#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the Coca-Cola 600 Live Blog

Remember:

• Race Length: 600 miles
• Laps: 400 - 1.5 mile laps
• Configuration: quad-oval
• Banking: turns: 24°, straightaways: 5°
• Pit Road Speed Limit: 45 mph
• Pace Car Speed: 55 mph

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

• #88 National Guard/AMP Energy Drink Chevrolet
• Hendrick Motorsports
• Crew Chief: Tony Eury, Junior
• Spotter: T. J. Majors
• Fueler: Chris Fakula
• Jack: Rick Pigeon
• Front Tire Changer: Adam Emmert
• Front Tire Carrier: Ben Fischbeck
• Rear Tire Changer: D. J. Richardson
• Rear Tire Carrier: Matt Meyers
• Catch Can: Jason Dalrymple

Read from start (scrolling upwards)

IF ANYONE IS STILL READING THIS, I'M SORRY, BUT I'M STOPPING NOW.

329) YELLOW.

320) Still 20th.

308) 20th. Lots of damage, but Tony and Jr. say they're repaired.

304) Green flag, YELLOW. On the restart, the 01. Good for Junior, he can go back into the pits for more body work.

300) Junior sounds pretty calm for someone who just lost the race. He's making brief pit stops so he can stay on the lead lap. In between, he's calling out repair instructions to each member of the pit crew. Amazing.

298) JUNIOR HITS THE WALL! Not enough to end the day, but certainly puts the squadoosh on all the fans wearing a blue 88. YELLOW

294) Junior still leading, Stewart 2nd, Kahne 3rd. Getting very close to a green flag pit stop for Junior.

279) Junior still leads. Tony Stewart 2nd. This long green flag stretch gives me a chance to hit pit road and then grab a plateful of veggies. Forgot to go out and get Nacho fixin's and sausage to barbecue.

263) JR: The car is neutral.

260) Junior passes The Anti-Christ in Turn 2 to take the lead.

255) 2nd. no change.

253) 2nd. passed Tony Stewart for second. The Anti-Christ leads.

250) 3rd, passing Jeff Burton like he was standing still.

245) Went in the leader, came out 6th. Took 2 tires and fuel, and the ones ahead only got fuel.

244) 2 tires and fuel.

243) YELLOW

240) First, then Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne, Elliot Sadler.

235) Still the leader. 19, 31, 9, 6. Sadler, Jeff Burton, Kahne, Ragan.

228) GREEN, GREEN, GREEN. Junior leads them back into the race. Gordon got the Lucky Dog.

224) TONY: tires and fuel.

222) YELLOW. Debris.

215) 2nd behind Kasey.

210) 2nd behind Kasey.

206) Kahne passes for the lead. Jr. 2nd.

200) HALFWAY. Junior leads. Most of the track in shadow now, Junior pulls the shaded tear-off from his visor.

196) GREEN GREEN GREEN. Gordon is the first of the lap-down cars on the inside. Jr. pulls off to a 6 lap lead.

192) YELLOW again, 00 McDowell hit the outside wall before half a lap.

191) GREEN GREEN GREEN Junior leads the race out of the caution!

186) Pit. Splash. Beat the leader -- 9-Kahne -- off pit road for the lead.

185) YELLOW. 83 blew a right rear, went into the wall.

180) No change. 3rd.

179) JR: Thanks for improving it. TONY: We'll let you get a little rest with your arms. [Because a loose car requires him to turn to the outside (right) while the car is turning left, so he's fighting the car. A tight car means you're turning more towards the inside (left) which is where you'd be turning anyway.]

177) JR: Too tight now.

175) TJ: Ready, get ready... GREEN GREEN GREEN.

168) YELLOW: 42 on the re-start.

167) TJ: GREEN GREEN GREEN

164) Back out. 12.5, excellent pit stop. Plus 1 position. 3rd.

163) TONY JR: 4 tires and fuel. Nice and smooth, let's make up for the last time.

162) YELLOW. 2-car went into the wall.

160) 4th, no change.

155) no change. 4th. Only 16 cars on the lead lap. 

