[Racer Duck]

There was one point in the race around caution #7 where I remarked to my son "I don't think anybody wants to win this race!" Sure were lots of "mental mistakes" by the supposed "elite" drivers. Makes you wonder if doing double duty in earnest is a bit taxing on them.

Bliss is my choice for hard luck driver of the race .. I truly appreciated his parting remark: "I can't wait to get home."

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by BringBackWilkesboro

Impressive day for ARCA champ Justin Allgaier too. He was up front and beating the Cup Raiders even before the all had problems. He passed Edwards and Harvick mid race and led some laps. Nice to see that once in a while.

I'm going to make a prediction on this kid. He's a little old (22 yrs.) but he's got all the heart in the world. He comes from a racing family and was working as a bodyman when he got his chance in ARCA. I think Justin might be a driver to be reckoned with sooner rather than later and will hopefully be picked up by one of the mega teams.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Scotts Turf Builder 300 - Race 4 of 35

Cup Raider Results - Overall finish in ()
1. Kevin Harvick (1st)
2. Carl Edwards (2nd)
3. Clint Bowyer (3rd)
4. Matt Kenseth (4th)
5. Kyle Busch (6th)
6. Scott Speed (8th)
7. Joey Logano (9th)
8. Paul Menard (11th)
9. Joe Nemechek (18th)
10. David Ragan (19th)

Nationwide Regular Results
1. Justin Allgaier (5th)
2. Steve Wallace (7th)
3. Jason Leffler (10th)
4. Brad Keselowski (12th)
5. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (13th)
6. Kenny Wallace (14th)
7. Burney Lamar (15th)
8. Jon Wes Townley (16th)
9. David Green (17th)
10. Michael Annett (20th)
11. Brendan Gaughan (21st)
12. Scott Wimmer (22nd)
13. Trevor Bayne (23rd)
14. Brandon Whitt (24th)
15. Casey Atwood (25th)
16. Eric McClure (26th)
17. Marc Davis (27th)
18. Jason Keller (28th)
19. Robert Richardson (29th)
20. Kenny Hendrick (30th)
21. Michael McDowell (31st)
22. Tony Raines (32nd)
23. Kevin Hamlin (33rd)
24. Morgan Shepherd (34th)
25. Mike Bliss (35th)
26. Kevin Lepage (36th)
27. Danny O'Quinn, Jr. (37th)
28. Dennis Setzer (38th)
29. Andy Ponstein (39th)
30. Terry Cook (40th)
31. Johnny Chapman (41st)
32. Kelly Bires (42nd)
33. Steve Grissom (43rd)

Points Standings

CR Top Ten
1. Carl Edwards (690pts)
2. Kyle Busch (-31)
3. Kevin Harvick (-48)
4. David Ragan (-112)
5. Joe Nemechek (-145)
6. Greg Biffle (-201)
7. Brian Vickers (-223)
8. Joey Logano (-255)
9. Clint Bowyer (-345)
10. Jeff Burton (-380)

NR Top Ten
1. Brendan Gaughan (655pts)
2. Jason Leffler (-34)
3. Justin Allgaier (-70)
4. Jason Keller (-105)
5. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (-109)
6. Kenny Wallace (-110)
7. Michael McDowell (-127)
7. Brad Keselowski (-127)
9. Steve Wallace (-136)
10. David Green (-167)

A couple newcomers showing very well among the Nationwide Regulars are Justin Allgaier and Scott Lagasse, and a not so newcomer, Daivd Green is still doing a fine job.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

O'Reilly 300 - Race 5 of 35

Cup Raider Results - Overall finish in ()
1. Kyle Busch (1st)
2. Tony Stewart (2nd)
3. David Ragan (4th)
4. Paul Menard (5th)
5. Matt Kenseth (6th)
6. Jeff Burton (8th)
7. David Reutimann (9th)
8. Joey Logano (12th)
9. Carl Edwards (18th)
10. Michael Waltrip (19th)
11. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (20th)
12. Joe Nemechek (39th)

