Flashback Friday 5 Stages of Analysis: Jarrett Holds Off the Field and Saves Enough Fuel to Win Under Caution at Daytona

        After taking the lead during the final green flag pit stops of the race and staying out after the second caution, Dale Jarrett managed to hold off the field and save enough fuel to coast to the victory at Daytona under caution. Tonight’s race at Daytona International Speedway was relativity calm for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series field. Daytona is typically home to large crashes created by tight racing at 200 miles per hour. Yet, tonight’s event came down to strategy and a ten-lap dash to the finish. After a very calm start, the first caution waved shortly after halfway on lap 85 due to rain falling at the track. The caution allowed the entire field to pit and when the race went back green, the intensity began to increase as several drivers began swapping the lead at the front. By lap 115, Rusty Wallace took the outright lead and the calmness began to set in once again. As drivers continued to battle hard, each one managed to maintain their car control and the green flag stayed out. With 25 laps to go, it appeared green flag pit stops would decide the winner of the race. When Ernie Irvan and Johnny Benson Jr. pitted on lap 142, the window opened for pit stops and the rest of the field quickly followed. When the Top 10 came down on lap 144, the race off would be crucial in deciding the leader and, possibly, the winner. Wallace came in as the leader, but a two second pit stop for Jarrett allowed him to take the lead after battling with Wallace off pit road. Just a couple of laps later, the second caution waved on lap 147 and now, it appeared a restart would decide the winner. During the caution, several drivers stayed on track, including Jarrett. When the race restarted, he ran away from the pack as drivers with fresher tires soared to the front. As the laps clicked by, no one had anything for Jarrett and when the field crossed the line for three laps to go, chaos erupted in turn 4 as Jeremy Mayfield, Jimmy Spencer, and Wally Dallenbach Jr. wrecked. The caution waved and with only two laps to go, the race wouldn’t be able to restart with Dale Jarrett still leading. Yet, his Ford was low on fuel and he still had to coast to the finish line. He had enough fuel to grab the checkered flag under his own power to win the first NASCAR night race ever broadcasted live on network television. While there was only one caution for a crash, tonight’s race was the ultimate example of how pack racing at Daytona can provide thrills and intense battles for position while also displaying superspeedway strategy.

Stage 1:
Move of the Race: Jarrett Stays Out Late and Maintains His Lead to Grab the Victory

        So far, 1999 has been an excellent year for Dale Jarrett. After crashing out of the Daytona 500 and finishing 37th, he has grabbed two wins, 12 Top 5’s, and has a worst finish of eleventh since the opening race of the year. Plus, after his win at Richmond in May, he has been the points leader with the entire field chasing him down without success. However, Daytona is always a place where the points leader is challenged and treated without much respect. Jarrett would look to change that and he worked hard at the start of the race. From his twelfth place starting position, he progressed towards the front of the pack and on lap 42, he took the lead from Dale Earnhardt in turn 2. From there, he maintained the top spot until the first round of green flag pit stops began on lap 53. Following the completion of stops, Earnhardt inherited the lead with Jarrett still in the Top 5. After a few laps and several battles, Jarrett took the lead from Bobby Labonte on lap 62. Again, he held onto the lead, but Rusty Wallace took the lead from him on lap 75 and ran away until the first caution ten laps later. On the restart, Wallace once again took the lead and Jarrett jumped to second. On lap 99, he tried to take the lead, but a bold move by Mike Skinner kept Jarrett out of the lead. From there, Jarrett stayed in the Top 5 as the laps clicked by quickly with Wallace still in the front. With twenty-five laps to go, it looked like Jarrett would need an excellent pit stop to grab the lead and win the race. When he made his green flag pit stop on lap 144, his team made the ultimate move to grab the win. After a very short fuel stop, Jarrett drove out of his box and began to battle with Wallace. They exited pit road side by side and coming into turn 1, Jarrett took the advantage thanks to a great move by him and his team. When the caution waved on lap 147, Jarrett was leading and sitting in an excellent position to win. However, the caution allowed most of the field to pit and he stayed on track with older tires and questions about whether he had enough fuel. When the race restarted on lap 151, it was all in Jarrett’s hands to win. He held off moves from the drivers behind him, even the ones with fresher tires. When he crossed the line with three laps to go, a wreck behind him led to a final race to the caution flag for the win. Jarrett maintained the lead with Earnhardt behind him. He was officially the winner, but he had to complete the final two laps under his own power without running out of fuel. Jarrett ran the apron around the track to make sure he maintained fuel pressure to grab the win. He saved enough gas and crossed the checkered flag first to grab his third win of the year and maintain the NWCS points lead. Thanks to a quick stop by his team and his moves late in the race, Jarrett went to victory lane for the third time at DIS.

Stage 2:
Driver of the Night: Wallace Leads the Most Laps, But Falls Outside the Top 10

        In most races at Daytona, drivers rarely dominate the event due to the tight racing and the substantial number of passes for the lead. Yet, Rusty Wallace dominated tonight at Daytona and led almost half of the 160-lap race. After rolling off fifth, Wallace quickly shot to the front and he took the lead from Ricky Rudd on lap 16 after a three-wide pass on the frontstretch. He led for twenty-laps before Dale Earnhardt took the lead and Wallace dropped back a few positions. Following green flag pit stops on lap 56, Wallace took the lead from Earnhardt after a short battle. Yet, he held the lead for only a lap before Bobby Labonte took it. Wallace wouldn’t stay out of the lead for long as he grabbed the top spot with a pass on lap 75. He held the lead until the first caution of the race waved on lap 85, which led to more pit stops. Wallace’s stop was smooth, but Earnhardt inherited the lead after an even quicker stop. On the restart, Wallace drove into the lead after a short battle with Earnhardt. Again, the pack racing created changes at the front as he lost the lead again. After a couple of other drivers led, Wallace grabbed the top spot again on lap 115 and he ran away from the pack. As the final pit stops of the race neared, Wallace had led nearly half the event and he looked to be in control of the strategy decisions. When he came to pit road with the top 10 on lap 144 for scheduled green flag stops, his team performed quick work and sent him back out. However, Jarrett’s crew was just as fast and Wallace lost the lead. When the caution waved on lap 147, though, he was still in second with an opportunity to win. He stayed on track with Jarrett and several drivers behind him, meaning he would be in second on what would be the final restart. When the race restarted, Wallace looked to return to his dominance of the event, but not having fresh tires severely limited his opportunities to pass. He began to drop positions and when the final caution waved, he was in eleventh place after leading 75 laps in the race. Since the race didn’t restart, Wallace remained there and his dominating performance was unable to deliver a Top 10 result. Even though his finish was disappointing, Wallace still has momentum after leading 75 of 160 laps to take to New Hampshire next Sunday. 

Stage 3: 
Comeback of the Race: Burton Starts 37th with a Provisional, But Finishes in the Top 5

        While drafting allows drivers to move from the back to the front quickly, it can be quite a challenge to grab an excellent finish after starting deep in the field. Because of all the chaos in the middle of the pack, drivers can sustain damage and be left with a racecar that is unable to contend for an excellent finish. However, Jeff Burton moved from the back of the pack tonight all the way to a third-place finish when the checkered flag waved. He rolled off 37th after an issue in qualifying forced him to take a provisional to start the race. From the start, Burton didn’t stay there long. By lap 15, he was already in the Top 20 and pursuing a Top 10 run to make-up for the rough start. As the laps began to click away, though, Burton seemed stuck just outside the Top 10. Through pit stops and restarts, he battled hard with the drivers around him to gain positions, but he seemed to be struggling to find the right amount of Top 10 speed. When the final set of green flag pit stops came on lap 144, Burton and his team decided to put on two fresh tires while the rest of the field took fuel only. In just a few laps, the caution waved and the team was in an excellent position to stay out and gain some track position. Burton did stay on track and he was lined up in tenth for the restart. When the green flag waved for the final run of the race, his fresh tires immediately began to pay off. Burton started passing cars and he was quickly in the Top 5 with only about five laps to go. He continued to make progress and when he crossed the line with three laps to go, he was sitting in third with only Earnhardt and Jarrett in front of him. However, the caution waved and Burton was unable to move up anymore since the race didn’t restart, which handed him a third-place finish. After starting deep in the pack and fighting for every position, Burton was rewarded with a Top 5 and some confidence thanks to his ability to comeback from adversity.


