My Thoughts: NASCAR Drivers ARE Athletes

(Author’s Note: Here’s something a little different for y’all today instead of my usual 5 Stages of Analysis articles. I had actually forgotten about posting this until a few weeks ago, but it seems like the perfect opportunity to publish it during the NASCAR offseason. I wrote this research paper last year for my English 101 class as a freshman at the University of South Carolina Aiken. For this research paper assignment, we had to provide a detailed argument with evidence to support one side of a heated debate. We didn’t have to choose from any particular subject, so I immediately decided to do my paper about NASCAR. Two of the most recognizable debates about NASCAR are whether it is a sport or whether its drivers are truly athletes. I chose to argue that NASCAR drivers are athletes based on their endurance, physical fitness/strength, and mental focus inside and outside of the racecar. I provided specific pieces of evidence from the careers of several drivers to prove my thesis that they are, indeed, world class athletes. This paper is perfect for somebody who doubts the athleticism of our favorite drivers because it provides clear examples of their athletic traits, provides scientific evidence supporting the competitors’ skills as they compete at speeds of nearly 200 mph, and highlights real-life examples of NASCAR drivers performing inside and outside of the racecar. If you know somebody who doesn’t understand why NASCAR drivers are considered athletes, point them to this article and give them the opportunity to know why fans, like myself, are such staunch advocates for our favorite competitors being considered athletes. Without further ado, enjoy as I provide a detailed argument supporting why NASCAR drivers are, without a doubt, world-class athletes.)

        The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, also known as NASCAR, is one of the most popular spectator sports in the world. Millions of diehard race fans travel to race tracks all across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe to see the action in person while millions more see the spectacle on television. NASCAR’s exhilarating and electrifying action also make it one of a kind with drivers battling within inches of each other through high banked turns and cars making contact with the wall, beating off each other, and crashing all around the race track. All this happens while drivers battle their own 3,300-pound stock cars through tough track and pit conditions. Not only that, but this action lasts for at least four hundred miles and drivers are expected to maintain control for around three hours with no breaks in the action. Fans have come to appreciate the athleticism and sheer talent of the drivers, but critics of the sport find every opportunity to discredit the skills of drivers from rants on social media to legitimate news publications questioning each driver’s abilities. However, it takes a certain kind of skill set to drive a car two times the normal speed with three times as many obstacles, cars, and walls surrounding them. Because of this, a NASCAR driver’s endurance, physical fitness/strength, and mental focus inside and outside of the racecar confirm that they are athletes.

        The oppositional stance against the athleticism of NASCAR drivers takes its position from three major claims. First, these critics compare auto racing to driving a simple passenger car on the interstate and contend that the car does the major handy work while the drivers just lazily control the car. This point is followed by a mention of Mike Harmon and Tony Stewart, who are both robust men who have probably never lifted a weight, according to opponents. Finally, adversaries of the sport point to the inability to view the drivers in their athletic environment. An article by Lars Anderson reiterates this fact by saying that, “Unlike in stick-and-ball sports, in which the athletes' skills are easily observed and evaluated, a NASCAR driver's talent is hard to pinpoint or quantify” (Anderson). While fans see the power and skill it takes to work the gas and brake pedal just right in conjunction with the steering wheel, critics see a beautifully painted car turning aimlessly around the track in the same pattern over and over. It is nearly impossible to show a critic how hard a driver works in a racecar without placing them in a fully-powered stock car. Opponents believe their observations and beliefs hold the most value, but they ignore the athletic skills required to be a NASCAR driver.

        A NASCAR driver’s endurance can be seen in a wide variety of situations. In a study done by the Journal of Thermal Biology, eight male drivers were tested for a variety of physiological responses in the racecar from heart rate all the way to fluid balance. The study determined that drivers “[Heart rates] increased from pre-race value of 105.6 ± 9.1 to 152.0 ± 10.1 beats per min post-race.” Plus, the study discovered that “core temperatures increased from a pre-race value of 38.1 ± 0.1 °C to a post-race value of 38.6 ± 0.2 °C” (Carlson et al. 26). For most humans, a rise in heart rate of more than 50 beats per minute can suggest potential health issues. Yet, racecar drivers compete in those challenging circumstances, despite the potential health implications. One important note about this study is that it was performed at a local short track with NASCAR sanctioned late models that only race approximately twenty minutes. When the information collected is scaled to a three-hour NASCAR race, these values could increase to even greater temperature and heart rate changes. All this occurs with the athletes getting no breaks in the action whereas in other sports, such as football, players spend the vast majority of the game off the field and hydrating. Tony Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series champion, summed it up by saying, “We don't have timeouts. We don't have halftime. We play the whole game” (Patrick 20). While there are caution periods and pit stops, these moments last for only a few minutes and drivers have to remain on the race track while driving at around fifty miles per hour. It is hard competing once a day, but some drivers are willing to do it more than that.

        One specific example of this incredible endurance level over one day is Kurt Busch’s marathon day of racing in 2014. On May 25th, Busch ran the Indianapolis 500, IndyCar’s longest and most grueling race, and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600, which is NASCAR’s longest and most challenging event, on the same day. Busch completed the five-hundred-mile event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in sixth place and hopped into a plane where he flew to Charlotte Motor Speedway for six hundred more miles of racing. Even though Busch’s engine expired before he could complete the 1,100 miles of racing, Busch did complete 906 miles total on the race track and said he “felt good physically” afterwards (Jenkins and Hembree). Busch had battled through two of auto racing’s toughest events on the same day and his stamina was prepared for even longer. Most athletes cannot compete in back to back events on the same day, but Busch did it seamlessly in even more demanding circumstances. It was an impressive display of his endurance and his athleticism cannot be called into question.

