Nascar Sprint Cup Championship 2014 - 33 Martinsville

The first race in the Eliminator Round at the half mile of Martinsville.  A smaller bunch of humans but certainly plenty to cause havoc.

Scot had the pole using some unorthadox methods for qualifying with me on his outside.  Sandy and Chad were a sprinkled among the field.

Chad was in trouble early due to a loose race car and running on the edge.

The first caution would come after bouncing into some of the back markers.  Oh look, a 30-something.

Scot could also be seen doing some spinning of his own as he got run over by the 48 of Mr. Johnson.

This one even got Chad caught up a little bit who was continuing to struggle with an ungainly setup.

 The next caution came after Chad got loose off of four and turned back up into traffic.

 After Busch hit him, there was a nice big pile up.  A handful were out at this point.

Scot would be the next couple of yellows, not really of his doing.  First was Woodchuck...

...and then he ran up on a 30-something.

When Scot turned Sorrenson, it brought out the caution just as Sandy was about to go a lap down.  I held up the field as much as I could to keep him on the lead but Kenseth tried to sneak by high.  The two collided and went spinning.  No real damage done.

The real damage was done when The Bear pulled out in front of Trevor Bayne to rejoin the line.  It was a perfect storm: Sandy's car was positioned so his A-rail blocked sight of oncoming cars and Bayne was behind smoke during the precious moments the A-rail wasn't a problem.  TBear was TBoned and TDead.

A short while later, Chad was slow off of two and was holding up the field.  I don't know if he was planning to pit or what but the bottle neck caused a lot of wrecking.  Scot got into it a little with Gordon as he and the 34 (a 30-something) collided.

The next caution was actually only of AI doing.

On the restart, Scot and I were in the fray working our way up.  I escorted the 48 to the outside wall.  It looks bad, but I'd like to point out that Mad Max was much busier than I was...

It wasn't until here that the yellow would finally come out.

He must not of liked what happened because he started slamming a few oncoming cars.

'Even gave Chad a whack.

And still managed to wreck a guy under yellow.  But it was the 34 so he didn't count.

On the home stretch now and Scot nearly got caught in this altercation of Jr and Newman (GASP!  A 30-something).

That same caution, Danicka wanted a closer look at Scot's paint scheme.  I'll admit, it does look good.

Closing in on the final laps, Scot resumed his work of running afoul the competition.

And doing so quite well.

In the end, he held 7th, the last lead lap car, while I took the lead and a victory flip.  Eat your heart out, Carl Edwards.

With a spot in the Chase secured for me, we move to the deep south in Texas for a fast and furious race.

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	029	M Max	20.784
2	055	C Ferguson	21.459
3	013	T Nadz	21.485
4	99	C Edwards	21.624
5	16	G Biffle	21.835
6	20	M Kenseth	21.852
7	9	M Ambrose	21.878
8	11	D Hamlin	21.890
9	5	K Kahne	21.918
10	35	E McClure	21.927
11	22	J Logano	21.941
12	38	D Gilliland	21.989
13	1	J McMurray	21.992
14	18	K Busch	22.126
15	4	K Harvick	22.130
16	34	D Ragan	22.172
17	43	A Almirola	22.173
18	13	C Mears	22.214
19	32	T Kvapil	22.301
20	17	R Stenhouse Jr	22.311
21	2	B Keselowski	22.379
22	47	A Allmendinger	22.446
23	48	J Johnson	22.451
24	41	K Busch2	22.490
25	14	T Stewart	22.499
26	66	J Burton	22.511
27	88	D Earnhardt Jr	22.541
28	40	L Cassill	22.549
29	55	B Vickers	22.610
30	78	M Truex Jr	22.684
31	24	J Gordon	22.716
32	10	D Patrick	23.062
33	98	J Wise	23.121
34	21	T Bayne	23.473
35	52	B Labonte	24.109
36	95	M McDowell	24.567
37	31	R Newman	28.817
38	15	C Bowyer	29.147
39	27	P Menard	29.700
40	77	D Blaney	33.865
41	30	D Stremme	34.759
42	36	R Sorenson	41.291

