Bring the infield to your backyard with some Bristol tunes

Hey, you! Looking for a little new music to get you through a Pocono weekend? Then head on over to Amazon or iTunes and pick up "Bristol Nights," a new compilation CD that's focused entirely on everybody's favorite bathtub track!

Produced by Banshee Music, which has put together compilations for the Green Bay Packers, Orlando Magic, Ohio State and other sports entities, "Bristol Nights" collects 12 tunes by a bunch of country music folks who -- well, you probably haven't heard of many of 'em, but they put their hearts into it, let's say that. The roster includes Whiskey Falls, Swagger, Colt Ford, Crash City, Silvergun and a few other folks. (Aside: Is there anything in 21st-century America that a guy named "Colt Ford" could possibly be but a country singer?)

The music's big, anthemic crowd-pleasing country and pseudo-rap-rock, lots of "whooo!"s and "come on now!"s, lots of harkening back to the way things oughta be. You can imagine this stuff blasting out over speakers at the track, with plenty of gyrating honeys and half-drunk dudes hollering along. In short, it's perfect for race weekend -- even if you're nowhere near a track.

Don't believe me? You can stream a couple "Bristol Nights" tunes by clicking right here, and then you can buy the whole deal at Amazon and iTunes. (It's digital only. Real-world media is so 2004.)

Now, if these cats could release a companion CD of drivers' cursing over the radio at Bristol -- perhaps even set to music -- they'd have themselves the perfect collection.

Four Wide: Look what JGR did to that poor guitar!

Every day, we bring you the best in NASCAR news and info. Get your day rolling right ... or left, whichever.

 

• Kyle Busch haters, mount up! Here's the video of that infamous smashed Nashville guitar being carved to bits in the Gibbs shop. [Full Throttle]

• Getting to know the ever-present Miss Sprint Cup. Her name is Monica Palumbo, and she wears that firesuit everywhere. Well, maybe not everywhere, but pretty darn close. [Racin' Today]

• Meet Caitlin Shaw. She's 19 years old. She's a NASCAR series driver. And she's one of those, what do you call 'em, girls. Check out this interview with her and say you knew her when. [Bleacher Report]

• Greg Biffle stopped by the Buffalo Bills' training camp Thursday night to hang with fellow Northwesterner Rian Lindell, the Bills' kicker. No word on whether the Biff took a couple shots at the uprights. [Catchfence]

• Felipe Massa continues to mend. Always good to hear. [Do You NASCAR?]

• With BMW out of F1, might the automaker come to NASCAR? Jeff Hammond thinks it's a good idea. [Fox Sports]

Got a link/tip? Hit us up at jay.busbee@yahoo.com and follow us on Twitter.

Here comes the sun to power Pocono Raceway

For many NASCAR fans, the idea of being environmentally sensitive means actually using the Porta-Johns in the infield. But Pocono Raceway is taking steps to become a world leader in the use of solar energy. Yes, Pocono.

The New York Times -- which is really a much better paper than you've been led to believe, trust me -- is profiling Pocono's move to solar energy. (The article rather cluelessly describes the track as "fuel-belching," but still.) Pocono will install 40,000 photovoltaic panels on what had been a parking lot across the street from the track. The panels will generate an estimated three megawatts of electricity and should come online next spring.

As always, while the end result is an environmentally beneficial one, the prime motivator was money. While the project will run an estimated $15 million to $17 million, it'll pay for itself soon enough; deregulation of local utilities would have raised the track's annual power bill to up to half a million dollars. The track will also sell off a fair portion of its power to the local grid.

This could be a harbinger for the future; several stadiums, including the homes of the San Francisco Giants and Cleveland Indians, already use solar energy. And according to the developers that worked with Pocono, numerous other pro and college teams are looking to jump on the solar trend.

And this is only the start! Coming up, all cars will be hybrids, and then later they'll be battery-powered! NASCAR tracks will have weight sensors to make sure only the in-shape will be allowed in -- to encourage fitness, you know -- and no one will be allowed to consume more than three beers in a raceday afternoon! And it'll all be owned by the Chinese -- aw, relax, I'm kidding. But I'm sure there will be conspiracy theories that spring up around this, too.

So in the end, Pocono is doing a very good thing here. But don't worry -- it's still okay to hate the racing.

A Fuel-Belching NASCAR Track Has Big Plans For Solar Power [New York Times]

The Pace Lap: Sunoco Red Cross 500 (aka Pocono II)

Welcome to The Pace Lap, your catchall preview post! Every Friday before race day, we'll get you started with a metric truckload of stats, facts, opinion and innuendo.

The race: The Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway

The specs: 200 laps on a 2.5-mile course, 2:18 p.m.

The TV: ESPN

Defending champ: Carl Edwards. Remember when he was winning all kinds of races last year? Yeah, it's about time for him to get started on that again.

The standings leaders:

The history: Longtime NASCAR fans know the story with Pocono -- three distinct turns, each requiring a different setup, which means that crew chiefs are working on a best-guess approach rather than an analytical one. And while Pocono is often derided, by both drivers and fans, as a dull track, it's also the only one in such close proximity to population centers of the Northeast, which means it's not going anywhere.

The appropriate video: From 2000: Jeremy Mayfield bumps Dale Earnhardt in the final turn to win. Presented without further comment:

Guy with the most to gain: David Reutimann. He needs a good run this weekend to keep himself in the Chase hunt and put pressure on the fellow bubble-lurkers around him. A strong performance by Reutimann this weekend could turn the entire Chase run on its head.

Guy with the most to lose: Kyle Busch. He's teetering on the edge of missing the Chase, and one more bad run and he could be looking at an almost insurmountable challenge. If Kyle starts off with problems, look out ... and listen for his radio transmissions. Just keep the kids out of the room.

Our pick to win: Edwards. He hasn't been running too poorly this year -- dude is in fifth and closing hard, after all -- but he's still without a win. Now's the time for him to start gearing up for the Chase.

Fun Pocono fact: Pocono is one of only two tracks on the Sprint Circuit, Indy being the other, that doesn't have a supporting Nationwide or Camping World race.

All right, you're up. Who's your pick to win?

