With the final off week of the season coming up, the teams head to Bristol with a lot on the line. whether it is points, Chase aspirations, or rides. Bristol plays a pivotal role for many drivers, but surviving was key.

Check out this week’s winners and losers.

Winners

Kyle Busch

For Kyle Busch, Bristol is becoming his house and with good reason he leads many if not all the statistical categories at this track, so it’s not a big surprise to see him running within the top 10 for most of the day and then to win was also not so surprising.

Busch who qualified 15th for the race quickly moved forward. Busch found himself battling for a spot in the top five. He was battling some of the same issues that everyone else was fighting a very tight race car.

Busch early had a good car on restarts but would fall off a bit as the run went on. His team had great pit stops and was able to adjust on the car. Busch took the lead late from Michael Waltrip.

With multiple late cautions, Busch had to hold off a hard-charging Mark Martin for the win. Busch who came into the race sitting 15th in the standings, couldn’t afford to have a bad run or a poor finish. With so much on the line, the team rallied behind Busch and earned this finish.

Heading into Atlanta in two weeks, Busch is hoping to find the same success he had last year at the track and to continue his gain on the standings. Busch needs to finish in the top 10 on Sunday night if he wants to have a shot come Richmond.

Busch needs Bristol to be added to the race more than twice a year, it’s his house.

Points: 13th

Marcos Ambrose

Now I usually put the second-place driver in this position but I had to give this one to Marcos Ambrose. This rookie driver in the Sprint Cup series is having a great year. Even without a win, Ambrose is proving each week that he not only belongs in this series, he will be factor each week.

 Ambrose started in 25th but quickly moved forward. He was in the top 10 and battling for positions in the top 10 by lap 179. Ambrose would lose a few spots on pit road, but he was able to gain them back with a great car that allowed him to get better as the run went on. Ambrose would finish third Saturday night.

Ambrose, who shows humility even when he has poor finishes, was probably happier tonight than winner Busch. Ambrose insists he is still trying to earn the respect of the drivers who have been racing in this series for so long. I think he did that a long time ago.

It’s a good sign for NASCAR when a single-car team can run with the big boys, even though they have technical support from the Michael Waltrip Racing.

]Ambrose is to Stewart as Michael Waltrip Racing is to Hendrick Motorsports. (They said I didn’t pay attention in class).

Points: 17th

Jamie McMurray

Once again there were probably a few other drivers who could have landed in this spot, but Jamie McMurray had a solid run and for a guy driving for a ride next year, he showed tonight that when they hit on the setup he can run competitively.

McMurray started 17th on Sunday but found his way into the top ten by lap 195. They fell behind a bit on an adjustment but were able to keep position and with solid pit stops and a good car they finished 11th.

McMurray has a lot more on the line than most drivers and with the races winding down and not many rides available, finishes like this will only help him when it comes down to signing a contract. McMurray has run better than his teammate David Ragan, but it’s Ragan with th

e ride at Roush Fenway Racing 2010.

McMurray is an example of a driver with the talent but poor luck and tough economy has this driver looking for work.

Points: 22nd

 Losers

Clint Bowyer

If Busch had the best points night of any driver, Bowyer had the worst. Before the race Clint Bowyer could do nothing but praise BMS and the great racing. He was then reminded how close he was to making the Chase and how important it was for him to finish strong.

 Well it looked good early and he nearly walked away not only with a good finish but a top 10 finish. Bowyer had been running very well, he was battling some handling conditions but they were able to maintain track position.

On lap 438, contact between Sam Hornish Jr., Casey Mears and Kurt Busch set off a chain reaction involving Bowyer. Bowyer had some damage but was on pit road multiple times to repair it and was able to stay on the lead lap.

With only a handful of laps left, a cut tire for Michael Waltrip sent him into the wall and into Bowyer. With those two hits, Bowyer saw his Chase chances all but slip away.

Bowyer didn’t need another race like this, he has had too many this year and that’s why he fighting to get into the Chase.

 Looks more and more like Richard Childress Racing's only hope to make the Chase won’t be crashing the party.

 Points: 15th

Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart has nothing to lose, he is already locked into the Chase, and all he has to do is race for wins. Well on Saturday it would have helped if he would have been able to race communicate in the first place.

