Nationwide Race Thread - Talladega

[DanicaFan]

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/aarons312.jpg

Race 8 of 33

Aaron's 312

Location - Talladega Superspeedway

Course Type - 2.66 Mile Tri-Oval Track

Race Distance - 117 Laps / 311.22 Miles

Date & TV Schedule - Saturday, May 5th - Pre-Race - 3pm Eastern / Green Flag-Approx. 3:34pm Eastern - ABC

Practice Sessions -
Thursday, May 3rd -4:00-4:45pm Eastern & 5:00-5:50pm Eastern

Qualifications- Friday, May 4th -12:10pm Eastern

*Note - All times listed in Eastern Time. Talladega is 1 hour behind.

[DanicaFan]

Talladega Superspeedway

Banking -Turns 1 & 2 -33 degrees
Turn 3 - 32.4 degrees
Turn 4 -32.5 degrees
Tri-Oval -16.5 degrees
Backstraight -3 degrees

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/talladega1.jpg

[DanicaFan]

2011 Aaron's 312 Race Information

Pole Winner -Elliott Sadler - 53.331/ 179.558mph
Race Winner - Kyle Busch
Average Speed: 126.618 mph
Caution Flags: 11
Lead Changes: 56
Lead Changes Drivers: 18
Total Laps: 124

[DanicaFan]

Entry List..

1. #1 Kurt Busch
2. #01 Mike Wallace
3. #2 Elliott Sadler
4. #3 Austin Dillon
5. #4 Danny Efland
6. #5 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7. #6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
8. #7 Danica Patrick
9. #08 Tim Andrews
10. #10 Jeff Green
11. #11 Brian Scott
12. #12 Sam Hornish Jr.
13. #14 Eric McClure
14. #15 Jeffrey Earnhardt
15. #18 Joey Logano
16. #19 Tayler Malsam
17. #20 Ryan Truex
18. #22 Brad Keselowski
19. #23 Robert Richardson Jr.
20. #24 Benny Gordon
21. #30 James Buescher
22. #31 Justin Allgaier
23. #33 Kevin Harvick
24. #38 Brad Sweet
25. #39 TBA
26. #40 Erik Darnell
27. #41 Timmy Hill
28. #42 Josh Wise
29. #43 Michael Annett
30. #44 Mike Bliss
31. #46 Chase Miller
32. #47 Scott Speed
33. #50 TJ Bell
34. #51 Jeremy Clements
35. #52 Kevin Lepage
36. #54 Kyle Busch
37. #70 Johanna Long
38. #74 Mike Harmon
39. #75 Blake Koch
40. #81 Jason Bowles
41. #87 Joe Nemechek
42. #88 Cole Whitt
43. #89 Morgan Shepherd
44. #99 Kenny Wallace

[00steven]

Hey DanicaFan, I know Danica doesn't race Cup full Time, but have you considered posting a cup race thread? Your work on these threads are much appreciated.

[DanicaFan]

Hey DanicaFan, I know Danica doesn't race Cup full Time, but have you considered posting a cup race thread? Your work on these threads are much appreciated.

I can do that.

[00steven]

I can do that.

Thanks for all your work. ;)

[Lee Roy]

Yes, thank you. I appreciate your work also.

[DanicaFan]

A couple changes to the entry list....

#39 car will be driven by Josh Richards
#24 car will be driven by John Wes Townley instead of Benny Gordon

[DanicaFan]

Thanks for the kind words.

[DanicaFan]

Weather at Talladega today is rain. It should clear out by this afternoon so they can get the practice in tonight. Temperature is in the 70's.

Weekend Forecast

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee236/DanicaRules/talladegaweather.jpg

[DanicaFan]

Well, the rain cancelled out the qualifying. They will run a practice session today instead of qualifying. So the starting line-up was made by owner points...

Starting line-up..

1. #2 Elliott Sadler
2. #6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
3. #33 Kevin Harvick
4. #18 Joey Logano
5. #3 Austin Dillon
6. #38 Brad Sweet
7. #30 James Buescher
8. #12 Sam Hornish Jr.
9. #22 Brad Keselowski
10. #43 Michael Annett
11. #88 Cole Whitt
12. #54 Kyle Busch
13. #31 Justin Allgaier
14. #19 Talyer Malsam
15. #44 Mike Bliss
16. #87 Joe Nemechek
17. #7 Danica Patrick
18. #20 Ryan Truex
19. #01 Mike Wallace
20. #99 Kenny Wallace
21. #51 Jeremy Clements
22. #11 Brian Scott
23. #4 Danny Efland
24. #70 Johanna Long
25. #81 Jason Bowles
26. #24 John Wes Townley
27. #40 Erik Darnell
28. #41 Timmy Hill
29. #14 Eric McClure
30. #08 Tim Andrews
31. #1 Kurt Busch
32. #10 Jeff Green
33. #5 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
34. #23 Robert Richardson Jr.
35. #50 TJ Bell
36. #39 Josh Richards
37. #52 Kevin Lepage
38. #89 Morgan Shepherd
39. #46 Chase Miller
40. #42 Josh Wise
41. #47 Scott Speed
42. #74 Mike Harmon
43. #15 Jeffrey Earnhardt

Did Not Qualify

#75 Blake Koch

[Alexamateo]

Absolutely brutal hit by Eric McClure. I was very worried about him, but they are reporting on tv he is talking with officials.

[Alexamateo]

Penalty for Danica?? Sam Hornish ran her up to the wall coming to the checkers and she dumped him on the cool down lap. This should be interesting. :D

[00steven]

Hope all is well with McClure. That's just a result of the Talladega style of racing.

