With Nationwide taking over the Busch Series changes are being proposed that could take effect in 2009, but nothing has been decided. One change was to award cup drivers no points for driving in the Nationwide Series who are 35th or hire in the nextel Cup points. Right now cup teams use the Busch Series to test things out thus depriving drivers of getting a chance to race in the series.
Other changes they are talking about are body style changes and engine changes. Also being mentioned is bringing in the brands Mustang and Camaro. This is all meant to just make the Nationwide Series stand alone and not to have to lean on the Nextel Cup so much.
All day yesterday Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon complained about how bad their race cars were, but at the end it was Jimmie Johnson taking the checkered flag and moving within nine points of the Nextel Cup lead. Gordon wound up seventh as the Chase just got a little bit tighter.
It’s going to come down to these two in the end in fact it could come down to the final lap. People need to remember though that both guys could run into trouble and someone else could surprise. You just don’t know. When your racing you can finish 1st or 42nd you just don’t know. It’s very unpredictable.
It’s been over a year since Greg Biffle earned a pole, as his last one was in May of 2006 at Richmond. Biffle turned a lap of 192.453 to edge Kurt Busch who turned a lap at 192.427. Biffle has been running extremely well and maybe not making the chase has lighted a fire under him. Whatever the reason the last few races he’s been in contention and it looks like he will be again.
Dale Jarrett will start third his best starting spot all year long. Jarrett has only made 22 starts in 33 tries so his team was happy with this starting spot. Tony Stewart will have his work cut out for him as he starts 30th. Never count him out though as with him you never know.
Dale Earnhardt Jr has just four races left at the place his dad built. In a way it has to be bittersweet for Junior. Yes he is leaving to go to drive for Hendricks Motorsports and will have great teammates and great equipment to run. On the other hand no one wants to ever leave something your dad built. Junior probably thought he would be at DEI until he died. Sometimes fate works in different ways.
Junior will find success at Hendrick Motorsports just like he has everywhere else he has been. I look for Junior though in the end to come back to DEI some point in his career. I guess we will see if that happens, but in life you can never say never.
The National Stock Car Racing Commission on Wednesday overturned a penalty on Kyle Busch that was imposed by Nascar in the Busch Series at Kansas a race in which Kyle Busch won. This was a blow to Nascar as rarely do they ever overturn a penalty.
Busch and Rick Hendrick won their appeal which means a lot to them and their crew chief who was fined 10,000 dollars for having a manifold that did not pass inspection. By overturning the decision I think more teams may turn to this commission when things like this happen and they did nothing wrong. Even though this may seem small it’s actually real big.
Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon have four races left to decide who is going to be the next Nextel Cup Champion. Both are best of friends and their friendship means a lot to each other. Just like anything else in life though it’s a business and when do you separate business from friendships.
Being a Nextel Cup Champion means a lot of prestige, money and other perks that drivers enjoy, but the best maybe being called a champion. Both drivers want it and in the end one is going have to decide how bad they want it and it could come down to them at the end. Friendships are great, but when your battling for a Championship I don’t know if you really have any friends.
Jeremy Mayfield will replace Jeff Green this weekend and take over the remainder of the season in the No. 66. Mayfield will also drive for Haas/CNC Racing next year, but the number of the car or sponsorship isn’t all in place right now.
I’m glad to see Jeremy Mayfield get a chance to prove himself again. It’s a shame for Jeff Green as I like him a lot to. Hopefully he will get a chance somewhere else. he’s a good driver, but like anything it comes to get the perfect ride for the driver. Once Green fines that he will do well.
Jimmie Johnson was able to cut into Jeff Gordon’s point lead with a late pass to give Jimmie Johnson another win at Martinsville. Johnson seems to know this track so well and the setup that he will always be hard to beat. Ryan Newman took on two tires at the end and took home second place.
Maybe the real story though was after the race where Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards got into it. I have some You Tube video below that shows what happen. It was just another crazy week at Martinsville.
Mike Skinner was able to survive the brawl at Martinsville to regain the points lead in the Craftsman Truck Series. With the tight confines of Martinsville you knew there would be plenty wrecks and there was. With seven laps to go the race was red-flagged after an accident that involved 9 trucks and sent fluids everywhere along with truck parts.
In the end though Skinner held off Jack Spraque to grab the win at the Kroger 200. Skinner is now the points leader and is glad just to get out of the wreck filled race in one piece. That is how Martinsville can be and those who do survive are usually rewarded.
Jeff Gordon was hot and he just turned the heat up on everybody, by winning his sixth career pole at Martinsville. Gordon won the pole at the Subway 500 with a speed of 94.974 on a rainy friday. This marked the 63rd pole for Jeff Gordon. Gordon has won seven times here and starting out front sure doesn’t hurt his chances one bit.
Jimmie Johnson who is second in the points chase will start fourth. Martin Truex Jr will start second while Kevin Harvick starts third. If Gordon wins this race it’s going to make it tough on rest of the field to catch him. Again though this is a track that can also bite Gordon. It should be very interesting.
