2:51 pm – We’re here from the Rutgers Street headquarters where I’ll be joined by our special guest, my roommate Jeff for side commentary. According to the TV guide, coverage started at 2:00 pm. Note I waited 51 minutes before tuning in. It’s all the same stuff no matter the network, just a lot of blah blah blah. I long for the yester year coverage by ESPN where you heard from the pole winner, the championship leader, and one, maybe two, drivers. Now, like everything else, is a big production of nothing.
2:54 pm – I can’t wait to see what TNT shows are crammed down our throats throughout the coverage today.
2:54 pm – Jeff and I got something called a Garbage Plate
earlier in the day. That’s a Styrofoam tray filled with a bottom layer of mac salad and French fries (home fries or baked beans also an option) then you put two cheeseburgers (or plain burger, hot dog, etc), cover in onions and meat sauce (or mustard), and apply Frank’s Red Hot liberally. Best thing ever created in Rochester, NY by far, well, other than me. I’m re-enjoying my plate as we speak. Pour Jeff housed his at the restaurant, sucker!2:55 pm – I immediately regret not watching from 2:00 pm on. They just showed Lindsay Czarniak and she is looking fantastic today. Joining her right now is Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds, and I’m sure they’re saying interesting things but I’m a bit distracted now…don’t show Larry! Go back to Lindsay!!!
2:56 pm – Is it me or does Phil Parsons sound like he was hit in the head or something?
2:56 pm – We get the picks of the race, Kyle says Jeff Gordon, Larry says Jeff Gordon, Lindsay says Marcos Ambrose, my pick is Tony Stewart (my dark horses being Ambrose, Robby Gordon, and Denny Hamlin), Jeff picks Carl Edwards.
2:57 pm – GEICO reminds us that Charlie Daniels is awesome.
2:58 pm – Looks like TNT is going all out with promos for Leverage and Memphis Beat. I want to not like Jason Lee because of this, but the man did do Mall Rats. (Final tally 6 commercials for Leverage and only 2 for Memphis Beat, this doesn’t count in race talking about them).
2:59 pm – Glad it only took TNT about ten years to figure out that AC/DC did a song called TNT that they can exploit in shameless self promotion.
3:00 pm – Finally the pre-race ceremonies start. Jeff comments on how all the drivers seem to have hot wives. I disagree, my favorite racing memories is seeing Jeremy “Say No To Drugs” Mayfield in victory lane at Pocono in 1998 for his first win. Maybe he can redeem himself and it was his sister, but that handsome women that kissed him after the race was pretty, yeah. Flash forward to 2000 and he wins twice, both times in victory circle a solid 8 looking chick.
3:02 pm – Robin Meade can’t sing, but Jeff and I approve, she is hot.
3:05 pm – Glad to see Mike O’Malley still getting work post GUTS and The Rick fame. If you don’t know what those two things are go onto youtube.com right now.
3:08 pm – Averages of the race I find to be a stupid statistic, you’re wasting your talents Larry!
3:13 pm – Calling the race is Adam Alexander, Wally Dallenbach, Jr., and Kyle Petty.
3:20 pm – When they show the pit reporters, Jeff asks “why do they have fire suits on?” Best I could come up with was to be cool like everyone else, you know, that and incase of fire.
3:21 pm – Jeff now complains about this broadcast being a real mast fest out there, I could not agree more.
3:22 pm – What is that thing? Oh it’s FINALLY the green flag!
3:24 pm – Jimmie Johnson leads the first lap as Denny Hamlin get knocked around like a pin ball out there.
3:30 pm – Ballsy move by Ambrose to overtake Kahne, he’s driving with purpose out there today.
3:35 pm – Johnson is up by four seconds, anyone else in the lead NASCAR would have been throwing debris cautions left and right to catch him up.
3:36 pm – Bowyer and McMurray get together, damage is on Kyle Busch, Sadler, and Allmendinger. Take that Kyle Busch!!! Adam Alexander keep shouting that it’s Harvick not Bowyer involved, the cars rears look similar, but that’s clearly Bowyer, shut up.
3:46 pm – McMurray’s day keeps getting better, spins out again.
3:47 pm –
Jeff “ there’s your boy Newman” me “yeah, 9th place is good, but he’s not traditionally good at road course” Jeff “still plenty of time for him to f-ck up.” I hate that I agree with him.3:48 pm – Newman passed by Montoya, and so it begins. The way they’re driving out there the winner might be the last car rolling.
3:52 pm – Johnson has a 2.8 second lead over Ambrose, he’s looking tough, almost robot like.
3:56 pm – TNT shows a replay of damage on Hamlin’s car, the footage quality is all grainy and just terrible. It was like watching the JFK assassination footage, did they run out of real cameras? What was that?
4:00 pm – Newman update, 13th place.
4:01 pm – Ambrose starts the green flag pit stops, I think it’s too early, should have gone to lap 30.
4:11 pm – Montoya just passed Jeff Gordon on pit road, I’m pretty sure he was speeding or Gordon should just retire now. Johnson’s crew gives him a 14.5 second pit stop. Remember in the early 90s when 17 seconds was amazing, and the average stop was 19-20 seconds? Ah, the good old days.
4:12 pm – Hamlin’s crew bangs on his damage, then for some reason the official pulls it back up. I find this humorous for some reason and that it might come back to get Hamlin.
4:14 pm – No penalty for Montoya, begin the texts to Greg that Gordon should retire.
4:15 pm – Ambrose is in front of Johnson, I guess the strategy worked…for now.
4:15 pm – The leader is Mattias Ekstrom, many are confused.
