This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the capital of NASCAR, Charlotte, for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Served slow-cooked, with hickory-flavored BBQ sauce and corn on the cob. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Jeff Burton: as the winner of this race, he automatically gets first billing. He stated before the race that he needs to win races in order to have a shot at winning the championship. Tonight was an excellent start. Additional props go out to his pit crew; they were ON tonight. On every pit stop, they gained at least one position. And on three stops alone, they opted for gas only. Pit stops like that throughout the race WILL get it done. They also gained two positions in the points and now are less than 70 markers behind Jimmie Johnson. Great job, Jeff and the #31 crew!

Kasey Kahne: after the very last pit stop, his car came to life and he rapidly moved through the field. He just didn't have enough laps left to catch Burton. Still, second place is nothing to sneeze at.

The Busch Brothers: Kurt finished third and Kyle finished fourth. Like Kahne, Kurt Busch's car got stronger as the race went on. Kurt got as high as second before settling for third. Kyle started 11th and immediately charged to the front. He led 14 laps and got out of the Chase basement with that strong run. While I'm not normally into pink, Kyle's pink M&M's paint scheme was SWEET.

Jamie McMurray: he rounded out the top 5 and for once didn't have idiots surrounding him. When he has a strong car, and he did tonight, he knows how to run up front. A lot of his bad finishes are due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time and getting caught up in someone else's mess. Props to McMurray for not overdriving the car and knowing what kind of car he had.

Jimmie Johnson: he led the most laps in the race, 67, but faded a bit down the stretch as he was racing with Burton for the lead after the last caution. He used up too much of the car and faded from second to sixth. Still, he didn't take a major hit.

Mark Martin: not bad for a part-timer. He still knows how to run up front and still is competitive. Now that he'll be driving for Hendrick Motorsports in the #5 full time next season, look for him to win a race and make the Chase. He spent almost two-thirds of the race in the top 10.

Paint Schemes: Kyle Busch, Bobby Labonte, and Elliott Sadler sported pink paint schemes for breast cancer awareness. For further information, go to Susan G. Komen For The Cure. 

Honorable Mention: Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, David Ragan.

THE BAD

Carl Edwards: he had ignition issues that kept him on the pits for an extended period of time. When he returned to the track, he was 16 laps down in 40th place. A sub good to Edwards for gaining seven spots through attrition. While he took a major hit in the points, dropping from second to fourth, it could have been MUCH worse.

Casey Mears: he was the Field Filler of the Day. Zero laps led. Zero laps in the top 10. He finished three laps down.

Bill Elliott: I admire that he still has the fire in the belly to race, but the Wood Brothers are no longer among the top owners in NASCAR and haven't been since Kasey Kahne was in diapers. He was competitive as recently as 2003, but he's no longer competitive. With the Wood Brothers being a single car operation, it's much harder to be competitive in today's NASCAR. A sub good to Elliott for finishing eight spots higher than he started.

Dave Blaney: he narrowly misses winning the Field Filler of the Day because of his higher finish than Mears. Plus, he finished higher than he started. Like Mears, zero laps led, zero laps in the top 10.

THE UGLY

AJ Allmendinger: that was a doozy of a wreck he was involved in early in the race. He had a one-race deal with Michael Waltrip Racing and the race ended VERY early for him. He did lead one lap early on, a sub good for that.

Mike Skinner and Ken Schrader: the two veteran drivers tangled in a wreck in which neither gave the other position. It all started when Michael Waltrip made contact with Skinner as they were three wide down the stretch. As Skinner was regaining control, he made contact with Schrader, who wasn't yielding his position. Had Schrader yielded, there wouldn't have been a wreck.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: he cut a tire just before he was about to pit anyway, wrecked, and caused major damage to the #88 Chevrolet. While he didn't lose a position in the standings, he lost MAJOR points due to his 36th-place finish.

Matt Kenseth: he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got tangled up in a five-car accident on lap 194 that caused major damage to his #17 Ford. He finished 41st and dropped to 11th place in the standings.

Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours! 

What has gotten you in such an uproar in the world of sports that you want to SCREAM? Is it a player, coach, team, league, owner, or fans of a particular team or individual? Do you think you don't have an outlet to express your ire? Fear not, fans, this is the outlet for you to express that ire by throwing the object of your ire under the Bus. See the lovely young lady? She'll take your requests, then tell the bus driver to do his thing. I know I have a few!

NFL

Seattle Seahawks: granted, they were playing the N.Y. Giants on the road. Very difficult to win there. But at least they could have made it more competitive. Was that the Seahawks or a group of imposters? Clearly, Seattle left its game at home and sleepwalked through the game. I'd have preferred a competitive game, thank you very much. The Seahawks get thrown under the Bus.

O.J. Simpson: the former Buffalo Bills great was found guilty of kidnapping, armed robbery, and 10 other charges involving sports memorabilia. The ironic twist is that he was found guilty 13 years to the day after he got away with murder was found not guilty of two counts of first degree murder in the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. O.J., just go away. Get thrown under the Bus first, then just go away.

NASCAR

Carl Edwards: pot, meet kettle. He's the one always calling out other drivers for causing wrecks. Today, he effectively gave Jimmie Johnson his third straight Sprint Cup title by causing The Big One, Part 2 that knocked out half of the Chase field and six other non-Chase drivers. I do give him credit for taking full responsibility for the wreck. He still gets thrown under the Bus.

Goodyear: there were a rash of tires exploding at Talladega, starting with Dale Earnhardt Jr's on Friday during a practice session. Today, a tire failure on Brian Vickers' car was responsible for The Big One, Part 1. Time for NASCAR to consider exploring other tire companies to supply tires. In the meantime, Goodyear gets thrown Under The Bus.

MLB

MLB "experts": or more specifically, those that predicted the Cubs to beat the Dodgers in the NLDS, which was just about every one of them. Many of these "experts" had the Cubs in the World Series. According to them, the Dodgers might as well have not even played this series. Only one thing: the Cubs had to play the series. They played, and got rolled. The Dodgers' starting pitching was stellar throughout the series. They got timely hitting. Now they're in the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies. The "experts" get thrown under the Bus for dismissing the Dodgers so blithely.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!  

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew presents to you this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Served Southern-style, with all the fixin's. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Tony Stewart: as the winner of this race, he automatically gets first billing. The win broke a 43 race winless streak. This is Smoke's first win at Talladega. Way to go Smoke!

Regan Smith: finished a career-best second place. While he never led a lap, he gave it his best effort to win the race, but came up just short.

DEI: with Smith, Paul Menard, and Aric Almirola, they finished 2-3-4. A HUGE shot in the arm for the organization.

Elliott Sadler: he had a strong car all day and led four laps en route to a fifth-place finish. Excellent effort.

Scott Riggs: he's very rarely been mentioned in any of these categories. He finished tenth and led four laps. A good job by a driver that's looking for a ride next season.

Honorable Mention: David Ragan, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Bobby Labonte. 

THE BAD

Ryan Newman: as the last place finisher, he gets this dubious spot. He had mechanical issues all day. I wonder if he's counting down the days until he joins Stewart-Haas Racing?

Sterling Marlin: while he did well to qualify, his car also had mechanical issues.

THE UGLY

The Big One: the first one happened on Lap 69 and involved nine cars. It started when Brian Vickers' right front tire exploded and the following drivers were involved: Vickers, Martin Truex, Jr., Almirola, Kasey Kahne, David Gilliland, Terry Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Mike Skinner, and Tony Raines. NASCAR threw a red flag that lasted for 17 minutes.

The Big One, Part 2: this happened on Lap 174, and unlike the first one, this one had HUGE championship implications, as several Chase drivers were involved. A total of 12 drivers were involved: Carl Edwards (who started it), Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Dave Blaney, Michael Waltrip, Travis Kvapil, Joe Nemechek, Reed Sorenson, and Juan Pablo Montoya. The first six are all Chasers. Another Chaser, Jimmie Johnson, NARROWLY escaped being involved. IMO, this clinched a third straight title for Johnson. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, and Johnson was LUCKY. How he escaped, I have no earthly idea. I'll have something for Edwards later on.

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew serves you up, New England-style, this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served with a heaping helping of New England Clam Chowder. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Greg Biffle: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. It was appropriate that a Roush Fenway driver won this race on the Fenway Group's "home turf."

Jimmie Johnson: although he didn't quite have enough to overtake Biffle, he was still very strong and served notice he's not giving up the championship without a fight.

Carl Edwards: like Johnson, Cousin Carl served notice that he's hungry to win a championship. When does his car NOT run strong?

Jeff Burton: Mr. Consistency showed why he's so consistent. He spent much of the day in the top 10, eventually finishing fourth.

Kurt Busch: he started 20th and finished a strong sixth. His car got better as the race went on. What helped him is the fact that his new lead engineer came over from Helio Castroneves' IRL team and they hit on something.

Martin Truex, Jr.: like Busch, he started close to mid-pack and got stronger as the race went on. He started 18th and finished seventh.

Honorable Mention: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick.

THE BAD

Ryan Newman: he dropped a cylinder early in the race and had to nurse the car throughout the race. He finished 14 laps down.

Kyle Busch: a sway bar in his car broke early in the race and he had to nurse it until the competition caution came out on Lap 35. His crew spent nearly 30 seconds making repairs, only to see it break again. By the time the crew got it fixed, he was several laps down in 43rd. A sub good to him for finishing 34th through attrition and not giving up on the car and crew.

Michael McDowell: this guy wrecked at least two cars in the race. When will NASCAR pull this guy aside and park him for the remainder of the race? Or better yet, when will someone wreck him and NASCAR look the other way? In my book, he's developing the reputation of being a dirty driver.

THE UGLY

The Little Big One: you knew something was going to happen when cars went five wide coming off Turn 4. Chad McCumbee got loose and collected Chaser Matt Kenseth, starting a multi-car wreck. It looked like something you would see at Talladega. The red flag was thrown to clear the debris and cars from the track, and lasted 10 minutes. The wreck severely damaged Kenseth's chances at winning his second title.

Those are my nominations for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!

Sports fans, it's that time of week again. Time to call out the object of your ire by throwing them under the Bus. Remember, the object of your ire can be a player, coach, fans, league, commissioner, sports executive, columnist, or even your fellow bloggers. You can call out their stupidity and general all-around dumb@$$ery here.

NFL

Ricardo Colclough, DB, Carolina Panthers: he was arrested for DWI on Saturday, hours before the Panthers were to make their final cuts. This doesn’t help. If you want to have a future in the NFL, you better learn to stay down during the season. In the meantime, you earn a tread-tasting trip under the Bus. UPDATE: Colclough has been released by the Panthers a few hours after his arrest. Ya think?

Derrick Martin, CB, Baltimore Ravens: the NFL suspended him for the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was cited and charged in July for possession of three small bags of the hippie lettuce at the Cleveland airport during a random TSA screening. What the HELL are you doing transporting small bags of the chronic at an airport? Apparently this genius thought he wasn’t going to be searched. Dumb, dumb, dumb. And for that, Martin gets to taste some tread as he gets thrown under the Bus.

Jesse Chatman, RB, New York Jets: he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s steroids and substance abuse policy. While he’s been good in the locker room and in practice, rules are rules. He was out of football in 2006, and came back in 2007 with Miami. He’ll have his roster spot when he returns in Week 5. But for now, Chatman gets thrown under the Bus.

Fred Taylor, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars: he was arrested outside a Miami Beach nightclub early Saturday for disorderly conduct. With the season about to begin, what was he doing at a nightclub? Save that for AFTER the season. And remember, nothing good happens after 2 AM, unless you’re getting lucky and doing the Dirty Sanchez with some hottie. What makes it hard is that he’s been a solid character guy, good in the locker room and in the community. But as painful as it is, I have to throw Taylor under the Bus.

Rocky Bernard and Jordan Babineaux, Seattle Seahawks: these two geniuses were suspended for Seattle's Week 1 game at Buffalo. Bernard for violation of the team's personal conduct policy stemming from his allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Babineaux was suspended for violation of the league's substance abuse policy. In addition to the $35,000 fine, Babineaux is also docked a game check. These two characters get to taste some tread as they get thrown Under The Bus.

MLB

Pittsburgh Pirates: or more specifically, their official scorer. This guy denied the Milwaukee Brewers' CC Sabathia a no-hitter. Sabathia fielded a slow roller by the Pirates' Andy LaRoche and booted it. Sure error, right? NO, it was ruled an INFIELD SINGLE!! If Sabathia fields it cleanly, LaRoche is out from PNC Park to Fox Chapel (a tony Pittsburgh suburb). It wasn't like it was a ban.g-ban.g play. The Pirates' official scorer gets thrown Under The Bus for denying Sabathia a much sought-after no-hitter.

Los Angeles Dodgers: this team went into the tank before rallying against the Diamondbacks' two best pitchers: Dan Haren and Brandon Webb. Getting swept by the Phillies is one thing; getting swept by the weak-#### Washington Nationals will get you thrown under the Bus every single time.   

