Phoenix Cup Race Thread

[Jonesi]

Only the 45 full time teams. Mark Martin stays in #8, and Bill Elliott in #21. Just announced Jeremy Mayfield out of #70. Johnny Sauter in.

Top 35:
31 JEFF BURTON
29 KEVIN HARVICK
18 KYLE BUSCH
88 DALE EARNHARDT JR
20 TONY STEWART
48 JIMMIE JOHNSON
11 DENNY HAMLIN
12 RYAN NEWMAN
16 GREG BIFFLE
99 CARL EDWARDS
--
07 CLINT BOWYER
9 KASEY KAHNE
17 MATT KENSETH
24 JEFF GORDON
2 KURT BUSCH
1 MARTIN TRUEX JR
6 DAVID RAGAN
83 BRIAN VICKERS
42 JUAN MONTOYA
19 ELLIOTT SADLER
--
43 BOBBY LABONTE
38 DAVID GILLILAND
15 PAUL MENARD
28 TRAVIS KVAPIL
26 JAMIE McMURRAY
5 CASEY MEARS
41 REED SORENSON
7 ROBBY GORDON
66 SCOTT RIGGS
8 MARK MARTIN
--
55 MICHAEL WALTRIP
96 J.J. YELEY
77 SAM HORNISH JR (moves into top 35)
01 REGAN SMITH
00 MICHAEL McDOWELL

GOGH:
21 BILL ELLIOTT (has Champ provisional)
44 DAVID REUTIMANN
22 DAVE BLANEY
40 DARIO FRANCHITTI
84 MIKE SKINNER
45 KYLE PETTY
78 JOE NEMECHEK
10 PATRICK CARPENTIER
34 JOHN ANDRETTI
70 JOHNNY SAUTER (just dropped out of top 35, Mayfield replaced.)

Doesn't look like rain, but if it does #78 & #34 miss field.

[RaikkonenRules]

Great to see Sauter back in the #70 instead of the laughably slow Mayfield. Why on earth did they boot him in the first I really hope he made them beg

Sauter, Reutimann and Blaney to get back into the Top 35 because none of them deserve to be there. Hornish, Smith and either McDowell or Yeley to drop back in.

[Speedworx]

Great to see Sauter back in Cup. Hope he makes the race.

[Jonesi]

This should be the starting grid:
12 RYAN NEWMAN
19 ELLIOTT SADLER
99 CARL EDWARDS
8 MARK MARTIN
9 KASEY KAHNE
18 KYLE BUSCH
48 JIMMIE JOHNSON
26 JAMIE McMURRAY
1 MARTIN TRUEX JR
66 SCOTT RIGGS
--
24 JEFF GORDON
20 TONY STEWART
88 DALE EARNHARDT JR
15 PAUL MENARD
42 JUAN MONTOYA
11 DENNY HAMLIN
29 KEVIN HARVICK
16 GREG BIFFLE
22 DAVE BLANEY
41 REED SORENSON
--
40 DARIO FRANCHITTI
96 J.J. YELEY
6 DAVID RAGAN
07 CLINT BOWYER
84 MIKE SKINNER
44 DAVID REUTIMANN
17 MATT KENSETH
55 MICHAEL WALTRIP
00 MICHAEL McDOWELL
5 CASEY MEARS
--
77 SAM HORNISH JR
28 TRAVIS KVAPIL
83 BRIAN VICKERS
43 BOBBY LABONTE
7 ROBBY GORDON
38 DAVID GILLILAND
10 PATRICK CARPENTIER
01 REGAN SMITH
31 JEFF BURTON
2 KURT BUSCH
--
78 JOE NEMECHEK
70 JOHNNY SAUTER
21 BILL ELLIOTT (uses Champ Prov)

DNQ:
45 KYLE PETTY
34 JOHN ANDRETTI

[DazzlaF1]

Suprised to see the likes of Sadler, Riggs, Blaney and Franchitti well up the grid

[call_me_andrew]

17 laps to go in a fuel mileage race, I bet we get a caution.

[BobbyC]

Smart Jimmie. Brains over brawn equals a big win.

I'll watch the film sometime later this week -- I was out at the Palmetto Opera fundraiser with the local Ballroom Dance organisation to have ballroom session and some great singing.

[harvick#1]

damn, really hoping Mark would've won, Sweet Karma to Jooynerrssssssss ears.

he leaves and DEI still wins without him. oh well.

overall a pretty poor race. the CoT just doesn't show that excitement, the cars seem to just go way to slow through the corners and can't get off. everyone was just sliding everywhere again.

hats off to Edwards who was about 11 seconds off the lead with 35 to go, to be right there before pitting that was quite a drive

[NickFalzone]

Jr. looked like he had it with 50 to go but once again falls back a bunch of spots before the checkered. Disappointing to see him dominate the middle to 2/3 of most races this season and then fall back before it's all over. Still another consistent run, now up to 3rd in points. Franchitti is really struggling with another 30+ finish and is still 39 in points after missing last week's in qualifying. Gotta wonder how happy he is with the move, esp now with these new cars that look really difficult to handle. The 3+ hours in COTs is just kicking these drivers asses they look like they're ready to pass out afterwards.

[NickFalzone]

damn, really hoping Mark would've won, Sweet Karma to Jooynerrssssssss ears.

he leaves and DEI still wins without him. oh well.

overall a pretty poor race. the CoT just doesn't show that excitement, the cars seem to just go way to slow through the corners and can't get off. everyone was just sliding everywhere again.

hats off to Edwards who was about 11 seconds off the lead with 35 to go, to be right there before pitting that was quite a drive

yeah, at the beginning of the race dw said that nascar might be thinking about changes to the car. Not a whole lot of fighting for position after the first 100 laps, and once you got your position not too tough to hold it even on old tires. It will be good at dega but when it's not a superspeedway restrictor plate the car really sucks.