Nationwide Results
1. Brad Keselowski (3rd)
2. Mike Bliss (7th)
3. Justin Allgaier (10th)
4. Michael Annett (11th)
5. Jason Leffler (13th)
6. Steve Wallace (14th)
7. Jason Keller (15th)
8. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (16th)
9. Michael McDowell (17th)
10. Kenny Wallace (21st)
11. Tony Raines (22nd)
12. Brandon Whitt (23rd)
13. Robert Richardson (24th)
14. Kenny Hendrick (25th)
15. Peyton Sellers (26th)
16. Casey Atwood (27th)
17. Morgan Shepherd (28th)
18. Danny O'Quinn, Jr. (29th)
19. David Green (30th)
20. Kevin Hamlin (31st)
21. Shelby Howard (32nd)
22. Kevin Lepage (33rd)
23. Eric McClure (34th)
24. Burney Lamar (35th)
25. Jon Wes Townley (36th)
26. Brenden Gaughan (37th)
27. Brian Keselowski (38th)
28. JC Stout (40th)
29. Andy Ponstein (41st)
30. Terry Cook (42nd)
31. Johnny Chapman (43rd)

Points Standings

CR Top Ten
1. Kyle Busch (854pts)
2. Carl Edwards (-26)
3. David Ragan (-111)
4. Joe Nemechek (-182)
5. Kevin Harvick (-212)
6. Joey Logano (-277)
7. Greg Biffle (-365)
8. Brian Vickers (-387)
9. Jeff Burton (-389)
10. Matt Kenseth (-396)

NR Top Ten
1. Jason Leffler (776pts)
2. Justin Allgaier (-26)
3. Brenden Gaughan (-36)
4. Brad Keselowski (-53)
5. Jason Keller (-80)
6. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (-8
7. Kenny Wallace (-97)
8. Steve Wallace (-107)
9. Michael McDowell (-110)
10. Mike Bliss (-119)

Looks like Gauhan had more problems and lost the NR point lead this time. Leffler and Allgaier have been consistant as ever and have the top two spots.

I'll use one of Bob Tanner's stats to show how little sense it makes for NASCAR to believe there is nothing wrong with what they've allowed this series to become. It's the Nationwide Series, but Nationwide drivers have only led 45 of a total 729 laps, only once has one led more than 10 laps. On top of that, only 7 races in the last 4 years have been won by Regulars, 1 when the Cup and Nationwide Series are at the same track.

So the purpose of having these two "different" series (speparate is a better word) has pretty much been defeated.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by BringBackWilkesboro

how little sense it makes for NASCAR to believe there is nothing wrong with what they've allowed this series to become. It's the Nationwide Series, but Nationwide drivers have only led 45 of a total 729 laps, only once has one led more than 10 laps. On top of that, only 7 races in the last 4 years have been won by Regulars, 1 when the Cup and Nationwide Series are at the same track. Thanks for that stat, James. I figured it was bad but to see actual figures just re-enforces my belief. Now, I wonder how many of those 45 laps led by BGN regulars were led under racing conditions and how many under yellow flag conditions? (I'm not asking for a figure; just throwing out something to consider)

Anyhow, good job!

So the purpose of having these two "different" series (separate is a better word) has pretty much been defeated.I take it that you meant the idea of it's right to have these two "separate division's" competing together is defeated and not the idea of that they are two distinct different groups, with the BGN regular teams with BGN drivers being more than marginally competitive, when they compete together?

