Hello NASCAR fans. Today we are racing at Phoenix International Raceway. It’s getting close with only 2 races, today’s and next week at Homestead. With Johnson 106 points ahead of Carl Edwards, this should be interesting to see. With only 2 races left this season, Jeff Gordon would like to secure a win for his season. Matt Kenseth remains winless this season having won at least 1 race per season since 2001. Here is the qualifying lineup for today’s race at Phoenix International Raceway:
Jimmy Johnson 48 Lowe’s Chevy
Jamie McMurray 26 Irwin Tools Ford
Kurt Busch 2 Miller Lite Dodge
David Reutimann 44 UPS Toyota
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 88 Amp/National Guard Chevy
Ryan Newman 12 Alltel Dodge
Jeff Gordon 24 Dupont Chey
Denny Hamlin 11 Fed Ex Toyota
Paul Menard 15 Menard’s Chevy
Mark Martin 8 US Army Chevy
Kasey Kahne 9 Budweiser Dodge
Reed Sorenson 41 Target Dodge
AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, and Carl Edwards round out the top 15 starters for the race. Greg Biffle had transmission trouble and wound up starting at the end of the field. Today’s Checker O’Reilly 500 had a total of 9 lead changes among a total of only 5 drivers. Jimmy Johnson secured the 5 points for most laps led today. There was a total of 10 cautions during the race. Most were for debris and a couple involved the rain that stopped the race for 26 minutes around lap 41. There was a really cool wreck that brought out the 7th caution of the day. I can say it was cool because no one was injured and it is pretty unusual these days to see one car come to rest on top of another. I even saw David Gilliland’s car spinning its back wheels while on top of Scott Speed’s car! It was pretty wild to see. Carl Edwards said it was “interesting” and he was glad no one was hurt. This incident also brought out the red flag for a second time today while the safety vehicles gained access to the area involved. That red flag only lasted like 20 minutes and it was back to green. After that caution, the others were for debris and for an incident involving Stewart, Kenseth, Robby Gordon, and AJ Allmendinger. Johnson drove it home for a green, white, checkered finish and almost assured himself the championship next weekend. As Johnson was cruising to the checkered flag, a huge crash involving ten cars ended the race. All Johnson has to do is finish 36th or better at Homestead next weekend to seal the deal for trophy number three!
That makes 7 wins for Johnson this season. I was just checking out the winners this season and found that besides Johnson with 7 and Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards tied with 8 wins each, there are three drivers who have 2 wins each and six drivers with 1 victory each. Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, and Kasey Kahne each have 2 victories. While Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Dale Jr., Hamlin, Newman, and Stewart each have a single victory. Noticable from the list of winners this year is Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth.
Okay, well with only Homestead left now, I know, I’m sad too, but at any rate, here are the points standings heading into the final race of the season at Homestead next weekend.
Jimmy Johnson 6561 leader
Carl Edwards 6420 -141 behind the leader
Greg Biffle 6358 -203
Jeff Burton 6292 -269
Kevin Harvick 6233 -328
Clint Bowyer 6226 -335
Jeff Gordon 6151 -410
Matt Kenseth 6091 -470
Denny Hamlin 6090 -471
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 6087 -474
Kyle Busch 6080 -481
Tony Stewart 6059 -502
As I said, Johnson need only finish 36th or better at Homestead and he will have won his third championship. I’m sure all you Johnson fans are thrilled. I guess it’s ok. I could think of other drivers that i really dont want to see win and i could start that list with Kevin Harvick, but I’m just saying. Anyways, so its Homestead next weekend. Now that’s Florida but I usually go to Daytona instead. I want to go to Homestead, but I don’t think I can this go round. That’s ok. I am still on my mission to get to the final track that I know my husband wanted to go to and that’s Talladega. I want to try and head there in April. I’ll definitely be counting the weeks until the Shoot Out in February though, thats for sure. Well not to get off track, but yeah, so this week it’s Homestead and I will see what I can dig up for you about the track and I’ll be back on Wednesday to let you know what I find. Have a great week. Can’t wait for next weekend. It’s gonna be really awesome.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
That was some wreck with one car on top of the other. I have not seen that in a few years. He sure did get out of the car fast. Smart move by Nascar to get the safety equipment on to the track fast and a great use of the red flag. I am surprised it doesn’t happen more often during back Nascar wrecks.
It is funny you mention Talledega race as I just circled the July 4th weekend as a race I may go to.
Well if you do go, you have to call me and we will meet up somewhere and hang out for the day if you want. We always go in February and July too if we can. Im gonna try to buy my tickets in February for the three or four races we want to go to. That would be the shootout, the 500, the Talladega spring race, Coke 600 at Lowe’s, and then the July race. We dont care if they are cheap seats as long as we are there!! And I always have to get 2 tickets because my daughter always goes with me. She is 13 and has meet Ryan Newman and Carl Edwards, David Reutimann, and David Ragan. Plus a few others in between. She actually met Sam Bass, the Nascar artist and he actually drew a picture on her hat for her. You wont find that for sale anywhere. I thought that was pretty sweet. So yeah, come to the July race!!! We will have sooooo much fun!!! I cant wait for the new season to start and this one is not quite over yet, but I hate that they are off for the next like 3 months. It is gonna be a long winter. hahaha
Yeah I was looking at the calender to see what races I am planning on going to. Besides the Talledega race I mentioned I am also looking into the race at Lowes on Memorial day weekend.
i want to go in may. which race is memorial day weekend, isnt that the coke 600??? im just guessing. i havent looked at the calendar yet. but i went to the all star race this year and had a blast. it was incredible. so i cant wait to go back.
It is either the 600 or the All star race I don’t have the schedule in front of me.
BTW I told you Jimmie was going to win
yeah, well, i cant always be right. haha just kidding. at least he drives for hendricks. thats some consolation. i just wish it were jeff or jr. though.