This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew serves up a smoking hot slab of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, BBQ style, complete with corn on the cob, baked beans, and a side of salad. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Jimmie Johnson: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing, and a healthy cyber helping of ribs, baked beans, salad, and Pepsi to wash it all down. He started from the pole after Juan Pablo Montoya's pole-winning qualifying effort was disallowed (more on JPM in a later blog). He led the most laps in the race. Great job by the #48 and his crew!
Roush Fenway Racing: I'm putting ALL the RFR drivers together in this category. Four of them (Edwards, Kenseth, Biffle, and Ragan) finished in the top 10 and with Jamie McMurray, all of them finished on the lead lap.
Jeff Gordon: not a bad finish for someone battling flu-like symptoms throughout the race. He was edged out at the line by Greg Biffle for third.
Kevin Harvick/Jeff Burton: the RCR teammates both started at the back of the field (Harvick started 36th and Burton started 43rd after a tachometer change as he began to leave pit road). It didn't take them long to charge to the front and stay there. While they didn't have the oomph to contend for the win, they had enough to stay in the top 10. But the way Edwards and Johnson are running, top 10s won't be enough to stay in the Chase for long.
Clint Bowyer: he had an eventful day to start. First he was black-flagged for passing on the start of the race. Then he goes a lap down. He gets a free pass, then he starts working his way towards the front. Unfortunately, he faded to a 12th place finish.
AJ Allmendinger: he finished a career-high 9th place in what may have been his final race for Team Red Bull. Whoever ends up with Allmendinger will be getting a driver starting to find his groove in the second half of the season.
Elliott Sadler: a very good, and much needed, top 10 finish for ESad. Had a strong car throughout the weekend; he started fourth and finished 10th.
Scott Riggs: had mechanical issues throughout the race, including spending time in the garage for an extended period. He finished 42nd.
Kyle Petty: if Petty Enterprises is to become a viable team again, he needs to find a quality replacement for him in the #45 car. It's become very painful to watch him race. A bright future awaits him in the booth, as he is one of the better commentators.
Joe Nemechek: what was this #### doing RACING with the leaders at the very end of the race? Dude, you're a field filler now, let Johnson and Edwards race to the finish and move the *bleep* out of their way.
Robby Gordon: consider his little experiment of owning a one-car team over. He was halfway decent when he was driving for RCR, winning some races and putting together some top tens. He's a field filler now. He's been rumored to go to DEI next season.
THE UGLY
Kyle Busch/Tony Stewart: both JGR teammates had their issues today. Busch had issues early in the race with a sputtering engine. Fortunately for Busch, the issues worked themselves out and he even led a lap. But they didn't work themselves out well enough, as he later fell two laps down. He finished 28th. As for Stewart, he and Brian Vickers were involved in an incident in which Vickers and Stewart made contact, sending Stewart sideways into the infield grass and damaging his front splitter. His car lost downforce as a result and he spent two minutes in his pit stall as his crew repaired the damaged splitter. In the process, he lost six laps.
Martin Truex, Jr.: he had such a strong run in which he was in the top 10 much of the race; in fact, he led some laps and got the five bonus points. Unfortunately, a transmission failure relegated him to a 43rd place finish. That's UGLY.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew presents to you The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Philly Cheesesteak-style. Or you can have it with crab cakes, that works, too. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Greg Biffle: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. He spent most of the day in the top 10, and had the best car when it mattered.
Roush Fenway Racing: when you have drivers that finish 1-2-3, that will get you in this category every single time. In addition to Biffle, Matt Kenseth finished second and Carl Edwards finished third. David Ragan finished 18th, and Jamie McMurray had a GREAT run ruined by Robby Gordon. Gordon got loose and collected McMurray, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. McMurray would eventually finish 36th, but he led 35 laps and spent much of the race in the top 10.
Michael Waltrip: in the past, I've criticized him as a field filler, a danger to the other drivers out there, etc. I've even thrown him under the Bus. Not today. Despite starting 40th, he got stronger as the race went on and had by far his best finish of the season, finishing 10th. He was also helped by some good cars retiring early (Kyle Busch), mechanical issues (Denny Hamlin), and crashes. Good job, Michael!
Mark Martin: he started on the outside pole and finished fourth. Although he never led a lap, he spent almost the whole race in the top 10. He served notice that he'll be formidable as he runs full-time in the #5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports next season.
Jimmie Johnson: he started 20th and looked like he was going to visit Victory Lane, as a very risky gamble paid off. Then late in the race, he faded as the Roush Fenway trio got stronger.
Richard Childress Racing: I have to put all three RCR drivers in here together because all three finished in the top 10. Kevin Harvick, in particular, had an excellent day. He started 24th and finished sixth, and moved up five spots in the Chase standings. He even led a lap during a round of green flag pit stops. Clint Bowyer finished eighth, he led two laps, and spent 302 of the 400 laps in the top 10. Jeff Burton finished ninth, after starting in 21st position.
Jeff Gordon: he started on the pole and led the first 30 laps of the race. He didn't lead after that, but didn't fade too far, either. Spent most of the race in the top 10, finishing seventh.
Honorable Mention: Tony Stewart, Dave Blaney, Ryan Newman, Bobby Labonte.
THE BAD
Kyle Busch: as the last-place finisher, he gets this dubious place. Although he was in the top 10 for much of the first half of the race, his engine gave up the ghost not even halfway into the race. Combine that with his bad finish at Loudon last week, and he's got over an entire race to make up. To make up nearly 300 points with eight races to go, and the way Carl Edwards is running, it's going to be next to impossible.
Robby Gordon: bad Robby--taking out a guy in Jamie McMurray that could have contended for the win. No wonder he was so pissed off at you by parking directly in front of you, then taking off. Good for him!
Sam Hornish, Jr.: he couldn't seem to stay out of the way. He was involved in TWO crashes. At least he didn't take out any of the front runners like Robby Gordon.
Joe Nemechek: another race, another wreck. What else is new?
Denny Hamlin: mechanical issues sidelined him for a number of laps. When he eventually returned to the track, he was multiple laps down, eventually finishing 38th.
THE UGLY
Kyle Busch/Denny Hamlin: engine and mechanical issues put a severe dent in their championship hopes. While Hamlin was able to return, and actually gain a few positions through attrition, Busch finished dead last.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: his car was bad from the drop of the green flag. No matter what his crew tried to do to make it better, it got worse. He brought out a caution shortly after he was lapped. What made it worse was that HE brought out the caution and didn't get the free pass.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Crappafoni Pictures presents the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Southern BBQ style, complete with a side of BBQ baked beans. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Jimmie Johnson: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. For much of the race, he didn't have the best car, but his crew made it better as the race went on. The #48 crew deserves a HUGE shout out.
Tony Stewart: so close, yet so far. Like Johnson, Smoke's crew made his car better as the race went on. Couldn't quite catch Johnson at the end.
Denny Hamlin: spent most of the day in the top 10. This team needed a strong run and got it.
David Reutimann: for awhile, it looked like he was going to get his first Sprint Cup win. If you had to take a guess on who led the most laps in the race, and you said Dale Earnhardt, Jr. or Kevin Harvick, you would be wrong. It was Reutimann, who led 104 laps and got an additional 5 bonus points for leading the most laps. Great job!
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: he led 90 laps and spent most of the day in the top 10. His car was better in the longer runs.
Kevin Harvick: had a very stout car early, as he immediately went to the front. Led 80 laps, the first time he led since the June Loudon race. But as the day went on, his car started fading. By the time the crew made necessary changes, it was too late for him to win. He finished strong in seventh.
Clint Bowyer: he clinched the final spot in the Chase. For awhile, he was out of the Chase, then David Ragan got hung up in traffic, Kasey Kahne struggled, and Bowyer took advantage.
Honorable Mention: Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Casey Mears, Greg Biffle.
THE BAD
AJ Allmendinger: his car had issues very early in the race, forcing it to the garage. He finished 64 laps down, in dead last. As the last-place finisher, he gets this dubious place.
Kasey Kahne: needing to have a strong run to make the Chase, he struggled big time. Although he kept the car out of trouble, he was never a factor in the race. It's rare that a guy in the top 20 makes the Bad list, but if you look closely, Kahne was running anywhere between 25th and 36th throughout the race. It wasn't until the last pit stop that he gained track position.
Robby Gordon: this capped a bad week for him. First, he gets sued by Gillette Evernham Motorsports. Then he finishes 42nd, getting in everyone's way in the process.