Youth Baseball League of New Haven, CT: this spineless league banned a 9-year-old pitcher named Jericho Scott because he’s too good. He's good, and it irks you to no end because your self-esteem is threatened. This young kid throws 40 MPH, which is roughly equivalent to a high school senior throwing 90-95 MPH with pinpoint control. Whatever happened to celebrating achievement? League and parents, you broke the spirit of a kid. I don’t know how you can sleep at night knowing you broke the spirit of a 9-year-old boy. You have that attitude of being the experts on all things racial. Could it be possible you banned him because of his *race*? (Jericho Scott is African-American) WELL, YOU'RE NOT. I SPIT ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE CONTEMPTIBLE. THEN I THROW THE SPINELESS PARENTS AND THE LEAGUE UNDER THE BUS. Parents, I hope you get what’s coming to you. And I hope Jericho Scott overcomes this obstacle to become a Major League pitcher.

NASCAR

NASCAR: for instituting a six-race probation for both Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch for their little dust-up after the Bristol race. NASCAR is forever stressing they want to return to its roots. Putting Edwards and Busch on probation is just stupid. Are they trying to neuter its drivers? I think so. NASCAR itself gets thrown under the Bus.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!

P.S. The young lady wasn't available this week; perhaps next week.

 

 

 

Crappafoni Pictures presents to you, in super ultra high definition, this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served California style, with tri-tip, fresh vegetables, and the best California wine money can buy. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Jimmie Johnson: as the race winner, he gets automatic first billing. Home cooking was especially good to JJ this week. (He's from El Cajon, CA) He had such a dominant car, it didn't matter what position he was running, he automatically charged to the front. Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, beware. He's BAAAAAAAACK.

Roush Fenway Racing: once again, this track was kind to them (aside from Jamie McMurray). Greg Biffle finished 2nd, Matt Kenseth finished 5th, Carl Edwards finished 6th, and David Ragan finished 13th. All Biffle has to do is start at Richmond and he's in the Chase.

Denny Hamlin: for the second consecutive week, he finished third. Another strong run for the #11 team. This gives them some breathing room as the circuit goes to Hamlin's home track. He is 93 points ahead of 13th place David Ragan. He should be able to make the Chase.  

Kevin Harvick: the #29 team had yet another strong top 5 finish. He started 33rd and didn't take long to charge to the front. This is easily the best this team has run at Fontana. Another case of home cooking being especially good to him (He's from Bakersfield, CA) This team is peaking at the right time. He WILL get a win at some point this season. At 160 points ahead of 13th, all he has to do is keep his car clean and have a solid finish and he's in the Chase.

David Reutimann: I've gotta give him some props. He had a strong car all weekend, starting 12th and finishing 8th. This was HUGE as his car hovered around 35th in owner points. Now he can breathe easier. He even led some laps in the race and got the five bonus points. Good job David!!

Kasey Kahne: he SORELY needed a good finish to keep his Chase hopes alive. He got it in the form of an eighth-place finish. He's in 14th place, 44 points behind Clint Bowyer for 12th place.

Honorable Mention: Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers, AJ Allmendinger. 

THE BAD

Robby Gordon: he was nothing more than a field filler. About the only time he was mentioned was when he was in an accident or running slow. Zero laps in the top 10. Yeah, he was bad.

Ken Schrader: at this point in his career, another field filler. While I admire him for his desire to race, his days as a competitive driver are LONG GONE.

Kyle Petty: it's getting brutally painful to watch him race. His best bet would be to hire Terry Labonte full time in that car; at least Labonte has put that car in the top 20 this year.

Paul Menard: nary a single mention of him during the telecast. Should be nicknamed "The Phantom" because it's like he's not there, but his car is.

THE UGLY

None: this race was well-run; only two drivers were shown as out of the race: Joe Nemechek and Johnny Sauter.

Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!  

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is at one of its very favorite tracks, Bristol at night. The crew gorged on lots of bumping and ####ing, along with a healthy helping of steaks marinated in Jack Daniel's. This race is one of the great spectacles in all of sports. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Carl Edwards: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. He definitely had something for Kyle Busch, who led the most laps but finished second. Kudos to Edwards for spinning out Busch after the checkered flag flew in retaliation of Busch bumping him. Congratulations, Concrete Carl!

Kyle Busch: as stated above, he led the most laps but didn't get it done.

