Nascar

[Garrett Duke]

Well was that a race or what? What an exciting finish to a great race...it'd be a whole lot more exciting if Gordon would have been able to hold on to his lead to win the race, but second isn't so bad. A lot better than I thought he had with a hundred or so left to go when he was eleventh or twelveth. Two races in a row though now that he had the lead dangling in front of him on the finishing laps only for it to be snatched away. Oh well, as he said in the post race interview, at least he is up there at the end competing for the win.

Kyle Busch had the race won if not for that caution and he went with four tires while seven or so drivers went with two. Kyle went from leading the race with four or seven laps remaining to finish in eightth place - only to show, not to give up or to be sure one driver is going to win it just because they are close and he's in the lead. Jeff Gordon went with two tires to get out of pits the leader with Ryan Newman in second. Gordon spun his tires

to give Newman the lead who went on to win the race. Newman, Gordon, and Johnson were the top three drivers. Matt Kenseth may have came in fourth, not sure right now. Jr who had a pretty bad night finished twelveth after all his problems which was a good finish with all things considered. As for points Johnson is ahead of Kenseth and then I think Biffle, Harvick, and Gordon moves up from seventh to fifth in points.

Next Sunday they will be racing in Texas where Gordon won his last race at (was his first time to win at that track) it will be 2 ET on Fox. (Sorry for all the info on Gordon, hopefully I am not boring anyone out there. I just know more of his statics than some of the other drivers.) It should make for another fun race.

[RogerDuke]

Hey Garrett, if you took more than 4 minutes to type up your post, you might not have noticed that I snuck a post in before you.

The reason I'm pointing that out is because I was wondering if you saw my question about Ryan Newman.

By the way, did Joey Logano win any races last year?

[Garrett Duke]

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)

That was a dramatic finish...I had a hard time sitting still to watch it!

Ryan Newman use to be number 12 until the beginning of last year when he went with Tony Stewart to Stewart's co-owned teamed of Stewart-Haas. Didn't know that it was number 39's first time to victory lane, but that was interesting to know.

I know what you mean Roger about wanting to like someone with good values or high values and wanting to get to know them better. That is a great way to do it...I was only giving you a hard time about it with Jimmie. Though, if you want to chose someone with high values, it may be Jimmie that you want to go for. Or Gordon...LOL. Jimmie was known last year as Vanilla (not my favorite nickname) for his clean record of not doing anything wrong or getting into trouble. Or something like that. (I am not saying that to convince you one way or another, just a little bit of info to spread along. It is up to you on who you want to go for.) But I doubt he'd be another Tiger Woods...then again, I don't think many people expected something like that to come from Tiger Woods.

Uncle Jesse would have made a great driver to follow if you go by values...I think the boys would have been pretty good at that themselves. It'd be interesting how Bo would would do out there on today's NASCAR circuit and how Luke would do as a crew cheif and if he could compete against Chad Knaus (Jimmie Johnson's crew cheif).

Talking of crew cheifs...Steve Letarte - Gordon's crew cheif - lost a lot of weight it looks like. Wonder how he did it...LOL.

[Garrett Duke]

Hey Garrett, if you took more than 4 minutes to type up your post, you might not have noticed that I snuck a post in before you.

The reason I'm pointing that out is because I was wondering if you saw my question about Ryan Newman.

By the way, did Joey Logano win any races last year?

LOL...I saw that. I am not the fastest poster around here. But thank-you for pointing that out for me. I answered that question in my last post after I saw that I missed your post. LOL

Joey Lagano won at Loudon (I think) last year but it was due to the race being called due to rain. If they race half the laps and over of the race and it starts raining where they can't dry it or it rains nonstop, they call the race then and it is over. But if it rains before the halfway mark, they will post pone the race and start over again on Monday. If that makes sense. In other words he won his first and only Sprint Cup race last year due to it being shortened by rain. Though by how he has been racing lately, I predict he'll get another win sometime this year.

[RogerDuke]

Wow Garrett, you sure know your NASCAR.

It makes getting into it more fun when I can get my questions answered. Thanks.

The announcer at the end of the race mentioned that #39 thing.

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks Roger...I may not know a whole lot, but I do know NASCAR which is probably why I get excited about it.

Yeah I caught that too...though didn't think too much of it at the time since I was still a little disappointed that Gordon didn't get the win. It is interesting all the statics and all that they know and all.

Don't know if you know the announcers at all, Roger, but Darrell Waltrip use to be a real good NASCAR driver before he retired and is now one of the announcers. Then Jeff Hammond (he is the one that explains about the car and the pits and all that) use to be Darrell's crew cheif.

