|| *Comments on the 2017 Mid-Ohio Challenge:* View the most recent comment <#77> | Post a comment <#post> 1. 1995z71 posted: 08.08.2017 - 9:48 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Regan Smith debuts for Joe Gibbs. Sheldon Creed debuts in the series. 2. Danish Pie posted: 08.08.2017 - 10:02 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Andy Lally will drive the 07 with Branson Supply as the sponsor. 3. Gray Gaulding's Distant Cousin posted: 08.08.2017 - 10:19 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Lally will have a Kulwicki tribute for this race. I think the plan was for him to run Darlington too, but since Sponsorship wasn't able to Materialize for that race he's gonna run it here in Mid-Ohio. 4. Danish Pie posted: 08.08.2017 - 10:24 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Tim Cowen will drive the 40 with Cowen Trucking as the sponsor. Car will be a Ford. From Carl Long's Facebook, they have some things to figure out for the #13 this week: They are trying to get Enrique Baca back for the second straight week, but he doesn't have a sponsor attached to him, though he is looking for one. If he can find a sponsor, Baca will drive the 13, and it will be a Toyota. If he can't, than Timmy Hill will drive the 13, and it will be a Dodge. Carl also said if Enrique does find sponsorship and is behind the wheel of the 13 Toyota, they might enter the Dodge as the #72 and put Timmy Hill in it as a late entry. 5. 95McDowellFan posted: 08.08.2017 - 10:53 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Gregory Vandersluis will be in the #77 for the Obakia. Obakia is back finally, JGR better prepare to lose. 6. Jonathan King posted: 08.08.2017 - 11:04 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Obaika's first race in a long time. The 77 will be Greg Vandersluis. Driver wise. 7. 95McDowellFan posted: 08.08.2017 - 11:31 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) I meant Obaika not Obakia 8. TeamDCR fan posted: 08.08.2017 - 6:21 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Regan Smith in a JGR car? Very surprised to see that 9. 42Fan posted: 08.08.2017 - 8:40 pm Rate this comment: (2) (3) Buschwhacker Count: ZERO (like it should be every race) 10. The Other Anonymous posted: 08.08.2017 - 9:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) No Cup guys, but this race presents another opportunity for a one off driver to beat the series regulars anyway. Have to go with the #18, #42 & #22 as favorites this week. 11. racefangurl posted: 08.08.2017 - 10:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 10, I predict a former Cup driver to win, like maybe Regan Smith. 12. rw posted: 08.08.2017 - 11:36 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Rooting for Regan Smith to win this race! 13. Mannoroth posted: 08.09.2017 - 7:55 am Rate this comment: (0) (5) 5. Thanks - I really needed a good laugh today. Some Victor Obaika is no match for someone like Joe Gibbs Racing. And even if his car won this race, JGR would be still 7 wins ahead of him... Your comment reminded me some comments that Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has 2 wins, Austin Dillon has 1 win and Kyle Busch is still winless (before his Pocono win). Cool, but anyone can win at Superspeedway just like thanks to the fuel mileage. When they outperform everyone the same way Kyle did it to the field at Pocono (lost 6 seconds, deleted the gap in a few laps and then gave them another 6 seconds), let me know we have other serious contenders for the win. But till then, just meh... 14. Maverick19 posted: 08.09.2017 - 9:41 am Rate this comment: (4) (0) @13 Joke ------- Head 15. Maverick19 posted: 08.09.2017 - 9:42 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Anyways if there's any good thing about the limits, it's seeing random guys like Preece and Davison get shots in top cars that they probably wouldn't have gotten before. 16. 95McDowellFan posted: 08.09.2017 - 11:40 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @13 It was a joke 17. Scott B posted: 08.09.2017 - 11:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Interesting mix of drivers in the field for this one. Justin Marks in the #42 could have a nice run. 18. Seibaru (Tylor Thaber) posted: 08.09.2017 - 1:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It's gonna be weird seeing an SCCA racer going up against people with Cup and Indycar experience such as Sam Hornish Jr., who by the way is making his last start of the year, and it's also gonna be weird seeing the Obaika car back on the circuit. I have no idea what to expect from either the team nor the driver, however I do expect Vandersluis to be competent. He's an instructor at Mid-Ohio, knows the track well, and as far as SCCA racers go he appears to be very good, so I guess they did make a decent pick with him. Oh, uh, for when Gregory Vandersluis gets his driver page, here's his info. (Source: his site) DoB: 7/28/1988 Hometown: Columbia Station, Ohio 19. Sector posted: 08.09.2017 - 2:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) He's from Ohio also? If only I knew him... 20. Mannoroth posted: 08.10.2017 - 7:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (2) 16. I know. 21. 