2013 NASCAR race reviews and results

[Garrett Duke]

Well the Phoenix race has just ended...I think the races are faster this year than any year before...or is it just me? HA.

Mark Martin started from the pole and led a lot of laps before fading out of the top ten.

It was not Kyle or Kurt Busch's race at all. Kurt has been sick all weekend, had been hooked to IVs earlier and then ahd to go to a back up car due to hitting the wall during qualifying. Both Hamlin and Kyle Busch (team mates) had to go to the back as well due to engine problems. Kyle and Kurt's mom was in a golf cart on the track somewhere before the race or last night when it flipped and hurt her and seven others. Sounds like she will be OK.

Hamlin was able to move up through out the race to finish third. Meanwhile Kyle spun out on his own during the first half of the race and later hit the wall just after Kurt Busch hit the wall.

Ryan Newmna hit the wall when a tire bead melted...a few laps later it happened again and he hit the wall hard. He got out of his car and ran across the track and to the garage. Did have to feel bad for him...looked like he just got tired of his car and wanted to get as far away from it as possible.

And Danica Patrick got a wake up call from last week's great Daytona race for her when her car hit the wall hard and David Ragen ran over the side of her car. Was glad to see that she was OK.

It was an up and down race for Jeff Gordon. Started in the top ten then during a four tire pit stop fell out to 21st and he had to work hard and came home nineth.

Towards the end everyone was saving gas...Joey Logano ran out of gas. Five laps to go, another caution was thrown Kenny Shrader hit the wall to throw out the yellow. Which made it a nerve wrecking finish...

Dale Earnhardt Jr led 46 laps after hanging out 30th for some time...

But after a seventy race winless drought of Carl Edwards' famous victory backward flip, we got to see the backward flip again as he won at Phoenix today. Jimmie Johnson fought back Hamlin to come in second...

Here is the finishing order to the Phoenix race:

1 Carl Edwards

2 Jimmie Johnson

3 Denny Hamlin

4 Brad Keselowski

5 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

6 Clint Bowyer

7 Matt Kenseth

8 Tony Stewart

9 Jeff Gordon

10 Jeff Burton

11 A J Allmendinger

12 Juan Pablo Montoya

13 Kevin Harvick

14 Casey Mears

15 Aric Almirola

16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

17 Greg Biffle

18 Marcos Ambrose

19 Kasey Kahne

20 Paul Menard

21 Mark Martin

22 Jamie McMurray

23 Kyle Busch

24 Bobby Labonte

25 David Reutimann

26 Joey Logano

27 Kurt Busch

28 J.J. Yeley

29 Travis Kvapil

30 David Stremme

31 Joe Nemechek

32 Landon Cassill

33 Dave Blaney

34 Ken Schrader

35 Josh Wise

36 Martin Truex Jr.

37 David Gilliland

38 David Ragan

39 Danica Patrick

40 Ryan Newman

41 Scott Speed

42 Mike Bliss

43 Scott Riggs

The Sprint Cup Series will be racing at Kurt and Kyle Busch's home track at Las Vegas next week...

[Garrett Duke]

Well we are in Las Vegas this weekend where Tony Stewart won at last year. It is considered a super speedway and is 1.5 miles around. The Natiowide Series race will be tomorrow at 4:00 EST on ESPN...while the Spring Cup will race on Sunday at 3:00 EST on FOX.

Well qualifying (Sprint Cup) was rained out so it looks like NASCAR fell back on last year's point standings as to how they lined up. For example...Brad Keselowski won the championship last year - he is sitting on pole for Sunday's race. Jeff Gordon finished tenth in points and will start tenth. Dale Jr finished the season twelveth and will start twelveth...am sure you got the idea. LOL.

