This picture of people scattered about on the tri oval at Daytona roughly resembles the pieces and parts that were scattered and strewn about at Dover on lap 16!! Yes “The Monster Mile” lived up to one of its many nickname today. The one that I am alluding to, is “The Self Cleaning Track”!! Dover is a very high banked, high speed track. Couple those facts with the track being a somewhat narrow racing surface and the racing is very intense, action packed, and exciting.
THE STORY LINES ARE:
1. The self cleaning track/The Monster Mile: www.doverspeedway.com
2. Big crash on lap 16:
3. Bifle leads the first 168 laps: www.jayski.com
4. Edwards is strong mid race:
5. Kyle Busch leads the final 150 laps/the winner of 10/33 races in 2008: www.nascar.com
6. FOX ends its broadcast segment for 2008: www.foxsports.com, www.allwaltrip.com
The action started very early today. On lap 16 Elliott Sadler made a move down low coming out of turn 2, but unfortunately he came down on David Gilliland and Sadler backed his car into the wall. Then the rest of the pack impaled themselves on the Sadler’s car and some of the other wreckage. Most notably was Hamlin showing everyone just how fast he could hit both Sadler and his teammate “The World’s Greatest Driver”, “Smoker”, aka Tony Stewart! That wreck involved 7 of the top 12 leaders in the points.
Recapping this afternoon’s race.
Greg Bifle started on the pole and lead the first 168 of 172 laps. He develops an electrical problem with the alternator and must turn off most of the components drawing power from the battery. That involved all brake and tire bead fans, as well as his cool air directed into his helmet!! Fortunately he was able to conserve electrical power and the battery lasted for the remaining laps of the race. Bifle was able to pull a third place finish out of a day that could have been disaterous for him.
In the middle segment of the 400 mile race, Carl Edwards was the dominate force. It appeared that this Rousch-Fenway Ford was going to bring it on home, taking up where his teammate left off!! But a round of green flag pit stops would soon change Edwards fortunes!!
With 172 laps to go, the number 18 car grabbed the lead. You know who drives this car, “Wild Thing”, “The Las Vegas Weasel”, “Rowdy Busch”, or as I like to call him “KYLIE”. His Combos #18 emerged as the dominating race car in the final stages of the race. He only relinquinshed the lead for 3 laps during the last round of green flag pit stops. When they all cycled through the pits, it was OL KYLIE who emerged in the lead with 71 laps to go. From that point neither Carl Edwards, nor Greg Bifle had anything for WT/TLVW!! I would like to add, much to my chagrin, that KYLIE has won 10 of the 33 total races that have been held in the three elite divisions of NASCAR in 2008!!!
Lastly, I have to talk about FOX’s coverage of the first 13 races of 2008. Once again their production team is superior. The way that FOX covers the sport outstanding. The stories that they cover are timely and very informative. The broadcasters, Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond, Tim Brewer, Brad Doughtery, and Dr. “Dirt” Dick Berggern, are hands down the finest broadcasters in racing. I am already waiting with much anticipation for 2009 Speed Weeks in Daytona!!!
FOX now hands off NASCAR to TNT for 6 races and the balance of the season to ESPN/ABC. They will put their spin on the production of races, but it just won’t be the same without DW’s “Boogity, boogity, let’s go racin’ boys!!”
We will see you boys again in February!
Just wanted to “thank you” for all of the kind words you had in your blog about my boy KYLIEEEEEEE ……. I just know that you are going to want to ~ jump on over to my side ~ before the end of the year and buy yourself some of that #18 stuff…. I’d write more, but I”m headed back to the NASCAR SUPERSTORE to go shopping again..
Luv & hugs,
Your Wife