NASCAR - Coca Cola 600

The most welcome site of the day!!!
Took this picture from our seats at the Coca Cola 600!!!
It was very hot, roasting in the sun!!!

Kasey Kahne - Winner Coca Cola 600

Hello All!!! We were at the Coca Cola 600 this year... Actually enjoyed a whole weekend of racing this year... had a great time... Racing however was a little lame... The Nationwide Race had a little more excitement than the Sprint Cup racing, but both races were in line racing for most of the race, like the cars were qualifying right behind each other all race.... Jason Boyles had a little problem with a fire in his car after hitting the wall... Brad Keslowski was the winner in the Nationwide History 300 on Saturday...
Congratulations Kasey Kahne!!! We had seats on the back stretch for the Coca Cola 600 not my favorite place to sit at Charlotte Motor Speedway... the sun is directly in front of you for about half the race and with temperatures in the high 80's you pretty much cooked for 200 laps...The racing was pretty boring with the cars just riding around in single file for 111 laps before the first caution. The restarts kept you on your feet for about 10 laps and then again single file, very little passing until the next caution. which between Lap 111 (the first caution) and Lap 178 there were a total of 4 cautions, which kept you wondering on what the strategy of the teams would be.... Then they raced green flag again for 140 laps the longest run of the night. with the final caution (5) for debris coming on Lap 318... The rest of the race was all green flag racing with one green flag pit stop. That pit stop proved fatal for any win hope for Jimmie Johnson, who left his pit box with a piece of equipment and had to do a drive through plenty, putting him down a lap... Only 9 cars finished on the lead lap with seconds in between each place... There was no race to finish line. Kasey Kahne had a comfortable 3 second lead over Denny Hamlin coming to the checkered flag.

Top Ten Recap
1. Kasey Kahne - started 7 - up 1 position to 15th
2. Denny Hamlin - started 8 - up 1 position to 3rd
3. Kyle Busch - started 17 - up 1 position to 8th
4. Greg Biffle - started 4 - remains the Leader
5. Brad Keslowski - started - up 1 position  to  11th
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - started 12 - down 1 position to 4th
7. Jeff Gordon - started 23 - up 2 positions to 22nd
8. Kevin Harvick - started 14 - up 1 position to 7th
9. Carl Edwards - started 28 - remains in 9th
10. Matt Kenseth - started 10 - remains in 2nd

Race for the Chase
1. Greg Biffle - finished 4th
2. Matt Kenseth - finished 10th
3. Denny Hamlin - finished 2nd - up 1 position
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 6th - down 1 position
5. Jimmie Johnson - finished 11th
6. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 12th
7. Kevin Harvick - finished 8th - up 1 position
8. Kyle Busch - finished 3rd - up 1 position
9. Tony Stewart - finished 25th - down 2 positions
10. Carl Edwards - finished 9th
11. Brad Keslowski - finished 5th - up 1 position
12. Clint Bowyer - finished 13th - down 1 position

With the new format for the Chase this year as it stand now Clint Bowyer without a win so far this year, would be out of the Chase and Ryan Newman with 1 win in 13th position would be in. Kasey Kahne in 15th position also has a win, so the other 4 without a win that are currently in the top the ten in points, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (4th), Martin Truex Jr. (6th), Kevin Harvick (7th) and Carl Edwards (10th)  need to secure their position and/or win a race.

I just have to say - NASCAR you have got to do something to get out of this single line racing!!! Racing is starting to prove NON race fans right... we just watch cars go around in a circle...  a lot of races this year has been just that.... I for one would like to see "stock cars" back, get rid of the "COT cars"...

Next race - Dover International Speedway - FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks - Sunday, June 3, 2012 - 12:30pm

Take Care All
Have a Wonderful Week!!!
Barbara

NASCAR - All-Star Race

Segment 1 - Jimmie Johnson
Segment 2 - Matt Kenseth
Segment 3 - Brad Keslowski
Segment 4 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

WINNER Jimmie Johnson... Giving Rick Hendricks his owner a ride to wave to the fans...
Congrats Jimmie!!!

Two Rousch cars, Carl Edwards 99 and Greg Biffle 16, were the only two to blow engines.

Next Race - Charlotte Motor Speedway - Coca Cola 600 - one of my favorite races - Sunday, May 27, 2012 - 5:30pm

Have a Wonderful Week!!!
Take Care
Barbara

NASCAR - Showdown for All Star

DALE EARNHARDT JR... takes the win in the Showdown... Leads all 40 laps...

A J Allmendinger take 2nd to get into the Showdown

Bobby LaBonte for the fan vote...

NASCAR - Darlington

To All the Mom's out there we wish you a very Happy Mothers Day! Especially my Mom and Mom-in-Law, who mean so much to me and my hubby and have both done so much for us, we love you.

Saturday Night Racing is always the best. Lady in Black was a little calm tonight. Good racing all the way through the pack. Lot's of green flag racing. Jeff Gordon's dumb luck continued again this race, cutting two tires within 10 laps, giving him a 35th place finish and dropping him a position in points to 24th. As always the Lady in Black gave at least 11 drivers their Darlington stripe, including Danica Patrick who finished 31st in her first Darlington start.

Congratulations Jimmie Johnson!!! Conserved enough gas to get to the finish. You proved track position was everything tonight. Tony Stewart lost a position to Denny Hamlin after have gas problems the last couple of laps.

