Aaron’s 499

Hello Angels,

Hendricks Racing drivers took the top four spots in qualifying Saturday for Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Jeff Gordon won the Coors Light Pole award with Jimmie Johnson on the outside pole. Mark Martin started third and Dale Earnhardt Jr., started fourth.

With Martin starting directly behind Gordon and Earnhardt doing the same for Johnson, it only seemed natural the two sets of drivers would pair up for what some call the “two-car Tango” where two cars draft better and go faster than three or more cars that we used to see before NASCAR changed to the current safer configuration of car.

In the end, three of the Hendricks cars would finish in the top four with two-one-thousands-of-a-second splitting the first and second-place cars of Johnson and the only non-Hendricks’ cars in the top four – Clint Bowyer. That finish ties the record for closest timed finish in NASCAR history. Gordon came in at third – about one-one-hundredth of a second behind Johnson and Bower. In fact, the first eight cars finished within a second of each other creating what some, including yours truly, as saying this was one the most exciting finishes of a race at Talladega they can remember.

Congratulations to Johnson and his teams’ first win of the season and a special mention to Earnhardt and his team. Johnson would not have been able to get the win had it not been for the pushing power of Earnhardt and their teams working together for that so called two-car Tango.

Speaking of the two-car Tango, there was one driver who had a very hard time being a good partner – Kurt Busch. Three drivers found that out the hard way when Busch’s front bumper caught the rear bumpers of the cars he was pushing and spun them out – including his own Penske Racing teammate, Brad Keselowski. That particular crash caused a multi-car pileup that took out Keselowski, Trevor Bayne, Kasey Kahne, whose car erupted into flames and Marcos Ambrose. Another driver finding out the hard way was Ryan Newman, who not only saved his car once from crashing out, but a second time later in the race. Of course if you ask Juan Pablo Montoya what he thought of the Busch and Newman Tango, he’d say they were the worst “dancers” out there – this after Newman hit Montoya to straighten out the car ruining Montoya’s race for the rest of the day.

There was never a real, “big-one” crash that usually happens with restrictor-plate racing – quite possibly because of the two-car Tango, there were never any real tight-quartered racing where all the cars were bunched up, save for the restarts.

So, Angels, how did your drivers survive?

For Evelyn – quite nicely. Your drivers earned you this week’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS TOP ANGEL AWARD with your 11 even average finish. Had it not been for Bayne’s car being knocked out of the race early Bayne was a definitely contender for the win – leading a few laps in the process. Ultimately though he finished 40th – the only driver on your team not finishing in the top-10. Johnson won the race, while Bowyer finished oh-so-close to take second place. Earnhardt finished fourth, while Martin rounds your team out with his eighth place finish. Congratulations on your TAA.

Kris, once again, you find yourself on the complete opposite spectrum this week. After taking the first two TAAs of the season, you’ve now earned, I believe, three CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ GOLDEN CABOOSE AWARDs including this weeks’ after your drivers earned a 19.8 average finish. Gordon is your top driver of the race with his third place finish. A.J. Allmendinger had a near top-10 finish with his 11th place run, but that’s about as good as it got for your team after Tony Stewart faded in the end to finish 17th. Keselowski finished 33rd after being spun by his teammate, while Busch’s younger brother Kyle had the same thing happen to him by his teammate Joey Logano. The younger Busch brother finished 35th.  Better luck next week!

Pete, you earned this week’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ RUNNER-UP ANGEL Award after your drivers teamed up to earn you a 11.2 average finish. Like Evelyn, this weeks’ TAA winner, you too had four drivers finish in the top-eight, three in the top-four. Far outside the top-10 is Ragan and his 39th place finish. As stated earlier, Ragan was knocked out after his involvement in the five-car melee. Your top driver is Bowyer and his second-place finish, followed closely by Gordon’s third-place finish and Earnhardt’s fourth place finish. Martin rounds out your team with his eighth place run.

Kelly, like Gordon nearly stole a win Sunday, you nearly captured a TAA this week with your 11.4 average finish, but ultimately took the No. 3 Angel’s spot, just like Gordon. Bowyer tops your drivers with his second-place finish, while Earnhardt and Martin finished fourth and eighth after being the “pushers” for their Hendricks teammates during the race-long two-car Tango. Kurt Busch finished 18th, while Newman, one of the cars Busch wrecked, finished 25th – still on the lead lap.  