95McDowellFan posted: 08.10.2017 - 11:56 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #77 Withdrew, JGR has a chance now. Harrison Rhodes had a statement saying he is NOT racing this weekend making me think the #15 Withdrew also. 22. Gray Gaulding's Distant Cousin posted: 08.10.2017 - 11:59 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) So the 77 might withdraw *groan* Apparently the team didn't have a seat for Gregory that could fit his 6'8" frame (Theirs could only go up to 6'5". So they will enter him again at Road America. At least they're better than Rick Ware Racing in that extent. 23. chevyfan98 posted: 08.10.2017 - 3:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) So much for Obaika's return. They withdrew. 24. Sector posted: 08.10.2017 - 4:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Obaika should be called "Withdrawal Motorsports" 25. Danish Pie posted: 08.11.2017 - 10:28 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @15 Maybe that's code for start-n-park? ¯\_(ã??)_/¯ 26. Danish Pie posted: 08.11.2017 - 10:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) *@21 ^ 27. 95McDowellFan posted: 08.11.2017 - 2:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #15 Withdrew, called it 28. NormBenningFan posted: 08.11.2017 - 3:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Do you blame the 15 car, if rain rained out qualifying entering the race and doing practice would have been all for nothing 29. 95McDowellFan posted: 08.11.2017 - 6:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yeah I know, I expected it. Matt Bell in the #90 30. Seibaru (Tylor Thaber) posted: 08.12.2017 - 4:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) That was a violent hit for the #90 of Matt Bell... 31. Danish Pie posted: 08.12.2017 - 4:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Matt Bell slides through turn 1 and climbs the tire wall and nearly goes through the catchfence out of the track. Car comes to rest on the tires, red flag Lap 16 32. Lucstar88 posted: 08.12.2017 - 4:24 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) He broke the wall... That's how bad it was. He's ok though! 33. Seibaru (Tylor Thaber) posted: 08.12.2017 - 4:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well, we're under red flag, Matt Bell went straight off in turn one and has damaged the wall. He seems to be all right, but that #90 car is destroyed. Sucks to see after they finished 7th last year. 34. Lucstar88 posted: 08.12.2017 - 4:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Blake Koch wins the first stage! After Poole dumped Sadler and lost the lead right after. Sadler isn't going to like that. 35. Danish Pie posted: 08.12.2017 - 5:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brennan Poole once again turns someone around, this time Blake Koch. Ryan Reed, Spencer Gallagher, and Jermey Clements all accordioned into the 11. Big damage. 24 laps to go. 36. 1995z71 posted: 08.12.2017 - 5:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Can't wait for Brennan Poole to get fired, dude is a rolling wrecking ball. Took out both Blake Koch and the leader Elliott Sadler. 37. 42Fan posted: 08.12.2017 - 5:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Poole just can't seem to drive today. Just took out the 11 of Blake Koch and caused a four car wreck. 38. Seibaru (Tylor Thaber) posted: 08.12.2017 - 5:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ...I'm blaming Koch for that one. He simply came down on the 48. 39. Lucstar88 posted: 08.12.2017 - 5:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I just feel like Poole's impatient and keeps divebombing on people. Wouldn't be shocked if someone repaid a favor on the track or after the race. 40. Seibaru (Tylor Thaber) posted: 08.12.2017 - 5:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ...That crash was on Koch. He got super loose and Poole was there. 41. Seibaru (Tylor Thaber) posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ...So wait how exactly is the 48 to blame for that crash? 42. Lucstar88 posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) If that was another turn, i'd get that, but that turn isn't a passing zone, I my opinion I felt like he dove in too hard and the 11 turned down at the same time. Is it completely one guys fault, not really, but you know someone will repay the favor. 43. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Regan Smith got into Justin Marks sending the defending race winner for a loop before Ryan Reed crashed into Marks. The wreck destroyed the radiator of the already wounded #16 marking for a ton of steam going everywhere as Marks car caught a little air from the impact. 44. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Caution out again with 10 to go after Casey Mears' #98 blows a motor. 45. Scott25 posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Poole is always over-aggressive, but agree with Seibaru, Koch was more at fault for the second incident for cutting back into a space that had closed up. It was mostly a racing incident though. 46. Maverick19 posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wouldn't be surprised if Sadler goes for payback when they go green. 47. Dorsal Fin posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) NBC needs to invest in more cameras. I saw Allgaier up in the corner off the track and they could never "find" him. 48. 1995z71 posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also I dont know how the NBC crew missed it but a few laps ago Justin Allgaier was seen backwards off track in the top left of telecast. 49. 1995z71 posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @41 because he is dive bombing the corners and doesnt even have a line going into the corner, this is basic racing knowledge. 50. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) William Byron tuned up for this race, his first at Mid-Ohio, by using iRacing. It must have worked, he's up in the top-10 with a few laps to go today. Andy Lally is also in the top-10 so far. His #07 Chevrolet today has a white-and-orange Alan Kulwicki-themed scheme and it looks great. 51. Dorsal Fin posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) No doubt Brenda Gone or one of the other flunkies will take out Sam. 52. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brendan Gaughan goes wide off into the dirt on the restart, hits a bump and gets all four wheels off the ground, comes down and speeds away still in the top-10. 53. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hornish leads and Hemric second. Lally jumps up to fourth! 54. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) James Davison, in just his second NASCAR Xfinity Series start, forces past Lally into fourth. Matt Tifft is up there in the fight too. It's Hornish-Hemric-Tifft-Davison-Lally up front with three to go. 55. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Scott Lagasse, Jr. spun right after the restart and the #3 falls back. He did a Trans-Am race earlier this weekend to prepare for this race. 56. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hornish has a nice lead with one lap to go. 57. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Elliott Sadler recovered from his spin earlier today to get up to sixth. 58. RaceFanX posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:53 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Defiance, Ohio's own Sam Hornish, Jr. scores the victory! It's Hornish's fifth Xfinity series win, his first at Mid-Ohio, his first on a road course, and his first overall since Iowa in June 2016. 59. 42Fan posted: 08.12.2017 - 6:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @47 Agreed. NBC nevered shown a replay of the Bell crash from earlier in the race, even though that was a MASSIVE accident. 60. Sean posted: 08.12.2017 - 7:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Anyone know when Hornish's last road course win was? I know he'd never won one at the professional level before this, going winless in Cup, Xfinity, IRL, and Toyota Atlantic, sports cars, and it appears U.S. F2000 as well (says his best finish was 2nd), so it appears he hasn't won one since at the latest 1995. Is this Hornish's first road course win since karting? (I assume he had some then...) 61. Tyson posted: 08.12.2017 - 7:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) For all the complaining people do about FOX's telecasts, I'm surprised there aren't more people complaining about NBC's job today. That was by far and away the worst NASCAR race I've seen on TV. The racing itself was great, but NBC was terrible. I imagine most of the crew was in Michigan and understand that with road courses it's hard to catch everything, but they messed up on a lot of stuff and missed a ton of the action. 