HOT OR NOT - VALLEY OF THE SUN

GREETINGS FROM SW OKLAHOMA:

TALK ABOUT NOT BEING OVER TILL IT'S OVER, I'M GUESSING JEFF IS STILL SORT OF SCRATCHING HIS HEAD OVER THAT ONE. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD RACE AND REALLY ENJOYED WATCHING GUYS LIKE MARK MARTIN WEAVE HIS MAGIC AND LULL FOLKS INTO THINKING HE WAS JUST PASSING TIME. I WAS SORRY FOR KURT AND KASEY. I FEEL THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAS TO BE DESCRIBED AS AN ACT OF THE "RACING GODS". ANYWAY THIS IS HOW I SAW THE RACE, AND WITH ANY LUCK I WON'T OFFEND TO MANY FOLKS.

NOT:

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. : SON YOU GOTTA READ THE LIGHTS COMING TO PIT ROW, HITTING THERE WHEN THEY ARE CLOSED IS SUCH A ROOKIE MISTAKE AND WHEN YOUR SITTING 19TH HIT THE BRAKES A LITTLE NO NEED TO SPIN A GUY OUT, I THINK THAT IS CALLED DEFENSIVE DRIVING.

2. DENNY HAMLIN: IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT "PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL" AND TODAY DENNY HAD TO MUCH PRIDE TO USE HIS HEAD AND GET OUT OF THE CAR AND HE FELL LIKE A ROCK. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF GETTING OUT AT THE FIRST CAUTION AND TURNING THE CAR OVER TO MEARS, MOST LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE WON THE RACE BUT I DON'T FIGURE HE WOULD HAVE FAIRED TO MUCH WORSE THEN DENNY. I ALSO FAULT COACH GIBBS ON THIS ONE HE SHOULD HAVE STEPPED IN AND PULLED DENNY.

3. A.J. ALLMENDINGER: THIS LOOKED MORE LIKE HE WAS DRIVING A YOYO RATHER THEN A RACE CAR. FIRST SLOT (POLE) THEN TO 27TH THEN UP TO 15TH. I REALLY THINK THIS KID WOULD FINISH SECOND IN A ONE CAR RACE.

4. DAVE ROGERS: HISTORY CAN ONLY REPEAT ITSELF SO MANY TIMES AND TONIGHT WAS NOT ONE OF THEM. THORN'S NEW CREW CHIEF MADE A LARGE BAD GUESS TONIGHT AND THAT MAY SERVE AS THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK . IF THEY GET RID OF ADDINGTON WITH 8 OR 9 WINS WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO WITH A GUY THAT MAKES THAT KIND OF BAD GUESS.

5. SCOTT SPEED: WEAR A TOGA, SHAVE YOUR HEAD, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, YOU STILL NEED TO BE ANYWHERE EXCEPT IN NASCAR. DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A RECORD OR NOT BUT YOU DID MANAGE TO LOSE ONE POSITION EVERY 19 LAPS DURING THE RACE.


HOT:

5. JUAN MONTOYA: JUAN RAN A REALLY GOOD RACE, BUT THEN HE CAME OUT ON THE SHORT END OF THE STICK AGAIN, I AM AFRAID HE IS GOING TO GET THE REP OF RUNNING WELL BUT NEVER ABLE TO CLOSE THE DEAL ON A NORMAL STOCK CAR TRACK. I WAS REAL PLEASED TO SEE THAT JUAN DID STAND STRAIGHT AND TALL DURING THE NATIONAL ATHEM, HE IS REALLY WORKING HIS BUTT OFF TO FIT IN.

4. MARK MARTIN: THE MORE I WATCH MARK , THE MORE HE REMINDS ME OF A TURTLE ( THIS IS A GOOD THING). HE TAKES THINGS SLOW AND EASY SORT OF JUST HO- HUMMS ALONG, BUT HIS SPEED AND ABILITY ARE SO DECEPTIVE AND HE USUALLY IS ALWAYS AHEAD OF THE BUNCH AT THE FINISH. MARK HAS A WAY OF COVERING HIS HARD CHARGING THAT IS JUST OUT OF THIS WORLD.

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON: JIMME "THE KID" RAN HIS NORMAL, RUN OF THE MILL, COME FROM BEHIND, OH THIS IS BORING RACE, FIGURING THIS WAS JUST ONE MORE WIN, BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT HE NOR CHAD COULD COUNT ON OR CONTROL. THAT LAST CAUTION DID HIM IN, BUT FOLKS THIS BOY IS GONNA REWRITE A WAGON LOAD OF RECORD BOOKS BEFORE HE IS FINISHED SO LIKE IT OR NOT WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST GET READY FOR IT.

2. JEFF GORDON: EVEN THOUGH BY HIS OWN ADDMISSION HE GOT A LITTLE NERVOUS AND SPUN THE TIRES ON THE LAST RESTART, JEFF DROVE A HECK OF A RACE. I HAVE NOTICED THAT JEFF IS STARTING TO REACT IN A MUCH MORE MATURE MANNER AND SO I HAVE A FEELING MAYBE HE IS STARTING TO OBTAIN OR DEVELOP THAT ELDER DRIVER ATTITUDE. GOOD GRIEF I HATE SAYING NICE THINGS ABOUT HIM, BUT FACT IS FACT LIKE IT OR NOT.

1. RYAN NEWMAN: WHAT IS THAT OLD STATEMENT ABOUT "GOOD THINGS COMING TO THOSE WHO WAIT" WELL RYAN HAS WAITED FOR AWHILE AND TONIGHT HE SPENT MOST OF THE NIGHT WAITING, AND SURE ENOUGH GOOD THINGS CAME TO HIM. RYAN DROVE A GOOD CONSERVATIVE RACE AND IN THE END HE WAS JUSTLY REWARDED WITH A WIN. THIS SINGLE WIN MAY WELL SERVE AS THE SPRING BOARD FOR THIS TEAM TO JUMP RIGHT TO THE FRONT AGAIN AS WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.

WELL FOLKS THAT IS HOW I SAW THE RACE AND I AM SURE THAT I MISSED A FEW THINGS BUT CAN ONLY SEE SO MUCH ON A 27 IN TV. WHATEVER I MISSED PLEASE FILL IN THE GAPS AND LETS MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THE GOOD, BAD AND THE UGLY ABOUT THE TRIP TO THE "VALLEY OF THE SUN".

THAT'S MY OPINION - WHAT'S YOURS

GUNAQUAT