Hello Angels,

With Sunday night’s running of the Emory Healthcare 500 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the end of an era was upon us – Atlanta will only have one race next year. Slumping ticket sales forced the move of one of the races to go to a mid-west track at Kentucky Speedway or Kansas Motorspeedway. In my opinion, this is a sad day for NASCAR fans especially since more than 100 races have been held at the fastest non-restrictor plate tracks which brought some of the tightest finishes in NASCAR history.

In case you haven’t heard, NASCAR announced its 2011 schedule a week or two ago. The schedule changed dramatically – if you look at it with the inclusion of the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series as well. NASCAR paired its three top-tiered series to share more weekends together to help with ticket sales across the board as the upswing of NASCAR’s popularity has also hit a slump of sorts. In the past few years, states like Georgia, California, South Carolina and North Carolina have seen a downswing in ticket sales and that brought the end of the Southern 500 at Darlington Speedway in South Carolina and the Labor Day race moved out west to California. Ticket sales there didn’t match having the race at the Auto Club Speedway and then there is North Wilkesboro and Rockingham Speedways which went to the wayside a few years back. The good news is that with only one race at Atlanta in 2011, the Southern 500 tradition is being brought back to the south on Labor Day Weekend. I just hope the people of Atlanta understand what is at stake if ticket sales don’t pickup with only one race there.

That said, Sunday’s Emory Healthcare 500 race saw plenty of speed, a couple of tire issues and some tempers flare for those trying to get into the Race for the Championship with only one race left now.

Congratulations to Tony Stewart for his dominating performance and winning his first race of the 2010 season. It couldn’t have come at a better time for Stewart who, along with seven others, secured their spots on the Top-12 in points and will compete in the Race for the Sprint Cup Series Championship – NASCAR’s so-called playoffs.

Denny Hamlin started on the Coors Light Pole and while he blew an engine and finished the race in 43rd place, was still able to secure a spot in the Top-12. Still vying for a spot are Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer. Bowyer is most susceptible because he only has a 117 point lead on Ryan Newman, who is currently in 13th position. Jamie McMurray is also in the hunt, just 10 points behind Newman.

Having issues on Sunday were Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick among others.  Hamlin and his Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano both went down a cylinder, but Hamlin’s engine gave out in a big way half-way through the race. He finished 43rd. Gordon and Harvick had handling issues, but Harvick’s bad night was punctuated by a cut a tire after missing pit road – only after other pit-road issues including loose lug nuts and slow pit stops. Gordon held on to finish 15th, while Harvick finished 33rd.

Before I move on to our Angels’ average finishes, let me first welcome back CorWin back to the United States after a year serving overseas in a not-so-secret mission. Congratulations and welcome home CorWin! It’s good to have you back.

So, Angels, did Hotlanta’s final two-race season do your drivers’ justice?

For Vivian, definitely as she earned this week’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS TOP ANGEL AWARD with her drivers’ 6.2 average finish. Stewart won the race, while Jimmie Johnson finally had a decent race with the third-place results to show for it. Jeff Burton overcame a loose-running car to finish fourth as Ryan Newman had to explain his antics on the track to Kasey Kahne after Newman was aggressive with Kahne for the eighth spot. (Kahne finished 32nd after Newman punted him into Kurt Busch causing heavy damage to the No. 9.). Jamie McMurray rounds out your team with his 15th place finish. Congratulations on your TAA this week!

Mr. Munday, your team earned you this week’s RUNNER-UP ANGEL AWARD with their average finish of eight even.  Johnson is your top driver with his third place finish. Burton and Kyle Busch finished fourth and fifth respectively, while Gordon and McMurray finished 13th and 15th respectively to round out your team.

Mr. X, you earned the No. 3 Angels’ spot with your 11.2 average finish. Stewart and Carl Edwards had the one-two punch for you, while Kyle Busch finished fifth. McMurray and Harvick round out your team with their 15th and 33rd place finishes.

Mr. Jones, your team earned a 12.6 average finish after Johnson finished third, Kyle Busch finished fifth, Martin Truex Jr., finished 12th, and Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished 21st and 22nd respectively.

