Nascar

[RogerDuke]

Somewhere around here we have an old NASCAR thread but I'm too lazy to look for it.

Since today (March 27) is the birthday of the greatest NASCAR driver of all time, Mr. Cale Yarborough, I thought it would be a great day to start a new NASCAR thread so here it is.

Hey, Garrett, what can you tell us about this weekend's race?

By the way, I'm sending a moderator a PM to see if I can get NASCAR in capital letters on the heading like it should be. I typed in in caps but it came out with smaller letters.

[Garrett Duke]

Hey Roger - What a great idea to start a NASCAR thread! Why didn't I think of it? HA HA HA. Well you had to go and correct yourself, didn't ya? Was about to give you a hard time for not capitalizing NASCAR, but dang it, now I can't. You just don't let me have any fun, you know? Though I guess I'll let it slide since it was your great idea to start a NASCAR thread.

Thanks for the info about Cale...never knew today was his birthday. You know how old he turned? (Just curious.)

This weekend's race is in Martinsville, VA where they are now officially rid of the rear wing and they will be going back to the spoiler. (On the very end of the car...I can look up pictures if you want to see differences.) Am excited for the change and I think the spoiler is safer than the wing - to me (maybe this is a wrong accessment) but it seemed like the cars were more apt to getting flipped or air born with the wing - Keselowski in Atlanta for example. The spoiler doesn't have the open gap that the wing had under it that I would think would catch the air more in case of an accident. That is my own personal thought of the wing and the spoiler. Hopefully all that makes sense.

Anyway, qualifying was rained out so the boys will be starting out according to where they are in the points...giving Kevin Harvick the pole and Matt Kennseth in second. Martinsville is a track that both Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are great at ...Gordon has finished in the top five or ten seven consecutive years and they both have a handful of wins at this track. Being a Gordon and Johnson fan, am really excited about being in Martinsville. Jeff Gordon being my all-time favorite driver, am hoping he gets the win he has been lacking thus far this season. Though there are other drivers that I read that are good here as well...in the NASCAR.com article I read a few days ago I believe they said that the Rousch drivers are good here.

The race is on Sunday, March 28 (tomorrow) on FOX at 1:00 ET or noon central time (my time) with the prerace show starting an hour before then. If anyone has any more questions or if I think of anything else about the track/race, I'll post later. For now that is all that I can think of.

(Thank-you Roger for giving me the opportunity to talk NASCAR! As ol' Rosco would say "I just love it! Khee!" Ah or something like that. Anyway, I enjoyed given the platform to talk about the upcoming race...as always. HA HA.)

[RogerDuke]

It looks like I'm going to be getting into NASCAR this year so it's fun to have a thread here on the HazzardNet to help me out since I don't really know much about it.

No, I don't know how old Cale is. I bet he's in his late 60s but that's just a guess.

So, do they think the spoilers will be cutting down on how fast they can go or isn't it going to make that much of a difference? If it saves lives, I'm sure the fans wouldn't mind if they went a couple mph slower.

MaryAnne said she wasn't able to make it all capitals. Apparently it's a technical reason so we'll have to live with it.

Let's hope we have a safe race tomorrow.

Thanks for keeping us updated Garrett.

[Garrett Duke]

I never thought about the speed with the spoiler, but they had the spoiler on the old car that they use to drive before this COT car that they are driving. So I guess we will see tomorrow how it will affect the car.

You know, Roger, every time I think of Cale (I know, it should be him on the Dukes...)but it is of old replays they play during the Daytona 500 (the first race of the season). I probably shouldn't say this because I don't know all the details, but find it interesting all the same. Was during the first broadcast race at Daytona, 1979, last lap Cale and Donnie Allison were ahead by along shot, Cale went to pass and they wrecked and Richard Petty went on to win the race. Donnie's brother Bobby stopped by to offer Donnie a ride and it started a fight. The fight is credited for the attention NASCAR has recieved after that or something like that. (Got some ofthe info from...

http://nascar.about.com/od/tracks/tp/daytona500.htm)

Just a little Daytona and Cale history there.

Hope they all have a fun and safe race tomorrow!

(PS: Roger, you pick a favorite driver yet? Let me rephrase that...a favorite current driver? )

[Garrett Duke]

Well, the race today at Martinsville got rained out or postponed for tomorrow at noon ET on FOX. Too bad I'll be worrking at noon...or eleven my time when it starts. Guess that's when teh VCR comes in handy to record it.

I thought of you Roger...just learned today t hat they are opening NASCAR's Hall of Fame on May 11th this year. Uncle Jesse's birthday!

[GeneralLeeGirl]

I know! I was majorly bummed-out... I'm gonna miss it tomorrow too cause I'll be at school. ... Oh well, there will be highlights! And Garrett to keep us up to date!

