Richmond Int'l Speedway - Dan Lowry 400
Jess
RESULTS
1. Clint Bowyer
5. Martin
15. Dale Jr.
22. David (3 LD)
28. Brian (4 LD)
36. Casey (DNF - ACCIDENT)
37. Michael (DNF - PARKED)
42. Kurt (DNF - ACCIDENT)
At one point during the race I thought to myself, Wow, people are going to freak out that the Nationwide race was more exciting than the Cup race! Not long after I was kicking myself for such a silly thought, especially since most of our heroes had their fair share of excitement and none of it was good for them.
First Brian got into a tangle with Paul Menard on Lap 221 and it basically ruined his night, although he hadn't been running very well to begin with.
He had gotten high up the track about a lap before and was trying to get back up to speed but when he got three-wide things got hairy. David Gilliland pushed up, forcing Menard up into Brian and there was nothing either could do to save their cars.
Soon after the green waved Dave Blaney shoved JJ Yeley up the track and Carl Edwards got into the back of Yeley. Fans and drivers complain that restrictor plate racing sucks when the Big One happens? Well Richmond had its own Big One which brought out the red flag! Cars had nowhere to go and a huge pileup ensued. Michael and Casey barely squeaked by! Unfortunately for Kurt he wasn't so lucky.
His path was blocked by wrecked cars and he just plowed right into the middle of them. He can't get any luck at all...
David was running quite well at first but then began to struggle later, going a lap down. Things got interesting a bit after the Big One when at the last second Ryan and David made a call together to stay out because Michael (also a lap down) was staying out. As soon as they passed pit road I felt a sinking feeling - no one else stayed out. Because of the shortness of Richmond, Michael and David actually got back onto the lead lap and would start at the tail-end of the field, right in front of Denny Hamlin and Dave Blaney, the first car a lap down. When the green flew things got ugly for David very quickly when Blaney just about ran him over and the #44 was forced to free-fall down the middle of the field. Michael got a little luckier and was able to stay around the guys in the top 10.
The race stayed under green for a long time. David had to pit, which put him three laps down. Poor Ryan, he must have apologized about five times, saying it was the worst call he's made in twelve years! Michael pitted a while later and this was when trouble began. I was just beginning to get hopeful, thinking that if green pit stops cycled through they'd both be back on the lead lap, when disaster struck.
Michael was on fresh tires and thus was flying along and passing everyone. On the frontstretch he drove above Casey...and Casey turned right across his nose.
If it isn't hard enough knowing two of your boys just wrecked together, Michael lost his cool and slammed into the back of Casey, pushing him. Okay, I'll admit, I kind of laughed at first, but then he kept pushing him the rest of the way down the straight. I could understand a frustrated bump, some finger-waving, but watching the sparks and fire coming out from the back of the #5 and sizzling under the engine of the #55 alarmed me. What if Michael had had some sort of fluid leak and it caught? It scared me. Plus I already knew that Casey didn't do it on purpose so I thought Michael's reaction was over the top. Apparently NASCAR did too - they parked him for the rest of the night.
On Casey's website the fans that listen to his scanner reported that his spotter never told him Michael was there, which is what I'd figured. I was disappointed in Michael's freakout but whatever, it happens, I was simply glad he didn't hook him into the wall. I thought on This Week in NASCAR Michael would make a little joke and then apologize. Well, he didn't. He called him a moron and said that a driver at the Cup level shouldn't do things that stupid, and then implied that Casey couldn't drive his car.
