>BRUCE KNOLL, JR.
Silly Season is definitely in full swing in NASCAR. Two drivers found themselves inside a car with a new number on it, and one was watching all the numbers on television from his home.
Matt Kenseth took the checkered flag to end one wild weekend of racing and closed within 60 points of Jimmie Johnson in the championship standings. A pretty big story, right? Only one of many taking place in the NASCAR world.
The saga surrounding the No. 19 Dodge of Evernham Motorsports continued this past week. The announcement came prior to the race entry deadline that Elliot Sadler, who was driving the No. 38 Robert Yates Racing Ford, would be driving the No. 19 for the remainder of the season as well as next season.
Yates wasted no time announcing part-time driver turned NASCAR superstar David Gilliland as that team’s driver for the remainder of this year, as well as next season.
Sadler qualified the 19 on the outside pole in second, furthering speculation that Mayfield was intentionally running poorly so that the 19 would be outside of the top 35 at the remainder of the season, as some had inferred.
Mayfield decided to take his situation to court, and filed a suit against Evernham over his filing. Mayfield claimed that team owner Ray Evernham was too involved in a close personal relationship with a female driver and that resulted in him not putting enough effort into the 19. Erin Crocker, who runs a full-time truck series schedule and part time ARCA and Busch Series schedule for Evernham, is the female driver Mayfield was referring to.
In the case, crew members of the No. 19 car testified that they felt Mayfield was intentionally driving poorly at the encouragement of wife, Shana.
A spokesman for Erin Crocker stated that “Erin intends to file a lawsuit against Jeremy for slander and libel that resulted in her defamation in regard to his statements concerning “a female driver” and Ray Evernham.”
Although overshadowed by controversy, there was a race ran at the Michigan International Speedway. Matt Kenseth held off a late charge by Jeff Gordon to win the GFS Marketplace 400.
Kenseth decided to stay out when the rest of the leaders pitted on lap 131. Rather, he stopped with 39 laps remaining and took on four fresh tires, helping him pass Sadler and Clint Bowyer to take the lead with 34 laps remaining and held on to win.
Jeff Gordon finished second, with Tony Stewart third, followed by Kasey Kahne in fourth and Matt Kenseth in fifth.
Busch Series:
As we continue with the controversy, the Busch Series is no exception. A move on the last lap caused a war of words between two of NASCAR’s most popular drivers. Kevin Harvick’s comment following the race described the situation very well. “That was straight out of ‘Days of Thunder’ there,” said Harvick, who was referring to a popular racing movie. “Personally, I thought it was pretty awesome.”
The move he was talking about took place in overtime in the Carfax 200 at Michigan. Carl Edwards led when the green flag came out to end the race under a green-white-checkered fin-ish.
Robby Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Both made moves towards Edwards challenging him for the lead. The next thing everyone knew was that Edwards was spinning down the track and Earnhardt Jr. was heading to victory lane.
Earnhardt made contact with Edwards to bring out a caution, ending the race with Earnhardt in front. Earnhardt had this to say following the race: “I didn’t mean to spin him out. I don’t go around wrecking people. We got a run off that corner, and Carl just got sideways and he wasn’t in the gas. I guess he was pretty mad at me, but there wasn’t much I could do.”
Edwards headed down pit road and had a heated discussion with Earnhardt’s crew, and then went back onto the track during the cool-down lap and slammed into the side of Earnhardt’s No. 8 car, nearly hitting Earnhardt’s left hand, which he had out the window in celebration of the win.
“He tried to justify it but I don’t feel like his answer was right,” Edwards said. “I got wrecked there. Before I go to bed tonight I want to see what he has to say, eye-to-eye. It’s sickening to have somebody wreck you then get to win the race.”
Casey Mears finished second, followed by Robby Gordon in third, Maatt Kenseth in fourth, and Mark Martin in fifth. Kevin Harvick finished eighth and increased his points lead over Denny Hamlin to 484.
Coming Up: If this upcoming weekend is half as exciting as this past weekend was, we’re in for a show. And what better place to continue the excitement at arguably the most exciting track on the circuit, the Bristol Motor Speedway?
All three series hit the short track for one exciting weekend of night racing. Also, be advised that the truck series will run their race tonight. Don’t miss one second of all the exciting NASCAR action.
Bruce Knoll, 14, of Eldora, can be contacted by email at bknoll jr4cmcherald@yahoo.com
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