Midnight Marbles, where we're racing at midnight

Hey everybody, time for another Midnight Marbles thread! Chat about whatever you'd like here, including the lovely sunset there at right from O'Reilly Raceway Park this past weekend. We need to have some racing with only headlights, not track lights. That'd be fun.

Such are the thoughts that come to you at the end of the day. We'll be back soon with much more, including a preview of this weekend's Pocono race. Hey, wake up! It'll be fun, really! Please? Have a good time here, all!

Four Wide: Those darned NASCAR cars have messed up Indy

 

Every day, we bring you the best in NASCAR news and information. Get your day rolling right ... or left, whichever.

• Dario Franchitti says all those freakin' NASCAR cars have gone and made the Indy track all "bumpy." Sounds like somebody's got a case of the couldn't-race-COTs. [SpinDoctor500]

• Litigation aplenty: Mike Wallace, former Nationwide driver for Germain Racing, has filed suit over GEICO dropping its sponsorship of him and sponsoring Max Papis. [Scene Daily]

• NASCAR needs to step up and release pit speed data. But if there's full disclosure, how will we ever come up with the next conspiracy theory? [Racin' Today]

• Jamie McMurray's career in 2006 was thisclose to catching fire. Also in 2007, 2008, 2009 ... you get the idea. [Passing Lane]

• Kyle Busch might be a team owner in 2010. Heaven help us all. [NASCAR Insiders]

Got a link/tip? Hit us up at jay.busbee@yahoo.com and follow us on Twitter.

Pocono Summer Preview

PREVIEW: DALE EARNHARDT JR. (NO. 88 AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET)
VENUE: POCONO RACEWAY (2.5-MILE TRIANGULAR TRACK)
CIRCUIT: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES (RACE 21 OF 36)
DATE: AUG. 2, 2009 (200 LAPS, 500 MILES)

*****

AT POCONO: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, has recorded five top-five finishes and six top-10s in 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono Raceway. He has led 98 laps and completed 96.4 percent of all laps he's attempted (3,553 laps of 3,685) at the Pennsylvania racetrack.

A FAMILIAR SITE: This weekend's race will be the first repeat track for crew chief Lance McGrew atop the No. 88 pit box. McGrew spent his first full weekend as the crew chief for the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard team at Pocono Raceway in June.

POCONO POLE POSITION: Earnhardt earned his only Pocono pole position in August 2007 and led eight laps before finishing second. The runner-up effort matched his career-best performance at the Long Pond, Pa., track, which came in July 2001 when he led 31 laps.

LOGGING MILES: At Pocono Raceway, Earnhardt has raced 8,882.5 miles, which is the third-highest total for the 34-year-old driver at any track. For perspective, Earnhardt could make almost eight roundtrips from the Hendrick Motorsports campus in Concord, N.C., to the 2.5-mile triangular track. He has logged more mileage only at Lowe's Motor Speedway (10,042.5) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (9,842.1).

POCONO CHASSIS: McGrew and the No. 88 engineers will unload Chassis No. 88-556 this weekend at Pocono. It is the first chassis McGrew has built from scratch for Earnhardt and was fielded last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Earnhardt raced inside the top 10 for a majority of the Brickyard 400, but his strong run was cut short when engine woes sidelined the team 33 laps shy of the checkered flag.

PENNSYLVANIA NATIVES: Four members of the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet team consider the Keystone State home. Spotter T.J. Majors grew up racing dirt tracks in western Pennsylvania and hails from Wampum. Gas man Chris Fasulka (Wilkes-Barre), rear-tire carrier Matt Myers (Ford City) and transporter driver Dave Radney (Canton) also are from Pennsylvania.

HENDRICK AT POCONO: In 50 Cup events (161 starts) at Pocono Raceway, Hendrick Motorsports has scored 11 wins, 48 top-five finishes and 82 top-10s. Hendrick drivers have led 2,510 laps during that time.

ONE-TWO FINISH(ES): Out of Hendrick Motorsports' eight Cup wins this season, five have involved one-two finishes with its drivers. Hendrick's drivers have scored the first and second spots at Chicagoland Speedway, Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. Overall, Hendrick Motorsports has tallied 27 one-two finishes since first fielding a multi-car team in 1986.

JUST DOWN THE ROAD: PepsiCo's Purchase, N.Y., headquarters is located 125 miles east of Pocono Raceway. The company, which sponsors Earnhardt's car with its AMP Energy brand, has been headquartered in Purchase since 1970.

GET ON THE NO. 88: At this year's AMP Energy 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, thousands of members of JR Nation will see their names on Earnhardt's No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet as part of the AMP Energy "Get on the 88" promotion. Race fans can enter by logging onto www.AMPEnergy.com. The first to sign up will see their names on Earnhardt's car and others will appear on the team's pit wall banner. Participants will be notified before the Nov. 1 race with a confirmation of where their names landed. This marks the second year of the hugely popular program.

*****

DALE EARNHARDT JR., DRIVER, NO. 88 AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET (ON POCONO.): "Trying to get through the tunnel turn (Turn 2) is about the hardest corner in the whole season. All three corners are really different so getting your car to handle good in all of them is tough to do. But you just focus on trying to get it off the last corner because the straightaway is so long. That basically covers half the racetrack, if you can get around that corner and down the next straightaway."

LANCE McGREW, INTERIM CREW CHIEF, NO. 88 AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET (ON RETURNING TO POCONO WITH THE NO. 88 TEAM.): "I hate the fact that we had a mechanical issue the first time there because I felt like we had a pretty decent race car but we weren't able to show it. Because we found the problem after the race, unfortunately, we are going back still with a question mark. If we hadn't had the problem, I would say, 'This is a real solid setup and here is where we finished but let's make tweaks here.' Well, now I still have questions with our first setup. But I definitely think it's a plus to go back to somewhere the second time. I just wish I had more answers and less questions."

McGREW (ON THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE AT POCONO.): "Usually in the second race the track loses a lot of grip just because it's been so hot. It's not like that track's not challenging enough as it is with its three different corners, and there's multiple problems that you can encounter there. During the second race of the season, you really fight grip, and since we fought grip the first time, that's an added challenge."

