gNA$hCAR Notes
Little E's short-track sweep
Earnhardt's back, man! He's gonna win that Cup! He dominated Bristol, man! Yeah, yeah, yeah... OK, so Driver 8's the man -- for now -- at Bristol. He earned it. He had the best car. He's only 75 points or something like that out of the lead. Doesn't matter after Sept. 11. Just keep that in mind.
I'll admit, I'm bummed about this race, if only because I couldn't wait to get home to watch it Saturday night after eight hours of work. I was expecting a lot more fireworks. I was hoping for someone else in Victory Lane. Ah well, we can't win them all (and I didn't -- only 5-for-10 in the picks department):
Glenn's Ten results:
* Matt Kenseth (winner) -- 9th, Finished a lap down like just about everyone else. Ran as high as fifth, but bad track position on the restarts hurt.
* Kurt Busch -- 8th, Fell short in his bid to win four straight here. Wasn't happy with the car much of the night.
* Mark Martin -- 13th, Wonder where he would have finished if not for the mental meltdown on his green flag stop, when he crawled through both halves of the pit road instead of just the one half he had to travel through. The car looked very good all night, but once again burned by bad luck.
* Jeff Gordon -- 14th, Speaking of getting burned, Jeff got a lap down and then finally got the lucky dog pass to get caught up, only to be black flagged because gNA$hCAR deemed he had passed illegally in the process. He wound up 14th, 2 laps down.
* Jamie McMurray -- 7th, I'm really liking Jamie at Bristol. The kid's aggressive, but not overly so. It pays off with another top 10 here.
* Tony Stewart -- 19th, Victim of bad luck. Got caught back in traffic during the long green flag run, then got involved in someone else's wreck after a restart. Damage wasn't too severe, but it effectively ended his shot at a top 10.
* Greg Biffle -- 11th, Once again, Biffle is just mediocre enough to miss the cut. At least he finished well. Chase hopes officially ended tonight.
* Kevin Kyle Harvick Petty -- 24th, It was un-Happy Harvick who showed up tonight. The car wasn't all that good, but the driver was worse. His arm got numb after the seat dug into it, and Kyle Petty was brought in as a relief driver. I think the knowledge that Kyle would be my sub would be enough to keep me in the car, but Kevin was in major pain. So Kyle Petty effectively gets two finishes: 24th with Harvick's car and 37th with his own.
* Elliott Sadler -- 5th, This feels like a win. The #38 bunch needed to escape this place without taking a hit in the points, and this finish keeps them in the thick of the Chase.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 1st, Shows what confidence does. He rolled off 30th but used pit strategy to get up front and stay there. He had the fastest car and was helped by nearly 250 laps of green-flag racing. Only driver ever to win both the Busch and Cup events in the same weekend at Bristol.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Ryan Newman -- 2nd, Just when I'm starting to give up on Ryan, he breaks through with a performance like the ones that got him eight wins last year. The 2-tire strategy on the final pit stop proved enough to hold off everyone behind him, but wasn't close to making it a race with Earnhardt. Back into the top 10, if barely.
* Jimmie Johnson -- 3rd, I erred again in counting him out. This has abeen a horrible month for the Lowe's guys, so nice to see it end on a high note.
* Jeff Burton -- 4th, I came close to picking Burton. The new team is having an effect -- so far, a positive one. Best finish for the #30 in a couple of years.
* Sterling Marlin -- 6th, Yawn. He was solidly in the top 10 all night, just never did anything spectacular. Which at Bristol can be a very good thing.
* Dale Jarrett -- 10th, Despite getting caught up in a spin and getting roughed up in a crash, he managed to keep the car in the hunt. Two years ago he would have been 30th after a night like this. Loses a spot in the points, but still just 45 out of 10th.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Robby Gordon -- 12th, I was waiting all night for someone to punt him into the wall and it never happened. The guy is just a menace to society. Even blocked his teammate (Burton) when it mattered. Helped trigger a multi-car pileup. gNA$hCAR warned him to stop hitting other cars or they'd park him, which was when Jeff Gordon finally laid a bumper to him and Kenseth followed. Class act, Robby.