Johnny Sauter: why oh why did Haas-CNC put him back in the seat after Tony Raines did a much better job in that seat? When Tony Stewart takes over that team next year, Ryan Newman will be in that seat, and that's an upgrade that can only be measured in light years.
THE UGLY
Tropical Storm Hanna: the storm caused postponement of this race to today. That's part of Richmond's charm--running this race at NIGHT. Fortunately, it was a beautiful sunny day with 78 degree temps at the drop of the green flag.
Roush Fenway Racing: aside from Greg Biffle making the Chase and Biffle and Carl Edwards finishing in the top 15, it wasn't a good day. Matt Kenseth and David Ragan tangled in a wreck, effectively knocking Ragan out of the Chase. Jamie McMurray was never a factor, and Edwards lost a lap early when he had a tire go down. A sub good to Edwards for finishing strong when he could have packed it in.
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!
All throughout the world of sports, there are enough idiots, malcontents, and arrogance to so #### you, the Joe Six-Pack Fan, off so badly that you so want to call them out on it. Well, here is your forum to call out an individual, team, league, owner, executive, or fans by throwing them under the Bus. The lovely young lady will take your requests and call out their names. Then they will be thrown under the Bus. I've already given her my requests for the week. Here they are.
MLB
Bud Selig: just because he hasn't been thrown under in awhile doesn't mean I've forgot how clueless he is. He wants to institute instant replay DURING the season and the postseason. While I don't have a problem with replay per se, I have a HUGE problem with the timing of it. Why not wait until the offseason to implement it? Why not work through the logistics of replay BEFORE implementing it? Better yet, why didn't you implement it at the START of the season? This is a total knee-jerk reaction to some lousy calls by the men in blue. For the BAD timing of putting in instant replay, Selig gets thrown under the Bus.
Arizona Diamondbacks: just because I feel like it as a Dodgers fan. They still have to face the St. Louis Cardinals seven times in an 11-game span in mid to late September, including a four game roadie early in the final week of the season. Just because I feel like it, the D-backs go under the Bus.
NASCAR
Jeff Gordon's crew (sans Gordon): the #24 team is in free fall. While I think they'll limp into the Chase, they will be eliminated early. I don't see them being a factor. Gordon is spared while his crew get thrown Under The Bus.
Paul Menard: he is the quintessential field filler. Dave Blaney was passing cars and making a strong push towards the front when Menard clipped Ryan Newman. Newman in turn made contact with Blaney, whose #22 Cat Toyota got the worst of it. My early Christmas wish for Blaney: some good racing luck. In the meantime, Menard the Field Filler gets thrown Under The Bus.
NFL
Carolina Panthers: as much as I hate to do this to my team, I have to. They allowed 24 points in the FOURTH QUARTER in a preseason loss to the Eagles. Even though it's only preseason, this is disturbing. It means the backups aren't ready to play, or aren't good enough to play in the NFL. You can't let up on a team near the finish line; otherwise they will rally and beat you. Credit to the Eagles for not giving in to the temptation to play prevent defense, and for putting the pressure on the Panthers. But I still have to throw the Panthers under the Bus.
OLYMPICS
Spanish National Men's Basketball Team: their racist poses were beyond the pale. (They posed slant-eyed.) If it were Kobe Bryant or LeBron James doing this, it would be an international incident. But because it was the Spanish National Team, the silence is deafening. For their racism, they get thrown Under The Bus.
These are my nominations for the week. 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!
Crappafoni Pictures presents to you in high definition this week's The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, served with California wines and cheeses. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. Had the best car much of the day and as such he's earned his first road course win.
David Gilliland: an impressive career-best second place run by the native Californian, considering he's had a more down than up season.
Jeff Gordon: he turned a crappy car into a top-5 car at his home track. Home cooking has been good to him this week.
Clint Bowyer: excellent run. Was caught in the first caution by bad pit strategy. He decided to pit with his RCR teammates and the caution came out shortly afterward, locking him in excellent track position.
Casey Mears: like Bowyer, used excellent pit strategy to lock himself in great track position. Took advantage of the wreck that his fellow Bakersfielder Kevin Harvick caused to gain even more positions.
Honorable Mention: Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth.
