Monday, November 21, 2011

View From The Flagstand: Stewart is the Man in Miami



That is how to win a title! We finally were treated to a down-to-the-wire championship battle in nascar's season finale. Tony Stewart imposed his will on his competition in route to winning the Ford 400 and the 2011 Sprint Cup championship.

CHECKERED FLAG

Stewart overcame adversity during the first two thirds of the race before a late rain shower, coupled with his team's fuel strategy, suddenly left him leading on the last restart. You could tell that Smoke was not going to be headed off after that. Stewart drove harder and deeper into the turns all race long, and deserved the win and title more than anyone in recent memory.

GREEN FLAGS

Carl Edwards chose to try the "Mr Consistency" route to the points championship. It almost worked. He and Stewart actually had the same points totals, but Stewart won the tiebreaker based on total wins, five to Carl's one. Matt Kenseth was 4th in the race, and 4th in the points race. Kevin Harvick wound up 8th at Miami, and was 3rd in the title hunt.

YELLOW FLAG

I know fans pay for their tickets and have the right to boo the competitors. But, booing the first lady, Mrs Obama? All she's ever done is marry a politician, and she was there for the US military and veterans. The booing fans did nothing but advance her husband's us vs them campaign. She would have won some fans by giving a Rowdy bow to the booers.

RED FLAG

Friday night, nascar waited all of seven minutes to call the truck series race an official finish when it rained with 17 laps left. Surely Austin Dillon leading the points race at that time had nothing to do with that hair trigger decision.

BLACK FLAG

How in the hell can Stewart win five of the ten Chase races, and still only tie Edwards for the points lead? nascar was extremely lucky that Edwards didn't stroke his way to the championship with zero Chase wins. Wins and leading laps must pay more!

7 comments:

  1. Gene, I think you've seen the points system change I'd like to have where race winners receive 10 extra points on top of the noraml 43 points for being first, then 2nd thru 5th get 4 points down to 1 point extra for finishing in those positions. In 2011 it would have resulted in the exact same drivers making the Chase, Stewart would still have won, but the difference would have been Mr. Consistency would have been a long shot to win at Homestead...

    Personally I applaud the NASCAR fans for displaying their displeasure for Obama and his spouse. I recall her saying something about it being the first time she was ever proud to be an American where Barry got elected. That in itself is reason to give her the raspberry... It was a political stunt having her at a NASCAR event in the first place just like the White House has invited several country music stars to sing for the Pres... Seems like they're going out of their way to woo the country folks.

    Anyway, Homestead was one great race and thank goodness the guy who was winning races won the title as well...

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  2. Dwindy.... nascar considers this as proof that their point system is perfect.... a tie at the top. They don't seem to care that Edwards could have won the title without winning a playoff race.

    Michelle O. at the track was a publicity stunt, no doubt. The admin sent her there hoping she would get booed as part of their class warfare act. And, nascar 'fans' played their part perfectly.

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  3. Speedy.... Congrats!!!

    http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snoopy_dance.gif

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  4. With Smoke winning and Danica coming my nascar days are numbered...oh and Kurt and crew is self destructing so I plan on knowing people on many teams next year...Junyer better be in the hunt to keep me interested!

    Congrats to Smoke - he did deserve it with the run of wins he but together...despite how sick it makes me to have to deal with it all next year.

    I was horrified by the fans boo'ing - I don't care what politics are, you don't boo with 4 kids on stage...did anyone see Mrs. O cover the little boy's ears and try to explain it was for her not him...sad and embarrassing if you ask me. And what guest starter isn't a publicity stunt? Thought that was a given...

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  5. KLV.... "Junyer better be in the hunt to keep me interested!"

    It's been nice knowing ya! LOL!!

    I finally watched Kurt's so called meltdown with Jerry Punch. I liked it. His season was over, and espn expected him to wait 15 minutes to do an interview? Stewart does basically the same thing every week in the media center, without the F-Bombs, but pretty much the same tone.

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  6. Yea it certainly didnt help when Jerry told Kurt a 22 car part pierced Smoke's front end either. I dont get it sometimes the media does say stupid shit to upset drivers. That said, he must learn some manners...and the worst happened 3 min after directed at some of his team. Suffice to say there have been some changes b/c folks sick of working with that.

    LMAO re:Junyer...adios amigos! =P

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