* Bobby Labonte -- 16th, Still ninth in the points. By one point.
* Kasey Kahne -- 21st, Slips out of the top 10, but at least the car finished in one piece.
* Rusty Wallace -- 26th, Had the car to beat... until it got wrecked. Still, only 10 laps down.
Next week: The Labor Day tradition continues at Darling... oops! Make that California Speedway (under the lights!)
Labonte's loss, Rudd's gain
Think I'm overreacting about Fatback's influence? Read what the Nashville Tennessean has to say on the subject:
Losing 'Fatback' hurting Labonte
BRISTOL — Bobby Labonte has been in a freefall the past six weeks.
He has not had a top 10 finish since July 3, has plummeted from sixth to ninth in the standings and is in serious danger of losing his spot in the Chase for the Championship.
''It wouldn't matter if it was this year or last year at this point and time,'' he said. ''If we're not good enough to run in the top 10, then we shouldn't be there.''
Labonte's skid has been linked to the departure of crew chief Michael ''Fatback'' McSwain, who was released from Joe Gibbs Racing on July 11. No reason was ever given for the split.
McSwain was back at work yesterday, reunited with driver Ricky Rudd. The two were together at Robert Yates Racing from 2000-2002, winning three races and four poles, but they had a public falling out and both ended up leaving RYR.
Labonte qualified 19th yesterday, Rudd was 32nd.
Week 24 -- Bristol Revisited
This is going to be so much fun. This week we get to see which of the Chase contenders outside the top 10 passes The Test, which is simply to survive 500 laps in the half-mile bullring that has been the demise of many a promising season. Just ask Kasey Kahne, who before visiting here in the spring was sailing along with second-place finishes and a cushy spot in the top 10 when Jamie McMurray's bumper found him and Kasey found the wall and was eliminated from the race early. Kasey's just snuck back into the top 10 and has the outside pole Saturday, so better believe he'll try to avoid a repeat of the March race.
This is going to be a tough pick, but I'll try...
Glenn's Ten:
* Matt Kenseth (winner) -- Miracle Matt is due for a win, and this is a big Rousch track. The Rouschers are coming off a perfect top-10 week at Michigan and Matt ran well here Friday night in the Busch race. Plus, he's starting 23rd -- right about where he needs to be for a good day.
The rest of the top 10 (in no particular order):
* Kurt Busch -- He won't win four in a row. No one does anymore. But he's a Rouscher.
* Mark Martin -- Mark's been hot of late. Might even win it. Oh yeah... he's a Rouscher.
* Jeff Gordon -- Has the pole, but tough to win from there. Only night win at Bristol came two years ago.
* Jamie McMurray -- Muscled just about everyone to score a spring top 10. Of course, there are some guys who might feel they owe him one (Kahne and Kenseth, perhaps?).
* Tony Stewart -- I like Tony's chances under the lights.
* Greg Biffle -- Room for one more Rousch car? Last week's win a confidence builder.
* Kevin Harvick -- This track owes him one eventually. Will we see the Harvick who bumper tags his way to the front, or the one who makes unscheduled pit stops all night for cut tires and gear problems?
* Elliott Sadler -- Past Bristol winner knows how to finish well.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Got a ways to go to find his dad's success here, but he won the Busch race Friday night.
No room at the inn: I wanted a home for Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman, but it wasn't in the cards. Dale Jarrett? I fear for him. Jimmie Johnson? Smacked the wall in Happy Hour and starts from the tail end of this dog. That Championship Chase can't begin soon enough for the #48!
I'll be watching: Jeff Burton (who starts 15th. He's back! Maybe.) and Ricky Rudd (first race reunited with Fatback McSwain as crew chief. Wood Brothers equipment needs more help than Yates').
And what of Kasey Kahne? He'll finish in the top 15 perhaps. Needs a good run and will somehow avoid the melees.
