\M\M
>>> GRABBED THE MIKE. YOUR FAVORITE ANTHEM OF THE
YEAR. >> ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S AS GOOD AS IT GETS PLUS
WE WON YESTERDAY. >> FINAL THOUGHTS? >> I'M LOOKING FOR, KYLE BUSCH
JUST BARELY MISSED THIS CHASE. UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES
KNOCKED HIM OUT. I THINK KYLE BUSCH CAN WIN THIS
RACE TODAY. >> I WAS IN THE GARAGE AREA
WALKING AROUND TALKING TO THE CREW GUYS AND THEY SAID, MAN,
YOU GOT TO WATCH THAT 24 CAR. WHY? HE'S TILLING EVERYBODY. I WANT TO SEE IF HE CAN BACK UP
THAT TALK THEY'RE SAYING. >> INTERESTING TO WATCH. UPSTAIRS TO THE BOOTH, ALLEN
BESTWICK, DALE JARRETT AND ANDY PETREE. ARE YOU ALL BUTTONED UP THERE? >> WE ARE BUTTONED UP AND READY,
NICOLE. THINKING ABOUT MARTINSVILLE,
D.J. MADE THE VERY START OF HIS
HALL OF FAME DRIVING CAREER HERE AT THIS RACETRACK AND DRIVEN
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF LAPS HERE AND YOU TOLD ME THERE WERE
TWO THINGS A DRIVER NEEDS TO HAVE TODAY TO TRY AND WIN. >> YEAH, THOSE TWO ARE GOOD
STRATEGY FROM YOUR CREW CHIEF AND USE YOUR FRONT BUMPER. YOU WILL HAVE TO DO THAT. THERE WILL BE TIMES THERE'S NO
OTHER WAY AROUND A DRIVER THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU. YOU MAY BE QUITE A BIT FASTER
BUT HAVE TO BE WILLING THAT USE THAT AND MOVE CARS OUT OF THE
WAY TO GET YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT. YOU CAN MINIMIZE THOSE IF YOUR
CREW CHIEF WILL HAVE THE RIGHT STRATEGY HERE TODAY AND KEEP YOU
UP FRONT MOST OF THE DAY. >> ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT USING
THE BODY AND BUMPERS AT THIS TRACK THEY'RE NOT THAT IMPORTANT
FOR PERFORMANCE. DRIVERS AREN'T AFRAID TO USE IT
UP. IT DOESN'T HURT THE CAR TOO
MUCH. CLOSE SPEEDS THAT THEY HAVE,
AVERAGE SPEED, IT'S REALLY A MECHANICAL TYPE OF RACETRACK. YOU WORK ON MECHANICAL GRIP MORE
THAN AERODYNAMICS. I'M SURE WE'LL SEE PEOPLE DO IT. >> SOMETIMES WHEN YOU USE THE
BUMPER IT GOES FROM BEING A NUDGE TO A SPIN AND WE SEE THE
YELLOW FLAG WAVE. LOOK AT THE CAUTIONS A YEAR AGO
AT THIS RACE. 17 CAUTIONS. WE MIGHT COME CLOSE TO THAT
NUMBER TODAY. I JUST HAVE A SNEAKY FEELING. THIS RACETRACK BEING SO TIGHT
AND DEMANDING ON BOTH CAR AND DRIVER ADDED TOGETHER WITH THE
PRESSURE OF THIS NEW ROUND OF THE CHASE, IT'S GOING TO BE
INTERESTING WHAT EFFECT THAT HAS? A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THESE
DRIVERS AND TEAMS TO PERFORM BECAUSE TO GET A WIN WOULD BE
HUGE BUT YOU GOT TO BE CAREFUL. THIS IS KIND OF A RACETRACK YOU
HAVE TO USE DISCIPLINE AND CAN OVERPOWER THE RACETRACK AND YOU
CAN TRY TO USE TOO MANY RACE AND OVERHEAT THESE THINGS AND YOU
CAN MAKE THE TIRE PAY THE PRICE. WE'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE HERE. I'M NOT SURE WE'LL SEE TOO MUCH
OF THAT. SEEMS LIKE THE TEAMS HAVE DONE A
GETTER JOB OF PROTECTING THAT. RUNNING GEAR GETS A BIG WORKOUT
HERE. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE TOUGH,
TOUGH RACETRACKS ON EQUIPMENT. >> USING THAT FRONT BUMPER BUT
WANT TO DO IT WITH PATIENCE HERE TODAY. THAT'S THE ONE THING, BE PATIENT
WITH ALL YOUR EQUIPMENT AND HAVE SOMETHING TO RACE WITH AT THE
END. >> LONG, HARD, GRUELING RACE AND
ELIMINATOR ROUND BEGINS WITH 500 LAPS AT TOUGH OLD MARTINSVILLE. THE COMMAND TO START ENGINES IS
NEXT. >>> BACK TO MARTINSVILLE GETTING
READY FOR THE 132 KNOTT SPRINT CUP RACE. THIS RACETRACK HAS BEEN
DOMINATED BY DRIVERS WHO HIT ON IT HERE, OF COURSE, THE KING AND
DARRELL WALTRIP, RUSTY HAD HIS TIME HERE AND IN RECENT YEARS
IT'S BEEN JEFF GORDON AND JIMMIE JOHNSON WHO HAVE BEEN THE
MARTINSVILLE MASTER. ONE OF THOSE MARTINSVILLE
MASTERS IS STANDING BY TRACKSIDE TO GIVE THE COMMAND TO GET
TODAY'S RACE UNDER WAY. >> AND NOW FOR THE MOST FAMOUS
WORDS IN MOTORSPORTS, PLEASE WELCOME YOUR GRAND MARSHAL, HALL
OF FAME MEMBER, THE KING, THE ONE AND ONLY RICHARD PETTY. >> DRIVERS, START YOUR ENGINES. >> FIRE UP WHEN YOU'RE READY,
MAN. >> CRANK WHEN YOU'RE READY. >> 15-TIME MARTINSVILLE WINNER,
THE KING WHOSE FAMILY COMPOUND, OF COURSE, HOMETOWN NOT ALL THAT
FAR FROM HERE, LESS THAN AN OUR'S DRIVE FROM THE RACETRACK
AND HIS FATHER, LEE PETTY WAS THE RUNNER-UP IN THE VERY FIRST
OF THESE 132 SPRINT CUP RACES HELD IN MARTINSVILLE. THERE'S OUR ESPN IN-RACE
REPORTER, CARL EDWARDS MADE IT THROUGH AND STILL IN THE HUNT
FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP. WE'LL TALK TO HIM ABOUT HIS
CHALLENGE FOR THE DAY AT MARTINSVILLE NEXT. >>> WHAT A PRETTY SIGHT, ISN'T
IT? MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY, SOUTH
CENTRAL VIRGINIA WHERE THE FIRST RACE IN THE ELIMINATOR ROUND FOR
THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP IS ABOUT TO GET UNDER WAY
PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE. CARS SITTING ALONG THE PIT LANE
GETTING WARMED UP ABOUT TO ROLL ON TO THE RACETRACK FOR THE
PARADE IN PACE LAPS. WHILE THEY GET READY LET'S CHECK
PIT ROAD WITH MIKE MASSARO. >> ALLEN, JEFF GORDON STOPS JUST
SHORT OF SAYING IT'S A MUST WIN RACE BUT DOES AT MITT A
MARTINSVILLE VICTORY HAS NEVER TAKEN ON GREATER IMPORTANCE. THAT'S A PRETTY BIG STATEMENT
WHEN YOU CONSIDER JEFF GORDON'S WON HERE EIGHT TIMES AND THAT
RECORD HAS GIVEN HIM CONFIDENCE, SAYS HE HAS A GREAT CAR,
CERTAINLY CAPABLE OF GOING TO VICTORY LANE TODAY. HE'S LOOKING FOR A GOOD RUN, ONE
THAT WOULD PUT HIS STAT ON THIS RUN. >> DENNY HAMLIN SAYS TO ADVANCE
TO THIS ELIMINATOR ROUND OF THE CHASE YOU CAN'T AFFORD BAD LUCK
OR BAD PERFORMANCE. WELL, YOU CAN'T CONTROL LUCK BUT
YOU CAN CONTROL THE PERFORMANCE AND HAMLIN'S CREW CHIEF DARIAN
GRUBB SAID TRACK POSITIONS AND RESTART WILL BE THE KEYS TO A
PERFORMANCE RUN TODAY. >> THEY SAY TALLADEGA IS THE
PLACE WHERE YOU FIND OUT WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE BECAUSE AFTER
ALL YOU NEED THEM IN THE DRAFT. THIS PLACE, MARTINSVILLE, IT
REVEALS YOUR ENEMIES. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WAITING AND
BIDING THEIR TIME TO PAY YOU BACK. NOW, IN THE AFTERMATH OF
CHARLOTTE, IF BRAD KESELOWSKI, SHOULD HE BE WORRIED TODAY? WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT. DAVE BURNS. >> CAN KEVIN HARVICK ACHIEVE
HAPPINESS AFTER QUALIFYING 33rd AND END UP IN VICTORY LANE? WELL, HIS OWN HISTORY SAYS
PROBABLY. 36 TO THIRD FOR YEARS AGO AND
RACED FROM THE BACK TO THE FRONT SEVERAL TIMES WITH A BROKEN RACE
CAR SCORING A TOP TEN. IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR A SECOND
GRANDFATHER CLOCK AT THE HARVICK HOUSE, ALLEN. >> TIME WILL TELL, DAVE. AND YOU SEE THE FIELD NOW OUT ON
THE TO RACETRACK GETTING WARPED UP AND START THE PACE LAPS
MOMENTARY. THIS THE FINAL SHORT RACE OF THE
SEASON. UNDER A MILE WHICH THERE ARE
THREE. SO SIX RACES TOTAL ON THE YEAR
AND YOU SEE CARL EDWARDS, OUR ESPN IN-RACE REPORTER IS ONE OF
THE WINNERS ON A SHORT TRACK THIS YEAR TAKING THE BRISTOL
RACE IN MARCH. CARL GOT A PRETTY GOOD START
LINED UP IN 11th. >> HEY, QUARREL, DALE JARRETT,
ESPN. YOU GOOD TO TALK. >> I GOT YOU. >> WE WERE SHOWING THE NICE
RECORD YOU HAVE ON THE SHORT TRACK AND MAIL BAG QUESTION FROM
CHRIS IN MAINE. YOU'VE HAD SUCCESS ON A SHORT
TRACK THIS SEASON. WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN YOU USE
TO YOUR ADVANTAGE TO GET THAT ALL-IMPORTANT WIN TO MOVE ON IN
THE CHASE? >> WELL, THE BIGGEST THING IS
JUST EXPERIENCE OF MY CREW AND THE -- JIMMY FENNIG ON THE BOX. THEY'RE ALL -- THEY'RE HARD-CORE
RACERS AND THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT
EXPERIENCE AND HOPEFULLY A LITTLE BIT OF SPEED THAT WE HAVE
IN THIS ECOBOOST FORD AND GET TO THE FRONT HERE TODAY. >> CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO OUR
VIEWERS A LITTLE BIT THE BALANCE AS A DRIVER THAT YOU HAVE TO
HAVE HERE TODAY BETWEEN PATIENCE AND AGGRESSION KEEPING YOUR
FENDERS ON YOUR CAR BUT BEING READY TO MOVE SOMEBODY OUT OF
THE WAY AS A DRIVER IN THIS VERY TIGHT CONFINES OF THIS TRACK? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SOMETHING I WAS JUST THINKING
ABOUT. I MEAN, MY BLOOD IS PUMPING. I'M READY TO GO RACING. THIS IS WHAT WE LIVE FOR. THIS EXCITEMENT OF BEING HERE
AND HAVING TO PERFORM BUT YOU DO HAVE TO BALANCE THAT. YOU CAN'T WRECK YOUR RACE CAR. YOU HAVE TO BE THERE AT THE END
AND LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. I THINK YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF
TROUBLE WITH THAT AND PROBABLY END UP IN SOME TROUBLE FOR SOME
PEOPLE AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP OUR NOSE CLEAN. >> YOU DO THAT. GOOD LUCK OUT THERE TODAY. THANKS FOR TALKING WITH US. WE LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO
YOU LATER ON, CARL. >> OKAY. HAVE FUN. >> WE WILL. CARL EDWARDS LINED UP IN 11th. OUR ESPN IN-RACE REPORTER AND
HAVE HIGH DEFINITION VIEWS. BRAD KESELOWSKI HAS THE FORD
ECOBOOST ON BOARD AND KEVIN HARVICK HAS OUR OUTBACK STEAK
HOUSE CAMERA. DENNY HAMLIN THE WINNER WITH THE
TOYOTA ON BOARD AND TONY STEWART WITH A GOOD QUALIFYING SPOT
OUTSIDE ROW 2, MOBIL 1 ON BOARD. JEFF GORDON HAS THE SUNOCO ON
BOARD. IS TODAY HIS DAY? RYAN NEWMAN ONE OF THE
CHAMPIONSHIP CHASERS STILL WITH THE QUICKEN LOANS ON BOARD. ARIC ALMIROLA HAS OUR SMITHFIELD
ON BOARD DRIVING THE FAMOUS 43 AND CARL EDWARDS AS YOU HEARD
FROM WITH OUR SMITH ON BOARD CAMERA. >> GREAT WORK ON THIS HISTORIC
RACETRACK FROM OUR AERIAL COVERAGE PROVIDED BY GOODYEAR. EVERYTHING THEY LEARN MAKING
TIRES WITH THE GRUELING DEMANDS OF NASCAR INSPIRES WHAT THEY
ROLL INTO YOURS. GOODYEAR, THE OFFICIAL TIRE OF
NASCAR. JOEY LOGANO STARTING ON THE
OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT ROW FOR ROGER PENSKE'S TEAM TODAY.
