The Coca-Cola 600 was only a 75 mile show for a dozen or so Nextel Cup drivers on Sunday. As the 43-car field rounded the 1.5-mile oval on Lap 52 of 400, the tire tread from Jimmie Johnson's car flew across the track. As the cars around him slowed to avoid the debris, a chain reaction occurred, causing a melee down the frontstretch.
“All I saw was the tire flying,” said Juan Pablo Montoya, who returned to the race after extensive repairs to his car. “I managed to slow down my car but I just get pushed from behind by Kasey Kahne and that was it.”
David Gilliland saw the same thing. “I just saw a piece of tire come up and everybody started wrecking,” he said. “On the restart everybody is kind of bunched up and everybody is just super-close and it’s too bad." Gilliland was struck from behind pushing the #38 into the car in front of him causing severe damage to both the front and rear of the M&M’S / Shrek the Third Ford.
"We just didn't have anywhere to go," said Sterling Marlin. "We were on the outside and our Pep Boys Chevy got shoved into the wall. There was nothing anyone could do."
The following is inspired by 8929fan and that JayJayDean guy. My take is a little different. Jay Jay did a good job of discussing some people on the bubble and their situations. My aim is to determine who is really stuck down in the hole right now. JayJay, I didn't notice you had so many comments at the end of your post when I started this so forgive me if it is sort of a duplicate post.
The last time I did this it was Michael Waltrip who was in the deepest do do and today that is still the case. But everybody knew that last time and knows it this time too so there is not much interesting in that. Wipe your face off Michael, I can't see you.
Sorry NASCARQUEEN, your life must suck almost as bad as does the one of this Sterling Marlin fan. Don't get me wrong, Mikey is not one of my top five favorites, but you gotta love anyone that ran at the old Nashville Speedway and hails from Owensboro Kentucky. Plus, I really do like his style and think he is good for the sport. But he is obviously in very deep Shinola.
My last run through of this before Las Vegas pointed out that Paul Menard was in a deep spot. Let's see, how is he doing today? Thank you JayJay for making this easy for me.
Well friends Menard has found his way out of the scheishole and is in 37th place in owner points. He has climbed plumb up the hole, back into the outhouse. Congratulations to Paul on this feet of strength and endurance. Someone get a hose for this man would you? Give him a Dirty Jobs award when your done with the hose.
8929 fan is worried about her favorite Kasey Kahne who idolizes her. If Kasey will stop thinking about her when he is driving maybe he will stop wreckin'. 8, leave the boy alone, your messin with the boys mind.
Kasey is 36th in owner points and rain is in the forecast for Atlanta on Friday. So 8 asked, what affect will this have on Kasey. Well Jay has answered her, but let me reassure you honey. (Don't hit me hubby!) [That's one of those southern "honeys' anyway.] If it rains, Kasey is in because he was in the top 35 in owner points last year, which might help him, so you may want to start a raindance.
Rain could be good news for some other struggling teams. Rain would put Dave Blaney, Scott Riggs and Ken Schrader in the show based on last year's owner standings. These teams have been struggling. So they may want to join Ray Evernham over near his trailer for the rain dance. Kenny, take 'em some Little Debbie cakes.
Rain would hurt John Andretti in the Front Row Motorsports No. 37 Huddle House Dodge Charger. John failed to qualify on speed at Las Vegas and if it rains at Atlanta he would have no chance to get in the race based on speed. While this underfunded team may be a surprise, there is no doubt John Andretti can drive well enough to run in Nextel Cup races. Andretti finished 34th in the No. 37 Camping World Dodge Charger at California.
Bill Elliott failed to qualify the No.37 Huddle House Dodge at Daytona. The bad break for the team at Daytona was that they were knocked out when Dale Jarrett took the past champion's provisional or Elliot would have been in and John would not be facing the do do. (WOW, that took a little real research.)
But I am going to forecast Blue Skys in the deep south for today and keep it on the sunny side. I am going to base my forecast on NASCAR getting qualifying in somehow even in a window between rain if they have too and base my prediction on that.
O.K. so if it doesn't rain who is hurting the most and really in the bat guano? Well, it still comes back to Front Row Motorsports. But this time it is Kevin LePage in the 34. Kevin is barely ahead of Morgan Shephard, who I have previously posted, should be Busch racing anyway. Even Morgan is ahead of Mikey. So sad.
Kevin hasn't run as good as Andretti. He is way out of the money in all categories and really needs to qualify well today if he has any real hopes of running anything near a full Nextel Cup Season. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you this weeks I'm standing in stinking fertilizer winner, Kevin LePage.
Kevin Carver - All Headline News Sports News Writer
Daytona Beach, FL (AHN)-The sanctioning body of NASCAR dealt with appeals on Monday. Both Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth teams were penalized back in Daytona for aerodynamic modifications. During the appeals on Monday, NASCAR wouldn't back down and upheld both teams to their punishment.
Matt Kenseth's team had 50 driver and car owner points stripped from them for their aerodynamic modifications at Daytona during qualifying. Kenseth also lost crew chief Robby Reiser for four races and the team was fined $50,000 for its actions. Kenseth's car was also found to have a hole underneath it as well that had not been sealed off as NASCAR has indicated as a violation. Jack Roush appealed to the commission on Monday that the points taken away and the fine were stiffer penalties than last year and that it was unfair. The board held firm though and denied any change to either appeal.
Both teams have a right to appeal for the second time under Section 15 of the NASCAR rulebook, but no word on if either will do so.
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