[RogerDuke]

That's awesome about Jesse's birthday. Thanks for telling me.

Where will the hall of fame be?

Like GLG said, please update us on the race Garrett. Maybe list the top ten or five finishers if you can.

[Garrett Duke]

I think the hall of fame will be in North Carolina somewhere...that is where a lot of their racing garages and all that is located at. Richard Petty has a museum type thing down there somewhere and by what my aunt and uncle has told me about it, it sounds great. Would love to go see it sometime. Heard about the hall of fame...an older driver, want to say Junior Johnson but not sure, was an old moonshine runner before he turned to NASCAR, well since he is getting inducted, he is building a still on display for the hall of fame. LOL.

OK for the race...I did record the race, though have yet to watch it. I got home from work in time for them to show the replays of the green, white, checkers finish. Only to get me frustrated and upset at Matt Kennseth since he knocked Jeff Gordon (my favorite driver) out of the lead, on the last lap, Gordon in turn didn't give Kennseth any room to pass and sent him (Kennseth) up the track. Denny Hamlin who was dominant all day it sounds like ended up winning the race, Joey Lagono finished second, and Gordon was lucky enough to hold onto a third place finish after what happened. After that, I am not sure. I will have to look it up. Know Edwards finished eightth and Johnson finished nineth. Kennseth ended up 18th after what had happened.

As for points...Jimmie Johnson is our new point leader, followed by Greg Biffle, and then Matt Kennseth. Gordon rose to seventh in points from eleventh. Sorry that is as far as I am sure of with points at the moment...

I do have it on tape, but I will most likely not watch it since I know the end of it. Odd I know. The races I miss, I record, but am too impatient to wait to see who wins it so I don't end up watching it. Though this weekend is another off weekend, so maybe I'll get bored and miss the race enough to watch it.

[Garrett Duke]

(Sorry for the short summary of the race...hope it don't get me fired! LOL. Trust me, the next race that I get to watch, I'll do much better with a lengthy summary. HA HA )

On a side note, Denny Hamlin was scheduled to get his knee operated on, on Monday from a injury he got in the off season playing basketball. I think he got it postponed for today after the rain out on Sunday. Guess it paid off for him to have it postponed since he won the race...and he is from Virginia so I bet that even makes it better for him.

Gordon and Kennseth has past history together from a few years ago when Kennseth spun Gordon out on the last lap at Bristol, Gordon had been third at the time, and think he ended up 15th or something like that at the end. Kennseth went over right after they got out of their cars and Gordon shoved him away - which got Gordon a ten thousand dollar fine and six months probation. Just a little history lesson there.

Well I looked up the top ten positions from NASCAR.com and this is what I got:

1 19 11 Denny Hamlin

2 17 20 Joey Logano

3 11 24 Jeff Gordon

4 26 39 Ryan Newman

5 20 56 Martin Truex Jr.

6 14 83 Brian Vickers

7 12 33 Clint Bowyer

8 13 99 Carl Edwards

9 3 48 Jimmie Johnson

10 4 16 Greg Biffle

And here is the top twelve in points from NASCAR.com:

1 +2 Jimmie Johnson

2 +2 Greg Biffle

3 -1 Matt Kenseth

4 -3 Kevin Harvick

5 +2 Jeff Burton

6 -- Kurt Busch

7 +4 Jeff Gordon

8 -3 Tony Stewart

9 +3 Clint Bowyer

10 -2 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

11 -2 Paul Menard

12 +2 Brian Vickers

Edited March 31, 2010 by Garrett Duke

[RogerDuke]

Thanks for the update Garrett. Those Monday races couldn't possibly get many TV viewers.

I was reading in the paper that's a pretty short track.

You're right about Junior Johnson. He's a real legend. I saw a story about him once. It was quite awhile ago but I remember them saying he's the one everybody thinks of first when they're talking about the founders of NASCAR.

How old is Joey Logano....... a teenager?

[GeneralLeeGirl]

Hey! My cheering for a random guy strategy worked! lol #11 car won! haha.. So I'm thinkin Denny Hamlin is going to be my favorite driver! haha.

[Garrett Duke]

I bet that was an interesting article on Junior Johnson, Roger. I never seen him race, but know he is real good at it. LOL. Jimmie Johnson (Gordon's team mate...Gordon owns part of Jimmie Johnson's car) just tied Junior Johnson with fifty wins in last week's race.

GLG - Well I was going to give you a hard time for going with Denny Hamlin, but I'll be nice about it. HA HA. Glad that you came up with a favorite driver (even if it isn't Gordon. ) I imagine it would or could be difficult picking one to go for with all the options out there. He is a pretty talented driver.