Kevin Harvick/Clint Bowyer: the RCR teammates had huge point races when they needed it the most. Harvick finished fourth and Bowyer finished seventh. Bowyer's finish was particuarly impressive after getting involved in The Big One on Lap 215 and suffering damage to his right front axle, getting toed out. Bowyer had to run with it from that point on. A very impressive finish by Bowyer. Kudos to Bowyer for stating that Michael Waltrip was the worst driver in NASCAR. Harvick was one of three drivers (Edwards and Jeff Gordon being the others) to spend the entire race in the Top 10. (He started sixth)

Jeff Gordon: led one lap very early and got the five bonus points he sorely needed. Spent the entire race within the top 10. Kept his car out of trouble the entire race and was rewarded. Finally he's out of the Bad and Ugly categories!! 

Denny Hamlin: another driver that needed a very high finish. He got it with a strong third place showing. He came in with a questionable attitude about making the Chase. This finish was the tonic Hamlin and his team needed. With the final two races on tracks that Hamlin runs well at, he should be able to make the Chase.

THE BAD

David Reutimann: while I normally would put the last-place driver here, the driver finished there due to an accident. Reutimann is here because he started second and finished 25th, two laps down. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and conclude he doesn't have the experience of running up front. 

Jimmie Johnson: he was never a factor after making contact with another driver early in the race. He finished an uncharacteristic 33rd, 15 laps down. 

Field Fillers: you people know who you are. You're the guys racing the leaders when you're laps down. 

Michael Waltrip: I'm saving my wrath for last. He was the cause of The Big One, when he made contact with Casey Mears. Time for Mikey to hang up his helmet and move to the booth as an analyst. Everytime he's anywhere near the leaders (usually several laps down), I cringe because he races with them. 

THE UGLY

The Big One: the Talladegaesque wreck started when Waltrip made contact with Mears. Mears then made contact with Bowyer, and all hell broke loose. Bowyer and Kasey Kahne were the two Chasers that got caught in the wreck. Kahne was the worst loser, dropping to 14th in the point standings. 

Kyle Busch: yes, he was frustrated at not winning after leading over 400 laps. He executed the Bus(c)h League move of the year when he tapped Edwards after the checkered flag flew. When you pull a bonehead move like that, expect retaliation. I'll have something for him tomorrow.

Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!      

The Crappafoni Pictures crew is at the nation's auto capital, Michigan, for a second helping of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, northern BBQ style. Enjoy your postrace meal!

THE GOOD

Carl Edwards: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He had the best car, and his pit crew gave him consistently quick pit stops. A special shout out goes to his Roush Fenway Racing teammates: David Ragan, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray. All five Roush Fenway drivers finished in the top 10. Good job, Cousin Carl and Roush Fenway!

Kyle Busch: for once (it only seems that way) he's not in the top spot. He did have a strong car and led 34 laps. But he didn't have quite enough for Edwards at the end; he thought he had "bad" tires.

Brian Vickers: early on, he looked like he was going to get Toyota's first win at Michigan. He started from the pole and led 21 laps. He spent all but ONE lap in the top 10, when he fell out during a round of green-flag pit stops.

Kevin Harvick: he started somewhere near downtown Detroit (Not really, but it seemed that way. He started 38th.) and worked his way up to an eighth place finish. He was easily the mover of the race, moving up 30 spots. He also gained three positions in the Chase. All in all, a very good points day for Happy and the #29 crew.

Elliott Sadler: he started third, and had a strong car much of the day. He was in the top 10 for 177 of the 200 laps. A very good run for E-Sad. Good job.

THE BAD

Marcos Ambrose: he blew an engine very early in the race and his day ended almost before it began. As the last place finisher, he gets this dubious slot.

Jeff Gordon: the #24 team is in freefall. A 42nd place finish leaves him in ninth place in the points standings, dropping three spots and his bubble is growing larger and larger.

Denny Hamlin: what looked to be a good points day went the other way when his engine blew with five laps to go. He now sits in the hot seat of 12th place in the Chase standings. Nice job of throwing your pit crew under the bus there, pal. I know you're frustrated and that you want to make the Chase oh so bad. The bright spot is that two of the last three tracks are at tracks where he runs well.

Kasey Kahne: he needed a strong finish to solidify his Chase chances. He didn't get it. His car was uncharacteristically bad. In fact, he was off the track for a period of time. When he returned, he was nearly 40 laps down. A 40th place finish just made his bubble a little larger.

THE UGLY

Marcos Ambrose: hate to put him in this category, but I must. We hardly knew ye. He was done so early, he could have been called The Phantom Race Car Driver. All part of the pitfalls of a Cup rookie--he runs very well one week and very bad the next.

Jeff Gordon: unless the #24 team can get out of the death spiral they're in now, they'll be on the outside looking in. While I think they will, they're no lock to be in the Chase.

Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!   

