• Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson for getting his second Cup win of 2009.  He clearly had the best car and just dominated all race long.  Johnson jeopardized his chances of winning, though, on the final pit stop when Chad Knaus made the call to get four tires instead of two.  I thought that decision would be suicide for him, but it paid off as he managed to race his way to the front in less than 30 laps.  Jimmie just impresses me race after race from the comeback he made last fall at Atlanta to the one here at Dover.  He is on track to win his fourth straight championship, but I think winning this one will be much harder than the others if he manages to pull it off.

• That was some great racing at the end between Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, and Greg Biffle, the type of racing NASCAR fans are looking for when they come to the races each week.  This finish reminded me very much of the one last fall between Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards.  I agree with the announcers when they said that Dover is a track where the cars spread out for the main part of the race but bunch back up at the end.  Both Stewart and Biffle took just two right side tires, but they could not hold their ground in the closing laps to the mighty Johnson.  In scenarios like that, a car is either strong on the inside groove or on the outside one.   On the other hand, Jimmie Johnson's car was good on both which made it virtually impossible for the other two to keep him in the rear view mirror.

• You know how that must have felt to Tony Stewart to watch Jimmie Johnson fly by him on the outside groove.  He was so close to that points win as an owner for Stewart-Haas.  When I analyze Tony's whole racing crew, I have noticed this season that they have gained the ability to do something that only Jimmie's team has been able to do in the past: the ability to adjust on his race car throughout the race.  This means, for example, at Dover he was able to get a second place finish even though he did not have a second place car.  That skill will come in handy down the road and is a mark of a true championship team.  Tony Stewart is the number one threat to Jimmie Johnson in winning his fourth straight Cup title.  Tony hasn't been this good since his last championship in 2002.  He has already won the FOX Cup...

• I enjoyed all of the action at the beginning of the race.  By setting up the competition caution on lap 30, NASCAR gave the drivers an excuse to run like speed demons right from the start in order to check for tire wear.  The battle between Reed Sorenson and David Reutimann was exciting to watch.  Greg Biffle was even concerned that he might have been running too hard so early in the race.  For once, I have to applaud NASCAR for the competition caution...
  

• I was really surprised that the Roush-Fenway Racing teams weren't much of a threat to win the race.  Dover is one of those tracks where they usually dominate all day long.  Greg Biffle did finish third and Matt Kenseth in fourth, but I guess I was just expecting a little more from them.  Aside from Kenseth's two wins opening the season, they have been nothing other than terrible so far in 2009.  I don't know what has happened to the whole organization, but they better get it figured out before it is too late...

• Even though Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ended up with a 12th place finish, it probably felt like a victory to him.  The crew chief change on his team from Tony Eury, Jr. to Lance McGrew has been the talk of the week.  All of the top workers for Hendrick Motorsports devoted their time to the number 88 team for the whole weekend making any changes needed for the car to run better and faster.  The outcome of the arduous labor and new crew chief was that Junior just looked like a different race car driver with renewed energy on Sunday.  I really think that McGrew is the type of guy that NASCAR's most popular driver needs.  He came on the radio and encouraged him throughout the race.  Dale was even running in the top five for a big portion of the event.  Junior is a talented race car driver; he just needs the perfect recipe of equipment and crew in order to succeed in the long run...

• It is sad to see NASCAR on FOX say good-bye for the rest of the season.  I know many people other than me are also not too happy about it, especially the ones without cable television.  We may not enjoy Digger popping up every couple of minutes or perhaps get annoyed by having to listen to Darrell Waltrip.  When you look at the big picture though, FOX is the best racing network for many reasons including the fact that they have the shortest pre-race show, the whole crew has the best chemistry and provides the most humor, they explains things in the easiest way, etc.  They try to make themselves one notch above TNT and ESPN/ABC.  As they put it, though, it is only eight months until the Daytona 500...

The Mistake of the Week award for Dover is for all of my fellow bloggers to vote on!  I really couldn't come up with one on my own...

