NASCAR’s Top 12

This is the third in the series NASCAR’s top 12. Finishing tenth in points in 2008 was Kyle Busch. Kyle roared through 2008 in his new ride with Joe Gibbs Racing #18. In fact, he was pretty much unstoppable throughout NASCAR’s top three series’. He had six wins in the craftsman Truck series driving for Billy Baloue. (Sorry I’m not sure how to spell that.) He had a record-tying 10 wins in the Nationwide series, driving JGR cars #20 and #18, and Braun racing’s #32. And in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series he had 8 wins, and was seeded first in the Chase.

Now here is where my opinion comes into play. The kid obviously has tallent. However, he doesn’t know how to loose. He has no problem knocking someone out of the way to win, as when he took out Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for the win at Richmond. But he’s still a baby when anyone does the same to him. He stomps off and refuses to be interviewed. In 2007, with Hendrick, he crashed out almost as much as he won. Maybe that is why Hendrick did not renew his contract and replaced him with Jr.

And he is full of himself. The crowd boos him and he likes it! In my opinion, the crowd should not boo and let the silence be deffening. In a race in 2007, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. crashed into the infield. He got  out of the car and bowed to the crowd to let them know he was ok. Kyle Busch took that bow and made it his own. Cocky is another word that comes to mind.

All of Kyle’s wins came in the regular season. So he was seeded first at the start of the Chase. I’m not normally a fan of the Chase, but in 2008, I was glad there was a chase. Kyle doesn’t do well in the last ten races. And 2008 was no exception. He quickly went to the cellar and finished the season in tenth place. He was never a factor for the Championship. The media loved him, but the fans didn’t. He’s still young, so maybe in 2009 he will learn from his mistakes. I believe Lady Luck has a lot to do with racing. And in the end she took everything back. Tenth place got him to the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. But his antics kept him from being a contender for the Championship. And isn’t that what the season is all about?

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Race Review

Ford 400

Homestead-Miami Speedway

Welcome race fans to the 36th and final race of the season and the 10th and final race of the Chase. I didn’t get to catch qualifying on Friday, but 44 David Reutimann claimed the pole with a speed of 171.636. 83 Scott Speed was second. 84 Brian Vickers and 83 Speed traded cars for this race so Vickers could get the 84 into the race and, hopefully into the top 35. 09 is Sterling Marlin. 45 is Chad McCumbee from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. 25 is Brad Keselowski, from the NASCAR Nationwide Series. 70 is again Tony Raines. 8 is Aric Almirola. (3)47 is Marcos Ambrose, also from NNS. He got in on Owner Points. Let’s see if he can keep the car there for Daytona. 10 is again AJ Allmendinger. The Points Leader 48 Jimmy Johnson starts 30th. 99 Carl Edwards, the only Title contender left will start 4th. 96 Ken Schrader, (2)13 Max Papis and 77 Sam Hornish, Jr. failed to qualify. 267 laps around this 1.5 mile track is 400 miles. The 2010 hybrid Ford Fusion is the Pace car. There will be a battle for 10th place and a spot in New York City, as there are only eleven points separating 8th – 11th. There is also the battle to end up in the top 35 in Owner Points to start next year.
So, here we go! 17 Matt Kenseth jumps to second. 44 leads from the pole. 44 and 17 battle for the lead. 17 takes the lead. 99 gets by 44 for second. 29 Kevin Harvick battles 44 for third. 29 takes the spot. 99 catches 17. 99 can’t get by 17 for the lead. 48 is up to 20th from starting 30th. 99 finally takes the lead during the commercial, and gave it back to 17 after leading three laps. 99 takes the lead. 29 gets by 17 for second. 48 battles 41 Reed Sorenson for seventeenth. 48 gets by. This is the last race for Tony Stewart in the 20. He will have his own Team next year. 11 Denny Hamlin gets by 18 Kyle Busch for thirteenth. 41 gets back by 48. Green Flag Pitting begins with 7 Robby Gordon, 48 and 2 Kurt Busch. 29 takes the lead when 99 pits. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has trouble in the pits. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya leads when 29 pits. 16 Greg Biffle was too fast entering pit road and 2 also. 17 can’t see his pit and has to back up. 99 is back in the lead after the pitting.
17 and 1 Martin Truex, Jr. battle for sixth. 5 Casey Mears and 20 battle for eighth. The first caution comes out on lap 70 for 8 spinning across the track. The sun setting is making it really hard to see. (Isn’t it great to start these races so late that the sun is a factor?) 16 is the first car a lap down. 16 gets ahead of leader 99 to get his lap back. 07 Clint Bowyer took two tires to come out third. 99 puts 16 back a lap down. 88 gets by 42. 88 gets by 48 for eighth. 48 gets by 17 for eleventh. Green Flag Pitting begins again with 20 and 18. 99 finally pits. 70 got into the grass trying to get to pit road. 84 was too fast getting into the pits. 48 is up to ninth.
The second caution comes out on lap 140 for debris. 21 Bill Elliott is the Lucky Dog. Twenty-one cars are on the lead lap. 99 takes two tires and is out first. 88 stalls in the pits. He thought they would take four tires, and wasn’t ready after taking just two. 26 Jamie McMurray gets by 6 David Ragan for third. 2 has a tire rub. The second caution comes out when 2 gets a flat and gets into the wall so he wouldn’t go down the track. He heads for the pits. He was in too early, while the pits were closed, he was too fast entering the pits, he was too fast exiting the pits and he had a cone violation! Four violations in one pit stop! 6 and 18 battle for fourth. 41 and 15 Paul Menard get together. 47, 42 and 44 are three-wide. 42 and 44 battle for position. 20 gets back by 29 for sixth.
The third caution comes out when 47 gets into the wall. 41 was up on top and 47 didn’t know he was there. 41 got into 47 and pushed him into the wall. 16 Greg Biffle is the Lucky Dog. 47 is the only car not on the track. 24 Jeff Gordon stays out to lead. 17 and 44 take two tires to come out second and third. The fourth caution comes out with 89 laps to go. 78 Joe Nemechek hung a left into 31 Jeff Burton, who spins out. 66 Scott Riggs is the Lucky Dog. 48 pits because he didn’t like the last set of tires. He changed the tires in 12.8 seconds! Back to Green, they are three and four wide all over the track. 17 and 24 battle for the lead. 17 takes the lead.
48 gets by 1 for fourteenth. 11 and 24 battle for second. 11 gets by 24. 11 and 24 battle for second. 24 keeps second. 99 catches up with 24 and 11. The fifth caution comes out during the commercial. 41 got into the wall. 48 comes out of the pits leading. 17 and 48 battle for the lead. 2 gets into the wall again and again. The sixth caution comes out for debris from 2. 24 and 29 pit for fuel only. 2 had too many over the wall and gets another pit road penalty. We go Green with 56 to go. 47 is back on the track. 42 gets by 07. 2 heads for the garage. Forty-two cars are on the track. 6 and 44 battle for tenth. 6 gets by. 99 gets by 48 for third. 11 and 99 battle for second. 20 gets by 48 and 99. 11 and 20 battle for second. 20 is catching 17, leading. 20 takes the lead. 88 is pitting. He can’t drive the car. 44 pits for two tires. 88 comes back into the pits. Something is wrong with the car. 16 pits for two tires and fuel. 88 has a broken caliper and goes to the garage. 42 pits from sixth for two tires and fuel. 48 pits for two tires and fuel. 20 and 11 pit for fuel only. 17 is back in the lead. 17 runs out of fuel. 99 runs out of fuel as he crosses the Finish line to win the Ford 400. He won’t have fuel to do a burn out, but he does his back flip. 48 Jimmy Johnson wins the Championship by 69 points over 99 Carl Edwards. He becomes only the second driver to get three in a row. Cale Yarborough accomplished the fete ‘76, ‘77 and ‘78. Jimmy Johnson does it ‘06, ‘07 and ‘08. It took thirty years for someone to do that again.