Stage 4:
Underdog of the Race: Rudd Overcomes Terrible Start to the Season with a Top 15 Finish

        Since 1983, Ricky Rudd has found his way into victory lane at least once every year. The streak has been an impressive one, but it might be ending very soon as he has gone from contender to underdog in just one season. Throughout the 1999 campaign, Rudd has struggled to even find his way in the Top 15. He had four DNF’s and a season best finish of 14th at Dover coming into tonight’s race, which had him sitting 38th in the points. Yet, Daytona is a place where those fortunes can be changed thanks to the draft and ability of an underdog driver to grab a great finish. Rudd was prepared to fix his luck on the start as he rolled off from the second spot. On the start, he battled hard with the polesitter, Joe Nemechek, before settling into second place. However, Rudd wasn’t prepared to wait for his opportunity to lead. He drove past Nemechek in turn 4 to take the lead on lap 5. Rudd paced the field for several laps and his Tide machine looked great out front. Rusty Wallace finally took the lead from him on lap 16 and Rudd began to drop a few positions. However, he remained near the Top 10 or inside of it throughout the next few runs. As laps began to wind down, Rudd stayed towards the top half of the field and he was prepared to take an excellent finish. During his final green flag pit stop on lap 143, his team gave him just fuel and he returned to the track to capitalize on an excellent run. When the caution waved a couple of laps later, Rudd would have one last chance to grab his first Top 10 of the year. On the restart, he looked to advance from his eleventh-place position, but his older tires were unable to gain any ground. Yet, he only dropped a couple of positions and when the race ending caution waved on lap 158, Rudd was in thirteenth place. He crossed the finish line in that position to grab his best finish of the season thus far. While Ricky Rudd isn’t normally an underdog, his tough season made tonight’s Top 15 finish a much-needed boost for his own team as they look to finish the year on a positive note.

Stage 5:
Memorable Moment: Martin Races Hurt and Grabs a Top 20 Finish

        For years to come, Mark Martin’s 17th place finish in tonight’s race will appear to be an average finish for the Batesville, Arkansas, driver. However, his performance in tonight’s race was the ultimate example of tenacity, grit, and battling through pain. In Happy Hour yesterday afternoon, Martin was running in a pack late in the session when his right front tire exploded. Without losing any speed, he piled hard into the outside wall and destroyed the right side of his car. The hard contact left him with a broken wrist, a hurt knee, and several bruised ribs. Plus, since he would need a back-up car, he would have to start at the back after qualifying third. It looked like an impossible challenge to move forward with his injuries, but Martin decided to hop in the car and run the race anyway. When the event started, he was making excellent progress from the back even with his injuries. After five laps, he had already gained ten positions and was battling hard in the back of the pack. As the field began to settle into the race, Martin’s move through the field stalled due to the strain of racing with his wounds. Yet, he stayed in the car and managed to stay strong just on the outside of the Top 20. In fact, he was absolutely determined to stay in the car no matter what. Late in the event, Dick Berggren interviewed his crew chief, Jimmy Fennig, and Fennig stated that the team had given Martin some scissors to cut off the cast on his wrist to provide him with some relief. The statement shocked Berggren, but further proved that Martin is willing to compete in all types of conditions. As the event neared its conclusion, Martin was in position to grab an impressive finish despite his injuries. On the final restart on lap 151, he rolled off twelfth with fresher tires than most of the drivers in front of him. However, the field began to race around him and he started to drop back. When the race ending caution waved on lap 158, Martin found himself in 17th and he crossed the checkered flag in that position. As the years progress, Martin’s courageous performance will be remembered as the example of how committed he is to racing and fighting through adversity to compete at NASCAR’s highest level.

        After four hundred adrenaline filled miles of racing at Daytona, the NWCS heads to a much different obstacle as the series begins the second half of the season. The series will invade Loudon, New Hampshire, next Sunday for a battle on the flat, one mile New Hampshire International Speedway. While NHIS has plenty of racing room with wide turns, it drives much like a short track with drivers running into each other and barely maintaining control. Plus, strategy always manages to affect the outcome and the winner could be the team that handles fuel and tires the best. After three hundred miles next Sunday, one driver will stand tall after battling in front of a crowd of New England racing fans. In addition to the track storylines, several driver stories are prepared to affect the entire race. After his third win of the season, Dale Jarrett looks to continue his impressive season with a great run at New Hampshire. Jeff Burton came from back in the pack to finish in the Top 5 tonight, which is a great confidence boost heading to a track where he has won twice in two years. Mark Martin made it through tonight’s race with his injuries, but he will have to compete next Sunday with the same issues in another grueling race. Finally, the NWCS heads into the second half of the season next weekend and some drivers will look to make a championship run while others will hope to grab some momentum heading into the 21st Century. Tonight’s race at Daytona was clean all the way up until the final three laps, which allowed all the drivers to remain in the race and contend for positions throughout the event. Yet, NASCAR’s finest will have to battle potential chaos next week in New Hampshire as the flat track creates tight racing and sheetmetal banging. Daytona once again proved to be an intense race for the NWCS as Dale Jarrett managed the many variables of superspeedway racing to take his third win at the historic race track while also launching the series into the second half of the season.  
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 85- NASCAR waved the caution due to rain falling at the track.

2nd Caution: Lap 147- Debris, which was Kenny Irwin Jr.’s catchcan, was spotted on the track at the entrance of turn 1.

3rd Caution: Lap 158- Wally Dallenbach Jr. bumped Jeremy Mayfield exiting turn 4 and sent Mayfield spinning down the track towards the inside wall. Dallenbach slammed the outside wall and Jimmy Spencer slammed into the back of his car as the field tried to slow down. Mayfield managed to avoid hitting the inside wall while the other two drivers involved had significant damage to their cars.

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Dale Jarrett
2nd: Dale Earnhardt 
3rd: Jeff Burton
4th: Mike Skinner
5th: Bobby Labonte

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Tony Stewart
7th: Ward Burton
9th: Ernie Irvan
10th: Terry Labonte
11th: Rusty Wallace
13th: Ricky Rudd
14th: Kenny Irwin Jr.
17th: Mark Martin
21st: Jeff Gordon
23rd: Bill Elliott
38th: Darrell Waltrip
39th: Michael Waltrip




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1999-17/W
-Image:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/493777546622640986/
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCXC_xQRuFY

Flashback Friday 5 Stages of Analysis: Rudd Takes Fresh Tires and Great Luck to Victory Lane at Infineon

        Thanks to pitting for fresh tires on the final caution and being second when Jerry Nadeau’s rear gear broke with three laps to go, Ricky Rudd grabbed the lead at Infineon and drove to his second win at the newly configured road course. Today’s race started rather slowly with only two cautions in the first 67 laps and it looked to be anybody’s race as most of the field remained on the lead lap. However, when the third and final caution waved on lap 84, strategy began to take control of who would win the race. During the caution, Bill Elliott, Jerry Nadeau, Terry Labonte, Jeff Green, and a couple other drivers stayed on track while Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, John Andretti, and the rest of the leaders pitted for four tires. However, the nine drivers that stayed out would be just on the edge of making it on fuel while the rest of the field would be good to make it to the end. On what would be the final restart, Elliott maintained the lead before Nadeau gained on him in turn 7 and passed him for the lead. From there, Nadeau blistered away from the field as the drivers with fresh tires began to make their charge. Busch came out first of the drivers who took four tires, but he couldn’t make much ground as Rudd passed him to become the highest running driver with fresh tires. As the laps progressed, Rudd maneuvered through the drivers with older tires and with about eight laps to go, he was in second with his sights set on the lead. However, Nadeau held a consistent margin on older tires and with four laps to go, it looked the underdog driver was poised to win his second NASCAR Winston Cup Series race. However, the rear gear in his car broke driving through turn 11 on lap 108 and he pulled off on the frontstretch, ending his chance at the victory. Rudd inherited the lead and from there, he stretched his lead on Tony Stewart and grabbed the checkered flag for his first win since last fall at Richmond. Ultimately, today’s race delivered the thrills of NASCAR stock car racing on road courses. Strategy, tight racing, worn out equipment, and mechanical problems created a thrilling conclusion to NASCAR’s annual trip to the wine country of Sonoma, California. 

Stage 1:
Clutch Closer: Rudd Leads Only Three Laps, But Takes the Victory in Impressive Fashion

        Ricky Rudd might have only led three laps today, but he ended up leading the most important one: the last lap. Rudd and his team came in clutch in the final run of the race to grab the win and a much-needed boost of momentum after several good runs in the past couple of races turned into average finishes. While Rudd wasn’t leading for most of the event, he did have a very consistent race. He started in seventh and on the first run of the race, he lost a couple of positions and found himself at the back of the Top 10 as green flag pit stops began. His stop went well and he returned to the track having moved up a couple of positions. After the first caution waved on lap 38, Rudd ended up fifth on the restart after a couple of drivers in front of him pitted. On the next run, he managed to move to fourth and he stayed there until the second caution waved on lap 67. Again, he restarted in the Top 5 after pit stops and it looked like he was prepared to have a very good finish before the third caution on lap 84 completely changed the team’s fortunes. During pit stops, Rudd’s crew worked flawlessly and he came out second of the drivers with four tires just behind Kurt Busch. However, nine drivers with older tires stood in front of him and it would be a tough battle to find the lead. When the race restarted, Busch and Rudd made quick work of the drivers on old tires and Rudd even passed Busch to become the highest running driver with fresh rubber. With eight laps to go, Rudd found himself in second place with his sights set on the leader, Jerry Nadeau. While Rudd was faster than the leader, he wasn’t gaining enough time to pass him before the checkered flag. Yet, after weeks of bad luck, a piece of luck benefitted the Virginia driver. With three laps to go, something broke in the rear end of Nadeau’s car heading through turn 10 and he stopped his car off track on the frontstretch. Rudd inherited the lead and he put some distance on Tony Stewart, who grabbed second place. After driving cleanly for the last three laps, Rudd took the checkered flag and drove his Texaco/Havoline Ford to victory lane at the newly renamed Infineon Raceway. Thanks to a clutch pit stop from his crew and a little bit of luck, Ricky Rudd managed to close in the last few laps to grab a popular win in the NASCAR garage.

