Rewind | Commentary, more from Sunday

Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

Rearview mirror

Ratings or racing?

Here is the inherent problem NASCAR faces with racing at Talladega, and less so at Daytona: Several drivers, with the media hanging on their every word, complained that more needed to be done to make the racing safer.

At the same time, fans at home were complaining that they weren’t getting the kind of bunched-up, close side-by-side racing that causes the problems the drivers complain of.

Who is right?

It probably depends on whether racing is considered more sport or entertainment. It’s a problem without an easy solution.

Looked like a Talladega race from here

Sunday’s race wasn’t really any different than any other Talladega race I’ve witnessed the past 12 seasons. Drivers start the race and feel out their cars.

They try to stay out of trouble until about 20-30 laps remaining, and then it’s every man for himself.

Out back and out of trouble

The biggest contributor to Jimmie Johnson’s likely fourth consecutive championship may be what he didn’t do.

He didn’t really participate in much of the close racing Sunday, electing to remain in the back of the field.

At the end, he ended up sixth while Mark Martin – his nearest rival in the championship – got caught in a wreck and ended up 28th.

Chase check

1. Jimmie Johnson

He basically let the championship come to him, as he sat in the back of the field until about 15 laps to go, then stayed out of the remaining wrecks and collected an sixth-place finish.

“I hate to see so many tore-up cars and the big wreck that took place, but for us what really made the difference, obviously we were conservative all day long,” Johnson said.

2. Mark Martin (-184)

Martin entered the race with perhaps the most positive attitude of his career at Talladega and for much of the race it appeared it would pay off.

But he had to pit for gas before the finish and then was caught up in the last-lap wreck.

“It was just a wreck. I hope everybody enjoyed the show there,” Martin said. “I don’t know what it looked like.”

3. Jeff Gordon (-192)

Like his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Martin, Gordon ran out of gas before the finish and ended up 20th. He led four times for 12 laps and appeared to have a car that could win.

“I certainly didn’t think we were going to run out right then, but I guess I'm kind of glad we ran out when we did,” Gordon said. “We were at least able to get back out there and destroy our car.”

4. Juan Pablo Montoya (-239)

It was a familiar refrain late in the race for Chase drivers – Montoya ran out of gas. He also got caught up in the last-lap wreck.

5. Tony Stewart (-279)

It was not a good day for Stewart-Haas Racing as Stewart got collected in the same accident as teammate Ryan Newman on Lap 184. With three races left, he has virtually fallen out of title contention.

6. Kurt Busch (-312)

In a race with only six cautions, Busch played a major role in two of them. He spun in the tri-oval on Lap 49. Then as the race neared its conclusion, he was hit by Brad Keselowski and got caught up in the 13-car last-lap wreck.

7. Greg Biffle (-340)

Like Johnson, Biffle was waiting out a big wreck, hoping to get a good finish, which he did. “We played it smart and got through that stuff,” he said.

8. Ryan Newman (-402)

If Ryan Newman doesn’t see another Talladega race, it won’t be too soon. Can you blame him?

“We got hit from behind; that turned me sideways, then I got up in the air and just kept flipping and flopping,” said Newman, who was also involved in a last-lap wreck in the April race at Talladega.

“Unfortunately, the (roll) cage came down on top of my head and I couldn't get out.”

9. Kasey Kahne (-414)

I tested a theory in Sunday’s paper, electing to use a blind draw to randomly pick the race winner since everyone says that anyone can win at Talladega.

Kahne, who started from rear because of an engine change, finished second.

“If we got back in the pack, we’d lose the draft. We needed to have cars around us and tried to keep cars behind us mainly,” Kahne said. “If we were able to do that, we could race pretty decent.”

10. Carl Edwards (-437)

This Talladega race, it was Newman’s turn to go airborne.

11. Denny Hamlin (-448)

The Chase has not been Hamlin’s friend. For the third time in four races, Hamlin is plagued by problem with his car, this time a broken oil pan.

The one race he didn’t have a problem during that span – last weekend at Martinsville, Va., - he won.

12. Brian Vickers (-556)

For one lap late in the race, Vickers took the lead. He ended up 13th – uneventful, but his second-best showing in the Chase.

Key moments

Sunday morning

Two hours before the race, NASCAR's Mike Helton lays down the law: No bump-drafting in the corners, including the last lap of the race.

Lap 10

Jimmie Johnson begins his strategy of waiting around at the back of the pack and drops as low as 35th.

Lap 138

Denny Hamlin, who appeared to have a car capable of winning, blows his engine, bringing a premature end to his day.

Lap 184

A five-car wreck erupts on the backstretch as Ryan Newman’ scar flips end-over-end and slides on its hood for several hundred feet. Newman is unhurt.

Lap 191

The race restarts on Lap 190 for a green-white-checkered finish, but a 13-car accident on the final lap brings out a caution and ensures Jamie McMurray’s win.

Next race

Dickies 500

Where: Texas Motor Speedway, Forth Worth.

When: 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

TV: ABC.

Radio: Performance Racing Network.

Last year’s winner: Carl Edwards.

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