'Gordon-Johnson-Martin-Earnhardt 1-4 At Talladega'

[Panther_99FS]

This should put to rest any claims about the Ford FR9 being the strongest engine out in the field...

<TABLE id=cnnDataTable class=cnnDataTable border=0 cellSpacing=0><TBODY id=cnnDataBody><TR><TD class=cnnCup>1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>24</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Jeff Gordon</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Drive to End Hunger </TD><TD class=cnnCup>178.248</TD><TD class=cnnCup>53.723</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Leader</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>2</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>48</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Jimmie Johnson</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Lowe's</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.844</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>53.845</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.122</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>3</TD><TD class=cnnCup>5</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Mark Martin</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Carquest / Go
Daddy.com</TD><TD class=cnnCup>177.807</TD><TD class=cnnCup>53.856</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.133</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>4</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>88</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Dale Earnhardt Jr.</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>National Guard / Amp Energy </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.765</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>53.869</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.146</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>5</TD><TD class=cnnCup>27</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Paul Menard</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Schrock Cabinetry / Menards </TD><TD class=cnnCup>177.702</TD><TD class=cnnCup>53.888</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.165</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>6</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>09</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Landon Cassill</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Thank A Teacher Today / Security Benefit </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.685</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>53.893</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.170</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>7</TD><TD class=cnnCup>6</TD><TD class=cnnCup>David Ragan</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnCup>UPS "We Love Logistics" </TD><TD class=cnnCup>177.439</TD><TD class=cnnCup>53.968</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.245</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>8</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>22</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Kurt Busch</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Dodge</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Shell / Pennzoil-AAA </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.379</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>53.986</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.263</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>9</TD><TD class=cnnCup>83</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Brian Vickers</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Red Bull </TD><TD class=cnnCup>177.370</TD><TD class=cnnCup>53.989</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.266</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>10</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>21</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Trevor Bayne</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Good Sam Club / Camping World </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.353</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>53.994</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.271</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>11</TD><TD class=cnnCup>33</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Clint Bowyer</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>BB&T</TD><TD class=cnnCup>177.353</TD><TD class=cnnCup>53.994</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.271</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>12</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>115</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Michael Waltrip</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Aaron's / Auburn National Champions </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.317</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.005</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.282</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>13</TD><TD class=cnnCup>42</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Juan Montoya</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Target</TD><TD class=cnnCup>177.182</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.046</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.323</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>14</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>00</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>David Reutimann</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Aaron's Dream Machine </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.143</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.058</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.335</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>15</TD><TD class=cnnCup>47</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Bobby Labonte</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Bush's Baked Beans </TD><TD class=cnnCup>177.120</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.065</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.342</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>16</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>43</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>A.J. Allmendinger</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Best Buy </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.087</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.075</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.352</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>17</TD><TD class=cnnCup>16</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Greg Biffle</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnCup>3M Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape </TD><TD class=cnnCup>177.074</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.079</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.356</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>18</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>78</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Regan Smith</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Furniture Row Companies </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.061</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.083</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.360</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>19</TD><TD class=cnnCup>2</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Brad Keselowski</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Dodge</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Miller Lite </TD><TD class=cnnCup>177.032</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.092</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.369</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>20</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>99</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Carl Edwards</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Aflac</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>177.005</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.100</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.377</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>21</TD><TD class=cnnCup>1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Jamie McMurray</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Bass Pro Shops / Tracker </TD><TD class=cnnCup>176.872</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.141</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.418</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>22</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>87</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Joe Nemechek</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>NEMCO Motorsports </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>176.695</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.195</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.472</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>23</TD><TD class=cnnCup>39</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Ryan Newman</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Haas Automation </TD><TD class=cnnCup>176.659</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.206</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.483</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>24</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>9</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Marcos Ambrose</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Dewalt</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>176.575</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.232</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.509</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>25</TD><TD class=cnnCup>17</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Matt Kenseth</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Crown Royal Black </TD><TD class=cnnCup>176.519</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.249</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.526</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>26</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>56</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Martin Truex Jr.</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>NAPA Auto Parts </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>176.477</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.262</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.539</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>27</TD><TD class=cnnCup>31</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Jeff Burton</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Cat Financial </TD><TD class=cnnCup>176.461</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.267</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.544</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>28</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>38</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Travis Kvapil</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Long John Silver's / TMone </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>176.425</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.278</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.555</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>29</TD><TD class=cnnCup>11</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Denny Hamlin</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnCup>FedEx Office </TD><TD class=cnnCup>176.370</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.295</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.572</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>30</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>14</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Tony Stewart</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Office Depot / Mobil 1 </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>176.347</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.302</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.579</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>31</TD><TD class=cnnCup>4</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Kasey Kahne</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Red Bull </TD><TD class=cnnCup>176.298</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.317</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.594</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>32</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>97</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Kevin Conway</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Extenze</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>176.195</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.349</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.626</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>33</TD><TD class=cnnCup>135</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Steve Park</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Tommy Baldwin Racing </TD><TD class=cnnCup>176.162</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.359</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.636</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>34</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>18</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Kyle Busch</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>M&M's Pretzel </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>175.939</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.428</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.705</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>35</TD><TD class=cnnCup>36</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Dave Blaney</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Golden Corral </TD><TD class=cnnCup>175.806</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.469</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.746</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>36</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>20</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Joey Logano</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>The Home Depot </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>175.410</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.592</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.869</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>37</TD><TD class=cnnCup>71</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Andy Lally*</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Interstate Moving Services </TD><TD class=cnnCup>175.349</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.611</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.888</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>38</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>29</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Kevin Harvick</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Chevrolet</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Budweiser</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>175.154</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.672</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.949</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>39</TD><TD class=cnnCup>34</TD><TD class=cnnCup>David Gilliland</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Taco Bell </TD><TD class=cnnCup>175.134</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.678</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.955</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>40</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>60</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Mike Skinner</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Big Red </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>175.090</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.692</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-0.969</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>41</TD><TD class=cnnCup>37</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Tony Raines</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Ford</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Front Row Motorsports </TD><TD class=cnnCup>175.000</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.720</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-0.997</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>42</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>66</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Michael McDowell</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>HP Racing LLC </TD><TD class=cnnDefault>174.840</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>54.770</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-1.047</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>43</TD><TD class=cnnCup>13</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Casey Mears</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Toyota</TD><TD class=cnnCup>GEICO</TD><TD class=cnnCup>174.595</TD><TD class=cnnCup>54.847</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-1.124</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[eddie]

