Phoenix recap
Knock on wood, but we haven't had a rainout this season. You would figure that being down in the desert there wouldn't be much chance of showers, but the drivers had to dodge the raindrops all afternoon. That led to some interesting strategies, which ultimately affected the finishing order. I'll do my quickie recap:
GLENN'S TEN (6-for-10):
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- 6th, Had a good car, but got caught up in traffic because of the shuffle on pit stops after Terry Labonte's crash.
* Jeff Gordon -- 3rd, Didn't have that good a car, but played the 2-tire game during pit stops about 50 laps from halfway, hoping to gain track position before a rain-shortened race, which didn't come to pass. He wound up leading many laps, but the older tires and a tight car hurt his chance to win on the final restart with 10 to go.
* Ryan Newman -- 2nd, A familiar headline: "Bad luck bites Newman." He cut a tire and went a couple of laps down early, but he eventually recovered and simply ran out of time to catch Dale Earnhardt Jr. Did have enough to get by Gordon for the second spot at the checkers. Drat!
* Tony Stewart -- 8th, Didn't hear much from Tony, but he benefitted from the last couple of cautions and the guys in front of him who came in for pit stops.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 1st, Repeat performance as the Phoenix winner looked unlikely for a time. He wanted to take tires on the next to last caution, but Tony Eury Sr. talked him out of it. Guess that's why he's the crew chief. The win moves him to within 47 points of the lead.
* Jeff Burton -- 11th, Just missed the show. He was in the top 10 for a bit.
* Mark Martin -- 15th, Said before the race that he had only about a 15th place car, and that's exactly what it was.
* Matt Kenseth -- 36th, Two words: Engine failure. Bye-bye any fleeting title hopes he might have had.
* Jamie McMurray -- 24th, Hello walls. At least it happened near the finish, so he didn't lose any laps. He was the last car on the lead lap, however.
* Rusty Wallace -- 7th, Was too good a finish for the Miller Lite Dodge, but I'll take it.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Kevin Harvick -- 4th, Looked sort of like the old Harvick, running well and getting into an altercation with Kasey Kahne on pit road after the checkers.
* Kasey Kahne -- 5th, Lost the battle with Harvick for the 4th spot. Shared his feelings on pit road by bumping into Harvick's left front fender. Easy there, buddy. Don't want any payback with Homestead coming up in a couple of weeks, which might be your best chance all season for victory...
* Bobby Labonte -- 9th, remember when Bobby routinely finished in the top 10? Tried fresh tires on the next to last caution and it helped him get a decent finish.
* Kurt Busch -- 10th, I had my hopes when he got caught a lap down following Terry Labonte's crash that he would stay down. But alas, he got back on the lead lap and made the show. Keeps him out front in the points chase by 41 over Jeff Gordon.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Jeremy Mayfield -- 21st, Another snoozer of an average day.
* Casey Mears -- 34th, Will this kid ever catch a break? Had a 2nd or 3rd easy before be lost a tire and pounded the wall for the final caution. Until that he had been holding off Little E for the spot. Never a good position to be in.
* Elliott Sadler -- 38th, There was so much promise when the Chase began.
Next week... With 48 points separating the top four spots, who will cash in from a dance with the Gray Lady at Darlington?