Bad move by Danica. Sam pulled a dirty move, but we saw with Kyle last year what dumping someone head on under non green conditions can get you.

[Alexamateo]

Here is the incident in question.

Tempers flare between Patrick and Hornish coming to the finish - NASCAR.COM Video (http://www.nascar.com/video/post-race/highlights/120505/nns-tal-high-five/index.html)

[DanicaFan]

Well, I was too nervous to type on here while watching the race. I think Danica drove a great race yesterday. She had a top 5 car but unfortunately got 15th. She got caught up in the late wreck which ended her chances.

Congrats to Joey Logano for the win. And Im glad Eric McClure is fine. That was a nasty hit.

[Anubis]

If anything can be said to be fortunate about the McClure crash, it has to be that he didn't t-bone the 43 who was already down against the wall. Certainly an advert for the SAFER system, as that was a hideous impact. I still struggle to watch races at Talladega for this reason. The "when rather than if" acceptance of huge crashes doesn't sit well with me.

As for Danica...stupid thing to do, regardless of whether Hornish meant to run her out of road or not. Hasn't he since claimed he had a tyre going down? Be interesting to see if any penalty is applied as a result.

[harvick#1]

Talladega is a pathetic track, you cant even call this racing anymore

[beachbum]

Well, I was too nervous to type on here while watching the race. I think Danica drove a great race yesterday. She had a top 5 car but unfortunately got 15th. She got caught up in the late wreck which ended her chances.

Congrats to Joey Logano for the win. And Im glad Eric McClure is fine. That was a nasty hit.
Heck, Danica had a winning car. The car just didn't have a winning driver.

McClure's hit was nasty and I too am glad to hear he will be ok. But I was more than a little surprised that Danica put Hornish in the wall after the race. Whatever the reason, it isn't her style. She has been all talk, no action. I suspect it won't exactly endear her to the rest of the garage.

[Lee Roy]

Talladega is a pathetic track, you cant even call this racing anymore

Restrictor plate racing sucks. I don't even watch it anymore. Haven't for several years now.

[nigelred5]

Same here LeeRoy. I have several free places to stay with family and friends within a half hour of Talladega and free tickets any time I want them and I've never had teh desire to take anyone up on the deal.

I love it that Curt Busch went totally Ricky Bobby for the weekend. Too bad he didn't recreate the flaming driver dance...

[Lee Roy]

Same here LeeRoy. I have several free places to stay with family and friends within a half hour of Talladega and free tickets any time I want them and I've never had teh desire to take anyone up on the deal.


I grew up about 2 hours from Daytona. My whole year used to revolve around speedweeks. In the mid 70's I went to 4 races at Talladega. It pains me to see what has become of the races at those tracks. I just can't bear to watch them. The ONLY solution (IMHO) is a complete redisgn of those two tracks. Indy and Pocono are both 2.5 miles and plates aren't needed there. You don't usually have to worry about the "big one" at those tracks.

[beachbum]

I grew up about 2 hours from Daytona. My whole year used to revolve around speedweeks. In the mid 70's I went to 4 races at Talladega. It pains me to see what has become of the races at those tracks. I just can't bear to watch them. The ONLY solution (IMHO) is a complete redisgn of those two tracks. Indy and Pocono are both 2.5 miles and plates aren't needed there. You don't usually have to worry about the "big one" at those tracks.Funny you should say that. My grandfather was a huge racing fan and spent the whole month of February in Daytona - back in the days of the beach races. When they switched to the "big track", he went once and never went back. His comment? Why watch a bunch of cars going flat out in a circle waiting for a tire to blow. Sounds a lot like the Daytona and Talledega of today, except now the drivers wait for the engine to overheat or for the "big one" to ruin their day. That isn't racing - it is a lottery.

Instead of watching the race yesterday, I spent the day working in my yard. I don't think I missed anything, other than Stewart's post race interview. :D

[Lee Roy]

Funny you should say that. My grandfather was a huge racing fan and spent the whole month of February in Daytona - back in the days of the beach races. When they switched to the "big track", he went once and never went back. His comment? Why watch a bunch of cars going flat out in a circle waiting for a tire to blow. Sounds a lot like the Daytona and Talledega of today, except now the drivers wait for the engine to overheat or for the "big one" to ruin their day. That isn't racing - it is a lottery.

Instead of watching the race yesterday, I spent the day working in my yard. I don't think I missed anything, other than Stewart's post race interview. :D

Haha!! Maybe I am just an old fossil who can't keep up with the times. I recall seeing races at Daytona and Talladega where only 2 or 3 cars would finish on the lead lap . . . . and I loved them. I just can't get used to cars whose horsepower is so handicapped that they can't run without help from other cars and they wind up in a big pack. I always used to say in the 90's that when that stupid type of racing got a big star killed they'd be forced to do something about it, but then Dale Earnhardt was killed 12 years ago and nothing has changed and it looks like it never will. My NASCAR season it 32 races long.

[Lee Roy]

I love it when Tony Stewart tells the truth about restrictor plate racing at it's fans.

[HD] Tony Stewart Funny Post-Race Interview Talladega 2012 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UjbugjIAxc&feature=related)

[Mark in Oshawa]

The finish of Dega with one car by itself was almost a nod to the old days, but I too agree with you LeeRoy. I cant get too excited about Daytona and Dega. I went out and did things Sunday rather than watch, came home and watched the last 12 laps that turned into about 18 with the "Green White Checker" which to me is an insult to my intelligence. Contrived finishes just annoy the hell out of me....