For me, Johnson and Gordon teamed up to be the best-two drivers on my team with their first and third place finishes respectively. Paul Menard had a first-place car, but a 12th place finish to show for it. Busch finished 18th, while Bobby Labonte lost his momentum on the last lap and finished 24th. My average finish is 11.6.

Mr. Munday and Julie, you both tie for the No. 5 Angels’ spot this week with your 12.2 average finishes.

Julie, for you, Earnhardt and Kevin Harvick finished fourth and fifth respectively, while Allmendinger finished outside the top-10 with his 11th place finish. Stewart had a decent race up until the end where he finished 17th, while Labonte didn’t have the magical finish he had at Daytona repeat itself on Sunday with a 24th place finish.

Mr. Munday, Johnson and Gordon teamed up separately with each other to earn the top-two spots on your driver’s list. Martin and Logano finished eighth and 10th respectively as Ragan finished well-outside the top-10 with his 39th place finish.

Vivian, Earnhardt and Harvick finished in the top-five for you with their fourth and fifth place finishes respectively. Jeff Burton lost his “dancing” partner and finished mid-pack on the lead lap in 16th. Jamie McMurray didn’t have a “dancing” partner after his teammate Montoya crashed out of the race early. McMurray still managed to stay on the lead lap to finish 21st. Newman, whose car ended Montoya’s race day, finished 25th. Your average finish this week Vivian is 14.2.

Mr. X and Gibbons, you both tie for the No. 8 Angels’ spot with your 15 even average finishes.

Gibbons, for you, Johnson beat Bowyer by two-one-hundredths of a second. Luckily for you, you have both of them on your team for the one-two-punch, if you will. They saved your team from complete disaster as your remaining three drivers – Regan Smith, Busch and Ragan, finished outside the top-10 with their 15th, 18th and 39th place finishes respectively.

Mr. X, your two drivers to finish inside the top-10 are Earnhardt and Edwards. Earnhardt finished fourth, while Edwards tried to steal a win in the tri-oval ultimately though, finishing sixth. Allmendinger finished 11th, while Labonte finished 24th and Montoya crashed out in 30th place.

Candy Man, you had three drivers finish in the top-10 – Edwards, Greg Biffle and Martin. Edwards finished sixth, while Biffle, who inked a three-year contract extension with Roush Fenway Racing and his sponsor 3M, finished seventh. Martin finished eighth. Burton had a lack-luster finish of 16th after running up front for most of the race. Bayne definitely had a great car on Sunday, but his 40th place finish definitely doesn’t show that as he was caught up in a wreck, not of his making. Your average finish is 15.4.

CorWin, for you, Hendrick Teammates Gordon and Martin made a great two-car Tango pairing on Sunday. They showed early they were the team to beat and had it not been for their other Hendrick teammates Johnson and Earnhardt, might have held Bowyer off for Gordon to win. In the end though, Gordon finished third, while Martin finished eighth, less than a second off the pace of Johnson’s win. Menard finished 12th, while Stewart finished 17th. Ragan rounds out your team with his 39th place finish. Your average finish is 15.8.

Madison, you had two drivers finish in the top-five with Earnhardt earning his fourth-place finish, while Harvick earned a fifth-place finish. Harvick’s Childress Racing teammate Menard finished outside the top-10 with his 12th place finish. Montoya and Ragan both crashed out of the race in separate incidents caused by Kurt Busch and finished 30th and 39th respectively.  Your average finish Madison is 18 even.

Alex, you round out our Angels with your No. 13 Angels’ spot after your drivers earned you a 19 even average finish. Johnson, Martin and Logano finished inside the top-10 with their first, eighth and 10th place finishes respectively. Kahne and Ragan were caught up in the five-car melee and crashed out of the race in 37th and 39th places respectively.

The Sprint Cup Series takes a week off to celebrate next Sunday’s Easter holiday and will return to the track at Richmond International Raceway Saturday, April 30th for the Crown Royal presents the Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400 nighttime race.

Don’t forget to check out the ESPN Stock Car Challenge Web site to see where you stack up after Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Good luck Angels!

Charlie