Roger - Joey Lagono is 19 years old, so fo now he's a teenager. I think he'll turn twenty in May though. So, not for much longer. He's shown a lot of improvement so far this year from his first year of last year. I'm sure, give him time, he'll be putting more W's in the win column as well - to add onto the one he has.

[RogerDuke]

Hey! My cheering for a random guy strategy worked! lol #11 car won! haha.. So I'm thinkin Denny Hamlin is going to be my favorite driver! haha.

Well, I'm probably going to make some enemies with this post but the truth must come out.

I want Jimmie Johnson to win it all.

Early in the NASCAR season that Jimmie won his FIRST cup title, I picked him because I had made the decision that I would start following NASCAR that year and needed to pick a driver. I picked Jimmie simply because his name was Johnson, like Junior Johnson. That's not a very good reason to pick him since I'm sure they're not related but I had to pick someone to follow. I was surprised as anyone that he won it that year but I'm not egotistical enough to think that he won it because of his newest fan..LOL

Well, as we now know, my pick turned out to be a good one and since I'm a loyal guy, I'm sticking with him. Normally I like to pull for the underdog but since everyone wants Jimmie to lose, I guess there has to be someone left to be his fan.

I'm only posting this because I don't want anyone to think I'm picking Jimmie just because he's so good. I picked him BEFORE he was good. Of course, I never really did follow NASCAR much like I was planning on doing....but I did follow the points standings to see how Jimmie was doing.

(Now that I've revealed publically that I'm pulling for J.J. he'll probably lose..LOL)

Poor Garrett, no NASCAR this weekend. What are you going to do with all that extra time?

[Garrett Duke]

You liked Jimmie Johnson only for his last name, Roger? Now I think I heard it all. LOL. Ah well, JJ needs all the fans he can get so you picked the right guy, Roger. He is no underdog that is for sure, but there are a lot of people that hate to see him win and that root against him. Though, I still don't understand why...I am a JJ fan, but a bigger Gordon fan, so I am really hoping Gordon will break through JJ's drive for five with his own drive for five to win the championship this year. (If all that makes sense. LOL) Sorry to disappoint you Roger.

I know...I am going through NASCAR withdrawl right now. Lucky for me baseball season starts today so perhaps that will help me get through this drought. Though am very looking forward to Saturday night where they'll be racing under the lights for the first time this season. Five days to go...

[RogerDuke]

I know what you mean Garrett. Picking a feller only for his last name isn't exactly how I normally operate since I'm such a thinker. I couldn't find any other reason (at the time) to pick anybody else. If I knew which racer liked the Dukes of Hazzard the most I'd pick that feller. I wish I knew the drivers better.

Where's Sunday's race? I actually have some time on Sunday so maybe I'll get to catch it.

[Garrett Duke]

Well Roger...I hope you have some time on Saturday this weekend as well to watch the race. The race is at Phoenix and will be the first night race of the season...so it'll be on Saturday night instead of Sunday afternoon. Am looking forward to it - I love when they race under the lights. Well actually I look forward to all of the races, but it is something different about night racing.

I wish I knew which drivers liked the Dukes the most or at all. Truth be known, I don't know if any or who likes the Dukes. It would be interesting to find out. Am sure at least some has watched the Dukes. And picking a driver for his last name isn't the worst way to pick a driver...trust me. HA HA. Just something different.

Hopefully Phoenix will bring everyone a fun and exciting, yet safe race! I know y'all will disagree with me, but am really hoping Gordon gets his first win of the season...especially since he was robbed of it a week and a half ago at Martinsville. Anyone else has a favorite driver they wish to root for Saturday night?

[GeneralLeeGirl]

Ooo! It's on Saturday night! I might be able to watch it then...

I think there's a special feature on one of the DOH DVD's that's all about NASCAR drivers and DOH... I haven't watched it in a longg time, but you might find something out there.

I don't know who I'm gonna cheer for this weekend... My #11 car won last time, that is my hockey number, but now that hockey's over and baseball's starting up, I'm gonna go with my baseball number. So Garrett, there's a #2 car right?? haha.. I'm pretty sure there is, Kurt Busch right? (I bet that Garrett just loves my method of picking drivers! haha)

[Garrett Duke]

Oh I love your method for chosing your favorite drivers...you and Roger has a very unique ways of picking out your favorite driver. LOL. Guess everyone has their ways and reasons...if everyone's were the same, everyone would be going for Gordon. Would love to see it, but would feel bad for the 42 other drivers out there. So I guess for those 42 other drivers, they are lucky everyone is unique and has their own likes and dislikes. LOL!

Number 2? You have to go for Kurt Busch? *Shakes head*Well I guess he has to have some fans out there to support him. Too bad your number wasn't 24 or 48 or perhaps 88...Well if you have to go for Kurt and the number 2 car, then I guess that's what you have to do. Just remember, it's going to be Gordon and his number 24 car that crosses the finish line first Saturday night and will be in victory circle at the end.

