Bitter

It's taken a while to feel like writing a blog. The Coca-Cola 600 was a great race until about three laps to go, 4.5 miles from the finish line. That's when my man Tony Stewart blew a tire. Kasey Kahne went on to win just like the week before and Tony finished 18th. I even stayed up late to see the finish, making for a very slow moving day on Monday. Most of the planet had the day off but you people still need to see your commercials during the Morning Report. Bitter !!!

The Nationwide race had an interesting ending. I love guys beatin' and bangin' under caution with a few laps to go. I wonder how the Denny Hamlin and Dale Jr. relationship is these days. Brad Keselowski, driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports, was racing Denny hard...too hard in Denny's opinion. Hello! It's called a RACE for a reason. So, under caution, Brad tapped Denny from behind and then Denny took a swipe at Brad, crushing his left front fender. Junior then went and added his two cents worth, tapping Denny himself. Boys will be boys. Oh by the way, Kyle Bush went on to win the race...Hamlin finished 2nd, Brad 3rd and Dale Jr. 4th.

After the race, on pit road, the crews mixed it up a bit. Keselowski made some interesting comments, talking about how he only has one race a week to prove to this owner, Dale Jr. and his fans that he belongs. Meanwhile, Denny sometimes has two races each week to do it. I have to agree with Denny when he says that the drivers should settle it amongst themselves and leave the crew guys out of it. The penalties for the incident were handed down from NASCAR on Wednesday. Tony Eury Sr. and Pops, the crew chief for Brad Keselowski's Navy team were fined 1,000 dollars and placed on probation until June 25. Two over-the-wall guys for the Navy team were also penalized. One crew member, Michael Sandlin was suspended for a race, fined 1,500 dollars and placed probation until October 15. The second crew member, Jordan Allen was also fined 1,500 dollars and placed on probation until October 15.

The Nationwide series is in Dover this weekend along with the Cup boys. I wonder if Denny and Brad will have anything more to say to one another on and off the track. This weekend also marks the debut of Joe Gibbs Racing development driver Joey Logano. Logano had to wait until his 18th birthday last Saturday to be eligible to race in the NASCAR series. He will be in the famed 20 car this weekend for the Nationwide race. The 20 car has won six times this season in the Nationwide series with a number of different drivers at the wheel. I hope Brad makes a note that Hamlin will be in the 18 car this weekend should he be thinking about payback. Leave young Joey out of it.

NASCAR also handed out penalties on the Cup side yesterday. The 2 Haas-CNC Motorsports cars, Scott Riggs' 66 and Johnny Sauter's 70 car were both fined 150 driver and owners points and lost their crew chiefs and car chiefs for six races. Crew chiefs Bootie Barker and Dave Skog were also fined $100,000. OUCH !!! Big hits for already struggling teams.

I haven't talked about all these rumors circulating around Tony and his interest in owning a cup team because I have no idea which rumor to believe. Tony...I have some advice...stay away from Haas-CNC!!! Gene Haas is already in jail for tax evasion and the garage ratted out the 66 & 70 cars for cheating. Both teams had illegal rear wing mounts. NASCAR took the cars after practice Saturday afternoon and made both teams go to backup cars for the race. TONY STAY AWAY !!!! Part of me just can't believe he'd leave Gibbs and/or Zippy. But then I was surprised he'd drive a Toyota and he's doing just fine with that.

I can't imagine a NASCAR race without Tony Stewart. I've often thought what if he said the heck with it and gave up the headache of NASCAR, who would I root for? I'm guessing the other Gibbs drivers, but it so would not be the same. I'm a Tony Stewart fan. If he's in a race (midget, sprint car, grand-am) and it's on tv or I can get internet results, then I will be following it.

The Cup boys will race on Sunday in the Autism Speaks 400 at the monster Mile in Dover, Delaware. Martin Truex Jr. won the spring race last year, his 1st cup win, on the same day that Bill France Jr. passed away.

By the way...you know I will be getting the HBO Pay Per View Old Spice Prelude to the Dream live from the Eldora Speedway, on June 4th. Tony owns the track and a ton of Cup guys, about 25, will be playing in the dirt, all for a good cause - the new Victory Junction Gang Camp II to be built in Kansas City. I can't wait! See ya next week everybody!