Nascar - Who Will Rise From The Ashes? - Phoenix

[GA_Boater]

This week 5 drivers will be trying to squeeze through a one lane tunnel to Homestead. The Twerp, Harvick and Truex have a Golden Ticket, while Keso, Hamlin, Blaney, Elliott and Johnson will try to snag theirs as they ride the Phoenix Merry-Go-Round. Barring a win by the other contenders, Keso has the best chance with a nice points lead and it seems a sure bet that we will see a few crumpled fenders before the checkered flag waves on Sunday. X-Men and Trucks will also make the last playoff cut before crowning a champ at Homestead. From MRN, the event schedule;




Programming note - The schedule shows no TV/cable coverage of Friday's Truck race. Trucks will be on MRN and FS1.
No weather to worry about, warm and sunny forecast for Phoenix. The entry list had 41 names, but one has dropped out, so no qualifying bump drama.

News and Notes

• It's official - Aric Almirola is taking Danica's seat in the #10 and bringing Smithfield as a primary sponsor.
• The final race at Homestead has Nascar and promoters bringing "A Bellator MMA showdown, a one-of-a-kind action sports show and an electrifying performance by the band, Hairball." Rumor for Next year may feature Monster Girl Mud Wrestling - That's if Monster still has Cup naming rights.
• Tony Stewart says he plans on running some X-Men road races next year. Road races because the aero packages have taken driver skill out of the mix and only road courses allow driver abilities to shine.
• TV ratings for Texas - A 1.55 rating, up from 1.1 last year. The 2016 race was rain delayed by 6 hours and finished after 11 PM. 2015 had a 2.7 and 2014 was 2.8. NBC says playoff TV ratings are up 7% this year over last year. I think they are smoking funny cigs because all but one playoff race has been down from last year.

iBoats Fantasy Live

Trackchick Stars has come roaring back! With wins in Week 31 and last week in Texas, the overall lead is in sight. Congrats, TCS.
Sportsman3's overall lead has been cut to about 70 points over Trackchick. The leaderboard is getting tight.

Only two races left to make smoe noise. Get your roster changes in before the green flag drops on Sunday. Good luck.​

Humpty_Boater, Esq.
Higher ratings than Monster - No Phantom Debris Cautions[SUP]TM[/SUP]

 

[GA_Boater]

Cup qualifying from Phoenix - Blaney (P) has the pole and leads Hamlin (P), Larson, Elliott (P), Truex (P), Harvick (P), Kenseth, The Twerp (P), Logono, Suarez, Jones and Johnson (P).

Keso (P) is starting 16th.


Trucks wave off about 8:30, give or take.

 

[GA_Boater]

Trucks just finished the Every Man For Himself 150. Wreck after wreck on restarts and 3 frickin' red flags. You can't go 6 wide at Phoenix. It just won't work!

Sauter won and the 4 going for all the marbles next Friday are Sauter, Bell, Crafton and Cindric. Nemechek was so close with a 2nd place finish when he needed a win.

X-Men tomorrow will be X-Wreck if they drive like Truckers! Probably the Cuppers will bend a lot of cars on Sunday.

 

[GA_Boater]

The X-Men contenders showed great restraint, unlike the Trucks wreckfest last night. A great, clean battle in the closing laps between Custer and Hemric for the final playoff spot with Hemric grabbing the final entry.

Next week Sadler, Byron, Allgaier and Hemic go for the title. Highest placing driver wins the crown.

Oh - Blaney won Heats 1 & 2 and Bryron won the race.

 

[GA_Boater]

JR Motorsports had a bit of drama for the X-Race. Plane troubles stranded his X-Men pit crews in Arkansas and the crews couldn't get to Phoenix. JRM has Byron, Sadler and Allgaier in the mix for the championship, so he sent out an SOS for help. Ricky Stenhouse offered to change tires!

https://www.nascar.com/news-media/20...s-to-pitch-in/

All three JRM drivers made the cut and Byron won the race.

40 minutes until the Cup race.

 

[sam60]

Bad race picks made.

 

[GA_Boater]

Green flag and only one more will have a shot at Homestead.

 

[GA_Boater]

They made through Heat #1 without a caution.

Larson took it, followed by Hamlin (P), Elliott (P), Harvick (P), Kenseth, The Twerp (A), Jones, Truex (A), Newman and Johnson (P). Blaney (P) was 14th and Keso (P) 18th.

Only 22 cars on the lead lap at the Heat #2 green flag.

 

[GA_Boater]

Larson was doing well, but he just went to the garage with a sick motor. Lap 110 and Hamlin leading.

 

[GA_Boater]

Final lap before the end of Heat #2, Johnson pops a tire and hits the wall. To the garage with only 4 drivers chasing the the final spot at Homestead. I'm not feeling to bad he won't win a crown this year.

Hamlin won the heat;

Top-Ten Stage 2 Results: #11-Hamlin, 10pts #20-Kenseth, 9pts #77-Jones, 8pts #78-Truex, Jr., 7pts #18-Busch, 6pts #4-Harvick, 5pts #1-McMurray, 4pts #31-Newman, 3pts #24-Elliott, 2pts #14-Bowyer, 1pt

 

[GA_Boater]

Junior pits with a right front down and Bayne has the same only he hit the wall. First real yellow with 82 to go. Hamlin still leading.

 

[GA_Boater]

Got the 2nd real caution for Buecher. Red flag cuz the SAFER barrier caught fire because his brake rotor exploded and touched off the foam. Yikes.

58 laps left. Playoff driver positions - Hamlin 2nd, Truex 3rd, Elliott 4th, Harvick 6th, Blaney 8th, KyBusch 10th, Keselowski 15th and Johnson 39th (out and done)

 

[GA_Boater]

A couple of laps after the restart, It's Whitt's time to wreck. 49 laps to go.

 

[GA_Boater]

Elliott puts Hamlin into the wall and the #11 is smoking! More payback coming?

 

[GA_Boater]

28 laps to go and Elliott takes the lead! Can he hold it?

 

[MTboatguy]

Hamlin had to have known what was going to happen if they ended up that close with this being the race to get into the last 4

 

[GA_Boater]

Kenseth on on the back of Elliott. 10 to go and the #24 needs the win and Kenseth is looking for a big career finish!

 

[GA_Boater]

Kenseth around Elliott. :blue: 8 laps.

 

[GA_Boater]

5 laps and the #24 is dropping back a little.

 

[GA_Boater]

White flag for Kenseth and he wins. Happy for Matt and sad for another 2nd place finish for Chase. Keso gets the last playoff spot. Matt Kenseth is happy, 51 races since his last win.

Trackchick Stars is the clubhouse iFL leader.