        In addition to unbelievable endurance, NASCAR drivers have immense physical fitness/strength. Most critics of a driver’s athleticism feel that turning a steering wheel requires little to no physical exertion on the part of the driver. However, a study performed by the University of Marquette in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, found that the most common requirements needed for a racecar driver of any type are “upper body strength for steering, torso strengthening to handle G forces, and leg strengthening for braking and throttle work” (Ebben et al.). To build up these strengths to handle driving a car, drivers participate in a variety of fitness activities from marathons to weightlifting in the gym. Sometimes, drivers even build up their strength and fitness by doing training events before hopping in the racecar. Before qualifying for the 2013 Daytona 500, Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Michael Waltrip, and Aric Almirola ran a half marathon in the freezing conditions of February at the track. More importantly, “Johnson, 37, and Kahne, 32, finished fourth in their perspective age groups” (Gluck). This is an impressive feat because it proves that drivers perform in these fitness activities and do not just act like athletes, but that they can actually compete with the best trained competitors in the world outside of the racecar.

        While endurance and physical fitness/strength are considered the fundamental athletic traits, mental focus is crucial to success in athletic endeavors. It is critically important to NASCAR drivers because of the amount of problems that can occur within tenths of a second. In a study done by Steven Olvey, a former University of Miami neuro-critical care physician, he “found that the reaction time of race car drivers is about 33% quicker than that of the average person” (Anderson). To further emphasize the point, ESPN’s Sports Science performed an experiment on Carl Edwards using a new piece of technology that can test a person’s awareness and visual agility. While tapping on a series of flashing lights and repeating numbers that were flashed in front of his eyes, Edwards also had to listen to speakers blasting noises in the decibel range of a typical race track. While this test was challenging, Edwards “performed brilliantly, with times averaging under a half a second” (Brenkus). Even with the unprecedented variables surrounding their activities at every race, drivers can always concentrate on the task at hand. No matter what obstacle comes in front of them, a driver can dodge it and avoid it within a couple of inches. A NASCAR driver’s mental focus is a vital characteristic for all drivers to have and it is a trait that separates the good from the great.

        Since its inaugural racing season in 1948, the sport of NASCAR has captured the attention of millions of thrill seekers, car enthusiasts, and engineering geniuses. The sport has evolved significantly over the last sixty-nine years to improve issues with safety and car technology. Yet, one thing has seemingly remained the same over the years: the endurance and passion of the drivers. Each generation of NASCAR has featured stories that showed these traits. Richard Petty, a seven-time NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series champion, won the 1979 Daytona 500 two months after having serious stomach surgery that would have kept an average athlete on the sidelines for the entire season. Today, drivers have that same endurance and passion even in the face of adversity. In 2015, Kyle Busch broke his leg and foot in a crash at Daytona International Speedway, but he hopped in the car three months later and battled to win his first NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series championship. Unfortunately, drivers from both generations are never recognized as athletes. They are still just considered rough and tumble rednecks with a single skill of driving a racecar. Nonetheless, drivers past and present have hopped behind the wheel of a racecar to the cheers of fans without considering the critics. In the end, ESPN’s Sports Science sums it up best with their conclusion: “NASCAR drivers are some of the best athletes on the planet, with reaction times, endurance, strength and concentration that rival the best in any sport” (Brenkus). While critics remain vigilant in their belief that NASCAR drivers are not athletes, evidence from a variety of sources has proven that these drivers are truly athletes.




Works Cited

Anderson, Lars. "What It Takes to Take The Wheel." Sports Illustrated, 19 Dec. 2008, Academic    Search Premier. web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=f34246bc-ee69-4157-90f0-b92f9ca78713%40sessionmgr4009&vid=2&hid=4212&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=35546038&db=aph.

Brenkus, John. “Carl Edwards' Fitness Advantage.” ESPN, 17 May 2011, www.espn.com
/espn/sportscience/news/story?id=6559870

Carlson, Lara A., David P. Ferguson, and Robert W. Kenefick. "Physiological Strain of Stock Car Drivers During Competitive Racing." Journal of Thermal Biology, vol. 44, 2011, pp. 20-26. Academic Search Premier. doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.06.001.

Ebben, W P, T J Suchomel, and L R Garceau. "Pilot Study of the Physical Demands and Conditioning Practices of Short Track Stock Car Drivers." Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, vol. 25, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2011, Academic Search Premier. doi: 10.1097/01.JSC.0000395615.54713.04.

Gluck, Jeff. "Does Being Fit Provide Advantage?" USA Today, 22 Feb. 2013, Academic Search Premier. eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.usca.edu:2048/ehost/detail/detail?sid=eb74cf95-fea8-4876-b20e-e1ed11a8cd42%40sessionmgr102&vid=0&hid=127&bdata
=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=J0E011106109813&db=aph.

Jenkins, Chris., and Mike Hembree. “Kurt Busch Double Ends with Blown Engine in Coke 600.” USA Today, 25 May 2014, www.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/indycar/2014/05/25/
kurt-busch-double-indy-500-coca-cola-600-completes-wins-finishes/9569179/.

Patrick, Dan. "Just My Type." Sports Illustrated, vol. 115, no. 4, 1 Aug. 2011, pp. 20. Academic Search Premier. eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.usca.edu:2048/ehost/detail/detail?sid
=57778c65-4266-4df6-aa1bb634db3693b7%40sessionmgr4008&vid=0&hid=4103
&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=64076274.



Images:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2015/05/06/jimmie-johnson-bikes-runs-fans-nascar-tracks-talladega/26964073/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y34eO4bDe4

Flashback Friday 5 Stages of Analysis: Stewart Destroys the Field at New Hampshire to Win His Third Race in Four Weeks

