NASCAR - Kentucky

The second race at Kentucky, not bad, some fuel mileage strategy which always makes the end of the race interesting. Brad Keslowski had a strong car and finished with a comfortable 3 second lead over Kasey Kahne. If Kasey had about 4 more laps Brad would have had his hands full. Having a tire problem early in the race, Kasey fought his way back to the front, finishing second. Lot's of just racing.

Congratulations Brad Keslowski!!! 3 wins heading for the chase gives you an almost guareented spot.

Great racing, strong car all the ingredients needed for a win. Tony Stewart had problems tonight with his acceleraton, rendering him a 32nd finish, dropping him 4 position in the Chase. Carl Edwards had to stop for gas, while running 3rd, finishing 20th.

Top Ten Recap:
1. Brad Keslowski - started 8 - remains in 10th
2. Kasey Kahne - started 19 - up 3 positions to 14th
3. Denny Hamlin - started 3 - up 3 positions to 5th
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - started 7 - up 1 position to 2nd
5. Jeff Gordon - started 9 - remains in 18th
6. Jimmie Johnson - started 1 - up 1 position to 3rd
7. Matt Kenseth - started 20 - remains Leader
8. Martin Truex Jr. - started 10 - up 1 position to 8th
9. AJ Allmendinger - started 16 - remains in 23rd
10. Kyle Busch - started 2 - reamins in 12th

Race to the Chase
1. Matt Kenseth - finished 7th
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 4th - up 1 position
3. Jimmies Johnson - finished 6th - up 1 position
4. Greg Biffle - finished 21st - down 2 positions
5. Denny Hamlin - finished 3rd - up 3 positions
6. Kevin Harvick - finished 11th
7. Clint Bowyer - finsihed 16th
8. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 8th - up 1 position
9. Tony Stewart - finished 32nd - down 4 positions
10. Brad Keslowski - WINNER
11. Carl Edwards - finished 20th
12. Kyle Busch 0 fnished 10th

Kasey Kahne as moved into one of the wild card positons this week. In 14th he is the highest ranking driver with a win. Carl Edwards would be out and Kasey in.

Next race - Daytona International Speedway - Saturday, July 7, 2012 - 6:30 pm - Night racing!!! Love it!!!

Have a Wonderful Week!!!
Take Care
Barbara

NASCAR - Sonoma

Sonoma - I HATE road courses, there is never any racing, just waiting to see who's pit strategy is going to work. You can always count on a couple scuffles going through all corners, but all in all they just don't have the excitement of the ovals, actually watching them fight for the lead. Though this year has been a weird season, the racing just hasn't been there, only been maybe a couple of races that have some good racing.

Congratulations Clint Bowyer!!! You got up front and stayed there, your pit strategy of staying out late in the race paid off, fighting off Kurt Busch for awhile and then Tony Stewart trying to make a last
2.ditch effort to take that top position. A couple of late race accidents landed a couple of Chase races in the back of the pack. Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost a position in points finishing 23rd, Martin Truex Jr. lost 2 positions finishing 22nd. Denny Hamlin had suspension problems early losing 3 positions finishing 35th.

Top Ten Recap:
1. Clint Bowyer - started 6 - up 2 positions to 7th
2. Tony Stewart - started 24 - up 3 positions to 5th
3. Kurt Busch - started 8 - remained in 27th
4. Brian Vickers - started 21 - up 2 positions to 36th
5. Jimmie Johnson - started 3 - remains in 4th
6. Jeff Gordon - started 2 - up 2 positions to 18th
7. Greg Biffle - started 4 - up 1 position to 2nd
8. Marcos Ambrose - started 1 - up 1 position to 16th
9. AJ Allmendinger - started 17 - up 1 position to 23rd
10. Joey Lagano - started 14 - remains in 15th

Race for the Chase:
1. Matt Kenseth - finished 13th
2. Greg Biffle - finished 7th - up 1 position
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 23rd - down 1 position
4. Jimmie Johnson - finished 5th
5. Tony Stewart - finished 2nd - up 3 positions
6. Kevin Harvick - finished 16th
7. Clint Bowyer - WINNER - up 2 positions
8. Denny Hamlin - finished 35th - down 3 positions
9. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 22nd - down 2 positions
10. Brad Keslowski - finished 12th
11. Carl Edwards - finished 21st
12. Kyle Busch - finished 17th

Clint Bowyer is solidifying making the chase with the win today, but the question is, Is one win going to be enough?
Ryan Newman in 13th would one take one of the wild card spots with 1 win and Carl Edwards would drop out.