>> 500 HERE AND BE THERE AT THE END. >> BE THERE AT THE END TO WIN
IT. HAVE TO HAVE THE FENDERS ON IT. >> 400, SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
FOR POSITIONING. >> TALKED WITH ROGER IN THE
GARAGE AREA STANDING BY THE 22 CAR. HE'S EXCITED BUT YOU COULD SEE
THE EDGE THAT COMES TO WITH THE PRESSURE OF BEING THIS CLOSE TO
A CHAMPIONSHIP AND TRYING TO WIN IT. HE KNOWS, COMPETITION IS TOUGH
AND NOT GOING TO GIVE HIM ANYTHING. >> YEAH, NOT GETTING ANY EASIER
AS THESE EIGHT TRY TO VIE FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO RACE FOR THE
CHAMPIONSHIP. THIS IS ONE OF THEIR TOUGHEST
TESTS THEY'LL FACE TODAY. ONE OF HIS TOUGHEST COMPETITORS
HIS TEAMMATE, BRAD KESELOWSKI TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP TOO. HAS A GOOD THING GOING ON AT
PENSKE. >> PIT ROAD, PLEASE. >> SMOOTH, GOT A GREAT PIT
STALL. DO THE WORK. GOING TEDDY ALL DAY. >> ON THE ONE TO GO LAP AS PAUL
WOLFE GETS READY TO WATCH HIS DRIVER, BRAD KESELOWSKI GO TO
WORK. UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION WITH THE
NEW CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT EIGHT DRIVERS TIED FOR THE
CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD WITH JUST FOUR RACES TO GO IN THE SEASON, NEVER
BEEN THIS WAY BEFORE AND THE PRESSURE AND THE INTENSITY,
EVERYBODY FEELS IT DOWN IN THAT GARAGE AREA EVEN THE TEAMS NOT
INVOLVED IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT ANYMORE. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT PRESSURE
AND INTENSITY, 500 LAPS. IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE. READY TO GO IN MARTINSVILLE. JAMIE McMURRAY LEADS THEM TO
GREEN. FIRST ACCORDION OFF OF THE TURN
THREE. CARS STACKED UP. LOOKS LIKE JEFF GORDON GOT IN
THE BACK OF CARL EDWARDS PRETTY GOOD. KEEP OUR EYES ON THE 24. SEE IF HE HAS DAMAGE. >> THE OUTSIDE LANE IS NOT GOING
TO BE THE PLACE TO BE. NO RUBBER DOWN THERE WHATSOEVER.
20 AND 22 WERE BATTLING GETTING A CHAMPIONSHIP POINT HERE EARLY
ON BY LEADING A LAP. VERY IMPORTANT TO THESE DRIVERS. >> SEE SOME DAMAGE ON THE 78 OF
MARTIN TRUEX JR. LEFT FRONT. >> GOT A PRETTY GOOD TIRE RUB. >> LEFT FRONT TIRE RUB. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAUSES
THAT ACCORDION EVERYBODY FIGHTS TORE THAT BOTTOM LINE AND TRYING
TO GET THERE AND NOT ENOUGH SPACE. EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO CHECK UP
LIKE TRUEX PAID FOR THAT. >> SPINNING. >> YEAH. >> FIRST CAUTION OF THE DAY. >> CAUTION IS OUT. CAUTION. WE GOT A TURN. WE'LL NEED TIRES. >> LAST TIME WE HEAR THAT PHRASE
ON A RADIO AFTER A CAR IS SPINNING AROUND. >> NO, NOT AT ALL. >> THAT'S KIND OF A TYPICAL
MARTINSVILLE DEAL GETTING DOWN IN THAT CORNER AND SPACE RUNS
OUT AND GET UP ON THAT CURB. >> KEVIN HARVICK. >> THREE WIDE. GOT YOU, WATCH HIM. WATCH HIM. GO HIGH. THERE YOU GO. OH, YEAH, KEEP DIGGING. GOOD JOB. >> TRYING TO COME FROM WHERE
HE'S AT HE'LL SEE QUITE A BIT OF ACTION. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES
THIS MARTINSVILLE TRACK UNIQUE THAT CURBING DOWN THE INSIDE OF
THE CORNERS THAT BECOMES JUST ANOTHER OBSTACLE FOR DRIVERS
WHEN TRYING TO FIND RACING ROOM WHERE LITTLE EXISTS. >> A COUPLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN. YOU HIT IT -- IN THE WRONG
POSITION WITH THAT LEFT FRONT TIRE AND CAN ACTUALLY MESS UP
THE FRONT END OF YOUR CAR AND MESS UP THE HANDLING. THE OTHER THING, VERY FEW TIMES
WHEN YOU GET THROUGH THERE WITHOUT CREATING AN ACCIDENT
WHETHER YOU SPINNING LIKE WE SAW THAT, ALEX BOWMAN OR GETTING
INTO THE CAR YOU'RE TRYING TO PASS. >> YEAH, THEY MAY HAVE PAINTED
THAT CURB PINK BUT IT'S STILL PRETTY MEAN. >> YEAH, IT IS. >> IT CAN CAUSE A LOT OF DAMAGE. >> WHAT DO YOU SEE THERE, ANDY? >> I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT
WORRIES ME SO FAR AT LEAST FROM MY ANGLE. >> ALL RIGHT. SLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE NOSE, 99
CHECKED UP IN FRONT OF ME. SHOULDN'T BE TOO BAD. >> JUST USUALLY ONE OF THE GUYS
THAT CAN KEEP HIS CAR CLEAN ALL DAY LONG. UNCHARACTERISTIC FOR HIM TO GET
DAMAGE EARLY. >> YEAH, IT LOOKS PRETTY CLEAN. >> GETTING THROUGH THE FIRST LAP
THAT LOOKS REALLY GOOD. REALLY WITH EVERYBODY TRYING TO
GET THERE DOWN THE INSIDE, HOW ABOUT THIS 78, DAVE? >> JUST RETURNING THE LEFT FRONT
DAMAGE, CHECK IN WITH THE TEAM TO SEE IF THEY KNEW WHO MARTIN
TRUEX GOT INTO. THEY COULDN'T DETECT ANYONE SO
WE'RE BLAMING THE ACCORDION. TRUEX WILL GET THAT REPAIRED AND
SEND IT BACK OUT. >> I'LL BE A VERY APPROPRIATE
SOURCE OF BLAME. >> YEAH, THE ACCORDION CAN'T
TAKE AFTER HIMSELF. >> OKAY, THERE YOU GO. >> THE ACCORDION ON THE INSIDE
LANE THAT CAUGHT UP TO TRUEX WHEN GREG BIFFLE HAD TO TAKE
EVASIVE ACTION OVER AUSTIN DILLON. >> ONE TO GO. QUICK REMINDER THAT YOU CAN
CHECK OUT NASCAR.COM/RACEBUDDY DURING TODAY'S GOODY'S HEADACHE
RELIEF SHOT 500 AND GET ENHANCED RACE ACTION FROM MARTINSVILLE
SPEEDWAY, ALL THE VIEWS AND A LITTLE MORE. >> SO I SAID WE GOT TO GIVE THAT
17 CAUTION NUMBER A RUN. WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD
POSSIBILITY. >> GOT A GOOD START HERE. I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY SEE A LOT
LIKE THAT WHETHER A SINGLE CAR, JUST A SLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE CAR
BUT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF ACTION HERE TODAY. >> MATT KENSETH LEADS THAT LAP
TRYING TO MAKE THE OUTSIDE WORK TO GET AROUND JAMIE McMURRAY. >> NOW, AFTER WE RAN A FEW LAPS
AND CLEANED OFF THAT OUTSIDE A LITTLE BIT, WHETHER HE USED IT. I THINK HE KNEW THAT WAS HIS ONE
CHANCE FROM THAT OUTSIDE WAS STAY ALONGSIDE THERE TO GET THAT
BONUS POINT FOR LEADING THAT LAP KNOWING HE'LL PAY THE PRICE
BEFORE HE CAN GET DOWN THERE. HIS TEAMMATE WON'T EVEN LET HIM
IN. ALSO BATTLING FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP
TOO. >> RIGHT THERE. JEFF GORDON TRYING TO FIND A WAY
TO THE INSIDE LANE. RYAN NEWMAN TO KEEP HIM FROM
DOING SO. >> HOW HARD NEWMAN IS TO PASS. NOT GOING TO GIVE MUCH BUT
NEWMAN IS GOOD AT THAT AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU CAN EASE YOUR WAY
DOWN THERE TILL YOU FEEL THAT CONTACT AND GET THAT GUY TO BACK
OUT FOR JUST A SECOND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF GAS IT UP AND LET IT
GO AND GET THAT SPOT. LOOKS LIKE WHAT HE DID RIGHT
THERE. >> SOMEBODY DOWN IN THE GARAGE
POSED AN INTERESTING THEORY TO ME THIS MORNING. HE SAID, THIS RACE MIGHT NOT BE
AS WILD AS YOU THINK BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF THESE GUYS IN THE
CHAMPIONSHIP ARE REALLY GOING TO CUT EACH OTHER A LOT OF SLACK
UNTIL WE GET RIGHT DOWN TO THE END. HE SAID, NOW, EVERYBODY ELSE
MIGHT NOT BE IN ON THAT BUT I THINK YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THESE
GUYS AND SAW IT WITH NEWMAN AND GORDON GIVE EACH OTHER A LOT OF
ROOM BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GIVE BACK AS THEY GO TO DECIDE THE
RACE. >> I KNOW. YOU JUST SAID IT BUT THE ONLY
PROBLEM IS THERE'S ONLY EIGHT OF THEM AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF
OTHER GUYS WITH A WHOLE OTHER AGENDA. >> FOCUS ON KEVIN HARVICK,
STARTED IN 33rd PLACE. RUNNING 29th NOW. >> CHECKING UP, CHECKING UP
HARD. INSIDE THREE WIDE. TWO WIDE. ALL GOOD. >> HARD ENOUGH TO GET SOME
DAMAGE ON THE FRONT OF HARVICK'S CAR. DAVE. >> NOTHING REPORTED SO FAR, D.J. BUT I DID TALK TO THAT VOICE YOU
HEARD, TIM, HIS SPOTTER EARLIER TODAY AND SAID, HOW DO YOU HELP
KEVIN RUN? HE SAID, FIRST OF ALL, KEVIN IS
REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT IT. HE'LL HEAR ME SAY CHECK UP A LOT
TO LET HIM KNOW THAT LINE IS STOPPING IN FRONT OF HIM. OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T ENOUGH TIME
THAT TIME. >> CAR IN TWO AGAIN UP AGAINST
THE WALL. >> TRAVIS KVAPIL. >> PRETTY GOOD DAMAGE ON THE
LEFT REAR CORNER. >> YOU'RE GOOD. GOOD. >> HE GOT HIT IN THE LEFT REAR
AT THE END OF TURN ONE. >> 98 CAR, JOSH WISE LOOKS LIKE
IT GOT INSIDE THERE. SO SECOND CAUTION OUT, BOTH OF
THEM IN TURN ONE WHERE CONTACT FROM THE INSIDE SENDING A CAR
SPINNING TO THE OUTSIDE. >> NOW, ANDY, THE TIRE THAT
GOODYEAR HAS BROUGHT HERE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE THEY
RACED ON IN MARCH AND THERE SEEM TO BE FROM PRACTICE SOME GIVE-UP
IN THE SPEED OF THE TIRE AS YOU RUN LAPS SO NOW THE QUESTION
BECOMES HOW SOON IS SOON ENOUGH TO COME ON TO PIT ROAD? >> I TALKED TO A LOT OF CREW
CHIEFS THIS MORNING ABOUT THAT AND THE TIRE DOES GIVE UP SPEED
WITH LAPS AND WORRIED ABOUT POSSIBLY RUNNING OUT OF TIRE SO
YOU MIGHT THINK THEY WOULD TRY TO STAY OUT HERE. >> HAVING PASSED THE COMMIT
POINT FOR PIT ROAD AND LEADERS WILL ALL STAY OUT. SECOND CAUTION OF THE DAY HERE
IN MARTINSVILLE. >>> BACK LIVE AT MARTINSVILLE
GETTING READY FOR THE RESTART IN THE RACE. TELECAST PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE. A TRAIN ON THE TRACKS BEHIND THE
TRACK SCREAMING OFF TURN ONE. >> JOEY LOGANO CAN TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THAT OUTSIDE LANE TO GET A BONUS POINT, NOT QUITE. >> I THINK THAT WAS HIS CHANCE
RIGHT THERE. >> I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY WILL
GO AWAY FROM THIS POINT. MURRAY IS GOOD ON THE EXIT OF
THESE CORNERS. >> MATT KENSETH TRYING TO KEEP
THAT DOOR CLOSED SO HE CAN'T GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. >> LOGANO, KURT BUSCH. TRAPPED IN THAT LANE AFTER THE