Doesn't look like Hendrick is behind the curve either!

[Panther_99FS]

Doesn't look like Hendrick is behind the curve either!

Good to see Kurt Busch in the top 10 though....

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

It's Talledega. Qualifying time are utterly meaningless - unless your out of the top 35. Hendrick may be comfortable enough with their race package that they went to qualifying trim and so were faster while many teams like Gibbs qualified in rice trim which means your faster in the race but slower in qualifying. Qualifying at Talledega means nothing in terms of how much power you got and whether your ahead or behind the curve.

The other point is that this is a restrictor plate track so it says very little about engine power. Where the engines are not restricted tells you about power.

-Ed-

[Panther_99FS]

And if the front 4 were Fords, your above response would look totally different...

But as I said in a different post, "no complaints" just a few years back when it was Johnson/Gordon/Stewart & Chevrolet all the time

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

As Jacob McCandles said in Big Jake "not hardly"

The race may well show something different than qualifying. We'll see.

-Ed-

[stansdds]

Ed is right, at the super speedways, it's not where you start, it's where you are on the last two laps of the race. The only advantage to starting at the front is that you are out of the way of any botched starts and you get the points for qualifying so well. The super speedway races are all about pairs of cars racing together. Yesterday, at the Nationwide race, we saw what happens when three try to freight train, the lead car got too much of a push from the two trailing cars and went sideways. The super speedway races are interesting in the sense that it is heart pounding to watch these pairs of cars go through the turns three wide and there is almost always going to be a huge wreck in the last 30 or so laps of the race.

[Cazzie]

It'll be a melee like all Talledagas. one of the races I can miss. None of my men ever do well at that track, it's an abomination. If you like wrecks and all day cautions with a red flag or two tossed in, then waste five hours at the telly today. I won't I'll wait until they get to a real race track again. Daytona and Talledega do absolutely nothing for me.

Caz

[stansdds]

It'll be a melee like all Talledagas. one of the races I can miss. None of my men ever do well at that track, it's an abomination. If you like wrecks and all day cautions with a red flag or two tossed in, then waste five hours at the telly today. I won't I'll wait until they get to a real race track again. Daytona and Talledega do absolutely nothing for me.

Caz

I watch, but only because it's NASCAR. I do prefer tracks no more than 1.5 miles in length and really, the shorter tracks are often the most exciting. Super speedways are for high speed collisions, short tracks are for rubbing, passing, and individual drivers racing each other.

[Panther_99FS]

And Chevy takes the top 4 finish positions....

[stansdds]

And what a finish it was! I have to eat my words about the super speedways not being good racing. Damn, that was a close finish!

[PRB]

That was pretty cool. I'm not even upset that Jimmie Johnson won!

[Panther_99FS]

And what a finish it was! I have to eat my words about the super speedways not being good racing. Damn, that was a close finish!

Yes, the "wingman" concept has brought new excitement to Daytona & Talladega...

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Yeah Jimmie finally got a break and pulled that slingshot move with Jr pushin just right. He certainly owes Jr one. Another 100 yards and a little more room on the outside and the FR9s woulda won cause they were coming hard in the draft of the Bowyer and Gordon duos. Really cool to see the old slingshot move of the Petty Pearson era back in vogue only now you do it with 2 cars hooked up instead of one car alone.

-Ed-

[Cazzie]

Still isn't racing. The only way they're going to get me to sit through a superspeedway race like Daytona and Talledega is remove the damn restrictor plates. I mean, Christ, the top qualifying speed was 178 mph. Fie, Petty did that in the 1960s at Daytona. This is the worst season of my life for my drivers having any fortune and for the ones I dislike are having it all. Only Trevor Bayne's luck up at Daytona in the Wood's Bros. car has been a feather in my cap this year, all else has been throw the chikin' in the waste basket!

What's all this about Toyota HP now EasyEd. See NASCAR finally leveled the playing field for Chevy again, can't have Government Motors on the loosing end too long.

Caz, just so utterly pissed at the way Cup racing outcomes have been this year.

[Daveroo]

Still isn't racing. The only way they're going to get me to sit through a superspeedway race like Daytona and Talledega is remove the damn restrictor plates. I mean, Christ, the top qualifying speed was 178 mph. Fie, Petty did that in the 1960s at Daytona. This is the worst season of my life for my drivers having any fortune and for the ones I dislike are having it all. Only Trevor Bayne's luck up at Daytona in the Wood's Bros. car has been a feather in my cap this year, all else has been throw the chikin' in the waste basket!

What's all this about Toyota HP now EasyEd. See NASCAR finally leveled the playing field for Chevy again, can't have Government Motors on the loosing end too long.

Caz, just so utterly pissed at the way Cup racing outcomes have been this year.

is there anything you do like?................hehehehehe

[stansdds]

I'm not a big fan of the restrictor plate either, but I'm less of a fan of drivers being killed or cars going through or over the fence and into the crowd. Qualifying speeds were very slow due to the fact that qualifying is an individual effort. Speeds were higher during the race as the the two car bump draft significantly improves the car's ability to go real fast. Yesterday's race was the best I've seen from Talledega in a while.

[wombat666]

I'm not a big fan of the restrictor plate either, but I'm less of a fan of drivers being killed or cars going through or over the fence and into the crowd. Qualifying speeds were very slow due to the fact that qualifying is an individual effort. Speeds were higher during the race as the the two car bump draft significantly improves the car's ability to go real fast. Yesterday's race was the best I've seen from Talledega in a while.

A simple rev-limiter would do the job and cut out the crap about 'winding a car up' over a couple of laps.

[Cazzie]

is there anything you do like?................hehehehehe

Not this year, other than the new point's system. It's a case of the blahs, like I said, my guys in Cup ain't doin' dookie this year! And like every other redneck in NASCAR, I'm dang tired and sick of seein' the 48 car win!

[Panther_99FS]

And like every other redneck in NASCAR, I'm dang tired and sick of seein' the 48 car win!

This doesn't bother me in that it's similar to Formula One in the sense of one team/driver continuosly winning...

[wombat666]

This doesn't bother me in that it's similar to Formula One in the sense of one team/driver continuosly winning...

Well Ed, that's just come to a halt as of China.

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Why is F1 in a NASCAR thread?

This year is a very slow start for Jimmie - only 1 win this year so far - he certainly is not winning all the time. Those Virginians need to find a way to step up.

NASCAR does not need a rev limiter. It would simply take away the possibility of engine damage due to poor driving skills (over-revving). Course the F1 guys need it.

I like restrictor plate racing. It is completely different than other kinds of stock car racing. The strategy and tactics are completely different. I have said I think there is more variety in NASCAR racing than in F1 and I stand by it.

Safety is all important in most all organized sports now days and in NASCAR 200mph is the unofficial limit as the cars are certainly capable of faster. Should a driver actually have to risk life and limb? That is so preturn of the century.

-Ed-