Nascar - 2 Races And 7 Contenders Headed For The Final Selection - Texas

[GA_Boater]

After last weeks race at Talla........er... Martinsville and all the bent cars, The Twerp pulled off the win. He has a pass into the last race for the championship. This is a full weekend with Cup, X-Men and Trucks. Trucks had 2 practices today and the race is Friday. X-Men race Saturday and Cup goes at it on Sunday.

The weather is looking good with no rain. From MRN, the schedule;



News and Notes

• Martinsville penalties - TDillon and DSuarez had loose nut, CC fines only. This one I have to quote for Bowyer.

  Violation: Section 20.18.5.2 TV Video Package Notes: TV Video Package simulated weight did not meet NASCAR specifications. Race finish is encumbered per Section 12.10 Encumbered Race Finishes

  Huh?? I guess since he is an also ran, he had to use a fake TV setup?
• Darian Grubb is returning to crew chief duties at Hendrick for William Bryon in the #24 next year. The current #24 crew and CC are moving with Chase Elliott to the #9 next year.
• The lack of high dollar sponsors is causing many teams to tighten their belts. About 13 of the top 30 teams have been sponsored by team owners or manufacturers. Kyle Petty has it in the nutshell - "When you make 20 grand a year, you learn to live on 20 grand a year," said Kyle Petty, a former driver and team owner who now is an analyst for NBC. "When you make 40, you learn to live on 40. "When you make 100, you learn to live on 100. When you've got to go back to 20, it's as tough as hell. What do I want to give up? Do I want to give up my 975 cable channels? Do I want to give up my subscription to Bon Appetit, because I like cooking?" LOL
• Speaking of sponsors - Petty and Smithfield have settled their sponsorship disagreement, somewhat. No details, but rumors are a very reduced presence of bacon on the #43.
• Also rumored was Front Row switching to Toyota. The rumors were squelched this week by FRM and Ford is giving them a Tier 1 motor program along with Roush Fenway supplying road course and superspeedway cars.
• Danica, in her last few races with Stewart-Haas, has some rumors floating about. One is that she may join her BFF Ricky Stenhouse at Roush Fenway. RF has a 3rd charter which is leased out and Danica could fill a seat with that charter. Stay tuned!
• TV ratings - Martinsville. Hold on to your hats - For the first time this year, Cable TV ratings went up over last year. 1.7 vs 1.6 and viewers increased to 2.8M from 2.7 in 2016. 2015 had a 2.0 rating and 3.4M viewers. Martinsville was the first NASCAR race on cable all season to post an increase in ratings or viewers in 18 telecasts and broke a string of seven straight double-digit declines on NBCSN.

iBoats Fantasy Live

After a long absence, since Week 7, FlaCowboy returned to the Winner's Circle. Probably due to generous dispersal of rib bones. :smile: Congrats, Cowboy.
Unlike last week, qualifying is on Friday. So we don't have the short cycle of Q'ing and the race 3 hours later. Good luck.​

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

 

[GA_Boater]

No way to stay in the playoffs - Elliott didn't pass pre-qualifying inspection. :doh: Joining Elliott in flunking is Kenseth, Logono and Bayne.

Kurt Busch wins the pole at Texas with a track record 200.915 MPH. Hamlin(P) in 2nd followed by Harvick (P), Jones, The Twerp (P, clinched final), Suarez, Truex (P), Blaney (P), Johnson (P), Keselowski (P), Larson and last, Stenhouse. Elliott (P) starts 34th.

Trucks are on tap at 8 PM.

 

[GA_Boater]

Johnny Sauter won the Texas Truck race. He is going for the Championship at Homestead.

Truck points after Texas;

1)#4-Bell, 3135 2)#21-Sauter, 3131, -4 3)#88- Crafton, 3104, -31 4)#19-Cindric, 3085, -50 5)#27-Rhodes,3080, -55 6)#8-Nemechek, 3046, -89

 

[GA_Boater]

Gotta squash a rumor Humpty_Boater talked about the other day;

Bob Pockrass "Saw Roush Fenway President Steve Newmark in the garage. He said Danica is not coming to RFR because they don't have a spot open."

Danica is still looking.

 

[GA_Boater]

Erik Jones has the X-Pole for tonights X_Race starting about 8:30.

 

[GA_Boater]

Erik Jones won Heat #1, #2 and the race. He is ineligible for the X-Championship, so another Buschwhacker takes points and money away from the X-Regs.

Jone was followed by Blaney and Larson while 4th and 5th places were taken by Sadler and Custer, 2 X-regs.

Cup goes about 2PM tomorrow.

 

[GA_Boater]

And here we go - Green flag!

 

[GA_Boater]

The Twerp and Keso bang each other on the start. Both pitted to fix damage. The Twerp slid up the track and hit Keso in the left rear with his right front.

 

[GA_Boater]

The Twerp and Keso bang each other on the start. Both pitted to fix damage. The Twerp slid up the track and hit Keso in the left rear with his right front.

Hamlin is leading.

 

[sam60]

I have a new friend at the race with a hot pit pass. She won Dale Jr's ride last year.

 

[GA_Boater]

Heat #1 winner is Harvick. No cautions so far meaning only 16 cars on the lead lap, 17 with Stenhouse getting the free pass. Elliott has worked his way up to 11th after starting 34th.

 

[GA_Boater]

Harvick takes the lead on the restart for Heat #2, then Suarez spins for the first real caution.

 

[GA_Boater]

Larson wins Heat #2, followed by Harvick, Blaney, Truex and Elliott.

 

[GA_Boater]

Kenseth leads on the restart for the A Main and Cassill spins.

 

[GA_Boater]

McDowell spins by himself and the yellow comes out. The Twerp is leading.

 

[GA_Boater]

McDowell spins by himself and the yellow comes out. The Twerp is leading and hasn't done a green flag stop as the leaders have.

 

[GA_Boater]

Another caution for Ray Black spinning alone. Kenseth was in the top spot.

 

[GA_Boater]

Starting to pile up yellows. This time Jeffery Earnhardt and Roy Black - Again!

 

[GA_Boater]

Larson spins, hits the outside wall and burns. He's out and OK.

50 laps to go with a red flag for clean up.

 

[64osby]

My picks have crashed and burned just like #42. :blue::mad-new: