Nascar Sprint Cup Championship 2014 - 28 New Hampshire

Things are certainly getting interesting going into the last race of the Chase round 1.  Darrel has made a jump to 7th and should be safe for the next round.  Scot has started to dig himself out of the hole and up to 14th but still a hill to climb before he's safe.  And I have fallen back into the danger zone.

Sandy made an impressive run and took Qualifying by storm to start first.  Even after a mulligan run (that was completely unwarranted I will say) he was able to maintain that lead.

However a tight condition would impede him  and cause him to slip up in the corners.

He was lucky though, and I was not, as Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth ran me over as I tried to mind my own damn business.  Kept it off the wall and free of damage, but the yellow was out.

On the next run of green flag laps, Scot got punted by Trevor Bayne coming out of turn two, sending him rolling through the air.  He survived, amazingly, and kept it going.

Shortly afterwards, Scott Hagerty had got the car under him and was starting to challenge for position.  But then Danica Patrick happened and she got blown out of the way.

Next set of greens I was working my way up when I got side drafted by Carl and bumped by Kahne.  Kept her off the racing line and no one hit me.  No caution.

Which placed me at the back of the grid where morons like these two like to hang out and get in the way.  McDowell nearly rammed Wise as they both dug the anchors in and I was caught completely out.  The catch on McDowell's bumper threw me into the wall and my engine would die only a few laps later.  Two DNFs for the Chase.

Halfway through and Sandy was back on top despite his earlier troubles.

Right behind him, before the green even waved, Hagerty wasn't expecting Sandy to be so slow coming to the line which forced some slightly harsh breaking.  Matt Kenseth was so bunched, he immediately spun him and rolled Hagerty.

While Scott actually had no damage, he was in a fury and literally turned on the field, slamming into oncoming cars and nearly killing Darrel.  He then rage quite immediately after.

This next yellow is brought to you by Scot Myer, a household name in crash development (TM).  Bowyer didn't have a chance.  I'm so sad.

What was sad was what happened shortly afterwards.  As the field caught the wreck, some drivers were involved while others moved to avoid.  Darrel tapped the back of McMurray as he swung low.  Barely any damage until Blaney completely smashed the back of Darrel's car.  How the 061 survived, I haven't a clue, but Hamilton not only drove away, but kept out of the pits and was racey!

He even caught up to Blaney a short time later under green and returned the favor.

The laps were winding down and Chad caught Labonte coming through turn three.

 Coming back to the line, Kurt Busch spun Scot.

On the restart, Newman ran into Darrel while Harvick was running high, forcing them all into the wall.

Racing back proved to be more of a tragedy as Scot was thrown into the outside wall by first, Kvapil and then Labonte, setting him up for more abuse by drivers rushing up to take the yellow.

Next set of greenies and Chad got loose while battling with Bayne and Cassill.

Coming back to the front stretch to return to caution and Biffle causes a big ol' mess while forcing it 3-wide.

The wreck was mostly kept to the outside until more cars started drifting out.  Kurt Busch (how many wrecks has he been in now?) bounced Sandy out hard into Danica Patrick, completely ruining The Bear's run back up to the front.

To add insult to injury, they couldn't even make the last few green flag laps available as Biffle turned him into the wall.  Instant karma was Sandy's, however, as Biffle just kept pushing the 021 down the front straight until that 3M engine just died out.

Certainly a lot of potential for points wasted for many of us but at least it was fun during some of the competitive parts.  We have one race left in the Challenger Round at Dover before the next four racers are cut from the Chase.  Good luck everyone.

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	29.733
2	013	T Nadz	29.749
3	18	K Busch	30.049
4	021	T Bear	30.107
5	20	M Kenseth	30.109
6	11	D Hamlin	30.139
7	055	C Ferguson	30.212
8	48	J Johnson	30.225
9	88	D Earnhardt Jr	30.230
10	41	K Busch2	30.233
11	14	T Stewart	30.236
12	66	J Burton	30.237
13	2	B Keselowski	30.246
14	99	C Edwards	30.248
15	15	C Bowyer	30.260
16	22	J Logano	30.299
17	78	M Truex Jr	30.313
18	9	M Ambrose	30.320
19	1	J McMurray	30.336
20	24	J Gordon	30.342
21	27	P Menard	30.368
22	34	D Ragan	30.383
23	16	G Biffle	30.428
24	5	K Kahne	30.438
25	4	K Harvick	30.459
26	47	A Allmendinger	30.583
27	13	C Mears	30.596
28	31	R Newman	30.657
29	35	E McClure	30.694
30	029	M Max	30.712
31	40	L Cassill	30.734
32	55	B Vickers	30.752
33	52	B Labonte	30.762
34	38	D Gilliland	30.762
35	43	A Almirola	30.767
36	32	T Kvapil	30.767
37	77	D Blaney	30.822
38	95	M McDowell	30.916
39	051	S Hagerty	30.929
40	98	J Wise	30.993
41	17	R Stenhouse Jr	31.077
42	21	T Bayne	31.079
43	10	D Patrick	31.174