        Several drivers tried hard to pass him, but Tony Stewart was unstoppable as he cruised to his third win of the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season in a 300-mile race at New Hampshire International Speedway. Stewart has been on an impressive run to start the summer stretch with all three of his wins coming in the last four races. Today’s race, however, started less than hot for the field at NHIS. Rain poured down at the track just before the scheduled start of the event and the wet track resulted in a green and yellow flag start to the event as NASCAR looked to use the heat from 43 cars to dry the speedway. Finally, after six laps under the green/caution, the real start of the race came and the action was intense. Battles for position occurred throughout the field and within the first 27 laps, three cautions had already waved thanks to close racing and sheet metal banging. Plus, strategy was already beginning to play a huge part in the race as certain drivers were staying on track, taking fuel only, or taking two tires. The race entered a calmness after the fourth caution and the run following the fourth caution allowed Stewart to take the lead on lap 51. From there, it was all about the 2002 NNCS champion. The driver and team were unbeatable on every restart, on every run, and during every pit stop, which kept him in the lead for the middle runs of the race. However, the final runs weren’t easy for the Indiana driver. The Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, battled hard to take the lead after the restarts and Kurt even took the lead for a few laps thanks to the final restart of the race. Yet, Stewart’s car came back strong and he passed Busch for the lead on lap 246. When the checkered flag waved, he had led the final 55 laps of the event and led 232 in an utterly dominant performance. While the lead was held mostly by Stewart, today’s race was filled with thrills, crashes, and incredible racing. Every position was contested for all 300-miles and tempers flared at the start of the event in addition to the conclusion of the race. New Hampshire always provides amazing racing on its flat configuration and today’s New England 300 was memorable as the NNCS heads towards the Chase for the championship as these 5 stages of analysis show. 


Stage 1:
Driver of the Day: Stewart Leads 232 Laps in Dominating Performance at the Magic Mile

        Since Michigan last month, Tony Stewart has been the most impressive driver in the NNCS. At Michigan, he came home second after leading nearly 100 laps and he picked up some much-needed momentum. He won the next two races at Sonoma and Daytona in dominating fashion. Last weekend, he finished fifth at Chicagoland, which continued his recent string of Top 5 finishes. Today, though, Stewart wouldn’t be able to rely on his success in the past few races and he would have to perform at New Hampshire. From the start, he was determined to prove he could win for the second time in his career at New England. He rolled off 13th and strategically moved his way to the front of the pack thanks to restarts and strategy calls. After taking four tires under the third caution lap 27, he began to charge past drivers who stayed on track and on lap 51, he took the lead from Ryan Newman effortlessly. Shortly after he took the lead, the fifth caution of the race waved on lap 58 and Stewart came down pit road with the rest of the field, except for Scott Wimmer. When the race restarted, Wimmer managed to hold the lead for a couple of laps before Stewart’s fresher tires propelled him to the lead on lap 69. From there, Stewart and his Joe Gibbs Racing team were unstoppable. On every restart, he ran away from the pack and extended his lead throughout the entire run. When pit stops came, his team performed their service flawlessly and he returned to the track as the leader every time. As 100 laps to go came, though, a few drivers seemed to be gaining on the 2002 NNCS champion. On the restart following the eighth caution, Kyle Busch made several bold moves to take the lead, but he was unable to grab the top spot. When the ninth caution waved, Busch was poised to battle for the lead again and on the subsequent restart, he was able to get alongside Stewart, but the tenth caution quickly waved on lap 234. However, another restart meant Stewart would have to fight to maintain the lead. When the race did restart, Kyle Busch was overtaken by his brother, Kurt, and the elder Busch brother was able to drive past Stewart on the outside in turn 4 to take the lead. It looked like Stewart’s dominant day wouldn’t end in victory lane. Yet, the tenacious driver didn’t let up and by lap 246, he was back in the lead and running away from the field. Stewart ended up holding the lead for the last 55 laps without a caution or a challenge as he grabbed his third win in four weeks after leading 232 laps. Tony Stewart might have started the year struggling, but he has rebounded in the summer and shown the entire pack that he is a perennial championship contender.

Stage 2:
Comeback of the Race: Kurt Busch Battles Back from Early Spin and Terrible Pit Stops to Finish Second

        After 300 miles of hard fought racing today, Kurt Busch undeniably proved why he is not only deserving of his NNCS championship from last year, but is destined to win even more titles. Busch fought back from endless adversity to claim a second-place finish, which was almost a win as he gave Stewart a run for the victory late in the race. Busch started the race in fifth and in the early runs of the event, he was consistently in the Top 5. While he wasn’t battling for the lead, he was showing plenty of speed for later in the race. However, Busch’s race took a turn for the worst following the third caution on lap 27. Busch came down pit road for four tires with several other drivers while nine teams decided to stay on track. The move put him deeper in the pack than he had been, which set-up the potential for chaos. On the restart, he began to move past drivers around him when trouble struck on lap 35. While running eleventh, Busch received a bump from Bobby Labonte in turn 4 and spun up the track. He did an excellent job of keeping his car off the wall and he came to a stop with the field driving past. Busch was lucky to avoid damage, but he lost all his track position and would restart deep in the field. When the race started again, he moved up several spots with his fast Ford Fusion before the fifth caution waved on lap 58 and brought pit stops for the field. Again, Busch managed to find more adversity. When he pitted, he drove through his box and his team had to push him into the stall before performing service. Then, his Jackman fell and didn’t jack up the car enough, which prevented the front tire changer from performing the tire change. When the car was finally jacked up fully, the team had lost a ton of time and still needed to change tires on the other side. The left side went cleanly and Busch returned to the track, but he fell all the way back to 34th with a ton of track position to make up. On the restart, Busch was on a mission and he methodically passed cars in the next run. When the sixth caution waved on lap 116, Busch had moved all the way up to eleventh with an incredibly fast racecar. Yet, his bad luck wasn’t finished for the day. When he came down pit road during the caution, his team had another slow stop and when he left his box, he slammed into Joe Nemechek. Busch didn’t have enough damage to return to the pits, but he had lost even more spots on track. Again, he was prepared to move to the front and during the subsequent restarts, he passed many more cars in his pursuit for the lead. After pit stops during the eighth caution on lap 216, Busch was sitting in third with a race winning car. He wasn’t able to make any moves on the next two restarts, but when the race went back green after the tenth caution on lap 234, he shot past his brother on the outside and passed the leader, Stewart, in turn 4. For six laps, Busch looked to be in control of the race, but he couldn’t hold off a hard charging Stewart and he lost the lead. However, he didn’t drop back and when he crossed the finish line, he brought his Roush Racing Ford home in second place. Finishing second with a fast racecar is always disappointing, but Busch and his team fought back from countless problems to take an impressive finish as they look to win consecutive championships.

