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Wheel2Wheel: From 'Dega to Richmond

Posted: Apr 30th 2009 11:59AM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Sprint Cup, Wheel2Wheel

Jump in as FanHouse writers Holly Cain and Geoffrey Miller try to put a cap on the weekend that was Talladega and look ahead to the always exciting spring race in Richmond with a little thing we like to call Wheel2Wheel.

NASCAR Feuds

While Carl Edwards' wreck stole the show at Talladega, two of NASCAR's biggest stars will be thrust into the spotlight Saturday. Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. traded paint at both of last year's Richmond races. Click through to see their two dustups and other top feuds.

Getty Images

Race: Crown Royal presents Dan Lowry 400 Date: May 3, 2008
Feud: Kyle Busch spins out leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. with three laps to go.
Memorable Quote: Kyle Busch: "The deal with Jr. ... man, it was racing."

Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

Race: Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Date: Sept. 7, 2008
Feud: Dale Earnhardt spins out leader Kyle Busch on lap 212.
Memorable Quote: Dale Jr.: "I really ain

Shawn Chamberlin, AP

Race: Subway Fresh Fit 500
Feud: Dale Earnhardt Jr. crashed with 11 laps to go after he and Casey Mears made contact. Earnhardt then spun Mears on the cool-down lap and Mears retaliated by bumping into the back of Earnhardt's car on pit road.
Memorable Quote: Mears: "I guess he was a little bent out of shape about it, because he spun me out after the checkered flag."

LEFT: Jim McIsaac, Getty Images RIGHT: Christian Petersen, Getty Images

Race: Subway Fresh Fit 500
Feud: Robby Gordon, left, gets upset with Michael Waltrip after contact with Waltrip's No. 55 Toyota sends Gordon into the Phoenix International Speedway wall.
Memorable Quote: Gordon: "I

Getty Images

Race: Daytona 500
Feud: Dale Earnhardt Jr's clip of Brian Vickers triggers a 9-car accident
Memorable Quote: Earnhardt: "What the hell am I supposed to do? ... If he wasn't so damn reckless, we would have never had that problem."

Getty Images (2)

Race: Gatorade Duel 150 Date: Feb. 12, 2009
Feud: Ryan Newman wrecked by David Reutimann
Memorable Quote: Newman: "Reutimann is a good name for him -- because he rooted a man right out of there and sent me up into the wall."

Steve Johnson, Orlando Sentinel / MCT

Race: Amp Energy 500 Date: Oct. 7, 2008
Feud: Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick clash four days after race
Memorable Quote: Harvick after race: "I know that [Edwards'] fans won't be very proud of him sitting back there riding around like a pansy."

Race: CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 (Nationwide) Date: May 24, 2008
Feud: Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski mix it up under a caution
Memorable Quote: Hamlin: "If he throws a rock, I'll throw a concrete block back."

Jason Smith, Getty Images

Race: Food City 500 Date: March 17, 2008
Feud: Kevin Harvick wrecks Tony Stewart with two laps left
Memorable Quote: Stewart: "I thought I left him plenty of room. I was far enough ahead of him that I didn't see where he hit me or when he hit me. But I'm sure, somehow, it's my fault."

Jason Smith, Getty Images

Q: What was your first reaction to all of the events and drama that Talladega produced this weekend?

Holly Cain: The accident began only a few yards below my seat in the Talladega press box. At most tracks, the press box is an elevator-ride atop the grandstands, but at Talladega it sits only about 15 rows up.

The last lap was sensory-overload, but that's what you expect at Talladega.

Continue Reading Wheel2Wheel: From 'Dega to Richmond

Injured Fan, 17, Leaves Alabama Hospital

Posted: Apr 29th 2009 9:32PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR Fans, Sprint Cup

14 COMMENTS

For Blake Bobbitt, 187 laps of last Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway were pretty much the same as the rest of the 142,000 fans on hand -- fast and exciting. Then, on the lap 188, Carl Edwards' No. 99 flew into the catch fence in front of her, ripping apart and spewing a chunk of metal into her face and shattering her jaw.

Talk about a bad experience at your first NASCAR race.

