Full Throttle

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it highly appropriate Carl Edwards got [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/witch.jpg]out his broom[/avatar] to sweep the season series at AMS, on Halloween? Yea, you’re right, it’s just me.

Edwards dominated the second half of the NASCAR Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 - survived losing a 6 second lead when the last of nine [avatar:http://cranialcavity.net/files/caution.jpg]caution flags[/avatar] flew for debris on lap 283 - and did his signature backflip for the crowd at the starting line.

The win moved Edwards into a tie with Ryan Newman for fourth place, 107 points behind leader Tony Stewart, and keeps hopes of a Championship in his first year alive.

The two leaders, Stewart and Jimmie Johnson, both had unchacteristic days and struggled with handling all day. Smoke finished 9^th and Johnson 16^th stretching the gap to the points leader to 43.

Jeff Gordon continued his resurgence with a second place finish, as did Dale Jr. who led a race-high 142 laps and was fourth behind Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth was fifth followed by Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle and Jeff Burton in eighth. Elliot Sadler, by finishing tenth, joined four other “non-Chase” drivers in the top ten.

Of the other Chase contenders Ryan Newman turned another pole winning effort into a lap down 23^rd place finish. Reigning Cup champion Kurt Busch crashed after cutting a tire and wound up 36th; Rusty Wallace got caught in a three-car crash on lap 7 and finished 37^th, and Jeremy Mayfield had what was believed to be a flywheel failure that relegated him to 38^th.

You will also note I’ve “X”ed Newman out of Chase contention, sorry guy you’re toast. Edwards remains out after last weeks performance and even though his win gives him an outside shot that “Yellow Bumper” he lugs around will keep him from the title.

I have to give a word of thanks. A big thank you to Edwards, Earnhardt Jr. and Martin who were 3 of my top five picks of the week including the #99 as the winner.

OK, I’m finished gloating, now it’s on to Texas next week. Greg Biffle won the April event at TMS with a backup after crashing in practice and finished 2^nd in the Busch Series event the day before. Jimmie Johnson finished third and Smoke had one of his poorer days going out of the race on lap 296 for a 31^st place finish.

NASCAR, Auto Racing, Sports