Wow!!! What a finish. Maybe Daytona International Speedway needs to go back to the old name of this race "The Firecracker 400".
Because last night that race was full of fireworks. And they were not in the air. From the get go there was a feeling that something was going to happen in this race. Maybe it was just the anticipation of it being a restrictor plate race at Daytona or just the wonderment of it being the birthday of our great nation. Whatever it was, this race lived up to its former name.
1st Firework/Caution: Mark Martin, one of the favorites to win, moved up in front of Matt Kenseth on lap 13 and Martin went for a spin.
2nd Firework/Caution: Casey Mears goes for a spin when DAveid Stremme got loose and went down into Mears this was lap 28.
3rd Firework/Caution: Is due to debris from Sam Hornish's blown right rear tire.
4th Firework/Caution: Is the first big One on Lap 77. This one starts because David Stremme got turned into the wall and he bounced off of Kasey Kahne, then as the two go across the track 11 more drivers are collected in the wreck. This is the one in which David Reutimann gets turned into the path of Dale Earnhardt Jr. This wreck collected Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., David Gilliland, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski, Jamie MacMurray, Ryan Newman, Reed Sorenson, David Stremme, David Reutimann and Brian Vickers.
5th Firework/Caution: David Reutimann blows right front tire and hits the wall.
6th Firework/Caution: David Ragan goes spinning into the grass after contact with Kurt Busch. This is a result of David Ragan moving up in front of Busch and the nose of Busch's car hit the rear of Ragan's car and caused him to spin.
7th Firework/Caution: Was that horrible Debris caution.
8th Firework/Caution: Scott Speed is pushed up into the wall after Jamie MacMurray moved up and Speed tried to avoid him, then he clipped A.J. Allmendinger's car. So after 8 cautions and all but one was due to stupid mistakes by someone else, was there ever any doubt that the finish would not end the way it did?
When you have the Wild Thing up front and he wants to win there is always the chance of something spectacular happening. And usually Wild Thing comes out on top. But not last night.
While some say that it was Stewart's fault, some it was just restrictor plate racing, others will say it was Kyle's fault. Well, I am going to say that it was the fault of two of those things. And the one it was not the fault of and he took it as his responsibility, was Tony Stewart.
Stewart did what he had to do to win. He went low, Kyle blocked. Smoke went high. Kyle tried to block and that is when Kyle took himself out. Stewart held his line. But Kyle trying to do what every other driver has done at one time or another, he tried to block. And when he did, he caused himself a chance at a win, and he took out alot of good cars.
So once again restrictor plate racing, has a fantastic finish. Glad that no one was seriously injured last night. But that was a fantastic finish.
Today as I am sitting here waiting on time to do my cookout, I am pondering the many events in the history of our nation that brings us to this day.
While they are too many to put down here, just thinking about them, puts things into perspective for me. I stop and I think about all the things that not only has this great country gone through since 1776, but I think about all the events that has brought me to this point in my life.
I am reminded of family and friends that I have lost over the past few years. Each and everyone of them touched my life in away that I am sure that they did not even realize.
Because it is only now that I am starting to realize just how big of a role that they have played in my life. But none have impacted me as much as the death of my father in law. Guess maybe that impact came more prominent because of the fact that we lived in the same home together for almost ten years.
Just like the Revolutionary War helped to form this great country. For if it had not been for the Minute men standing in their trenches and fields, fighting back the British Army, this great country would have never been formed.
The fight that I saw in my father in law, has formed a bond between us that even death cannot break. I am honored to have known him. And the fact the he was a World War II vet makes this day even more emotional for me.
Because not only did he give his best for his family, but he gave his best for this great country of ours.
So today before you sit down to watch the race, or to eat that cookout meal, stop and take the time to reflect on those who have given their all for this great country and those that have impacted your life.
And once you have done that, Give thanks to God for the freedom that we have in this Country, because my friend we could be living in China, Russia, Iran or North Korea or some other regime that civil liberties seems to be against the law.
Be thankful for this great gift God has bestowed upon us. And say a little prayer for those who are in harms way today. For without them we would not be free.
Happy Birthday America May God Bless Your and All Your Citizens All Over the World!
It is Independence Weekend. And I can't think of a better way to celebrate the birthday of our Great Country than to be in Daytona and racing, NASCAR Super Speedway style. Daytona is the perfect place to celebrate the birth of our nation.
It is racing at its best. The type of racing you want to see each week. The kind that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole race long.
You never know from one lap to the next who will be the leader. No one can break away for along period of time, before the pack catches up to them.
So while I have my preference to win Saturday night, and he very well could, it is not about one particular driver. It is about the whole team. And pit road mistakes are not so severe unless you do it late in the race on a green flag pit stop. And then, it could be a disaster.
So good luck to all the drivers. And to the 14 and 39 teams, go Kick some Butt and bring home that trophy Saturday night!
Wow! The rumor mill is running wild for Stewart-Haas Racing. And if it is true, it will be great news for the organization.
Seems that there is a rumor out there that Bass Pro Shops will be leaving Earnhardt Ganassi at the end of the year and will sponsor the #39 U.S. Army car, driven by Ryan Newman.
FanZone Sports Racing has an article stating that Martin Truex Jr. will announce that he is leaving EGR for Michael Waltrip Racing in about two weeks. He will be driving a NAPA sponsored car.
The article also goes on to state that Stewart-Haas is looking into developing and manufacturing their own chassis. Along with other components in 2010.
The article states that SHR is looking into possibly starting a third team by 2011 if their chassis program proves successful next year.
Good news all around for the teams at Stewart-Haas Racing.
Guess all the rumblings that I have been reading and hearing about coming from the 48 team of Jimmie Johnson is true. About how upset Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson are that Stewart and Newman are using the Hendrick equipment to beat the team of Johnson and Knaus.
What did the 48 team expect? Stewart is the most versatile driver in NASCAR today. And Newman is another versatile driver. And when you have two drivers of the caliber of these two, there is no way that they cannot be successful.
So if Newman and Stewart are able to stop the reign of the 48 team, I say more power to them. Someone has got to stop the 48 team. Or else, we all might as well hang up our TV remotes and quit watching NASCAR. Because I for one, do not enjoy seeing the same team in victory lane week in and week out.
Unless of course it is the 14. Just kidding. Have a great week~I know I will. Because the 48 did not win today and they ran out of gas and finished 22nd!
In case you have not seen it. I just found this on Yahoo! Sports. It is a link to a video of the pitstop Brian Vickers and the Red Bull Team did this past week in Manhattan.
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