Hello Angels, Bosley, Mr. X and the UnNamed One,

Last week I got on a soapbox about quality cars and field-fillers. Today the field fillers were entered in the race again, and this time NASCAR did set a higher standard…and it showed.  Several field fillers left the race with fewer than 10 laps completed…that is within the first three minutes of the race. NASCAR’s answer to the whole debate was to turn the tables on the established teams and cars. 

In a story printed on Nascar.com Friday, John Darby, NASCAR Nextel Cup director, said it is up to the established cars to educate the slower cars on the proper way to approach them.

“The veteran drivers could help teach and train the new guys as much as we can,” he said. “Sometimes it's good to take five minutes, be proactive and help that cause.”

While I believe this will help, it still doesn’t do anything about the speed issue and definitely nothing about quality of the cars that these field-fillers are bringing to the Nextel Cup series each week.  If they want to try racing, bring their cars to the Busch Series, or even the ARCA series.  Don’t bring their experimental teams to the premiere series of NASCAR. 

That said, today’s race was not affected by field-filler, because as I’ve said earlier, they were all gone within three minutes of the start of the race. 

So, what did happen at today’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.  Tony Stewart (didn’t I mention patience about him last week) got together with Scott Wimmer after Wimmer slowed and turned to avoid contact with Ricky Craven.  Stewart thought that Wimmer turned into him and the two beat and banged doors all the way down the back-stretch. NASCAR had already warned Stewart earlier in the race about rough driving tactics, but both drivers were penalized one-lap each for the incident.

There were plenty of cautions to go around, but nothing significant happened until the end of the race when Wimmer got together with Dale Jarrett with six-laps left.  NASCAR brought out the Red Flag and cleaned the track.  When the race resumed with two-laps left, Kurt Busch and Rusty Wallace were one and two.  Wallace was trying to break his winless streak, while Busch was trying to win his third-straight race at Bristol.  Busch won out, and Wallace is again the bridesmaid, and not the bride.  Congratulations to Busch on overcoming a pit-miscue with his team and going more than 120 laps on old tires to win the Food City 500 today at NASCAR’s shortest track.

While I would normally say carnage was the rule today, it really wasn’t.  There was a lot of cautions and crashes, but in the end, almost half the field was still on the lead lap.  That doesn’t mean that our teams weren’t affected.  The big crash of the day was early when Jamie McMurray punted Kasey Kahne out of the way.  Kahne’s day ended with his first “Did Not Finish” or DNF, this season.  This affected eight of our 12 Charlie’s Angels’ Fantasy League teams. 

Dylan (Jen W), Kahne did not affect you.  You finally got rid of Jimmy Spenser which I applaud you for. The problem that you have is that you picked another driver who is not running in the Nextel Cup series.  Johnny Benson is running full-time in the Busch Series this year, but only made one start in the cup series so far.  He did not start this week’s race.  For this, you are hereby guaranteed the least-coveted, hardly-ever-given BONEHEAD AWARD.  Too bad, so sad …This is the second time this year and only third time the award has been given out.  Hopefully this will also be the last.

Your remaining drivers all finished 17th or better.  In that 17th spot is Jeremy Mayfield.  Elliott Sadler had an ok day and finished 14th.  Dale Earnhardt Jr., was called to the White House after his team was vocal about NASCAR’s decision to clear the race track of debris.  McMurray was your top finisher who finished eighth even though he was spun by Matt Kenseth with half-a-lap remaining. The two had contact after the race was over when McMurray spun Kenseth out as he was entering pit-road.  Something tells me that they went to the White House also after the race.  Like the last three weeks, I can’t give you an average finish for five drivers, but can for your remaining drivers….10 even. Besides the BONEHEAD award, you are also again our GOLDEN CABOOSE AWARD recipient for this third week in a row.  Much better luck next week.

Julie (Sally) I’ll start with what went good for you this week.  Well, not much went well for you this week.  You did have Kenseth and his fifth-place finish, but he had to punt McMurray out of the way to get that.  Dale Jarrett was running in the top-10 with six-laps left when he was punted out of the way by Wimmer.  Jarrett’s car was pretty banged up, and he finished the last car on the lead lap, in 21st spot.  Bobby Labonte got mixed up in the first crash of the day and ended the race in 33rd.  Casey Mears had a radiator problem and fell 30-laps down early in the race.  He finished 36th.  And finally, Kahne finished 40th after his early crash.  Your average finish is a very disappointing (I’m sure) 27 even.  Much better luck to you next week also.

Natalie (Donna), your day wasn’t much better than Julie’s was.  You had no drivers finish in the top-10, but you did have two drivers, Sadler and Jimmie Johnson finish 16th and 14th respectively.  I don’t think I need to mention where Kahne, Jarrett and Labonte finished again, but you have all three of them on your team as well.  Your average finish today is still a disappointing one for you at 24.8.  Much better luck to you too, next week.

Kelly (Sarah), like Natalie before you, you did not have any drivers finish in the top-10 either.  You also have Kahne and Labonte on your team as well. Another problem is that you got the double whammy this week having both Wimmer and Stewart on your team. Stewart finished 24th while Wimmer went on to finish 13th.  Earnhardt was your top driver who finished 11th. Your average finish is also only a fraction better than Natalie’s at 24.2.  Much better luck to you next week as well.

Kris (Peggy) you had three drivers finish close to the top-10, but like Kelly and Natalie before you, didn’t have anyone finish higher than 11th.  In that 11th spot is Earnhardt, while Sadler and Johnson finished close by in 14th and 16th respectively.  Hurting you though was Brian Vickers loosing a drive shaft and Ricky Rudd blowing a tire and hitting the wall.  They finished 35th and 37th respectively.  Your average finish is another disappointing 22.6. Much better luck next week to you too.

Tiffany (Jen Y) on the bright-side today, you have Kevin Harvick on your team.  He finished third. You also have Earnhardt and Mayfield on your team.  Earnhardt finished 11th, while Mayfield finished 17th.  That was your good news.  The bad news is that you have Mears and Kahne on your team as well.  They finished 36th and 40th respectively.  This dropped your average finish to 21.4.  Much better luck next week.

Sabrina (Susan) last week you changed your drivers around a little bit, but they bit you in the end.  This week, you still stuck with them and while they still have a mean bite, they didn’t bite you as hard as they could have.  Biting you the hardest is Kahne and his 40th place finish.  I know Stewart is your “stud” but he was definitely in the dog house today after his antics and 24th place finish.  Mark Martin had a good day until the end of the race where he had a tire rub, or something wrong with the right rear of the car.  He finished 23rd, one lap down.  Just nibbling on your hand today is Earnhardt while Kenny Schrader was licking your face… Ok, not a great mental image…but he was your best driver in 6th.  Your average finish is a 20.8.  Better luck next week.

UnNamed One (Ray) this week was not a great week for you either.  Ricky Rudd blew a tire and hit the wall hard ending his day earlier than he wanted.  He finished 37th.  Martin finished 23rd and Jarrett 21st despite his late-race crash and torn up car.  Sadler finished 14th and your top driver today is Kenseth and his fifth spot.  Your average finish today is an even 20.  Better luck next week.

My drivers this week were all over the place, the worst being Kahne in 40th.  Brenden Gaughn had a good day, although he was involved in several different incidents and was spun at least two times I think, The latter he pushed in his front end.  Welcome to Bristol.  J  Despite all that he still managed to stay on the lead lap and finish 20th.  Johnson had pit problems and because of the late cautions couldn’t make up time he lost in the pits.  He finished 16th.  Jeff Gordon was able to overcome his mistake in the pits and finished ninth.  My best driver today is Busch who won today’s race, despite his miscue with crew chief Jimmy Fennig.  My average finish is a not so bad after all the rest of you 17.  J

Mr. X (Dave), like me before you, you also have Kahne and Gaughn.  But that is all we share this week.  You have Earnhardt, who finished 11th and the Rocket Man himself, who ran out of something today because he could only muster a seventh-place finish after starting on the pole.  Your best driver is Kenseth who finished fifth.  Your average finish is a better than average today at 16.6.  Nice job.

Jill (Jennie) your streak of TOP ANGEL finishes is over at three.  Congratulation on that streak though.  Today Kahne was the driver who did it to you, even though it wasn’t his fault.  He got an up close and personal look at Bristol’s wall.  He finished 40th.  Other than that hiccup, your remaining drivers did well considering.  Finishing 16th is Johnson, while Johnny Sauter finished 15th.  (what made you pick him???)  Newman finished seventh, and your top driver is today’s top driver overall, Kurt Busch.  Your average finish is 15.8.  Nice job.

Well, Bosley (Jude), leave it to you to dethrone Jill today.  Your worst driver is Stewart and his 24th finishing spot.  Wimmer didn’t make many friends today, but still managed a 13th place finish.  McMurray overcame his primary car failing inspection and then the impounding, to qualify sixth and finish eighth in a back-up car.  Not to bad.  Newman finished in front of him in seventh, and like Jill and I before you, you have Busch on your team as well.  Congratulations on your CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ FANTASY RACING LEAGUE TOP ANGEL AWARD winning average finish of 10.6.

Next week’s race is the Samsung/Radioshack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.  Don’t forget to send me your driver’s lineup if you change them from this week.

Good luck Angels,