A great start for the season after some initial setup woes. Darrel's internet held it together and my modem didn't crap out during the main event. Best of all, everyone finished the race...all living drivers anyway. It was, however, a fairly chaotic race for some. Darrel and I started 1 and 3 and managed to stay first and second for most of the race, swapping a few times. Scot and Sandy started mid pack and Chad stayed at the back for a bit.

We ran for about 5-10 laps before the first caution waved. Scot squeezed a driver up the track and caused Sandy to have an altercation.

Fortunately, it wouldn't cost him the race but he was beat up enough that he wasn't racing with the pack.

And the wrecking wasn't finished there:

Back to racing and things were quiet for a bit until Scot dipped his tires under the yellow and kicked into a serious spin while running up in the top 10.

Chad came up on the accident fairly fast and couldn't get stopped in time, slamming into the back of some traffic and getting hit a few more times for good measure. Notice Danica looking on, impressed and relieved it wasn't her getting rammed by a much faster car...

Chad still wasn't away from it. After leaving the pits under this most recent caution, Bowyer liked Chad's tactics so much he decided to try it on the master himself by slamming the shit out of him.

Despite that, Chad still managed to keep going, although he'd be in the pits a few more times and racked up some black flags from doing so. Regardless, he continued to pass DNFers and stayed running to the end.

Back to green and we got some good laps in until Scot got loose in almost the exact same spot earlier in the race. This time, he managed to keep the car from coming up the tri-oval, but getting stuck in the grass with all four flat would require a tow truck and a 4+ minute wait.

Under this yellow, more excitement took place. In this shot, you can see Darrel clearly running down my jack man and taking out a few tire changers with him. Mr. Magoo's clear lack of pit road safety (or courtesy) would knock me from my pit stall. As I tried to back up, my shifter came right off the desk, loosing some serious time on pit road. Don't worry, Darrel, when my crew gets out of the hospital, they're going to cause you major grief in upcoming races. They already have plans to shut down your internet with 5 to go.

But wait, that's not all. Just like Chad on the last caution, Sandy was not spared a crushing blow from behind by a much faster, Carl Edwards.

Carl wouldn't get away perfectly clean as Trevor Bayne caught his quarter panel avoiding the calamity.

Once this yellow cleared, Darrel and I found ourselves caught out in 5th and 7th thanks to an awkward pace car maneuver and befuddled spotters. But the lappers slowed everyone up giving Darrel and me a quick shot to the front.

With three to go, Sandy was caught in the middle of a pack of very racey cars that couldn't completely avoid hitting him (they really liked to do that this race). Ol' Front Row Joe (who really had no business driving this far into the race) smashed Sandy into the air after Vickers glanced by, forcing him high.

The wreck continued to catch drivers as they tried to speed by, taking our DNF total to 20+.

Despite the unbelievable amount of damage the 021 suffered, he kept it going and finished the race, though not nearly as high as he had potential for. Chad was right behind him with enough parts left on it, the two could almost make a whole car again. Scot managed a 21st after some questionable tactics (he was still scored appropriately however). Darrel held first as we came to take the last laps under yellow with me right behind.

Right now he is the only driver guaranteed a chance at the chase and tied with me for first in points. Childress Racing currently tops the team points with Safety First Racing and Take the Money and Rum close behind. We'll race next week at Phoenix to try and stay ahead of the schedule. Well done everybody and congratulations, Darrel. Remember, my crew is watching...

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	055	C Ferguson	45.716
2	013	T Nadz	45.924
3	061	D Hamilton	46.350
4	5	K Kahne	46.479
5	1	J McMurray	46.500
6	34	D Ragan	46.528
7	4	K Harvick	46.531
8	021	T Bear	46.532
9	14	T Stewart	46.537
10	15	C Bowyer	46.564
11	48	J Johnson	46.567
12	38	D Gilliland	46.638
13	99	C Edwards	46.674
14	55	B Vickers	46.734
15	20	M Kenseth	46.737
16	9	M Ambrose	46.737
17	88	D Earnhardt Jr	46.741
18	56	M Truex Jr.	46.743
19	18	K Busch	46.783
20	47	A Allmendinger	46.790
21	31	R Newman	46.824
22	22	J Logano	46.834
23	11	D Hamlin	46.842
24	16	G Biffle	46.883
25	93	T Kvapil	46.891
26	27	P Menard	46.903
27	30	D Stremme	46.918
28	17	R Stenhouse Jr	46.921
29	24	J Gordon	46.936
30	13	C Mears	46.949
31	26	M Waltrip	46.955
32	43	A Almirola	46.966
33	83	D Reutimann	47.038
34	41	K Busch2	47.066
35	10	D Patrick	47.091
36	95	M McDowell	47.102
37	3	A Dillon	47.105
38	87	J Nemechek	47.143
39	21	T Bayne	47.211
40	2	B Keselowski	47.313
41	32	K Schrader	47.352
42	7	M Annett	47.383
43	029	M Max	51.453