150) 4th. 83, 2, 48, 88

145) 5th unchanged.

140) 5th, unchanged. During the last pit-stop, the front tire changer had a problem with his gun. A lug got stuck in the barrel, normally should have ejected. Then he goes to the next lug, and it wouldn't load. So he hits the barrel against the ground to dislodge the stuck one, and it changed direction so he took the next one off instead of tightening it. Explanation courtesy of Hot Pass. Man, if you don't have DirecTV Hot Pass, why not?

135) 5th. 2, 83, The Anti-Christ, 48, 88

132) passes Biff for 5th.

131) JR: Real, real, loose there.

130) 6th

125) 5th after cycling through the pit stops.

122) JR. FUCKING LOOSE. YOU DO THIS TO ME EVERY RACE. TONY: I just added 2 lbs. all around. JR: That's too much, I reckon (calmer). TONY: Sorry about that stuff on the pit stop. But you're 8th now, just keep digging.

120) 10th after the pit stops, but still cycling through the leaders.

119) VERY SLOW PIT STOP, 20 PLUS SECONDS. dropped lug nuts on right front.

116) TONY: Gonna pit next time, 4 tires and fuel.

115) 2nd behind the 2. Five seconds back to the Anti-Christ.

113) TONY: Same issues with your car, loose in, loose out? JR: No, it's fine. TONY: 10-4

110) 2nd. Coming up on pit window. Last stop was a splash’n’go at 62.

105) passes Vickers for 2nd. TONY: Last lap was awesome. JR: Running out of brakes, though. TONY: Got your brake fans on? JR: Yes.

103) JR: 220 on water, 250 on oil. TONY: 10-4

100) [ONE-QUARTER RACE IS OVER] 3rd, lots of lapped traffic. Kurt, Brian, Jr.

95) 3rd. No change.

92) 3rd. Vickers passes JR like he’s got a jalapeño up his ass and running to toilet.

90) 2nd behind Anti-Christ's brother. Then Vickers 3rd, and the demon himself, 4th.

89) JR: Little free in, little free off. Just a small bit. TONY: 10-4

80) 3rd. No change. 30+ to next scheduled green-flag stop.

79) No change. JR running the high line since the start of the race, close to the wall most of the way. Middle at S/F, then high through 1, 2, back straightaway, 3rd, 4th, exits toward middle.

75) 3rd, behind Kurt and his brother, The Anti-Christ.

73) Dark from Start/Finish to middle of Turn 2/3, light until near exit of Turn 4.

70) 2nd, no change.

68) 2nd. 2, 88, The Anti-Christ.

66) GREEN. 3rd. 2, 48

63) YELLOW. 4th. 5, 48, Anti-Christ's brother, 88.

62) YELLOW. Back in pits for a splash ’n’ go. IN 2nd out 5th.

60) completed pass on 82 for 2nd.

58) 3rd, 3-5 car lengths behind the 83, running 1-2 mph faster.

55) 3rd. 48, 83, 88, and all 3 have pitted.

54) 3rd, everyone making green flag pits stops..

53) Pit. 13.3 seconds. In 3rd, out 5th

51) 3rd. TONY: Pit next time by. 4 tires and fuel.

50) 4TH, 48, 2, 6, 88

48) 4th, TONY: "Doing awesome."

47)Coming up on fuel window, TONY: "Got about 8 laps, June Bug"

45)  4th

44) JR: "Car is really nice on long runs, Tony Jr." TONY: "Alright"

40) 4th. Anti-Christ fell back at Lap 38, now behind the 88. 83, 48, 2, 88, 31, 18

36) Coming out of Turn 4, the 48 went low with Jr. behind by 4, two wide with the 2, but Jr. couldn't follow. 48 passed Kurt, then Kyle, and is #2 behind Brian Vickers.

35) 5th, passed by teammate Jimmie Johnson.

30) 4th, behind The Anti-Christ, Brian Vickers, and Brother of The Anti-Christ.

25: 3rd. Junior stares into the sun as he hits the middle of Turn 3 and 4. Start/Finish currently in shadow from the grandstands at 6:05 PM local time. 