McGREW (ON THE GROWTH OF THE NO. 88 TEAM.): "I think that we've managed to put together pieces and parts at races where our car was really good. We ran three-quarters of the race at Chicago really well; we just have got to figure out a way to close. And that's happened to us a couple times already this year. I think we've put together a string of top-10 cars; we just have not had the string of top-10 finishes."

Five quick fixes that would spice up NASCAR racing - Tom Bowles - SI.com

Five quick fixes that would spice up NASCAR racing - Tom Bowles - SI.com: "This is the time of year when the coverage on and off the track starts to shift under NASCAR's Chase for the Championship format. As of now, only 18 teams have a realistic shot of qualifying for the Chase, leaving the other 25 buried in the corner of the garage with little or nothing to shoot for except next season. With the media coverage rightfully shifting toward the title contenders instead of the full field of 43, sponsors of the other cars are unhappy, and those drivers are frustrated."


Earnhardt Nation Website

The VoiceEarnhardt Nation News and Comments

Summer of comebacks continues: Michael Schumacher returns

It's been a good summer for returning legends -- Lance Armstrong challenging in the Tour de France, Tom Watson nearly winning the British Open, Brett Favre on-and-off'ing the Vikings. (And that doesn't even include Michael Vick.) But now comes the news the biggest comeback of all is imminent.

Michael Schumacher has announced that he'll return to Formula One's Ferrari team on a limited basis, replacing Felipe Massa, who was critically injured during a practice run in Hungary last week. Schumacher's name might not mean much to a large swath of American fans, but worldwide, trust me, this is huge news.

Here's why. If Tiger Woods and Serena Williams had a baby, and Michael Jordan and Megan Fox had a baby, and those two babies met and had another baby, that baby would be Michael Schumacher. The 40-year-old German is a seven-time Formula One champion and a worldwide celebrity, controversial and charitable all at once.

Schumacher won 91 of the 250 races in his F1 career. He captured championships in 1994 and 1995, and then again every season from 2000 to 2004. He hit the billion-dollar mark in earnings -- that's billion with a "b" -- in 2005, beating Tiger Woods by an estimated five years. And he was every bit as controversial in F1 circles as Charles Barkley multiplied by Terrell Owens; two separate times, he was involved in late-season incidents that determined a season's champion. In one, he was exonerated; in the other, he was disqualified and lost the 1997 championship as a result.

He retired from F1 in 2006 but continues to race in occasional series like December's Race of Champions, a cross-series all-star race that included Carl Edwards. (In a head-to-head matchup, Edwards beat Schumacher.) Oh, and he also stays charitable, having given an estimated $50 million to charities over the course of his life.

Yeah, he's kind of a big deal.

So the question now is, how much does Schumacher have in the tank, so to speak? Schumacher was legendary for his ability to wring more from his engine than anybody else; how will age affect those abilities? Even Schumacher himself doesn't know.

"Though it is true that the Formula One chapter has long been closed for me, it is also true that for team loyalty reasons I cannot ignore that unfortunate situation," Schumacher said in announcing his return. "But as the competitor I am, I also very much look forward to facing this challenge."

Schumacher returns to a changed F1. At the same time as he announced his return, BMW announced it will be pulling out of the series at the end of the season due to financial constraints. Expected to be competitive in 2009, BMW lagged far behind its peers, and is the second major automaker, after Honda, to bail out of the beleaguered F1 series. F1 officials strongly hinted that the teams' failure to accept controversial proposed cost controls led to BMW's departure, another shot in the ongoing battle between the sport and its teams.

It's not under ideal circumstances, then, but Michael Schumacher's return to Formula One could be just what the sport needs.

Schumacher to make comeback to replace Massa [AP via Yahoo! Sports]
BMW pulling out of Formula One [AP via Yahoo! Sports]

Join us for the Marbles' Weekly Chat, Wednesday at Noon ET

Time for another Marbles weekly chat. This Wednesday at Noon Eastern, Ricky Craven stops by to talk all things NASCAR.

Happy Fourth of July from The Marbles!

Happy Fourth of July to you and yours from all of us at Yahoo! Sports and The Marbles! Hope you have a safe, happy holiday. Enjoy the race!

Join us for the Marbles' Weekly Chat, Wednesday at 1:00 ET

Time for another Marbles weekly chat, as always starting on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Come hang, talk shop, talk tough, whatever you like. We'll be here waiting for you!

That's what he said: NASCAR drivers and their killer quotes - From the Marb... - NASCAR - Yahoo! Sports

That's what he said: NASCAR drivers and their killer quotes - From the Marb... - NASCAR - Yahoo! Sports: "• 'Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you have feathers on your legs or butt.' -- Dale Earnhardt"









Sugermeyer's Sweets

The VoiceEarnhardt Nation News and Comments

Create-a-caption: 'When do I reveal that all I want to do is dance?'

Carl Edwards, dreaming of a brighter day. Caption this one, friends, and let us in on the mysteries within his head.

After the jump, Matt Kenseth can't believe what he sees on Greg Biffle.

swift:
"For the last time, Greg, not ordering your 2009 Nascar Pets calendar doesn't give you the right to call me an animal hater."

razz:
The Biff endures a severe tongue lashing after stating that he could help out if there was ever a breast pump malfunction at Matt's house.

ziggalajiggy, one of many who took the "drill sergeant" route:
Kenseth: How tall are you, private?
Biffle: Five foot nine, sir.
Kenset: Five foot nine, I didn't know they stacked **** that high!

Shannon P:
In an effort to come across as more aggressive, Kenseth finally musters the courage to bully the kid with braces.

Doug C:
"Stop it! You will listen to me when I'm talking to you! I am sssooooo sick and tired of how you always hog the remote and then hide it when I'm not around. I'm tired of that fungus growing in the bathroom and how you're always messing with that picture of my girlfriend. You eat all the cheeze-its and don't throw the box away for crying out loud! I AM SO GONE!"

Pocono: Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview :: PaddockTalk :: F1, Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, MotoGP, ALMS, And More!

