Nascar 2011

[TheMaster]

Well big time congrats to Ricky Stenhouse on his victory last weekend in the Nationwide Series. Not only was it his first career win in NASCAR, but it was also the first win this season of a NNS regular. They took full advantage of the absence of Cup drivers such as Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Clint Bowyer, even though Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski were still running.

But now there have been a couple penalties. Kyle Busch was pulled over by local police in North Carolina after he was clocked at 128 mph in a 45 zone. State law requires Busch to appear in court for a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving. Busch is on NASCAR probation, though idk how this incident will impact it, if at all. Ron Hornaday Jr. has been docked 25 NCWTS points for an unapproved rear end gear ratio. This penalty drops the four time Truck champion from third to fifth in the standings.

[TheMaster]

Brad Keselowski took the pole position for Sunday's Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte, the longest race in NASCAR. A.J. Allmendinger also qualified on the front row. Race is set for around 6:00 PM on Sunday.

[TheMaster]

Recapping all the big races this weekend, Matt Kenseth took the victory in the Top Gear 300 NNS race at Charlotte on Saturday in his first Nationwide start of the season. Kenseth was filling in for Trevor Bayne in the #16. Elliott Sadler remains the points leader, even though it's by one marker.

In the Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco, polesitter Sebastian Vettel held on to score his fifth win in six starts during the course of this season. The race had two full-course caution periods, one of them in the final ten laps led to a red flag after Vitaly Petrov was injured in a crash with another competitor. Last I knew, he was okay but was complaining of pain in his legs, but it doesn't sound like he has any serious injuries.

Today's Indianapolis 500 went to Dan Wheldon in a thriller. Wheldon won the 2005 running and now he wins celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first such race. He took the checkers after the race's leader, rookie J.R. Hildenbrand crashed in the final turn of the last lap. And in the Coca Cola 600 NSCS race at Charlotte that just concluded, Kevin Harvick took the victory, his third of the year.

[TheMaster]

The STP 400 from Kansas Speedway has ended. Kurt Busch started on the pole position for Roger Penske Racing, but his teammate Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag today. This is Keselowski's second career Sprint Cup victory, and his first NASCAR win of the season period. Dale Earnhardt Jr. rallied back after spinning out earlier in the race to finish second. Clint Bowyer won the Truck race yesterday and finished 18th a lap down today. As for the polesitter, Kurt finished 9th. Justin Allgaier got the win in last night's Nationwide Series race from Chicagoland Speedway.

And Kyle Busch, who finished sixth in the Truck race then was roughed up by Richard Childress, finished 12th.

[TheMaster]

Kurt Busch grabbed his second straight Sprint Cup pole and will lead them to the green tomorrow for the Pocono 500. Mike Skinner had a hard crash into the inside wall during time trials and did not make the field for the race. Busch's teammate Brad Keselowski, who won last weekend at Kansas, starts 20th.

Now last night's Truck race was certainly interesting. James Buescher led them to the start. There were no Cup drivers in the field this time, so it was the time for the Truck title contenders to pounce, and did they! Johnny Sauter had arguably the best truck all night, leading the most laps. He led them down to the final restart in a GWC finish, but got the black flag from NASCAR after he switched lanes before the start/finish line. Sauter did not answer the summons from NASCAR (even though he had only one lap to do so) and instead of being credited with the win for crossing the line first, got 22nd place, last truck on the lead lap. The win instead went to Ron Hornaday, his first of the season. Hornaday is now eight points out of the lead, which Sauter still has.

Several other drivers did not fare so well. Todd Bodine, Travis Kvapil, Austin Dillon were all involves in crashes during the course of the night. Bodine is not in the top ten in points right now.

[TheMaster]

Checkered flag. Jeff Gordon has won the Pocono 500, his second win of the 2011 season. Also finishing in the top five today were Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Kevin Harvick. Engine problems hit the points leader Carl Edwards early so this race will have a major impact in the point standings.

[TheMaster]

The Heluva Good 400 at Michigan is over. This is the first time since 2006 that I wasn't down there but I still followed it.

The Nationwide race at Michigan first though. Paul Menard started on pole, but then Carl Edwards got the win after finishing second in the past three races. Ricky Stenhouse finished second and retakes the points lead. Kurt Busch was on pole for today's race, his third straight pole, but Denny Hamlin got the win. This was Hamlin's second straight win in the race and his first of the season. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch finished third after finishing third yesterday also.

Carl Edwards holds his points lead. Kevin Harvick jumps up to second. Dale Earnhardt Jr. holds third place in the points despite a rough day today. Kyle Busch moves up fourth, and Jimmie Johnson slips down to fifth in the standings after an early spin. The road course of Infineon Raceway next weekend.

[TheMaster]

Sorry I haven't updated this yet. Saturday's Nationwide race at Road America was certainly one people will be talking about for a long time to come. Michael McDowell started on the pole in the 18 Toyota and led the most laps, no less than 29 of the 50 scheduled. But, the race came down to three attempts at a green-white-checker finish, and the race eventually ended under caution. As that final caution came out, the seventh of the race, Reed Sorenson slowed down for it, but Ron Fellows in the 7 Chevrolet was still on the throttle and passed him. Justin Allgaier was the leader when they got that yellow flag and it looked like he would win. Unfortunately for him, though, he ran out of fuel about halfway to the checkered flag. NASCAR initially declared Fellows the winner because they thought Sorenson was not maintaining caution speeds. However, they reviewed that moment and ruled Sorenson the winner after deciding that Fellows made an illegal pass after the yellow flew. Sorenson is the Nationwide points leader.

Then in yesterday's Toyota SaveMart 350 at Infineon, Joey Logano brought them to the green flag. But the checkered flag went to Kurt Busch, grabbing his first points-paying win of the season. Carl Edwards continues to hold the championship lead, and ten races to go until the Chase field is set.

[FUS1ON]

My fav driver, Carl Edwards re-ups with RFR ..... I don't have to burn my Edwards swag now

[TheMaster]

Been a long time since this thread was updated. Shogun, I think you should be very proud of how your driver is doing. Three races to go in the Chase, and Carl Edwards is looking strong for the championship. It should be a great weekend at Texas coming up.