NNS Darlington Raceway - Diamond Hill Plywood 200

Jess

RESULTS
1. Tony Stewart
3. David

What a great night for David and the Dream Machine team! I'll admit I wasn't expecting a top 3, especially because I learned during the prerace that David had actually crashed the primary car in practice. But leave it to David's talent and determination to prove me wrong!

Darlington lashed out quickly when she decided Carl Edwards was going to be her first victim. As the polesitter, Edwards chose to start on the high groove - a move that led to the early demise of his night when he spun out and crashed. I felt awful for him because he looked upset, but it gave me hope that David could start to reel him in in points.

It didn't take long for David to move forward and he snuck into the top 10 by lap 52! He and Shawn did an awesome job slipping by accidents, like this one when Kyle Busch got wrecked trying to pass David Ragan. Brad Keselowski (who was two laps down after wrecking early on) didn't yield to lead lap cars and drove down on Kyle, forcing him onto the apron...and at really high speeds that doesn't work out too well. Kyle was displeased, of course...but when he said "SOB" I had to laugh.


(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

It was a game of survival and skill from then on, avoiding wrecks and sitting through red flags. Nothing fazed our hero, even when 2nd-place Mark Martin ran out of fuel on a restart with four laps to go and took out five other cars along with him - this happened directly in front of the #99! On the last restart of the race David was running 4th but that wasn't good enough for him. He drag-raced Todd Bodine down the frontstretch on the white flag to come home 3rd!

Not too bad for a guy who's never finished in the top 20 at Darlington!!

POINT STANDINGS
1. Clint Bowyer
4. David -168

Darlington Qualifying

Jess

CUP RESULTS
1. Greg Biffle
2. Dale Jr.
5. Kurt
22. Martin
28. Brian
29. Casey
30. David
37. Michael

Darn it, so close for Junior! I'm really happy where Kurt is starting and he was great in practice, too. He needs a good race and I hope the Lady is nice to him.

Gotta give a shoutout to both Patrick Carpentier and AJ Allmendinger for making this race. Pat's lap was really heartbreaking but he did just good enough to qualify and for that I'm thankful. He's such a good guy. (And I want him to run naked.) AJ's first lap was absolutely horrifying! I wanted to cry, it was so bad. But he pulled himself together and made it easy the second time around. Go AJ!


NATIONWIDE RESULTS
1. Carl Edwards
21. David

Oi! He's never gotten a top 20 here but I think this could be the night!

Sponsor Silly Season!

Jess

It never ends! Jayski recently posted these rumors over the past week.

Truex to Penske? with UPS? UPDATE UPS denies: hearing that Martin Truex, current driver of the #1 DEI Chevy, could be headed to a 4th Penske Racing team with UPS as the sponsor.(5-4-2008)
UPDATE - UPS denies negotiating with any team: UPS officials released a statement Monday saying the company is not currently in negotiations with any specific Sprint Cup team or driver. UPS currently sponsors the #44 driven by David Reutimann. Michael Waltrip Racing Vice President Cal Wells has said that UPS has had preliminary discussions with six teams about what cars and drivers they would have open for 2009 and "UPS is doing exactly what they should be doing. We either earn the business back or we won’t." But to say that UPS has started negotiations with any team is not accurate, according to a company official. "As of this date, UPS is not engaged in formal active sponsorship negotiations with any NASCAR Sprint Cup driver or race team," read the statement, attributed to UPS Director of Sponsorship & Events Ron Rogowski. With Dale Jarrett's retirement this year, UPS is looking for another face for a long-term campaign. One of the drivers often mentioned is #99-Carl Edwards, who right now is sponsored by Office Depot. Roush Fenway Racing and Office Depot currently are in an exclusive negotiating period for Edwards. "UPS went to six or eight race teams, visited them, to get all the inventory that they all had," Roush Fenway President Geoff Smith said Saturday. "And from that, they told us they would cut it down amongst the teams. There's been no negotiating."
(SceneDaily.com)(5-6-2008)

I hate when this happens...a rumor that a sponsor of one of your drivers is leaving to sponsor another one of your drivers! Sponsor-hopping happens a lot so it's to be expected sooner or later one is going to be an awkward switch. UPS is claiming they haven't started negotiations yet, which I guess is slightly comforting.

What's even more interesting about this rumor is Martin going to Penske. It's no shocking thing he possibly wants to leave DEI. However, at this point I'm not entirely sure if Penske is the best place to head (okay, although it's probably a better environment than DEI, but I'm talking about performance-related stability here). Kurt is struggling. Sam Hornish is wobbling on the edge of falling outside the top 35 (a lot of this could be chalked up to inexperience, which isn't really the fault of Hornish or the team). What I'm trying to get at is Penske being ready to add a fourth team - if that's the plan, for Ryan Newman's contract is up so Martin possibly could replace him if he choses to leave. If Penske added a fourth team it would most likely be outside the top 35...unless another point switcheroo happens and Kurt is forced to rely on his past champion's provisional again. I wouldn't be too happy about that.

Office Depot to MWR? Hearing Office Depot, currently the sponsor for #99-Carl Edwards, is considering a move to Michael Waltrip Racing with driver #00-Michael McDowell. UPS has been rumored as a possible sponsor for Edwards and Roush Racing in 2009.(5-8-2008)

Now this is more like it! McD and Office Depot would be a good fit - McD's smile and personality rival's that of Carl Edwards'. Another big name sponsor signing with MWR would be a great thing. But there is a downside that I'll admit makes my heart sink.

Office Depot leaves the #99. The #99 is open for a new sponsor. UPS has looked at the #99. It would really, really suck if UPS left David for Carl and David didn't get a sponsor in return. I like McD and think he deserves a great sponsor like Office Depot, but it would hurt if David - the driver at MWR that has shown the most week in and week out - was left without a sponsor.

In a perfect world Office Depot will come over to sponsor McD and UPS will stay with David (Roush is asking a ton of money to sponsor the #99). But we'll see how it all works out.

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)

Night Terror

Danni

I just have to write this now because as a Dale Jr. fan I feel it's my responsibility to do it. Tonight's race at Richmond sent me on a emotional rollercoaster. When Denny Hamlin got the flat tire and Junior was granted an opportunity to win the race, I got the feeling I always get when one of my drivers is in contention for victory - excited anxiety. I knew Junior would hang it all out. I knew Kyle would be tough to beat. And that was compounded when Hamlin stopped on the track to bring out a caution I now wish had never flown.

My heart pounding, I watched the last laps play out. Both Junior and Kyle were driving their cars to their absolute limits; cars that tend not to forgive over-aggression, as has been reiterated over and over and over again. Sometimes, when you push it to the brink, things snap. Kyle got under Dale Jr. in Turns 1 and 2. He was loose, as to be expected. They were a dead heat down the backstretch. Then I saw it. Both dove it in deep - too deep. Kyle's car bounced and he didn't get it down to the bottom. Junior turned down too sharply. And in slow motion, Junior was at an angle over Kyle's nose and then backwards into the wall.

It was avoidable. If Kyle had been lower, everything would have been good. If Junior had gone in higher, everything would have been fine. If they both had been easier on their cars, the finish would have been clean and fair.

If, if, if.

But they had blinders on and could only see the checkered flag flying over their car first.

In the mayhem, Clint Bowyer got ahead of Kyle. But that chaos was nothing compared to what happened in the grandstands. Cans and bottles and God knows what else littered the track. Fans poured down to the catwalk, roaring. The caution flag was prolonged because of the riot that ensued. I'm telling you... when I said Talladega was bad last weekend, that was nothing compared to what happened at Richmond.

Meanwhile, the FOX broadcast scrambled over explaining the wreck, which I heard vaguely over my own upset turmoil. Larry tried to say Kyle turned his wheels right and was quickly corrected. It was eventually decided, like had I thought all along, that it was on both drivers. Yeah. Tell that to the enraged, irrational #88 fans in the audience.

