Back Online!
Okay, so we're back in business after getting cable installed in our apartment. I had a couple wonderful friends keeping us updated on the big news in NASCAR as well as the chance to check Jayski every few days in the campus library. Since we honestly don't have enough time to write up four race reports, I'm going to list our heroes and anything interesting that's happened to them in the past two weeks.
BRANDON
Michigan:
Nationwide - Finished 32nd (8LD)
Bristol:
Nationwide - Finished 33rd (13LD), started 35th
Notes: *Sigh*...
BRIAN
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 7th
Nationwide - Finished 2nd, started 3rd
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 20th (2LD), started 26th
Nationwide - Finished 9th, started 7th
Notes: Continues to impress!!
CASEY
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 18th (1LD)
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 41st (DNF - ACCIDENT), started 17th
Notes: It was announced last Saturday that Casey will be the driver of the #07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet in 2009!
It's such a relief that he's finally signed somewhere and at a team as good as RCR. What's interesting is that Casey will receive the #07's owner points (likely thanks to Jack Daniel's) so he won't have to qualify in the first five races of next season. Of course the Clint Bowyer fans aren't happy about it (who would be?) and somehow I think this whole deal is part of why Bowyer has been such a surly person these past couple weeks, but I'll get on with that later. I hope Casey has a lot of success at RCR! I think all he needs is to feel relaxed and he'll be just fine. Unfortunately at Bristol his spotter told him he was clear when he wasn't (again) and he ran up into Michael (again!!) and caused a huge wreck. Uhg...but like I can hope Hendrick will give him a new spotter now.
DALE JR.
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 23rd (1LD)
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 18th (2LD), started 40th
Notes: Not a great couple weeks for Junior.
I guess he jumped the start at Bristol and was pretty much screwed from there.
DAVID
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 14th
Nationwide - Finished 34th (27LD), started 5th
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 25th (3LD), started 2nd
Nationwide - Finished 8th, started 10th
Notes: Well he got crashed by Bowyer at the Nationwide Michigan race (thanks a lot
) but had a great top-15 in the Cup race! But the best news came out last Friday, when it was announced David has signed a deal to race at MWR through 2010!!! 
Aaron's will be sponsoring his Cup car (which is going to be the #00 YES YES YES!!!!!) for eighteen races, while both David and Aaron's will be cutting their Nationwide program down (Aaron's will sponsor five races and David will drive some of those). I know David loves driving the Nationwide races so that's a little disappointing, but that's just about the only thing about this deal that isn't perfect. I wholeheartedly believe the second half of the Cup races will be sponsored and as a friend reported from an XM interview Ty Norris did he sounds very optimistic about things. 
Go David go! He qualified on the outside pole at Bristol and ran in the top 12 before getting involved in the Big One, which gave him damage. 
KURT
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 36th (3LD)
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 15th, started 19th
Notes: Goodness, will the slump ever end? I love Pat Tryson and think Penske is a good team. You just have to wonder what's missing.
MARTIN
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 16th
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 35th (104LD), started 12th
Notes: Got caught up in a wreck at Bristol. Crap.
MICHAEL
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 19th (1LD)
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 30th (8LD), started 42nd
Notes: Had a good race at Michigan and it was also announced in the Aaron's extension that he will be running some Nationwide races in 2009, which is pretty exciting! But then there was Bristol. As said above, Casey got into him, which started this gigantic accident. What was awful about the wreck was what Clint Bowyer said in the aftermath, which in paraphrase was that Michael is the worst driver in NASCAR. First of all, Bowyer needs to learn how to respect his elders, since Michael has been racing before Bowyer could change his own underwear. Secondly, Michael wasn't responsible for the wreck (and Bowyer needed to chill out anyway since he didn't get much damage from it). Thirdly, ESPN played it over and over and over, and some shows even blamed Michael for the accident! That's nothing but unprofessional (but do we expect any more from ESPN?) and as far as I can tell all those idiots are trying to do is hurt Michael, his family, friends, sponsors and fans. Michael is not the worst driver in NASCAR and anyone who thinks that is obviously not very intelligent. There are drivers every week who run one or two laps and park, stealing money from teams who need it. At least Michael tries.
SCOTT
Michigan:
Nationwide - Finished 22nd (1LD), started 13th
Bristol:
Nationwide - Finished 6th, started 5th
Notes: Scott is a good driver. I'd say an above average driver. His average finish so far is better than Jeff Burton's. But he won't be at RCR next season. I'm disgusted - absolutely disgusted.