As for questions, if you have them, ask away. I don't know everything about NASCAR, especially when you get to the nitty gritty things of the car, but I do know some and would be glad to answer the questions I know the answers to.

[RogerDuke]

I did know that Darrell Waltrip was one of the announcers because I saw him at the start of the race two weeks ago (Remember when I mentioned that I like the fact that they pray before the race).

I think that's awesome because he has a Dukes connection. His name was mentioned on season 7, "Cale Yarborough Comes To Hazzard."

I just love Dukes so much, anybody or anything that reminds me of them makes me smile....even Darrell Waltrip.

[Garrett Duke]

Dang I forgot we already talked about him. Sorry for the repeat. I guess I am good at that...repeating myself. So just ignore me then. LOL.

I am with ya there...smile with every mention or connection to the Dukes. It is neat that they pray before each race and all that they do with that.

[RogerDuke]

Tell us about the next race Garrett.

Will it be on Sunday? They don't have a whole lot of Saturday races do they?

[Garrett Duke]

The Sprint Cup Series (the main NASCAR series...with Gordon, Stewart, Jr and other drivers) will be racing at 3:00 (ET) Sunday (on FOX) at Texas Mortor Speedway. It is a mile and a half length track. Jeff Gordon was the last winner at Texas in the Spring race...meaning it will be a year since his last win. Which was the first time he won there, leaving only one other track that Gordon has yet to win at before he has won at all the tracks on their current circuit. The Busch brothers seem to be good at this track.

They only race a handful of races on Saturday nights in the Sprint Cup - normally the Nationwide Series races on Saturdays (Which is kinda like AAA baseball is to MLB - though veteran Sprint Cup drivers are able to drive in the Nationwide if they chose to do so. Some do, some don't.) Which is probably why it makes it so exciting when the Sprint Cup does race on Saturdays, because they don't do so very often. I wish they would do more racing under the lights. . .

Well I just read that Kasey Kahne who drives the number 9 Budweiser car will be leaving Richard Petty's team at the end of this year. And in the year 2012 he will be racing in the number 5 car at Hendrick Motorsports...taking over for Mark Martin who's contract ends at the end of next year. In the article I read at NASCAR.com, Kahne does plan on racing next year and it may be for Stewart-Haas Racing that has a connection with Hendrick.

[texasdaisy09]

Thanks for all the info on the race Garrett. The race is being put on hold on account of rain! I could hardly believe it. But ok. Anyways at least I won't miss half of it this time! There is a plus to rain delaying it I guess. No favorite as of yet Garrett. Sorry to disappoint you. Lol but I hope to have a favorite when the season starts all over again.

[Garrett Duke]

Texas Daisy - you didn't disappoint me. Take your time or like them all. It is up to you. I was just wondering. There is a lot of them to chose from and they all have different driving styles and different characteristics.

Well after two hours of watching the pre-race show over my baseball game, they finally post poned the race to tomorrow at noon ET...meaning 11:00 central (my time)! I don't understand why they have to do it so early on Mondays...I would think most of their viewers would be at work at that time. Or perhaps I'm the only one...LOL. If it goes like their last postponed race, I'll get home in time for them to be showing the replay of the finish. I could record it, but I never get around to watching it and end up looking it all up online anyway.

Though I do find the prerace show on Fox to be fun and entertaining. Of all the stations they are on -Fox is my favorite due to the announcers. (NASCAR changes channels and announcers several times throughout the season.) Their top ten crashes in the last ten years since NASCAR was on Fox was scary and interesting to watch - now that they were over and everyone was OK afterwards. Several of them I did watch and held my breath until they said they were OK at that race. They can have some pretty scary accidents, but luckily they have a lot of safety things in the car and on the track to minimalize the possiblities of getting hurt.

Well I am hoping that they will have a fun and exciting race tomorrow...just disappointed that it wasn't today.

[texasdaisy09]

Thanks for the understanding Garrett. Yeah watching the top 10 crashes was very interesting. I held my breath also. I was also hoping that the race woudn't be postponed. Tomorrow I'm gonna be pretty busy, so I have no idea how much I'll be able to watch. Where is the best place to watch the race onliine? Thanks!

[RogerDuke]

I saw some highlights on sports tonight Garrett (including Jeff Gordon's crash) but I'm looking forward to your analysis of it.

