CHECKERED FLAG
RCR's lame duck driver, Clint Bowyer was fast all race long, then drag raced his teammate, Jeff Burton, down the front stretch, and nosed ahead at the line. It was easily one of the year's best finishes. Bowyer carries his winning ways to MWR next year, while winless Burton, and sponsor, stay put at RCR.
GREEN FLAGS
Dave Blaney was the surprise of the day with his third place run. Blaney was pushed to that spot by 4th place finisher, Brad Keselowski. Red Bull mates, Brian Vickers (5th) and Kasey Kahne (6th) were strong all day. MWR drivers, Mike Waltrip (9th) and Martin Truex Jr (10th) came out of nowhere on the final restart.
YELLOW FLAG
Every time a car hits a wall head-on most fans are quick to claim it was 'eerily' similar to Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash ten years ago. Most of them are not at all like Earnhardt's wreck. However, Sunday, Regan Smith had a head-on impact type crash that was almost the same. The black Chevys touched the apron at 190 mph+, then shot, grille first, up the high bank, into the outside wall. Thanks to the safety innovations over the last decade Smith walked away, uninjured.
RED FLAG
Top tier teams coasting in the back of the pack all day. Hendricks' four car team used a ride-around-in-back strategy for most of the race. A long, late yellow trapped them too far back to get to the front in the remaining two green flag laps. Mark Martin (20th) was HMS's highest finisher. The other three HMS cars are/were in the Chase.
BLACK FLAG
The whining over some drivers not helping other drivers via the draft.... I'm looking at you, Gordon fans. Every driver out there owes his loyalty to his own team, only! Like every other job, when the boss tells you to do something, you better do it!
Good one Gene!
ReplyDeleteThe strategizing on the part of the top tier teams was very interesting and you're right, HMS startegized themselves right out of the Chase. RCR seemed to use the opposite approach, stay out front if possible and be there at the end rather than hang back and hope to hook up and drive to the front late. It certainly paid off for Bowyer and Burton who essentially had a knife fight on the last lap for the win.
This was by far the most exciting Chase race and yet many (team owners, drivers and fans) want to see this tandem drafting go away. I expect NASCAR to continue tinkering with the cars in an effort to get back to individual cars pack racing. Dale Jarrett stated today on ESPN that try as NASCAR will to change things we'd better get used to this tandem racing now that the drivers have figured out how to get more speed out of their cars.
If Carl Edwards gets past Martinsville in good order, I think we'll see him as the first new driver hoisting the Sprint Cup Trophy in 6 years...
Thanks Gene!
Dwindy... I have to feel bad for Jr Nation.... the one track where Jr can possibly lead some laps... and his team orders him to ride in back most of the day. lol
ReplyDeleteWhen 2x2 drafting goes away, and is replaced by the long, freight train, packs, people will gripe about that, too.
I'll be pulling for Kenseth.