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is on the road to serve you, New York-style, this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Served piping hot with a bottle of New York's finest wine. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. Also led the most laps in the race. He's not only swept both Sprint Cup road course races, but with the win in Mexico City, he set the single-season record for most road course wins with three.

Marcos Ambrose: started at the rear of the field. To go from 43rd to third was nothing short of outstanding. If given the right opportunity with the right team, he can and will win Cup races. Additional kudos for racing Tony Stewart cleanly.

Tony Stewart: Smoke led one lap, thanks to Kyle Busch. While he didn't have the car to beat, he had a very strong car. Improved his Chase chances.

Juan Pablo Montoya: he started 25th and finished fourth, leading two laps during green flag pit stops. Had a strong car throughout the race, plus benefitted from having consistently quick pit stops. A shout out goes to his pit crew, led by crew chief Brian Pattie.

Martin Truex, Jr.: perhaps signing a one-year extension with DEI earlier in the week, plus being fairly close to home was the tonic that the #1 team needed. A fifth place finish also helps. While he's not mathematically eliminated from the Chase, he has an uphill battle. He needs Top 5's between now and the Chase, plus a couple of bad finishes by the other Chase contenders he's chasing.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch.

THE BAD

Tony Eury, Jr.: while I normally have this spot for the last place driver, the last place driver finished there due to an accident, so I won't list him there. The #88 team crew chief hung Dale Jr. out to dry with puzzling pit strategy. Instead of contending for his first road course win, Dale Jr. finished 22nd. All because of bad pit strategy. While Dale Jr. was on his game, Tony Jr. wasn't.

Michael McDowell: he and David Gilliland tangled with eight laps to go and started a Talladega-like wreck. Several cars were involved, and Gilliland got the worst of it. I suspect NASCAR will have a little chat with him.

Jeff Gordon: he had a surprisingly bad car and it got worse as the race went on. Most of his time in the top 10 was in the early part of the race. Even more surprising, he's in this category.

THE UGLY

The Crash: it happened with eight laps to go in the race in front of the pit road entrance. Michael McDowell and David Gilliland had been racing rough and tumble when they collided in Turn 11. The wreck collected nine drivers total and caused a carnage of wrecked cars, twisted metal, and sand from the barrels that protect the drivers from the pit wall.

Those are my nominees. Feel free to come in with yours.

Crappafoni Pictures presents in high-definition this week's spaghetti western version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich style.

THE GOOD

Carl Edwards: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. Used great pit strategy before the rain delay, and banking on the full race being run. It was, and as a result, Edwards won his fourth race of the year. Good job, Cousin Carl!

Kevin Harvick: overcame a first-lap crash with Field Filler Joe Nemechek (more on him in a later blog) that sent him to 42nd place. Harvick kept battling, and as the race wore on, his car kept getting better and better. May have got a win if not for Field Filler Joe. Also used great pit strategy and a bit of luck at the end (Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. running out of gas late) to finish fourth.

Tony Stewart: Smoke's car also got better as the race went on. Like Edwards and Harvick, Smoke pitted just before the rain delay. A solid and much needed second place finish.

David Ragan: for awhile it looked like he was going to get his first Cup win. Carl Edwards kept that from happening. A very good finish for the second year Roush Fenway driver.

Clint Bowyer: he also pitted just before the rain delay. Like his teammate Harvick, he got stronger as the race wore on. He started 30th; he finished just out of the top 5, in sixth.

Mark Martin: led the most laps, but was also snakebit by pit strategy. He battled back from having to pit late in the race to finish 8th. More on Martin's pit crew later.

Honorable Mention: Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon.

THE BAD

Michael Waltrip: as the last-place driver, he gets automatic billing. He did lead a lap very early in the race, gaining five bonus points before his engine gave up the ghost.

Mark Martin's pit crew: their issues singlehandedly cost Martin the race. Martin had the car to beat; he led the most laps in the race but on three separate pit stops, the crew had issues. They were definitely off their game.

Joe Nemechek: talk about one guy that was definitely off his game! Field Filler Joe tangled with Harvick on Lap 1, then later on he tangled with Paul Menard in a crash that knocked both drivers out of the race. Yeah, he was that bad. Happy, DON'T qualify next to Field Filler Joe at the next race.

THE UGLY

The rain: fortunately it didn't stay long enough to call the race. But it did make for some pretty interesting strategy.

Joe Nemechek: yes, Field Filler Joe was that bad, and he was that ugly. At least he did take responsibility for both crashes.

Juan Pablo Montoya: blown engine. Enough said. At least he had the smarts to exit along a service road.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!!

NOTE: THIS IS A REPOST. The original blog didn't show up on the blog lists. 

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew goes to the most hallowed ground in motorsports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for this week's spaghetti western version (be sure to avoid the debris from used tires!) of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD

Jimmie Johnson: as the winner of this race, he automatically gets first billing. He had the best car all weekend and showed why he isn't ready to give up his title without a fight.

Carl Edwards: on numerous occasions, he had come up to Johnson's back bumper but couldn't pass him. When Johnson inherited the lead after the final pit stop, Edwards could come no closer than a car length. Still, he had a very stout race car all day.

Denny Hamlin: as much as I've been ragging on him all season, he deserves and has earned his props. Used brilliant pit strategy to finish third. Great finish, and it comes at a much-needed time.

Elliott Sadler: a very solid top 5 finish. He stepped his game up and stayed in the top 10 for 102 of the 160 laps.

A.J. Allmendinger: have to give him props for his first career top 10 finish (he finished 10th), at the Brickyard, no less. Perhaps he can use this to turn his season around.

Roush Fenway Racing: if not for Matt Kenseth's right rear tire exploding on him, they would have had all five drivers in the top 15. More on the tire issues later.

Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne.

THE BAD

Tires: I normally put the 43rd place driver here, but the tires were so bad, NASCAR had to impose competition cautions throughout the race. The tires kept wearing out much faster than usual, leading to both Juan Pablo Montoya and Matt Kenseth bringing out cautions due to the bad tires. It's time for NASCAR to open up the competition for other tire companies to come in, like Hoosier, Firestone, etc. This is what happens when you have a monopoly.

Michael Waltrip: he finished last after getting in a wreck with Paul Menard very early in the race.

THE UGLY

Tires: because of the competition cautions, the race was choppy and had no rhythm to it. Who was good on short runs? Who would have been good on long green flag runs? A sub good to the last few laps' shootout between Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards.

Kurt Busch: he got loose and hit the wall, collecting Kevin Harvick in the process. A sub good to Harvick for gaining several positions through attrition.

The race itself: aside from the shootout, it was long and drawn out due to the tires. It wasn't the typical Brickyard 400.

Those are my nominations. Feel free to come in with yours.

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew goes to the most hallowed ground in motorsports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for this week's spaghetti western version (be sure to avoid the debris from used tires!) of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD

Jimmie Johnson: as the winner of this race, he automatically gets first billing. He had the best car all weekend and showed why he isn't ready to give up his title without a fight.

Carl Edwards: on numerous occasions, he had come up to Johnson's back bumper but couldn't pass him. When Johnson inherited the lead after the final pit stop, Edwards could come no closer than a car length. Still, he had a very stout race car all day.

Denny Hamlin: as much as I've been ragging on him all season, he deserves and has earned his props. Used brilliant pit strategy to finish third. Great finish, and it comes at a much-needed time.

Elliott Sadler: a very solid top 5 finish. He stepped his game up and stayed in the top 10 for 102 of the 160 laps.

A.J. Allmendinger: have to give him props for his first career top 10 finish (he finished 10th), at the Brickyard, no less. Perhaps he can use this to turn his season around.

Roush Fenway Racing: if not for Matt Kenseth's right rear tire exploding on him, they would have had all five drivers in the top 15. More on the tire issues later.

Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne.

THE BAD

Tires: I normally put the 43rd place driver here, but the tires were so bad, NASCAR had to impose competition cautions throughout the race. The tires kept wearing out much faster than usual, leading to both Juan Pablo Montoya and Matt Kenseth bringing out cautions due to the bad tires. It's time for NASCAR to open up the competition for other tire companies to come in, like Hoosier, Firestone, etc. This is what happens when you have a monopoly.

Michael Waltrip: he finished last after getting in a wreck with Paul Menard very early in the race.

THE UGLY

Tires: because of the competition cautions, the race was choppy and had no rhythm to it. Who was good on short runs? Who would have been good on long green flag runs? A sub good to the last few laps' shootout between Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards.

Kurt Busch: he got loose and hit the wall, collecting Kevin Harvick in the process. A sub good to Harvick for gaining several positions through attrition.

The race itself: aside from the shootout, it was long and drawn out due to the tires. It wasn't the typical Brickyard 400.

Those are my nominations. Feel free to come in with yours.

