|| *Comments on the 2010 Toyota / Save Mart 350:* View the most recent comment <#137> | Post a comment <#post> 1. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:01 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) One can say Ambrose got screwed, but in reality, rules are the rules. He didn't keep pace, and paid for it. It's sad, but oh well. As good as Ambrose is, he will get his first win eventually. Just know for sure the conspiracy theorists are going to jump all over this one. 2. I Seize the Day posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:01 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) poor ambrose...thats all i can say. no race has left me feeling so heartbroken for a driver in a long time, if ever 3. I Seize the Day posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) rules are rules, but nascar didn't penalize biffle in 07 at kansas for the same thing 4. Darrell posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Rules are rules, but this one is dumb. It's really contradictory to say you can't pass a guy under yellow, but if he shuts his motor off to save fuel, have at it. 5. T-Mac posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:07 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Ambrose was screwed! I was hoping Robby would win, just to stick up Hendri$k and NA$CAR. Cup debuts for Jan Magnussen (who kept a clean nose all day, and it paid off well in the end) and Mattias Ekstrom (looked set for a top 5 finish at one stage before going off the track) 6. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:09 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Darrell, that could be true, but then again, Ambrose was at a dead stop. What do you expect everyone else to do, just stop as well? I think its pretty well defined that once you stop like that, or go to a very slow crawl, you can be passed. 7. KevinHarvickFan29 posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (3) NA$CAR Cheats for Jimmie again. Great runs for the TRUE winner of the race Marcos Ambrose, Robby Gordon and my man Kevin Harvick. NA$CAR really screwed up on this one 8. DaleJrFan19 posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:15 pm Rate this comment: (1) (3) ...Really? ...I mean...REALLY?! I don't care what anyone else thinks, that penalty was Grade-A BULLSHIT! I have honestly never been this angry at a race call until today. Call me conspiracy theorist all you want, but this was rigged! I leave with this statement: Kansas 2007... 9. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) You could say that, but Kansas 2007, that was another situation that NASCAR's "golden boy" would of been helped. Again, you could say he got screwed, but if anything, that was the rules being followed. 10. RoushFan posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:21 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) As much as I hate to see Johnson win, the rules don't allow you to go back and take your position after coming to a complete stop. Whether or not it was fair, Ambrose didn't maintain a reasonable speed and the rules say that if you don't maintain caution speed you lose your positions. NASCAR just stayed consistent with the rules they set a long time ago and whether or not they've done that in the past, they did a good job of doing it now. 11. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also to add, Yeah, the Kansas 2007 situation was bad, but at least they did not bend the rules this time around. What would of made that situation bad, yet allowing Ambrose to retain his position ok all of a sudden? 12. Anonymous posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Since when is this rule enforced? Maybe if Ambrose passed the pace car and did it like Jr at Michigan in 2008 he would have been ok. 13. Mike posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) What was up with Jeff Gordon today? I haven't seen him be that aggressive in a long long time. As far as the Ambrose situation goes, the rules are the rules. At least NASCAR was following their own rules this time, unlike Kansas in 07 when they bended the rules and let Biffle keep the win when he shouldn't have. 14. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 12 - Other drivers have done that before, and had been warned afterwords for such a thing. 15. 18fan posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) How about Brad Keselowski, driving like a dumbass. He tried to wreck Ekstrom coming off turn 4, then just dumped him off turn 5. Also, Jeff Gordon showed some aggression today, which was nice to see. 16. NASCAR 24/7 posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Way to go Juan for wrecking Joey! (I'm just kidding, that was a stupid retarded move). 17. RoushFan posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Since when is this rule enforced? Maybe if Ambrose passed the pace car and did it like Jr at Michigan in 2008 he would have been ok." I don't think it would've made much of a difference even if Ambrose did pass the pace car there. He was stopped long enough for 6 cars to go by him and he might not have lost as many positions but he still would've lost his lead. As for the rule being enforced, it hasn't always been enforced in the past, like Kansas 2007 or Michigan 2008. Now NASCAR finally is enforcing its own rules, so at least that's an improvement on the past. 18. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 18fan, the way everybody was running today, most everybody seemed to be taking at least one shot on one another. 19. kb#2 posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (3) Jeff gordon drove like an idiot hes lost it he has no skill anymore has to wreck people to get a good finish 20. T-Mac posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 07's owner was Robby Gordon, not Childress 21. Dodge posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) My question is what if Jr. or any Hendrick car had been leading, would they of just said this is your warning, maintain pacecar speed. 22. Watto posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kansas situation with Biffle was very different. Did Robby Gordon get his position back when Ambrose blatantly dumped him under caution at Montreal in 2007? No. Ambrose came to a complete stop here, and he can't just take his positions back. NASCAR didn't screw this one up. Jimmie Johnson was the better car for most of the day, so the finish doesn't hurt me any. Ambrose cost himself the win. 23. petty43 posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) just heard that raymond parks passed away. a true legend of this sport, he should be put in the hall of fame someday, it would have been pretty cool to get him in there while he was still alive. i believe he was the last surviving participant from the founding of nascar at the streamline hotel on US highway 1A in daytona. ant young fan wanting to learn about the good OLD days of stock car racing should read the book "driving with the devil" which is about parks and red vogt and red byron among others, it is a great read, and parks was a great guy who was a veteran of the battle of the bulge. I just was thinking about raymond last week after seeing his display at the nascar HOF. RIP Raymond. 24. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dodge, I would say the same thing would happen, unless I see otherwise actually happening. The thing is that situation of a Hendrick car stopping hasn't happened yet, so one can't throw that around. 25. Smokefan05 posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A rule is a rule. Atleast for Biffle he was moving, Marcos was at a dead stop. And i'm not buying Marcos saying "i was moving" thing in his interview. No you weren't. YOU stopped and screwed yourself. And i think his "choke" was or is bigger than what JPM did last year. He was good on gas, why save? I honestly wish Robby had 10 lap fresher tires. But he'll take second over running out of gas. Even tho i wish he won it then haters would have to eat crow. oh well. Who was driving the 24 car today? It wasn't Jeff. After all that a really good race. I enjoyied it. The only dark spots for me is Robby finishing 2nd and JJ winning. "Call me conspiracy theorist all you want, but this was rigged!" Wrong it's really hard to rig a race. And if NASCAR did wouldn't Jr. win? Good runs for Boris and Mattis E. 26. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) That is true Smoke. At least with Biffle, he was moving, so that was somewhat easier to swallow. I think it would of been worse of NASCAR if they allowed Ambrose to keep his position. And I could get why Ambrose would say he was moving. Get that adrenaline going, and you think you are doing all sorts of stuff. I think its better to say he choked, rather than he getting screwed. 27. 18fan posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) martin-n-rusty, that is true. These guys seemed to drive every lap like it was the last lap. 28. petty43 posted: 06.20.2010 - 8:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I agree 100% with watto post 22. There are just to many jimmie haters out here. If that was the 88 instead of the 48 everyone here would be hooting and hollering. O well who said jimmie could not win at bristol or a road course, well he did not take long to shut down those critics. He is not my favorite driver, but i love the way this guy continues to step up to every challenge, and defeat his critics, its just to bad that there is not ONE single other driver who can step up and do the same thing and keep up with him, then it would be like petty pearson or earnhardt elliot or earnhardt wallace all over again. to bad for us but it sure as hell must be nice to be jimmie freaking johnson right now. 29. petty43 posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) also i really think Boris is overrated at road courses, he just plows into turns and uses other cars to keep it in the grove, he will tears your shit up before he will win you a race, so why bother to let him ring. 30. Cooper posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't understand the controversy... The rule is clearly stated that when your not up to race pace, you are not scored. Even when somebody spins out, NASCAR will give you the position in which you got back up to speed. Ambrose went below minimum speed and was therefore not being scored. This has been the rule since the freezing of the field came into effect 7 years ago. When Robby Gordon got spun out under caution at Montreal, NASCAR said "He wasn't up to race pace" and was to be placed in the position he regained MIN speed. Ambrose should know this considering he was the one that caused this incident 3 years ago. My issue is why was he saving fuel? The fuel window is 35-40 laps, and he was only looking at going 30 laps. Even if their were 3 GWC's, all the caution laps would've negated any problems of fuel mileage. Just absolute stupidity from a team and driver that doesn't ever get the job done. Even Friday during qualifying, Ambrose through away a pole lap. And don't forget about the Montreal incident last year when he choked the win on the last turn. Simply a total brain freeze that hopefully they will learn from. I don't think this will be their last chance to win a race so hopefully they can regroup and get a good run at Loudon. Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson, it's always nice to get a win at a different track. Many knew Jimmie was good enough to win at a road course, but it never shook out into a win. They were the #1B car all day long and were in position once again to capitalize on another teams mistake. Brad Oh Brad. What can I say? He drover terrifically for the first half of the race, then through it all away in Turn 10. From there Brad lost his cool and started to driver really hard. He actually led this race, which is cool but it only lasted for about 20 yards. He hit 2 walls, Ekstrom, Said, Ambrose, and McMurray. Tough day. Hopefully they bring their best stuff to Loudon and get this season back on track. Also honorable mentions to half the field for proving that they still don't know how to turn right correctly. Every lap somebody was getting hit or spun. Will these guys ever learn that you can get a top 10 pretty easily if you keep the car clean? Look at Kevin Conway. First ever lead lap finish. Congrats to Robby Gordon. He is definitely a Top 5 driver of mine and I'm glad he got a good finish. He's a decent driver that actually shows a lot of respect on the racetrack even though his reputation says otherwise. Robby pocketed a cool $286678 between his two cars. Hopefully he can use this money to improve his race cars and be competitive at every racetrack. This was his best finish since 2005 where he earned a runner up position at the Glen. Road Course always get the juices flowing for the rest of the season. We get Daytona in a few weeks, so hopefully Loudon can put on a good show, and NASCAR can get a string of good races. Can't wait till we go to Watkins Glen. I really like road racing because of the strategies and new faces. 31. Joseph posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The reason why Biffle won Kansas was because everyone who passed him went WAY over the speed limit, 20 MPH faster. Ambrose still got screwed. <:( 32. Schwab posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmie Johnson's first road coarse win and third top 5 at Sonoma in nine starts. Jimmie's 51st career win puts him alone in 10th in most career wins. First top 5 for Robby Gordon since the rain-delayed Coke 600 in 2009. It was his first top 5 at Sonoma since winning in 2003. First top 10 for Boris Said since 2007 at Sonoma. Dale Earnhardt Jr. ties his best finish at Sonoma. Sonoma remains one of only two (Homestead) tracks that Dale Jr. has not scored a top 10 at in his Cup Series career. Best finish of the season for the Whitney Motorsports #46 team. First career lead lap finish for rookie Kevin Conway. 33. 