Weather: Clear, 81 °F, North 8 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	021	T Bear	29.118
2	061	D Hamilton	29.328
3	013	T Nadz	29.512
4	14	T Stewart	29.604
5	48	J Johnson	29.605
6	18	K Busch	29.630
7	11	D Hamlin	29.646
8	20	M Kenseth	29.678
9	41	K Busch2	29.741
10	66	J Burton	29.759
11	15	C Bowyer	29.782
12	9	M Ambrose	29.851
13	24	J Gordon	29.873
14	4	K Harvick	29.879
15	31	R Newman	29.892
16	27	P Menard	29.901
17	16	G Biffle	29.909
18	88	D Earnhardt Jr	29.943
19	22	J Logano	29.944
20	5	K Kahne	29.987
21	34	D Ragan	30.014
22	2	B Keselowski	30.031
23	38	D Gilliland	30.125
24	99	C Edwards	30.164
25	32	T Kvapil	30.209
26	52	B Labonte	30.235
27	1	J McMurray	30.283
28	78	M Truex Jr	30.287
29	13	C Mears	30.288
30	55	B Vickers	30.302
31	40	L Cassill	30.405
32	17	R Stenhouse Jr	30.444
33	95	M McDowell	30.491
34	47	A Allmendinger	30.499
35	35	E McClure	30.603
36	055	C Ferguson	30.606
37	21	T Bayne	30.636
38	77	D Blaney	30.717
39	43	A Almirola	30.819
40	98	J Wise	30.892
41	10	D Patrick	30.895
42	029	M Max	43.132
43	051	S Hagerty	--

Weather: Cloudy, 81 °F, Northeast 6 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	021	T Bear	29.125
2	013	T Nadz	29.303
3	061	D Hamilton	29.354
4	31	R Newman	29.471
5	24	J Gordon	29.547
6	055	C Ferguson	29.576
7	1	J McMurray	29.583
8	029	M Max	29.627
9	99	C Edwards	29.639
10	5	K Kahne	29.655
11	66	J Burton	29.672
12	20	M Kenseth	29.691
13	48	J Johnson	29.698
14	47	A Allmendinger	29.754
15	15	C Bowyer	29.779
16	78	M Truex Jr	29.879
17	2	B Keselowski	29.889
18	22	J Logano	29.921
19	9	M Ambrose	29.949
20	88	D Earnhardt Jr	29.976
21	16	G Biffle	29.993
22	4	K Harvick	30.023
23	11	D Hamlin	30.026
24	35	E McClure	30.031
25	27	P Menard	30.046
26	14	T Stewart	30.100
27	32	T Kvapil	30.107
28	13	C Mears	30.121
29	34	D Ragan	30.142
30	18	K Busch	30.179
31	41	K Busch2	30.202
32	051	S Hagerty	30.218
33	38	D Gilliland	30.230
34	52	B Labonte	30.257
35	77	D Blaney	30.286
36	43	A Almirola	30.312
37	55	B Vickers	30.398
38	10	D Patrick	30.429
39	40	L Cassill	30.453
40	98	J Wise	30.535
41	21	T Bayne	30.553
42	95	M McDowell	30.579
43	17	R Stenhouse Jr	30.686