4:16 pm – The Last Airbender? Too easy, we’ll stay above the fart jokes on here.
4:18 pm – Johnson is all over Ambrose, those fresher ties are too much.
4:20 pm – Yep, Johnson takes the position but its not for the lead. Since some guy is in front, let’s go to commercial, the fans do care about not-Jimmie Johnsons up front, right?
4:24 pm – I don’t want to say I told you so, but I told you so. Come back from commercial and Hamlin’s hood is up on his windshield. I don’t know how he’s still driving, but remember? I said that official poking around would come back on him!
4:30 pm – Johnson leads by 2.3 seconds, surprised TNT can pull themselves away for a commercial. It’s only been about ten minutes.
4:36 pm – Second green flag stop for Ambrose, lap 53, I think this sets him up to be junk at the end of the race or close on fuel.
4:43 pm – Second caution, surprise! It’s PP’s number 66 crap car, yeah, PP’s crap car! Shocked he didn’t pull it in after the green flag, get his check, then hop a flight back to North Carolina.
4:47 pm – Adam Alexander is oddly excited to yell out that “Jimmie Johnson leads!” except on the TV they show Boris Said leading, could Adam have been mistake or secretly rooting for him? Jeff says “I think he’s got a hard on for Johnson.” That’s my roommate folks.
4:50 pm –
Jeff “who the f-ck is David Ragan (running 5th at the time)?” Me “sucks” Jeff “will he mess up soon?” me “I’m shocked it hasn’t happened during this conversation.”4:51 pm – Johnson starts 7th on the restart, let’s see how his car is in traffic. Said tries to take everyone out.
4:54 pm – Ragan gets spun by J. Gordon, I look like a genius. Now J. Gordon takes more of his anger out on Martin Truex, Jr. I like the strategy Gordon’s going for “if I can’t win, no one will win damn it!”
5:04 pm – After Keslowski loses it to bring out the caution, Ambrose leads them to green on lap 66…and everyone crashes! Best drivers in the world, ladies and gentlemen.
5:11 pm – After seeing the replay, Jeff does his best impression of Sam Hornish, Jr. on that, which was screaming “cannon ball!!!” and mashing the gas pedal.
5:14 pm – Leave it to PP to do an interview with the 25th place crew chief (Greg Biffle), really wanted to know what the 25th place guy had for strategy, found out they’re not going to pit and go to the end. Thanks for the insight, PP, you’re just the best!
5:16 pm – TNT is doing everything they can to jinx Johnson, I approve.
5:18 pm – Great interview with Martin Truex, Jr., some highlights “everyone’s an idiot” I nod in agreement. Upon being told that Gordon was sorry about slamming into him, Truex remarks “does it matter? We’re on the trailer and he’s going for the win, we’ll get him.” I like it! Someone get him a car now! I don’t want to lose the passion!
5:29 – Biffle pits! But PP I thought you just reported they’re going to the end? More top notch insight from PP! Maybe he can now report about how the car that’s leading has a better chance of winning than one that has retired from the race.
5:35 pm – Back to green finally, lap 70.
5:41 pm – I don’t like you Race Buddy, now leave me alone.
5:46 pm – I hate to say this but I like Johnson’s strategy, ride Ambrose’s tail until he messes up. Little intimidation factor and I think it’ll work on Ambrose.
5:48 pm – Johnson pits before Ambrose! This could be the race, I thought he was going to stay out? Shows why I’m watching from my apartment and not from a pit box.
5:49 pm – Ambrose pits, lap 80. Can he get out in front of Johnson will be the question; I think this will be the race too. Unless Gordon dumps some more people while trying to get to the front.
5:50 pm – He beat him! Ambrose got out in front of Johnson!
5:55 pm – Caution lap 85, Montoya turns Logano, I don’t like to see the caution but I do like seeing Logano spin. Will Joey’s dad go fight for his son’s honor against Montoya now?
6:02 pm – Six cars pit for tires, Johnson and Ambrose stay out. Call it now, there’s going to be another pile up upon going green again.
6:03 pm – And just like that Said over runs turn 1, comes back, three wide into the corner, Robby Gordon turns Keselowski, and Ambrose and Johnson get away.
6:10 pm – Not the pile up I predicted, but Ekstrom gets spun by Keselowski, then Edwards spins Gilliland.
6:15 pm – 16 laps to go, Ambrose leads still.
6:22 pm – Bowyer and Sadler spin, and Jeff Gordon adds another tally to cars spun.
6:26 pm – Caution, Keselowski and Yeley spin, 8 to go, Ambrose loses his 2 second lead.
6:28 pm – Robby Gordon is near the front, he needs a win, I bet he spins someone to try and get it.
6:29 pm – AMBROSE STOPS ON THE TRACK!!!! What is going on!?!?! NASCAR puts him back to 7th place, what an absolute brain fart! He was trying to save fuel when he didn’t need to! Johnson was just handed the race! This also moves up Robby Gordon to second place, please see last note.
6:35 pm – Johnson is cruising, Ambrose fighting his way back dumps Burton.
6:38 pm – Two laps to go, Johnson up by 2.4 seconds, Robby Gordon is doing a great job of holding up Harvick, flash backs to 2001 anyone?
6:40 pm – Johnson wins, followed by Robby Gordon, Harvick, Kahne, Jeff Gordon, and Ambrose.
I did say Johnson got a gift, but he did drive his tail off this race. Good interview with Ambrose, you really feel for the guy. He’ll bounce back and get one. Well this was fun time to take the remainder of my night and not think about work tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by!
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