(You do know I am giving you a hard time? Right? Please don't hate me...) (Seriously, I will stop if you want me to, I don't want to create hard feelings or anything like that.)

So, when baseball is all said and done, who will you root for then? Seriously, I do like to hear how people chose their favorite drivers. As I said, everyone has their own likes and dislikes and their own ways of doing it.

I don't think I seen that part on my DOH DVD's though do think I seen it on the cover. I'll have to check it out. Would be interesting to see either way.

Anyone interested...Jeff Gordon is going to be on Extreme Home Make overs (hopefully that is the correct title. LOL) on ABC Sunday night. I think 8:00 ET, but you may want to check the time to make sure. Am hoping to either tape it or watch it.

[Garrett Duke]

I know what you mean Garrett. Picking a feller only for his last name isn't exactly how I normally operate since I'm such a thinker. I couldn't find any other reason (at the time) to pick anybody else. If I knew which racer liked the Dukes of Hazzard the most I'd pick that feller. I wish I knew the drivers better.

Where's Sunday's race? I actually have some time on Sunday so maybe I'll get to catch it.

I just got done reading a post on Jeff Gordon's fanforum or a link that was posted there. At the Bristol race the drivers were able to select their own music that they wanted to play when they are introduced and the site listed the songs they picked. Don't know if it means anything or if he just liked the song, but Kurt Busch picked "Good Ol' Boys" as his song.

http://www.sbnation.com/2010/3/17/1378189/bristol-songs-driver-introductions-list-nascar-food-city-500 Here's the link to the list if anyone is interested in any other driver and what song they picked out.

[RogerDuke]

Thanks for the info on Kurt Busch Garrett. I'm now officially a fan of his.

I see Jimmie Johnson is in first (for the moment at least.)

Kurt Busch is in 36th. Is he related to Kyle?

[Garrett Duke]

Kurt Busch is Kyle Busch's older brother. Kurt was involved in an accident on lap fifteen or something like that that took Kasey Kahne out for a hundred and one points. Though Roger, I can't believe you would just ditch on Jimmie Johnson like that for Kurt Busch. LOL. Poor JJ. Though Jamie McMurray who drives the number one car is a reddish orange color tonight. Thought that was neat - he's having a pretty good race seeing how he spun out and has been to pits several times so far to fix it up.

AJ Allmindinger got his first pole for today's race and is still in the top fifteen so far which is pretty good for him. JJ has led a lot of laps tonight and is still on top, Juan Pablo Montoya who is in second led a lot of laps as well.

[texasdaisy09]

Wow I'm glad I get to watch the race tonight! I really enjoying it, I miss it when we're not home...

[GeneralLeeGirl]

Well my #2 car didn't win... Now who to cheer for... hmm... What sport should I go for next guys? Volleyball or basketball? I know Garrett will like one of them haha

And I could care less about you buggin me Garrett... I like gettin a rise out of people. makes life interesting! haha

[Garrett Duke]

Well my #2 car didn't win... Now who to cheer for... hmm... What sport should I go for next guys? Volleyball or basketball? I know Garrett will like one of them haha

And I could care less about you buggin me Garrett... I like gettin a rise out of people. makes life interesting! haha

Me like volleyball or basketball? Well we are all entitled to our likes and dislikes and I'd hate to disappoint you GLG, but I am not a fan of either one. If I had to chose, I'd go with basketball since I did follow it a little bit for awhile. But for now it is mainly NASCAR and baseball. Besides you are just going to ditch the WHOLE sport of NASCAR just because your chosen driver didn't win? What kind of fan are you? (I tried tellin' you to go for Gordon, but you didn't listen to me, now did you? He may not have won, but he came in second. LOL )Gordon has yet to win a race all season, in fact next week's race will mark a full year since he last won a race. If I decided not to like NASCAR due to Gordon not winning the race, I doubt I'd be a fan of NASCAR at all. They all have their good races and their bad races, GLG, you just need to hang in there. HA HA

Well I'm glad y ou don't mind or care of me buggin' you...just had to make sure as to not feel so guilty about doing so. LOL

[RogerDuke]

Wow, what a dramatic finish!

That was the first time in the history of NASCAR that car #39 ever won a race.

What number did Ryan Newman used to be?

No Garrett, I haven't "ditched" Jimmy yet. I'm still a rookie at learning about NASCAR but my interest in it is increasing.

I just want to be careful about who to like because I don't really know these guys that much.

I don't want to start liking someone and later find out he's like Tiger Woods or something. I like to root for somebody who has high values.

(Too bad Jesse Duke isn't racing NASCAR)