hearts. Apparently, people watched it despite all that.”

    7. Paul Menard: Menard climbed to sixth in the Sprint Cup point standings after a solid 12th-place finish at Las Vegas. He’s leading the way for Richard Childress Racing so far, as teammates Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Burton sit 18th, 20th, and 31st in the standings.

    “I’m the new guy at RCR,” Menard said, “and although I wasn’t blessed with top-billing, Adonis DNA, or tiger blood, I nevertheless have talent that significantly contributes to the team. You could say I’m ‘carrying’ RCR right now. I’m the consummate teammate. I carry jock straps, and I carry the torch.” 

     8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon’s No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet blew a tire and slammed the wall, sending him to the garage and leaving him with a disappointing 36th-place finish. The result halted the momentum Gordon established with last week’s breakthrough win at Phoenix, and sent him tumbling down the point standings.

    “What are Robby Gordon and Kevin Conway guilty of in Las Vegas?” Gordon said. “Duh! Sinning! Gordon should proceed with caution, though. In light of Conway’s Extenze sponsorship, charges aren’t the only thing Gordon could have pressed against him.

    “As for my tire, it exploded like the body of someone who tried the drug ‘Charlie Sheen,’ which, not surprisingly, only comes in ‘pill’ form.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 7th at Las Vegas, posting his first top-10 result of the year, to lead the way for on an otherwise disappointing day for Joe Gibbs Racing. JGR teammates Joey Logano and Kyle Busch finished 23rd and 36th, respectively, with Busch suffering a blown engine just 107 laps into the race.

    “It was a good result after two unsatisfactory finishes to start the season,” Hamlin said. “The No. 11 Fed Ex team is still finding its groove, and I’m still battling through some lingering pain from last year’s knee surgery. Painkillers have helped. I’m on a drug called ‘Charlie Sheen’ that alleviates the pain in my knee. Unfortunately, it has one glaring side effect: it causes severe pain in the ass.

    “Despite my teammates’ troubles at Vegas, the JGR squad is totally capable of competing for the Sprint Cup title. Obviously, Kyle and I are perennial favorites, while Logano is probably just 2-3 years away from sharing that distinction. So, you could say that JGR has ’Two And A Half Men’ capable of winning the Sprint Cup championship.”

    10. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson battled handling issues and struggled in the Kobalt Tools 400, finishing 16th. Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team never unlocked the right adjustments, and last year’s Las Vegas winner posted a disappointing finish after last week’s third at Phoenix.

    “What’s a bigger story than all of Charlie Sheen’s boasts of ‘winning?’” Johnson said. “Me not winning. That truly is gnarly. But I’m not fretting. Like Sheen, I’m making things interesting. And, like Sheen, I’ve got one gear. I’m not sure what his only gear is, but mine is ‘first,’ because that’s where I always finish.”

  • Viva Las Vegas!

    Viva Las Vegas!

    Viva Las Vegas! Sunday was a strong showing by the Sprint Cup boys. It wasn’t spectacular. It wasn’t boring. It was steady and strong racing. There were surprises. There were finishes that were expected. But the biggest surprise was probably the strong and dominating performance by two time series champion, Tony Stewart.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Going into the day, the odds on favorite was Matt Kenseth whose record setting qualifying lap was followed up by blistering fast practice speeds. Virtually all of the odds makers chose drivers of blue ovals to dominate and win the race.

    When the green flag dropped nothing could have been further from the truth. A Chevy bowtie lead the way for 163 laps with Tony Stewart showing the prowess he is known for in the cockpit of about anything with wheels. But a pit stop mistake, when an air hose curled, causing him to remove equipment from the pit box and then a late race 4 tire change would relegate the champ to a 2nd place finish.

    Carl Edwards was lurking. All day long he was lurking. He showed strength and speed at times but never quite showed his hand. He stayed just close enough to stay in touch with the leader. He could see him. He could watch him. He was at times faster than him. But he was bidding his time. When the final stop came, it was a two tire change and one can of fuel that would put Carl out in the lead by almost 2 seconds over the then 3rd place Stewart.

