2014 NASCAR Cup regular season

[gomick]

Funny how no one wanted to help the 48 or 88 & they couldnt help each other. Logano did some good blocking for Keselowski too.
Good drive by Ambrose to finish 8th...

[belt driven]

Any continentals the least bit curious about how the much abused Atlanta Flacons are so able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory have a chance to see them do so at a decent hour this Sunday. They are playing Detroit Lions at Wembly Stadium(!!!) 130 PM GMT. They can blame this one on jet lag.

Following the Chase online has got me hooked. Not been watching a lot of races, but I always watch 'Dega. I confess to napping some when JJ was leading. Minus that it was an interesting race without a really BIG ONE. Surprised hell out of me when Danica went by JJ for 7 laps. JJ was just testing but she knew what to block and what was bluff. Led the pack in for green pit stops and beat JJ out looking pretty racy.

When they threw the caution for the temporary agricultural excursion, I thought about the wailing, gnashing of hair, and pulling of teeth about dumb cautions that goes on in another thread. I didn't see what debris caused the other caution, but I saw Kez suck up to Logano and shed a chunk of folded up sheetmetal.

Did JJ run out of fuel or does he just not have any non-teammate friends?

Fastest race lap was 202.004. It's time for me to go back to Talladega.

Sad to see Terry go out on a long stint starting for parkers. The DA HuffPest article didn't mention his nickname "Iceman" or that he was a former Champion.

[Axeman444]

Originally Posted by gomick

Funny how no one wanted to help the 48 or 88 & they couldnt help each other. Logano did some good blocking for Keselowski too.
Good drive by Ambrose to finish 8th...

I think not requiring a dance partner in the draft so much now compared to the 2x2 days has certainly helped Ambrose, no one wanted to be his partner back then

[canamman]

"From" Talladega Report:

That was one glorious day of racing. Weather was amazing. There were 2 newbies in our group and to see the look on there face on lap 1 was worththe price of admission. I knew the roar for Jr would be loud when he took the lead but the roar for Danica was just as loud when she passed 48.
They both also got the loudest applause at driver intro's. 2 G,W,C's at
Talladega was as exciting as it can get with so much on the line for so
many drivers. Place was packed, 8 drivers still standing.

[NaBUru38]

Johnson and Earnhardt are out of the Chase. I can't believe that Nascar really adopted this knockout system.

[canamman]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Johnson and Earnhardt are out of the Chase. I can't believe that Nascar really adopted this knockout system.

Its working. Most fans are coming around to the format and
are liking it. It knocked Kyle Busch out , so I am an instant fan.
Have not heard many drivers complaining. The stands were packed
in Talladega , I imagine they will be packed the rest of the chase.
That's a good thing. Give it a while, it may grow on you.

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by canamman

Its working. Most fans are coming around to the format and
are liking it.

That's highly questionable.

[canamman]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

That's highly questionable.

A good point they made on Nascar radio xm is that the
fans whose drivers did not get the job done to keep advancing
in the chase are the main malcontents.

From what I saw at the track at Talladega, the majority of the fan base is
digging the new Chase rules, but not everyone (sorry Kyle Busch fans).

[Cynic]

I'm actually finding the new format pretty depressing. Whether by accident or design most of the love-em or hate-em drivers are steadily being eliminated (mainly because of wrecks or poor handling cars) and we're being left with a collection of the most arrogant or soulless drivers on the grid. For a series that prides itself on its marketability that's not good. Be honest: how many people here would seriously be happy with say Ryan Newman or Joey Logano as Champ? Come back Jimmy, all is forgiven!

[Paradise City]

Hi guys, I've got a great idea for a system! Why not have the driver with the best results over the entire season as champion? Crazy, eh?

Originally Posted by Cynic

I'm actually finding the new format pretty depressing. Whether by accident or design most of the love-em or hate-em drivers are steadily being eliminated (mainly because of wrecks or poor handling cars) and we're being left with a collection of the most arrogant or soulless drivers on the grid. For a series that prides itself on its marketability that's not good. Be honest: how many people here would seriously be happy with say Ryan Newman or Joey Logano as Champ? Come back Jimmy, all is forgiven!

Logano irritates me. That's one reason why I think he'll win it.

