Life must be hell for Jeff Gordon, once again, there were times during the Southern 500 in Darlington where the #24 car dominated, but once again stuff happened and Jeff Gordon was denied a trip to victory circle. This time it was a botched pit stop not able to pull in on time having to circle the track at a slower speed and then as he entered the pit, a yellow flag. Bah-bye big pay day. At least he couldn’t be mad at teammate Jimmie Johnson this week. Johnson was in the garage with a scrap heap only completing 279 of the 367 laps a miserable 36th place finish that was perhaps propped up by the usual suspects who never finish a race. Perhaps there was some warped justice because some of the start and park nuisances sustained wreckage before “parkage.” Boo-hoo.
Don’t feel too bad for the Hendricks four time champions. Jimmie Johnson remains in second place but the gap between first and second has grown. Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon was able to sort things out and finish 4th picking up two positions in the standings now in fourth.
Southern 500 Finish, Top 10
1. Denny Hamlin, Toyota
2. Jaime McMurray, Chevy
3. Kurt Busch, Dodge
4. Jeff Gordon, Chevy
5. Juan Montoya, Chevy
6. Kevin Harvick, Chevy
7. Kyle Busch, Toyota
8. Jeff Burton, Chevy
9. Ryan Newman, Chevy
10. Brian Vickers, Toyota
Top 12 Standings (unofficial)
1. Kevin Harvick, Chevy
2. Jimmie Johnson, Chevy 1-110
3. Kyle Busch, Toyota, -113
4. Jeff Gordon, Chevy, -147 (+2)
5. Matt Kenseth, Ford, -150 (-1)
6. Denny Hamlin, Toyota, -164 (+1)
7. Greg Biffle, Ford, -191 (-2)
8. Kurt Busch, Dodge, -202
9. Jeff Burton, Chevy, -228
10. Mark Martin, Chevy, -265
11. Carl Edwards, Ford, -227
12. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., -304 (+1)
Clint Bowyer dropped 3 positions out of the top 12.
Bad qualifying yields bad racing. The results for the Blue Oval Ford boys were a disaster at a track Ford has a good history. The highest finishing Ford was Matt Kenseth in 13th, followed by teammates David Ragan, and Carl Edwards. The next Ford, the first for Richard Petty Racing was Kasey Kahne in 20th followed by teammate Elliot Sadler., then Roush entry, Greg Biffle in 22nd. The ill-fated #26 team that was forced out of the Roush garage by NASCAR rules, had its best finish with David Stremme running in 24th.
2010 continues to be a frustrating season for Tony Stewart who just can’t get on a solid top ten roll finishing 23rd. His challenge to get into the elite circle of 12 continues to get more difficult.
The race had 19 lead changes, 11cautions; another hot night in South Carolina. It’s on to an equally frantic track next week in Dover, Delaware. This year the NASCAR gods moved Dover in front of Charlotte putting “the track too tough to tame” and “the monster mile” back to back. Could that make the 600 miles at Charlotte seem like a leisurely ride in the country?
Probably not, that would not be the style for 2010. Some teams really need to step up the action to be in good standing for the end of the summer and a shot at the chase. This is a very tough stretch in the schedule, the perfect setting for sorting out the field.
Don’t feel too bad for the Hendricks four time champions. Jimmie Johnson remains in second place but the gap between first and second has grown. Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon was able to sort things out and finish 4th picking up two positions in the standings now in fourth.
Southern 500 Finish, Top 10
1. Denny Hamlin, Toyota
2. Jaime McMurray, Chevy
3. Kurt Busch, Dodge
4. Jeff Gordon, Chevy
5. Juan Montoya, Chevy
6. Kevin Harvick, Chevy
7. Kyle Busch, Toyota
8. Jeff Burton, Chevy
9. Ryan Newman, Chevy
10. Brian Vickers, Toyota
Top 12 Standings (unofficial)
1. Kevin Harvick, Chevy
2. Jimmie Johnson, Chevy 1-110
3. Kyle Busch, Toyota, -113
4. Jeff Gordon, Chevy, -147 (+2)
5. Matt Kenseth, Ford, -150 (-1)
6. Denny Hamlin, Toyota, -164 (+1)
7. Greg Biffle, Ford, -191 (-2)
8. Kurt Busch, Dodge, -202
9. Jeff Burton, Chevy, -228
10. Mark Martin, Chevy, -265
11. Carl Edwards, Ford, -227
12. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., -304 (+1)
Clint Bowyer dropped 3 positions out of the top 12.
Bad qualifying yields bad racing. The results for the Blue Oval Ford boys were a disaster at a track Ford has a good history. The highest finishing Ford was Matt Kenseth in 13th, followed by teammates David Ragan, and Carl Edwards. The next Ford, the first for Richard Petty Racing was Kasey Kahne in 20th followed by teammate Elliot Sadler., then Roush entry, Greg Biffle in 22nd. The ill-fated #26 team that was forced out of the Roush garage by NASCAR rules, had its best finish with David Stremme running in 24th.
2010 continues to be a frustrating season for Tony Stewart who just can’t get on a solid top ten roll finishing 23rd. His challenge to get into the elite circle of 12 continues to get more difficult.
The race had 19 lead changes, 11cautions; another hot night in South Carolina. It’s on to an equally frantic track next week in Dover, Delaware. This year the NASCAR gods moved Dover in front of Charlotte putting “the track too tough to tame” and “the monster mile” back to back. Could that make the 600 miles at Charlotte seem like a leisurely ride in the country?
Probably not, that would not be the style for 2010. Some teams really need to step up the action to be in good standing for the end of the summer and a shot at the chase. This is a very tough stretch in the schedule, the perfect setting for sorting out the field.
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