Race Review: NASCAR Nationwide Series @ LMS

The NASCAR Nationwide Series ran their race at Lowes Motor Speedway Saturday night. In the race were fifteen drivers doing the double-duty. That is, they raced on Saturday night and will race again on Sunday for the C0ca-Cola 600. So there were only 28 ragular Nationwide drivers in the race. That seams a little much, in my opinion.

Rain delayed the start. They had to dry off the track before the cars could race. They went around the track single-file for several laps to help with the drying. They were also under Green/Yellow for five laps before the race went Green. Kyle Busch changed an engine and had to start in the rear. But I also want to point out that Mike Bliss also had to start from the rear.

Carl Edwards (Cup) started from the pole position. There was a caution for 15 Michael Annett getting hard into the wall. Kyle Busch comes from behind to lead after less than 50 laps. The third caution is for 12 Justin Allgaier spinning, after Green Flag Pitting was completed.  42 David Gilliland is the Lucky Dog and gets his lap back.

32 Brian Vickers (Cup) takes the lead, but the announcers don’t show that. More Green Flag pitting happens and 38 Jason Leffler leads. The fourth caution comes out when 81 Kevin Harmon spins into the wall. Before Green Flag Pitting is complete, leaving 1 Mike Bliss in the lead and the only car on the lead lap. 62 Brendan Gaughan gets the Lucky Dog, leaving only two Nationwide drivers on the lead lap.

They restart with nine drivers ahead of the leader. Gaughan takes the lead. And Bliss takes it back. With 31 laps to go, rain stops the race. Those ahead of the leader stay on the lead lap. 5 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the Lucky Dog and also is on the lead lap. They throw the Red Flag for rain and the race stops with 30 to go. The rain doesn’t stop.

And Nationwide driver, Mike Bliss wins the rain-shortened race. With Brendan Gaughan finishing second. A Nationwide driver finally wins a Nationwide race! And Kyle Busch doesn’t win this rain-shortened race.

In my opinion, this was the best NASCAR Nationwide Series race of the year. Because a Nationwide driver actually won a Nationwide race. Let’s see what happens on Sunday for the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the Season.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley

Coca-Cola 600 Race Preview

Welcome, race fans, to the twelfth race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. This race is at Lowes Motor Speedway outside of Charlotte, NC. in Concord. It’s the longest race of the year, and caps off a day of racing. The Indy 500 comes on earlier in the day, so race fans can continue to watch racing into the night.

Qualifying for the race was Thursday evening. Rocket Man, Ryan Newman will start from the pole position with a speed of 188.475. It is his eighth pole at LMS and his 44th career pole. Kyle Busch, who came out last of the top 35, when the track was faster, will start second. The crowd cheered. Not because he will start second, but because he did not get the pole.

Points leader, Jeff Gordon, who had the pole until Ryan came along, will start third. Mark Martin qualified fourth. And Hendrick team mate to Mark and Jeff, Jimmy Johnson, will start fifth. Defending race Champion, Kasey Kahne, who brushed the wall while qualifying, will start sixth. Mike Bliss, not in the top 35 in owner points, qualified seventh, followed by Brian Vickers, Juan Pablo Montoya and former Champion, Bill Elliott, who did not have to use his Champion privisional.

Scott Riggs will start last. Tony Raines will be substituting for John Andretti in the #34 car. John is driving in the Indy 500 for Richard Petty. Joe Nemecheck, Rookie contender, Scott Speed, Dave Blaney, David Gilliland, part timer, Max Papis and A J Almendinger also made the race.

Those going home were JJ Yeley, in for Jeremy Mayfield, Mike Garvey and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers Todd Bodine and David Starr.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley

I’ll see you all after the race.

Race Review

Coca-Cola 600

Lowes Motor Speedway, Concord, NC

Welcome NASCAR race fans to the longest race of the schedule. This race is 400 laps and 600 miles. It starts in the evening and ends under the lights. It’s held at the NASCAR home track on Memorial Day weekend. Being that it’s so long, drivers have to stay focused and be there for the last 100 miles in order to win this race.
18 Kyle Busch is on the pole, with 9 Kasey Kahne right beside him. If you’ll recall, 9 won the last race here, the All-Star race, after being voted in by the fans. He’s looking to be the sixth driver ever to win both races in the same year. The others were Darryl Waltrip, Davey Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson.
40 today is Sterling Marlin, filling in for the injured Dario Franchitti. 33 is a fourth RCR entry driven by Ken Schrader. 70 is again driven by Johnny Sauter. 66 Scott Riggs and 70 had illegal tear wing mounts and both cars were confiscated and sent to R&D headquarters. Failing to qualify are: 34 Jeff Green (John Andretti raced in the Indy 500 earlier in the day), 50 Stanton Barrett, 21 Jon Woods, 78 Joe Nemechek, and 08 Tony Raines.
The big news is that AJ “Humpy” Wheeler is retiring as CEO of Lowes Motor Speedway. He was great for the Sport and this track. The Keys for this race are 1. Make it to sundown, 2. Keep up with the ever-changing track, 3. Track position in the closing laps.
So, here we go. 18 takes off after snookering 9 at the start. 6 David Ragan gets by 9 for second. 83 Brian Vickers gets by 9 for third. 88 Dale Earnhardt gets by 9 for fourth. 6 and 9 battle for fifth, and 6 takes it. 07 Clint Bowyer is pitting. 2 Kurt Busch and 48 Jimmy Johnson get by 16 Greg Biffle. 77 Sam Hornish, Jr. gets into the wall, while battling 11 Denny Hamlin. 83 catches leader 18 and they battle for the lead. 83 takes the lead. 18 is having ignition problems. 48 gets by 2. 48 gets by 18. 2 and 18 battle. 2 gets by. 48 takes the lead.
Green Flag Pitting begins. 6 takes the lead. After all the pitting, 48 is back in the lead. The first caution comes out when 7 Robby Gordon brushes the wall on lap 83. 15 Paul Menard is the Lucky Dog and gets his lap back. They all pit, and it’s 48 and 2 out first and second. 2 takes the lead. 20 Tony Stewart complains that his car won’t turn. 88 and 18 battle for second. 18 takes the  position. 83 gets by 18 for third. 88 gets by 83 for second. And Green Flag Pitting begins once again.
88 has a very long pit. They couldn’t get the right front on and the tire carrier disappeared with the tire. 16 leads when 2 pits. 83 is leading after all the pitting. 2, leaving the pits, hits a lug nut that sparks a fire in the pit, but it is quickly extinguished. 2 gets by 83 during the commercial to take the lead. 16 has a tire going down or a loose wheel and pits. 83 takes the lead from 2. The wheel weight came off 16. That’s why he thought he had a flat or a loose tire. 18 is pitting. There are sixteen cars on the lead lap. 83 has a vibration. 1 Martin Truex, Jr. is loosing voltage. 8 Mark Martin has a broken header pipe.
The second caution comes out during the commercial. 2 got into the wall. 11 stays on the lead lap. 18, a lap down got by the leader to stay on the lead lap. 15 is once again the Lucky Dog. The third caution comes out when 42 Juan Pablo Montoya spins into the infield. 7 and 42 got together. 8 Mark Martin is the Lucky Dog. 48 takes the lead. 7 blows up and heads into the pits.The fourth caution comes out when 83 looses a tire and hits the wall. The tire smashes onto 38 David Gilliland and bounces off the track into the camping area, hitting an awning! 88 is leading. They have to replace the foam in the SAFER barrier where 83 hit it.
The fifth caution comes out when 00 Michael McDowell spins on lap193. 43 Bobby Labonte is the Lucky Dog. Something hits 17 Matt Kenseth, who is in a yellow and green R&L car today and he has a long pit. 44 David Reutimann and 22 Dave Blaney battle for position. 44 gets by. 88 and 9 battle for the lead. 9 takes the lead. 6 gets by his team mate 99 Carl Edwards. The sixth caution comes out for debris from 2. 24 Jeff Gordon is the Lucky Dog. 16 is overheating. 19 Elliott Sadler takes the lead. 19 and 88 battle for the lead. 88 takes the lead. 31 Jeff Burton gets by 9 for third.
The seventh caution comes out when 96 J. J. Yeley gets into the wall. Everyone pits. 12 Ryan Newman can’t get to his pit, and continues down pit road, to lead a lap before going back in to pit. 29 Kevin Harvick is the Lucky dog. 18 is back in the lead. 26 Jamie McMurray gets ahead of 18 to get his lap back. 20 and 31 battle for position. 88 gets by 31. 18 gets by 26 to put him back a lap down. 88 gets by 20. 6 gets by 44. 77 and 26 battle for the Lucky Dog position. 38 is back out after repairs from the tire hitting his car. 88 takes the lead. 43 gets by 16. 26 is smoking and pits. 18 is loosing volts and 9 gets by.
The eighth caution comes out when 88 gets into the wall and 96 gets into 88. 88 can’t get away from the wall, but manages to pit. 24 stays on the lead lap. 88 speeds down pit road and was almost held a lap for endangering emergency equipment on pit road, but the Officials decide he was only speeding, and didn’t endanger anyone. 20 pits. 18 takes the lead. 31 takes the lead when 18 pits.31 and 16 pit. And 17 takes the lead. 11 takes the lead, then pits. 22 leads when 11 pits. 20 leads when 22 pits. 20 has a tire going down and hits the wall. 9 takes the lead. 11 gets into the wall. 99 runs out of gas just before the finish, and ends up ninth.
9 Kasey Kahne wins the Coca-Cola 600 and becomes the sixth driver to win the All-Star race and the 600 a week later. This is his eighth win and his third at this track.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley

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In My Opinion: NASCAR Fans

    So, NASCAR is finally deciding that the drop in ratings wasn’t NBC’s fault after all. And maybe instead of trying to grab the football fans, who will watch when a football game isn’t on, they should look at the fans who are watching. I fell in love with NASCAR the first time I saw a race. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen! And it wasn’t the Daytona 500 that I was watching. It was beautiful watching them go so fast so close to each other lap after lap. Rockingham was a wonderful little track. The Southern 500, the Brickyard 400, the Daytona 500 and the Coca Cola 600 were all very special. It isn’t even the Brickyard any more. It’s the All State 400 at the Brickyard. How sad.
Rockingham was a special track, but year after year, it was run at a time when it was raining in the Carolina’s. So, instead of putting it somewhere else, NASCAR just got rid of it. The Southern 500 at the track “too tough to tame” was a special race. Now we go to California because it is a bigger market. Not a better track, not better racing, but a bigger market. Who wants to watch follow the leader? We want to see racing.
So now NASCAR wants the core fan back. And is marketing to get us back. Marketing won’t do it. Put it back. NASCAR was great before the Chase and Nextel (now Sprint). It used to be thirty-six weeks of racing, instead of twenty-six. And the driver with the most points at the end wins! What’s so great about a tenth place team winning the Championship? Matt Kenseth was the last true Champion. In my opinion.
I hope NASCAR listens to the fans. But it’s too late for this year. Too many races are already starting later. So the drivers can’t see where they are going? Takes the specialness from the Coke 600. The theme song is better. All that screaming just turned me off. You’re starting the Chase at the Daytona 500! And with the past Owner points in place, new Teams don’t stand a chance. Even the famous Wood Brothers #21 can’t get into a race! Everyone should have to try equally as hard to get into a race. Those in the top 35 shouldn’t get to qualify in race trim and go slow just because they are guaranteed a spot, while the tenth fastest car has to go home. If Tony Stewart can’t get in on speed, too bad. He should have qualified faster. And if Kyle Petty can’t get in on speed, maybe he should retire. Sorry. That’s my opinion as a core NASCAR fan.
Personally, I will watch everything that is televised. And when I go to a track, I get there on Wednesday night so I can see everything that is going on on the track. Have the commercials during the caution, not when something is about to happen. If you want to be as popular as the NFL, don’t give us a playoff, have the commercials when nothing is going on, instead of during a play. I will continue to watch NASCAR, but Brian is ruining my beloved NASCAR. It wasn’t broken. Why did he feel he had to fix it?  Not only did he not get the football fans, but he chased away the NASCAR fans. Of course that’s just my opinion.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley, a core NASCAR Fan

Visit my site  http://www.ilovemynascar.com