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  • 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.

  • As NASCAR Heads to California…

    As NASCAR Heads to California…

    I’ll be short this time. The NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series teams are headed to Fontana, California and Auto Club Speedway, and while the folks who cover NASCAR continue to try to brainwash us into thinking that we’re just going to love the race on Sunday, it’s woefully obvious that we’re going to see a race that disappoints us. Why? Because it’s California, that’s why. Despite the rave reviews I’ve heard this week about how much the fans are just prejudiced against this track, the truth is that they have good reason for their prejudice. It hasn’t been a show to remember ever. Let’s hope that things change this week.

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”253″][/media-credit]And one more thing about Fontana. Who in the wide, wide world of sports decided it was a good thing to go out to Phoenix and Las Vegas, take a week off, run Bristol and head back to California? It boggles my mind. The week off makes more sense if you run at Fontana and come back to Bristol due to weather considerations. The schedule makers get a bye because last weekend was so wonderful and this weekend is going to be cold. Luck, I guess, but the travel costs for teams are not a laughing matter.

    I am amazed at the continuing saga of Rick Russell’s 2nd Chance Motorsports and driver Jennifer Jo Cobb’s disputes. Today, Russell filed a complaint against Cobb saying she was guilty of larceny for stealing parts. If I read the comments right, Cobb says that the parts were moved to a storage building on Russell’s property and the storage facility belonged to Russell. What? Sounds like the way things are going all over America. Everyone wants to sue once there is a disagreement and if a suit is not possible, you either take it to the press or call the law. Even more amazing is that Russell and Cobb had a contract that required her to repair the car if it was damaged in a race, which happened at Las Vegas. Furthermore, she was required to supply engines for the car. I guess Jennifer Jo really wanted to race so much she entered into a really lousy contract. This can be best described as a mess.

    I noted with interest that TRG Motorsports is changing to Ford bodies and power after California. It’s a limited agreement with Roush Fenway Racing to build the cars and with Roush-Yates Engines to supply powerplants. I wonder if this is a trend. We’ve seen Richard Petty Motorsports move from Dodge to a similar agreement with RFR last year. The same thing happened with Front Row Motorsports and now with TRG. Ford has now increased their number of cars from five in 2008 to nine in 2011, and if rumors are to be believed, there could be more. It’s very interesting, to say the least.

    Finally, all I’ve heard this week is how Jimmie Johnson is a lock to win at Auto Club Speedway. And if not him, it has to be Jeff Gordon. I might agree if it weren’t for a couple of guys who have performed much better and have a record at Fontana, namely Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth, not to mention Kevin Harvick. No one promotes “Five-Time” and Gordon more than the fine folks, who cover the sport, but here’s my shocking prediction—it might be Kyle Busch, much to the chagrin of NASCAR Nation. But, then again, who knows? I just know that we’ll know late on Sunday evening. But the constant presumption that the favorite always has to be one of the Hendrick teams is interesting. It ignores recent performances. But what do I know?

  • Hot 20 over the past 10, as even a winless Jimmie Johnson remains the class of the field

    Hot 20 over the past 10, as even a winless Jimmie Johnson remains the class of the field

    The most exciting driver in NASCAR today chalked up his fourth win at Bristol in his last five races, not counting the five straight Nationwide and Craftsman truck wins to his credit in Thunder Valley. Kyle Busch was our biggest mover, jumping ten spots when you replace his ten point performance from last fall at Fontana with the 47 he pulled in last Sunday. On the downside, he needs to be in the top five the next two events to prevent rolling back.

    Jimmie Johnson, on the other hand, has won four of his last seven at Fontana, which is next on the dance card. In fact, over the past ten events held there his worst finish is 11th. Good thing, as he also needs Top Five finishes to maintain his pace. He might be in the midst of a 12 race winless streak, but ten of those were Top Tens and half in the Top Three.

    Yet, the big story isn’t who is on the list this week, but rather who is not. Jeff Gordon comes in 14 points shy, Clint Bowyer is 20 off, while David Reutimann is 27 points on the outside. All are in better shape than Jeff Burton, who finds himself buried a whopping 62 off in the distance. At least here, some bad results can come off to be replaced, hopefully, with something better. When it comes to hot, that quartet are most certainly not.

    As they head of to sunny California, if you don’t count this week, here is a look at the hot 20 over the past 10 Cup races.

    1 (1) Jimmie Johnson – 366 pts – Hottest dude hasn’t won in twelve.

