2012 Sprint Cup Series race reviews and results

[RogerDuke]

Did think of youwhen Ragen spun out...just not his year. Ah another Jr fan huh? How 'bout this...I'll tell JG to stay out in the sun today and get sun burned on his neck...that way he'll have a red neck. That enough redneck for you? HA HA HA.

I am sorry about your friend Roger

LOL This cracked me up. I just might become a JG fan if he became a redneck.

Thanks for the condolences. The funny thing is that his name was Junior (not related to Dale) and he looked just like Jesse Duke.

Good luck to JG in the chase

(and better luck to Junior)

Thanks again for your latest update.

[Garrett Duke]

LOL This cracked me up. I just might become a JG fan if he became a redneck.

Thanks for the condolences. The funny thing is that his name was Junior (not related to Dale) and he looked just like Jesse Duke.

Good luck to JG in the chase

(and better luck to Junior)

Thanks again for your latest update.

You are welcome Roger.

Well Roger you have highly disappointed me to hear you will never be a Jeff Gordon fan. So sad. Jeff Gordon is probably the least redneck driver there is out there and can't see that changing anytime soon.

Ah well...guess Jr needs all the fans that he can get. HA HA. JK...I like Jr. In fact last night I finally caved in and bought a Dale Jr sweatshirt at WalMart. Don't worry though, Jeff Gordon will always be my favorite driver and Johnson my second favorite, but Jr is my third driver and I gotta support my Hendrick drivers.

Hope your JR will do well...tell you what, he can come in second in points after Jeff Gordon. As of now, am just happy Gordon is amongst the top twelve. Just hard to believe that we have had 26 races gone of the season and ONLY ten races left. Hendrick takes up a third of the chase field and am wishing them all the best of luck...just hope Gordon comes out at number one. Kinda be afraid if Jr does win the championship to see how Jr Nation would react...LOL:-o

[RogerDuke]

Hmmmm, help me out again Garrett. Why are drivers who aren't in The Chase even racing?

I think you explained this once but I can't remember the answer.

[Garrett Duke]

Hmmmm, help me out again Garrett. Why are drivers who aren't in The Chase even racing?

I think you explained this once but I can't remember the answer.

Drivers thirteen in points and down to 43rd all racing for the 13th spot and a million dollars. The last ten races for the non chase drivers are races they generally start trying new things, trying for things to work for in the next season. The last ten races for the non chase drivers, they have nothing to lose...glad NASCAR had stepped up and does protect the chase drivers, because in '04 when the chase started Robby Gordon got upset at a chase driver and spun him out...one bad race you could lose you the championship.

Hope that helps a little. Plus it is more exciting, I would think, having all 43 drivers out on the track rather than just twelve cars. But that would be interesting all in yourselfe. NASCAR probably didn't do that because that would infuriate the fans of the nonchase drivers...just think of Jr Nation last year when he didn't make the chase. This is the first time in awhile Jr had made the chase and is a threat....know the couple of times Gordon didn't make the chase, NASCAR would mean little to me on Sundays.

Talking about Jeff Gordon...Brad Daughtery said last weekend if Gordon made the chase, he'd wear a Gordon shirt. Prerace show comes on and he is not wearing one and I was just thinking of what a liar he is or perhaps I misunderstood him...well they were in the middle of talking about Brad Keselwoski and Jeff Gordon comes in and gives him a shirt! Love it. Perhaps Brad will take Gordon more seriously now...

[Garrett Duke]

Chicagoland is over and the only two big events of the race effected my top two drivers . . .in a bad way. Other than that, not much had happened today.

Jeff Gordon was quick went from starting 19th and was racing in fourth place when his throttle stuck or broke and he hit the wall...HARD. Ended his day and he finished 35th. Definately not the way I wanted the chase to start for the 24 team.

Jimmie Johnson led the most laps to day from starting from the pole. Last pit stop he came in a lap before Brad Keselowski and came out with Brad. On the track, Brad passed Jimmie and Brad went onto win the race. Second place for JJ is great, but was really hoping for a win after Gordon's ordeal. Ah well...

Here is the top ten finishes for today's race:

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Jimmie Johnson

3. Kasey Kahne

4. Kyle Busch

5. Ryan Newman

6. Tony Stewart

7. Joey Logano

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr

9. Martin Truex Jr

10. Clint Bowyer

Now onto Loudon next Sunday for chase race number 2...

[RogerDuke]

Thanks for the update Garrett.

Competing with the NFL must be tough on NASCAR.

Thanks for re-explaining how The Chase works.

I hope Jeff didn't get hurt.

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks for the update Garrett.

Competing with the NFL must be tough on NASCAR.

Thanks for re-explaining how The Chase works.

I hope Jeff didn't get hurt.