THE BAD
Kevin Harvick: a bonehead move not only cost him a top 5 finish, but he's in danger of missing the Chase. His bonehead move was that he went into the turn too hard and took out THREE good cars. The silver lining is that he's coming to tracks that have been good to him throughout his career.
David Reutimann: never felt confident up in the wine country of California. A late race crash was the capper to his crappy week.
Robby Gordon: for someone that was expected to contend, he was never really a factor. Finished three laps down in 36th.
Brian Simo: a field filler. He was the first driver out of the race just 20 laps in. This will probably be the only time this year I'll mention him.
Boris Said: see Robby Gordon. He finished even worse than Gordon, finishing 41st, 18 laps down.
THE UGLY
Marcos Ambrose: he had a GREAT run spoiled by an accident. The accident damaged his gear box and spewed oil and other liquids all over the track.
Kevin Harvick: rarely does a driver make both the Bad AND Ugly categories, but I must put Happy there. The Ugly being the result of dropping out of the top 12 and having to scramble to make the Chase. He'll make the Chase IF he doesn't make any bonehead moves the rest of the season. He needed a strong run at Sonoma and for the longest time it looked like he was going to be in the top 5.
Those are my nominations for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Crappafoni Pictures proudly presents this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, presented with a Michigan twist.
THE GOOD
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. Congratulations on breaking a two-plus year winless streak! I've said that he'd win at a track that he wasn't expected to win at. Michigan qualifies for that! This was Chevrolet's first win at Michigan since June 2001, when Jeff Gordon piloted his Chevrolet into Victory Lane.
Kasey Kahne: had a strong car both early and late. Fuel strategy allowed him to finish a strong second.
Roush Fenway Racing: four cars in the top 10 will get you in this category. Jamie McMurray got a free pass, and his car got stronger as the race went on.
Red Bull Racing: Brian Vickers finished 4th, and A.J. Allmendinger finished 19th. Vickers may have had the car to beat had it not been for that last caution.
Tony Stewart: his car ran in the top 10 much of the day, culminating in a strong 5th place finish.
Elliott Sadler: finished strong in 9th. He had a strong car much of the day, spending much of it in the top 15.
Honorable Mention: Jimmie Johnson.
THE BAD
Dario Franchitti: as the last-place driver, he gets first billing in this dubious category. Better luck next week, D.
Juan Pablo Montoya: I think he unloaded a bad car and it got much worse as the race went on. He finished nine laps down.
Bill Elliott: the former champion has turned into a field filler. As recently as 2002 he was in the hunt for a championship. As much as I like Bill Elliott, I think it's time for him to hang up his helmet and enjoy retirement.
THE UGLY
Ryan Newman: the Daytona 500 winner had mechanical issues and spent a LOT of time in the garage. He finished in 42nd, 89 laps down.
Robby Gordon: a hard crash on Lap 152 ended his day early. He'll be a factor next week at Sonoma.
J.J. Yeley: had mechanical issues and spent time in the garage. He returned to the race to finish 87 laps down.
Dave Blaney: he brought out the first caution of the race when a rear axle broke. He returned to the race and actually picked up four positions through attrition. A sub-good for that.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
In honor of the last race on Fox, Crappafoni Pictures presents to you the Monster-sized version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the winner at Dover, he gets first billing. He had a stout car all day.
Roush Fenway Racing: four cars in the Top 10, with Jamie McMurray sneaking in to finish tenth. It wouldn't surprise me to see RFR have four drivers in the Chase.
Jeff Gordon: to finish on the lead lap today was astounding, especially with Kyle Busch as stout as he was. He may have cost himself a chance at a win when he stayed out too long on green flag pit stops late in the race.
Martin Truex, Jr.: while he wasn't a factor to win, he had a solid sixth place finish, being the last driver on the lead lap.
Jeff Burton: was consistent again, finishing eighth. He did finish a lap down because Busch was so strong.
Honorable Mention: Jimmie Johnson, Dave Blaney.
THE BAD
David Gilliland: he was the cause of the Talladega-esque 11-car crash early in the race when he got into the back of Elliott Sadler and sent him spinning. Mayhem then ensued. There were a LOT of torn up cars after that one. More on the crash later.
Denny Hamlin: he escalated the crash when he went full speed through the carnage as other drivers were trying to pick their way through. He took out a number of cars in the top 12 in points. More on him in a later blog.
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