    Stewart would close but ultimately finish 1.24 seconds behind Edwards and his Scotts Ford Fusion. “The key to winning today was my team,” Edwards said. “These guys are unbelievable. It means a lot coming off Phoenix. I went home last week and didn’t know how things were going to go. You don’t get a good race car like that often. We had another one today.”

    A very disappointed Tony Stewart said, “We just gave it away,” he said. “We shot ourselves in the foot two weeks in a row.”

    Other surprises included a fiery explosion of an engine by Kyle Busch taking him out of contention on lap 108. A blown right front tire that ended last weeks winner Jeff Gordon’s day at lap 193. Neither driver was injured.

    Notable performances belonged to Marcos Ambrose who finished 4th in his Richard Petty Motorsports Stanley Tools Ford; a strong finish and the first top 5 for the Australian born driver on an oval race track.

    In 10th was possibly the feel good story of the day, Brian Vickers. After having to lay off most of last year with blood clots and heart surgery, Vickers finished a strong 10th.

    Once again, the National Guard Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned in a very strong and promising performance. After starting the race in the 30th position, Earnhardt Jr. rallied to an 8th place finish and showed signs of breaking out of the slump that has claimed him since June of 2008. Earnhardt Jr., who hadn’t posted back to back top 10 finishes since July of 2010, stated his run was the first time in a long time in which he felt he could “beat the guys I was around.” It boosted his confidence – an often discussed subject for Earnhardt Jr. – and he admitted thinking that his relationship with Letarte was somewhat of a last chance.

    “Failure at this point is completely unacceptable,” he said. “I’ve got to put it all out on the line to make this work, because if it don’t work with him, I’ve got nowhere else to go. I’ve got no other options, really – other than to race myself into oblivion with my own team and Tony Jr and them guys.”

    “I want this to work. I want to race Cup. I want to be in the COT the rest of my career, and I want to be successful.”

    The glitz and glamor of Vegas gives way to a week off for the Sprint Cup teams. And maybe it’s a good thing for some to get their tempers under control before they enter the grand coliseum of racing at Bristol. I am of course referring to the altercation between Robby Gordon and Kevin Conway. The altercation it is believed came about as a result of tensions caused by financial lawsuits on both coasts involving Gordon, Conway and Conway’s sponsor Extenze. Witness’ say the tension came to ahead Friday afternoon in the garage when Robby and Kevin came to blows physically. Although the stories vary in what actually occurred, the one thing for certain is that Conway filed a criminal complaint following the altercation and went to NASCAR. NASCAR immediately took action putting Robby Gordon on probation. It has still to be announced how long that probation will be for.

    This week was not the most exciting racing we have seen. It was however steady old school racing. There were adjustments and strategies playing out all over the track. The fastest and best car didn’t win the race. But the car that did win the race wasn’t a fluke win. He was there all day. He earned it. He raced for it. And for those that worship in the tabernacle of the blue oval, it was too long coming.

    ~~~~~ *** ~~~~~

    Congratulations to Carl Edwards and the Scotts Fusion team of Roush Fenway Racing. Congratulations also to Mark Martin and his Turner Racing team on their NNS victory on Saturday. Also Congratulations to Danica Patrick, and her Go Daddy Chevrolet JR. Motorsports team for making history as the highest placing woman ever in a NASCAR race.

    That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.

  • They’re Back!!!!!!

    They’re Back!!!!!!

    Somehow at the end of the race in Phoenix, I understood how the little girl in Poltergeist felt when she looked at the TV and said, “They’re back!” Because that is exactly how this race felt. The power horses of NASCAR are finally back. After a painfully long and drawn out Speed weeks, we are finally back to racing and just let me say it felt good.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”294″][/media-credit]This week in Phoenix had to be difficult at best for the teams. The two day turn around to get the cars to Phoenix is a well orchestrated ballet to say the least. Everyone from the tandems of truck drivers to the paint and body guys are up against the clock. Two days to get the fastest and most well groomed fleet of race cars to the track is a fete that would exhaust the most dedicated of workers. Add to that, most teams were not taking one pair of cars, they were taking two pairs of cars because the trip back to Vegas is just too far to go home and come back.