He was already on a roll after dissing Kyle Busch and basically saying that he shouldn't make a mistake (riiiiight...) and that he shouldn't race the leader hard (um, who exactly was the leader at that point?). Chad Knaus pretty much whooped him and I think it made Michael mad, which might be some of the reason he was so nasty toward Casey. But it doesn't matter - Michael needs to watch what he says when he doesn't know the full story. He's not only a driver, but an owner, and owners need to be professional. Plus yesterday during Charlotte testing Michael had to backpedal and say, "It was just an accident and Casey's a good dude." A lot different than calling him a moron the day before! I love Michael to death but I'm really upset by how he handled this entire situation. Of course I'm being pounded on by some Michael fans who apparently are upset about me defending Casey and being annoyed with Michael, but sorry, I'm not some blind fan who thinks Michael is perfect. If I think he's wrong I'm going to say it. It doesn't mean I don't love him - grow up people. In a week I'll be over it. 
I just hate watching Michael say stupid things and then having to put his foot in his mouth later.
This disaster stuck David three laps down but thankfully by now it looked like he would finish decently as a result of cars wrecking. Ryan continued to lament his call throughout the rest of the race, even when beer cans were flying around after Dale Jr. and Kyle wrecked (not something I want to get into again as Danni covered it quite nicely and I've had about enough arguing with fans who I guess would rather see a parade than hard racing).
Martin was our star shining in the darkness, handling well, avoiding all wrecks and steering clear of controversy to finish in the top 5! It must have been nice to go home smiling!
#44 Quotes of the Race
During the Junior/Kyle caution.
Shawn: "It's gonna be a few laps, we got fans throwing beer cans over the fence cuz Dale Jr. got wrecked."
David: "One of them hit the 66 car man, it was...where'd the 18 go, Spank?"
Shawn: "What's that?"
David (laughing): "Who got him, the 18?"
Shawn: "Yeeeeaaah...he's making fans!"
A little later...
David: "What beer can is blue...light blue in color?"
Shawn: "Probably Miller, Miller Lite."
David: "Evidently that seems to be the beer of choice for them to throw."
(Personally I think it was Busch beer...they love Kyle so much they wanted to give him Busch...)
POINT STANDINGS
1. Kyle Busch
3. Dale Jr. -104
15. Martin -391
17. Brian -422
23. Casey -553
24. Kurt -555
30. David -634 (+81 from 36th in owner points)
32. Michael -735 (+71 from 36th in owner points)
1. Clint Bowyer
5. Martin
15. Dale Jr.
22. David (3 LD)
28. Brian (4 LD)
36. Casey (DNF - ACCIDENT)
37. Michael (DNF - PARKED)
42. Kurt (DNF - ACCIDENT)
At one point during the race I thought to myself, Wow, people are going to freak out that the Nationwide race was more exciting than the Cup race! Not long after I was kicking myself for such a silly thought, especially since most of our heroes had their fair share of excitement and none of it was good for them.
First Brian got into a tangle with Paul Menard on Lap 221 and it basically ruined his night, although he hadn't been running very well to begin with.
He had gotten high up the track about a lap before and was trying to get back up to speed but when he got three-wide things got hairy. David Gilliland pushed up, forcing Menard up into Brian and there was nothing either could do to save their cars.Soon after the green waved Dave Blaney shoved JJ Yeley up the track and Carl Edwards got into the back of Yeley. Fans and drivers complain that restrictor plate racing sucks when the Big One happens? Well Richmond had its own Big One which brought out the red flag! Cars had nowhere to go and a huge pileup ensued. Michael and Casey barely squeaked by! Unfortunately for Kurt he wasn't so lucky.
His path was blocked by wrecked cars and he just plowed right into the middle of them. He can't get any luck at all...David was running quite well at first but then began to struggle later, going a lap down. Things got interesting a bit after the Big One when at the last second Ryan and David made a call together to stay out because Michael (also a lap down) was staying out. As soon as they passed pit road I felt a sinking feeling - no one else stayed out. Because of the shortness of Richmond, Michael and David actually got back onto the lead lap and would start at the tail-end of the field, right in front of Denny Hamlin and Dave Blaney, the first car a lap down. When the green flew things got ugly for David very quickly when Blaney just about ran him over and the #44 was forced to free-fall down the middle of the field. Michael got a little luckier and was able to stay around the guys in the top 10.
