Race Review: Lenox Industrial Tools 301

Welcome race fans to the seventeenth NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season. The race takes place at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Lauden, New Hampshire. This track is affectionately known as the “Magic Mile”. It’s a flat track, just over a mile long. There has been rain all weekend, so there was little time to practice. Qualifying got rained out on Friday, so they will line up according to owner points. Putting 14 Tony Stewart and 24 Jeff Gordon the front row. Tony crashed his car in practice, but changed the engine in his back-up car before what would have been qualifying, so he keeps his pole position. 09 is Brad Keselowski. He won in Talladega in this car. 36 is Patrick Carpentier. He sat on the pole last year in NH. 37 is Tony Raines. 78 is Regan Smith. He has made every race he has entered. And has finished them all. 51 Dexter Bean and local favorite, 27 Ted Christopher didn’t have the owner points or attempts, so they will go home.

47 Marcos Ambrose is not feeling well. Since there was rain over night, there will be a competition caution on lap 35 so they can check the tires. If there is a caution prior to that competition caution, they can change tires and make adjustments, but they cannot take fuel.

So, here we go! 24 and 2 Kurt Busch take off on the outside. 24 leads the first lap. 2 tries to get by 24 for the lead, but can’t get by. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya gets by 18 Kyle Busch for ninth. 2 finally takes the lead after many laps trying to get by. 24 and 16 battle for second. 14 slides back to seventh from the pole position. 99 Carl Edwards is having trouble getting by 39 Ryan Newman for fifth.

The first caution comes out during the commercial when 36 gets into the wall. It was something mechanical. 14 pits for adjustments, but cannot take fuel. 55 Michael Waltrip was too fast. 2 is leading and chooses to restart on the inside. They are double-file all the way around, with no clear leader running away.

The second caution comes out when 29 Kevin Harvick slides up and into 26 Jamie McMurray, putting him into the wall. 11 Denny Hamlin pits. 24 was leading when the caution came out, and he picks the inside to restart. They move the competition caution up to lap 45, since there weren’t enough laps raced under Green to decide what the tires are doing. 16 Greg Biffle and 24 battle for the lead. 16 gets loose.

The third caution comes out when 44 AJ Allmendinger spins around and doesn’t get going again. 26 Jamie McMurray is the Lucky Dog and gets his lap back. 66 Dave Blaney goes to the garage. 2 takes the lead. 18 and 48 Jimmy Johnson battle for fourth. 18 is smoking his brakes. 16 drives by 18. 42 and 48 battle.

The fourth caution is the competition caution and everyone can take fuel.18 couldn’t get out of his pit without hitting the car in front of him. 24 is out of the pits first, followed by 48 and 16. 24 has to take the outside, since 71 David Gilliland is on the inside and will pit when the Green Flag is about to fly. This lets 48 take the lead from the inside. 5 Mark Martin and 18 battle. 16 gets into the wall. 37 and 26 go to the garage. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and 16 battle.

The fifth caution comes out during the commercial. 19 Elliott Sadler gets loose and gets into 82 Scott Speed. 82 spins 55 Michael Waltrip and they collect 7 Robby Gordon. 48 chooses the inside for the restart. 24 and 18 battle for second. 14 and 2 battle. 14 and 18 battle for third. 14 pulls ahead of 18. 12 David Stremme gets loose. 48 is in ugly traffic, with everyone battling each other and trying to stay ahead of the leader.

1 Martin Truex, Jr. starts Green Flag Pitting. 42 leads when 48 pits. 9 Kasey Kahne drives by 42 to get his lap back. 88 and 5 get by 42. 42 finally pits when everyone was getting by him to get their laps back. 11 leads when 42 pits. 43 Reed Sorenson leads when 11 pits. 7  leads when 43 pits, then pits himself.  When everyone has pitted, 48 is back in the lead.  48  is trying to lap 20 Joey Logano and 24 catches  the leader, 48. 5 and 18 battle for seventh. 5 gets by. 31 Jeff Burton and 18 battle for eighth.

