NASCAR - Race Chase #7 - Martinsville

Martinsville Speedway the 7th race in the chase. I was actually there watching the race today and am just getting home. I will recap it all for you tomorrow. I have listed my weekly list of winners and who is where in the points. Thank you for reading.

Had a good time at the race yesterday in Martinsville, right up to the last lap, when Jimmie Johnson won the race LOL... Seats were at the start/finish line, 2 rows up and only about 15 feet, yes 15 feet off the track, up close a personal and my favorite place to sit. The closer I am to the track the better, I love the smells, the wind, the sounds and the rubber off the tires literally flying at you. My son bought me the tickets for my birthday. The only down fall was because of the haulers in the infield we could not see the backstretch, but there was a big TV right in front of us, so we didn't miss much and there is nothing like watching the cars come down the front stretch straight at you and then watching them dive into turn 1 as they disappear out of sight. NASCAR racing is the best.
Congratulations Jimmie Johnson!!! started first, finished first. Dominate car all day. Very pushy all day long, nearly putting out three different cars. Putting you in the lead for the Chase at the moment, but watch your back because Brad Keslowski is very, very hungry for a Championship. Every Chase driver changed positions this week, with the exception of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and they thought Talladega was going to change up things. Martinsville proved to be a dilemma for 5 of the Chase drivers, Denny Hamlin, finishing in 33rd, had issues with his car, stopping in the middle of the track right at the start/finish, luckily everyone drove around him. Kevin Harvick, finishing 32nd, (as Darrell Waltrip would say ) blowed up. Tony Stewart, finishing 27th,  just couldn't get the car to handle the way he wanted. Martin Truex Jr., finishing 23rd,  never recovered from a pit road penalty and Dale Earnhardt Jr., finishing 21st, after a late race spin.

Top Ten Recap:
1. Jimmie Johnson - started on pole - up 1 position to Leader
2. Kyle Busch - started 3 - remains in 13th
3. Kasey Kahne - started 15 - up 1 position to 4th
4. Aric Almirola - started 10 - remains in 21st
5.Clint Bowyer - started 8 - up 1 position to 3rd
6. Brad Keslowski - started 32 - down 1 position to 2nd
7. Jeff Gordon - started 11 - up 2 positions to 6th
8. Brian Vickers - started 2 - up 1 position to 35th
9. Bobby Labonte - started 17 - remains in 24th/
10. Greg Biffle - started 30 - up 2 position in 9th

Race for the Championship:
1. Jimmie Johnson - WINNER - up 1 position
2. Brad Keslowski - finished 6th - down 1 position
3. Clint Bowyer - finished 5th - up 1 position
4. Kasey Kahne - finished 3rd - up 1 position
5. Denny Hamlin - finished 33rd - down 2 positions
6. Jeff Gordon - finished 7th - up 2 positions
7. Martin Truex, Jr. - finished 23rd - down 1 position
8. Matt Kenseth - finished 14th - up 1 position
9. Greg Biffle - finished 10th - up 2 positions
10. Tony Stewart - finished 27th - down 3 positions
11. Kevin Harvick - finished 32nd - down 1 position
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 21st -

Next Race - Texas Motor Speedway - AAA Texas 500 - Sunday, November 4, 2012, 2pm.

Have a Wonderful Week!!!
Take Care
Barbara

NASCAR - Chase Race #6 - Kansas

Chase Race #6 Kansas - coming down to the wire with just 4 races left, points are getting tight and every lap counts. Brad Keslowski finished ahead of Jimmie Johnson but only by one position and because Jimmie lead a lap and Brad did not, Brad did not make up any ground lose last week at Charlotte. Kansas was littered with a record 14 caution flags, due mostly to popped tires causes cars to go into the wall, at the same time the race has some long green flag runs. The leader, whoever it was, seemed to pull away from the rest, clean air worked the best. Proven by Jimmie Johnson when he got caught on a yellow flag after making a green flag pit stop. Rendering him to the back of the pack and thus spinning out and damaging his car, even though this did not stop him or his crew to stay on the lead lap and still finish in the top ten.