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Race Review

Dickies 500

Texas Motor Speedway

Ft. Worth, Texas

Welcome race fans to the thirty-fourth race of the season and the eighth race of the Chase. We finally had qualifying on Friday, and 24 Jeff Gordon starts from the pole with a speed of 188.469. This is his first pole at this track. 1 Martin Truex, Jr. starts from the outside pole. 47 is Marcos Ambrose from the NASCAR Nationwide Series driving again the car he will be in next year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. 96 is again Ken Schrader. 84 is Scott Speed again and for the rest of the season and next year. 10 is again AJ Allmendinger. 25 is Brad Keselowski also from the NASCAR Nationwide Series in a fifth Hendrick car. 21 is again Bill Elliott, who got in on speed and will not have to start last. (2)02 is Joey Logano in a fourth Joe Gibbs car. 20 Tony Stewart and 02 have reverse Home Depot paint schemes. Joey will be a Rookie in the 20 car next year.
Those that failed to qualify were: 40 Bryan Clauson, who finally got to qualify in the Guitar World Tour/Target car, 70 Tony Raines in the iQ Drive car, 45 Chad McCumbee from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the Richard Petty Driving Experience car, (2)13 Max Papis in the Geico Toyota and 08 Johnny Sauter in the FUBAR All Natural Drink Dodge. The Texas Christian University band does a wonderful job with the National Anthem. 20 and 7 Robby Gordon are in back up cars and will start from the rear. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the in car reporter. There will be 334 laps for 500 miles.
So, here we go. 24 leads from the pole. 17 Matt Kenseth gets by 26 Jamie McMurray. 88 gets by 17 and 1. 25 scrapes the wall. 26 and 48 Jimmy Johnson battle. 07 Clint Bowyer takes the lead during the commercial. 88 gets by 24. 99 Carl Edwards and 26 battle. 26 lets 99 by and they both continue to race. 26 gets by 24. 02 is a lap down in 43rd. 26 gets by 88. 16 Greg Biffle and 42 Juan Pablo Montoya get by 48. 7 pits on lap 49 starting the first set of Green Flag Pitting. 44 David Reutimann takes the lead. 88 takes the lead, then pits. 07 is back in the lead after the pitting. 99 takes the lead.
The first caution comes out when 41 Reed Sorenson blows up on lap 57. 25 Brad Keselowski is the Lucky Dog. There are twenty-nine cars on the lead lap. The top eleven stay out. 88 had a loose wheel and needed the caution. Others follow him down pit road. 26 flies by 07. 48 is struggling for grip and is falling back. 96 in 36th battles 48 in 25th. 99 is ahead of 26 in second by 4.73 seconds. 99 puts 48 a lap down. 7 gets into the wall. 88 gets by 31 Jeff Burton. 18 Kyle Busch short pits. 8 follows and Green Flag pitting begins again. 44 leads when 99 pits. 83 Brian Vickers leads when 44 pits. 19 Elliott Sadler gets Black Flagged for a run away tire. When all stops are complete, 99 is back in the lead. There are twenty-three cars on the lead lap. 1 and 83 battle for ninth. 83 gets by. 48 gets by 01 Regan Smith.
99 having trouble lapping 2 Kurt Busch. 99 battles with 20 to put 20 a lap down, but finally gets by. The second caution is for debris. 20 Tony Stewart is the Lucky Dog. 2 and 10 get ahead of the leader, 99. 25, 38 David Gilliland and 48 are three wide. 25 gets loose and scrapes the wall. 16 and 26 battle for second. 99 puts 2 back a lap down. 31 and 8 Mark Martin battle. 8 finally gets by 31 for 15th. 83 pits and looses a lap. 6 David Ragan and 17 battle. 77 Sam Hornish, Jr. starts Green Flag pitting again on lap 199. 44 and 26 battle for third. 44 gets by 26. 16 misses pit road and has to come around again to pit. 17 gets by 6. 99 is ahead of second place by over 6 seconds. 31 races 99 to stay on the lead lap. 31 goes a lap down. 41 gets by 02 for 42nd.
The third caution comes out with 94 to go for debris. 31 Jeff Burton is the Lucky Dog. There are thirteen cars on the lead lap. 9 Kasey Kahne jumps ahead of leader 99 at the restart. You can’t do that before the line from the inside. Passing must be done from the outside. 44 and 18 battle for second. The fourth caution comes out with 88 to go when 28 Travis Kvapil spins. 25, 28 and 19 got together and spun 28. 8 Mark Martin is the Lucky Dog. There are fifteen cars on the lead lap. 88 stayed ahead of the leader and stays on the lead lap. 20 gets loose and his splitter hits the track.
The fifth caution comes out during the commercial. 42 and 38 get together several times and 38 smashes 42 into the wall. 38 and his Crew Chief get invited to the NASCAR Trailer. NASCAR is holding 38 five laps for rough driving. 2 is down a couple of cylinders. NASCAR parks 38. 6 and 17 battle for eighth. 26 took two tires and is leading. 99 gets by 1 for fourth. 10 hits the commitment cone starting Green Flag Pitting with about twenty laps to go. 16 takes the lead when 26 pits. 99 leads when 16 pits. 99, 24, 88 are one, two and three, all watching their fuel gages. 88 runs out of fuel and has to pit, and can’t get it fired up.
99 is so far ahead of second place 24 that he can coast to the finish line and many cars pass him by to get their laps back. 99 Carl Edwards wins the Dickies 500 on fuel mileage. The top twelve cars are on the lead lap. 99, 24, 26, 07, 16, 18, 29, 1, 17, 44, 6 and 8.
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Race Review

