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NASCAR at MArtinsville [Live Thread]

NASCAR, Fantasy, Team News / Analysis, Player News / Analysis, Rumors, Crashes, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Martinsville Speedway

Johnson-ville, Harvick-ville, Earnhardt-ville or Hamlin-ville - who's poised to "rename" the track?

4/1/12 in NASCAR | JrCanuckFan | 10043 respect

Kasey Kahne has grabbed the second pole position of his brief career at Hendrick Motorsports, but so far his performance during the race hasn't kept up with his starting position. Kahne admits freely that he has been overly excited about the opportunity being provided to him, and agrees that those emotions may very well have caused him to overreact in race conditions. It is an emotion I recall having seen in Dale Jr. These young men are so honored to have a position as driver for Rick Hendrick that they push too hard.

I think they are afraid that if they don't perform up to expectations immediately it will all be taken away.

Hendrick Motorsports is one win away from 200 team wins and all four drivers in his stable are anxious to be the one to provide that win. It would be a huge honor to give Rick that milestone marker.

Fortunately, any one of the four could do so today. Jimmie Johnson, however, is struggling so far this year and starts further back in the field than he ever has at Martinsville. Jeff Gordon knows exactly how to get around the paperclip as well, but has had a rough start to his season, just as Johnson has.

That leaves Dale Jr and Kasey Kahne. Dale Jr almost got it done here last year, only being edged out by Kevin Harvick with a handful of laps remaining. Kasey has the pole position and the number 1 pit stall. That pit stall could very well make all the difference. This is one of the toughest pit roads in all of NASCAR. Trying to get to a pit stall without running over another car is a challenge almost as severe as driving the track.

Kevin Harvick won the truck race in dominating fashion yesterday, leading all but 2 laps. As the returning race winner, he is a definite favorite to win again today. But is he your favorite?

I'm picking him. How about you?

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4/2/12 | Canadianhick | 2091 respect

(Edited by Canadianhick)

I still can't wrap my head around WTF happened @ Martinsville yesterday, as it seemed so fitting that these place would have been the 200th win for Rick should they have won, hes had the highest of highs of his first win in 1984 with Geoffrey Bodine winning in which was know as All -Star Racing back then. Too the lowest of lows of the plane crash in 2004. As much I don't care for Jimmie Johnson it only seemed fitting that Jeff Gordon and him were going to/likely battling for the win, they have over 70% of the wins and have made HMS into the powerhouse it is today. I guess that's the way racing has always gone and will always go.

4/2/12 | Jesse8 | 6 respect

(Edited by Jesse8)

4/2/12 | JrCanuckFan | 10043 respect

kramer wrote:

He had something wrong 3 laps before that though. It's still a mistake on his part. I feel bad that the car broke like it did, but you had the chance to get to pit road the lap after the cars passed you, and you just passed it on by.

And Kasey Kahne had an engine going south for many more than 3 laps. His engine finally blew big time spewing oil all over the track closing pit lane. No one got upset with him. And yes, I get that his issue was earlier in the race and Reut's was in the closing laps but they are being asses about it,or at least they were yesterday. Maybe today cooler heads will prevail. Reut's says it was not intentional. Everyone needs to let it go and move on.

4/1/12 | Canadianhick | 2091 respect

Everybody is talking about the crappy start to the season for Kasey Kahne, sitting 31st in points with a bunch of very underfunded teams just behind. Yet, nobody is talking about these dude named Martin Truex, Jr who is in a 4 way tie in points for 3rd. He has finishes of 12th, 7th, 17th, 3th, 8th, and 5th. That 17th place finish at Las Vegas should have been another top ten finish. Be interesting to see if Martin can keep these hot streak going.