Samsung Mobile 500

Hello Angels,

Matt Kenseth earned something that’s eluded his Roush Racing team for more than two years at Saturday night’s Samsung Mobile 500 race at Texas Motor Speedway – a win.

Now Kenseth didn’t just win Saturday night, he completely dominated the race and won by a huge margin over second-place Clint Bowyer.

Because of Kenseth’s domination, there was very little drama at what I consider the fastest non-restrictor plate track in the NASCAR circuit. Unlike last November’s race at the track which saw Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon get into a widely publicized shoving match and Kyle Busch showing his displeasure with NASCAR officials with a double-handed one-finger salute each, the only real drama of the night was when Kevin Harvick bumped Martin Truex Jr.’s left-rear quarter panel.

The ensuing crash had Truex hit hard (for the second week in a row) the outside retaining wall and then had Mark Martin slam into Truex’s car at more than 150 mph. Martin lost steering capability and then careened hard into the inside concrete retaining wall where his car burst into flames for second or two. Regan Smith was also collected in the crash as well.  Luckily, like last week’s crash, no one was hurt, but that was two very hard hits for Truex who has to be hurting (if only his ego) after two hard-crashes in a row.

As for the rest of the race, fuel strategy is what won in the long run. Kenseth short-pitted knowing his competitors couldn’t make it to the finish without stopping again and his gamble paid off when Kurt Busch, the leader at the time had to come in to the pits for fuel with about 20 laps left. Kenseth re-inherited the lead and never looked back. Only one driver, Tony Stewart, tried to make it without pitting for fuel and he lost that gamble again (think back to New Hampshire last year in the Chase) running out of fuel on the last lap. He fell from a top-five finish to a 12th place finish, the last car on the lead lap.

Hendricks Racing drivers were never really a factor during the race with Gordon, who fell a lap down mid-way through the race. Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished in the top-10 but were unable to contend for the win. They finished eighth and ninth respectively. Gordon for his efforts, finished two-laps down in 23rd place.

So, Angels, where did you finish?

For Pete, it’s at the top, earning this week’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS TOP ANGEL AWARD with his 9.2 average finish. Having Kenseth and Bowyer finish first and secondyou’re your team definitely helped. David Ragan, who earned his first career Coors Light Pole to start the race, finished seventh. Ryan Newman finished one-lap down in 14th, while Jamie McMurray rounds out your team with his 22nd place finish. Congratulations on your TAA!

Of course with a first place award, we have to give out our last-place award too!

Mr. X, unfortunately your 23.2 average finish this week earns you the CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ GOLDEN CABOOSE AWARD. Your only driver to have a decent finish is Carl Edwards and his third place effort. Kyle Busch and A.J. Allmendinger finished 16th and 19th, while Martin finished 36th after his crash with Truex. David Gilliland rounds out your team with his start and park effort of 42nd place. Better luck next week.

CorWin, your 11 even average finish earned you this week’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ RUNNER-UP ANGEL AWARD. Your team earning the RUA this week was a testament to four of your drivers finishing in the top-seven, three of them in the top-five. Edwards finished third, while his Rousch teammate, Greg Biffle, finished fourth. Paul Menard had the fifth place finish, while Ragan, another Rousch driver, finished seventh. Martin’s 36th place finish is what dropped you from the TAA to the RUA this week.

Gibbons, your drivers earned you a 13 even average finish even after four of them finished inside the top-10. But similar to CorWin before you, Regan Smith getting caught up in the Truex crash and subsequent 37th place finish is what kept you from a possible TAA or RUA this week. Edwards finished third, while Ragan and Johnson finished seventh and eighth respectively. Kurt Busch, who quite possibly could’ve won had he had enough fuel, finished 10th instead.

Evelyn, for you, Edwards, Marcos Ambrose and Earnhardt had top-10 finishes with their third, sixth and ninth place finishes respectively. Stewart ran out of fuel and finished 12th, while Martin crashed out with his 36th place finish. Your average finish is 13.2.

Julie, just like Evelyn, Edwards, Ambrose and Earnhardt had top-10 finishes with their third, sixth and ninth place finishes respectively. Newman finished 14th and Martin finished 36th. Your average finish is 13.6.

Candy Man, Rousch Racing teammates Edwards and Biffle finished third and fourth respectively, while Burton finished 11th and Trevor Bayne finished six spots behind him 17th place. Martin rounds out your team with his 36th place finish. Your average finish is 14.2.

Madison, you had three drivers – Edwards, Johnson and Earnhardt – finish in the top-10. Edwards finished the highest of the three with his third place finish, while Johnson and Earnhardt earned eighth and ninth place bragging rights respectively. Bayne finished 17th, while Martin crashed out and had a subsequent 36th place finish. Your team’s average finish is 14.6.

For me, Menard and Johnson were the top-two drivers on my team. Menard finished fifth to Johnson’s eighth place run. Gordon finished 23rd, while Bobby Labonte had handling issues similar to Gordon and finished 25th. Newman rounds out my team with his 14th place finish. All totaled, my drivers’ average finish is 15 even.

Vivian, the only driver on your team to finish in the top-10 is Earnhardt and his ninth place finish. Burton was closed with an 11th place run. Newman finished 14th, while Harvick couldn’t pull off a three-peat win by finishing 20th. McMurray rounds out your team with his 22nd place finish. Your average finish is 15.2.

Kelly, unlike Vivian, you have two drivers in the top-10. Earnhardt placed ninth, while Kurt Busch finished in 10th place. Newman had a 14th place run, while Denny Hamlin finished 15th. Martin rounds out your team with his 36th place finish to earn you a 16.8 average finish.

Kris, while none of your drivers finished in the top-10, only one of them finished outside of the top-20 – Gordon, who placed 23rd finishing two laps down to Kenseth’s win. Stewart was the only driver on your team to finish on the lead lap with his 12th place finish after running out of fuel. Kyle Busch finished 16th, Brad Keselowski finished 18th, and Allmendinger finished 19th. Your average finish is 17.6.

Alex, you had two drivers finish in the top-10 – Ragan and Johnson. Ragan was the worst, if you will, of his Rousch Racing teammates with his seventh place finish. Johnson was the best, if you will, of his Hendrick Racing drivers with his eighth place finish. Kasey Kahne finished 21st, while Joey Logano finished 24th after a weird collision on pit road with David Reutimann during the first pit stops of the race. Martin finished 36th to round out your team. Your average finish this week is 19.2.

Mr. Munday, last week you were the TAA of the week, but this week you were nearly the GCA winner instead. Very similar to Alex’s team, you share four drivers with her – Ragan, Johnson, Logano and Martin. Ragan and Johnson scored top-10 finishes with their seventh and eighth place finishes respectively. Logano and Martin both had different crashes with different results – Logano finished 24th to Martin’s 36th place finish. Separating you from Alex this week Mr. Munday is Gordon and his 23rd place finish. Your average finish is 19.6.

All totaled, our Charlie’s Angels’ combined teams’ average finish this week is 15.38.

With the culmination of the Samsung Mobile 500 race at Texas Motor Speedway night, we go from NASCAR’s fastest non-restrictor plate track to the fastest restrictor plate track of Talladega Superspeedway for the Aarons 499 race next Sunday.

Don’t forget to check the ESPN Stock Car Challenge website to see where you stack up against the other Angels after Saturday night’s Samsung Mobile 500 race.

Good luck next week Angels!

Charlie