Nascar

[Guest SleepysRose]

That pretty much describes how it was growing up watching the races for my family Roger. ~lol~ Dad went for Ford, Mom went for Chevy and bro went for pontiacs. I just went for the driver I liked. LOL Thanks for the memorie's Roger! I'm not bickering I am just having fun picking on Garrett is all and joking around with him.

LOL

Folks sure are passionate about racing.

Listening to you two bicker brings back some pretty good memories for me. When I was around 10 years old my grandparents used to take us to the local dirt track.

My grandparents were Chevy folks but my dad was a Ford man (he's now in his 70's and to this day has never owned anything but Fords)

Me and my brother would always root for the Fords and my grandparents would pull for the Chevys. My grandmother was always real loud yelling for the Chevys. We always used to tell her she was embarressing us but that didn't seem to quiet her down.

I miss ya grandma and grandad. Thanks for all the good memories.

[Garrett Duke]

It is interesting to hear who goes with Ford, Chevy, and so forth. Seems like people go for a certain type and stick with it. My grandpa only drove Ford trucks. But that is about as far as I know how it goes in my family. LOL.

Though to get back to NASCAR...I found it interesting to hear from Brad Keselowski that next year instead of driving the number 12 car that he is driving this year, he will be driving the blue deuce...er the number two car...Meaning next year he will be driving Kurt Busch's car and Kurt Busch who just resigned with Penske Racing will be driving number 22 Penzoil (Penzoil has sponosored Kevin Harvick til the end of this year). (Keselowski, Hornish Jr, and Kurt Busch are teammates for Penske Racing) I just don't understand why, since they are staying in the same organization, why they are changing cars and all that. Oh well, as long as it's not Gordon and Johnson or Jr, I'm not going to worry or complain too much about it.

Also found it interesting some of the back info they gave before the race yesterday about Talledega. Always knew it was big and fast, but didn't know that it was the (Think they said it was 2.2 miles.)biggest out there and that France Sr built the track putting the start/finish line at the end of the oval / pits to be different than all the other tracks. Also found it interesting that Richard Petty pulled himself out of the first Talledega race due to it being so dangerous...though am not sure I understood that correctly, but that is what it sounded like to me when they were talking about it.

Well the next race we are back to some Saturday night short track racing at Richmond! Really enjoy the Saturday night races...though think i may have to record it since I may be busy...anyway, it will be good to be back short track racing on a Saturday night. (Can't believe it'll be May already! Which I find sad, because after May NASCAR will move to another TV station like TNT or ESPN with different announcers. NASCAR switches TV stations four or five times throughout the season...I have to say the announcers at FOX are by far my favorite. My opinion of course. )

Me bicker, Roger? *surprised look* I don't bicker, I just stick up for my driver! HA HA! Though I do admit, I do tend to get too tense or whatever the correct term is when it comes to the races. I should learn to post comments about the races on Monday or Tuesday, to have a day or two to cool off as to not express my disappointment or frustration of the race...or perhaps one day soon, my excitement when Gordon does actually when the race. LOL But I just can't seem to help myself but to go and post and talk about the race right after it is over...

[RogerDuke]

Did anybody hear what Jeff Gordon said about Jimmie Johnson after the race? Things seem pretty tense between those two fellers. Jeff is really "losing patience" with Jimmie. This could get ugly.

[Garrett Duke]

Well Roger...I missed Gordon's post race interview, but I have read what he had said on articles on NASCAR.com. I just got done reading another article there that Johnson is now taking full blame for what had happened. According to Jimmie Johnson that he had went down the track in an attempt to draft together, but Gordon was going too fast for that and it ended up looking like he was trying to block him.

Being the HUGE Jeff Gordon fan that I am, it did make me upset to see the move that Jimmie Johnson did on Gordon on Sunday. I think it only makes it worse that they had their dust up between them last Monday at Texas when they were fighting for the lead and Johnson purposely hit Gordon out of being frustrated with him. Jimmie Johnson is my second favorite driver, but I have to say it is making me upset to see him race Gordon as he has the past two weeks.

Gordon was mad at Johnson after his move on Sunday and I really don't blame him. It was that move that pushed Gordon back to get into that multi-car wreck with Jeff Burton. Though I am hoping that their friendship and teamship will work through this and be stronger than this. I am really hoping this is the end of it and that this won't be a new "rivalry" as the media is trying to hype it up to be. Gordon and Johnson can have their rivalries, I just don't want it to be each other. . .

