The cold temperatures we’ve been experiencing the past few days seem to have moved up to the Martinsville area. Apparently it was in the 20s this morning. Race Day included a nice piece on Sherry Pollax, Martin Truex Jr.’s partner looking at her battle with cancer. Byrnesy had a PET scan this week and his wife tweeted it was not the results they were hoping for, so a new round of treatments begin.
Best Health Sherry and Steve Byrnes!
I intended to watch the start of the race, but I happened upon a show in which Prince Charles was watching videos of himself and his family from his childhood and commenting upon them. It was fascinating and I couldn’t seem to let it go until it was over.
JJ Yeley goes into the wall on lap 54 of 500. Apparently Denny Hamlin tapped him. Mike Joy describes Martinsville as the world’s largest conveyor belt. That’s the way it feels to me, which is why I typically find this an incredibly boring race. A conveyor belt is fun to watch for about 10 minutes at the most!
Everybody is making a big deal about Chase Elliott’s first Martinsville Sprint Cup race. Congrats to Chase, but gee whiz, if that’s the most exciting thing going the Sprint Cup series is lacking. Looking like a couple of rookies – Brett Moffitt and Chase Elliott got together on the restart requiring Moffitt to pit to help his crunched up hood and Chase has a sizeable tire rub.
Caution is out on lap 74 of 500 for debris – of which there’s a lot on the track.
They’ve got Chase in the garage area trying to fix his car.
By the way NASCAR rules say you are allowed to field a fifth car in a limited number of races for a rookie driver. That’s how Hendrick Motorsports can have five cars in the field this week.
Dewey Alligator (Justin Allgaier) is in a back-up car after wrecking in qualifying, so he started at the back of the field.
Alex Kennedy has spun around and brought out the caution. Usual suspect. Brett Moffitt had to swerve around him. Looks like Matt DiBenedetto got into his rear end.
Danica is fighting Landon Cassill who stayed out for second. Landon drove in when she left the door open and got into the rear bumper and almost turned her. Martin Truex also stayed out and got the jump on Danica.
Jr is so hyped about this race – after winning his first grandfather clock last year – but it seems he might be over-hyped and getting into the weeds.
Regan Smith is subbing in the 42 for Kyle Larson who fainted yesterday at an autograph session. Kutey Kyle was taken to the hospital and was kept overnight for observation.
The 47 is smoking. He was initially complaining about smoke inside the car, now its obviously coming out of the car. So far he’s still riding around.
They had an audio exchange between Jimmie and Chadley in which Jimmie was bleepable. He’s struggling loose and at the tail end of the field so he’s about to go down a lap.
Looks like we’re under caution on lap 163 of 500 for a Stinkhouse spin.
A few penalties….
Pit road penalties:
Denny Hamlin, AJ Allmendinger (uncontrolled tire), Kasey Kahne (speeding on pit road), David Gilliland (outside tire violation), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (too many men over the wall)
Another caution, this one for debris in turn four, on lap 184 of 500. Jimmie Johnson gets the free pass.
Caution in out on lap 206 of 500 for Ricky Stinkhouse spinning around. Stenhouse brought out the caution on laps 22, 64, and 206. He’s not having a good day so far.
Pit road penalties:
Cole Whitt (uncontrolled tire); AJ Allmendinger (too fast on pit road); Jimmie Johnson (throwing an object over the wall); Justin Allgaier (pitting out of the box); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (too many crew members over the wall)
They had video of Dale Earnhardt attempting to repair his shifter issue. The gear shift came off early and they gave him a replacement but he continued to have issues with it. The team said they couldn’t get it tight enough, so it kept vibrating off, so they gave Dale a wrench and he went to work tightening it while driving around.
Joey Logano spins bringing out a caution on lap 220 of 500. Michael Annett also went around and Joey is showing his displeasure with Michael Annett as they get back into line.
Felix Sabates says a cardiologist is speaking with Kyle Larson.
Caution is out on lap 227 of 500 for a wreck including Casey Mears, and Paul Menard. Dale Jr got a big piece of that also. Cole Whitt has damage from that. David Ragan got into the back of Casey Mears and the others couldn’t really avoid it.