Throwing caution to the win in Michigan
I hate Greg Biffle. When I pick him he breaks down or rams into something, and when I don't pick him -- like this week -- he winds up having a good day. In this case, he wound up in Victory Lane. We won't talk about the fact that Mark Martin probably should have been there, had it not been for a loose lug nut. Or the fact that they threw a race-record nine caution flags, which consumed 33 of the 200 laps. But at least I recognized that the Rousch cars were a force to be reckoned with Sunday -- all five placed in the top 10. When was the last time that happened?
Here's the Glenn's Ten recap (6-for-10):
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- 40th, Looks like I spoke too soon about Hendrick putting the engine problems behind them. For the third week in a row, the #48 bunch made a premature exit. More significantly, they relinquished the points lead -- that's from 229 ahead to 68 back in 15 days. Ouch.
* Jeff Gordon -- 7th, Jeff had a mediocre day en route to another top 10. He led the first 30+ laps, but never was a serious threat after that. First in points makes up for some of that. First time he has led the standings since winning the championship in 2001.
* Ryan Newman -- 14th, Ryan struggled all day, starting with a flat tire on the pace lap. He made another early pit stop to fall a lap down. Made that up, then lost another lap later when he had more tire troubles. He slips another couple of rungs on the points ladder. This isn't looking good for the Chase...
* Kasey Kahne -- 5th, Kasey sneaks into the 10th points spot with another strong run. These guys wanted to win for their crew chief, Tommy Baldwin Jr., who lost his dad Thursday in a racing accident. Getting closer to that first win. Maybe at Homestead?
* Jeremy Mayfield -- 11th, Not enough to hold off Kasey for 10th in the points. Typical Mayfield, just mediocre enough to not make the cut.
* Dale Jarrett -- 3rd, We love the truck! Jarrett climbs in the points with a solid run. Can he still make the top 10 for the Chase? Don't count him out quite yet.
* Elliott Sadler -- 32nd, I knew I was going to regret this pick. Seems like when Elliott has a good car something always happens to it, and this time it was a piece of debris that cut a tire that ripped apart his front fender that left him 21 laps down.
* Mark Martin -- 2nd, It was a second-place sorta weekend for Mark, who finished in the same spot in Saturday's Busch race. He had the car to beat all day, but the lug nut problem on yellow-flag stops put him down in the 20s and he had to overcome that just to get back to second. By then, Biffle had him skunked.
* Matt Kenseth -- 8th, I didn't hear him mentioned all day, but look where he finished...
* Tony Stewart -- 9th, Wearing the Olympic rings on his hood, but he wasn't good enough to win the gold. More like a bronze.
THE REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Greg Biffle -- 1st, OK, this is the last time I'm going to dwell on Biffle's ups and downs. The guy can race, no question. But he is inconsistent. For a while it was rumored he might not be back in this car next season. Now Rousch says he will be. Sure, after he wins you realize he might not be so bad. We'll see. He rode The Flash to Victory Lane after leading nearly half the race.
* Jamie McMurray -- 4th, Same story as Biffle. When I don't pick him, he has a banner day. Won't matter, neither of them will make the Chase.
* Kurt Busch -- 6th, Third best of the Rouschers. I'm sorry I didn't pick him. Just tuning up for "his" race next Saturday night.
* Carl Edwards -- 10th, Atta boy! First Cup race and he completes the Rousch sweep by finding his way into the show. Would Jeff Burton have been here?
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Jeff Burton -- 12th, Speaking of Burton, he had a good day in his first trek in the AOL Chevy. Only notable glitch was when he attempted to pit in the #99 pit box, forgetting that he no longer drives for Rousch.
* Kevin Harvick -- 16th, Anyone think that Harvick's shot at a championship may be slipping away at crunch time?
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 21st, As I said, Michigan is not Talladega. Just a few points away from slipping to fourth...
* Bobby Labonte -- 26th, I'm telling you, it's that pukey yellow and purple paint scheme. Faaatbaaack!
