Posted on 05/19/2012 1:18:05 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
It's not a points race scenario but there will be racing this week-end. Charlotte .. Tonight on SPEED.
For those who like a twist in racing formats.. This is about as twisted as it gets. ;-)
and then there’s..
France pleased with early portion of season
What Patrick has done for NASCAR among things that please chairman and CEO
By Joe Menzer, NASCAR.COM
May 19, 2012 8:03 PM, EDT
http://www.nascar.com/news/120519/bfrance-state-of-nascar/index.html
CONCORD, N.C. — Brian France, chairman and CEO of NASCAR, said Saturday that he is pleased with the direction the 2012 season has taken.
“It’s been a good, solid year,” France said prior to the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
France touched on several subjects, including the early portion of Danica Patrick’s first full-time season as a driver in the Nationwide Series.
“She’s brought visibility to the sport, which we knew she would,” France said. “More importantly, she’s made improvements. That was her stated goal, and she’s been getting better and better. I think her runs reflect that, and that’ll be what determines her impact in the end — how well she competes.”
Speaking of the Nationwide Series and new drivers who are making an impact, France touched on Sunday’s debut of African-American driver Darrell Wallace Jr. at Iowa Speedway.
“It’s big if he competes well,” France said. “He’s someone with some of the most promising talent who is an African-American who has come through our diversity program. He has been dominant in the K&N Series, which is very competitive where a lot of the talented sons of some of the best competitors here in the garage compete. He’s winning [in that series], and we’ll see how it goes with him in the Nationwide race here this weekend.
“But look, that’s a breakthrough if that materializes. And if not with him, somebody’s going to walk in the door and be a star — and it’s going to be very good for us.”
France added that he’s not surprised it has taken so long for someone like Wallace to rise through the racing ranks after participating in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program.
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France added that NASCAR wants to make certain it stays ahead of the curve in competition areas going forward.
“Listen, we have a new car coming in 2013, so we want to make sure we’re as good as we can be with the on-track racing. We’re putting more effort into getting that right,” France said. “We also get thrown some curveballs like tandem racing, which fans didn’t care for as much. So from time to time, we have big things that affect the quality of racing. We just want to make sure we’re able to get at those solutions faster, better. Our group is going to get that done.
“Our goal is to always take moments with new cars and new opportunities to make the racing better.”
Terrible, just show fans and the sprint girls and go racing
I have been a NASCAR fan for nearly 40 years. This has been one the most uneventful years. The racing has not been that good.
All of the politically correct NASCAR stuff will sink them. The diversity, green and eco programs are going to lead them to invest their future in programs to power the tracks using unicorns running on big hamster wheel generators.
9:04 p.m. ET — After the presentation of colors by the 14th Weather Squadron, US Air Force, Asheville, N.C., the invocation is given by Joe Gibbs. He looks familiar ...
8:59 p.m. ET — Five minutes to the start of the invocation and national anthem.
8:50 p.m. ET — Dale Earnhardt Jr. is being introduced. He doesn’t have a video. Dang. That would have been fun.
8:47 p.m. ET — Kevin Harvick’s video was the first to feature a kid. You gotta go with a kid, right?
8:44 p.m. ET — So far, Mark Martin’s crew is winning the battle of what they’re tossing out to the crowd. Most teams are throwing out hats, but Martin’s had him sign each one as he walked across the stage.
8:43 p.m. ET — Regan Smith’s fan sported what appeared to be an Alan Kulwicki crew shirt.
8:41 p.m. ET — Driver introductions for the Sprint All-Star Race are lasting longer than the Showdown. Know what? That’s cool.
8:40 p.m. ET — David Ragan’s fan is ... happy?
8:39 p.m. ET — Matt Kenseth’s fan was totin’ a tire in his video.
8:37 p.m. ET — Three drivers in, and so far, Brad Keselowski’s fan video is the best.
8:34 p.m. ET — Driver introductions for the Sprint All-Star Race are starting. Each is being brought out with a video made by a fan.
9:06 p.m. ET — The national anthem is being sung by Tony Lucca, a finalist from the second season of the NBC show “The Show.”
I am wondering how much longer they can pray openly to Jesus Christ.
I can just barely stomach all the hollywood stuff but when they take Jesus away and they will, it will be over.
Yes, I hear you.
Dang, Smoke is so far back...
This is some good racin’. Whish they were all like this.
Thanks for the ping. I have Hambone and a good friend who NEVER watches always picks JJ. I am getting tired of buying 6am breakfast on Wednesdays.
Thank you for the thread
That was some of the best racing I have seen is a long while Norm.
lol..
No one lost any points tonight. :-}
Next week-end. ;-)
Lap 90 — CHECKERED FLAG: Jimmie Johnson takes the win. It’s his fourth in NASCAR’s all-star event.
Lap 88 — Jimmie Johnson continues to cruise up front.
Lap 86 — Kyle Busch chages past Marcos Ambrose to move into fourth place.
Lap 84 — Jimmie Johnson has several car lengths on Brad Keselowski, and the cushion is growing.
Lap 82 — Brad Keselowski is stalking Jimmie Johnson for the race lead. Matt Kenseth goes under Marcos Ambrose for third place.
Lap 81 — GREEN FLAG: Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Marcos Ambrose are the leaders. Kenseth gets a terrible start at the front of the outside line, checking it up severely. Johnson is clear for the lead.
10:41 p.m. ET — The leaders are on pit road.
Lap 81 — YELLOW FLAG NO. 6: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the winner of the fourth and final 20-lap segment.
Lap 79 — The winners of the first three segments are only a straightaway or so ahead of leader Dale Earnharddt Jr.
Lap 77 — Dale Earnhardt Jr. has shot out to a lead of 15-20 car lengths.
