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 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!!

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 repairs. He returned to finish 7 laps down. He was actually running with the main pack after the major repairs and setup. Could the Wood Brothers go under in NASCAR's ever changing economic landscape?

THE UGLY

The Big One: this happened when Jimmie Johnson spun on the backstretch and collected several cars, among them David Reutimann, who tied a NASCAR record with FIVE free passes, eventually getting back on the lead lap. The cruel irony: Reutimann was back on the lead lap at the time of the accident.  

The Big One, Part II: THIS one happened on Lap 162 and it involved Michael Waltrip, Travis Kvapil, Sam Hornish Jr., and Dave Blaney. TBO, Part II ended the race with Kyle Busch being declared the winner.

TNT's "coverage": while I liked the split screen, there were several instances that they could have cut away from the commercials to report events on the track. One such instance involved Kyle Busch dropping off the pace to 37th at one point.

Just because this isn't a points race, it doesn't mean Crappafoni Pictures will take a week off! We've got NASCAR to bring to the masses! Hereby we bring to you the All-Star Race edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served with a mid-South flavor. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Kasey Kahne: as the All-Star winner, he gets first billing. Not bad for being voted in by the fans. For all the times I've put him in either the Bad or Ugly category, it's LONG overdue he gets in this column!

Sam Hornish, Jr.: he raced his way into the Challenge by finishing in the Top 2. From there, he finished in the Top 10 in the Challenge. Good job.

Roush Fenway Racing: had two segment winners in Carl Edwards  (segment 2) and Greg Biffle (segment 3). Along with Matt Kenseth, these three finished in the top 10. The Roushkateers feel right at home at 1.5 mile tracks, particularly Edwards.

Mark Martin: he still has the fire in the belly, despite racing only part-time. Finished solidly in the top 10.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: led laps at various times in the Challenge, eventually finishing in the top 10.

Honorable mention: Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson.

THE BAD

Richard Childress Racing: as good as they have been in the early part of the season, they never really were a factor in this race. Kevin Harvick had the team's best finish, at 11th, just missing a top 10.

Joe Gibbs Racing: had two of its drivers blow engines during the race. Kyle Busch's engine gave up the ghost after segment 2. Denny Hamlin's engine blew on lap 85. And even Tony Stewart had to change engines before the event and started at the rear of the field.

Kurt Busch: started the Challenge 3rd and backed up throughout the event. He ended up finishing 22nd. He really backed up in the final segment.

Jamie McMurray: he brought up the rear as far as Roush Fenway Racing drivers went. Although he was in the top 10 for 9 laps, he finished 19th.

THE UGLY

Joe Gibbs Racing: two blown engines. They rolled the dice and came up snake eyes.

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