Weather: Clear, 77 °F, Northeast 5 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	029	M Max	20.949
2	013	T Nadz	21.163
3	48	J Johnson	21.331
4	99	C Edwards	21.369
5	11	D Hamlin	21.370
6	24	J Gordon	21.464
7	16	G Biffle	21.582
8	1	J McMurray	21.617
9	055	C Ferguson	21.664
10	18	K Busch	21.687
11	15	C Bowyer	21.702
12	88	D Earnhardt Jr	21.721
13	66	J Burton	21.737
14	20	M Kenseth	21.755
15	27	P Menard	21.756
16	5	K Kahne	21.763
17	2	B Keselowski	21.851
18	14	T Stewart	21.851
19	41	K Busch2	21.869
20	31	R Newman	21.906
21	021	T Bear	21.942
22	9	M Ambrose	21.943
23	38	D Gilliland	21.979
24	32	T Kvapil	21.991
25	78	M Truex Jr	22.005
26	52	B Labonte	22.028
27	34	D Ragan	22.067
28	35	E McClure	22.075
29	47	A Allmendinger	22.140
30	30	D Stremme	22.173
31	43	A Almirola	22.180
32	95	M McDowell	22.198
33	22	J Logano	22.201
34	13	C Mears	22.226
35	55	B Vickers	22.244
36	77	D Blaney	22.394
37	36	R Sorenson	22.475
38	4	K Harvick	22.513
39	40	L Cassill	22.565
40	17	R Stenhouse Jr	22.578
41	98	J Wise	22.587
42	21	T Bayne	22.653
43	10	D Patrick	22.811

Weather: Clear, 77 °F, Northwest 7 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	21.141
2	18	K Busch	21.625
3	20	M Kenseth	21.641
4	029	M Max	21.712
5	24	J Gordon	21.767
6	055	C Ferguson	21.776
7	021	T Bear	21.781
8	14	T Stewart	21.793
9	22	J Logano	21.843
10	31	R Newman	21.866
11	47	A Allmendinger	22.005
12	88	D Earnhardt Jr	22.007
13	27	P Menard	22.013
14	4	K Harvick	22.055
15	1	J McMurray	22.065
16	35	E McClure	22.079
17	16	G Biffle	22.087
18	9	M Ambrose	22.090
19	15	C Bowyer	22.114
20	48	J Johnson	22.125
21	41	K Busch2	22.138
22	38	D Gilliland	22.146
23	11	D Hamlin	22.166
24	5	K Kahne	22.186
25	99	C Edwards	22.193
26	34	D Ragan	22.211
27	78	M Truex Jr	22.212
28	55	B Vickers	22.225
29	66	J Burton	22.238
30	13	C Mears	22.269
31	2	B Keselowski	22.295
32	95	M McDowell	22.379
33	17	R Stenhouse Jr	22.391
34	98	J Wise	22.408
35	21	T Bayne	22.428
36	40	L Cassill	22.445
37	43	A Almirola	22.449
38	30	D Stremme	22.465
39	36	R Sorenson	22.489
40	52	B Labonte	22.564
41	77	D Blaney	22.624
42	32	T Kvapil	22.725
43	10	D Patrick	23.058

Weather: Clear, 69 °F, Northeast 2 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	2	013	T Nadz	60.989	125	102*	185	Running
2	17	2	B Keselowski	-5.31	125	12	175	Running
3	7	16	G Biffle	-7.32	125	0	165	Running
4	3	48	J Johnson	-7.48	125	0	160	Running
5	8	1	J McMurray	-9.03	125	4	160	Running
6	11	15	C Bowyer	-13.49	125	0	150	Running
7	1	029	M Max	-20.45	125	7	151	Running
8	12	88	D Earnhardt Jr	-1L	124	0	142	Running
9	25	78	M Truex Jr	-2L	123	0	138	Running
10	13	66	J Burton	-2L	123	0	134	Running
11	18	14	T Stewart	-2L	123	0	130	Running
12	14	20	M Kenseth	-2L	123	0	127	Running
13	22	9	M Ambrose	-2L	123	0	124	Running
14	24	32	T Kvapil	-2L	123	0	121	Running
15	39	40	L Cassill	-2L	123	0	118	Running
16	19	41	K Busch2	-3L	122	0	115	Running
17	27	34	D Ragan	-3L	122	0	112	Running
18	33	22	J Logano	-3L	122	0	109	Running
19	20	31	R Newman	-3L	122	0	106	Running
20	38	4	K Harvick	-3L	122	0	103	Running
21	23	38	D Gilliland	-3L	122	0	100	Running
22	6	24	J Gordon	-3L	122	0	97	Running
23	28	35	E McClure	-3L	122	0	94	Running
24	15	27	P Menard	-4L	121	0	91	Running
25	29	47	A Allmendinger	-4L	121	0	88	Running
26	35	55	B Vickers	-4L	121	0	85	Running
27	36	77	D Blaney	-5L	120	0	82	Running
28	30	30	D Stremme	-5L	120	0	79	Running
29	26	52	B Labonte	-5L	120	0	76	Running
30	40	17	R Stenhouse Jr	-6L	119	0	73	Running
31	37	36	R Sorenson	-10L	115	0	70	Retired
32	42	21	T Bayne	-13L	112	0	67	Running
33	9	055	C Ferguson	-27L	98	0	64	Running
34	31	43	A Almirola	-29L	96	0	61	Running
35	43	10	D Patrick	-34L	91	0	58	Running
36	32	95	M McDowell	-38L	87	0	55	Ignition
37	34	13	C Mears	-80L	45	0	52	Retired
38	21	021	T Bear	-80L	45	0	49	Accident
39	16	5	K Kahne	-103L	22	0	46	Retired
40	4	99	C Edwards	-108L	17	0	43	Retired
41	10	18	K Busch	-108L	17	0	40	Retired
42	5	11	D Hamlin	-108L	17	0	37	Retired
43	41	98	J Wise	-110L	15	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 13 (51 laps)

Lead Changes: 6 (4 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 68 °F, Northwest 2 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 87%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
4	021	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
9	055	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
25	021	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
35	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
34	021	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
30	055	Speeding in pits	Drive through pit lane
49	029	Passing under yellow	Held for 1 seconds
40	055	Speeding in pits	Drive through pit lane
46	055	Speeding in pits	Drive through pit lane
62	055	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
62	055	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
62	055	Failure to pit	Go to end of longest line
71	055	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
111	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
112	029	Passing under yellow	Held for 1 seconds

Nascar Sprint Cup Championship 2014 - 32 Talladega

Down to the final 8 as we wrap up the Contender Round at Talladega.  Comers and goers here and Chad has proven that his most hated tracks are his best.

Qualifying polarized the humans with me on pole and everyone else at the back.  But it would not stay like this forever, oh no.

We were without incident for about 5 laps when I tapped the 48 coming to the line.

He collected a few but only a handful dropped out, and not even good ones at that.

Most of those in the back decided to hit the pits for tires and fuel.  Scott should have asked for brakes as he didn't have any coming to his stall.  This was all Sandy saw from the side as he innocently attempted his own stop.  Fortunately no one was terribly hurt although Darrel's car would not be nearly as fast for the rest of the night.

That pit stop was where Sandy's luck would end.  Coming to take the green, Mr. Downshift took out his engine trying to engine break approaching the field.  His day was done and this would be the second 'Dega that killed his engine without a scratch on the paint.

We got going green a lap later and it took some time but the field was plowing away.  Here, Darrel barely escaped the swarm as they came by.

While battling for position, I basically got a side draft off of Mears and went sideways.  Not a lot of damage and no one else was really involved.  But I too wasn't running right afterward.

Not long after the restart, Scott was DQed for not honoring the black flag.  I guess there was a speeding penalty he didn't realize he had.  Too bad.

By about halfway, when the field caught me, I was doing my best to stay on the lead lap when I drifted in front of Kenseth.

And held on for what I thought was the big one.

It was actually quite innocuous as wrecks go and only a select few VIPs got to be involved.

Including Mr. Dillon who felt it necessary to T-Bone my car as I was trying to get righted, post-wreck.  Notice the angle of his vehicle, facing out towards the track, indicating he turned up to hit me deliberately.  This will not be forgotten.  The 3 and 15 have received black spots on their Facebook walls.

