Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8

labontefanboy Administrator Posts: 1,535	Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 21, 2015 18:23:32 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by labontefanboy on Jan 21, 2015 18:23:32 GMT -5 From Atlanta Motor Speedway

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Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 22, 2015 6:52:49 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2015 6:52:49 GMT -5

Bobby Ricky looks at...The Pep Boys Auto 500

Three races to go, multiple drivers still in the championship hunt. Fresh off his win at Texas, Tony Stewart comes into this weekend chasing Ryan Newman for the points lead. Jeff Burton and Kyle Busch are in the hunt as well.

So, which of them has the best chance to leave this race as points leader? Recent history says Burton, who has seen more success at Atlanta in recent years in comparison to the other drivers, but with only a few weeks of the season left, it's a safe bet that Newman, Stewart and Busch will go join Burton in going all out for a good enough performance to take the points lead. Burton's still looking for that first win this season, but it's not getting any easier for him. And things aren't getting any easier for Casey Mears, who enters this race 69 points out of the lead and will need good runs in the next two races to ensure that he joins teammate Newman in the championship showdown at Homestead.

labontefanboy Administrator Posts: 1,535	Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 26, 2015 19:19:15 GMT -5 Ryan81398, thatoneshredder, and 3 more like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by labontefanboy on Jan 26, 2015 19:19:15 GMT -5 Who doesn't love running 310 of 325 laps only for the game to crash??

thatoneshredder
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Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 26, 2015 20:41:33 GMT -5 via mobile labontefanboy likes this

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Post by thatoneshredder on Jan 26, 2015 20:41:33 GMT -5

That's when the computer ends up about twenty feet away from the desk, in a little puddle of mud in the backyard, with shards of glass around it from the window it just went out of

labontefanboy
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Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 30, 2015 0:59:07 GMT -5

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Post by labontefanboy on Jan 30, 2015 0:59:07 GMT -5

Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500
Pre-Race: We're here in Atlanta, Georgia, ready for what should be a crucial race in determining the 2007 NASCAR Cup Series champion. Ryan Newman enters today with the points lead, but the race for the championship is incredibly tight with just 3 races left. All 12 drivers are mathematically eligible, and each thinks they still have a shot to win. Atlanta has a tendency to produce some incredible finishes, and we could be in for another one today. With so much on the line, every position and every lap led matters. Our Chasers will be running balls to the wall today, hoping to make up some lost ground or pull away from the rest of the contenders.

Green flag: Kevin Harvick may be far out of the points lead in 12th, but that isn't stopping him from running hard every week. He won the pole with a blistering lap on Friday afternoon and leads us to the green flag.

Lap 15: Kyle Busch moves to the lead.

Lap 18: Brian Vickers takes over the race lead.

Lap 51: Uneventful first 50 laps, and it's time for our first Chase update:
Brian Vickers-1st
Kyle Busch-2nd
Clint Bowyer-3rd
Kevin Harvick-4th
Travis Kvapil-5th
Ryan Newman-10th
Casey Mears-12th
Jimmie Johnson-13th
Carl Edwards-15th
Tony Stewart-16th
Jeff Gordon-17th
Jeff Burton-19th

Lap 57: Leader Brian Vickers is the first to make a pit stop in the first cycle of stops today. Kyle Busch retakes the lead.

Lap 58: Kyle Busch now gives up the lead to pit, handing it back to polesitter Harvick.

Lap 59: Harvick, Burton, Kyle Petty, Ken Schrader, and Michael Waltrip pit this time by. Bowyer leads the lap.

Lap 60: Bowyer now gives the lead to Bobby Hamilton Jr. as he pits with Bobby Labonte, Mears, Jeremy Mayfield, Jon Wood, Scott Riggs, Aric Almirola, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, and Paul Menard.

