Sunday, August 5, 2012

PA 400 August 5, 2012

Here is the starting line up for todays race:


  1. Juan Pablo Montoya
  2. Denny Hamlin
  3. Paul Menard
  4. Kasey Kahne
  5. Marcos Ambrose
  6. Kurt Busch
  7. Matt Kenseth
  8. Dale Earnhart Jr.
  9. Ryan Newman 
  10. Jimmie Johnson
  11. Regan Smith
  12. Greg Biffle
  13. Aric Almirola
  14. Joey Logano
  15. Martin Truex Jr
  16. Jamie McMurray
  17. Carl Edwards
  18. Mark Martin
  19. Clint Bowyer
  20. Kyle Busch
  21. Kevin Harvick
  22. Landon Cassil
  23. Jeff Burton
  24. David Reutimann
  25. Sam Hornish Jr. 
  26. David Gilland
  27. Jeff Gordon
  28. Tony Stewart
  29. Casey Mears
  30. Mike Bliss
  31. Brad Keselowski
  32. David Ragan
  33. Scott Riggs
  34. Josh Wise
  35. J. J. Yeley
  36. David Stremme
  37. Travis Kavpil
  38. Joe Nemechek
  39. Bobby Labante
  40. Bobby Sorenson
  41. Jason White
  42. Tony Raines 
  43. Mike Skinner
The scheduled time to start was 1 20 EST however it is raining hard and all activities, which include driver intros and opening ceremonies.  As it stands right now 2 30EST will be the opening ceremonies and thirty minutes later the track should be try. However, there is another rain cell moving toward the track. 

At 2 47 EST the engines were brought to life. The rain delay was 1 hr 25 minutes long. Do not forget at lap 20 there is a competition caution for the rain. 

Tony Rains will start in the rear due to an engine change. He is starting in the 42nd position so it wasn't a big deal for him to move. 

The green flag was shown at 2 58 EST. The leader of the first lap is #11 of Denny Hamlin. The lead has gone back and forth between the #11 and #42 for the past 3 laps. 

The #20 of Joey Logano has moved up 4 spots since the green flag fell and finds himself in the top ten in 10th. 

The #88 of Dale Earnhart Jr. just took over the 3rd position for the #51of Kurt Busch on lap 6. 

We are 13 laps from the competition caution. 

The #88 of Dale Earnhart Jr battling with the #42 of Juan Pablo Montoya for potion on the tack, which is 2nd. Dale Earnhart Jr has the position.

A competition caution, is when NASCAR put a yellow out so crews can look at the tires. If a caution flies before the competition, then all teams can do is add fuel and change tires.  We are 7 laps from the competition caution.

On lap 13 the #88 of Earnheart Jr team takes the lead. The #11 of Denny Hamlin is in second and the 42 is in third. The 88 driver has also has the fastest lap thus far at 172 mph.

The battle for the 15th position is heating up. The #55 of Mark Martin and #20 of Joey Logano. The #20 is blocking the #55 as he has the postion. This keeps going until the #55 takes the position on lap 16. 

Caution came out for the #18 Kyle Busch hitting the wall. The #18 team is heading to the garage.  This is the the competition yellow. 

The leader off pit road is the 1 of Jamie McMurray. Rounding out the top 5 are Mark Martin, Brad Keselowski, Michael McDowell and Casey Mears.

Green flag goes back in the are on lap 23. 

Brad Keselowski is now up to P2 and chasing Jamie McMurray down in P1 on lap 24. 

They continue to do work to the #18 machine in the garage. Updates will continue.

Jimmie Johnson just drive around Mark Martin on lap 26 to take 7th position on the track. 

The #48 moved up to 4th on the track and is going after 3rd. The lead just changed and the new leader is Earnheart Jr. as Brad had to pit. 

Kurt Busch and the Joey Logano are battling for 20th postion. Joey has it and Kurt wants it. 