Next Race - Night Racing - Kentucky Speedway - Quaker State 400 - Saturday June 30, 2012 - 6:30pm

Take Care
Have a Wonderful Week!!!

Barbara

NASCAR - Michigan

Dale Earnhardt Jr. obviously loves Michigan... Finally ending his 143 races winless streak... A streak he would rather not try and break... Dale Jr. has been proving himself all season so far, being the only driver to finish every lap of every race. Being consistent every week having 12 top 10 finishes in the first 15 races... His worse finish this year was Darlington 17th, the other two races he didn't finish in the top ten were Phoenix 14th and Bristol 15th... He is really shining this showing what a great driver he really is.

Congratulation Dale Earnhardt Jr.!!! Great win today.... Sporting The Dark Knight Rises theme, you rose to the occasion. You had the dominate car, fixing the issues you had early. Your car was hooked up and was on a rail the last 50 laps of the race. So great to see you in the winners circle... Dale Jr.'s first comment after crossing the finish line was "I don't know what to say" at a loss for words... Steve LaTarte and the 88 crew did a fantastic job in keeping Dale Jr. in the running the whole race...
Joe Gibbs racing had a rough day today... Kyle Busch had tire issues and finished 30th, Denny Hamlin blowed up and finished 34th losing 1 position in the Chase and Joey Lagano hit the wall and finished 35th.

Top Ten Recap:
1. Dale Earnhartd Jr. - started 17 - remains in 2nd
2. Tony Steward - started 8 - remains in 8th
3. Matt Kenseth - started 6 - remains Leader
4. Greg Biffle - started 5 - remains in 3rd
5. Jimmie Johnson - started 10 - up 1 position to 4th
6. Jeff Gordon - started 28 - up 2 positions to 20th
7. Clint Bowyer - started 13 - remains in 9th
8. Juan Montoya - started 21 - up 2 positions to 19th
9. Marcos Ambrose - started 1 - remains in 17th
10. Kevin Harvick - started 2 - remains in 6th

Race to the Chase:
1. Matt Kenseth - finished 3rd
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - WINNER
3. Greg Biffle - finished 4th
4. Jimmie Johnson - finished 3rd - up 1 position
5. Denny Hamlin - finished 34 - down 1 position
6. Kevin Harvick - finished 10th
7. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 12th
8. Tony Steward - finished 2nd
9. Clint Bowyer - finished 7th
10. Brad Keslowski - finished 13th
11. Carl Edwards - finished 11th
12. Kyle Busch - finished 34th

Ryan Newman gained 1 position to 13th after finishing 15th. At the moment, with 1 win,  he would be in the Chase and Carl Edwards would be out.

Next Race: Sonoma, CA - Toyota / Save Mart 350 - Sunday, June 24th, 2012 (my dads 80th birthday) 2pm est.

Take Care
Have a Wonderful Week
Barbara

NASCAR - Pocono

Pocono racing newly paved track made for a faster lap on the "no right turn road course". Pit road strategy was the name of the game today. Joey Lagano took the checker flag taking a chance on caution laps to make it to the end. Dale Earnhardt Jr. after leading the most laps, pit with 16 to go and lost on the risk of no more cautions causing the other drivers to run out of gas... Gaining 8 positions in the 16 laps he finished 8th with one of the fastest cars out there.  Wins are just slipping through his fingers... one should be here soon. Matt Kenseth who also had a fast car through out the race, lost positions after a restart incident when Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin got together, just not able to recover, finishing 7th. Jimmie Johnson getting caught speeding on pit road twice was part of the record 22 penalties for speeding on pit road. Still posting a top 5 finish in 4th.

Congratulation Joey Lagano!!! Gambling on fuel mileage paid off. Chasing the veteran Mark Martin the final 8 laps of the race and making the pass that counted to cross that finish line first. Giving Gibbs Racing yet another Pocono win. As in all "road courses" pit strategy is the race.