Stage 2:
Move of the Race: Green and Labonte Stay Out Late to Take Impressive Top 5 Finishes

        At the start of today’s race, grabbing Top 5 finishes was the last thought on the minds of Jeff Green and Terry Labonte. Yet, when 350 kilometers of right and left turns were finished, both drivers found themselves with hard fought Top 5’s after both teams made excellent strategy moves. Labonte started the race in a dismal 39th spot while Green rolled off in 33rd. Early on, neither driver made any progress and it looked like they would need strategy to move up. Before Labonte could even make a strategy call, he had a tire go down on track on lap 28, which altered the team’s strategy due to the early pit stop. He limped to pit road and his team replaced all four tires before sending him back on track after losing significant time. After the first caution on lap 38, both drivers found themselves outside the Top 20 and another run passed without many gains. When the second caution waved on lap 67, the two drivers came to pit road with the rest of the field for service. On the next run, the two drivers had a luxury most of the field didn’t have. They could run a little bit slower and save some fuel, which could help them make it to the end of the race without pitting again. When the third caution waved on lap 84, all the leaders came to pit road, but Green and Labonte stayed out with seven other drivers. They had saved fuel between the second and third cautions, which allowed them to stay out and finally gain some track position. On what would be the final restart, Green moved into second place while Labonte sat at the edge of the Top 5. As the drivers with fresh tires started moving to the front, Green and Labonte stayed strong at the front. They managed to stay in the Top 5 throughout the final run and when the checkered flag waved, Labonte beat Kurt Busch to the line in a photo finish for third while Green brought his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet home in fifth. The finishes were impressive not only because of where they started, but because neither driver had finished in the Top 5 in the first fifteen races of the year. In the end, an interesting strategy call to stay out on the final caution gave Green and Labonte impressive finishes at Infineon Raceway.

Stage 3:
Comeback of the Race: Stewart Salvages Second Place After Pitting Off Sequence 

        While Tony Stewart started on the pole and came home in second place, his race wasn’t spent just at the front of the field. In fact, most of his day was spent battling from the back part of the Top 20 after pitting when the majority of the field stayed out. On the start, Stewart was in control as he drove away from the field, but he didn’t hold the lead for long. Jeff Gordon, who started fourth, caught up to him on lap 2 and took the lead. From there, Stewart maintained his spot in the Top 5 as the race began to move towards the first set of pit stops. He was the first driver to make a green flag pit stop on lap 32 and that meant he would be on a three-stop strategy while the rest of the field was focused on only pitting twice all day. After the green flag pit stops cycled through, Stewart inherited the lead and led until the first caution came out on lap 38. Instead of maintaining the lead, Stewart and his team decided to be conservative and pit for four tires and fuel, which would get them back on sequence with the leaders of the race. However, he came out of the pits in 26th with a lot of positions to make up to get into the Top 5. Throughout the next run, Stewart passed drivers cautiously as he moved to the front. When the second caution waved on lap 67, he was near the Top 10 with an excellent racecar and a drive to win. On the restart, he moved up a little bit and when the third caution waved on lap 84, he was prepared to make his final charge to the front. He came down pit road with the rest of the leaders and he came out fourth of the drivers with four fresh tires. On the final restart, Stewart passed several cars with old tires and he even passed Kurt Busch for position in the last few laps. With three laps to go, he was in a similar position as Ricky Rudd. He was in third position and it didn’t look like he had enough time to gain two more sports. However, Nadeau’s issue put him into second and he crossed the finish line with a hard-fought second place finish. Early in the race, it looked strategy would derail Tony Stewart’s desire to win a second straight race at the Sonoma road course, but he made an incredible comeback to grab a second-place finish and gain some points in the championship standings. 

Stage 4:
Memorable Moment: Nadeau Almost Takes Underdog Victory Before Mechanical Problems

        2002 has not been kind to Jerry Nadeau. After two full seasons with Hendrick Motorsports and eleven races to start this season, Nadeau was released from the team and made a free agent during a time when other organizations don’t typically need drivers. However, an unfortunate injury to Johnny Benson Jr. allowed him to get in the #10 Pontiac for two races, but further opportunities did not arise and it looked like Nadeau would go from starting to sitting on the sidelines. Today, though, he had another opportunity to prove that he can contend in a NWCS car. Buckshot Jones drove the #44 for Petty Enterprises to start the year before Steve Grissom replaced him. While Grissom is now the regular driver, he is inexperienced on road courses and the organization decided to put Nadeau in the #44 since he is skilled at tracks with right turns. On the start, Nadeau was proving that the Petty’s decision was a smart one. He started 22nd and was the biggest mover in the first run as he moved towards the Top 15. After the first caution, he continued to move up positions and at the halfway point of the race, he was running solidly in the tenth place. As it looked like he was poised for a career saving run, his fortunes turned for the worst on lap 67. While running tenth, he drove into turn 10 too hot and he spun into the dirt on the outskirts of the track. He completed two spins and drove out of the dirt with his racecar mostly intact despite a hole in the left front of his nose. The spin brought out the second caution and he came to pit road for fresh tires and fuel along with the leaders. Since he restarted towards the back of the field, he saved some fuel and when the third caution waved on lap 84, he was able to stay out along with several other drivers. In hindsight, the spin turned out to be a positive as he sat in second place for the final restart, which might not have happened without the spin. On what would be the final restart, Nadeau pressured Bill Elliott for the lead and when the field came to turn 7, Elliott slipped up and Nadeau powered to the front. He drove away quickly and within just a few laps, he had opened up a five second advantage on the field. The ultimate underdog story was beginning to take shape as Nadeau still held the lead on old tires with four laps to go. Yet, hiss luck ran out. While still maintaining a healthy gap on Rudd with three laps to go, he began to slow on track in turn 10 and he drove through turn 11 before coming to a stop off the track on the frontstretch. It was a broken rear gear for Nadeau and as he sat off track in disgust, Rudd drove to the win and saddled Nadeau with a disappointing 34th place finish. In the future, when today’s race is viewed on paper, it will just appear that Jerry Nadeau brought home a rough finish for his team. However, fans watching today will be left with the memory of a driver in an underfunded ride fighting for the win and his career around the Infineon Raceway in the ultimate showcase of talent and determination.

Stage 5:
Terrible Luck: Winston Cup Points Leaders Fall Victim to Road Course Mayhem and Part Failures

        Whenever the NWCS heads to road courses, the top drivers in the points always drive cautiously due to the likelihood of crashes, mechanical failures, and strategy miscues. However, today’s race turned bad for five of the Top 6 drivers in the points standings following last week’s race at Michigan. The first driver to have issues in the race was points leader, Sterling Marlin. Marlin started the race in 36th, which put him in a tough spot to start the event. He made a few moves early, but he was still deep in the field with potential chaos in front of him. After about ten laps, Johnny Benson Jr. went off track and kicked some dirt onto the racing surface. Marlin came by and hit some of the debris, which caused his water pump belt and other belts to break on the car. Over the next few laps, his engine began to overheat and on lap 13, he came to pit road for his team to fix the issue. However, the issue was too much to fix on pit road and his team rolled him into the garage for more service. When the team felt the belts were sufficiently fixed, Marlin returned to the track, but he only ran a couple more laps before his car began to smoke again. He returned to the garage and remained there, which handed him a dismal 43rd place finish. It looked like his closest points competitors would be able to capitalize and gain some points, but they quickly ran into their own problems and allowed Marlin to hold the points lead. Jeff Gordon started the race from fourth, but he maneuvered his way into the lead on lap 2. In the first run of the race, he was absolutely dominating in impressive fashion. However, when he was about to make his green flag pit stop on lap 33, he reported to his team that he was unable to shift gears and he drove to the garage. His team replaced the rear gear, but he lost several laps and his opportunity to gain points disappeared. Shortly after Gordon’s problems, Matt Kenseth, who came into the race fifth in the points, began to drop oil on the track. The oil on track brought out the first caution on lap 38 and Kenseth brought his car to the garage, which cost him several laps and prevented him from gaining points. As the race neared the finish, it looked like Jimmie Johnson and Rusty Wallace would gain points after outlasting the road course chaos. However, Johnson broke a rear gear like his teammate with seven laps to go, which ended his excellent day, and Wallace had an incident on the last lap that sent him from the Top 15 to a 27th place finishing position. Only Mark Martin walked away with a great finish as he took a seventh-place finish. After a rough day for the series points leaders, it will be interesting to see which driver rebounds the best as the field heads towards the end of the season.

