Jamie McMurray Takes CMS While Chasers Struggle

Racin’ with Russ

Is it me or does there seem to be a warm and fuzzy feeling from the crowd and pit area when Jamie McMurray wins a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. There are no ‘boos’ or drivers upset at the net result, just a very happy non-Chaser getting out front without laying a fender on anyone as the Ganassi-Earnhardt driver did on Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway to notch his third checkers of the season.

Oh, I suppose you could say there was one driver upset at the end as Kyle ‘whiner’ Busch was talking about how he blew it again by leading the most laps but coming away second fiddle. Hey Kyle…Wahhhhhhh! Get a grip….you were out of it from last week as self-proclaimed, and you’re still out of it. I’ve never seen a driver in any division so indifferent to anything but a win. And, yes, it’s good to have that "drive" to win, but contrary to what he believes, you can’t win them all which is why he may never win any title without a serious attitude adjustment.

Jeff Gordon started the race on the pole, his first of the year and ran well until an electrical gremlin jumped up and bit the four-time champ then sealed his fate on the day with a very costly speeding ticket on pit lane, netting a 23rd. Can you say, "Done!"

Kyle Busch led most of the laps during the middle "ho-hum" stages before McMurray galloped into the lead late in the go and stayed there edging Busch, points leader Jimmy Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Greg Biffle for his sixth career win.

Much earlier in the race, Johnson very uncharacteristically spun by himself but managed not to hit anything, pitted for tires and shorts and came out with his head down to get to the front. By earning a third, he has once again shown championship style in recovering from potential poor results.

Chase Points: After Johnson emerged from the nearby phone booth to change from Clark Kent to Superman, his third place finish now has him 41 points ahead of Hamlin with Kevin Harvick 77 points in arrears. The rest of the pack turns into "also-rans" and would need a miracle to have a shot at this year’s big trophy.

Note: Several other Chasers struggled on the day including Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart, netting sub-20th place finishes and all but wiping out any shot at any decent result in the overall Chase.

Nationwide: Kyle Busch also led the most laps in the Nationwide run at CMS but fell victim to some smarter pit strategy and stronger cars during the closing stages of the Friday night race.

Points leader Brad Keselowski took over the lead late in this one with a very stout Dodge Challenger beating the rest of the pack by a comfortable margin. Martin Truex Jr, Justin Allgaier, Joey Logano and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top-five finishers.

BK continues to pull away from second place Carl Edwards in the overall standings with not much of a chance of losing without staying home for the remainder of the season.

Danica Patrick started 28th and putted around to finish 24th, some two laps down, never a factor and never leading any laps.

From Rumorville: It sounds as if NASCAR will follow suit with their eliminating the catch can man from the current truck series into the Cup and Nationwide scene from next year on. One less man to get hit on pit lane…or 43 less when you consider all of the teams.

• NASCAR officials have also decided to get a little greener by introducing 15 percent ethanol in next year’s fuel supply for all three top tier divisions. That’s ok for that situation but not for street cars older than 2007 and any lawn mower style engine. Punch up some info on your favorite browser to see more important details.

• And finally, from NASCAR comes the word that the long awaited fuel injection systems will start at next year’s Cup race weekend in Kentucky in July.

That’s it for this week. Next week’s RWR will review the NASCAR Cup and Truck action from the short track scene at Martinsville, Nationwide results from Gateway along with more racing news from around the globe.

Questions? Comments? Contact Russ at [e-mail]