Before the start of the Dickies 500 on Sunday I was thinking about what had to happen in order for Jimmie Johnson to lose some momentum in The Chase. Of course, I didn’t think any of it would happen. So when Jimmie’s accident occurred I was, uhm, sort of pleasantly surprised.
We needed that to make things a little more interesting. The guy still has a ton of points on Mark Martin but at least it gives hope a chance to shine. And, if I’m being honest, it was pretty cool getting to see the 48 team pull together and get that car back into shape to run in the race again. I’m never against seeing Ron Malec in action. (hehe) I have to give it Chad Knaus though, that guy is one cool customer. He was pissed of course that they ran into trouble, but his voice is always even. He doesn’t freak out, and you can’t afford to freak out in a situation like that, which is why Jimmie and the Lowe’s team are 3-time Sprint Cup Champions.
Watching Kurt Busch do his victory lap around Texas Motor Speedway in reverse with his tongue sticking out made me realize who he reminds me of, and no, it’s not Michael Jordan. No, I was thinking more along the lines of the character Pete Campbell from the awesome TV show Mad Men. Pete, played by Vincent Kartheiser, is kind of a punk. He whines when he doesn’t get his way and always thinks he should be treated better than he perceives he’s being treated. It’s funny. Watch Mad Men, it’s awesome. The latest season is over, but that’s what Netflix is for.
That being said it was cool to see Kurt so excited about winning and all that.
Uhm… There’s this one driver, I think his name is Dale Earnhardt Jr. or something, who doesn’t seem to be able to catch a break this season. I’m at the point, well I’ve been here for some time now, where I want to just say to him “Dale, (yes, in this scenario I know him and we’re BFFs) I think you should just park it and call it a season, this is lame. I know you’re doing your best but you need to tell whatever gods are in charge of luck to kiss your butt.”
He was running really well and then of course something happens and finishes crappy. And his finish has nothing to do with his overall performance. They were kicking butt and then it falls off. Ugh.
And now ladies and gentlemen, a photo bonanza!
Ricky Carmichael sits in the No. 4 Monster Chevrolet in the garage area during practice on Thursday for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 350 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Carmichael struggled during the first practice with a mid-pack car, but picked up speed for the second practice coming in sixth fastest with a speed of 178.501 mph. (Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Matt Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Menards/McGuire-Nicolas Chevrolet, hugs race winner Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort/Graceway Toyota,in Victory Lane after Busch beat the pole sitter to the checkered flag in Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 350 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/WWE Smackdown Toyota, waits as the checkered flag is dropped down to him from the flagstand after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series O’Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. This is Busch’s fourth victory and fourth straight NASCAR national series races at Texas Motor Speedway. (Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Could someone please get Juan Pablo a firesuit that doesn’t make him look like an Oompa Loompa? kthanxbye 🙂
Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the No. 42 Target/Dream in Color Chevrolet, stands in the garage as crew members work on the car following a lap 176 accident in Turn 1 involving Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards during Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Seris Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 8, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas. Montoya finished the race in 37th place and is sixth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, 236 points behind points leader Jimmie Johnson. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, stands on pit road with his wife Ingrid Vandebosch before the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (left), driver of the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, talks with last week’s winner at Talladega, Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 26 Crown Royal Ford, during Friday’s practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo Credit: Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Matt Crafton (center), driver of the No. 88 Menards/McGuire-Nicholas Chevrolet, talks with Brian Scott, driver of the No. 16 Albertson’s Toyota (left) and David Gilliland (right), driver of the No. 98 Menards Chevrolet, in the garage area during Thursday’s practice for Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 350 at Texas Motor Speedway. Gilliland, who split practice time with Crafton in the No. 98 during the first practice, had the fastest time for most of the final practice (179.766 mph) until Crafton eclipsed his time with a posting of 180.180 mph. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
After Jeff Burton took a hard hit on the wall during Friday’s only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, team owner Richard Childress decided to substitute the double-duty driver of the NASCAR Nationwide No. 29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet, with teammate Casey Mears in Saturday’s O’Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway. Pictured here during qualifying where he placed 14th, Mears will have his first Nationwide Series start since 2007. (Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)