        After a day filled with shifting gears and battling around tricky right turns, NASCAR’s best drivers head to a different race track after a much-needed weekend off. In two weeks, the NWCS will battle on a Saturday night at the two and a half mile Daytona International Speedway where drivers must manage diverse obstacles compared to today’s race. Daytona is home to the infamous superspeedway racing where drafting, huge packs, big crashes, and pulse pounding action lead to an unpredictable race for all 43 drivers involved. While today’s race proved to be difficult for the Winston Cup points leaders, Daytona will be just as problematic due to its unpredictability. In addition to the possibility of chaos for the Winston Cup points leaders, even more storylines surround the annual July 4th trip to Daytona. Ricky Rudd finally visited victory lane today and with his new momentum, he will be a threat to battle and take his second consecutive win on the season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip have been dominate at Daytona in the last two years with wins in two of the last three races at DIS and they will certainly be threats for the victory in two weeks. Finally, Ward Burton might have won the Daytona 500 earlier this year, but he has struggled throughout the season and he could use a rebound heading into 2003 with another win at the World Center of Racing. While today’s race at Infineon was not filled with cautions, the field battled closely, managed strategy, and showed how stock cars can put on an excellent show at road courses like Infineon Raceway.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 38- Oil from Matt Kenseth’s car was spotted on the track.

2nd Caution: Lap 67- Jerry Nadeau drove too hard through turn 10 and spun into the turn’s dirt, but he continued without damage.

3rd Caution: Lap 84- Boris Said spun exiting turn 10 and backed into the tire barrier hard, destroying the back end of his car. 

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Ricky Rudd
2nd: Tony Stewart
3rd: Terry Labonte
4th: Kurt Busch
5th: Jeff Green

Notables Not in Top 5:
7th: Mark Martin
8th: Bill Elliott
9th: Ryan Newman
13th: Bobby Labonte
14th: Kevin Harvick
15th: Dale Jarrett
22nd: Michael Waltrip
27th: Rusty Wallace
29th: Jeff Burton
30th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
35th: Jimmie Johnson
37th: Jeff Gordon
39th: Matt Kenseth
43rd: Sterling Marlin



Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2002_Dodge_Save_Mart_350/W
-Image:
https://twitter.com/basso488/status/613199117267959808
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNIHje13UFI&t=81s

5 Stages of Analysis: Larson Leads the Most Laps in Second Consecutive Victory at Michigan

        After starting on the pole and leading 96 of the 200 laps in today’s FireKeepers Casino 400, Kyle Larson took his Chevrolet to victory lane in thrilling fashion at Michigan. While he was near the front for the entire race, it looked like his chances to win were slipping away in the second half of the race. On the restart after the fourth caution on lap 121, Larson fell back to sixth due to restarting on the inside line. It looked like he was stuck there until the fifth caution came out on lap 150 and allowed strategy to take shape for the entire field. Four drivers, including Kyle Busch, took two tires while Larson and the leaders decided to take four tires. While he lost a little track position, Larson restarted as the fourth car in the outside line, which gave him a distinct advantage to move to the front. On the restart, he moved into fourth place thanks to the strength of the outside line with Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Busch in front of him. Larson moved past Elliott early in the run and then quickly passed Blaney for second with the leader in his sights. Before he could make the move by Busch for the lead, the sixth caution waved on lap 180 and the subsequent restart meant Larson would start on the inside line since he was second. However, even after restarting on the inside, Larson fought his way past Busch and grabbed the outright lead in a remarkable showing of his talent. A caution on lap 187 meant another restart, but the 2014 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series Rookie of the Year held strong before another caution waved on the backstretch. On the final restart of the race, Larson held off all challengers and cruised to his second consecutive victory at Michigan after he won last August for his first NMECS win. Today's win was his third career Cup victory and, ironically, all three have come at Auto Club Speedway and MIS, which share a very similar track layout. Today’s race in the Irish Hills was a mixture of calculated strategy and high-speed racing, but it ultimately came down to three crucial restarts to not only decide the winner, but all the finishing positions as the playoffs draw closer. As these five stages of analysis display, Michigan International Speedway always puts on an action-packed show from start to finish and the winner of the race is not always assured until the checkered flag waves.


Stage 1:
Driver of the Day: Larson Dominates and Manages Late Restarts to Win

  2017 has been a proving year for Kyle Larson and his Chip Ganassi Racing team. In the fourteen races leading up to today’s event, he had a win, five second place finishes, and only one DNF after a crash in the Coca-Cola 600. Plus, Larson found himself sitting second in points behind Martin Truex Jr., who has had an equally impressive year. Today’s race was just another powerful indicator of how competitive Larson will be when it comes championship time. He started the race on the pole after a blazing fast lap and in the early run of the race, he was running away from the field. However, a two-tire gamble during pit stops after the competition caution on lap 26 made his car tight as Truex Jr. grabbed the lead on lap 35. Larson dropped another spot and Truex Jr. ultimately took his ninth stage win of the year. Yet, Larson was not going to settle for running in second for another run. His team’s fast pit work allowed him to win the race off pit road and he drove away on the restart. The green flag stayed out for an entire fuel run and when pit stops happened under the green flag, Larson maintained the lead after the stops cycled through. However, Truex Jr. took the lead thanks to great pit work on lap 116 and he drove to a sweep of the stage victories. After stage two ended, the leaders stayed on track and the subsequent restart dropped Larson to sixth after starting on the inside line. A caution thirty laps later created more strategy, but the restart put Larson on the outside line and he maneuvered his way into second place. The sixth caution on lap 180 proved pivotal for the young driver. Starting on the inside line on the restart, he outbattled Kyle Busch into turn 1 and took the lead and never relinquished it through two more hotly contested restarts as he took his third career NMECS victory. Overall, Larson led nearly half the race and despite not winning a stage, he grabbed five playoff points and the points lead thanks to the win. While today was another successful run, this coming Sunday could prove to be a challenge as Larson has yet to finish inside the Top 10 at Sonoma, but he has proven this year that no track can set him back. 

Stage 2:
Move of the Race: Logano Pits Late and Grabs Impressive Top 5

  The last five races have not been very kind to Joey Logano and his team. Since winning at Richmond in April, Logano has yet to finish inside the Top 20 in any race and with his race win not locking him in the playoffs due to a penalty, he is in desperate need of a playoff clinching victory. Today at Michigan went much better for him from the start. Logano rolled off from seventh place and after an uneventful first stage, he was in ninth with a decently fast racecar. Stage two continued smoothly for the Team Penske driver and after dropping a couple of positions, he ended up just outside the Top 10 to finish the second stage. While Logano was consistent, he was not moving up and his crew chief, Todd Gordon, decided to begin working some late race strategy. During the caution to end stage two, Logano pitted for four tires and the restart went well as he had fresh tires. However, he continued to remain near the back half of the Top 10 and it looked like the team still lacked speed compared to the field. Another pit stop came and after taking four tires, Logano still appeared to be unable to move through the field. When the sixth caution waved on lap 180, Gordon used another strategy move. He brought his driver down for two tires and he restarted fourteenth, which was the highest of all the drivers who pitted during the caution. On the next restart, Logano finally began moving to the front. He gained a couple of positions before the seventh caution waved on lap 187 and on the next restart, he gained even more spots as he restarted sixth. When the eighth and final caution waved on lap 191, Logano found himself sitting fourth in an excellent position to work his way around Kyle Larson in the outside line. On the final restart, he made a good move, but Denny Hamlin broke loose on the inside line and slowed his progress. Chase Elliott moved into second and Logano managed to grab third place. He maintained the spot and when the checkered flag waved, he grabbed his first Top 5 finish in a little over a month. Thanks to a bold two-tire strategy call from Todd Gordon, Logano grabbed a much-needed momentum boost heading towards the playoffs. Plus, after the race, Logano and his wife, Brittany, announced that they are expecting their first child next January. It was a great Father’s Day for the young driver and this boost of confidence could lead to a dramatic championship run.



Stage 3:
Wild Wreck: Patrick Slams the Inside Wall Hard After Restart Stack-Up

  After the first half of today’s race went clean with no cautions involving crashes or spins, the second half of the race went much differently. Ryan Sieg spun to bring out the fifth caution on lap 150 and Clint Bowyer slammed the outside wall on lap 187 to bring out the seventh caution. However, those two incidents were just the beginning of the action-packed racing that was to come in the last ten laps of the event. With the win and great finishing positions on the line, the intensity surrounding the restart following the eighth caution was evident. As Kyle Larson took the green flag with Chase Elliott to his inside on lap 191, the field raced off into turn 1 for what could possibly be the final side by side restart of the race. As they went into turn 1, Ryan Blaney, who was sitting in fifth, broke loose and began to slide up the track. Since it could be the last restart, Blaney blocked drivers trying to pass as the rest of the field behind him had much more momentum. Kevin Harvick and Daniel Suarez managed to drive underneath him heading towards the backstretch and all three drivers were unwilling to back out. All three made contact and Suarez began to slide down the track. Drivers behind them had gained speed and Darrell Wallace Jr. was there to make a pass for position. Wallace Jr. and Suarez made contact, which sent Wallace Jr. into Danica Patrick. Patrick was also trying to advance her position in the late restart and she had decided to make a move to the inside of the three wide battle. However, it turned out to be the wrong move as the contact sent her spinning down the inside of the track. She slid all the way to the inside wall and slammed it hard as the rest of the field managed to keep going. Her car was heavily damage and a Top 15 run turned into a last place finish. After such a clean start, it was a wild wreck for the lead lap drivers. For Patrick, it continues her disappointing season after luck hasn’t seemed to be on her side. Her hard Kansas incident with Joey Logano and Aric Almirola ended a great run and left Almriola hurt after the crash. With her job possibly on the line, she needs to finish her great runs. Other drivers involved in today’s accident continued, but they were left with poor finishes for their runs. Ultimately, Michigan showed how high speeds and tight quarters can cause large accidents, just like the one today. 

