Sprint Cup 2013: Race #7 -- Go for Your Guns in Texas

The Sprint Cup tour is poised for its second race on a 1 ½ track, the kind of track that makes up half of the facilities where teams compete in the Chase for the Championship next fall.  The NRA 500, the season’s 2^nd 500 mile race will be the first of two races at Texas Motor Speedway this season. The PC police and gun control freaks are already outraged that NASCAR would dare accept sponsorship from the National Rifle Association, but considering the traditional American character of NASCAR fans, such a sponsorship deal is quite okay with them, thank you.

While the Texas Motor Speedway most closely appears to resemble its sister track, another Bruton Smith investment in Charlotte, history has shown it to have a character all its own. Richard Childress Racing driver, Kevin Harvick, will take the green flag at the rear of the field for having to replace an engine during practice. The starting field is a battle of brothers, with the Busch Brothers, Kyle, 1^st and Kurt, 2^nd occupying the front row.  The second row also features a related paring with the two Richard Petty Racing cars starting next, Aric Almirola in car #43, 3^rd and Marcos Ambrose in car #9, in 4^th. For good measure, we’ll take the theme into the 3^rd row with two Juniors checking in next. Martin Truex, Jr. starts the #55 Toyota 5^th while Dale Earnhardt, Jr. posts a 6^th starting spot in the #88 Chevrolet. Okay, the match maker was working overtime for the 4^th row with two more Hendricks cars, lining up three in order with Jimmie Johnson in the #48 Chevrolet and Jeff Gordon in the #24 Chevrolet taking spots #7 and #8. This gives the gimmick crazed media something to talk about tomorrow. But equally noteworthy is that the Joe Gibbs team is shut out of the top 10 and only Carl Edwards in 9^th gives the Roush Boys a top 10 starting spot.

We’re pleased to note that so far this year, the number of “start and park” entries has decreased substantially but clearly it’s time for Phil Parsons to get his trash off the track as clearly his team has no intention to compete nor attempt to build for a more glorious future. As a former series driver, it’s especially irksome that a former competitor would embarrass the sport accordingly.

STARTING LINE UP:

POS		CAR #		DRIVER		MFG		SPONSOR		SPEED
1		18		Kyle Busch		Toyota		Interstate Batteries		196.299
2		78		Kurt Busch (PC4)		Chevrolet		Furniture Row Racing / Serta		195.688
3		43		Aric Almirola		Ford		Eckrich		195.009
4		9		Marcos Ambrose		Ford		DeWalt		194.946
5		56		Martin Truex Jr.		Toyota		NAPA Auto Parts		194.770
6		88		Dale Earnhardt Jr.		Chevrolet		National Guard		194.532
7		48		Jimmie Johnson (PC3)		Chevrolet		Lowe's Dover White		194.503
8		24		Jeff Gordon (PC6)		Chevrolet		Cromax Pro		194.168
9		99		Carl Edwards		Ford		Fastenal		194.147
10		42		Juan Pablo Montoya		Chevrolet		Target / Kellogg's		194.007
11		1		Jamie McMurray		Chevrolet		Bell Helicopter		193.819
12		51		Austin Dillon (i)		Chevrolet		Bruce Lowrie  / Realtree		193.764
13		14		Tony Stewart (PC2)		Chevrolet		Mobil 1 / Bass Pro Shops		193.632
14		5		Kasey Kahne		Chevrolet		Time Warner Cable		193.451
15		11		Brian Vickers (i)		Toyota		FedEx Office / March of Dimes		193.444
16		2		Brad Keselowski (PC1)		Ford		Miller Lite		193.431
17		17		Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #		Ford		Best Buy		193.195
18		22		Joey Logano		Ford		Shell Pennzoil		192.885
19		27		Paul Menard		Chevrolet		Quaker State / Menards		192.781
20		20		Matt Kenseth (PC5)		Toyota		Dollar General		192.761
21		31		Jeff Burton		Chevrolet		Caterpillar		192.761
22		21		Trevor Bayne		Ford		Motorcraft/QuickLaneTire&AutoCenter		192.754
23		55		Mark Martin		Toyota		Aaron's Dream Machine		192.644
24		13		Casey Mears		Ford		GEICO		192.596
25		34		David Ragan		Ford		Love's Travel Stops		192.555
26		15		Clint Bowyer		Toyota		Gander Mountain		192.267
27		38		David Gilliland		Ford		EZ Pawn / EZ Money		192.102
28		7		Dave Blaney		Chevrolet		SANY		191.891
29		29		Kevin Harvick		Chevrolet		Rheem		191.734
30		47		Bobby Labonte (PC7)		Toyota		Bush's Beans		191.571
31		39		Ryan Newman		Chevrolet		Quicken Loans		191.557
32		93		Travis Kvapil		Toyota		Dr Pepper		191.279
33		30		David Stremme		Toyota		Lean 1 / Swan Energy		191.144
34		19		Mike Bliss		Toyota		Plinker Tactical / MCM Elegante		190.927
35		16		Greg Biffle		Ford		3M		190.921
36		36		J.J. Yeley		Chevrolet		Accell Construction		190.705
37		98		Michael McDowell		Ford		Phil Parsons Racing		190.698
38		83		David Reutimann		Toyota		Dr Pepper		190.020
39		33		Landon Cassill		Chevrolet		Little Joe's Autos / Precon Marine		189.361
40		35		Josh Wise		Ford		MDS Transport		189.129
41		87		Joe Nemechek		Toyota		ATIgunstocks.com		188.160
42		10		Danica Patrick #		Chevrolet		GoDaddy.com		188.094
43		32		Timmy Hill #		Ford		OXY water		186.290
				DID NOT QUALIFY
		95		Scott Speed		Ford		Tracking Point / B&D Electrical		187.617
		44		Scott Riggs		Ford		JPO Absorbents		186.149

# Indicates candidate for Rookie of the Year

PC indicates "past champion,, digit indicates ranking for "Past Champion Provisional.