Yeah it must be difficult on NASCAR to compete with the NFL...I will always take NASCAR over NFL.. So they have nothing to worry about with losing me...except for during commercial breaks.

You are welcome. You know I like talking NASCAR.

Oops...guess I forgot to mention the most important thing. Jeff was fine...just disappointed. Glad he is OK, that is the main thing.

[RogerDuke]

Yeah it must be difficult on NASCAR to compete with the NFL...I will always take NASCAR over NFL.. So they have nothing to worry about with losing me...except for during commercial breaks.

Hmm, what if the Cubs were in the post-season? What would you do then?

That's not going to be a problem this year but it could be next year.

I'm glad to hear that Jeff didn't get hurt.

[Garrett Duke]

Hmm, what if the Cubs were in the post-season? What would you do then?

That's not going to be a problem this year but it could be next year.

I'm glad to hear that Jeff didn't get hurt.

Am torn with baseball usually watch it during the commercials as well...but if the Cubs went post season next year, well, NASCAR may meet it's match. Hope I have that problem next year...would be a great problem to have.

Yeah, Roger, me too. (About Jeff Gordon not being hurt) they really have a lot of great safety gear in the car and on the track. Saves lives and reduces injury.

[Garrett Duke]

The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is at Loudon, New Hampshire at 1:00 PM EST on ESPN...race number two of the 2012 Chase.

Here is the top ten starting line up:

1. JEFF GORDON

2. Kyle Busch

3. Tony Stewart

4. Brian Vickers

5. Carl Edwards

6. Kasey Kahne

7. Paul Menard

8. Ryan Newman

9. Martin Truex Jr

10. Dave Blaney

Dale Earnhardt Jr will start 14th, Jimmie Johnson 20th, and David Ragen 26th.

[RogerDuke]

Thanks Garrett. I've never seen you put the number one driver in all capital letters. Hmmm, I wonder why. Oh yea, it's 'cause you like the guy and he hasn't been at the top very much this year.

I see David Ragen didn't get all capital letters even though that's probably been his best starting position all year.

I'm starting to sense a little favoritism in your NASCAR posts.

(but I guess I have to put up with it or you'll get mad at me and stop posting)

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks Garrett. I've never seen you put the number one driver in all capital letters. Hmmm, I wonder why. Oh yea, it's 'cause you like the guy and he hasn't been at the top very much this year.

I see David Ragen didn't get all capital letters even though that's probably been his best starting position all year.

I'm starting to sense a little favoritism in your NASCAR posts.

(but I guess I have to put up with it or you'll get mad at me and stop posting)

Uh oops perhaps the caps magically got stuck when I wrote Jeff Gordon's name down because I for one don't play favoritisms at all. There is 43 GREAT drivers on the track and sadly only ONE gets to start from the pole...just so happens to be my favo...to be Jeff Gordon starting from the pole. HA HA.

Well OK...so I got a tad excited when I saw my driver won the pole for the second time this season. Sorry for picking favoritisms, but after having such a strong car last week only to hit the wall and finish 35th last week, I do believe I should be able to get a tad excited when he wins the pole the next weekend. Especially since he has had such an up and down year this year...

Am I wrong to feel that way?

DAVID RAGEN, TONY STEWART, DALE EARNHARDT JR, JIMMIE JOHNSON...

Well there are the drivers...all in caps...that I know of someone on this great board likes. So, are you happy, Roger? I didn't even include Jeff Gordon on that list...

But since I am no longer able to express my excitement over my driver's achievements, I guess I'll just call it quits. . .ah never mind, I'll follow NHL's great example and go on lock down. Or go on strike like the NFL refs...

Wonder how much money I can earn if I go on lock down long enough? How much money y'all would pay me to come back and write about NASCAR...gotta be more than what I am earning now.

Better question would be if I could have enough discipline not to talk about NASCAR...especially after race day. Y'all give me the prime opportunity to talk about the one thing I love talking about...NASCAR. Thank you for putting up with and reading my NASCAR news and reports, reviews...and for putting up with my favoritisms. LOL...so hard not to do, but will do better.. Or try to do better...

[RogerDuke]

To answer your question.....no I'm not happy.....and I won't be until DAVID RAGEN (all capitals) wins more championships in a row than JJ and garrett's (no capitals) thread becomes the DAVID RAGEN thread. Is that too much to ask for?

GO DAVID RAGEN!!!!.....beat jeff gordon

[Garrett Duke]

To answer your question.....no I'm not happy.....and I won't be until DAVID RAGEN (all capitals) wins more championships in a row than JJ and garrett's (no capitals) thread becomes the DAVID RAGEN thread. Is that too much to ask for?

