Loudon, N.H. last weekend was the site for the first race in the “Race to the Chase” — the 10 races leading up to the final 10 races — the “Chase for the Sprint Cup.”
The “Chase” begins in Loudon also — in Septemeber.
Both races there tend to be either boring from start to finish or boring with a little excitement toward the end. This first race to the Chase was pretty much the first option. It had no real excitement but was filled with lots of disappointments from beginning to end.
It wasn’t totally without surprises.
Surprise number one came when Patrick Carpentier qualified his No. 10 Dodge on the pole position for Sunday’s Cup race.
Friday’s qualifying was more than halfway over when rain came down and postponed the conclusion. After an hour and 15 minutes, qualifying resumed.
The track was now dry and green (no sort of track action), and many of the “go-or-go-home” drivers were able to qualify their cars better than they might have otherwise. Carpentier was, with this advantage, able to knock several drivers off of the pole position.
He captured his first Coors Light Pole and a guaranteed spot in the Shootout (formally Budweiser Shootout; the actual new name has not been announced officially and has only been speculated) in February. He previously captured the pole for the first Nationwide (then Busch) race in Montreal, Canada last year; it was also his first NASCAR race.
The second surprise was that all three Chip Ganassi Racing Dodges were on top of the practice charts Saturday and were pretty good for Friday’s practice session, as well. Juan Pablo Montoya had his No. 42 Dodge as the fastest in both sessions. Montoya along with his teammates Reed Sorenson and Dario Franchitti looked to be fast and good for Sunday’s race.
Disappointment number one, however, waved its little hand, as all three did not fair so well in the race. Franchitti actually spun his No. 40 Dodge and hit the wall early on in the race, while teammate Sorenson never really showed the potential he had earlier in the weekend in his No. 41 Dodge. He got lapped early, but eventually got the lap back, but was never a factor for the win.
Montoya’s trouble showed up in the shape of Kyle Busch during the last few green-flags laps.
During the last lap or so, Busch, was alongside Montoya and attempting to get around him. Busch “got into” Montoya slightly without much damage, if any.
Montoya didn’t appear to appreciate Busch’s racing “antics” as the final caution came out for two separate spins in turn 4.
Montoya purposely knocked the rear of Busch’s No. 18 Toyota sending him into the wall. As if to repay Montoya, Busch’s car ran into the wall and spinning down the track, crashed into Montoya’s Dodge. He was held for two laps for the intentional on-track act.
The next disappointment(s) — that eventually turned into a surprise — was during the caution laps. The rain came down quite heavily, the cars were parked on pit road and the red flag was thrown with Kurt Busch and his No. 2 Dodge leading. Busch had taken the lead at lap 275 after not pitting during the previous caution and was counting on track position and gas mileage to finish in a good position.
Moments later, the race was called at lap 284 and Busch, who led five green-flag laps only, was named the winner — a good finish indeed. If that wasn’t surprising enough, Michael Waltrip’s No. 55 Toyota and J.J. Yeley’s No. 96 Toyota finished second and third, respectively. Both had used the same strategy as Busch.
The most disappointing outcome was that Tony Stewart, who lead 130 laps (the most) in his No. 20 Toyota, finished 13th. That is a fact that wouldn’t typically be significant of anything, but with the rumors of his early, unexpected departure from Joe Gibbs Racing and the countless “almost” wins already this season, it just seemed like another nail in the coffin.
During an in-car interview, before the race had been called official, I noticed that the truth seemed to be written across his face. His sadness, his heartbreak (for lack of a better term) and his endless problems seemed to be apparent in his eyes, as was the truth that he will be leaving. Whether or not he is leaving, has yet to announced, but I believe it will come soon.
I need to make a few additions to last week’s “silly season” column — it has become official that Casey Mears and Hendrick Motorsports will split ties at the end of this season. There has been no word, but many speculations, about who will take his seat as the driver of the No. 5 Chevy. None other than Stewart, who actually made a mention of it being a factor, is a candidate as well as Mark Martin.
It became official Tuesday that Aric Almirola will be full-time in the No. 8 Chevrolet next year meaning he won’t be sharing the ride with Martin after this season.
Also, the No. 40 Ganassi Dodge driven by Franchitti has ceased operations due to “lack of sponsporship opportunities.” Although, Franchitti has lost a Cup ride he will still run full-time, I believe, in the No. 40 Dodge in the Nationwide series.
The waiting game continues.
Shall I continue to refrain from talking about my driver, Kasey Kahne? I just might.
Since revealing who he was to you all, he hasn’t done very well. Yes, he’s still in the Top 12 in points, and yes, he did get the pole at Sonoma, but with finishes of 33rd (Sonoma) and 31st (Loudon), I don’t feel really happy at the moment.
I will say this — I do hope the luck, or whatever is was, comes back before Richmond in September, or Mr. Kahne may make his way out of the Chase.
Don’t miss:
From Daytona
- Sprint Cup qualifying, Friday at 4 p.m. on SPEED
- Winn-Dixie 250 (Nationwide race), Friday night at 7 on ESPN2
- Coke Zero 400 (Sprint Cup race), Saturday night at 6:30 on TNT
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