When things calmed down slightly, NASCAR restarted the race and Kyle finished second. Fans threw crap at Bowyer just because they could. Junior finished 15th, the second to the last car on the lead lap.

Briefly before they cut to commercial, they showed a massive crew member from Junior's team yelling at Kyle while one of the #18's team, probably a full foot shorter, bravely protected his driver. Kyle just stood there, looking dazed and depressed.

We later learned why. When Kyle gave an interview (which was just amazing, considering what he must have been going through), he said that the #88 crew guy - forgive me, I can't remember his name - was a good friend of his. I guess it's bad enough that Kyle pretty much had his head sitting on a platter. But to have a friend scream at you for a racing deal... that probably hurt more than everything. And Kyle apologized to Junior and his entire team.

They tracked down Junior. He looked like hell. Krista Voda attempted to make a joke about Kyle needing security to leave the track, but Junior didn't look amused and replied that he would, whether he wrecked Junior intentionally or not. And you know what? I felt ashamed. I was humiliated to be lumped in with those ignorant, impulsive and narrow-minded radicals that call themselves Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans. I don't think the only reason Junior was upset was because of the crash - he was embarrassed for the mob it caused. He pretty much echoed what Kyle said and admitted they both could have given more and taken less, but it was for the win. I broke down, finally, crying. He could have strung Kyle up and left him for dead and gotten 200% support. But he told exactly what happened for all to hear except his own deaf fans.

Overwhelming relief. Grief over a win lost that I know means so much to him. And just a deep love I feel for him, that sometimes I take for granted because hell, he's Dale Jr., of course I love him, I've loved him for five years. But now... now I feel a connection. I feel proud that I'm not one of "those" Junior fans that puts a black mark on his name and make fans hate him because they hate his fans. I feel like he could be proud to have me as a fan because I don't treat him like God, if he ever noticed me.

And that's just it - God himself could get into a racing incident with Junior and those fanatics would do the same thing.

Now, when I should be upset that it's been over two years since Dale Jr.'s last won and that it slipped right through his fingers tonight, I am sitting here and praying that Kyle makes it home safely and that he stays safe. There are disgusting people who would try to kill him, no exaggeration.

And I just want to tell Kyle and his fans that I'm sorry for the way the fans acted and any hardships it'll cost them in the future. I just hope to God that if he ever sees me, he doesn't think I hate him just because I'm wearing #88 gear.

I'm not with them. Not even close. And I'm sorry Junior has to be cursed with so many of them and so little of ones like me.

Richmond Int'l Speedway - Lipton Tea 250

Danni

RESULTS
1. Denny Hamlin
10. Scott
18. David

They say that Richmond is notorious for bringing out tempers. Well, it definitely proved that last night and unfortunately one of our drivers was involved.

Everything started out pretty decently. David made up some spots, although he had some trouble getting around Mark Green, who qualfied incredibly well. After that he stayed easily in the top-10 and his crew did a great job in gaining him spots on pit road. During a long green flag run, however, things got ugly.

The leaders set a blistering pace, lapping a lot of cars early. All of a sudden, David started dropping. He fell beyond 10th and settled around 15th or so. Before the broadcast cut to commercial, I saw him in middle of a group that included none other than Sam Hornish. Bad feeling? Yeah. Upon return, the caution was out and I knew before they said anything that it was because of David. Of course, it took them forever to even show the replay. At first I thought, "Maybe they were just racing hard." Why do I even try to give Hornish leeway sometimes?

Replay: commence. Hornish: straight into the back of David. David: spin.



