Hollywood Casino 400

Hello Angels,

Jimmie Johnson wins at Kansas. That phrase quite possibly is going to haunt the rest of the drivers in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship as not only did Johnson win, he completely dominated Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 race at Kansas Speedway.

Johnson led 197 of the 272 laps run and showed he, and his Lowes’ team, is not quite giving up on winning the Chase despite their slow start in the 10-race Championship run. The race went into the Green-White-Checkers – NASCAR’s version of overtime – with three laps left when another Chase driver, Jeff Gordon, blew an engine (ending Gordon’s chances of winning his fifth title) to bring out the final caution flag of the race. Johnson held off Kasey Kahne to win for only his second time this season, but his 20th Chase race of his career and is now tied with Rusty Wallace for 8th place all-time on the Cup-Series win list with 55. Johnson jumped to third in points, just four points out of the lead behind Edwards and Harvick.

Brad Keselowski wasn’t able to repeat his win at Kansas, but was able to replicate a top-five finish with his third place finish. Keselowski now finds himself fourth in points, just 11 points out of the lead.

Edwards had a horrible beginning of the race after starting on the outside pole. He fell down a lap but was able to work himself back onto the lead lap and ended the race with a top-five finish in fifth place. Tony Stewart had a good race going, but a mental error and a slide through his pit stall led to a 15th place finish in the end. Stewart dropped from tied for second place in points to seventh place in the standings. Edwards finds himself in the lead over Harvick by one point.

Harvick didn’t have a great race, but ended up second in points after Stewart’s mental error and his own sixth place finish.

Besides Edwards, Harvick, Johnson and Keselowski, Matt Kenseth finds himself in fifth place, while Kurt Busch falls two spots to sixth place. Stewart dropped to seventh, while Kyle Busch remains in eighth place. Dale Earnhardt Jr., rose up one spot to ninth in points after Gordon’s engine meltdown. Gordon himself is now 10th in points. Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin remain in 11th and 12th in points respectively.

Sunday’s top-10 of the race includes Johnson winning, Kahne finishing in second, while Keselowski finished third. Kenseth finished fourth, Edwards finished fifth and Harvick finished sixth. Clint Bowyer, who will leave Richard Childress Racing for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2012, finished seventh. Greg Biffle finished eighth, while Marcos Ambrose had himself another top-10 finish with his ninth place run. Mark Martin rounds out the top-10 in 10th.

For us Angels, there was only a 9.2-point difference between Candy Man’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ TOP ANGEL AWARD winning average finish and Kris’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS GOLDEN CABOOSE AWARD-earning average finish this week.

Before I get to that though, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the return of Mr. Munday to CHARLIE’S ANGEL’S FANTASY LEAGUE. In all actuality, Mr. Munday returned last week with the running of the AAA 500 at Dover International Raceway. Unfortunately, I missed his return. My apologies Mr. Munday for omitting you from last week’s AAA 500 missive. That said, welcome back – we’re happy for your return.

Candy Man, congratulations to you on your teams TAA on Sunday. Four of your team’s five drivers finished in the top-10 – the only one without is Jeff Burton and his 21st place finish. Keselowski finished third, Edwards finished fifth and Biffle, who started on the Coors Light Pole, ended the day in eighth place. Martin rounds out your team with his 10th place finish. Your TAA earning average finish is 9.4.

On the flip side, Kris, is your team and their GCA earning average finish of 18.6. Edwards – the only driver on your team with a top-10 finish – finished fifth. Kyle Busch finished 11th, while Brian Vickers finished 19th. Regan Smith finished one-lap down in 24th place, while Gordon finished several laps down, after his car’s engine blew, 34th place. Better luck next week.

Gibbons, you had two drivers in the top-10 which helped you to earn this week’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ RUNNER-UP ANGEL AWARD. Those two drivers are Johnson, who won, and Keselowski, who finished third. Paul Menard spent most of the race in the top-10, but faded in the end to finish 12th. Stewart finished 15th, while Brian Vickers finished 19th. Gibbons, your RUA earning average finish is 10 even.

Julie, for you, Keselowski and Edwards are your two top-drivers of the race. The earlier finished third, while the latter finished fifth. Menard finished outside the top-10 in 12th, while Stewart had a mediocre finish with his 15th place run. Vickers rounds out your five drivers with his 19th place finish. Your drivers’ average finish is 10.8.

CorWin, Keselowski and Harvick are in the top-five in points because they’re performing better than most on the track. The both climbed spots in the standings after Sunday’s third and sixth place finishes respectively. Kyle Busch and Menard posted 11th and 12th place finishes, while Regan Smith finished a lap down in 24th place. Your drivers’ average finish is 11.2.

Mr. Munday, in your “official” return to CHARLIE’S ANGELS’,  you finished in the No. 5 Angels’ spot after Kahne, Bowyer and Biffle had top-10 finishes with their second, seventh and eighth place finishes respectively. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Hamlin and Joey Logano had mediocre runs that for Logano ended up with contact on the last restart and a heavily damaged left-front and tire rub. He finished 29th. Hamlin finished 16th. All totaled, your team’s average finish is 12.4.

Kelly, for you, Keselowski and Edwards are your team’s top-two drivers as well. Keselowski finished third, while Edwards finished fifth. Stewart finished a distant 15th, while David Ragan finished 20th and Burton finished 21st. Your drivers’ average finish is 12.8.

Pete, for you, all five of your drivers finished in the top-20, but unfortunately, three of them in the latter part of that top-20. Ragan didn’t have a great run with his 20th place finish – one lap down. Ryan Newman finished the last car on the lead lap with his 18th place finish. Hamlin rounds out those three with his 16th place finish. Keselowski and Biffle had top-10 finishes with their third and eighth place finishes respectively. Your five-driver average finish is 13 even.

Knox’Ville, for you, Johnson, Edwards and Ambrose all had top-10 finishes on Sunday. Unfortunately, Vickers and Gordon did now. They finished off the lead lap in 19th and 34th respectfully. That said, Johnson won, while Edwards finished fifth to Ambrose’s ninth place finish. Your drivers’ average finish is 13.6.

Mr. X, for you, two of your drivers – Keselowski and Edwards – had top-five finishes. Keselowski finished third, while Edwards finished fifth. Stewart wasn’t even close after he slid through his pit stall and subsequent 15th place finish. Burton and Logano round out your team with their 21st and 29th place finishes respectively. Your drivers’ average finish is 14.6.

Evelyn, for you, Johnson winning the race and Bowyer posting a seventh place finish, wasn’t enough for your team to have a decent average finish because your two Jeffs – Burton and Gordon – had lackluster finishes with their 21st and 34th place finishes respectively. Menard rounds out your team with his 12th place finish. Your drivers’ average finish is 15 even.

Vivian, for you, Edwards and Bowyer finished in the top-10 with their fifth and seventh place finishes. Stewart Haas drivers Stewart and Newman had poor finishes for two drivers in the Chase with their 15th and 18th place finishes respectively. David Gilliland finished deep in the pack with his 32nd place finish. Your drivers’ average finish is 15.4.

For my drivers, Johnson and Keselowski finished first and third, while Vickers finished 19th, the first car one-lap down.  Juan Pablo Montoya finished 23rd, while Gordon brings up the rear with his 34th place finish. My drivers’ average finish is 16 even.

Sabrina, it might be time for a driver line-up change after Joe Nemechek had to start and park again. He finished 41st. On the flip side, Kenseth finished fourth, while Earnhardt and Stewart finished 14th and 15th respectively. Newman rounds out your team with his 18th place finish. Your drivers’ average finish is 18.4.

Our teams’ combined average finish this week is 13.66.

NASCAR returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway for Saturday night racing with the running of the Bank of America 500 race.

Don’t forget to check the ESPN Stock Car Challenge website to see where you stack up against the other Angels after Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 500 race at Kansas Speedway.

Good luck Angels,

Charlie