DEGA

Okay, so the whole thing with Tony Stewart was blown out of proportion. It's good that NASCAR actually told him that they put out the caution for a reason. Okay...then Fox obeyed, by showing us ALL the debris during the cautions. GOOD!

I think that all this "Tony was wrong for saying that" stuff is just wrong. He had a reason for it at the time. He saw what everyone has been saying, including myself.

(Hey, maybe he saw my blog, I linked it to my Infield Parking page...HA! Yeah, right.)

The race was a snore for a while, because everyone was walking on egg shells, so they didn't 'slam draft' the person in front of them.

Then there was the unfortunate wrecking of Casey Mears, by his teammate, I think? Was it Gordon? He was pissed off and rightly so.

Hey, Jeff, it's not VICKERS in that car, okay? Lay off!

In Dega, blown motors a plenty. Looks like no team was immune, nor was any manufacturer, with the 15 of Menard and the 00 of Reutimann.

Drafting partners are also hard to come by, as they are when it comes down to the final laps. "The big push from behind" might as well be a kick in the ass for some drivers. Some even can't rely on their teammates.

And look...guess who's in the lead? I wonder how THAT happened. Not the WWE, my ass. Geeze. And NASCAR thought that Tony was wrong? Yeah, right!

They ADDED 3 laps to the race? WHAT?! So, Gordon can make sure he wins? What is up with this? I really don't get it.

Race is over with a final caution...the field better be locked up.

At the end, fans throwing trash and what not at Gordon. REAL classy. I'm proud to say that I would NEVER do that, even though the race was fixed, so he could pass Earnhardt to win 77 races.

CoT wasn't used this race, but it will be, in October. Can't imagine what will happen then. (An aside...does anyone have a schedule of when it's going to be used? I don't think the fans will ever know. If anyone has a link to any information on the net, please comment with that information.)

On to RICHMOND! MY favorite short track...on a Saturday night.

NO Trolls allowed...

If you're just going to post to flame me...and NOTHING else...then YOU WILL BE DELETED.

I want spirited debate, but I don't want trash talking and trolling.

It's my blog, not yours.

Thanks.

Gordon wins Phoenix

Uh...yeah. He tied with Earnhardt Sr, with 76 wins now to his credit. He is now in company with Petty, Yarborough, Waltrip and others.

Then this idiot does a burn out with the 3 flag. Um...I'm sure that all the Dale Sr. fans appreciate the gesture.

It's just a slap in the face.

OH well.

Junior appreciated it, as he said on his radio...but I guess that's just me.

I think NASCAR gave him the win.

With the stuff they've been pulling, I wouldn't put it past them.

On to DEGA...where it should be even CRAZIER with the CoT.

OMG WTF?!

What is with some of these drivers? The 6 of Ragan gets into trouble more times than not. He spins out, and then gets plowed into.

Someone tries to get onto pit road and spins out and gets rammed into the wall.

NASCAR doesn't know when the hell to give violations on pit road.

Debris cautions with no debris to show for it.

All the while, screwing good drivers and cars out of a chance for the win.

I've been watching it all night and had my jaw wide open and couldn't make it to the keyboard.

That and dozing off because what I thought was going to be constant side by side racing, was nothing but what seemed to be like 'follow the leader' all the time.

Hopefully one of the Virginia natives will win it. They deserve it.

Well, I guess it wasn't as boring as I thought!

Passing like crazy, Jeff Burton was literally giving ME heartburn. I thought I'd have to use one of his sponsor's competitors to cure it!

He's a great guy and he's an awesome driver. It's great to see the streak at Texas broken with two by Burton.

He was voted Sportsmen of the Year, according to DW. I didn't hear anything about that.

Burton is a smart man...someone who knows about safety and has brought a lot to the sport. I'm SO happy he won.

Shout out to a friend of mine who works for a company of JB's. It's great to see a big win for them.

With 22 to go...

I'm done. I just can't see the usual players get their win. BUT, some of the regular players are in the 30s or above. So...

I guess my previous theory couldn't hold up, because there are some people in the top ten that haven't been there in a while: Biffle for one.

Phoenix next weekend. Maybe that flat track at night will be something to watch. Night races always seem to be more exciting. Although getting lost outside Lowe's is something that isn't. (I speak from personal experience...that's another story.)

Is this NASCAR or the WWE?

It seems like this is becoming "sports entertainment"...or is it?

I mean, we just had to have "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, (who isn't even IN the WWE anymore, is he?) give the command to start engines.

You have phantom debris...enough said.

Name calling and hostility on camera like with wrestling.

I guess I'm just being cynical. Around the end of the race, it seems like it was getting pretty spicy, with Montoya racing Stewart hard and spinning him out, getting into Johnson in the process.

It seems like everyone is content to ride around for three quarters of the race, then they have to kick it into HIGH gear, by making a show of drag racing everyone to get positions and sometimes making stupid mistakes.

I can't help but wonder if in the future, the people in the production trailer are giving cues to the crew chiefs, to get the driver to do something brave and/or stupid. Outrageous and conspiritorial...? I guess so. But you can't help but think anything but "this is just racing" sometimes.

Just as I'm writing this, Tony Stewart spins out and gets into Kyle Busch, who get into Earnhardt's back deck lid. Sheet metal and everything out of whack, a few pit stops need to get it all together, with 100 mile an hour tape. I don't know if that would do any good.

