Teammates celebrate 1-2 finish. (From NASCAR.com)
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Mark Martin proved Michigan racing is a ga-ga-gas!!!
Johnny Benson injured in super modified race outside his Grand Rapids hometown.
Start and Park or “field fillers” become more conspicuous even on the highest level.
Martin's Win
The last ten laps Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle were dueling for the lead. First, Biffle had the advantage then Johnson pulled ahead. While it looked like Biffle was getting a little too loose to do the job, as the white flag dropped Johnson ran out of gas. Hardly did the #16 car jump out in front, then Biffle ran out of gas, and Mark Martin zoomed ahead to claim his third victory of the year. The fuel shortage cost Johnson severely dropping him to 22nd, the last car on the lead lap. Biffle faired much better ending up in 5th, but once again, Mark Martin was there when it counted, just easing back a little bit behind the dogfight between Biffle and Johnson ready to take home his third trophy this year. While leading the most laps and being ahead as the white flag dropped, Jimmie Johnson still has not won in Michigan.
The Life Lock 400 proved a successful afternoon for two Hendricks teams with Jeff Gordon finishing second. Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed improvement with a 14th place finish moving him up two spots in the standings. The recent hotshots at Stewart-Haas racing were not the center of attention today, but Stewart finished in the top ten at #7 just the same, but Ryan Newman had a difficult afternoon finishing 23rd, the first car one lap down.
Roush-Fenway needed a good outing for its team, and despite Biffle’s sputter at the end, teammate, Carl Edwards finished 4th while his #16 finished 5th. Jaime McMurray finished respectably in 11th while David Regan had his best finish in a long time coming in at 15th position. Matt Kenseth continued to struggle finishing in 20th.
Juan Montoya finished in 6th perhaps a tune-up for next week’s road course action where he’s one of the top contenders, a much needed boost for a miserable season for Earnhardt-Ganassi racing whose other headline driver, Martin Truex Jr. finished near the bottom of cars not involved in the Park and Ride fiasco, in 36th place.
Richard Childress needed his four teams to perform this weekend as they have been falling further away from chase possibilities, but today would not be kind. Clint Bowyer finished 10th. Perhaps one could argue a silver lining scenario for Kevin Harvick who finally cracked the top 20 in 18th.Casey Mears finished 24th while Mr. Consistency, Jeff Burton languished in 26th.
Besides winning the race, Mark Martin was the big winner in the points standings. He started one point out of the top 12, the fateful dividing line between those who make it into the chase and those who are relegated to accepting just another season. Martin gained five positions to finish the day in 8th place closing in on his former Roush teammates, Biffle and Edwards. Other moves in the top 12 included Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman, former teammates swapping 4th and 5th with Busch moving up to 4th. Denny Hamlin gained two spots sliding into 10th. Matt Kenseth dropped three places down to 11th while Jeff Burton fell to just above the border line in 12th.
While the Sprint Cup series first trip to Michigan boiled down to another fuel mileage race, what irony that characteristic turned out to be. Rather than seeing cars running cautiously with one driver who got things just right dominating the field, running down to vapors provided one of the most exciting Michigan finishes in years though perhaps not equal to the drama of Dale Jarrett banging fenders with Davey Allison for his first win in the 1991 August race. While Mark Martin outlasted the field, he did so with nothing to spare starting to sputter just as he crossed the finish line. But not to worry, Mark Martin’s a great old school driver who has no use for the crazy burnouts that have become a victory tradition with the current generation of drivers.
No driver shows the class and enthusiasm in victory lane the way Mark Martin does, a lesson to be learned by the driver in the #18 car who is a living, breathing insult to every fan who has no use for his antics when he wins. Yes, we’re still not over his guitar smashing idiocy a week ago. He’d make a fine guest for David Letterman another classless jerk who loves motorsports.
Johnny Benson
Meanwhile, our most profound sympathy and prayers go to veteran driver, Johnny Benson, who lost his ride in the Camping World Truck series earlier this week. Racing in a super modified race at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan, just outside his hometown of Grand Rapids, Benson’s car crashed into the wall and bust in to flames. Benson is listed in serious but stable condition.
Reports indicate Benson received multiple injuries including burns and broken ribs. While never being a championship contender during his cup racing days, Johnny Benson has always been a class act and honorable spokesman for the sport including several seasons as a panelist on “This Week in NASCAR” on Speed TV. After not being able to find an acceptable full-time ride at the Sprint Cup level, he ran for Bill Davis in the truck series winning last year’s championship, but in the current tough economic times, Davis sold off his racing team forcing Benson to sign on with a weaker team, Red Horse, that could not get sponsorship for his truck leading to this week’s announcement that the team would cease operations.
