Jeremy Clements Suspended Indefinitely by NASCAR

        A shocking story came out of the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Wednesday. Jeremy Clements was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for violating NASCAR's Code of Conduct. He was found to have violated Sections 7-5 (NASCAR's Code of Conduct) and 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2013 NASCAR rule book. According to reports, the incident happened after the driver's meeting on Saturday. A NASCAR employee came up to Clements with an MTV worker, who has been named as Marty Beckerman. They asked Clements if he would lead them to Johanna Long's transporter and he said he would. The three had simple conversations and then this is when Clements made the error in judgment. To me, it seems like the statement should be brought out, but, hey, that's why I'm not up in NASCAR's higher ranking body. 

         Here is Steve O'Donnell's, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations, comments on the situation:

       "During the course of an interview, Jeremy Clements made an intolerable and insensitive remark. NASCAR has a Code of Conduct that’s explicitly spelled out in the 2013 NASCAR Rule Book. We fully expect our entire industry to adhere to that Code."  

         Jeremy Clements gave his apology for his actions:

       "I apologize and regret what I said to the NASCAR writer and to NASCAR, my sponsors, my fans, and my team. NASCAR has a Code of Conduct that everyone must follow and I unintentionally violated that code. I will not get into specifics of what I said but my comment to the writer was in no way meant to be disrespectful or insensitive to anyone or to be detrimental to NASCAR or the NASCAR Nationwide Series. I will do what I need to do in order to atone for my error in judgment." 

        This has turned out to be a terrible situation for a few off-hand words, but it happens sometimes. Hopefully, Jeremy Clements will be back racing in a couple of weeks and this doesn't greatly affect his reputation. I will post updates as soon as they come out and will continue to post them until no more are left.




       Update #1: Marty Beckerman gave his take on the events that happened at Daytona and what was said by Clements:

       "I was there to do a fish-out-of-water story about going to NASCAR and having a wild, crazy weekend. And, we were doing interviews with many of the drivers, and I was on the way to another interview... we were looking for [driver] Johanna Long's trailer... and the NASCAR publicist called Mr. Clements over and asked him for help finding her. He walked us toward where she was, and on the way over, I explained to him that Guy Code is rules for guys, how you treat your friends, how you treat your ladies, things like that. I was there to do a humor piece, so I asked him what would be Guy Code for race car drivers, and he blurted out [a phrase that used the n-word]."

        Beckerman went on to say that he did not want to be a part of the story, which sounds totally stupid considering he was the one who brought the story out in the first place. Now we know what brought Jeremy into hot water and hope that drivers take his suspension seriously.
        



Credits:
-Stories:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/02/27/jeremy-clements-suspended-for-conduct-violation.html
http://jalopnik.com/what-racist-remark-got-jeremy-clements-suspended-from-n-450628274
-Image:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/02/27/jeremy-clements-suspended-for-conduct-violation.html
-Story for Update:
http://www.jayski.com/nationwide/nationwide.htm#20130227-51

Jimmie Johnson Captures His Second Daytona 500 Crown

       
             Jimmie Johnson was able to win his second Daytona 500. He was able to hold off a late charge from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin to capture the win. In total, he led seventeen laps. It seemed like a dominating performance, but he had to work hard to get to where he was.
      
         Danica Patrick started on the pole for the 55th running of the Daytona 500. It was the first time in the history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series that a woman had ever sat on the pole. The cars took the green flag and Jeff Gordon moved down in front of Danica in turn 1 to grab the early lead. After this, the drivers quickly began to run single file. The action was halted for the first caution of the race on lap 27. Debris was spotted in turn 3. Joe Nemechek received the lucky dog. The race went back green and the first major wreck of the race occurred.

         The second caution of the race occurred on lap 32. Coming out of the trioval, Kasey Kahne had to check up because the drivers in front of him began to slow down. Kyle Busch did not check up and spun Kasey. Juan Pablo Montoya plowed into Kahne and drivers like Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, and Brad Keselowski got involved as well. Just like that, a few of the contenders in the race had been eliminated. David Gilliland received the lucky dog. The race went back green and the drivers continued until the first round of green flag pit stops began of the day on lap 70. After this, the third caution of the day came out on lap 85. Once again, debris was spotted in turn 3. J.J. Yeley received the lucky dog. The race went back green and one of the historic events of the day happened.

         On lap 90, Danica Patrick was able to lead the lap. It was the first time in the history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series that a woman was able to lead a green flag in any race. She led a little bit longer, before being passed. The race continued on until the second round of green flag pit stops began on lap 126. The stops ended and the race continued on until the second big wreck of the day.

         The fourth caution of the day occurred on lap 137. David Reutimann had to check up because drivers slowed down in front of him. Brad Keselowski got loose trying to avoid him and the pack behind him began to accordion. David Gilliland, David Ragan, Terry Labonte, Josh Wise, Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, Austin Dillon, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. got involved. During the caution, Joey Logano had to pit for what appeared to be fuel problems. No drivers received the lucky dog. The race went back green and contenders began to drop like flies. 

         On lap 149, Matt Kenseth, who led the most laps and was leading at the time, began to puff smoke out of the left front wheel. He immediately went to pit road and the crew learned that it was a problem with the drivetrain and he was out of the race. On lap 154 his teammate, Kyle Busch, began to puff smoke out of the exhaust pipes. It immediately turned out to be a blown engine and he was out of the race. Just like that, two of the three Joe Gibbs Toyota's were out of the race. The third and final round of green flag pit stops began on lap 173. The fifth caution of the day came out on lap 177. Jeff Burton blew a tire in the trioval and slammed into the wall very hard. Joey Logano, who had returned to the race after fuel problems, received the lucky dog. The race went back green and the final caution of the race came out on lap 191. Debris was spotted, and hit, in turn 2. The drivers pulled their belts tight and got ready for a mad dash to the finish.

           At the green flag, Jimmie Johnson quickly took the lead. No drivers were able to make moves until the last lap of the race. As the cars entered turn 1 of the last lap, Travis Kvapil got loose and hit the wall. He was able to save it and the caution was not waved. Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. hooked up and made the move. They came close to passing Jimmie, but he blocked and held onto the win. With that, the 55th running of the Great American Race was won by NASCAR's most prolific driver in the recent decade, Jimmie Johnson.

           To be honest, the race wasn't the greatest I've ever watched. It was a race that had its moments, but did not live up to its potential. The thing that will probably live on from this Daytona 500 was the job that Danica Patrick did. She won the pole, ran well all day, led a few laps, kept her nose cleaned, and came out with a great top 10 finish. Another thing was the great job done by the small teams. Michael McDowell, Regan Smith, and J.J. Yeley were able to walk away with top 10 finishes. In all, the end result was better than the race, but I don't mind. What matters is that the 2013 NASCAR season is on and we will have a fight on our hands.
(More Stats Down Below!)



Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 27- Debris was spotted in turn 3.

2nd Caution: Lap 32- Kyle Busch spun Kasey Kahne coming out of the trioval. Juan Pablo Montoya plowed in and drivers like Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, and Brad Keselowski got involved.

3rd Caution: Lap 85- Debris was spotted in turn 3.

4th Caution: Lap 137- Brad Keselowski got loose trying to avoid David Reutimann. The field got stacked up and drivers like David Gilliland, David Ragan, Terry Labonte, Josh Wise, Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne,  Austin Dillon, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. got involved.

5th Caution: Lap 177- Jeff Burton blew a tire in the trioval and slammed the wall hard.

6th Caution: Lap 191- Debris was spotted in turn 2.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Joe Nemechek
2nd Caution: David Gilliland
3rd Caution: J.J. Yeley
4th Caution: None
5th Caution: Joey Logano
6th Caution: Terry Labonte

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Jimmie Johnson
2nd: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3rd: Mark Martin
4th: Brad Keselowski
5th: Ryan Newman

Notables Not in Top 5:
8th: Danica Patrick
14th: Denny Hamlin
20th: Jeff Gordon
33rd: Carl Edwards
34th: Kyle Busch
36th: Kasey Kahne
41st: Tony Stewart
42nd: Kevin Harvick



Credits:
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2013_Daytona_500/W
-Photo:
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/dam/assets/130224170414-jimmie-johnson-3-single-image-cut.jpg

Marred by a Terrible Crash On the Last Lap, Tony Stewart Wins the Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona

      
        Tony Stewart won the Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona, but not without the consequence of a bad wreck. The wreck ended up injuring twenty-eight people in the stands and tearing a hole in the catchfence. None the less, Tony Stewart went from the back in the latter laps to secure victory. Even with the infamous wreck, the race was filled with good moments that left you hanging on the edge of your seat.