                     

             
                                  

• Congratulations to David Reutimann on getting his first career Sprint Cup victory in one of NASCAR's most prestigious races.  He used pit strategy by staying out on the last caution to put himself out in front for the rain.  I am not happy with the way the race ended and most race fans also aren't.  A great fight to the finish was being set up between Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne.  We all are going to say that Reutimann's win isn't legitimate or that he just got lucky.  Just remember that every driver and crew chief had the opportunity to make the call that they did.  David's team rolled the dice, and the weather just happened to play in their favor...

• This win did David Reutimann's whole crew and all of Michael Waltrip Racing so much good.  As an owner, it was probably a very satisfactory feeling for Michael especially because of all of the hardships he has gone through.  He needed to feel that sense of accomplishment in order to keep this organization moving along.  That 200+ pound trophy will make a nice centerpiece for the display case.  Monday's victory proved to be his light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

• It's just ashame that of all Coca-Cola 600's to be ruined like this one that it had to be the 50th running.  I have to give kudos to the fans for sticking it out all weekend.  You can imagine how miserable it must be to sit in the rain for hours.  For once, I have to say that NASCAR did make the right decision by calling the race when they did.  There comes a point where the delays get to be ridiculous.  Plus, the fans have to get back home and go to work and school.

• The Mistake of the Week award for Charlotte goes to all of the drivers who came down pit road on the final caution.  This includes Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Juan Montoya, Joey Logano, etc.  All of these guys were racing the race, not playing the weather.  I was really surprised by the number of cars that chose to pit with the rain coming.  All of the rain victims will learn from their mistakes in the future...

• I enjoyed during the FOX broadcast how they rated all of the different racing organizations.  In my opinion, that is one of the little things they do that makes them better than the other networks.  I just got tired of them showing the same footage and saying some of the same things over and over since they had so much time on their hands.

• One of the only positive aspects about the racing this week was the fact that there were no start-and-parkers.  Every driver who started the race had the intention of finishing it.  Scott Riggs even managed to get his unknown Cooter's Backyard Bar and Grill sponsor mentioned on national television (no Hanahan, not Hooter's... lol).
  

• Kudos this week go out to Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon for their second and third place finishes, respectively.  Newman had a lug nut issue early in the race which made him restart back in the thirties but rebounded when he chose to stay out along with Reutimann and play the rain game.  Gordon also stayed out with the other two and got his first top five since who knows when...  this is a big achievement for a stand alone driver.

• I am going to agree with Tony Stewart and say that the moment of silence taken at 3 p.m. EST on request of the President is one of the greatest things that I have ever seen.  The fact that NASCAR chose to red flag the race and shut off the engines shows just much patriotism this sport has.  I just loved seeing all of the flags at half staff, all the pit crews lined along pit road, all of the fans standing in honor, and all of the drivers and cars lined along the front stretch.  Every single person in the whole facility was paying his or her respects to all of the troops currently serving our country, all of the troops who have served our country in the past, and all of the troops who have died serving our country.  Darrell Waltrip believes that the tribute is the whole reason that the race was rained out on Sunday evening.  I cannot think of a single sport that shows a greater amount of patriotism than NASCAR does, and I hope that never changes...

     

             
                                            

• Congratulations to Tony Stewart for getting his first ever All-Star win as an owner for Stewart-Haas Racing.  That victory couldn't have been sweeter or have come at a better time.  The expression on "Smoke's" face shows just how much the win means to him, not only to him but to his whole organization.  He caught everyone by surprise when he made that fantastic pass on the inside of Kenseth during the final ten laps.  There were many doubts when Stewart made his departure from Gibbs, but now everything has fallen into place.  He is even the number one threat to win the Coca-Cola 600 next week, just look at what Kasey Kahne pulled off last year.

• Matt Kenseth used pit strategy to get a much needed second place finish by getting two tires his final time down pit road.  It was crystal clear that Tony just had a better race car than he did.  The reason Kenseth gave up that victory was because he couldn't keep his car on the bottom.  That is one case where tires and proper adjustments play a more important role than track position.
  

• The 25th All-Star Race sure didn't let us fans down.  Those final ten laps were some of the best racing I have ever seen at Lowe's Motor Speedway, especially in an All-Star Race.  I'm sure the double file restarts had something to do with it; NASCAR should seriously consider having them every week.  The green flag pit stop halfway through the first segment was also cool to watch.  I really love the changes NASCAR has made to the event; for once they did something right!

