WHO'S HOT; 1. Jimmie Johnson: Won the race for the 2nd week in a row. The uncanny ability of his team to have things right when it counts is what keeps him HOT. Jimmie will donate last weeks winnings to The American Red Cross for the fire victims in California, HMS and LOWE'S will match that donation.
2. Jeff Gordon: Held the lead by the skin of his teeth, he drove smart till it was time to go. A 7th place finish is not super but was good enough to continue to control the chase.
3. Matt Kenseth: Raced from 42nd to 4th, not a bad day at all. He seems to have gone back to the style of driving that got him to the chase in the first place. Looked like all the problems and media focus last week was put behind him.
4. Martin Truex Jr. : Great recovery from last week, he lead the most laps and was the car to beat until the next to the last restart. Foolishness on the part of others can not be laid at Martin's door step.
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. : Proved again what a driver can do with a fire in his belly, Don't doubt that he would have won the race until the Halloween gremlins struck on the final restart. But al least the motor didn't blow up this week.
WHO'S NOT: 1. Busch Brothers: Pit problems killed both of them this week. I'm not sure how to practice choke situations, but their pit crews need to find out. Without problems they might just have finished 1st and 2nd.
2. Juan Montoya : Blew 2 tires in a very short time early in the race , then sort of rode to a 34th place finish. Another performance like this and the "Rookie Of The Year" award may not be a sure thing.
3. Denny Hamlin : Worst move of the day. If all the other teams needed fuel, what made him think that he didn't. Denny wake up and smell the gas fumes.
4. David Gilliland : Hit the wall took out Mark Martin and when home. NOt much to show for all the money spent. Denny slow down tilll you learn what your doing.
5. DEI Organization : How about this a two time NOT winner. They have managed something that no one would be proud of. They have enabled their Flag Ship driver to not finish a little over 1/4 of the races that he has entered this year.
Cindi - good list and glad to see you are feeling well enough to share your insights with us again this week. My only suggestion is adding Carl Edwards to the Who's Hot list. He and Kenseth both performed on the track after a week of heavy distractions off it. Not a bad day for Roush.
Cindi another great list as always. I echo volfan's sentiments exactly. Glad to know your doing better, I think all those prayers really did the trick!
Cindi - Both Truex & Jr had good runs going until the end. Both those teams have that kind of luck this year - going good until something happens ie engine, crash, tires etc.
Iowagirl has a great point. You have to include Truex with Jr. He's had the same luck, or "lack" of reliable equipment that Dale has suffered with this season and they both continue to compete well each week before the doom strikes.
Gilliland seems to be in the Not a lot. M&M isnt going to melt in anyone's mouth with 38 place every week.
Great to see your feelin' a lil better Cindi.
Great job.
DEI, and Rusty talking the talk about how DEI will be ok in years to come. Yeah right ! Good to see your winning your race to the checkers. Keep the faith.
Hey the Shrub Kyle Busch ran great, and even after pit mess up ran great till he gor caught in Hamlin Burp. He should be on the hot side. He is more consistant than his replacement Jr. The new Hendrick money bag.lol... Anyway just wanted to but that in.
Last edited by noahspop2001 on October 31st at 12:28 AM.
Denny Hamlin did not run out of gas. It was neither his fault that he stopped on the track, nor his Crew Chief. I am not a Hamlin fan, nor a JGR fan (I might be if they get rid of #20). Where have you been since the race? There was water in the gas, and water and rusted parts in Hamlin's car. This has been reported over and over. Where were you?
48HMS24Fan - as I learned from reading a recent blog of SouthernCindi's for the first time and then posting some critical remarks, Cindi has been undergoing extensive treatments for cancer and we all just feel fortunate she felt well enough to write her traditional Who's Hot and Who's Not. She fends for herself quite well and in a very lady-like manner when she gets questions like yours but it may be a while before she gets to read our comments so I thought I'd bring you up to speed. Denny still deserves to be on the Who's Not list even though this situation was apparently completely beyond his control and that of his crew chief.
Water and gas in a tank can appear to have sufficient volume of liquid to substain the engines thurst for a combustionable source. Water mixed in that volume reduces the potential to generate engergy in order to propel the vehicle. The call of being out of gas is a valid judgement.
I think the issue here is whay did not Hamlin have the sense to get out of others way if he was and did experience engine faltering leading up to the green flag? Certainly a stupid move on his part.
Hamlin had enough fuel to finish so he thought what he didn't know is the amount of fuel he had was part water!!! Not his fault...DENNY IS HOT HOT HOT!!!
It is ridiculous how poor someone who is a Duke fan can spell. Duke is known for outstanding academcic programs and extraordinarily bright students but that obviously doesn't have to apply to Duke fans - lol.
The content, at least the conclusion, that Denny belongs on the Who's Not list is true. Of course, some of us actually learned to spell in school so we don't need spell check.
zzmillerbeer....watch out!!! Get your facts in tune before making such accusation on JR! Put your self in his position, would you risk your life if you're aware that there is a problem?
jocas53 - don't worry about zzmillerbeer's ignorant comments. He's a perfect example of how many brain cells you can lose and how stupid you can become when you are an alcoholic. Try the 12-step program zz while you can still sit upright at a keyboard. Miller Beer should sue you for making them look so bad.
I KNOW THAT THE CURRENT CHASE FORMAT WAS ESTABLISHED BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED, BUT IT IS A SHAME THAT GORDON WOULD BE 400+ POINTS AHEAD OF JOHNSON UNDER THE OLD FORMAT, AND WOULD HAVE HIS FIFTH CHAMPIONSHIP TIED UP. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING ADDED OR CHANGED TO CARRY OVER SOME OF THE POINTS EARNED DURING THE FIRST 26 RACES. ITS DIFFICULT TO COMPARE THE KINGS AND DALE SRS CHAMPIONSHIPS TO HOW GORDON MUST WIN HIS UNDER THE CURRENT FORMAT.
1. Dale Jr knew he had a problem and knew that his tire was coming off so he should have pitted before causing the race ending caution.
2. also i want to defend David Gilliland. I love people who don't follow the races. Gilliland was making his move on the top 10 and was in the top 15 solidly. Granted he himself caused the wreck but he didn't take out Mark Martin. Mark Martin admitted that he made the mistake and shouldn't have ran into the 38. if Martin doesn't RUN into Gilliland then Gilliland changes 4 tires and the race goes on. if you want to see a description of taking someone out of the race see Dale Jr. taking out McMurray.
3. How the hell are you going to put Truex and Earnhardt Jr. in "hot" list and DEI on the "not" list. That makes no sense
I wish people would write these blogs without bias towards certain drivers.
Bring Back Ernie Irvan...he was fun ...and exciting to watch....with him it was all or nothibng.....top 5 or he was in the garage....you dont ever see that anymore!!!
WHAT ABOUT CLINT JACK DANIELS?SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG AT DEI AND I DOUBT A GUY FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT FIELD CAN FIX IT.CERTAINLY T.WOMAN CAN'T.RACING PEOPLE THATS WHAT THEY NEED.
My obsession is Nascar, always has, always will. I also enjoy sports of almost any kind, competition is just something I enjoy. I'm not a little girl, but a woman with a son that's grown and out of the house(YAY). I was blessed to be born on the southern side of the Mason-Dixon line. I love racing, I love everything to do with racing and will continue to love it till the day I die. !
