Atlanta - Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500

Atlanta - Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500

Just in: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth may not be eligible to make the chase, even with a win this year according to the eligibility rules to make the Chase. (see below)

As you can see in the blurb below about Eligibility for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup a driver must attempt to quality for EVERY RACE (except in rare instances). 

So I am going to presume that qualifying at Atlanta is going to be one of those "RARE INSTANCES" As you can see in the line up below. 5 major teams, #24 Jeff Gordon, #48 Jimmie Johnson, #14 Tony Stewart, #41 Regan Smith and #20 Matt Kenseth failed to qualify because they were not through inspection on time.  The others who got in under 2014 owner points provisionals were  #26 Jeb Burton, #35 Cole Whitt, #7 Alex Bowman and #40 Landon Cassill.

4 others Mike Wallace, Matt Dibenedetto, Reed Sorenson and Michael Annett were not so lucky to have owner points. 

Michael Annett who finished 13th in the Daytona 500 made a deal with #33 Brian Scott Friday to run in his place, to continue his run for the Chase. 

The TV schedule is the reason NASCAR didn't wait for inspections to be complete before starting qualifying... NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!  

New Rule NASCAR - All cars must be through inspection before qualifying starts. Considering the rules for Eligibility for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

Read about the qualifying fiasco here:  Click Here 

  

Eligibility for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

The top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races will earn a spot in the Chase Grid -- provided they have finished in the top 30 in points and attempted to qualify for every race (except in rare instances). The 16th Chase position will go to the points leader after race No. 26, if he/she does not have victory. In the event that there are 16 or more different winners over 26 races, the only winless driver who can earn a Chase Grid spot would be the points leader after 26 races.

Atlanta - Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 - Starting Lineup

Atlanta - Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 - Starting Lineup

1	22	Joey Logano	194.683	28.477
2	4	Kevin Harvick	193.792	28.608
3	1	Jamie McMurray	193.623	28.633
4	11	Denny Hamlin	193.400	28.666
5	19	Carl Edwards	193.137	28.705
6	42	Kyle Larson	192.949	28.733
7	31	Ryan Newman	192.942	28.734
8	9	Sam Hornish Jr	192.313	28.828
9	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr	192.206	28.844
10	5	Kasey Kahne	192.140	28.854
11	47	AJ Allmendinger	191.483	28.953
12	2	Brad Keselowski	191.403	28.965
13	27	Paul Menard	192.326	28.826
14	78	Martin Truex Jr	192.313	28.828
15	3	Austin Dillon	192.146	28.853
16	51	Justin Allgaier	192.033	28.870
17	18	David Ragan	191.496	28.951
18	10	Danica Patrick	191.291	28.982
19	16	Greg Biffle	190.935	29.036
20	17	Ricky Stenhouse Jr	190.692	29.073
21	13	Casey Mears	190.653	29.079
22	55	Brett Moffitt	190.646	29.080
23	43	Aric Almirola	190.424	29.114
24	95	Michael McDowell	189.558	29.247
25	15	Clint Bowyer	189.513	29.254
26	38	David Gilliland	189.493	29.257
27	32	Mike Bliss	189.351	29.279
28	34	Joe Nemechek	189.183	29.305
29	6	Trevor Bayne	188.906	29.348
30	23	J.J. Yeley	188.187	29.460
31	62	Brendan Gaughan	188.117	29.471
32	33	Brian Scott	187.837	29.515
33	98	Josh Wise	183.881	30.150
34	30	Ron Hornaday Jr	181.147	30.605
35	24	Jeff Gordon	0.000	0.000
36	20	Matt Kenseth	0.000	0.000
37	48	Jimmie Johnson	0.000	0.000
38	41	Regan Smith	0.000	0.000
39	14	Tony Stewart	0.000	0.000
40	26	Jeb Burton	0.000	0.000
41	35	Cole Whitt	0.000	0.000
42	7	Alex Bowman	0.000	0.000
43	40	Landon Cassill	0.000	0.000

Daytona - Daytona 500

Daytona 500 - What a race!!! 3 wide racing starting with the first row back to the 7th row. Amazing car control. The "big one" didn't occur until the very last lap. Austin Dillon gave Jeff Gordon a little tap collecting 8 cars mid pack  Even though 7 caution flags flew, most didn't involve more than 1 car. The first one took out 4 cars, including Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth, but engine failure from Keslowski, Cassill and Ryan Blaney were 3 of the 7.  Joey Lagano held off Harvick and Earnhardt to win his first Daytona 500.