Here is the starting line up for Sunday's Sprint Cup race:

1 Brad Keselowski

2 Clint Bowyer

3 Jimmie Johnson

4 Kasey Kahne

5 Greg Biffle

6 Denny Hamlin

7 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

8 Kevin Harvick

9 Tony Stewart

10 Jeff Gordon

11 Martin Truex Jr.

12 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

13 Kyle Busch

14 Ryan Newman

15 Mark Martin

16 Carl Edwards

17 Paul Menard

18 Matt Kenseth

19 Marcos Ambrose

20 Jeff Burton

21 Joey Logano

22 Aric Almirola

23 Jamie McMurray

24 Kurt Busch

25 Juan Pablo Montoya

26 Bobby Labonte

27 Austin Dillon

28 Travis Kvapil

29 David Ragan

30 Casey Mears

31 David Gilliland

32 David Reutimann

33 Dave Blaney

34 Ken Schrader

35 J.J. Yeley

36 Trevor Bayne

37 Danica Patrick

38 David Stremme

39 Michael McDowell -

40 Scott Speed

41 Landon Cassill

42 Joe Nemechek

43 Josh Wise

[HossC]

Well qualifying (Sprint Cup) was rained out so it looks like NASCAR fell back on last year's point standings as to how they lined up.

I was trying to work out how that would let rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. start 7th. According to NASCAR.com:

"The starting grid will be determined by the NASCAR rule book, with the top 36 set by 2012 owners’ points and the remainder of the field set by owners’ points or qualifying attempts this season."

So Ricky gets the place that Matt Kenseth's car finished in 2012.

I'm guessing the rules change later in the season because Brad Keselowski said "That’s one of the perks, I guess, of being the champion in the first few races."

[Garrett Duke]

I was trying to work out how that would let rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. start 7th. According to NASCAR.com:

"The starting grid will be determined by the NASCAR rule book, with the top 36 set by 2012 owners’ points and the remainder of the field set by owners’ points or qualifying attempts this season."

So Ricky gets the place that Matt Kenseth's car finished in 2012.

I'm guessing the rules change later in the season because Brad Keselowski said "That’s one of the perks, I guess, of being the champion in the first few races."

Later on in the season they will line up the way they are lined up in point as they are in this year...not last year.

[RogerDuke]

Thanks for the updates.

Was Scott Speed racing last year? I don't remember the name. If I would have heard it I think I would have remembered it.

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks for the updates.

Was Scott Speed racing last year? I don't remember the name. If I would have heard it I think I would have remembered it.

He may have in a few races...don't think full time. He use to drive for Red Bull Racing before they got out of NASCAR. It was him and Brian Vickers. Since then he hasn't done much in NASCAR...yeah gotta love his last name. LOL.

[RogerDuke]

Next question. Is there an 01 car this year? If not, is there a 1?

[HossC]

Was Scott Speed racing last year? I don't remember the name. If I would have heard it I think I would have remembered it.

He only ran a limited schedule last year, but he's hoping to run the majority of the season this year. His name is familiar to me because he took part in 28 F1 races in 2006/2007. He also drove for the USA team in the short-lived A1 Grand Prix series.

[LizzyJackson-Davenport]

Next question. Is there an 01 car this year? If not, is there a 1?

as far as I can find there is no 01 but Jamie McMurray drivers the #1 McDonalds/Cessna Chevy. He'll be starting 23rd today.

In fact I don't think the 01 car has been driven since 2008 when Regan Smith drove it.

[Garrett Duke]

as far as I can find there is no 01 but Jamie McMurray drivers the #1 McDonalds/Cessna Chevy. He'll be starting 23rd today.

In fact I don't think the 01 car has been driven since 2008 when Regan Smith drove it.

Yep sorry Roger no 01...just the 1 of Jamie McMurray. Am hoping McMurray will do good this year. He is one of the eight drivers that I have in my fantasy team that I paid to be in through the mail. Only time I have ever paid to be in fantasy sport of any kind...glad you don't have to pay in all Yahoo Fantasy teams...would never be in Fantasy if I did probably. Go Jamie Mac! LOL

So Lizzy...you follow NASCAR? You have a favorite driver?

[Garrett Duke]

Yep sorry Roger no 01...just the 1 of Jamie McMurray. Am hoping McMurray will do good this year. He is one of the eight drivers that I have in my fantasy team that I paid to be in through the mail. Only time I have ever paid to be in fantasy sport of any kind...glad you don't have to pay in all Yahoo Fantasy teams...would never be in Fantasy if I did probably. Go Jamie Mac! LOL

So Lizzy...you follow NASCAR? You have a favorite driver?