Stage 3:
Rivalry Ignited: Kenseth Bumps McMurray, Resulting in Frustration from the Missouri Driver

        Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray are two of the most unassuming drivers in the NNCS garage. Kenseth, who won the 2000 NNCS champion, has been a quiet competitor who makes sure his talking is done on the track. McMurray is only in his third season in the Cup Series, but he has shown speed and been quietly consistent for Chip Ganassi’s team. However, every driver can lose their temper or get a little frustrated on track. Thanks to the tight racing and single groove at New Hampshire, Kenseth raced aggressively and McMurray showed some rare frustration. The action between the two drivers began early in the event. Kenseth rolled off 16th while McMurray started in 17th, which put the two drivers in close proximity to begin the event. As the laps clicked by, the two competitors stayed close to each other and on lap 27, they were still together and battling for sixteenth position. Entering turn 3, Kenseth bumped McMurray while trying to set up a pass for the spot. The contact sent McMurray spinning up the track and he slammed into the outside wall with his rear end and driver’s side door. He slid to a stop on track with heavy damage, but he wanted to restart his car immediately. Once his engine fired to life, McMurray waited at the top of the track for a minute before pulling right in front of Kenseth on track. He blocked him through turn 4 at caution pace and when Kenseth passed him, McMurray attempted to spin him out before thinking better of it and pulling down pit road. McMurray drove to the garage and his team performed repairs on his car, but he lost a lot of laps. He did return to the track, but he ended up finishing 40th after a difficult day. Kenseth fought back from the contact on track to take a tenth-place finish. While there were no punches thrown or wrecks under caution, the entire field saw a different side of Jamie McMurray as he looked to seek revenge on Matt Kenseth. Ironically, the two drivers will be teammates next year at Roush Racing, which will probably bring an end to the rivalry created by the incident today. However, the tricky turns at the Magic Mile once again frustrated a driver and showed how drivers always need to keep their tempers in check.

Stage 4: 
Terrible Luck: Gordon Loses Impressive Finish Thanks to Brake Failure

        After the first ten races of the 2005 season, Jeff Gordon was sitting second in points with three wins and a renewed championship form. Since Darlington in May, though, Gordon has struggled significantly. He has four DNF’s in the last eight races and his best finish in that stretch was a seventh at Daytona. Because of his bad runs, he dropped out of the Top 10 in points and came into today’s race outside of making the Chase for the championship. Despite all the bad luck, Gordon’s team came into New Hampshire today with motivation to finish well and move up in the points. Gordon started the race in 21st with a good many positions to gain before he could hope to redeem himself in the Chase points. Early on, he moved past drivers and began to make his way towards the front of the pack. As he moved through the field, he was also keeping his nose clean and making sure to save his equipment for the end of the race. By halfway, he was in the Top 10 with his sights set on a fourth win of the season. In the next run, he began to push towards the Top 5 and Gordon looked like the four-time Cup champion again. After the eighth caution on lap 216, he pitted with the field and came out around the sixth position. In the next two restarts, he remained there and when the race restarted for the final time, Gordon began to make his late race charge. He slid into the Top 5 and with about twenty-five laps to go, he was sitting in fifth looking to pass Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle, and others to crack the Top 3. However, the team’s terrible luck popped back up at the worst time. With about fifteen laps to go, he reported to his crew chief, Robbie Loomis, that the brakes on his car were beginning to soften and weren’t working properly. Even though New Hampshire isn’t a short track by nature, the track requires heavy braking to enter the sweeping turns and keep the car under control. Because of his brake issues, Gordon slowed down to minimum speed so he wouldn’t crash hard in the treacherous turns. The move was good for safety, but he dropped position after position just trying to make it to the checkered flag. He was able to make it to the conclusion of the event, but he lost a lap to the leader and fell all the way back to 25th after such a promising day in the late runs of the event. Gordon’s terrible luck in the summer of 2005 hasn’t ended yet, but the champion driver will be prepared to rebound in the coming weeks as the Chase nears. 

Stage 5:
Wild Wreck: Sadler Ends Up with Destroyed Racecar After Great Run

        Elliott Sadler isn’t typically considered a championship contender, but his 2005 campaign for Robert Yates Racing has been an impressive showcase of the Virginia driver’s talent. Coming into New Hampshire today, Sadler had nine Top 10’s in 18 races and he found himself fifth in the points with a considerable margin ahead of the tenth place cut line for the Chase. Still, he would have to be competitive in New England to keep his momentum up. He started the race in third and on the start, he was battling in the Top 5 with his fellow competitors. As cautions began to fly early, strategy started to become a topic of conversation. When the third caution waved on lap 27, nine of the lead lap drivers stayed on track while the rest of the field pitted. Sadler and his team decided to take fuel only and he won the race off pit road. However, the drivers with fresh tires began to pass him as various strategies battled on track. Yet, as the drivers that stayed out began to drop back, Sadler maintained his spot in the Top 10 and looked to be poised for an excellent points day. When the sixth caution waved on lap 116, though, Sadler’s good day began to change. When the field pitted during the caution, Sadler’s stop went smoothly, but Kasey Kahne exited his pit stall and bumped into him. The contact damaged Sadler’s front nose and resulted in a second stop under the caution, which dropped him back in the field for the restart. Yet, the team didn’t give up and Sadler began to fight his way back on the next two restarts. As 100 laps to go approached, though, he was still stuck in the snarling pack. As cautions began to wave, the restarts gave Sadler a chance to move up a few positions. However, on the restart after the ninth caution on lap 234, he found himself in a tough position with drivers beating and banging around him. When he drove into turn 3, Mark Martin bumped into him and sent him spinning up the track. Sadler backed straight up the track and piled hard into the outside wall his rear end. He slid to a stop on track with the rear end of his car completely flattened by the huge accident. Sadler had an impressive run destroyed by a wild wreck where his Ford was left undriveable. He ended up finishing 39th today, which dropped him all the way to ninth in the points with the Chase looming in seven races. After a violent wreck today, Sadler and his Yates Racing team will look to rebound next week at Pocono and continue to hold its position in the Chase for the championship. 

        Following tight racing at the Magic Mile in New Hampshire, the NNCS heads to Long Pond, Pennsylvania, for a 500-mile shootout on one of the most unique tracks on the circuit. Pocono Raceway only has three turns, but the track’s moniker as “The Tricky Triangle” is fitting for the 2.5-mile triangle. When the Cup Series heads to the track, the 43-car field can expect three distinct turns filled with trouble, endless strategy decisions, and intense restarts with drivers running five-wide into turn 1. As the start of the Chase looms, each team will be hoping for excellent runs to secure their positions in the championship battle. In addition to the potential storylines the track creates, the contingent of drivers has some stories heading into the 20th event of the season. Tony Stewart has been the hottest driver in the NNCS in the past few weeks, but he hasn’t finished in the Top 25 at Pocono since he won the June race in 2003 and he needs to keep up his confidence heading into the Chase. Jimmie Johnson was quiet in today’s race in New England, but he is still the points leader and he needs to stay strong heading into the Chase with a hungry field of drivers behind him. Jeff Gordon has been having bad luck since his three wins earlier in the year, but Pocono is a track where he has three victories in his career and the potential to rebound. Finally, Robert Yates Racing teammates, Elliott Sadler and Dale Jarrett, are in the final two spots to make the Chase for the Nextel Cup, but a hungry group of drivers sit outside the cut line waiting to take advantage of their opportunity to run for a title. Today’s race at New Hampshire was filled with constant battles for track position, hard racing, and an overall dominant performance by Tony Stewart as the 2005 NNCS season heads down the final stretch. 
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 1- NASCAR started the race under the green and yellow flags due to rain at the speedway earlier in the day.

2nd Caution: Lap 10- Rusty Wallace bumped Jeff Green in turn 2 after Green slid up in front of him. Green ended up spinning without receiving damage while Robby Gordon spun trying to slow down.

3rd Caution: Lap 27- Matt Kenseth bumped Jamie McMurray entering turn 3, which caused McMurray to spin up the track and slam the outside wall hard with his rear end and driver’s side door.

4th Caution: Lap 35- Bobby Labonte bumped Kurt Busch in turn 4 after the field stacked up in front of the two drivers. Busch spun around twice on the frontstretch, but he didn’t hit the wall and kept going.

5th Caution: Lap 58- Rain began to fall around the race track.

6th Caution: Lap 116- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 4.

7th Caution: Lap 163- Debris from Jeremy Mayfield’s blow tire was spotted on the track in turn 1.

8th Caution: Lap 216- Robby Gordon had a tire blow out in turn 3, which littered debris on the track.

9th Caution: Lap 229- Mike Wallace spun and slammed the outside wall in turn 3 after a bump from Robby Gordon.

10th Caution: Lap 234- Elliott Sadler spun and backed hard into the outside wall in turn 3 after receiving a bump from Mark Martin.


Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: None
2nd Caution: None
3rd Caution: None
4th Caution: None
5th Caution: None
6th Caution: Bobby Hamilton Jr.
7th Caution: Dave Blaney
8th Caution: Kyle Petty
9th Caution: Jeremy Mayfield
10th Caution: Mike Bliss

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Tony Stewart
2nd: Kurt Busch
3rd: Bobby Labonte
4th: Kyle Busch
5th: Greg Biffle

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Kasey Kahne
7th: Ryan Newman
8th: Rusty Wallace
9th: Dale Earnhardt Jr. 
10th: Matt Kenseth
12th: Carl Edwards
13th: Jimmie Johnson
15th: Mark Martin
16th: Dale Jarrett
17th: Michael Waltrip
22nd: Kevin Harvick
25th: Jeff Gordon
34th: Sterling Marlin
39th: Elliott Sadler
40th: Jamie McMurray




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2005_New_England_300/W
-Image:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/348606827394020744/
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhHZW7dbRSQ&t=839s

Tony Stewart Barely Beats Brad Keselowski's Time to Take the Pole at Texas

         With a time of 27.628 seconds (195.454 mph), Tony Stewart barely bested Brad Keselowski's quick time in the third round to take the pole for Sunday's race at Texas. Stewart, literally and figuratively, barely bested Keselowski's time. Stewart's lap turned out to five one thousandths ahead of his counterpart's time. Plus, Stewart ran the fast lap just as the time expired on the session. Stewart struggled a bit during the early part of the year, but he seems to have made his way back to the top as the last few weeks have been pretty good. Keselowski almost became the first driver to win two poles in 2014, but he will have to settle with second place for the start of Sunday's race. Kevin Harvick set the track record in the first round of qualifying and he will start third tomorrow. Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards finished out the top 5 for Roush-Fenway Racing. A good many drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and others missed the third round of qualifying and they will start outside of the top 12. Each of them will be in a battle tomorrow on a very rough track surface where tires are going to be key for each of the drivers. Today's qualifying session was filled with a good bit of action as drivers flew around the fast Texas Motor Speedway.

        Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the first driver on track for the start of the twenty five minute first round. He ran an early track record speed and held the top spot in the first minute. Junior wouldn't remain at the top long as Ryan Newman jumped to the top of the board three minutes into the first round. Newman wouldn’t get comfortable as Kevin Harvick jumped to the top five minutes into the round with a track record speed. Things at the top calmed down as the rest of the drivers ran their laps. The minutes clicked through the session as the battle began to heat up around the transfer spot with only ten minutes remaining. Denny Hamlin held the twenty fourth spot as Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, A.J. Allmendinger, and others looked to move on to the second round of qualifying. The minutes continued to click down as the battles continued. Cars returned to the track looking to move on and drivers moved up and down spots just as the red and black flag waved. Denny Hamlin held onto the twenty fourth and final transfer spot to move on. Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Austin Dillon, Danica Patrick, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, and others moved on to the second round while Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, and others missed the second round. Now, twenty four drivers would face off in a ten minute round to make the third and final round.

        Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the first driver on track for the start of the ten minute second round. He ran a decent lap that seemed to be okay for the third round. One minute into the round, Marcos Ambrose jumped to the top of the board. Just a minute later, Brad Keselowski jumped to the top. Greg Biffle went out seconds later and passed him. Biffle remained at the top as the round reached halfway. The battle with five minutes remaining was for the transfer spot. Kyle Larson held it as Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Austin Dillon, Martin Truex Jr., and others were looking to move on. The minutes began to click down as cars returned to the track for a second run. With a minute remaining, Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin managed to push their way into the third round as Kyle Larson fell out of the top twelve. Cars continued to turn laps as the red and black flag waved. Marcos Ambrose stayed in the final transfer spot in the final minute and he moved on. Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Trevor Bayne, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, and Denny Hamlin moved on while Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., and others missed the third round. Now, twelve of the best drivers in NASCAR would fight for the pole in a five minute final round.

        Joey Logano was the first driver on track to start the five minute final round. He ran a decent lap, but others would be battling for the pole. As soon as the session started, the drivers began to switch the provisional pole at the top. First, it was Ryan Newman on top. Then, it was Greg Biffle on pole just a few seconds later. A minute later, Brad Keselowski jumped to the top of the pylon. Keselowski looked to be in control as all the rest of the final round drivers headed on track. All the drivers had been out with about thirty seconds remaining except for Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. Both crossed the line before the red and black flag waved and they were on hot laps as time expired. They could finish their laps to see where they would qualify. Gordon was ahead of Stewart and he ran a slower lap than the rest of the eleven drivers. Stewart was behind Gordon and he came out of turn 4 flying. Stewart nipped the line and everyone was holding their breath. Stewart had beaten Keselowski's lap and he was on the pole for the first time in 2014. Stewart needs a momentum shift and this pole should help with that.

       Most people know the struggles Tony Stewart has experienced recently. He broke his leg last August in a sprint car crash and he missed the final races of the season. Stewart made the comeback at Daytona and the early part of the season for him looked bleak. In recent weeks, he has performed well and now he will start first on Sunday. All he needs is a lone win to make the Chase and his season could take off. Brad Keselowski couldn't believe he lost the pole in the final seconds, but he can't complain about another front row start on the young season. Kevin Harvick continued his mostly good year thus far at Stewart-Haas Racing with a third place starting spot for tomorrow. Greg Biffle will start fourth at a track where Fords usually perform really well. Carl Edwards will start fifth in a Roush-Fenway Racing Ford just behind his teammate. Denny Hamlin was the fastest Toyota in the session and he will roll off sixth. Kyle Busch, who won the spring race at Texas a season ago, had a terrible session and he will roll off twenty ninth. Jimmie Johnson, who won the fall race at Texas last year, will roll off a decent sixteenth, but he said after qualifying that he has a great race running car. Dale Earnhardt Jr., the current points leader, will roll off nineteenth. The rest of the field is sprinkled with good drivers from front to back. Texas racing has always been a very good show and this year seems like it will be no different. The field will have to battle strategy and worn out tires throughout the day along with their fellow competitors. Tomorrow's race is certainly going to be interesting. Will Kyle Busch win two straight Texas spring races, will Jimmie Johnson go back-to-back at Texas, will Dale Earnhardt Jr. hold his points lead at the track he won his first race, or will another driver head to the Texas victory lane? We only have to wait until tomorrow to find these answers out and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Tony Stewart     27.628 (195.454 mph)
2nd: Brad Keselowski      27.633 (195.419 mph)
3rd: Kevin Harvick      27.650 (195.298 mph)
4th: Greg Biffle      27.735 (194.700 mph)
5th: Carl Edwards      27.744 (194.637 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
6th: Denny Hamlin      27.746 (194.623 mph)
10th: Joey Logano     27.872 (193.743 mph)
11th: Kurt Busch     27.961 (193.126 mph)
12th: Jeff Gordon     28.112 (192.089 mph)
16th: Jimmie Johnson      27.834 (194.007 mph)*
19th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.      27.928 (193.354 mph)*
24th: Danica Patrick     28.014 (192.761 mph)*
26th: Matt Kenseth     27.744 (194.637 mph)#
29th: Kyle Busch     27.758 (194.539 mph)#
32nd: Kasey Kahne     27.831 (194.028 mph)#
(*: These few drivers were faster than some in the top twelve, but they did not advance to the final round.)
(#: These drivers were faster than some in the top twenty four, but they did not advance to the second round.)

DNQs:
44th: David Stremme     28.308 (190.759 mph)
45th: Ryan Truex      28.511 (189.401 mph)
46th: Joe Nemechek     28.634 (188.587 mph)
47th: J.J. Yeley     29.120 (185.440 mph)




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.html
http://racing-reference.info/getqualify/2014-07/W
-Image:
http://www.crash.net/nascar/news/201815/1/stewart-rises-to-clinch-pole-in-texas.html

Tony Stewart Injured in Sprint Car Wreck; What Does This Mean for the Future?