* Ricky Rudd -- 24th, Hey, look at this! Fatback and Ricky will be reunited next weekend, albeit for the Wood Brothers rather than Robert Yates. Ought to be fun, since Bristol was the scene of their grand falling-out in 2002 (remember the bottle-throwing incident?).
Did you know... None of the cautions thrown Sunday was for a wreck? We saw a few spinouts and debris, but no physical contact with walls, cars, etc.
Next week... The Chase contenders get beaten and battered on Saturday night in the not-so-friendly confines of Bristol.
Week23 — Michigan (Part II)
To quote Supertramp, "It's rainin' again," which means that for the second week in a row the field for the GFS Marketplace 400 will be set by owner points. Pretty cool if you're a Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson fan and you want that clean air in front of you as you're leading, say, the first 180 laps.
Dare I further tip my hand as to this week's predictions, here is Glenn's Ten:
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- It's time for the #48 bunch to have a good weekend following two disastrous weeks in which Jimmie's margin as the points leader shrank by about 200. Kyle Busch summed it up nicely on Saturday when the Busch Series version of the Lowe's car went to victory lane: Hendrick motors may have had some problems the past couple of weeks, but they are second to none in quality. Something tells me Hendrick will turn things around this weekend.
The rest of the top 10 (in no particular order):
* Jeff Gordon -- We'll forget about the June debacle when his engine expired after he had led the first 85 laps or so.
* Ryan Newman -- Can he win three in a row here? No. But he is out of the top 10 in points, and if that isn't a wake-up call then I don't know what is. Plus, anyone with the Justice League on the hood of his car should exhibit superhero capabilities.
* Kasey Kahne -- Tired of running second. Maybe this is the day...
* Jeremy Mayfield -- Hey, he's a Chase contender now. Better keep up the good finishes if you hope to stay there.
* Dale Jarrett -- DJ loves Michigan. Still looking to break the winless drought since Rockingham 2003.
* Elliott Sadler -- Fastest in practice. Still in the thick of the points chase, following good runs at Indy and the Glen.
* Mark Martin -- Finished second in Saturday's Busch event after starting deep in the field, but then a zillion cautions didn't hurt that effort. Watch out for the Rousch cars Sunday.
* Matt Kenseth -- Watch out for the Rousch cars on Sunday...
* Tony Stewart -- He's had a week to get over the tummy troubles.
Sleeper picks: Casey Mears (After finishing fourth last weekend there isn't much left left to achieve -- oh yeah, a win would be nice.)... Kurt Busch (See notes with Martin, Kenseth. Also doesn't hurt that l'il bro won here Saturday.)... Rusty Wallace (Had a little extra practice Saturday, finishing sixth in the Busch race.)
And why not... Dale Earnhardt Jr. (This is Michigan, not Talladega. DEI struggles at this place)... Bobby Labonte (Used to run well here. Where's Fatback???)... Greg Biffle (Who's he gonna hit this time?)
We'll be watching... Jeff Burton (In his first run with the AOL #30. Not expecting anything yet.)... Carl Edwards (First appearance in the former Jeff Burton machine. Likewise, not expecting anything yet.)
The relief of victory
Well, that must be a first. In the history of gNA$hCAR has there ever been a race in which the winner has put the victory celebration on hold to answer a call of nature? I don't think I've heard a post-race press conference where the bulk of the questions focused on the condition of the driver's stomach as opposed to his winning strategy. Just when you think you've seen it all.
Tony Stewart never fails to entertain, even when he feels like crap -- or is that, even when he feels like taking one? Had he done a Burnheardt and let them pull him from the car about 20 laps in, as was the plan for a while, we might have gotten to see Boris Said in the Home Depot Chevy. No such luck. At least one road ringer did well, however. I'll waste no more time getting to the recap:
GLENN'S TEN (6-for-10):
* Jeff Gordon (winner) -- 21st, What a way to lose. His car was about a 3rd placer all day, and that was where he was destined to finish as he clawed his way forward in the late laps after having led for a few laps. But the transmission crapped out with seven laps to go. It's hard to win on a road course with only 4th gear. Missed chance to grab the points lead.