Stage 4:
Underdog of the Race: Wallace Jr. Takes Top 20 Finish in Second Cup Start

  After his first NMECS start last Sunday, Darrell Wallace Jr. was frustrated with the finishing result after several pit road speeding penalties cost him a chance at a Top 20. Today at Michigan, he redeemed himself from all of last week’s rookie mistakes. Throughout the early and middle part of the event, Wallace Jr. kept his nose clean and battled around the Top 20 in the event after starting 26th. As the race neared the final hundred miles, it looked like he was on the verge of completing the entire race and gaining much needed experience. Finally, after pitting during the sixth caution, he looked to be prepared to grab a Top 20. However, the restart after the seventh caution almost unraveled his race. Wallace Jr. attempted to make a move underneath the three wide battle between Blaney, Harvick, and Suarez, in hopes of moving up to the Top 15. As he made the move, Suarez slid down the track and the two drivers made contact, which careened Wallace Jr. into Danica Patrick. Yet, after the two hard hits, Wallace Jr. pitted for a few repairs and returned to the race with fresh tires, which gave him the ability to move back towards the Top 20. On the final restart, he maneuvered his way into the Top 20 and took the checkered flag in an impressive nineteenth place in only his second Cup Series start. Of course, Richard Petty Motorsports and Wallace Jr. aren’t usually considered underdogs, but the combination of a rookie and the lack of speed the team has showed the past couple of years make the young driver’s nineteenth place finish a remarkable run for the entire organization.

Stage 5:
Terrible Luck: Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch Run Well, But Can’t Capitalize on Victory

  Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch led 102 of the 200 laps in today’s race and took both stage wins, but neither one finished inside the Top 5 as their luck ran out at the end. Truex Jr. started second and the inside line proved to be tough for him on the initial start as he began to drop back. However, the subsequent restarts allowed him to catch up to Kyle Larson and take the lead on lap 35. Busch rolled off fourth and he ended up third at the end of stage one as Truex Jr. took the stage win. Through the next stage and green flag run, both drivers stayed consistent and when the green checkered flag waved to end stage two, Truex Jr. took the stage win after taking the lead from Larson following stops and Busch took second as well. With only one stage left, the two Toyota drivers looked to be in control. On the pit stops following the conclusion of stage two, Truex Jr. won the race off and ran away from the field. He led until the fifth caution on lap 150 and dodged a massive problem when Ryan Sieg spun. Truex Jr. was coming along in the smoke and began to slide, but he controlled his car and held onto the lead without damage. However, during the pit stops after the caution, Kyle Busch took two tires and inherited the lead while Truex Jr. came out fifth after he took four tires. Busch drove away on the restart, but his fellow Toyota driver dropped back due to the challenge of restarting on the inside line. When the sixth caution waved on lap 180, Busch was still leading with questions over his ability to finish the race on fuel without stopping again. The caution brought much needed fuel saving for him and it allowed Truex Jr. another opportunity to battle for the lead, but he was again on the inside. On the restart, Truex Jr. dropped back while Busch lost the lead to Larson. On the final two restarts, neither driver could move back towards the front and Truex Jr. finished sixth with Busch behind him in seventh place. While Truex Jr. has two wins on the year and is in a good place in the playoffs despite not winning today, Busch is in desperate need of a win to make the playoffs and losing out on a win today means another opportunity is lost for the 2015 NMECS champion to find victory lane.

  After running at a high banked two-mile track in the Irish Hills of Michigan today, the NMECS heads to a much different race track next Sunday. While the track is close to two-miles in length, it has right turns and more than four turns to challenge NASCAR’s best drivers and it is known as Sonoma Raceway. For the first time this year, a road course will impact the battle towards the playoffs and a variety of storylines will greet the field as they compete in California. A.J. Allmendinger is a full-time driver in the NMECS, but he can be considered a road course ringer and with only a few opportunities left for him to win before the playoffs, he will be focused to win his second career race. Kyle Larson might not be as experienced on road courses as his fellow competitors, but he has the momentum this year and he could use another solid run to boost his championship caliber statistics. Kyle Busch might be winless this year, but he has a previous win in 2015 at Sonoma and it sparked his first championship run. Finally, several competitive drivers remain winless and the unpredictability of a road course could open the door for someone to clinch their spot in the playoffs. Today’s race at Michigan proved to be a late race duel for the victory as late restarts and strategy culminated in a hard-fought win for Kyle Larson. Yet, next Sunday’s race presents an even greater strategy challenge and the tight road course racing could lead to increased shake-ups in the points standings in NASCAR’s highest series at Sonoma Raceway.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 7- Debris was spotted on the frontstretch of the track.

2nd Caution: Lap 26- NASCAR waved a competition caution due to rain at the track early in the morning. 

3rd Caution: Lap 61- NASCAR waved the caution to signal the end of stage one.

4th Caution: Lap 121- NASCAR waved the caution to signal the end of stage two.

5th Caution: Lap 150- Ryan Sieg broke loose in turn 4 and spun into the infield grass right in front of leader, Martin Truex Jr.

6th Caution: Lap 180- Debris was spotted on the backstretch of the track.

7th Caution: Lap 187- Clint Bowyer broke loose trying to pass between Jamie McMurray and Joey Logano entering turn 1. He slid up the track and slammed into the outside wall, causing him significant damage to the right side of his car.

8th Caution: Lap 191- Ryan Blaney broke loose entering turn 1 and created a stack-up behind him. Kevin Harvick and Daniel Suarez tried to pass him on the backstretch, but the three drivers made contact and Suarez slammed into Darrell Wallace Jr. Wallace Jr. slammed into Danica Patrick, who slid down the track and slammed the inside wall hard.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: None
2nd Caution: None
3rd Caution: Matt DiBenedetto
4th Caution: A.J. Allmendinger
5th Caution: Danica Patrick
6th Caution: Ty Dillon
7th Caution: Paul Menard
8th Caution: Michael McDowell

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Kyle Larson
2nd: Chase Elliott
3rd: Joey Logano
4th: Denny Hamlin
5th: Jamie McMurray

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Martin Truex Jr.
7th: Kyle Busch
9th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
10th: Jimmie Johnson
11th: Matt Kenseth
14th: Kevin Harvick
16th: Brad Keselowski
19th: Darrell Wallace Jr.
21st: Kasey Kahne
25th: Ryan Blaney
37th: Danica Patrick




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2017_FireKeepers_Casino_400/W
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/race-center/2017/monster-energy-nascar-cup-series/firekeepers-casino-400.race.html
-Image:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2716380-kyle-larson-edges-out-chase-elliott-wins-nascar-at-michigan-2017

Flashback Friday 5 Stages of Analysis: Kurt Busch Dominates and Outlasts the Field on Old Tires to Win at Michigan

        Despite being on older tires compared to most of the drivers around him, Kurt Busch held off the field on three late restarts to win his 17th career NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race on a Tuesday at Michigan International Speedway. Rain drenched the track on Sunday and Monday, which meant NASCAR’s finest would have to run on a Tuesday morning for the first time in almost twenty years. As the field finally drove off pit road today, fog still surrounded the area and it appeared another delay was imminent. NASCAR put out both the green flag and yellow flag on the start and attempted to use the wind from the field to dissipate the fog. After about ten laps with no change in the fog, NASCAR brought the field down pit road and the wait continued. Finally, the fog disappeared slightly and the race went green with 43 drivers turning speeds well over 200 miles per hour. The race started slow with a competition caution on lap 31, but the battling for the lead and the incidents quickly picked up. By the halfway point of the race, the lead was hotly contested with Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth exchanging the lead every couple of laps. By lap 108, Busch took the outright lead and began to run away as the race entered a long green flag run with two sets of pit stops under green. As the sixth caution ended the run on lap 176, strategy began to shape the race. Busch stayed out as drivers around him opted for two tires, hoping to grab the victory. However, he held strong on the next two restarts and looked to be in control with two laps to go. Just as he neared the white flag, Greg Biffle’s spin in turn 1 prompted a green-white-checkered to decide the winner. Busch jumped out quickly on that GWC and kept Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson behind him for his second win of the season. It was a dominating performance for the driver of Roger Penske’s Miller Lite Dodge, but the strategy call had the chance to keep him out of victory lane. Plus, the high speeds at the two-mile track, the tough handling conditions, and the completely green race track from all the rain made Busch’s win impressive. As this five stages of analysis displays, racing on a Tuesday in the Irish Hills of Michigan is unpredictable and fast.