         This news has been the talk of the NASCAR world today. Tony Stewart broke his right leg in a sprint car crash on Monday night at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa. While leading the 30 lap feature, Stewart got involved in a wreck with a lapped car that caused him to flip numerous times. The wreck left him with a broken tibia and fibula in his right leg. Stewart underwent surgery on Tuesday morning and will be forced to miss the race at Watkins Glen and possibly a lot more. Stewart was in prime position to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup Series, but now he will probably miss the Chase due to his injury. This incident has brought up criticism and a lot of concern for safety. For one, this in the third sprint car incident Stewart has been a part of in the last three weeks. On July 16, Stewart was involved in a huge wreck at Canandaiuga Motorsports Park in Canandaiuga, New York that left Alysha Ruggles, a female driver from the area, with a back injury. On July 29, Stewart flipped multiple times at Oshweken Speedway in Ontario, Canada while running for the lead. Stewart was able to walk away from both incidents and even downplayed the last incident at Pocono. "You mortals have got to learn, you guys need to watch more sprint car videos and stuff," Stewart shot back during his media session at Pocono. "It was not a big deal. It's starting to get annoying this week about that. That was just an average sprint car wreck. When they wreck, they get upside down like that." Just days after saying that, Stewart was involved in a brutal sprint car wreck. The second thing this incident has brought up is safety in sprint cars. It has been a tough year for dirt racing in terms of safety. Just two months ago, Jason Leffler lost his life in a sprint car incident at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. Kramer Williamson, a veteran sprint car driver, lost his life just two days ago after injuries sustained at Lincoln Speedway in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Josh Burton, two drivers in Nevada, and two fans in California also lost their lives at sprint car events. It is definitely a dangerous part of motor racing, but this could add a lot a safety to sprint car racing. A final thing this affects is Stewart-Haas Racing and Stewart's chances in the Chase. Since Stewart can not race this weekend at Watkins Glen, his team was forced to find a replacement. They decided to call on Max Papis to replace Stewart. Papis is a decorated road racer and has a win at Watkins Glen in a Daytona Prototype. Since Tony will not run a lap on Sunday, he will not get the points and probably fall out of the wild card spot. Plus, he is sure to miss more races afterwards which will cause him to fall out of the top 20, causing him to fall out of wild card contention. Finally, Stewart's streak of 521 consecutive Sprint Cup races, which is 10th all-time, will come to an unfortunate end. It will be a long road to recovery for Stewart, but when he can get back behind the wheel of a racecar, he will definitely do it. I will leave this article with some of the well wishes from his fellow competitors and friends on Twitter.

Danica Patrick (@DanicaPatrick): Such a sad situation with tony. He was racing cars he loves. When he's healed, it will be like he never missed beat! Heal fast big brother!
Ryan Newman (@RyanNewman39): Can't blame a guy for doing what he loves. Hoping my buddy Tony has a fast recovery.
Clint Bowyer (@ClintBowyer): Hate it for Tony, he does what he loves and has single handedly sold out crowds at short tracks all across country for years. That's impact
Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick): Yesterday was strange, hopefully today is a much better day. Thinking about my buddy Smoke. #notasprintcarfan
Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch): Wishing Tony Stewart a speedy recovery. #GetWellSmoke
Kasey Kahne (@kaseykahne): Thinking about Tony this morning. Heal up quick buddy! Leading A-main when crash happened. All smoke does is go fast #badass
Mark Martin (@55MarkMartin): I'm really sorry to hear about Tony Stewart's injury. But thankful it wasn't worse. #getwellsoonTony
Elliott Sadler (@Elliott_Sadler): Wishing Tony a quick recovery...I hope people don't 2nd guess him.That dude is a racer. Period.His support of Sprint car racing is unmatched
Juan Pablo Montoya (jpmontoya): heard about tony's leg this morning. that sucks for him, specially having the glen this weekend. hope he gets better soon.
Martin Truex Jr. (@MartinTruexJr56): Sorry to hear about tony this morning.
Justin Allgaier (@J_Allgaier): Really hate to hear about #Smoke.... Hope for a speedy recovery....Sprint cars this year have been rough, but glad he is going to be ok...
Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace): We CANNOT go through life saying "If I do this OR that I might get hurt" GET WELL #TonyStewart
Josh Wise (@Josh_Wise): Racing sprint cars my entire life I always understood the risks. You can be sure Tony understood them as well. Praying for speedy recovery.
AJ Allmendinger (@AJDinger): Hoping Smoke recovers quickly. One of the best wheel man there is in the world doing what he loves to do. #muchrespect
J.J. Yeley (@jjyeley1): Just landed in Atlanta to test today and heard about my bud Tony crashing last night at the Front Row Challenge. Speedy recovery bud!
Aric Almirola (@aric_almirola): Just saw the news about Stewart. Man I hope he heals up quick!
Michael Waltrip (@mw55): Tony #smoke That dude loves sprint cars. Hope he's ok.
Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin): Man I really hope Tony Is ok.
Nelson Piquet Jr. (@NelsonPiquet): Sorry to hear about (Tony Stewart)! Hope he recovers quickly! But a double duty for me this weekend would be a dream come true!




Credits:
-Stories:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/08/06/tony-stewart-replacement-driver-max-papis-watkins-glen.html
http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/9542562/nascar-driver-tony-stewart-hospitalized-wreck
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/tony-stewart-breaks-leg-iowa-sprint-car-wreck-115203250.html
http://www.stewarthaasracing.com/media/index.php?article=1239
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/08/06/nascar-tony-stewart-breaks-leg-sprint-car-crash.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/08/06/nascar-tony-stewart-breaks-leg-wreck-driver-reaction.html
-Video of Accident:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/videos/2013/8/6/sprint-cup-series-tony-stewart-breaks-leg-in-iowa.html
-Image:
http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/MoVMFRviFpAsfe9ZPJwiUw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NQ--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnascarmarbles/d0806ts.jpg

Tony Stewart Comes From Nowhere to Win At The Monster Mile

        With a pass on Juan Pablo Montoya for the lead with three laps to go, Tony Stewart secured his first win of 2013 and his first since Daytona last July. Stewart battled his car all day long and made it to the front with a strategy call to get only two tires on the final pit stop. This put him up near the front and a good car propelled him to the lead. But it almost didn't happen. Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr., who had two of the best cars in the race, lost engines before they had a shot to win. Jimmie Johnson, who battled from the back and had a good car at the finish, jumped the final restart and was black flagged. Kasey Kahne, who was top 10 all race, got loose with about 80 laps to go and wrecked, ending his chances to win. It was quite a race to end the season for FOX and it was certainly one of the best of the year.

         Denny Hamlin started on the pole. It was his second consecutive pole on the season. The green flag waved and he was able to lead the first lap. He led until lap 24 when he was passed by his teammate, Kyle Busch. The race entered a long green flag spell and the first round of green flag pit stops began on lap 72. It was a short time before the first caution of the race came out on lap 79. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 2. Tony Stewart, the eventual winner of the race, received the lucky dog. The race went back green and it continued on until the second caution of the race on lap 126. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. received the lucky dog. After this restart, one of the contenders in the race had race ending problems.