FIRST COUPLE LAPS OF RACING. WASN'T EXPECTING TO SEE DENNY
HAMLIN GIVE HIM ANY SLACK. >> I DON'T THINK JOEY IS
EXPECTING IT EITHER. WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN THAT
OUTSIDE LANE IS RACE AS HARD AS YOU CAN AND WHEN IT OPENS UP YOU
HAVE TO GO FOR IT OR IT WILL CLOSE. >> THERE WAS A TIRE THAT
GOODYEAR BROUGHT HERE EARLIER. DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THAT OUTSIDE
LANE WOULD COME IN. I'M NOT SURE WE WANT TO SEE A
LITTLE BIT OF THAT TODAY WITH THIS TIRE. IT COULD TAKE A LITTLE RUBBER
AND MOVE THE GROOVE UP A LITTLE BIT. I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW IT
PROGRESSES. >> JEFF GORDON AROUND KYLE BUSCH
FOR EIGHTH PLACE. BROTHER KURT, THE WINNER HERE IN
MARCH RIGHT BEHIND IN THAT 41. >> THESE DRIVERS ARE HOPING THIS
TIRE WILL GET SOME RUBBER DOWN ON THE RACETRACK. IT'S BEEN PRETTY COOL THE FIRST
FEW DAYS. HASN'T RUBBERED UP THE WAY THEY
WANTED TO. LOOSE OFF TURN TWO. I'M SURE IF THEY DIDN'T GET HIT
BY THE 24, HE GOT EXTREMELY LOOSE AS HE TRIED TO GO THROUGH
THAT CORNER. >> LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN HERE. >> ONCE HE GETS A GOOD RUN AND
FORCE HIS WAY DOWN. >> TRYING TO RUBBER UP. COULDN'T GET IT. THAT'S ONE THING THAT THE GUY
THAT USED TO DRIVE THAT WAR WAS ALWAYS SO GOOD, RUSTY WALLACE
BEFORE HE BEAT SO MANY. DRIVE UP OFF THAT CORNER. >> RUSTY A WINNER HERE AT
MARTINSVILLE. >> SO KESELOWSKI HAS LOST ONE,
TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE WITH NEWMAN BY HIM. THAT'S SIX WITH MENARD BY HIM
AND ALLMENDINGER WILL FILL THAT SPOT BEFORE HE CAN GET BACK IN
LINE. >> I THINK HE'LL LOSE DWIGHT A
FEW SPOTS. THAT'S SURPRISING TO ME BECAUSE
I TALKED TO A LOT OF GUYS AND THOUGHT THE 2 CAR WAS ONE OF THE
BETTER CARS AND YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE HE WAS TRYING TO
FORCE HIS WAY DOWN IN BUT WHEN IT'S LOOSE ON EXIT IT MAKES IT
TOUGH. HOW ABOUT, DOC. >> D.J., YOU'RE RIGHT. THEY WERE WORRIED WHEN THE TRACK
RUBBERS UP GETTING TIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AND PUTTING A LOT OF
WHEEL IN IT. WHEN THEY WENT OFF THEY WERE
PREPARED FOR THE TRACK TO GET TIGHT. RIGHT NOW THEY ARE JUST WAY TOO
FREE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CORNER AND CAN'T GET BACK ON THE GAS
AND SITTING DUCK ON THE OUTSIDE. >> IF THEY WAIT FOR THE
RACETRACK TO RUBBER UP I THINK IT MIGHT TAKE 100 LAPS OR SO. >> THOUGHT HE A SHOT TO GET BACK
DOWN TO THE INSIDE LINE, BRIAN VICKERS BUT BRIAN DROVE IT
OFF -- >> THERE YOU GO, RIGHT THERE. >> FINALLY GETS IN LINE IN FRONT
OF BIFFLE. >> THAT'S 11 SPOTS THAT HE LOST
IN GETTING SHUFFLED UP THERE OUT OF TURN TWO. >> WELL, MUCH BETTER TO HAVE
THAT HAPPEN NOW THAN LATE IN THE RACE. THAT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW QUICKLY
THAT CAN HAPPEN. HAVE A LATE RESTART. SOMEBODY IS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD. LOSE A LOT OF POINTS. >> TONY STEWART IS LOOKING BACK
A LITTLE BIT. JEFF GORDON AROUND HERE. TONY STARTED FOURTH BACK TO
SEVENTH AND GORDON, WHO STARTED IN 13th PLACE NOW UP TO SIXTH. >> THAT CAR JUST LOOKS ROCK
SOLID. EVEN IN PRACTICE BEFORE
QUALIFYING. >> I TALKED TO ALAN GUSTAFSON.
13 WAS THE BEST THEY COULD DO WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO GETTING
THAT SPOT AND TRYING TO MAKE IT UP NOW. >> UPDATE ON JEFF GORDON FROM
MIKE. >> TO ELABORATE MORE ON THE JEFF
GORDON SITUATION IN THIS RACE COMPARED TO WHERE HE WAS IN THE
SPRING, ANDY, HE SAID EARLIER THE REASON THEY TESTED HERE IS
BECAUSE THEY HAD A REAL PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE THAT WAS BROUGHT
HERE IN THE SPRING. THEY STRUGGLED WITH IT A LITTLE
BIT, OF COURSE, THE TIRE HAS BEEN CHANGED BUT THAT TEST
DEFINITELY REACHED THE BENEFIT FOR THE 24 TEAM. THEY'RE ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT. THE OTHER THING THEY HAD TO WORK
ON THROUGHOUT THE FIRST OF THE WEEKEND IS UP OFF THE CORNER AND
WHAT THEY CONCENTRATED ON YESTERDAY AND GOT REAL GOOD AT
IT. >> IT LOOKED THE STRONGEST DOING
A HIT FROM THE PIT STUDIO AND YOU COULD SEE HOW THEY WORK AND
GET OFF THE CORNER, WHICH CARS WERE REALLY GETTING HOLD OF
THAT -- GET THE REAR TIRES ON THE RACETRACK AND HOLD. IT WAS REALLY WORKING ON THE 4. >> SEE SOME SMOKE AS THE CARS GO
INTO TURN THREE. THE 44 CAR OF TIMMY HILL HAS
GONE BACK BEHIND THE WALL IN THAT PART OF THE RACETRACK AND
IT'S COMING FROM THE 44 CAR WHOSE HOOD HAS BEEN RAISED AND
SEE THE REMNANTS OF IT NOW. JUST LIKE MAYBE A FIRE
EXTINGUISHER HAS BEEN DISCHARGED OVER THE 44. JAMIE JAMIE IS ON FIRE, NOT
LITERALLY. HE'S LEADING. HE'S HOT. COME ON. >>> JAMIE McMURRAY LEADING EARLY
IN TODAY'S NASCAR SPRINT CUP RACE AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE McMURRAY WITH A PRETTY GOOD GAP AND
SECOND PLACE DRIVER DENNY HAMLIN WITH JEFF GORDON MOVING UP TO
THIRD AS WE RUN UNDER THE GREEN FLAG HERE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF
THE RACE. AND SHUFFLE UP HAMLIN, GORDON,
JOHNSON. THEN MATT KENSETH AND TONY
STEWART, KEVIN HARVICK IS THE BIGGEST MOVER IN THE RACE SO
FAR. THAT BROUGHT TO YOU BY SPRINT. KEVIN STARTED BACK IN THE 33rd
POSITION AND YOU SEE HE'S ALREADY CLIMBED UP HALFWAY TO
THE FRONT. FROM WHERE HE STARTED. STAY CONNECTED WITH THE SPRINT
FAMILY SHARE PACK. 20 GIGABYTES OF HIGH SPEED DATE
TO SHARE PLUS UNLIMITED TALK AND TEXT FOR $100 A MONTH. LEARN MORE AT SPRINT.COM/DATA
SHARE. SO ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN THE
GARAGE THAT SAID THE 24 LOOKED GOOD IN PRACTICE. >> YEP, KNEW WHAT THEY WERE
TALKING ABOUT. >> APPARENTLY SO. I'M NOT SURE WHAT DENNY HAMLIN
IS DOING HERE. HE LEFT JEFF GORDON GO ON THE
OUTSIDE. BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY
SMART TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THAT SPOT. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY
HE'S GIVING UP SO MANY OF THEM. HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT, VINCE. >> YEAH, JUST REALLY NOTHING ON
THE DRIVE OFF. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
THEY, OF COURSE, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE DRIVE EVERYBODY
WANTED TO BE ABLE TO ROLL THAT CENTER AND HAVE GOOD DRIVE OFF. HAMLIN RIGHT NOW NOT GOOD
EXITING. >> SO DENNY BACK TO FIFTH PLACE
NOW WITH MATT KENSETH BACK TO SIXTH AND JOEY LOGANO BACK TO
SEVENTH. JAMIE McMURRAY'S CAUGHT THE TAIL
END OF THE FIELD IN THE 1. THE FACT THAT McMURRAY QUALIFIED
ON POLE AND OUT LEADING LAP, CERTAINLY NOTHING NEW WHERE
RECENT TRENDS ARE CONCERNED. BUT JAMIE HIMSELF IDENTIFIED THE
TREND THAT HAS TO CHANGE IF THEY'RE GOING TO WIN THIS OR ONE
RACE SOON. >> WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN A NUMBER
OF TIMES THIS YEAR. YOU THINK ABOUT THE CONCRETE AND
BRISTOL, THE CORNER BEING CONCRETE AND SEEN HIM A NUMBER
OF TIES BE REALLY GOOD AT THE BEGINNING, IN THE MIDDLE OF
RACES ON LONGER RUNS AND THINGS BUT NOT ABLE TO FINISH IT OFF
AND SOMETHING THE TEAM WILL HAVE TO WORK ON. COULD TODAY BE THE DAY? >> THESE TRACKS CHANGE. I MEAN THEY REALLY DO AND HAVE
TO KEEP UP WITH THEM. THAT'S ONE THING HE AND HIS CREW
CHIEF AND THEIR COMMUNICATION, THEY HAVE TO GET THAT
COMMUNICATION RIGHT SO THE CAR IS ADJUSTED TO THE WAY -- WHEN
IT'S MOST IMPORTANT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RACE. >> EIGHTH PLACE CHANGING HANDS
THERE. JOEY LOGANO SLIDING BACK INTO
THE NUMBER EIGHT SPOT. KYLE BUSCH MOVING UP TO SEVENTH. WHETHER YOU'RE A FAN OF KYLE'S
OR NOT YOU HAVE TO FEEL FOR THE CIRCUMSTANCES LAST SUNDAY AT
TALLADEGA THAT HE BASICALLY IN MY OPINION HAD AN ACCIDENT
AVOIDED AND GOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR AND WOUND UP PILING THE
INSIDE WALL HARD AND BY THE TIME THEY WERE ABLE TO GET ALL THE
DAMAGE REPAIRED THEY MISSED THE CHASE BY A FEW SPOTS. >> REALLY DONE EVERYTHING RIGHT
IN THE TWO RACES PREVIOUS HAVING GOOD, SOLID RUNS AND PUTTING
THEMSELF IN POSITION ON THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. KYLE SLOWED DOWN, I GUESS
RUNNING FROM BEHIND AND TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL OF WHAT HAPPENED
FROM THAT POINT. >> YEAH. RELATIVELY SAFE GOING INTO
TALLADEGA. WAY UP THERE AHEAD OF A BUNCH OF
OTHER CAR, PLAYING IT SAFE ON THE RACETRACK AND THEN JUST GET
CAUGHT UP IN SOMETHING. SO FRUSTRATING ABOUT TALLADEGA. CAN'T CONTROL A LOT OF THINGS
THERE. >> OF COURSE, KYLE CAN FINISH AS
HIGH AS FIFTH IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AS WE CONTINUE TO
MOVE TOWARD THE FINAL ROUND IN THE FINAL RACE OF THE SEASON AT
HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY BUT HEARTBREAK CERTAINLY AT
TALLADEGA LAST SUNDAY FOR KYLE BUSCH. JAMIE McMURRAY OUT IN FRONT NOW
JEFF GORDON OFF TO SECOND HERE IN MARTINSVILLE. >>> THE GREEN AT MARTINSVILLE
AND LOOKING AHEAD TO THE REST OF THE SEASON THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE
SERIES BACK IN ACTION AFTER A COUPLE-WEEK BREAK AND
CHAMPIONSHIP DOWN TO THE FINAL THREE RACES AND FROM TEXAS MOTOR
SPEEDWAY SATURDAY AFTERNOON, 3:30 HERE ON ESPN. CAN CHASE ELLIOTT GET HIS WIN IN
TEXAS? NEXT SUNDAY, NASCAR SPRINT CUP
SERIES TELECAST FROM THE LONE STAR STATE PRESENTED BY
FEDERATED AUTO PARTS, 2:00 EASTERN TIME. CHASE RACE NUMBER EIGHT, JOEY
LOGANO, THE WINNER IN TEXAS BACK IN APRIL. WHO WILL WIN THAT ONE AND PUNCH
THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND? HERE IN MARTINSVILLE TODAY,
AFTER A COUPLE OF QUICK CAUTIONS, NOW UNDER GREEN, THE
46 CONSECUTIVE LAP, JAMIE McMURRAY THERE IN THE 1 HAS LED
ALL BUT ONE OF THE LAPS TODAY, MATT KENSETH EDGED HIM ON A
RESTART TO LEAD A LAP BUT NOW McMURRAY YOU SEE HAS BEEN
GROWING HIS GAP ON SECOND PLACE. JEFF GORDON. THERE'S JEFF, JIMMIE JOHNSON. TONY STEWART, DENNY HAMLIN YOUR
TOP FIVE. >> THESE LAP TIME, SLOWING DOWN
QUITE A BIT. TO SEE HOW MANY OF THESE TIRES
ARE GIVING UP SPEED. >> SO ALL THE WAY BACK THROUGH
THE FIELD. JOEY LOGANO STARTED ON THE FRONT
ROW WITH JAMIE McMURRAY BUT NOW LOGANO FINDS HIMSELF ALL THE WAY
BACK IN NINTH PLACE AND AS CARS HAVE PASSED HIM, DROPPING FROM
THEM QUICKLY. LOOK HOW FAR BACK LOGANO IS NOW
FROM A GUY WHO WAS RACING FOR THE LEAD JUST A LITTLE WHILE
AGO. WHAT DID THEY SAY, MIKE? >> ALAN, IF YOU WATCH THE 22
MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE CORNERS, YOU SEE HE CAN'T KEEP
IT GLUED TO THE APRON BECAUSE HE'S EXTREMELY TIGHT IN THE
CENTER. AFTER THAT TEAM STRATEGY GOING
INTO THE RACE WAS TO BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL HERE IN THE
FIRST 400 LAPS OR SO, PROTECT THE FENDERS, NOT PUSHING THE
ISSUE ALL THAT MUCH. GOT WORK ON IT NEXT TIME -- THE
FIRST TIME DOWN PIT ROAD. >> YEAH, THE ISSUE IS YOU CAN
RUN INTO BY HAVING A TIGHT CAR IN THE CENTER, SOMEBODY ROLLING
THROUGH THE CENTER COMING UP TO YOU BEHIND YOU AND YOU HAPPEN TO
SLOW DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT YOU CAN GET RUN INTO IN THAT LEFT
REAR QUARTER PANEL AND MIGHT FIND YOURSELF IN TROUBLE THERE. >> SO THE PENSKE CAR STRUGGLING
EARLY IN THIS ONE, LOGANO BACK TO NINTH. KESELOWSKI ALL THE WAY BACK TO
21st PLACE. CARL EDWARDS NOW WORKING ON
LOGANO FOR A SPOT. >> I HAVE TO TELL YOU I'M PRETTY
IMPRESSED WITH WHAT CARL EDWARDS HAS DONE HERE IN THESE FIRST
70LAS MUCH WATCH HIM YESTERDAY IN PRACTICE. LOOKED LIKE HE WAS REALLY,
REALLY STRUGGLING WITH HIS CAR. DIDN'T HAVE THE SPEED AND REALLY
DIDN'T HAVE MUCH ON A LONG RUN EITHER BUT APPARENTLY MADE SOME
NICE ADJUSTMENTS AND DID A GOOD JOB HERE STAYING INSIDE THE TOP
TEN. >> SO THAT IS THE UPDATE ON
CARL. EARLIER WE TALKED ABOUT KEVIN
HARVICK'S CHARGE IN THE OPENING LAP FROM 33rd UP TO 17th. NOW HE'S LOSING SOME OF THE
GROUND THAT HE GAINED AND IS RACING BRAD KESELOWSKI THERE FOR
20th PLACE. >> WHEN I GO TO PICK UP THE GAS
AND SHOVES THE FRONT, CAN'T FINISH MY ROLL AND CAN'T HIT THE
GAS. >> HEARING ALMOST THE THEME OF
PEOPLE SHOVING THE FRONT TIRE. IN FACT A LITTLE TIGHTER THAN
THAN IT PROBABLY WAS IN PRACTICE. >> KEVIN HARVICK PIT. >> KEVIN HARVICK, I'M NOT SURE
HE EXPLAIN WHY HE QUALIFIED 33rd. ANOTHER CAUTION. WE'LL DO THAT ANOTHER TIME. >> KYLE FOWLER MAKING HIS NASCAR
SPRINT CUP SERIES DEBUT. >> RIGHT FRONT NOW. TALKED ABOUT THIS --
>> RIGHT SIDE. >> HOW YOU CAN OVERHEAT THE
RIGHT FRONTS WITH BRAKE HEAT, KIND OF CHARCOALS THAT AND LOOKS
LIKE WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED. >> A YOUNG DRIVER -- PROBABLY
BEEN WARNED ABOUT THAT HERE BUT EASY TO OVERDO IT THINKING THAT
YOU'RE NOT. >> DAVE, YOU WERE SAYING. >> ON THE 4 CAR, 33rd, RODNEY
CHILDRESS TOLD ME HE LEFT IT TOO LOOSE AN SENT HIM OUT TOO EARLY
AND KEVIN TRYING HARD AS DAMAGE IN THE QUALIFYING SESSION SO
EXTRA 30 MINUTES IN THE GARAGE FOR NASCAR AFTER PRACTICE
YESTERDAY, SATURDAY AND GOT 30 MINUTES EARLY -- SORRY, SATURDAY
MORNING. AN EXTRA HOUR TO PREPARE THAT
CAR AND DID A GOOD JOB. >> ALL RIGHT, DAVE, THANKS. SO TIME FOR SOME PIT STOPS FOR
SURE FOR ALL OF THE RACE LEADERS. WE HAVE 36 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. DAVID RAGAN SHOULD GET THE FREE
PASS, FIRST CAR, ONE LAP DOWN AND THE 34. HALL OF FAME TRIBUTE CAR FOR
WENDELL SCOTT. A LOT OF CARS STILL ON THE LEAD
LAP HERE HAVE TO WATCH THERE'S CONTACT. TIGHT PIT ROAD. >> SOME OF THE SMALLEST PIT
BOXES ON THE CIRCUIT. DAVE. >> FROM A PIT STOP JIMMIE
JOHNSON ONE FROM THE FOUR. FOUR-TIRE CHANGE FOR JIMMIE
JOHNSON. THE CAR NEEDS A LITTLE HELP FROM
THE CENTER OFF THE CORNER. VINCE. >> BIG ADVANTAGE FOR TONY
STEWART. HE'S GOT AN OPEN SPACE ENTERING
HIS PIT BOX. GIVES HIM A LITTLE MORE ROOM. HELPS ROTATING THE CORNER, AIR
PRESSURE AND A ROUND OUT OF THE LEFT REAR. >> JEFF GORDON SAYING HE'S BEEN
LOSING THE MIDDLE A LITTLE BIT OVER THE COURSE OF THAT LAST
RUN. TAKE A ROUND OUT OF THE LEFT
REAR. FOUR TIRES AND FUEL FOR THE 24. MEANWHILE, THE GUY WHO LED MOST
OF THIS RACE, JAMES JAMIE UP FRONT, FOUR-TIRE CHANGE, ALSO A
TRACK BAR ADJUSTMENT. HE'S AWAY AND OFF PIT ROAD
EASILY. >> THE AUTOZONE RACE OFF PIT
ROAD. DENNY HAMLIN GOING TO BE THE
LOSER IN THIS ROUND OF STOPS. >>> McMURRAY AND GORDON FOR THE
RESTART AT MARTINSVILLE. >> JEFF GORDON RIGHT THERE. LEAD LAP TRYING TO TAKE THAT
ADVANTAGE AWAY FROM HIM AND THAT HIGH SIDE KNOWING IT PROBABLY
WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN KNOWING HOW GOOD IT IS TO PASS McMURRAY
TO GET THE LEAD. PUT HIM -- IN A POSITION TO LOSE
FOUR OR FIVE SPOTS. >> I THINK IT HELPED THAT
McMURRAY GOT SUCH A GOOD START AND PULLED ONE FOR JIMMIE
JOHNSON. GET DOWN. >> TONY STEWART, THE ONE ON THE
OUTSIDE LANE, JOEY LOGANO TRYING TO KEEP HIM OUT THERE. SIXTH PLACE. ABLE TO SLIDE IN IN FRONT OF
CARL EDWARDS. FLECKING THOSE MUSCLES AND TAKE
THE LEAD. >> NICE TURN OFF THREE. HE JUMPED OFF THERE. >> ENCOURAGING HIS DRIVER. >> SO THERE IS A BONUS POINT FOR
THE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE LEAD LAP FOR JEFF GORDON. BECOMES THE FOURTH DIFFERENT
LEADER OF THIS RACE, AND -- >> GORDON IS HOPING AT THE END
OF THE DAY THAT POINT COULD MEAN ANYTHING THAT HE'S PUNCHED
THROUGH TO HOMESTEAD BY WINNING THIS. I TALKED WITH JEFF HERE ON
SATURDAY. >> TALKED TO HIM ABOUT WHAT HIS
EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE AT TALLADEGA. GOING THROUGH THAT ROUND, THAT
RACE KNOWING THAT HE COULD BE LEFT OUT OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP IF
THINGS DIDN'T GO RIGHT. HE SAID IT WASN'T A FUN DAY AND
REALLY, REALLY HARD AND HE SAID, I HOPE TO NOT BE IN THAT
POSITION COME THEN. WE TESTED PHOENIX. WE'RE REALLY GOOD. FEEL GREAT ABOUT MY CAR BUT
WOULD RATHER NOT BE IN THAT SPOT AND FIX IT BY WINNING HERE. >> I TALKED TO ALAN GUSTAFSON
AND HE SAID THAT WAS SOY STRESSFUL ON HIM AND THAT WHOLE
TEAM BUT HE SAID AFTER IT'S OVER IT'S OVER AND WE'RE THROUGH AND
THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS BUT TOOK YEARS OFF HIS LIFE, HE SAID. >> CHANGE FOR FOURTH PLACE. MATT KENSETH AROUND KYLE BUSCH
TO PICK UP THAT SPOT. >> A NUMBER OF THESE DRIVERS AND
TEAMS HAD TO ADJUST AND WORK ON THESE RACE CARS. THEY'LL HELP THEM ON THE
RACETRACK. A LOT OF THEM ARE REALLY
STRUGGLING THERE IN THAT LONG RUN. >> MENTIONED DENNY HAMLIN LOSING
FOUR SPOTS ON THE PIT STOPS. HE MIGHT LOSE NINTH PLACE TO
DALE EARNHARDT JR. AND TENTH PLACE. WHAT HAPPENED ON THE HAMLIN PIT
STOP? >> TRACK POSITION IS SO
IMPORTANT. THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T AFFORD
MISTAKES ON PIT LANE FROM THE CREW OR DRIVER. DENNY, A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO THE
INSIDE WALL AS HE CAME IN FOR THAT SPOT AND HAD TROUBLE JACKED
ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE. THEY KNEED IT TO BECAUSE HE WAS
SO CLOSE TO THE WALL. >> THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THIS IS A TEAM -- I'M SURE DENNY WAS COUNTING ON
GAINING SPOTS ON PIT ROAD BECAUSE OF THIS'S BEEN SO GOOD
ALL YEAR LONG. >> WHERE HIS PIT IS RIGHT THERE
AS IT STARTS TO MAKE THE TURN. DOWN IN TURN -- IN TURN ONE
BASICALLY. CAN BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT. YOU CAN MISJUDGE THAT AND GET
YOURSELF TOO CLOSE. I'M SURE DENNY WILL LEARN FROM
THAT AND HAVE SOME PRETTY FLAWLESS PIT STOPS FROM THIS
SPOT FORWARD. >> OUTSIDE THE TOP TEN FALLING
BACK TO 11th PLACE. REALLY NICE RUN IN THIS LAST
STRETCH OF THE RACE FOR ARIC ALMIROLA, STARTED BACK IN 27th
PLACE IN THE 43 AND ARIC HAS MOVED UP TO 12th PLACE. HOW IMPORTANT THE BRAKES ARE IN
MARTINSVILLE AND HOW BUSY THE DRIVER IS INSIDE THE CAR. HERE'S A GREAT LOOK. >> A LOT GOING ON. YOU CAN SEE LEFT FOOT ON THE
BRAKE THERE, THE ONE THING HAVE TO BE CAREFUL, MAKE SURE YOU'RE
NOT JUST RESTING YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE BECAUSE THAT CAN
CREATE HEAT TOO WITHOUT YOU KNOWING IT. LIKE TO GET ON THE BRAKE BACK
OFF IT, LET YOUR CAR ROLL. MAY HAVE TO USE IT IN THE
CENTER. HE'S TESTING IT THERE BUT NOT A
LOT OF BRAKES THERE. >> HE HAD SPACE IN FRONT OF HIS
CAR AND A LITTLE SPACE BEHIND HIS CAR SO HE'S ABLE TO KIND OF
GO EASY ON EVERYTHING. BACK TO ANDY'S POINT ABOUT HOW
HARD THE PLACE IS ON THE EQUIPMENT. THAT'S A MOMENT TO BREATHE THE
EQUIPMENT. WHEN YOU'RE NOT BEING PRESSURED
FROM BEHIND AND NOT RIGHT UP ON SOMEBODY IN FRONT OF. >> YOU WHEN I FIRST STARTED CUP
RACING, I TALKED TO KEN SCHRADER. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A GOOD
IDEA OR NOT. ALWAYS ENTERTAINING --
>> KEN, A GREAT RACER AND SHORT TRACK RACER, HE SAID HERE THE
RACE IS SO LONG, IT'S 500 HARD, LONG LAPS AND SAID THERE ARE
TIMES I JUST WARRANTED TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS. HE SAID IT WOULD GIVE ME THAT
CUSHION I NEEDED WHERE THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS JUST GOOD