Congratulations Joey Lagano!!!

Top Ten Recap:

1. Joey Lagano - started 5th

2. Kevin Harvick - started 11th

3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - started 3rd

4. Denny Hamlin - started 42nd

5. Jimmie Johnson - started 2nd

6. Casey Mears - started 41st

7. Clint Bowyer - started 9th

8. Martin Truex Jr. - started 10th

9. Kasey Kahne - started 13th

10. Greg Biffle - started 8th

Race for the Chase:

1. (1) Joey Lagano.

2. Kevin Harvick

3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

4. Denny Hamlin

5. Jimmie Johnson

6. Casey Mears

7. Clint Bowyer

8. Martin Truex Jr.

9. Kasey Kahne 

10. Greg Biffle

11. David Gilliland

12. Sam Hornish Jr.

13. Michael Annett

14. Austin Dillon

15. Aric Almirola

16. Regan Smith

Kyle Busch broke his right leg and fractured his left foot.  How long he will away from racing has not been announced. I would say a minimum of 6 weeks anyway. Taking away any chance of a championship this year. So the question is to the owners of cup cars and to the drivers themselves.. Is it worth running the Xfinity Series and taking the chance of getting hurt?

Next race: Atlanta Motor Speedway - Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 - March 1, 2015 - 1 pm est.

Have a Wonderful Week!!!

Take Care

God Bless

Barbara

Daytona 500 Starting Lineup

Duel #1 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Duel #2 - Jimmie Johnson

Daytona 500 - Starting Lineup

1	24	Jeff Gordon	201.293	44.711
2	48	Jimmie Johnson	201.135	44.746
3	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr	195.080	46.135
4	18	Kyle Busch	200.187	44.958
5	22	Joey Logano	193.241	46.574
6	19	Carl Edwards	197.837	45.492
7	14	Tony Stewart	197.968	45.462
8	16	Greg Biffle	197.477	45.575
9	15	Clint Bowyer	194.995	46.155
10	78	Martin Truex Jr	190.678	47.200
11	4	Kevin Harvick	197.994	45.456
12	21	Ryan Blaney	193.282	46.564
13	5	Kasey Kahne	199.867	45.030
14	44	Reed Sorenson	194.978	46.159
15	1	Jamie McMurray	193.133	46.600
16	66	Mike Wallace	192.509	46.751
17	40	Landon Cassill	193.299	46.560
18	51	Justin Allgaier	196.532	45.794
19	35	Cole Whitt	194.012	46.389
20	10	Danica Patrick	197.959	45.464
21	27	Paul Menard	198.325	45.380
22	31	Ryan Newman	198.177	45.414
23	95	Michael McDowell	195.300	46.083
24	41	Kurt Busch	197.976	45.460
25	23	J.J. Yeley	199.256	45.168
26	38	David Gilliland	195.346	46.072
27	46	Michael Annett	196.554	45.789
28	34	David Ragan	194.452	46.284
29	42	Kyle Larson	195.588	46.015
30	3	Austin Dillon	196.962	45.694
31	33	Ty Dillon	197.507	45.568
32	17	Ricky Stenhouse Jr	196.816	45.728
33	43	Aric Almirola	197.200	45.639
34	55	Michael Waltrip	190.517	47.240
35	20	Matt Kenseth	200.214	44.952
36	83	Johnny Sauter	198.220	45.404
37	6	Trevor Bayne	197.256	45.626
38	9	Sam Hornish Jr	197.243	45.629
39	2	Brad Keselowski	193.357	46.546
40	47	AJ Allmendinger	198.212	45.406
41	13	Casey Mears	197.946	45.467
42	11	Denny Hamlin	200.933	44.791
43	32	Bobby Labonte	199.067	45.211