NASCAR, Fantasy, Team News / Analysis, Player News / Analysis, Rumors, Crashes, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr
![Blog Photo - NASCAR Samsung Mobile 500 [Live Race Thread]](http://cdn4.faniq.com/images/photos/photo_large/81/file-110481-1272/Blog-Photo--NASCAR-Samsung-Mobile-500-Live-Race-Thread.jpg "Blog Photo - NASCAR Samsung Mobile 500 [Live Race Thread]")
Eddie Gossage has once again put on a great show for NASCAR fans at Texas Motor Speedway, with the band Foreigner, Sumo Wrestling, MMA and more to entertain the fans and keep them at the track for more than just the races. However, Mother Nature can ruin all the best laid plans. This time it isn't rain that might put a damper on the festivities, but rather the wind. Steady winds at 20 mph are expected all day and into the evening, with gusts of 30 mph. When you're in a car running 195 mph, that wind can be a definite factor. In turns 1 and 2 there are condominiums and offices to block some of that wind, but there is nothing in turns 3 or 4 to stop the wind from streaming onto the track. Of course, these are professional drivers, used to driving in windy conditions. The steady winds shouldn't phase them too much, but the gusts may.
Martin Truex Jr has won the pole position for the race today, further proof that Michael Waltrip Racing is on the right track. The additions of Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin with their years of experience seem to have helped propel the team to a higher level, making them a definite contender for, at least, Chase contention. Mark rolls off 4th tonight, while Clint starts a little further back in 18th.
Tony Stewart had a scrape along with wall in practice and has gone to a backup car. This might be bad news for the rest of the field as he has said the back up car is much more responsive than the primary car was. With the momentum he and teammate, Ryan Newman, have at this point in the season, either one of them could be the winner at the end of the night. Tony will have to fight his way through 28 other cars to get to the front, while Ryan has the advantage, starting 6th.
![Blog Photo - NASCAR Samsung Mobile 500 [Live Race Thread]](http://cdn4.faniq.com/images/photos/photo_large/81/file-110481-1273/Blog-Photo--NASCAR-Samsung-Mobile-500-Live-Race-Thread.jpg "Blog Photo - NASCAR Samsung Mobile 500 [Live Race Thread]")
I would be remiss if I didn't, once again, mention the quest for Hendrick Motorsports and Rick Hendrick's boys to get his 200th win. Rick had a box full of hats made back when Jimmie Johnson got win number 199 in October of 2011, and the team has packed them around with them, from track to track. Many are saying "blame it on the hats". Kasey Kahne starts closest to the front tonight, in 5th. I still think that Dale Earnhardt Jr can get it done tonight and give Rick that 200th win.
And finally, I have to mention Kyle Busch. Last year he deliberately wrecked Ron Hornaday here at Texas in the truck race. Kyle can't believe he is still being asked about the incident, which saw him parked for the rest of the weekend. He has clearly moved on. Unfortunately, he just doesn't seem to be the same Kyle Busch of years past. He hasn't been a huge factor in any of the races so far, and currently sits 16th in points. He has only 1 top five and two top tens so far this year. Whether he wants to admit it or not, I believe the incident at Texas has affected him.
As we gear up for NASCAR Raceday on SPEED and the race on Fox, I got an alert that there was an accident on the starting line of an NHRA event at zMAX Dragway. A crew member was knocked down, but is apparently alert and talking to medics. Good news.
So fans, it's off to the race. I wanted to delay my dark horse pick until after qualifying. Somehow, I have a feeling about Paul Menard today. His strength seems to be on the mid size tracks, and has a top five and two top tens at Texas. He can definitely win today.
The race airs live on FOX starting at 7pm ET, so join in if you are watching. Don't forget to make your race day predictions on our game pages first!
4/17/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
The commentators said it was because of the wind. They say the drivers were having to drive more carefully because of the wind, so were staying off the other cars more, not racing so close. Do you buy that? If you were there, you know if the wind played that big a factor. I personally don't buy that excuse.
4/17/12 | mikespaziani
I was there and were was the race??? Has NASCAR taken the race out of NASCAR?? MY first NASCAR race was in1964 I think I know what one looks like ..I didn't see one , just a ride-a-round..So SAD..