The race stayed under green for a long time. David had to pit, which put him three laps down. Poor Ryan, he must have apologized about five times, saying it was the worst call he's made in twelve years! Michael pitted a while later and this was when trouble began. I was just beginning to get hopeful, thinking that if green pit stops cycled through they'd both be back on the lead lap, when disaster struck.
Michael was on fresh tires and thus was flying along and passing everyone. On the frontstretch he drove above Casey...and Casey turned right across his nose.
If it isn't hard enough knowing two of your boys just wrecked together, Michael lost his cool and slammed into the back of Casey, pushing him. Okay, I'll admit, I kind of laughed at first, but then he kept pushing him the rest of the way down the straight. I could understand a frustrated bump, some finger-waving, but watching the sparks and fire coming out from the back of the #5 and sizzling under the engine of the #55 alarmed me. What if Michael had had some sort of fluid leak and it caught? It scared me. Plus I already knew that Casey didn't do it on purpose so I thought Michael's reaction was over the top. Apparently NASCAR did too - they parked him for the rest of the night.On Casey's website the fans that listen to his scanner reported that his spotter never told him Michael was there, which is what I'd figured. I was disappointed in Michael's freakout but whatever, it happens, I was simply glad he didn't hook him into the wall. I thought on This Week in NASCAR Michael would make a little joke and then apologize. Well, he didn't. He called him a moron and said that a driver at the Cup level shouldn't do things that stupid, and then implied that Casey couldn't drive his car.
He was already on a roll after dissing Kyle Busch and basically saying that he shouldn't make a mistake (riiiiight...) and that he shouldn't race the leader hard (um, who exactly was the leader at that point?). Chad Knaus pretty much whooped him and I think it made Michael mad, which might be some of the reason he was so nasty toward Casey. But it doesn't matter - Michael needs to watch what he says when he doesn't know the full story. He's not only a driver, but an owner, and owners need to be professional. Plus yesterday during Charlotte testing Michael had to backpedal and say, "It was just an accident and Casey's a good dude." A lot different than calling him a moron the day before! I love Michael to death but I'm really upset by how he handled this entire situation. Of course I'm being pounded on by some Michael fans who apparently are upset about me defending Casey and being annoyed with Michael, but sorry, I'm not some blind fan who thinks Michael is perfect. If I think he's wrong I'm going to say it. It doesn't mean I don't love him - grow up people. In a week I'll be over it. I just hate watching Michael say stupid things and then having to put his foot in his mouth later.This disaster stuck David three laps down but thankfully by now it looked like he would finish decently as a result of cars wrecking. Ryan continued to lament his call throughout the rest of the race, even when beer cans were flying around after Dale Jr. and Kyle wrecked (not something I want to get into again as Danni covered it quite nicely and I've had about enough arguing with fans who I guess would rather see a parade than hard racing).
Martin was our star shining in the darkness, handling well, avoiding all wrecks and steering clear of controversy to finish in the top 5! It must have been nice to go home smiling!
#44 Quotes of the Race
During the Junior/Kyle caution.
Shawn: "It's gonna be a few laps, we got fans throwing beer cans over the fence cuz Dale Jr. got wrecked."
David: "One of them hit the 66 car man, it was...where'd the 18 go, Spank?"
Shawn: "What's that?"
David (laughing): "Who got him, the 18?"
Shawn: "Yeeeeaaah...he's making fans!"
A little later...
David: "What beer can is blue...light blue in color?"
Shawn: "Probably Miller, Miller Lite."
David: "Evidently that seems to be the beer of choice for them to throw."
(Personally I think it was Busch beer...they love Kyle so much they wanted to give him Busch...
)POINT STANDINGS
1. Kyle Busch
3. Dale Jr. -104
15. Martin -391
17. Brian -422
23. Casey -553
24. Kurt -555
30. David -634 (+81 from 36th in owner points)
32. Michael -735 (+71 from 36th in owner points)
