pandr
09-07-2011, 03:48 PM
Rewind: Fans' patience rewarded
Looking back at the AdvoCare 500
By Jim Utter - charlotteobserver
Tuesday, Sep. 06, 2011
OBSERVATIONS
NASCAR certainly does a great deal on safety, but one instance during Tuesday's race was very perplexing. During green-flag pit stops on Lap 174, David Gilliland spun and his car stopped at the entrance of pit road. Gilliland put his window net down indicating he was OK but also that he could not continue. However, NASCAR waited for three laps - presumably to allow teams to finish their green-flag stops - before waving the caution. The official race report lists the reason for the caution as "#34 spun frontstretch." If there was no issue of safety, why the caution? Otherwise, NASCAR purposely withheld the caution to allow teams that hadn't stopped to do so. That's wrong. NASCAR should have no vested interest in whether a caution will hurt or help any teams during competition. Just call them if you need them.
Tuesday's race ended nearly 48 hours after it was originally scheduled to begin at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Even with the postponement, the race was slowed for rain twice, including a 24 minute red-flag. Yet fans continued to stream in long after the start and ended up surprising most observers with the size of the crowd. Those who showed up were treated to one of the best races of the season.
None of the drivers - Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Paul Menard and Marcos Ambrose - eligible to collect $3 million in the Sprint Summer Showdown cashed in. However, after the race Sprint announced it would donate $10,000 to each of the four drivers' designated charities.
NOTEBOOK
They're in the Chase
Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman clinched spots in the Chase, raising the number to nine for drivers who are locked in the 12-driver field with one race left to qualify.
Keselowski's turnaround has been the most impressive. Following the May race at Charlotte, he was 25th in points without any victories.
He began his comeback the next week with a win at Kansas and during his past six races he has two wins and hasn't finished worse than sixth.
"All in all it's good to come out of a race where we felt like we were off all weekend and get a sixth out of it, that's what we need to do," Keselowski said.
"That's what we need to do going into the Chase, bring home cars without scratches on 'em and get solid finishes when we're not at our best."
Newman has qualified for the Chase in two of the past three seasons and still could be joined by Stewart-Haas teammate Tony Stewart.
Penske Racing becomes the first team to qualify all of its drivers in the Chase this season.
Tough night for Bowyer
Technically, Clint Bowyer still has a chance to capture a Chase berth, but it looks much more unlikely following his 36th-place finish.
While racing for position with Juan Pablo Montoya on Lap 242, the two cars made contact and Bowyer slammed the wall.
"Anybody in the sport knows what you're up against when (Montoya) comes up. He dive-bombs the starts and bullies his way up in there and before you know it, he's in the way and wrecking with somebody," Bowyer said.
"I'm tired of it. Everybody in the garage fights him. He's just an idiot."
After the race, Montoya posted a message on his Twitter account saying, "I heard that bowyer wasn't too happy. I guess next time he'll give me a little room."
Bowyer now is 14th in points, 54 out of 10th place and 12 behind Denny Hamlin, who currently holds the last wild-card spot.
Earnhardt Jr. wants more
Dale Earnhardt Jr. again did just enough to maintain his hold on a top-10 spot in the standings, and it appears a 20th or better Saturday night at Richmond, Va., will cement his Chase berth.
However, Earnhardt is more concerned with how he has been running.
"We need to get our crap together and get to running good or it doesn't matter where we are in the Chase and doesn't matter if we are in or not," he said.
Earnhardt remains ninth in points, 25 ahead of 11th-place Keselowski.
Prerace swap
Dave Blaney and Mike Skinner swapped rides before the race with Blaney driving the No. 60, which was planning to start and park, and Skinner driving the No. 36, which was planning to run the entire race.
Blaney was suffering from kidney stones and didn't think he could go the distance.
KEY MOMENTS
Lap 46
Jeff Gordon takes the lead for the first time with a pass of Kyle Busch. He would lead a race-high 146 of 325 laps.
Lap 132
During pit stops, Matt Kenseth takes the lead for the first time. He would lead 64 laps - second-most in the race - but fell off at the end and finished ninth.
Lap 210
Light rain brings out a red flag, and JJ Yeley remains on the track to hold the lead. The race returns to green on Lap 220 after a 24-minute delay with Kenseth as the leader.
Lap 276
Gordon runs down Jimmie Johnson and passes him for the lead.
Lap 289
Following green-flag pit stops, Gordon remained the leader. Johnson closed dramatically during the final laps but never could complete a pass.
NEXT RACE
Wonderful Pistachios 400
Where: Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Va.
