Sunday, February 14, 2010

HOT OR NOT: DAYTONA - THE RED FLAG IS UP

GREETINGS FROM SW OKLAHOMA:

IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE BESIDES MYSELF THAT FEELS THAT THERE WAS NO CALL FOR THE PROBLEMS ON THE TRACK TODAY. YES, THEY HAVE HAD SOME PRETTY BAD RAINS AND THE TEMPS. HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LOWER THEN NORMAL, BUT THE TRACK CREW SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THE WATER WAS GETTING UNDER THE ASPHALT AND HAVE HAD THE REPAIRS TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE THE RACE EVEN STARTED, AND THEY SHOULD ALSO HAVE KNOWN THAT IT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO COME APART AFTER THEY PATCHED IT BECAUSE THAT IS THE NATURE OF OLD ASPHALT.


OVERLOOKING THE TRACK PROBLEMS THE RACE WAS A REALLY GOOD RACE AND A VERY GOOD OPENING TO THE 2010 RACE SEASON AND A GREAT WAY TO WRAP UP SPEED WEEKS IN SUNNY FLORIDA. THIS IS HOW I SAW THE RACE, I HOPE A FEW OF YOU AGREE, BUT IF YOU DON'T, CHIME IN SO WE CAN GET ALL THE GOOD VIEWS SHARED AROUND HERE.

NOT

BRAD KESEKOWSKI: I THINK THEY MOVED THE BOY TO SOON, HE SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN THE PLAYPEN FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE YEAR. BUT ON THE UPSIDE DENNY DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING RUN OVER BY BRAD.

JOE NEMECHEK: "FRONT ROW " JOE JUST NEEDS TO BACKAWAY UNTIL HE CAN PUT MORE $$$$ IN THE RACE PROGRAM. RIGHT NOW I FEEL JOE IS HAVING TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME SEARCHING FOR SPONSORS THAT HE CAN'T CONCERTRATE ON THE RACING . I HATE TO SEE A MAN LIKE JOE "BUSTING A GUT" AND ALWAYS COMING UP ON THE SHORT END OF THE STICK.

MIKE BLISS: WHEN YOUR INVOLVED IN A WRECK IN THE FIRST EIGHT LAPS AND THEN SPIN OUT WITHOUT ANOTHER CAR WITHIN 200 FEET OF YOU, THAT MIGHT BE A SIGN THAT YOU NEED TO BE SOMEWHERE BESIDES DAYTONA.

DAYTONA MOTOR SPEEDWAY: THERE WAS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT MUCH WATER TO BE GETTING UNDER THE ASPHALT. I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT THE TEMPS. WERE SO EXTREME THIS WEEK TO HAVE SPLIT THE SURFACE, THAT WAS A ZIT THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPING FOR AWHILE AND IT POPPED TODAY. I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY ALLOWED THE TRACK TO GET IN THAT BAD A SHAPE, IT SURE LOOKS LIKE A VERY POOR MAINTENANCE JOB TO ME.

ELLIOTT SADLER: ELLIOTT WAS LOOSE AS A GOOSE ALL DAY LONG AND BY HIS OWN ADMISSION, HE WAS HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME HOLDING ON. I REALLY LIKE SADLER, BUT TODAY HE SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THE 43RD SPOT AND JUST RODE AROUND, INSTEAD HE KEPT PUSHING FOR THE FRONT AND IN THE END HE JUST MESSED UP A BUNCH OF GOOD CARS.


HOT:

DAVID REUTIMANN: DAVID FLOATED AROUND ALL DAY SORT OF LIKE A GHOST, NO ONE REALLY EVEN MENTIONED HIM EXCEPT WHEN HE DID THE LITTLE SPOT DURING THE RED FLAG STOP. HE STAYED CALM ALL DAY LONG AND RIGHT AT THE END GAVE JR. A SUPER PUSH AND SNUCK RIGHT INTO 5TH PLACE, A REALLY GOOD START OF THE SEASON FOR MWR AND TOYOTA.

