Nascar 2012 - race 24

FOOD CITY 500




Written by Rick A. Talford

Nascar Enthusiast



BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - Nationwide Series drivers tightened their belts up real good for “Thunder Valley”. 250 laps on the fastest half mile motor speedway. During pre-race ceremonies, Woman’s College Basketball Coach Pat Summit was the Grand Marshal. She has had a stellar career, winning over 1,000 times. In this span she won Eight Championships, and her girls had a 100% graduation rate. A special paint scheme was on Trevor Bayne’s # 60 race car. Solid orange, with the words “We Back Pat” written on the hood. Trint Callison, from the armed forces provided the “Pledge of Allegiance”. Mike Rife provided the Invocation, and Frances Kness sang the National Anthem. A KC-135 re-fueling aircraft flew over as well. The race was late getting started due to a rain storm that moved through the area shortly before the races scheduled time. A “Competition Caution” was scheduled for lap 50. The Pole Sitter was # 60 Trevor Bayne, with # 18 Joey Lagono starting second.



A caution flew on lap 5 for # 31 Justin Allgaier hitting the wall. Before the yellow actually was shown, Allgaier hit the wall a second time. On lap 28 # 22 Brad Keselowski was spun out by # 11 Brian Scott. This was caused partly by a lap car of # 4 Brad Teague being in the way, causing Keselowski to check up in front of Scott. Another caution flew for debris off of Allgaier race car on lap 31, as he hit the wall a third time. Caution number four was for # 81 Jason Bowles hitting the inside wall. Scott would then be spun out by # 54 Kyle Busch on lap 63 for caution number five. On lap 109 the sixth caution flew for # 41 Fain Skinner spinning out on track. Another caution came out on lap 170 for a spin out by # 24 Benny Gordon.



Caution number eight was for # 99 John Wes Townsley on lap 225, when the center of his tire broke away. He then ran into the wall with extra force. During this caution # 33 Kevin Harvick ran out of fuel, after leading the most laps of the race. The ninth and final caution came on lap 240, when # 3 Austin Dillon took # 60 Trevor Bayne into the wall. # 38 Kasey Kahne also spun out.



The final laps had # 18 Joey Lagono out front and walking away to win his sixth race of the year in the series. # 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished second. The rest of the top ten were: # 54 Kyle Busch, # 3 Austin Dillon, # 2 Elliott Sadler, # 88 Cole Whitt, # 36 Ryan Blaney, # 43 Michael Annett, # 7 Danica Patrick and # 12 Sam Hornish Jr.



A Patrick note- Danica started 34th and moved her way forward throughout the race, missing multiple wrecks in front of her. Mid-race, She then was penalized for speeding on pit road, and went to the rear of the longest line as the result. She then worked her way back up inside the top ten, where she finished the race.



The next race will be Saturday night in Atlanta, Georgia.

SHARPIES 500



BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - The Cup drivers were ready for 500 laps in the Coliseum. The race was Saturday night, “Under the Lights”. Qualifying was rained out, so the field was set by their first practice session. # 13 Casey Mears and # 2 Brad Keselowski started on the front row. Keselowski’s car had a retro paint scheme from retired-driver Rusty Wallace’s last victory at Bristol in 2000. This was to celebrate his Nine victories at the track. Darrell Waltrip had the most wins at Bristol in his career, a whopping twelve wins. Waltrip even won seven straight at the famous track. Danica Patrick would start her very first cup race at Bristol on this evening, in her Stewart-Hass # 10. Michael Buffer was the announcer and Grand Marshal for the race, calling for the fans to “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble”. Trent Callison provided the “Pledge of Allegiance”. Driver Michael McDowell provided the Invocation. The Motor Outreach Children sang the National Anthem, while two T-45’s flew over the track. There was even a special pace car driver for the race. Actor Jason Clark, from the upcoming “Lawless” program drove.



