“Virginia
529 College Savings 250”
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA- The
Nationwide Series have started to wind down their season. This race marked the
1000th NNS race. Brian Scott (2) took the Pole ahead of Matt Kenseth
(18). Due to a medical emergency with my wife, I missed the race. I have looked
up and reviewed as much information as I could to do a report on the race.
There were seven
cautions in the race, with them falling on laps: 16, 68, 134, 173, 231, 236 and
241. On lap 236, Matt Kenseth was involved in an accident that took his chances
at a victory away. The final caution had Travis Pastrana (60) and Landon
Cassill (4) getting together on track.
There was only one lead
change in the entire race, as Brian Scott dominated all but eleven laps. Scott
led the first 239 laps of the 250 lap race, as Brad Keselowski (22) was able to
beat Scott on the final two restarts to take the victory away from a dominant driver
and car. This marked Keselowski’s fifth win in the series this season.
Scott’s team made a
plea to NASCAR on the final two restarts, that Keselowski jumped the restarts
both times. The first one appeared to be spinning of the tires by Scott, and
the second one was led by Keselowski.
The rest of the top ten
were: Brian Scott (2), Regan Smith (7), Kyle Busch (54), Trevor Bayne (6), Sam
Hornish Jr. (12), Brian Vickers (20), Elliott Sadler (11), Ryan Reed (16) and
Jamie McMurray (5).
The next race will be
at Chicago on Saturday on ESPN2 at 3:30 PM EST.
“Federated
Auto Parts 400”
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA- The
final race of the regular season was in Richmond. The end result of this race,
sets the “Chase for the Championship 2013” Jeff Gordon (24) needed to have
another performance like last year, to get into the Chase. He started the
weekend off in a great manner, as he set a new track record taking the Pole
Position. Kurt Busch (78) is another driver trying to get his team into the
Chase, as a single car team from Denver, CO. 400 laps on the ¾ mile track was
scheduled as the regular season finale.
In other news this
week, Jimmie Johnson and his wife celebrated the birth of another daughter.
Johnson will need to start at the rear of the field, as he has not drove one
lap in this car in preparing for this weekend’s race. Jeff Burton (31) has
reported that he will not return to the RCR team next season. There are rumors
that Ryan Newman may take his spot next season. Tony Stewart made his
attendance at Richmond with a fancy new scooter to get him around the race
track.
In Opening Ceremonies,
Rev. DR. Michael Fitzgerald provided the Invocation. The 29th
Division Army Band played the National Anthem. The Grand Marshall was Frank
Mazzoli Jr. from Federated Auto Parts. The In-race Reporter was Martin Truex
Jr., another driver that needs good things to happen to make the Chase.
The first 49 laps of
the race were controlled by Jeff Gordon, before he gave up the lead to Brad
Keselowski (2). Kurt Busch (78) then took the lead away near lap 70. A round of
“Green Flag” stops began around lap 95, with Jimmie Johnson (48) being tagged
for speeding on pit road. He had just fell one lap down on track, and lost an
additional lap from the penalty. Johnson had a 77 point lead just five races
ago, and that has been completely deleted by Clint Bowyer (15), as Johnson has
had really bad luck.
A “Caution” for debris
came out on lap 136, for debris that was never shown to viewers. The claim was
debris in turn three. They took five laps to get restarted.
On lap 208, the second
caution came out for a spin by David Stremme (30). On lap 218, Johnson’s night
went downhill more. He started smelling something burning in his car, and took
his car to pit road. They stated the battery was the issue. Just five laps
later, teammate Jeff Gordon entered pit road for a loose wheel. Gordon fell
back two laps because a tire was not secured correctly. This was a mistake the
team could not have, if they had any expectations of making the Chase.
On lap 268, the third
caution flew for debris again on track. This was never shown to the viewers
again. Juan Montoya (42) was caught speeding on pit road, and did not return
for a drive through penalty. NASCAR forced him to do so, after the race went
back to green.
On lap 342, Johnson’s
night got even worse, as a tire blew, sending him into the outside wall. NASCAR
did not throw the caution when this happened. They waited for Johnson to go all
the way around the track for a lap, then they threw it. There were many cars
that were making green flag stop’s, and if the caution would have been thrown
when he hit the wall (as they normally do), many of these drivers would have
driven straight through the pits to stay on the lead lap. Instead many cars
were forced to take a wave around, placing many leaders to the rear of the
field. This changed the race conclusion dramatically.
The fifth and final
caution came on lap 393, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) got Clint Bowyer (15) loose,
to where Bowyer spun out. This brought the races conclusion to a three lap shoot-out.
On the restart, after
making pit stops, Paul Menard (27) came out as the leader. Carl Edwards (99)
jumped the restart and beat Menard to the start/finish line, which NASCAR
should have penalized him for. NASCAR failed to do so, and Edwards took the
victory over Kurt Busch (78). This was very clear to see during the replay,
that Edwards jumped the start and beat the leader of the race to the
start/finish line. The failures of NASCAR in their calls, has become a serious
issue this season. The fact that they waited to call the caution with Jimmie
Johnson issues, dramatically changed who was up front, and sent some of the
best cars to the rear of the field. Then allowing Edwards to jump the start,
took the victory away from drivers that performed well.
The rest of the top
ten: Ryan Newman (39), Jamie McMurray (1), Paul Menard (27), Matt Kenseth (20),
Martin Truex Jr. (56), Jeff Gordon (24), Mark Martin (14) and Ricky Stenhouse
Jr. (17). Gordon missed the Chase by one point, and Newman missed the Chase by
a tie-breaker.
The Chase is set as
follows: Matt Kenseth (20) (leader with 5 wins), Jimmie Johnson (48) (4 wins)
-3, Kyle Busch (18) (4 wins) -3, Kevin Harvick (29) (2 wins) -9, Carl Edwards
(99) (2 wins) -9, Joey Lagono (22) (1 win) -12, Greg Biffle (16) (1 win) -12,
Clint Bowyer (15) (no wins) -15, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) (no wins) -15, Kurt
Busch (78) (no wins) -15, Kasey Kahne (5) (wild card with 2 wins) -15 and Martin
Truex Jr. (56) (wild card with 1 win) -15.
The next race will be
at Chicago on ESPN next Sunday at 1 PM EST. This will be race number one of the
ten race, “Chase to the Championship”
