Talladega Weekend

                                                                          “Aaron’s 312”




TALLADEGA, ALABAMA- The Nationwide Series has returned to the fast track at Talladega for their ninth race of the season. The track is 2.66 miles in length and speeds have been near 200 mph. Travis Pastrana (60) received the Pole position. This is his first pole in 17 starts. Austin Dillon (3) will start second. Danica Patrick (34) will start fourth in the race, as she has done well in the restrictor plate races. The race was held up due to rain. The race was over 3 hours late starting. The race was scheduled for 117 laps, and a “Competition Caution” was scheduled due to the rain washed track on lap 20.

In the opening ceremonies: No ceremonies were held before the race for some reason. Nothing was stated. The Grand Marshalls for the race were “Four Wounded Warrior Project Members.” Kasey Kahne (5), Kurt Busch (1), Danica Patrick (34), Joey Lagono (22), all are double duty drivers this weekend. Lagono was the In-Race Reporter.

In related news: More fines and suspensions happened this week in NASCAR. Two crew members from the Brian Scott (2) team were suspended for the next four races, and put on probation until December 31, 2013 for incidents off track. They both were fined $15K as well. These penalties were for violating NASCAR Rule 12-1 “Actions detrimental to racing” The crew chiefs for the Nelson Piquet Jr. (30) and Brian Scott (2) teams were also placed under probation until June 26, 2013 for the actions of the drivers while on track. The drivers Piquet Jr. and Scott are both on probation until June 26, 2013 also for their on track incidents. Apparently NASCAR did not feel there was any cause for punishment, for Piquet Jr. kicking Scott between the legs after the race though. This was a disgusting and unethical move by a racer and NASCAR has done nothing about that fact.

On lap 14, Austin Dillon’s (3) car began losing power and he fell way behind the pack. At the same time, Danica Patrick (34) was spun out of 7th place by Kyle Larsen (32). He clipped her car and ran her into the wall. Dillon fell one lap down changing spark plugs and wires. They did find a broken plug. This was the first caution of the race.

On lap 36, the second caution came out for Kyle Larsen, who had a tire blow out as he spun down and off the track. During his spin, Jeffrey Earnhardt (79) was spun out as well. Larsen took his car to the garage, where Patrick had already parked her damaged race car.

At the half way mark, Pastrana (60) and Bayne (6) were together and Kahne (5) and Lagono (22) were together, and well out front of the rest of the field.

On lap 67, Elliott Sadler (11) began having engine issues. He stated that he had engine oil coming inside the car. By lap 70, there had already been 32 lead changes.

On lap 71, the third caution flew for Brian Scott (2) clipping Reed Sorenson (43), and that sent Sorenson into the wall, just as Patrick’s car did. Pastrana tried to get around the spinning car of Sorenson, but was not able to keep from slamming into the side of his race car.

On lap 87, caution four came out for Blake Koch (00), who was sent into the outside wall by Justin Allgaier (31). Austin Dillon finally got his lap back.

On lap 90, the big one happened after Sam Hornish Jr. (12) clipped the back of Johanna Long (70), then tagged Eric McClure (14) starting the chain reaction. Trevor Bayne (6), Brian Scott (2), Robert Richardson (23), Andrew (92), Ty Dillon (33), Nelson Piquet Jr. (30), Bobby Gerhardt (85) and Mike Harmon (74) were all caught up in the wreck.

Due to darkness and possible rain, NASCAR took off ten laps of the race. They restarted the race to 8 laps left.

On lap 104, Justin Allgaier (31) spun out Joey Coulter (54). Coulters car was done for the race, but Allgaier continued on.

A Green-White-Checkered finish ended the race after NASCAR decided to give one shot at it. On the final lap coming to the flag, another multi-car wreck happened and it collected Mike Bliss (19), Alex Bowman (99), Elliott Sadler (11), Brian Vickers (20), Landon Cassill(4), Jamie Dick (55), josh Wise (40) and Justin Allgaier (31).

After NASCAR needed a photo finish look at the leaders as the caution flag came out, Regan Smith (7) was announced the winner by .009 seconds over teammate Kasey Kahne (5), both cars owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Motorsports.

