NASCAR - Coca Cola 600

Charlotte Motor Speedway honors our service men and women every year during the Coca Cola 600. NASCAR and all it's drivers and team owners are big supporters of all our troops in the Armed Forces. One reason I am a huge NASCAR fan. I too am a big supporter of our Troops having numerous, cousins and nephew, I am so very proud of serving this Great Country of ours. 

I have been wearing red every Friday since 2003 when America was asked to wear red on Friday in support of our Troops overseas. I figure it is one day a week and one color, so many men and women are overseas fighting for mine and all of Americas freedom everyday, I can show my support one day a week in appreciation for all they are doing. I am asking all that read this post to please start wearing red, even if it is just a small pin or ribbon, every Friday to show how proud we are of all they are giving up for us to continue to be free. 

Thank you all servicemen and women for all you do!!!

It was a full moon over Charlotte Motor Speedway tonight. Some strange this happening. Fox Sports used an overhead traveling camera for the first time during the race, and the rope that controlled the cameras movements broke, hanging over the track. Kyle Busch, the leader at the moment, caught the rope with his left front wheel well, cutting into it like a knife and then breaking, after bouncing off Matt Kenseth it lodge under Marcos Ambroses car winding up around the axle. And causing a few other cars to require pit road service. NASCAR then made the decision to stop the race during the clean up and then letting the teams have 15 minutes to fix what needed to be fix. A couple of wrecks took our a lot of good cars. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch, both blew engines... Jeff Gordon, Brad Keslowski, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Aric Almirola, Greg Biffle and Danica Patrick were all victims of wrecks. Matt Kenseth had a strong car all day, Kevin Harvick made all the right changes and decisions.

Congratulations Kevin Harvick!!! The Closer..Great move at the end taking tires. Kasey Kahne had a lose, lose decision to make at the end. If he came in for tires, no one else would, if he stayed out everyone else would. As it turns out he decided to stay out and Kevin's two tires were to much for Kahne to fight. Racing was definitely better than yesterdays Nationwide Race. They were racing each other today, not just following the leader. 

Top Ten Recap:

1. Kevin Harvick - started 15- up 1 position to 7th

2. Kasey Kahne - started 6 - up 1 position to 5th

3. Kurt Busch - started 2 - remains in 18th

4. Denny Hamlin - started 1 - up 3 positions to 24th

5. Joey Lagano - started 31 - remains in 19th

6. Ryan Newman - started 10 - up 1 position to 16th

7. Tony Stewart - started 25 = up 1 position to 20th

8. Clint Bowyer - started 5 - up 1 position to 4th

9. Martin Truex Jr. - started 17 - up 5 positions to 9th

10. Marcos Ambrose - started 19 - up 1 position to 22nd

Race for the Chase:

1. Jimmie Johnson - finished 22nd

2. Carl Edwards - finished 11th

3. Matt Kenseth - finished 15th

4. Clint Bowyer - finished 8th - up 1 position

5. Kasey Kahne - finished 2nd - up 1 position

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 39th - down 2 positions

7. Kevin Harvick - WINNER - up 3 positions

8. Paul Menard - finished 13th - up 3 positions 

9. Martin Truex Jr. - finished 9th - up 5 positions

10. Brad Keslowski - finished 36th - down 3 positions

11. Kyle Busch - finished 38 - down 3 positions

12. Aric Almirola - finished 33 - down 3 positions

All but the top 3 positions changed this week.. the answer is consistency once again.

Next Race: Dover International Speedway - FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks - June 2, 2013 - 1 pm 

Have A Wonderful Week

Have a Safe and Happy Memorial Day

Thank a serviceman or woman

I would like to Thank all my cousins and nephews for there service

Take Care\\

Barbara

NASCAR - Darlington

Happy Mothers'Day
to all the Racing Moms and all Moms everywhere

 NASCAR - Darlington - Saturday night racing. Love Saturday night racing, The crew chief has to shine in night racing. Keeping up with the track, changing constantly throughout the race with the changing air temperatures make for changing track temperatures, make for less grip, and complaining drivers, but makes good racing and great calls by crew chiefs. Some make the right ones, some make the wrong ones. Lots of green flag racing, as long as your weren't watching the leader (Kyle Busch for most of them) the racing was pretty good. A few drivers made attempts at getting by Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson tried once and couldn't quite complete the pass. Kasey Kahne completed the pass but took the next corner just a little too fast and loss control and tapped the wall. Matt Kenseth made his attempt and at that moment Kyle lose the handle on the car and started dropping back. Matt took the lead and never looked back. Denny Hamlin took 2nd in his first  race back after breaking his back 6 six weeks ago.
Jeff Gordon made his 700th Sprint cup start tonight. It is also his 700th consecutive start, edging closer to the 788 consecutive start record by Ricky Rudd.