[RogerDuke]

Garrett, I also heard that Jimmie took responsibility too. It was in the newspaper. Hopefully that will put an end to it.

If you can get USA Today (sports) on-line, they did a story today about how dangerous the track is at Talledega.

My NASCAR source told me that NASCAR is going to go with all ethanol next year....or was it in 2011? Have you head that?

He also said they are going to allow fuel injection and get rid of carbuerators. Have you heard that one?

[Garrett Duke]

I've never been to the newspaper website before. I get my NASCAR info from NASCAR.com and from Yahoo! NASCAR's page. There was several articles on the Yahoo site about Gordon and Johnson and then Johnson taking responsibility for it. I really hope that it all was the mistake he said it was and that this is the end of it between the two. Hopefully they will talk...that they will remain friends through it all and work through it.

Talledega is a dangerous track...ask Carl Edwards. LOL. I thought it was neat that he took the girl that got hurt from his accident last year at Talledega back to the race and then met up with her and signed his racing helmet to give to her.

I don't really think I heard anything about the fuel or the ethenol. I've heard awhile ago that they were working on things to go greener or something like that so maybe that was what it wtas about and I really didn't read it. I don't know, but you know more about it than I do. It will be interesting to see what that will do.

[RogerDuke]

Maybe ethanol makes cars go slower and fuel injection makes them go faster and they balance themselves out.

I'm not sure if that's true or not, it's just a theory.

I know they don't want the cars to go any faster because it's just too dangerous.

I also know NASCAR's been criticized a lot lately for using too much fuel.

Shucks, Uncle Jesse used ethenol back in the late thirties. He called it moonshine. I've always heard that they have to add a chemical to ethanol or people would drink it as moonshine because that's all it really is. I wonder if that's true.

[Garrett Duke]

Hmmm those are good questions and thoughts. Perhaps Jesse should send in his secret recipe for them to use. LOL.

People criticize NASCAR? How rude! LOL. I guess they probably do use a lot of fuel, but what choice do they have? They run out of gas, no one's going to be watching the race for very long. Sadly, I heard the other day, that the NFL draft was on TV the other night and it got higher ratings than any race (except for the Daytona 500) does on Sunday. NASCAR is losing veiwers...I don't understand why.

My opinion...they should shed with the chase and go back to the old way of doing it where they have to work and earn every point to get the championship as they did before the 2004 season. I understand why they did the chase format, but really dislike the whole ten extra points per win and getting rid of all the points going into the chase. I am not saying that is why I think the viewing has gone down, just saying the one thing I wish they would change. Though it will never happen...

Well the race is tomorrow night at Richmond...another Saturday night race and I am excited. Anyone else? LOL. I love night racing! And this will be short track racing at that...no more Talledega and looking for the big one. Kyle Busch has got the pole for the race...can't remember who comes behind him. Seems like Johnson may be in third and Gordon fourth. Not a hundred percent sure on that, though know they start around that area and next to each other. I don't want to state the obvious, but I really want Gordon to break out of his run of bad luck and break his winless streak and get his first win of the season. Who y'all want to win?

[Guest SleepysRose]

I am ~crossing my fingers and praying for Mark martin to do well~

[RogerDuke]

I won't get to see it because I have a million things to do.

I did take my grandson to the dirt track in northeast Ohio again tonight.

I might have told this story before but when I was a kid, my grandparents took us to a stunt show there. I got an autograph from one of the drivers named Buzz Bundy. Come to find out, he's the one who did all the stunts when the General Lee drove on two wheels.

I really like going to the track now since it has a Dukes connection for me. I just wish they had an orange 01 car racing there.

[Garrett Duke]

Roger - I bet you and your grandson had a great time the other night at the track! That sounds like a lot of fun. No wonder why you like going to the track - other than to watch racing - with your meeting of Buzz. That would put a Duke connection to it and would bring back good memories as well! Thanks for sharing that!

[texasdaisy09]

Wow I have no idea how to describe the race tonight. Garrett, you've always got a good take on things....wanna throw in a few comments?

[Garrett Duke]

Well, the race at Richmond has just finished and it was another fun and exciting race. Though this time, it didn't end with a green-white-checkered finish as they have the last few races. The first five finishers of the race were : Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Carl Edwards. Found two things out interesting today - Carl Edwards led his first lap of the season today which he led while all the other cars were in pit and that Jeff Gordon has led the most laps this year of all the drivers - and yet remains winless!

Kyle Busch had started first after winning the pole for today's race and led the first 221 laps until he started having some sort of car problems where he dropped back a few spots. Jeff Gordon led 144 laps until the final restart with five laps to go, Kyle got a better start to pass Gordon and was off for his first victory of the season (since Bristol of last August). Normally, I am happy with second place (Definately not as happy as I would be with a win, but all in all, second is pretty good) but Gordon wa so dominant today once he got in the lead and was so close to breaking his winless streak. I am beyond ready for him to move ahead of second to take the win that has alluded him this year so far to capitalize on all the good races he has had. As I said, second isn't so bad and is pretty good, and it helped boost him up in points, so I should be happy with what I got. He was just so close. LOL.

Well talking about points...am not sure yet as to who is where. But for now Kevin Harvick stole the lead from Johnson (who finished tenth after getting in a last lap accident) and is ten points ahead of Johnson. I think Jeff Gordon moved up from tenth in points to sixth or fifth. I know Carl Edwards moved in the top twelve and Jr fell out of the top twelve and is thirteenth in points. As for now, that is all I know where they are point wise. Points will be made official on Monday so I will try to update it sometime this week.

As I said it was a fun race - hope lots of you got to watch it. Found it kind of interesting t hat sometime during the first half of the race, Kyle Busch lapped so many cars t hat there were only nine cars on the lead lap! Never remember a race before with only nine cars on the lead lap. Lucky for most of the drivers that there was a caution and that the lapped cars were able to gain their laps back by the new lap around option for them. I think that put like 27 cars on the lead lap after that cuation break. LOL Now we will be onto Darlington next Saturday night.

[Garrett Duke]

Wow I have no idea how to describe the race tonight. Garrett, you've always got a good take on things....wanna throw in a few comments?

Thank-you Texas Daisy! NASCAR and Dukes are the two things I do love to talk about. LOL. After that race, I'd love to have a few comments about...We posted at the same time there it looks like. Did you enjoy it? I did...well until the end and then I got kinda frustrated. LOL. Am not a Kyle Busch fan and to top it off he had to steal the win from Gordon! Oh well, there's always next week. Just glad to see Gordon competing for the win, just hoping he'll soon get his win. LOL.

Sorry to keep talking about Gordon...there are 42 other cars out there after all. LOL. There was a lot of good drivers out there that had a rough race. Stewart and Martin to name two of them. Surprised to see Martin get nailed for speeding on pit road, he is one that you never hear get caught speeding on pits. Johnson managed a tenth place finish but was fighting with his car all day and then right there at the end got caught in the accident - though was lucky enough to finish.

As I said, I'll have to look up the points to be more definate on them later. What did the rest of you think of the race? How did your driver do?

[RogerDuke]

LOL Hey Garrett, don't apologize for talking too much about your favorite driver. He might not be everybody else's fave but we respect your loyalty.

Hey, which Busch was it that you said picked the Dukes theme as his song?

I appreciate your updates.

I did get to see bits and pieces of the race after I got home but I was pretty busy Saturday.

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks for understanding Roger about talking about Gordon...I know not everyone is a Jeff Gordon fan so I don't want to bore everyone away with talking about Gordon all the time. LOL.

That was Kurt Busch that chose the Dukes theme song in driver introduction sometime last month. Surprised me it coming from him, but then again, I don't think I could guess any of their favorite music or artist or songs that they would chose.

You are very welcome! I enjoy talking about the races so it gives insight to the rest of you that did not get to see it and it gives me an opportunity to talk or to vent about the race...which ever is fits the race. LOL

Glad to hear you caught some of the race...some is better than none! Did you catch the end? Elliot Sadler blew all four tires there towards the end and then Sam Hornish Jr got in a somewhat scar accident running into the wall there at the end as well. Which is what caused the restarts there at the end and where Gordon lost his lead. Oh well, second is a pretty good place to finish up at and it helped him in points which is the main thing right now. JJ's accident was right there at the finish line... (See once I start talking about it, I don't stop. )

[Garrett Duke]

Well we are onto the "Lady in Black...or the track that's too rough to tame (something like that)" which is Darlington and it will be another Saturday night race. Better yet for Gordon fans is that he has a great record at this track with seven wins to make him in the top three for the most wins at Darlington as well as a long run of top five finishes at this track. So, needless to say, I am excited about his chances this weekend after seeing what he is capable of doing this season with all his top second and third place finishes. (Now if only he can survive or get past the double file restarts at the end or the green-white-checkered deal, he should be fine. If it's not one thing for him, it's another thing.) As for the other drivers...I'm sorry to say I really don't know about their chances or stats at this track. It should be for a good race.

As for the points...(Sorry it took me this long )

1. Kevin Harvick (29) -

2. Jimmie Johnson (48) -10

3. Kyle Busch (18) -109

4. Matt Kenseth (17) -119

5. Greg Biffle (16) -133

6. Jeff Gordon (24) -162

7. Denny Hamlin (11) -199

8. Kurt Busch (2) -212

9. Jeff Burton (31) -220

10. Mark Martin (5) -225

11. Carl Edwards (99) -240

12. Clint Bowyer (33) -254

There is the official top twelve in points as of now. Of course, that all may change after Saturday night's race...hopefully in a good way for all of our drivers.

[Guest SleepysRose]

The name of the track comes from this info I am posting below Garrett. It was basically the very first pavement track ever. Hope this info help you out.

NASCAR's first paved track. The first superspeedway. The first Winston Million win. The first 500 mile race. The first track where doors were fitted with braces to absorb the impact of (inevitably) hitting the wall. The birth of the infield camping tradition. The closest finish and also the largest margin of victory in NASCAR history.

These are just a few of the historic events that have taken place at the Darlington Raceway in its 60 year history. It has become a pillar of the NASCAR circuit, and has been compared to such other sports meccas as Lambeau Field, the "House that Ruth Built," the Kentucky Derby and The Masters.

And to think, it all started over a game of cards in a shed next to a minnow-pond.

[RogerDuke]

Poor Jimmie Johnson had a little accident. Well, it's a good thing Jeff Gordon wasn't involved. It wasn't really anybody's fault. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time.

By the way, anybody else out there watching the race and hanging out on the HazzardNet too? Now, that's some seriousely fun multitasking!

[Garrett Duke]

Jimmie Johnson had a little accident, Roger? I think we were watching different races...LOL. Well I guess he was in a couple of smaller accidents before he was in the big one that took him out of the race, perhaps that's what you are talking about. (Sorry had to give you a hard time about it.) I am just glad that Jimmie and AJ was alright. That was a big hit they both took - especially Jimmie in the door and all. Am also glad that Jeff Gordon wasn't involved, but still felt bad for Jimmie. He had a hard race. Gordon had a good race. Led the most laps, yet came in fourth due to his miscue going to pit road on the last pit stop and then was in pit when the caution flew. Luckily he was able to get out of pits before the pace car! Jeff Burton was also in contention for the lead when on his last pit stop, he ran over the air hose and was penalyzed and had to take a drive through pits. Wish Gordon would have won as it looked like he was going to do, but after that last pit stop, I felt lucky to get a top five (fourth) out of it. Perhaps Dover will break his winless woes.

Denny Hamlin won his third race of the season and Jamie McMurray came in second with Kurt Busch in third and Gordon in fourth. Can't recall who came in after Gordon. Though do know the points are now mixed up different than before. Kevin Harvick has extended his lead to 110 points now over Kyle Busch who stole second from Jimmie, Jimmie is in third, and Jeff Gordon is in fourth. (Once more, can't remember who comes after Gordon...sorry )

All in all, I thought it was a good race. No, Roger, I wasn't multi-tasking last night. I sat down and watched the race and that is about all I did once the race started. I don't multi-task very well when the race is on. LOL. What did you all thought of the race?

[RogerDuke]

LOL

Well compared to some of those "horrendous crashes" that take place in Hazzard County, I'd describe that crash as "little".

I'll admit after Jimmie got knocked out of it I lost a lot of interest and didn't pay as much attention.

Thanks for keeping us updated. So where's the next one?

[texasdaisy09]

Thanks for updating me on the race ya'll. I was in the field that night and then to top it off when we got to the motel, it wasn't on any of their channels! I was not a happy camper. I've missed two in a row, I hate this! Thanks for posting so much though everyone. I feel a little more caught up now!

[Garrett Duke]

Well I guess I lied about the points...Kevin Harvick is in first, but has extended his lead to 110 over Jimmie Johnson (So he is still in second place. I had said that he fell to third place and he didn't) but Kyle Busch is now only three points under Jimmie and then it is Jeff Gordon! LOL. Sorry about the mistake there, don't know what I was thinkin'!

Well Roger, I have seen it worse. Gordon at Las Vegas a couple of years ago got sent into the inside wall with three laps to go and he had car parts flying up the track! It took him awhile to get out of his car and he said that was the worse accident he got in. At the time, the inside wall didn't have the safer barrier because it is normally the outside wall that gets hit the hardest, but Gordon hit right at the entrance of where the ambulance and wreckers are at. Well Gordon talked to the people owned the track and you can bet they have safer barrier there now. He has also has gotten into a couple others that I can think of that looked worse than Johnsons as well as other drivers' accident...

But to me JJ's accident looked pretty bad and he looked pretty shook up when he got out of the car. Bet he was glad when teh race was officially over after the night he had - he had gotten into a couple of smaller accidents before that. I know how it goes Roger...when Gordon gets in an accident and gets isn't in the race, I have a hard time watching and keeping interest in it. (Which is why he can NOT ever retire!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!)

We are onto Dover on Sunday at noon ET on Fox which is a mile track I am thinking...yeah they call it the Monster Mile. Gordon does pretty good there so hopefully he'll have antoher good race. Don't know about anyone else at the moment. It is a pretty exciting race if I am remembering correctly. As with any other race, am looking forward to it!

Then on the 22nd of May they will be at Charolette for the All-Star race which they make into a big thing (not all the drivers will be in it, but only past winners and a few others. I'll have more info on it for everyone next week.) Don't worry though, Roger, JJ will be in it!

You all are very welcome. I am very excited to be able to explain and talk about the races and NASCAR! And perhaps have someone listen to me! LOL. Don't know many people that would put up with me talking about Gordon like y'all do. Thank-you!

[Guest SleepysRose]

Garrett,

I am the ONLY one in my entire family who would put up with you talking about Gordon all the time. ~lol~ I guess that comes with the fact all my mom's side lives in Martin's "hometown" so go figure. They won't hate you. They'll just pick on you is all. ~lol~ Now you see where I get my humor from. ~lol~

Well I guess I lied about the points...Kevin Harvick is in first, but has extended his lead to 110 over Jimmie Johnson (So he is still in second place. I had said that he fell to third place and he didn't) but Kyle Busch is now only three points under Jimmie and then it is Jeff Gordon! LOL. Sorry about the mistake there, don't know what I was thinkin'!

Well Roger, I have seen it worse. Gordon at Las Vegas a couple of years ago got sent into the inside wall with three laps to go and he had car parts flying up the track! It took him awhile to get out of his car and he said that was the worse accident he got in. At the time, the inside wall didn't have the safer barrier because it is normally the outside wall that gets hit the hardest, but Gordon hit right at the entrance of where the ambulance and wreckers are at. Well Gordon talked to the people owned the track and you can bet they have safer barrier there now. He has also has gotten into a couple others that I can think of that looked worse than Johnsons as well as other drivers' accident...

But to me JJ's accident looked pretty bad and he looked pretty shook up when he got out of the car. Bet he was glad when teh race was officially over after the night he had - he had gotten into a couple of smaller accidents before that. I know how it goes Roger...when Gordon gets in an accident and gets isn't in the race, I have a hard time watching and keeping interest in it. (Which is why he can NOT ever retire!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!)

We are onto Dover on Sunday at noon ET on Fox which is a mile track I am thinking...yeah they call it the Monster Mile. Gordon does pretty good there so hopefully he'll have antoher good race. Don't know about anyone else at the moment. It is a pretty exciting race if I am remembering correctly. As with any other race, am looking forward to it!

Then on the 22nd of May they will be at Charolette for the All-Star race which they make into a big thing (not all the drivers will be in it, but only past winners and a few others. I'll have more info on it for everyone next week.) Don't worry though, Roger, JJ will be in it!

You all are very welcome. I am very excited to be able to explain and talk about the races and NASCAR! And perhaps have someone listen to me! LOL. Don't know many people that would put up with me talking about Gordon like y'all do. Thank-you!

[Garrett Duke]

Well...thanks for putting up with me then. LOL. Read an article that said that Gordon's mistake on pit probably saved him from being stuck on pit road and would have given him a very dismal finish to the race. So I guess his mistake turned into a good one...would have been real upset if he had gotten stuck...was worried about that as it was when the caution flew and he was driving through pit road.

No new NASCAR news other than Tony Stewart's sponsor of Old Spice is leaving him. DIdn't read the article so I don't see why they are doing that. . .Tony being a well known name in NASCAR, I am sure he will find another one soo. Surprised Old Spice is leaving him...

Hope y'all are having a good week.