Stewart couldn’t hear nor could he talk back to his team. They were forced down pit road to change radios and in the process lost a lap when they barely made the restart coming off of pit road.

Four radio changes later and losing multiple laps to the leaders, it all came down to something so simple. Stewart had switched frequencies to wish teammate Ryan Newman good luck and was never able to get back to the correct frequency with his team.

They figured this out after all the swap outs of helmets. To make matters, worse an electrical issue relegated him to 11 laps off the pace. Stewart finished 33rd. Stewart hasn’t had many races this year where they completely missed the setup.

Even after the radio issues were solved they struggled to keep up with the car. Stewart could afford a race like this but let’s hope this mini slump ends by the Chase.

 For the first time in 2009, Stewart had to consecutive finishes outside the top 10.

Points: First

Carl Edwards

One year ago, Carl Edwards was celebrating in victory lane and was on his way to a series leading nine victories. A year later, Edwards has zero victories and at a track where Edwards has found so much success, he wasn’t even a factor.

Edwards’s day didn’t start out very well; he was way back in traffic in 32nd. At a short track, poor track position can kill your day before a poor handling car does. Edwards, though, was struggling with a poor handling race car and he went a lap down early.

His team was never able to find the handling on this car and instead of battling for the lead, he was battling to stay on the lead lap: a battle he lost.

From then on, they were trying for the free pass just to get a decent finish. On lap 438, he got the free pass he finished 16th.

For Edwards Saturday night was a snapshot of his season, either he has a good car and bad luck or bad car that they can’t adjust on.

 Edwards might be a lock for the Chase, but he doesn’t look like a contender with runs like this.

Points: Fifth

Lucky Dog: Denny Hamlin

For Denny Hamlin the night did not start out very well, on lap 64 he cut a tire and had to come down to pit road and make repairs. He was a lap down until Bobby Labonte spun and hit the wall that was lap 163.

 Hamlin restarted 29th and started moving forward immediately. By lap 250 he was in 13th and by lap 361 he was in the top five. He had a great comeback tonight. His tire issues were early enough that he was able to continue to work on the car and benefit from cautions early.

Hamlin finished fifth after starting 41st. Hamlin had the best car out there after he went sideways in qualifying and had a flat tire in the first 100 laps, and then he was one of the best cars out there.

Points: Fourth

Final Lap…

Congrats to Bristol Motor Speedway, and all the folks who worked hard to earn the 55th consecutive sellout. In this economy, not many tracks can claim a sell out so far in 2009 and not surprisingly Bristol sold out.

BMS had the fans into the driver-picked songs for their intros, reverting back to old school racing with the drivers addressing the crowd before their parade laps around the track.

This weekend was packed with racing, and BMS put on a show. From Wednesday to the checkered flag, every track should look to Bristol not only for how the drivers are involved, but the fan involvement.

Before the checkered flag, the fans did a karaoke to Garth Brooks, during the red flag late in the race, an impromptu wave began. There is a reason why Bristol sells out and is such a coveted ticket and I wouldn’t be surprised if next spring we are talking about another sell out.

With an off weekend for the Sprint Cup teams, drivers are getting ready for the final push for the Chase.

With so many agendas going into the Atlanta race, we will see some drivers being conservative and others going for the win.

 Enjoy the off week and see you in Atlanta for a Sunday night special under the lights.

With so much focus on the Chase and the top 12 and those drivers fighting to get in, what seems to get lost is the 31 other drivers that are fighting for not only a win, but possibly their rides for the remainder of this year and next.

Jen Preston and I will each be focusing on either a Chase driver or a driver not in the chase. With every point important and every final position key, it's not just the guys fighting for a championship that have a lot riding in the final stretch of the season.

Were calling it the "Lugnut Report," and this week's featured drivers are Juan Pablo Montoya and Casey Mears. From Practices to qualifying to the race, find out how they ran at Michigan.

For Casey Mears the remainder of this season is critical. He has had a difficult year so far, moving from Hendrick Motorsports to Richard Childress Racing and taking over the No. 07 from Clint Bowyer.

It was the same crew and crew chief that guided Bowyer to the Chase for two consecutive years.

So with expectations high Mears needed results and he hasn't found the same success that Bowyer has had in that car.

Heading into Michigan Mears was sitting 21st in the standings.

His practice speeds in the first practice, put him 13th on the charts, the team ran 26 laps and 22 of them were fast laps.

