Hello loyal readers and other folks. Race number 6 is out of the way for the Cup series and yet this weekend was only the second race for the Trucks series under their belt. Not sure what the truck drivers have been doin’ on all their time off but I don’t really care neither. I figure those boys and girls will pretty much do what their owners and sponsors tell ’em to do and hopefully they got to fit in a little fun stuff too, but not too much cause ya know what they say, “All play and no work makes workin’ not work or somethin’ like that. Anyway back to this here report. No Nationwide race this weekend, they deserve some time off too, ya know.
Anyways Martinsville is one of those little tracks that brings out the best and the worst in those drivers, let me tell ya that one somethin’ right now. Duck and I just love this kind of of racin’. Yessirree we do cause ya just never know what you’re gonna get…kinda like what Forest Gump (one of my favorite actors) says about life and a box of chocolates. So we don’t usually watch qualifyin’. We don’t have time and we most times like to be surprised although sometimes Duck will cheat, look on the computer, tell me and I listen.
Anyway Happy Man landed the pole for the Saturday Truck race followed by WYG, TimP, that Gale boy in Hornaday’s old truck and Hornaday is his new truck. For those who want to know Ward Burton’s boy Jeb, a real nice lookin’ boy with his daddy’s and uncle’s chin, which is neither here nor there I’m just sayin’, started 7th, TB started 13th, Reuti started 25th and the rest you can look up like I just did.
So Duck and I settled down on the divan with our snacks on the crates and cheered and quacked, as usual, when the green flag waved. It had been so long since we’ve watched a truck race so I wasn’t sure what to expect from Duck but I knew this was gonna be great. Yessirree I did! Oh the beatin’ and bangin’ goin’ on. It was truly glorious. Why we were on our feet pert near the whole time for those 250 laps. It was just close racin’. How can ya not get all excitied and stuff? Duck and I sure were. I can’t rightly remember but I think there was only 2 cautions in this race. I can’t see how that is possible so don’t hold me to that but I can say the Happy Man just dominated this race. Why that boy led all but 2 laps, a record that was for certain. I heard where he radioed his spotter to have him tell WYG that he was only runnin’ 80% of his capabilities and not to bother tryin’ to catch him or burnin’ up his truck. That was right nice of Happy but I bet he was snickerin’ while he said that, that little rascal. Anyway I already told ya the important parts so Wyg finished 2nd, Buescher finished 3rd, Lofton finished 4th and TimP rounded out the top 5. For those who want to know Handsome Hornaday finished 16th in his new truck and that Gale boy in Ron’s old truck finished 15th. I just thought that was interestin’ but anyway that Jeb Burton, and I was rootin’ for that boy too cause I just love to hear his daddy talk, finished 13th, a right respectful finish at a crazy little track like this one and the rest you can look up. I sure hope we get to see more of that Jeb boy. I think that’s one young man Duck and I can really get excited about.
So next day we were really excited to get the Cup race underway. This race was gonna be twice as long as the tuck race. Yippee! I could hardly sleep the night before but Duck did after I gave him his “settle down” pill. Ya know I had to what with Flippin’ Carl racin’ the next day and how he’s had so much trouble so far this season. Anyway we settled in on our divan with only drinks on the crates. We quacked and cheered as the green flag waved for Kutie Kahne, Happy Man, Denny Boy, Bowyer and Flyin’ Ryan. For those who want to know JR started 14th, Smoke started 15th G/B Brad started 7th, Flippin’ Carl started 28th and the rest you can look up.
It didn’t take long for Happy Man to take the lead away from Kutie but Kahne was pretty much stayin’ a close distance to Happy. Course by lap 21 Jeffie took the hotshot spot from Happy whom I’m sure wasn’t happy at that point. Anyway the first round of pitstops hadn’t even begum when Rowdy Boy spun on lap 97, hit the wall, caused a caution flag and resulted in him goin’ 78 laps down. Sad for him I say and his brother blew a tire way before that which ended his chance at a win, too. Sad for him I say also! And JR was movin’ up steadily like all along. Lord have mercy Duck and I were yellin’ but Duck is still waitin’ on Flippin’ Carl to make a fast dash to the front but sad for Duck that just didn’t happen. Anyway eventually it became the Jeffie and Not Same Champ Jimmie show in that order and then it switched up to the Not Same Champ Jimmie and Jeffie show but this was Martinsville after all ya know. A late caution for Reuti’s car stallin’ with just 4 laps to go caused a whole big shake up. This caused one of those green-white-checkered finishes. Course nobody likes those daggum thingies but it sure can shake stuff up and it did! Then JR was told he was 2 laps short on fuel. That boy sounded upset when he responded to his crew chief! Don’t blame the boy one bit. So JR pitted and by the time this stuff went green it was lap 503 of 500 and there was immediately another caution cause Clint Bowyer dropped to the bottom of the track and all heck broke loose. He and Not Same champ went to spiinin’ and wreckin’ others in the process. Then Jeffie ran out of gas. Oh my good and gracious LORD was this daggum race ever gonna end? What was it DW used to say, cautions breeds cautions? Well he was surely right!. So on lap 513 of 500 they got the green for another one of those g/w/c deals again for Flyin’ Ryan, Dinger and JR. LORD have mercy I was a yellin’ and so was Duck. He was rootin’ for Dale too since Flippin’ Carl was in no position to win. But in the end Flyin’ Ryan pulled it off with Dinger in 2nd and JR in 3rd. Reuti was called to the NASCAR hauler for not pittin’ with his limpin’ car which ticked some driver soff, let me tell ya that one somethin’ right now. Anyway Robo finished 4th and Truex, Jr came in 5th. The rest you can look up cause I’m plumb worn out recallin’ this race.
As for the points in Cup, Biff still leads but JR jumped to the 2nd spot just 6 points behind him, Smoke is in 3rd down 12 ahead of Robo who is tied in points with Smoke, Happy, and Truex. What an excitin’ mess! Somehow someway it will all work itself out.
So there ya have it. Next week Cup and Nationwide is off for Easter but return to racin’ the followin’ week at Texas. The trucks return the 14th to Rockingham. Yehaw!!! Been 8 years since NASCAR was there. Duck and I are lookin’ forward to that! No time for any other stuff…got tons of stuff to do so ’til next time email, comment or don’t. You know why. Granny Grump, and Duck by the way, over and out.
