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May 02, 2005
Gordon dominates Dega
Congrats to Jeff Gordon. He dominated the race today and was able to stay out of trouble. He led 139 of the 194 laps and his car was by far the strongest out there, even when he was ganged up on and passed, he was able to gather himself again and pass for the lead all by himself.
While Gordon was dominating, the luckiest driver had to be Tony Stewart, who managed to avoid the 25 car pile up. He was able to slow down to avoid hitting anyone in front of him and ended up having to stop on the bottom of the track because it was blocked and barely avoided getting hit from behind. He ended up finishing second.
The big one involved 25 cars, some of which got back out on the track, albeit laps down, but some were able to finish the race. There's a lot of controversy about that wreck, some saying it was Johnson's fault and others blaming Earnhardt Jr. After seeing the wreck, I was ready to blame Jr. at first, then I saw the numerous replays. Yes, Jr. was bump drafting Mike Wallace, but what caused the melee that followed was Johnson's contact with Wallace, when Johnson moved up the track a little bit. I can understand Johnson fans trying to defend him, after all he's their driver, but don't doubt I'd be blaming Jr. if I thought it was him fault. My husband has heard enough of my complaints about Jr. and some of his antics, so I'm not pro Jr.
The second wreck that took out Jr., Johnson and Harvick and a few others was harder to place blame. With all the replays, they never really had a good angle, all I saw was Johnson bounce off the wall into Harvick, now whether he was hit into the wall first, I don't know. Others say it was Johnson's fault and maybe it was, but by the replays, I can't tell who's fault that was.
Congrats to Gordon and all who made it through the wrecks and on to night racing at Darlington next week.
May 2, 2005 in NASCAR | Permalink
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Comments
The replay shows Wallace getting loose and wiggling, but at the same time it clearly shows Jimmie Johnson drifting up the track and clipping Wallace with his rear quarter (I had that backwards)causing him to spin into Riggs and into the wall. Had Johnson not drifted up the track into the side of Wallace all would have been well.
Posted by: Jon | May 7, 2005 5:19:14 PM
Bill,
You can blame Jr all you want and it won't change anything, Jimmie Johnson went up into Wallace causing him to spin.
Posted by: Jon | May 7, 2005 5:08:36 PM
Bill,
You are totally discounting the fact that Jimmie drove into the rear quarter panel of Mike Wallacve and sent him into the wall. Wallaces car didn't go toward the wall until Jimm8ie hit him, so how could that be Earnhardts fault?
Posted by: Jon | May 7, 2005 4:51:35 PM
Considering that Stewart was the only one with the sense to stop, I consider that skill. He may have been lucky by not getting hit. But it takes luck and skill to get through a wreck that big.
Posted by: Jay | May 6, 2005 10:49:32 AM
Sara -
We could ask you Earnhardt fans the same thing????
Posted by: truracinfan | May 5, 2005 11:22:27 AM
Jay
I wasn't refering to him being able to stop in time, I was refering to the LUCK, he didn't get hit from the rear
Posted by: Don | May 4, 2005 1:38:24 PM
Don,
Stewart was the only guy who stopped in the infield to avoid the wreck. If you watch the tape you'll see Carl Edwards follow Stewart until he stopped. Edwards kept going and drove right into the wreck. That is why it was skill. He chose to stop, he didn't stop due to luck.
Posted by: Jay | May 4, 2005 1:12:45 PM
Alright, Gordon fans. I want you to copy this entire thread. Hang on your wall, keep it in a drawer, whatever. Then the nexttime you're feeling persecuted because no one ever gives your guy his due, I want you to take it out and read it. Then read it again when you feel like crying because other fans think you're jerks.
Gordon was brilliant, and this DEI lover thought it was a perfect tribute to their late engine master on what would've been his birthday. (Keep THIS and read it the next time you get the urge to insult earnhardt fans.) Why do y'all have to be so bitter?
Posted by: Sara | May 3, 2005 8:58:44 PM
It was luck that he didn't get hit but it was skill to know exactelly where to go. I mean when he was slowing down and going low there were still cars going by him getting into the wreck. So it was a little bit of both.
Posted by: Melissa | May 3, 2005 8:39:50 PM
Jay
It wouldn't have made any difference who had been driving the 20 car that day, He was missed getting hit in the rear by about one inch, even you should be able to admit that was pure luck, dumb or any other kind. I would suggest you watch the tape, but you would probably find a way to blame it on Rick Hendrick himself.
Posted by: Don | May 3, 2005 7:28:05 PM
So if it was Gordon instead of Stewart it would have been just 'dumb luck'? I don't think so.
Even I will admit when Gordon does something great like dominate Dega. I know its hard to admit when a driver you dislike does something impressive.
Posted by: Jay | May 3, 2005 2:27:58 PM
Jay
There wasn't any skill that kept Tony from getting hit from behind, just luck
Posted by: Don | May 3, 2005 1:10:15 PM
Tony got out of the big wreck because of skill. He was the only driver that had sense enough to stop instead of trying to drive through the wreck.