• With $1,000,000 on the line on a Saturday night, every driver gives it his all.  Kyle Busch made one of the craziest maneuvers I have ever witnessed when he threaded the needle between Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth.  He is the type of driver who keeps fans tuning in week after week; the young man's talent and boldness is remarkable.  Look for him to also be a big threat next week in the 600.
  

• Too bad for Jeff Gordon.  I felt like he had the best car out there, but he was the casualty of hard racing.  I actually think his race-ending wreck was triggered by him.  Gordon body-checked Kyle Busch into Ryan Newman who in turn just came right back down into himself.  All of this racing proves what drivers are willing to do when no points are on the line.  If we want all out battles every single week, then I think we should do away with the current points system and base it on wins.  One point for each win; no points for anything else.

• It was nice to see Joey Logano do well after receiving the fan vote.  I feel like he is getting a better grasp of the COT every week that passes.  It won't be long until we see him in victory lane; I think it could very well be sometime this season.

• I would like to thank my good friend dmthornock for reporting live from turn two of Lowe's Motor Speedway right in the midst of all of the action.  What makes it all even sweeter for him is that he is a die-hard Tony Stewart fan.

• This week's final thought:  Have you noticed during driver introductions for the All-Star Race how some guys high-five their pit crews and some don't???  It may be just an issue of experience on the big stage.  For example, Sam Hornish, Jr. and Brad Keselowski both went ahead of their crews without sharing their appreciation.  I bet both of them were just too caught up in the moment.  Joey Logano actually did congratulate his crew even being a rookie.  That shows that Joe Gibbs has taken the time to train him in NASCAR etiquette.
  

            
                                   

• Congratulations to Mark Martin on another great victory.  It seems as the man ages he just gets better and better.  Right now, I would consider him at the pinnacle of his racing career.  If he is ever going to win that long sought championship, 2009 would be the year to do it.  Just think about all that he would have missed out on if he retired after last season.  As Mark says, he is having the time of his life...  The man even taught NASCAR superstar Jimmie Johnson a little lesson as the laps were winding down in the race, a lesson on how to race the Lady in Black.

• Because Martin didn't have the best car out there, he used pit strategy by staying out late in the race and just conserving fuel.  Since the repaving of the raceway, track position has played a more important role than tires have.  In the old days, there was no question about getting four new Goodyears at any opportunity.  But now when a car has clean air, it just takes off and leaves the rest of the field.  Saturday night made us realize that classic Darlington is "gone with the wind".  The new Darlington though is just as interesting because of the strategy that has been inherited by the track.
  

• It doesn't matter if Jimmie Johnson wrecks in qualifying and has to start at the back of the field: he still will make his way to the front of the field.  It was a big sigh of relief for Chad Knaus when Johnson came home with a second place finish after all of the struggles because he knew that he had fulfilled his role as a crew chief.  The Knaus-Johnson tandem has proved pretty much to be invincible in the past several years.  The chemistry on that team is unbelievable.  Jimmie may get all of the credit when it is all said and done, but Chad is the man behind the scenes that makes sure everything falls into place.

• Once again, it was terrific night for the Indiana boys, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman, who finished third and fourth, respectively.  That first win for the organization is not far down the road.  Both of them just need to keep on doing what they have been the past couple of weeks, and they'll be in victory lane before they know it.

• After Saturday night's race, I am going to call Jeff Gordon the comeback kid.  He had a car to win the race until a loose wheel caused him to have to restart back in the thirties.  That's why his pit crew receives my Mistake of the Week award for Darlington.  Everyone thought his night was over, but he managed to work his way up to a fifth place finish.  Great job Jeff!  That right there is a mark of a true champion...

• Kudos to Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano for their awesome runs all evening long. Logano looked for a while like he might be able to win the race, and Keselowski proved that his Talladega win several weeks back was more than luck.

• Junior, Junior, Junior.  Saturday night's 27th place finish ended his streak of four straight top ten finishes at the Lady in Black.  It also put him farther in the hole concerning points.  He is having a year like Kurt Busch had last season except he probably won't be fortunate enough to back into a win.  Guess what???  He even managed to miss his pit box once again.  At least this time though, it wasn't his fault.  His crew messed up because he ran over the air hose.
  

• It was disappointing in the Nationwide race on Friday night when a caution ruined the Green-White-Checkered finish.  For the fans to get their money's worth, NASCAR needs to allow a second attempt at a GWC instead of only one attempt.

That's all from Darlington.  Next week, we get a nice break from our Fantasy Auto Racing and just enjoy the All-Star Race with NO POINTS RACING!  That ten lap shootout at the end should make for a pretty exciting evening...

             
                                      

How do you like my brand new logo?  After playing around for a couple of hours, I finally managed to come up with the design and get it on the internet.

• Congratulations to Kyle Busch for getting his first Richmond win on his 24th birthday and joining Cale Yarborough as the only other driver to win a Cup race on the special occasion.  Not only that, but he also managed to sweep the entire racing weekend with a Nationwide victory on Friday night.  He didn't have the absolute best car throughout the course of the race, but "Wild Thing" didn't allow that to slow him down.  Instead, Busch did what no other driver could seem to pull off: make his passes on the outside groove.  And with all of the lap down cars restarting on the inside lane, the high line was the right line.  Kyle Busch works around obstacles that get in his way, and that is a sign of true talent.  Great Job, "Rowdy"!
  

• Richmond was another great for Stewart-Haas Racing as both Newman and Stewart finished in the top five.  Tony's car just seemed to come alive late in the race as he made several tricky maneuvers en route to a second place finish.  Whereas Ryan Newman used pit strategy to set him up for a fourth place finish.  The announcers talked about how there seems to be a little competition between them to see which one can get to victory lane first...
  

• Mark Martin is proving he has what it takes week after week.  After being caught up in a wreck with less than 100 laps to go and restarting 19th, he still made his way up and came home with a fifth place finish.  Jeff Burton's fortunes came in the very same way.  After his spin out by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., patience and perseverance led him to a third place finish.  For a while, we even thought that Burton may win the race until he was held up by Tony Stewart.  With age comes experience, and that experience proves very valuable on and off the race track.

• It's ashame what happened to Denny Hamlin.  For the second year in a row, he had the car to beat in the Richmond spring race.  And once again, troubles haunted him in the late part of the race.  Hamlin's pit crew really #### up on the final stop and wins my Mistake of the Week award for costing him his first win in over a year.  My saying that NASCAR is a team sport proves true once again.  Those troubles didn't just cost Denny a long sought win; they even costed him a top ten finish!  If Hamlin's team wants to be a winning one, they have to overcome all of these late race mistakes.

• I found all of the lap down cars to be quite irritating all evening long.  They prevented drivers with great race cars like Kurt Busch and others from getting up front to contend for the win.  They also were the causes for many wrecks that ruined guys' chances of winning.  This race made me come to the decision that NASCAR just needs to make all lap down cars starts behind all of the lead lap ones.  That would be much more fair, and they could just all battle it out for the Lucky Dog.

• Did you notice in Carl Edwards' pre-race interview on the headset with the Hollywood Hotel guys how complimentary he was with NASCAR?  Just last week, he talked about how NASCAR "puts us in this box and we'll race like this until we kill somebody".  And now, he believes NASCAR knows what they are doing.  It sure is obvious that Carl had his brainwashing session...
  

• Sam Hornish, Jr.'s sixth place finish raised lots of questions among fans because he triggered several wrecks along the way.  I really don't think all of those wrecks he caused were intentional, but the sophomore race car driver still has a lot to learn.  His style of racing is no way to make friends, only enemies.  The reason that Mark Martin has gained so much respect throughout all of his racing years is because he has always remembered the Golden Rule.  He has always let a driver pass him if he has a faster race car.  These are qualities that Hornish has yet to acquire...
  

That's all from Richmond.  Next week, we head to good ole' Darlington to witness the long awaited return of the Southern 500.  It should be another great weekend of racing...