Catchfence

Hello loyal readers and other folks. This was another one of those changed up schedules, with 3 races spread between 1 state and track and another country. But this was an enjoyable race viewin’ weekend to Duck’s and my way of thinkin’. I’m also thinkin’ as far as schedulin’ goes the Daytona Dudes like to keep us on our tippytoes or tippy webbed feet, as the case may be. Shoot fuzzy there might even be a hoofed or padded feet family member race fan somewhere out there. I’m not recommendin’ somethin’ here, I’m just sayin”, but as long as the races are as excitin’ as they were this past weekend, that’s real ok by Duck and me, but, that’s neither here nor there.

No race on Friday. Nossirree! Saturday the Trucks were in Michigan, home of the famous Mr. Excitement/ Big Brother Kurt incident 8 years ago and Nationwide ran up in the Northern other country in Montreal. So Duck and I settled in with no snacks but some cold Ice Tea on the crates and we cheered and honked (Duck has a cold) as the green flag waved. Crafty Matt led the field followed by Todd, Handsome Hornaday, cutie Mark Martin and Kligerman. For those who want to know Happy Man started 6th, WOG started 10th, Rowdy Boy started 13th and Rock’em Sock’em started 14th. The rest you can look up.

Michigan is one of those tracks where the racers get real serious and after business right off the bat. And they did, yessirree! Oh my good and gracious LORD, those boys were goin’ 4 and 5 wide in rapid fashion. AS we sometimes see, those who qualified real good weren’t so good durin’ the race or had a bunch of badness happenin’ to them. Handsome Hornaday was one of ‘em, let me tell you that one somethin’ right now. And as is the case sometimes some of ‘em who weren’t that good in the beginnin’ got better. Poor Papis had an accident on the second lap but was able to finish the race and ended up in the 19th place. Rowdy Boy ran over a part of someone’s window and it went right through the radiator so he was out of competin’ on lap 63. Fuel mileage took Crafty Matt’s chance of winnin’ away. He stayed out too long and ran out of gas. And then he tangled up WOG, Kligerman, and Armstrong within the last 13 laps which led to several restarts. Yessirree, those boys were gettin’ after business and it just plain didn’t work for some of ‘em. But it worked for Happy who took the lead and kept it through a green/white/checkered finish. GOOD for him I say. And with that win Happy Man became the 1st and only driver to have ever win at that track between all 3 series so another GOOD for him I say. Peters, Paludo, Buescher and Starr rounded out the top 5. For those who want to know Handsome Hornaday finished 7th, cutie Martin finshed 14th, WOG finished 22nd just below Crafty Matt and Rowdy Boy finished 25th. The rest you can look up. Rock’em Sock’em still is the points leader with Buescher in 2nd and WOG in 3rd. The rest of that you can look up to.

Next up the Nationwide guys and 2 girls headed to Canada with a whole bunch of road course dandies. I told Duck I was pretty sure one of ‘em would wind up winnin’. The mornin’ had looked good but durin’ the race there were storm clouds formin’ so those boys and 2 girls needed to get that race at least half way done. Jacques Villeneuve took the pole followed by Tagliani, Leffler, Scott Speed and McDowell. Flippin’ Carl started 14th to Duck’s dismay, Curly Sadler started 16th, Aussie Man started 9th, Rusty’s boy started 7th and Carpentier who was retirin’ after this race started 32nd and RG started 6th. The rest you can look up.

74 laps down’t sound like much of a race but let me tell you one somethin’ right now, this race was amazin’. Every lap was action packed and after the race at the Glen Duck and I are definite fans, of road course racin’ for now at least. So when they waved the flag Duck with his cold and I stood up and honked and cheered as 2 Canadians had the top 2 spots. Villeneuve cleared for the lead. Lap 2 saw a couple of pit stops and several more followed before lap 10. Danica girl smacked in to Annett on lap 11 and the Dufault girl spun 2 laps later and then again 3 laps after that. By lap 21 Villeneuve had the lead again and Aussie Man was in 3rd. Duck and I were cheerin’ and honkin’. I admit I was surprised cause Duck’s idol wasn’t doin’ all that great. I think he was havin’ problems with his car early on. By lap 25 Aussie was in 2nd but quite a bit behind Jacques. After pit stop Robby was leadin’. We like Robby so we were on our feet for him.