Mears best lap was a 38.7 seconds.

They drew 14th for qualifying order. On Friday the later you went, the faster your laps, Mears though struggled on his lap and had a disappointing 39.6 second lap. When all was said and done he was starting 42nd on Sunday.

On Saturday during the first of two practices Mears found his way to 15th on the sheet, working on green flag runs and trying different set ups. They ran five laps and ran one fast lap with his best speed of 39.4 seconds.

During the second and final practice Mears struggled found his way to 32nd on the chart and only ran one fast lap of 25 they ran.

The team struggled with loose condition and unable to find an adjustment that Mears was comfortable with.

His best speed was 40.6 seconds.

On Sunday he began to move forward and was in 34th when a rain shower moved in and forced the cars on pit road.

Mears and his crew came in when the red flag was lifted and came in just for tires on that first stop. They came out 40th after issues on the right side.

After a few laps Mears was tight through the center but loose on exit after just taking four tires and fuel. Mears though was still moving forward to 27th since they returned to green.

Mears continued to struggle with an extremely loose race car on exit and a very tight car in the middle of the corner, but Mears continued to move up 25th.

For his second pit stop Mears and his crew made an adjustment to help with the loose race car, they came out in 26th.

After the second caution of the day for Robby Gordon, Mears complained of being really, really loose in and loose off. Mears though was moving forward by lap 84 he was in 21st place.

After another green flag stop Mears was holding station in 21st. They were having a solid run with great lap times, but still struggling with a loose race car.

Mears on what they thought would be the final pit stop, Mears and crew came in and took four tires and fuel and came out 28th. They couldn't get track position all day long, with so many drivers trying to gamble on fuel, Mears was unable to capitalize.

Mears was good on fuel as they came in and topped off on the final caution, so it became about getting every position in the end. Mears worked his way up into the top 10. With less than 10 to go Mears worked his way into sixth place.

A great finish for a team that needed a strong finish. They improved their point's position to 20th. It was impressive to see this team rally and make the correct adjustments on this car to get them into the top 10.

Coming into the race on Sunday it didn't look very good for this team, battling track position and a loose race car for most of the day. They had solid stops and Mears drove a great race.

Check out Jen Preston's report on Juan Pablo Montoya.

The big boys headed to the big track in Michigan for the second and final time in 2009. The track has changed somewhat from the early June race, it's hot and slick.

If the race today is anything like the race on Saturday in the Nationwide series we were in for a show and that is exactly what we got.

Check out this week's winners and losers in Michigan.

Winners

Brian Vickers

On Saturday, Brian Vickers in post race remarks reminded us that the Nationwide series is not the Kyle Busch show, and on Sunday Vickers was the show as well. Well, at least the supporting actor to Jimmie Johnson dominating performance.

Vickers won the pole for Sunday's race and although he lost the lead early, he never really fell out of contention.

Vickers and his team lost the handling a bit mid-race but they were able to adjust on the changing conditions and keep with the race track.

As the race went on Vickers though got better and faster and when it came time for fuel conservation Vickers was able to conserve just enough and hold off Jeff Gordon for the win.

Vickers who is only 12 points out of the chase now, put on a show this weekend, dominating in both races.

Vickers who has series leading six poles this year finally was able to close the deal and win his second career race.

Vickers was the show this weekend. Period.

Points: 13th

Jeff Gordon

There was lots of talk this week of Gordon's back, whether he should even show up at Bristol or if he could even get in the car this weekend. Well Gordon not only showed up but also quieted some critics who had written off this team as not contenders for the championship, finishing second.

Gordon had an early draw in qualifying and found himself starting 21st. They quickly began moving forward and when the rain moved in and moved out Steve LeTarte called Gordon in and took just fuel and gained track position.

Gordon fought the same conditions that everyone else did. Track conditions changed sometimes lap to lap, but Gordon and his crew were not only able to gain positions on pit road but were able to pass on the track.

Gordon has run well on mile and half tracks this year, and they have said thye are saving there best cars for the chase.

If this wasn't their best car and they weren't able to move through traffic like they did, the rest of the competition might want to keep an eye on the 24 crew when the Chase starts.

I don't think you could wipe the smile off the face of Gordon after the race, unless you asked him about his back.