But one human was still in the running and it was Chad.  Taking the restart with about six or seven to go, Chad started blazing a trail.

He drove hard and earned a deserving 10th place.

To celebrate, I sacrificed a Kahne to the NASCAR gods on my whiteflag lap.

We now go from biggest to smallest at Martinsville.  I'll post any updates as necessary.  It should be an awesome start to the Elimination Round.

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	20	M Kenseth	48.633
2	16	G Biffle	48.810
3	66	J Burton	48.839
4	2	B Keselowski	48.927
5	013	T Nadz	48.929
6	99	C Edwards	48.953
7	13	C Mears	48.993
8	48	J Johnson	49.044
9	14	T Stewart	49.060
10	24	J Gordon	49.142
11	35	E McClure	49.163
12	88	D Earnhardt Jr	49.187
13	18	K Busch	49.203
14	9	M Ambrose	49.221
15	27	P Menard	49.234
16	77	D Blaney	49.303
17	95	M McDowell	49.409
18	32	T Kvapil	49.429
19	22	J Logano	49.461
20	34	D Ragan	49.515
21	47	A Allmendinger	49.544
22	98	J Wise	49.560
23	5	K Kahne	49.570
24	38	D Gilliland	49.570
25	41	K Busch2	49.684
26	055	C Ferguson	49.689
27	15	C Bowyer	49.691
28	061	D Hamilton	49.696
29	021	T Bear	49.727
30	17	R Stenhouse Jr	49.772
31	31	R Newman	49.818
32	4	K Harvick	49.839
33	52	B Labonte	49.860
34	78	M Truex Jr	49.897
35	3	A Dillon	49.916
36	55	B Vickers	49.950
37	30	D Stremme	50.067
38	43	A Almirola	50.374
39	40	L Cassill	50.406
40	1	J McMurray	50.420
41	11	D Hamlin	50.467
42	051	S Hagerty	51.145
43	21	T Bayne	51.609

Weather: Cloudy, 66 °F, South 6 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	49.155
2	99	C Edwards	49.167
3	20	M Kenseth	49.223
4	48	J Johnson	49.293
5	88	D Earnhardt Jr	49.317
6	15	C Bowyer	49.324
7	4	K Harvick	49.367
8	22	J Logano	49.378
9	18	K Busch	49.396
10	24	J Gordon	49.397
11	2	B Keselowski	49.412
12	78	M Truex Jr	49.442
13	5	K Kahne	49.462
14	31	R Newman	49.534
15	11	D Hamlin	49.537
16	41	K Busch2	49.548
17	34	D Ragan	49.550
18	14	T Stewart	49.574
19	16	G Biffle	49.599
20	9	M Ambrose	49.618
21	1	J McMurray	49.633
22	27	P Menard	49.674
23	66	J Burton	49.730
24	38	D Gilliland	49.766
25	47	A Allmendinger	49.785
26	55	B Vickers	49.980
27	13	C Mears	49.987
28	95	M McDowell	50.068
29	52	B Labonte	50.075
30	40	L Cassill	50.141
31	17	R Stenhouse Jr	50.214
32	35	E McClure	50.230
33	32	T Kvapil	50.279
34	77	D Blaney	50.283
35	43	A Almirola	50.315
36	21	T Bayne	50.364
37	98	J Wise	50.424
38	3	A Dillon	50.510
39	30	D Stremme	50.578
40	055	C Ferguson	50.745
41	021	T Bear	50.817
42	061	D Hamilton	50.974
43	051	S Hagerty	52.245

