Nascar Chase Race #9 - The Final Cut at Phoenix

GA_Boater

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Down to the last race before all three series crown their 2016 Champions next weekend at Homestead. Everything starts on Friday with practice for all three and Cup/Truck qualifying, followed by the Truck cut race. X-Men decide the final 4 on Saturday and Cup does the same on Sunday. From MRN, the penultimate schedule for this weekend;

phx2sched.PNG

It's Phoenix, so no rain issues and no Haboobs are on the horizon either.

News and Notes
  • Another rule for Phoenix and going forward. "Truck trailing arm mounting slugs may be used to locate the truck trailing arms on the truck trailing arm mounting brackets. If used, truck trailing arm mounting slugs slots must be perpendicular to the slots on the truck trailing arm mounting brackets." Aw, OK.
  • One fine (Logano was missing a lugnut) and 15 warnings for failed laser and template inspections. Seven of the eight remaining Chasers were caught. Is this why they are in the Chase? :rolleyes:
  • Another sponsor is leaving. Albertsons markets are dropping the Petty #44 team of Brian Scott.
  • A new retirement at the end of the season. Brian Scott is getting a gold watch at the age of 28 after a 9 year career running Truck, X-Men and Cup.
  • Another rain delayed race and a dismal TV rating report. The lowest of the year, 1.1. Not unexpected after a 6 hour delay, switch to NBCSN and against NBC's NFL broadcast.

iBOATS Fantasy Live
The rain delay allowed 64osby to get in some final tune-up and he took home his 2nd :first: of the year. Congrats, 64.
He also nibbled at the overall lead held by TcS. Now less than 200 points separate them with two races left.​


Getting close to the end of the road and some of us haven't won a race. :blue: The overall lead could tighten up in these last two races if the stars align. Good luck!


Humpty_Boater

humpy.PNG
 

WIMUSKY

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NASCAR is brilliant! Change a rule the 2nd to last race of the season.

I wonder how many sponsors will drop out during the off-season? Time will tell......
 

GA_Boater

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I know what truck trailing arms are, but slugs? Maybe it is a reference to management? LOL

Since we never see the reason for some of these rule changes, I'll hazard a guess. I think it's addressing the cool-down swerving some cars were doing to jig-jog the rear into laser inspection readiness and tolerance. The rear should be tighter with this change.

Qualifying is complete and Alex Bowman in Jr's #88 has the pole. The rest of the top 12 are Larson, Elliott, Logano, Hamlin, Harvick, Dillon, Blaney, McMurray, Kenseth, Edwards and Busch41. The missing Chasers are Johnson in 17th and Shrubby starting in 19th.

How about Truex starting dead last in 40th because they didn't get the car ready in time for qualifying and didn't make a pass? The #78 always seems to have issues with lasers and template inspections lately. Does his crew chief think he's as good as or better than Chad Knaus? :lol:

Speaking of sponsors - Where is a new Cup title sponsor?
 

GA_Boater

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Found out why Truex had trouble with qualifying. He wrecked the primary car near the end of the first practice and had to go to his backup. They had several hours to pull the car out of the hauler and didn't have it ready in time to qualify. Don't they have the backup almost ready to run? Maybe not.

On to the truck race. Suarez won the race. Moving to the Chase Championship final at Homestead are Sauter with 2 wins in the Round of 6 and the next 3 points leaders - Crafton, rookie Bell and Peters.

Talk about a bad break, William Byron led 112 laps and leading with 9 laps to go and a 6 second lead, his motor went up in smoke. The rookie would have knocked Peters out and put two rookies in contention for the Truck Championship. Byron was the top seed at the start of the Chase with 5 wins and got his 6th win, the most ever by any Truck rookie, in the first Chase race at Michigan. He is driving full time in the X-Series next year for JR Motorsports after driving Trucks for KBM this year.
 

GA_Boater

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NASCAR is brilliant! Change a rule the 2nd to last race of the season.

I wonder how many sponsors will drop out during the off-season? Time will tell......

Why wait 'til the off-season? Announced about 3 hours ago.

Leavine Family Racing is looking for sponsorship, Thrivent Financial has informed team it won't return next season
 

GA_Boater

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OK, so Shrubby wins the X-Men race. Ho hum, his 10th X-Win this year.

Suarez, Sadler, Allgaier, and Jones win run for the X-Championship next week.

Cup title sponsor news! Monster Energy is reportedly a finalist. Wonder if that messes up the Busch Bros. since Monster has sponsorship deals with the #18 and #41?
 

GA_Boater

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Little bit of bad news for Elliott Sadler - He only had 18 tight lugnuts. Those 2 loose nuts will cost his crew chief 10 Grand and he is suspended for the Homestead finale.


Does Monster Cup have a nice ring to it? LOL
 

GA_Boater

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Could be. This is the first rumored title Cup sponsor. NSCS may turn into NMCS or NMECS.
 

GA_Boater

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If Nascar ends up with Monster Energy sponsorship, it would mean Coca Cola is is involved with two motorsports. Mellow Yellow owned by Coke for NHRA and Monster distributed by Coke for Nascar.

Jonson and Edwards are lock into Homestead. Two more drivers will move to the finale at Homestead.

Green flag - We're off!
 

GA_Boater

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Didn't get my finger off the send button before Larson spins bringing out caution #1.
 

GA_Boater

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Logano has a left rear tire rub from contact with Larson during the #42 1st lap spin.
 

GA_Boater

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Larson and Newman spin coming to pit road for yellow #2.
 

GA_Boater

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#3 for debris.

Lap 145 - Logano and Kenseth are in to the finale......For now at almost the halfway point.
 

GA_Boater

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Once again a debris caution, #4. 99 laps to go.

Kenseth and Logano are still in Chase position at the restart. Hamlin is right behind, 3 points out.
 

GA_Boater

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#5 when Biffle rear-ends Dillon on the restart. JJ then hit Biffle.
 

GA_Boater

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6th caution for the #78 and #31 getting together and spinning. Truex hit the wall and Newman went spinning.
 

GA_Boater

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Had another debris caution - #7


Kenseth and Logano are still in the final Chase spots. Shrubby is still in striking distance with 24 laps to go.
 

GA_Boater

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8th caution when #95 hits the wall with 2 to go. Overtime next.
 
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