Points: Second

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

It hasn't been a great year for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and as well documented as it has been recently there has been signs of life with this team. Michigan has always been a good track for Earnhardt, being the track where he won his last race in June of 2008.

Earnhardt started off the race struggling back in traffic; he was having trouble with a loose race car and also with traffic. They brought the car in and worked on it, but it wasn't making much head way.

During a green flag run, they had to bring the car on pit road because of what Earnhardt thought was a vibration, so they changed all four tires. When it all cycled out, Earnhardt remained on the lead lap and soon found himself in the lead late.

He lost the lead when he had to pit, but was able to make a furious run through the top 10 and finished third.

It was a great sign to see him able to move forward and to make positive gains on the car throughout the race.

Junior nation nearly had themselves a win, and if the race was 206 miles he might have won.

Points: 21st

Losers

Bobby Labonte

It didn't take long for Bobby Labonte to know that today was going to be a long day. As soon as the green flag waved, Labonte could hear engine issues and quickly dropped to the rear.

When the caution came out for the rain and then the red flag the team huddled together and made a game plan. They thought it was loose spark plugs so they intended on changing them as soon as it went back to yellow.

They stayed on pit road to give themselves enough time to change the plugs while the rest of the field prepared to make pit stops. Those changes did not work-they pulled to the garage and worked on the second cylinder and had Labonte back on the track though 21 laps down.

They went to the garage soon after, falling out of the race.

It hasn't been an easy year for Labonte, he has struggled adapting to his car and the switch of manufacturers also hasn't helped him.

He is one of the drivers who may be driving for a ride in 2010. Finishing 43rd on Sunday didn't help.

Labonte should ask his sponsor ask.com, where is that Yates engine power?

Points: 29th

Kurt Busch

For Kurt Busch, he should be glad he was sitting in the top five in the standings, so an accident like this won't end his chase hunt, but you can bet they sure didn't need a hit like this that puts them dangerously close to the danger zone.

Busch and David Ragan and Carl Edwards were racing on a restart, Ragan got loose and came down on Kurt Busch who then slammed the inside wall hard, headed for the garage.

His team was furiously making repairs to get him back on the track with points so important, even though a win was not a possibility.

Busch had a great car today. He was struggling with an electrical issue but was able to keep his car in the top 10.

He finished 36th.  

 

Busch should hope this was his mulligan before the Chase begins.

 

Points: Sixth

Jimmie Johnson

Okay, so it is a bit ridiculous to put him on the loser list after leading a race-high 134 and finishing 33rd. They didn't have mechanical issues and they didn't have an accident but they did run out of fuel, again.

Johnson had a fast car all day long as they were up front and had the best car for most of the day. When they did get stuck in traffic Johnson was able to work it perfectly and quickly made his way into the top five.

With the race coming down to fuel mileage Johnson was in conservation mode, but the problem is he didn't conserve.

Racing hard to take the lead on the final restart and then battling Vickers hard before he ran out of gas once again short of the checkered flag.

Now I do not doubt that Chad Knaus wasn't telling Johnson to conserve but Johnson couldn't conserve enough and once again lost a race with a dominating car to fuel mileage.

You'd think instead of racing so hard early in the run, Johnson would have been willing to ride along in second.

Points: Third

Lucky Dog...

Sam Hornish Jr.

Well it's been a tough couple weeks for Sam Hornish Jr. After a hard wreck at Watkins Glen, Hornish was looking for a solid run. Well it didn't start out so solid, he got penalized for fueling twice on pit road.

He was held a lap, and then had to fight back getting the lucky dog on lap 116. Hornish though was able to rebound and top off for fuel and battled for a top five finish in fifth. This was a great run by this team.

While it didn't look very good early they were able to adjust on the car.

Top five finish, check, car in one piece, check, check.

Points: 26th

Final lap...

So many people say they should take a race away from this track. Two races in two months, seems a bit much, they question what changes between June and August. Well for one the weather, rain pounding this track changes the grip in a short amount of time.

The heat also affects this race track, and the drivers have found this the track hot and slick.

I like Michigan, it's big and wide and the drivers can use multiple lanes. The passing happens all around the track and tires are not as important when the speeds level off only a handful of laps into a run.

What a race out there today, every driver was racing 110% out there for every point and every position. Some drivers risking a spot in the top 12 for a good finish others, going all out for a win not worrying about what was at stake.