20: 3rd

15: 4th

Lap 10: 4th

Lap 5: Up to 5th

Lap 1: Junior starts from Row 3, outside

GREEN FLAG

#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the Coca-Cola 600 Live Blog, pre-race

We’ll be live-blogging the Coke 600 in a few minutes, beginning at approx. 2:45 (PDT) Sunday, 25 May 2008.

Notes:

• Green-flag drops: approximately 2:45 PM PDT
• Venue: Lowe’s [Charlotte] Motor Speedway 
• Television: Fox
• Radio: PRN and Sirius

Don’t forget: Jayski.com

--30--

Coca-Cola 600 live blog coming up... Indy 500 notes...

Junior fans check back when the race starts. I’ll be live-blogging the race. I’ll be tracking pit stops and reporting on s radio channel.

I was bored by the 500. Comedian Jackie Vernon used to say, “I went to a boxing match. A hockey game broke out.” I watched a series of caution laps, and the Indy 500 broke out.

Once Danica was out of the race, so was I. I think all the Indy drivers should follow the Golden Rule: Don’t crash Danica, she brings the gold. I don't care if you’re an Indy car or Open-wheel fan. The hard-core fans -- I hate the term “die-hard"’ -- don't make the sport grow.

See you at the Coca-Cola 600 in a few mins.

--30--

Richmond 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup, Dale Jr. Live Blog Lap 201-400

TJ Majors spotting for Dale JR.

Lap 203 - Truex in the 1 car passed to put Jr 5th.

Lap 205 - CAUTION IS OUT

207 - 4 tires and fuel. In 5th, came out 6th. 14.2

215 - running 4th. Next fuel window, Lap 300?

220 - 15 car into the wall.

223 - JR: (feels like ) 4 flat tires. Tony: Okay, I can bring it back to where it was after the first pit stop.

231 - BIG WRECK CAUTION... 7 or 8 cars involved, JR. SAFE
231 - RED FLAG 10 cars involved.

232 - YELLOW

233 - 4 tires and fuel.

245 - GREEN Running 5th

249 - 24 passes to put Jr. 6th. 24 car came from the back. Little by little Steve Letarte made small changes and the pit crew helped the 24 pick up spots on pit road. Got his lap back as the Lucky Dog, then made it up through the field.

258 - JR passes Gordon in the 24. Nice pass started on the back stretch, went through the turn, then completed as they entered the front stretch towards start/finish. Now running 5th, running 1/2 mile faster than 3rd and 4th.

261 - CAUTION

262 - 4 tires and fuel

270 - Jr. goes by the 8 Mark Martin for 4th

287 - 3rd. Quiet time.

300 - 3rd. Passing lapped traffic

328 - nothing happening, weaving through lapped traffic. one pit stop to the end.

337 - Green since 26, 11- Hamlin leads, then 18 Kyle Busch, then Junior. 18 is now 3 lengths behind 11, closest except during restarts. Jr. 1.7 secs. behind only a couple of lapped cars in between.

349 - Jr. within 3 car-lengths of #18, then 18 pulls out.

355 - 5 car blows a tire!!!! CAUTION.

356 - 4 tires and fuel. 11 car comes in too. Battle on pit road. #88 team - 13 FLAT. #11 team - 13.8. #11 pulls out in front, first pit stall, couldn't get out ahead of him.

360 - 1 to go, #11, #18, then #88

361 GREEN GREEN GREEN

365 - 26 MCMURRAY INTO THE WALL YELLOW YELLOW.

366 - Tony: Staying out.

373 - JR. passes 18 like he's standing still.

378 - 18 looks inside, can't stick it.

381 - Tony - 20 to go. 18 is looking inside on the turns, can't stick it, then JR surges ahead in the straightawy they both are catching the 11

383 Junior passes the 11 for the lead!!!!!!

386 - HAMLIN HAS A FLAT RIGHT FRONT!!! FALLING BACK.

387 - TONY: 13 to go. Kyle Busch way back way back.

