The Pit Report Online » Blog Archive » A Night Full Of Fireworks

A Night Full Of Fireworks

Written on July 9, 2008 – 9:42 am | by Penni |

The Fourth of July weekend is full of food, fun and fireworks.

To a race fan, the Fourth means all this and more. It means NASCAR makes it way back to Daytona for the annual Pepsi 400. However this year, with Coca-Cola taking over as the ‘Official Cola of NASCAR’ the Pepsi 400 was renamed the Coke Zero 400.

It also means any driver has the best possibility to win under the lights. Of course there are the drivers that excel at Daytona International Speedway, but there are always those drivers, or that driver, that surprises even their biggest fan(s).

Who were you rooting for too win Saturday night?

Were you wishing Mark Martin would race across the finish line first to capture his first Daytona win and finally accomplish one of the two things he hasn’t been able to do in his career?

That didn’t happen — he finished 10th — but that didn’t mean Martin wasn’t in the news.

At least one chapter of ‘silly seasons’ is over — Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) announced Friday afternoon that Martin will drive the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in 2009. Many people were thinking, hoping or wishing he’d part-time and ‘mentor’ the two HMS or rather JR Motorsports, Nationwide drivers, Brad Keselowski and Landon Cassill. That will have to wait until 2010.

Why? Martin will come out of retirement to give running for the Sprint Cup one more chance — he’s running full-time.

Maybe you were hoping last year’s winner, Jamie McMurray would bolt his No. 26 Ford across the finish line first and win again?

That didn’t happen, as McMurrary was involved in a few accidents over the course of the 160-lap race. He finished 32nd and was several laps down.

How about last week’s winner, Kurt Busch? Were you hoping he’d be one spot closer than February and take the checkered flag?

He didn’t win either. He did, however, finish fourth and was the top finishing Dodge despite the terrible start to the weekend.

Earlier in the weekend, Busch wrecked his primary No. 2 Dodge during the one and only practice session Thursday after apparently cutting a tire. Fortunately for him, he was the fastest car on the charts, even if it was drafting speeds. His car was damaged enough that he was allowed to go to his backup car, which qualified 36th during Friday’s qualifying session.

Were visions of Tony Stewart smoking the competition as he crossed the finish line to capture a third July Daytona win in your head?

Stewart was not able to accomplish that, despite the fact that he probably had the best car Saturday night. He suffered from flu-like symptoms and removed himself from his No. 20 Toyota around lap 72. His former teammate and driver of the No. 96 Toyota, J.J. Yeley, who failed to qualify for the race, was suited up and ready to go when Stewart vacated his car.

Although Yeley was involved in a few of the late race accidents, he finished 20th, allowing Stewart’s Top 12 point positions to stay, slipping three spots to 12, two points ahead of 13th place Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Chevrolet). Stewart was able to get all the points from the No. 20’s finishing position, despite the fact that Yeley was in car, is because Stewart started the race, hence allowing all the points to be his.

An added note, the rumors circling around Stewart and his upcoming ownership deal are becoming more and more valid, reasonable and likely.

Were you like me and hoping Kasey Kahne would capture his first Daytona and super-speedway win to help boost his morale?

Again, you were wrong. He qualified his No. 9 Dodge terrible for the race — 41st — despite being the second fastest car during the practice session. However, he was able to drive his Dodge from the back to the front thanks to drafting and having a fast, good car.

He went incident free until lap 144 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. knocked the side of him while the two were among heavy traffic, causing Kahne’s car to have a tire rub. He slipped back numerous spots and it looked as if his good night was long gone. He was hoping on a caution, despite feeling it wasn’t a problem.

Five laps later, Boris Said (No. 60 Ford) brought the caution out after making contact with Joe Nemechek (No. 78 Chevrolet) to end up in the wall. Kahne, one of very few to pit, took four new tires and restarted at the rear.

Thanks to the four new tires, he was able to make his way back to the front with ease. He finished seventh, moving up two spots to eighth in the point standings.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. soaring his No. 88 Chevrolet across the finish line to the take the checkered flag for the first time in a points event with his new team, HMS, was a hope I am sure, many, many fans was hoping and wishing for.

It, however, didn’t happen! He had a fast car and qualified it third for the race. He had a Top Five car, a majority of the race, and he lead the most laps, unfortunately he finished eighth, behind Kahne. He did move up to second into points, behind points leader, Kyle Busch.

Speaking of Busch, were you one of fans hoping he’d cross the finish line first for the sixth time this season?

Well, if you were, then you did the right thing! Busch was able to capture his first Daytona win and sixth win of season after scoring loops and cameras were able to prove he was ahead of Carl Edwards’ No. 99 Ford when the final caution flag flew during the green-white-checkered restart.

He now leads the points over Earnhardt Jr. by 183 points and leads all other drivers with six Sprint Cup wins.

He is also gaining either more fans or more respect with wins in the past two races (Sonoma and Daytona). There seems to be an equal amount of cheers and boos blaring through the television speakers. I have to admit he does deserve a little bit of respect, regardless or whether or not I really want to or not.

One driver, who has a large amount of fans and was equally rooted for was Martin Truex Jr., but after Thursday’s debacle it did not look good.

During the inspection process Thursday for the practice and qualifying sessions, Truex Jr.’s car was impounded. His team and his crew chief, Kevin ‘Bono’ Manion, attempted several times to ‘fix’ the car. Each time, NASCAR officials, sent it back. After the third time it passed through the inspection process, the car was impounded and the team was forced to go to the backup car, which passed inspection.

He also finished 17th, which in some way was pretty good considering.

As of press time no penalties have been announced, but there will definitely be some, quite harsh, I’m sure and at a great amount for driver, crew chief and team.

Many are saying that the debacle could have been the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back.’ As we are with Stewart and those few other drivers and teams, the waiting game continues.

Don’t miss:
From Chicago