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Garrett Duke

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Jimmie Johnson finally fulfilled one of his dreams by testing an Indycar Tuesday https://www.jayski.com/2020/07/28/jimmie-johnson-to-test-a-ganassi-indycar/

Speaking of Indycar... James Davison is set to drive the #53 Nascar Cup car this weekend at New Hampshire.

Nascar is interested in keeping mid week races on future schedules https://www.jayski.com/2020/07/29/nascar-still-interested-in-mid-week-races/

Kyle Larson interested in Nascar comeback with the right team https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2020/07/28/kyle-larson-nascar-return-if-opportunity-there-love-shot/

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15 hours ago, Garrett Duke said:

Thank you for the updates. I haven't been able to watch the races due to no cable. But do keep track on my phone. Guess its better than nothing. 

Though I did get to watch the first three games of the Chicago Cubs season last Friday thru Sunday since I was dog sitting.  What about them Cubbies?! 

All I know is that your boys are beating up my poor Pirates. I bet you're enjoying that! 

Sorry Garrett. I can't read my private messages for some reason. All I get is a blank white page. 

Edited by RogerDuke
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On 8/2/2020 at 2:10 PM, RogerDuke said:

All I know is that your boys are beating up my poor Pirates. I bet you're enjoying that! 

Sorry Garrett. I can't read my private messages for some reason. All I get is a blank white page. 

That's alright.  I just pretty much was asking how much you like Javier Baez. 

Sorry...its a shirt season.  My Cubbies aren't messing around this season. Your Pirates can start winning  now. 

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2 hours ago, Garrett Duke said:

That's alright.  I just pretty much was asking how much you like Javier Baez. 

Sorry...its a shirt season.  My Cubbies aren't messing around this season. Your Pirates can start winning  now. 

I'm not even going to be doing much trash talking this year. Your Cubs are better than my Pirates so I might as well just admit it and get it over with. The big question is: can the season make it until playoffs? It's not looking good. 

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9 minutes ago, RogerDuke said:

I'm not even going to be doing much trash talking this year. Your Cubs are better than my Pirates so I might as well just admit it and get it over with. The big question is: can the season make it until playoffs? It's not looking good. 

I have to give you a hard time. I'm just happy when the Cubs are playing well and winning.  It's a bonus if its against the Cardinals. 

Yeah sadly it doesn't look too good. Several teams are being affected right now. Cubs will be playing the Cardinals next weekend and theybh as ve several players out with it. Hope the Cubs will stay healthy. 

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Been a busy week in Nascar so let's start with Sunday's race...

Brad Keselowski won for the 3rd time this season at New Hampshire. Denny Hamlin finished 2nd, Martin Truex jr finished third, Joey Logano finished 4th and Kevin Harvick 5th. Matt Dibenedetto scored his 5th top ten this season by finishing 6th, SHR teammates Aric Almirola and Cole Custer finished 7th & 8th, Chase Elliot 9th and Tyler Reddick 10th.

Brad Keselowski and Penske agree on Contract extension https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/03/team-penske-extends-contract-with-brad-keselowski/

Leaving Family Racing has been sold https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/04/leavine-family-racing-announces-it-has-been-sold/ 

https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/04/snowball-effect-led-bob-leavine-to-sell-nascar-cup-team/

Team will finish the rest of the season under new ownership.

Bubba Wallace has been offered a stake in Richard Petty Motorsports if he signs new contract https://www.jayski.com/2020/08/03/bubba-wallace-to-chip-ganassi-racing/ it's also rumored that Chip Ganassi Racing is interested in having him drive the #42 next season.

The cup series will be having a doubleheader this weekend at Michigan both races will be on NBCSN as well as the Xfinity Road America race Saturday at noon. I'll have to keep an eye on the expressway up the road as some of the haulers come and go that way to avoid I-75 traffic. I remember a few years ago when I was out for a bike ride I stopped at the top of the overpass for a drink and seen a convoy of the Cup haulers. 

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Not a surprise, Erik Jones is getting the boot at JGR for Christopher Bell though it's not "official" yet https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/06/erik-jones-will-not-return-to-joe-gibbs-racing-after-2020/

Here's the rest of the 2020 Nascar season schedule https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/06/nascar-announces-remaining-2020-schedule-cup-xfinity-trucks/

Nascar introduces a new gimmick for the rest of the season https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/06/nascar-introducing-choose-rule-at-michigan-chase-elliott/

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Kevin Harvick dominated the first of the Michigan doubleheader's winning both stages and the race. Brad Keselowski finished 2nd, Martin Truex jr 3rd, Ryan Blaney 4th and Kyle Busch traded paint to finish 5th. 

I hope this choosing lane gimmick dies at Michigan. What a joke it is. If you were running 3rd or 4th before the caution you could restart 6th or 8th if you choose the wrong lane :blink::spin:.

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Kevin Harvick swept the doubleheader's at Michigan https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/09/nascar-kevin-harvick-completes-sweep-of-michigan-doubleheader/.

This is Harvick's 55th cup series win which puts him at 11th on the all time win list. This was also the first time since 1971 that a driver won 2 back to back races in two days. Richard Petty was the driver to do it in 1971.

Denny Hamlin finished 2nd, Martin Truex jr 3rd, Kyle Busch 4th and Joey Logano 5th.

Erik Jones and Jimmie Johnson are still in danger of missing the playoffs unless either one of them wins a race in the next few weeks or the drivers ahead of them in points have a few bad finishes.

Bubba Wallace confirms he's got offers from Richard Petty Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing for 2021 https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/09/bubba-wallace-says-he-has-offers-from-rpm-ganassi/

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Biggest shock of the season (sarcasm) Christopher Bell to drive the JGR #20 Toyota next season https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/10/christopher-bell-to-drive-for-joe-gibbs-racing-in-2021/

Spire Motorsports bought LFR team charter, shop and inventory https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/11/nascar-spire-motorsports-confirms-purchase-leavine-family-racing/. Plans to expand to 2 cars for 2021 season. Spire Motorsports currently runs the #77 Chevrolet and was able to grab a victory last year with Justin Haley in a rain shortened Daytona race.

Even though covid-19 has paused a lot of sports Nascar tv ratings are still taking a hit. The races for the past few weeks have set new least watched records that Nascar hasn't seen in 2 decades or more. Though Nascar cup races are still beating NHL and NBA games in tv ratings however PGA golf is kicking everybody's butts in tv ratings.

This weekend's Nascar races at Daytona Road course will air on FS1(truck series) Sunday 12pm, NBCSN(Xfinity) Saturday 3pm and NBC(Cup series) Sunday 3pm. 

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Chase Elliot won the inaugural Go Bowling 235 at Daytona's famous road course https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/08/16/chase-elliott-wins-daytona-road-course-race-denny-hamlin-martin-truex-jr/. He led 34 of 65 laps and at one point had over a 10 second lead over 2nd place Denny Hamlin before a late caution restacked the field. Martin Truex jr finished 3rd, Jimmie Johnson finished 4th and Chris Buescher finished 5th. Kaz Grala who was subbing for Austin Dillon after he tested positive for covid19 finished 7th. JJ Yeley had to retire early due to heat exhaustion so Bayley Currey finished the race in the #27. Kyle Busch finished 37th when mechanical issues caused him to wreck with 5 laps to go. This was his sixth 29th place or worse finish of the season which drops him to 10th place in points.

Next weekend is a Dover double header Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Both will be on NBCSN.

On a related note...Marco Andretti became the first Andretti to win the Indy 500 pole since grandfather Mario Andretti started on the pole for the 1987 Indy 500 https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2020/08/16/indy-500-pole-position-marco-andretti-mario-indycar/. I wonder if the Andretti Indy curse will finally be vanquished next Sunday.

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1 hour ago, Spike said:

On a related note...Marco Andretti became the first Andretti to win the Indy 500 pole since grandfather Mario Andretti started on the pole for the 1987 Indy 500 https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2020/08/16/indy-500-pole-position-marco-andretti-mario-indycar/. I wonder if the Andretti Indy curse will finally be vanquished next Sunday.

I see that Fernando Alonso is having another go at the Indy 500, along with a couple of other ex-F1 drivers. Fernando is returning to F1 for the 2021 season.

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21 hours ago, HossC said:

I see that Fernando Alonso is having another go at the Indy 500, along with a couple of other ex-F1 drivers. Fernando is returning to F1 for the 2021 season.

Yeah he said in a recent interview that this might be his last best chance to win the Indy 500 since he would be returning to F1 next year. Kind of sad as I was looking forward to seeing him race in Indycar next season. Was hoping he would take a shot at the Daytona 500 too. 

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I got to see most of the Indy 500, and it was definitely mixed results for the ex-F1 drivers. Marcus Ericsson and Alexander Rossi both crashed out on laps 25 and 144 respectively. Despite all the hype, Fernando Alonso started 26th and finished 21st. It didn't sound like he was happy with his car. Max Chilton briefly ran in 2nd place as they cycled through the pit stops, but eventually ended up in 17th. Finally, Takuma Sato, former Jordan/BAR/Super Aguri driver, won his second Indy 500, running the last few laps under a caution to beat Scott Dixon.

Apparently, Alonso won't be able to compete in the next two Indy 500s, and the commentators were wondering if he'd be too old to return after that. He's currently 39, and Sato just won at 43, so I don't see a problem.

BTW. Max Chilton isn't the only racer in the family. Earlier in the day, his older brother, Tom, was competing in the British Touring Car Championship.

 

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That last crash in the Indy 500 was scary but shows how safe the new cars are. Race control also made the right call by letting the race end under caution instead of red flagging it for a 2 lap sprint that most likely would have more wrecks.

Now onto the Dover doubleheader... The first Dover cup race seen Joe Gibbs racing dominate and finish 1 2 3 with Denny Hamlin winning, Martin Truex jr finishing 2nd and Kyle Busch 3rd. Kevin Harvick finished 4th and Chase Elliot finished 5th. Jimmie Johnson finished 7th.

The second Dover race seen Kevin Harvick dominate winning both stages and the race which moved him up the all time wins list to tie Kyle Busch with 56 wins, it was also Ford's 700th cup series victory. Martin Truex jr once again finished 2nd, Jimmie Johnson put on a clinic to finish 3rd, William Byron 4th and Alex Bowman finished 5th. 

To make the playoffs Jimmie Johnson must have a good finish in Saturday night's Daytona race and subsequently needs either his teammate William Byron or Matt Dibenedetto to have a bad race finish.

Michael Waltrip is now in the brewery business with his Two Time line of beer https://www.jayski.com/2020/08/25/michael-waltrip-launches-two-time-beer-brand/

The Daytona race will air on NBC Saturday night at 7:30pm eastern.

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2 hours ago, Spike said:

That last crash in the Indy 500 was scary but shows how safe the new cars are. Race control also made the right call by letting the race end under caution instead of red flagging it for a 2 lap sprint that most likely would have more wrecks.

It also shows how the barriers have improved. A few years ago, Spencer Pigot would've hit the unprotected end of a concrete wall!

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