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew traveled to Chicagoland. Now that the race is over and the film has been edited, we present to you, deep dish pizza style, this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD

Kyle Busch: as this week's winner, he automatically gets first billing. He led 165 of the 267 laps, but had to overcome Jimmie Johnson in a two-lap shootout at the end to win his seventh Cup race of the season. At the rate this season's going, he may be at this spot the rest of the season. 

Jimmie Johnson: his car got stronger as the race went on. Led 15 laps and may have won if not for the last caution (David Gilliland blowing an engine).

Kevin Harvick: night time was the right time for Happy. He started 13th and quickly worked his way up through the field; at one point he was in second place. He finished third, right on Johnson's back bumper. This was a MUCH needed result for Happy; he is currently in ninth place in the points.

Greg Biffle: led 43 laps in this race. At one point he was a lap down but got a much-needed long green flag run to get back into the top 10. Gambled on pit strategy to get track position and a caution shortly thereafter helped lock him in. Finished a strong fourth.

Tony Stewart: the announcement of his future seemed to relax him. He drove like the Smoke of old. Had a great car on short runs but faded on long runs. Spent all but three laps inside the top 10. He'll find Victory Lane soon.

Honorable Mention: Red Bull Racing, Ryan Newman, Roush Fenway Racing, Martin Truex, Jr., Jeff Gordon.

THE BAD

Michael McDowell: as the last place finisher, he gets this dubious distinction. He's a field filler.

Travis Kvapil: just when I was about to be sold on him, he comes up with this turkey of a race. Especially when he's so close to his native Wisconsin.

Sam Hornish, Jr.: he seemed to be out there admiring the track and its scenery a little longer than the other drivers out there. TRANSLATION: he was SLOW.

Terry Labonte: I know he's doing the best he can with crappy equipment. Let's face facts, PE has crappy equipment. He's probably thinking, I came out of retirement for THIS? The only positive is that he has younger brother Bobby for a teammate. Hell, I even put him in the Good category of an earlier GB&U.

THE UGLY

David Gilliland: blew an engine with 8 laps to go to bring out the final caution of the race. He blew it in the worst possible place: right after he passed the entrance to pit road.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: started second and went steadily backwards as the race went on. Although he finished on the lead lap, he was never a factor. His crew totally missed on the setup and when that happens, it's going to be a LONG evening. His car was tight and no matter how much they did to loosen it up, it stayed tight pretty much the whole race.

Denny Hamlin: his car lost power early in the race due to ignition issues. His crew changed the entire ignition system in the #11 FedEx Toyota. When he returned to the race, he was threatening to be the first driver in the Bad category. Through attrition, he gained a few spots, finishing 40th. Took a serious hit in the points due to Harvick, Kenseth, Biffle, and Stewart finishing in the top 10.

Clint Bowyer: he's going in the wrong direction in the points. A few weeks ago, he seemed to be a lock to be in the Chase. Now he's 13th in the standings after a 22nd place finish. Spent only two laps in the top 10. 

Jeff Burton: started third and quickly went backwards. At one point in the race, he was 37th. It took a free pass for Burton to get back on the lead lap. Did manage to finish 19th, but it could have been much worse.

Carl Edwards: was in contention for the win until his splitter broke. He lost a lap under green when he went to the pits to repair the splitter. He lost another lap due to the tremendous aerodynamic disadvantage this gave him.

Those are my nominees for the race! Feel free to come in with yours!  

This week, Crappafoni Pictures brings you an Independence Day celebration of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, grilled BBQ style and served with all the fixin's and the beverage of your choice. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. An extra good for him for coming back from 37th to win. While he had a strong car all race, his car was the best at the end.

Carl Edwards: almost became first billing in this blog. Narrowly lost a drag race with Kyle Busch on the final lap.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: had a very strong car throughout the race, and between he and teammate Jeff Gordon, led 96 of the 162 laps in the race.

Mark Martin: his signing with Hendrick Motorsports must have buoyed his confidence, as he finished solidly in the top 5.

Patrick Carpentier: came out of nowhere to finish in the top 10, his first career top 10 on a superspeedway. Of the open wheelers, he seems to be adapting to NASCAR the best.

Joe Nemechek: Front Row Joe scored a HUGE top 5 finish, finishing fifth. It was huge not only for himself, but his team, as they were outside the top 35 in points and had to race their way in.

Honorable Mention: Johnny Sauter, David Ragan, Regan Smith.

THE BAD

Greg Biffle: as the 43rd place finisher, he gets the dubious first billing.

Jon Wood: had to race his way in and very early took his #21 Ford to the garage for major