Nascar Blog

Looked like Jeff Gordon was going to collect his fifth win of the season and add those all important bonus points going into the chase, but it was not to be, he came in to hot and ended up spinning out on the next to last lap in front of Tony Stewart, giving Tony his third win of the year and 3rd out of the last 4, and marking a huge turn around by the 20 team. The exact type of spin had happened to Tony earlier, the only difference was he had enough time to make all the lost positions back up, something the dominant Gordon was unable to do.

Tony Stewart took advantage of a stunning mistake by Jeff Gordon with two laps to go Sunday and won the Centurion Boats at The Glen at Watkins Glen International.

Gordon, who started from the pole and led a race-high 51 laps, seemed to have his 10th road course victory in hand, but he spun out on his own heading into the first turn with Stewart a couple of car-lengths behind and finished ninth.

“I was driving hard,” a dejected Gordon said after climbing from his No. 24 Chevrolet. “I just overdrove going into one. It was just stupid. I knew I had to push because Tony was really good.” Source: Gordon’s spinout leaves Stewart out front at Glen

This gives Tony three wins with Gordon and Johnson both having four each and will bring him within 10 points of both of them when the chase officially begins. Juan Pablo Montoya and Kevin Harvick had a little run in with less than 20 laps, Martin Truex Jr. tapped Montoya from behind and had him loose going into the curve, he hit Harvick and they both spun out and collected Jeff Burton. Harvick got out to say something to Montoya, but it looked to me like Juan would have none of it, shoving Harvick back. Harvick later talked about kicking his ass, but I think ol Juan might have something for him, as Kevin wasn’t pushing back to hard. Probably would’ve been either a decent scrap or a girl’s fight, but I guess we’ll never know.

Here is how they finished:

1 5 20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet The Home Depot 190/5 90 Running
2 2 11 Denny Hamlin Chevrolet FedEx Ground 170/0 90 Running
3 7 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe’s 165/0 90 Running
4 26 96 Ron Fellows Chevrolet DLP HDTV 160/0 90 Running
5 29 7 Robby Gordon Ford Jim Beam 155/0 90 Running
6 12 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker 150/0 90 Running
7 8 5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet CARQUEST / Kellogg’s 146/0 90 Running
8 6 99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot 142/0 90 Running
9 1 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 148/10 90 Running
10 16 16 Greg Biffle Ford Nintendo Wii 134/0 90 Running
11 13 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 130/0 90 Running
12 3 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT 127/0 90 Running
13 15 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Kodak think: 124/0 90 Running
14 39 21 Boris Said Ford Little Debbie 121/0 90 Running
15 19 25 Casey Mears Chevrolet National Guard / GMAC 118/0 90 Running
16 11 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Jack Daniel’s 115/0 90 Running
17 23 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW 112/0 90 Running
18 21 18 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet Interstate Batteries 109/0 90 Running
19 31 15 Paul Menard * Chevrolet Quaker State / Menards 106/0 90 Running
20 32 66 Jeff Green Chevrolet Haas Automation / Best Buy 103/0 90 Running
21 25 40 David Stremme Dodge Coors Light 100/0 90 Running
22 40 10 Patrick Carpentier Dodge Valvoline / Stanley Tools 102/5 90 Running
23 34 70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Haas Automation 94/0 90 Running
24 20 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker 96/5 90 Running
25 41 00 P.J. Jones Toyota Burger King 88/0 90 Running
26 28 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW 85/0 90 Running
27 42 36 Jeremy Mayfield Toyota 360 OTC 87/5 90 Running
28 24 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Target 79/0 90 Running
29 37 44 Dale Jarrett Toyota UPS 76/0 90 Running
30 38 55 Terry Labonte Toyota NAPA Auto Parts 73/0 90 Running
31 43 78 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing 70/0 90 Running
32 22 6 David Ragan * Ford AAA Insurance 67/0 90 Running
33 30 38 David Gilliland Ford M&M’s 64/0 90 Running
34 17 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal 66/5 89 Running
35 35 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar 58/0 88 Running
36 9 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil 55/0 84 Off Track
37 10 01 Regan Smith Chevrolet U.S. Army 52/0 82 Running
38 27 88 Ricky Rudd Ford Snickers / EA SPORTS NASCAR 08 49/0 77 Running
39 18 42 Juan Montoya * Dodge Wrigley’s Big Red 46/0 73 Running
40 4 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility 43/0 72 Out of Race
41 36 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 40/0 69 Running
42 14 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser 37/0 63 Running
43 33 45 Kyle Petty Dodge Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil 34/0 56 Running

Jeff Gordon has the pole for the third time this year because of a rain out, one of the benefits for dominating so far this season. He has struggled at the Glen in recent years, so I think it’s time he got that monkey off his back, and runs this race up front all day, from start to finish, but that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Jeff Gordon, who has led the standings for the last 17 weeks, took advantage of that and will start first — the third time this season he has started first after qualifying was rained out. The remainder of the 43-car lineup was set according to the Cup rule book.

Gordon will start his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on the pole for the eighth time this season, with five of them earned with fast time. Second-place points man Denny Hamlin will line up on the outside of the front row in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy. Source: Rain (again) washes out qualifying at Watkins Glen

This definitely doesn’t not bode well for the rest of the drivers, Gordon has definitely been a master at the road coarse races these past few years, and would have probably been close to starting on the front row anyway. But, he hasn’t run well at the Glen lately, he has mastered Sonoma though. After winning four of five races at the Glen from 1997 through 2001, he’s failed to crack the top 10 in the five races that followed. The closest he’s come was 13th in this race here last year, but it certainly hasn’t been for lack of strength. Problems in the pits, errant fuel calculations and general bad luck have plagued him during this span. In 2007, he has finished in the top 10 in all but two races, however, and it’s hard to imagine that with momentum like that on his side, he won’t get the this monkey off his back. It will be interesting to see how Juan Montoya moves up threw the field, and with Tony Stewart starting fifth, some of the best competition is right behind him. Stewart has been as close to perfect as any driver can be at The Glen, with three victories and a runner-up finish in his last five races. The only time he struggled was in 2003 where he still managed to finish 11th.

Here is how they will start on Sunday:
1 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont N/A N/A N/A
2 11 Denny Hamlin Chevrolet FedEx Ground N/A N/A N/A
3 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT N/A N/A N/A
4 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility N/A N/A N/A
5 20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet The Home Depot N/A N/A N/A
6 99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot N/A N/A N/A
7 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe’s N/A N/A N/A
8 5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet CARQUEST / Kellogg’s N/A N/A N/A
9 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil N/A N/A N/A
10 01 Regan Smith Chevrolet U.S. Army N/A N/A N/A
11 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Jack Daniel’s N/A N/A N/A
12 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker N/A N/A N/A
13 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite N/A N/A N/A
14 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser N/A N/A N/A
15 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Kodak think: N/A N/A N/A
16 16 Greg Biffle Ford Nintendo Wii N/A N/A N/A
17 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal N/A N/A N/A
18 42 Juan Montoya Dodge Wrigley’s Big Red N/A N/A N/A
19 25 Casey Mears Chevrolet National Guard / GMAC N/A N/A N/A
20 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker N/A N/A N/A
21 18 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet Interstate Batteries N/A N/A N/A
22 6 David Ragan Ford AAA Insurance N/A N/A N/A
23 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW N/A N/A N/A
24 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Target N/A N/A N/A
25 40 David Stremme Dodge Coors Light N/A N/A N/A
26 96 Ron Fellows Chevrolet DLP HDTV N/A N/A N/A
27 88 Ricky Rudd Ford Snickers / EA SPORTS NASCAR 08 N/A N/A N/A
28 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW N/A N/A N/A
29 7 Robby Gordon Ford Jim Beam N/A N/A N/A
30 38 David Gilliland Ford M&M’s N/A N/A N/A
31 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Quaker State / Menards N/A N/A N/A
32 66 Jeff Green Chevrolet Haas Automation / Best Buy N/A N/A N/A
33 45 Kyle Petty Dodge Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil N/A N/A N/A
34 70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Haas Automation N/A N/A N/A
35 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar N/A N/A N/A
36 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull N/A N/A N/A
37 44 Dale Jarrett Toyota UPS N/A N/A N/A
38 55 Terry Labonte Toyota NAPA Auto Parts N/A N/A N/A
39 21 Bill Elliott Ford Little Debbie N/A N/A N/A
40 10 Patrick Carpentier Dodge Valvoline / Stanley Tools N/A N/A N/A
41 00 P.J. Jones Toyota Burger King N/A N/A N/A
42 36 Jeremy Mayfield Toyota 360 OTC N/A N/A N/A
43 78 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing N/A N/A N/A

Here are the ones that do not get a chance, even as several looked like they were good enough to make the field, Boris Said is one of those gun slinger road course racers who usually run well, he was not feeling too good about losing all the money he invested to run here.

“For a part-time team, you don’t get to race that much and two races in a row get taken away,” Said said. “I don’t understand why the schedule can’t be adjusted and just qualify [Saturday] when it’s going to be sunny. It’s just hard for a small team — it pretty much puts us out of business, it puts me out of business. It’s just a lot of income lost.

“We’re going to Talladega. That’s our next race. That’s our last race. We’ve shown performance every time we’ve gone, but the problem right now, an independent team, it’s almost impossible. Right now, it’s just depressing.”

Did Not Qualify
44 49 Klaus Graf Dodge Paralyzed Veterans of America - - -
45 84 A.J. Allmendinger Toyota Red Bull - - -
46 4 Ward Burton Chevrolet Lucas Oil / State Water Heaters - - -
47 37 Brian Simo Dodge Front Row Motorsports - - -
48 160 Boris Said Ford SOBE - No Fear - - -
49 177 Marcos Ambrose Ford Camping World / RVs.com / Kingsford - - -

Kevin Harvick is having a really good year so far, I’ve seen it mentioned somewhere that he is doing so good because he is racing both the Busch and Nascar series. He’s over 500 points ahead in the Busch series and I think he just needs one top 16 to get in the chase in the next two races. This is his second win of the year. Jeff Gordon finished 13th.

Here are the top 5:

1 29 Kevin Harvick
2 20 Tony Stewart
3 26 Jamie McMurray
4 7 Robby Gordon
5 99 Carl Edwards