We are now nearing the event horizon of the series. The point of no return. Except Brian France has made it so if you suck in the Chase, you are returned to the regular series. But sucky Brian France aside, Atlanta was a mixed blessing. Some decent finishes despite massive wrecks and several DNFs, including a fellow player.

Darrel lead the field into the fray with Chad and Sandy not far back.

Within the first lap, old rivalries ignited as Hamlin pressed Sandy up the track, not causing too much damage but knocking him well down the order.

Just up the track, Newman and Stewart tangled but still no caution.

Several laps in, Biffle came down while Legano went up, sending Biffle wide into the wall.

When he came back down, he was rolled by Labonte, starting the first of many DNFs in the night.

Darrel, me and Chad restarted 1-2-3. After a lap, Chad blew by me with Kahne, Boyer and others in tow. Darrel got tight while trying to maneuver around Bayne through turn 3 which opened the door for Chad to take the lead.

Only a couple laps latter and his splitter dragged so bad, he got tight off of four, allowing Johnson and a hard-pressing Boyer to take advantage.

Just back aways and a lap later, Darrel got bumped while Busch was coming up the track.

This caused a significant crash down the back stretch. Darrel kept it going, but only just.

The whole field came in to top off for the rest of the race and reload tires. Here, I beat Bowyer by microns coming out the pits.

Chad was less fortunate. Swinging wide to get out of his stall, Danica came roaring down and blew Chad out into the infield. At least she wasn't doing maximum velocity. Not that she ever does...

And then the most bizarre twist to the night: Darrel spins and rolls his car...on his own...by himself.

He kept alive somehow but a rear tire was busted and he had a hell of a time navigating the slope of the track.

Meanwhile, the whole field spent two laps barely avoiding him. I mean BARELY!

I don't honestly know how he stayed alive.

Finally, Danica did graze by him, blowing out his, yes, right front tire. Only Danica. Darrel would still limp on to finish the race.

On the restart, I pressed my advantage on Harvick while Sandy used Trevor Bayne's sad excuse for a car to pick the field.

It worked for a few laps, but the devilish Clint Bowyer came charging hard and caught Sandy out at the very worst possible spot, bounding him straight into the wall.

It wasn't pretty. This torment ended the 021 for good along with several others. Chad was involved as well but was slowed well down to avoid major damage.

The race came down to the final 10 laps or so where I held off the 15 and 4 to win.

Before I post results, I have some important information for the series. Since we are simulating the Chase for the Cup, points will be an important consideration for the final race of the regular season (Richmond). Sandy and Chad are essentially tied and just outside of the top 30 with their makeup points. A win and only a win can secure their position in the Chase. Darrel is already in for sure with his two wins.

Scot is the real X factor. A win would secure his place for sure, but there may still be hope without it. He's currently tied for 18th with Truex Jr, but only needs to get past Kasey Kahne, who is 16 points ahead. If he can clear Kahne by 17 positions and Ryan Newman by 6, and stay ahead of the six guys right behind him, he's in. So, yes, Scot, to answer your question, if you take them all out, you should be good. But I may suspend your pit crew chief indefinitely. And your spotter.

Bon Chance! (Get it? Brian France?)

NASCAR Racing 2003 Season EXPORTED STANDINGS

Track: ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Date: 09/03/14

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	28.986
2	055	C Ferguson	29.235
3	013	T Nadz	29.256
4	021	T Bear	29.407
5	5	K Kahne	29.604
6	14	T Stewart	29.633
7	20	M Kenseth	29.668
8	88	D Earnhardt Jr	29.676
9	2	B Keselowski	29.707
10	48	J Johnson	29.710
11	22	J Logano	29.720
12	99	C Edwards	29.729
13	16	G Biffle	29.742
14	24	J Gordon	29.745
15	66	J Burton	29.796
16	18	K Busch	29.799
17	11	D Hamlin	29.809
18	4	K Harvick	29.834
19	41	K Busch2	29.845
20	27	P Menard	29.867
21	78	M Truex Jr	29.928
22	9	M Ambrose	29.933
23	34	D Ragan	29.989
24	1	J McMurray	30.030
25	31	R Newman	30.044
26	13	C Mears	30.074
27	15	C Bowyer	30.094
28	35	E McClure	30.103
29	38	D Gilliland	30.107
30	43	A Almirola	30.205
31	47	A Allmendinger	30.207
32	32	T Kvapil	30.268
33	52	B Labonte	30.280
34	77	D Blaney	30.282
35	40	L Cassill	30.332
36	55	B Vickers	30.335
37	95	M McDowell	30.469
38	10	D Patrick	30.560
39	98	J Wise	30.605
40	17	R Stenhouse Jr	30.647
41	21	T Bayne	30.783
42	3	A Dillon	30.883
43	51	J Allgaier	31.117