The rest of the top ten were: Joey Lagono (22), Kurt Busch (1), Justin Allgaier (31), Parker Kligerman (77), Mike Wallace (01), Jason White (24), Jeremy Clements (51) and Austin Dillon (3).

The point’s leader after this race is now Regan Smith by 27 points. He went from seventh to first in the last half lap of the race.

The next race will be at Darlington on Friday Night, at 7 pm EST on ESPN2.






                                                                         “Aaron’s 499”



TALLADEGA, ALABAMA- The tenth race of the season is on a major plate track. Due to the rain that hit the track this weekend, Carl Edwards (99) was able to get the pole by default, being he was the fastest car in the first practice that the field ran. Martin Truex Jr. (56) will start second. Denny Hamlin returns to the track this weekend after the DR.’s released him to race. Another driver returning to the driver’s seat is Michael Waltrip in the 55 Aaron’s race car. There was a chance of rain during the race, so the 188 scheduled laps on the large 2.66 mile track. Terry Labonte (47) started his 700th career race when the race went green.

In opening ceremonies: DR. Jim Miller provided the Invocation. Robin Meade (HLN News Reporter) sang the National Anthem. The Grand Marshal was Atlanta Braves Chipper Jones. The In-Race Reporter was Michael Waltrip. Waltrip’s car has a special scheme from the University of Alabama

Tony Stewart (14) and Denny Hamlin (11) dropped to the rear of the field before the race began.

On lap 22, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) was ran into by Travis Kvapil (93), causing damage to Earnhardt’s car. They both would come off track and lose a lap to the leaders.

On lap 23, the first caution came from Trevor Bayne (21) who claimed his transmission blew on track. He began to smoke, as he dropped fluid on the track. Brian Vickers and Denny Hamlin will change spots as Hamlin got out of the race car.

On lap 42, Kyle Busch (18) spun Kasey Kahne (5) into the wall. This started the first “Big One.” Involved in the pile up were: Tony Stewart (14), Jeff Burton (31), Kevin Harvick (29), Greg Biffle (16), Marcus Ambrose (9), David Stremme (30), Casey Mears (13), Brian Vickers (11), Jeff Gordon (24), Kurt Busch (78), Martin Truex Jr. (18), and David Reutimann (83).

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the “Lucky Dog” and was put back on the lead lap after falling down a lap early.

On lap 108, the front fourteen cars had broke away from the rest of the field by 8 seconds. At this point of the race, there were only 30 cars left on the lead lap.

On lap 123, the caution flew for rain. By lap 125, they threw the red flag. Carl Edwards (99) had just passed Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (17) for the lead as the caution flag was thrown. There were 25 cars left on the lead lap when the race was stopped for the rain. The area had heavy rain, lightning and hail that only lasted a few minutes, but soaked that track down plenty.

After a four hour rain delay, NASCAR threw the yellow flag again. The field would have less that 60 laps left when the green flag was shown. All but six cars made pit stops before going back to racing.

On lap 144, Joey Lagono (22) pulled down and off track, believing his engine was beginning to fail. For the second day in a row, NASCAR is fighting the clock and darkness to finish the race in time.

On lap 168, cars began making their final stops. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. both were penalized for speeding on pit road during their stops.

On lap 174, Michael McDowell (98) hit the wall, to bring out the fourth caution of the race. Jeff Gordon (24) was the “Lucky Dog” and returned to the lead lap.

On lap 182, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. caused the second “Big One.” Involved were: Ryan Newman (39), Kurt Busch (78), J.J. Yeley (36), Danica Patrick (10), Clint Bowyer (15), Jamie McMurray (1), Marcus Ambrose (9), David Stremme (30), David Blaney (7), Terry Labonte (32) and Landon Cassill (33). NASCAR has to do the same as last night, there will be one attempt at the Green-White-Checkered finish. After a wild last lap of spot swappin fun, David Regan (34) beat his teammate David Gilliland (38) to the finish line.

The rest of the top ten were: Carl Edwards (99), Michael Waltrip (55), Jimmie Johnson (48), Ragan Smith (51), Martin Truex Jr. (56), Matt Kenseth (20), Scott Speed (95) and Aric Almirola (43). Matt Kenseth led the most laps with nearly 140 of the 188 laps run.

The next race will be at Darlington for the Southern 500. The race will be run on Saturday night at 6 PM EST on Fox.