2019 Nascar - Playoff Race #7 - Paperclipping At Martinsville

[GA_Boater]

Cup begins the round of 8 with only 4 races left. Trucks are also at Martinsville, while X-Men are off this week. Today only Trucks are practicing and Cup practices and Qualifies tomorrow. Oh yeah - Another Cup impound race.

I hope the weather cooperates. Overnight and Sunday morning looks terrible with rain forecast to stop about Noon, so the track should be dry by the 3 PM start if the weather dudes are right. At least Martinsville has lights if needed.

Only track activity today is 2 Truck practices. The schedule from MRN;

Martinsville Schedule of Events

All Times Eastern

---

Friday, October 25
Gander Outdoors Truck Series First Practice: 12:05 p.m.-12:55 p.m.
Gander Outdoors Truck Series Final Practice: 2:05 p.m.-2:55 p.m.

---

Saturday, October 26
Monster Energy Cup Series First Practice: 9:05 a.m.-9:55 a.m. (MRN/CNBC)
Gander Outdoors Truck Series Qualifying: 10:05 a.m. (FS1)
Monster Energy Cup Series Final Practice: 12:00 p.m.-12:50 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)
Radio Pre-Race: 1:00 p.m (MRN)
TV Pre-Race: 1:00 p.m. (FS1)
Gander Outdoors Truck Series NASCAR Hall of Fame 200: 1:30 p.m. (MRN/FS1)
Monster Energy Cup Series Qualifying: 4:35 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)

---

Sunday, October 27
Radio Pre-Race: 2:00 p.m. (MRN)
TV Pre-Race: 1:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
Monster Energy Cup Series First Data 500: 3:00 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)

---

News and Notes

• Sadly part of Dale Earnhardt's legacy is changing. The Kannopolis Class A minor league baseball team, the Imtimidators, is changing their name to the Cannon Ballers. Needless to say, Dale Jr. isn't happy. Can't say I blame him.
• Is the next manufacturer to join Ford, Chevy and Toyota on board? It isn't Dodge, but it might be Honda. The Gen 7 car coming in 2021 and possible hybrid powertrain could be the impetus.
• Watch for a school bus on the track at Martinsville. Ryan Newman has a Blue Bird school bus paint scheme on the #6. Wonder if the red lights are part of the plan. Can't pass a school bus with flashing red lights. LOL
• TV ratings - Once again I can't find the actual rating, only viewer numbers. 3.32 million viewers for the Cup race on NBC, up 20% from 2.76 last year. It's the most watch Cup race on NBC since Homestead's Cup championship race last year, which had 4.18M watch.

iBoats Fantasy Live

• Our resident BBQ'er won his 6th race of the year and 2 in row in the playoffs. Fla Cowboy gets the hardware - Again! LOL Congrats, FC. :first:
• Cowboy is really adding to his overall lead. Up to 117 points!
• iFL pole locks at 4:30 PM tomorrow.

Good luck everyone and watch out for rib bones on the track,

Humpty.

 

[GA_Boater]

Action on the track got started early today. The 1st Cup practice has been over for about an hour!

The 5 fastest are Joey, Truex, Hamlin, Bowyer and TWT. Final practice starts at Noon for 50 minutes, followed by the Truck race and Cup qualifying after the race.

 

[GA_Boater]

Other Martinsville happenings;

Matt Tifft was taken to the hospital and Matt Crafton will drive the #36. No word on what's up, but Crafton was on call for last week's race.

Elliott's #9 started smoking during practice and stopped on the track. Engine change and starting at the back.

 

[GA_Boater]

Final Cup practice results - Top five are Keso, Blaney, BigBro, Hemric and Preece. Elliott with the new motor was 6th.

The iFL pole locks at 4:30 after the Truck race.

 

[GA_Boater]

Martinsville isn't being kind to the Truck playoff drivers. 8 real yellows so far, the 5th yellow going red after a big pile up. Chastain is leading with 36 laps to go. Crafton had battery issues, Moffit (out), Ankrum damaged and AHill damaged.

 

[GA_Boater]

Another yellow - Looks like JJ Cobb chucked an axle onto the track.

 

[GA_Boater]

With 5 to go, lets wave another yellow. Gilliland got around Chastain on the restart.

OT finish coming up.

 

[GA_Boater]

Gilliland wins with Chastain 2nd.

Cup qualifying next. 4:30 is the pole cutoff.

 

[GA_Boater]

FS1 cut the race feed and went to OK St/ Iowa St. with no warning. Didn't get to see the last 2 laps!

 

[GA_Boater]

That was the 1st win for Gilliland. Tifft is out of the hospital and going home, no word yet what was wrong.


Cup qualifying - Hamlin on pole, Elliott will start 2nd but drop to the rear for the motor change, them it was Truex, Almirola and McDowell.

Larson has a fractured rib from Talladega but is cleared to race. Oh boy, racing at Martinsville where nothing happens.

3:10 is iFL roster lock time.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Heard about the hybrids, but not Honda. Final stake into NASCAR? They're really getting desperate.... Maybe Toyota will go to a Prius....Lol

 

[GA_Boater]

I think the notion of "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" is dead. All you can buy is a brand and model name because that's the only common thing with these "stock cars" and the one on the showroom floor, especially with Toyotas.

Pre-race inspection is done and a few more cars will start behind Elliott for his motor swap. Newman, LaJoie, Hill and McLeod will start behind Elliott, but they qualified at 27th an lower, so no big deal.

3:10 is the roster lock time. Weather is looking OK with the sun shining.

 

[GA_Boater]

Green flag for 130 lap heat 1!

 

[GA_Boater]

20 lsaps in and Elliott has moved up 20 spots. Hamlin has led all laps so far.

 

[GA_Boater]

30 laps in the books and the 1st yellow. All I saw was a red thing on the track. So lets call it debris!

 

[GA_Boater]

Truex in front.

Hamlin in 2nd after losing spots for a bad stop.

Elliot in 10th and under 50 to go in the heat.

 

[GA_Boater]

Truex wins heat 1. Elliott worked his way up to 8th and 16 cars on the lead lap.

 

[GA_Boater]

Back to green for heat 2. It's still Truex.

 

[GA_Boater]

Lap 178 and the 2nd real caution for a Ty Dillon spin.

 

[GA_Boater]

Elliott broke an axle or something in the drive train. Tried a fix in the pits and leaving made a hard right turn. Sounds like it may the rear end. He's in the garage losing laps.