389 - TJ - 11 to go. JR. Keep counting me down. TJ - Really smooth, you're going really smooth.

8 TO GO - HAMLIN BLOWS RIGHT FRONT CAUTION CAUTION. HAMLIN GETS TWO-LAP PENALTY FOR STAYING OUT WITH THE TIRE GOING DOWN.

7 TO GO - YELLOW.

5 TO GO - GREEN JUNIOR LEADS THEM BACK TO THE LINE.

3 TO GO - KYLE BUSCH TRIES ON THE INSIDE, JUNIOR ON THE OUTSIDE, BACK AND FORTH. BUSCH SPINS JUNIOR OUT!!!!! ONCE AGAIN ROUGH DRIVING BY KYLE BUSCH.


RACE IS OVER, WHO CARES...

--30--

Live-blogging Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at Richmond tonight. Lap 1- 200

I’ll be live-blogging the Richmond NASCAR Sprint Cup Race tonight.

About tonight’s race:

• Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400
  
• Richmond International Speedway
  
• .750 mile, D-shaped Oval
  
• 400 lap race, 300 miles
  
• moderate banking, 14% in turns, 8% frontstretch (the “D”), 2% backstretch
  
• Impound race, look for some teams on the owner’s point bubble to make an early stop to change from qualifying trim to race trim.
  

Fox Broadcast

• Green flag drops 7:45 EDT (4:45 PDT), approximately
  
• Weather forecast: (green flag) partly cloudy, 79°, (11 PM EDT) chance of thunderstorms

Telecast crew:
Booth

• MIke Joy (lead)
  
• Larry McReynolds (analyst)
  
• Daryl Waltrip (analyst)
  

In the Pit

• Dick Berggren
  
• Steve Byrnes
  
• Matt Yocum
  
• Krista Voda
  

Hollywood Hotel

• Chris Myers
  
• Jeff Hammond

Dale Jr. will be running the #88 National Guard Amp Energy Drink Chevrolet Impala
Tony Eury Jr. (Tony Jr.) - Crew Chief
TJ Majors - Spotter
Pit Crew


Lap 1 -GREEN GREEN GREEN. Jr. started on the inside of Row 11,

Lap 7 - Jr. says "real tight in the center."

Lap 13 - passes the 5 to go to 19th.

Lap 20 - now 17th

Since this was an impound race, some of the usual cars did not qualify well and started towards the middle or back of the path. Because they were already in the race, they qualified in race trim. Look for some of the bubble teams to come in early to make adjustments.

Lap 27 -now 16th. Dale Jr: Loose in, loose off.

Lap 32 - Tony Jr. says you're a tenth of a second faster than the leader. now 14th.

Lap 45 - 4 tenths faster than rest of the field. JR: Free in on the center, a little free on the right front. Jeff Gordon a lap down.

Lap 52 - now 10th. 0:10 behind leader.

Lap 55 - Tony Jr: You're about half-way into the (fuel) run. 23.38, everyone else is running 50s and 60s.

Lap 60 - running 9th. gaining 100 ft./lap on the leader

Lap 66 - CAUTION IS OUT.

Lap 67 - TJ: Pit this time. Tony: 4 tires and fuel. 13.8 seconds went in 9th, came out 7th.

Lap 73 - GREEN GREEN GREEN. Next fuel window: 160?

Lap 98 - 5th! Everything else quiet.

Lap 100 - Loose in, Loose out. But good in the center. Good on new tires.

Lap 104 - A little loose coming out turn 3, shimmy in the rear.

Lap 108 - Jr. laps the 24, 24 goes 2 laps down.

Lap 125 - running 5th

Lap 128 - TJ: CAUTION'S OUT Metal in turn 2.

Lap 130 - 4 tires and fuel. Went in 5th, came out 7th. 14.5. Denny Hamlin, 11, has led every leap.

Lap 132 - coming to the green.

Lap 133 - TJ - You're drivin' away from everyone. GREEN GREEN GREEN.

Lap 135 - some bumpin and bangin on the back stretch.