♫☼♫☼♫☼♫☼♫☼♫☼

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Pepsi 300 - Race 6 of 35

Cup Raider Results - Overall Finish in ()
1. Joey Logano (1st)
2. Kyle Busch (2nd)
3. Carl Edwards (5th)
4. David Ragan (7th)
5. Michael Waltrip (16th)
6. Joe Nemechek (34th)


Nationwide Regular Results
1. Brad Keselowski (3rd)
2. Kelly Bires (4th)
3. Jason Leffler (6th)
4. Mike Bliss (8th)
5. Steve Wallace (9th)
6. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (10th)
7. Stephen Leicht (11th)
8. Jason Keller (12th)
9. Burney Lamar (13th)
10. Shelby Howard (14th)
11. Michael McDowell (15th)
12. Brenden Gaughan (17th)
13. Jon Wes Townley (18th)
14. Michael Annett (19th)
15. Dennis Setzer (20th)
16. Jeff Green (21st)
17. Casey Atwood (22nd)
18. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (23rd)
19. Kenny Wallace (24th)
20. Brian Scott (25th)
21. Eric McClure (26th)
22. Tony Raines (27th)
23. Scott Wimmer (28th)
24. Justin Allgaier (29th)
25. Brandon Whitt (30th)
26. Morgan Shepherd (31st)
27. Danny O'Quinn, Jr. (32nd)
28. Tim Andrews (33rd)
29. Kenny Hendrick (35th)
30. Benny Gordon (36th)
31. Ken Butler III (37th)
32. David Green (38th)
33. Jeremy Clements (39th)
34. Kertus Davis (40th)
35. Brian Keselowski (41st)
36. Terry Cook (42nd)
37. Johnny Chapman (43rd)

Points Standings

CR Top Ten
1. Kyle Busch (1029pts)
2. Carl Edwards (-31)
3. David Ragan (-126)
4. Joe Nemechek (-207)
5. Joey Logano (-262)
6. Kevin Harvick (-387)
7. Michael Waltrip (-501)
8. Greg Biffle (-540)
9. Brian Vickers (-562)
10. Jeff Burton (-564)

NR Top Ten
1. Jason Leffler (941pts)
2. Brad Keselowski (-33)
3. Brenden Gaughan (-74)
4. Justin Allgaier (-100)
5. Jason Keller (-103)
5. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (-103)
7. Steve Wallace (-117)
8. Mike Bliss (-124)
9. Michael McDowell (-140)
10. Kenny Wallace (-156)


Even with only 6 Cup Raiders, the Nationwide Regulars still can't seem to lead laps. 8 laps lead by the NR cars this week, I don't think any of them quality laps. Makes you wonder what a Cup driver has to proove (If you don't already). I didn't watch the race though. If I'm wrong, let me know.

[Racer Duck]

BBW, I think, besides the difference in funding for many of the cup drivers, there's a difference in talent/motivation or whatever you want to call it. Those guys in Cup got there, pretty much because they have that extra something that boosted them into the premier league.

It's not that the NR's aren't good drivers, but I see many of them are ex-cup drivers who, for whatever reason, didn't "catch on". For instance, if you look just at the NR top 10, there's hardly a driver there that doesn't have a race or two in cup and most have raced there a season or more.

And some, like Kenny Wallace, have been around a long time, but seem not to be up to the task of competing in cup anymore .. another who spent several years in a steady ride in cup is Scott Wimmer and he's not even in the NR top 10!

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Bashas' Supermarkets 200 - Race 7 of 35

Cup Raider Results - Overall finish in ()
1. Greg Biffle (1st)
2. Joey Logano (4th)
3. Kevin Harvick (5th)
4. David Ragan (6th)
5. Kyle Busch (10th)
6. Paul Menard (14th)
7. Jeff Burton (20th)
8. Joe Nemechek (25th)
9. Carl Edwards (33rd)
10. Michael Waltrip (40th)
11. Dave Blaney (43rd)