The sixth caution comes our for debris. 2 and 24 come out of the pits neck-and-neck, but 24 was a few inches in front. The cars ahead of the leader get the wave around and they race back to the end of the field. 24 elects to Restart on the outside this time. 48 makes it three-wide for the lead with 24 and 2. 24 stays in the lead. 2 and 24 battle for the lead. 88 and 2 battle for second. 48 gets loose and falls to sixth.

The seventh caution comes out during the commercial. 98 Paul Menard gets the brakes locked up and drives into the wall. 24 Restarts on the outside. The eighth caution comes out at the Restart. 1 gets into 88, 18 gets into 1 from behind 1, sending him spinning. And then into 31 with everyone spinning. 18 thought he had a hole and took it, like he always does, but the hole wasn’t there. Involved were: 1, 29 Kevin Harvick, 31, 07 Casey Mears, 83 Brian Vickers, 00 David Reutimann, 6David Ragan, 26. There is a Red Flag for clean-up.

24 Restarts on the outside. 39 gets into the wall. 2 and 24 battle for the lead. 20 gets into 39 and 00 and cuts a tire and brings out the ninth caution. 11 gets by 18 for ninth. 2 slides up the track and falls back. 14 and 24 battle for the lead. The tenth caution comes out when 82 Scott Speed gets into the wall. He says “I’m not gonna lie, that hurt”. 20 Joey Logano is the Lucky Dog. 2 gets into 48 and many get by both of them.

14 takes the lead. 88 and 9 battle. 88 gets by. 48 and 9 battle. 48 gets by. 48 gets around 88 for eighth. 99 thinks he may have a loose wheel and pits. 48 gets by 5 for seventh. 18 pits to start Green Flag Pitting again. 5 stays out and leads.16 leads when 5 pits. 96 Bobby Labonte leads when 16 pits. 31 is back out in a “modified” car. 14 slides into 18 and gets by for eleventh. 39 leads when 96 pits. 24 gets by 00 for fourth. 55 pits. 39 is out of fuel and pits. 20 takes the lead when 39 ran out of gas. 39 has trouble getting the car fired up again.

The eleventh caution comes out for rain. The race is Red Flagged on lap 273 of 301.  It pours and 20 Joey Logano wins his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race by being out in front when the rain came. He isn’t the first to win his first race here with the rain shortening the race. Jeff Burton is the only driver to lead all 300 laps here.

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Race Review: Texas Motor Spedway

Welcome race fans to the seventh race of 2009, taking place at Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth, Texas. This is a fast 1.5 mile speedway. Qualifying took place on friday and 00 David Reutimann claimed the pole with a speed of 190.517. 24 Jeff Gordon will start second. Jeff has not won a race in only two tracks. Texas and Miami-Homestead. This is his seventeenth try today.

Today 09 is Mike Bliss from the NASCAR Nationwide series. 78 is last year’s Rookie of the year, Regan Smith. He is in a part time team, so has to qualify on time for all the races he is entered into. In 46 Cup races, he has not a single DNF (Did Not Finish). He finished every single race he has entered. Pretty good, if you ask me. Also in on speed is 21 Bill Elliott, who is also racing only part time. He didn’t need his Champion provisional. 13 is Max Papis, in his second oval race. 25 is Brad Keselowski, also from the Nationwide series. He finished third in the Nationwide race on Saturday after starting 42nd in a back-up car because he crashed in qualifying.

Those failing to qualify are: 87 Joe Nemechek, 41 Jeremy Mayfield, 64 Todd Bodine (from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) and 36 Scott Riggs.

So, here we go! 24 and 00 are side by side all the way around the track, with 24 J. Gordon finally taking the lead and running away. 7 Robby Gordon slides up the track. 2 Kurt Busch and 7 get together. 99 Carl Edwards and 16 Greg Biffle battle. The announcers declare “16 is on the move” as he is up to thirteenth from starting fourteenth! 00 and 24 battle for the lead. 00 takes the lead. 17 Matt Kenseth gets by 24 for second.