Pocono: Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview :: PaddockTalk :: F1, Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, MotoGP, ALMS, And More!: "DALE EARNHARDT JR., DRIVER, NO. 88 AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET (ON POCONO.): 'Trying to get through the tunnel turn (Turn 2) is about the hardest corner in the whole season. All three corners are really different so getting your car to handle good in all of them is tough to do. But you just focus on trying to get it off the last corner because the straightaway is so long. That basically covers half the racetrack, if you can get around that corner and down the next straightaway.'

LANCE McGREW, INTERIM CREW CHIEF, NO. 88 AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET (ON RETURNING TO POCONO WITH THE NO. 88 TEAM.): 'I hate the fact that we had a mechanical issue the first time there because I felt like we had a pretty decent race car but we weren't able to show it. Because we found the problem after the race, unfortunately, we are going back still with a question mark. If we hadn't had the problem, I would say, 'This is a real solid setup and here is where we finished but let's make tweaks here.' Well, now I still have questions with our first setup. But I definitely think it's a plus to go back to somewhere the second time. I just wish I had more answers and less questions.'"


Earnhardt Nation Website

The VoiceEarnhardt Nation News and Comments

Four Wide: Schumacher coming back; free tickets for life?

Every day, we bring you the best in NASCAR news and info. Get your day rolling right ... or left, whichever.

• Michael Schumacher -- seen here with some cab-driving nobody from the States -- is coming back to step in for injured F1 driver Felipe Massa. There's no way this ends well for the world's first billionaire athlete, is there? [Axis of Oversteer]

• Want free tickets for life to Lowe's Motor Speedway? Win their contest! It's a great deal. Shoot, they're going to keep charging Joey Logano until he catches on, but no reason why you need to pay. [NASCAR.com]

• Bad news: NASCAR and Kentucky Speedway will return to court later this week. Good news: nobody is claiming Kentucky Speedway is a whore or a killer. [Scene Daily]

• For you crash lovers, All Left Turns has quite the assortment of Pocono crash vids. Enjoy! Bring the kids! [All Left Turns]

• NASCAR at Indy is no longer in such good hands, as Allstate's ditching of the July race proves. [Indianapolis Journal-Gazette]

• The numerous ads for ExtenZe on the Nationwide race have some fans concerned. Considering the many criticisms of the product, does it belong in NASCAR? [The Daly Report]

Got a link/tip? Hit us up at jay.busbee@yahoo.com and follow us on Twitter.

We won't be free of the Jeremy Mayfield mess till at least 2010

Jeremy Mayfield is fast on the track, but the wheels of justice turn far slower than the wheels on a NASCAR!

[Heh heh. You like that? That's my "cheesy local news"-style lead.]

Anyway, the point. Mayfield/NASCAR, the brawl to settle it all, won't begin until September 13, 2010 at the very earliest. And, of course, there's plenty that could happen before then to either delay or settle the case. According to Scene, both sides will complete their initial investigations by April and must make their motions for summary judgment (where the judge goes ahead and decides the case without trial -- you know, like how NASCAR decides who will win each season) are due in early May.

Mayfield, as you surely know, has filed suit against NASCAR, both for suspending him for a drug test that he claims was a false positive and for defamation of his character. NASCAR, in turn, has countersued Mayfield for violating the sport's substance-abuse policy.

Mayfield had won a brief reprieve from his suspension earlier this month, but last week, a judge slammed the door on him once again pending a full review, which is likely to take place in October.

In related news, Mayfield also finds himself on the business end of a lawsuit filed by his stepmother following allegations that Mayfield made about her. Lisa Mayfield filed the suit in Iredell County (N.C.) Civil Court, and is seeking compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $10,000 apiece.

Lisa Mayfield had testified that she not only witnessed Mayfield taking methamphetamine at least 30 times, but that he was also making the stuff. Jeremy Mayfield responded in the following calm, reasoned manner in an interview with ESPN.com: "She's basically a whore. She shot and killed my dad."

Yeah, I can see why that might rub her a little wrong.

Mayfield also claimed that his stepmother took money from NASCAR for her testimony, but that's pretty tame compared to the allegations that he made against her regarding the death of Mayfield's father. According to Lisa Mayfield's complaint, Jeremy Mayfield told WSOC that "she's been running and basically either her, or conspired on killing my dad, shot my dad in the heart."

Not a whole lot of gray area there, is there? This case is still a mess, but one thing is certain -- this is scorched-earth. Nothing is ever going to be the same for Mayfield or anyone anywhere close to him after this.

NASCAR-Jeremy Mayfield trial cannot begin before September 2010 [Scene Daily]
Suspended driver sued by stepmother [ESPN.com]

Wreck of the week: Keselowski runs a 'Dega on Lagasse

From Saturday's Nationwide race: Brad Keselowski, fighting with Scott Lagasse Jr. for position, pulls a move similar to the one that sent Carl Edwards into the fence and netted Keselowski a win at Talladega. And with Lagasse on the wall, Mike Bliss had no room to get out of the way, and, well:

It was exceedingly bad news for Lagasse, who has only one more race left this weekend in the CJM Racing No. 11; after Iowa, Lagasse will lose his seat to Denny Hamlin for two weeks -- and potentially the rest of the season.

From the Couch: The fix had to be in at Indy

How was your weekend, Juan?

Not so good. I lost a race.

Oh yeah, how?

By speeding.

...

Yeah, that doesn't make any sense, it sort of goes against the premise of the sport. After all, he was clearly the fastest - everywhere on the track.

Poor Juan. My couch was pulling for him. But I must admit, I'm a conspiracy theorist on this one. I mean, come on, how in the world did EGR field a car so dominant? Lighting bolts don't really make cars go faster, despite what Dale Jarrett may think.

It all seemed a bit scripted: JPM, former Indy 500 champ and minority NASCAR racer, pacing the field, dominating his old stomping grounds, and stealing the show reserved for big names and big teams. It had just enough plausibility to it that it could be sold. Only, NASCAR realized that they couldn't reward Teresa as that would violate Section 12-1 of the rule book, actions detrimental to stock car racing, and the plug got pulled at the last minute.

And wow did that suck for Juan, his team, and even his family. (Though not so much for the fans, including the 12 in attendance, because it allowed for a race to the finish.) Juan responded with a denial so convoluted and conspiratorial Mayfield's lawyers took notes. Then, he offered up his wife and kids in exchange for the victory.