Congratulation Matt Kenseth!!! A win truly deserved, after having trouble a couple of times during the race, the last time scraping the wall with just 47 laps left to race. Great driving. Martin Truex Jr. had a strong car, coming up fast just not enough laps left to catch you. Kasey Kahne had the fastest car at the end of the race but lost spots during the caution when he shut his car off and had trouble getting it restarted losing  4 positions and not able to make them back up. Greg Biffle had trouble again this week, being one of the cautions after popping a tire and hitting the wall hard. Greg was the only chaser, besides Dale Earnhardt Jr. to finish lower than 13th. Dropping him 5 positions in the points to 11th.
Dale Jr.  who sat out again this week after suffering a concussion at Taladega two weeks ago, seems to be on the mend and is scheduled back at Martinsville next week, pending tests be done on Monday and Tuesday.
Even though you didn't hear much about them during the race two drivers not in the chase made a great showing today. Paul Menard had a strong 3rd place finish and Regan Smith, subbing for Dale Jr. finished in 7th after starting 39th, good going Regan!.

Top Ten Recap:
1. Matt Kenseth - started 12 - up 2 positions to 9th
2. Martin Truex Jr. - started 16 - up 1 position to 6th
3. Paul Menard - started 14 - remains in 16th
4. Kasey Kahne - started 1 - remains in 5th
5. Tony Stewart - started 33 - up 1 position to 7th
6. Clint Bowyer - started 3 - remains in 4th
7. Regan Smith - started 39 - remains in 23rd
8. Brad Keslowski - started 25 - remains the Leader
9. Jimmie Johnson - started 7 - remains in 2nd
10. Jeff Gordon - started 19 - up 1 position to 8th

Chase for the Championship:
1. Brad Keslowski - finished 8th
2. Jimmie Johnson - finished 9th
3. Denny Hamlin - finished 13th
4. Clint Bowyer - finished 6th
5. Kasey Kahne - finished 4th
6. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 2nd - up 1 position
7. Tony Stewart - finished 5th - up 1 position
8. Jeff Gordon - finished 10th - up 1 position
9. Matt Kenseth - WINNER - up 2 positions
10. Kevin Harvick - finished 11th
11. Greg Biffle - finished 27th - down 5 positions
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Did not start

Next Race - Martinsville Speedway - Turns Fast Relief 500 - Sunday, October 28, 2012 - 1pm est

Have a Wonderful Week!!!
Take Care
Barbara

NASCAR Chase Race #5 - Charlotte

Good Morning All.

I apologize for not have my blog done last night. My youngest son got married yesterday one reason I would miss a race.

Congratulations Joseph and Amanda - Love you!!!

I missed all but the last 25 laps of the race. I will not comment on the race as I don't know really know what happened. I know it came down to fuel mileage again. Michael Waltrip Racing had all 3 of his cars in the top 10.
Get well soon Dale Earnhardt Jr., first time an Earnhardt has not been on the track since September 3, 1979, 33 years.



Congratulations Clint Bowyer!!!
and Michael Waltrip Racing!!!

 

Top Ten Recap:

 

1. Clint Bowyer - started 4 - up 1 position to 4th

2. Denny Hamlin - started 9 - remains in 3rd

3. Jimmie Johnson - started 5 - remains in 2nd

4. Greg Biffle - started 1 - up 3 positions 6

5. Kyle Busch - started 8 - remains in 13th

6. Mark Martin - started 2 - remains in 25th

7. Carl Edwards - started 15 - remains in 15th

8. Kasey Kahne - started 10 - down 1 position to 5th

9. Joey Lagano - started 12 - up 1 position to 17th

10. Martin Truex, Jr. - started 6 - up 1 position 7th

 

Chase Championship Recap:

1. Brad Keslowski - finished 11th

2. Jimmie Johnson - finished 3rd

3. Denny Hamlin - finished 2nd

4. Clint Bowyer - WINNER - up 1 position

5. Kasey Kahne - finished 8th - down 1 position

6. Greg Biffle - finished 4th - up 3 positions

7. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 10th - up 1 position

8. Tony Stewart - finished 13th - down 1 position

9. Jeff Gordon - finished 18th - down 3 positions

10. Kevin Harvick - finished 16th

11. Matt Kenseth - finished 14 - up 1 position

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Did not Start - down 1 position

 

 

Next Race - Kansas Motor Speedway - Hollywood Casino 400 - Sunday, October 21, 2012 - 1 pm

 

Have a Wonderful Weekend!!!