* Jimmie Johnson -- 40th, Not a good day for Hendrick. The engine gave up on lap 24. Second DNF in a row for the points leader.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 5th, A worthy effort. Finally overcame the bad luck he's had on the road courses. Even pushed Casey Mears across the line. What a sport.
* Tony Stewart -- 1st, Tony dominated the race as he gutted out the win (pun intended). Seems like Tony always performs better under pressure, whether it is probation or constipation. Career win number 19.
* Matt Kenseth -- 9th, Wouldn't you know he'd sneak in? Another top 10 for the "boring" defending champ.
* Kurt Busch -- 10th, Got in when Gordon slipped back. Like Kenseth, had a very quiet but solid day.
* Kevin Harvick -- 6th, Harvick has the mettle to be a good road racer. He's gonna win one of these eventually.
* Mark Martin -- 3rd, I'll stick a feather in my cap for calling all the Rousch top 10 finishers. Mark Martin often does well at these tracks, so this finish is no surprise.
* Rusty Wallace -- 25th, What's with that Kodak paint? Put him back in the Miller blue. Not a good day for Penske -- this was their highest finisher.
* Robby Gordon -- 16th, This has to be a disappointment. I didn't see how he wound up here, but I think poor pit strategy and traffic were contributing factors.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Ron Fellows -- 2nd, One of the few ringers to make the field, he started dead last and might have been able to challenge Tony for the win if he'd had a caution or another couple of laps to work with.
* Casey Mears -- 4th!, First career top 5. Led for a while and seemed a candidate for a win. Almost blew the good run when he ran out of gas coming to the finish line. Junior gave him a push after the checkers.
* Jeremy Mayfield -- 7th, Sneaks into 10th in the points, thanks to Ryan Newman's woes. I'm bummed.
* Ricky Rudd -- 8th, I thought about picking him, but I never trust his equipment to last.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Bobby Labonte -- 11th, Close, but no cigar.
* Jeff Burton -- 12th, Good riddance to Rousch. Expect him to turn things around with Childress #30 starting next week.
* Jamie McMurray -- 13th, Good finish keeps him in the race to the Chase.
* Kasey Kahne -- 14th, Ditto. Now leads Ryan Newman.
* Ryan Newman -- 26th, *Sniff* Who's feeling crappier than Tony Stewart tonight? Yeah. It will be a crime if Ryan fails to make the Chase, but that's where he's headed. The car was junk all day, with brake problems and contact with another car that left his right side crunched-in, much like his season.
* Dale Jarrett -- 27th, We'll add his name to the growing membership in the Brian Vickers fan club. Brian lost it in the bus stop and knocked the two of them into the gravel trap. Dale was down a lap early because of it and never recovered. High attrition helped a bit.
Next week... Maybe Ryan's season isn't toast yet. It's back to Michigan!
Week 22 — Watkins Glen
Looks like the road course ringers got rained out, which will make for an interesting race on Sunday. Thanks to the way the field is set by owner points this week, some of the guys who would have been sure bets to contend for a win — Scott Pruett and Boris Said, for example — will be watching from the sidelines. Meanwhile, some other road course kings such as Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart will be starting near the front. Right where they will be all day.
I like The Glen, because unlike Sonoma where speeds are kept to a sedate 100 mph or less, you can actually get up into the 150s in places here. Sort of like a speedway, but not. Who will master the turns, left and right, on Sunday?
Glenn's Ten:
* Jeff Gordon (winner) -- Look out for this guy! He's out to prove he is still the road course king, and it's been a couple of years since he went to victory lane here. We all remember last year, when he got spun out on the first turn and then ran out of gas on the final lap and was punted into the wall by Kevin Harvick for a finish in the low-20s. A memory that could easily be erased by a trip to Victory Lane, which would be the 70th of his career. Plus, Jeff has won back-to-back races 18 times in his career. He is still on cloud 9 from last week's win at Indy. If he manages his race properly, it's his to lose.
