Full Throttle

“Nice” week for Carl Edwards huh?

In the last seven days he’s had too much right foot that took out more than a few in Alabama. Saturday night he didn’t have enough ignition, fell fifteen laps off the pace early and dropped to 168 off Johnson’s points pace.

Oh, and he also had TOO much “ignition” in the NNS garage and the sparks flew between himself and Harvick. He must be taking a page out of Kyle Busch’s book of “Saving Your Best Worst for Last.”

As for the race’s winner Jeff Burton, it was a well deserved win aided by a gutsy pit road call. Crew chief Scott Miller took on no rubber on the last pit stop with less than 40 laps to go and it made all the difference. Miller must have done a mental rewind of May’s event when Kasey Kahne’s crew chief made the same call with the same result.

Points leader Johnson did what he had to do, nurse an ill handling car home in sixth place and only lost three points of his championship lead. Frankly, it was a masterful job with a car that was slip-sliding around as if were set-up by the director of Blades of Glory.

Martinsville is next on the schedule and history points to another good points day for Johnson.

J.J. has won three of the last four races there, including the last two. But you have to give Burton his due. The RCR driver finished third in the spring and has been 12th or better in his last three starts there.

As for the rest… Forgetaboutit! It’s a two man race now.

BTW, has anyone seen or heard from the crowd that predicted a Dale Jr. move to Hendrick would make him a shoe-in for 4-5 wins?

They must be on vacation and out of Blackberry range. Or something.