LGP NASCAR Thread

[relantel]

Any trick to getting the videos up? Can I use Picassa, or should I try private sharing on YouTube?

Good question. I've only used the private setting on youtube once, and not uploaded elsewhere.

[relantel]

Dover weekend. Does 88 keep up speed? Does the 48 extend their Dover dominance? Is Hamlin the only one out of it, and even then with the wildcard of Talladega, is anyone really out of it. Stewart on a roll. Can he be a modern Harry Gant? (win four in a row in September-October)

Even if the 88 remains in the thick of things, somehow I don't see a scenario where they can win it all without winning at least one race (and the extra points that come with it).

[shafnutz05]

Really a shame what happened at New Hampshire because there's a good chance Earnhardt could have been up to 3rd or so in points if not for that flat tire. I really don't envision him getting back into the picture (maybe he will). If he doesn't, I am pulling hard for Stewart.

[Point Breeze Penguins]

Great article on Keselowski

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/st ... or-himself" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[relantel]

48 seems to have the field covered today. Unless it ends up fuel mileage again.

[TheHammer24]

Johnson looks like he's on his way to 6. Kyle Busch and Gordon were supposed to really press him, but neither has run real well, and with Jeff's DNF, he's likely out of the picture. Edwards quietly leading the points, and he is probably the biggest challenge to the 48. Harvick seems like he ends up in the back of the pack every week, but happens to get enough points to stay near the top. I think Keselowski is #3 favorite after Johnson and Edwards. He always finds himself up near the front with great strategy. Him and Hamlin started 1 and 2 after taking no tires. Hamlin dropped to 15th in that run and Keselowski finished 3rd even after having to go through another restart on worse tires than everyone else.

[columbia]

New menu item at BofA 500: 'Funnel Bacakonator'
http://www.wsoctv.com/sports/29452716/detail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[shafnutz05]

New menu item at BofA 500: 'Funnel Bacakonator'
http://www.wsoctv.com/sports/29452716/detail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That looks disgusting. How can you mix good sweet stuff like this with frigging bacon.

I will say, that mac n cheese burger looks good minus the pork rinds.

[relantel]

Birthday wish: I want to see an 88 win before the Pens win the Cup again.

What is nuts, is in the spring, that looked like it would be a lock. Now, not so much.

[shafnutz05]

Yeah, I am losing faith in the 88.

[TheHammer24]

As one fairly new to the sport, it amazes me how drivers' success can wax and wane so quickly. How Hamlin went from best in the series, to a laughing stock seems unreal. Does the equipment just start to falter (i.e. engines get a hair slower) or do the drivers and crew chiefs really lose their touch?

The 88 has looked terrible. Who are you guys pulling for to win it all?

I don't like Edwards much. I really like Johnson, but would like a switch up. I am still pulling for the 18 and 2, I think.

[shafnutz05]

I am pulling for the 2, 99, or Tony.

[TheHammer24]

Birthday wish: I want to see an 88 win before the Pens win the Cup again.

What is nuts, is in the spring, that looked like it would be a lock. Now, not so much.

There's still Talladega

[relantel]

Hammer, based on who is realistically still in it, guess 29 first then 2. We root for RCR (residual from the Earnhardt days) and for the 88, though my wife is a die-hard Harvick fan, she latched onto him after Earnhardt's death. We rooted for DEI in the day (waltrip, truex, park, etc.) but that DEI is gone, even if it lives in the form of the 1 car of EGR.

I suspect though that this year's race will come down to the 48, 29 and 99. The 48 thrives on dominating races, while the other two are the best at working on a car throughout a race to get there at the end (such as Kansas, where both were out to lunch yet finished 5th and 6th).

[relantel]

Birthday wish: I want to see an 88 win before the Pens win the Cup again.

What is nuts, is in the spring, that looked like it would be a lock. Now, not so much.

There's still Talladega

Perhaps, but he hasn't had a dominating run at a plate track in Cup since 2006, and that one he got wrecked on the last lap when Vickers wrecked Johnson into the 8. He's shown he can finish well, but unless the tandem racing goes away, he seems more likely to be the bridesmaid (like in the Spring).

[relantel]

Worth saying that the team has the capability of being able to do it based on performances earlier in the year at Charlotte, Talladega and Martinsville. But like the Pirates, I've come to expect the worst until they actually win.

[shafnutz05]

I thought I heard that changes in the restrictor plate are likely to make pairs racing inefficient? I thought they just introduced new rules.

The tandem racing is arguably the worst development in recent memory, ranking right up there with the resurfacing of Bristol and Digger.

[relantel]

I thought I heard that changes in the restrictor plate are likely to make pairs racing inefficient? I thought they just introduced new rules.

The tandem racing is arguably the worst development in recent memory, ranking right up there with the resurfacing of Bristol and Digger.

You're right, they opened up the plate holes a little. I hope it erases the pairs. I far prefer the old style pack draft where every man could control their own fate.

[TheHammer24]

I thought I heard that changes in the restrictor plate are likely to make pairs racing inefficient? I thought they just introduced new rules.