Trevor Bayne started on the pole for the race. At the drop of the green flag, Parker Kligerman was able to push Bayne out to a large lead. Bayne was able to lead the first three laps and was passed by Tony Stewart. The lead shuffled around and the first caution of the day came out on lap 9. Scott Lagasse Jr. tried to cross in front of Trevor Bayne on the frontstretch, but he was unable to and spun across the grass. No drivers received the lucky dog. The race went back green and stayed green until the second caution came out on lap 32. Elliott Sadler went up into Regan Smith in turn 4 and Smith spun down the track, but was able to save it. Juan Carlos Blum, a rookie in the Nationwide Series, got loose trying to avoid Regan and slid down the track into the inside wall. Jeremy Clements received the lucky dog. Something else happened during this caution that had more impact on the race. 

Danica Patrick had been sliding back in the field and she did not know why. But she found out during the caution. While she was riding around on the caution, she lost power. She had to pull into the garage and was out of the race with engine problems. Her hopes of winning were dashed and now she has only the 500 to win at Daytona this weekend. The race went back green and the longest green flag run of the day ended with the third caution on lap 65. Mike Wallace went down on Michael Annett in turn 4 and Kurt Busch went up on Annett. This caused Wallace and Busch to spin into the trioval. Reed Sorenson and Joe Nemechek got loose as well and spun into the trioval. No drivers received the lucky dog. The race went green and continued green until the fourth caution waved on lap 86. Trevor Bayne had problems with his drivetrain in turn 1 and had to go to the garage. He would eventually return to the race and finish 31st. Justin Allgaier received the lucky dog. The race went green and went until the fifth caution came out on lap 101. Kyle Busch, one of the favorites to win the race, blew his engine on the backstretch. Reed Sorenson received the lucky dog, but his engine blew up as well. At this point, the race was entering the later stages and the action began to pick up.

For 14 laps after the green flag, the cars sliced and diced their way around the track. Every second it seemed like one car would move wrong and the big one would commence. On lap 115, this happened and the sixth caution came out. Michael Annett, who had been involved in a previous incident, went up the track in turn 1 and spun Austin Dillon. The pack behind them could not avoid the wreck and drivers like Kasey Kahne, Jamie Dick, Hal Martin, Johanna Long, Mike Bliss, Jason White, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Danny Efland, and Matt Kenseth piled in and received a lot of damage. Michael was taken to the local hospital for abdominal pains, but he should be alright. The red flag waved so the track could be cleaned. The drivers sat in their cars and the yellow was once again waved. The drivers got ready for a green-white-checkered finish at Daytona.

The green flag waved and Regan Smith got out front with a push from Brad Keselowski. They went around and got the white flag. Brad was waiting in the wings and made his move coming out of turn 4. Regan went up to block and it all slid down hill from there. Brad put Regan in the wall and the pack could not avoid. Drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brian Scott, Justin Allgaier, Kyle Larson, Eric McClure, Alex Bowman, Sam Hornish Jr., Robert Richardson Jr., Travis Pastrana, Nelson Piquet Jr., Mike Wallace, Elliott Sadler, and Parker Kligerman piled in and total carnage ensued. The worst part was with Kyle Larson. His car left the racetrack and flew up into the catchfence. His car hit in the prefect, well imperfect, spot and part and pieces flew into the stands. In total, 28 people were injured with 14 treated on site and 14 taken to a local hospital. In the end, the only driver to make it through the wreck was Tony Stewart. He went across the finish line, but it was not a good moment for him. In victory lane, he did not celebrate and kept his thoughts on the people hurt in the grandstands. 

The race will, in the end, turn out to be one of the most infamous races in the past few years. It hurts because this was, in my opinion, one of the most exciting races I have watched in years. Now, it will forever be remembered by the incident at the end and the question of safety will once again be brought. Nonetheless, we will have to move this event out of our heads for one day for the running of the 2013 Daytona 500. Hopefully, it will be exciting and not end like this race. 
(More Stats Down Below!)



Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 9- Scott Lagasse Jr. spun across the frontstretch grass.

2nd Caution: Lap 32- Regan Smith spun in turn 4, but was able to save his car. Juan Carlos Blum got loose and spun into the inside wall.

3rd Caution: Lap 65- Mike Wallace, Kurt Busch, Reed Sorenson, and Joe Nemechek spun on the frontstretch.

4th Caution: Lap 86- Trevor Bayne had problems with his drivetrain in turn 1.

5th Caution: Lap 101- Kyle Busch blew his engine on the backstretch.

6th Caution: Lap 115- Michael Annett spun Austin Dillon in turn 1. The pack piled in and Kasey Kahne, Jamie Dick, Hal Martin, Johanna Long, Mike Bliss, Jason White, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Danny Efland, and Matt Kenseth were involved.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: None
2nd Caution: Jeremy Clements
3rd Caution: None
4th Caution: Justin Allgaier
5th Caution: Reed Sorenson
6th Caution: Mike Harmon

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Tony Stewart
2nd: Sam Hornish Jr.
3rd: Alex Bowman 
4th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5th: Parker Kligerman

Notables Not in Top 5:
10th: Travis Pastrana
12th: Brad Keselowski
16th: Matt Kenseth
20th: Kasey Kahne
32nd: Kyle Busch
36th: Danica Patrick



Credits:
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2013_DRIVE4COPD_300/B
-Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG_eOJ0PdrM       (Finish/Wreck)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu3sP2N97rY        (The Big One)
-Image:
https://twitter.com/NASCAR_NNS

Trevor Bayne Grabs the Pole For the Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona

       With a time of 50.801 seconds (177.162 mph), Trevor Bayne was able to grab the pole for the Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona. It was his sixth pole in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Since Bayne is running for the championship, this pole could really boost his momentum. His lap time was very quick, but he had to dodge a lot of bullets.

The qualifying and race rules were changed for the first Nationwide race of the season. Instead of 43 cars, the field now has 40 cars. In qualifying, the top 30 in owner points are locked in the race and the next 9 spots are set based on speed, with the last spot saved for the past champion or slowest go-or-go homer. The first driver to go out onto the track was Joey Gase. Actually, Donnie Neuenberger was supposed to go out first, but he withdrew his entry from the qualifying session. Gase ran the slowest lap of the day and was unable to make the race. The pole switched back and forth between drivers until it reached Travis Pastrana. He was able to lay down the first lap to break the fifty second mark and take the pole. The first driver to out-do him was Trevor Bayne, who was the eventual pole winner. After Bayne's lap, he had to dodge laps from big drivers like Regan Smith, Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, and many others, but he was able to and secure the pole.

It was said a lot during the qualifying session, but the pole here at Daytona does not mean anything. Anything can happen and it doesn't matter where you start. But, by the end of the race, Trevor Bayne's pole winning lap could be the main thing that gives him the win or ends his race. We will have to see tomorrow.
(More Stats Down Below!)


Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Trevor Bayne    50.801 (177.162 mph)
2nd: Sam Hornish, Jr.    50.885 (176.869 mph)
3rd: Parker Kligerman    50.905 (176.800 mph) 
4th: Travis Pastrana    50.952 (176.637 mph)
5th: Austin Dillon    51.020 (176.401 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
7th: Kyle Busch    51.030 (176.367 mph)
9th: Matt Kenseth    51.042 (176.325 mph)
10th: Tony Stewart    51.043 (176.322 mph)
11th: Brad Keselowski    51.043 (176.322 mph)
12th: Danica Patrick    51.067 (176.239 mph)
13th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.    51.071 (176.225 mph)

Go-or-Go Homers (With Times):
4th: Travis Pastrana    50.952 (176.637 mph)
7th: Kyle Busch    51.030 (176.367 mph)
9th: Matt Kenseth    51.042 (176.325 mph)
12th: Danica Patrick    51.067 (176.239 mph)
13th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.    51.071 (176.225 mph)
16th: Jeff Green    51.161 (175.915 mph)
18th: Jamie Dick    51.195 (175.798 mph)
24th: Scott Lagasse, Jr.    51.358 (175.240 mph)
27th: Mike Harmon    51.433 (174.985 mph)
40th: Kurt Busch    51.435 (174.978 mph)
41st: Bobby Gerhart    51.831 (173.641 mph)
42nd: Morgan Shepherd    51.912 (173.370 mph)
43rd: Dexter Stacey     52.413 (171.713 mph)
44th: Joey Gase    52.963 (169.930 mph)
45th: Donnie Neuenberger    No Time*
(*: Donnie Neuenberger withdrew from the qualifying session.)