Rest of the top 10 (in no particular order):
* Jimmie Johnson -- will bounce back after bad race at Indy.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Last trip to a road course ended in flames, but maybe in his Cup car he'll have better luck. Actually, Junior is a decent road racer, but we'll see...
* Tony Stewart -- If Gordon slips, Tony will be there.
* Matt Kenseth -- With a good starting spot (5th) he should be able to make something happen.
* Kurt Busch -- Had bad luck at Sonoma, but if the car stays in one piece he could be a factor.
* Kevin Harvick -- Just maybe.
* Mark Martin -- A good day for Rousch Racing?
* Rusty Wallace -- 17th on the grid, but he'll be patient.
* Robby Gordon -- This is what being low in the points can do. Starts 23rd, but won't stay there. Also has something to prove after Sonoma debacle.
Sleeper picks: Michael Waltrip (not so bad on the road courses) and Dale Jarrett (not so good, but then this program is turning around).
Sorry, but... Bobby Labonte starts 8th and should be a factor, but something tells me he won't be. I'm waiting to see what happens when they finally get their crew chief issue settled... Ryan Newman is another guy I worry about. He needs a good finish to help his points position, and the road courses have been good to him, but I fear he is reaching the bottom of the luck bank.
Brickyard 402-1/2 recap
gNA$hCAR got its first test of the green-white-checker rule on Sunday when the crash-marred Brickyard 400 went to overtime. In the end, it was a great day for Jeff Gordon fans as Super-G picked up his 69th career victory, despite damage to the front valance of his DuPont Chevy incurred when he ran over a piece of debris with about 20 laps to go.
It was a good day for Gordon, but a mixed bag for a lot of other drivers. Let's see how the Chase guys fared as I review Glenn's Ten (6-for-10):
* Jeff Gordon (winner) -- Winner! Racing at about the only track on the circuit where the fans actually cheer for him, Jeff charged his way past Elliott Sadler about a quarter of the way into the race and dominated the rest of the event. Only the debris damage and a couple of late restarts when Dale Jarrett had a shot at him left much suspense as to the outcome. That's Gordo's fifth win of the season (which leads all drivers) and has him just 97 points out of first.
* Ryan Newman -- 31st, Ryan was looking for a wreck all day and finally found one, getting together with Brian Vickers less than 10 laps from the finish. The Alltel Dodge looked as if it had been caught in a trash compactor. He was at best a top 15 car.
* Jimmie Johnson -- 36th, This wasn't Jimmie's day. He got into a spin early, then drove around until the engine went up in smoke on lap 89. You can't convince me that the spin didn't tear up the engine. He gave up beaucoup points to Gordon and many others, but what does it matter? Answer: It doesn't... until after Sept. 11.
* Jamie McMurray -- 7th, He didn't deserve this. Ran in the 20s all day and then benefited from the position shuffles in the final two cautions.
* Kasey Kahne -- 4th, Kasey brushed the wall and still managed a top-five. Eventually the stars will align for this kid.
* Jeremy Mayfield -- 11th, Missed it by a hair. Typical Mayfield; just mediocre enough to ruin my predictions.
* Kurt Busch -- 10th, Mostly stayed out of trouble and got a decent finish to show for it. Keeps him solidly in the top 10 for points.
* Dale Jarrett -- 2nd, Know what I notice about DJ these days? He's happy. We are seeing the Dale Jarrett of yore, driving well and contending for the win. He sounded positive before the race and was equally positive at its end. Contrast that with two seasons ago when nothing went right and he went through three crew chiefs. Those days are long gone. That win's a coming...
* Matt Kenseth -- 16th, I never thought I'd say I feel bad for Matt, but today I did. He was perhaps the only car that would have given Gordon a run for the money at the end and he got taken out by that same hunk of debris Gordon hit. Matt had been running second at the time and had to give it up for a pit stop. Luck was on his side at the end, as he picked up about 13 spots when others pitted on the next to last caution.
