Rewind | Someone just crashed the block party

Saturday, Jul. 04, 2009

Rearview mirror

Jimmie Johnson made a great point Saturday night. Lately, the media raise questions when there is no excitement, and then when there is - like the finishes at Talladega and Daytona - there are questions raised about how to "fix it." Restrictor-plate racing affords drivers only so many options. If they are willing to block to stay out front, then they should be willing to accept the consequences when that doesn’t work.

Each race I am more and more impressed by the progress of Marcos Ambrose. The guy has limited NASCAR experience but has managed to stay out of trouble this season and more and more frequently is finding himself up front at the end of races. I think - sooner, rather than later - he will find himself with a chance to win.

The end of the race produced a lot of fireworks - no holiday pun intended - but Busch’s dramatic pass for the lead one lap prior was impressive in the effortless manner in which he made it.

Notes

Second acceptable, Johnson figures

There was no win, but given Jimmie Johnson’s struggles at Daytona lately, Saturday night’s second-place finish was well-received.

In his previous six races, Johnson had one top-10 finish and since NASCAR began using the new car, Johnson had felt that his No. 48 team hadn’t been strong enough at the track to contend.

“We haven’t been this strong in Daytona in a long time and I am really proud of the hard work my team has put in this chassis,” Johnson said.

“The guys did a great job of setting this car up and I am very impressed with this.”

Johnson chastised himself for sliding through his pit on one stop - a mistake that could have cost him an opportunity to get out front.

“We worked our way back up to fourth and it worked out to be second, which was cool,” he said.

Hamlin helps teammate, finishes third

As the final two laps wound down Saturday night at Daytona, Denny Hamlin decided he would rather see one of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates win if he couldn’t.

Hamlin tucked in behind Kyle Busch and helped him pass then-leader Tony Stewart on the next-to-last lap - the only time Busch led.

“It was a move to help a teammate. Instead of us going for the win, I felt like our best shot was for us to push (Busch),” Hamlin said. “We got him the lead - it took us out of position and let (Jimmie Johnson) get around us.”

Busch ended up wrecking on the last lap after contact with Stewart, but Hamlin came away with third place - his first top-10 finish at Daytona in eight races.

Ambrose finding consistency

Not only is Marcos Ambrose becoming more familiar with his NASCAR surroundings, but the Australian is starting to string together some consistently strong results.

Ambrose finished sixth in Saturday night’s race, his third finish of sixth or better in the past five. He remains 18th in the series standings, 218 points outside the cutoff to make the Chase.

“I just keep growing as a driver and I just want to thank my team for believing in me,” Ambrose said. “This was an amazing night and another strong finish.”

Ambrose fought a bad cold all weekend and required intravenous fluids.

“This sixth-place finish makes me feel 100 percent better,” he said.

Addington doesn't blame Stewart

Kyle Busch’s crew chief, Steve Addington, said the finish to Saturday’s race was simply a product of restrictor-plate racing and that he wasn’t angry at anyone.

“I’m not pointing any fingers at Tony (Stewart),” Addington said. “He was trying to win the race, Kyle was trying to block him for the win and we got turned around.”

Addington credited Busch for his patience, as several times on double-file restarts Stewart elected to start in front of Busch.

"We sat there, he was patient all night long and sat there and rode,” Addington said of his driver. “We were just fine. We took care of tires all night long and were there at the end.”

Key moments

Lap 13

Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth make contact. Martin hits the wall, then slides across the track and nearly takes out Juan Pablo Montoya.

Lap 77

Kasey Kahne gets into the back of David Stremme, which ignites a 13-car wreck that collects David Reutimann, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon, among others.

Lap 155

For the seventh and final time, Tony Stewart pits and gets off pit road first - an impressive display by his pit crew.

Lap 159

Kyle Busch, who hasn’t led a lap the whole race, makes an impressive move around Stewart to take the lead just before the start of the final lap.

Lap 160

As Stewart and Busch approach the finish line, Stewart tries to get around once and Busch blocks him. Stewart then gets to the inside of Busch’s right-rear when Busch tried to block again. This time, Busch goes spinning in front of Stewart and careening into the wall, assuring Stewart’s win.

Next race LifeLock.com 400

Where: Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill.

When: 8 p.m. Saturday.

TV: TNT.

Radio: Motor Racing Network.

Last year’s winner: Kyle Busch.

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