Denny Hamlin, #11 FedEx Office Toyota, won Sunday, November 7th, 2010 at Texas Motor Speedway, his 2nd career win in Texas, swept Texas this season, and his 8th win this season. Denny Hamlin is now leading in point standings over Jimmie Johnson by 33 points and Kevin Harvick by 59 points, in NASCARs closest chase ever. Kevin Harvick finished 6th and Jimmie Johnson finished 9th. Matt Keneseth, #19 Crown Royal Black Ford, finished in 2nd. Matt Keneseth has 6 top 5s and 13 top 10s this season and has 1 win at Texas Motor Speedway in 2002. Mark Martin, #4 Carquest/ GoDaddy.com Chevy, finished in 3rd. Mark Martin has 7 top 5s and 10 top 10s on the season and won the 2nd Cup race in Texas in 1998. Joey Logano, #20 Home Depot Toyota, finished 4th. Joey Logano has 6 top 5s and 15 top 10s this season and recorded his best finish at Texas Motor Speedway. Greg Biffle, #16 American Red Cross Ford, finished 5th. Greg Biffle has 2 wins on the season, 8 top 5s and 17 top 10s on the season and he won the spring race in 2005 at Texas. Greg Biffle led the most laps of the race on Sunday with 224 laps led. During a caution on lap 300 something broke in the transmission of the #19 Ford and he lost his 2nd gear. Only driver in the top 5 without a Texas win is Joey Logano, he is only in his 2nd season in the Cup series, and Texas is one of his tougher tracks.
Martin Truex Jr., #56 NAPA/Susan G Komen for the Cure Signature Toyota, finished 38th, 146 laps down. Martin Truex Jr. caused 3-of-9 cautions, on laps 132, 151, and 191 all 1 car cautions.
Jeff Burton, #31 Caterpillar Chevy, turned into Jeff Gordon, #24 DuPont Chevy which ruined both their cars and days, under a caution, caused by Martin Truex Jr. Jeff Gordon was very furious over this and shoved Burton around a bit as they crossed paths and then had to ride in the same ambulance. Jeff Burton took 100% responsiblity as he gave a calm interview outside the in field care center. On the otherhand Jeff Gordon was very angry still and claimed he lost respect for Burton after the wreck in his interview after he was released from the in field care center. I agree with Burton that it he didn't mean to do it..but I'm not sure it's more of a judgement call if you see the replays you can't tell if his statements are true about not seeing thru the turn since obviously were not in the car with him, you'd think his spotter could of helped out. Jeff Burton finished 36th, 144 laps down and Jeff Gordon 37th, 146 laps down.
After the wreck between Gordon and Burton, the #24 crew took over for the #48 crew. The #48 crew wasn't getting the job done for the team and they seemed willing to give it up to their teammates but of course were very disappointed in their actions. Today it was announced that the #48 and #24 crews will switch for the last 2 races to try to get Jimmie another title. Richard Childress did the same move for the #33 crew and the #29 crew just mid week not during the race and the day after.
Kyle Busch, #18 M&Ms Toyota, finished 32nd, 2 laps down. Kyle Busch spun out, by himself, on lap 159. Leaving pit road, trying to make it out before going a lap down, he was clocked for speeding. Of course the 'lovely' Kyle Busch did not agree, he and his fans are huge conspiracy theorists, and he made an obscene gesture with his middle finger to the official that watches pit stalls and also cursed over the radio to NASCAR officials. This obscene gesture was shown on live tv. Kyle Busch was then black flagged for 2 laps on lap 164 for unsportsmanlike conduct. Some of these NASCAR conspiracy theorists believe that NASCAR faked the speeding penalty after they felt Kyle was cheated out of a win in the Nationwide race the day before by NASCAR and Carl Edwards jumping the restart, which I don't think he was some of the evidence they used was that he was penalized for jumping a restart earlier in the season but Carl had the lead and Kyle didn't that time he was penalized. Kyle Busch was fined on Monday $25,000 and put on probation until December 31st, 2010 for his gesture to the NASCAR official.
I touched a little bit on conspiracy theories in that last story. I've seen some fans are saying that the no-call on the tire getting into the grass by the #48 team was only not called because it was Jimmie Johnson. First off watch the replay Paul Menard, #98 Quaker State/Menards Ford, hit the tire and that wouldn't be the crew's fault so it was a good no-call. Also, it's funny that Jimmie Johnson fans are saying that NASCAR has called cautions during races to prevent Jimmie from winning and visa versa, so people how love and hate Jimmie believe NASCAR is going for and against them, no one seems to believe in a fair world/sport. Alright the one stated above about Kyle Busch also pertains to this section but I'm not going to repeat myself. Anyhow I think that if Kyle Busch fans really think he's being cheated, they should think of all the things he gets away with. Most recently the Talladega truck race, NASCAR could of easily taken away his win since he crossed the no pass yellow line but they didn't. Somethings you just got to cut them some slack from the slack the cut him.
Joey Logano prior to the race on Sunday would of been 5th in points if he was in the Chase. Joey Logano after the race is now 16th in points, he and Joe Gibbs Racing want him to finish 13th. 13th is the highest he can finish in standings it would be 1st in non-chase drivers over Mark Martin, his mentor, Jamie McMurray, Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 winner, and such. He's finished the best in the last few races than any other non-chase driver. He finished over all chase drivers besides teammate Denny Hamlin in Texas. The last 3 races Joey has finished 6th, then 5th, then 4th.
Links:
Lap-by-lap- NASCAR.com: http://bit.ly/a1RjFJ
Stats on Texas Motor Speedway- RacingReference.com: http://bit.ly/djNV0F
NASCAR Sprint Cup Standings- NASCAR.com: http://bit.ly/clUXZB
Race results- NASCAR.com: http://bit.ly/cgvG9R
Ford ready to pounce after first sign of weakness- NASCAR.com: http://bit.ly/ccUrTQ
Johnson to use Gordon's crew for rest of season- NASCAR.com: http://bit.ly/beNkVv
Gesture lands Busch in hot water with NASCAR- NASCAR.com: http://bit.ly/ad52WZ
Gordon unapologetic after altercation with Burton- NASCAR.com: http://bit.ly/ag6O2t
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