It did not take long for the first caution to fly in the race. On lap 10, # 32 Ken Schrader was ran into by # 49 Jason Leffler, sending Schrader into the inside wall. The second caution was on lap 82 for debris, as # 22 Sam Hornish Jr. had tagged the wall. At the same time, # 17 Matt Kenseth was off pace with break issues. During the incident both # 48 Jimmie Johnson and # 51 Kurt Busch received minor damages to their cars. During the pit stops, # 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. and # 18 Kyle Busch received speeding penalties, while # 39 Ryan Newman was penalized for taking equipment out of the pit box. All three would start at the rear of the field. Kurt Busch would be involved in the next caution on lap 120, when # 34 David Ragan would run into and spin out Hornish Jr. Ragan would be the reason for the fourth caution, as he rear ended another car, and broke an oil line that started a fire under his car. The fifth caution flew for # 42 Jaun Montoya spinning out # 39 Ryan Newman. # 31 Jeff Burton would get collected up in the mess, as he ran into the sliding car of Newman. Newman’s car was heavily damaged, and would not return to the race. Another caution came out on lap 225, when # 38 David Gilliland sent # 43 Aric Almirola into the wall.



On lap 270, the seventh caution came out for # 2 Brad Keselowski, as he was hit and spun out by # 47 Bobby Labonte. Number eight was for # 78 Regan Smith and # 51 Kurt Busch, as they tangled and spun out. The biggest excitement and wreck happened on lap 330, when # 17 Matt Kenseth decided to get over aggressive with # 14 Tony Stewart. Kenseth was passed by Stewart, then he decided to drive in hard next to Stewart to force a pass. The two got together and slid sideways into the inside wall. Stewart was just a little miffed at Kenseth’s actions. While Kenseth was still able to drive around the race track, Stewart stood and waited for him. Stewart showed his dismay towards Kenseth with his helmet flying through the air, hitting Kenseth’s race car dead center of the grill. The helmet flew straight up in the air and fell to the ground, as the entire coliseum erupted in cheer. After being released from the infield care center, Stewart added a few words of warning to Kenseth for future races. After the race, Kenseth claimed past race issues were the reasons he took the action he did at Bristol. This could become a costly feud for both in the upcoming “Chase for the Championship”.



On lap 348, # 36 Dave Blaney had an engine fail, as he blew lots of smoke out the rear of the car. Caution number eleven came out on lap 412 for a blown tire on # 13 Casey Mears. # 78 Regan Smith also bounced off him in the incident. Another debris caution flew on lap 422, after # 16 Greg Biffle got into the back of Smith’s car, causing a part to fall off on track. The thirteenth and final caution came out on lap 435, when # 10 Danica Patrick was ran into and spun into the inside wall by REGAN SMITH. She had ran a great race in her first Bristol Cup race, until she was ran into by Smith. Patrick was nineteenth at the time, still on the lead lap. She would finish 29th for the race. All three Stewart-Hass race cars were damaged in the race, with Stewart being the only one still running on track at the end. He was many laps down after the incident with Kenseth.



Carl Edwards would take the lead in his # 99 Ford, but was not able to hold on for victory, as he started falling back due to tire wearing and eventually he ran out of gas with five laps remaining. # 11 Denny Hamlin would be the driver to get past Edwards first, and go onto win the race for the first time in his cup career. His chance at victory looked pretty well over, after he was hit in the front tire by a sliding cart on pt road during a pit stop on lap 85. No serious damage was done, and he seemed to be faster after the incident. # 48 Jimmie Johnson finished second, and teammate # 24 Jeff Gordon third.



The rest of the top ten were: # 55 Brian Vickers, # 9 Marcus Ambrose, # 18 Kyle Busch, # 15 Clint Bowyer, # 20 Joey Lagono, # 5 Kasey Kahne and # 27 Paul Menard. Dale Earnhardt Jr. would finish in 12th.



Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are now locked in to the “Chase“, after this race.



The next race is in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday night at 6:30 PM on ESPN.





NOTE- A sad report was heard after the race finished. American Pioneer in Space, Neil Armstrong died at the age of 82 today. He was the first man to step on the moon in July 1969.