FanHouse RonFellows

With NASCAR's awards banquet on Friday, Dec. 5 (stop by for the live blog!), here's a look at 10 from '08 -- 10 of the NASCAR season's best moments.

Looking back at the race stats of June's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma County, Calif. tells you that Kyle Busch walked away with a race victory after a dominating performance that saw the No. 18 out front for 78 of 112 laps.

What the stats don't show was how Yates Racing's David Gilliland finished second or how Hendrick Motorsports' Jeff Gordon -- the longtime road course king -- didn't lead a lap but finished third. They also don't show how both drivers moved up some four spots in the final six laps without actually making a green flag pass.

The reason for that? Mr. Kevin Harvick.

Harvick, running fifth at the time, entered Turn No. 7 at Infineon (a 90-degree right hand turn) just a little too hot while looking under Gilliland for a pass. Harvick's No. 29 spun sideways (video below) to collect third-place Jamie McMurray, who, in turn, collected second-place Tony Stewart.

The result was a synchronized spin that many synchronized swimmers would have been proud of, and one that drastically changed the race's Top-5 finishing order.

Or should that be dashing?

Say what you will about Goodyear and their problems from a week ago at Indianapolis, but in my mind, they took a big step forward with Saturday afternoon's wet-weather affair in Montreal.

Yep, NASCAR Nationwide Series racing actually competed on a wet track with points on the line at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the first time in the history of the sport, and thanks to Goodyear's effective heavy rain tire, it was at least an entertaining show to watch.

Kevin Harvick was on a mission during the closing laps of Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350k at Infineon Raceway. Simply, the Richard Childress Racing driver wanted to gain as many spots as possible before the checkers waved.

With that in mind, Harvick was passing David Gilliland coming in to turn 7 and forgot about the brake pedal -- until it was too late. Watch below at 0:45.



The casualties from the move included Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray and Ron Fellows. Harvick spun as well. Somehow, Gilliland and Jeff Gordon managed to squeak by.

Note to all NASCAR FanHousers: Thanks for sticking around this week despite the lack of new material. The real job took precedence this week for me. I promise -- the NASCAR FanHouse will get the treatment it deserves from here on out. I hope you'll be along for the ride. -GM

Each and every year, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers face a host of road course "ringers" -- drivers who do the lefts and rights for a living -- in the two road course events that the series runs.

Friday afternoon at Infineon Raceway in California, the Sprint Cup drivers seemed to still get the best of the "pros".

Kasey Kahne -- Kasey Kahne! -- won the pole for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350k with Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, and Jeff Gordon wrapping up the Top-5.

The highest driver who falls into the "ringer" category is Marcos Ambrose in 7th, though Ambrose is a regular driver in the Nationwide Series. Robby Gordon in 8th could be considered a ringer, but he does run the entire Sprint Cup schedule despite being noted for his road course and off-road driving skills.

Boris Said qualified in 14th while Ron Fellows was the next highest in 22nd. Scott Pruett and Max Papis went 27th and 28th consecutively and Brian Simo wound up 43rd. Brandon Ash failed to qualify.

Jamie McMurray starts on the pole today. That's only happened twice before in his five-year Nextel Cup career, the last time at the 2005 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on July 24, 2005. He finished 11th. His first Bud Pole Award came at Homestead in 2004 where he finished 9th.

Robby Gordon will start 2nd in the Toyota/SaveMart 350. Last time he started that high in the field was here in 2003. He won. He owes TGOM a thank you. Because he was excluded from the power rankings, he has a shot at repeating.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. starts 3rd. Previously, his best start at Infineon Raceway came in 2005, which didn't work out too well for him. He started 10th, finished 42nd.