Hello loyal readers and other folks. Well another hot racin’ weekend has come and gone with some unexpected results let me tell ya that one somethin’ right now. It was a peculiar race line up to my way of thinkin’. 3 races on Saturday and one on Sunday would pretty much wear anyone out if ya wanted and got to view ’em all which Duck and I didn’t but more on that later.
First up was the Natiowide Series race at New Hampshire. I always love the races there cause they’re just plain good. This was another one of those races where quite a few Cup guys competed against the regulars. Those were Bad Brad, Happy Man, Wide Smiler, Rowdy Boy, Flippin’ Carl, Kutie Kahne and Nemco Joe for those who want to know. Over the years quite a number of people have really complained about those drivers takin’ money and racin’ space away from the regular drivers cause a good many of these regular teams don’t have as much money as the Cup teams do and the winnin’s are quite a bit less too. What do you think? Anyway Bad Brad had the pole followed by Happy Man, Wide Smiler, A A and Rowdy Boy. Speedy Reed, Baby Face, Justin Allgaier, Brian Scott and Flippin’ Carl rounded out the top 10. And for those who want to know about the other Cup guys, Kutie Kahne started 12th and Nemco Joe started 16th. It is worth mentionin’ that Derrike Cope’s neice, one of pretty as can be twins that share that ride, was also racin’ so good for her/them I say! Anyway Duck and I quacked and cheered as the green flag waved.
It was excitin’ from the get go to our way of thinkin’. Course Duck was pullin’ for you know who but Rowdy Boy was on a mission. Early on Happy Man looked like the one to beat and was in lead early and quite a bit. Rowdy Boy was too. They just battled each other all day long. Before the race NASCAR warned Kevin about any trouble with Kyle and I imagine they warned Kyle about any trouble with Kevin. Course I know you’ve figured out that havin’ at it doesn’t really mean havin’ at it but it sure sounds good. Know what I mean? Anyway on lap 57 Duck and Flippin’ Carl’s hopes were dashed on pitroad. His day was done when his engine was. I worried about what I was gonna go through with Duck but I couldn’t and didn’t let it disrupt my viewin’ pleasure cause there was just too much racin’ left at that point. Know what I mean? Anyway there were a few other drivers leadin’ here and there but it really was the Happy/Rowdy or Rowdy/Happy show. I counted 8 cautions in the race but the reports say 9. I must have headed outside for a potty break and missed one I reckon. Can’t remember for certain. Anyway Steven Wallace got in to Wide Smilin’ on lap 190 causin’ a 5 car mess. Then just 6 laps later Brian Scott got in to Steven Wallace’s car in a 7 car mess and Steven got mad at Scott. Shame on him I say! Amazin’ to Duck and me when some drivers forget stuff and think their exhaust don’t stink like everyone else’s. Know what I mean? That reminds me of the time when Cousin Grouch’s husband Bubba got even with my late husband Elmer for lockin’ him in the outhouse. Bubba and Elmer had been bendin’ their elbows a bit one night on Bubba’s porch and when Elmer got up to go home he put his hat back on only to find Bubba had slipped some chicken do do in it when Elmer wasn’t lookin’. Oh Elmer was mad so I had to set him straight on that let me tell ya that one somethin’ right now. Course that’s neither here no there. Anyway I thought Happy Man had this race in the bag cause he was leadin’ on lap 205 but Rowdy Boy snagged the lead and kept it. Yessirree that boy won hisself his 100th win between all 3 series under a green/white/checker. And he tied Mark Martin’s 49th win in that series so GOOD for him I say! Like him or not that boy can drive. Not so Happy Man came home 2nd followed by Kahne, Stenhouse, A A, that Funny Man Wallace, Annett, Bad Brad, Steven Wallace and Allgaier. Only 18 cars finished on the lead lap and Curly Sadler remains the point leader so good for him I say! The rest you can look up.
Next up on the same day was the Truck race at Iowa. That’s a fun track for those drivers. It’s just good short track racin’ cause the track isn’t quite a mile long and this was a afternoon race. Yessirree this was gonna be good. David Mayhew landed his 1st pole in the truck series so a big good for him I say! Coulter, Buescher, Peters and Wine Maker’s grandson Austin Dillion rounded out the top 5. For those who want to know and Duck and I certainly did, Handsome Hornaday started 18th, Rock’em Sock’em Sauter started 6th and Todd Bodine, the fired and then not fired (in the news) driver of the #30 truck after the race last week at Kentucky began this race as the spur of the moment so to speak driver for the #5 truck. This was reported as a combined effort between Randy Moss and Germain Racin’ so good for Todd I say! After all the man can race! He’s a 2 time champion for cryin’ out loud! Know what I mean? So with this deal comin’ about in a matter of a few days Todd started 21st. So Duck and I placed our snacks on the crates and settled in for another race viewin’. I can say Duck was less than enthusiastic after his idol’s bad luck earlier in the day. That takes away from my viewin’ pleasure when he acts like that but he managed a mild quack, as he darn sure had bette,r as I cheered when the green flag flew.
It was action packed. Side by side with bumpin’ and bangin’. Yessiree I was enjoyin’ this one here. And I do believe Duck eventually gave in, somewhat, to the excitement. I did hear a few little duckly chuckles and cheers comin’ from that side of the divan. Anyway that little Austin Dillion was lookin’ real racey all through the 200 laps. He sure was givin’ it his all and who would expect any different from that boy? 6 cautions as I counted took up 32 laps of the 200. In the end though Crafty Matt Crafton won his 2nd career race which ended a 79 race dry spell. A big GOOD for him I say! Austin, Mayhew, Rock’em Sock’em and Coulter rounded out the top 5. Todd Bodine finished in the 10th position so good for him I say, too. That is amazin’ cause he only had 3 top 10 finishes before this race and no wins. Maybe he should stay right where he is. Know what I mean? Maybe that’s the plan. This granny just doesn’t know. And for those who want to know Handsome Hornaday finished 19th one lap down. Sad for him I say. And Sauter is the points leader so good for him I say. The rest you can look up.
There was an ARCA race at Iowa too Saturday but it was runnin’ on ESPN startin’ durin’ some of the Nationwide race. Poor schedulin’ plannin’ from the powers that be! Now how are Duck and I supposed to watch 2 races that are runnin’ at some of the same time? My VCR just can’t do that kind of stuff so we missed it. But I can tell you Ty Dillion, another of Wine Maker’s grandson’s, won that race. In fact we all found that out durin’ the truck race cause they announced that he was on his brother’s war wagon cheerin’ for him. Good for him I say but any other stuff you want to know about that race you’ll have to look up cause I’m runnin’ late which is neither here nor there. I’m just sayin’.
So Sunday we only had one race to watch thank our good and gracious LORD! We headed back to New Hampshire to watch what Duck calls the “Big Boys” run. Course he loves CUP cause he knows his idol is gonna be there and rightly so I say! This race started off excitin’ with Flyin’ Ryan and Smoke startin’ 1 and 2. Reuti Tootie started 3rd followed by Kurt Busch and Bad Brad. Burton, Jeffie, Juan-toya, Menard and Kutie Kahne. For those who want to know Rowdy Boy started an unheard of 19th which was just the beginnin’ of his day’s woes, Flippin’ Carl started 15th and JR started 27th. It was great racin’. I just love that track and who wouldn’t? So we quacked and cheered as the green flag waved. Yessirree we did! Ryan held the lead at the start and Kurt passed Tony for 2nd on the second lap but by lap 6 Tony took the lead. Oh Duck and I were on our feet. By lap 27 Smoke was startin’ to lap the field with a hefty lead. Newman got the lead back soon but on lap 41 Kurt Busch took the lead. It is so good to see that boy doin’ so well. Good for him and his team I say! Course I like Ryan too but a pass is a pass which is exactly what Ryan did. JR wasn’t doin’ too well..flat tire and such. He’d move up and then fall back. Sad for him I say! And then on lap 60 Rowdy Boy has a flat tire and slamed in to the wall and headed to the garage. Sad for him too I say!
No lap by lap as you know. Jamie Mcmurray briefly lead the race. So did Mark Martin, same champ Jimmie, Jeffie Boy, Andy Lally, Smoke, Wide Smilin’ Logano and Bowyer at one time or another sometimes because of pit strategies but in the end Ryan and Tony were the ones battlin’ at the front. Smoke tried every which way to pass his teammate but dispite the fact that he was faster than Ryan he just ran out of time. They wound up just where they started. Amazin’ stuff right there! Why we could have just skipped the race and used the startin’ spots as far as those 2 go. Course I’m not wishin’ that, I’m just sayin’. Good for Ryan I say! And good and sad for Tony too. Hamlin, Logano and same champ Jimmie rounded out the top 5. 6th through 10th were Kahne, Bobby LaBonte (GOOD for him I say!), Truex, Ambrose and Kurt Busch. Good for all of them actually I say! For those who want to know 10 caution laps plagued this race and JR battled back from a cut tire and problems on pitroad to finish 15th and Flippin’ Carl finished 13th. Course Duck was dismayed to say the least but when I explained to him, yet again, the “big picture” deal and that Carl had retaken the points lead by 7 over same champ Jimmie he brightened up quite a bit there. Yessirree that was some mighty fine racin’. Why duck and I were so tuckered out we took a nap right there on the divan with Duck on his side and me on mine. Just so you know Duck, bless his little duckly heart, snores. Bad at times let me tell ya that one somethin’ but that’s neither here nor there.
So there ya have it. No other stuff this time folks. Perhaps y’all can come up with some of your own. If so just comment. If not, no biggie cause as y’all know I’m a very busy woman. Next up is Nashville for the Trucks and Nationwide. Cup has the weekend off. Have a great week, behave yourselves and stay out of trouble. Ya hear? I plan to do just that if it is at all earthly possible. All I can do is try but I’m not promisin’ anythin’ just in case. Know what I mean? Grump over and out.
