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

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Nascar Sprint Cup Championship 2014 - 28 New Hampshire