Next up is the racing world's version of the Coliseum, Bristol Motorspeedway

Once again, Mother Nature affected the start time of the race. This was the Sprint cup driver’s final time to make right turns this season.

Check out the weather delayed winners and losers.

Winners

Tony Stewart

Oh, to be Tony Stewart. This year has gone exactly as no one expected, and now he has all but clinched his spot in the chase. More importantly, he picked up 10 more bonus points for the chase.

With his third win this year, Stewart didn’t dominate the race today. Instead, he quietly worked his way up front from his 14th-place starting position and worked fuel mileage perfectly.

Stewart worked traffic to perfection. He was able to build on his lead when a charging Marcos Ambrose bobbled and gave up ground to Stewart.

Stewart hasn’t hit a rough patch yet, but he hopes his good runs and success continues all the way to the seat on the stage come December.

Points: First

Marcos Ambrose

If Stewart wasn’t your pick, then Marcos Ambrose was the other top choice this weekend. Ambrose has really dominated not only the track the last two years but victory lane.

Ambrose started fourth but quickly moved to the front. Ambrose fell off sequence in pitting but worked his way back up front.

If it wasn’t for a bobble, the battle for the lead late would have been much closer. Ambrose came home second but is proving that he is a contender.

Ambrose has been flexing his own muscles this year, on the ovals and the road courses. His hardcore racing style and respect for his competitors have Ambrose quickly becoming not only a fan-favorite, but also respected throughout the garage.

The Aussie is getting it done in 2009.

Points: 17th

Casey Mears

I am a bit surprised to add him to this list, especially at a road course. But Casey Mears capped off what has been a successful weekend with a solid run on Monday, coming home in 15th.

Mears had a fast call all weekend long, he was sitting near the top in speeds and was able to adjust and really work on getting his car setup for the race. Mears started the day in 11th and quietly worked his way into the top 10.

Through pit cycles and with a strong car, this team earned their finish today.

They were unable to to get a top 10 finish, but this is something they can build on and move forward with.

Mears, who isn’t known for his road racing talent, might just wish we came to Watkins Glen more often.

Points: 21st

 

Losers

David Stremme

All weekend long, David Stremme credited his strong run to the Penske organization working together to help him and his team be prepared for this race. Stremme participated in a test session at Road Atlanta with Ryan Briscoe from the IRL team.

After Kurt Busch and Sam Hornish Jr. dialed in their cars, they focused on helping find Stremme the right setup for Sunday. Meanwhile, Stremme was running laps and learning the track.

Well Stremme got loose in the bump stops, and not only collected Kevin Harvick but also Jeff Gordon.

Stremme went down one lap to the leaders to fix the damage, and got the lucky dog on the Dale Earnhardt Jr. crash, and led the race before the pit cycles.

Stremme finished 26th.

Over the weekend, Stremme said that many teams couldn’t wait to leave the Glen and head to Michigan. However, Stremme was looking forward to the race.

Bet he changed his mind on that one.

Points: 31st

Kevin Harvick

This weekend started off fairly well for Kevin Harvick. He was coming off of a string of solid runs the last couple weeks and was looking to carry that momentum into the Glen.

Harvick started 21st, but soon was moving forward, to the front. After a round of pit stops under caution, he was well within the top 15. That’s when Harvick's promising day took a turn. Stremme spun out and collected Harvick.

The car badly damaged with A-frame, Harvick headed to the garage to make repairs. They returned to the track on lap 44, 21 laps down.

2009 has been a struggle for this team, and the race was a prime example that they have a strong car, only to get collected in someone else’s mess.

Harvick finished 35th

Sometimes it’s your year, and sometimes you’re Harvick.

Points: 22nd

Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon is one driver who is glad to see this weekend over. Gordon, who has dominated Watkins Glen at times, has seen the other side of that recently. His finish of 37th speaks volumes as to how his weekend actually was.

This weekend, the team struggled to find speed and hook up the car on the racetrack. A poor qualifying effort had Gordon sitting deep in the pack, and he was never able to get higher than 14th. He was involved with the incident with Harvick but only had minor damage.

He was moving forward when Kasey Kahne got into Hornish and sent Hornish hard into the wall, where he came across the track slamming hard into Gordon.

Gordon's day was over.

Gordon, who has been suffering from back pain, acknowledged that this hit will hurt for weeks after he left the care center.

Gordon has to wonder where the magic went not only from Watkins Glen, but his early season success.

Points: Third

Lucky dog…

Joey Logano

It has been a rough weekend for Joey Logano. This was his first trip to the Glen, and Logano was looking to learn as much as possible, so he drove in the Nationwide race where he got into a altercation with Robby Gordon.

On Monday, Logano became a ping pong ball and got damage in the big one. The team went to work and repaired the damaged, and Logano finished 16th.

That says a lot not only about this team, but about Logano. For his first time on the track, racing with guys who have much more experience, he was able to take what looked to be a disappointing day and turn it into a strong finish.

That’s why is he is leading the rookie of the year standings, because of finishes like this.

Points: 19th

 

Final lap…

Once again, with weather a factor, there was talk of whether or not NASCAR top series should run rain tires. We only really have this statement when we come to Watkins Glen: For the road race at Sonoma, weather is rarely a factor.

To be honest, you can’t just throw on the tires and tell these drivers to go race. It just won’t happen. NASCAR and Goodyear need to test the tires.

Also, how do you test rain tires? Look at what we have seen the last two days, NASCAR can’t really control the weather.

Then you have to look at the cost to develop a new tire.

We also can’t forget the car. With teams still learning the nuances of this car, you add on a completely different tire and teams are really back to square one.

Finally, the vision of the drivers is critical, particularly since they are running side by side. Think about in your own car, when it rains, sometimes the humidity causes the window to fog up, and you turn on the defroster and that’s that. In these cars, you don’t have that control, and NASCAR would have to adapt the car.

There is much more that will have to be done rather than just throw on rain tires and race. The drivers and crew safety is at risk, and NASCAR can’t afford to not follow the same protocol they would use for anything else.

 

Next up is Michigan!

f you turned the TV on Sunday to watch the race day programs then you noticed it was wet, well let’s be honest downright soaked. Mother Nature had her way and pushed back the start of the race on Sunday to Monday.

Now you can check out this week’s winners and losers in the series final visit in the Pocono Mountains for 2009.

 

Winners

Denny Hamlin

It has been an emotional week for Denny Hamlin, after losing his grandmother late last week he wanted this race.

Hamlin had a great car all day long. They stayed up front and paced the field. They fell behind on an adjustment but battled back.

Hamlin wanted this win, and he wanted it bad. On the final restart Hamlin muscle his car to the front and taking the lead away from Clint Bowyer, and never looking back.

Hamlin has come oh so close many times this year, only to come up short, but this victory is sweeter for this driver.

The emotions were raw and you couldn’t help but you couldn’t help but feeling like the right guy won this race today.

Points: Fifth

 

Juan Pablo Montoya 

Well last week Juan Pablo Montoya was on the other side of this list, but today smart pit strategy and a good race car earned them their first top five finish of the year.

It didn’t start out so good for this team. They struggled with the setup and were really fighting for a top 15 finish.

A great call by this team that brought Montoya in right as the caution came out and allowed him to pit and come out in the top five. Montoya lost momentum on a restart and he never really had a shot at Hamlin in the end.

A second place finish is a good point’s day for this team.

Taking care of business each and every day…I am sorry wrong sponsor, too bad for target no snazzy catch line.

Points: Eighth

Sam Hornish Jr.

Sadly, for Sam Hornish Jr. all the talk will be about Denny Hamlin's emotional win and Montoya, and Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson comebacks.

Hornish though had a comeback of his own today. After starting deep in the pack this team played pit strategy and fuel mileage perfect.

Hornish didn’t have the best car out there today, but they worked on this car made good adjustments and worked their way through the field. They pit just as a caution came out and were able to start up front and battle for the win.

He fell back just a bit on the final restart but was able to earn his best finish in his Sprint Cup career in fourth.

I have said this a lot can he carry this momentum into the next week and for the first time I actually think he can.

Points: 27th

 

Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson was fast. He was fast on Friday and fast on Saturday. On Sunday he was fast until he had a mechanical failure and went three laps down during green flag stops. Johnson had a top five car all day long; in fact he was a threat for the lead.

They diagnosed the issue as a carburetor issue, but it was too late they went down two laps. You got to give credit to that team they managed the caution time perfectly and corrected the issue.