Stage 1: 
Driver of the Day: Kurt Busch Continues His Momentum in Dominating Performance

        Following race 17 of the 2007 season at New Hampshire, it looked like Kurt Busch was completely out of the championship picture. He was over two hundred points behind the cut off position for making the Chase for the Nextel Cup title and he had yet to visit victory lane. Since then, Busch has been a completely different driver, especially in two of the last three races. At Pocono two weeks ago, he led 175 of the 200 laps and won, which broke a 51-race winless streak dating back to Bristol last year. Today at Michigan, he had a similar dominating performance. After starting fifteenth, Busch methodically worked his way through the field in the early runs of the race and looked like the fastest car on track. After the fourth caution on lap 88, Busch pitted with the rest of the field and was close to the leader of the race, Matt Kenseth. Kenseth held off Busch until the fifth caution on lap 94, but when the race restarted, the two began battling hard for the top spot. Busch passed the 2003 NNCS champion in turn 4 on lap 101 and looked to run away, but Kenseth did not give up. They exchanged the lead on lap 104 and again on lap 108, but Busch quickly ran away after lap 108. He maintained the lead through two sets of green flag pit stops until the sixth caution on lap 176 shook up strategy. Busch stayed out with Jeff Gordon, Dave Blaney, and Martin Truex Jr., but everyone else pitted for two fresh tires. When the race restarted, Busch stayed in front with old tires, but the seventh caution waved on lap 190 and set up another challenging restart with Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin closing. Again, Busch was strong on the restart and he looked to have the race won before the eighth caution set up a two lap dash to the checkered flag. Yet, the restart didn’t faze Busch and he cruised away from Truex Jr. for his 17th career NNCS win, his second win of the 2007 season, and a must needed victory for his Chase hopes. In the end, Busch led 92 of the 203 laps and showed that he will be a force to contend with when the Chase begins, if he maintains his spot in the twelve-driver field.

Stage 2: 
Move of the Race: Truex Jr. Stays Out Late to Grab Second Place 

        2007 has been a breakout year for Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s Martin Truex Jr. The New Jersey driver visited victory lane at Dover for his first career Cup Series win earlier this year and he had eight Top 10’s entering today’s event. Plus, he began today’s race at Michigan in eleventh place on the Chase grid with hopes of battling for his first championship in only his second Cup season. Finally, in his first trip of the year to Michigan in June, the young driver finished second. Today looked to be a perfect opportunity to grab another win and build on his Chase position, but he started the day with a little trouble. An engine change on Saturday meant he would start at the back of the field, which is tough at a track like Michigan where green flag runs make it hard to move to the front. However, Truex Jr. was unaffected by starting in the back and he followed his teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., to the front rather quickly. By lap 70, he was positioned in the Top 10 and poised to keep gaining points in the championship fight. Yet, he seemed to be stuck at the back half of the Top 10 as green flag pit stops prevented him from advancing too many positions. Finally, when the sixth caution waved on lap 176, his crew chief, Kevin “Bono” Manion, made a bold move to gain some track position. While Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, and others pitted, Truex Jr. stayed on track with Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, and Dave Blaney. He ended up fourth in line of the drivers that stayed out with fresh tires right behind him. However, Truex Jr. took off on restart and moved to second with intentions on passing Busch for the lead. Unfortunately, his momentum was stopped as the seventh caution waved, but he would have another chance on the restart. When the race did start back, he stayed close to the leader, but he seemed to be stuck in second with three to go. As the eighth and final caution waved with two to go, Truex Jr. would have his final shot on a GWC. Again, Busch was too strong on the restart and he kept Truex Jr. in second place at the finish. While a win would have been nice, Manion’s move turned out to be crucial for the second-place finish. Rather than finishing just inside the Top 10, Martin Truex Jr. grabbed another second-place finish at Michigan and maintained his security in the Chase field.

Stage 3: 
Terrible Luck: Gordon Starts First, But Misses Late Strategy Call and Spins 

        Jeff Gordon’s day started in the lead, right where he always wants to be. The four-time Cup champion grabbed his 62nd career pole for today’s race and a series best sixth pole of the season. However, when the race officially went green after the green/yellow start, Gordon began to drop back as Greg Biffle took the lead. When the competition caution waved about twenty laps later, Steve Letarte, his crew chief who was making his return after a six-race suspension, decided to make a strategy call. Gordon was the only driver to take two tires on the first stop of the day and with his first stall on pit road, he won the race off and took the lead. While Robby Gordon stayed out and held the lead on the restart, the other Gordon quickly took the lead and the strategy call looked to be going good. However, the two-tire gamble made Gordon’s car tight and his teammate, Jimmie Johnson, took the lead on lap 49 as Gordon began dropping back. He was the first driver to pit under green on lap 66 and when the stops cycled through, he was at the same spot at the back half of the Top 10. When the fourth caution of the day came out on lap 88, Gordon’s luck turned around as he gained several spots on pit road. When the race went back green, it didn’t take him long to begin racing in the Top 5. Yet, more bad luck struck the polesitter near the end of the race’s long green flag run as a piece of the aerodynamic fin came untightened on the back window of his Chevrolet. NASCAR didn’t black flag him and his team was allowed to fix the issue during their green flag pit stop on lap 166. The team executed the fix quickly and he returned to the race without losing much time. When the sixth caution waved about ten laps later, Gordon was sitting in an excellent position. Letarte decided to keep him on track as the rest of the field pitted for four tires. Gordon restarted in second position and looked to be close to a win. Yet, the bad luck was not finished. Staying out made Gordon loose on the restart and as he dropped back, he could barely control his car. As Matt Kenseth looked to pass him for fifth on lap 190, Gordon broke loose and slid right in front of his fellow driver. Kenseth bumped him and Gordon’s Chevrolet went spinning across the frontstretch and into the wet grass. His car was stuck in the mud and he lost a lap as a tow truck returned him to the track. Finally, after fighting strategy all day, Gordon was off the lead lap and he ended up finishing 27th after high hopes of winning. Overall, the race was filled with terrible luck for the points leader, but he still sits in a comfortable position heading towards the Chase.

Stage 4:
Comeback of the Race: Labonte and Mears Come from One Lap Down to Top 15 Finishes

        When Bobby Labonte and Casey Mears crossed the finish line in today’s race, it appeared the two drivers had just consistently worked all four hundred miles to grab Top 15 finishes. However, their races were hard fought battles to overcome falling a lap down and maintaining a slight chance of advancing to the Chase for the championship. Labonte started the day in fourth place while Mears started 29th, needing to make a lot of moves to get to the front. In the first run of the race, the 2000 NNCS champion dropped a few positions and the winner of this year’s Coca-Cola 600 moved towards the middle of the pack. However, the race went downhill for Mears after the competition caution. He began to drop positions on the leaderboard and he came down pit road for an unscheduled stop around lap 50. The ESPN broadcast didn’t point out the pit stop, but it can be assumed that Mears had a flat tire or loose wheel. Either way, he lost a lap and sat in 42nd position with all drivers on track, which put him at a huge disadvantage early. As the laps progressed, Mears stayed a lap down and he only gained a few positions as drivers crashed and fell out of the race with issues. By lap 150, he was in 30th as Bobby Labonte started to lose a lap. Labonte waited to pit on the third round of green flag pit stops around lap 170, which put him a lap down as the rest of the field gained time on fresh tires. Fortunately for Labonte, he received the lucky dog and ended up back on the lead lap when the sixth caution waved on lap 176. Meanwhile, Mears had made it back onto the lead lap and now both drivers looked to move up in the pack. In the final twenty-five laps of the race, both drivers battled hard with Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kyle Busch for incredible finishes. As the checkered flag waved, Labonte grabbed the ninth-place position and Mears beat Earnhardt Jr. to the line in a photo finish for the eleventh spot. Both drivers fought with incredible tenacity and were rewarded with excellent Top 15’s. Plus, as Labonte and Mears sit close to making the Chase, they stayed within reach of the twelfth spot with only three races left before the ten-race championship battle begins.