    2 (5) Carl Edwards – 364 pts – Should have used the bumper horn

    3 (3) Kevin Harvick – 350 pts – Screw engine gunk, give him a beer.

    4 (2) Denny Hamlin – 339 pts – Got packaged early at Bristol.

    5 (4) Mark Martin – 336 pts – Harvick is Happy, at least until Mark punted him.

    6 (7) Matt Kenseth – 331 pts – Where did he come from?

    7 (17) Kyle Busch – 293 pts – Okay, I get it. He likes Bristol.

    8 (12) Paul Menard – 293 pts – Menard’s; more than a hardware chain.

    9 (6) Tony Stewart – 292 pts – Needed less smoke and more fire.

    10 (13) Kurt Busch – 289 pts – Kyle is his little brother, or is he a big bother?

    11 (9) Ryan Newman – 285 pts – A top ten, yet loses two spots?

    12 (8) Juan Pablo Montoya – 280 pts – Loose wheel, looser fenders

    13 (10) Joey Logano – 277 pts – Forget Bristol, he’s now California dreaming.

    14 (20) Greg Biffle – 276 pts – Now THAT is how you gas and go.

    15 (14) Martin Truex Jr – 275 pts – Looked good for a while, but the while left.

    16 (11) A.J. Allmendinger – 266 pts – Best Buy was the sponsor, bargain basement was the result.

    17 (15) Kasey Kahne – 261 pts – Showed some Kahne-do spirit.

    18 (23) David Ragan – 252 pts – They love logistics, but found Bristol just okay.

    19 (19) Dale Earnhardt Jr – 250 pts – Not hot yet, but I feel it getting warmer.

    20 (18) Jamie McMurray – 249 pts – Driver started with dimples, the car finished with some.

  • 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.’”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Jeff Byrd 500 at Bristol

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Jeff Byrd 500 at Bristol

    From remembering one of race fans’ best friends to the beating and banging on the track, racing at Bristol Motor Speedway is always one of the favorite destinations on the NASCAR circuit.  Here is what is surprising and not surprising for this weekend’s Jeff Byrd 500.Barry Albert

    Surprising:  One of the biggest surprises happened before Billy Ray Cyrus sang the National Anthem and Jeff Byrd’s family gave the command to start the engines in his memory. NASCAR and Goodyear had to make a command decision, replacing the tires for the race.

    Unfortunately, the original tires did not rubber up the track and in fact disintegrated instead. So, new tires were quickly ordered up from North Carolina and delivered just in time for practice and the race, necessitating a competition caution at Lap 50.

    Not Surprising:  In spite of the booing from the crowd when his signature song “Rowdy Busch” was played during driver introductions, it was not surprising at all to see the broom in the hand of winner Kyle Busch at race end. This was Busch’s fifth win in a row at Bristol and he swept both the Nationwide and Cup races for the weekend.

    Busch dedicated his 20th victory in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition to Toyota and all affected by the recent earthquake in Japan. The driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota also made history, tying driver Speedy Thompson for 33rd on the career victories list.

    “This M&Ms Camry was awesome today,” Busch said. “Also, our thoughts and prayers go to the Toyota folks and all those in Japan.”

    “You’ve got to be patient and sometimes you’ve got to go for it,” Busch continued. “Our guys won this race in the pits coming out first on that last stop.”

    Surprising: Paul Menard continues to lead the charge for Richard Childress Racing, in spite of being the ‘new kid on the block.’ The driver of the bright yellow No. 27 CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet even took the lead at Bristol at lap 20, positioning himself at the front for the first time in his career at Bristol.

    Menard finished fifth in the race, also advancing his position in the point standings to fifth.

    “I had a fast race car all weekend,” Menard said. “What’s cool is we’ve been to four different race tracks and we’ve had strong runs at all four. We’re just having a lot of fun right now.”

    Not Surprising:  It was not surprising that if Carl Edwards was not celebrating a win with a back flip, he was sitting right there yet again in the runner up position. Behind the wheel of his No. 99 Scotts EZSeed Ford, Edwards admitted that he simply could not catch his Phoenix rival Kyle Busch.

    “It was exciting,” Edwards said. “I thought I could get to him at the end and rough him up a little bit and maybe get by him, but his car took off.”

    “It was a good race at Bristol,” Edwards continued. “Kyle did a good job. Our team did a good job. We’ve got to thank all the fans and we appreciate them coming out and supporting us.”

    Surprising:  Matt Kenseth actually had a great run at Bristol and was even somewhat effusive, particularly for the usually dry driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford. Kenseth finished fourth in the race and jumped to 13th in the point standings.