The tandem racing is arguably the worst development in recent memory, ranking right up there with the resurfacing of Bristol and Digger.

You're right, they opened up the plate holes a little. I hope it erases the pairs. I far prefer the old style pack draft where every man could control their own fate.

They said it's a step in eliminating the pairs, but it likely won't yet. It'll still be 2 by 2 by 2 by 2 by 2

[relantel]

what a hard hit and a setback for the 48. Drops from 4 back to 35 back with 5 to go... though in 2006, he was further back at the same point and won, and made up 219 on a 227 point deficit in 2004, so we shouldn't count them out methinks, even as others are quick to do, saying 35 points is too much, and that it's that he has to pass 7 drivers, having fallen from 3rd to 8th.

Even more scary: HMS chase drivers are 8, 9 and 11. Less scary, Talladega is next week, which could be the great equalizer, and tighten the race back up.

(Or, you can bet since 88 is 25 points back of the 48, that it will be the 88 pushing the 48 again at Dega)

[TheHammer24]

what a hard hit and a setback for the 48. Drops from 4 back to 35 back with 5 to go... though in 2006, he was further back at the same point and won, and made up 219 on a 227 point deficit in 2004, so we shouldn't count them out methinks, even as others are quick to do, saying 35 points is too much, and that it's that he has to pass 7 drivers, having fallen from 3rd to 8th.

Even more scary: HMS chase drivers are 8, 9 and 11. Less scary, Talladega is next week, which could be the great equalizer, and tighten the race back up.

(Or, you can bet since 88 is 25 points back of the 48, that it will be the 88 pushing the 48 again at Dega)

Crazy race. Kyle Busch was great. Started 43rd and was the most dominant racer of the night. JGR actually all did well. The 11 was in 3rd with 10 to go, finishing 9th and Joey Logano finsihed 12. Busch just can't catch the friggin 29 and 99, who quietly get top 7 or so finishes every week. Penske had a horrible night really putting a damper on their chances. Interesting radio communications from the 22 regarding "dialing back the power in the engines."

The 48 is just obviously the best car out there through the first five races, but has had some horrible luck. He raced like crap at New Hampshire, but he was running 3rd in Chicago until fuel, led the most laps at Dover, dominated Kansas, and was in the top 4 until the dumb 4-tire change but he still got himself back up to 7 before the horrific wreck. They were interestingly explaining on ESPN that 72 is the magic number. That is, you need to essentially average a 7.2 finish over the course of the race to win the Chase (based on historical data). Going in, Kyle needed to average a 4th place each race, and he still does. I think the 99 and the 29 are bound to have a bad day, as they haven't been racing that well.

[relantel]

Wow. Just watched Johnson's wreck in skimming through Speed's Victory Lane program that DVR'd last night. The nature of the crash, a dip to the left, and an overcorrect to the right, right down to the angle into the wall, were so very reminiscent of Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash in 2001. In light of Dan Wheldon's fatal crash yesterday, it could have been Johnson the night before. Maybe my reaction is colored by having already seen the Wheldon footage, but Johnson has to be luckly to be out of that in one piece.

[TheHammer24]

Wow. Just watched Johnson's wreck in skimming through Speed's Victory Lane program that DVR'd last night. The nature of the crash, a dip to the left, and an overcorrect to the right, right down to the angle into the wall, were so very reminiscent of Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash in 2001. In light of Dan Wheldon's fatal crash yesterday, it could have been Johnson the night before. Maybe my reaction is colored by having already seen the Wheldon footage, but Johnson has to be luckly to be out of that in one piece.

I think live, it was Johnson who immediatey came over the radio and said, "we're done boys." so you knew he was okay. Nuts though. As he drove back to the garage the in car camera showed him trying tocatch his breath and lowering his head, visibly shaken up. Safer, the car of tomorrow, and HANS really make those cars safe. Harvick tweeted live during Waldin saying "glad I have a roof and fenders" to which Montoya replied "that makes two!"

[relantel]

I missed the race live - we were at the Zac Brown Band concert. Great concert BTW. Sonia Leigh opened for them - hadn't heard of her before Saturday night. Have to admit checking twitter during the opening act though, for Pens/NASCAR updates. Then checked at the end while walking out, to see that Kenseth had won. Kenseth sure knows how to steal a race at Charlotte... he did it in May 2000 by taking two tires...

[TheHammer24]

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone but the 99. What a treat of a race--so much fun to watch. But my GOD, did everything go wrong for me. ALL three JGR wreck. Harvick, the only one of the top three whom I tolerate, wrecks horribly. The 48 and 18 are now completely out of it. The 99 has a commanding lead. I really thought Hamlin cold win--I really, really did, until the wreck. I watched it on DVR, and my mom, who only follows Hamlin on twitter, said, "Stay off twitter!" So the seed was planted that he was going to have a good finish. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

The stay-in-the-back strategy sucks, and Hendrick ate crow because of it. I do like Bowyer though, so at least Burton didn't win, who would have been the most boring victory in a while.

#DrunkNASCARDVRWatching

Maybe Keselowski can do something special in these last four races.

Also, Denny is UP TO ELEVENTH in the chase standings!