ENOUGH, I'D HAVE TO ABUSE MY EQUIPMENT AND USE TOO MUCH BRAKE
BUT TRY TO KEEP SOMEBODY OFF MY BUMPER SO THEY'RE NOT RUNNING
OVER THE BACK OF ME EITHER AND KIND OF WHAT ARIC IS DOING, GOOD
POINT, ALLEN, TAKE CARE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW. >> RYAN NEWMAN RIGHT BEHIND HIM
AND DENNY HAMLIN IN FRONT OF HIM. ALMIROLA JUST OUTSIDE THE TOP
TEN. FORMER WINNER HERE. CONTINUES TO ADVANCE IN THIS
CHAMPIONSHIP. PEOPLE ARE FAIRLY QUICK TO POINT
OUT -- YEAH, BUT HE HASN'T WON. HE COULD WIN HERE. HE'S DONE IT BEFORE. >> GOT THIS ONE AND THE NEXT
COUPLE. GOT SOME GOOD TRACKS COMING UP. TALKED TO LUKE LAMBERT. HOW THEY'VE GONE ABOUT THIS YEAR
AND NOT WINNING -- KEEP PUSHING THESE POINTS EVERY WEEK. THEY KEEP, YOU KNOW, BEING VERY,
VERY CONSISTENT. HE SAID HE'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE
MUCH. KEEP DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING
AND IF THEY HAVE A GOOD ENOUGH CAR TO WIN, THEY'LL WIN LAST
WEEK. >> SO RYAN NEWMAN RUNNING BACK
IN 13th POSITION IN THE QUICKEN LOANS CAR RUNNING IN FIRST IS
JEFF GORDON, THE FOUR-TIME CHAMPION LOOKING FOR YET ANOTHER
GRANDFATHER CLOCK TROPHY FROM HERE AT HISTORIC MARTINSVILLE. >>> GREAT RIVALRY GAME ON MONDAY
NIGHT FOOTBALL, THE 109th MEETING OF THE REDSKINS AND THE
COWBOY, OF COURSE, DALLAS WINNING SIX STRAIGHT. IT'S WASHINGTON AND DALLAS, 8:15
EASTERN ON ESPN AND LIVE ON WATCH ESPN. NO OTHER NIGHT IS MONDAY NIGHT. AND HERE IN MARTINSVILLE
SPEEDWAY, JEFF GORDON CONTINUES TO LEAD, DEVELOPING STORY IN
THESE LAST FEW MOMENTS. JIMMIE JOHNSON, FROM THIRD
POSITION, HITTING PIT ROAD UNDER THE GREEN FLAG WITH A PROBLEM ON
THE 48 CAR. HE LOST TWO LAPS IN THE
EXCHANGE. DAVE, WHAT HAPPENED? >> ALLEN, ON LAP 92 HE HAD A
FUNNY VIE BRAKE, THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE RUBBER BUILDUP BUT GOT
SO BAD HE HAD TO BRING IT TO PIT ROAD AND CHANGED ALL FOUR TIRES,
ALL FOUR TIRES ARE UP BUT THE RIGHT FRONT INSIDE THE WHEEL HAS
SOME FUNNY SCUFF MARKS AS IF IT HAD BEEN LOOSE A LITTLE BIT. >> SAW THE FRONT TIRE CHANGER
THERE HAVING A GOOD LOOK UNDER THAT WHILE HE HAD THE TIRE OFF
BEFORE HE PUT IT BACK ON. NOW, AFTER JIMMIE WENT TWO LAPS
DOWN HE CAME BACK ON THE TRACK. THE PRESSURE TIRES HE GOT ONE
BACK FROM JEFF GORDON. THIS ON TAPE A FEW MINUTES AGO,
JIMMIE IS NOW ONE AND THREE-QUARTERS LAPS DOWN TO JEFF
GORDON AND HE IS THE FOURTH CAR, ONE LAP DOWN. >> THAT WAS CRITICAL TO GET THAT
BACK TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT BACK ON JUST ONE BEHIND, ONE LAP DOWN
SO THAT HE CAN POSSIBLY MAKE THAT UP ON A WAVE-AROUND OR GET
A SITUATION IN WHERE HE BECOMES THE FREE PASS LATER ON. >> I SEE HIM GETTING THIS LAP
BACK. UNFORTUNATELY BUT HAPPENED EARLY
AND I THINK HE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO GET BACK ON THE LEAD LAP
AND BE A CONTENDER TO WIN THIS THING. >> OTHER THAN HIS FIRST SPRINT
CUP START AT MARTINSVILLE, JIMMIE HAS ALWAYS FINISHED ON
THE LEAD LAP EACH AND EVERY RACE. >> PRETTY AMAZING. >> I THINK HE WILL AGAIN. >> THERE'S WAY MAN ON THE MOVE
RIGHT THERE, KEVIN HARVICK. RESTARTED 22nd AND PUT HIM IN
THE 10th SPOT RIGHT NOW. >> KEVIN STARTED IN 33rd PLACE. GAINED SOME SPOTS IN THE OPENING
RUN AND THE HANDLING WENT AWAY, SLID BACK, NOW RODNEY CHILDRESS
AND COMPANY HAD A CHANCE TO PUT THEIR HANDS ON THE CAR AND
THERE'S THAT SINCE THE RESTART. STEADILY FORWARD IS HIS MARCH. >> GOT HIMSELF IN A GOOD SPOT
AND HAS A HAM ON THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE TODAY
HAPPEN THE WAY THAT HE WANTS TO NOW. HE'S DONE THE HARD WORK TO THIS
POINT ALTHOUGH IN THE SPRING THEY HAD TO DO IT A NUMBER OF
TIMES BECAUSE OF ISSUES THEY HAD. VERY SMOOTH AND MAKING PASSES
AROUND HERE. >> STARTING TO SEE SOMETHING
RIGHT WHERE YOU SEE KEVIN GOING STARTING TO SEE RUBBER BUILDUP
WHENEVER THE TEMPERATURES GET UP A LITTLE BIT THIS TRACK STARTS
TAKING RUBBER AND GET IN THERE WHERE THEY NORMALLY WITH THEIR
RIGHT SIDE -- THE BOTTOM ON THE CURBING. IT'S A RUBBER BUILDUP SO YOU
HAVE TO START DECIDING CAN YOU GET BELOW IT OR ARE YOU GOING TO
TRY TO STRADDLE THAT. IF YOU DON'T YOU HIT IT AND
SENDS YOUR CAR -- AND THE CAR, NO SLIDE THAT YOU GET WITH THE
RIGHT REAR YOU GET LOOSE. >> LOOKS LIKE KEVIN FIND A NICE
GROOVE. LAST LAP HE WAS THE QUICKEST ON
THE RACETRACK, NOT RIGHT ON THAT CURB. >> SOMEBODY ELSE FOUND A NICE
GROOVE, DALE EARNHARDT JR., THE HEARTBREAK OF TALLADEGA LAST
SUNDAY, JUNIOR STARTED THIS RACE IN 23rd PLACE AND JUST PASSED
JOEY LOGANO FROM SIXTH TO MOVE UP INTO FIFTH PLACE IF WE'VE
SEEN THIS TEAM AND DALE JR. AND
STEVE LETARTE. A LOT OF TIMES WHENEVER THE
PRESSURE HAS GONE AWAY THEY PERFORM AT THEIR VERY BEST AND
NOT THAT THEY CAN'T HANDLE IT BUT RELAX AND GO AT IT. 9 SITUATION THEY'RE IN NOW, JUST
GO AFTER WINS. >> BRAD KESELOWSKI IN THE 2
STARTED IN SIXTH PLACE, WAY BACK IN THE OPENING RUN OF THE RACE,
GOT SUFFICIENTLY HADDED UP IN THE OUTSIDE LANE AND HANDLING ON
THE CAR IS NOT WHAT HE WANTED. NOW AS HE RUNS IN 18th WE GET
THIS. >> THIS IS RIDICULOUS. >> A LOT OPEN THERE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON
>> THAT'S ALL I CAN DO. >> IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH TO KEEP THE
CAR COOLED. THE LOW AVERAGE SPEED. YOU DON'T GET A LOT OF AIRFLOW
FLEW THE RADIATORS AND CARS EVERYWHERE. DISTURBED. DOWN IN A LITTLE BOWL BECAUSE OF
THE GRANDSTANDS. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU FACE,
SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE ON THE EDGE WITH THOSE TEMPERATURES THOUGH,
DOC. >> THEY ARE, ANDY AND TOOK A
LITTLE TAPE OFF WHEN THEY MADE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS ON THE FIRST
STOP AND THEY CHECKED WITH THEIR TEAM CAR, THE 22 OF LOGANO AND
APPARENTLY HE HAS SAID THEY HAVE SOME HEATING ISSUES TOO SO MAYBE
IT'S A PENSKE ISSUE AS OPPOSED TO A RACETRACK ISSUE. BOTH WILL BE PULLING MORE TAPE
OFF RIGHT NOW AS YOU HEARD BRAD, TAKE IT EASY, MAKE SURE THEY GET
SOME AIR AND DON'T PUSH THAT ENGINE EARLY ON. THEY CAN ILL AFFORD THAT TO
HAPPEN IN THE CHASE. >> I USED TO HAVE A MOTTO WHEN I
CAME TO HERE AND BRISTOL, NO TAPE RACE. DIDN'T PUT ANY TAPE ON THE
GRILL. DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP AS MUCH AS
IT WOULD HURT IF YOU HAD TOO MUCH. >> DESCRIBED AN OVERHEATING
PROBLEM IS REALLY HOT HERE, DUDE. >> I DON'T THINK HE EVER SAID IT
QUITE LIKE THAT. DALE JR. AROUND MATT KENSETH TO
MOVE UP TO FOURTH PLACE. >>> THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FROM MARTINSVILLE ON ESPN. TODAY PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE. JEFF GORDON, 24, THE RACE
LEADER, JAMIE McMURRAY, ONE, FOLLOWING HIM UP THROUGH THE
TRAFFIC AND HANGING RIGHT THERE WITH HIM. SLIDING WIDE. RICKY STENHOUSE FOR A NUDGE
THERE. NOW TRY TO GET ALL THE MARBLES
OFF THE 17 CAR'S TIRES. WE STAY UP THE GREEN FLAG,
STENHOUSE BACK IN 28th PLACE. REMINDER THAT DURING THIS
GOODY'S HEADACHE RELIEF SHOT 500, YOU CAN CHECK OUT
NASCAR.COM/RACEBUDDY FOR ENHANCED RACE ACTION TODAY. LIVE FROM HERE IN MARTINSVILLE. JEFF GORDON, JAMIE McMURRAY, ONE
AND TWO. >> I REALLY THOUGHT THAT JEFF
GORDON WOULD BE ABLE TO STRETCH IT OUT ON McMURRAY AS LONG AS HE
LOOKED AND TOOK THE LEAD. McMURRAY STAYED RIGHT WITH HIM. >> BY THE WAY, WHILE WE'RE
SEEING LANDON CASSILL, HOW ABOUT HIS PERFORMANCE LAST SUNDAY IN
TALLADEGA? IT WAS FANTASTIC. DID A GREAT JOB GETTING IN THE
RIGHT LINE POSITION, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN THAT RACE. AND A LITTLE OFF IN THIS LONGER
RUN RIGHT NOW BUT WHAT A GREAT JOB THAT WAS. GREAT FINISH FOR THAT TEAM AND
DRIVER. >> MIKE AND THE WHOLE GANG AND
AGAIN THE CHANCE TO RUN UP FRONT AND HAD A SHOT AT TAKING OVER
THE TROPHY IN TALLADEGA. JEFF GORDON NOW MOVING PAST --
NOW RUSTY INTO SECOND PLACE ON THE MOST LAPS LED LIST ALL-TIME
HERE AT MARTINSVILLE. LEADING 52 TODAY. HE HAS A LITTLE WAYS TO GO TO
CATCH THE GREAT CALE YARBOROUGH FOR THE MARK HERE, COULD HAPPEN
TODAY. >> VERY WELL COULD, THE WAY THE
CAR LOOKS RIGHT NOW. >> TALKED ABOUT HORSES FOR
COURSES AND THIS IS SO UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING ELSE
YOU RUN ON. WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN
MARTINSVILLE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE HAD THESE PERIOD, DECADE LONG
CHUNKS WHERE A DRIVER AND A TEAM JUST HAVE HAD THIS PLACE
DOMINATED. WE SAW RICHARD PETTY AND DARRELL
WALTRIP AND RUSTY AND THEN ON INTO JEFF GORDON AND JIMMIE. DENNY HAMLIN HAS HAD A LITTLE GO
THERE TOO. THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS TRACK IS
WHAT HELPS ITSELF TO SOMEBODY HAVING THAT DOMINANT RUN. >> YEAH, YOU KNOW, THE TRACK
KIND OF GETS YOU INTO A SITUATION WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT IT'S SET UP ATTACKING IT EVERY SINGLE LAP
IS THE BEST WAY TO GET AROUND HERE AND WHAT YOU LEARN AS WE
SEE LOGANO A LITTLE BUMPER TO KYLE BUSCH THERE, THESE TWO
BATTLE HARD. TRYING TO STAY IN THAT TOP FIVE
IS KYLE BUSCH. BUT YOU HAVE TO -- YOU REALLY
HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR DRIVING TILE AND THINKING COMPLETELY FROM
WHAT YOU DO AT MOST OTHER SHORT TRACKS AND THIS WASN'T SOMETHING
THAT JEFF GORDON FOUND THE FIRST OR SECOND TIME THAT HE CAME HERE
WAS A TEST SESSION AFTER THAT THAT HE REALLY FOUND WHAT HE WAS
LOOKING FOR AND ONCE YOU FIND THAT, YOU FIND THAT FEEL AND