Kasey Kahne is leading at the moment. He stayed out during the last caution.
Dale Jr said there’s a vibration in the car that got bad about 30 minutes into the race and it keeps breaking the shifter at where it meets the transmission. After that accident they’re trying to get a new radiator into the car, among other things due to the damage.
Looks like we’re in another caution period. Caution on lap 269 of 500 for Dewey Alligator hitting the wall.
Dale Jr is heading back onto the track without a hood and front – sporting the dune buggy look.
Restart on lap 284 of 500. Some teams are trying to remain caution with regard to tires because according to gorilla head
Regan Smith is round and the caution is out on lap 286 as the 46 get tipped and goes across the curb, then back onto the track after getting hit by Trevor Bayne. The 46 hits the 31 when coming off the curb and Regan Smith in the 42 was sitting sideways in the middle of the track nearby.
Oooh, there’s an Indy car race on. I had to turn the station to get away from that bimbette Katie (or Kitty or Jennie or some child’s name) Nolan or whatever her name is on FS1. Too many over-developed, talentless children on FS1 and since they spend an inordinate amount of time promoting their shows (the commercial breaks seem endless) I spend a lot of time finding something else to watch during cautions.
Kutey Kyle wasn’t able to find the race on a tv in the hospital, so someone brought him a computer so he could watch. Seriously, this race on FS1 is less than optimal. FOX is screwing NASCAR over big time. Locked them in to a crap contract and giving them the business with regard to coverage.
Caution is out again on lap 356 of 500 for a spin by Michael Annett in the 46.
Another caution on lap 367 of 500 for Menard going around and collecting Jimmie, Biffle, and Afterburner (Aric Almirola). Menard ran into the back of Joey Logano for some reason, then spun out. Jimmie tapped the inside wall in an attempt to avid the wrecked and the stopped cars in front of him.
Carl Edwards brought out the 15th caution on lap 443 while running in sixth. He slowed for a bit, then finally spun into a turn.
Lap 460 of 500 caution is out for debris. Jeff Gordon is the current leader.
Jeff Gordon got popped for too fast entering and will have to start at the tail end of the lead line.
Hamlin is leading with three to go and Keselowski is trying to steal another win.
White flag is out. Lapped car Landon Cassill is in front of Denny. Keselowski gave Denny a shot as they were coming to the checkered flag, but Denny held on to cross the flag first.
Denny is doing a rather interesting burn out. The left rear tire is gone. There’s steam coming out of the engine. He tried to do a full half mile burnout after doing a little drifting.
No racing next weekend for Easter Sunday.
Let’s hear it for a Top 5 finish for David Ragan who brings it home fifth.
Denny is thanking Brad saying “He had an option and he took the latter.” Kinda sad that its necessary to thank a ‘fellow competitor’ for NOT wrecking you at the end of a race. So that’s what NASCAR has come to?
Jeff Gordon finished 9th. Kasey Kahne finished 11th. Jimmie finished 35th. Dale Jr. finished 36th. Chase finished 38th. Not the best day in Martinsville for the Hendrick crew. Big Daddy said the car drove its best on the final run which allowed him to come back from the pit road speeding penalty to finish 9th.
Danica finished seventh which ties her, at five, with Janet Guthrie for the most top ten finishes in NASCAR by a female. It’s a contract year for Lil’ Dude.
In NASCAR news this week:
- Test Results Lead to Treatment for J.D. Gibbs.
- Joe Gibbs Gives Update on J.D. Gibbs.
- Larson Taken to Hospital after Fainting.
- Larson to Miss Martinsville Race.
- Labbe Suspension Among NASCAR Penalties.
- Tire Tampering In Spotlight.
- Roger Penske warns NASCAR team not to manipulate tires.
- Martinsville Speedway Statement on Safety Initiatives.
- Logano Wins First Martinsville Pole.
- Retro Ride for Almirola.
- Green Flag Endings a Priority.
- NASCAR Addresses Cautions.
- Opinion: Pressure’s On MWR.
- Eldora Founder Earl Baltes Passes Away.
- Logano Scores First Truck Win.