Quicken Loans Race for Heros 500

[bksballer89]

It's going to go down to the wire with this new playoff formula. That's for sure.

Yeah I guess that's why they like this formula. It is basically a lock to have every race in the chase maybe except race #1 be filled with drama.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Of the 4 drivers remaining, Hamlin has the best history at Homestead and won there last year.

Harvick obviously has the most momentum going into the race.

Logano has been strong all season and has been extremely tough during the Chase.

Newman just refuses to go away. He's been an underdog during the entire Chase, but has pointed his way into the final 4.

I wouldn't be surprised to see any of the 4 crowned champion.

But, GO HARVICK

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

 

[4down20]

Those that think Brad caused the Gordon deal last week, you should be infuriated with Newman this week.

He literally ran Larson into the wall to get the position to advance to the next round and leave Gordon eliminated.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of Newman's move. It was an aggressive move with the season on the line.

I don't like Brad Keselowski in the least, but last week he made an aggressive move with his season on the line, and while Keselowski did fill a relatively small hole, there was a hole and Gordon did move down on Keselowski.

Didn't watch the race and didn't see what Newman did, but it's not just about rubbing someone or being aggressive with the brad vs gordon thing. It's about when and where it was done. If brad rubs Gordon coming out of a turn and gets him loose to make a pass, no problem that's racing. But you just don't divebomb like that entering a turn. That "hole" is basically always open, drivers don't take it for a reason.

Also, there is some cushion available for drivers who are usually very clean and courteous, and all that. Brad has none because of his history while Newman has tons due to his.

 

[Pariah]

Come into the race 4th in points, finish 2nd, fall to 5th in points.

See ya, NASCAR.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

gordon fan?

 

[Retroram52]

What I find interesting is that in the last 10 years, this year there is no Hendricks driver in contention for a ring.

 

[wildturkey]

Didn't watch the race and didn't see what Newman did, but it's not just about rubbing someone or being aggressive with the brad vs gordon thing. It's about when and where it was done. If brad rubs Gordon coming out of a turn and gets him loose to make a pass, no problem that's racing. But you just don't divebomb like that entering a turn. That "hole" is basically always open, drivers don't take it for a reason.

Also, there is some cushion available for drivers who are usually very clean and courteous, and all that. Brad has none because of his history while Newman has tons due to his.

Saw the highlights. Newman's move was basically as dirty as Brad's. Really, I'd say it was more amateurish than overtly dirty like Brad. Newman essentially drove like 10 year old playing a video game. He cut the entire corner, washed up the track, slammed into Larson which forced Larson into the wall and allowed Newman to get the spot. Pretty shitty move as far as racing is concerned but one that I'm sure Brian France loves as he continues to devalue his product.

What I find interesting is that in the last 10 years, this year there is no Hendricks driver in contention for a ring.

That's what happens when they constantly reset shit. Random stuff happens. FWIW, Harvick is basically a Hendrick car, just not in name. Its a Hendrick engine, Hendrick supported chassis (SHR builds their own now), and the two teams share engineering data with SHR people going to HMS for meetings and debriefings.

 

[Psych-Ward]

Didn't watch the race and didn't see what Newman did, but it's not just about rubbing someone or being aggressive with the brad vs gordon thing. It's about when and where it was done. If brad rubs Gordon coming out of a turn and gets him loose to make a pass, no problem that's racing. But you just don't divebomb like that entering a turn. That "hole" is basically always open, drivers don't take it for a reason.

Also, there is some cushion available for drivers who are usually very clean and courteous, and all that. Brad has none because of his history while Newman has tons due to his.

For shit sake, Newman's was 10 times worse.... But as EVERYONE, that has ever been in a car... I know you don't take any stock in what a former Nascar drivers says because you are the 10 time on line racing champ.... Brad did nothing wrong and Dale Jarret said any driver that says he wouldn't of made that move is lying!!!!

 

[Retroram52]

Yea I get that Turkey, but it was the psychosocial side of the competition I was addressing.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Are ya'll serious about Newman? GTFO!! He was racing for a shot at the championship coming out of turn fucking 4 on the last lap and needs one spot to qualify. There's not a driver out there worth his salt that wouldn't make that move.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Are ya'll serious about Newman? GTFO!! He was racing for a shot at the championship coming out of turn fucking 4 on the last lap and needs one spot to qualify. There's not a driver out there worth his salt that wouldn't make that move.

I 100% agree with you.

But Gordon fans can't have it both ways.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Come into the race 4th in points, finish 2nd, fall to 5th in points.

See ya, NASCAR.