* Tony Stewart -- 5th, Tony looked determined early on, coming quickly from 24th, but he settled into around 8th until the late cautions that moved him up.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Elliott Sadler -- 3rd, How'd I miss this? Same crew chief (Todd Parrott) who got DJ his two wins here. He worked the old Jarrett magic on the M&M's Ford. Sadler led a ton of laps early, before giving way to Gordon.
* Greg Biffle -- 6th, I'll bet if I'd picked him he would have crapped out midway. >8-(
* Kevin Harvick -- 8th, How 'bout that. Never much of a factor, though.
* Bill Elliott -- 9th, Semi-retired Bill places in one of his cherry-picked events for 2004. Yawn. Can we fully retire him next season?
OTHER NOTABLES (Here's where the fun begins...):
* Bobby Labonte -- 15th, Like McMurray, didn't deserve this finish after running in the 20s most of the race after rolling off 43rd.
* Robby Gordon -- 22nd, Blew a tire running third to bring out the caution. But does he come to the pit to save the car from getting torn up? Of course not. He tries to make another 2.5-mile circuit during which the tire rips to shreds and the naked wheel catches fire. He pulls into his pit in a cloud and loses plenty of time while they try to put out the flames and repair the damage he otherwise wouldn't have had. A precursor to Watkins Glen next week???
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 27th, Had a top 10 in the bag until he got into a scuffle on the next to last lap that left him a lap down. Maybe he was insisting on driving no further than the advertised 160 laps? Who knows. Ah well, he actually had a good points day because Johnson finished worse. But he lost a ton of ground to Gordon and Stewart...
* Casey Mears -- 26th, How to
not win friends and influence people: Start from the pole and rub fenders for half a lap with the guy on the outside (Ward Burton), then scrape the wall a couple times, and try to make your slow car an obstacle for all the fast cars behind you. He finished last on the lead lap, but at least he finished. Oh, BTW Casey, Ward says he owes you one...
* Mark Martin -- 25th, Was looking for another good Brickyard finish. But like Earnhardt Jr., he got into trouble on the next to final lap.
* Sterling Marlin -- 33rd, Just call him the Fire Starter.
Next week... Jeff's on a roll and heading to the road course at the Glen. Look out!
Week 21 — Indianapolis
It still doesn't feel right seeing the gNA$hCAR guys running at the Brickyard, which has long been the domain for the open-wheelers. But this marks the 11th year for this race, which has already seen some historic finishes. Will we be in for another on Sunday, with the nephew of Indy legend Rick Mears on the pole for the second straight week? Let's see what odds I'll give Casey Mears for writing a new chapter in his family's storied racing storybook.
GLENN'S TEN:
* Jeff Gordon (winner) -- Three times just isn't enough for this Hoosier, who last won in 2001. He starts 11th, which is "in the zone" for working his way to the front when it matters.
The rest of the top 10 (in no particular order):
* Ryan Newman -- Picked up to 8th in the points last week after a mostly disastrous day. But this is like a home track for Ryan, who needs a good finish to improve his lock on the top 10.
* Jimmie Johnson -- The points leader is running well everywhere he goes.
* Jamie McMurray -- Contended for the win last year. Watch out for team Gnassi!
* Kasey Kahne -- The Evernham boys are fast, too. If Kasey can keep it off the wall, expect him to be a factor.
* Jeremy Mayfield -- Might just sneak in. Experience pays at Indy.
* Kurt Busch -- Another guy to watch, starting 15th. I almost picked him for the win.
* Dale Jarrett -- Like Gordon, DJ knows how to win at this place, too.
* Matt Kenseth -- So predictable, starting 23rd. But it's not where you start, as the saying goes...
* Tony Stewart -- Check out Tony's commemorative chrome this weekend. Another Indiana driver who has been frustrated at his lack of success here. (Remember the infamous photographer punch-out of 2002...)
