Posted on 07/06/2006 1:53:15 PM PDT by steveegg
It's the second half of the season, so TNT (and to a lesser extent, NBC) return to the TV mix. This half will be NBC's swan song for NASCAR and TNT's swan song for the Busch Series.
We've got a full slate of racing this weekend, as the Busch boys and Buschwhackers run a 3/4ers race Saturday afternoon, and the Truck boys and girls run over at Kentucky Saturday night.
Best Radio Chatter:
Dale Jr. had one of the fastest cars for much of the afternoon. However, the Bud car needed about 20 laps into a run before the rest of the field began slowing down significantly, making long green-flag runs essential to get them to the front. As the race came into the final 100 laps, the yellow flags began to multiply, causing frustration among the team and driver.
Steve Hmiel (spotter) (lap 199): “Coming to the yellow flag, Junior…”
Dale Jr. : (frustrated) “Debris?!”
Hmiel: “No, the 96 car spun and didn't hit anything.”
Dale Jr. (mock melodramatic tones) “WHY?!? WHY did he spin!?!?!... Damn, I was just coming on strong.”
The team then made their final pit stop on the following lap.
Hmiel: “Tony Jr., do you think anyone can make it from here?”
Tony Eury Jr. (crew chief): “We can.”
Hmiel: (surprised) “Oh! Cool!”
Eury Jr.: “Yeah, we'll be good. If ya wanna save some fuel for a green-white-checker, Junior, that's cool. But we're OK.”
The frequent yellow flags continued on lap 216.
Dale Jr. “We were just starting to get good there. How did we look?”
Eury Jr: “Good. You looked good. And we're not coming to pit road.”
Dale Jr: “10-4 on that. If it goes green, we'll be the best at the end of the run.”
Eury Jr; “That's why we're staying out.”
Dale Jr: “That was a sweet-ass pass on the 11 (D. Hamlin) and 41 (R. Sorenson) cars! I've had some bad-ass passes today!”
Hmiel: “Yeah, but I dunno what the 12 (R. Newman) was doing. He's really been in the way.”
Dale Jr.: “He's just a real hard racer. He just races hard like that every lap.”
Dale Jr. ran the final lap side-by-side with point leader Jimmie Johnson, racing for the fifth position.
Eury Jr: “Get him! Get him in that corner!”
Hmiel: “HOP IT! HOP IT!”
Eury Jr: “GREAT! You got him. A great top-five. Way to carry us today, driver”
Dale Jr: “Y'all gotta be proud. You built me a fast car. It was fun - a lotta fun with this car. Everybody oughta be proud.”
Today's Stats
Started: 25th
Finished: 5th
Led: 27 laps
Points: 3rd place (no change)
Best Pit Stop: Stop 2 of 5 / 13.5 seconds / 4 tires and fuel
Good job!
Do you know you sound like a Democrat bashing the President?
That was a last lap lap move that Pretty Boy pulled off there.
Excuse me, I will shut up now.
Now - I an't mad at nobody but the devil and Jeff Gordon
Jimmy Spencer makes me laugh. He gets so excited when there is controversy, says it is good for the sport. I only wish he had the opportunity to race more.
OMG - are you in for an experience.
Took the whole family for the first Nascar experience in 2001 - the Busch race.
To be fair, it was windy and more than a bit chilly that day.......but it has been me and boy ever since.
The following year was Cup and Busch race. Year after that added the Truck race (Champ car races, in conjunction with Craftsman Truck series were added in there at some point).
Somewhere in there started the, "Yes, I'm serious - you are not going to school today, this is Friday and we are going to see some Cup qualifying"... thing.
Two years ago, the World of Outlaws was added - they race the Thurs and Fri of the Nascar weekend.
I absolutely love to watch the racing, but the biggest kick by far was / is my boy.....
For last years race I bought the on-track "Fan Experience" - pre-race stuff. The boy got to sign the start / finish line, lots of pics of him sitting on the wall, he got to do an up close inspection of the "safer barrier". Way cool stuff.
And you are within 10 - 15 ft of the drivers during introduction and when they get in the vehicle for the ride around the track.
The boy went nuts when Dale Jr went by. Dad was not far behind when DJ came by.
But wait, there is more........the track change / rebuild for 2007.
Las Vegas WAS one of the typical 1.5 mile, "cookie cutter" tracks. To be honest, a few of the races were a bit boring after awhile.
Not for next year! Banking increase from 12 to 20 degrees, pit road moved 150 ft closer to stands, totally new garage "fan viewing" area - two levels, Nascar garage below, fans above looking down.
This will be a truly unique track / experience.
If you follow such things, several other tracks have now announced, "major renovations" of one type or another.
Tickets Alfred confirmed for the Truck race, 28 Sept, to see the new track.
How bad have I got it?
All the way to the bone.
I was a bit shocked today, watching the pre-race stuff.
They really made a big deal about Chicago being one of the premier Nascar market's...on and on...The Herminator even saying that this was one race the, "sponsor's wanted to be in because of the huge market."
A bit later they announced, "75,000 in the stands, 30 suites plus the in-field!"
And I'm thinking to myself, "there were 86,000 bodies in the stands for last years........Busch race.
And over 150,000 for the Cup race the next day.
To the best of my knowledge, that did not include "Motor Home Row", the length of the back stretch.
Twice the draw of Chicago, and California attendance was sad - compared to Las Vegas.
"The Duel in the Desert", ..."The Diamond in the Desert"....what ever they call it......is an experience you will talk about for a long time.
Yes, bring the boy - do it now.
Feel free to FReep-mail with any questions.
Just do it! :-)
Sorry for the rant. And no, I am not employed by the LVMS or in any way affiliated with Las Vegas marketing effort.
It is the event.
Bravo!!! I am sending your post to my son. Maybe he will take me again...
Ah, come on,.....
Everybody saw what happened.... Matt intentionally put his L/R into the Flash's F/R.
Flash..."He blocked me on the restart, He blocked me going into the turn..."
Ummmm......drivers are supposed to do that, right? Flash?
Just remember, "Flash", paybacks can be a real bitch.
And I hope it happens when it really counts.
Will he take me? ... and maybe my son?
... and I only lost one :O}
heheheeh!
and oh yeah!
I had a 300 pt week and still in 14th.
At least the "we suck racin'" team took the week off!
The 3 was that for years. But, Dale had something that 24 ain't got. Dale was actually comfortable in his own skin. When I look at Flash, I see an unhappy person. I may be wrong; but, to me, he always seems to be an actor; Dale was - here I am - what you see is what you get.
That won him fans. DW had the same type of a career.
Now that was just a dumb ass statement on your part.
This is Nascar.
The only politics allowed are things like Photo-Shopping AF One at Daytona.
To be honest, I don't even know what was said to prompt you to say something like that, ie, I did not even to go bother to read.
The only important thing is that this is a NASCAR thread.
You stop crap like that or I'll have to make sure you have a really nasty pitstop.
What do you have to say?
Like the Range Rover ad says... He'll bring the kids
Ok, point the way for me, ok?
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