Lap 61: Hamilton Jr. hands the lead to Mike Bliss as he pits with Kvapil, Kurt Busch, J.J. Yeley, Newman, Johnson, Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Todd Kluever, Johnny Sauter, Elliott Sadler, Greg Biffle, Joe Nemechek, A.J. Allmendinger, Reed Sorenson, Robby Gordon, Jamie McMurray, and Derrike Cope.

Lap 62: Bliss pits with Jeff Gordon, Dave Blaney, Denny Hamlin, and Jason Leffler. Martin Truex Jr. is the race leader at the moment.

Lap 63: Truex Jr. and Edwards pit to complete the cycle. Edwards passes Truex Jr. on pit road and leads a lap, gaining a critical 5 point bonus.

Lap 64: Vickers has re-cycled to the front.

Lap 72: Kyle Busch to the lead.

Lap 73: Vickers takes it right back.

Lap 80: Busch retakes the lead.

Lap 101: Chase Update #2:
Kyle Busch-1st
Jimmie Johnson-2nd
Clint Bowyer-4th
Kevin Harvick-6th
Brian Vickers-7th
Tony Stewart-8th
Casey Mears-9th
Travis Kvapil-12th
Ryan Newman-13th
Jeff Burton-15th
Jeff Gordon-16th
Carl Edwards-22nd

Lap 106: Johnson to the lead.

Lap 108: Busch back to the lead.

Lap 115: Busch hands the lead to Johnson as he dives down pit road.

Lap 116: Vickers pits.

Lap 117: Mayfield to pit road.

Lap 118: This cycle is developing really, really slowly. Burton and Petty pit.

Lap 119: Kahne, Wood, Riggs, and Almirola pit.

Lap 120: Here's a huge group coming down pit road: Bowyer, Earnhardt Jr., Mears, Bliss, Newman, Kurt Busch, Menard, Schrader, Waltrip, Cope, Jeff Gordon, Kenseth, Nemechek, and Sauter.

Lap 121: Johnson gives the lead to Stewart as he pits with Hamilton Jr., Sorenson, Robby Gordon, Kvapil, Kluever, Sadler, Edwards, Biffle, Hamlin, and Allmendinger.

Lap 122: Harvick takes the lead with an aggressive move entering pit road as the cycle finishes with him, Leffler, Stewart, Yeley, Labonte, McMurray, Truex Jr., and Blaney.

Lap 123: Kyle Busch is now the leader.

Lap 129: Kurt Busch to pit road with no power. Hood is going up now on the #33. It doesn't appear to be terminal, but will definitely ruin his chances of a good finish this afternoon.

Lap 136: Vickers to the lead.

Lap 154: Bowyer to the lead.

Lap 159: Jason Leffler's engine has gone sour and smoke is billowing out the back of his Dodge. First retiree of the afternoon will be the #19 team.

Lap 163: About halfway through, so here's a full-field rundown:
Lead lap: 07, 31, 48, 25, 20, 2, 5, 29, 12, 77, 34, 0, 12, 17, 88, 24, 6, 18, 21, 38, 99, 01, 78, 45, 91, 15, 43, 22, 23
-1 lap: 09, 16, 8, 1, 41, 7, 9, 55, 42, 92, 74
-6 laps: 33
OUT: 19

Lap 175: Kyle Busch and Mayfield to pit road.

Lap 176: Vickers pits.

Lap 177: Petty, Wood, and Sadler make 4 tire pit stops.

Lap 178: Cope, Kahne, Nemechek, Schrader, and Almirola pit.

Lap 179: Stewart takes over the race lead as a big group led by Bowyer comes down pit road. Stopping for service are the 07, 31, 8, 12, 0, 1, 41, 99, 78, and 91 teams.

Lap 180: Allmendinger, Harvick, Kvapil, Hamilton Jr., Jeff Gordon, Labonte, Robby Gordon, McMurray, and Waltrip are getting refueled.

Lap 181: Mears, Kenseth, Kluever, Blaney, and Truex Jr. make pit stops.