"I swear on my children and wife that I was not speeding."

Now, Helton, if you are listening, what does the rulebook say about that? You keep a close eye on things, so you've clearly seen his wife. If he swore on, say, Roseanne Barr, he was actually speeding. Barbara Streisand, yup, speeding. Hillary Clinton, by god, he was utilizing nitrous and posi-traction. But Connie Fraydell? You don't go trading Connie in for victory, especially in Indiana .

(Though I don't even really know what that means. I swear on my wife? Yeah, me too. I'm pretty sure at some point or another, everyone swears on their wife. I think it's an unspoken tenet of marriage. Now, if he meant to swear on his wife's life, now that's a different story.)

A lot has been made about his five-second lead and the fact that he needn't speed with such a dominant car and enviable cushion. But look, it's a natural reaction. JPM just happens to spend his professional life hurling automobiles down race tracks at ungodly speeds. His job is to push the envelope; that's what racing is. And it's not like success has come easy for him in NASCAR, so the idea that he was pressing is entirely conceivable. He wanted to win so badly, he was pushing it everywhere he could, which included somewhere he shouldn't.

Positively for EGR, Juan was racing himself (he had no peers in the race formerly known as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard presented by Golden Corral at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis brought to you by ESPN). Negatively for EGR, Juan lost to himself. And after the race, he put it in perspective, sealing his sound bite victory for the day.

"That car was stupid fast."

Yes, Juan, it was. It was both.

That's what he said: NASCAR drivers and their killer quotes

There's no group of athletes that more consistently reel off great quotes than NASCAR drivers. While they try so hard to stay on message -- "we ran hard out there today," "I want to thank [sponsor] and [sponsor] and the [number] [car make]" -- it doesn't take much to get them knocked off their foundations and start ranting, particularly during and immediately after the race.

Of all the many drivers who have spouted off in interviews, though, two stand above the rest. Tony Stewart and the late Dale Earnhardt could turn a phrase and twist a knife better than anybody else in NASCAR. Don't believe me? Check out some of their work:

• "Every one of these drivers in the garage area, I can speak to because they all speak English, with the exception of Ward Burton. He speaks whatever he speaks. He speaks Ward." -- Tony Stewart, on the difference between IRL and NASCAR

• "[Greg Biffle]'s an idiot. They name streets after people like that -- one-way and dead-end. I like the guy, we play poker together, but if I found him right now, I'd strangle him." -- Stewart

• "I think when you look at our team, you have to say that the weak point is probably still the driver." -- Stewart

• "Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you have feathers on your legs or butt." -- Dale Earnhardt

• "I'll apologize to them after they get me to the front." -- Earnhardt, after being told by his crew he was being too hard on his tires.

• "You win some, lose some and wreck some." -- Earnhardt

But Smoke and the Intimidator aren't the only ones who've mastered the art of the quote. Check some of the other fine offerings from around the sport:

• "Why did I take up racing? I was too lazy to work and too chicken to steal" -- Kyle Petty

• "They said they wanted someone with a size 12 shoe and a size 2 hat." -- Buddy Baker on being one of the first invited to run at top speed at Talladega.

• "We go six times faster." -- William C. France, answering the question of why there are six times as many deaths in NASCAR as in football

• "It's basically the same, just darker." -- Alan Kulwicki on the difference between racing on Saturday night versus Sunday afternoon

Now, this was supposed to be a one-off post, a collection of ten or fifteen of the best NASCAR quotes in history. But thanks to the efforts of Marbles readers (particularly Mark at Full Throttle), we've got enough to keep us going for months on end. Feel free to send in your suggestions to jay.busbee@yahoo.com or write them in the comments below. Plus, every weekend brings the chance for more!

We close off with a fine video of some more great quotes. Enjoy:

Create-a-caption: Kasey and Tony fight over the last donut

Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart, goin' at it! What are they saying to each other? You know, don't you? Have at it!

Create-a-caption: I know, I can't believe these kids either!

Michael Waltrip and Bobby Labonte trade tales. This one's got all kinds of potential, friends, so have fun with it!

Join us for the Marbles' Weekly Chat, Wednesday at 1:00 Eastern

Hey, it's time for Live Chat Wednesday. We'll kick things off Wednesday at 1 p.m. Eastern to talk Daytona, Truex and maybe even a little MJ. Whatever's on your mind is fair game. See ya then.

Midnight Marbles, where we're taking the blog on the road

Hey folks, back with another Midnight Marbles. Our guest today: Sad Kyle Busch, looking down at his flux capacitor and wondering where it all went wrong. (Or, as tipster Carol put it in her email, "Awwww....")

Anyway, here's tonight's topic of conversation. In the coming weeks, The Marbles is hitting the road. We're scheduled to be in Bristol, Atlanta and Talladega for the upcoming races, and perhaps more. So I'm looking for your tips and insight into the 'Dega and Bristol races. If you've got some recommendations on where to go, what to see, what to do, et cetera, post it in the comments below. And if you've got some real expertise (like, as in traffic flow and places to stay), hit me up at jay.busbee@yahoo.com. I've got some questions for ya. I'd also love to meet any Marbleheads that'll be there in person, so if you've got a grill, I'll come hang and mooch off you.

All right, that's it for now. Hang here, everybody, and for those of you new to the site, introduce yourself and chat about whatever. We'll be back very soon with more stuff. Seeya!

Marbles Fantasy League Update: Time to start conserving

We continue onward with Marbles fantasy racing as we near the Chase. Got any Johnson/Stewart slots left? If so, you're in the catbird seat. Let's take a moment to throw some love to last week's winners: Commie Killer; a tie between Go Fast, Stewart's Posse, Your Mom is Aero Loose (awesome name), JAG Racing, and Bones Racin; and Bamora Motorsports. Current season winners include Whatever Whenever Wherever, Five O'Clock Somewhere, and Augusta Yankees.

It's never too late to join the Marbles league; there are no limits on participation, and there's always the chance for Internet glory, which is always the best kind. To get in the league, you can either click right here or go to the Auto Racing page on Yahoo! Fantasy Sports, create a team, and enter the following info:

League Name: The Marbles Fantasy League
League ID: 30
Password: marbles

And that's it! We'll have all kinds of swag to give away to winners of the spring, summer, fall and full seasons, and we'll post weekly winners right here every week. Now get to it!