HAVE THAT AND CAN UTILIZE IT ALL THE TIME AND THAT'S WHENEVER YOU
SEE DRIVERS LIKE DARRELL AND RUSTY AND EVERYBODY TRYING TO
FIND THEIR WAY AROUND HERE AND ON A REGULAR BASIS. >> RUSTY WON HERE SEVEN TIMES. I KNOW YOU YOU WILL KA IT YOUR
FAVORITE RACETRACKS. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT SENTIMENT
ONCE YOU FIND THE FIELD YOU'RE ON TO SOMETHING. >> I TOTALLY AGREE. DALE IS RIGHT ON. SAME STUFF I USED AT BRISTOL AND
RICHMOND AND MARTINSVILLE. YOU LOOK FOR A SETUP. YOU LOOK FOR A FEEL AND THE
SETUPS CAN BE WAY DIFFERENT THAN RACE TO RACE AS LONG AS YOU CAN
ATTAIN THAT FEEL AND THAT'S WHAT I DID. AT THIS PARTICULAR RACETRACK FOR
ME I REALLY HAD TO HAVE THAT CAR TURNED AND WHAT I CALL LATE EXIT
AND NOT SPIN A TIRE UP OFF THE CORNER. WATCHING JEFF GORDON'S CAR HARD
AND JAMIE McMURRAY AND THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THING. KEEP THAT CAR DOWN, THEY CAN
MAKE A PASS, THEY CAN ACCELERATE STRAIGHT UP, BUT, YOU KNOW, I
TELL YOU, ANY DRIVER THAT COULD GET WHAT I WANTS OUT OF THE CAR
AT THOSE TRACKS, BY HIS TECHNIQUE AND WHAT HE KEEPS
SEARCHING FOR, PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE A GOOD DAY. >> RUSTY, I'M NOT TRYING TO
START ANYTHING HERE. OR CAUSE ANY RUMORS BUT IF I
COULD YOU BACK INTO A RACE CAR FOR ONE MORE RACE AT ANY PLACE,
WOULD IT BE HERE? >> NO DOUBT. EVERY ATHLETE STILL THINKS THEY
CAN DO IT. EVERY TIME I COME HERE I THINK I
CAN DO IT. I GOT A TEXT FROM RICKY CRAVEN. HE SAID I DON'T CARE ABOUT
RUNNING TALLADEGA BUT I SURE WISH I WAS IN THE SEAT AT
MARTINSVILLE TODAY. >> SURE. >> I TEXTED HIM BACK, I SAID,
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT, RICKY. >> HE'LL BE WITH US ON
"SPORTSCENTER." HE GOT HIS FIRST NASCAR SPRINT
CUP SERIES WIN HERE AT MARTINSVILLE ALWAYS. ALREADY ON THE CHARGE ON JEFF
GORDON FOR THE LEAD. >> A LITTLE BIT BETTER CAR THAN
JEFF RIGHT NOW. DOING A GREAT JOB OF CONTROLLING
THE LEAD. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG HE'LL BE
ABLE TO HOLD HIM OFF. >> ONE THING I SAW WAS JEFF HAD
A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE TRYING TO LAP SOME OF THESE CARS, OF
COURSE, GETTING THE FASTER CARS NOW TO PUT THEM A LAP DOWN WHICH
MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT. HE CAN RUN THE LINE THAT HE
WANTS TO IS NOT HAMPERED BY THAT, A CAR BEING ON HIS OUTSIDE
BUT PULL AS WAY BUT DISTANCE ON THE ONE. >> UPDATE ON McMURRAY FROM MIKE. >> WELL, GUYS, AS YOU KNOW
DURING QUALIFYING IN PRACTICE THESE TEES USE A SOFTWARE THAT
ALLOWS THEM TO MIRROR THEIR LINE AROUND THE RACETRACK WITH THE
GUY THEY'RE TRYING TO BEAT. WELL, IN THIS CASE THEY DON'T
HAVE THAT HERE AT THE RACE CAR BUT ONLY HAVE VISUALS FROM THEIR
SPOTTER AND McMURRAY'S SPOTTER HAS BEEN RADIOING TO HIM OVER
THE LAST SEVERAL LAPS TO GIVE HIM AN INDICATION WHERE THE 24
HAS BEEN BETTER TELLING HIM HE'S BEEN TAKING A BETTER ARC THROUGH
THE CORNERS. WITH THAT INFORMATION, SKWM HAS
BEEN GOING TO SCHOOL ON THE 24 TRYING TO MIMIC THAT LINE TRYING
TO CLOSE THE GAP AND HAS BEEN PAYING DIVIDENDS. STILL HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET
BY HIM JUST YET. >> THIS IS SO MUCH A DRIVER'S
RACETRACK. YOU GUYS WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT
IT AND BEEN WITH SOME GREAT DRIVERS HERE TOO AND JUST THE
TECHNIQUES THEY USE AND THE RHYTHMS, JEFF GORDON PROBABLY
ONE OF THE BEST I'VE EVER SEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT
THE GREATS LIKE RUSTY, JUST THEY HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL. EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE THE
BEST RACE CAR THEY CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DRIVE IT IN THE
LONG RUNS AND CHANGE WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND KEEP IT
BALANCED. IF JEFF FELT SOMETHING GOING A
CERTAIN DIRECTION HE'S GOOD ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE WAY HE
DRIVES HIS CAR TO TRY TO HELP THAT. >> JEFF GORDON FOR NOW HOLDING
OFF THE CHALLENGE OF JAMIE McMURRAY FOR THE RACE LEAD IN A
LONG GREEN FLAG STRETCH HERE NOW 68 LAPS CONSECUTIVELY GREEN FLAG
RUNNING, THE LONGEST OF THE DAY TO THIS POINT. >>> A LOOK DOWN AT THE RACE AND
LEAD. OUR TELECAST OF THIS OPENING
RACE OF THE ELIMINATOR ROUND OF THE CHASE PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE. JEFF GORDON, 24, LEADING JAMIE
McMURRAY, 1 IN A LOT OF LAP TRAFFIC. OUR AERIAL COVERAGE PROVIDED BY
GOODYEAR. EVERYTHING THEY LEARN MAKING
TIRES FOR THE GRUELING DEENED MAS OF NASCAR INSPIRES WHAT THEY
ROLL INTO YOURS, GOODYEAR, THE OFFICIAL TIRE OF NASCAR. CHEVROLET RUNNING FIRST, SECOND
AND THIRD. ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE
2015 SILVERADO HD AND THE ULTIMATE SILVERADO ADVENTURE. DANICA PATRICK IS THE LAST CAR
ON THE LEAD LAP, OH, SCATTERING OFF TURN FOUR, BRIAN VICKERS
TURNED AROUND, YELLOW FLAG. >> KIND OF TEAL THAT ONE COMING. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT HERE
DURING THE COMMERCIAL BREAK. AS THE LEADERS CLOSE ON A PACK
OF CARS, THE PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD. IF SOMEBODY IS HOLDING SOMEBODY
UP THERE'S GOING TO BE A MOMENT OF IMPATIENCE THAT'S GOING TO
RESULT IN THAT. >> YOU KNOW, THERE AND TRYING TO
STAY ON THE LEAD LAP YOU KNOW THE LEADER IS COMING. RACING GETS A LITTLE HARDER. YEAH, KASEY KAHNE IS LIKE, I GOT
TO GO. I CAN'T CUT YOU ANY BREAKS RIGHT
NOW. THEY SURE TURNED HIM AROUND,
THOUGH, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE LEADERS TOO, I BELIEVE. WATCH HOW GORDON AND McMURRAY
HANDLED THIS. THEIR SPOTTERS TELLING THEM
WHAT'S GOING ON. DANICA SLOWS DOWN. GOT INTO THE BACK OF HER. SEEMED TO SQUEEZE RIGHT THERE ON
THE CURB. >> WATCH THE BASEBALL BROADCAST
AND SAY IF YOU'RE SCORING AT HOME. >> YEAH. >> IF YOU'RE SCORING AT HOME
WRITE DOWN 5 AND 55 AND SEE IF THAT COMES BACK AROUND IN THE
LAST THREE LAPS OF THIS. >> I CAN IMAGINE BRIAN VICKERS
NOT HAPPY WITH THAT. WE'VE SEEN HIM REACT
DIFFERENT -- >> YES, WE HAVE. >> PIT ROAD OPEN.
>> 78, MARTIN TRUEX FREE PASS AS THE LEADERS COME IN FOR STOPS. DAVE. >> GOOD RUN FOR HIM. TIGHTENING NEAR THE END SO HE'LL
GET AN AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT AND TRACK BAR ADJUSTMENT. FOUR TIRES AND SUNOCO FUEL. VINCE. >> BOTTOM LEFT PORTION OF YOUR
SCREEN, SAYS THE CAR HAS GONE TWO TO THREE NUMBERS TIGHTER
THAN THE PREVIOUS ROUND. ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE MIDDLE SO
THEY'LL MAKE A CHASSIS ADJUSTMENT. FOUR GOODYEAR TIRES AND SUNOCO
FUEL. >> JEFF GORDON HAS BEEN SAYING
THE ONLY THING HE HAS ISSUES WITH, A LITTLE BIT LOOSE IN. THEY'LL GO A HALF ROUND DOWNEN 0
THE LEFT REAR. FOUR TIRES, GORDON IS NOW AWAY
AND McMURRAY GOING TO WORK ON HIS CAR, FOUR-TIRE CHANGE THERE
AND I THINK HE'LL LOSE THE RACE OFF PIT ROAD, ALLEN. >> YEP. JEFF GORDON IS GOING TO GET THE
RACE OFF PIT ROAD. DENNY HAMLIN HESITATING THERE TO
TRY TO GET HIMSELF INTO THE INSIDE LINE FOR THE RESTART. THERE IT IS, MIKE. BY THAT MUCH. IT'S GORDON. >>> MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA,
RIGHT ALONG THE SOUTH CENTRAL BORDER OF THE STATE BETWEEN
VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA WHERE THE ONLY REMAINING TRACK
FROM NASCAR'S ORIGINAL SEASON STILL HOLDING RACES FOR ITS TOP
SERIES IS MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY WHERE TODAY THE NASCAR SPRINT
CUP SERIES RUNS IN RACE NUMBER ONE IN THE ELIMINATOR ROUND OF
THE CHASE. WRAPPING UP CAUTION AFTER BRIAN
VICKERS WAS TURNED AROUND BY KASEY KAHNE, JEFF GORDON HOLDS
THE LEAD OFF PIT ROAD. A REMINDER THAT AFTER TODAY WE
MOVE ON TO FT. WORTH, TEXAS, AND
THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES RESUMES AFTER ITS TWO-WEEK
BREAK, IT'S SATURDAY AT 3:30 EASTERN ON ESPN, CHASE ELLIOTT
CONTINUING HIS PURSUIT OF THE SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS
ROOKIE SEASON. AND NEXT SUNDAY, OUR SPRINT CUP
SERIES TELECAST PRESENTED BY FEDERATED AUTO PARTS, 500 MILES
ON THE BLISTERING FAST TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, A RACE THAT ENDS
UNDER THE LIGHTS AND SEE WHO PICKS UP A HUGE VICTORY AND PUTS
THEMSELVES POSSIBLY INTO THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND OF THE CHASE. SO DOUBLE UP FOR THE RESTART. NOTE DENNY HAMLIN ON THE UP SIDE
LANE. I MENTIONED IT WHEN WE SAW HIM
COME OFF PIT ROAD LIVE. BACK AND FOCUS ON IT AGAIN AND
SHOW YOU WHAT HE DID. >> JUST LIKE COUNTING CARDS IN
VEGAS? COUNTING CARS. >> SOMEBODY IS COUNTING FOR HIM
TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN SEE -- WASN'T SURE -- YEAH. I THINK --
>> OKAY. >> TAKE THAT ODD NUMBER. >> I LIKE BEING ON --
>> AT LEAST THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO CARRY THE ONE, THEN IT GETS
REALLY COMPLICATED. >> NO, HE CARRIED THE TWO. >> BACK THERE BETWEEN THE 4 AND
1 OFF TURN FOUR, JAMIE McMURRAY FIGHTING GORDON FOR THE LEAD
THREE WIDE FOR A MOMENT BEHIND THEM, SORTS ITSELF OUT AND
DOESN'T WORK WELL HERE FOR VERY LONG, THREE WIDE. MURRAY HANGING TOUGH ON THE
OUTSIDE. AS LONG AS WE'VE SEEN ANYBODY
ABLE TO HANG WITH A CAR THAT'S BEEN IN CONTROL OF THE RESTART. HE WAS JUST A FEW INCHES OF
HAVING JEFF GORDON CLEARED TO LEAD. >> DALE JR. TO THE OUTSIDE OF
McMURRAY FOR SECOND -- >> A LITTLE CONTACT BETWEEN THE