Congratulations Matt Kenseth!!! You showed your strength throughout the race. You stayed up front all night long, Joe Gibbs Racing had an awesome showing at Darlington finishing 1st (Kenseth), 2nd (Hamlin) and 6th (Busch). Hendricks also had a great showing finishing 3rd (Gordon), 4th (Johnson) and 9th(Earnhardt Jr.). RCR, 5th (Harvick), Roush/Fenway, 7th (Edwards), Earnhardt/Ganassi 8th, (Montoya) and Stewart/Haas 10th (Newman) made of the rest of the top ten.

Top Ten Recap
1. Matt Kenseth - started 7 - up 1position to 3rd
2. Denny Hamlin -started 6 - up 4 positions to 27th
3. Jeff Gordon - started 8 - up 2 positions to 12th
4. Jimmie Johnson - started 2 - remains in 1st
5. Kevin Harvick - started 10 - up 2 positions to 10th
6. Kyle Busch - started 3 - up 2 positions to 8th
7. Carl Edwards - started 17 - remains in 2nd
8. Juan Pablo Montoya - started 12 - up 3 positions to 22nd
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - started 16 - down 1 position to 4th
10. Ryan Newman - started 21 - remains in 17th

Race for the Chase:
1. Jimmie Johnson - finished 4th
2. Carl Edwards - finished 7th
3. Matt Kenseth - WINNER - up 1 position
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 9th - down 1 position
5. Clint Bowyer - finished 11th
6. Kasey Kahne - finished 17th - up 1 position
7. Brad Keslowski - finished 32nd - down 1 position
8. Kyle Busch - finished 6th - up 2 positions
9. Aric Almirola - finished 20th - down 1 position
10. Kevin Harvick - finsihed 5th - up 2 positions
11. Paul Menard - finished 19th - down 1 position
12. Jeff Gordon - finished 3rd - up 2 positions

Happy 21st Birthday to my baby boy Joseph tomorrow Mothers Day, May 12th.. best Mothers Day present ever

Next Race - Charlotte - Sprint All Star Race - Saturday - May 18, 2013, 7:30 pm est

Have a Wonderful Week
Take Care
Barbara

NASCAR-Talladega

Talladega- A three and half hour rain delay with 60+ laps proved to worth the wait. Shuffling for position just in case more rain showers came, started right at the drop of the green flag with 63 laps left to go. With the usual back and forth shuffling going on until Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with just 8 laps left to go decided to squeeze into a 4th lane and clipped the rear quarter of   JJ Yeley who then caused a chain reaction which put Kurt Busch in a couple of barrel rolls, landing on top of Ryan Newman before coming to a stop right side up. The 11 car pile also involved, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon and Danica Patrick. The good about Talladega today was 1 car could get out front and not have to have a "partner" running with him to stay there, just be real good at switching lanes to block the car trying to take the lead.  Matt Kenseth proved he was the master of this throughout most of the race. With only one chance at a green, white, checkered everyone in the top ten was going for that top position. David Ragan hooked up with Front Row Motorsports teammate David Gilliland.and drove to front on the last lap and held of the field to take the win. 

Congratulations David Ragan!!! some good and smart racing to take the win at Talladega.  A one - two finish for Front Row Motorsports. Your teammate David Gilliland pushed you to the front and finished right behind you. Proving that at Talladega every one who takes the green flag has a chance to win the race. With a win in your favor all you have to do is get yourself in the top 20 in points and there is that chance you could make the Chase as a wild card. Congrats!!!

Top Ten Recap:

1. David Ragan - started 19 - up 4 positions to 26th

2. David Gilliland - started 31 - up 4 positions to 29th

3. Carl Edwards - started 1 - remains in 2nd

4. Michael Waltrip - started 14 - up 3 positions to 40th

5. Jimmie Johnson - started 8 - remains in 1st

6. Regan Smith - started 34 - not ranked in Sprint Cup

7. Martin Truex Jr. - started 2 - up to positions to 13th

8. Matt Kenseth - started 6 - up 2 positions to 11th

9. Scott Speed - started 36 - up 2 positions to 38th

10. Aric Almirola - started 18 - up 4 positions to 7th

Race for the Chase Repap:

1. Jimmie Johnson - finished 5th 

2. Carl Edwards - finished 3rd

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - finished 17th - up 1 position

4. Clint Bowyer - finished 18th - up 1 position

5. Brad Keslowski - finished 15th - up 1 position

6. Kasey Kahne - finished 42nd - down 3 positions

7. Aric Almirola - finished 10th - up 4 positions

8. Paul Menard - finished 11th - up 2 positions

9. Kyle Busch - finished 38th - down 2 positions

10. Greg Biffle - finished 36th - down 2 positions

11. Matt Kenseth - finished 8th - up 2 positions

12. Kevin Harvick - finished 40th - down 3 positions

This week the top 2 positions were the only ones that remained the same. 

Next Week: Darlington Motorspeedway - Bojangles Southern 500 - Saturday May 11, 2013 - 6:45pm est.

Love night racing

Have a Wonderful Week!!!

Take Care

Barbara