18fan posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I said it before the race that Ambrose would find a way to lose. He just can't close the deal. 34. DaleSrFanForever posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Juan Montoya, you are off the hook for worst brain fade in recent memory. Why in the HELL would you try to cut your car off while going uphill? Yes, it was very stupid of his crew to tell him to save gas, but common sense has to take over at some point. Look, I was pulling for Ambrose because I am tired of watching JJ win, but the right guy won this race. Funny, before this year it was "Jimmie can't win at Bristol or on road courses". What's left? Jimmie can't win at Chicago? Who gives a shit about that? Jeff Gordon was a wrecking ball out there, knocking the piss out of 2/3 of the field. And Brad K (my guy) was his clean up guy: everyone Gordon didn't hit, Brad made sure to. Yes, everyone was aggressive today, but those two stand out. And at this point, despite the fact I have made it clear I don't like JPM, I have no sympathy for Logano. Shows you how much his "standing up for himself at Pocono" really worked. Hell, if I were driving I'd wreck him too. He ain't gonna do anything about it!! Wally had the line of the year after the race: "Anyone looking for Marcos Ambrose needs to go to the Golden Gate Bridge!" BURN!!! Kyle and Wally crack me up. 35. Madison posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski were too agressive this whole race. I'm not gonna say a damn thing about Ambrose cause what I have to say has already been said. 36. Cooper posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ambrose will eventually get his win, but it was heartbreaking for sure. Jimmie is just good; simple as that. I'm starting to admit to myself that Jimmie deserves to be mentioned as "One of the Greats". 37. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) DaleSrFan, I heard that line too. I got a weird feeling though some whiner will complain that the comment was in poor taste, and Wally will end up getting fired just because of some stupid little joke. 38. Mike posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I don't understand the controversy..." Some fans just like to complain about everything. 39. Madison posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) There were no start-and-park cars, an issue everyone was b****ing about last week. 40. Anonymous posted: 06.20.2010 - 9:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Looks like the golden horseshoe has been hammered back up Jimmie's ass thanks to the 47 team! 41. BrandonDynasty posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) r.i.p Raymond Parks.. What was up with Bk driving like a maniac,did anyone else notice that? Jimmie Johnson would have beaten Robby Gordon on new tires or old.., but regardless nice run for the 7 monster energy team. 42. KevinHarvickFan29 posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #39 Dave Blaney did Start and Park 43. potatosalad48 posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) HEEES BACK! So glad to see the #48 in victory lane again, although I feel really bad for Marcos. Also, hell of a job by Mattias Ekstrom and Jan Magnussen in their 1st career starts. If I were Jimmy Spencer, I'd give them each a cigar. 44. Dodge posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Dodge, I would say the same thing would happen, unless I see otherwise actually happening. The thing is that situation of a Hendrick car stopping hasn't happened yet, so one can't throw that around." Don't kid yourself. NASCAR has always played favorites with Rick "Felon" Hendrick. I have better things to do than to point them out but I believe it was Daytona 2006 that was a biggie. I KNOW there are others but like I said, I'm not going to waste MY time putting down all of the bad calls that Hendrick has gotten to be a good call. 45. zlev posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) good to see jeff dishing it out for once today. usually he's the one who gets hit by someone while running in the top 5 here. happened each of the last few years if i remember correctly. i guess his strategy to avoid that was to punt all the idiots out of the way before they had a chance to wreck him. the only one i feel bad for is truex jr. who had a chance at the win and generally is a decent guy. the whining in the interview wasn't really needed though, especially since jeff apologized. 46. Madison posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:43 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Too bad Waltrip didn't get a chance to race the Praying for Karson Toyota. I was hoping to see that on track. Mattias Ekstrom had a top 10 chance, but was wrecked by Brad Keselowski. Boris Said ran very well, finishing highest among the road course ringers, as well as leading a few laps. 47. Ryan posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Why would Prism have Blaney run 86 laps and then park? 48. RCRandPenskeGuy posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "18fan, the way everybody was running today, most everybody seemed to be taking at least one shot on one another." This was a pretty wild race. One of the most crash-filled ones I've seen in recent memory, anyway. I'll admit, Brad raced way too aggressive in this one. I've not criticized him for any of his other races he's run, but this time I am. Between him and Jeff Gordon, the only thing they didn't hit was the pace car (Yes, I'm stealing a line from Days of Thunder). Anyone who knows me knows that I am far from a Hendrick Motorsports or Jimmie Johnson fan, but I think NASCAR made the right call. In the Kansas 2007 race, Biffle was able to cross the line while Marcos's car in this race came to a stop. 49. 18fan posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I felt bad for Ekstrom. He had a top 10 run going and was impressive until Brad tried to wreck him once, failed, and then dumped him one corner later. 50. Anonymous posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm not sure that Blaney was a start and park, he brought out one of the cautions when he stopped on the track near turn 7 with smoke coming from his car. 51. Schwab posted: 06.20.2010 - 10:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 500th consecutive Cup Series start for Jeff Burton. 52. NazRacePhan posted: 06.20.2010 - 11:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Blaney blew an engine... was even on camera... As for Ambrose vs. Johnson, looked like a case of Jimmie's team paying off Marcos to take the dive!!! Why else would the crew chief make such a bone-headed call?!?!?!? 53. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 11:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yeah, Blaney didn't start and park Dodge, im sure you can point out many situations where it LOOKED like Hendrick had been given help, but there have been other times where it looked like other teams have gotten the screw in favor of someone else (Ricky Rudd and Davey Allison at Sonoma in 1991 ring a bell)? Sure, the best decisions are not always made, but I doubt any big racing (or other sports) series would fix races, and look the other way on stuff. Too much risk. 54. Anonymous posted: 06.20.2010 - 11:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Two words .. local yellows. Use them. Gordon is a douche. I dislike him more now than when he was winning. He only apologized for one of the three wrecks he caused and even tried to shift the blame for that one to Montoya. 55. Madison posted: 06.20.2010 - 11:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Good points days for Harvick, Johnson, and Robby Gordon, who recently failed to qualify for a race. Good owner points days for Bill Jenkins, Robby Gordon, and Dusty Whitney. 56. Dodge posted: 06.20.2010 - 11:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Martin-N-Rusty..........I became a NASCAR fan in 1995. I have heard about the thing in 1991 and based on what I have figured out is that at that time Robert Yates Racing was a bigger organization than Hendrick. Once Hendrick got Gordon, the tables seemed to turn. I agree, NASCAR can not fix races but they sure can manipulate the outcome. I am not talking about the late race cautions that others talk about, I'm talking more about the car makes getting help over other makes. Take right now for an example, Chevy and Toyota are kicking the hell out of Ford and the few Dodges that are in the races. Back in the 90's, when Ford would be kicking Chevy's tail, rule change to help chevy's and when the shoe was on the other foot, it kinda seemed like NASCAR made Ford bust tail to get caught up if they wanted to contend. 