AMP Energy 500

Talladega Super Speedway

Talladega, Alabama

Welcome race fans to the 30th race of the season and the fourth race of the Chase. Talladega is the longest and fastest track on the circuit. And because it is so fast, NASCAR mandates restrictor plates on the cars to reduce power. They do this at Daytona also. 28 Travis Kvapil is on the pole with a speed of 187.364. 5 Casey Mears will start on the outside of the front row. 8 today is Aric Almirola. I guess Mark Martin didn’t want to get involved in a probable mess. 33 is Mike Wallace in the new RCR (Richard Childress Racing) car that will race full time next year. 70 is again Tony Raines. 00 is Kenny Wallace from the NASCAR Nationwide Series, trying to get that car back into the top 35 in Owner Points. 09 is veteran Sterling Marlin, who has won at Talladega. 84 is Mike Skinner from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Toyota Headquarters has said good-bye to AJ Almendinger. (I hope he gets a ride for next year. He got himself into the top 35.) 45 is past Champion Terry Labonte, who got in on speed. 21 is Jon Wood in the family car. 38 David Gilliland qualified in a back up car with no practice. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. blew a tire in practice and will start from the rear.96 is Ken Schrader, maybe for the rest of the season. 77 Sam Hornish, Jr. and 10 Patrick Carpentier failed to qualify. Casey Mears’ girlfriend is about to have their first baby, so Brad Keselowski is standing by in case she goes into labor.
So here we go! 28 leads from the pole. 5 drops from second to thirty-fourth. 48 Jimmy Johnson looses the draft. 99 Carl Edwards takes the lead. 83 Brian Vickers takes the lead. 8 takes the lead. 6 David Ragan and 8 battle for the lead. 6 takes the lead during the commercial, then drops down to the inside. David started in the rear after changing the engine. 24 Jeff Gordon leads the second pack of cars. 96 is pushing 48 . 88  takes the lead after starting from the rear. 7 Robby Gordon is ahead of the pack, about to go a lap down. The first caution comes out for debris.70 pits while pit road is closed. 7 Robby Gordon is the lucky Dog and gets his lap back.28 has a slow stop. 99 stays out to lead. 24 leads out of the pits. 99 pits after everyone leaves the pits. 6 got spun coming out of the pits. 96 is too fast out of the pits. 00 is held for excessive speed into the pits. He just didn’t slow down at all. So NASCAR holds him for a lap. 43 Bobby Labonte is also too fast.
31 Jeff Burton takes the lead with 48 pushing him. 17 Matt Kenseth takes the lead. 48 is leading the bottom line. 83 Brian Vickers takes the lead after pushing 48. The second caution is again for debris. Jimmy Johnson is the Lucky Dog. There are forty cars on the lead lap, so there is a quicky yellow so all forty-three cars can pit. 00 stays out to lead. 19 Elliott Sadler comes out first from the pits to lead. 22 Dave Blaney is having electrical issues. 18 takes the lead with 11 Denny Hamlin pushing him. 2 Kurt Busch takes the lead. 19 falls back to 30th. The third caution comes out on lap 54 when 44 David Reutimann blows a tire and slides into 24, who spins into the wall into 21 who had nowhere to go. Part of the tire hits the hood of 48 and breaks the splitter. 2 is in the pits with the hood up. 99 pitted early and will start at the end of the longest line. 83 Brian Vickers is the race leader when they go green.
