Back To Back Bushwacked!!

2009 Daytona 500 122 

 

THE STORY LINES:

1.  KURT BUSCH LEADS 235 OF 330 LAPS:

2.  TRUEX PASSES KIDNEY STONES SAT. NIGHT:

      (foxsports) (AMS pit notes)

3.  NASCAR CREATES FORMULA FOR SETTING RESTART 

      ZONES:

4.  NASCAR SCRUTINIZING “START & PARK”:

5.  FAIRGROUNDS SPEEDWAY @ NASHVILLE OFFERS TESTING:

      (middle tenn. racing news)

 6.  OL KYLIE (TLVW) WINS THE TRUCK RACE:

This is the second time in as many years, that the Busch Brothers, ol Kylie aka TLVW and Kurt aka EARS LAID BACK (ELB), have won successive races at the Cup level.  To say that the “Blue Duece” was thoroughly dominating at Atlanta Sunday, was a huge understatement!  Kurt Busch led 235 of the 330 laps of the race!! 

In the off season, NASCAR granted Dodge a new engine and some modifications on their nose cone.  It appears that the new nose and the new Dodge engine are paying dividends for Penske Racing.  FYI, Penske is the only Dodge team currently using the new Dodge engine, Richard Petty Motorsports is still using the old engine. 

The #24 National Guard Chevy of Jeff Gordon ran up front all afternoon, as well.  But in the end neither he, nor Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, and Brian Vickers had anything for “The Blue Duece”!

Kurt (ELB) was even more dominating in the Cup race, than ol Kylie (TLVW) was in Saturday’s Truck race.  TLVW  showed those boys the fastest way around AMS on Saturday.  On the last restart, TLVW  was leading them to the green, but only had two gears 1st and 4th left in the trannie.  So he dropped back as far as 9th with 8 laps to go.  But he roared back to the lead with 3 laps remaining and won the race!!

 

COMMENTARY:

This just in from the definition of tough!  Saturday evening Martin Truex, Jr. was taken to the hospital with lower back and abdominal pains.  Around 10pm Saturday evening, he passed a kidney stone, and by 1pm Sunday he was sitting in his race car ready to go 500 miles!!  He was not allowed to take any pain medication and race.  Now that is TOUGH!!!!

NASCAR has finally come up with a policy for the restart zone at all the race tracks.  They have been toying with the idea for the first four races of the season.  Now they are going to double the speed on pit road,convert that to feet, and that is the restart zone.  For instance, if the pit road speed is 55 MPH, then the restart zone would be 110 feet prior to the start/finish line. 

What is wrong with what has worked for 60 years??  The leader sets the pace and GASSES WHEN HE IS READY!!

Lastly, NASCAR is looking closely at “start and park”.  This reporter is holding out on judgement on this subject pending further evidence and discussions.  However, your opinion is invited!

 

 AGAIN, I LOOKED IT UP SO THAT YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO!!

 

Here is another poll that I encourage you all to weigh in on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michigan 400

169 

Story Lines This Week:

1.  Surprise, Edwards wins:  www.nascar.com

2.  Kylie cinches top spot in Chase: www.jayski.com

3.  2009 schedule realignment:

  http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/official/08/19/2009.schedules/index.html

4.  Subway moves to #99 Edwards:

     http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=447449

5.  Newman to drive #39, not #4:

      http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/08/19/rnewman.tstewart.car.number/index.html

6. David Ragan finishes a career best third:

7.  Joey Logano will make a few Cup starts this year:

   http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/08/18/jlogano.tstewart.jgr.announcement/index.html

8.  Compare Joey Logano to Casey Atwood:

  http://nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=62124

9. Four out of top five, Rousch/Fenway Fords:

  

This weekend it was The Carl Edwards Show!!  It is not often that there is a sweep in both the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup Series races, but it happened at Michigan last weekend.  This is one of the tracks where the Fords dominate, Roush/Fenway Racing in particular!!!  This is also one of the tracks where fuel mileage and long green flag runs always plays a big part in the deciding the winner!!  Remember the June race where Dale Jr. won  on fuel mileage?????  Well, not this time!  Fuel mileage was not a factor in the race outcome.   It was strictly hard racing for 400 miles.

 

 

Is Joey Logano the real deal?  He is been touted as the next “rising star” in NASCAR!!  He might be just that, time will tell.  But a few years ago I remember another “rising star” that every car owner was salavating over, Casey Atwood.  He was a 19 year old phenom that was tearing up the tracks around Nashville.  Ray Evernham signed him to drive the # 19 Dodge to start his entrance into team ownership.  He lasted not quite 2 seasons and slipped into obscurity!!!  We shall see if Joey can handle all the pressure that goes with the high profile NASCAR race car driver’s obligations.

Once again, you didn’t have to look it up ’cause I already did!!!