62. Nucl3ar Wa4le posted: 08.12.2017 - 8:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor updates #4 - SEM Products #19 - Acquire / Akron Community Foundation #33 - Bali Blinds & Shades / Menards 63. Sandy posted: 08.12.2017 - 9:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First Race The 13 Car Was Running At the finish Since Richmond 64. Danish Pie posted: 08.12.2017 - 9:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @61 I agree. When they didn't get Matt Bell's crash early on, I didn't think that much of it. Guy in the back crashing way away from the track, I understand that. But a lot of the spins and offs later on that they missed was pretty bad. When they didn't know where Justin Allgaier was on the track for multiple laps, that was pretty pitiful. Dylan Lupton spun right on camera when they were going down towards turn 2 with I think about 20 to go, and not a word was said. Stuff like that was pretty ridiculous. Things that they got last year when it was raining, but they didn't even bother reporting on this year. The actual commentary was good, and they reported well on what they saw, it was just the camera work and passing information from the director to the commentators that was a problem. I would still watch this race over 1/2 the races ESPN covered, or the 2006 Kentucky Busch race that David Gilliland won. The commentary to me personally is more important, but there were definitely a lot of things they missed. I do think it would have been a good idea to have done what they did last week at Watkins Glen, have a couple people spread across the track to report on each section. Even if it was just interns or pit reporters, that would have made the product a lot better in terms of covering the action. 65. RoninDragon posted: 08.12.2017 - 9:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @61@64 I agree with both of you. The race was really entertaining, and did anyone notice there weren't any onboards? I just thought that was strange. 66. rm posted: 08.12.2017 - 10:29 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) 63 - to piggyback on this, both MBM cars finished in the top 20, this was the first time that both MBM cars finished above 26th in the same race! 67. Stewart14Rocks posted: 08.12.2017 - 11:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Was a great race today, one of those tracks the cup series should run at. 68. Danish Pie posted: 08.13.2017 - 2:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Drivers from Australia, Belgium, Mexico, and the U.K. in this race. All finished Top 25. 69. Kevin Colley posted: 08.13.2017 - 3:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I agree with all of you. The race coverage wasn't very good. I still can't believe that they missed Casey Mears when he spun and then missed Justin Allgaier going off-course about five turns later. They didn't acknowledge either one of those spins for about a century. 70. Gary Gaulding's Distant Cousin posted: 08.13.2017 - 4:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) They had a Camera in turn one that SHOULD have caught the Matt Bell crash, But it didn't. Yet some how a 20 lap down Sheldon Creed spins and they catch it AND show a reply. :/ 71. gps50 posted: 08.14.2017 - 11:35 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Should the 77's withdrawal be listed with Greg Vandersluis as the driver, or was he never actually put on the entry list by name despite the announcement as driver? 72. Anonymous posted: 08.14.2017 - 11:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Great run for Andy Lally. He has 3 top 10's in his last 5 Xfinity starts (all on road courses), while driving in subpar equipment for Bobby Dotter and Mario Gosselin. I bet if he was in a Gibbs car for an Xfinity road course race, he'd have a dang good chance to win one! 73. Tide1732 posted: 08.14.2017 - 3:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Best NASCAR finish at this moment for Andy Lally (5th) 74. Danish Pie posted: 11.26.2018 - 10:13 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Enrique Baca's 18th place finish marks the last Top 20 for Dodge in NASCAR. Along with Lally, best career Xfinity finishes to date for James Davison (4th), Anthony Kumpen (16th), Enrique Baca (18th), Stephen Young (24th), and Sheldon Creed (34th). 75. Timothy_Eklund posted: 02.18.2020 - 9:57 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) This race had the worst coverage camera wise I have ever seen. 76. ScottB posted: 02.18.2020 - 11:08 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Road courses in general are a challenge for TV coverage. This one was rough. 77. Bob posted: 04.05.2021 - 1:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Gregory Vandersluis (https://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Gregory_Vandersluis) should be listed as the driver of the 77 from Obaika that withdrew ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: