Phoenix. It’s a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the 80s. Sitting here in Atlanta with temperatures in the 50s (well 50 really) reminds me that I’m sitting in the wrong location for this race. 🙂 It’s Race Day and that makes it a good day!
I’m sitting watching the Speed TV pre-show. It has become a habit for me. Race Day was my second favorite show on race weekend. Trackside was my favorite. Trackside has morphed from must watch television to must avoid television. Race Day is not as bad, but it is moving in that direction. Kyle Petty’s ceaseless arguing, Matt Clark’s bumbling, Rutledge Wood’s aggravating uselessness, Larry Mc’s Bama-repetitions, and John Roberts’ attempts to contain his hilarity wears on the nerves. I, at least understand Johnny TV’s giddiness. He’s an aging, marginal talent who is still gainfully employed. There’s no reason for him not to find the world hysterically funny.
Matt Clark, NASCAR Insider. The question plaguing me is inside what? He strikes me as a classic jock sniffer and his presence disturbs me. He’s horrible on-air. He only repeats what someone else has already said – and we already have Larry Mc for that particular task – and stumbles and stammers his way through that. As Speed adds people to the NASCAR staff I keep wondering what rural technical school they’re connected with that provides the ‘talent’. It is starting to seem as though the person doing the hiring/headhunting is losing bets and having to take the bottom of the barrel. At least with that Danielle Trotta chick, its obvious she can’t get a job at ESPN yet and is just padding her resume. At some point she’ll hopefully learn to stop announcing and start speaking and get her foot in the ESPN door and out of the Race Hub/Speed door. She’s improving and I expect to see her dress like a professional television host/newsreader any day now.
Bradley K has his phone to keep his Mommy informed. That is so sweet. Its nice to see the real Brad as opposed to the ‘Bad Brad’ he’s been playing for the past year or so. As long as he’s not tweeting and driving I have no problem with his having his phone in the car. Also, I hope they don’t force NASCAR to make a rule about phones. Bradley K is capable of using the phone responsibly, but most drivers won’t have the same self-control – entirely too much of a competitive spirit.
Could someone explain to me why Speed gives Kyle Petty a forum to argue with people and get paid for it? He’s obviously a cantankerous soul, but to pay him for it? Ridiculous! His negativity is appalling and his pain overwhelming. I feel he should take time out of the spotlight, get help, get healed, get happy and the proudly take the Petty name into the future from a positive place, instead of dragging the Petty pain forward. It’s very sad – very real – but very sad and should be very personal – not on public display.
Martin Martin leads the first lap from the pole position. Tony Stewart quickly takes over the lead as Mark Martin falls back through the field. Jimmie Johnson is moving up fast in the 48!
First commercial break.
CAUTION – Lap 18 of 312 – Clint Bowyer cuts down a tire just after Jimmie Johnson takes the lead from Tony Stewart.
Some cars pitted, some didn’t so the front of the field has shuffled. Kasey has hit the fence on the restart coming out of four. He was in second place and it heading to pit road.
Lap 25 of 312 Clint Bowyer has another flat tire and is coming off the field stays green. It’s possible the splitter which was damaged in the first incident caused the tire problem in this incident. Kasey went out and came back in saying says something is broken in the suspension. Harvick is leading now – lap 31 of 312. Dale Jr. has some damage on the left front and its hitting the tire causing a little smoke.
Jimmie restarted in 14th after taking on four tires. He has gained 8 spots since the restart. Kasey has taken the car back to the garage.
Lap 40 of 312, Jimmie has moved up to 4th just behind Denny Hamlin. Regan Smith is in second and has been since shortly after Smoke took the lead.
Lap 42 of 312, Jimmie has passed Denny for third.
Lap 48 Jimmie takes second from Regan Smith.
Harvick continues to lead as we head to a commercial break on lap 49.
CAUTION – Lap 60 – caution is out for debris in turn three. Jimmie was rapidly catching the 29. JJ Yeley gets the free pass.
Early Barban is reminding Jimmie to take care of his breaks and Chad reminded him not to stop so deep in the pit box.
Commercial break.
Jimmie takes the lead from Kurt Busch on lap 67.
Kasey and Clint are back on the track. Reutimann tipped Landon Cassell into the wall.
Another wreck during commercial break. CAUTION – Lap 112 of 312 – Casey Mears hit the turn 1 wall hard. The hook comes out for Casey’s car. Blaney gets the lucky dog.
CAUTION – Lap 133 of 312 – during commercial break again. AJ Allmendinger got loose, hit the wall, Menard, who was running behind him, got tagged when AJ bounced off the wall whihc knocked him into Jamie Mc who was running behind Menard. AJ tore the spoiler and deck lid off his car when he bounced off the wall. Jimmie had a vibration and was convinced it was a loose wheel. He was going to come in for a stop on the next lap and luckily the caution came out.
Lap 137 – still under caution – Jimmie is back in for his third pit stop – they’re working on the right rear. Larry Mc thinks there’s a problem with the lug studs. Jimmie is currently shown in 25th position. Chad doesn’t look too worried. Casey Mears lost his brakes causing his accident.
Lap 141 of 312 – restart – KHarv & KyBu lead then at the restart. Bradley K takes second from KyBu.
Lap 145 KyBu takes the lead from Happy Harvick.
Lap 183 – Green Flag pit stops are underway. Bradley K led a lap, Denny Hamlin led a lap, Jeff Gordon led a lap. Kenseth led a lap. Burton led a lap. Martin Truex led a lap. Jamie Mc led a lap.
On lap 209 Harvick is back at the lead. Jimmie is now 8th having come up from 25th without the aid of a caution.
Lap 213 Jamie Mc’s car is smoking. He said he blew up on the front stretch.
KyBu is in 5th place with 96 to go. He’s not sure if his car is tight or if the racetrack is starting to make a dramatic change.
Jeff Gordon says they’ve gone too far and now his car is junk.
Caution is out with 85 to go – Lap 227 of 312. Debris in turns 3 and 4. JPM gets the free pass.
Happy says the left-side-only tires were magic last time. Shane says they can’t make it on one can of fuel, but they only put one in.
Restarting with 60 to go. Jimmie had to give Logano some room as Burton got squirrely and Joey had to hit the apron and was a little out of control coming back. Chad told Jimmie to save gas immediately and said this is important. He’s probably going to try to make it. He’s in 9th now and let Biffle pass him.
Hamlin is racing Keselowski for third.
Jimmie is still letting people go by.
Carl has finally cracked the top 10 with 71 to go. He’s being told to save fuel. He was a two-tire stop last stop.
Finally we’re doing the split screen of the race during commercial break with 69 to go. While all the wrecks were happening we weren’t.
Truex is leading, followed by Harvick, Hamlin, Keselowski, Martin, Logano, Ambrose, Biffle, Edwards and Jimmie.
Caution is out with 66 to go as Reutimann blows up. Bobby Labonte gets the free pass. Looks like Smoke is out of gas, he’s coasting. He shut his engine off to save fuel and his engine wouldn’t re-fire. So he’s coasting around to pit road. The truck came and gave him a push. The gas man on Truex’s car couldn’t get any traction while trying to fuel the car, his feet were slipping. It was funny looking, like he was doing ‘The Running Man’ with a gas can. Smoke has now gone a lap down. Smoke is now 2 laps down as he sits on pit road unable to start the car. With 61 to go Smoke is finally heading back to the pack.
Shane doesn’t know if they can make it. They were 9 laps short. They didn’t come in. Now they’re not sure. Darien has told Denny he needs a pause every time, they’re thinking they can make it. Chad’s message to Jimmie is save, save save. Jimmie says the car has come back to him.
60 to go on the restart.
Hamlin leads the first lap and Keselowski just passed the 29. Carl is harrassing Ambrose for sixth place.
Caution – 58 to go – Newman has hit the wall – Carl got loose then got into Newman in the corner. Carl has some damage on the right front fender. Travis Kwapil gets the free pass.
Hamlin and Keselowski lead them off with 52 to go. Keselowski drove into the corner too hard and had to wash up. Hamlin is leading Biffle who’s trying to hold off Harvick.
Harvick passed Biffle. Shane thinks they’re only one lap to the good now with those caution laps. Biffle is coming after him hard to try to get that position back.
Jimmie is battling Biffle for 5th. Chad just told him he’s ok for fuel the rest of the way. Jimmie says the car is a little loose on the restart, but coming to him.
Jimmie is battling Keselowski for 5th with 42 laps to go.
Ambrose is good on gas and running in third with 35 to go.
Darien Grubb just told Denny to continue to save fuel with 30 to go. Biffle’s crew chief told him the same thing.
26 To Go Burton has a problem of some sort and is off the pace. He’s staying on the track, but is slow.
18 to Go Smoke is coming out of Marcos Ambrose’s car. Ambrose goes to pit road. Burton is already in the garage.
Shane Wilson was Harvick’s crew chief with he won the Nationwide Championship in 2006.
DW says some guys just like to live up to their reputations and he’s not sure Harvick isn’t like Dale Earnhardt and likes to live up to his reputation.
Denny has relocated his winter home to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area so he can get some more time for golf.
There’s a report that Carl is concerned about fuel in 8th place.
Harvick may still need to save a little fuel with 7 to go.
With 5 to go Harvick is closing on Denny.
2 to go Carl and Harvick are out of gas.
78 is out of gas.
Hamlin wins!!! Harvick made it back to the line for second. Harvick ran out of gas, but managed to hang on for second. Biffle finished third. Jimmie finished fourth. Hamlin ran out of gas doing a burnout. He was able to reset it and get it going for the burnout. Carl ran out of gas and finished 17th.
Unofficial Results
1. Lil’ Sexy (Hamlin)
2. Happy (Harvick)
3. Biff
4. Jimmie (Johnson)
5. Bradley K (Keselowski)
6. KyBu
7. Hottie/Woof (Martin Truex Jr)
8. Jeff Gordon
9. Mark Martin
10. Logano
11. JPM (Montoya)
12. Almirola
13. Kenseth
14. BooBoo (Dale Jr)
15. Kurt Busch
16. Bobby Labonte
17. Carl Edwards
18. Ding Dong (Allmendinger)
19. Kvapil
20. Smith
21. Newman
22. Smoke (Tony Stewart)
23. Blaney
24. Bliss
25. David Ragan
26. Yeley
27. Gaughan
28. Gilligan (David Gilliland)
29. Stremme
30. Clinton (Bowyer)
31. Menard
32. Ambrose
33. Burton
34. Kasey Kahne
35. Cassill
36. Reutimann
37. Mcmurray
38. Wise
39. Mears
40. Nemechek
41. Robby Gordon
42. Riggs
43. McDowell
I enjoyed the race. There were a couple of dead spots, but overall the cautions helped the pace of the race so there were good intervals of action to pick up the dead spots. The gas mileage thing at the end was exciting, until it did not affect the results. That was a bit disappointing, but enlightening. I was pleased that Harvick was unable to do his usual – sit back, let everyone else race, then steal it at the end. I hate that aspect of his racing and find it extremely distasteful. As a game plan it should be beneath a champion racer. I was very pleased it did not work in this car. I was also pleased to see Denny Hamlin simply drive a good race and get the win. While my driver did not win the race, I was pleased with what he was able to do and finishing in the top 5 is usually a good thing.
Is is just me, or does Claire B. Lang always manage to get on the television broadcasts? As often as it occurs it can’t be a coincidence. She’s tacky. Makes her seem like the fame-hungry no-talent. But then again I’ve been tortured by her radio shows also (I have friend who enjoyed her show), so the television appearances backs up my feeling on her radio show. She often forgets to let her guests talk – my biggest complaint. Why have a guest, gush shamelessly over them before they’re on the air and as an introduction then ask extraordinarily long questions and cut them off mid-sentence while they’re answering. But, she’s employed, so she must live in Johnny TV’s world. Come to think of it, she’s employed, Johnny TV, Larry Mc, Petty Kyle, Danielle Trotta, Krista Voda, Matt Clark, Matt Yocum…obviously its just me. I’m expecting Mike Joy quality from the C-Team I guess. Gotta lower my standards and understand only FOX can hire the best talent. Though they have Wendy Venturini, Steve Byrnes, Kenny Wallace, Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Hammond, Bob Dillner, Dick Berggren, and Mike Joy, so either they used to hire talent and management shift has decided to go in a different direction, or those folks were really bad when hired and have matured into the level of broadcasting finesse they display weekly.