With the sun peeping through mostly cloudy skies over The Texas Motor Speedway the NASCAR world came to The Lone Star State for the Dickies 500 and the final three weeks of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup series season. The last 500-miler of the season finds Kyle Busch looking for the three-peat as the Camping World Truck Series and the Nationwide Series trophies have been safely secured with only the Sprint Cup hardware left to complete the trifecta.
With the upheaval of the past weeks race now hopefully a distant memory; one would hope that the (very) few pros and many cons of restrictor plate can now be put aside until the next ‘plate’ race at Daytona International Speedway in February 2010.
Another positive as the 2009 season winds down is that we are seeing the last of the dreadful mid/late afternoon starts. Today’s race ran closely to the 7:00 p.m. hour on the east coast – much too late in the day. With minimal cautions on the wide and fast cookie-cutter track, keeping an audience captivated with racing may be a challenge as the fans channel-hop between racing and football.
After the horrific events at Fort Hood this past week and Ryan Newman’s miraculous wreck at Talladega last weekend, you would be hard pressed to find a true NASCAR fan that wouldn’t agree with the invocation by Dr. Roger Marsh. No doubt, an omen of great things to come on Sunday as precisely on cue with the last notes of our National Anthem performed by The Texas Christian University Marching Band, the B-52 from Barksdale AFB in Shreveport Louisiana, passes gracefully over the speedway as the time to go racing grows near.
Nobody can argue that the start of the race was boring, not with Texas’ own famous rock band “ZZ Top” giving the command to ‘start your engines’. Jeff Gordon then led the pack on the first lap only to be followed by the Sprint Cup Points leader, Jimmie Johnson hitting the wall and Sam Hornish, Jr. as well on the second lap causing the crowd to go wild.
The biggest story of the day from that moment on was Jimmie Johnson hitting the wall and Chad Knaus and crew’s struggle to get JJ back on the track. By lap 35, a new drive shaft had been installed and radio chatter among the other drivers mainly wanted to know the status of the No.48 car.
The Busch boys kept most of the race interesting by battling between themselves which begin early in the day. Lap 50 began the first of green flag pit stops with the leader Kurt Busch coming in for air pressure adjustments, followed by Jeff Gordon on Lap 54 for tires and a track bar adjustment. Again this week Michael Waltrip led a lap during the pit stops on Lap 56, as Kurt Busch complained of being loose and Tony Stewart said he was just the opposite as he too took on the usual tires and fuel.
Last week’s winner, Jamie McMurray went a lap down on lap 66 as Kyle Busch passed him. Then on lap 86 Sam Hornish, Jr. wrecked again, with not one, not two, but three flat tires. During this caution, Martin Truex, Jr. became the 4th leader of the day while Scott Speed got caught speeding exiting pit road. After the green flag was called off once, racing finally returned to Texas Motor Speedway on lap 91 with Kyle and Kurt Busch followed by Tony Stewart and David Reutimann going for 3rd.
As the sun began to set cooling the track, it seemed to add fire to Kyle Busch’s already hot car, though on lap 146, Denny Hamlin led briefly. All during this time Chad Knaus and crew continued to work on Jimmie Johnson’s car with Jimmie in and out of the pits all day. The No. 48 crew wasn’t the only team glad to see the debris caution on lap 165, which no doubt will add fuel to the ‘debris caution’ conspiracy for the Monday morning Crew Cheifs, but it did give Jeff Burton the Lucky Dog.
The restart was lap 172 however it didn’t last long as caution was back out on 174 for an incident involving Montoya, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edward and Brad Keselowski in Turn 1. With 18 cars on the lead lap, the green flag dropped on lap 191 with Kyle and Kurt Busch, Reutimann, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Clint Bowyer. Mark Martin is creeping up on Jimmie Johnson as by lap 184 he was with 81 points of the Sprint Cup leader.
Reed Sorenson hit the wall on lap 206 bringing out the 5th caution of the day and giving Robby Gordon the lucky dog. Tony Stewart took a track bar adjustment, tires and fuel; Kyle Busch only took on tires and fuel while Jeff Gordon only took on fuel. When the green flag fell again on lap 212, it continue to be the Busch Brothers (Kyle & Kurt), Reutimann, Stewart and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top 5 on the restart.
Joey Logano had smoke coming from his car on Lap 228 however track officials were not able to find debris on the track. Together with Mark’s car and Jimmie Johnson’s accident, by lap 245, Mark was within 70 points for Jimmie. By lap 265 there were only 19 cars on the lead lap as again we had green flag pitting. Kyle Busch was complaining of a vibration by lap 286 and began second guessing his crew and new crew chief.
Getting down to the ‘nitty gritty’ with about 30 laps to go, the teams started slowing down for fuel mileage with Dave Rogers, Kyle Busch’s new crew chief going on the radio telling him, “Slow down! You have to slow it down.” Matt Kenseth, Truex and Kahne all have to pit, as to Martin, Biffle and Newman.
The Busch Boys continue to lead the race with Kyle out front, as Dale, Jr. runs out of gas first on Lap 327, followed by Reutimann who was in 3rd on Lap 329. ALAS! Marcos Ambrose and Kyle Busch run out of gas with 3 laps to go giving the lead and his first ever win at Texas Motor Speedway, to Kyle’s older brother Kurt. Kurt Busch followed by Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, and Mark Martin.
In no way, no shape, nor form was this a boring race and it makes a NASCAR fan even more excited to find out what the outcome of next week will be. Mark Martin, do not write that concession speech yet.