Lap 75 — GREEN FLAG: Dale Earnhardt Jr., AJ Allmendinger, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon are the top five on the restart. Marcos Ambrose, Trevor Bayne and David Ragan also stayed out during the caution, and are sixth, seventh and eight, respectively. Earnhardt clears for the lead, and Ambrose blows to the inside of Allmendinger for second.
Lap 74 — Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski are on pit road.
Lap 69 — Several cars including Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart make their way to pit road.
Lap 68 — YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Greg Biffle’s Ford has blown an engine in spectacular fashion. There are flames trailing the car, but he’s able to get out of it uninjured.
Lap 67 — Kasey Kahne has moved around Kurt Busch for third place.
Lap 63 — Dale Earnahrdt Jr. grabs the lead, and AJ Allmendinger follows him past Kurt Busch for second place.
Lap 62 — Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets a run on Kurt Busch for the lead on the backstretch.
Lap 61 — GREEN FLAG: Kurt Busch fires off the line to hold Dale Earnhardt Jr. off for the lead.
Lap 61 — YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Brad Keselowski wins this portion of the race.
Lap 57 — AJ Allmendinger passes Kevin Harvick for fourth place.
Lap 55 — Kasey Kahne is pulling up to Brad Keselowski’s bumper going into the turns, then goes high to gain momentum off the corner.
Lap 54 — Brad Keselowski is still able to hold Kasey Kahne off.
Lap 52 — Kasey Kahne’s line around the track is working. He’s catching Brad Keselowski for the lead, and is now just a few car lengths back.
Lap 49 — Kasey Kahne is taking an interesting line around the track that takes him very high in the turns.
Lap 48 — Brad Keselowski has a lead of about half a second over Kasey Kahne.
Lap 44 — Dale Earnhardt Jr. clips the frontstretch grass trying to get around Tony Stewart for sixth place.
Lap 43 — Kasey Kahne has been able to hold Kevin Harvick off ... for now.
Lap 42 — Kevin Harvick is going after Kasey Kahne for second place.
Lap 41 — GREEN FLAG: Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart are the top four. Keselowski is clear in Turns 1 and 2. Ryan Newman flies to the outside to make it three wide back in traffic.
9:57 p.m. ET — All but nine drivers drop onto pit road. So far, it’s Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth locked into the top-two starting positions for the final 10-lap dash.
Lap 41 — YELLOW FLAG NO. 3: The second segment has ended.
Lap 40 — Trevor Bayne tags the wall between Turns 1 and 2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. completes his pass of Denny Hamlin for second place.
Lap 39 — Dale Earnhardt Jr. is giving Denny Hamlin all he can handle in their battle for second place.
Lap 37 — Matt Kenseth takes his Ford to the outside of Denny Hamlin to grab the top spot.
Lap 35 — Matt Kenseth is all over Denny Hamlin for the lead.
Lap 34 — Dale Earnhardt Jr. is finally able to drop Marcos Ambrose to fourth place.
Lap 32 — Matt Kenseth powers by Marcos Ambrose for second place, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is attempting to follow him.
Lap 31 — GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin, Marcos Ambrose, Matt Kenseth, Paul Menard and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are your leaders. There’s contact in the pack at the stripe, but everyone is able to continue. Ambrose challenges Hamlin for the lead off Turn 4, but Hamlin keeps the spot.
Lap 27 — Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Regan Smith and a few others are pitting.
Lap 26 — YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: Something has broken on Carl Edwards’ car.
Lap 24 — There’s a huge logjam going into Turn 1 of at least 12 cars. Somehow, they manage to come out the other end unscathed.
Lap 23 — Kurt Busch pops the wall, but he keeps going.
Lap 21 — GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin and Paul Menard are the leaders. Hamlin is shot out of a canon when the flag drops. Jimmie Johnson is lagging well behind the pack, saving his car for the final 10-lap shootout.
9:38 p.m. ET — Jimmie Johnson comes back down pit road.
9:36 p.m. ET — Most of the leaders hit pit road. Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and several others stay out.
Lap 21 — YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: That’s the end of the first segment. Ryan Newman holds Denny Hamlin off for third place at the stripe.
Lap 20 — Jimmie Johnson has opened up a lead of 1.3 seconds over Kyle busch.
Lap 16 — Kevin Harvick has slapped the wall, but he’s still plugging along in sixth place. He was battling Richard Childress Racing teammate Paul Menard for position.
Lap 15 — Jimmie Johnson takes to the high high in turn 4 to get around Kyle Busch for the lead.
Lap 10 — Jimmie Johnson grabs second place from Ryan Newman.
Lap 9 — Ryan Newman is trying to hold off a challenge from Jimmie Johnson for second.
Lap 7 — Greg Biffle tries to scoot under Denny Hamlin in a battle for fourth, but slips in Turns 1 and 2. That allows Kevin Harvick to get under him for the fifth spot.
Lap 5 — Jimmie Johnson finally clears Denny Hamlin for third place between Turns 3 and 4.
Lap 4 — Jimmie Johnson is looking under Denny Hamlin for third place in Turn 4.
Lap 1 — GREEN FLAG: The race gets going at 9:22 p.m. ET. Kyle Busch shoots into the lead in the first corner.
I’d consider giving up the league for racing like that. I think it was because the talking heads showed a little more emotion.
I’m doing fine, and you?
I’m doing fine, and you?
I’m good. Home & just turned on qualifying. Went out to paint side 3 of the house next door this morning and it started to dump rain so it’s a day off of sorts. Looking fwd to this weekend - Mrs Happydog has 4 days off and we have no plans and lots of food.
You?
You missed a great birthday dinner last week, wished you were here
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