[texasdaisy09]

Hey Garrett I so missed the race cuz I totally forgot about it! Ticks me off, but oh well. Now what is this about Jeff crashing?? Man I could kick myself fo rmissing it....

[Garrett Duke]

Well once again, I have to apologize, I didn't get to watch the race due to being at work. Though I did listen into it on the radio and a little on TV during my half hour break and then finished watching it when I got home. I got in the car to go home for the day in time to hear teh annouoncers say they were under red flag with seventeen laps to go....first thought was to hope Gordon wasn't involved and right after I thought htat the announcer said soemthing about the driver that is the most disappointed is...I knew it was Gordon before he said it just because of how dominant he seemed to be during my break. You saw more than I have Roger...I wish I could see the accident to see what really happened. I read about it and heard the driver interviews on the radio, but I have to see it to really understand what happened. My computer is too dang slow to play video and all that stuff. The accident took out nine drivers who was competing for the lead with only seventeen laps remaining - has to be disappointing to them all. Gordon led 126 laps and Stewart led 74 laps before they got taken out of the race. Gordon finished 31 and Stewart finished 32nd I think. Seemed like Stewart took full responsibility for it, though Edwards took fifty percent of it and Gordon took some as well.

Dale Jr led some laps a few times through out the race and managed with a top ten finish that had always helped him climb in points as well. Can't think of where to at the moment. He was second with only a few laps remaining until Kyle Busch passed him and then Johnson. Denny Hamlin won the race with Johnson coming in second and I think Kyle coming in third. That is about all that I know. The accident took Stewart, Bowyer, and Edwards out of the top twelve in driver points where Gordon remains in fifth spot where he was before the race. (Though probably more points back.) Johnson increased his point lead to over a hundred points over Kennseth and Biffle.

That is about all I know about the race. Know Johnson and Gordon had some contact with each other over what looks to be the lead. Sounds like Johnson hit Gordon from behind intentionally by the interview with Gordon. Though can't say for sure.

Sorry for the lack of more info here. I didn't even tape the race today...kinda wish I did now so I could see the accident. Though perhaps it is better off not seeing it - I would have been really disappointed and upset to watch the whole race and to see Gordon doing so great only to get caught up in the 'big one'. Still is upsetting and frustrating, but not as much as I would have been if I saw it the first time around. If all that makes sense.

Next Sunday's race is at Talledega where "the big one" is to be expected. As in the big accident. Hopefully we don't get another replay of last year's finish with Carl Edwards being thrown up into the fence. That was scary to watch! Though found it funny that he got out of the car and ran across the finish line afterwards.

(Texas Daisy - I don't know any sites where you can watch it...there probably is some out there. I know they show the race again on Thursday early afternoon on the Speed Channel. Or at least they use to. You could check that out?)

[texasdaisy09]

Thanks for posting what you do know about the race. I could still kick myself for forgetting that it was on. But oh well, I am planning on watching the race on Sunday. If I forget then I gotta start taking memory pills or something. :roll:I wish I could watch it on that channel but we only get thte local channels cuz we're broke. Lol trying to save up money to get a house and all that jazz is tough! Well thanks again Garrett. I really apprecaite it. God bless!

[Garrett Duke]

You are welcome Texas Daisy! I know how you feel...I only have the local channels at my place as well...no cable for me. I go to my parents' house for most of my TV watching. LOL. I could watch the race at my place for now, but normally do it at my parents' house. Good luck saving up the money.

Well I finally saw the replay on Yahoo! NASCAR page of the big accident. It looked a lot more scary than I had pictured it being. But maybe that is because it was Gordon's car that was being shoved sideways with his hood up and all. LOL. I am glad everyone is OK. NASCAR has done a great job of stepping up to the plate with all their safety precautions that they put in the car and on the track. Of course that don't mean nothing could happen, but they do a great job of protecting the drivers and all that to their best ability. It looked like Gordon got into the back of Stewart when Stewart got lose (maybe?) and then went to pass him and Stewart hit him when Edwards hit Stewart which sent Gordon up the track sideways and them plowing him down the track. The other drivers got collected when they tried missing them. Gordon got out of his car and went over to Stewart - he did look upset, but Stewart put his arm around Gordon shoulders and Stewart in his interview said that Gordon went over to him worried that Stewart would be upset at him about the accident and of where Stewart said there was no need for him to be worried since by the replay it was all his fault. Disappointing end for them all, but am glad they are all OK.

Gordon and Johnson was racing against each other hard with some banging into each other. They didn't sound too happy with one another...but like they both said, they'll talk it over and get over it by next week. It isn't the first and probably won't be the last.