[canamman]

AVG of the past 3 Martinsville Finishes of the Chase contenders.

Laganno 13.6
Harvick 8.6
Newman 29.6
Hamlin 13
Kennseth 7.3
Edwards 13.3
Gordon 5.3
Keselowski 16

[NaBUru38]

I think that the points scale should be improved. For example 40-30-26-24-22 for the top five, then 20-19... for the top 25.

[Salamus]

Every time Gordon has finished 26th or worse, he has won the next race. He finished 26th last week.

[canamman]

Originally Posted by Salamus

Every time Gordon has finished 26th or worse, he has won the next race. He finished 26th last week.

Interesting. We will keep an eye on Gordon. Curious to see if Harvick
can make his way toward the front. He is starting way back.

[muggle not]

Originally Posted by canamman

Interesting. We will keep an eye on Gordon. Curious to see if Harvick
can make his way toward the front. He is starting way back.

Harvick had the best times in practice on Saturday. I would expect a decent finish from him. I believe though that the cars to watch are the 24 and 11 cars among the chase contenders.

[muggle not]

Martinsville may have been the best race of the year. Jr and Gordon were awesome on the last restart.

Now, just suppose that Jr wins the next 3 races. Who would you consider the real Champion.

[Paradise City]

Earnhardt and Gordon did well there and a shout out to Allmendinger for good performance.

[gomick]

Originally Posted by Salamus

Every time Gordon has finished 26th or worse, he has won the next race. He finished 26th last week.

Close, 2nd for the #24

Ryan Newman is still there too with another good (consistent) finish.

What happened 10 years ago with the Hendricks (deaths?) - I have forgotten...

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by gomick

Close, 2nd for the #24

Ryan Newman is still there too with another good (consistent) finish.

What happened 10 years ago with the Hendricks (deaths?) - I have forgotten...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_He...aircraft_crash

[gomick]

Thanks

[canamman]

Chase standings after Martinsville:

1) #24-Jeff Gordon [4 wins] 4044 [+7]
2) #31-Ryan Newman, 4041, -3 [+4]
3) #22-Joey Logano [5 wins] 4040, -4 [+3]
4) #20-Matt Kenseth, 4039, -5 [2 points ahead of 4th]
5) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win] 4037, -7 [2 points behind 4th]
6) #99-Carl Edwards [2 wins] 4024, -20 [-16]
7) #4-Kevin Harvick [3 wins] 4013, -31 [-27]
8) #2-Brad Keselowski [6 wins], 4011, -33 [-29]

That was outstanding motorsports entertainment.
Hopefully some of you are warming up to the Chase system.
This thing still has more twist and turns yet to go.

If they could just get a road course in the final 10 Chase races!

My new favorite thing is rooting on the non-chase drivers to win
the Chase races.

[Razzzor]

Would be funny if Jeff has a DNF in one of the next couple races and misses the chase. That completely irrevelant and pointless win for Jr (since he's out of the title chase) could be regrettable for the team.

Plenty of F1 teams wouldn't have allowed Jr to prevent Jeff getting locked in for the finale.

[Salamus]

Originally Posted by gomick

Close, 2nd for the #24

Ryan Newman is still there too with another good (consistent) finish.

I feel like two tires would have been a better call for Jeff. He would have gotten better track position and probably had a good enough car to hold off Junior but 2nd place is still great.

I always had a feeling that Newman would do well this year. I know a lot of people want to see him win the Chase just to **** off NASCAR...and likely get a new Chase format next year.

[Paradise City]

I dunno who is in the chase nor exactly why but this was a good race.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

Would be funny if Jeff has a DNF in one of the next couple races and misses the chase. That completely irrevelant and pointless win for Jr (since he's out of the title chase) could be regrettable for the team.

Plenty of F1 teams wouldn't have allowed Jr to prevent Jeff getting locked in for the finale.

I suppose Jr. could've let Gordon take the win. Then again I think NASCAR really, really doesn't like team orders. I can't remember the exact circumstances, but it wasn't too long ago they investigated a couple of teams suspected to using team orders. It went against the spirit of stock car racing (or something like that) which, according to NASCAR in that case if my memory serves me right, states that every team should try to win every race they enter.