4/15/12 | Canadianhick | 2091 respect
Just something to maybe keep in mind when we get later into the season when most of the races at the end are run on intermediate tracks,. 3 Roush cars, 4 Hendrick cars, all finished in the top ten. Marcos Ambrose likely would have come home with a top ten if he didn't run outta of gas at the end.
4/15/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
Here it is:
4/15/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
Really stoked to see the trucks back racing at the Rock (Rockingham) but sucks that Daytona winner, John King, is the first casualty only a handful of laps in
4/15/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
BTW here's the picture of the $100 bill
4/15/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
Jeff Gluck:
Remember when I thought JJ was mad at KuBu? It was Newman. JJ: "He was already a lap down and proceeded to race me and cost me the lead."
Yeah, He's Jimmie Johnson, so everyone is supposed to move over and let him just drive by. Never mind that they are fighting to stay on the lead lap.
4/15/12 | Canadianhick | 2091 respect
Jeff Gluck:
Saw some dumbass almost get run over by Tony Stewart in the garage. I think Stewart even made contact w/ him and the guy was still clueless.
Was it Juan? I'm only joking of course.
4/15/12 | Canadianhick | 2091 respect
Gotta love Ryan Newman.
Jeff Gluck:
Remember when I thought JJ was mad at KuBu? It was Newman. JJ: "He was already a lap down and proceeded to race me and cost me the lead."
4/14/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
Kevin Harvick was complaining about something being on his grill during the last run. He pulled into the garage and it was a $100 bill.
4/14/12 | Canadianhick | 2091 respect
Johnson is such a baby, fussing about lapped cars not giving him enough respect. Go get your diaper you bloody crybaby. He always finds someone/something to blame in every single race that he doesn't win. I'm so happy he hit the damn wall.
4/14/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
And you were totally right with your prediction that he would remain in the points lead, dammmit. LOL
4/14/12 | Canadianhick | 2091 respect
Greg Biffle wins in Texas! Johnson, Martin, Gordon and Kenseth round out the top 5..
4/14/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
LMAO!! Tony Stewart is in 23rd or 24th.......
@jeff_gluckTony Stewart: "We cannot have any more f------ green on these race cars!!" Green is a bad color (superstition) in racing.
and seconds after that post comes this one.....
@StewartHaasRcng#TonyStewart has politely asked for no more green hues to appear on his motor vehicles.Oh, and there was a full drink bottle on the track. Guess which driver hit it???
Yep, that would be Juan Pablo Montoya.
4/14/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
Nope, it isn't just you.
Update: Martin Truex Racing driver and pole sitter Martin Truex Jr leads again. I wouldn't be surprised to see him with the checkers at the end. He has been really strong tonight.
4/14/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
Harvick lost a lugnut and lost 7 spots. He is bad fast though, so not worried.
4/14/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
Kevin Harvicck is running like he is on rails!! He's in second behind Biffle right now, but I don't think Biff will be able to hold him off for long.
And I may be a Dale Jr fan, but that was a real chickens**t move to bump Bobby Labonte. It's early in the race, and there was no call for that.
4/14/12 | Canadianhick | 2091 respect
Is it just me or have the MWR cars taken a big step forward and the JGR have gone backwards?
4/14/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
Matt Kenseth was one of the expert favorites for tonight's race, and is one of the fastest cars on the track, but he is reporting that he can smell something burning in the car and that his water temperature is up. He thought he had something on the grill, but the cameras show nothing there.
4/14/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
Racing how I have missed you............
4/14/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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10050 respect
I think it's getting more and more difficult to say exactly who is a dark horse....
4/14/12 | Canadianhick | 2091 respect
Winner: I could go with Tony Stewart who has won the last handful of races on intermediate tracks, however I'm taking Matt Kenseth for a number of different reasons. After a 31st in his rookie season and a 20th place finish the following year at Fort Worth. Matt has not finished in the top ten 4 times since then. The majority of them were top fives. In fact if Matt didn't get a top five or finished outside the top ten he finished 6th and has two 9th place finishes. When they come back to Texas in November will Matt be on the pole? He has qualified 4th, 3rd, and 2nd in his last three races here.
Dark Horse: Martin Truex, Jr.. He has run fairly well here in the past, I think its just a matter of time before he scores a long awaited win.