On lap 44, with half way out of the way and it was an “official race”, Villeneuve banged into Aussie and then Aussie banged back on the same lap. Villeneuve got the worst of this deal and never recovered really. Robby’s car caught fire with 7 laps to go and brought out the last caution. Sad for him I say. Green flag waved for Aussie Man who won with a nice lead. GOOD for him I say makin’ a Cup and Nationwide win for him in 2 weeks! Tagliani finished 2nd followed by McDowell, Rusty’s boy and Fitzpatrick. Carpentier never made it to the end and retired with an unfinished race so sad for him I say! For those who want to know Fliipin’ Carl finished 7th, Curly finished 10th and Robby finished a fire hot 31st. Stenhouse, Jr holds the points lead followed by Curly, Speedy Reed, Allgaier and Almirola. The rest you can look up. Duck and I both went to bed all fired up over that day’s race viewin’. Not sure what Duck was thinkin’ about his idol but I didn’t ask so with peace reinin’ in my home I drifted off to sleep.

With snacks on the crates and mornin’ chores mostly done, Duck and I settled in on the divan for the Cup race. One of last weeks news maker, Biffle, grabbed the pole followed by Robo, Flyin’ Ryan, Wide Smilin’ and cutie Martin. Good Bad Brad started 6th, Jr started 8th and the rest you can look up. Anyway, by lap 37 Flippin’ Carl is in the garage with engine trouble. Oh the moaning goin’ on on that end of the divan! Biffle cleared the field from the get go and held it right well leadin’ so many laps of the first 90 or so except for results of pit stops when he pitted again and Lally took the lead but when Lally pittied Biffle regained the lead but on the next lap Rowdy Boy passed him. Then Kutie Kasey lead after pits stops for a spell then on lap 121 Jeffie lead until 125 when Robo and Jeffie battled back and forth. Can’t and won’t do a lap by lap so in the end after a green/white/checkerd caused when Big Brother Busch hit the wall, Rowdy boy just did the best job and won! Good for him I say! Same Champ Jimmie came home 2nd followed by Good Bad Brad, Cutie Martin and Flyin’ Ryan. Jr finished 14th after what Duck and I think was a questionable call for a pit stop when the other leaders didn’t pit on that last caution, Flippin’ Carl finished 36th with a broke car and the rest you can look up. It was an excitin’ race too to my way of thinkin’. Duck was thinkin’ somethin’ else obviously cause he was silent and went to his room only to emerge a couple hours later for food. Poor Duck, he was silent a good portion of the rest of the day. Rowdy remains the leader in the points with same Champ Jimmie 10 points behind. The rest of that you can look up too. Durin’ the night I heard some duckly cryin’ comein’ from Duck’e room. I didn’t go in there. He needs to learn to handle the results of a race like a big duck. Know what I mean? But it did keep me awake a good portion of the night so I slept in a little late this mornin’ resultin’ in this late report. I apologize loyal readers and other folks.

Now for the other stuff. I mentioned awhile back about some of those pit calls from the JR team and I felt bad about that cause those 2 work so well together but the last one yesterday, as I said seems amazin’ given the leaders ahead of him didn’t pit. Not bad mouthin’ anyone here, I’m just thinkin’ and wonderin’ why is all.

Also seems the Biffle and Boris show ended nicely without any fur flyin’ or any penalties so good for them I say! And finally I really like Rowdy’s commercial where he keeps callin’ Denny and wakes him up the night before a race. Seems like an onry thingie he might do considerin’ he snickers at the end real like. But, if he’s keepin’ Denny awake with those calls isn’t he keepin’ himself awake too? Just a pondersome one somethin’ I was thinkin’ and wonderin’ about. Course it’s not real stuff, is it?

Next up is Bristol Thursday through Saturday so enjoy your Sunday off. Anyway, there ya have it. Email, comment or don’t. ‘Til next time. Granny Grump over and out.