Weather: Cloudy, 74 °F, East 3 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	5	48	J Johnson	73.878	60	19	180	Running
2	6	18	K Busch	-0.39	60	0	170	Running
3	8	20	M Kenseth	-0.78	60	11	170	Running
4	10	66	J Burton	-1.17	60	0	160	Running
5	18	88	D Earnhardt Jr	-1.57	60	0	155	Running
6	19	22	J Logano	-1.96	60	0	150	Running
7	13	24	J Gordon	-3.96	60	0	146	Running
8	21	34	D Ragan	-4.36	60	0	142	Running
9	12	9	M Ambrose	-4.76	60	0	138	Running
10	20	5	K Kahne	-5.17	60	0	134	Running
11	22	2	B Keselowski	-5.26	60	0	130	Clutch
12	34	47	A Allmendinger	-5.58	60	0	127	Running
13	16	27	P Menard	-5.99	60	0	124	Running
14	25	32	T Kvapil	-6.40	60	0	121	Running
15	26	52	B Labonte	-6.82	60	0	118	Running
16	38	77	D Blaney	-7.25	60	0	115	Running
17	35	35	E McClure	-7.69	60	0	112	Running
18	28	78	M Truex Jr	-8.14	60	0	109	Running
19	2	061	D Hamilton	-8.65	60	22*	116	Running
20	15	31	R Newman	-9.08	60	0	103	Running
21	9	41	K Busch2	-9.55	60	0	100	Running
22	32	17	R Stenhouse Jr	-10.10	60	0	97	Running
23	31	40	L Cassill	-10.94	60	0	94	Running
24	4	14	T Stewart	-11.61	60	0	91	Running
25	1	021	T Bear	-12.82	60	8	93	Running
26	42	029	M Max	-13.82	60	0	85	Running
27	36	055	C Ferguson	-15.36	60	0	82	Running
28	24	99	C Edwards	-1L	59	0	79	Running
29	27	1	J McMurray	-1L	59	0	76	Running
30	41	10	D Patrick	-1L	59	0	73	Running
31	17	16	G Biffle	-2L	58	0	70	Running
32	7	11	D Hamlin	-7L	53	0	67	Clutch
33	37	21	T Bayne	-9L	51	0	64	Accident
34	30	55	B Vickers	-13L	47	0	61	Retired
35	23	38	D Gilliland	-23L	37	0	58	Accident
36	11	15	C Bowyer	-23L	37	0	55	Accident
37	39	43	A Almirola	-24L	36	0	52	Retired
38	40	98	J Wise	-24L	36	0	49	Accident
39	29	13	C Mears	-24L	36	0	46	Piston
40	43	051	S Hagerty	-31L	29	0	43	Retired
41	3	013	T Nadz	-35L	25	0	40	Valve
42	14	4	K Harvick	-36L	24	0	37	Ignition
43	33	95	M McDowell	-39L	21	0	34	Retired

Caution Flags: 11 (40 laps)

Lead Changes: 6 (4 drivers)

Weather: Cloudy, 73 °F, Southeast 4 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 2x

AI Strength: 90%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
5	051	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
6	051	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
6	051	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
6	051	Failure to pit	Go to end of longest line
6	051	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
8	029	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
16	051	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
24	013	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
25	013	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
28	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
44	055	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
49	029	Failure to pit	Go to end of longest line
49	029	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
51	029	Passing the pacecar	Held for 36 seconds
54	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
55	055	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
55	055	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line

Nascar Sprint Cup Championship 2014 - 27 Chicagoland

Not a good start to the Chase for us humans.  Darrel was the only human to finish and despite all the DNFs, most of the Chasers finished the race.

Qualifying went fairly well and posted me at pole with Chad and Darrel right behind.  After our mulligan attempt, they worked on their strategy for dealing with the pack on the start.

By the first turn, Shagerty was hot into the corner and ran up the track into David Gilliland.

He actually had the car saved, but the 55 was too slow and they collided, running up the track, and rolling Hagerty.  A very quick end to his day.

By lap 6, Chad and Darrel were caught on the restart and old Baby Face Newman took to Chad's rear bumper, sliding him up the track.

The devastation was large, involving several cars but not too many DNFs.  Both Darrel and Chad suffered damage from this one.

Nearly a dozen laps in and Scot was turned in a similar fashion by Greg Biffle.  Some rear panel damage, but nothing to keep him down.

Then on the restart, Newman was at it again and spun me coming on to the back stretch.

I almost saved it and kept it high but Johnson tapped me and sent me down into oncoming traffic.  Lots of drivers involved on this one and I was hurt bad, despite the relatively minor impacts I suffered.

About halfway through and Ryan Newman is involved AGAIN!  This time he gets what he deserves after making it 4-wide going into turn one.  Edwards bumped Cassill up the track and the two clobbered themselves on the fence.