State of the Teams 2009: Red Bull Racing Team

All week, we're running down the top teams in NASCAR. We finish with the merry fellas at Team Red Bull.

Drivers (rank): Brian Vickers (16), Scott Speed (36)

Wins in 19 races: 0 (Best finish: Vickers, 5th, Atlanta and Coca-Cola 600; Speed: 5th, Talladega)

The story: Red Bull may give you wings, but at the moment it ain't giving wins. Vickers has been right on the edge of breaking through for awhile now, and I expect it will come sooner rather than later. Scott Speed has been a curious choice, particularly since his selection kicked AJ Allmendinger to the curb. Speed hasn't run particularly well, and he's expressed his lack of reverence for NASCAR's traditions and history.

Verdict: Vickers is on the cusp of breaking through, and might well have done so if not for some bad accident breaks this year. Thing is, his teammate hasn't done quite so well, and Speed is working on a seven-race streak where he hasn't finished higher than 30th. While Vickers is in it for the long term, how long will Speed continue to languish in the lower echelons of NASCAR?

Thanks to everybody for sticking through the entire State of the Teams feature! Back Monday with more new material!

McMurray out at Roush as Crown Royal jumps to Kenseth

Break out the scorecards, folks. We're still weeks from the Chase, but the silly season has officially begun.

Jamie McMurray, long rumored as the odd man out in Roush Fenway Racing's five-cars-for-four-slots team, has been in effect served his walking papers with the news that his primary sponsor, Crown Royal, will be switching its allegiance to Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 car. That's Kenseth and McMurray above, of course, in happier days.

That means David Ragan, despite currently running a full 10 spots behind McMurray in 30th place, gets the coveted fourth Roush spot. (Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards weren't going anywhere.) Roush had to shrink his five-car operation to four cars by 2010 to meet new NASCAR rules.

It's an unfortunate, if not unexpected, end to McMurray's Roush career. While he's never finished higher than 16th during his three-plus years for Roush, he appeared headed for greatness at the end of 2008. Back then, nobody outside of Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson was running hotter than McMurray, and he was a consensus dark horse (is that possible?) pick to make the Chase in 2009 -- which would have made Roush's decision that much harder.

Alas, it wasn't to be, and McMurray now finds himself a man with few options. Roush Fenway Racing president Geoff Smith hinted at one possible future: "We are still hoping to be able to transfer the No. 26 team, intact, to Yates Racing in order to keep everyone employed and racing within the Ford community." Beyond that, well ... the 1 car is available at Earnhardt Ganassi. Beyond that ... ?

Bottom line, the dominos have begun falling, the shoe has dropped, the Rubicon has been crossed, the die has been cast -- whatever cliché you want to use, Roush Fenway now has its 2010 plans in order. Now, if they can just do something about Kenseth's slow slide from the top of the 2009 standings ...

Crown Royal becomes primary sponsor on No. 17 [NASCAR.com]

They make it 'cause we buy it: Dale Earnhardt soda bottles

No sport offers up a more bewildering array of souvenir crap memorabilia than NASCAR, and They Make It digs deep into the corners of the Internet to bring all that strangeness to light. Today: it's collectible AND delicious!

The item: Dale Earnhardt brand soda pop from Sundrop. Bottles date from 1979 to 1990, and are available from $20 to $30 from eintown.com.

The deal: Way back in the day, I had an old can of Billy Beer that I thought was going to make me rich one day. Well, it didn't, and something like 30 years later, my buddy and I -- who had probably sampled too many beers of a more recent vintage -- decided to open it up. Being guys, and therefore idiots, we decided to try to drink the three-decade-old Billy Beer. I put the can to my mouth, tasted something like dirty water, and then something slid from the bottom end of the can almost down my throat. I don't remember a whole lot after that.

Anyway, I tell you this entertaining little tale to relate to you what these 20- to 30-year-old Dale Earnhardt soda bottles must taste like. So if you do buy them, for the love of heaven, do not drink them. Collect them, use them for paint stripper, befoul the earth for a generation, whatever ... just use another beverage to salute the Intimidator.

The hat tip: To reader James, who spotted this collection. Got some bizarre NASCARiana of your own that you've found out on the web? Hit us up at jay.busbee@yahoo.com.

Make your voice known in the NASCAR Hall of Fame vote

As baseball wrestles with the whole issue of voting for its Hall of Fame -- should it be a public affair? Should Pete Rose be inducted? -- NASCAR is taking the process one step further and dumping it straight in your lap. Yes, in a first among major sports, NASCAR is allowing fans to have a say in who gets into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Here's how it works. NASCAR has announced 25 potential inductees; you can see them there at right. (Get out your spectacles.) Now, if you go to www.nascar.com/hall, you can vote for up to five of those legends to get into the Hall. All fans' votes together will constitute one of the 51 ballots determining induction into the Hall of Fame. So it's not like we're all going to be able to sway the vote for, I dunno, Buck Baker or anything, but we will have a voice, which is pretty cool.

Now, you've got to register with NASCAR, which means that they'll have your info and you sign away your right to criticize them now and forevermore,* but if you go to that link above, you'll be able to check out all kinds of biographical info on all the nominees so you can make a much more informed choice.

Or you can do it presidential-style, and vote for whoever you would most like to have a beer with. Wait a second -- that wouldn't work; I'd be up for a beer with all these guys. (Maybe not those who have passed on.) Anyway, go to it. Voting begins today, and the inductees will be announced in October.

* - Kidding. I think.

Four Wide: Tyler Hansbrough is not a NASCAR fan ... yet

Every day, we bring you the best in NASCAR news and opinion. Get your day rolling right ... or left, whichever.