Johnson's win gave Hendrick Motorsports their 200th win. FINALLY!!! Congratulation Rick Hendricks !!! You have a good eye on finding great talent. 200 wins are impressive and how wierd is it that your 100th was on Fathers Day and now your 200th is on Mothers Day. Good Racing!!!

Top Ten Recap:
1. Jimmie Johnson - started 2 - up 3 positions to 5th
2. Denny Hamlin - started 8 - remained in 4th
3. Tony Stewart - started 17 - remained in 7th
4. Kyle Busch - started 5 - remained in 9th
5. Martin Truex Jr. - started 6 - remained in 6th
6. Matt Kenseth - started 19 - remained in 2nd
8. Kasey Kahne - started 3 - up 3 positions to 16th
9. Marcos Ambrose - started 28 - up 3 positions to 18th
10. Joey Lagano - started 21 - remained in 15th

Race for the Chase:
1. Greg Biffle - finished 12th - remained the same
2. Matt Kenseth - finsihed 6th - remained the same
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 17th - remained the same
4. Denny Hamlin - finished 2nd - remained the same
5. Jimmie Johnson - WINNER - up 3 positions
6. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 5th - remained the same
7. Tony Stewart - finished 3rd - remained the same
8. Kevin Harvick - finished 16th - down 3 positions
9. Kyle Busch - finished 4th - remained the same
10. Carl Edwards - finished 7th - up 1 position
11. Clint Bowyer - finsihed 11th - down 1 position
12. Brad Keslowski - finished 15th - remained the same
13. Ryan Newman - finished 23rd - has 1 win remained the same

Ryan Newman has one win so far this year, and Clint Bowyer does not... this will be the deciding factor as to who should be in the race.,

Jamie McMurray lost the most positions after a Darlington Stripe and a 34th place finish. Dropping him to 20th in the points
Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Marcos Ambrose all gained the most positions with 3. Jimmie Johnson is now 5th with a WIN. Kasey Kahns moved into the 16th position  with an 8th place finish. and Marcos Amobrose went to the 18th position after finishing 19th.

Next Race - Saturday Night Racing - Charlotte - Sprint All-Star Race - Saturday May 19, 2012 - 7pm
Gotta love this race... so much fun... should be there... so looking forward to it...

Have a Wonderful Week!!!
Take Care

Barbara

NASCAR - Talladega

TALLADEGA - The racing was good... I like pack racing, the two car break away was good to watch too, but the break aways were short lived cause you knew the rest would catch up soon.
NASCAR definately needs to address the overheating, having a smaller radiator so the cars get hot faster, is not the way to go, engines blowing up are not safe on a race track and to have the drivers constantly watching their gauges because they know from the get go that the cars will be overheating when running nose to tail is just NOT SAFE. All that is going to do is cause accidents.  Matt Kenseth had the car to beat today, but the last restart he got out of the gate fast, but teammate Greg Biffle just couldn't keep up with Kenseth leaving him on his own and letting Brad and Kyle to fly by on the last lap, last corner.

Congratulations Brad Keslowski!!! The move you made at the end was awesome. You are so focused on your job, if you are dreaming how to win races. Sounds like you took the Silva Intuitive Mind course... LOL but all kidding aside you made the move everyone is going to remember for the next time.

Top Ten Recap:
1. Brad Keslowski - started 13 - up 1 position to 11th
2. Kyle Busch - started 21 - up 2 positions to 9th
3. Matt Kenseth - started 10 - up 2 positions to 2nd
4. Kasey Kahne - started 5 - up 4 positions to 19th
5. Greg Biffle - started 6 - remained the Leader
6. Clint Bowyer - started 24 - up 2 positions to 10th
7. David Ragan - started 32 - remained in 29th
8. Trevor Bayne - started 11 - down 2 positions to 51st
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - started 18 - down 1 position to 3rd
10. Jeff Burton - started 29 - up 2 positions to 18th

Race to the Chase:
1. Greg Biffle - finished 5th
2. Matt Kenseth - finished 3rd - up 2 positions
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 9th - down 1 position
4. Denny Hamlin - finished 23rd(crashed) - down 1 position
5. Kevin Harvick - finished 25th(crashed) - up 2 positions
6. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 28th(crashed) - down 1 position
7. Tony Stewart - finished 24th(crashed) - up 1 position
8. Jimmie Johnson - finished 35th(blowed up) - down 2 positions
9. Kyle Busch - finished 2nd - up 2 positions
10. Clint Bowyer - finished 6th - up 2 positions
11(13). Carl Edwards - finished 31st(crashed) - down 2 positions (no wins)
12(11). Brad Keslowski -WINNER - up 1 position (2 wins)
13(12). Ryan Newman - finished 36th - down 3 positions (1 win)

Ryan Newman is in the chase for his win at Martinsville, replacing Carl Edwards (who does not have any wins)
Michael Waltrip and Bill Elliott both gained 15 positions in the points putting them 34th and 38th in points respectfully, but neither of them race on a regularly basis.
Kasey Kahne gained 4 positions (the most of the regular cup drivers) to 19th position
Jeff Gordon lost the most positions with 6, pushing him down to the 23rd position after being involved in a crash and finishing 33rd.

The next race: SATURDAY NIGHT RACING!!! Love it... The Lady in Black!!!
Darlington Raceway - Bojangles' Southern 500 - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - 6:30 pm
My son Joe's 20th birthday!!!

Take Care All
Have a Wonderful Week!!!
Barbara