Weather: Clear, 72 °F, Northwest 13 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	29.164
2	013	T Nadz	29.238
3	16	G Biffle	29.308
4	48	J Johnson	29.343
5	9	M Ambrose	29.382
6	41	K Busch2	29.384
7	055	C Ferguson	29.385
8	5	K Kahne	29.414
9	31	R Newman	29.416
10	99	C Edwards	29.448
11	14	T Stewart	29.476
12	78	M Truex Jr	29.551
13	24	J Gordon	29.553
14	88	D Earnhardt Jr	29.562
15	20	M Kenseth	29.569
16	4	K Harvick	29.572
17	15	C Bowyer	29.619
18	27	P Menard	29.647
19	18	K Busch	29.659
20	47	A Allmendinger	29.669
21	66	J Burton	29.752
22	34	D Ragan	29.787
23	2	B Keselowski	29.794
24	021	T Bear	29.865
25	22	J Logano	29.866
26	11	D Hamlin	29.951
27	52	B Labonte	30.023
28	35	E McClure	30.027
29	13	C Mears	30.037
30	1	J McMurray	30.042
31	95	M McDowell	30.064
32	40	L Cassill	30.076
33	98	J Wise	30.203
34	38	D Gilliland	30.227
35	55	B Vickers	30.234
36	77	D Blaney	30.259
37	32	T Kvapil	30.273
38	17	R Stenhouse Jr	30.307
39	3	A Dillon	30.574
40	21	T Bayne	30.600
41	51	J Allgaier	30.696
42	43	A Almirola	30.706
43	10	D Patrick	30.842

Weather: Clear, 72 °F, North 11 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	29.085
2	013	T Nadz	29.151
3	055	C Ferguson	29.562
4	021	T Bear	29.562
5	20	M Kenseth	29.617
6	48	J Johnson	29.803
7	88	D Earnhardt Jr	29.816
8	16	G Biffle	29.839
9	41	K Busch2	29.943
10	2	B Keselowski	29.968
11	9	M Ambrose	30.002
12	27	P Menard	30.035
13	5	K Kahne	30.068
14	78	M Truex Jr	30.106
15	34	D Ragan	30.130
16	24	J Gordon	30.140
17	14	T Stewart	30.211
18	11	D Hamlin	30.211
19	18	K Busch	30.247
20	1	J McMurray	30.256
21	38	D Gilliland	30.308
22	52	B Labonte	30.430
23	32	T Kvapil	30.445
24	66	J Burton	30.487
25	47	A Allmendinger	30.494
26	21	T Bayne	30.565
27	13	C Mears	30.600
28	22	J Logano	30.669
29	35	E McClure	30.683
30	43	A Almirola	30.694
31	77	D Blaney	30.760
32	95	M McDowell	30.775
33	3	A Dillon	30.899
34	15	C Bowyer	30.905
35	40	L Cassill	30.905
36	17	R Stenhouse Jr	31.142
37	10	D Patrick	31.230
38	55	B Vickers	31.845
39	51	J Allgaier	44.644
40	98	J Wise	45.070
41	99	C Edwards	54.512

Weather: Clear, 76 °F, North 13 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	2	013	T Nadz	133.054	49	15*	185	Running
2	17	15	C Bowyer	-0.19	49	5	175	Running
3	16	4	K Harvick	-0.45	49	14	170	Running
4	15	20	M Kenseth	-6.82	49	0	160	Running
5	30	1	J McMurray	-11.24	49	0	155	Running
6	5	9	M Ambrose	-11.44	49	0	150	Running
7	19	18	K Busch	-11.53	49	0	146	Running
8	18	27	P Menard	-11.62	49	0	142	Running
9	11	14	T Stewart	-11.94	49	3	143	Running
10	22	34	D Ragan	-16.34	49	0	134	Running
11	34	38	D Gilliland	-19.73	49	0	130	Running
12	14	88	D Earnhardt Jr	-20.34	49	0	127	Running
13	28	35	E McClure	-21.85	49	0	124	Running
14	13	24	J Gordon	-24.33	49	0	121	Running
15	7	055	C Ferguson	-25.47	49	2	123	Running
16	8	5	K Kahne	-26.91	49	0	115	Running
17	35	55	B Vickers	-1L	48	0	112	Running
18	36	77	D Blaney	-1L	48	0	109	Running
19	10	99	C Edwards	-1L	48	0	106	Running
20	1	061	D Hamilton	-2L	47	9	108	Running
21	40	21	T Bayne	-13L	36	0	100	Retired
22	4	48	J Johnson	-21L	28	1	102	Retired
23	25	22	J Logano	-22L	27	0	94	Retired
24	21	66	J Burton	-22L	27	0	91	Retired
25	6	41	K Busch2	-23L	26	0	88	Accident
26	32	40	L Cassill	-23L	26	0	85	Clutch
27	24	021	T Bear	-23L	26	0	82	Accident
28	37	32	T Kvapil	-23L	26	0	79	Retired
29	43	10	D Patrick	-23L	26	0	76	Retired
30	12	78	M Truex Jr	-24L	25	0	73	Camshaft
31	9	31	R Newman	-35L	14	0	70	Retired
32	23	2	B Keselowski	-36L	13	0	67	Retired
33	26	11	D Hamlin	-36L	13	0	64	Accident
34	39	3	A Dillon	-45L	4	0	61	Retired
35	38	17	R Stenhouse Jr	-45L	4	0	58	Retired
36	42	43	A Almirola	-45L	4	0	55	Retired
37	20	47	A Allmendinger	-45L	4	0	52	Retired
38	3	16	G Biffle	-45L	4	0	49	Accident
39	27	52	B Labonte	-46L	3	0	46	Accident
40	29	13	C Mears	-46L	3	0	43	Accident
41	31	95	M McDowell	-46L	3	0	40	Accident
42	33	98	J Wise	-46L	3	0	37	Accident
43	41	51	J Allgaier	-46L	3	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 5 (16 laps)

Lead Changes: 9 (7 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 75 °F, North 12 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 2x

AI Strength: 93%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
16	061	Dropping Debris	Pit for repairs
20	061	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
22	055	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
20	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
24	055	Passing the pacecar	Held for 36 seconds

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Nascar Sprint Cup Championship 2014 - 25 Atlanta