Coming back to the green, Scot hip-checks the wife-beatin' Kvapil and causes a small three-car pile up.

Around lap 30 or so, Scot dive bombs the 20 of Legano and catches some serious air.

Seriously.

Under 20 to go and my engine just quit.  While on the back stretch I must have tried to dive out of the way for the pits when I suddenly found myself right in the middle of traffic.

Too bad...

While this could have helped Darrel, the birthday boy ended up smacking into the bunched up cars.  He managed to keep running though and would finish 14th ahead of some DNFers.

Edwards took the win with several other Chasers still alive and kicking.

My fairly hefty lead in the points has almost completely evaporated and Kenseth is only but 8 behind.  The rest of the field is fairly stacked up as well with Scot perilously at the bottom.  He'll need to rally strong and fierce for Loudon and Dover to save himself from the first round of eliminations.

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	28.475
2	061	D Hamilton	29.159
3	18	K Busch	29.817
4	15	C Bowyer	29.884
5	2	B Keselowski	29.889
6	88	D Earnhardt Jr	29.899
7	029	M Max	29.905
8	48	J Johnson	29.945
9	27	P Menard	29.949
10	24	J Gordon	30.005
11	16	G Biffle	30.012
12	41	K Busch2	30.014
13	11	D Hamlin	30.050
14	31	R Newman	30.051
15	78	M Truex Jr	30.066
16	34	D Ragan	30.069
17	22	J Logano	30.076
18	1	J McMurray	30.099
19	52	B Labonte	30.218
20	38	D Gilliland	30.264
21	5	K Kahne	30.291
22	9	M Ambrose	30.313
23	99	C Edwards	30.324
24	13	C Mears	30.328
25	35	E McClure	30.347
26	43	A Almirola	30.375
27	14	T Stewart	30.396
28	95	M McDowell	30.442
29	20	M Kenseth	30.446
30	98	J Wise	30.446
31	4	K Harvick	30.468
32	40	L Cassill	30.469
33	17	R Stenhouse Jr	30.477
34	10	D Patrick	30.480
35	66	J Burton	30.551
36	55	B Vickers	30.621
37	30	D Stremme	30.633
38	21	T Bayne	30.693
39	77	D Blaney	30.831
40	47	A Allmendinger	30.840
41	051	S Hagerty	33.959
42	055	C Ferguson	34.530
43	32	T Kvapil	45.367

Weather: Clear, 69 °F, Northwest 6 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	28.222
2	055	C Ferguson	28.774
3	061	D Hamilton	28.880
4	16	G Biffle	29.207
5	31	R Newman	29.227
6	48	J Johnson	29.358
7	41	K Busch2	29.418
8	4	K Harvick	29.428
9	15	C Bowyer	29.438
10	18	K Busch	29.452
11	99	C Edwards	29.471
12	11	D Hamlin	29.477
13	88	D Earnhardt Jr	29.483
14	1	J McMurray	29.491
15	22	J Logano	29.507
16	5	K Kahne	29.526
17	24	J Gordon	29.556
18	78	M Truex Jr	29.583
19	2	B Keselowski	29.587
20	14	T Stewart	29.602
21	9	M Ambrose	29.618
22	20	M Kenseth	29.656
23	47	A Allmendinger	29.688
24	27	P Menard	29.751
25	35	E McClure	29.763
26	32	T Kvapil	29.766
27	13	C Mears	29.787
28	52	B Labonte	29.882
29	051	S Hagerty	29.975
30	34	D Ragan	29.993
31	43	A Almirola	30.028
32	55	B Vickers	30.029
33	77	D Blaney	30.030
34	38	D Gilliland	30.032
35	95	M McDowell	30.052
36	40	L Cassill	30.059
37	30	D Stremme	30.129
38	66	J Burton	30.308
39	17	R Stenhouse Jr	30.313
40	21	T Bayne	30.442
41	98	J Wise	30.491
42	10	D Patrick	30.528
43	029	M Max	38.861