 

Take Care

Barbara

Talladega Big One

Could this have been prevented? I would love to hear from everyone on this one. I say it could have been prevented. I'm on my high horse on this one.



Listen up NASCAR!!!

Take away that STUPID yellow line. Where in the world does it make sense to have an "Out of Bounds" on a race track where the cars are going over 200 mph. Here are my thoughts:

Michael Waltrip would have ducked below the yellow line if he knew he would be able to pass Stewart and keep that position. The men are drivers and they are out to win, they are not going to penalize themselves by going below the line. Let's analysis: So far David Regan in 2008 has lost a win because he went below the yellow to cross the finish line. This is what started it all, now none of the drivers are going to go below that yellow line, so they hold their line. Brad Keslowski got his first win in 2009 because he held his line and Carl Edwards went for a wild ride into the fence. Now Michael Waltrip not wanting to be penalized hit the rear of Tony Stewart when Stewart tried to block him and caused a 25 car pile up...

 

Take the Yellow Line away it has been the worse decision you have made NASCAR... Let them race and use the whole track. 

NASCAR Chase Race #4 - Talladega

NASCAR Chase Race #4 - Talladega what can you say. Talladega never disappoints. Racing at its, sitting on the edge of your seat and nail biting best. I love Tallageda it is not short of drama. The big one didn't come until the last lap and what a big one it was. Tony Steward took the blame for it coming down to block the #55 Michael Waltrip and not having enough room, causing a multi-car pile up, taking out many of the Chase contenders. I do not understand how NASCAR is deciding who finished where when the big one happened. How did Jimmie Johnson finish 4 positions ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. when Jr. drove Jimmie to pit road. I hope they explain it some where and if someone out there knows where to find that I would be appreciate the link to the website. The drivers avoided the big one even though a few cars got loose and spun around, they didn't collect up anyone. The green, white, checker proved to be the beginning of the big one, with the drivers racing 4 wide all the way around the check after they took the green and still 4 wide when they took the white, it was inevitable that the big one would happen. The Chase Contenders involved were Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne.

Congratulations Matt Kenseth!!! Making through a few squirrely incidents and saving your car twice to come home with the win, being up front when it counted in front of the wreck. Still an up hill climb to win the Championship, but winning is the way to do it.  Restrictor plate racing seems to be agreeing with you this year, winning at both Daytona and now Talladega.

Top Ten Recap:
1. Matt Kenseth - started 15 - remains in 12th
2. Jeff Gordon - started 6 - up 4 positions to 6th
3. Kyle Busch - started 13 - remains in 13th
4. David Ragan - started 25 - up 2 positions to 27th
5. Greg Biffle - started 5 - up 2 positions to 9th
6. Regan Smith - started 28 - remains in 23rd
7. Brad Keslowski - started 22 - remains in 1st
8. Travis Kvapil - started 36 - remains in 30th
9. Ryan Newman - started 2 - up 1 position to 14th
10 Jeff Burton - started 26 - remains in 19th

Race for Championship
1. Brad Keslowski - finished 7th
2. Jimmie Johnson - finished 17th
3. Denny Hamlin - finished 11th
4. Kasey Kahne - finished 13th - up 2 positions
5. Clint Bowyer - finished 23rd - down 1 position
6. Jeff Gordon - finished 2nd - up 4 positions
7. Tony Stewart - finished 22nd - down 2 positions
8. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 12th
9. Greg Biffle - finished 5th - up 2 positions
10. Kevin Harvick - finished 14th - down 1 position
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 21st - down 4 positions
12. Matt Kenseth - WINNER

Lot of change ups in the Chase - Dale Jr. dropping 4 positions with teammate Jeff Gordon gaining 4 positions - how quickly things happen. In contention one week and almost out of it the next.
I took my results off the NASCAR website right after the race, so if they happen to be wrong I will check tomorrow to make sure they haven't changed their minds where everyone finished.

Next Race - Charlotte Motor Speedway - Bank of America 500 - Saturday October 13, 2012 - 7pm
Any other year I would be there but this year my youngest son is getting married to a wonderful girl that day at 4pm and I couldn't talk them into getting married at the track LOL, so I will have to watch the race on TV that night.
Best wishes Joe and Amanda - love you

Have a Wonderful Week All!!!
Take Care
\Barbara