Weather: Clear, 51 °F, Northeast 16 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	46.939
2	4	K Harvick	47.003
3	013	T Nadz	47.007
4	15	C Bowyer	47.012
5	48	J Johnson	47.013
6	24	J Gordon	47.043
7	9	M Ambrose	47.057
8	16	G Biffle	47.071
9	5	K Kahne	47.106
10	20	M Kenseth	47.108
11	18	K Busch	47.122
12	99	C Edwards	47.125
13	11	D Hamlin	47.127
14	22	J Logano	47.130
15	31	R Newman	47.177
16	1	J McMurray	47.185
17	88	D Earnhardt Jr	47.187
18	14	T Stewart	47.208
19	56	M Truex Jr.	47.221
20	021	T Bear	47.239
21	41	K Busch2	47.251
22	2	B Keselowski	47.267
23	27	P Menard	47.307
24	029	M Max	47.319
25	47	A Allmendinger	47.476
26	34	D Ragan	47.527
27	13	C Mears	47.570
28	38	D Gilliland	47.597
29	83	D Reutimann	47.600
30	30	D Stremme	47.621
31	55	B Vickers	47.663
32	93	T Kvapil	47.729
33	43	A Almirola	47.742
34	87	J Nemechek	47.786
35	26	M Waltrip	47.894
36	17	R Stenhouse Jr	47.935
37	95	M McDowell	47.968
38	10	D Patrick	47.977
39	21	T Bayne	47.984
40	32	K Schrader	48.053
41	3	A Dillon	48.146
42	7	M Annett	48.279
43	055	C Ferguson	48.343

Weather: Clear, 51 °F, East 20 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	27	P Menard	46.824
2	9	M Ambrose	46.924
3	18	K Busch	46.948
4	55	B Vickers	46.948
5	16	G Biffle	46.952
6	48	J Johnson	46.953
7	24	J Gordon	47.016
8	021	T Bear	47.087
9	11	D Hamlin	47.147
10	88	D Earnhardt Jr	47.186
11	22	J Logano	47.187
12	31	R Newman	47.398
13	30	D Stremme	47.502
14	13	C Mears	47.521
15	34	D Ragan	47.565
16	41	K Busch2	47.566
17	15	C Bowyer	47.603
18	56	M Truex Jr.	47.636
19	4	K Harvick	47.658
20	38	D Gilliland	47.672
21	055	C Ferguson	47.686
22	99	C Edwards	47.760
23	20	M Kenseth	47.772
24	43	A Almirola	47.772
25	47	A Allmendinger	47.773
26	21	T Bayne	47.782
27	83	D Reutimann	47.828
28	17	R Stenhouse Jr	47.842
29	87	J Nemechek	47.853
30	95	M McDowell	47.862
31	029	M Max	47.899
32	93	T Kvapil	47.923
33	14	T Stewart	47.988
34	2	B Keselowski	48.043
35	26	M Waltrip	48.056
36	32	K Schrader	48.079
37	3	A Dillon	48.084
38	10	D Patrick	48.097
39	7	M Annett	48.132
40	5	K Kahne	48.271
41	1	J McMurray	48.707
42	061	D Hamilton	57.886
43	013	T Nadz	1:00.279

Weather: Clear, 72 °F, Southeast 14 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	061	D Hamilton	127.437	50	18	180	Running
2	3	013	T Nadz	-0.14	50	26*	180	Running
3	15	31	R Newman	-0.83	50	1	170	Running
4	14	22	J Logano	-1.27	50	0	160	Running
5	23	27	P Menard	-1.49	50	5	160	Running
6	31	55	B Vickers	-1.94	50	0	150	Running
7	41	3	A Dillon	-2.40	50	0	146	Running
8	4	15	C Bowyer	-2.64	50	0	142	Running
9	18	14	T Stewart	-2.88	50	0	138	Running
10	21	41	K Busch2	-3.11	50	0	134	Running
11	11	18	K Busch	-1L	49	0	130	Running
12	6	24	J Gordon	-1L	49	0	127	Running
13	7	9	M Ambrose	-1L	49	0	124	Running
14	40	32	K Schrader	-1L	49	0	121	Running
15	22	2	B Keselowski	-1L	49	0	118	Running
16	12	99	C Edwards	-1L	49	0	115	Running
17	38	10	D Patrick	-1L	49	0	112	Running
18	35	26	M Waltrip	-1L	49	0	109	Running
19	13	11	D Hamlin	-2L	48	0	106	Retired
20	8	16	G Biffle	-3L	47	0	103	Header
21	24	029	M Max	-3L	47	0	100	Running
22	28	38	D Gilliland	-4L	46	0	97	Accident
23	26	34	D Ragan	-4L	46	0	94	Accident
24	19	56	M Truex Jr.	-4L	46	0	91	Accident
25	17	88	D Earnhardt Jr	-4L	46	0	88	Running
26	34	87	J Nemechek	-5L	45	0	85	Accident
27	27	13	C Mears	-5L	45	0	82	Accident
28	20	021	T Bear	-6L	44	0	79	Running
29	43	055	C Ferguson	-6L	44	0	76	Running
30	9	5	K Kahne	-14L	36	0	73	Accident
31	39	21	T Bayne	-15L	35	0	70	Accident
32	2	4	K Harvick	-20L	30	0	67	Clutch
33	5	48	J Johnson	-37L	13	0	64	Retired
34	29	83	D Reutimann	-37L	13	0	61	Retired
35	25	47	A Allmendinger	-37L	13	0	58	Accident
36	37	95	M McDowell	-37L	13	0	55	Accident
37	16	1	J McMurray	-38L	12	0	52	Camshaft
38	36	17	R Stenhouse Jr	-39L	11	0	49	Accident
39	10	20	M Kenseth	-39L	11	0	46	Running
40	30	30	D Stremme	-45L	5	0	43	Accident
41	32	93	T Kvapil	-45L	5	0	40	Retired
42	33	43	A Almirola	-45L	5	0	37	Accident
43	42	7	M Annett	-45L	5	0	34	Retired

Caution Flags: 5 (19 laps)

Lead Changes: 4 (4 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 72 °F, Southeast 11 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 2x

AI Strength: 105%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
6	021	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
12	055	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
13	055	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
13	055	Passing under yellow	Held for 42 seconds
14	055	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
51	029	Passing the pacecar	Held for 118 seconds

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Nascar Sprint Cup Championship 2014 - 1 Daytona