Nationwide Regular Results
1. Jason Leffler (2nd)
2. Brad Keselowski (3rd)
3. Brenden Gaughan (7th)
4. Justin Allgaier (8th)
5. Mike Bliss (9th)
6. Michael McDowell (11th)
7. Steve Wallace (12th)
8. Burney Lamar (13th)
9. Brian Scott (15th)
10. Michael Annett (16th)
11. Jason Keller (17th)
12. David Green (18th)
13. Scott Wimmer (19th)
14. Danny O'Quinn, Jr. (21st)
15. Eric McClure (22nd)
16. DJ Kennington (23rd)
17. Tony Raines (24th)
18. Brandon Whitt (26th)
19. Brian Keselowski (27th)
20. Ken Butler (28th)
21. Kenny Wallace (29th)
22. Johnny Borneman III (30th)
23. Casey Atwood (31st)
24. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (32nd)
25. Austin Dillon (34th)
26. Morgan Shepherd (35th)
27. Jon Wes Townley (36th)
28. Daryl Harr (37th)
29. Mark Green (38th)
30. Kertus Davis (39th)
31. Kevin Hamlin (41st)
32. Terry Cook (43rd)

Points Standings

CR Top Ten
1. Kyle Busch (1189pts)
2. Carl Edwards (-4
3. David Ragan (-126)
4. Joe Nemechek (-225)
5. Joey Logano (-247)
6. Kevin Harvick (-382)
7. Greg Biffle (-684)
8. Michael Waltrip (-701)
9. Jeff Burton (-57
10. Brian Vickers (-722)

NR Top Ten
1. Jason Leffler (1126pts)
2. Brad Keselowski (-4
3. Brenden Gaughan (-94)
4. Justin Allgaier (-125)
5. Mike Bliss (-154)
6. Steve Wallace (-156)
7. Jason Keller (-15
8. Michael McDowell (-175)
9. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (-197)
10. Michael Annett (-227)

Leffler was able to score the best Nationwide overall finish of the year, second, but 0 laps lead but the NR.

That brings me to another point about the poor quality of these races that has nothing to do with the class separation. I've only seen two races so far this season, but when I look at the results to figure my standings, I notice that most of them only have 3 to 6 different leaders, and again, a lot of those are made on pit road and we know they won't hold.

Whether you're against the Cup Raiders or not, this series is getting pretty bland I think.

[Racer Duck]

The most exciting part of the race was watching Kyle go 2 laps down, then drive past Carl to get one lap back, then passing all the 1 lap down cars to get the Lucky Dog, and finally, to get back into the top 10.

It looked for a while like Allgaier and Brad K. were gonna make it all the way to the front, but they seemed to stall out as they got to the T5 spot.

Harvick might have contested for the top spot had those last couple yellows not happened. And the first of the 2 was completely uncalled for: Townley's car was NOT ready to race as evidenced by it disintegrating and sending him into the wall.

It was a good drive for Leffler, but he was no match for the Biff and his cagey restarts.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Aaron's 312 - Race 8 of 36

Cup Raider Results - Overall finish in ()
1. David Ragan (1st)
2. Ryan Newman (2nd)
3. Joey Logano (3rd)
4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (5th)
5. Kyle Busch (10th)
6. Joe Nemechek (11th)
7. Carl Edwards (13th)
8. Brian Vickers (20th)
9. David Reutimann (29th)
10. Clint Bowyer (31st)
11. Matt Kenseth (35th)
12. Michael Waltrip (40th)

Nationwide Regular Results
1. Tony Raines (4th)
2. Jason Leffler (6th)
3. Jason Keller (7th)
4. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (8th)
5. Brad Keselowski (9th)
6. Kerry Earnhardt (12th)
7. Brian Keselowski (14th)
8. Michael McDowell (15th)
9. Robert Richardson (16th)
10. Kenny Wallace (17th)
11. Jon Wes Townley (18th)
12. DJ Kennington (19th)
13. Michael Annett (21st)
14. Kertus Davis (22nd)
15. Morgan Shepherd (23rd)
16. David Green (24th)
17. Eric McClure (25th)
18. Johnny Borneman (26th)
19. Shleby Howard (27th)
20. Donnie Nuenberger (28th)
21. Brandon Whitt (30th)
22. Justin Allgaier (32nd)
23. Bobby Gerhardt (33rd)
24. Steve Wallace (34th)
25. Jeff Green (36th)
26. Danny O'Quinn, Jr. (37th)
27. Brenden Gaughan (38th)
28. Mike Wallace (39th)
29. Mike Bliss (41st)
30. Kenny Hendrick (42nd)
31. Mark Green (43rd)