11 pushes 43 , then drops down to lead. 2 goes to the garage. 12 Ryan Newman broke something and is out of the race. 41 Reed Sorenson takes the lead. The pack is three wide. 1 Martin Truex, Jr. takes the lead. 26 Jamie McMurray takes the lead. The fourth caution comes out during the commercial when 83 blows a tire on lap 69. Many are involved. 38, 45, 70, 9 Kasey Kahne, 28, 84, 43, 8, and 26. There is a Red Flag for clean-up. 31, 42 Juan Pablo Montoya, 29 Kevin Harvick get by. 99 is so far behind, he has time to slow down. The Red Flag lasts seventeen minutes. 88 took the lead before the caution and takes two tires to stay in the lead. All the twelve Chase cars got by. 55 Michael Waltrip had a commitment cone violation. 42 takes the lead, then gets shuffled out. 6 forces 42 below the yellow line, so he can’t improve his position. 48 takes the lead. 20 Tony Stewart takes the lead with help from 33.
The fifth caution comes out on lap 81 when 33 blows a tire, which lands on 55. They go Green on lap 87. 24 is back out onto the track with a new front end. 11 takes the lead. 17 takes the lead. 11 takes the lead. The sixth caution comes out when 11 blows a tire on lap 99. 11 went all the way up the track to get into the wall. 66 Scott Riggs leads out of the pits. 15 Paul Menard goes high to lead. 96 Ken Schrader was the Lucky Dog. 88 pushes 42. 20 takes the lead. 41 and 07 Clint Bowyer get ahead of 42. 6 gets ahead of 07. Hamlin  is alert and awake, and is transported to the local hospital. 15 takes the lead with help from 8. 42 pushes 20 into the lead. 44 goes to the pits. 17 pushes 31 into the lead.
29 takes the lead. 07 gets stuck on the top.  The seventh caution comes out with 49 to go, when 24 blows up. 45 Terry Labonte is the Lucky Dog. 99 spins himself out leaving the pits! They go Green with 44 to go. 99 pushes 17. 88 takes the lead during the commercial. 88 pushes 07. 07 gets into 18. 31 takes the lead. 88 challenges for the lead with no help. They are four-wide in the back of the field. 88 pushes 6 to the front to lead. 88 takes the lead with 42 pushing him, then goes down in front of 31. 42 pushes 55 into the lead. The eighth caution comes out when 29 spins into the infield. 18 and 55 take two tires to come out of the pits first and second. 48 had to back up to get out of his pit stall. The top twelve stay out. 42 leads. Twenty-seven cars are on the lead lap. 29 had too many men over the wall. He will have to start at the end of the lead lap. They go Green with 19 to go.
The first seven cars break away from the pack. They are four-wide behind them. 20 is leading the top line and challenges for the lead. 88 pushes 22 up the middle. The ninth caution comes out with fifteen to go. 99 gets into 16 Greg Biffle (team mates) to start it. 99 pushes 16 in the corner to spin him into 17 (another team mate) and back into 99 and 88. 29 got into 55. Others involved were 28, 22, 41, 42 and 18. 6, 48, 31 and 07 get by. And another Red Flag comes out for clean up. They restart with ten to go and 20 in the lead. The tenth caution comes out with four to go. 26 cut a tire. 5 had to pit for fuel. They go green with two to go. 19 pulls out, but no one goes with him. 01 Regan Smith tries to take the lead, but 20 blocks. 20 forces 01 below the yellow line, knowing 01 can’t better his position from below the yellow line.
20 Tony Stewart wins the race instead of 01 Regan Smith. NACAR puts 01 at the end of the lead lap, in eighteenth. Twenty-eight different cars led. And there were sixty-some lead changes. The fans got their money’s worth at this race.
Here’s the top twelve in points in the Chase:

1. 48 Jimmy Johnson  5714

2. 99 Carl Edwards         -68

3. 16 Greg Biffle              -73

4. 31 Jeff Burton            -100

5. 07 Clint Bowyer         -153    up 2

6. 29 Kevin Harvick       -167       – 1

7. 20 Tony Stewart        -199    up 4

8. 24 Jeff Gordon          -228        -2

9. 17 Matt Kenseth       -241

10. 88 Dale Earnhad, Jr. -245       -2

11. 18 Kyle Busch          -330     up 1

12. 11 Denny Hamlin    -331        -1
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Race Review

Sharpie 500

Bristol Motor Speedway, TN

Welcome, race fans to the twenty-fourth race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. This week is the bull ring in Bristol, TN. The .533 mile, high banked track is “racing the way it ought to be”. It’s a Saturday night race, with loads of excitement. 21 is Bill Elliott, who got in on speed. 96 is Ken Schrader. 70 is Tony Raines. 8 is Aric Almirola. 09 is sterling Marlin. Kyle Petty is back in the #45. 00 is Mike Skinner from the Craftsman Truck series to evaluate the 00 car. 34 Jeff Green, 10 Patrick Carpentier and 08 Johnny Sauter failed to qualify. 6 David Ragan crashed in qualifying and will be in a back up car and starting from the rear. 500 laps comes out to 266.5 miles. 99 Carl Edwards is the in-car reporter, and starts from the pole. 44 David Reutimann starts second.
So, here we go! 99 leads from the pole. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. passes three cars before reaching the Start/Finish line. You can only pass on the high side before the Start/Finish Line on a restart. At the start of the race, you must reach the Line before passing. So, Jr. will serve a pass through penalty, which puts him three laps down.  84 A. J. Allmendinger and 21 are holding up points leader 18 Kyle Busch. 48 Jimmy Johnson gets into the wall, much like he did in the Craftsman Truck race here on Wednesday. He pits to repair the damage. There is no caution, and he goes seven laps down. The splitter is touching when he comes back out, so he has to go back into the pits. 48 is now thirteen laps down.
42 Juan Pablo Montoya doesn’t want to be lapped and won’t let leader 99 get by him. While 99 is racing 42, 24 Jeff Gordon takes the lead. 24 can’t get by 42 and 99 takes the lead back. 18 Kyle Busch goes low and gets by 24 and 99 for the lead and gets by 42. 99 backs off and 24 takes second. 24 can’t get by 42. 42 is now holding up 24, 99, 01 Regan Smith, 44  and 12 Ryan Newman. The first caution comes out when 1 Martin Truex, Jr. and 84 get together. 1 had a tire going down and got into 84 who was on the top of the track. They both get into the wall. Everyone pits, and the top ten coming out of the pits are: 18, 99, 24, 12, 29 Kevin Harvick, 31 Jeff Burton, 9 Kasey Kahne, 44, 01, and 07 Clint Bowyer. 19 Elliott Sadler slides into his pit stall and has to back up and straighten out to change the left sides.
09 Sterling Marlin, 88 and 11 Denny Hamlin are three wide. 07 taps 88. 88 taps 07. 19 heads into the pits with a loose seat belt. (How does that happen?) 18 battles 28 Travis Kvapil, trying to put him a lap down. 9 and 20 Tony Stewart battle for sixth. The second caution comes out when 20 gets into 09 when 77 Sam Hornish, Jr. doesn’t clear 09. 31 slows up, but 78 Joe Nemecheck doesn’t and plows 31 into 09. 2 Kurt Busch may have been the Lucky Dog, but the announcers didn’t say.
The third caution comes out and is turned into a Red Flag, with 9 on fire. 55 Michael Waltrip and 5 Casey Mears get together when 5 doesn’t clear 55, but moves up in front of him. (The spotter’s fault.) 5 gets into 07. 9, 7 Robby Gordon, and 77 get into it. 41 Reed Sorenson can’t get by. 44 gets into 21. 96 slowly goes high and gets around it all. 2  goes on the apron to get by. 17 Matt Kenseth is the Lucky Dog. 31 is out of the race. 11 cuts off 24. 20 taps 24.
The fourth caution comes out when 22 spins hard into the wall. 15 Paul Menard is the Lucky Dog. 6 gets by 2. The fifth caution is for debris from 44. Out of the pits, it’s 18, 99, 24, 11 and 29. 99 catches 18. 99 and 18 battle for the lead. The sixth caution comes out on lap 364. The top 8 stay out, but 9th through 15th pit. Note: in March, 1973 Cale Yarborough led all 500 laps at Bristol! The seventh caution comes out with 49 to go, for debris, when 8 got loose and into the wall. So the caution was not because 8 got into the wall, but because he left debris on the track when he did it!
They go Green with 42 to go. The eighth caution is also for debris. A patch flies off 2 who is the first car a lap down. Does he get the Lucky Dog? They never say. 2 pits. 99 bumps 18 to take the lead lap 470. 11 and 18 battle for second. 11 gets by 18 for second. 11 and 18 battle again. 18 takes second from 11. It looks like 99 made better adjustments during that pit stop. 07 and 20 battle for seventh. 07 takes the spot. 99 Carl Edwards wins for the sixth time this year. After the Checkers, Kyle Busch gets into Carl Edwards. To show he didn’t like being nudged. Carl turns Kyle. And Kyle will go to the Trailer after the race.

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