Sprint Cup Points Report (Unofficial)
After Texas
Driver Points this Race Total Behind
1. Jimmie Johnson 175 6297 0
2. Mark Martin 130 6224 - 73
3. Jeff Gordon 100 6185 -112
4. Kurt Busch 105 6126 -171
5. Tony Stewart 100 6119 -178
6. Juan Pablo Montoya 65 6061 -236
7. Greg Biffle 75 6050 -247
8. Denny Hamlin 120 5975 -322
9. Ryan Newman 75 5973 -324
10. Kasey Kahne 45 5898 -399
11. Carl Edwards 65 5857 -440
12. Brian Vickers 50 5777 -520
Results of Dickies 500 (unofficial)
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
|
Dodge
|
Miller Lite
|
190/5
|
334
|
Running
|
|
2
|
25
|
11
|
|
Toyota
|
FedEx Office
|
175/5
|
334
|
Running
|
|
3
|
30
|
17
|
|
Ford
|
Dewalt
|
165/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
4
|
7
|
5
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Carquest / Kellogg's
|
160/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
5
|
24
|
29
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Shell / Pennzoil
|
155/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
6
|
4
|
14
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Office Depot / Old Spice
|
150/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
7
|
10
|
33
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Cheerios / Hamburger Helper
|
146/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
8
|
8
|
16
|
|
Ford
|
3M Scotch Super 33 Tape
|
142/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
9
|
42
|
31
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Caterpillar
|
138/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
10
|
16
|
44
|
|
Ford
|
Ford. Drive one.
|
134/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
11
|
5
|
18
|
|
Toyota
|
M&M's
|
140/10
|
334
|
Running
|
|
12
|
26
|
39
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Haas Automation
|
127/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
13
|
1
|
24
|
|
Chevrolet
|
DuPont
|
129/5
|
334
|
Running
|
|
14
|
27
|
1
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Bass Pro Shops / Tracker
|
121/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
15
|
19
|
47
|
|
Toyota
|
Little Debbie Cupcakes / Kingsford / Clorox
|
118/0
|
334
|
In Pit
|
|
16
|
13
|
00
|
|
Toyota
|
Aaron's Dream Machine
|
115/0
|
334
|
Running
|
|
17
|
17
|
6
|
|
Ford
|
UPS / Boys & Girls Clubs
|
112/0
|
332
|
Running
|
|
18
|
31
|
82
|
|
Toyota
|
Red Bull
|
109/0
|
332
|
Running
|
|
19
|
14
|
20
|
|
Toyota
|
Home Depot
|
106/0
|
332
|
Running
|
|
20
|
22
|
26
|
|
Ford
|
Crown Royal
|
103/0
|
332
|
Running
|
|
21
|
36
|
07
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Choctaw Casino Resort
|
100/0
|
332
|
Running
|
|
22
|
33
|
19
|
|
Dodge
|
Stanley
|
97/0
|
332
|
Running
|
|
23
|
40
|
55
|
|
Toyota
|
NAPA Auto Parts
|
94/0
|
331
|
Running
|
|
24
|
41
|
34
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Taco Bell
|
91/0
|
331
|
Running
|
|
25
|
9
|
88
|
|
Chevrolet
|
National Guard / Amp Energy
|
88/0
|
331
|
Running
|
|
26
|
15
|
83
|
|
Toyota
|
Red Bull
|
85/0
|
331
|
Running
|
|
27
|
29
|
7
|
|
Toyota
|
Mapei / Menards
|
82/0
|
331
|
Running
|
|
28
|
21
|
202
|
|
Toyota
|
Farm Bureau Insurance
|
79/0
|
331
|
Running
|
|
29
|
39
|
98
|
|
Ford
|
Vertis / Menards
|
76/0
|
331
|
Running
|
|
30
|
38
|
96
|
|
Ford
|
Academy Sports + Outdoors
|
73/0
|
331
|
Running
|
|
31
|
28
|
171
|
|
Chevrolet
|
CBR Motorcars
|
70/0
|
331
|
Running
|
|
32
|
32
|
78
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Furniture Row Companies
|
67/0
|
330
|
Running
|
|
33
|
2
|
9
|
|
Dodge
|
Budweiser
|
64/0
|
330
|
Running
|
|
34
|
43
|
21
|
|
Ford
|
Motorcraft
|
61/0
|
311
|
In Pit
|
|
35
|
35
|
12
|
|
Dodge
|
Penske Racing
|
58/0
|
262
|
Running
|
|
36
|
18
|
43
|
|
Dodge
|
Valvoline
|
55/0
|
248
|
Running
|
|
37
|
20
|
42
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Target / Dream in Color
|
52/0
|
231
|
Running
|
|
38
|
12
|
48
|
|
Chevrolet
|
Lowe's / Kobalt Tools
|
49/0
|
205
|
Running
|
|
39
|
6
|
99
|
|
Ford
|
Aflac
|
46/0
|
174
|
In Pit
|
|
40
|
11
|
77
|
|
Dodge
|
AAA
|
43/0
|
88
|
In Pit
|
|
41
|
37
|
36
|
|
Toyota
|
Wave Energy Drink
|
40/0
|
20
|
In Pit
|
|
42
|
34
|
187
|
|
Toyota
|
NEMCO Motorsports
|
37/0
|
13
|
Out of Race
|
|
43
|
23
|
170
|
|
Chevrolet
|
TRG Motorsports
|
34/0
|
6
|
In Pit
|