All this excitement is a surprise, since I was lulled into a comfortable snooze...I'm not sure what I saw after many points of view on TV and listening to the scanner.

And this was with 77 to go! (I think the script was written that way...or was it? Sorry, can't resist.)

Well, we'll see what the results are...

50,000 k to fix a "dip" in the track

Okay, so everyone knows about "Dale Jr's Dip", right? The dip in the track between turns one and two that makes it hard to turn?

Well, because of one comment from a driver, the track put up the money to fix it.

Using special structure urathane, the dip was evened out. Of course, being the typical American male, he said it was like "giving the track implants." Hardy har, har Junior.

Yes, cosmetic surgery is not only for humans but for inanimate objects!

Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne didn't notice a difference. I guess it had to do with "What Junior wants, Junior gets" type of scenario.

I guess we can now coin him "Diva of NASCAR", when it comes to things of this nature. Whitney Houston doesn't like air conditioned arenas, now Junior wants the track his way.

I guess there is one in every industry.

Debris? Where?

Again, the phantom debris comes out as the last yellow flag came out 47 laps in. (I think, because they showed the scoring tower.)

No camera swept over to see what it was, where it was...and who was cleaning it up.

NOTHING.

This race has become a SNORE. Zzzzzzz...

I hope this doesn't become as predictable as the rest. Atleast they have the old cars out...that is one of the only good things about this.

Unless...you hit the outside wall, like Junior did, trying to pass Gordon. He's trying again...we'll see if he can get it done.

The Hendrick streak might end today, if Junior and drivers on other teams, have something to do with it.

I'd say BREAK THE STREAK!

Make it fun again!

TEXAS...

Damn, three laps in...there's already a caution. I don't think I've seen a wreck, like the one that happened with Rudd and Ragan. WEIRD stuff.

Hopefully not much more will happen like that and there will be a beatin' and bangin' good time in Texas.

We'll see how it goes...

Junior's future with DEI

Can I say how much I hate hearing about this constantly? I know it's a business, but come ON people! I'm sure the people that matter: Max Siegel, Theresa Earnhardt and Junior will get this out in the open.

I commend Siegel for keeping the negotiations under wraps. Kelley means well, but I think boasting about 51 percent ownership or more is what they hope to get...or nothing at all...that's pushing it. On the other hand, having some kind of ownership of a company that Big E thought would be his family's legacy, is commendable.

It's these conflicting points of view that keep this thing going.

I think that he will get a good car and good equipment if he went to RCR.

The "deadline" of May 1st is good to shoot for, but I don't think that will come to be. The rumored June 1st "deadline" seems more likely. Hopefully there will be something in place before Dover.

I have a selfish stake in all this: I'll be going to Dover in June and want to see him win...or HELL, Truex win. I like them both and I think that they're both due for a win.

Many pin me as just a DEI fan...but I'm not. I like and admire all drivers and teams... It just matters who gives them good equipment now...and who helps them win. Right now, I think RCR is a better choice.

Bump and run...spinouts...oh my!

I gotta say that the top 5 really made a show in the end. Bump and run, spinouts, donuts on the side... Cars on fire, faulty exhaust/fuel pumps, (as seen with Kevin Harvick,) this race had it all.

I wouldn't say that it would rank up with the action at Dega, Texas or the old Bristol, but it was pretty fun, all the same.

Rookie Juan Pablo Montoya is getting used to short track racing and it shows. The dents in his car were evident, as the in car cameras saw from all angles.

Jimmie Johnson had an emotional win? In the words of Justin Timberlake: "Cry me a river..."

Victory lane...would have been better, with a Virginia native, such as Denny Hamlin in it. Who knows what happened there...the Gibbs cars were actually giving everyone a run for their money, as Yeley and Stewart were battling each other for top 5 or ultimately, the win.

I think there are many other issues that lie ahead for the CoT...the CO issues (Carbon Monoxide) and the padding catching on fire. I think that if NASCAR wants safety, they should rethink how the walls are built and the exhaust systems are put together.

April Fools Day...I guess the trick was on me...thinking that a Hendrick car wouldn't win.

Oh well...until Texas...Have a nice week off everyone...

Did I just see...

Juan Pablo Montoya SPIN out Tony Raines? Were those DONUTS on the sides of each car?

WOW! Side by side racing? Now, that's what I'm talking about!

Pit stops are crucial after that rain delay. It was a close one between Gordon and Earnhardt.

Tire pressure is definitely an issue here. As FOX had some close ups of the tires, they looked soft enough to say they were flat. I think they were right there, camber plus tire pressure, could mean trouble for some of those teams.

The top 10 is getting bunched up now, maybe the drivers are finally getting a hang of the 'wing thing'. I like clean racing, but every once and a while...it's great to see some 'beatin' and bangin'.

Good luck to all...hopefully a Virginia native will win...or not. That would be nice, though.

Do my eyes decieve me?

Or did I see some beating and banging there? Lots of tempers flaring, as the paper clip track gets tighter and tighter...with more people laps down.

And I'm sure those people that are Junior haters are going "NO! NO RAIN!"

I'm sure he's not banking on that. Past half way, I don't think that will happen.

I think these drivers are getting the hang of these 'Wing Things' as I've called them.

Most of the time, Martinsville is a bore, in my opinion. I don't see any action on this track at all. But, with this many cautions...at 9...right now...it doesn't seem any worse than Bristol...just a few more shoves by cars trying to stay on the lead lap.

163 to go...we'll see what happens...

I'll be back with more...