57. Jeremy Siple posted: 06.20.2010 - 11:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor corrections: 26-Said: Air National Guard / gtwgps.com 78-Smith: Furniture Row / Denver Mattress 83-Ekstrom: Red Bull / Save Mart 58. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.20.2010 - 11:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I still say though something like that NASCAR does not try to do, at least intentionally. As I said, if any major league for any type of sports manipulated the outcome of races to the point that races were to be fixed, it would be too much of a risk, as the minute they get discovered, they, and everything associated to them, is doomed. 59. RLewis9 posted: 06.21.2010 - 12:03 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Since when did Paul Menard take over the 24 car? Jeff ruined several drivers good runs by acting like a total idiot. I never thought I'd see him like that. 60. Mamorese posted: 06.21.2010 - 12:30 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Didn't see the race but its about time Gordon started punting all the retards out there out of the way. Seriously, half the drivers out there end up hitting almost everything that moves at one point or another. Its not even worth trying to pass them clean and chancing having a fender torn off, just drill them in the back and move them. 61. RaceFanX posted: 06.21.2010 - 12:43 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Seems ironic, up until this race NASCAR never had a Scandinavian driver in a Cup race and then in this race we get two with Ekstrom from Sweden and Magnussen from Denmark. With drivers from six different countries represented (United States, Australia, Columbia, Italy, Sweden and Denmark) was this the most diverse field nationality-wise in NASCAR or Cup history? 62. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.21.2010 - 1:05 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) RaceFanX, as far as I know, I believe it would be the case, as far as I can see. I know for last year, the road course races had drivers from 5 nationalities each (American, Italian, Canadian, Australian, Colombian for both races). 63. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.21.2010 - 1:07 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh, Did every single one of us forget to mention this... THE FIRST LEAD LAP FINISH FOR KEVIN CONWAY!!!!!!!! 64. Critic posted: 06.21.2010 - 1:13 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) It's clever, but I think there's more risk in turning a car off and coasting under caution to save fuel than everyone lets on, and today it finally caught someone out. Employing the strategy while traveling uphill must be one of the most foolish and masochistic developments I have ever seen on a race track. I genuinely like Ambrose, but let's not ignore the elephant in the room: for all of his polish in practice and qualifying, he's been ineffectual when it counts. The other Gordon got the better of him at the Montreal Busch race in 2007, then Ambrose retaliated and the entire event became farcical; he gave away the same race in the final corner last year, unnerved by Edwards' presence; and today committed an appalling mental error under questionable direction from Kerr -- if he was told to. I'm waffling between pitying Ambrose and crucifying him for his stupidity; for now, I shall do neither. He has been a champion his entire career, so I'm not sure how to reconcile these incidents with his pedigree. I hope he puts them to rest at the Glen, but if he finds himself in an identical situation and fails again, the pattern will be impossible to ignore. I have no problem with a more aggressive Jeff Gordon, and I'd also agree with Wally Dallenbach's contention that a road course has to be driven in anger, inevitably leading to contact. But that rage has to be controlled, and there is nothing respectable about allowing the red mist to overwhelm your judgment. You see this regularly from Boris Said (inflated reputation over results), who is well within himself up front, but loses all common sense when placed back in traffic. Gordon, for all of his Sonoma triumphs, was laughably out of his depth today, driving with an unflattering desperation, and I can't respect his fifth place finish. Martin Truex (that run to the top-three before Gordon ended it was a pleasant surprise) had every right to be furious with Gordon; if this is his way of being more competitive, someone best put him in his place. When you are getting into it with Elliott Sadler, who doesn't even belong in this championship, there's something wrong. I think there should be an amendment to the minimum pace rule when your progress is impeded by an outside agency (e.g. Hamlin spun out by Bowyer at the Dover Busch event), but there was no tampering here -- only Ambrose's mind-numbing gaffe allowing Johnson, who was up front the entire event, to take victory. 65. Critic posted: 06.21.2010 - 1:15 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) By the way, I do realize that Said finished eighth today. I simply feel he's somewhat overrated. 66. Neal posted: 06.21.2010 - 1:20 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The whole "road course ringer" bit is overblown. A "road course ringer" hasn't won a Winston/Nextel/Sprint Cup road race in almost 40 years. The last person to do it? The late Mark Donohue at Riverside in 1973. 67. 18fan posted: 06.21.2010 - 1:52 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) When was the last time before today that a driver's hood came over his windshield like Denny's did today. I know its been mentioned but RIP Raymond Parks, the first NASCAR championship car owner. Conway only finished on the lead lap because, besides the long run from lap 14-58, their were mostly only 20 lap runs. He still finished 28th though and he's 35th in owner points again. But, if he falls out and the 37 stays in, Conway will move into that car so he's in the race. 68. tiie93 posted: 06.21.2010 - 2:23 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) GET OVER IT! anyone who is siding with ambrose (as nice as he is) is just a HORRIBLE FAN AND KNOWS NOTHING about nascar. 69. joey2448 posted: 06.21.2010 - 3:26 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) jeff gordon has not lost talent...he is driving aggressively so he doesn't get pushed around by others. obviously, his lack of aggressiveness has cost him on restarts this year (martinsville, richmond), so i see it as him just trying to stay up front and win a race for once! 70. Bronco posted: 06.21.2010 - 3:35 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Cannot believe that Marcos just threw away his first Cup career win, just like that. He had the strategy and fuel to make it, was in the lead and now he's left wondering what could have been. This is his second straight road course choke going back to Montreal last season. Kevin Conway unbelievably gets his first lead lap finish and didn't spin or get spun, while Gilliland matches the best finish for a FRM car this year and picks up points for the 38. Dale Earnhardt Jr was on track for his first Sonoma top 10, but fell to 11th and matched his previous best finish on the restart. Making the cha$e seems like a real possibility now with New Hampshire and Daytona coming up. Brad Wreckalotski truly lived up to that name today, causing about 3 or 4 incidents alone. Jeff Gordon didn't drive like a road course ace that he is either and took out about 4 cars. Big time congrats to Robby Gordon for getting a much needed top 5 for his sinking operation, to Boris Said for a rare top 10, and to Big Mac for finishing 15th after an early crash. 