The Samsung 500 at the Great American Speedway — apparently the new name for Texas Motor Speedway — wasn’t the best race, so far, this season. Not much happened during the race.
That wasn’t the same for Sprint Cup qualifying two days before.
Michael McDowell, driver of the No. 00 Aaron’s Toyota, began his first lap in his qualifying attempt. As he turned into the corner, it appeared the car got loose and he over-corrected it by “hooking to the right,” said McDowell on The Today Show Monday. In doing so, he went straight into the wall.
Due to the tremendous amount of speed, once the car initially hit the wall, it flew up and barrel-rolled several times. “I counted seven,” Darrell Waltrip, former Champion and now NASCAR On FOX analyst, said live moments after McDowell’s car, the front end engulfed in flames, finally rested on all four wheels near turn two. (It actually flipped eight times, most reports state.)
McDowell was able to walk out of his car under his own power and wave to the worried fans.
McDowell, the newest driver for Michael Waltrip Racing, made the race, albeit with a back up car. It was only his second Sprint Cup race attempt, his first being Martinsville, last week.
After, Bristol nearly a month ago, Dale Jarrett vacated the No. 44 UPS Toyota and retired from points racing to be a NASCAR analyst for ESPN2 and ABC. (Jarrett will officially make his last race attempt next month in Charlotte at the 2008 All-Star Challenge.)
David Reutimann switched from the No. 00 and moved to the car Jarrett vacated. McDowell, as announced at the beginning of the season, took his seat as driver of the No. 00 and one of the Rookie of the Year candidates. I think I am not the only one to say this, nor am I the first to say this since Friday, but, “What a way to begin his Sprint Cup career!”
After McDowell’s crash occurred, NASCAR red flagged qualifying until the track was free of debris and whatever liquids may have gotten onto the track. Qualifying resumed nearly an hour and half later with 22 drivers left to qualify. Carl Edwards was able to hold the pole position for more than half of the session. That was until Dale Earnhardt Jr., driving the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet, ran his qualifying lap — a good 1.5 seconds faster than Edwards.
Luckily for Earnhardt Jr. there was not another driver who could knock him off the pole. He captured his first pole of the season and a guaranteed spot (without having to use the past champion provisional) in next year’s Budweiser Shootout — oops — I meant in next year’s Coor’s Light Shootout? (I am not even sure NASCAR knows what it is supposed to be or going to be called.)
The Nationwide race, Saturday, wasn’t very exciting.
Because of rain Thursday, the Nationwide qualifying session was rained out, and the drivers had to start according to this year’s owner’s points for race. Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 33 RoadLoans Chevrolet, was the beneficiary of that. He, however, would finish the race 34th, several laps down, due to a rear axle breaking during the his pit stop.
The “excitement” continued with only four caution flags thrown (two for debris and the other two for the same car, No. 41 Polaroid Dodge driven by Kyle Krisiloff, spinning and wrecking).
Finally, Kyle Busch, No. 18 DLP HDTV Toyota, led the most laps and most important — the final lap. He took the checkered fly for the first time this season (in the Nationwide series) and I am sure, he (along with his many fans) was relieved.
The Cup race started with Earnhardt Jr. (the pole winner) leading the first 13 laps before Saturday’s winner, Busch, would take the lead away from him. Busch lead for a short time until the first caution flag flew for Michael Waltrip, No. 55 NAPA Toyota, who spun in turn four.
Earnhardt Jr. would regain the lead, thanks to pit selections, but he would only keep the lead for a short time before his teammate, Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet, would take the it. It first appeared that the former “king” of the mile and half and two mile tracks would be the surefire winner.
Matt Kenseth, No. 17 DeWalt Ford, however, had different plans, and he managed to get to the very front and take the lead away from Johnson. Kenseth, then, became the driver who everyone (I didn’t!) thought would win.
It wasn’t until lap 217 that Carl Edwards in the No. 99 Aflac Ford retook the lead (he led a lap during the early part of the race). Much like three of the previous races (California, Las Vegas and Atlanta) Edwards seemed to pull away with the lead.
Many of us were watching along with the FOX announcers and analysts, waited to see if Edwards’ engine problems from Atlanta, which hindered his expected win, would occur. Nothing, however, would upset Edwards’ win, not even a green-white-checkered restart, after Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet had some sort of engine problem.
Edwards won his third race of the year (and didn’t fail post-race inspection), so far.
Ryan Newman’s No. 12 Samsung/Alltel Dodge is the only car, at press time, that has failed post-race inspection. The rear of the car was too high after the race.
Newman was docked 25 driver points, team owner, Roger Penske, was docked 25 owner points and Newman’s crew chief, Roy McCauley has been placed on probation until the end of the of the year and fined $25,000.
What can I say? It is, as of late, getting harder and harder for me to disguise the identity of my driver. I will say that despite the frustration I felt throughout Sunday’s race, I am happy with his finish — a Top 25. And, he somehow managed not to drop completely out of the Top 12 in the point standings.
I won’t say that I have high hopes and good vibes for Phoenix because that would simply be me lying to you and myself. I will just say, if history repeats itself, he’s in for another ridiculously bad season — as am I, as the ever faithful fan.
Don’t miss:
From Phoenix
•Sprint Cup qualifying, tomorrow at 7 p.m. on SPEED
•Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 (Nationwide race), Friday night at 9:30 on ESPN2
•Subway Fresh Fit 500 (Sprint Cup race), Saturday night at 8 on FOX
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