He didn't fall to 5th in points.

He still had the 4th most points in the round, but a win gives you an automatic advancement, and Harvick won the race. The max points day Harvick earned would not have been enough to point him in, but the auto advance on a win did.

Gordon didn't score enough points to pass Newman, Logano or Hamlin. Harvick won the race to advance and bump Gordon out.

Cry about Gordon wrecking himself at Texas all you want, but fact of the matter is Harvick was wrecked by Kenseth at Martinsville to finish 33rd. The worst finish any Chase eligible driver had in this round. He responded by finishing second in Texas and winning at Phoenix. Gordon knew what he had to do to advance, but he couldn't get it done.

And for the record, any of the 12 teams that made the Chase but didn't advance to the championship round can finish 5th in points. Right now, Brad Keselowski sits 5th over Gordon.

 

[jeffro151]

I don't see the Gordon/Keselowski incident and the Newman/Larson incident as equal acts. The hole that Keselowski went to was only open for a split second before it closed back up. He should have been more patient. Newman, OTOH, was along side Larson all the way through 3 & 4 and he did what he had to do to make the line stick. Larson was out of the groove and should have backed off. It's basically the same predicament that Tony Stewart was in when the kid died. Tony had the favored line, and the kid should have backed it down.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Thinking about it, this is parity at its best.

We have one of each make in contention.

Hamlin in a Toyota
Logano in a Ford

And both major Chevy engine departments are represented.

Newman in Childress power.
Harvick driving for Stewart-Haas using Hendrick power.

Basically, every major engine maker is represented.

 

[Chewbaccer]

I don't see the Gordon/Keselowski incident and the Newman/Larson incident as equal acts. The hole that Keselowski went to was only open for a split second before it closed back up. He should have been more patient. Newman, OTOH, was along side Larson all the way through 3 & 4 and he did what he had to do to make the line stick. Larson was out of the groove and should have backed off. It's basically the same predicament that Tony Stewart was in when the kid died. Tony had the favored line, and the kid should have backed it down.

I see them both as aggressive moves with the driver in question's season on the line.

When it's do or die time, a small hole is a hole.

If Keselowski did the move and Paul Menard was the one with a cut tire nobody would be bitching about it.

 

[4down20]

Larson: I understand Newman's situation

I don't think it's the same thing for a few reasons.

For starters, Newman was doing the whole 8 wheels turns better than 4. Yes, Larson does have a right to be somewhat upset, I give him that much. Yes, if you want to assign blame to the incident, Newman is at fault. Newman owes Larson a bit of his ear and a sorry, but even Larson understands.

Newman was already along side Larson, he didn't just shove his car into a tiny hole on turn entry. What he did wasn't dangerous and as I said before seeing the incident - he doesn't have a history of doing this to other drivers. He had more on the line than Larson, so it's more understandable.

 

[Psych-Ward]

I see them both as aggressive moves with the driver in question's season on the line.

When it's do or die time, a small hole is a hole.

If Keselowski did the move and Paul Menard was the one with a cut tire nobody would be bitching about it.

I couldn't agree more!!!! Both drivers had the hopes of advancing in the championship on the line and both did what they had to do to keep their seasons alive!!!

It's racing old school at it's finest and there isn't a driver with a heart beat that wouldn't of done the same thing!!!!

 

[4down20]

For shit sake, Newman's was 10 times worse.... But as EVERYONE, that has ever been in a car... I know you don't take any stock in what a former Nascar drivers says because you are the 10 time on line racing champ.... Brad did nothing wrong and Dale Jarret said any driver that says he wouldn't of made that move is lying!!!!

That you think Newmans was 10 times worse pretty much highlights your own bias in this situation and makes your opinion pretty invalid IMO.

Newman is at fault, Larson has a right to be upset. But there are lots of other factors involved that you for some reason want to ignore while citing 1 former drivers opinion as being that of "EVERYONE".

 

[Chewbaccer]

I couldn't agree more!!!! Both drivers had the hopes of advancing in the championship on the line and both did what they had to do to keep their seasons alive!!!

It's racing old school at it's finest and there isn't a driver with a heart beat that wouldn't of done the same thing!!!!

Absolutely. There's a lot of reasons not to like Brad Keselowski. And I don't blame Gordon for being upset. But under the circumstances, Brad's only way to advance was to win, he had a shot at the lead, he went for it, Gordon came down and cut down his tire. Racing incident when the stakes were high.

I don't like how Brad tried to ignore Gordon and walk away that resulted in the Harvick shove and then brawl, but I don't have a problem with what he did on the track.