Johnny Benson is one of those drivers fans must scratch their heads and wonder what could have been. His rise to prominence in NASCAR came quickly winning the Busch Series Rookie of the Year in 1994 winning the series’ championship the following year. In 1996, Benson moved on to Cup series racing in the #30 Bahari Penzoil Pontiac winning the Winston Cup Rookie of the Year. In 1998, Benson had the opportunity to race for a tier one team joining the Roush operation in the #26 Cheerios Ford but his second year with Roush would be difficult with numerous crew changes. He left Roush at the end of the year to join Tyler Jet Motorsports later sold to MB2 where he notched his only Cup victory at Rockingham in November, 2002. The MB2 team released Benson after the 2003 season leading him to pursue a regular place in the truck series from 2004 forward. As a trucker, Benson has 14 wins and 84 top tens on his resume.
We wish Johnny Benson and his family all the best in route to a speedy and complete recovery and hope to see him soon participating where his talents are appreciated and rewarded.
Johnny Benson injured in super modified race outside his Grand Rapids hometown.
Start and Park or “field fillers” become more conspicuous even on the highest level.
Martin's Win
The last ten laps Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle were dueling for the lead. First, Biffle had the advantage then Johnson pulled ahead. While it looked like Biffle was getting a little too loose to do the job, as the white flag dropped Johnson ran out of gas. Hardly did the #16 car jump out in front, then Biffle ran out of gas, and Mark Martin zoomed ahead to claim his third victory of the year. The fuel shortage cost Johnson severely dropping him to 22nd, the last car on the lead lap. Biffle faired much better ending up in 5th, but once again, Mark Martin was there when it counted, just easing back a little bit behind the dogfight between Biffle and Johnson ready to take home his third trophy this year. While leading the most laps and being ahead as the white flag dropped, Jimmie Johnson still has not won in Michigan.
The Life Lock 400 proved a successful afternoon for two Hendricks teams with Jeff Gordon finishing second. Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed improvement with a 14th place finish moving him up two spots in the standings. The recent hotshots at Stewart-Haas racing were not the center of attention today, but Stewart finished in the top ten at #7 just the same, but Ryan Newman had a difficult afternoon finishing 23rd, the first car one lap down.
Roush-Fenway needed a good outing for its team, and despite Biffle’s sputter at the end, teammate, Carl Edwards finished 4th while his #16 finished 5th. Jaime McMurray finished respectably in 11th while David Regan had his best finish in a long time coming in at 15th position. Matt Kenseth continued to struggle finishing in 20th.
Juan Montoya finished in 6th perhaps a tune-up for next week’s road course action where he’s one of the top contenders, a much needed boost for a miserable season for Earnhardt-Ganassi racing whose other headline driver, Martin Truex Jr. finished near the bottom of cars not involved in the Park and Ride fiasco, in 36th place.
Richard Childress needed his four teams to perform this weekend as they have been falling further away from chase possibilities, but today would not be kind. Clint Bowyer finished 10th. Perhaps one could argue a silver lining scenario for Kevin Harvick who finally cracked the top 20 in 18th.Casey Mears finished 24th while Mr. Consistency, Jeff Burton languished in 26th.
Besides winning the race, Mark Martin was the big winner in the points standings. He started one point out of the top 12, the fateful dividing line between those who make it into the chase and those who are relegated to accepting just another season. Martin gained five positions to finish the day in 8th place closing in on his former Roush teammates, Biffle and Edwards. Other moves in the top 12 included Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman, former teammates swapping 4th and 5th with Busch moving up to 4th. Denny Hamlin gained two spots sliding into 10th. Matt Kenseth dropped three places down to 11th while Jeff Burton fell to just above the border line in 12th.
While the Sprint Cup series first trip to Michigan boiled down to another fuel mileage race, what irony that characteristic turned out to be. Rather than seeing cars running cautiously with one driver who got things just right dominating the field, running down to vapors provided one of the most exciting Michigan finishes in years though perhaps not equal to the drama of Dale Jarrett banging fenders with Davey Allison for his first win in the 1991 August race. While Mark Martin outlasted the field, he did so with nothing to spare starting to sputter just as he crossed the finish line. But not to worry, Mark Martin’s a great old school driver who has no use for the crazy burnouts that have become a victory tradition with the current generation of drivers.