71. joey2448 posted: 06.21.2010 - 3:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) this is, like, the third time that marcos has lost a race he was destined to win. montreal, 2007, he got spun out from the lead on the last restart by robby gordon. montreal, last year, was leading and just messed up the final corner and carl edwards got by to win the race. today, he lost because of a rule that shouldn't be there.... the nationwide race at dover this year is another example of why nascar should tweak that rule. denny hamlin, running second under caution, was side-swiped by clint bowyer (retaliation), and nascar didn't give denny his position back, even though it was totally out of his control, bowyer cause it. 72. Anonymous posted: 06.21.2010 - 4:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmie won on a road course finally. He won it completely by default, not because he was the best driver on the track, I think Robby Gordon's post-race interview made that perfectly clear. 73. Fun Gus posted: 06.21.2010 - 4:40 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) did anyone else find this race very similar to the race at road america? (top driver in series dominates, likeable foreign guy only one to challenge) 74. GTHO_PhaseIII posted: 06.21.2010 - 5:28 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Two words .. local yellows. Use them." This. Of the seven cautions today, I reckon that only 2 or 3 actually warranted a full course yellow. 75. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.21.2010 - 5:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Agreed. The accident on the restart, Keselowski's accident (#2) that dropped fluid and all sorts of debris on the track, and that is about it. But I will say, unlike Road America, Sonoma is half its size, and they did 2 lap cautions instead of 4 or 5 lappers before going green. 76. Anonymous posted: 06.21.2010 - 6:38 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Marcos also choked away Montreal in 08 by speeding in the pits. So that's 4 chokes if you consider Montreal 07 to be his fault. 77. kup posted: 06.21.2010 - 7:56 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) New record or unique case in Nascar history - could be if. In this race started 5 (!) non-USA drivers. Wow. How They finished ? 6 - #47 Marcos Ambrose - AUS 10 - #42 Juan Pablo Montoya - COL 12- #09 Jan Magnussen - DAN 21- #83 Mattias Ekstrom - SWE 43- #13 Max Papis - ITA Ok, 2 non-USA drivers in Top-10 - is not a record. Yep? But 3 non-USA in Top-10 -OR- 4 non-USA in Top15 - is Record. OK? Could be - if USA driver #12 race fair with non-USA #83 at the end. 78. RLewis9 posted: 06.21.2010 - 10:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Being agressive? Seriously? There is a difference between being agressive and blatlantly ruining MULTIPLE drivers good days. Jeff Gordon drove like an idiot in this race, bottom line. 79. 18fan posted: 06.21.2010 - 10:47 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) RLewis, you could easily sat the same thing about Brad Keselowski in this race. 80. 18fan posted: 06.21.2010 - 10:48 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) my bad, say not sat in my last post. 81. zlev posted: 06.21.2010 - 11:35 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) if this was a race from the 80's or 90's and earnhardt did exactly what gordon did and everyone was posting on it with their rose-tinted glasses, they would all say what a great driver earnhardt was. if anyone gets a pass for screwing up a few times, it's gordon. he's not just some rookie idiot out there. he's a 4 time champ. 82. Smokefan05 posted: 06.21.2010 - 12:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "When Robby Gordon got spun out under caution at Montreal, NASCAR said "He wasn't up to race pace" and was to be placed in the position he regained MIN speed. Ambrose should know this considering he was the one that caused this incident 3 years ago." There are differences between what happened to Robby then and Marcos now: What is the same between them is they where both stopped. The difference is that Robby got punted (which he somewhat deserved). Marcos stopped on his own. I'll always content that Robby won that race because how can you maintain MIN speed when you get spun out. "if this was a race from the 80's or 90's and earnhardt did exactly what gordon did and everyone was posting on it with their rose-tinted glasses, they would all say what a great driver earnhardt was. if anyone gets a pass for screwing up a few times, it's gordon. he's not just some rookie idiot out there. he's a 4 time champ." Dale won like 20-30 races by punting or spinning them out. The rest are by talent along. While i don't mind seeing JG being more aggressive out there, what he was doing was insane. If he did it 1-2 time then i'd give him a pass. But since he did like 4 times and may get payback for one of those. Then i say he deserves to be trashed. 83. the_man posted: 06.21.2010 - 1:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) David Ragan on a 25th place finish: "We came out with a 25th-place finish, it??s salvageable, but it??s not even racing out there those last 10-15 laps. The thing that started our demise was really the No. 24 and the No. 83 wrecking us in turn seven, because that put us in the back and everyone from 15th place on back drives like idiots those last few laps.? 84. RLewis9 posted: 06.21.2010 - 1:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Keselowski has a reputation of driving like an idiot, it's no suprise. But Jeff Gordon should be better than taking out 4-6 guys like that. 85. Sheamus posted: 06.21.2010 - 2:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) good run for jan magnussen. if danica finished were kevin conway did, everyone would be hailing her as a saint 86. AutoRockinRacing94 posted: 06.21.2010 - 3:55 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) First and for most, thank you James Finch for not parking Jan, great top 15 run and Mattias could of have a top 10 finish, if it wasn't for bad luck. Second, the Start and Parks hanged in there for the most part, proud for them and Labonte could of have a decent day. Third, BORING!!! AND BULL!!! I was very angry that they ruined Marcos Ambrose another win, two in Montreal (Robby Gordon and a screw up) and now this!! That's Extreme Bias!! I just had enough of Jimmie leading a race and make it boring, now he is going to be consider the best ever now. He's the LeBron James of NASCAR, except for the titles, but he is not better than Petty and Earnhardt. 