Rpz Center of the Universe

Lets get Indy out of the way first.

I am bummed that JPM didn't win, he had the best car all day and should have won. Do I think there is a conspiracy against him? NO, he just made a mistake, or rather the team did. Due to that mistake he was shuffled back to the top 15 where NO ONE could pass. When the Indy race was done, I was ready to make some changes to the car, it was sad the way no one could pass. Not sure if the tire situation from last year or this year the fact that we had a 43 car train was worse. It was boring! I was happy JJ won, and MM got second don't get me wrong, but it was pretty boring I have to say.

On to todays Pocono race, that I watched while working, luckily I was not traveling this week so I got to watch a good portion of it....WOW, is all I can say the double file restarts, Jimmy Johnson, Tony Stewart, etc.. Emotional win for Denny Hamlin, who really didn't want to be there, where to start.

Jimmy Johnson - You see this race is why they will be champions again. He was leading, had the best car, then something went amiss. Was it a sparkplug wire, was it the points, was it the carb, who knows. So while being as calm as you can be they started to work on it, Jimmy fell down one lap. Seems to have been fixed, but still not running up to full speed, so they work some more, and yes they fall 2 laps down. Still not right, so work some more now 3 laps down, toast right. WRONG, they eventually get it fixed and he is fast, and caution, he gets a lap back, bingo-bamo another wreck, he gets another lap back. See where this is going? You betcha, with less than 50 to go, there is another caution and low and behold JJ is on the lead lap. 20 to go, and he is fighting Jeff G for 12th (I thought at the time he was still a lap down, no way he got them all back. remember I was working ...Well there he was, battling for a top 10. He ultimately finished 13th or so, but talk about taking a bad day and making it great! This team is the best PERIOD.

Jeff Gordon - 8th place isn't bad, I would guess they were looking for a top 5. His car was definitely fast and at times it seemed the fastest, he just never had track position. Over all a good race, it could have ended much worse. He missed a couple wrecks and during some cautions he was mired deep in the field and had to drive aggressively to get back to the front, over all a good day.

Mark Martin - 7th place, that guy is just a rock. If his car doesn't break and he doesn't get caught up in a wreck you just know he will be there at the end. And as usual, you don't talk/see him much during the race, but at the end he is fighting for spots. Just your average 7th place (Great Points) day for Mark. Even though he fell in the standings, he is further infront of 12th now. His goal all along.

Dale Jr - hmmmmm, well yea... Uhhhh, sure... Hmmmmm yes he sucked again. The last stop for gas only did him in. Most the rest of the field had tires and he had AMP energy drink! He has a long way to go to get better, and I bet only a year to do it. 2010 he better step up to the plate, or.... I am not sure about his contract, but I can't see Mr H allowing this to go on for more than this year and next.

On to other things...

I read a story today that doctors are as busy as they have ever been. Wonder why? Well it's due to the fact people are trying to get in and see "Their" doctor before the GOV takes over health care. So hospitals are filling up, doctor offices are filling up, etc.. Just a sign of things to come I guess. Not too much different from the "Gun" scare, and you would stop in your neighborhood gun shop (those of us that are fortunate enough to live where you can get guns) and find the shelves empty of guns and ammo. What can you and I do about this, we can call/email/write our congressmen/women and tell them that we don't want this MASSIVE Health care Reform bill, it will only hurt us. It WILL tax the people that make less than 250K, it's the only way they can pay for it. And one lasting word of note, when was the last time any thing the GOV done good for us. They tell us BIG PHARMA is bad, they tell us BIG OIL is bad, they tell us BIG Phone Companies are bad, and yet we are supposed to let them run one of the most important things in our life? Hmmm not no, but HELL NO, we can stand up and say NO, it's OK.

Enough for now.

Rp3
www.twitter.com/rpwhite3

Congrats to Tony again for his victory at Daytona, he had one of the best cars all night long, so congrats to Tony and HIS team. To be honest he has way surpassed my expectations for what he would accomplish this year. He has already won 2 races, he leads the points (by a substantial margin) and is well, driving like the Tony of old. He has also mellowed a bit from his Bad Tony days. His interview after the race discussing KB and the wreck was the new Tony to a T. Again congrats to him.

Jimmy Johnson - yet another top 5, at the track he hasn't done well at in quite some time. How can anyone doubt they are well on their way to a another championship. Chad has got that team rolling yet again and I don't see much in the way to stop them. It will be hard fought for sure, but they just don't make mistakes, and when they do they recover BIG time.

Jeff Gordon - just didn't catch a break, when that wreck happened I noticed and hoped he got through it, then they showed the replay with a wider view and I knew it was over. Big damage to right front, no way to recover from that, I was happy they continued and stayed on the lead lap. Points racing at it's best. Better luck next time JG.

Denny Hamlin - Another Car that was good all day, but the breaks just didn't fall his way this time. His comments after the race kind of explained it, he just didn't know who to follow and had no idea how it was going to turn out. Again this is restrictor plate racing, it is what it is.

Carl Edwards - Talk about showing up at the end, of course the wreck helped, but you never saw or was he even mentioned much on the broadcast. Just like usual, he is slowly but surely creeping up the standings. I do like Cousin Carl, but he just drives for the wrong team ...

Kurt Busch - Damaged car and all and he gets a top-5 out of the deal. This is a great race team led by a motor sports legend, they will be around during the chase don't think otherwise.

Marcos Ambrose - Awesome finish, his best at a plate race for sure. I used to watch him when he drove the V8 SuperCars in Aussie land, now that was exciting racing. Glad to see him doing well, I just love to hear him talk. He is always very happy, and excited to just be in cup racing. Again great job Marcos!

Mark Martin/Dale Jr - Wrong place wrong time, I think they both had cars that could have been up there at the end, but again caught up in someone else's wreck cost them a great day. Dale Jr is out of the chase for this year, I suggest they start working on next years cars NOW. Mark is still in it, and I think the next couple races will be good for him, he needs to do well so he gets back in the top 12! GO MARK!

TNT - I am starting to like the broadcasts more and more, and I have to tell you Kyle Petty twittering during the race is just neat. I also enjoy their balance in the booth. Good job TNT, keep it up.

Can't wait for this weekends race at Chicagoland speedway, too bad I am not in Chicago this week, or I might just have stayed to see the race. Good luck HMS!!

Until next time...

Oh and I finally got my Palm Pre, I will comment on it later this week in a seperate post, but I like it so far...

Rp3
www.twitter.com/rpwhite3

First off, great race, it was a bit LOOOOONG in the middle as there were not any cautions or wrecks but ended fantastic.

Congrats to the Old Man Mark Martin. WAY TO GO D00d!

My thoughts on the race and weekend activities...

Truck and Nationwide race

Ahh too bad Kyle, wanna cry, at least you picked the place you would finish in the Nationwide race, awesome job. He just couldn't let Joey have it, I thought he would complain about something or the way he passed him, etc... But alas he did not. Ahhh, he was sad, so sad he didn't win... It's too bad for him.

Congrats to Colin Braun, his first Nascar win! Great job man.

Michigan Sprint Cup Race

Jeff Gordon - Starts 43rd and ends up 2nd, should have had 4th, but thanks for the bad luck of Greg Biflator and Jimmy Johnson, he ends up 2nd. They made great adjustments all day and steadily improved. Like they say, years from now it will be a 2nd place finish and thats whats in the record books. Great Job Jeff.

Jimmy Johnson - All I can say is he is going to be hard to beat this year for his 4th championship in a row. This team is on fire, you take away the last two weeks gas mileage issues, and we might be talking about him winning 2 in a row. Mark my words, he is going to be hard to beat.

Dale Jr - Well his MO for the last couple years has been to have a decent car at the start, to improve on it thru the middle of the race, then falter at the end. This week was the first week Lance McGrew had the full race weekend (rain at Pocono) to work with Jr. It showed for sure, he had a 10-15th place car all day and when he usually drops off he didn't, he sustained! Great Job Dale, I think you and Lance are on the road to recovery, and I bet he wins a race before the end of the year. I don't think he will make the chase though, he is just too far back.

Mark Martin - WOW, I am not sure what you can say, this guy is just beating the kids to the punch, he was never up front until the end. He did his typical Mark race, save his stuff, gas, etc... Then at the end he started to make up spots. He even mentioned on the Radio he would just run for points (before race he was 13th, on the outside looking in on the chase) and boy did he. He put himself in posistion to take the win by slowly but surely making his way to the front. When the first two guys ran out of gas he just motored by. Typical Mark Martin, great job Old Man!