Lap 140 - CAUTION, Montoya into the wall. During the last round of pit stops, the 2 jackman cut across too tightly and had to leap over the hood as Tony came in. Appeared unharmed and still made a good pit stop! Staying out.

144 - GREEN GREEN GREEN running 5th

155 - after last pit stop, car got loosened up. The 1 and 9 passed JR. on a turn, got loose, big tail wiggle. Now 7th.

158 - passed Kahne, back to 6th.

164 - Gordon got the Lucky Dog on the last pit stop, now 19th, on the lead lap. Jr. passes the 01, Martin Truex Jr. for 5th.

168 - passes 29 Kevin Harvick for 4th.

175 - running 4th. 2 tenths faster than the leader.

200 - running 4th at half-way. LOok out for the 42, serious tire rub. Caution waiting to happen.

Kentucky Derby

My Superfecta:

6. Z-Fortune (17-1)
18. Recapturetheglory (47-1)
19. Gayego (21-1)
20. Big Brown (7-2)

--30--

Post-Derby Update

My ticket didn't cash. #20 Big Brown came in the winner, but the filly Eight Belles placed, to spoil my day. Even worse, she fractured both ankles during the cool-down lap and was almost immediately euthanized.

I wish someone at her side had read about Molly.

--30--

From the BBC early last month...

Who doesn’t love penguins?



Wildlife expert Lirpa Loof presents a heart-warming story about a most remarkable evolutionary adaptation. Instead of huddling together all winter to keep each other warm, these penguins have learned to... well you’ll just have to see it yourself.

--03--

The meaning of sportsmanship

Last Saturday, a wonderful thing happened on a softball field in a Division II NCAA tournament women’s softball game between two intense rivals, Central Washington and Western Oregon. (It’s altogether fitting and proper that such a thing happen in Division II since Diviision I, both women’s and men’s games resemble professional sports more and more each day.)

With two runners on in the second inning of a scoreless game, Western Oregon senior Sara Tucholsky came to bat at Central Washington’s 300 seat stadium. She had yet to hit a home run in her college career, and today was her last chance. According to Graham Hays of ESPN.com, she was an easy target for a few hecklers because of her tiny frame and her 3 for 34 season record.

Reporter Hays does a better job than I of telling this story, and I insist you stop reading my feeble account this second and click to his account. You can surely anticipate the satisfying payoff of this story. But you don’t know, as Paul Harvey would say, “the r-r-r-est of the story.”



Ms. Tucholsky swung, dropped her bat, and ran to first, as the ball sailed over the fence in center. Remember, this is not the big leagues. She did not stand and showboat, she ran. And in her excitement, she missed first base, and circled back to touch it. As she turned, her right knee collapsed, and she crumpled to the clay base path reeling in pain.

Covering first that game for Central Washington was senior Mallory Holtman. Ms. Holtman was Central Washington’s Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams all in one. She held nearly every offensive record in Central Washington history. At first base, Sara Tucholsky and Mallory Holtman, two adversaries separated by a few feet and miles of ability.

The rules of softball forbid assistance from a teammate or other member of the injured player’s team. It it happens, the home run is invalidated, and the runners would advance only one base. Western Oregon Pam Knox thought, "If I touch her, she’s gonna kill me. It’s her only home run in four years.”

Within the rules, such instances have been anticipated. The team substitutes another player, who touches all the bases she missed, and the home run stands. Before Coach Knox could replace Ms. Tucholsky, she heard a voice.

“Excuse me,” Ms. Holtman asked. “ Would it be okay if we carried her around and she touched each base?” Like Coach Knox, the umpiring crew could hardly believe what they heard.

Shortstop Liz Wallace ran over and together with Ms. Holtman, they carried Sara Tuchowsky around the bases. A standing ovation from the home fans cascaded over the three travellers as they trudged forward. After she touched home, completing a most extraordinary home run, Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace handed wounded warrior Sara Tucholsky to her teammates

I’ve seen the sun circle this world 53 times. I’ve seen men walk on the moon, Israel and Egypt sign a peace agreement, and Michael Jackson get married. I’ve never seen or heard of anything this astonishing.

--30--