Points Standings

CR Top Ten
1. Kyle Busch (1354pts)
2. Carl Edwards (-62)
3. David Ragan (-101)
4. Joe Nemechek (-240)
5. Joey Logano (-242)
6. Kevin Harvick (-547)
7. Michael Waltrip (-555)
8. Greg Biffle (-670)
9. Brain Vickers (-740)
10. Jeff Burton (-743)

NR Top Ten
1. Jason Leffler (1296pts)
2. Brad Keselowski (-63)
3. Jason Keller (-163)
4. Brenden Gaughan (-182)
5. Justin Allgaier (-198)
6. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (-202)
7. Michael McDowell (-203)
8. Steve Wallace (-235)
9. Mike Bliss (-248)
10. Michael Annett (-273)

This was definately one of the more exciting Talledega races. I didn't even see Ragan during the final laps (Probably short attention span though). I was watching Tony Raines go to the bottom and I hear Dr. Punch call his name. Where was he when they got to the tri-oval? 5th or 6th?

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Lipton Tea 250 - Race 9 of 35

Cup Raider Results - Overall Finish in ()
1. Kyle Busch (1st)
2. Carl Edwards (2nd)
3. Matt Kenseth (3rd)
4. Kevin Harvick (5th)
5. Joey Logano (6th)
6. Mark Martin (7th)
7. Joe Nemechek (18th)
8. Scott Speed (27th)
9. Jeff Burton (31st)

Nationwide Regular Results
1. Brad Keselowski (4th)
2. Michaell McDowell (8th)
3. Jason Keller (9th)
4. Jason Leffler (10th)
5. Steve Wallace (11th)
6. Erik Darnell (12th)
7. Shelby Howard (13th)
8. David Green (14th)
9. Tony Raines (15th)
10. Scott Wimmer (16th)
11. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (17th)
12. Peyton Sellers (19th)
13. Danny O'Quinn, Jr. (20th)
14. Brian Keselowski (21st)
15. Derrike Cope (22nd)
16. Kenny Wallace (23rd)
17. DJ Kennington (24th)
18. Casey Atwood (25th)
19. Brendan Gaughan (26th)
20. Burney Lamar (28th)
21. Marc Davis (29th)
22. Brandon Whitt (30th)
23. Brian Scott (32nd)
24. Mike Bliss (33rd)
25. Michael Annett (34th)
26. Ken Butler (35th)
27. Morgan Shpeherd (36th)
28. Benny Gordon (37th)
29. Justin Allgaier (38th)
30. Eric McClure (39th)
31. Mark Green (40th)
32. Terry Cook (41st)
33. Kertus Davis (42nd)
34. Johnny Chapman (43rd)

Points Standings

CR Top Ten
1. Kyle Busch (1549 pts)
2. Carl Edwards (-82)
3. Joey Logano (-282)
4. Joe Nemechek (-289)
5. David Ragan (-296)
6. Kevin Harvick (-582)
7. Michael Waltrip (-750)
8. Matt Kenseth (-786)
9. Jeff Burton (-800)
10. Greg Biffle (-865)

NR Top Ten
1. Jason Leffler (1456 pts)
2. Brad Keselowski (-38)
3. Jason Keller (-158)
4. Michael McDowell (-193)
5. Scott Lagasse, Jr. (-232)
6. Brendan Gaughan (-236)
7. Steve Wallace (-240)
8. Justin Allgaier (-282)
9. Mike Bliss (-312)
10. Kenny Wallace (-322)

You can see our two full time Cup Raiders have separated themselves from those who aren't running the full season, and in the NR class, Keselowski continues to slowly to rise back to the top of the class after his tough start to the year.