July 2, 2008
By Chuck Abrams
Man oh man. I come back from Canadian walleye fishing and I am greeted by Carpentier on the pole? Bobby Labonte starting second? Franchitti seventh? Then, Michael Waltrip finishes second? JJ Yeley finishes third?
Did You-Know-What.... freeze over?
In what can only be described as an “interesting” race, Kurt Busch (no, not Kyle) wins, leading an unlikely bevy of drivers to the checkers in a rain shortened and hence fuel mileage race.
Had the deluge held off, the story may have been quite different. Waltrip, starting last, would most likely not have a top ten finish. Sadler, a lap down, most likely would not either. Reed Sorenson’s sixth place finish will not be enough to save his job. Maybe he will be a nice addition to the DEI stable? Perhaps he and Mears can leg wrestle for that seat.
And Jamie Mac – what the heck were you thinking? The 88 was BELOW the line going for the pits and you ran him the heck over. Don’t blame the 88 spotter – that was totally your deal. Poor David Ragan even got a part of your screw up.
Anyway, kudos out to Bobby Labonte for a nice start and a nice finish.
Truex needed that finish to get within spitting distance (with a stiff tail wind) of the top twelve.
Johnson and Gordon both overcame midpack starts to finish decently.
Shout out to Smoke for leading a ton of laps before succumbing to rain and position racing.
Brian Vickers continues to improve for Red Bull – starts fortieth and finishes sixteenth.
Jeff Burton manages a twelfth place finish to gain on Kyle Busch.
Dale Jr. started in the top 5, ran in the top ten, led laps….got taken out.
Kurt Busch – better savor this one boy. Might be a while before you get a sniff of the front again this year.
What happened to….
Matt Kenseth? Started well and then dropped like a stone. He now sits outside the top twelve.
Juan Montoya? He and Shrub mix it up a little – it’s called racing. So he body slams the 18 car under caution and is penalized two laps. He is also none too remorseful about it all. Gotta love that.
Michael Waltrip says he envisioned this race ending like this. Oh really? Better run off to Vegas then buddy boy and see what you can envision there.
Kevin Harvick started out so well and then… finished not so well.
Patrick Carpentier started so well but no one, and I mean even his own mother, believed he would stay up front for more than a lap. And he didn’t. But 31st? Well, that is why it is called qualifying, not racing.
Franchitti joined his open wheeled brother in taking a good start and turning it into a bad finish.
Clint Bowyer? He is somehow still in the top twelve but if he does not get it going, it won’t be for much longer. Kahne, Harvick, Bowyer, Kenseth and Newman are all vying for the transfer position. Forget Kurt Busch and Vickers. Unless you know what freezes over a few more times.
Drive fast, turn left and keep the shiny side up.
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