Top Ten Recap:
1. Joey Lagano - started on Pole - up 1 position to 15th
2. Mark Martin - started 6 - up 1 position to 23rd
3. Tony Stewart - started 22 - remains in 8th
4. Jimmie Johnson - started 24 - remains in 5th
5. Denny Hamlin - started 5 - remains in 4th
6. Clint Bowyer - started 16 - up 1 position to 9th
7. Matt Kenseth - started 14 - up 1 position to LEADER
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - started 8 - up 1 position to 2nd
9. Paul Menard - started 3 - up 2 positions to 13th
10. Jamie McMurray - started 11 - up 3 positions to 19th

Race for the Chase:
1. Matt Kenseth - up 1 position - finished 7th
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - up 1 position - finished 8th
3. Greg Biffle - down 2 position - finished 24th
4. Denny Hamlin - finished 5th
5. Jimmie Johnson - finished 4th
6. Kevin Harvick - up 1 position - finished 14th
7. Martin Truex Jr. - down 1 position - finished 20th
8. Tony Stewart - finished 3rd
9. Clint Bowyer - up 1 position - finished 6th
10. Brad Keslowski - up 1 position - finished 18th
11. Carl Edwards - up 1 position - finished 11th
12. Kyle Busch - down 3 positions - finished 30th

Ryan Newman in 14th position would be in the Chase with 1 win and Carl Edwards out with no wins. Joey Lagano in 15th and Kasey Kahne in 16th also have 1 win.
Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola were the big loser... losing 3 positions
Jamie McMurray was the biggest mover upward with 3 positions putting him in 19th.

Next race - Michigan International Speedway - Quicken Loans 400 - Sunday June 17, 2012 - 12pm

Take Care All
Have a Wonderful Week
Barbara

NASCAR - Dover

Dover Racing the best, fastest 1 mile track on the circuit. This race was not boring, passing was good. The biggest wreck this year (not what I like to see) 13 cars pulled in on just lap 9. Tony Stewart was the only driver in the 10 in points involved, but managed to fix his car and come back to a 25th place finish still pushing him up 1 position in the points..
Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon had the fastest cars. Jeff Gordon was the car to beat until a loose wheel on lap 249 forced him to pit. He eventually got back on the lead lap, but just not enough time to catch teammate Jimmie Johnson... finishing 13th he earned 1 position in the points to 21st.

Congratulation Jimmie Johnson!!! Chad kept the car fast all race... Car was fast and good on the restarts... This was good racing, saw lots of passing. Jimmie Johnson sports a very colorful wig in the winners circle, promoting the movie Madagascar 3.  It was nice to watch a race and not fall asleep from the drop of the green flag... I love green flag racing if there is passing going on all the way around the track.. Dover is a great small track race...

Top Ten Recap
1. Jimmie Johnson - started 2 - remains in 5th
2. Kevin Harvick - started 6 - remains in 7th
3. Matt Kenseth - started 5 - remains in 2nd
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - started 17 - up 1 position to 3rd
5. Clint Bowyer - started 4 - up 2 position to 10th
6. Aric Almirola - started 12 - up 2 positions to 17th
7. Martin Truex Jr. - started 18 - remains in 6th
8. Joey Lagano - started 11 - remains in 16th
9. Kasey Kahne - started 13 - up 1 position to 14th
10. Marcos Ambrose - started 21 - up 1 position to 19th

Race to the Chase
1. Greg Biffle - finished 11th - remains Leader by 1 point
2. Matt Kenseth - finished 3rd
3  Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 4th - up 1 position
4. Denny Hamlin - finished 18th - down 1 position
5. Jimmie Johnson - WINNER
6. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 7th
7. Kevin Harvick - finished 2nd
8. Tony Stewart - finished 25th - up 1 position
9. Kyle Busch - finished 29th - down 1 position
10. Clint Bowyer - finished 5th - up 2 positions
11. Brad Keslowski - finished 12th
12. Carl Edwards - finished 26th - down 2 positions

Ryan Newman in 13th place 120 points behind has 1 win and would kick Carl Edwards, with no wins, out of the chase. Kasey Kahne, however, is in 14th only 1 point behind Ryan Newman and he also has a win...
Going to be close racing to get into the chase. We are half way to the chase now...

Next  race - Pocono Raceway - Pocono 400 - Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 12pm EST.

Take Care All
Have a Wonderful Week
Barbara