Continue Reading Injured Fan, 17, Leaves Alabama Hospital

Numbers: Keselowski's 'Dega Shocker

Posted: Apr 29th 2009 2:48PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Talladega Superspeedway, Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup Numbers

1 COMMENT

Takin' a glance at Brad Keselowski's upset win in last Sunday's action at Talladega Superspeedway:

0.175 - Seconds Keselowski finished ahead of second-place Dale Earnhardt Jr.

1 - Total number of laps led by Keselowski in his Sprint Cup career

1 - Number of Miss Sprint Cup girls doused with champagne in victory lane by Keselowski

Continue Reading Numbers: Keselowski's 'Dega Shocker

Blame NASCAR for Edwards' Scary Ride

Posted: Apr 26th 2009 9:19PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR Crashes, Sprint Cup

74 COMMENTS

Let's face it: NASCAR's own rules nearly killed multiple spectators Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway.

The scary last-lap crash in the Aaron's 499 involving Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman and first-time winner Brad Keselowski is just the concoction NASCAR has cooked up with their set of rules governing the cans and cannots of racing at restrictor plate tracks.

At issue, primarily, is the much discussed yellow line rule that prohibits a driver from going below to advance a position.

More Coverage: Drivers Irate | Keselowski Capitalizes

Continue Reading Blame NASCAR for Edwards' Scary Ride

Kevin Lepage Fesses Up to Nationwide Wreck

Posted: Apr 28th 2008 10:13PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: NASCAR Crashes, Nationwide Series

12 COMMENTS

Kevin Lepage must have finally seen the replay.

"I caused 'The Big One,' " Lepage said. "I realize I need to apologize to NASCAR, the car owners, my fellow competitors and most importantly the fans. I made a huge driver error by blending onto the race track in the wrong area.

[...] "Speaking yesterday before reviewing the tapes of the accident made me look like a heel and there is not a single person to blame for this huge mistake except myself."

Lepage's apology came after his -- uh -- involvement in Saturday afternoon's 16-car Nationwide pileup shown on the right. Yours truly may or may not have jumped on his case slightly after the incident. (And, oh, 97 or so of you did as well)

While its quite obvious that Lepage made likely one of the worst driving mistakes of all-time, I do feel kind of bad for the amount of heat he's taking. He surely isn't sleeping well at night.

Yahoo!'s Bob Margolis thinks the guy will never drive for another team in NASCAR again after the incident.

I can't say I disagree. What sponsor would want a guy that made arguably the dumbest move in NASCAR history behind the wheel of their car? Not mine, that's for sure.

Though your move will live in Youtube glory for a long, long time, your apology is accepted, Kevin.

Kyle Busch Survives to Win at Talladega

Posted: Apr 27th 2008 5:39PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Kyle Busch, Sprint Cup

73 COMMENTS

Kyle Busch may have missed his pit stall once during Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, but it didn't hold him back from finding victory lane as he put his No. 18 Toyota into victory lane for the 2nd time in 2008.

Busch secured the victory after a pileup in turn 2 on the last lap took out a number of drivers battling for a Top-10 finish.

Because of the incident, the final finishing order is definitely unofficial, but as of now, Juan Pablo Montoya finished second, Denny Hamlin third, David Ragan fourth, and Brian Vickers fifth.

Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch and a host of others were taken out in a crash on lap 173 as they entered turn 1. Stewart was four-wide with Dale Earnhardt Jr. when contact got the pack shuffling around. Bobby Labonte eventually spun and collected a number of cars.

Then, on the last lap an incident in turn 2 took out Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Regan Smith, Kevin Harvick, Reed Sorenson and a host of others to complete jumble the finishing order after NASCAR waved the yellow flag as the leaders jockeyed to pass Busch on the backstretch.