Bosley, for you, a 12.8 average finish is what your drivers earned you. Stewart, Johnson, and Kyle Busch had the first, third and fifth finishing spots, while Earnhardt finished 22nd to Harvick’s 33rd place finish.

Madison, 13.6 was the magic number for you as your drivers earned you a 13.6 average finish. Stewart finished first, while Johnson finished third. Gordon had a decent finish with his 13th place finish despite having handling issues all night. A.J. Allmendinger finished 18th, while Harvick pulled up the rear with his 33rd place finish.

Evelyn, for you, your drivers earned a 14.4 average finish. Stewart and Johnson were your top two drivers with their first and third-place finishes, while Gordon finished 13th, Earnhardt, 22nd and Harvick 33rd.

Pete, despite having Hamlin and his 43rd place finish, your drivers’ average finish of 14.8 earned you this week’s No. 8 Angels’ spot. In addition to Hamlin, Stewart finished first, Johnson finished third, Truex finished 12th and McMurray finished 15th.

Corwin, you had three drivers finish in the top-10 – Burton (4th), Clint Bowyer (7th) and Newman (8th), while McMurray and Hamlin finished outside in 15th and 43rd places respectively. Your average finish is 15.4.

Kris, your team earned a 15.8 average finish after Stewart won, Kyle Busch finished fifth, Gordon finished 13th, Logano finished 27th and Harvick finished 33rd.

Julie, despite having Stewart and his win on your team, your 16.6 average finish was only good enough to earn you this week’s No. 11 Angels’ spot after Hamlin neutralized the win with a 43rd place finish.Your remaining drivers, Newman -- finished eighth; David Reutiman -- finished 16th; and McMurray finished 15th to round out your team.

Gibbons, unfortunately you fared just a little worse than Julie with your 16.8 average finish. Stewart finished first, while Johnson finished third. Unfortunately for you, Hamlin finished 43rd, while Allmendinger finished 18th to David Ragan’s 19th place finish causing the .2 difference in average finishes.

Kelly, you earned this week’s No. 13 Angels’ spot with your 17.6 average finish. Johnson is your top driver with his third place finish, while Burton and Kurt Busch finished in the top-10 with their fourth and sixth place finishes respectively. Harvick and Hamlin round out your team with their 33rd and 42nd place finishes respectively.

Candy Man, you and I tie for this week’s No. 13 Angels’ spot with our combined 19.2 average finishes.

For you, Carl Edwards was your top driver with his second-place finish. Burton was close behind in fourth, as Martin finished 21st, Harvick – 33rd and rounding out your team is Greg Biffle and his 36th place finish.

For me, Johnson and Burton finished third and fourth respectively as Gordon finished 13th, Harvick finished 33rd and Hamlin finished 43rd.

Alex, for you, a 19.4 average finish earned you a 19.4 average finish. Johnson was on top of your drivers’ list with his third place finish. Gordon finished 13th, while Martin, Logano and Harvick finished 21st, 27th and 33rd respectively.

Mother Theresa, your 22 even average finish is good enough to be the worst teams’ average finish this week, but thanks to Sabrina not picking the right drivers, well, you were spared that award this week. That said, Kurt Busch’s sixth place finish was the best of the bunch for you. Jeff Gordon finished 13th, while McMurray finished 15th, Harvick finished 33rd and Hamlin finished 43rd.

Sabrina, you earned this week’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ GOLDEN CABOOSE AWARD again after having only four drivers in the field. Robby Gordon wasn’t entered in the race this week as a replacement driver – Kevin Conway – raced Robby’s No. 7 Ford. That said, your remaining drivers – Stewart, Johnson, Newman and Harvick – for the most part, had decent races save Harvick who cut a tire and lost several laps in repairs. Harvick finished 33rd, while Stewart won the race. Johnson and Newman finished third and eighth respectively. Your four-driver average finish is 11.25.

There’s just one race left – the Air Guard 400 – at Richmond International Speedway on Saturday night.

Don’t forget to check the ESPN Stockcar Challenge website to see where you stack up after Sunday night’s Emory Healthcare 500 race at Atlanta.

Good luck Angels!