87. AutoRockinRacing94 posted: 06.21.2010 - 3:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) No, Dave Blaney was too slow and had some kind of car problem and parked it to bring out the yellow. There was one, it was P.J. Jones and is the fewest since Charlotte last fall. I think they are finally getting their grip together, I hope. 88. DaleSrFanForever posted: 06.21.2010 - 4:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) If a "road course expert" were to win a race, it would have to be at Sonoma. The Glen is far less technical and these experts are far less effective there. The Cup guys are catching up across the grid on road racing. And by "road racing experts" I include people like Ambrose and definitely Robby Gordon: people you don't expect to contend except on the road courses. It is like being a "great drafter" like Drunktrip, Mike Wallace, and Dale Jr. When has Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart ever been referred to as a "road racing expert"? Never cause they have won everywhere. 89. Talon64 posted: 06.21.2010 - 4:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmie Johnson's first win at Infineon means there's only 5 tracks that he's never won at: Rockingham (which isn't on the schedule anymore), Chicagoland, Watkins Glen, Michigan and Homestead. You have to give him credit for putting a lot of effort into becoming a good road racer (he even did double-duty during the Pocono weekend, running the Rolex Grand-Am race at the Glen) and it finally payed off after he and Ambrose were the class of the field in the race. Robby Gordon gets his first top ten since a 3rd at Charlotte last year, and first top ten at Infineon since his 2003 win. It's just his 16th top five in 356 career starts. Kevin Harvick gets his 3rd podium finish in 10 starts at Infineon. Kasey Kahne won his 17th career Cup pole, his first since winning the pole for this race two years ago which means he's won 2 of the last 3 Infineon poles. 4th is his 2nd straight top 5 finish at Infineon. Jeff Gordon's 11th top five at Infineon breaks his tie with Ricky Rudd for most ever in Cup at the track. It's also his 5th straight Infineon top ten. Marcos Ambrose led a career-high 35 laps in the race, almost double his career total previous to this race. It's his 10th career top ten in his 63rd career start, and 4th in 5 Cup road course starts. Greg Biffle got his 3rd top ten in 8 career Infineon starts, but has an average finish of 14.9. It's much better than his avg fin at Watkins Glen, 25.3. Boris Said got his 8th career top ten in his 40th career Cup start. It's his first top ten since a 9th in his race in 2007. The #26 has now moved into 36th in the owners standings, just 62 points behind the #34 for 35th. Tony Stewart got his 3rd straight top ten and 4th in the last 5 races this season. It's his 4th straight top ten at Infineon. JPM finishes a career-worst 10th at Infineon. But that still gives him top tens in all 4 of his career starts there. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s 3rd 11th place finish at Sonoma is also his 5th finish of 13th or better in 11 starts. Jan Magnussen and Mattias Ekstrom finished 12th and 21st respectively in their Cup debuts. AJ Allmendinger got his 5th straight finish of 14th or better, and 11th top 20 finish in his last 13 starts. Mark Martin has 13 top tens in 20 starts at Infineon but this was his 4th straight outside of the top 10 there. It's Jamie McMurray's 3rd straight top 20 at Infineon. This is the first time that Ryan Newman's had two straight races outside of the top 10 in Sonoma. Elliott Sadler has 7 straight top 20 finishes at Sonoma. But this is just his 4th in all of 2010. Scott Speed gets his best Cup road course finish in 3 starts (DNQ'd for this race last year in the #82 but raced in the #87)... And same for David Reutimann in 5 starts. His avg fin in road courses is still 29.8. Carl Edwards had his worst finish since Texas in mid April. All 3 JGR cars failed to finish in the top 30. 90. kup posted: 06.21.2010 - 5:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) OK. Five non-USA drivers is not a record. See 2009 and 2008 road races. But 3 Europeans is a record? 91. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.21.2010 - 5:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Again AutoRockin, show me where NASCAR was set to screw over Ambrose so "their golden boy" could get a win? Ambrose didn't keep up with the pace car, coming to a complete stop. Yes, it was a mistake, but if certain mistakes were allowed to be mulliganed, like a friendly round of golf with friends, imagine what kind of hell could be raised. 92. Eric posted: 06.21.2010 - 8:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Nascar didn't screw Marcos Ambrose from getting a win. Marcos Ambrose screwed himself. He made one of the biggest mental errors I seen in Nascar and I have been watching Nascar for 17 years. Nascar was correct on their ruling. Ambrose didn't keep pace speed. Ambrose's car stopped on the track. I saw it happening on TNT. Nascar is consistent this year for keeping race pace this year under yellow. Marcos Ambrose wasn't the only driver Nascar dropped in order during caution. 93. Josh C posted: 06.21.2010 - 8:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) all i can say is this race fuels my belief that nascar is rigged! marcos was killing johnson, caution came out, the "dumbest" move ever happened and jimmie gets another "win" gift wrapped and handed to him on a silver platter. why can't they at least cheat for dale jr's sake. I know, just to get all of us rooting for him and feel sorry for him. all a storyline folks. wrestling is becoming more real than NASCAR is. 94. Mamorese posted: 06.21.2010 - 10:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The rule says if you can't maintain a cautious speed, you can't keep your position. How the hell was that fixing a race? The Kansas case is moot. Biffle didn't come close to stopping on the track, he slowed maybe 5 mph at best. NASCAR made the correct call in both cases. 95. Anonymous posted: 06.22.2010 - 12:32 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Then instead of saying you have to maintain pace speed they should say you have to not stop. I don't see the difference. 96. RLB posted: 06.22.2010 - 2:13 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmie Johnson joins Jeff Gordon as the only drivers to finish in the Top 3 at every track they have contested at in the Nascar Cup series Jeff Gordon has wins at 23 tracks and a podium at all 24 contested Jimmie Johnson has wins at 18 tracks and a podium at all 23 contested 97. RLB posted: 06.22.2010 - 2:17 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmie Johnson's 100th career podium in Nascar Cup 98. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.22.2010 - 2:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 95. Then one could go to a crawl, get passed, then complain under your explanation, that they should regain their position. I think its pretty clear cut that maintaining pace speed means at least going around the speed of the pace car, if not a few miles under if you are doing something like conserving fuel or cleaning your tires. 99. Anonymous posted: 06.22.2010 - 5:54 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) And Biffle wasn't doing that or he wouldn't of been passed by 3 cars or whatever it was. That's the only reason I care about the Ambrose deal. They've got to make the rule clear -- either you have to maintain pace speed or you don't. You can't just say "well Biffle looked like he was going a reasonable speed so it's ok". 100. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.22.2010 - 6:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I still say its pretty clear, at least in Ambrose's case. If it was a Biffle style deal, you might got something, but Ambrose was at a dead stop, you can't argue that. 101. haha posted: 06.22.2010 - 3:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) What gordon did to truex and sadler was out of line. However its not like he wrecks them every week. The only way they can get revenge on gordon is if gordon laps them. Those talentless retards hardly ever run up front anyway. Im sick of gordon running clean and nice. It costs him better finishes all the time. Man if i was jeff i would have spit in sadlers face for even walking to my car and complaing like that. Pull up your pants pansy and move on. I hope they get their revenge cuz gordon will just dish it right back. Gordon has nothing to lose. Hes acomplished everything. The other two drivers should follow ambrose to the golden gate bridge and jump as well to end their suffering. Ambrose is a much better driver though who would have won. 102. LaJoie posted: 06.22.2010 - 4:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh boy! 103. Talon64 posted: 06.22.2010 - 5:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "What gordon did to truex and sadler was out of line. However its not like he wrecks them every week. The only way they can get revenge on gordon is if gordon laps them." Sadler for sure, but not Truex. Loudon is Truex's home track and one of his best so he's plenty capable of carrying out his threat to get back at Jeff and wreck him. 104. Kevin posted: 06.22.2010 - 7:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I have not read any other comments, I did not want to be influenced by others. If Jimmie Johnson did not believe in Sante Claus, I am sure he does now. I know rules are rules, but the Johnson team ran to NASCAR about the mistake and whined. It reminded me of Stewart crying to NASCAR after he forced Regan Smith under the yellow line and cry to NASCAR how he went below the yellow line. I understand the circumstances are a little different, Ambrose did make the mistake. The Johnson team should know that the Ambrose team is not a threat for the championship and Johnson will still make the Chase and fight for the championship. This is just my opinion, take it for what it's worth. 105. Anonymous posted: 06.22.2010 - 7:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yet Gordon has just 1 more win then they do since Oct 2007 while his teammate dominates the series. 106. DaleSrFanForever posted: 06.22.2010 - 8:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Anyone think that JJ's "slump" really happened because they wanted to win a road course so they put all their recent focus on that? 107. haha posted: 06.22.2010 - 8:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) All i have to say is bring it truex. Gordon aint a bitch and if truex wants revenge than that dupont chevy is gonna be right back on his bumper and its gonna be worse. Gordon will knock that redneck gotie right off of truexs face. 108. I Seize the Day posted: 06.22.2010 - 9:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Good point DSFF - however, I don't think thats entirely the case. Maybe the put more of an effort on the road course and took away effort from a track like Martinsville. But really their slump was more bad luck than lack of competitiveness 109. RCRandPenskeGuy posted: 06.23.2010 - 12:01 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think Johnson's team has been just as prepared in the past for road-course races as they were this past week. He's come close in the past but couldn't close the deal. If Ambrose hadn't made a mental error, Johnson likely wouldn't have won this race either. 110. Madison posted: 06.23.2010 - 12:54 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 104: Agreed. 111. martin-n-rusty posted: 06.23.2010 - 2:46 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I understand the circumstances are a little different, Ambrose did make the mistake. The Johnson team should know that the Ambrose team is not a threat for the championship and Johnson will still make the Chase and fight for the championship." True, but on the flip side, what if Johnson somehow goes on a worse streak of bad luck. The points that could of been lost could of ended up being worth something. Yeah, it might seem a little whiny, but still, rules are rules. 112. Critic posted: 06.23.2010 - 2:57 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 101: Truex has actually been running quite competitively this year -- there's a reason why he was 2nd in front of Gordon at one point Sunday -- and is a revelation compared to the last driver of that car. To be quite forthright, I've had my fill of everyone at Hendrick and its satellite teams, so I hope Truex carries out his threat and reminds Gordon he is not above the sport. I suspect your virtual apoplexy after Loudon will be quite rewarding to read. 113. Talon64 posted: 06.23.2010 - 4:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bobby Labonte's split with the #71. Quote, ??I just don??t want to do the start-and-park thing.? Bobby will drive the #7 RGM car at Loudon (originally supposed to be PJ Jones in a S&P) and the #09 at Daytona and Chicagoland. None of the races will be S&P. 114. DaleSrFanForever posted: 06.23.2010 - 5:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Does anyone else think the mental image of Randy LaJoie smoking pot is hilarious? 115. LaJoie posted: 06.23.2010 - 5:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Only when I'm high 116. haha posted: 06.23.2010 - 5:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sry critic truex isnt that great and while he might be running better he will never be a jeff gordon or dare i say even an old dale jr. Truex is a nobody who needs to quit the cup series and go back to the nationwide series where he was actually competitive. Truex better watch his back when he gets his revenge. I go to a lot of races....lol. 117. RCRandPenskeGuy posted: 06.23.2010 - 11:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Does anyone else think the mental image of Randy LaJoie smoking pot is hilarious?" What's even more hilarious is that Randy is one of those people whom you'd never expect to hear about when the subject of drugs comes up. On the serious side, I'd expect someone like him to know better than that. 118. RCRandPenskeGuy posted: 06.23.2010 - 11:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "and is a revelation compared to the last driver of that car." You can say that again. I know Mikey has been driving for S&P teams when he attempted to qualify for Michigan and Sonoma, but at least Truex is making all of the races and doing a fine job if you ask me. 119. Talon64 posted: 06.24.2010 - 4:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Truex was in 12th just a few races ago. Then he hit a slump that wasn't too bad, he was still within earshot of the Chase but THEN Jeff knocked him around, putting him at the back where he got involved in the big restart melee. Truex dropped another 60+ points away from 12th because of it, and way down to 19th. 120. haha posted: 06.25.2010 - 12:02 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I could run better than truex. 