24 is extremely loose. 16 gets by 48 Jimmy Johnson. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya gets by 48. 11 Denny Hamlin gets by 29 Kevin Harvick, who is loose. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. gets by 48 for twelfth. 17 and 00 battle for the lead. 17 Kenseth takes the lead. 47  Rookie Marcos Ambrose gets by 24 for sixth. 42 pits, along with 17 to start Green Flag Pitting on lap 51. 14 Tony Stewart and 18 Kyle Busch lead and then pit. 5 Mark Martin is the last to lead and pit. Lap 54 finds 17 back in the lead. 14 and 00 battle for second. 14 is catching 17. 00 and 16 battle for third. 29 has an “evil” car.

14 Stewart takes the lead during the commercial. 18, 9 Kasey Kahne and 31 Jeff Burton battle for eleventh. 9 takes eleventh. 31 and 11 Denny Hamlin get by 18. The first caution comes out on lap 97 for debris. 44 AJ Allmendinger is the Lucky Dog and gets his lap back, making it 24 cars on the lead lap. The top ten out of the pits are: 17, 16, 14, 00, 99, 6 David Ragan, 24, 98 Paul Menard, 47 and 31. 18 Kyle Busch had a lug nut hung up on a wheel. He is in 20th for the green.

9 gets by 48. 34 John Andretti and 18 tangle. Andretti didn’t want Kyle to get by and Kyle didn’t like that. So 18 gets into 34 and cuts his tire. He has to pit under green and speeds out of the pits, thus loosing two laps. 2 and 88 battle for thirteenth. 16 Biffle takes the lead during the commercial. 2 gets by 20 Rookie Joey Logano. 26 Jamie McMurray and 88 battle. 88 drives by Team Mate 5 for 14th. 24 and 00 battle for fourth. 24 gets by. 5 gets back by 88. 17 pits to start Green Flag Pitting, once again. 24 leads. 29 was too fast entering the pits and 18 was too fast exiting. 2 leads and 5 leads.

The second caution comes out when 19 Elliott Sadler gets loose and slides into the infield grass. 26 goes to the garage. 00 went over the front pit line. The Officials point this out, but they service the car anyway. He will get a drive-through penalty and loose a lap. The throttle is sticking on the 47 of Ambrose. 48 pitted three times to make corrections.

They go Green on lap 162. 55 Michael Waltrip wasn’t in line and slowed to get behind 21 Elliott. 1 Martin Truex, Jr. gets into 96 Bobby Labonte, who gets into 55. 6 Ragan and 44 Allmendinger battle for position. 16 Biffle is leading. 48 is up eight spots to eighth. 43 Reed Sorenson goes to the garage with fuel pressure issues. 14 gets by 17. 47 has carborator issues.  1, 17 and 55 pit to start Green flag Pitting again. 6 and 2 battle for fourth. 14 Stewart takes the lead. 44 is stalled on pit road. 24 leads, then pits. 88 and 5 lead and pit. 48 and 98 lead, then pit. 16 is back in the lead after all the pitting.

The third caution comes out during the commercial. 47 Ambrose lost the engine. 88 had a missing lug nut, comes back in to put it back on, misses his stall, and has to come back in. 24 and 5 stay out. 17 is first out of the pits. 99 and 14 get loose. 18 is trying to catch 24 to get a lap back. 20 gets into the wall.

The fourth caution comes out when 77 Hornish, Jr. and 33 Bowyer battle. 77 spins and 96 gets into the wall trying to avoid 77. 17 got by 5. 26 changed the transmission and is back on the track 79 laps down. 6 and 2 battle for position. 16 gets by 14 for fourth.