Joey's team is complaining that the car is not turning in at all and tell his crew chief that he doesn't understand how hard it is to drive. Jason Radcliff responds 'I can see how hard it is. You're losing positions.'

The 48 team is having a real head scratcher at the moment. The driver reported to the crew chief, Chad Knaus, that the switch turned off when he went to turn one of the knobs. Chad Knaus' responce, "We'll take care of it at the next pit stop."

The 18 is on his way back to the race track. The pit crew has been sent back to pit road. The 18 has tires back on the machine and getting gas in the car. Next few laps he should be back on track. When he returns back on track, he will be 23 laps down.

Dale Earnhart Jr is on the way to the garage on lap 51. He has a broken transmission. Dale Earnhart Jr is out of the car and now in the Sprint Cup series there is no one that has completed every lap.

When the green flag stop finish the leader will be the 48. There are 29 cars on the lead lap. The lucky dog postion is 47 team.  This is as of lap 59.

All the teams are looking at the radar as there is more rain coming. We are not at half way down right now. Looks like the rain could be at the track in the next half of an hour.

Juan Pablo Montoya and Kurt Busch are battling for postion on the track the #51 has it and #42 wants it. The postion is 20th postion. Kurt is now going after Joey and the 20 car on the track for the 19th postion.

Teams have now informed the drivers that the rain is coming. We are 15 laps from half way. 

Thus far in the race, Jeff Gordon's team has picked up 24 postions and is now in 5th postion. 

The #88 team is back on the track at lap 69 18 laps down.

The 20 team made a scheduled pit stop at lap 70. Four tires fuel and a air pressure adjustment. He goes back on the track in 29th position. 

We are 10 laps to half way. If the rain wants to destroy the rest of the day it can do it after 10 laps.

After Kyle Busch went to pit road for service he speed on pit road. On lap 74 he is serving his pass through penalty. The crew chief, Dave Rogers, told the Kyle Busch that if he does not come this time NASCAR will not score him. 

The race leader on lap 75 is Jimmie Johnson with Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle and Jeff Gordon round out the top 5. 

Good news the race is now official. Anything that would prevent this race from going to the end, it will be able to be called official. Bad news rain is 14 miles away about 30 minutes away.

Most of the crew chiefs are telling their drivers to save them some fuel. Rain is now 20 minutes away. 

Caution just came out for Kurt Busch. The left front tire blew and Kurt ends up in the wall. Tough break for the Phoenix Racing team.  Not the finish the team wanted today. 

This changes the pit strategy for all race teams. To pit and not to pit. Most teams do not pit. The 55, 1, 11, 20 29, 22, 43 and 31 all come to the pits to get gas. 

This restart Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson will be on lap 90. This lap didn't last long as the Kenseth, Johnson and Denny Hamlin brought us our next caution. Hamlin is done and Kenseth is heading to the pits. New leader is the Jeff Gordon. Can Jeff Gordon hold the lead? Can he win a race this season? Stay tuned.

I have to give credit to all the men and woman who work in race control. Today has rain, the usual nascar transmissions. They do not get enough credit for the job they do from the fans.

The rain is at the track. We are still under caution. All the crew chiefs are putting their notes in a dry place, so they do not get wet.  The pace car should be bringing them down pit road as the red flag will be displayed as the rain is picking up. 

This time by the cars are being brought back to pit road and the teams are going to cover up their cars. There is a possibility that we could go back. It all depends on how long the rain lasts.  When the last car is on pit road, NASCAR will display the red flag. 

NASCAR has just called the race. The rain is pouring down. Jeff Gordon is the winner. Dale Earnhart Jr is the points leader.

Pocono Raceway that ten fans have been injured by lightning. One is dead. One critical condition. One in moderate condition. Two with minor injuries. Five were treated at the track.

1 comment:

  1. Excellent blog. Sad about the lightening strikes and losing a race fan, praying for the other victims.

    ReplyDelete