121. Frank posted: 06.25.2010 - 7:02 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm really dissapointed about what happened with Marcos but we should agree it was his mistake and nothing add to it. At least we've seen how great he was on cold tyres out of the pits and couple awesome outbrakings on #48 after. Johnson, sooner or later, would have won on road course. Sad that it happened earlier than Amrose took his first but no strange looking of what days of NASCAR we are observing... Jeff Gordon was too crazy that day. It's not agression, it's madness. On the other side, look at famous wreckers Robby & Harvick and how clean they raced each other for 2nd in the end. Surely it'd be beatin-bangin if that was for the win but however both was incredibly smart. 122. AutoRockinRacing94 posted: 06.28.2010 - 10:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't care! I just had enough of Jimmie winning in a boring fashion, about 48 of his 52 wins were more than half a second. But, I still wanted him to win. 123. awesomegordonfan posted: 10.09.2010 - 10:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Surprisingly, Johnson's first career road course victory. Shortest race (regularly scheduled) this season so far. 124. awesomegordonfan posted: 10.09.2010 - 10:56 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "rules are rules, but nascar didn't penalize biffle in 07 at kansas for the same thing" Yeah, Biffle didn't stall, he was saving fuel ON A FLAT STRAIGHTAWAY and the race ended under caution anyway, as long as he didn't run out it was fine, the same thing happened to Jr. in 08 at Michigan, which was a screwed up win. 125. awesomegordonfan posted: 10.09.2010 - 11:02 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) And Gordon didn't try to wreck people; they just checked up on him, like Truex in 11. Ekstrom's first start, was performing very impressively until his troubles GO GORDON 126. Daniel posted: 05.21.2012 - 4:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) In using fastest 43: #02 Brandon Ash & #36 Brian Simo Out using fastest 43: #6 David Ragan & #34 Kevin Conway 127. JL70fan posted: 03.20.2013 - 3:22 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) probably Robby's last top 5 and/or top 10 in the Cup series 128. b4il3y posted: 11.12.2013 - 1:18 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) Congrats to Marcos for winning this race. 129. Cole Trickle posted: 12.31.2013 - 3:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't think Jeff Gordon has ever made more enemies in a race than this one - but I think some of it was just product of circumstance. Crazy racing because of the double-file restarts. Jimmie Johnson qualified on the pole and he really benefitted from it because he was ahead of these messy restarts all day and he caught a huge break when Ambrose decided to turn off his engine going uphill. I also remember if you were on the inside line on the re-start, you were in a bad place because then you were technically on the "outside" next to the dirt with a guy inside you when going uphill and through turns 2, 3 and 4. Kurt Busch ran Gordon into the dirt on one occasion - Gordon returned the favor on another restart and I think Kurt Busch got a flat if I'm not mistaken. Kurt Busch was upset when Gordon had apologized to everyone BUT him. Gordon said he didn't need to apologize for returning the favor. Kurt Busch - quite blatantly - put Gordon in the wall at Martinsville later in the year. But those two have always had a rocky on-track relationship going back to Martinsville '05. It continues to this day as the two had a scuffle at Kansas in 2013 but both still managed to finish 2nd and 3rd. I actually thought Gordon had a strong car this day - it was the best race car he had at Sonoma in awhile. I think his race changed when a couple of slower cars stayed out during a round of pit stops on one of the cautions?..Gordon went underneath Jan Magnussen to pass him going into 7. Johnson was passing Ragan just ahead. Ragan was so slow that he even got not he outside of Magnussen on the same corner and it wasn't enough room for three cars. Magnussen and Ragan spun I believe. Gordon managed to stay in control but lost a few spots. Truex also got around Gordon which led to the incident when they got to turn 11 on the very same lap and Gordon was trying to block a dive bombing Montoya and ended up clipping Truex going into 11 in the process. Gordon also got into Sadler (who in turn spun Bowyer) in 11 late in the race?.this just looked like frustration/impatience on Gordon's part. I think those are all the incidents he had. If Gordon could've just managed to get through traffic and those messy restarts?..I think he easily had a car that could compete with Jimmie Johnson for the win. Unfortunately he kept restarting on the inside line and getting caught in traffic all day. It takes a long time to make-up a couple of spots at Sonoma. Not easy to pass. Gordon finally got to restart on the outside lane on the last two restarts I believe?..Ambrose restarted like 7th and Gordon 8th after Ambrose decided to turn off his engine. That's how Gordon finished ahead of Ambrose. 130. Nascar Lead Lap Points posted: 04.18.2016 - 3:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor Update #55 Toyota Sponsafier "Karson" Owner Update #55 Michael Waltrip 131. Ian posted: 05.03.2016 - 8:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) With this race, sports car ace Jan Magnussen becomes one of only handful of drivers (especially recently) who have competed at least one race each in NASCAR, American open wheel (CART, et al), and F1. 132. M posted: 01.31.2018 - 5:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A Dale Earnhardt, Sr. fan bitching and complaining about Jeff Gordon knocking a few guys out of the way is so hilarious that my stomach just hurt now reading it. 133. thecautionlightnews posted: 09.23.2020 - 3:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mattias Ekstrom becomes the first Swede to race in NASCAR's Cup Series. His resume is stacked, as he is a two time DTM champion, and a World Rallycross Champion. Jan Magnussen becomes the first Danish Person to race in NASCAR's Cup Series. Magnussen is most famous for his 2 decades of racing for Corvette Racing in the American Le Mans Series and IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship. He also raced in CART and F1. His son, Kevin, drives for Haas F1 team. I have had the pleasure of meeting both Jan and Kevin, and they are absolute Gentlemen. 134. Rich posted: 12.06.2020 - 4:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Adam Alexander, Wally Dallenbach and Kyle Petty were the commentators. Ralph Sheheen, Phil Parsons, Marty Snider and Matt Yocum were the pit road reporters. Larry McReynolds was the in-race analyst. Lindsay Czarniak was the studio host. 135. Altracing posted: 12.28.2020 - 1:24 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) This would be the only time in his career that Jimmie Johnson would win on a road course. It was also the final cup series career top ten finish for veteran road course racer Boris Said. 136. TeamDCRfan posted: 03.19.2021 - 7:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "If youre looking for Marcos Ambrose, go to the Golden Gate Bridge, because that's where he's standing right now." 137. NascarLeadLapPoints posted: 12.05.2021 - 10:03 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Owner Update #09 Rick Hendrick https://www.autosport.com/nascar/news/have-a-go-hero-an-ex-f1-racers-three-hour-bar-fight-in-nascar/6835321/amp/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: