Tuesday, March 30, 2010

View From The Flagstand

Another watery view this weekend from Martinsville. The race was finally completed on Monday after being postponed on Sunday. It was well worth the wait, with plenty of hard short track racing action.

CHECKERED FLAG

Virginian, Denny Hamlin won for the third time at the half miler in Martinsville, Virginia. Hamlin also led the most laps, and was dominate during the second half of the race. The #11 Toyota was leading when a caution came out with 8 laps to go. After getting four tires, Hamlin restarted 9th with just 4 laps to go. His JGR teammate Kyle Busch, who was in 2nd before that last caution, tried to make it three wide on a two wide track. Result: the final caution and a GWC finish which allowed Hamlin the extra laps he needed to wrest the win away from sore loser, Jeff Gordon.

GREEN FLAGS

Somehow, Joey Logano, another JGR teammate with Hamlin, wound up 2nd. Ryan Newman (4th), Martin Truex Jr (5th), and Brian Vickers (6th) all had much needed good finishes. Jeff Burton led 140 laps and was in 2nd when a flat tire with 20 laps to go ruined his good time.

YELLOW FLAGS

Paul Menard wrecked a few people and somehow finished on the lead lap in 14th. He's still in the top-12 in points after 6 races. Has he finally decided he's tired of getting pushed around, and he's pushing back? There were also some tire problems at Martinsville, but these were just normal failures at the tight double horseshoe.

RED FLAGS

I was thrilled when Dave Rodgers replaced Steve Addington as Kyle Busch's crew chief this season. I guess I misjudged Addington's quiet, smiling, happy-go-lucky demeanor as weakness, and was glad to see the hyper, Rodgers come in. So, what happened? Addington's new team (#2 Penske Dodge) is 6th in points, and has a win and 3 top-10s in 6 races. Rodgers has led the #18 to one top-10 in 6 races, and has made terrible pit calls.... including pitting Monday when there were only 4 laps left on a half mile track!

BLACK FLAG

The Fox weather guy. I don't know his name, but I've already seen WAY too much of that piece of work this year.
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7 comments:

  1. It was good to see Hamlin winone finally. Any body but Johnson.

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  2. Another good race at Martinsville for sure. Menard will drop back. The world just doesn't feel normal with him in a Chase spot. lol

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  3. You should take a poll - Who do you hate worse, the FOX weather man or DIGGER? or DW? or ESPN?......

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  4. Yeppers Kyle might have let a good one slip away. Steve is deceptive I am figuring out but crew is complaining he isnt definite on the calls which bite Kurt on Monday too.

    I've pretty much taken to never watching pre race anymore. Cant stomach it...!

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  5. Photo....So true, anyone but JJ. I remember back when it was, "Anyone but DW."

    JM....Most def, Menard will drop back....sooner rather than later.

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  6. ATH...I hate them all.

    KLV....I still think Rodgers will turn out better than Addington in the long run. Just like with Kyle, Kurt is winning in spite of Addington, not because of.

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  7. Good View. Once FOX finally got a clue about Digger, they came up with an even more brilliant idea with Rick Dicker (yes, that's really his name)... lol.

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