    The ballet was only the beginning of two of the hardest weeks in the NASCAR season. Once the cars arrived many teams found that were just a little off. The search for speed and handling began in earnest.

    The power horses of HMS were seemingly the slowest of the field with practice times showing promise and qualifying times showing disappointment.

    They were not alone; many of the dominant teams who got awesome starts in Daytona struggled with either handling or speed. Red Bull and Jack Roush struggled heavily with Vickers and Ambrose and Kenseth and Biffle qualifying mid pack or worse.

    The new qualifying system was a dud. It lacked the crisp pace of the old system. And made for a long day with two qualifying sessions taking up most of Saturday although the new procedure and the moving qualifying to Saturday was great for ticket sales it proved a long and boring TV broadcast.

    That would be rectified when the cars took the track. Although the NNS race was barely watch able Kyle Busch proved himself to be the dominant horse in what turned out to be a one horse race until the last 20 laps. Try as he might Carl Edwards simply didn’t have the power to get around the Interstate Batteries Camry. But he did make it a great end of race battle that even with its drama could not rescue the rest of the race.

    But the big dogs of the Sprint Cup made up for it in spades. The race was all racing and action from the drop of the green flag. The best of the best used up what was left of the old pavement in Phoenix in a big way. With 8 laps to go Jeff Gordon slipped to the inside of Kyle Busch and took the lead for the final time. He stretched it out and never looked back. Breaking his 66 race losing streak, the 4 time Champion proved why and how he got those 4 championships.

    The stories of perseverance were numerous in the field from Kevin Harvick coming to finish 4thafter a lap 59 incident that involved Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin as well as the 29 Jimmy Johns car of Harvick.

    Mark Martin showed his grace under pressure in his Go Daddy Chevrolet that featured messages from his fan base to come back with a right front corner that was more bearer bond than sheet metal to finish 13th.

    The Lowes Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson struggled on pit road and on the race track relying on the skills of the 5 time champion to garner them a 3rd place finishing position.

    The National Guard Chevrolet showed great improvement for another week, coming back from a speeding penalty, a broken wheel on the jack and a loose wheel that put them a lap down, perseverance and steady progression put Earnhardt Jr in a position to regain his lap and ultimately scoring a 10th place finish.

    But the real heroes of this race were the crews of the 99 Subway Ford Fusion of Carl Edwards and the 33 Cheerios Chevrolet Impala of Clint Bowyer. With the front ends of those cars totally destroyed, they put them back together with new nose pieces and put their drivers back on the track to get those ever valuable points.

    This race had its feel good story of the race as well, with Jeff Gordon snapping a long losing streak that had his confidence suffering at a low point. Gordon showed that the new match up with crew chief Alan Gustafson was indeed a match made in heaven. Both crew chief and driver showed the poise that made the 24 and its driver 4 time series champions.

    The raw emotion in victory lane from the driver to the fans, his team and his car owner were palpable even from the couch thousands of miles away. You had to share his excitement and his relief. You had to respect the ability he had shown. And you had to cheer the humility of a man who could have easily said finally I knew it wasn’t me. Instead he was gracious and professional and showed the class that is essential for a champion of the sport.

    This race is the closest we have had in a long time to the exciting sport of NASCAR that we grew up with. It was hard driving and refusing to lose attitudes against a track surface that in the words of Phoenix International Raceway president, Bryan R. Sperber was “used up”. Sperber stated that “Our goal for this project was to not radically change a track that’s celebrated by fans and drivers alike, but to utilize new technology to ensure great moments in the next chapter of racing history at PIR.” To orchestrate his point and commitment to racing the project began with the removal of asphalt before the Victory Lane celebration even ended.

    The static has cleared on the television set and the cheers have died down. But the realization of the fact that they are indeed back will stay with us for a long long time.

    ~~~~~ *** ~~~~~

    Congratulations to Kyle Busch and his Kyle Busch Motorsports team on their win of the truck series race, and to he and his Joe Gibbs Racing Team for a dominating win in the Nationwide Series Race. Congratulations to Jeff Gordon, Alan Gustafson and everyone at HMS for the victory in the Sprint Cup Series.

    That said, to all the competitors in all the series thanks for giving us everything you have to give, you are our heroes. Most importantly, thanks to all the families who shared their loved ones with us so we could cheer our favorite driver and favorite teams. You are the true heroes of the sport and we are forever in your debt.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Trevor Bayne: Bayne, in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Motorcraft car, stunned the racing world, becoming the youngest Daytona 500 winner in history. With a momentous push from Bobby Labonte’s No. 47 car, Bayne held off the hard-charging Carl Edwards, taking the victory in only his second Sprint Cup start. Afterwards, the deeply-spiritual Bayne thanked the Lord, who brushed off the comment, saying He was a Junior fan.

    “That’s called ‘using the Lord’s name in Bayne,’” Bayne said, “and then being told you’re ‘using the Lord’s name in vain.’

    But I made history. Not only by becoming the youngest winner in history, but by becoming the first Daytona winner to be eliminated from Cup championship contention before the race. And I can’t think of a better birthday present for my 20th birthday. Hopefully, this win will lead to a long NASCAR career, because I’ll need plenty of time to live up to this.

    As for now, the team and I are trying to make this moment last, and sell as many ‘Got Wood?’ merchandise as possible.”

    2. Kurt Busch: Busch, with wins in the Bud Shootout and Gatorade Duels already under his belt, was in contention in his bid to complete the triple with a Daytona 500 win. But the driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge came up a bit short, unable to find a path to the lead, and settled for fourth. Busch lamented that he should have gone low on the back straightaway instead of selecting the middle line.

    “I just couldn’t find the right partner at the right time,” Busch said. “And that’s quite ironic in a race characterized by more coupling than a Tim Richmond key party, circa 1986. And one marked by just as many partner exchanges, as well.”

    3. Carl Edwards: As the green flag waved for the final green-white-checkered finish, Edwards was 10th, seemingly out of position to make a run for the win. But after linking up with David Gilliland’s No. 34 Taco Bell car, Edwards and the No. 99 Aflac Ford surged forward and into second behind Trevor Bayne. Edwards tried a pass for the lead, unsuccessfully, and finished second.

    “How about this new points system?” Edwards said. “I love it. You finish second, and you’re in first. I’m sure Mark Martin could appreciate it as well.

    I really got a strong push from Gilliland. I must say, it’s not the first time I’ve been backed up by Taco Bell. And it’s quite unfortunate that my Roush Fenway teammate David Ragan was black-flagged for passing before the start-finish line on the penultimate restart. I know UPS prides itself on promptness, but this time, they were a bit too early. David learned the hard way that ‘once you get ‘black,’ you can’t go back,’ to the front.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 8th at Daytona, remaining in the hunt until the end after surviving several incidents, early and late in the race, before closing strong. The No. 18 M&M’s Toyota was spun by Michael Waltrip on lap 5, and a lap 198 melee clipped Busch and caused a tire rub that forced a late pit stop. He led 3 laps on the day and led the way in an otherwise disappointing day for Joe Gibbs Racing.

    “It’s unfortunate to be wrecked by another driver,” Busch said. “It’s even more unfortunate to be wrecked by another Toyota driver. Sure, these cars are Japanese, but I didn’t order ‘take out.’

    Then, Waltrip triggered another crash, the Big One, on lap 29, by doing the same thing to David Reutimann, another Toyota driver, and Waltrip’s teammate. I think it’s official: when Waltrip trails you, it’s like being followed by the ‘Grim Reaper.’ When it happens again, it’s akin to being stalked by the ‘Grim Reappear.’”