Well I was wondering when they would switch to this year's points as to where they would line up if qualifying got rained out - as it did today where they lined up according to where they finished the season in points last year - well the announcers on FOX just answered my question. They will start it next week...if they get rained out next weekend they will line up to where they are in points thus far this year.

LET'S GO JEFF GORDON!!!!!!!!

BTW the race is on right now on FOX...lap ten of 267. Keselowski is in the lead with Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson chasing him.

[Garrett Duke]

Well I really don't know where to start in this review of the Las Vegas race since nothing much really happened really worth writing about....Jeff Gordon had a horrible race as he came home 25th a lap down. Not a happy fan today.

Kyle Busch got a speeding penalty going too fast going into pit road but raced on to finish fourth today. There was several other pit road penalties...someone had too many people on pit road. Can't remember who though.

Ryan Newman had another engine problem today.

Kasey Kahne led the most laps today only to lose to Matt Kenseth who won on his 41st birthday.

1. Matt Kenseth

2. Kasey Kahne

3. Brad Keselowski

4. Kyle Busch

5. Carl Edwards

6. Jimmie Johnson

7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

8. Martin Truex Jr

9. Kevin Harvick

10. Paul Menard

11. Tony Stewart

12 Joey Logano

13 Jamie McMurray

14 Mark Martin

15 Denny Hamlin

16 Aric Almirola

17 Greg Biffle

18 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

19 Juan Pablo Montoya

20 Kurt Busch

21 Austin Dillon

22 Marcos Ambrose

23 Trevor Bayne

24 Dave Blaney

25 Jeff Gordon

26 Jeff Burton

27 Clint Bowyer

28 David Gilliland

29 Casey Mears

30 Bobby Labonte

31 David Ragan

32 David Stremme

33 Danica Patrick

34 David Reutimann

35 Josh Wise

36 J.J. Yeley

37 Ken Schrader

38 Ryan Newman

39 Travis Kvapil

40 Joe Nemechek

41 Scott Speed

42 Landon Cassill

43 Michael McDowell

We are racing at Bristol next week...love Bristol!!!!!

[LizzyJackson-Davenport]

So Lizzy...you follow NASCAR? You have a favorite driver?

I don't have a favorite driver per say though I am partial to Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski.

[Garrett Duke]

I don't have a favorite driver per say though I am partial to Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski.

Bad Brad and Rowdy Busch fan, huh? LOL. Very talented drivers...bet you were happy with the championship last year then.

[LizzyJackson-Davenport]

Bad Brad and Rowdy Busch fan, huh? LOL. Very talented drivers...bet you were happy with the championship last year then.

definitely I couldn't stand to see Johnson win another one. He's not that bad of a driver it was just getting a little boring watching him win so many in a row. No offense.

[Garrett Duke]

definitely I couldn't stand to see Johnson win another one. He's not that bad of a driver it was just getting a little boring watching him win so many in a row. No offense.

I will try not to take any offense to you speaking negatively about my second favorite driver. You're just lucky you are picking on my all time favorite driver...then I would definately take offense to it. Personally don't understand why or how so many people don't like Jimmie Johnson...but then again he is my second all time favorite NASCAR driver, so my opinion on the matter is a tad biased.

[Garrett Duke]

Well this is not a review or anything for last race or next race, but figured since we are off topic anyways, I would post this video here. Jeff Gordon had this on his web site and then someone else posted this link on Twitter. This video cracks me up...never thought of Jeff Gordon as a prankster, but perhaps he is after all. Bet the car salesman had a lot to talk about after Jeff Gordon's test drive.

[RogerDuke]

Nobody here had better say anything bad about Cale Yarborough or there's going to be trouble.

[Garrett Duke]

Nobody here had better say anything bad about Cale Yarborough or there's going to be trouble.

Cale is a trouble maker...all he does is fight with his helmet.

[Garrett Duke]

Just an update on the whole Denny Hamlin ordeal...Denny has said that the will not appeal the fine NASCAR has given him for speaking his mind on the new Gen 6 car. (Darrell Waltrip said during the pre race show at Las Vegas that he thought it wasn't what he said against the Gen 6 car that got him in trouble, but it was the fact that Denny said it was a lot like the old car.) Said he didn't want to drag his team and fans through all this for a couple of days...but also said that he won't pay the fine either. NASCAR will have to take it out of his earnings of that he will get this week.