GO DAVID RAGEN!!!!.....beat jeff gordon

Wow roger you must've woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. First your baeball thread you attack me and now you are attacking me on my very own NASCAR thread. What have I ever done to you? Well I guess since just mentioning Ragen and his progress for you, perhaps I won't say nothing in my review tomorrow about how Ragen does...even if he wins, I will his spot empty. You can check up on his progress yourself...better yet, you can watch the race and see how he does.

As for his championships, well, I'll be happy for David if he won a championship. Truly I will be. He is deserving of it, but truthfully, if he is to win races to get to that championship, I feel like he needs to prove his talent and get a better ride. Right now he is driving for an underdog team that don't have the money to compete with the higher ranked drivers. He had that with Rousch last year before Rousch sadly let go of him. David is young, he still has time to prove himself. But he'll have to prove himself as Jimmie Johnson had done that day when JEFF GORDON saw him on the track and picked him up to join the Hendrick team...

Never knew I could so easily offend a friend in my NASCAR reviews or that roger is so sensitive about David Ragen that he would get offended. I apologize Roger and hope you may forgive my capitalizing on Gordon's name. Will try my best not to do that again...even if he wins tomorrow.

GO JEFF GORDON AND TEAM 24!!!! and david ragen!

[Garrett Duke]

**On a side note, the Sprint Cup Series race is tomorrow. Not today. Watch today you'll be watching the Nationwide Series race which would be interesting all in itself. .***

[Garrett Duke]

Once again, to me, no race is boring. Any race is a good race...but today's race lacked any real excitement to write home about. Pre Race show was all about Denny Hamlin who started 28th and well, he delivered for 'em.. He led the most laps and came home the victory at Loudon, NH. . .Hamlin ran out of gas at the end of the race at Chicagoland and had wrote on his Twitter account that he'd win at Loudon...once again, he answered his call.

Kyle Busch did lead some laps and was strong until his engine started having problems and he went back pretty fast.

Here is the top ten finishes of today's race:

1. denny hamlin

2. jimmie johnson

3. jeff gordon

4. clint bowyer

5. kasey kahne

6. brad keselowski

7. tony stewart

8. joey logano

9. brian vickers

10. ryan newman

dale earnhardt jr came home 13th. david ragen 29th.

Well Roger, you happy now? No one was capitalized at all...that should make your day.

Well we are onto the Monster Mile...Dover.

[RogerDuke]

Thanks for the update GARRETT. I see your fave did pretty well.

Okay, I apologize for being grumpy but my Pirates and Steelers are to blame.

In an odd way to say I'm sorry....let me just post this.....

Congratulations to your BEARS for winnning. My steelers lost.

Okay, now back to NASCAR.......

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks for the update GARRETT. I see your fave did pretty well.

Okay, I apologize for being grumpy but my Pirates and Steelers are to blame.

In an odd way to say I'm sorry....let me just post this.....

Congratulations to your BEARS for winnning. My steelers lost.

Okay, now back to NASCAR.......

You are welcome, ROGER...and thanks for the capital letters and for the congrats. I was happy with Gordon's top five yesterday as well for my Bears winning. Was a good game for the Bears and a great way to rebound from that loss to the Packers.

Sorry about your Steelers and Pirates losing...that is ample reason to be grumpy. But please don't take it out on me...they didn't lose to my teams. HA. Makes you feel any better the Cardinals beat my Cubs a couple of games...just not their year.

Thanks for your odd apology, it is accepted.

Sprint Cup will be racing at the Monster Mile Sunday...Dover.

[Garrett Duke]

Well the last thing I remember thinking about last night before I went to bed was with the realization that I didn't write my preview to today's race on here. So here it is, race day, and here is the race preview.

The Sprint Cup Series will be racing the monster mile at Dover today at 1PM EST on ESPN. Starting with the normal pre race show, pre race ceremony, and then racing.

Here is the starting line up (Top ten):

1. Denny Hamlin

2. Clint Bowyer

3. Martin Truex Jr.

4. Sam Hornish Jr

5. Kyle Busch

6. Greg Biffle

7. Jeff Gordon (is that better, Roger? )

8. Ryan Newman

9. Kasey Kahne

10. Brad Keselowski

(JJ will start 11th, Tony Stewart 24th, Dale Jr 25th, David Ragen 31)

If anyone has another driver that you like, please feel free to tell me here or PM me with the driver and I will make sure to list where they start and where they end. As of right now the only drivers I know that people like or follow is David Ragen, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jr, and Kasey Kahne (and the last four are of my own favorite team of drivers...) so let me know and I will be glad to make more effort into listing your favorite drivers starting and finishes and if anything happens to them on the track.