Lap 182: Johnson, Hamlin, and Biffle down pit road.

Lap 183: Yeley pits, leaving leader Stewart as the only car that hasn't pitted.

Lap 184: Stewart completes the cycle.

Lap 185: Kyle Busch re-cycles to the lead.

Lap 189: Kurt Busch to pit road to make a stop. He is slightly off-cycle from everyone else.

Lap 201: Chase Update #3 as the Chasers are bringing their A game today. 11 of the top 12 spots go to the Chasers.
Brian Vickers-1st
Kyle Busch-2nd
Jimmie Johnson-3rd
Clint Bowyer-4th
Jeff Burton-5th
Casey Mears-6th
Tony Stewart-7th
Ryan Newman-8th
Jeff Gordon-10th
Travis Kvapil-11th
Kevin Harvick-12th
Carl Edwards-22nd

Lap 206: CAUTION FLAG #1-Finally! We have our first yellow flag with 120 to go as Ken Schrader blew an engine exiting turn and was turned around by Sauter and Cope.

Lap 211: Green flag back out. The top 5 is Johnson, Vickers, Busch, Burton, and Bowyer.

Lap 214: Vickers quickly gets to the lead. Hendrick is dominating today, and Vickers is by far the most dominant.

Lap 245: Mayfield blows an engine.

Lap 251: Wow. The Chasers are not giving any ground right now. The top 11 all go to Chasers, with Harvick the lone exception. If there's one thing that's certain, it's that all of these drivers deserved their spot. What a Chase we're having.
Brian Vickers-1st
Clint Bowyer-2nd
Jimmie Johnson-3rd
Casey Mears-4th
Ryan Newman-5th
Jeff Gordon-6th
Tony Stewart-7th
Travis Kvapil-8th
Jeff Burton-9th
Kyle Busch-10th
Carl Edwards-11th
Kevin Harvick-18th

Lap 260: Kyle Busch is complaining that he is losing power. He was 3rd on the lap 211 restart, was 10th 10 laps ago, and now runs 14th. Looks like a cylinder may be going down on the 5 machine. That's a huge blow to his championship aspirations.

Lap 265: Cope starts what should be the final round of pit stops.

Lap 266: Wood is the only pitter this time by.

Lap 267: Big group led by race leader Vickers on pit road: 25, 07, 48, 99, 0, 17, 29, 34, 78, 16, 9, 1, 7, and 42

Lap 268: Pitting are Newman, Petty, Sadler, Yeley, Almirola, Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin, Labonte, Kluever, Truex Jr., Nemechek, Sorenson, and Waltrip.

Lap 269: Mears, Kvapil, Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Burton, Blaney, the Busch brothers, Allmendinger, and Riggs complete pit stops.

Lap 270: Vickers back to the lead, as Kvapil come back down pit road with a severe vibration coming from what looks to be a loose wheel. Can't afford to take big risks this late in the season, and they will suffer the price today as the 77 will probably lose a lap because of this.

Lap 271: Kyle Busch's engine has finally imploded. The #5 machine is shrouded by a ton of smoke on the fronstretch, and his championship hopes will be severely impaired by this misfortune today.

Lap 296: 30 laps to go. Johnson is just 0.2 seconds behind Vickers. Basically on his bumper.

Lap 301: Final Chase update for the day:
Brian Vickers-1st
Jimmie Johnson-2nd
Clint Bowyer-3rd
Casey Mears-4th
Ryan Newman-5th
Tony Stewart-6th
Jeff Gordon-7th
Jeff Burton-8th
Carl Edwards-12th
Kevin Harvick-15th
Travis Kvapil-20th, -1 lap
Kyle Busch-39th, OUT

Lap 316: 10 laps to go, and Johnson is now 1.4 seconds back. Barring any late cautions, which seem unlikely based on the events of today (or lack thereof), this should be Vickers's race to lose.