With multiple cautions and Johnson being the only car at least one lap down, Johnson earned all three of his laps back and went onto finish 13th.Champions are able to rebound and Johnson proved that on Monday.

Are we surprised that Johnson finished on the lead lap after being three laps down?

Points: Second

 

Losers

Robby Gordon

You know sometimes keeping your mouth shut on the radio after an incident on track is the best option.

Robby Gordon has yet to learn that apparently. After an on track altercation with David Stremme, Gordon repeatedly on the radio threatened to take Stremme out.

He was taunting NASCAR to penalize this struggling organization as long as he got his revenge. On the restart Stremme and Gordon were racing each other the two made contact and Gordon went spinning and both received damage to their race cars.

NASCAR penalized Stremme five laps for aggressive driving and Gordon five laps for hitting a car under caution.

Now on TV you never saw this caution incident, so it leaves me to speculate that NASCAR really penalized him for his actions on the radio and on the track.

You would think Gordon who is struggling, just barley in the top 35 in owner’s points would be smart and just fix the car and move on, and unfortunately for him he didn’t, costing him a better finish than 33rd.

The difference between Stewart the owner/driver and Gordon also an owner/driver Stewart knows it’s better to salvage a good point’s day rather than tear up a race car, Gordon doesn’t.

Points: 34th

 

Carl Edwards

I am not sure what happened here, at one point Carl Edwards was second on the track late in the race. After a pit stop and a running order reshuffling due to strategy he was outside the top 10 and never recovered.

They were pretty consistent early on and were running well within the top 10. They were making good adjustments but would lose ground on pit road.

Edwards, who was as high as second at one point, looked like he was becoming a factor late in the race.Once again on the restarts, Edwards struggled to make up ground lost both on pit road and off.

On the final restart he dropped all the way back to 21st at one point but wound up 18th.

This team was a favorite coming into this weekend, to break out of the winless track dating back to last year’s season finale. Yet again this team is unable to not only maintain track position but gain track position something they did so easily last year.

Edwards had worked his way into the top five in the standings and away from the danger zone, well now he is back in the danger zone.

Points: Sixth

 

Mother Nature

Well drivers and crews and NASCAR know that when you head up to the northeast rain will be a factor. As it has been throughout this year, weather has played a factor, whether it is with qualifying, or practices or the race, Mother Nature has had it say.

Sunday was no different, heavy rains in the morning pushed back the start and the NASCAR got to work. When they finally got it going drivers had to deal with one more issue at this tricky triangle, weepers. NASCAR made the call and on Monday we raced.

Running line every time it rains; “Need rain, schedule a NASCAR race” sad but true.

Lucky Dog…

Tony Stewart was my reluctant pick for lucky dog this week. I am well aware that he started last and finished in the top 10.

Everyone on Saturday had crowned him the winner due to the uncanny resemblance this weekend had started off to. Rain out of qualifying, and crashes in practices and goes to the rear at the green. Just Like in June.

Unlike June, he struggled all day long. His finish is of a lucky break on a caution and good pit strategy. Sometimes the only way to salvage a good finish is to get lucky and Stewart was just that today.

Points: First

 

Final lap…

I want to give NASCAR credit, we have suffered through some downright ridiculous rain delays (California, Feb. 2008 come to mind?) and we have watched NASCAR call a race too quickly.

They got it right this time. With the heavy rains in the morning as soon as it let up NASCAR got to work and started drying the track, but weepers and more storms forced NASCAR to make a call.

They don’t like making these calls, the last thing they want is to postpone races or call a race, but with daylight going against them they had no choice.

They went right up to the window and made the call, no delays, no dancing around the call, they did the right thing for the fans who sat in the stands the whole time and the drivers. We all know NASCAR does not race in the rain and the weepers would have caused dangerous track conditions.

Think back to Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears at California all were good race cars taken out of the race early due to weepers.

So yes, NASCAR made the right call was it what the fans wanted of course not but it was the right call.

One more thing, I think the last 50 laps proved one thing, this race is just way to long. 200 laps at this track take four hours to race and that is too long for a two and half mile track. The racing in the last 50 laps or so was the best we had seen all day long.

Not knocking the racing overall today as it was pretty good, some great three and four wide racing. I like long races, but at two and half mile tracks 400 miles is better.

Next up Watkins Glen and the final road race of the year.