SECOND AND THIRD PLACE CARS. THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. GREAT RUN JUNIOR MADE UP THROUGH
THE FIELD THERE GOING FROM JUST OUTSIDE THE TOP TEN INTO THAT
THIRD SPOT. YOU SEE HE'S GOING TO MAKE THE
PASS WORK. SEE IF McMURRAY FINES A WAY TO
GET INTO THIRD RIGHT HERE. >> LOGANO NOT GIVING HIM ROOM. >> NO, HE'S NOT GIVING HIM THAT. McMURRAY HAD TO RUN BUT NOWHERE
TO EXCEPT IN THE BACK OF JUNIOR AND HE DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT. >> THAT WOULD HAVE UPSET A LOT
OF PEOPLE. >> THIS IS WHAT FLARES UP
TEMPERS AT MARTINSVILLE. HE HAS A GOOD CAR PUT IN A BAD
SPOT TRYING TO FORCE HIS WAY DOWN AND MADE CONTACT WITH A
COUPLE OF CARS. GOOD RUN OFF THAT CORNER. NOW HE'LL BE ABLE TO SLIDE IN. >> 1 CAR REALLY, REALLY SOLID ON
THE EXIT OF THE CORNER WHERE THE LONGER RUNS AND ABLE TO KEEP UP
WITH WHOEVER IS LEADING OR BE OUT FRONT AND LEADING. >> SO McMURRAY SETTLES INTO
THIRD PLACE BEHIND JEFF GORDON AND DALE EARNHARDT JR. ON THE ROUND OF PIT STOPS A
MOMENT AGO, BRAD KESELOWSKI SPEEDING ON THE PIT LANE,
EXITING HIS PIT STALL, WAS IN 14th PLACE. WENT BACK TO 23rd IN THE SCORING
LINE BUT BY THE TIME THEY PUT HIM BEHIND THERE HE STARTED 37th
IN LINE. >> MAKES FOR A TOUGH DAY IN THAT
POSITION BUT HAS PLENTY OF TIME WITH A GOOD CAR, MORE CAUTIONS
AND WORK YOUR WAY THERE AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT PART OF ANY OF
THOSE. >> IN THIS ROUND I THINK HE'S
JUST GOT TO MINIMIZE THE SPACE BECAUSE IT'S ONLY EIGHT CARS
GOING FOR FOUR SPOTS. JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE THESE
KIND OF MISTAKES EVEN THOUGH IT IS EARLY HAVE TIME TO OVERCOME
IT AND SHORE THOSE THINGS UP. >> EACH WEEK THE PRESSURE WILL
RAMP UP FOR THESE DRIVERS WHO TRY TO MOVE THEMSELVES FORWARD
AND PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION OF ONCE AGAIN HAVING TO WIN
WHERE POINTS RESPECT GOING TO GET YOU THERE POSSIBLY AND YOU
REALLY ARE BACK AGAINST THE WALL BUT BRAD PROVED LAST WEEK HE'S
UP TO THAT CHALLENGE. >> BORROW A LINE FROM ONE OF OUR
COLLEAGUES WHO TALKED ABOUT IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE CHASE
ELIMINATE 25% OF THE FIELD. SECOND, 33% AND NOW YOU'LL
ELIMINATE 50% OF THE FIELD TO SET UP FOR THAT ONE LAST
CHAMPIONSHIP RACE. THIS IS WHAT GETTING BACK IN
LINE DOES FOR YOU. >> A LOT OF DAMAGE ON THE FRONT
OF THAT 48. SEE ANOTHER 40 -- ALL THESE CARS
STACKING UP, WOW. GET THEM BACK TO CASEY MEARS
PRETTY GOOD. >> GOT SOME REAR DAMAGE THERE
ALMOST A LITTLE BIT. >> 40 CAR. >> LOOK AT THE RIGHT REAR
CORNER, KIND OF RIPPED OUT THERE TOO. >> THAT'S THE PAIN CONCERN
THERE. WE TALK ABOUT AERODYNAMICS NOT
THAT BIG A DEAL BUT WILL AFFECT THE RACE CAR AND COOLING IS WHAT
I WOULD WORRY ABOUT. IT'S DAMAGED AND CAN BLOCK THE
RADIATOR. >> KEVIN HARVICK, AFTER A
DISAPPOINTING QUALIFYING RUN WHERE HE SLIPPED INTO THE
OUTSIDE WALL AND SCUFFED UP THE RIGHT REAR AND LOOK AT THAT HE'S
PICKED UP 25 SPOTS IN THE RACE SO FAR AND WE'RE NOT EVEN TO
HALFWAY. >> REALLY SHOW A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF PATIENCE EARLY ON AND MAKE PASSES WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY
PRESENTS ITSELF BUT PRETTY MUCH FOR THE MOST PART WE SAW ONE
TIME THAT HE GOT INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR ON THE RESTART BUT
FOR THE MOST PART HAS KEPT THIS CHEVROLET PRETTY CLEAN. MAKE THAT FIRST RUN AND START
WAY BACK AND MADE A LOT OF SPOTS UP BUT DIDN'T START TO GIVE
HIMSELF UP IN THE FIRST RUN. AFTER THAT THEY MADE AN
ADJUSTMENT AND MADE THE CAR A LOT BETTER, KEVIN, ABLE TO KEEP
GOING FORWARD. THE CAR LOOKS REALLY SOLID,
DAVE. >> IN THAT LAST PIT STOP THEY
RAISED THE TRACK BAR A LITTLE BIT TO HELP IT TURN IN THE
CENTER. CHANGED FOUR TIRES AND REALLY
THE PHILOSOPHY FOR THE TEAM TO GET THROUGH ALL IT THE BEST THEY
COULD AND WITH KEVIN LOOKING FAR DOWN THE TRACK AS A VETERAN HE'S
ABLE TO DO THAT. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES THEY HAD
TODAY WITH HIM AND IT DIDN'T BOTHER HIM TO TART THAT FAR
BACK. YOU CAN GET YOUR LAPS BACK HERE
AND WENT INTO THE DAY WITH A LOT OF CONFIDENCE AND NOT A LOT OF
FEAR. >> SO KEVIN THERE RACING DENNY
HAMLIN FOR SEVENTH PLACE. AHEAD OF THAT SECOND PLACE IS
JAMES -- JAMIE McMURRAY IS BACK BY DALE EARNHARDT JR. AND SETS
OFF AGAIN IN PURSUIT OF JEFF GORDON. YOU CAN SEE HE'S GOT SOME GROUND
BEFORE HE CAN CATCH THAT 4 CAR. >> WE'VE SEEN HIM BE REALLY
SOLID. THESE CARS ARE FAST ON THE
RESTARTS, ON THE FRESH TIRES AND HOLDS ON REALLY WELL. THAT PERFECT CAR YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR IF THEY'RE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE RACETRACK AS IT CHANGES
THROUGHOUT THE DAY GIVES JAMIE A CHANCE OF WINNING. MIGHT BE THAT CAR IN FRONT OF
HIM MORE OF A CHALLENGE OF WINNING THAN THE TRACK WILL BE. >> A YEAR AGO JEFF GORDON WON
THIS RACE. MORE RECENT HIS EIGHT VICTORIES
AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. HE'S GOT QUITE A COLLECTION OF
THOSE GRANDFATHER CLOCKS. >>> BACK LIVE IN MARTINSVILLE,
CAUTION FLAG OUT. REED SORENSON WENT FOR A LOOP
AND WHEN THEY WERE IN 162 HERE AT LAP 191 COME THE
FRONT-RUNNERS AGAIN. DAVE. >> THAT INCLUDES DALE EARNHARDT
JR. HE SAID THE LAST ADJUSTMENT
DIDN'T HELP AS MUCH AS THE PREVIOUS ONE SO HE'LL GET MORE
TRACK BAR, THE CAR IS TIGHT ON THROTTLE. VINCE. >> MATT KENSETH STILL NEEDS HELP
ACROSS THE CENTER AND SAID HE CAN'T GET ANY GRIP AND KILLING
HIS DRIVE OFF SO THEY'LL MAKE ANOTHER CHASSIS ADJUSTMENT. PUT FOUR MORE TIRES ON IT AND
TOP IT OFF WITH SUNOCO FUEL. >> JEFF GORDON SAYING HIS CAR IS
GOOD EXCEPT FOR A LITTLE LOOSE IN AND OFF. THEY WON'T MAKE ANY CHASSIS
ADJUSTMENTS. AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT. ONLY SLIGHT FOUR-TIRE CHANGE. McMURRAY FOUR-TIRE CHANGE AND
GOOD GETTING INTO TURN ONE. NO SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENTS THERE
ALTHOUGH A SLOW STOP ON PIT ROAD FOR McMURRAY AS THEY ARE CAUGHT
BACK IN TRAFFIC OFF PIT ROAD. >> YES, HE WILL. >> FROM SECOND TO FIFTH FOR
JAMIE McMURRAY. HERE'S THE REASON FOR THE
CAUTION. >> REED SORENSON GETS UP OUT OF
THE GROOVE. >> LOOKS LIKE JEFF GORDON WILL
GET BUSTED FOR SPEEDING ON THAT PIT STOP. UH-OH
>> THAT'S A BIG UH-OH. >>> IT IS I STUNNING DAY AT
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. THE OLDEST AND THE SMALLEST
TRACK ON THE CIRCUIT. WE WERE UNDER CAUTION FOR THE
FIFTH TIME. HELLO FROM INSIDE THE QUICKEN
LOANS PIT STUDIO. I'M NICOLE ALONG WITH RUSTY AND
BRAD. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR TROUBLE. LOOK NO FURTHER THAN PIT ROAD. FAR AWAY THE DANGER ZONE. A COUPLE OF ISSUES ON THAT LAST
PIT STOP. MOST NOTABLY JEFF GORDON. TOO FAST ENTERING OH, BY THE WAY
HE HAS A LEAD COMING IN. >> YOU CAN'T HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE
THIS AT MARTINSVILLE. GETS CAUGHT SPEEDING AND HUGE
SETBACK. SOMETHING HE DIDN'T NEED. >> YOU GET BACK IN THE TRAFFIC
AND KNOCK THE FENDERS OFF. TAKES A GREAT RACE CAR LIKE
GORDON HAS AND MAKE IT MEDIOCRE. >> IT'S POSSIBLE TO PASS. KEVIN HARVICK STARTED 33rd BACK
IN THE TOP TEN. HOW DO YOU DO IT AND HOW DO YOU
PATIENTLY BE AGGRESSIVE AND PASS CARS AT THE TRACK? >> YOU SAID THE KEY THING. BE PATIENT. >> I TELL YOU EVERYBODY'S
EQUIPMENT IS GETTING WORN AND BEAT UP AND TEMPERS ARE FLARING. HE HAS TO KEEP HIS COOL AND JEFF
GORDON HAS A GOOD ENOUGH CAR TO GET BACK TO THE FRONT. HE'LL NEED HELP FROM THE PIT
CREW. >> THE ISSUE LIKE I SAID, 48'S
TEAMMATE. TRY TO RACE IN THE BACK. THE ACCORDION EFFECT. THAT 48 CAR IS TORN TO PIECES. THAT'S WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO JEFF
GORDON. >> BACK UPSTAIRS TO ALLEN. >> ALL RIGHT, NICOLE. COMING THE ONE TO GO SIGNAL AND
CLOSING IN ON THE 200th LAP MARK. STILL SHY OF HALFWAY BUT DON'T
FORGET DURING THE SECOND HALF OF OUR COVERAGE TODAY WE HAVE OUR
NASCAR NONSTOP TELECAST PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE. THERE WILL BE A LOT TO SEE. THERE GOES JEFF GORDON FROM
FIRST PLACE AND RYAN NEWMAN FROM TENTH PLACE ALL THE WAY INTO THE
TAIL END OF THE FIELD. >> BIG MISTAKE ON MY PART. I APOLOGIZE. >> ONLY THE SECOND TIME HE'S
GOTTEN A SPEEDING PENALTY SINCE 2012. CHARLOTTE RACE THERE. FIRST OR SECOND CHARLOTTE RACE,
THE SECOND CHARLOTTE RACE SO IN TWO YEARS TWO SPEEDING
PENALTIES. >> IT SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH
PRESSURE THESE GUYS ARE UNDER TO TRY TO MAKE EVERY SPOT, EVERY
MILLISECOND THEY CAN. >> SENDING A CLEANUP TRUCK TO
RETRIEVE WHATEVER THAT IS UP ON THE HIGH SIDE OF TURN NUMBER
TWO. SO WE EXTEND THE CAUTION FLAG
AND LOOK WHO BECOMES THE NEW LEADER. DALE EARNHARDT JR. IS NOW OUT IN
FRONT OF THIS RACE AFTER THE EXCHANGE OF PIT STOPS. YOU MENTIONED JAMIE McMURRAY. THAT'S GOING TO SET HIM BACK NOT
ONLY TO FIFTH BUT WITH RYAN NEWMAN HAVING HIS PENALTY NOW
PUTS McMURRAY ON THE OUTSIDE LANE BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T DONE
THE DOUBLE UP YET. >> DIDN'T WORK OUT EXACTLY LIKE
THAT WILL WHATSOEVER. HE'S PROVEN THAT WITH HIS CAR HE
CAN MAKE THAT OUTSIDE WORK. A FEW LAPS ANYWAY. >> SO JEFF GORDON BACK 23rd. RYAN NEWMAN BACK TO 24th. AND WE'LL COME BACK FOR THE
RESTART IN A MINUTE HERE AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. >>> A LITTLE UP CLOSE AND
PERSONAL RACING HERE IN MARTINSVILLE TODAY. DRIVERS NAVIGATE THIS VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT TRACK. YEAH, IT'S THE SMALLEST AND