Lap 321: 5 to go, the margin is down to 0.9 seconds.

Lap 322: 4 to go, and another tenth off. 0.8 seconds at the stripe that time by.

Lap 324: Johnson hasn't been able to do much lately, and is currently 0.7 seconds back with 2 to go. He's banking on Vickers making a mistake if he wants to win this race.

Lap 325: White flag. Margin hasn't changed.

Checkered flag: Brian Vickers earns his second win of the season in a 1-2 finish for Hendrick Motorsports.

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Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 30, 2015 6:52:09 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2015 6:52:09 GMT -5

Bobby Ricky's Post-Race Analysis:

Now that we're getting to the end of the season, it seemed pretty obvious that all 12 Chasers would be doing anything for the championship. Brian Vickers came into this race with his championship hopes looking bleaker by the minute, but with this win, he seems to have reinserted himself into the championship hunt that he was part of for most of the season. If he's gonna win this championship though, he can't afford to dilly-dally, as he's 6th in points with two races to go.

Meanwhile, it's Newman, Stewart, and Burton continuing to be the biggest points contenders...and by the looks of it that'll still be the case at Homestead two weeks from now.

Last Edit: Jan 30, 2015 13:41:46 GMT -5 by Deleted: Eliminated mention of Harvick still being in championship hunt due to Flyer pointing out that was not the case at all.

Chad' Senior Member Posts: 512	Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 30, 2015 6:53:57 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Chad' on Jan 30, 2015 6:53:57 GMT -5 27th, not bad at all.
	Last Edit: Jan 30, 2015 6:54:17 GMT -5 by Chad'

flyer101999
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Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 30, 2015 7:30:31 GMT -5 via mobile labontefanboy likes this

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Post by flyer101999 on Jan 30, 2015 7:30:31 GMT -5

Isn't Harvick mathematically eliminated?
He is at -362 points from the leader, and IF he wins both races, I think which is 190 points each, he would lead by 18 points, but since Newman and/or Stewart will start at Phoenix, he is mathematically eliminated as they would gain at least 37 points, putting them up by 19 over Harvick. Thus, with a start at Phoenix and/or Homestead,
Kevin Harvick has been eliminated from a shot at the championship barring any injuries making basically all the chasers unable to drive at least 1 lap.

Last Edit: Jan 30, 2015 17:19:38 GMT -5 by flyer101999: Typo

labontefanboy
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Posts: 1,535

Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 30, 2015 11:15:41 GMT -5

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Post by labontefanboy on Jan 30, 2015 11:15:41 GMT -5

Yes, flyer101999 is correct. At this point, Harvick is the only driver mathematically eliminated from championship contention.

Jack Roush: Not a very good race for the team. No top 10 finishes on a mile and a half-er is what has killed us all season and it's still killing us now. We've got to find a way to get a better handle on these cars.

Carl Edwards: 12th isn't terrible, but we pretty much have lost hopes on the championship. I know anything can still happen, but I just think there's too many drivers in front of us to make some noise.

Matt Kenseth: Car was pretty bad all day, but we completed every lap and I can't honestly say I remember the last time that happened so I guess we have to consider that a positive.

Todd Kluever: Man, we had no bite off the corners at all the entire race. I don't know why it felt like we were on a skating rink out there. In practice we were much better and the track was slicker.

Greg Biffle: Really bad race for us. The car was junk before I had contact with the 5, and that just killed us even though it was minimal fender damage. We were just getting eaten alive out there.

frow78 Senior Member Connor Jacob Root Posts: 878	Race 34 - Pep Boys Auto 500 - CHASE RACE #8 Jan 30, 2015 16:05:55 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by frow78 on Jan 30, 2015 16:05:55 GMT -5 Great runs for Newman and Mears, congrats to Vickers on the win. Looking forward to Phoenix next week.
	Penske Racing; Ryan Newman, 2007 Champion