CLINT BOWYER: KANSAS BOY DOES GOOD AGAIN. CLINT WORKED SO HARD ALL DAY LONG AND ALONG WITH KEVIN HARVICK PROVED THAT RCR HAVE GOTTEN ALL THEIR STUFF IN ONE SOCK AND ARE A TEAM TO BE RECKONED WITH THIS YEAR.

GREG BIFFLE: GREG WOORKED ALL DAY LONG TO PROVE HIMSELF AND HIS RACING TEAM. BEFORE THE END OF THE SEASON I DO THINK GREG IS GOING TO BE THE FACE OF ROUSH RACING, BUT THEN I WOULDN'T EXPECT ANYTHING LESS FROM A GUY WHO RAISES BOXER DOGS.

DALE EARNHARDT JR.: HMMMM, ANOTHER BOXER LOVER, I WONDER IF THIS COULD BE A SIGN. JR. PROVED TODAY THAT SOME TIMES GOOD LUCK IS AS IMPORTANT AS GOOD SKILLS, BY HIS OWN ADMISSION, THINGS WERE ONLY SO-SO, BUT BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE ON THE RIGHT RESTART BROUGHT JR. HIS BEST FINISH IN QUITE AWHILE. I REALLY THINK THAT LANCE IS GOING TO BE GOOD FOR JR. AND WILL SLOWLY BUT SURELY REBUILD JR.'S CONFIDENCE AND RETURN HIM TO THE WINNERS CIRCLE.

JAMIE McMURRAY: JAMIE SPENT HIS WHOLE TIME AT ROUSH MORE OR LESS AS THE STEPCHILD WHO GOT SHOVED IN THE CORNER AND IGNORED. THEN AT THE END OF LAST SEASON WAS DROPPED AND DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE IF HE EVEN HAD A JOB FOR THIS SEASON. BUT TODAY HE SHOWED ROUSH WHAT HE HAD LOST AND EARNHARDT-GANASSI WHAT THEY HAD GOTTEN, A DRIVER WHO HAS HEART AND A YEARNING TO WIN THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN AWHILE.

WELL THAT IS WHAT I SAW AND HOW I SAW IT. TWO OTHER DRIVERS THAT DESERVE A HATS OFF ARE MARTIN TRUEX JR. AND KEVIN HARVICK. EITHER OF THESE GUYS COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE WINNERS CIRCLE BUT CAME UP A TINY BIT SHORT. KEVIN JUST WAS THE SECOND VERSE OF THE RCR IS BACK SONG AND MARTIN ALONG WITH REUTIMANN DID A PRETTY GOOD DUET OF HERE COMES MWR.


THAT'S MY OPINION - WHAT'S YOURS
GUNAQUAT

27 comments:

  1. Gunaquat, good Hot or Not! Your analysis is spot on. That shove Dale Jr got from Reutimann was almost enough. One more lap and it would have! I think being in a Chevy agrees with Jamie!

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  2. Have to agree with jon on this one- you are spot on with your analysis.

    I hope Bruton Smith and Eddie Gossage were watching the race today. Hopefully, they will be taking proactive steps to prevent a similar occurrence with potholes at Texas. They've had 12"+ of snow this past week, and no doubt all the melting and refreezing will have a negative impact on the racing surface.

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  3. JON:

    NOT SURE IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN JR. A FULL LAP MAYBE EVEN JUST A QUARTER MIGHT HAVE DONE IT.

    DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE FACT THAT IT WAS A CHEVY OR THE FACT THAT THE NEW OWNERS HAPPENED TO PAY A LITTLE ATTENTION TO HIM. THANKS FOR DROPPING BY AND LEAVING YORU THOUGHTS.

    GUNAQUAT

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  4. SPEEDBEAGLE:

    I THINK TEXAS TOOK CARE OF MOST OF THEIR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN THEY HAD THE PROBLEM WITH RAINWATER DRAINAGE. ALSO MY SISTER-IN-LAW LIVES IN GRAPEVINE AND SHE TOLD ANN THEY HAD HAD A COUPLE OF GOOD DAYS OF HEAT AND MOST WAS MELTED PRETTY GOOD.

    BUT YOU ARE TRUELY RIGHT, IF THEY ARE SMART THEY WILL GO OVER THAT TRACK WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB TO CHECK FOR BUBBLES AND CRACKS IN THE SURFACE.

    GUNAQUAT

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  5. Nice job Gunny. Thanks to posts like this, I'm starting to feel the racing thing again.

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  6. Hey GUNNY! Great H/N - spot on as others have said (except you have both columns listed as Hot but we knew what you meant)....

    I dunno about Brad - I think he had a tire go or an oil leak problem not really his doing but very unfortunate he took out Sam too. Brad will make some noise in Cup I think.

    Junebug looked awesome coming up thru there like a bat outta heck! Right place at right time is all it takes sometimes!

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  7. I'm just wondering if that win makes Jamie only the second guy (behind Tony Stewart) currently driving to have won races with 3 different manufacturers?

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  8. AERO,

    WELL I TRY TO LET FOLKS SEE THRU MY EYES, CAUSE USUALLY I PICK UP THINGS OTHERS DON'T AND SOMETIMES MISS IMPORTANT STUFF, THAT IS WHY YOOR COMMENTS ARE SO IMPORTANT. THANKS FOR CHIPPING IN.

    GUNAQUAT

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  9. KRIS,

    I FIXED IT, THINGS WERE A LITTLE CRAZY AROUND HERE LAST NIGHT, PLEASE EXCUSE THE GOOF.

    THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOU VIEW AND I THINK YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT ABOUT THE TIRE, BUT STILL WAS GOOD THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE BRAD-DENNY DRAMA, HAD ENOUGH ASPHALT DRAMA AS IT WAS.

    GUNAQUAT

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  10. TEZ,

    TO BE HONEST I DON'T KNOW AND AS FAR AS I KNOW TONY HAS ONLY BEEN IN 2 DIFFERNT BRANDS, AT LEAST AS FAR AS I KNOW. ALL I CAN THINK OF IS CHEVY AND TOYOTA WITH GIBBS AND NOW BACK TO CHEVY.

    BUT BELIEVE ME I COULD BE WRONG AS 2 LEFT FEET.


    GUNAQUAT

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  12. oh Gunny, SB will have your head at forgetting that Tony started off at Gibbs with Pontiacs, lol

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  13. Good job, Gunny! Junior's move was awesome.

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  14. TEZ,

    THAT MUST HAVE BEEN BEFORE I STARTED WATCHING NASCAR OR REALLY PAYING ATTENTION, I DIDN'T START WATCHING UNTIL THE WEEKEND THAT BIG DALE WAS KILLED AND AT THE TIME I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. BUT I REALLY THOUGTH GIBBS WAS USING CHEVIES BY THEN.

    YOU HAVE TO REALIZE I ONLY THINK I KNOW A BUNCH, WHAT I REALLY KNOW YOU COULD MOST LIKELY PUT IN A THIMBLE.

    GUNAQUAT

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  15. ATHENS,

    SO NICE TO HAVE YOUR PRETTY FACE GRACE MY BLOG PAGE.

    I AM SO HOPING THAT THIS PAST WEEK WAS THE FIRST STEP FOR JR. ON HIS WAY BACK TO THE FRONT.

    GUNAQUAT

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  16. Great Hot/Not, Gunny. I actually got to watch the race. I really enjoyed all of it. I love "our" NASCAR and I have no complaints. Considering how life has been going for my families lately, well....that race was great entertainment and a super diversion for me and mine. Best wishes to you and all of our NASCAR family. I miss all of you and I think of you guys and gals daily. Much love and respect, vol/Bobbie.

