NASCAR Cup Round 10: Showtime SOUTHERN 500, Darlington Raceway

[fieldodreams79]

Still strange that this race is now run in the Spring.....AND at night, and yet it is still the "Granddaddy" of them all for me. Darlington is a throwback that still gets me excited for race there.

Jayski

Red flag at the track right now as rain has moved across the area, but it should be cleared out in time to have q'ing.

Race Saturday night at 745 EST.

As a side, Trucks race tonight at 730 ish.

[fieldodreams79]

1 CARL EDWARDS 335
2 JIMMIE JOHNSON 326
3 KYLE BUSCH 305
4 DALE EARNHARDT JR. 301
5 KEVIN HARVICK 300
6 KURT BUSCH 289
7 CLINT BOWYER 284
8 RYAN NEWMAN 277
9 MATT KENSETH 276
10 TONY STEWART 275
11 A J ALLMENDINGER 263
12 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA 262

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

As a side, Trucks race tonight at 730 ish.

My b...that would be the NW Series.


Apparently, John Paul and Newman had an "heated discussion" today with NASCAR at Darlington.
From ESPN.com

"We did have a meeting with both Ryan and Juan relative to their incident , and we made it clear to them that this is their final warning. We also made it clear to them that we will be watching them very closely," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said.
"The meeting did not go as well as we had hoped it would."
NASCAR told the two drivers the discussion is not finished.
Asked after qualifying if rumors that Newman had punched him during the NASCAR meeting were true, Montoya would not say.
"I don't know, ask him," Montoya said. "I could tell you either way, couldn't I? I could make something up. Let's leave it at that."
Newman didn't comment, either, when asked if the discussion turned physical.

Good stuff, and good old Darlington; these two are just about guaranteed to be door to door at some point Saturday night.


But the biggest news of the weekend, IMO, is that Derricke Cope has decided not to enter, because he doesn't have enough "motor". He is going to hold back for the "All Star" race.

[Tourer]

Is pretty amazing to see how some guys just end up being magnets for each other and coming together again and again isn't it?

Two pretty forceful personalities there - would be hard to find middle ground.

[Knowlesy]

Newman laid down a marker in JPM's first ever race in 2006. And still they are at it.

[MJ_N_09]

Yeah. That was a spectacular wreck of Newmans intentionally doing. Newman has zero right crying to Nascar about him because he's wrecked people many times before. Juan too, but at least he doesn't act like a scalded dog about it.

[fieldodreams79]

JPM has gotten into his fair share this evening....got JJ and one other in the span of about 10 laps. Having said that, there has been plenty of close quarter racing, bumping and spinning.

Alas, this is stockcar racing, a series where you see each other every weekend for 30 plus weekends a year and every now and then, you have to get cozy with each other.



To the race....
Just past half way in the 500. Kahne, Kyle, Carl, Bowyer, Harvick, Jeff G, and Smoke have all been towards the front all night long. Taz hanging in there as well.

[fieldodreams79]

Regan Smith takes the Southern 500! Stayed out while leaders went to the pits and held off Carl Edwards for his first win! That's pretty awesome!





Way to steal the thunder from him Kyle and Kevin.

[JHamilton]

I just saw the last ten laps. That was good! Congrats to Regan and Furniture Row.

Also, ol' Snothead had a pretty slick move on Harvick in pit lane there.

[MJ_N_09]

This is gonna be interesting now.....who's side do you take?


Sucks that Regan Smith finally gets credit for win when the attention is elsewhere.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

The Tombibloo from the Night Garden NASCAR racer strikes again, If you like seeing the 18 car in the wall then Dover is a good place to go.

Good to see Regan Smith win, and a great job by Furniture Row Motorsports.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

This is gonna be interesting now.....who's side do you take?


Sucks that Regan Smith finally gets credit for win when the attention is elsewhere.

I assume you are talking about Harvick and Busch? I seem to remember Montoya made a similar move (to Busch) at NHMS in 2008 and the commentators acted like he was commiting bloody murder. You do not turn a guy on the frontstretch, especially in front of the whole field.

[rustyfan]

Fantastic to see Regan Smith win and it was really great to hear all the other drivers seem genuinely happy for him as well.

As for Busch and Harvick it sure wasn't pretty. Gotta love the way Harvick handled his interview after coming out of the NASCAR hauler though

[fieldodreams79]

They both acted like the two immature little brats they are, but on the track stuff aside, Kyle pushing an "abandoned" car in pit lane could've have proven very harmful to an innocent bystander. I am sure he'd say he knew exactly what he was doing though.

As for the on track stuff, Kyle was being Kyle all night long, making crazy moves that "only he can make", but there comes a point when folks aren't going to back off of his crazy moves. They show him their displeasure about it and he lashes out like the baby snot-head that he is. I also think Kevin really showed his ass right after the race and Kyle too, by running like a B.

In the end, their little spat probably did more for the sport (publicity wise) than a first time winner in of the sports oldest events. Frankly, these two jerks took away from a great race, a great finish and a wonderful moment for an underfunded, single car team and a young driver.

Still, can't wait for Dover.

And for MJ, whose side do you think I take???

[MJ_N_09]

At this rate, I'll the only person on the entire site who likes Kyle. I can't stand Harvick at all, not to mention that he's not very popular around this board either.

[fieldodreams79]

Good news is, the race with Regan Smith and Furniture Row winning and the two little school boys fighting afterwards could've helped give Darlington and the Southern 500 a boost in popularity. Don't know, saw an article they were struggling on ticket sales, prior to race day, but the stands with the exception of the new T1 stands looked pretty packed.

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

At this rate, I'll the only person on the entire site who likes Kyle.

I won't hold it against you.........much.

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

I can't stand Harvick at all, not to mention that he's not very popular around this board either.

Harvick didn't act much better as that was the worst case of "track" rage I've seen in some time, and for the record, I never really liked him much either.

I wish that NASCAR would have them BOTH sit out for Dover, but it is not their MO to punish drivers for this kind of stupidity of late, especially if they are top 5 in points. 30 points tops, fines under 100K for both, is my guess.

[MJ_N_09]

Agreed. Nascar made their bed with the drivers having at it. Taking it all back so suddenly will make them look even worse.

[MJ_N_09]

Punishments announced:

Harvick -Busch fined, probation: per a Kevin Harvick tweet: "4 weeks probation and $25,000 fine....I understand because of the car on pit road.." And from ESPN.com: Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch were placed on four weeks' probation and fined $25,000 Tuesday for their pit road confrontation following Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway. Harvick tweeted about his penalty and officials from Kevin Harvick Inc. confirmed the punishment Tuesday.
AND NASCAR has penalized NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick as a result of rules infractions committed at last weekend's event at Darlington Raceway. Busch, driver of the #18 car, and Harvick, driver of the #29 car, have each been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation for the next four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events until June 15 for violating Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing  involved in an altercation on pit road after the conclusion of the race). "These penalties are a result of what occurred on pit road after the race was over," said Kerry Tharp, senior director for communications, competition. "They are about maintaining a safe environment on pit road."(NASCAR)(5-10-2011)