The fifth caution comes out during the commercial. 7 Robby Gordon blows up. 00 David Reutimann is the Lucky Dog and is now on the lead lap. 17 looses a lug nut and looses spots out of the pits. 88 Earnhardt, Jr. leads out of the pits by taking only two tires. They go Green with 76 to go. 24 takes the lead. 88 gets loose. 88 and 48 battle again. 17 gets by 83 Brian Vickers for thirteenth. 16 and 88 battle. 12 David stremme and 17 battle for twelfth. 6 is on pit road, overheating. His grill was covered with trash. 88 and 16 battle. 88 gets into the wall and has to make a Green Flag pit stop.

99 and 24 battle for the lead. And here comes 14 into the mix. 99 takes the lead when 20 gets in the way. 6 goes to the garage. 14 and 24 battle for second. 17 gets by 12 for tenth. 77 gets into the concrete wall. 12 gets  into the wall.

The sixth caution comes out when 12 gets into the wall, flattens a tire and then spins. 39 Ryan Newman is the Lucky Dog. The right tire changer for 99 is slow and he looses spots. 24 leads out of the pits. They go Green with 26 to go. It’s four-wide in turn three! 14 and 48 battle for second. 48 gets by. 17 and 16 battle around 88 for fourth. 17 finally gets by. 17 and 16 battle again. This time 16 gets by. 9 almost gets into the wall. 48 is catching 24 with four to go. 16 gets by 14 for third.

And 24 Jeff Gordon wins the Samsung 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway. This is his 82nd career win. And his first at Texas in seventeen tries. It also breaks his 47 race loosing streak. And secures himself in the top of the standings, 162 points ahead of 48 Jimmy Johnson. Hendrick Motor Sports is one and two in the race as well as in the Standings.

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Race Review: Food City 500

Welcome race fans to the fifth race of the season. The Food City 500 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor speedway. Also known as Thunder Valley and “The fastest half mile in the world”. #5 Mark Martin starts from the pole with a speed of 125.773 and #39 Ryan Newman starts second. 66 is again Dave Blaney. 71 again is David Gilliland. 64 is Todd Bodine from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. 87 is Joe Nemechek in his own car. 09 is veteran Sterling Marlin. Two teams failed to qualify. 36 Scott Riggs and 41 Jeremy Mayfield. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had to change the transmission and will start from the rear. 11 Denny Hamlin is the in-car reporter.

So, here we go! 5 Martin leads from the pole. A few laps later 39 Newman takes the lead. 48 Jimmy Johnson gets by 5 for second. The first caution comes out during the commercial. 34 John Andretti looses it in the corner and spins, ending up in the pit barriers. 48 Johnson stays out to lead.

The second caution comes out when 34 Andretti  drives up into 66 Blaney and spins him out. 17 Matt Kenseth gets loose and hits the wall. The third caution comes out, again, during the commercial. 64 Bodine spins into the wall. 2 Kurt Busch gets into the rear of 47 Marcos Ambrose trying to slow down after the accident. 8 Aric Almirola is too fast exiting the pits. 48 Johnson stays out again. 18 Kyle Busch and 48 Johnson battle for the lead. 18 takes the lead. 16 Greg Biffle gets by 5 for fourth. 7 Robby Gordon and 29 Kevin Harvick battle. 29 finally gets by. 18 tries to lap 20 Joey Logano, and finally does it.

The fourth caution comes out when 26 Jamie McMurray and 42 Juan Pablo Montoya get together, and 42 spins 26. It looked to me like retaliation, and I thought that would not be allowed. 77 Sam Hornish, Jr. is the Lucky Dog.  Out of the pits, the top ten are: 18, 11, 48, 00 David Reutimann, 47, 24 Jeff Gordon, 39, 16, 42 and 9 Kasey Kahne. 14 Tony Stewart gets by 9 for tenth. 26 gets into the wall. 88 is up to eighteenth after starting in the rear. 26 battles with 18 to stay on the lead lap. 18 finally gets by. 18 finally laps 29.

The fifth caution comes out again during the commercial. 26 got into the wall again. The top ten are 18, 48, 11, 24, 47, 42, 00, 9, 39 and 16. 18 tries to lap 14. 24 has a tire going down. 71 Gilliland slides on the track, then pits. They stay Green. 11 bounces off the lapped 17 Kenseth car to challenge for the lead. 11 takes the lead. The sixth caution comes out again during the commercial. Someone cut a tire. Out of the pits, it’s 48, 11, 18, 47, 9, 5, 24, 42, 00 and 39. 18 and 11 battle for second. 18 finally gets by. 16 Biffle goes to the garage. 18 catches leader 48 and 48 lets 18 by to take the lead. 9 and 5 get by 47. 88 fights to stay on the lead lap.

The sixth caution comes out when 29 Harvick cuts a tire and gets into the wall. Out of the pits, it’s 18, 11, 9, 5, 48, 24, 31, 47, 39. The seventh caution comes out when 12 David Stremme gets loose,  88 touches 12 and 12 spins. After the Green Flag comes back out 48, 9 and 24 battle for third. The eighth caution comes out when 20 Rookie Joey Logano blows up. His team mates 18 and 11 are running first and second. 33 Clint Bowyer bumps 00 Reutimann.

18 Kyle Busch wins the Food City 500 after a Green, White, Checker restart. They ran a total of 503 laps.

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Race Review: Atlanta Motor Speedway

Hello race fans. Welcome to my review of the Kobalt Tools 500 from Atlanta Motor Speedway. 5 Mark Martin starts from the pole, and second place is 2 Kurt Busch. 87 Joe Nemecheck was eighth fastest in qualifying. 28 Travis Kvapil got in on speed. 66 Dave Blaney also got in on speed. 21 is Bill Elliott who did not need his past Champion provisional. 09 is Mike Bliss. Those who failed to qualify are: 35 Todd Bodine from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 36 Scott Riggs, 41 driver/car owner Jeremy Mayfield and 64 Geoff Bodine. Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.54 mile track. 325 laps will be 500.5 miles.

So, here we go! 5 Martin leads from the pole. The first caution comes out on lap three. Something breaks in the 43 car of Reed Sorenson and he slides into the wall. After the restart, 2 Kurt Busch takes the lead. 83 Brian Vickers gets by 19 Elliott Sadler. And the second caution comes out when 96 Bobby Labonte gets loose and spins. 66 Blaney narrowly misses him. Bobby has six wins at Atlanta, the most of all active drivers. He won’t get his seventh win today. Everyone comes down pit road.

39 Ryan Newman takes two tires to lead the pack out of the pits. 87 Nemechek, 66 Blaney and 09 Bliss stay out, then pit the second time around. It’s a single file restart with 39 Newman leading. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. gets by 19 Sadler. 39 and 2 battle for the lead. 2 Ku. Busch takes the lead. 39 and 11 Denny Hamlin battle for second. 5 and 16 Greg Biffle battle for fourth. 5 and 39 battle for third. 26 Jamie McMurray, 48 Jimmy Johnson and 18 Kyle Busch are three-wide. 28 Travis Kvapil is pitting, and they get the hood up. 9 Kasey Kahne, 83 Brian Vickers, 39 Newman, 99 Carl Edwards, and 24 Jeff Gordon get by 18 Ky. Busch. 96 Labonte and 7 Robby Gordon battle for thirty-third. 99 and16 battle. 99 takes the spot. 99 gets by 24. 66 is two laps down. 18 and 39 battle. 18 gets by 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for tenth. 09 Bliss is out of the race with overheating issues. 28 is down a cylinder.

33 Clint Bowyer gets by 88. 33 and 18 battle. 33 gets by. 18 and 88 battle. 88 gets by. 96 gets by 07 Casey Mears for twenty-seventh. 77 Sam Hornish, Jr. pits after going down a lap. 43 Sorenson is back on the track fifty some laps behind. Green Flag Pitting begins. 47 Marcos Ambrose pits and looses a tire. The tire rolls off pit road and into the infield.A crew man goes out to retrieve it, and the third caution comes out. With all the Green Flag Pitting, there are only six cars on the lead lap. 11 Denny Hamlin is the Lucky Dog. Those on the lead lap are 2, 48, 33, 99, 1 Martin Truex, Jr. 9 and now 11. 99 was on pit road when the caution came out and drove through to stay on the lead lap.

There are eight cars in front of the leader 48 at the restart. They are three-wide. 55 Michael Waltrip gets loose, almost getting into 98 Paul Menard. 99 Edwards takes the lead. 2 gets by 48 for third. 96 thinks he’s blowing up. The fourth caution comes out during the commercial. 96 spins into the grass. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya, with new tires got him loose. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the Lucky Dog. A crew member from 7 Robby Gordon runs after the car to retrieve the gas can. Robby will have to come back  in. 18 is not taking fuel like it should. After the restart, 42 gets caught in the middle, and falls back. 87 is back on the track after brake trouble. 44 A. J. Almendinger is in eighteenth, two laps down! 77 gets loose again. 24 and 5 battle. It’s a great battle for fifth. 7 gets loose in front of the leader.

The fifth caution comes out for debris in turn 2. There are nine cars on the lead lap. 88 Earnhardt, Jr. is again the Lucky Dog. They restart with 163 to go. 24 gets by 33 for second. 48 and 99 get by 33. 48 and 99 battle for third. 33 and 5 battle for fifth. 5 gets by. 83 and 33 battle for sixth. 2 and 24 battle for the lead. 24 gets loose.  2 gets loose. 47 is smoking. And the sixth caution comes out for oil from 47 on the track. 9 Kasey Kahne is the Lucky Dog.  1 Truex, Jr. stays out to lead before pitting himself. 17 Matt Kenseth is in twelfth place, the first car a lap down.

99 gets by 83 for fifth. 16 Biffle tries to slide in front of 6 David Ragan. 6 slides into the wall. 16 gets sideways. They both recover. 24 Jeff Gordon takes the lead when 2 gets into the wall. The seventh caution comes out when 77 gets loose and slides and 21 Elliott can’t avoid him. They both pit. 14 Tony Stewart stays ahead of the leader and stays on the lead lap. 17 Matt Kenseth is the Lucky Dog. Coming out of the pits, they are three-wide. 24, 2, 48. 5 and 31 Jeff Burton finish the top five. The eighth caution  comes out when 5 Martin gets into the wall. 29 Kevin Harvick is the Lucky Dog. 9 and 99 battle. 2 catches leader 24, and takes the lead.

The ninth caution comes out for debris from 7 who got into the wall. 14 Tony Stewart is the Lucky Dog. 48 came out of the pits in second, but was too fast and will go to the end of the longest line. 99 gets into 24’s way in the pits and 24 looses spots. 55 is falling back. The tenth caution comes out with 59 to go. 82 Rookie Scott Speed, trying to get by 6 Ragan, slides in front of him and 6 clips 82 to get him into the wall. 16 and 31 make contact, and 31 plows through the infield, taking grass with him. Sixth on back pit. 26 McMurray is in sixteenth, two laps down. And no one is one lap down. 88 gets into 8 Aric Almirola. They both save it. 44 Allmindinger gets loose, 20 slows to avoid 44 and 14 runs into 20, getting him into the wall. 12 David Stremme also gets into the wall. They both pit and the race goes on with no caution. 9 and 17 battle for fifth. 29 gets by 17 for sixth. 83 is catching leader 2 with fifteen to go. Fourteenth place 11 goes a lap down. 33 gets by 14.

The eleventh caution is for debris from 7 again, with four to go. 99 takes two tires to lead. 2 takes the lead. 99 and 24 battle for second, but 24 gets it with his four tires. And 2 Kurt Busch wins the Kobalt 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. There were eight leaders. 2 Kurt Busch led, by far, the most laps. The other leaders were 24, 99, 48, 1, 39, 5 and 87. Kurt gets the checkerd flag and does the “Polish Victory Lap” in reverse! That is, going in reverse around the track.

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Race Review: Shelby 427

Hello race fans! Today’s race review is the Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. That is the Carroll Shelby Cobra Mustang. And it is the pace car for today’s race. Normally, the race at Las Vegas is a 400 mile race. But the engine in the Shelby Cobra is a 427. Hence the distance. Here’s today’s line up. The Busch brothers are on the front row, with 18 Kyle on the pole and 2 Kurt in second. However, Kyle changed his engine and will start from the rear. That puts 48 Jimmy Johnson on the pole.

25 is Brad Keselowski from the NASCAR Nationwide Series in the fifth Hendrick Motorsports car. 78 is Regan Smith, who got in on speed. (1)87 is Joe Nemecheck, who also got in on speed. (1)13 is Max Papis, the Italian racer on his first oval race. Again, (1)71 is David Gilliland. 64 is NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Todd Bodine. Fifty-one cars showed up to qualify for the race. The eight who had to go home are: 51 Dexter Bean from the ARCA (Auto Racing Club of America) Series, 41 Jeremy Mayfield, in his own car, 73 Mike Garvey, 09 veteran Sterling Marlin, 36 Scott Riggs, with the new Tommy Baldwin Team, 66 Dave Blaney, 28 Travis Kvapil, and 37 Tony Raines.

The TRD (Toyota Research and Development) engines are having oil issues, so 00 David Reutimann will start from the rear in his Toyota. 13 Papis and 47 Marcos Ambrose have their first start here in Las Vegas. Toyotas also starting from the rear are Team mates 82 Scott Speed and 83 Brian Vickers and 47 Ambrose.

On the pace laps, the track is awfully dirty. 48 Johnson leads from the pole. 25 Keselowski gets loose. And we have our first caution. 25 gets out of control, gets into the wall and spins. They finally throw the caution. 11 Denny Hamlin got into 87 Nemecheck, so they pit for repairs. 47 Ambrose also makes a pit Stop. And 17 Matt Kenseth, winner of the first two races pits with a plug wire issue.

When we go back to Green, 17 is slow on the track. And blows up. The second caution comes out on lap six. 11 Hamlin gets into 64 Bodine, getting him loose and he spins. 17 with smoke trailing, heads for the garage. 1 Martin Truex, Jr. comes out of the pits with his axil shaft hanging out! 64 got into 47 and 19 Elliott Sadler in the pits.

They go Green on lap eleven. 96 Bobby Labonte gets by 77 Sam Hornish, Jr. 48 is running away from the field. 00 Reutimann slides into the wall, trying to pass 34 John Andretti. 99 Carl Edwards and 12 David Stremme battle for fourth. 99 takes it. 07 Casey Mears pits after getting lapped and is too fast. 55 Michael Waltrip gets by 96 Labonte. Green Flag Pitting begins. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is too fast. 99 Edwards leads. 20 Joey Logano leads, then pits. 18 Kyle Busch leads, then pits. 78 Regan Smith is too fast, 87 Nemecheck has a lug nut issue. 7 Robby Gordon leads before pitting. After all the pitting is completed, 48 Johnson is back in the lead.

The third caution comes out during the commercial for debris. 39 Ryan Newman is the Lucky Dog and gets his lap back. 2 gets by 99 at the restart. 20 gets into 26 Jamie McMurray and sends him sliding sideways down the track. 29 Kevin Harvick and 16 Greg Biffle get by 99. 16 gets by 29. 99 gets by 29.

The fourth caution comes out when 6 David Ragan blows an engine. That’s the second Roush Fenway engine to blow. 33 Clint Bowyer is the Lucky Dog. 29 Harvick and 14 Tony Stewart take fuel only and lead out of the pits. 9 Kasey Kahne makes three pit stops. Going Green, 1 Truex, Jr., 42 Juan Pablo Montoya and 48 Johnson are three-wide. 16 gets by 14 for second. 16 Biffle takes the lead. 24 Jeff Gordon and 26 Harvick battle for second. 24 gets it. 14 and 48 battle. 24 takes sixth. 25 Keselowski is back on the track, down 54 laps.

The fifth caution comes out when 9 Kahne gets into 12 Stremme and he spins and can’t save it. 16 and 5 Mark Martin stay out. 42 and 33 get together. 48 drives by 5. 48, 2 and 24 are three-wide for second. 24 takes second. 48 and 2 battle for third. 18 and 14 battle for ninth. 2 is having problems and falls back. 5 comes out of gear, and on lap 126 the 5 engine blows up, for the sixth caution. 1 Martin Truex, Jr. is the Lucky Dog. 9 Kahne stays on the lead lap. 96 pits to repair damage. 18 and 31 Jeff Burton battle for sixth. 78 Smith scrapes the wall. 98 Paul Menard and 33 Bowyer get together.

The seventh caution comes out when 43 Reed Sorenson spins into the wall. 9 gets by. 7 Robby Gordon is the Lucky Dog. The top five are 48, 24, 16, 14 and 18. The eighth caution comes out when 8 Aric Almirola gets into the wall. This time 9 doesn’t get by, but spins,and recovers. 82 Scott Speed is the Lucky Dog. 24 J. Gordon takes the lead. This was his 20,000th lap led! 99 and 31 battle.

The ninth caution comes out when 55 Waltrip gets too high and backs up into the wall. 19 Sadler is involved. 71 David Gilliland is the Lucky Dog. 31 Burton takes two tires and comes out of the pits first. The tenth caution comes out when 11 Hamlin gets too high, gets loose and spins up into the wall, then down into traffic. 18 gets loose and saves it. 34 John Andretti is the Lucky Dog. And it is a ragged restart.

99 gets by 14 for eighth. 96 and 48 battle for second. 48 moves to second place. 1 goes to the pits with a vibration. 39 goes to the pits with a vibration. 48 is catching leader 31. 31 and 48 battle for the lead. 82 Speed holds up 48 and 31 keeps the lead. 88 and 18 battle. 88 keeps the position. 39 and 16 battle. 12, 48 and 29 are pitting. 24 tries to pit, but misses pit road, and locks the brakes.

The eleventh caution comes out for 24. When he missed the pits, he locked the tire and it blew. 48 overshot his pit when the caution came out. He looses a lap. 29 and 14 were too fast. 99 misses a lug nut and has to come back in to put it back on. 24 comes back in for repairs. 71 David Gilliland is again the Lucky Dog. Since some cars had already pitted under Green before the Caution came out, they are ahead of the leader on the track, at the tail end of the lead lap. 16, 77 and 88 are ahead of leader 31.

18 pulls up to second. 18 and 31 battle for the lead. 18 takes the lead. 96 goes by 31 for second. 48 races past 18 to get his lap back. 31 is plowing. The twelfth caution is for debris. In the pits, 96 is coming out and 48 is going in. 96 drives through 48’s pit and 48 has to stop so that he doesn’t miss his pit. 33 Bowyer stays out to lead. 18 gets by 24 for third. 31 and 18 battle for second. 77 gets into the wall. 18 takes the lead by bumping 33 out of the way.

The thirteenth caution comes out with fifteen to go, when 98 Paul Menard gets hard into the wall. 98 and 16 got together and 98 cut a tire and hit the wall. 29 Kevin Harvick is the Lucky Dog. The fourteenth caution comes out with five to go. 48 gets loose and spins into the wall. 77 also spins. 16 gets by 83. 99 is smoking and blows up on the last lap. (Another Roush Fenway car) And 18 Kyle Busch wins the Shelby 427 for the first time at his Home Track , Las Vegas.

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