DNQs: Donnie Neuenberger, Joey Gase, Dexter Stacey, Morgan Shepherd, and Bobby Gerhart



Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/02/22/nationwide-series-pole-qualifying-daytona.html
-Photo:
http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/nationwide/story/_/id/8975897/trevor-bayne-wins-pole-nationwide-opener-daytona

Danica Patrick and Jeff Gordon Secure Their Spots for the 2013 Daytona 500

       With times of 45.817 seconds (196.434 mph) and 45.850 seconds (196.292 mph), respectively, Danica Patrick and Jeff Gordon were able to secure their spots for the 2013 Daytona 500. This was the first time in the history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series that a female driver sat on the pole for a race. To add to that, it was the pole position for the Great American Race, the Daytona 500. But, the pole did not come easy for her.

The qualifying rules were changed for the qualifying session for this years' Daytona 500. Instead of being ordered from the slowest car in practice to the fastest car, there was a random draw held to settle the positions. The driver that drew number one was Tony Stewart. He ran a respectable lap of 45.936 seconds. The first driver to out-do him was the eventual polesitter, Danica Patrick. She was the eighth driver out and would not be bested, but she was tested. Jeff Gordon and Trevor Bayne came within a tenth of stealing the top spot, but they were unable to. The only change in the qualifying order was Brian Keselowski. He pulled his car onto pit road and was unable to get it started. With the help of Carl Edwards and some of Edwards' crew, Keselowski was able to get his car to start, but the car never got up to speed and ran a very slow lap. 

The session ended with Juan Pablo Montoya's run. With that, the front row for the 2013 Daytona 500 was set. Other drivers would have to run the Duel races to see where they will start. Two drivers will not be able to race in the 500 and will have to go home. By the end of the week, we will know all these things and we will begin to anticipate the 55th running of the Great American Race.
(More Stats Down Below!)


Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Danica Patrick    45.817 (196.434 mph)
2nd: Jeff Gordon    45.850 (196.292 mph)
3rd: Trevor Bayne    45.924 (195.976 mph)
4th: Ryan Newman    45.931 (195.946 mph)
5th: Tony Stewart    45.936 (195.925 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
8th: Kyle Busch    45.973 (195.767 mph)
10th: Matt Kenseth    45.983 (195.725 mph)
11th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.    46.016 (195.584 mph)
21st: Jimmie Johnson    46.134 (195.084 mph)
23rd: Brad Keselowski    46.163 (194.961 mph)
25th: Kevin Harvick    46.215 (194.742 mph)

Go-or-Go Homers* (With Times):
1st: Danica Patrick    45.817 (196.434 mph)
3rd: Trevor Bayne    45.924 (195.976 mph)
16th: Austin Dillon    46.063 (195.385 mph)
31st: Michael Waltrip    46.317 (194.313 mph)
32nd: Josh Wise    46.331 (194.254 mph)
34th: Michael McDowell    46.501 (193.544 mph)
35th: Scott Speed    46.502 (193.540 mph)
43rd: Joe Nemechek    47.357 (190.046 mph)
44th: Mike Bliss    47.509 (189.438 mph)
45th: Brian Keselowski    48.946 (183.876 mph)

(*: Since this session just sets the line-up for the Duels, nobody goes home yet. But, based on the statistics, the two drivers who would not run well in the two races would be Brian Keselowski and Mike Bliss. Anything can happen and we will find out Thursday.)

Note: I will not be able to do the two Duel races on Thursday because of school and some extracurricular activities. You should pretty much be able to see the finishing results and know what happened. I hope this is not an inconvenience. 




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.html
-Photo:
http://www.cfnews13.com/content/dam/news/images/2013/02/danica-patrick-daytona-pole-0217.jpg