No driver shows the class and enthusiasm in victory lane the way Mark Martin does, a lesson to be learned by the driver in the #18 car who is a living, breathing insult to every fan who has no use for his antics when he wins. Yes, we’re still not over his guitar smashing idiocy a week ago. He’d make a fine guest for David Letterman another classless jerk who loves motorsports.
Johnny Benson
Meanwhile, our most profound sympathy and prayers go to veteran driver, Johnny Benson, who lost his ride in the Camping World Truck series earlier this week. Racing in a super modified race at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan, just outside his hometown of Grand Rapids, Benson’s car crashed into the wall and bust in to flames. Benson is listed in serious but stable condition.
Reports indicate Benson received multiple injuries including burns and broken ribs. While never being a championship contender during his cup racing days, Johnny Benson has always been a class act and honorable spokesman for the sport including several seasons as a panelist on “This Week in NASCAR” on Speed TV. After not being able to find an acceptable full-time ride at the Sprint Cup level, he ran for Bill Davis in the truck series winning last year’s championship, but in the current tough economic times, Davis sold off his racing team forcing Benson to sign on with a weaker team, Red Horse, that could not get sponsorship for his truck leading to this week’s announcement that the team would cease operations.
Johnny Benson is one of those drivers fans must scratch their heads and wonder what could have been. His rise to prominence in NASCAR came quickly winning the Busch Series Rookie of the Year in 1994 winning the series’ championship the following year. In 1996, Benson moved on to Cup series racing in the #30 Bahari Penzoil Pontiac winning the Winston Cup Rookie of the Year. In 1998, Benson had the opportunity to race for a tier one team joining the Roush operation in the #26 Cheerios Ford but his second year with Roush would be difficult with numerous crew changes. He left Roush at the end of the year to join Tyler Jet Motorsports later sold to MB2 where he notched his only Cup victory at Rockingham in November, 2002. The MB2 team released Benson after the 2003 season leading him to pursue a regular place in the truck series from 2004 forward. As a trucker, Benson has 14 wins and 84 top tens on his resume.
We wish Johnny Benson and his family all the best in route to a speedy and complete recovery and hope to see him soon participating where his talents are appreciated and rewarded.
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Start and Park Clutter
What are fans to make of the “Start and Park” phenomenon where teams enter a race with no intention of competing only to drive for a limited number of laps before pulling off into the garage area before the first round of pit stops never having to perform a costly tire change?
We believe if a team qualifies for a race on the highest level of NASCAR, “you’re in it to win it.” It’s simply not healthy to have teams cluttering up the field who have no intention of completing the race. Surely these limited teams get no sympathy from NASCAR given the tremendous, record setting fines imposed on the Carl Long team that was fined heavily, suspended, and docked for having an oversized engine despite having never qualifying for a single race but blowing an engine during caution in the wide-open field for the qualifying shoot-out for the All Star race. That Jeremy Mayfield’s operation was not a front line team didn’t prevent him from being dealt the full penalty for failing a drug test.
Is there any reason Sprint Cup and Nationwide races must field forty three cars for every event during the long season?
Meanwhile, the situation appears far worse in the truck series where not only achieving a full field is difficult but perhaps ten or more trucks were not entered for any purpose other than making a token appearance in Saturday’s action.
Would it not be better to reduce the competition but maintain a more consistent level of competition?
This will be a phenomenon to watch as the series continues and sponsors are hard to find. Shouldn't all cars be "in it to win it?"
We believe if a team qualifies for a race on the highest level of NASCAR, “you’re in it to win it.” It’s simply not healthy to have teams cluttering up the field who have no intention of completing the race. Surely these limited teams get no sympathy from NASCAR given the tremendous, record setting fines imposed on the Carl Long team that was fined heavily, suspended, and docked for having an oversized engine despite having never qualifying for a single race but blowing an engine during caution in the wide-open field for the qualifying shoot-out for the All Star race. That Jeremy Mayfield’s operation was not a front line team didn’t prevent him from being dealt the full penalty for failing a drug test.
Is there any reason Sprint Cup and Nationwide races must field forty three cars for every event during the long season?
Meanwhile, the situation appears far worse in the truck series where not only achieving a full field is difficult but perhaps ten or more trucks were not entered for any purpose other than making a token appearance in Saturday’s action.
Would it not be better to reduce the competition but maintain a more consistent level of competition?
This will be a phenomenon to watch as the series continues and sponsors are hard to find. Shouldn't all cars be "in it to win it?"
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