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  17. BOBBIE,

    THE GUNAQUAT HOUSEHOLD THINK ABOUT YOU AND YOURS EACH DAY IF THERE IS ANYTHING WE CAN DO JUST GIVE US A YELL, YOU GOT THE NUMBER.

    TALK TO YOU LATER SWEETIE

    GUNAQUAT

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  18. Good Hot and Not. But in defense of the track operators. With the ground there in Florida being (if I am not saying this wrong, they are below sea level)like it is. I am not surprised that they had a problem. But after two weeks and all the racing that they had, they probably figured that the track was safe. But one thing is for certain, their three year plan to pave track, needs to be moved up to immediately.

    The race itself was good. But I found it boring, not because of the racing, but because Tony had a lousy race. And I knew he would. I told Beverly that Tony did not have a car that was capable of winning. When Tony Stewart is not on top of the leader board, in practice, he usually does not have a great race.

    But it certainly was good to see Dale Jr. and Jamie MacMurray have a great race.

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  19. Gunny:

    It was a great race and kept me awake the whole race. In those last few laps Jr. did show some promise finally considering the other HMS cars were weak or had problems.Johnson might have had something for the end but a broken axle did him in. Hope his bad luck holds out for the rest of the season.

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  20. TSFAN,

    THE ONLY THING I WAS SAYING WAS THAT I REALLY THINK THAT SPOT WOULD HAVE BEEN BUBBLED ENOUGH THAT THEY COULD HAVE SEEN IT, AND THAT THEY WENT ABOUT REPAIRING IT WRONG.

    THEY NEEDED TO HAVE DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE WAHT THEY DID IN THE END. OPENED UP ENOUGH OF IT TO GET TO GOOD ASPHALT AND THEN LAID IN THE PATCH. BELIEVE ME HAVE WATCHED OUT STREET GUYS REPAIR ENOUGH POTHOLE SAROUND HERE TO KNOW HOW IT IS DONE LOL LOL.

    SO GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN, JUST HANG WITH ME I'LL GET IT RIGHT AT SOME POINT, AND NEVER FEAR TONY GONNA GET THERE.

    GUNAQUAT

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  21. PHOTOGR,

    WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT IT CONTINUES.

    GUNAQUAT

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  22. sorry, Gunny, I thought you'd been following the sport for a while....however, I am happy to know someone who is relatively new to it like I am :)

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  23. TEZ,

    LOL LOL ME AND FOXSPORTS BEEN WATCHING NASCAR ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT TO TIME, OR I THINK THEY WERE SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT 10 YEARS THE OTHER DAY.

    HOPE YOU WERE AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO HAV EREAD SOEM OF SOUTHERNCINDI'S STUFF, SHE TAUGHT ME MOST OF WHAT I KNOW, OR AT LEAST FORCED ME TO LEARN

    GUNAQUAT

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  24. That is one thing we don't get to see on the road I live on. The state will come and throw down some gravel and leave it for us to drive over and beat the crap out of the car. Too cheap to use the real asphalt. Even though we pay some of the highest taxes in the state. LOL

    Hey, who said, you got it wrong? LOL I don't know enough to give a technical answer. Just using female logic. And you can ask your wife, how good that is. LOL

    Oh, I know SOMEDAY Tony will get his 500 trophy. I just hope that I am not too old to enjoy it. LOL

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  25. TSFAN,

    GIRL, YOU AIN'T GONNA EVER GET OLD.

    GUNAQUAT

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  26. An extra **slap for E-Sad for his "team work" with Kasey.
    Huggs atcha all

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  27. You can't really blame Daytona for the pothole. Track officials walked the entire track, and I'm sure if they saw the start of a pothole, they would've fixed it. Dale Jr. even said that the hole was made worse by the truck arms scraping the surface. You can try to fix a pothole all you want, but the new asphalt mixture won't last unless the area is totally dry. The body filler they used makes its own heat as it cures, possibly drying some of the water under the surface.

    I also work in sports groundskeeping, and its like a player blaming the grounds staff because they strike out.

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