Hello loyal readers and other folks. Another race weekend is over and we’re gettin’ closer to the off season. Well it’s an off season for racefans as far as racin’ goes. Course the ones that build the racecars will still be workin’ hard but even that isn’t like it was back in the day when the drivers built their own cars. Wonder how many of the drivers do that kind of work these days? Probably pert near squat unless you’re one of those small independents, the very type of team that built this sport up along with their cars. Ah well enough on that topic. Most of the younger racefans don’t know about that stuff anyway. I’m not complainin’ ya understand, I’m just sayin’.
The Nationwide Series was off this weekend which saved them a lot of stress, mad fit throwin’ and repairin’, let me tell ya that one somethin’ right now. So that freed up Saturday for the Trucks and another race shortened weekend. Duck and I were real excited about this race weekend. Martinsville is one of those tracks where the drivers have at it whether they are supposed to or not and get away with it most of the time, at least while it’s happenin’. For those who want to know, Hotrod Todd and teammate Papis get our vote for the top have-at-iters for that race. Anyway, Duck and I decided to have our lunch early as to cut down on our own fit throwin’ durin’ the race messes. So with nothin’ on the crates we settled in on the divan and cheered and quacked as the green flag waved for Crafty Matt, Handsome Hornaday (back in the #33), Hamlin, Rock’em Sock’em and Buescher. For those who want to know Happy Man started 6th in his #2, Hotrod Todd started 7th and WOG started 10th. The rest you can look up.
Those trucks were made for this kind of racetrack as far as Duck and I are concerned. 200 laps of pure hard racin’ is just what we like for Saturday. Yessirree! And with no Flippin’ Carl in this race Duck was free to just enjoy himself and so was I, let me tell ya that one somethin’ right now. Things got intense immediately like they always do there. Course that’s what gets everybody’s blood a pumpin’. Know what I mean? There was jostlin’ passin’ and repassin’, beatin’, bangin’, donuts on the sides of the trucks, front and rearends gettin’ crunched, trucks spinnin’, walls bein’ hit, drivers gettin’ ticked and even more. Absolutely great racin’ there to my way of thinkin’ with no one gettin’ hurt thank our good and gracious LORD.
And some people might even say that Todd and his teammate Papis took that old sayin’ “tit for tat” in to overtime, but to that Duck and I say whatever! Look here. They are teammates. They know each other’s racin’ ways and even Duck and I know if you mess with Hotrod you’re gonna get hotrodded. And Papis didn’t back down to Todd, neither, so good for him I say! In the end though all they did was tear up their trucks and didn’t win. Denny Boy, drivin’ Rowdy’s usual #18, made a late race pass on Handsome and WOG while they were battlin’ and won the race! That was his 1st truck race win and he now has joined the ranks of the 23 drivers who have won in all 3 top NASCAR series. GOOD for him I say! Handsome came home 2nd ahead of WOG, Rock’em Sock’em and Coulter. For those who want to know Hotrod Todd got the best of that ‘twixt teammate tantrum stuff and finished 11th while Max wound up 18th, Crafty finished 12th, Happy finished where he started and the rest you can look up. Frankly Duck and I were amazed that 23 trucks finished on the lead lap. As for the points standin’s WOG still leads by 11 over Buescher and Handsome who moved up a spot and Rock’em Sock’em fell a spot to 4th. The rest you can look up and there are only 2 races remain’ on their schedule.
Now for Sunday’s Cup race. Duck and I were so ready. In fact Duck could barely sleep Saturday night knowin’ His idol, Flippin’ Carl, was on the pole. Course the weather forced the field to start accordin’ to the points but that didn’t bother Duck none. I had to smile at his wild eyed duckly excitement. So with our tummies full from a late breakfast we quacked and cheered as Carl lead Robo, Good Bad, Smoke and Happy Man. For those who want to know Same Champ (who may not be again this year) started 7th, Jeffie started 10th, JR started 9th and the rest you can look up.
Bow howdy were we excited to get this race a goin’. Right off the bat Duck was upset cause Roba passed his idol but Flippin’ Carl took it back pretty quick. The first caution came with a big ‘ol mess involvin’ 8 drivers includin Jeffie, JR and Brian Vickers which was only the first of many mishaps for him let me tell that one somethin’ right now. I tell ya this much Vickers seemed to be a wild man runnin’ into pert near everybody. I’m exaggeratin’ some but he was involved in a whole bunch of stuff. Anyway I think Jeffie got the worst of that deal. By lap 65 there had been 4 cautions but Vickers wasn’t involed in the 4th one. Anway there was all sorts of jostlin’, rubbin’ and bangin’ goin’ on. Then low and behold caution 5 on lap 85 involved Vickers again and Cute Jamie who tried to pay Vickers back would up endin’ his day when he hit the wall instead! Sad for him I say, but Vickers was still goin’. And for some reason Duck’s idol was havin’ one heck of a bad race day initially and even at one point went a lap down. Various drivers had the lead at one time or another includin’ Same Champ, Jeffie (I think), Smoke, Flyin’ Ryan, Allmendinger, Rowdy Boy and Hamlin. I may have missed some for all I know. What I do know is by race end there was 18 cautions, the last comin’ on lap 492 involvin’, yep you guessed it, Vickers. His car was just plain torn up. Mercy sakes I remember thinkin’ he was drivin’ like he did when he started racin’ runnin’ into or over pert near everbody, but I guess that’s neither here nor there. Anyway the final green came with 3 laps to go with Same Champ leadin’ but Smoke made fast history with that and took the lead with 2 to go and after bumpin’ it up with him on the last lap Smoke won that race! Yessirree it was an awesome finish. Good for him I say! Same Champ finished 2nd followed by Jeffie, Happy, Hamlin, Burton, JR, Truex, Jr, Flippin’ Carl and Flyin’ Ryan. The rest you can look up. There was so much goin’ on durin’ that race that I failed (most of the time) to noticed a dejected Duck. But he rallied up some when he realized his idol still had the points lead by 8 over Smoke who moved up 2 spots with that win. Happy is in 3rd 21 points down and the rest you can look up.
Now for some other stuff. Seems durin’ a taped instruction to Same Champ from Crew Chief Chad Knaus, master Crew Chief got himself in a bit of a dilly. He told Same Champ if he won the race to spin the car and damage the rear. Interestin’ stuff there. Course with him and JR waitin’ too long to move forward that wasn’t even close to a problem for them, but Chad’s mouth was. The 48 cars gets taken to the Tech Center for the last 4 races thanks tothat statement. Guess he forgot about the in car equipment. Open mouth, insert NASCAR’s boot there Chad! Bet he minds his p’s and q’s for a short spell. If not someone needs to tape up his loose lips.
And by the way, JR said that hangin’ back stuff at Talladega and Daytona ain’t happenin’ anymore. Uh, smart deal there, JR. Yessirree!
Additionally Smoke had a message for Duck’s points leadin’ idol. He said these last 3 races are not gonna be easy wins for Flippin’ Carl. I am sure that is oh so true and we will all see very soon now, won’t we?
Also a crew member on the 38 team was hit on pitroad by Mark Martin, bless his heart, but is gonna be ok thank our good and gracious LORD. Goes to show Hotrod Todd was right about those crew members bein’ in harms way when he was goin’ off on his teammate.
And finally sad news for the Wallace family. Rusty, Mike and Kenny lost their father unexpectedly this past weekend. Remember them all in prayer. Rest in peace Mr. Wallace.
That’s it for now. Email, comment or don’t. Granny Grump over and out.