Weather: Cloudy, 66 °F, East 11 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	48	J Johnson	49.149
2	47	A Allmendinger	49.278
3	2	B Keselowski	49.289
4	15	C Bowyer	49.296
5	9	M Ambrose	49.324
6	11	D Hamlin	49.342
7	31	R Newman	49.564
8	4	K Harvick	49.617
9	16	G Biffle	49.628
10	32	T Kvapil	49.666
11	34	D Ragan	49.667
12	20	M Kenseth	49.727
13	27	P Menard	49.742
14	14	T Stewart	49.814
15	99	C Edwards	49.826
16	1	J McMurray	49.859
17	24	J Gordon	49.953
18	41	K Busch2	49.977
19	95	M McDowell	49.992
20	35	E McClure	50.105
21	17	R Stenhouse Jr	50.114
22	66	J Burton	50.126
23	88	D Earnhardt Jr	50.156
24	3	A Dillon	50.173
25	30	D Stremme	50.434
26	77	D Blaney	50.455
27	055	C Ferguson	50.457
28	40	L Cassill	50.462
29	55	B Vickers	50.514
30	013	T Nadz	50.638
31	21	T Bayne	50.684
32	13	C Mears	50.685
33	98	J Wise	50.742
34	22	J Logano	50.750
35	52	B Labonte	50.852
36	5	K Kahne	50.860
37	061	D Hamilton	50.862
38	78	M Truex Jr	51.171
39	18	K Busch	51.183
40	051	S Hagerty	51.280
41	43	A Almirola	51.345
42	38	D Gilliland	51.866
43	021	T Bear	59.783

Weather: Cloudy, 71 °F, North 6 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	10	24	J Gordon	158.016	47	2	180	Running
2	19	16	G Biffle	-0.05	47	0	170	Running
3	7	4	K Harvick	-0.08	47	11	170	Running
4	5	88	D Earnhardt Jr	-0.16	47	12*	170	Running
5	15	11	D Hamlin	-0.31	47	0	155	Running
6	23	66	J Burton	-0.36	47	0	150	Running
7	22	27	P Menard	-0.60	47	0	146	Running
8	11	2	B Keselowski	-6.90	47	0	142	Running
9	33	32	T Kvapil	-7.13	47	0	138	Running
10	40	055	C Ferguson	-7.29	47	0	134	Running
11	18	14	T Stewart	-7.42	47	0	130	Running
12	24	38	D Gilliland	-7.52	47	0	127	Running
13	12	78	M Truex Jr	-12.72	47	0	124	Running
14	28	95	M McDowell	-12.88	47	0	121	Running
15	32	35	E McClure	-14.04	47	0	118	Running
16	2	99	C Edwards	-15.09	47	9	120	Running
17	17	34	D Ragan	-19.56	47	0	112	Running
18	16	41	K Busch2	-22.74	47	0	109	Running
19	8	22	J Logano	-22.99	47	0	106	Running
20	39	30	D Stremme	-23.09	47	0	103	Running
21	6	15	C Bowyer	-30.89	47	1	105	Running
22	13	5	K Kahne	-55.00	47	0	97	Running
23	9	18	K Busch	-1L	46	0	94	Running
24	35	43	A Almirola	-1L	46	0	91	Running
25	31	17	R Stenhouse Jr	-1L	46	0	88	Running
26	25	47	A Allmendinger	-1L	46	0	85	Running
27	1	013	T Nadz	-1L	46	5	87	Running
28	42	061	D Hamilton	-1L	46	0	79	Running
29	14	31	R Newman	-11L	36	5	81	Retired
30	3	20	M Kenseth	-12L	35	2	78	Retired
31	34	77	D Blaney	-13L	34	0	70	Retired
32	38	3	A Dillon	-14L	33	0	67	Retired
33	43	051	S Hagerty	-25L	22	0	64	Retired
34	29	52	B Labonte	-32L	15	0	61	Header
35	41	021	T Bear	-40L	7	0	58	Header
36	26	55	B Vickers	-41L	6	0	55	Valve
37	20	9	M Ambrose	-42L	5	0	52	Retired
38	21	1	J McMurray	-42L	5	0	49	Retired
39	27	13	C Mears	-42L	5	0	46	Retired
40	30	40	L Cassill	-42L	5	0	43	Retired
41	36	21	T Bayne	-42L	5	0	40	Retired
42	37	98	J Wise	-42L	5	0	37	Retired
43	4	48	J Johnson	-43L	4	0	34	Retired

Caution Flags: 3 (13 laps)

Lead Changes: 17 (8 drivers)

Weather: Cloudy, 70 °F, West 6 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 1x

AI Strength: 94%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
6	061	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
7	051	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
7	061	Passing under yellow	Held for 10 seconds
17	051	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
18	051	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
20	051	Passing on the inside	Stop and go
24	051	Not honoring the black f	DQ'd: Scoring is ended