HOT OR NOT - RICHMOND - TRIBUTE TO AN AMERICIAN HERO

GREETINGS FROM SW OKLAHOMA:

THANKS TO THE SPONSORS AND NASCAR FOR NAMING THIS RACE FOR THE YOUNG MAN WHO GAVE SO MUCH FOR HIS COUNTRY, DON'T SEEM TO SEE A LOT OF THAT ANYMORE. I THOUGHT ALL OF US SAW A PRETTY GOOD RACE, I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN SAY WE DIDN'T HAVE A BIG TRUN AROUND OR SURPRISE AT THE END, BUT THAT IS WHAT MAKES RACING WHAT IT IS.

BEFORE WE GET TO HOW I SAW THE RACE, DID ANYONE ELSE HAPPEN TO SEE OR READ THE ARTICLE THIS WEEK ON JR. SUPPOSEDLY BREAKING UP THE MARRIAGE OF A COLLEGE COACH DOWN THERE. JUST WONDERING IF WE ARE FIXING TO HAVE OUR OWN VERSION OF TIGER WOODS. BUT IF NASCAR IS MAKING NATIONAL ENQUIRER THEY MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. NOW ON TO HOW I SAW THE RACE.

NOT:

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON: FINISHING 10th IS NOTHING TO FEEL BAD ABOUT, GUESS I HAVE JUST GOTTEN SO USE TO HIM WINNING OR BEING SECOND IT LOOKED STRANGE. BUT FOR SOME REASON THE WHOLE TEAM SEEMED TO BE JUST A LITTLE, HOW DOES FARMVILLE PUT IT, OUT OF SNYC LAST NIGHT. JUST WONDER IF THE BOSS VERBALLY PADDLING HIS BOTTOM PUT JIMMIE AND THE WHOLE TEAM INTO A BIT OF A POUTY MOOD.

2. START & PARK CARS: I AM GETTING SO TIRED OF DAVE BLANEY AND FRONT ROW JOE GOING OUT, RUNNING 10 OR 12 LAPS, THEN GOING TO THE PAY WINDOW AND COLLECTING MORE MONEY THEN SOME FOLKS MAKE IN A YEAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WANT TO RACE AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO RACE, BUT I THINK IT IS TIME FOR NASCAR TO PUT A MIN. NUMBER OF LAPS TO BE RUN BEFORE YOU COLLECT ANY MONEY.

3. #39 CREW CHIEF: 2 TIRE STOP, THAT WAS THE WORST CALL I HAVE SEEN IN AWHILE, YES IT GOT RYAN THE LEAD, WELL AT LEAST THE LEAD TO THE GREEN FLAG AND THAT IS JUST PRETTY MUCH WHERE IT ENDED. RYAN SPENT THE WHOLE REST OF THE NIGHT LOOKING SHEEPISH AND TRYING TO CATCH UP.

4. DALE EARNHARDT JR.: WELL WE HAVE ALL HEARD OF LITTLE THINGS ADDING UP TO SOMETHING GOOD, BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE FOR JR. ALL NIGHT LONG. ALL OF HIS LITTLE THINGS THIS WEEK WERE BAD AND MAYBE THE FIRST LITTLE BAD THING WAS UNLOADING THE CAR IN RICHMOND.

5. TONY STEWART: TONY JUST LIKE JR. HAD A LOUSY WEEKEND , DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO DO ANY OF THE RIGHT THINGS, SEEMED THAT NONE OF THE PROBLEMS WERE REALLY BIG, JUST LITTLE THINGS KEPT PILING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND IT MADE FOR A HORRID WEEKEND.

HOT:

5. CARL EDWARDS: I'M NOT SURE WE CAN SAY CARL IS HOT JUST YET, BUT THE RACE HE TURNED IN LAST NIGHT WILL SURE FAN THE FLAMES. I'M THINKING THIS WAS THE TURN UP THE HEAT RACE FOR CARL.

4. JEFF BURTON: JEFF JUST KEEPS COMING, I REALLY LIKE HIS ATTITUDE ABOUT THE ALL-STAR RACE AND WANTING TO RACE HIS WAY IN, NOT JUST GET VOTED IN, JEFF IS AN OL' TIME RACER THAT DOESN'T WANT ANYTHING GIVEN TO HIM.

3. KEVIN HARVICK: WOW, THIS CAT IS TURNING IT AROUND BIG TIME, I MEAN HE HAS TO BE, HE EVEN HAS UNNAMED SOURCES PUTTING OUT STORIES AND REPORTS ON HIM NOW. ISN'T THAT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT?

2. JEFF GORDON: JEFF RAN ANOTHER GREAT RACE AND FROM ALL APPEARANCES HAD IT IN THE BAG, BUT AN EVER SO SLIGHT "CHOKE" ON THE LAST RESTART PROVED TO BE HIS UNDOING. BUT AS IT SHOULD BE THE VETERAN OF HENDRICK WAS THE LEADER OF THE ORGANIZATION LAST NIGHT.

1. KYLE "THORN" BUSCH: GOOD GRIEF, I WISH HE WOULD QUIT DOING THINGS LIKE THIS, IT MAKES IT SO HARD TO NOT LIKE HIM. HE LEADS THE FIRST HALF OF THE RACE, THEN DROPS TO NOWHERE, THEN CHARGES BACK TO WIN ON THE LAST LAP. THAT SORT OF SOUNDS LIKE SOME OLD STORIES I HAVE HEARD ABOUT "BIG E". EXCELLENT RACE "THORN" YOU DESERVED THE WIN.

WELL FOLKS THAT IS HOW I SAW THE RACE, AND I REALLY DID TRY TO BE FAIR AND GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE, BUT IF I MISSED ANYTHING CHIME IN AND LET US KNOW. ALL OF US ARE STILL LEARNING AND WE ALL LOOK AT DIFFERNET THINGS ON THE SCREEN, PUT IT OUT HERE SO WE ALL GET THE WHOLE PICTURE.

THAT'S MY OPINION - WHAT'S YOURS
GUNAQUAT