Weather: Cloudy, 69 °F, North 6 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	29.157
2	055	C Ferguson	29.245
3	013	T Nadz	29.308
4	029	M Max	29.536
5	16	G Biffle	29.653
6	99	C Edwards	29.768
7	15	C Bowyer	29.789
8	20	M Kenseth	29.938
9	27	P Menard	29.997
10	11	D Hamlin	30.017
11	18	K Busch	30.020
12	31	R Newman	30.045
13	88	D Earnhardt Jr	30.052
14	14	T Stewart	30.060
15	24	J Gordon	30.074
16	9	M Ambrose	30.080
17	78	M Truex Jr	30.085
18	41	K Busch2	30.098
19	4	K Harvick	30.112
20	5	K Kahne	30.128
21	66	J Burton	30.143
22	2	B Keselowski	30.241
23	32	T Kvapil	30.257
24	1	J McMurray	30.297
25	47	A Allmendinger	30.322
26	77	D Blaney	30.357
27	38	D Gilliland	30.426
28	43	A Almirola	30.469
29	22	J Logano	30.606
30	13	C Mears	30.616
31	52	B Labonte	30.724
32	40	L Cassill	30.738
33	35	E McClure	30.760
34	98	J Wise	30.764
35	21	T Bayne	30.783
36	95	M McDowell	30.786
37	30	D Stremme	30.828
38	10	D Patrick	30.885
39	051	S Hagerty	30.943
40	17	R Stenhouse Jr	31.014
41	34	D Ragan	44.247

Weather: Clear, 74 °F, West 13 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	11	99	C Edwards	106.000	50	21*	185	Running
2	10	18	K Busch	-0.37	50	0	170	Running
3	18	78	M Truex Jr	-1.69	50	0	165	Running
4	22	20	M Kenseth	-2.59	50	0	160	Running
5	4	16	G Biffle	-3.30	50	0	155	Running
6	9	15	C Bowyer	-6.43	50	0	150	Running
7	17	24	J Gordon	-6.49	50	0	146	Running
8	20	14	T Stewart	-8.51	50	0	142	Running
9	21	9	M Ambrose	-9.70	50	0	138	Running
10	28	52	B Labonte	-10.10	50	0	134	Running
11	5	31	R Newman	-10.21	50	2	135	Running
12	13	88	D Earnhardt Jr	-10.22	50	0	127	Running
13	33	77	D Blaney	-12.33	50	0	124	Running
14	3	061	D Hamilton	-16.80	50	0	121	Running
15	16	5	K Kahne	-10L	40	0	118	Retired
16	7	41	K Busch2	-10L	40	0	115	Retired
17	27	13	C Mears	-11L	39	0	112	Retired
18	24	27	P Menard	-11L	39	0	109	Retired
19	40	21	T Bayne	-11L	39	0	106	Retired
20	6	48	J Johnson	-11L	39	0	103	Accident
21	8	4	K Harvick	-11L	39	10	105	Retired
22	12	11	D Hamlin	-11L	39	0	97	Accident
23	38	66	J Burton	-12L	38	0	94	Accident
24	1	013	T Nadz	-12L	38	14	96	Accident
25	35	95	M McDowell	-20L	30	3	93	Retired
26	43	029	M Max	-21L	29	0	85	Accident
27	39	17	R Stenhouse Jr	-21L	29	0	82	Accident
28	25	35	E McClure	-30L	20	0	79	Retired
29	36	40	L Cassill	-31L	19	0	76	Accident
30	26	32	T Kvapil	-31L	19	0	73	Retired
31	14	1	J McMurray	-34L	16	0	70	Retired
32	41	98	J Wise	-35L	15	0	67	Retired
33	23	47	A Allmendinger	-35L	15	0	64	Accident
34	15	22	J Logano	-44L	6	0	61	Retired
35	19	2	B Keselowski	-44L	6	0	58	Retired
36	2	055	C Ferguson	-45L	5	0	55	Accident
37	30	34	D Ragan	-45L	5	0	52	Retired
38	42	10	D Patrick	-45L	5	0	49	Accident
39	31	43	A Almirola	-45L	5	0	46	Accident
40	34	38	D Gilliland	-45L	5	0	43	Accident
41	37	30	D Stremme	-47L	3	0	40	Header
42	29	051	S Hagerty	-49L	1	0	37	Retired
43	32	55	B Vickers	-50L	0	0	34	Retired

Caution Flags: 7 (27 laps)

Lead Changes: 4 (5 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 73 °F, Southwest 9 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 2x

AI Strength: 92%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
2	051	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
2	051	Reckless driving	DQ'd: Scoring is ended
13	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
16	013	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
16	013	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
16	013	Passing under yellow	Held for 15 seconds
42	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line