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: ABC
Radio: Motor Racing Network
Last year's winner: Denny Hamlin
C/P Thats Racin
Looking back at the AdvoCare 500
By Jim Utter - charlotteobserver
Tuesday, Sep. 06, 2011
OBSERVATIONS
NASCAR certainly does a great deal on safety, but one instance during Tuesday's race was very perplexing. During green-flag pit stops on Lap 174, David Gilliland spun and his car stopped at the entrance of pit road. Gilliland put his window net down indicating he was OK but also that he could not continue. However, NASCAR waited for three laps - presumably to allow teams to finish their green-flag stops - before waving the caution. The official race report lists the reason for the caution as "#34 spun frontstretch." If there was no issue of safety, why the caution? Otherwise, NASCAR purposely withheld the caution to allow teams that hadn't stopped to do so. That's wrong. NASCAR should have no vested interest in whether a caution will hurt or help any teams during competition. Just call them if you need them.
Tuesday's race ended nearly 48 hours after it was originally scheduled to begin at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Even with the postponement, the race was slowed for rain twice, including a 24 minute red-flag. Yet fans continued to stream in long after the start and ended up surprising most observers with the size of the crowd. Those who showed up were treated to one of the best races of the season.
None of the drivers - Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Paul Menard and Marcos Ambrose - eligible to collect $3 million in the Sprint Summer Showdown cashed in. However, after the race Sprint announced it would donate $10,000 to each of the four drivers' designated charities.
NOTEBOOK
They're in the Chase
Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman clinched spots in the Chase, raising the number to nine for drivers who are locked in the 12-driver field with one race left to qualify.
Keselowski's turnaround has been the most impressive. Following the May race at Charlotte, he was 25th in points without any victories.
He began his comeback the next week with a win at Kansas and during his past six races he has two wins and hasn't finished worse than sixth.
"All in all it's good to come out of a race where we felt like we were off all weekend and get a sixth out of it, that's what we need to do," Keselowski said.
"That's what we need to do going into the Chase, bring home cars without scratches on 'em and get solid finishes when we're not at our best."
Newman has qualified for the Chase in two of the past three seasons and still could be joined by Stewart-Haas teammate Tony Stewart.
Penske Racing becomes the first team to qualify all of its drivers in the Chase this season.
Tough night for Bowyer
Technically, Clint Bowyer still has a chance to capture a Chase berth, but it looks much more unlikely following his 36th-place finish.
While racing for position with Juan Pablo Montoya on Lap 242, the two cars made contact and Bowyer slammed the wall.
"Anybody in the sport knows what you're up against when (Montoya) comes up. He dive-bombs the starts and bullies his way up in there and before you know it, he's in the way and wrecking with somebody," Bowyer said.
"I'm tired of it. Everybody in the garage fights him. He's just an idiot."
After the race, Montoya posted a message on his Twitter account saying, "I heard that bowyer wasn't too happy. I guess next time he'll give me a little room."
Bowyer now is 14th in points, 54 out of 10th place and 12 behind Denny Hamlin, who currently holds the last wild-card spot.
Earnhardt Jr. wants more
Dale Earnhardt Jr. again did just enough to maintain his hold on a top-10 spot in the standings, and it appears a 20th or better Saturday night at Richmond, Va., will cement his Chase berth.
However, Earnhardt is more concerned with how he has been running.
"We need to get our crap together and get to running good or it doesn't matter where we are in the Chase and doesn't matter if we are in or not," he said.
Earnhardt remains ninth in points, 25 ahead of 11th-place Keselowski.
Prerace swap
Dave Blaney and Mike Skinner swapped rides before the race with Blaney driving the No. 60, which was planning to start and park, and Skinner driving the No. 36, which was planning to run the entire race.
Blaney was suffering from kidney stones and didn't think he could go the distance.
KEY MOMENTS
Lap 46
Jeff Gordon takes the lead for the first time with a pass of Kyle Busch. He would lead a race-high 146 of 325 laps.
Lap 132
During pit stops, Matt Kenseth takes the lead for the first time. He would lead 64 laps - second-most in the race - but fell off at the end and finished ninth.
Lap 210
Light rain brings out a red flag, and JJ Yeley remains on the track to hold the lead. The race returns to green on Lap 220 after a 24-minute delay with Kenseth as the leader.
Lap 276
Gordon runs down Jimmie Johnson and passes him for the lead.
Lap 289
Following green-flag pit stops, Gordon remained the leader. Johnson closed dramatically during the final laps but never could complete a pass.
NEXT RACE
Wonderful Pistachios 400
Where: Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Va.
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: ABC
Radio: Motor Racing Network
Last year's winner: Denny Hamlin
C/P Thats Racin