Talladega Superspeedway - UAW-Ford 500
RACE WINNER: JEFF GORDON
Our Boys Running Order:
6. Casey (started 29th)
7. Kurt (started 41st)
22. David (started 5th)
25. Michael (started 1st)
39. Brian (started 3rd)
40. Dale Jr. (started 26th)
41. Dale Jarrett (started 43rd)
42. Martin (started 13th)
It was a much anticipated race at Dega, more so than ever because it was the first time the New Car battled for position on a superspeedway. The weekend started out in an exciting fashion when the impound format landed all eight go-or-go-homers in the top-8 – and our Mikey nabbed the pole! To make it even better, not a single one of our boys had to make the trip back north.
Talladega is Talladega, but a lot of drivers complained about the boring single-file racing that often strung out the field into a follow-the-leader type line. I can tell by listening to drivers’ radios and reading their quotes that this probably frustrates a driver more than being caught up in the Big One. Although it’s fun watching the cars rim-ride, it tends to drag on, broken only by a caution or a brave man who decides to bring the race back to racing. Luckily for us, one of those men was Michael Waltrip! It was great seeing him and Junior working together like old times and showing their competitors whose boss. Mikey swung down low and after many failed attempts finally got enough backing to create a power train straight to the front. With some help from Jeff Green, David led 2 exciting laps (which, true to their nature, ESPN totally missed) before Mikey got a shot from Junior and retook the helm. Brian also did his best to work with his fellow Toyota drivers.
But as you could probably tell from the running order, not all good things last. Martin blew an engine. When a DEI car blows an engine, I tend to get a bad pit in my stomach. That wasn’t helped any when other DEI/RCR engines started expiring, and finally Junior’s car spewed thick smoke along the trioval (right in front of Michael, who jumped aside just in time). The smoke was nearly opaque and unfortunately for DJ, who was just coming up through the field, it blocked his car from Kyle Petty’s vision and he got smacked into hard, ending his day.
Of course, when the Big One finally did happen, it chose to occur right in front of a group of our guys. Bobby Labonte’s car suddenly took a left turn while running on the high side and nailed Kyle Busch, who then hit Robby Gordon. Gordon’s car turned up and just barely missed Michael… but hit David squarely broadside. David nosedived down the banking and spun. He would have been fine, I think, if David Ragan hadn’t been down there on the apron to hit him. Brian, after battling a lost 1st gear, was also collected. David’s beaten up #00 was one of the only cars to limp away from the carnage. I’d say finishing 22nd with a wrecked machine isn’t too shabby!
Even with a car that had a pancaked right side from hitting the wall, Michael was still in contention. He raced on, but his day didn’t end well. With only a couple handfuls of laps to go, he blew a right front tire and took out Elliott Sadler, Greg Biffle and Tony Raines. It really sucked, but apparently Sadler decided that Michael did it by lack of talent and proceeded to blast him on MRN radio, calling him an “idiot” and remarking that Michael can only win at restrictor plate races. Um, wow, Elliott, when was your last win? Fontana in 2004? Maybe you should look at your own career before insulting someone else.
The finish was exciting, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that Kurt and teammate Ryan Newman couldn’t get 1-2. Those two have worked so well together! It was also kind of miserable to watch Casey be the pusher to Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson and then get hung out in the end. But… that’s the way it goes, I guess.
Our Boys Point Standings
- Driver Points -
7. Kurt -215 behind 1st
10. Martin -300 behind 1st
13. Dale Jr. --
15. Casey -116 behind 13th
- Owner Points -
38. Brian -359 behind 35th
39. David -365 behind 35th
41. DJ -807 behind 35th
44. Michael -909 behind 35th
Our Boys Running Order:
6. Casey (started 29th)
7. Kurt (started 41st)
22. David (started 5th)
25. Michael (started 1st)
39. Brian (started 3rd)
40. Dale Jr. (started 26th)
41. Dale Jarrett (started 43rd)
42. Martin (started 13th)
It was a much anticipated race at Dega, more so than ever because it was the first time the New Car battled for position on a superspeedway. The weekend started out in an exciting fashion when the impound format landed all eight go-or-go-homers in the top-8 – and our Mikey nabbed the pole! To make it even better, not a single one of our boys had to make the trip back north.
Talladega is Talladega, but a lot of drivers complained about the boring single-file racing that often strung out the field into a follow-the-leader type line. I can tell by listening to drivers’ radios and reading their quotes that this probably frustrates a driver more than being caught up in the Big One. Although it’s fun watching the cars rim-ride, it tends to drag on, broken only by a caution or a brave man who decides to bring the race back to racing. Luckily for us, one of those men was Michael Waltrip! It was great seeing him and Junior working together like old times and showing their competitors whose boss. Mikey swung down low and after many failed attempts finally got enough backing to create a power train straight to the front. With some help from Jeff Green, David led 2 exciting laps (which, true to their nature, ESPN totally missed) before Mikey got a shot from Junior and retook the helm. Brian also did his best to work with his fellow Toyota drivers.
But as you could probably tell from the running order, not all good things last. Martin blew an engine. When a DEI car blows an engine, I tend to get a bad pit in my stomach. That wasn’t helped any when other DEI/RCR engines started expiring, and finally Junior’s car spewed thick smoke along the trioval (right in front of Michael, who jumped aside just in time). The smoke was nearly opaque and unfortunately for DJ, who was just coming up through the field, it blocked his car from Kyle Petty’s vision and he got smacked into hard, ending his day.
Of course, when the Big One finally did happen, it chose to occur right in front of a group of our guys. Bobby Labonte’s car suddenly took a left turn while running on the high side and nailed Kyle Busch, who then hit Robby Gordon. Gordon’s car turned up and just barely missed Michael… but hit David squarely broadside. David nosedived down the banking and spun. He would have been fine, I think, if David Ragan hadn’t been down there on the apron to hit him. Brian, after battling a lost 1st gear, was also collected. David’s beaten up #00 was one of the only cars to limp away from the carnage. I’d say finishing 22nd with a wrecked machine isn’t too shabby!
Even with a car that had a pancaked right side from hitting the wall, Michael was still in contention. He raced on, but his day didn’t end well. With only a couple handfuls of laps to go, he blew a right front tire and took out Elliott Sadler, Greg Biffle and Tony Raines. It really sucked, but apparently Sadler decided that Michael did it by lack of talent and proceeded to blast him on MRN radio, calling him an “idiot” and remarking that Michael can only win at restrictor plate races. Um, wow, Elliott, when was your last win? Fontana in 2004? Maybe you should look at your own career before insulting someone else.
The finish was exciting, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that Kurt and teammate Ryan Newman couldn’t get 1-2. Those two have worked so well together! It was also kind of miserable to watch Casey be the pusher to Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson and then get hung out in the end. But… that’s the way it goes, I guess.
Our Boys Point Standings
- Driver Points -
7. Kurt -215 behind 1st
10. Martin -300 behind 1st
13. Dale Jr. --
15. Casey -116 behind 13th
- Owner Points -
38. Brian -359 behind 35th
39. David -365 behind 35th
41. DJ -807 behind 35th
44. Michael -909 behind 35th