Denny Hamlin won the race like I said just two weeks after having knee surgery.

Don't know if that helps any or if that is any new info, but that's what I know as of now. It looked like an exciting race to miss. Am looking forward to Sunday where they will be at Talledega. Restrictor plate racing!

[texasdaisy09]

Thanks Garrett. Saving money is definetly not a strong point of mine. Lol. Ok I got another question for ya. What is Restrictor Plate Racing??? Yeah I'm a greenhorn and I know it! lol but yeah some more info again please? Thanks in advance!

[Garrett Duke]

Ooo a good question Texas Daisy...and for once I know the answer!

Some tracks like Daytona and Talledega are restrictor plate races - it is where the track makes the cars go super fast (I don't know why...) so they have slow the cars down so the drivers won't get hurt - for safety precautions. It is a metal plate with holes in it that they put in the cars to slow them down. I think the bigger the plate is the slower it'll make the car. Also in restrictor plate races, the drivers can NOT pass or go below the double line on the bottom of the track (they can't go on the apron of the tracks as they can on most of the tracks that only have the single line). They will be penelized if they attempt to pass on the apron.

I hope that makes some sense and helped you some in understanding it. Talledega is a fast pace race and it always seems to produce "the big one" as in accidents. Like last year at the last lap with Edwards. Hopefully it will be a fun, exciting, and safe race for everyone.

[RogerDuke]

Hey Garrett, you said "they will be penalized if they attempt to pass on the apron"

Does that mean they will lose points for the race and season or they will get fined or both?

Thanks again for your updates. I really appreciate you keeping us informed.

Who are the top three drivers in points for the season?

[texasdaisy09]

Yeah thanks Garrett. I agree with Roger I'm glad you keep updating us. Any more intersting info you got I'd love to hear it. God bless!

[Garrett Duke]

Good questions Roger!

In penalized for passing on the apron, it would probably intail a drive through penalty which is where the driver is forced to drive through pit road at pit road speed before going back on the track - in other words they'll be put back quite a ways in the order. Or be held for a lap to be a lap down. I remember a race a year or two ago where a rookie was shoved down there at the end of the race (don't know if it was talledega, but it was a ristrictor plate race) and passed for the lead right at the checkered flag - meaning he'd normally get the win. But since he passed under the double lines on the apron he was robbed of the win and Tony Stewart (I think) who was behind him and may have been the one to shove him down, ended up with the win.

Which if they are caught speeding on pit road, they are forced to do a drive through penalty that puts them at the end of the longest line or around there.

Also talking about penalizing - both Marcos Ambros (Car number 47) and Max Papis (part time driver) were penalized last Tuesday after post race inspection (as well as their crew cheifs) for their car being too heavy. It was like 50 points and seventy-five thousand dollars. Something like that. I think the driver got the points taken away and the crew cheifs had to pay - something like that. NASCAR is real finicky with this COT (Car of Tomorrow...or rather it is now Car of Today - the car they are now driving in other words. LOL) and if they do anything little wrong with it, there is that sort of a fine it seems. Feel bad for Ambros and Papis...they're having a rough time as it is not alone for NASCAR to be taking points away from them.

OK for the points now... Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kennseth, Greg Biffle are the top three drivers in points right now. Kevin Harvick is fourth with Jeff Gordon in fifth, Kyle Busch, Dale Jr, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin, and Joey Lagano is twelveth. That is the top twelve in driver points which is where everyone wants to be with ten races left of the season. LOL. Though I am sure with Talledega on Sunday - that sure mix it up a bit, though JJ is a head by a hundred and eight points right now, so it'll take a bit for someone to be able to steal the lead away from him. (Give Gordon a few races, I'm hopin he'll be able to do so. HA HA - That's my own personal opinion of course )

[RogerDuke]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

You sure know your NASCAR Garrett.

I took my 8 year old grandson to his first race tonight.

Actually it was just (free admission) practice night at the local dirt track in northeast Ohio but it was pretty exciting anyway. We had a great time and he wants to go back next weekend.

I wore my orange 01 hat and got a chance to strike up conversations with two different Dukes fans and told them about HazzardNet. Hopefully at least one of them will be dropping by.

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks Roger! I have to admit, it took me a while to get to understand NASCAR and the races, but once I did get to understanding it all, I got hooked on the races and so forth. Finally there is something I know at least a little about.

I bet you both had a great time at the practices! That sounds fun and it is always great to meet people that have the same interests as you. Hopefully they'll be stopping by.