• Despite the fact that he's from North Carolina and will now play hoops in Indy, Tyler Hansbrough is not a NASCAR fan. So of course he roots for Dale Earnhardt Jr. [NASCAR.com via Yahoo! Sports]

• The Allstate 400 will no longer be sponsored by Allstate. Wait, they can leave the race named for the company and not pay? Why doesn't everybody do this? (Seriously -- bad news for Indy. Hoping this doesn't become a trend.) [Yahoo! Sports]

• Is Joe Gibbs Racing running out of time to save its 2009? Perhaps. Kyle Busch has to get on the stick, that's for sure. But as the 2008 Chase showed, anybody can get hot -- or cold -- at any time. [Fox Sports]

• Jeff Gordon's celebrity bowl-a-thon in Indy raised a quarter-million for the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Greg Biffle, Sam Hornish Jr., Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch were among the celebs in attendance. Carl Edwards was not invited, because he bowls overhand. [Scene Daily]

• Sprint Cup may slowly be merging into the Nationwide series. Yes, you read that correctly. Bleacher Report explains all. [Bleacher Report]

• Surveying the good (Martin v. Johnson), the bad (unhappy fans) and the ugly (conspiracy theories) of the Indy race. [Bump-Drafts]

Got a link/tip? Hit us up at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or follow us on Twitter.

LeBron James, Tom Brady et al. don't exactly drive hybrids

They're worldwide icons, they're all over TV, they cash eight-figure checks ... what, you think pro athletes are going to drive pre-owned vehicles?

Forbes has compiled its latest list of athletes' automobiles, and as you'd imagine, there's nary a sensible sedan in the bunch. Matter of fact, several drive rides so exclusive the rest of us couldn't get them even if we had the cash.

A car speaks volumes about its owner, and athletes' vehicles are no exception. Take, for instance, Tom Brady, quarterback of the New England Patriots and companion to many a supermodel. He rolls in Audis -- the $51,400 Audi S5 and the far more exclusive $114,200 R8. LeBron James, on the other hand, has his very own customized Ferrari F430 Spider -- perfect for those long, lonely drives wondering what went wrong in the Eastern Conference finals.

Other notables mentioned in the Forbes survey: soccer's Christiano Ronaldo drives a Bentley Continental GT Speed, while golfer Greg Norman squires wife Chris Evert around in a Land Rover Range Rover Sport edition that's so limited, they're offered by invitation only. The Atlanta Braves' Kenshin Kawakami goes low-profile, switching between a Maserati Grand Turismo S and a Lamborghini Murcielago. And while Michelle Wie may still be looking for her first win on the LPGA tour, she can at least slam the trunks of some sweet cars -- a black-on-black BMW X5 and a white Mercedes-Benz GL550 -- at the end of a bad day on the links. (Click here to check out a slideshow of the athletes' rides.)

For athletes, the car is the most visceral element of the public image. Sure, they'll push candy bars and underwear on you, but if they've got the option, there's no way they're driving what you're driving. (Chipper Jones and his standard-issue Ford F-150 excepted.) And chances are, unless they're washed-up ballplayers looking to get you down to the car lot Kenny Powers-style, they're not going to be pushing their cars on you, either.

Envious? Don't be. After all, they still have to sit in traffic just like the rest of us. That athletes-only superhighway hasn't been built ... yet.

Cars of the sports stars [Forbes.com via Yahoo! Sports]
Athletes' cars: a Forbes.com slideshow

Time is running out to get your name on a NASCAR car!

In these days of tight sponsorship dollars, drivers looking to scrounge up cash can go knocking on the doors of the major companies, seeking that multi-figure infusion that will keep them on the track. But there are fewer of those big checks to go around these days, and fewer companies willing to sign them.

So what's a driver to do? Why, borrow a page from Wikipedia and go crowdsourcing. In other words, why wait for $100,000 from one sponsor when you could scare up $20 from 5,000 sponsors?

We've talked around here about throwing in cash to sponsor a Marbles/Yahoo! Sports car, but look at this -- longtime Sprint/Nationwide driver Kenny Wallace is actually going and doing it. On his website, you too can donate $20 toward Kenny's Natonwide race in Montreal on August 30th. And if you do, you'll get your name emblazoned on Kenny's No. 28 Chevy -- probably in teeny tiny font, but still -- and you'll get an autographed picture from Kenny after the race too. (If he wins, will he thank all his sponsors? "I couldn't have been here without the support of Agnes Abraham, Frankie Arnold, Lou ... ")

Over on his Facebook fan page, Kenny gives updates on the sponsorship progress, in addition to the inside skinny on both his domestic life and his broadcasting. (He pays his own bills, and he got a lecture from SPEED TV for asking Jimmie Johnson for an autograph.) As of two weeks ago, he was at 90 percent of his goal for the sponsorship; what say we push him over the top?

You've got until July 31 -- that would be Friday -- to get your money in and get your name on Kenny's ride. Do it!

Be a part of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity [KennyWallace.com]
Kenny Wallace Facebook fan page

Create-a-caption: Kyle Busch strikes a burnout pose

Kyle Busch, celebrating after his recent Nationwide win. Come up with the best caption, and maybe he'll do a burnout on your lawn! High degree of difficulty on this one, I know, but I feel confident in you.

Running wide open: The Coke Zero 400 talkback thread

Here we go again with another talkback thread. We're back in Daytona for the Fourth of July! Hang out here and talk racing as you listen to the fireworks blast in the background. Your defending champion is that guy up there, who's apparently also a Redskins draft pick. Anyway, enjoy, and have a happy Fourth!

Brickyard400 Recap

DALE EARNHARDT JR.
NO. 88 AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET
POST-RACE RECAP/INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

DATE: July 26, 2009
RACE: Brickyard 400
START: Third
FINISH: 36th
POINTS POSITION: 22nd

RECAPPING THE RACE:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. kept his No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet inside the top nine during Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but his strong run was cut short when engine woes sidelined the team 33 laps shy of the checkered flag. Earnhardt finished 36th.

Earnhardt opened the weekend on a promising note. During Saturday afternoon's qualifying session, Earnhardt circled the famed 2.5-mile oval in 49.843 seconds (180.567 mph), posting his best qualifying effort of the season and earning the third starting spot for the 400-mile event.

Earnhardt took the green flag behind pole sitter and teammate Mark Martin and quickly moved into the second spot on Lap 5.The following lap Earnhardt notified interim crew chief Lance McGrew that the green-and-white Chevy needed an adjustment to help it turn better through the corners.

Green-flag pit stops began on Lap 29, and two laps later Earnhardt came to pit road for four tires, fuel and air pressure and chassis adjustments. Once the field cycled through on Lap 34, Earnhardt was scored sixth on the scoring pylon.

McGrew and Earnhardt continued to work to get the No. 88 Chevy dialed in throughout the middle stages of the race.

The final round of green-flag pit stops began on Lap 123, with Earnhardt running ninth and posting some of the fastest lap times in the field. McGrew called his driver down pit road for a final round of adjustments on Lap 125. The crew quickly added four fresh tires, fuel and made air pressure and chassis adjustments. As Earnhardt exited his pit stall, he radioed that something was wrong with the motor.

The crew hoped the No. 88 Chevy would hold out and Earnhardt would take the checkered flag. But on Lap 127, the engine expired and McGrew told his driver to coast the AMP Energy/National Guard Chevy back to the garage. He finished 36th.

Earnhardt's Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin crossed the finish line first and second, respectively.

QUOTING DALE EARNHARDT JR.:

EARNHARDT (ON HIS RACE.): "The AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet was competitive today, and we were making some gains and kind of adjusting back and forth trying to get the thing right; getting it too tight and getting it too loose. I was pretty happy with it at the end of that last run. We were just in our window to make it to the end. We felt like we were in good shape to get a good finish. I just hate it for my guys. They've been working really hard. This is a brand new car, and we're going to take it to Pocono and keep working at it."

Running wide open: The LifeLock.com 400 talkback thread

Hey, welcome to Chicago for this evening's race! We're at Chicagoland Speedway, where ... oh, dear. It seems Mr. Montoya has taken a wrong turn. Hmm. That doesn't bode well for his Chase hopes, though he could probably beat the Cubs. Anyway, enjoy the race, everybody, and feel free to comment and fire away on any subject right here!

Felipe Massa takes a turn for the better after scary wreck

Good news for Formula One driver Felipe Massa and his fans, as it appears he is out of life-threatening danger resulting from a horrific wreck this weekend. While qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Massa was hit in the head by a spring from Rubens Barrichello's car. Unconscious, his helmet shattered, Massa piled straight into the retaining wall and fractured his skull in at least two places.

In Brazil, Massa's home country, fans and family anxiously followed news of his recovery even as they were reminded of the death of three-time F1 champion Aytron Senna in a similar accident.

Massa's wreck shortly followed the tragic death of F1 driver John Surtees' son, who was hit by a flying wheel. There have been calls for additional safety measures, naturally, but the question is, what could be done? Were these preventable injuries, or just simply terrible coincidences?

Here's video of Massa's crash, for as long as it lasts before getting yanked off YouTube:

Terrifying stuff there; hopes and good wishes for Massa and his family.

Felipe Massa fighting for life after freak accident [Daily Mirror]
Brazilians asked to pray for Massa, remember Senna [AP via Yahoo! Sports]

LeBron, Tom Brady et. al. don't exactly drive hybrids

They're worldwide icons, they're all over TV, they cash eight-figure checks ... what, you think pro athletes are going to drive pre-owned vehicles?

Forbes has compiled its latest list of athletes' automobiles, and as you'd imagine, there's nary a sensible sedan in the bunch. Matter of fact, several drive rides so exclusive the rest of us couldn't get them even if we had the cash.

A car speaks volumes about its owner, and athletes' vehicles are no exception. Take, for instance, Tom Brady, quarterback of the New England Patriots and companion to many a supermodel. He rolls in Audis -- the $51,400 Audi S5 and the far more exclusive $114,200 R8. LeBron James, on the other hand, has his very own customized Ferrari F430 Spider -- perfect for those long, lonely drives wondering what went wrong in the Eastern Conference finals.

Other notables mentioned in the Forbes survey: soccer's Christiano Ronaldo drives a Bentley Continental GT Speed, while golfer Greg Norman squires wife Chris Evert around in a Land Rover Range Rover Sport edition that's so limited, they're offered by invitation only. The Atlanta Braves' Kenshin Kawakami goes low-profile, switching between a Maserati Grand Turismo S and a Lamborghini Murcielago. And while Michelle Wie may still be looking for her first win on the LPGA tour, she can at least slam the trunks of some sweet cars -- a black-on-black BMW X5 and a white Mercedes-Benz GL550 -- at the end of a bad day on the links. (Click here to check out a slideshow of the athletes' rides.)

For athletes, the car is the most visceral element of the public image. Sure, they'll push candy bars and underwear on you, but if they've got the option, there's no way they're driving what you're driving. (Chipper Jones and his standard-issue Ford F-150 excepted.) And chances are, unless they're washed-up ballplayers looking to get you down to the car lot Kenny Powers-style, they're not going to be pushing their cars on you, either.

Envious? Don't be. After all, they still have to sit in traffic just like the rest of us. That athletes-only superhighway hasn't been built ... yet.

Cars of the sports stars [Forbes.com via Yahoo! Sports]
Athletes' cars: a Forbes.com slideshow

Blown motor, not such a bad thing

Sure, Dale Jr finished 35th or 36th or 37th, but who cares.

After qualifying 3rd, Dale Jr ran in the top 8 the entire day. When's the last time you could say that? His car was competitive, not perfect, but good enough to ensure the rest of the field saw him there. Jimmie Johnson, the race winner, couldn't pass him for 40 laps. At one point he passed Mark Martin on a restart and got to second place. He also passed two cars on the outside of a restart, something nobody thought could be done at Indy's one groove track.

Like I said though, the car wasn't perfect and it needs to be that in order to win nowadays. The car was a 5th-10th place car and Dale Jr felt his car was at its best just prior to his engine letting go. If he wasn't going to win, truthfully is there a better time to end your day than at that point. The car was getting better, and thats the thought they'll take heading to Pocono. In this case, we don't need a top 10 finish to proclaim this race a success. The car was good and thats what Jr and Jr Nation will remember. In a way, you could say Jr's car finally got much better at the end of HIS race.

And if you still can't see the positives in yesterday, you could take pride in that Jr's motor explosion had to be the most awesome one ever to see on TV, it looked like a volcano of smoke coming from that car, it left everyone gasping for clean air around turn 4. So they knew Junior was there, finally.