NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Open Race Thread

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It's time to start the final stretch for 2008. From this point on, there's no more off weekends for the Cup Series. It's a 17 race stretch all the way to the checkered flag at Homestead. 7 races remain until the Chase begins, and the final road to the Chase for the Cup starts here today with Brickyard Volume 15.

Kyle Busch will try to become the first driver to sweep the weekend at Indy, but he'll have to come from 19th at a place where track position is a huge key. To win he'll have to get past 9 of his fellow chasers, 4 of whom are former Brickyard winners.

2003 winner Kevin Harvick starts one spot in front of Busch in 18th. Shrub's teammate and defending winner Tony Stewart rolls off 14th. Inaugural and 4-time Brickyard winner Jeff Gordon starts 5th, and 2-time defending series champion and 2006 winner Jimmie Johnson will lead the field to the green flag. Also starting ahead of Kyle Busch is his brother Kurt, last year's runner up Juan Pablo Montoya, and chasers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, and Greg Biffle. There's also that guy known as The Rocketman, Ryan Newman. He'll look to join Jimmie Johnson today, who is currently the only driver to win the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in the same season. Newman will start 3rd.

This is your official open race thread to discuss the happenings before, during, and after the race....let's go racing!

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7/27/08

3	Well can't say I'm happy I stayed home especially to watch THIS race!!! What the hell are they thinking with this tire???

7/27/08

1	Hendrick Or Gibbs, that is the Question!! LOL

7/27/08

Who has two thumbs and is ridiculously happy that ESPN got smart and pushed Rusty out of the booth? THIS GUY!

Speaking of Rusty, apparently he still hasn't gotten over his fued with Ryan Newman. He tried to say that Penske fired Newman as opposed to Newman leaving.

Anyhow, I think it would only be right if Kyle Busch won this race. He's got to have a crown jewel to go with (what should be his inevitable) title.

7/27/08

1	Anyone but Kyle PLEASE! sorry KYLE has ENOUGH

7/27/08

Noah_Hurrle

0	I have a feeling Tony Stewart has this

7/27/08

100%InjuryRate

2	Kyle Busch needs another win about as much as the Yankees need another World Series.

7/27/08

1	Ouch! Mikey's day is done, and Menard always seems to be in the right place at the wrong time.

7/27/08

0	Well it's another 8 laps or so until another competition caution. If he doesn't have any tire problems, Dale Jr. will be in perfect shape. Leffler obviously fell back because he's Leffler.

7/27/08

kantwistaye wrote:

Who has two thumbs and is ridiculously happy that ESPN got smart and pushed Rusty out of the booth? THIS GUY!

Speaking of Rusty, apparently he still hasn't gotten over his fued with Ryan Newman. He tried to say that Penske fired Newman as opposed to Newman leaving.

Anyhow, I think it would only be right if Kyle Busch won this race. He's got to have a crown jewel to go with (what should be his inevitable) title.

Who has 2 thumbs and doesn't give a crap? Bob Kelso!

7/27/08

0	Me and my big mouth...at least Jr made it to pit road. Montoya wasn't quite so lucky.

7/27/08

0	Are they going to do competition cautions the rest of the day, or is this just until they figure out the tire wear?

7/27/08

0	And why are they having the trouble they are having this week with the tires anyway?

7/27/08

0	if they throw the yellowevery 15 laps there will only be a couple of commercial breaks between each caution. This race may be longer than an afternoon at Pocono.....

7/27/08

3	Well can't say I'm happy I stayed home especially to watch THIS race!!! What the hell are they thinking with this tire???

7/27/08

0	I realize that they are having problems with the tires, but couldn't the individual teams just decide when to pit at this point? They have had problems with tires in the past but they have never had this many competition cautions for this reason.

7/27/08

3	they are cutting into my Sunday afternoon nap time

7/27/08

1	Jr is doing an excellent job of marching back to the front. We may finish this race before sunset.

7/27/08

craign123

3	what the hell? the brickyard has become a bunch of short heat races. maybe Stewart was right when he bashed Goodyear earlier this year.

7/27/08

2	why not just run around under yellow! Sheesh - 12 green flag laps??? They better be offering the fans a refund.

7/27/08

1	this rac e is a real black eye for both Goodyear and NASCAR in what should be one of their showcase events

7/27/08

0	I really don't think you can blame Goodyear for once. Like the owners have been saying, they're trying the best they can. Nobody knew what to expect bringing the COT to Indy, and they'll know for next year hopefully.

7/27/08

2	Goodyear sucks. Its a shame such an awesome race track is stuck with such a horrible race. Also, sucks to be that bird on the track during the last restart. Poor guy never had a chance.

7/27/08

0	Goodyear has usually been a good tire for NASCAR, so I can't really blame them either but I just wish they would let them race without the competition cautions. I think they have a good idea at this point how the tires are wearing down.

7/27/08

kramer wrote:

I really don't think you can blame Goodyear for once. Like the owners have been saying, they're trying the best they can. Nobody knew what to expect bringing the COT to Indy, and they'll know for next year hopefully.

But they should've known. This is the either the most or 2nd most important race of the year, depending on who you ask. There's no reason for them not to bring every single team here to test tires.

7/27/08

0	WHAT a race! Good thing for me, Jeff Gordon seems to win most of the "CRAZY/RAIN Delay type races" Jimmie or Jeff should have it, if they keep it up.

7/27/08

2	CMB wrote: Goodyear has usually been a good tire for NASCAR, so I can't really blame them either but I just wish they would let them race without the competition cautions. I think they have a good idea at this point how the tires are wearing down. I cant believe how bad the tire is though! WOW that is BAD How do you miss it that much?

7/27/08

0	Luke4HMS wrote: WHAT a race! Good thing for me, Jeff Gordon seems to win most of the "CRAZY/RAIN Delay type races" Jimmie or Jeff should have it, if they keep it up. nonononononononono LUUKE!!! Jr is COMING!!!!!

7/27/08

1	They should have just gotten to half way and run 12 laps from that point and called it a day. It doesn't really prove anything by running heats the whole afternoon.

7/27/08

Raven73

0	What'll we do now? Ride around...caution...then wreckfest?

7/27/08

0	Not that he would care, but if Sadler pulls this off, he'd be by far the worst Bickyard winner ever.

7/27/08

0	I would say that whoever comes off first will win the race. Looks like Johnson

7/27/08

0	This should be fun.... and it better be because everything else has sucked.

7/27/08

0	I thought that fuel races were the worst NASCAR had to offer, tire races are much worse, this race is a situation that never should have happened.....

7/27/08