TNT - Too many commercials, I don't like the new Wallys world now. I liked it when he would take people out on the track and scare the shit out of them, that is classic tv. I like Kyle Petty in the booth. He has some funny lines, multiple times he was talking when the radio chatter was going. When he was told, he says "hey I used to drive a race car, I can't hear anything". Classic. But we have a ways to go with this crew, we shall see. At least they don't have the same love fest for KB as Fox did, that is a good thing!

Funniest tv show on right now = Wipeout on ABC, I can't get over how funny it is, tears stream down my face when I watch. It's on tomorrow night make sure to try to watch it.

Till next time...

Ps. Sorry for the previous reference to more info on Pocono, just didn't feel it...

Rp3
www.twitter.com/rpwhite3

Hmmm,

Well it surely didn't go the way I wanted it to go for sure. Jeff Gordon had a fast car but due to getting caught a lap down early he never recovered. There was a time where he was almost as fast as Jimmy, and almost raced to get his lap back, but it was not to be. Grade for the weekend: C-

Jimmy Johnson, WOW, what a finish. That was the best finish to a race since well maybe last year at Martinsville when Jeff and Jimmy battled for the lead for 10 or so laps until Jimmy won it. That was great stuff, and you have to give it up to Tony, he is doing 100% better than I thought he ever would. I am just glad that JJ was racing him and not someone else, who shall remain nameless. I don't see how JJ can loose the Championship this year, that will be 4 in a row, something never done. As much as I would love to see Jeff win it, I don't think that team is up to par with Jimmy and Chad, they are a pair to be reckoned with, let the record books show it. Best of all time, comes to mind. They are just awesome, you can't deny it. Grade for the Weekend: A++

Dale Jr, well he did better, not that I expected much, it's just one week (or less) since Tony Jr got canned, er moved, to another place in HMS. Although at one time he did have a very good car, got in the top 5, etc.. Then as per their MO this year and last, the last third of the race the car fell off, they made the wrong adjustment, Junior got tired, or whatever he fell off, finished 12th. The good news is the fall off wasn't like it normally was/is, I think they are on the right track, I just hope all the resources Hendrick has moved to the 88 doesn't deter from the other cars? Only time will tell, over all pretty good weekend for Junior. Grade for the Weekend: B-

Mark Martin, it was a pretty quiet race for him, I don't even remember the broadcast (Fox's last one, thank god) mentioning him many times at all. 10th Place finish very quietly making his way into the top 12, barely, but after the start to the year he has come on strong. What is there to say about Mark that hasn't already been said, nutin, so I won't say anymore. Grade B+

Fox Sports, YEA I am glad it is over, I am sick of the stupid cartoon, I am sick of the DW love fest for KB! Can it get any worse, yes KB is a great driver, yes he does some impressive stuff (this weekend at all races), but this year he just isn't closing the deal. When his car was horrible Sunday he was whining and bitching like a little baby, so DW get over it! Hendrick Motorsports is where it is at. Oh do I have to mention that Tony's car is a HMS chassis? .. Grade C (would be worse, but at least its over)

Rp3
www.twitter.com/rpwhite3

Nascar
Well the race at Richmond actually happened which is a good thing. I thought for sure based on the weather that was on the radar that there was no chance the race would be run, much less all 400 laps. Tells you what kind of weather man I am ...

Jeff G did well in the beginning but his car gave up on the long runs (this was last years problem) and never really contended for the win. I was concerned about his late choice to not pit, and it actually might have cost him a top five, but we will never know. JG did finish 8th and due to Kurt Busch not finishing in front of him, JG regained the top in the points standings. YES

Jimmy J didn't have a good race at all, with a bad qualifying effort that had him in the back of the pack most of the race, and when your at a short track, being at the back can be a bad thing. Yes he got caught up in a wreck. To make matters worse he sped on pit lane and never recovered, finishing 30+ not good for the team that has won the LAST 3 out of 4 at Richmond.

AMA Supercross
James Stewart returns this year to dominate (wins) and eventually out paces Chad Reed for the Title. I didn't get to watch it as I was watching Nascar but did read about it this AM. Ryan V finished 1st, with Chad Reed (2nd) and James Steward in 3rd. Great season for all, just not in the cards for Chad. I love this racing and flying, as I try to get to the Supercross in Houston every year. Very fun to watch, etc.. My girlfriend actually likes the even too. .. It's fun/exciting to watch for sure. If you have never been to an AMA Supercross event try to get out and go, amazing what these guys do on 2 wheels.!!

Until next time...

Rp
www.twitter.com/rpwhite3