Stage 5:
Underdog of the Race: Blaney Utilizes Strategy and Consistency to Finish Sixth

        The 2007 season has been a struggle for Dave Blaney and his Bill Davis Racing team. The team decided to run Toyota’s this year as the manufacturer jumped into full-time competition for the first season in the NNCS. There have been growing pains for the organization with the new cars and engines. In the first 22 races, Blaney had seven DNF’s, two DNQ’s, and a 34th place points position heading into MIS. However, with his seventeenth place starting spot, the team looked to turn things around. On the start, he stayed in the seventeenth spot when it looked like his bad luck was continuing. Juan Pablo Montoya broke loose underneath him in turn 4 on lap 14 and began sliding up the track. Montoya slid up the track and the two drivers didn’t make contact, which allowed Blaney to continue undamaged. From there, Blaney advanced towards the Top 10 during the first two runs and stayed around the eleventh or twelfth position for most of the race. In fact, when the final scheduled stops of the race began around lap 164, he was still in the twelfth spot and his stop went smoothly, bringing him back to the track in thirteenth. As the sixth caution waved on lap 176, Blaney’s team was left with a decision to pit and look to maintain 12th or stay out and hope for a better finish. Tommy Baldwin Jr., his crew chief, decided to keep him on track under the caution and the strategy call put Blaney in third for the restart. Over the next three restarts, he managed to fight hard on old tires and when the checkered flag waved on today’s race, Blaney grabbed a sixth-place finish, which is his best of the season thus far. Overall, the BDR team was exceptionally consistent throughout the race and the late strategy call gave Blaney momentum heading into the conclusion of the 2007 season.

        After almost a week spent at MIS, the Nextel Cup Series doesn’t get a break as teams head to Bristol Motor Speedway for a Saturday night short track battle. The speeds were blazing fast today in Michigan, but Bristol’s slow speeds and tight racing present a much different challenge for all the NNCS drivers. Tempers will flare, sheetmetal will bend, and drivers will crash as the entire field looks to grab a memorable win at Bristol. In addition to the obvious short track action, various storylines surround the annual August trip to BMS. With the race today being run on a Tuesday, all the teams will have little time to prepare for a Saturday night race and with only three races before the Chase, every driver needs their cars dialed in. After his win today, Kurt Busch heads to Bristol where he is a five-time winner, which bodes well for his momentum heading into the Chase. Martin Truex Jr. might be in the eleventh spot currently in the points standings, but he isn’t locked into the Chase and he needs excellent runs in the next three races. Dale Earnhardt Jr. currently sits outside the Chase grid in thirteenth, but he has a previous night win at Bristol and a desire to run for a title. Jeff Gordon might be the points leader, but he needs to rebound from a rough end to today’s race. While it will be a while before NASCAR runs on a Tuesday again, today’s race at Michigan was worth the wait and showed that weekday races are enjoyable. Hard racing and intense strategy culminated in a dominant victory for Kurt Busch and great finishes for several drivers who desperately needed them.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 1- NASCAR started the race under the green and yellow flag to help dissipate the fog surrounding the race track.

2nd Caution: Lap 14- Juan Pablo Montoya spun in turn 4 after breaking loose underneath Dave Blaney. Montoya continued after not hitting anything on track. Chad McCumbee also spun in turn 4 at the same time.

3rd Caution: Lap 31- NASCAR waved the competition caution due to rain the two previous days.

4th Caution: Lap 88- Mark Martin’s car began smoking heavily in turn 2 and NASCAR waved the caution to check for oil on the track.

5th Caution: Lap 94- Michael Waltrip spun in turn 2 after breaking loose underneath Bobby Labonte. Waltrip avoided hitting anything until Joe Nemechek slammed into his front end, which ended the race for both drivers.

6th Caution: Lap 176- Debris was spotted on the track.

7th Caution: Lap 190- Matt Kenseth bumped Jeff Gordon exiting turn 4 after Gordon went up the track on older tires. Gordon spun around on the frontstretch and ended up stuck in the infield grass due to the rain.

8th Caution: Lap 199- Greg Biffle spun in turn 1 after breaking loose underneath Kyle Busch. Biffle chased his car up the track and managed to avoid hitting the wall. He drove away after straightening out his car.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: None
2nd Caution: None
3rd Caution: None
4th Caution: Jeff Green
5th Caution: Johnny Sauter
6th Caution: Bobby Labonte
7th Caution: Ryan Newman
8th Caution: None

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Kurt Busch
2nd: Martin Truex Jr.
3rd: Jimmie Johnson
4th: Matt Kenseth
5th: Denny Hamlin

Notables Not in Top 5:
7th: Carl Edwards
10th: Tony Stewart
12th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
13th: Kyle Busch
15th: Kevin Harvick
27th: Jeff Gordon
31st: Kasey Kahne
35th: Bill Elliott
40th: Michael Waltrip
42nd: Mark Martin



Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2007_3M_Performance_400/W
-Image:
http://www.chron.com/sports/article/MOTOR-SPORTS-Busch-makes-off-with-Michigan-win-1551020.php
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSN0y2yDbRU

5 Stages of Analysis: Leffler Gives Toyota Its First NASCAR Busch Series Victory Thanks to Strategy and Hard Racing

(Author’s Note: Today marks four years since Jason Leffler’s tragic accident at the Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. Leffler, driving his #13 sprint car, was competing in a heat race at the track before the feature event when a mechanical failure caused the car to roll over in turn 4 and crash violently, leaving him with fatal injuries. The loss of Leffler was hard for the entire NASCAR community, including myself. For years, I cheered him on in the Great Clips #38 and loved the passion he had not only for NASCAR, but all series of racing he competed in. Before his NASCAR days, he was a three time USAC midget champion and a guy who could drive any type of vehicle at any time, even when he was a full-time driver in NASCAR. While he is no longer with us, Jason Leffler’s legacy in NASCAR is still felt today. In fact, he won Toyota’s first NASCAR Busch Series race ten years ago and helped the manufacturer begin contending in NASCAR. To honor LEFturn, let’s analyze his win in the 2007 Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park and discuss Toyota’s first trip to victory lane in a car.)

        Jason Leffler used a strategy call during the fifth caution of the race and a power move on Greg Biffle with two laps to go to take Toyota’s first win in a car in NASCAR at O’Reilly Raceway Park. Leffler was a contender throughout the event, but it seemed like pit stops constantly cost the former USAC champion. During the first and fourth caution, Leffler pitted and lost five spots on each stop. In both cases, a secure Top 5 turned into a spot at the back part of the Top 10. After the restart on the fourth caution, Leffler seemed to be making minimal progress and when the fifth caution waved with around 60 laps to go, his crew chief, Todd Lohse, made a strategy move to pit from fifth place. He put on four lap scuffed tires and Leffler returned to the track with no track position, but fresher tires than the field since none of the leaders pitted. Leffler methodically worked his way through the field with the fresher tires and with thirteen laps to go, he muscled past David Reutimann to move into second. A final caution with nine laps to go set up a dash to the finish with Leffler looking to pass Greg Biffle, who had dominated the event. On that final restart, the two drivers battled cleanly, but Leffler passed Biffle for the lead with two laps to go and powered to his second career NASCAR Busch Series victory. In the end, Leffler only led three laps, but he led the last and most important lap to claim a thrilling victory for his Braun Racing team and Toyota. Like usual, ORP supplied NASCAR fans with hard fought short track racing, bumps and crashes, and a fantastic battle for the win. In these five stages of analysis, all those short track elements are presented in a showcase of tonight’s Kroger 200.

Stage 1:
Move of the Race: Leffler Passes Biffle Late with Fresher Tires

        Jason Leffler’s win was a historic occurrence, a memorable moment, a clutch finish, and a fantastic battle to the checkered flag, but without three important moves in the race, LEFturn would not have been around to win the event. The first important move of the race for the California driver was the bold strategy call during the fifth caution. As Leffler came down pit road with Deac McCaskill and others, Biffle and the rest of the field stayed on track. Tires are important at short tracks, but track position is an even bigger key. Leffler returned to the track deeper in the field than he had been all race and that meant mixing it up with inexperienced drivers in slower cars. For example, McCaskill, who pitted at the same time, spun and slammed the wall twice within twenty laps of the pit stops and ended his night. Knowing the possibility of having a similar scenario play out, the move to pit road was bold for Leffler’s team, but it began to pay off as he moved through the field quickly. As he moved into the Top 5 with about thirty laps to go, the second important move of the race for Leffler began to take shape. He moved past Carl Edwards for fourth and set his sights on David Reutimann. For several laps, the two battled hard for second place and it looked like Leffler’s tires were beginning to wear out. Yet, he did not give up and banged on Reutimann in turn 2 with thirteen laps to go to take second outright. The move was bold and could have resulted in a tire rub or spin, but Leffler showed he wanted the win. Just laps after he grabbed second, the final caution waved and the bold pass put Leffler on Greg Biffle’s bumper for the final restart. The final move of the race was what clinched the win for Leffler. As he stayed close to Biffle on the final restart, he made the pass for the win with two laps to go in turn 2 and cruised to victory lane for Toyota. With that final move, Jason Leffler made history and showed that performing throughout every lap during the race helps drivers make it to victory lane in NASCAR.