I'll admit, I said some choice things about Hornish that I try not to say about drivers. But I was just raging furious. It's not just that Hornish has been messing with David consistently since he started Cup racing late last year for no particular reason other than to be a pain in his ass. It's not even the glaring fact that the guy was a freaking lapped car while David was still on the lead lap. But you know what? He acknowledged, right over the God damned radio, that he was tired of David "bumping" him all the time and that he did it on purpose! And NASCAR did fucking nothing! HE ADMITTED IT! It was premeditated! I thought NASCAR warned against that shit?! Why is it that they penalize everyone else except those bloody ex-open wheelers like Hornish and Montoya? What the hell makes them so great?!

AAAAAARRGHH!!

So David fell a fucking lap down and watched the championship slip further from his grasp. On the next restart, he fought like hell. If his car was handling bad, it didn't show because he was passing others on the lead lap. He got right up against Kyle Busch and was preparing to get by him when the caution came out and Kyle got the free pass.

Round two. And just like about every other damn time David is in contention for the free pass, the race went green. By the time the next yellow flew, the leader had started to lap the field again.

Next restart and who's leading the bottom line? Hornish. He freakin' made it hell for the leaders, pushing them up the track and everything. And the caution came out and he got his lap back. I just couldn't believe it!

Unfortunately for David, the next caution came out within 10 to go, so he was not able to get the free pass. I vaguely remembered that part of the rule, but it still depressed me that he was trapped. Throughout the race I was hoping he'd get back to Hornish and teach him not to screw with him, but then he probably would have been black-flagged for retaliation. Unlike Hornish.

In the meantime, Scott was running great in the top-10 when he hit the wall coming off of Turn 2. From the video, I can't tell if he got hit or not. It damaged the car but he was able to hold on for a good finish.

The excitement was far from over. Green-white-checkers are usually wild, but this one was uncalled for. Kyle, after having an uncharacteristically bad day in the #32, had clawed his way into the top-5 and was aiming for a good end to his birthday. Steven Wallace was also running great and respectfully when something just clicked the wrong, wrong way. On the backstretch, he got a run on Kyle. Instead of turning low to pass, he just plowed straight into the back of him! Kyle's car wiggled but he saved it, so he came up fast behind Steve and Steve moved out of his way because he knew he was in deep crap with Kyle. The checkers flew and on the cool-down lap Steve barreled into Kyle again, causing David Ragan (an innocent bystander) to spin! What the hell?

Kyle was obviously and understandably furious. It's not like Steve even attempted to pass him! So Kyle got out of his car after the race and went back to give Steve a piece of his mind while Steve was unstrapping. Steve reached out and grabbed the bottom rim of Kyle's helmet and yanked, causing Kyle to jerk back and stagger! A flood of crew members from the #32 rushed over to defend their driver. Kyle got a few more words before they gently led him away, consoling him. Through all of this, not a single one of Steven's team showed up, which may indicate their feelings.

I like Steve. I've stood and fought for him when fans nitpick every little thing he does and when they cruelly joke about his Tourette's Syndrome. He's not a bad person. But I have no idea what went through his head last night at Richmond. From his interview, I knew he was aware he screwed up, but didn't want to own up to it. So instead he called Kyle a girl and used Dale Earnhardt's line of wanting to "rattle his cage" in reference to grabbing Kyle's helmet. He then made a significant mistake - he said there must be a problem when fans boo you all the time. Um... number one, someone who lives in a glass house shouldn't throw stones, since the last time I checked Steven doesn't have a high fan approval. And number two, the amount of fans who boo Kyle (both Busch brothers, actually) has been dramatically reduced! Case in point: following the race was Trackside Live, where Kyle was a guest. People didn't boo him and the whole crowd sang him Happy Birthday!

Kyle did nothing wrong. He had a right to be mad and he had a right to go over an express that to Steven. He never touched anyone. During his interview, he said that he'd wreck as many as he needs to because he's not racing for points, so he doesn't care. People are up in arms about this, but they don't understand what he means. He was talking about those who mess with him, not the entire field. Jeeze. He was mad. Other drivers, like Tony Stewart, have said far worse and been praised for it. Come on - Tony has freakin' insulted drivers' abilities! Kyle did nothing of the sort but fans still cry about him. Just shut up and stop being jealous! It's not Kyle's fault that you want to be a fan of his but can't because you'd be hypocrites!

