Monday, September 13, 2010

View From The Flagstand

Another short track, another Joe Gibbs Racing win. With JGR's Denny Hamlin winning, Kyle Busch placing second, and Joey Logano finishing fourth, this was a statement as to that team's short track program. Too bad there is only one real short track in the Chase, as JGR drivers have won the last six shorties in a row.

CHECKERED FLAG

Hometown hero, Hamlin won for the fourth time in his last six short track starts. When his car is set-up right, as on Saturday night, he looks unbeatable. This win also gives him six total for the season, and top seeding in the Chase with an extra 60 bonus points.

GREEN FLAGS

JGR, with the aforementioned three drivers all with top four finishes. Is Richmond similar to a road course now? This group may think so, Marcos Ambrose (5), Juan Montoya (7), AJ Allmendinger (8), Mattias Ekstrom (31) made his oval track debut, and completed all but four laps. Clint Bowyer raced hard to protect his place in the Chase, winding up sixth.

YELLOW FLAG

Bobby and Terry Labonte both melted down tires and had some fireworks going off under their cars. Bobby actually took the last starting position from Terry with his past champion's provisional, leaving Terry's sponsor to buy him a way in by taking over a start and parker's rig. The Labonte's were always two, of the few, classy guys in NASCAR. I hope the reason they're still out there is their love of racing is so strong.

RED FLAG

The season. Right now. If NASCAR intends to stick with this Chase business, they need to award a regular season champ. A big, ol' trophy, and a couple million bucks sounds about right. Warning: this could lead to Jimmie Johnson winning the regular season AND the Chase every year.

BLACK FLAG

The Chase! Did you see that parade of drivers locked in the Chase on Saturday night. Much was made, pre-race, about them having nothing to lose, and how they could race hard for the win, and get that whopping, ten bonus points for the Chase. B.S.

Get ready for more of the same over the next ten races. After the second Chase race, three, four at most, drivers will emerge as title contenders. The rest are just happy their sponsors are in the Chase. Hell, five of the 12 drivers did not win a race this season! Don't expect them to start winning in the Chase.


11 comments:

  1. Amen brother - where was all the up on the wheel racing from those locked in? At least Kurt punted someone to make it interesting...LOL

    I know Kurt is racing for 8th place finishes - that's his formulation for winning the Chase. Boring!

    I dunno whats wrong with NASCAR but I am starting to believe the only way to save it for me is to get JUNYER winning again!

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  2. How about a requirement for making the Chase being winning a race? This season there have been 11 winners in 26 races. They should all be in the Chase regardless of their overall point total. The final opening would be filled with the highest point total by a non-winner (Gordon in this case). It would sure have made that Richmond race interesting with 32 drivers knowing that one win and they'd be in! It would work to make the whole season more interesting...

    Now, about punting...

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  3. Cancel all your plans and head to Dawsonville, GA - October 23 at 9:00am - October 24 at 5:00 pm
    Mountain Moonshine Festival ‎43rd Annual Mountain Moonshine Festival - This year's Grand Marshall will be David Pearson.♥

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  4. For Kristen...

    Dear, you must have something weighing you down in your life...

    I want you to go to your favorite quiet place and reflect on what is happening that might make you feel this way...

    We all know you're afraid to select Kurt in the trifecta for fear you'll jinx him. Now you're suddenly sending out bad vibes in the form of wraths... You've got to get hold of yourself!

    Now I want you to close your eyes and visualize Kurt in Victory Lane... I want you to shove your fears aside and give Kurt your vote of confidence in the next trifecta...

    If you do these things you'll soon return to your normal self-satisfied existence...

    I'm sure you feel better already!

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  5. Kristen.... Maybe you selecting Jr in the trifecta is just the push he needs to get off the schnide? Yeah, that's it. Don't listen to that quack, Dr Dwindy.

    After seeing the same pattern develop in the Chase over the last 2-3 years it has become anticlimactic.

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  6. Dwind....It sure seems like there would be more drivers trying to win a race that way.

    Giving more points for winning and leading laps wouldn't hurt either.

    All you need is some pan flute music and you would be in the head shrinking business...lol

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  7. ATH.... I'm going to look that festival up online. Sounds like my kind of party.

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  8. On the mark. Can't add a thing. Except, thanks!

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  9. If they were going to have the Chase, I wish they at least would have left it at 10 drivers. And, the 400 point rule would have almost come into play this year. I believe tenth place was -438. That 38 point margin would have been much more exciting than the Bowyer runaway this year.

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  10. Oh Dr. Dwindy I am feeling so much better with the imagery and meditation...I guess I hadn't realized how much I was channeling Kurt these last few months. How much do I owe you?

    =P

    I am still not jinxing Kurt in the trifecta - well maybe at Dega...

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  11. Excellent! Too bad Terry couldn't have qualified the #10 Chevrolet on time--that's going to be Paul Menard's future #30 or #32 team next season.

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