I do agree with another thing that Darrell Waltrip had said in Twitter and I do believe another reporter had said it during the pre race show. Denny's complaint about the Gen 6 car was that they were going single file and that he couldn't pass anyone. Which I don't understand how he feels that way or where he is coming from. The Phoenix race where he had said all that at, Denny Hamlin had to start way at the end of the field due to an engine change or a wreck in practice. He finished the race in third spot. So I really don't see where he comes from complaining about the car and the quality to pass people because he passed plenty of cars from the start of the race to the end...

Personally I agree with Waltrip and the announcer, Hamlin should have been impressed with his run and happy with a third place finish. Instead of complaining against the car like he had.

That of course is of my opinion and my two cents worth on it all. Don't neccessarily agree with NASCAR to fine him as they did...but do see where they are coming from as well.

[RogerDuke]

Cale is a trouble maker...

speaking of trouble....

*throws NERF football, striking Garrett in back of head*

[Garrett Duke]

speaking of trouble....

*throws NERF football, striking Garrett in back of head*

Hey...owe! What was that for? I was just speakin' the truth...first televised race and Cale goes and steals the show away from Richard Petty who went on to win the race. While he won the race, Cale was fighting the Allison brothers which grabbed more attention than the King winning the race. Poor Richard...

Not fault you chose to like a trouble maker.

Thows the nerf football back at you to hit you in the shoulder.

[Garrett Duke]

Well we are racing at Bristol this weekend...the shortest track on the circuit, but one of the fastest ones as well. Tempers tend to fly at Bristol...HA HA. Bristol is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit...especially when they race there at night in the summer.

Here is the starting line up for Sunday's race:

1 Kyle Busch

2 Kasey Kahne

3 Denny Hamlin

4 Brian Vickers

5 Paul Menard

6 Jamie McMurray

7 Brad Keselowski

8 Tony Stewart

9 Martin Truex Jr.

10 Joey Logano

11 Jeff Gordon

12 Matt Kenseth

13 Jimmie Johnson

14 David Gilliland

15 Casey Mears

16 Jeff Burton

17 Juan Pablo Montoya

18 Kevin Harvick

19 Kurt Busch

20 Aric Almirola

21 Carl Edwards

22 Marcos Ambrose

23 Clint Bowyer

24 Greg Biffle

25 David Reutimann

26 David Stremme

27 Scott Speed

28 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

29 A J Allmendinger

30 David Ragan

31 Ryan Newman

32 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

33 Dave Blaney

34 Michael McDowell

35 J.J. Yeley

36 Mike Bliss

37 Travis Kvapil

38 Joe Nemechek

39 Bobby Labonte

40 Josh Wise

41 Danica Patrick

42 Landon Cassill

43 Terry Labonte

The race will once again be on FOX and at 1:00 EST...this race is a race I am always looking forward to.

(Just a warning...I will be out of town next weekend and will not be able to write a review as to where they will start or of the race until I get home Sunday night or Monday. I can do the write up on what I research on the web since I am unable to record it due to the converter box we now have to have... )

[HossC]

Well this is not a review or anything for last race or next race, but figured since we are off topic anyways, I would post this video here. Jeff Gordon had this on his web site and then someone else posted this link on Twitter. This video cracks me up...never thought of Jeff Gordon as a prankster, but perhaps he is after all. Bet the car salesman had a lot to talk about after Jeff Gordon's test drive.

Sorry to burst anyone's bubble on this one, but the salesman is an actor, and most of the driving was done by Brad Noffsinger (from the Richard Petty Driving Experience). Read more on Snopes.

[Garrett Duke]

Sorry to burst anyone's bubble on this one, but the salesman is an actor, and most of the driving was done by Brad Noffsinger (from the Richard Petty Driving Experience). Read more on Snopes.

Well, OK, so perhaps the salesman was an actor and perhaps the driver wasn't Jeff Gordon. I still like it and still think it was funny.

Logically speaking, if it was a true prank, they'd risk getting sued or what not if the "salesman" had an heart attack or something went wrong or what not. And they tend to put a stunt driver during any stunt...

All the same, I did like the video. Sorry Hoss you ain't gonna rain on my parade - especially when Jeff Gordon is in it even if it is only outside of the car.