He deserves so much better than that and shame on whoever doesn't want him.
BRANDON
Michigan:
Nationwide - Finished 32nd (8LD)
Bristol:
Nationwide - Finished 33rd (13LD), started 35th
Notes: *Sigh*...
BRIAN
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 7th
Nationwide - Finished 2nd, started 3rd
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 20th (2LD), started 26th
Nationwide - Finished 9th, started 7th
Notes: Continues to impress!!
CASEY
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 18th (1LD)
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 41st (DNF - ACCIDENT), started 17th
Notes: It was announced last Saturday that Casey will be the driver of the #07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet in 2009!
It's such a relief that he's finally signed somewhere and at a team as good as RCR. What's interesting is that Casey will receive the #07's owner points (likely thanks to Jack Daniel's) so he won't have to qualify in the first five races of next season. Of course the Clint Bowyer fans aren't happy about it (who would be?) and somehow I think this whole deal is part of why Bowyer has been such a surly person these past couple weeks, but I'll get on with that later. I hope Casey has a lot of success at RCR! I think all he needs is to feel relaxed and he'll be just fine. Unfortunately at Bristol his spotter told him he was clear when he wasn't (again) and he ran up into Michael (again!!) and caused a huge wreck. Uhg...but like I can hope Hendrick will give him a new spotter now.DALE JR.
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 23rd (1LD)
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 18th (2LD), started 40th
Notes: Not a great couple weeks for Junior.
I guess he jumped the start at Bristol and was pretty much screwed from there.DAVID
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 14th
Nationwide - Finished 34th (27LD), started 5th
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 25th (3LD), started 2nd
Nationwide - Finished 8th, started 10th
Notes: Well he got crashed by Bowyer at the Nationwide Michigan race (thanks a lot
) but had a great top-15 in the Cup race! But the best news came out last Friday, when it was announced David has signed a deal to race at MWR through 2010!!! Aaron's will be sponsoring his Cup car (which is going to be the #00 YES YES YES!!!!!) for eighteen races, while both David and Aaron's will be cutting their Nationwide program down (Aaron's will sponsor five races and David will drive some of those). I know David loves driving the Nationwide races so that's a little disappointing, but that's just about the only thing about this deal that isn't perfect. I wholeheartedly believe the second half of the Cup races will be sponsored and as a friend reported from an XM interview Ty Norris did he sounds very optimistic about things. Go David go! He qualified on the outside pole at Bristol and ran in the top 12 before getting involved in the Big One, which gave him damage. KURT
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 36th (3LD)
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 15th, started 19th
Notes: Goodness, will the slump ever end? I love Pat Tryson and think Penske is a good team. You just have to wonder what's missing.
MARTIN
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 16th
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 35th (104LD), started 12th
Notes: Got caught up in a wreck at Bristol. Crap.
MICHAEL
Michigan:
Cup - Finished 19th (1LD)
Bristol:
Cup - Finished 30th (8LD), started 42nd
Notes: Had a good race at Michigan and it was also announced in the Aaron's extension that he will be running some Nationwide races in 2009, which is pretty exciting! But then there was Bristol. As said above, Casey got into him, which started this gigantic accident. What was awful about the wreck was what Clint Bowyer said in the aftermath, which in paraphrase was that Michael is the worst driver in NASCAR. First of all, Bowyer needs to learn how to respect his elders, since Michael has been racing before Bowyer could change his own underwear. Secondly, Michael wasn't responsible for the wreck (and Bowyer needed to chill out anyway since he didn't get much damage from it). Thirdly, ESPN played it over and over and over, and some shows even blamed Michael for the accident! That's nothing but unprofessional (but do we expect any more from ESPN?) and as far as I can tell all those idiots are trying to do is hurt Michael, his family, friends, sponsors and fans. Michael is not the worst driver in NASCAR and anyone who thinks that is obviously not very intelligent. There are drivers every week who run one or two laps and park, stealing money from teams who need it. At least Michael tries.
SCOTT
Michigan:
Nationwide - Finished 22nd (1LD), started 13th
Bristol:
Nationwide - Finished 6th, started 5th
Notes: Scott is a good driver. I'd say an above average driver. His average finish so far is better than Jeff Burton's. But he won't be at RCR next season. I'm disgusted - absolutely disgusted.
He deserves so much better than that and shame on whoever doesn't want him.