        On lap 157, Matt Kenseth was leading the race ahead of Kyle Busch. As he was on the backstretch, he began to slow and Kyle Busch passed him. Subsequently, Kenseth had engine problems and his race was finished. This resulted in the third caution of the race so the track crew could clean the fluid off of the track from Kenseth's blown engine. At the same time as Kenseth's blown engine, Joey Logano blew a tire, but was able to make it down pit road and continue on. Jeff Burton received the lucky dog. The race went back green once again with one contender gone from the race. The race entered another long green spell and the second round of green flag pit stops of the race began on lap 233. Shortly after these pit stops, another contender and Toyota driver would have engine problems.

        On lap 279, Martin Truex Jr., who had been near the front all race, was in third place. Truex began to slow and smoke began to pour out of his car. He also had engine problems and retired from the race. This resulted in the fourth caution of the race so the track crew could clean up oil on the track left by Truex's blown engine. Carl Edwards received the lucky dog. The race went back green and continued on until the fifth caution of the race. Ryan Newman, who had been put back in traffic due to an apparent bad shock, was running behind David Gilliland. On lap 298, Newman bumped Gilliland to let him know he was there and he wanted to go by. Gilliland did not let him by and Newman became more frustrated. On lap 299, Newman bumped Gilliland hard coming out of turn 2 and Gilliland slammed the outside wall. He slid down the track and Newman slammed into Gilliland's left side. The two, subsequently, made contact with the inside wall and slid to a stop. Their cars were destroyed. Gilliland got out of his car quickly and went over to Newman's stopped car. The two had a heated conversation, but an altercation did not occur. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. received his second lucky dog of the race. The race went green and another contender would have trouble.

         Coming into turn 1 on lap 316, Kasey Kahne got a little high on the track. The car began to go around and he went for a spin. He could not save it and the car backed into the outside wall. His car slid to a stop at the exit of the turn 2 with a good bit of rear end damage. He kept going in the race, but his chances for a good finish were destroyed. This resulted in the sixth caution of the race. Joey Logano received the lucky dog. The race went green once again and yet another contender would have trouble.

        On lap 328, Jamie McMurray slowed due to what he thought was a flat tire. He pitted and the team saw smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes of the car. The team checked and the radiator had busted on the car. The team was able to repair it, but he lost a lot laps and was out of contention. The race continued on until the seventh and final caution of the race on lap 377. Denny Hamlin blew a tire in turn 1 and made significant contact with the outside wall. He drove away, but with a good bit of damage. Jeff Burton received his second lucky dog of the race. Now, a shootout was set up with some drivers with two tires and others with four.

       The green flag waved and the cars got going, especially Jimmie Johnson. Johnson was going so good in fact that he jumped the restart. Juan Pablo Montoya, who was the leader and controlled the start, spun the tires and Johnson jumped way out in front of him. Since he was ahead of the leader before the start/finish line, NASCAR was forced to black flag him. Johnson pulled down pit road and his chances for a win were now over. Montoya was out front and looked good for a win. But there was a guy by the name of Tony Stewart looking to change that. Stewart was making tenths on Montoya every lap after the restart and he finally caught him. With three laps to go, Stewart made the move past him and nobody was going to catch Stewart. Stewart cruised to his forty eighth career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win and his third at Dover. All in all, it was the best race Stewart has had all year and he will look to use this momentum to find his way into the Chase.

        It was a good race for most drivers, but some of the championship contenders had days that can be forgotten. Luckily for Jimmie Johnson, most of his closest points contenders, including Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, and Martin Truex Jr., had troubles as well. The next few races should tell who should be at the top of the point standings and who shouldn't be. With this race, FOX ends their coverage and TNT will begin their Summer Series starting with Pocono next week. Will Joey Logano repeat at Pocono, will Brad Keselowski finally get his season going with a win at Pocono, or will Denny Hamlin push towards the Chase with a win at one of his favorite tracks? We will have to wait until next Sunday to find out.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 79- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 2.

2nd Caution: Lap 126- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 3.

3rd Caution: Lap 159- Fluid was spotted on the track due to Matt Kenseth's blown engine.

4th Caution: Lap 279- Fluid was spotted on the track due to Martin Truex Jr.'s blown engine.

5th Caution: Lap 299- Ryan Newman bumped David Gilliland coming out of turn 2. Gilliland hit the outside wall and then slid down the track. Newman slammed into his left side door and the two made contact with the inside wall.

6th Caution: Lap 316- Kasey Kahne got loose in turn 2 and made contact with the outside wall.

7th Caution: Lap 377- Denny Hamlin blew a tire in turn 1 and made significant contact with the outside wall. 

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Tony Stewart
2nd Caution: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
3rd Caution: Jeff Burton
4th Caution: Carl Edwards 
5th Caution: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
6th Caution: Joey Logano
7th Caution: Jeff Burton

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Tony Stewart
2nd: Juan Pablo Montoya
3rd: Jeff Gordon
4th: Kyle Busch
5th: Brad Keselowski*
(*: Keselowski's car was found to be too low in post race inspection. He might receive penalties so updates will be posted as soon as they come out.)

Notables Not in Top 5:
10th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
17th: Jimmie Johnson
23rd: Kasey Kahne
24th: Danica Patrick
34th: Denny Hamlin
38th: Martin Truex Jr.
40th: Matt Kenseth



(Update #1: Brad Keselowski was docked six driver points and Roger Penske was docked six owner points after Keselowski's car was found to be too low in post race inspection. Paul Wolfe, Keselowski's crew chief, was fined $25,000 and will remain on probation until December 31st. This moves Keselowski from eighth to tenth in the point standings.)




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2013_FedEx_400_Benefitting_Autism_Speaks/W
-Update #1:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/06/04/brad-keselowski-penalty-points-failed-inspection.html
-Image:
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/dam/assets/130602165847-tonystewartdoverwinstory-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