Amid all this controversy, Denny Hamlin won at his home track. Pretty good to see.

David ended up losing two bloody spots and a lot of points in the standings. Thanks a lot, Hornish!

POINT STANDINGS
1. Clint Bowyer
6. David -158

Richmond Qualifying

Jess

CUP RESULTS
1. Denny Hamlin
3. Martin
14. David
16. Casey
21. Kurt
22. Dale Jr.
27. Michael
32. Brian
DNQ Scott

David was scheduled to be the first car out but he ended up being the second since he was a little late in getting to the grid (as a result of the Nationwide driver's meeting). Brian had to hit the track first and he wasn't happy about it and had a bit of a fit about how David was late. Err...somehow I don't think anyone told Brian about the NNS driver's meeting.

Martin did a great job and I hope he can pull off a win tomorrow night! All our other full-time heros struggled a little but maybe their cars will be better under the lights.

Poor Scott - that car looked so bad. In one way I'm sad he didn't qualify because he's one of my boys and I'm sort of considering his Cup attempts as an audition for that ride next year. In another I can't get too upset about it because it also makes me sad to see full-time rides go home and a part-time ride make the race.

NATIONWIDE RESULTS
1. Kasey Kahne
8. David
10. Scott

Well this is nice! Hope both of them have great races tonight!!

Talladega Superspeedway - Aaron's 499

Danni

RESULTS
1. Kyle Busch
5. Brian
7. Casey
10. Dale Jr.
20. David
27. Michael
37. Martin (DNF)
39. Kurt (DNF)

I must start this off by saying how much I love Ken Butler, the president of Aaron's, and his willingness to allow the fans to give the drivers their command to start engines. It's so much more meaningful and exhilarating to hear it as a roar!

As often happens at Dega, two packs formed after the green flew - the main pack (as Darrell usually puts it, the "hornet's nest") and then the single-file group that fell behind to wait out the crashes (Michael joined this one). It wasn't all too exciting in the beginning. Tony Stewart towed a line on the bottom that would hang anyone who tried to make an outside group out to dry in a hurry. After the first caution when Matt Kenseth blew a tire and hit the wall, though, the racing began. A second line developed and showed what it could do.

David made his way up through the pack, drafting a lot with Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman. Junior, of course, led plenty of laps and even Brian nabbed five bonus points. The race went green for quite some time, during which Kurt lost the draft. That was pretty disheartening - Kurt has been having so many issues lately that team morale cannot be very good right now. Before pit stops broke out, Michael came in for a cut tire. Luckily, it wasn't long before other drivers came in for tires and fuel. Unfortunately for David, he took four while everyone else took right sides only in his group and he found himself all alone on the track. This is when he started complaining that the car wouldn't go by itself. At first I thought he was just venting and frustrated that he was out of the draft. But the power issue would plague him later.

However, the caution came out when Carl Edwards blew a tire (kind of like Kenseth... camber anyone?) and bunched the field back together. Cue wildness! There were so many lead changes after the restart that it was difficult to keep track of them all. Dale Jr. was second behind Tony Stewart... when all of a sudden Stewart hit the wall. I got nervous for a moment, thinking Junior ran into the back of him, but the replays clearly showed that the #20 blew a tire.

More chaos ensued when Juan Pablo Montoya ducked under the yellow line on the trioval and wrecked Paul Menard into the grass. Well... I did kind of feel bad for him because that was a stupid move by Montoya and in all reality he should have been black-flagged instead of getting a simple slap on the wrist by NASCAR. Then again, I saw a lot of bump-drafting in the corners that I previously thought was forbidden. Hm.

Only a few laps after the next restart, the caution was out for debris. Why? Elliott Sadler peeled the back bumper off of Brian! I didn't know whether to laugh or get anxious because I feared no one would bump-draft him without a rear end. Based on his finish, though, it didn't appear to cause a problem.

