Results From Darlington

    Busy week this week and sorry for the delay in getting everyone the results from the Southern 500,  with Easter this weekend, Nascar has the week off so I wasn't going to rush to get these up here and possibly make a mistake.... sounds good, right?   A dominant race by Kevin Harvick with a tease at the end with the late cautions and different leaders.  Looked like Jimmie was going to break through, then it looked as if Junior was going to get win number two for the year, but in the end the fastest car won.  Mark was plagued with issues as Joey Logano had tire issues and Kasey Kahne wrecked.  Kurt Busch once again screwed me, this time we can blame Clint Bowyer.  But Brian with Harvick, Gordon and Edwards pads his point lead.  But look out, Gary, looking for the three-peat is closing in.
   In the half pool, Jerry and Brian both called for Harvick to win and this pool just got real tight as both of my picks had issues.  It's an 8 man race right now.
    Happy Easter everyone and enjoy the race week off!
Paul

Results From Texas

     Alright, disappointed from the get-go that the race was held on Monday afternoon after watching hours and hours of interviews with wet drivers from their RV's. Disappointed that on lap 12 Dale Earnhardt Jr. couldn't see the grass and instead of just clipping it, he tore up his left front end, sending his car straight into the wall, catching fire and thus, finishing his day.  At least he had good company in the garage with Harvick, whose engine had blown on lap 28.  In the end though, Joey Logano beat Jeff Gordon, who had the lead on the last restart due to a smart two tire change to give him the lead.  Four tires had just a little bit more an edge.
     So, the big pool.  James got the brunt of Juniors error and finished with a 57, slipping to sixth and almost in Colleens grasp.  Since Kurt Busch got me again with poor handling and a blown tire, 65 points took me from 2nd to 4th.  Gary and John tied on top with a 107 and they both moved up one spot. 
     In the half pool, John L picked the winning driver, while Rich S lost big with Junior.  The Paul's sit in 4th and 5th, while this Paul sits 1st and 2nd.
     Remember, Saturday night at Darlington on Fox starting at 6:30 PM.
Good Luck to all!

NASCAR... A History Part 5 "The 90's"

   In one word, the 1990's for Nascar, I would say "Explosion".  Following the sport since the mid eighties, watching bigger and bigger name sponsors come aboard, watching the grand stands grow higher and higher, and bigger tv networks wanting to show a race on their network, this was all amazing.  We watched the Underbird, driven by Alan Kulwicki, rise from an single car-owner/driver nothing to champion in 1992, Dale Earnhardt equaling "The King" with his seventh championship in 1994. The retirement of Richard Petty in Atlanta in 1992 with a beginning of a great career that same day by Jeff Gordon and three championships for him later this decade. And, on open wheel driver named Tony Stewart made his debut in 1999 and has since become a legend.
   This decade also proved to be tragic.  A little known prodigy, Rob Moroso, was killed in a non racing auto accident in 1990, just 22 years old.  We lost J.D. McDuffie at Watkins Glen in 91, Kulwicki died just months after winning his championship in a plane crash in 1993. Bobby Allison lost one son, Clifford in 1992 at a race in Michigan, and Davey in a helicopter crash in 1993.  Both Neil Bonnett and Rodney Orr were killed in practice at Daytona in 1994, and John Nemechek (Joe's brother) was killed in a truck race in '97.
   We saw sleeker cars and a transition from the Ford Thunderbird to the Taurus, the Chevy Lumina to the Monte Carlo, the Oldsmobiles and Buicks disappeared and the Grand Prixs just got sleeker.

Results From Martinsville

     Well, hello there. Hope you enjoyed the not so banked, high tempered, sheet metal remover track, known as Martinsville.  Some big names finished near the back, and those big names hurt our big pool contestants.  Kurt Busch finally got the win, after nearly killing his chances on pit road (colliding with Keselowski).  Jimmie finished second and Dale Earnhardt Jr rounded out the top 3.  Brian had a decent week with a 101, Mark had a better week with a 107, but I finally did something and got myself, if nothing else, $10 for the high score, with a 115.  That being said, James, with a 60 fell three spots to 5th and I was up three spots to 2nd, with Mark right behind in third.
     With a worse finish of 22 this week in the half pool, everybody had a very good week.  Myself and I were both up two spots to first and third, while Rich fell two spots to 4th.  Still early and anything can happen, Don't give up hope yet Debbie and Bryan.
     Good luck to y'all in Texas on Sunday!
Paul