    “We had a lot of fun out there racing today and got lucky and got the right lane on the restarts a few times,” Kenseth said. “It took all day but we finally were able to make some adjustments that had the Crown Royal Black Fusion pretty decent.”

    Not Surprising:  To no one’s amazement, it does indeed seem that five time champ Jimmie Johnson has figured out Bristol Motor Speedway. And it was certainly not surprising to see the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet lead laps and get a great finish out of ‘Thunder Valley’.

    While Johnson first had to overcome the driver introduction song picked out for him by Brian Vickers, the “Thong Song” of all things, the reigning champion recovered his dignity with a third place finish. Johnson also jumped five spots in the points, currently sitting in the seventh spot.

    “Oddly enough, clean air is important here and that was kind of it,” Johnson said. “It came down to that last pit stop and we didn’t get out of the pits first. So, it was the rest of us racing for second, third and fourth.”

    Surprising:  It was a bit surprising to see two drivers, Trevor Bayne and Jeff Gordon, both winners in the young 2011 season, struggle so mightily at Bristol Motor Speedway. After starting in the seventh spot, Gordon just could not get comfortable in his No. 24 Pepsi Max Chevrolet, finally bringing it home in the 14th spot.

    Trevor Bayne, one of Gordon’s biggest fans and the Daytona 500 winner, had a miserable day at his home track. Bayne was involved in the wreck that brought out the first caution flag of the day and never recovered, finishing 34th in his Wood Brothers Chevrolet.

    Not Surprising: NASCAR’s favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. just keeps rolling along. In spite of a speeding penalty and with the encouragement of his ever optimistic crew chief Steve Letarte, Junior bounced back to finish 11th, just missing out on his third top-10 finish in a row.

    The NASCAR circuit will now trek back across the country to Fontana, California. Drivers will compete in the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, March 27th, with the broadcasts set for  3:00 PM ET on FOX and MRN.

  • The Last Word on Bristol, as Kyle W(inner) Busch again sweeps Tennessee

    The Last Word on Bristol, as Kyle W(inner) Busch again sweeps Tennessee

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]So, what did we learn at Bristol?

    Well, we learned that Kyle Busch is one hell of a driver. Okay, if we had been in a coma the past couple of years, that might have been a revelation. He wins on Saturday, wins on Sunday, and his Bristol tally includes four Cup wins in his last five attempts there, two straight Nationwide wins, and don’t forget the three in a row he has rung up in the trucks. I’m guessing ole Rowdy kind of likes Bristol.

    We learned that if Carl Edwards knew his final shot at getting by Busch was with about thirty laps to go, he would not have been so clean in making the attempt. It is not that Edwards doesn’t mind using some muscle to make a pass, just ask Brad Keselowski. However, if you move a guy you got to leave the guy to avoid payback, but Busch was the one who rode off into the sunset. Edwards had to settle for second, which gives him three runner-up tallies to go with a couple of wins in his last six starts.

    We learned that Jimmie Johnson has not won a race in a dozen tries. However, before we start resizing the crown worn by Bristol’s third place finisher, Five Time hasn’t exactly been slumming it out there. Of those 12, he has been a Top Three guy six times, with eight Top Fives and 10 Top Tens. If that is a slump, there are a bunch of drivers who would love to be so mired.

    We learned that Jeff Burton’s problems continue. 20th at Bristol was the best he has done since he was 19th at Phoenix last fall. The Virginian sits 30th in the standings, almost fifty positions out of Chase contention. If all the gold is in California, he better find himself the mother lode next weekend.

    We learned that bad things happen to good people at Bristol. Burton’s problems made him a pylon out there with a loose wheel, which resulted in Trevor Bayne, David Reutimann, and Denny Hamlin beat up and scrambling for crumbs for the rest of the day.

    We learned that Juan Pablo Montoya’s loose wheel at the mid-point of the race was the beginning of the end for him. Later, when Kasey Kahne got loose and log-jammed the field, the resulting mess made sure Montoya, Bayne, and Jamie McMurray finished outside the Top 20. When Clint Bowyer’s engine blew up, he went from crippled to dead to 35th.

    We learned that when the smoke had cleared, it was that other Busch who was our points leader as Kurt heads west up by one over Edwards. They have a sizable gap over Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, and Paul Menard, who has a pair of Top Tens in four starts. Kyle, Jimmie, and Juan are right behind, with Dale Earnhardt Jr and Mark Martin rounding out the top ten. Jeff Gordon’s win at Phoenix would give him a invite to the party, while Kasey Kahne would get his only because Bayne isn’t turning his Daytona gold into a glass slipper.