[Garrett Duke]

Well the race has just gotten over and really don't know what to say other than once again, not a whole lot to write about. Was a good race...but the Monster Mile didn't collect much damage today. HA. So I guess if one watches for the wrecks, you were disappointed, but I for one watch for the racing, not for the wrecks.

Think the one thing that changed the race was when JJ Yaley (I think) tire blew half way through green flag pit stops to put several drivers a lap down.

Matt Kenseth sure didn't have a great day today as he hit the wall once and then came back out and blew a tire. Took it into the garage, came back out later.

Kyle Busch led the most laps today until Jimmie Johnson stole the lead from him by a faster pit stop. JJ later had to break off and let drivers pass him in order to save gas. It came down to a gas fuelage race as Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch both had to give up leads to go into pits with only several laps to go. JJ and Kevin Harvick both were warned by NASCAR to pick up their pace as they were going too slow in order to save gas.

Jeff Gordon was able to get more gas as he went into the pits just for gas during a caution when most people didn't. Kasey Kahne was good up until the end when he had to go back into gas...

In the end Brad Keselowski was bad fast and as always had good gas fuelage to his car and won...Jeff Gordon came home second.

Crazy race...most of the race there was only nine or ten cars on the lead lap. At the end there was only 6 cars on the lead leap...glad Gordon and Johnson were amongst them. My opinion of course.

Here is the top ten finishing order of today's race (top six were on lead lap):

1. Brad Keselowski (fifth win of the season)

2. Jeff Gordon

3. Mark Martin

4. Jimmie Johnson

5. Carl Edwards

6. Martin Truex Jr

7. Kyle Busch

8. Denny Hamlin

9. Clint Bowyer

10. Joey Logano

(Dale Earnhardt Jr 11th (two laps down), Stewart 20th, David Ragen 30th)

Here is the unofficial standings of of the chase drivers as of now:

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Jimmie Johnson (-5)

3. Denny Hamlin

4. Clint Bowyer

5. Tony Stewart

6. Kasey Kahne

7. Dale Earnhardt Jr

8. Martin Truex Jr

9. Kevin Harvick

10. Jeff Gordon

11. Greg Biffle

12. Matt Kenseth

(Really don't understand how Jeff Gordon can finish second today...he gained in position (he was 12th before today's race) but he lost points.. Was 45 points behind JJ after last week and now sits 48 points behind Keselowski. Think there is a flaw in the straw (as Rosco would say) in NASCAR's point system here...once again, my opinion.)

We will be at Talledega next week...the track the produces the BIG ONE. Be another shake up in the points after next week perhaps...

[RogerDuke]

"flaw in the slaw" Khee Khee I love it!

Thanks for the update Garrett. I switched over to the race during commercials but I'm too wrapped up in baseball to pay too much attention to it....especially since I'm doing well in my fantasy league (not the private league you were in but the public league I am also in).

Congratulations on JG finishing second. I was thinking of you every time they talked about him.

[Garrett Duke]

"flaw in the slaw" Khee Khee I love it!

Thanks for the update Garrett. I switched over to the race during commercials but I'm too wrapped up in baseball to pay too much attention to it....especially since I'm doing well in my fantasy league (not the private league you were in but the public league I am also in).

Congratulations on JG finishing second. I was thinking of you every time they talked about him.

Glad someone else liked that quote...came to mind just as I was typing that out. Probably be something I will never understand, hope he will gain on points next week and not lose 'em. Still...tenth place looks and feels better than twelveth position.

I did horrible in all THREE fantasy baseball teams I was in...nothing to write home about that is for sure. Was in two private and one public. Started out good in the public, but with slow internet at my apt and no cable, it was hard for me to keep up. Next year will only do two baseball teams. LOL. Good luck Roger.

Thanks Roger for the congrats...was very excited with second place. Not as excited as I woulda been with first, but second is pretty great as well. Will be holding my breath for next week's race at Talledega where it is known as having the "big one"...

[HossC]

...was very excited with second place. Not as excited as I woulda been with first, but second is pretty great as well...

In that case you must have been happy with your country's second place in the Ryder Cup yesterday .

[Garrett Duke]

In that case you must have been happy with your country's second place in the Ryder Cup yesterday .

Guess yesterday was themed with second place finishes for me...though you are the only one I know that would start talking golf in a NASCAR thread. But since you are talking golf and we all know who won yesterday's race, who finished first in your Ryder Cup?

[RogerDuke]

In that case you must have been happy with your country's second place in the Ryder Cup yesterday .

That's funny Hoss but folks in Hazzard County don't really care about golf so go ahead and enjoy the win. LOL

Now, if there was a race that gave out a Rider Cup we might be interested. (or a Driver Cup would be even better)

Poor Garrett. I turned the football thread into a baseball thread and now the NASCAR thread has become a golf thread.