But this is when David started having trouble staying with the field on restarts (he started to refer to his car as a "pig" ). On that last one, he dropped to 30th from 17th. Things looked a lot different for Michael, however! He began slicing his way through the field. When the big wreck occurred, he was ahead of it. Cars spread out on the straight and when they prepared to get into the turn, space ran out. Bobby Labonte, Stewart and Junior made contact, causing Labonte to lose control of his car and fly up into the rest of the field. Sadly, it collected both Martin and Kurt, who was just beginning to recover from his earlier problems. Junior had some fender damage, but was able to continue after some repairs. David, who was way in the back, barely made it through when Jamie McMurray shot back down the banking behind him. It reminded me of a wreck a year or two back when Scott Riggs appeared way too close to Michael's rear cam!

On the following restart, a train came - Michael and Jimmie Johnson! An interesting phenomena was noted through the duration of the race. If two cars got together, they could out-draft even a long line. I don't think I've ever screamed so hard for Johnson, but he was my hero Sunday. He pushed Michael all the way to the lead! The excitement got cut short when a debris caution came out, but Michael didn't seem to hear it. He drove out ahead of the field, obviously relishing the view.

Sometimes leading the field during a restart isn't the best place to be at a plate race, and it was proven when Johnson was able to pass Michael. But that didn't last long for him either, as Kyle Busch got a nose under him and took the lead. There was a lot of whining from the fans that Kyle passed under the yellow line, but Johnson forced him down. Meanwhile, David was struggling mightly, unable to work low. He was getting some help from Greg Biffle, but when teammate Michael McDowell jumped in front of them, they pretty much went backwards. Back up front, Jimmie and Michael hooked up again and started another charge when smoke began billowing from Michael's fenders. At first, I though it was another tire, but we learned later that the engine blew - with one to go! Almost simultaneously, David and McDowell made contact while running three-wide with Biffle (so much for working together...). McDowell spun. Ugh. Nightmare.

The white flag lap got nasty. And of course, Junior started it. While running three-wide, he ran into the back of McMurray in Turn 2 and instigated a big crash. Several cars were involved, including David. But it wasn't too bad - he ran into the stopped car of Harvick, barely causing harm to himself. He was able to keep motoring along. Actually, David benefitted from the crash and passed a lot of cars. Still, I'm not too happy with Junior. The broadcast danced around the idea that he caused a wreck and then later on Victory Lane the replay didn't even show the cause! It's crap like this that aggravates me as a Junior fan - don't treat him different! If he screws up, say it! It embarrasses me to be lumped in with psychotic Junior fans that shriek every time someone even suggests he did something wrong and write horrible emails and say terrible things.

Kyle Busch won - good for him! But I got to say it... I am about sick of those fans at Talladega. Not all of them. Just the morons who think it's funny to throw crap at a driver who won fair and square. Kyle is focused on something fans should be thankful of: saluting FANS! When he wins, he gets out of the car and bows to the same idiots who boo him. So I was pleased to see him do this and a freakin' asswipe threw a full bottle at him just as he stooped. It flew over his head and lodged between the deck lid and the wing. I hope that damn coward got his ass arrested - what a waste of oxygen!

For some comic relief, Michael ended up pushing his own car down pit road! I don't know where the safety trucks were, but it sure was funny to see.

Have to give it to Casey, too. He was smart all day and got a lot of points as a result.

#44 Quotes of the Race

This happened before the last restart.

Shawn: "Biffle wants to know if he pushes you through the corner, will you keep it straight?"

David: "Tell him to come on, I've got it. Beat the back bumper off this thing - let's go!"

Now that's fire!

POINT STANDINGS
1. Jeff Burton
3. Dale Jr. -79
16. Brian -353
17. Martin -398
20. Kurt -444
24. Casey -460
29. David -583 (33rd in owner points +72 from 36th )
31. Michael -639 (31st in owner points +110 from 36th)