Posted by: Jay | May 3, 2005 11:20:37 AM
I too was shocked to see Kathy post a positive comment regarding a Hendrick driver. I keep expecting someone to show up and tell us we've just been "punk'd"!
I still say Jr caused the big one. The replays are clear, Jr just chose the wrong circumstance(and driver) to bump draft. It was the bump draft from Jr that turned the front of Mike's car to make contact with Johnson, sure Johnson may have come up a bit but had Jr not made contact with him in the first place there would have been no harm no foul. Jr fans just can't admit that he made a mistake at a plate track.
OK Jon, your turn.
Posted by: Bill | May 3, 2005 10:46:12 AM
Kevin
Different engine, different body, ANYTHING, just get rid of those damn plates.
Kathy
I forgot to comment on the rest of your article. Thanks for Giving Jeff his due for the dominate job he did, and I don't think we will ever agree on who caused Big one, I still say it was the plates, but NA$CAR hasn't asked my oppion lately.
And Yes, Tony was the luckest guy in the field, how he got out of that had to be dumb luck.
Posted by: Don | May 2, 2005 8:37:04 PM
Darren
LOL That showdown lasted for 132 laps. Nobody had anything for the #24. Not only did Jeff Gordon dominate, he spanked the entire field....including the "Bump draftin' King."
Posted by: Margie | May 2, 2005 8:22:48 PM
gordon is just plain good,but johnson is favored bad cause hendrick bribes nascrap,so jimmie doesnt dominate.gordon does.
Posted by: Allen | May 2, 2005 3:44:33 PM
Gordon definitely had the dominant car. As for the big one I think there was a lot of wiggling going on from Wallace because of Jr. but definitely not the cause of the wreck. For some reason Jimmy Johnson looked like he came up just slightly and tapped Wallace causing him to go into Riggs and the wall and the rest is history. After seeing the replays I definitely exonerated Jr (and I am not a Jr fan). The last wreck was a case of aggressive driving and running out of real estate on Jimmy's part. He got forced up into the wall and that bounce got Jr and Harvick. Too bad because it was a great race and I would have liked to have seen a Gordon, Jr, Waltrip, Stewart and Harvick showdown.
Posted by: DARREN | May 2, 2005 3:33:57 PM
They have a dogleg on the front stretch, and the front stretch is faster then the backstretch. So yea, I'm sure having another one will work really well.
All they have to do is put a smaller motor in the car. Everyone talks about how expensive it would be have a different motor for these two tracks, well what the heck do you think you have now. It's not that complicated, smaller motor means less horsepower, less horsepower means lower speeds, lower speeds means no restrictor plate. Hello, is this thing on?
Posted by: Kevin | May 2, 2005 3:26:04 PM
Yes, a dogleg.
Wow, what a concept...
Actually challenging drivers to have to drive their cars rather than strapping a legendary driver onto a rocket on wheels and getting a thrill when 25 of them slam into each other. Plow up the backstretch and put a right-hand turn which will require the driver to skillfully manuever a stock car. Maybe Carl Edwards would actually learn to use his brakes that way.
The race would be just as thrilling, but the best driver would stand a better chance of winning.
I doubt anyone would ask for a refund.
Posted by: Buddynoel | May 2, 2005 2:21:01 PM
Nothing for appearance sake Bob, he dominated the race and no one could touch him. You're the one throwing around the hate word all the time, not me. Just because I don't applaud everything they do, doesn't make me a hater, nor does pointing out something negative a driver does that I see.
Posted by: Kathy | May 2, 2005 2:04:58 PM
I actually agree with Don for once.
Bob, even Gordon/Hendrick haters can admit when they are dominant.
Posted by: Jay | May 2, 2005 1:23:56 PM
Kathy saying Jeff did a good job, did I read this right, I might just have a heart attack right now. Well I guess Kathy has to at least keep up the appearance that she doesn't hate everything Hendrick.
Posted by: Bob | May 2, 2005 12:37:03 PM
Change the angle of the windshield, The trucks don't need the plates, take them off the cars, go back to the aero of old, heck, these aren't real cars anyway.
Posted by: Don | May 2, 2005 12:27:17 PM
a dogleg???that wouldnt work,just take off the plates and either use a smaller engine or strenghthen the fence.
Posted by: Allen | May 2, 2005 12:09:53 PM
The most insightful thing I heard all day was that the track surface is so rough that they have to resurface soon. That got me thinking that, in order to slow down the wrecks, they might want to consider adding another lane at the bottom of the track which may give drivers a bit more room to avoid the big one. I know that tinkering with the restrictor plate does nothing but create a boring race where everybody lines up in single lane packs, but there does need to be something done here because if it wasn't Earnhardt, then it would be Carl Edwards or Robbie Gordon. You can't expect an agressive driver to stay in line and not push too hard.
As a #6 fan, I watched Martin get hit on every corner and once the trap is sprung, there is nothing that any driver can do, especially if it happens to the car directly in front of you.
Fix the track or put a dog leg on the back stretch to slow things down.
Posted by: buddynoel | May 2, 2005 10:39:11 AM
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