Archive for Jimmie Johnson
Tony Stewart Trashes Home Depot Team Concluding Race at Richmond!
Posted by: | CommentsBy: Keith Bloemendaal
Tony Stewart is well known for having anger issues on and off the track. Concluding the end of the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway, Tony lashed out at his team for causing him to lose the race. "Nice job guys, you gave another one away!", were the words all of us watching the race on ESPN heard. "We win together, and we lose together" is what Stewart heard back over the race radio from his crew chief, Greg Zipadelli.
Stewart's Home Depot team didn't necessarily lose the race for him, but failed to get him out in front of Jimmie Johnson on the final pit stop. Tony Stewart pulled onto the pits in 1st, came out in 2nd, and could not get by Jimmie Johnson for the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 win.
Track position at Richmond for the end of the race proved to be how the race was won. As Tony Stewart caught Jimmie Johnson, it proved to be a battle of sponsors with the Lowes Chevrolet leading and the Home Depot Toyota trailing close behind. Tony got under Jimmie Johnson but couldn't seem to make the pass, and the result was Tony Stewart blaming his crew for the loss.
I am sure there are many drivers who take losses out on the crew, especially when the crew consistently makes mistakes, but the Home Depot crew is one that usually does a great job for Tony Stewart.
Since Stewart will be driving for his own team next year with Darian Grubb announced this week as his new crew chief for the #14 Chevrolet, I hope he can lead the team with the same "win together, lose together" mindset that his current crew chief has.
Maybe, Tony should remember that this is a team sport, and the words from crew chief Greg Zipadelli should be taken seriously.
What do you think, was Tony out of line when he blamed the crew for the loss?
Jimmie Johnson 3Peat – Is it Sprint Cup History in the Making?
Posted by: | CommentsBy: Keith Bloemendaal
For some reason, I had been thinking this was going to be Kyle Busch or Carl Edwards year to win the Cup. It is easy to wrapped up in what is happening now, and forget about the other 12 drivers in the Chase for the Cup. How can we rule out Jimmie Johnson?
Johnson repeated his championship run last year, putting his name up there with a handful of GREAT drivers including Dale Earnhardt Sr, David Pearson, Richard Petty, and Jeff Gordon just to name a few who repeated championship seasons.
This alone is an accomplishment which makes him a driver to be remembered in NASCAR history. Repeating a Sprint Cup Championship is no easy feat, especially in this era of racing, when the competition has never been more intense. NASCAR drivers are getting younger, faster and more clever. Some people think once a driver reaches 30 he has past his prime.
Sprint Cup drivers like Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne are emerging at very young ages while just next season 18 year old Joey Legano will drive the #20 Home Depot Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing.
So, if Jimmie Johnson were to 3peat his name would only be mentioned with one other driver, Cale Yarborough. Can he do it? We will find out over the next 11 races, but I can guarantee you Johnson thinks he can, I think he can, thousands of other fans think he can, even a handful of so called NASCAR experts think he can. But, that doesn't mean it will happen.
Just in case you forgot, Johnson was 6th in points after the California race last year. It was his unbelievable 4 wins in a 
row out of the last 5 races in the Chase that earned him his championship last year. He won at Martinsville, then Atlanta, then Texas, then Phoenix and finished 7th at Miami-Homestead to beat Jeff Gordon by 77 points. Yes, 4 races in a row! If Jimmie Johnson can come on that strong for the finish this year, he WILL 3peat!
What do you think, can anyone beat Kyle Busch, or Carl Edwards? Can Jimmie Johnson 3peat? What about one of the other 9 drivers that will be in the chase? Leave a comment to let us know your opinion.
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Can Ryan Newman Make The Chase?
Posted by: | CommentsBy: Keith Bloemendaal
The race tonight is in California, and the green flag drops at around 8pm est. As I watch the Raceday show, it occurs to me that there is a really good race going on for 35th in owner points.
While most of us are aware of the Chase, and who is fighting for the top 12 spots to get in. And with only two races left, one after tonight, a few drivers are still fighting for the Chase. Ryan Newman, in the #12 Alltel car, is in 15th (179 points out of 12th) and really needs to race well and hope that someone like Clint Bowyer, in the #07 Jack Daniels car, or Denny Hamlin, in the #11 FedEx car has some real problems and finish out of the top 30 for Newman to have a chance.
David Ragan and Kasey Kahne have a better chance of making the chase, currently in 13th and 14th positions. Kahne is 56 points out of 12th, and David Ragan is only 12 points out. Kenseth, Hamlin, and Bowyer are running 10th thru 12th, but are on the bubble and have to race well to stay in the Chase.
Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff Burton should lock their spots in the Chase tonight. While Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards guaranteed their spots last week.
With owner points, the 35th spot is very important to guys for next year as it guarantees they race the first ten races of the year, regardless of the qualifying times. Sam Hornish Jr is in 35th (owner points), but the #96 car owned by Hall of Fame Racing will have new phenom 18yr old Joey Logano driving 5 races towards the end of the season. Can he finish well enough to gain 3 spots (and about 300 points) to get them in the top 35? I don't know, but it will be interesting to watch this kid race. He takes over the #20 Home Depot car for 2009, and I think he is going to be a driver we should keep our eyes on!
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Pepsi 500 and Camping World RV Service 300 This Weekend in California
Posted by: | CommentsAs we move closer to the Chase, each event (only 2 left) becomes do or die for some drivers and teams. This week we 
are at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. Here are some details about the event:
- Event: Pepsi 500
- Date / Time: Sunday, Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. EDT
- Track: Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
- Configuration: 2-mile D-shaped oval (250 laps = 500 miles)
- Banking in Corners: 14 degrees
- Banking on Frontstretch: 11 degrees
- Banking on Backstretch: 3 degrees
- Frontstretch: 3,100 feet
- Backstretch: 2,500 feet
- Grandstand Seating Capacity: 92,100
Tickets are still available for this event and can be purchased from the track website. I checked the availability and there are good seats still available for a reasonable amount.
Hendrick Motorsports teammates Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jimmie Johnson are expected to qualify for the "Chase" when they leave California, as both drivers only need to finish 40th or better. Earnhardt, Jr. is third in points, and Johnson is fourth.
Broadcast Schedule:
| Date | Time | Series | Event | Channel |
| 8/29/08 | 3pm | Sprint | Practice | Speed |
| 8/29/08 | 5pm | Nationwide | Practice | Speed |
| 8/29/08 | 6:30pm | Sprint | Qualifying | Speed |
| 8/29/08 | 8:30pm | Nationwide | Final Practice | Speed |
| 8/30/08 | 5:30pm | Nationwide | Qualifying | Speed |
| 8/30/08 | 7pm | Sprint | Practice | Speed |
| 8/30/08 | 8pm | Sprint | Final Practice | Speed |
| 8/30/08 | 9:45pm | Nationwide | Race | ESPN2 |
| 8/31/08 | 7pm | Sprint | Race | ESPN |
Be sure to check back for qualifying times and race results.
Keith Bloemendaal