MISSING IN ACTION... Casey Mears (will hit the wall at some point)... Dale Burnhardt Jr. (thinks he's well enough to run the full race, but in what position?)... Bill Elliott (part-timer status will hurt)... Kevin Harvick (last year was a fluke)... Bobby Labonte (provisional land after blowing an engine, and it only gets worse. We miss Fatback!).
Pocono Lowe's-down
Jeff Gordon said it best Sunday when he said he was glad that Pocono isn't on the schedule for the Championship Chase because Jimmie Johnson seems to own it right now. Good for guys like Gordon, who trail JJ by more than 200 points with 16 races left in the season. Bad for Johnson, who will have to give up that lead after Richmond in September. This new points system is lame.
Jimmie J. dominated Sunday's race just like he did here in June, and the result was another ticket to Victory Lane. Pretty slick. The rain didn't fall, but a lot of the top 10 points leaders did on a day that saw a lot of attrition.
GLENN'S TEN (5-for-10):
* Jeremy Mayfield (winner) -- 9th, This really wasn't Mayfield's day. He got as high as third using pit strategy, but he was at best a top 15 car. Attrition got him a better finish than he deserved.
* Casey Mears -- 18th, Couldn't make that pole stick. Led a few laps, but wasn't much of a threat.
* Kurt Busch -- 26th, Who needs fourth gear? ...or third ...or second... or first. Better start thinking about Indy. Or Richmond...
* Jamie McMurray -- 30th, Yep. When I pick him he has a lousy day. Engine failure knocked him out on lap 171.
* Jimmie Johnson -- 1st, What more can you say about this kid? A 232-point lead is his largest of the year. He charged to the front and left everyone else in the dust for his fourth win of the season.
* Jeff Gordon -- 5th, Had some difficulties on pit stops that prevented him from getting a better finish. Still, he was in the top five all day. Now second in the points chase.
* Matt Kenseth -- 8th, Ran quietly. Ran well. Finished in the top 10. Up to 4th in the standings, still 417 points back.
* Bobby Labonte -- 29th, Was working on a top 10, but Brian Vickers had other plans.
* Dale Jarrett -- 24th, Suffered mechanical problems and finished laps down, but salvaged what could have been a horrible day thanks to high attrition. Still on a wing and a prayer for the Chase.
* Kasey Kahne -- 3rd, Bounced back from collision with Tony Stewart that left his hood caved in. Nice patch job by the pit crew, but he couldn't overcome track position.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Mark Martin -- 2nd, What was this? His sixth career second-place finish at Pocono?
* Greg Biffle -- 4th, The week after I say I'm through picking him, he puts together a good day. Scroom.
* Terry Labonte -- 6th, Olympic paint scheme gives the #5 Olympic-sized strength.
* Robby Gordon -- 7th, Maybe he's got something for Pocono. Second top 10 there this season.
* Elliott Sadler -- 10th, Same car he plans to race next week. Eh. Not an exciting run, but at least he's in the show.
OTHER NOTABLES:
Glad I steered clear of the drivers I mentioned in the preview:
* Ryan Newman -- 13th, Wins my atta-boy for overcoming a 2-lap deficit to actually gain two spots in the points standings. Could have been much, much worse.
* Dale "Burnhardt" Andretti Jr. -- 25th, He planned to run the whole race before discovering that his car was junk. Then he let John Andretti take over, who managed a few more sub-par laps before scraping it into the wall. Let's see... that's 267 points out of the lead, and now down to third. Only 393 points ahead of Jeremy Mayfield in 11th... Get healthy, Dale.
* Tony Stewart -- 35th, Had a top-five car before tangling with Kurt Busch and pounding the wall. A lot of scrap metal at Joe Gibbs Racing tonight.
* Michael Waltrip -- 36th, Parts on the engine failed. (Not NAPA parts, as Mikey was quick to point out!)
Next week: Super-G goes for his fourth career win at the Brickyard.