    5. Tony Stewart: Stewart started second on the final restart at Daytona, but the line led by race leader Trevor Bayne got the jump on the restart. Stewart attempted to slide in to the fast lane, but was shuffled back in the scramble, and ended up a disappointing 13th.

    “Trevor Bayne ran a great race,” Stewart said. “It’s a life-changing experience that I hope he’s ready for. He’ll soon be deluged with an onslaught of ‘yes men,’ and, if he’s lucky, even more ‘yes women.’

    As you know, I won the Nationwide race on Saturday, while Michael Waltrip won the Camping World trucks race on Friday night. That means all three Daytona winners are not even eligible for the respective series championships. Brian France was right; the new scoring system is much simpler. There’s a common leader among all three series, because, whether Camping World, Nationwide, or Sprint Cup series, ‘confusion’ reigns.”

    6. Juan Montoya: Montoya led 5 laps and finished sixth in an action-filled Daytona 500 after surviving two skirmishes that slightly damaged the No. 42 Target Dodge. Montoya teamed up early with teammate Jamie McMurray, but when McMurray lost a cylinder, Montoya was forced to look elsewhere for a draft partner.

    “I thought Jamie did well considering he was driving on 7 cylinders,” said Montoya. “He should be used to it. With the exception of Daytona, Indianapolis, and Charlotte, he drove that way in all of 2010.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson’s defense of his five consecutive Sprint Cup titles started auspiciously with a 27th-place finish, 19 laps off the pace. Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy was sucked into a lap 29 pileup started when Michael Waltrip sent David Reutimann spinning. Johnson nearly escaped danger, but was collected by the spinning No. 00 car.

    “First,” Johnson said, “the good news for all of the anti-Jimmie Johnson factions: I didn’t win the Daytona 500. Now, the bad news: I didn’t win the Daytona 500, in 4 of the last 5 years. And, as everyone is well aware, I’ve got enough Cups to outfit the starting five to any basketball team.

    Daytona boasted a record 74 lead changes. Just don’t expect one at the end of the year.”

    8. Bobby Labonte: Labonte, the 46-year-old 2000 Winston Cup champion, pushed 20-year-old Trevor Bayne to a lead on the final restart the No. 21 Wood Brothers car would never relinquish. Labonte eventually finished fourth, his first top-5 finish since Las Vegas in 2009, and places him third in the Sprint Cup point standings.

    “Just call me ‘The Cougar,’” Labonte said. “Because I pushed someone much younger than me into something for which he probably wasn’t quite ready. Does that make me a ‘statutory racer?’ Not in Florida.

    Anyway, I’m proud to give JTG Daugherty Racing such a great finish. They have a great program with great leadership, as well as great ownership. I love working for Brad Daugherty. Among former NBA player/black hillbilly car owners, he’s by far my favorite.”

    9. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: With several notable favorites, including Hendrick teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, as well as the entirety of Richard Childress Racing, nursing battered cars, the stars were aligning for what would have been a historic and sentimental Earnhardt victory. But after surviving one green-white-checkered restart, the No. 88 Amp Energy car was collected in the second, and Earnhardt finished 24th, six laps down.

    “That’s when ‘Junior Nation’ becomes ‘Junior Damn! Nation,’” Earnhardt said. “And that’s the nature of superspeedway racing. Some drivers take the attitude of ‘going for broke’ a bit too literally.”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer led 31 laps at Daytona, second only to Ryan Newman’s 37, and was charging with 4 laps to go before being victimized in the final pileup of the day. Bowyer, despite extensive damage, stayed on the lead lap and finished 17th.

    “It was an up-and-down day for Richard Childress Racing,” Bowyer said. “While Paul Menard scored a top-10 finish, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton suffered engine failures. In his first Cup race with the ‘King Of Beers’ on the hood, Harvick’s No. 29 car said ‘This Bud Is Through.’ Burton’s Caterpillar Chevy wasn’t much better, and became ‘heavy equipment’ only for a tow truck when the No. 31’s engine expired on lap 92.”