Continue Reading Kyle Busch Survives to Win at Talladega

Fanhouse Warmup: Aaron's 499 at Talladega

Posted: Apr 27th 2008 11:20AM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Talladega Superspeedway, Sprint Cup

3 COMMENTS

What: Aaron's 499
Where: Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.
When: Sunday April 27th 2:00pm/ET FOX
Distance: 188 laps, 500.08 miles (The 499 mile mark is somewhere on the backstretch on lap 188)
Weather: Showers and thunderstorms likely after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
2007 Winner: Jeff Gordon
Predictions: Keep Reading

Top Weekend Stories from Talladega Superspeedway

Kevin Lepage Might Have Made Dumbest Move, Ever
Dario Franchitti Out After Nationwide Crash
Tony Stewart Secures First Talladega Win
Joe Nemechek Will At Least Start First Sunday

Little Bit of 'Dis, Little Bit of 'Dat from Talladega

"Boo" That Man! "Boooooo!" - Excuse my cheesy high school basketball anti-referee chant, but it surely rings true after the tremendous mistake made by Nationwide Series driver Kevin Lepage in Saturday's Aaron's 312 Nationwide Race.

Continue Reading Fanhouse Warmup: Aaron's 499 at Talladega

Broken Ankle Sidelines Dario; Stremme In

Posted: Apr 26th 2008 9:30PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Chip Ganassi Racing, Sprint Cup, Dario Franchitti

0 COMMENTS

Dario Franchitti won't get to join the mayhem that is scheduled to start Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway when the green flag drops.

The Scottish IndyCar star turned NASCAR driver fractured his ankle during Saturday's Nationwide race.

Franchitti was injured early in the event when Larry Gunselman plowed into the side of his No. 40 after Franchitti blew a tire in turn 3.

David Stremme, the driver who was canned by Chip Ganassi from the ride Franchitti now holds at the end of 2007, is expected to make the start in place of the injured Indianapolis 500 champion for the Sprint Cup Series' Aaron's 499.

Stremme has already had a very decent weekend at Talladega after finishing second to Tony Stewart during the Nationwide Aaron's 312 driving for Rusty Wallace Inc.

Subbing in Stremme won't make a difference in the team's starting position because Franchitti was scheduled to roll off dead last in 43rd from the grid anyways.

It's known right now when Franchitti will be back in the drivers seat, especially given that he isn't competing for anything driver points-wise. Instead, a primary goal of the team right now is to keep moving up in the Top-35 standings to keep the No. 40 in each event.

Knowing that, Franchitti might be able to take at least next week's race at Richmond off without having to worry about qualifying the car or starting the race and could potentially do so at Darlington the week after as the Nationwide Series races side-by-side with the Sprint Cup for those weeks.

Stewart Takes First Career Talladega Win

Posted: Apr 26th 2008 6:35PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Talladega Superspeedway, Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series

10 COMMENTS

Whether it was the threat of rain, Dario Franchitti's grinding wreck, or Kevin Lepage's horrendous move, Saturday's Nationwide Series Aaron's 312 was a fun ride all the way to Tony Stewart crossing under the checkers for his first time at Talladega Superspeedway.

Stewart, who led a race-high 80 laps from the pole, has never won at Talladega in either the Nationwide or Sprint Cup prior to Saturday's race.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. mounted a terrific challenge from second-place off of turn 2 on the last lap after hanging off of Stewart's bumper to get a run on the No. 20. Junior's No. 5 entry pulled alongside Stewart's Toyota on the backstretch, but the help Earnhardt Jr. had behind disappeared and Stewart pulled back in front.

Continue Reading Stewart Takes First Career Talladega Win

Kevin Lepage States Case for Idiot of the Year

Posted: Apr 26th 2008 5:20PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: NASCAR Crashes, Talladega Superspeedway, Nationwide Series

100 COMMENTS

Preface: The hardest part of this post was coming up with headline. Everything from "Kevin Lepage's $4 Million Mistake" to "Kevin Lepage Proves Worthlessness" to "Kevin Lepage Nominates Himself for Darwin Award" were all considered. Got an idea? Leave a comment.

As the headline stated, Kevin Lepage made a mistake that most normal human beings don't make when they travel down the highway everyday in Saturday's Nationwide Series event at Talladega Superspeedway.

Also unlike most human beings, Lepage's crash took out no less than 16 race cars from the lead pack. Most amazingly, though, Lepage failed to take any responsibility for the wreck.

The melee began when Lepage had to pit for a loose wheel. Upon coming off pit lane, Lepage's spotter told him that the field was coming out of the tri-oval and that he should stay low. Low for Lepage must have meant right in front of the entire pack as it barreled into the corner at full speed with Lepage still well off pace.

Continue Reading Kevin Lepage States Case for Idiot of the Year