    We have learned that the track at Fontana might be sunny but, Lord help me, it more often provides a cure for insomnia than it does excitement. However, there is one guy who just loves the Auto Club Speedway in California. Tony Stewart may have won there last October. Bristol’s fourth place finisher, Matt Kenseth, may have three out there. Even Edwards was the man at Fontana three years ago. However, the guy to watch is Jimmie Johnson, who has claimed four of the last seven they have run there. Maybe that poor, luckless fellow can finally end the heartbreak and break out of his slump. His worst finish in his last ten Fontana starts? Eleventh. Oh, the humanity. Enjoy your week.

  • 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.

  • The Last Word from Las Vegas, where Edwards wins after Tony gets hosed.

    So, what did we learn in Las Vegas?

    Well, we learned that sometimes the best car on the day does not win, leaving the bubbly to second best. We learned that Saturday when Mark Martin found himself in front on the last lap of the Nationwide race after Brad Keselowski found the fence. We learned that Sunday, when Carl Edwards put Tony Stewart behind him for good to win his third over the last five events. It was enough to make Carl flip out.

    [media-credit id=41 align=”alignright” width=”283″][/media-credit]We learned that hoses can get hooked on a car, flipping air wrenches out of the pit box. The resulting penalty moved Stewart from first to outside the top twenty with a hundred laps to go. He got back in front after going for two tires on one stop, but when he needed four the next time out, Edwards went for the pair that left him the victor, with Stewart the runner-up.

    We learned that Edwards better be careful in Bristol. It seems that you win one day, and wind up in the garage early the next. The same fate that awaited Trevor Bayne after Daytona bit Jeff Gordon on Sunday when he cut a tire and discovered the wall. First one week, 36th the next, as those of us old enough remember how the thrill of victory can turn into the agony of defeat. We miss you Jim McKay.

    We learned that Danica Patrick is not just a pretty face. Okay, I did see the Sports Illustrated layout, but I’m talking about her finishing fourth on Saturday. Best finish ever by a woman in one of NASCAR’s top three racing series. The previous best was by Sara Christian, who ran fifth at Pittsburgh in 1949. She ran in seven races over two seasons and never was featured as a pin-up girl to my knowledge.

    We learned that Greg Biffle can get downright sarcastic when things slide into the toilet. No matter how they tried, they just could not dump enough fuel into the car. Biffle even ran out of petrol at one point and sat in the pit box as he tried to refire the beast. He wound up 28th, three laps down. 3-M Post It was his sponsor, “Shove It!” was what probably was on the driver’s mind. Yes, the Biff was miffed on Sunday.

    We learned a few things about Matt Kenseth. After a caution, the 2003 champion took the green flag on Lap 13 only to discover he had a flat. In he came, down he went on the scoring tower, but he came back to claim11th at the end of the day. Good, yes, but what about him nudging young Mr. Bayne into the fence with 50 to go? Just a racing deal my sweet patoot.

    We learned just how much fun it is to watch Kyle Busch drive a race car. He makes like a kamikaze in diving in where angels fear to tread. Sometimes he catches the grass when making a pass and goes for a skid into a wall. Sometimes he cuts a tire and finds the fence. Sometimes he blows up real good. 30th Saturday, 38th Sunday, but damned entertaining.

    We learned that the feud between Robby Gordon and Kevin Conway has been extenzed into this season, as the pair had a dust up over the weekend at the track. Not sure about the actual spark of this one, but Conway says Gordon owes him some cash, while Gordon claims Conway owes him about 30 times as much. It all stems from a sponsorship deal involving that product endorsed by Jimmy Johnson, the former football coach and Survivor…and not the driver. Conway went to the cops over the altercation and Gordon was put on special emergency probation That, as they say, is the long and the short of it. All this tension. Where is Happy Bob when you need him?

    I’ve learned that it is best to quit while you are ahead. For instance, I could ask what one gets when you combine Viagra with Extenze, but this is a racing site and has nothing to do with pole vaulting. Okay, I guess I haven’t learned a damned thing.

    Bristol is next on the dance card, a track where the winner has been a guy named Busch half the time over the past nine years. Kurt has five of them, Kyle four, including three of the past four run there. The defending champ of the spring race is some fellow by the name of Johnson. As the Sprint boys take next Sunday off, the trucks return to Darlington this Saturday night. Enjoy the week.

  • 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.”