Full Throttle

First congrats to Carl Edwards on a phenominal weekend. Roush must feel a bit of vindication after catching some flack in the press over hiring Edwards. But that’s enough of the good out of Atlanta, on with this weeks ” cesspool swimmers.”

FoxSports make-up artist: Did Jeff Hammond even visit the make-up trailer before the broadcast? Or did Fox think by allowing the bright white around his eyes might cause the audience to stay awake long enough to hear “gentilemen start your engines?” Come on, those white eyes in contrast to the tanned face made him look like a photo negitive of a racoon!

NASCAR: Maybe I missed something. Aren’t the flags that are waved from the starters stand called “competition flags?” Since when is it part of NASCAR’s mandate to use a black flag to communicate with a driver - who lost use of his radio -to pit for fuel?

Dale Jarrett: Dale did a “double dip” in the cesspool after two consecutive pits stops earned him speeding penalties.

To whomever said: (Sorry I don’t remember who) “Should drivers have a better system to determine pit road speed?” Well…duh. I guess maybe! And they are installed by default on every Briggs & Stratton lawn mower in the country. It’s called a rev limiter! Millions of dollars spent each year in at minimum, 43 shops, and they can’t figure out a way utilze what has been on pathetic little one cylider 2 stroke engines for decades. Geeesh, get with the program guys!

Hendrick engine shop: Joe Nemechek may have lost a top five finish in Atlanta as a result of a blown engine, the second after a similar result in Fontana.

Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Mike Wallace, John Andretti, Ricky Rudd, and Robby Gordon As a result of poor Atlanta finishes this illustrious group of six find themselves headed to Bristol all needing to garner enough points to remain in the top 35. Failing that, they get no “free pass” and must make the Martinville field the following week on qual times alone. Lots’a luck with that.

32nd, 39th, 43rd: Shane Hmiel’s Atlanta finishes that, although early in the year, put him in the running for the year end “Cesspool Award.”

And with that, another stinking dip in NASCAR’s cesspool closes for the week.