Stage 2:
Driver of the Day: Biffle Dominates the Race, But Comes Up Short at the Finish

        Despite finishing second after leading with three laps to go, Greg Biffle was the best driver in the race tonight at ORP. After starting tenth, the 2002 NASCAR Busch Series champion immediately moved to the front of the field. He made his way up to second, but Aric Almirola was dominant in the early part of the event and prevented Biffle from taking the lead. As the halfway point of the race neared, the third caution on lap 95 completely changed the race outlook and strategy. Drivers stayed on track and Biffle took four tires to win the race off pit road while Almirola had a slow stop, dropping him deep in the field for the first time. As the race restarted around the halfway mark, the three drivers that did not pit dropped back and gave Biffle the opportunity to jump to the lead on lap 103. From that point on, he controlled the lead on every restart and sprinted away from the field during green flag runs. Except for a lap after the seventh caution restart where Carl Edwards grabbed the lead, Biffle led every single lap in the second half of the race after lap 102. However, Jason Leffler had a different opinion of how the last three laps should go. He nipped Biffle at the line to lead lap 198 and he took the outright lead to run away in the final two laps. While it might not have been a win, Biffle continued his great record at ORP and grabbed another Top 5 finish for Roush-Fenway Racing in the NASCAR Busch Series.

Stage 3:
Comeback of the Race: Reutimann and Edwards Come from the Back to the Top 5

        Since the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series is down the road at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the double duty drivers had to choose whether to qualify for tonight’s NBS race or prepare for the Brickyard 400 on Sunday. While Biffle qualified his car and did not start at the back, Carl Edwards, David Reutimann, J.J. Yeley, David Ragan, and Scott Wimmer decided to stay at IMS and allow other drivers to qualify their cars. Because of that, all five of those drivers started at the back and would have to work their way to the front. Overall, all five drivers performed well in the race, but Reutimann and Edwards were the most outstanding in coming back from deep starts in the field to grab Top 5’s. It was not easy to work through the field on a small short track like ORP, but Edwards and Reutimann were both in the Top 10 by lap 60 of the 200-lap event. With the pit stops under the fourth caution around lap 96, both drivers came off pit road in the Top 5 and managed to stay there in the successive restarts with Edwards running in front of Reutimann. Edwards even gave Biffle a battle for the lead around lap 168, but fell back to third after Reutimann managed to pass him for second. Ultimately, Reutimann fell to third in the hard battle with Leffler and finished there while Edwards came home with a fourth-place finish. Yet, it was impressive for both drivers to move from the back to take Top 5’s, especially Edwards. He not only battled from the back, but raced with a dislocated thumb after crashing in a dirt late model at I-80 Speedway last Sunday during the Cup Series off weekend. Battling from the back at a short track is an absolute challenge, but Reutimann and Edwards managed the adversity to bring home solid finishes.

Stage 4:
Rookie Mistake: Lagasse Jr. and Coleman Crash in an Avoidable Incident

        Scott Lagasse Jr. and Brad Coleman are both young compared to some veterans in the NASCAR Busch Series, but they are in excellent equipment to race in. Lagasse made his second start of the 2007 NBS season with Chip Ganassi Racing tonight after a few races in the Craftsman Truck Series with Bobby Hamilton Racing last year and a few races with Armando Fitz’s team in 2005 in the Busch Series. Coleman is a development driver with Joe Gibbs Racing and he has been impressive in his nine NBS starts already this season. Tonight at ORP looked to be another chance for the two drivers to prove themselves and they were running pretty good early. Coleman started ninth and Lagasse started 12th and while they dropped positions in the first couple runs of the race, they still maintained Top 15 positions coming up to lap 70. As they raced side by side on lap 69, though, their promising races took a wrong turn. Lagasse drove underneath Coleman through turns 3 and 4 for the 15th place position. As they exited turn 4, Lagasse drove up the track and was not aware Coleman was still there. The two made contact and Lagasse turned across Coleman’s nose and dragged his front end along the wall while Coleman piled into the outside wall. They both rode along the outside wall down the frontstretch and came to a stop at the entrance of turn 1 with heavy damage. They did drive away, however, but they would need extensive repairs. Coleman ended up losing nine laps in the garage repairing his Chevrolet and Lagasse lost around 35 repairing his badly damaged Dodge. Honestly, it was an avoidable accident for both drivers. Lagasse should have been more aware of where Coleman was and he should have been warned by his spotter while Coleman needed to back out when he saw Lagasse moving up the track. In the end, both rookie drivers were left with battered racecars and bad finishes after an avoidable mistake.

Stage 5:
Safety Showcase: Pit Road Improvements Prevent Significant injury for Two Crewmen

        While ORP does not have much room on the track, the pit road is even narrower. Because of that, pit crews are forced to do their jobs in cramped pit stalls with fast stock cars driving around them looking to keep their track position with quick stops. Unfortunately, that leads to accidents and safety becomes crucially important for all crewmen. During tonight’s race, two incidents on pit road occurred and offered chances for NASCAR to highlight its pit road innovations. During the first caution, Ron Hornaday Jr. was one of only a few drivers to come down pit lane as the leaders stayed on track. He came to a stop in his box and his crew came off the wall just as Richard Johns went to pass by. While setting up his entrance, Johns clipped Hornaday’s front tire carrier and sent him up in the air while the tire rolled onto the top of Johns’s racecar. Hornaday’s crew completed the stop while the front tire carrier was brought to medical attention in the care center. While the situation looked bad as it happened live, the crew member was left with only a cut nose and a broken toe despite falling hard to the ground. Later in the event, as teams pitted during the fourth caution, Landon Cassill exited his pit box right in front of Josh Wise’s. Wise had just left his box and the crew had left the rear air gun laying in the stall. As Cassill drove through, he pulled the cord and gun, which whipped into Wise’s crew and sent them sprawling onto the concrete pit road. Only one of the crewmen needed significant medical attention as his leg was hurt in the incident, but it could have been much worse. Both pit road accidents show just how hard NASCAR has worked to make pit road safe in such a tense environment. In just the past couple of years, NASCAR has mandated fireproof equipment for all crewmen and made helmets a priority as well. The continued enforcement of NASCAR’s pit road speed has also made the pit lane safer for guys who must be perfect for thirteen seconds or less. By instituting safety features like these, NASCAR has limited the severe injuries to crewmen and helped make their jobs easier to perform.

        Next week, the NASCAR Busch Series heads to a completely different track compared to O’Reilly Raceway Park. The series heads north of the U.S. border for the inaugural running of the NBS at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course in Montreal. The road course is a little over two miles while ORP is only five eights of a mile, which is an extreme contrast over two weeks of races. However, the two types of tracks share similarities. Short tracks and road courses share strategy calls, beating and banging for position, and plenty of opportunities for good races to turn bad for the field. In addition to the track storylines, there are driver storylines heading into the event. Carl Edwards has a substantial lead in the points after tonight’s race at ORP, but a road course race could lead to a good many points lost if he does not drive a careful race. Road course races always bring out road course ringers like Boris Said and Ron Fellows to the track, which could lead to intense battles between series regulars and right turn experts. Jason Leffler looks to ride his momentum from tonight’s victory to a second consecutive NBS victory at Montreal, but he will have to fight hard to return to victory lane. As the NASCAR Busch Series season heads into the final stretch, drivers are looking to gain wins and good finishes to continue their opportunities in 2008. Tonight’s race at ORP showed how intense the entire NBS field is willing to be to compete and win, which led to a night of battling and a historic victory for Jason Leffler.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 14- Landon Cassill spun and slammed the outside wall in turn 1 after a bump from Steve Wallace.

2nd Caution: Lap 44- David Ragan spun and slammed into the outside wall in turn 3 after contact with Josh Wise.

3rd Caution: Lap 69- Scott Lagasse Jr. drove up the track on Brad Coleman exiting turn 4, causing the two drivers to slam the outside wall and damage their cars significantly.

4th Caution: Lap 96- Brett Rowe had trouble in turn 3 and slammed the outside wall. 

5th Caution: Lap 140- Richard Johns spun exiting turn 2, but kept his car off the inside wall and drove away.

6th Caution: Lap 144- Deac McCaskill spun and slammed the outside wall in turn 3 with his left rear after a bump in traffic.

7th Caution: Lap 156- Deac McCaskill spun for a second straight caution and slammed the outside wall even harder with his driver’s side. The car caught fire, but he climbed out safely despite a destroyed race car.

8th Caution: Lap 192- Josh Wise spun down the frontstretch after having problems exiting turn 4. 

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Jason White
2nd Caution: Richard Johns
3rd Caution: David Ragan
4th Caution: Jason White
5th Caution: Danny O’Quinn Jr.
6th Caution: Kyle Krisiloff
7th Caution: Brian Keselowski
8th Caution: None

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Jason Leffler
2nd: Greg Biffle
3rd: David Reutimann
4th: Carl Edwards
5th: Ron Hornaday Jr.

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Aric Almirola
10th: Brad Keselowski
13th: Bobby Hamilton Jr.
16th: J.J. Yeley
17th: Steve Wallace
18th: David Ragan
30th: Landon Cassill
31st: Brad Coleman
32nd: Marcos Ambrose




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2007_Kroger_200_Benefiting_Riley_Hospital_for_Children/B
-Image:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/06/13/jason-leffler-photo-timeline.html
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTz4L02zyGA