Brickyard 400

Hello Angels,

It’s a good year for those NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have never won a race.  In two of the biggest three races this year a driver who has never won a race won in 2011.

Paul Menard became the fourth driver this year to win his first Sprint Cup race and the second to do it in a big fashion. Trevor Bayne won his first race at Daytona in February and Menard won the second largest event – the Brickyard 400 – at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The win is extra-special for Menard, if you will, because Menard grew up near the motor speedway and considers Indianapolis his home track.

It wasn’t an easy win for Menard. He had to not only conserve fuel but in the end, hold off a hard charging Jeff Gordon who passed about 11 or 12 cars in 12 laps to challenge Menard for the win. Gordon fell short of posting his record-fifth win at the speedway by about four car lengths.

There was really only one major crash during the race. That happened mid-way through when I believe it was Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Landon Cassill and Kurt Busch decided to go four-wide into the corner. If you know anything about Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it’s the fact that you cannot go four wide, let alone three-wide into the corner. Cassill ended up spinning after contact with David Ragan, who was trying to pass Cassill after he backed off. The end result was several cars avoiding Cassill’s spinning and then helpless car by going into the grass and damaging their front splitters and clogging their air intake to the front of the cars. Kasey Kahne led the most laps up until this point, but he was one of several cars with the damaged splitter. He ended the race in 18th place. Because of pit strategy and the spin, Cassill finished 20th, one spot behind Jimmie Johnson.

The top 10 for the race are Menard in first, Gordon second, Regan Smith was third, Jamie McMurray fourth, Matt Kenseth fifth, Tony Stewart in sixth, Greg Biffle in seventh, Mark Martin was eighth, Brad Keselowski in ninth and Kyle Busch rounds out the top-10 in 10th place.

For us Angels, congratulations go out to Kris as she earned yet another CHARLIE’S ANGELS TOP ANGEL AWARD this segment. This week, her drivers had an average finish of 10.8. Gordon was the top driver on her team with his second place finish. Keselowski was her only other driver to finish in the top 10 as Kevin Harvick finished 11th, while Carl Edwards and Kahne finished 14th and 18th respectively.

On the flip side this week is Pete – whose drivers earned him the CHARLIE’S ANGELS GOLDEN CABOOSE AWARD with their 21.4 average finish. Keselowski was the top driver on the team with his ninth place finish. Johnson finished 19th, Kurt Busch finished 21st after his contact with Cassill, and David Ragan, who earned the Coors Light Pole award finished 23rd. Jeff Burton received damage in the pits from Juan Pablo Montoya during green-flag pit stops and never recovered. He finished 35th. Better luck next week.

For me, earning this week’s CHARLIES’S ANGELS’ RUNNER-UP ANGEL AWARD is a moral victory considering my team with last race’s GCA “winner” if you will. This week however the same five drivers of Gordon, Johnson, Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Cassill, earned a combined 12 even average finish with their second, 19th, ninth, 10th and 21st place finishes.

Vivian, with the exception of Burton your drivers had top-15 place finishes. Burton of course finished 35th after his pit-road incident with Montoya. McMurray was looking to back up his victory at the Brickyard again this year, but fuel strategy played it’s hand and McMurray had to slow down to save gas – finishing fourth in the process. Stewart was leading the race with about 10 laps remaining, but had to pit for fuel and still managed a sixth-place finish. Harvick finished 11th, while Edwards roundsyou’re your team with his 14th-place finish.

Knox’Ville, I’m not sure what happened to Hamlin, but he faded quickly after making up all those spots he lost by having to start from the rear of the field because of a blown motor. In the end, he finished 27th. Gordon and Kyle Busch finished inside the top-10 with their second and 10th place finishes respectively, while Johnson and Cassill round out your team with their 19th and 20th place finishes. Your average finish is 15.6.

Julie, had it not been for Burton’s 35th place finish, you might have won today’s TAA instead of Kris. Stewart and Keselowsi finished in the top-10 with their respective sixth and ninth place finishes, while Edwards and Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished 14th and 16th respectively – with Earnhardt leading laps early in the race. Your average finish is 16 even.

Mr. X, the same can be said of your drivers that I mentioned with Julie – had it not been for Burton’s 35th place finish, your drivers might have had a chance at this week’s TAA. That said, reality is with Burton’s 35th place finish, your drivers’ average finish this week is 16.2. Kenseth finished fifth, while Keselowski finished ninth. Edwards beat out Kahne with a 14th place finish to the latter’s 18th place finish after the damage to Kahne’s car.

Candy Man, you had two drivers – Biffle and Martin – both going for the win with fuel strategy. Both didn’t win, but posted top-10 finishes with their respective seventh and eighth place finishes. Edwards and Kahne finished 14th and 18th respectively, while Burton didn’t have a chance of winning the race as he fell eight laps down to finish 35th. Your team’s average finish is 16.4.

CorWin, while you had two drivers finish in the top-10, your remaining three – Kurt Busch, Ragan and Burton – finished well outside the top-10 with their 21st, 23rd and 35th place finishes respectively. Biffle and Martin, who finished seventh and eighth, are your two drivers with finishes inside the top-10. Your drivers’ average finish is 18.8.

Kelly, for you Keselowski was the only driver on your team with a top-10 finish after he placed ninth. Harvick finished 11th, while Ragan, Joey Logano and Hamlin finished 23rd, 25th and 27th respectively. Your drivers’ average finish is 19 even.

Gibbons, Stewart might have won the race had fuel strategy played out for them, but in the end, they were about four laps short on fuel and didn’t gamble that Stewart could save that much fuel on the last fuel run. They pitted with 10 laps remaining and still managed a sixth place finish. Bobby Labonte played the same fuel strategy, but had completely different results than Stewart with a 17th place finish instead. Johnson finished 19th, Kurt Busch finished 21st and Burton finished 35th to round out your team. Your drivers’ average finish is 19.6.

Evelyn and Madison, you both tie average finishes of 20 even this week to earn you both the No. 11 Angels’ spot. Unlike most weeks when there is a tie, you both do not share any of the same drivers.

Madison, while David Reutimann really wanted another win this season, those hopes were dashed early on when he crushed the right side of his Toyota Camry into the outside retaining wall early in the race. He did not finish the race and was posted in the 36th finishing spot. Kenseth was your top driver with his fifth place finish. Edwards was next with his 14th place finish, while Kahne and Hamlin finished 18th and 27th respectively to round out your team.

Evelyn, for you, Burton’s 35th place finish really hurt your average finish because Trevor Bayne couldn’t recreate the magic during the Daytona 500 with a win, instead earning a 30th place finish this week.  Gordon needed another lap or two to win, instead settling for second place, while Edwards finished 14th to Johnson’s 19th place finish.

Our teams’ combined average finish this week is 16.91.

Next week’s race is the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 race at Pocono Speedway as NASCAR makes its second trip to the three-turn, two-and-a-half mile track.

Don’t forget to check the ESPN Stock Car Challenge website to see where you stack up against the other Angels after this Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Good luck Angels,

Charlie