SLOWEST TRACK IN NASCAR BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S EASY. >> DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT
GASOLINE COSTS? A LOT LESS --
>> YEAH. >> I KNOW. >> COMING DOWN. TUESDAY ESPN BRINGS YOU COLLEGE
FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TOP 25, THE COMMITTEE WILL PRESENT THEIR TOP
25 RANKINGS AND OUR COMMITTEE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYSTS WILL
DEBATE THE TOP TEAMS AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE NEW POSTSEASON
FORMAT. "COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TOP
25" PRESENTED BY ALLSTATE 7:30 EASTERN HERE ON ESPN. YOU HAVE FLORIDA STATE IN YOUR
TOP FOUR, DON'T YOU? >> YOU HAVE TO RIGHT NOW. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. CARL EDWARDS IS OUR ESPN IN-RACE
REPORTER. RUNNING IN 13th. >> CARL, DALE JARRETT, CAN YOU
TALK? >> YEAH, I GOT YOU. >> HEY, CARL, LOOKING AT THIS
TRACK MAYBE RUBBER UP A LITTLE BIT BUT ESPECIALLY DOWN IN THREE
AND FOUR, ARE YOU STARTING TO SEE SOME BUILDUP AND IS THAT
CHANGING THE WAY YOU DRIVE? >> IT REALLY DOES. FEELS WHERE THE RIGHT SIDE TIRES
ARE RUNNING AND MINE DOES NOT GO WELL ON THAT RUBBER SO TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHICH LINE TO RUN BUT KIND OF HAVE TO TAKE ONE OR THE
OTHER AND SET YOUR CAR UP FOR. WE MADE AN ADJUSTMENT HERE SO
HOPEFULLY IT IS BETTER. >> WHAT KIND OF ADJUSTMENT? >> I'M A LITTLE TIGHT IN THE
CENTER AND THEN WHEN I GET UP ON THAT RUBBER GETS TIGHT AND SNAPS
LOOSE OFF, REAL HARD TO MANAGE THE TIRES. IF YOU DRIVE IT LIKE YOU WANT
YOU WEAR IT OUT IN 20 LAPS SO JUST WORKING HARD TO KEEP THE
CAR GOING FOR THE WHOLE RUN. >> OKAY, THANKS FOR TALKING. GOOD LUCK. >> CARL EDWARDS TODAY, SO THE
BIG STORY OF THIS LATEST MOMENT OF THE RACE BESIDES AN EXTENDED
CLEANUP FOR SOMEBODY DROPPING LIQUID AROUND THE RACETRACK WE
THINK IT MIGHT BE REED SORENSON BECAUSE HE'S TAKING HIS CAR BACK
TO THE GARAGE. WOULD BE JEFF GORDON AND RYAN
NEWMAN WITH SPEEDING PENALTIES AND KEVIN HARVICK HAS THAT TOPIC
ON HIS MIND. >> 2 GOT CAUGHT SPEEDING, 31,
24, BEEN A FEW OTHERS. I DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO BUT BE
CAREFUL WITH IT. >> RODNEY CHILDRESS TALKING TO
KEVIN AND MAKING HIM AWARE. >> YEAH, THERE'S NOT A WORSE
POSITION YOU CAN PUT YOURSELF IN. TIME TO MAKE THAT UP HERE TODAY,
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE AS GOOD AS JEFF GORDON'S CAR IS RIGHT NOW
BUT IT'LL BE A LONG ROAD BACK TO THE FRONT. >> GORDON, 30th. NEWMAN, 31st. DALE JR. LEADS HIM TO THE
RESTART. JOEY LOGANO TRYING TO KEEP MATT
KENSETH TO THE OUTSIDE LINE FOR SECOND. STACK UP, TURN FOUR, DAVID RAGAN
AROUND IN FRONT OF JEFF GORDON AND RYAN NEWMAN. EVERYBODY COMING -- CAUTION FLAG
IS OUT. >> SPIN AROUND. >> THAT WOULD BE A BREAK FOR
NEWMAN AND GORDON. THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET UP TO AT
LEAST WHERE THE LEAD LAP CARS ARE BUT DAVID RAGAN IN THE BACK
RIGHT THERE BY BEING FIFTH IN LINE. THINGS STACKED UP IN TURN THREE. >> DAVID WAS ONE OF FIVE DRIVERS
WHO TOOK THE WAVE-AROUND AT THAT CAUTION AND DIDN'T PIT. BRIAN VICKERS, ALEX BOWMAN,
LANDON CASSILL AND RICKY STENHOUSE TOOK IT AND GOT BACK
ON THE LEAD LAP AND HE GOT TO QUOTE HIS SPOTTER, GOT WALLOPED
AND TURNED AROUND. >> THAT WAS IN ONE AND TWO AND
GO DOWN TO THREE AND FOUR AND JIMMIE DOWN ON THE BOTTOM TRYING
TO PROTECT THAT BOTTOM LANE AND EVERYBODY STACKED IT UP. I THINK EVERYBODY SLOWED DOWN
WAY SOONER THAN JIMMIE EXPECTED. >> JAMMING UP. JAMMING UP. BOTTOM BLOCK. >> CASEY MEARS GETS A FREE PASS. I THINK THAT'S WHY JIMMIE
JOHNSON'S INTENSITY LEVEL WAS SO HIGH. WANTED TO TRY TO GET INTO THAT
POSITION. >> SO AFTER A LONG GREEN STRETCH
EARLIER WE'VE HAD ONE EVERY 20 OR 25 LAPS IN THIS LATEST RUN OF
THE RACE. >>> BEAUTIFUL SUNNY 70-DEGREE
DAY IN MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA, AS WE GET THE ONE TO GO AND OUR
TELECAST PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE WITH DALE EARNHARDT LEADING THE
RACE. CHECK IN ON THE NUMBER OF LEAD
CHANGES BROUGHT TO YOU BY SPRINT. TET APPROACHING THE RECORD SET
IN THE MARCH RACE YET, TRADED THE TOP SPOT TEN TIMES. STAY CONNECTED WITH THE SPRINT
FAMILY SHARE PACK. 0 GIGABYTES OF HIGH SPEED DATE
TO TO THEIR FOR $100 A MONTH. THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR BRIAN
VICKERS. >> ALL RIGHT, GUYS. >> JUST GOT BACK ON THE LEAD LAP
WITH THE WAVE-AROUND, CAUTION, PIT STOP AND THEN THAT FROM 28th
SPOT. >> PROBABLY CAME FROM ALL THAT
CONTACT IN THAT LAST LITTLE CUT-UP WE HAD IN THREE AND FOUR
WHERE HE DID GET IT AND WAS BACK ON THE LEAD LAP. >> HAMLIN PASSING MATT KENSETH,
TEAMMATES TRADING FIFTH POSITION WHILE JOEY LOGANO IS NOW THE NEW
LEADER OF THE RACE. >> REALLY BEEN MAKING THE 22 CAR
BETTER AND BETTER WITH EACH ONE OF THESE PIT STOPS. GOOD ADJUSTMENT FOR HIM SO FAR
HERE TODAY. WATCH THIS RESTART. >> HAD EVERYBODY SLOW DOWN BUT
LOGANO WAS READY FOR IT. >> YEAH, I THINK AFTER HE TOOK
OFF LOOKED LIKE JUNIOR MAYBE HAD A PROBLEM ON THE GEAR CHANGE. AROUND THE 22. ONE OF THE PLACES THAT JOEY
LOGANO AND HIS TEAMMATE BRAD KESELOWSKI HAVE BEEN GREAT ON
RESTARTS EVERYWHERE. I THINK THEY HELPED EACH OTHER
WITH THAT. THEY USE IT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE. >> SO LOGANO THE SIXTH LEADER OF
THE RACE. THERE'S KESELOWSKI TRYING TO DIG
OUT FROM THE HOLE FROM HIS EARLIER PIT ROAD SPEEDING
PENALTY. BRAD BACK IN 19th PLACE. AUSTIN DILLON THREE, RACING FOR
POSITIONS ON THE LEAD LAP. >> DANICA PATRICK IN THAT MIX
HAVING A NICE RUN HERE THIS AFTERNOON. GORDON RIGHT BEHIND HER. OOPS. A LITTLE SLIP ON MARCOS AMBROSE
AND AUSTIN DILLON. >> THERE'S JEFF GORDON WHO LED
THE MOST LAPS IN THERE RACE SO FAR. WAY BACK THERE AFTER HIS FIFTH
SPEEDING PENALTY. >> TROUBLE, VICKERS GETS KAHNE. >> CAUTION OUT. CAUTION OUT INSIDE. THANKS, BRIAN. >> ALMOST GOT BRAD KESELOWSKI ON
THAT. DAMAGE ON KAHNE'S CAR. >> PAYBACK FROM AN EARLIER
INCIDENT. AND THE YELLOW FLAG NUMBER 7. WE HAVE SEEN THE BOILING POINT
AT MARTINSVILLE. >> LOOKS LIKE KESELOWSKI HAS
SOME DAMAGE FROM THAT TOO ON THE LEFT FRONT. HE MAY NOT KNOW THE HISTORY OF
THIS LITTLE DUST-UP. THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME
TO FIX. >> OBVIOUS IN TENTH THERE. THERE YOU GO SO MENTIONED
EARLIER ABOUT KEEPING THAT, SCORING AT HOME. >> THAT ONE IS 1-1 SO FAR. TIE GAME. I DON'T KNOW, I THINK KASEY
KAHNE GOT THE WORST OF THAT ONE. >> SO THE 5 CAR PRETTY HEAVILY
DAMAGED. ALSO BACK IN THE GARAGE AREA
JIMMIE JOHNSON HAS JUST TAKEN HIS CAR -- WE'LL REPORT ON THAT
IN A MINUTE. FIRST ANYBODY COMING TO PIT ROAD
AND THE ANSWER IS KYLE BUSCH IN TENTH PLACE WILL BE THE FIRST
ONE. >> EDWARDS IS GOING TO FOLLOW
IN. KESELOWSKI. >> ALL RIGHT, ON THE JIMMIE
JOHNSON STORY IS DOC. >> HEAVY DAMAGE TO THE NOSE OF
THE EIGHT-TIME MARTINSVILLE WINNER. BROUGHT THE CAR IN, THE DAMAGE
WASN'T THE ISSUE, IT BEGAN LEAKING OIL FROM THE FRONT OF
THE CAR. NASCAR KNEW IT WAS LEAKING OIL
SO AS YOU WATCH THE KYLE BUSCH STOP, FOUR TIRES, STILL TIGHT IN
THE MIDDLE. CAN'T GET IT TO TURN CHASSIS
ADJUSTMENT AND LEFT SIDE TIRES ON. LET'S GO TO VINCE. >> CARL EDWARDS IN THE 99. LIKE MANY OTHERS STRUGGLING WITH
TURNING THE CENTER TODAY. JUST THE FOUR-TIRE CHANGE. AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT FOR
CARL. >>.
>> SO THAT OIL LEAK ON THE 48 EXPLAINS WHAT THE BIG CLEANUP
WAS REQUIRED ON THE LAST CAUTION THEN YOU SEE KASEY KAHNE'S CAR
IN THE BACKGROUND THERE. ALSO BEING REPAIRED. DOC, YOU WANT TO PICK UP ON THAT
REPORT ON THE 48? >> YEAH, LISTEN, CHAD KNAUS
TALKED TO HIS DRIVER JIMMIE JOHNSON STILL IN THE CAR AND
APPARENTLY WORRIED THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE AND
FAINTLY SEE A LINE THAT'S PARTIALLY TORN AND TRYING TO GET
DOWN TO THE OIL LINE AND BOTTOM FRONT OF THE ENGINE THAT RUNS
AROUND THE SIDE AND GET THAT OFF, TAKE A LOOK TO SEE WHERE
THE LEAK IS COMING FROM. THAT'S WHAT'S TAKING SO MUCH
TIME BECAUSE OF THE FRONT END DAMAGE IT'S HARD TO GET ACCESS
TO AND THAT'S WHY IT'S TAKING A LITTLE EXTRA TIME. CHAD AND THE GUYS ARE WORKING TO
GET JIMMIE BACK ON THE RACETRACK. >> ALL RIGHT, DOC, THANKS. SO SEVENTH CAUTION OF THE RACE. AFTER BRIAN VICKERS MADE CONTACT
WITH KASEY KAHNE. >> OH, DRAG ON THE SPLITTER. THE CAR WENT STRAIGHT AND GOT
DOWN TO ONE. >> YEP, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. >> SO THIS WAS EARLIER BACK AT
LAP 160. AND ABOUT 60 LAPS LATER. FOR EVERY ACTION THERE'S AN
EQUAL AND OPPOSITE REACTION -- >> I'M NOT SURE KASEY KAHNE WILL
BUY IT EVEN WENT STRAIGHT. >> YEP. >> DOUBLED UP FOR THE RESTART. JOEY LOGANO, DALE EARNHARDT ON
THE FRONT ROW. >> OH, TROUBLE, HARVICK AND
KENSETH ARE OUT. INTO THE WALL. >> HARVICK HAS A LOT OF DAMAGE
ON THAT LEFT FRONT. THAT CAR HIT HARD. >> FROM SIXTH AND EIGHTH PLACE,
KEVIN HARVICK AND MATT KENSETH. WITH TROUBLE IN TURN ONE. >> I HAVE NO IDEA WHY IT'S SO
TIGHT THAT WHEEL HOP GETTING IN THERE. >> SOME BIG DAMAGE THERE FOR
HARVICK. >> WE'LL SEE --
>> ON THE 20 CAR. >> MATT KENSETH'S CAR GETTING
DOWN INTO THE CORNER. >> SEE KENSETH. YOU CAN SEE IT STARTS WHEEL
HOPPING RIGHT AS HE GETS ON THE BRAKE. TONY STEWART GETTING A LITTLE
BIT OF DAMAGE. JEFF GORDON JUST SQUEEZES
THROUGH. >> YOU CAN SEE THE 20 ALREADY
STARTING TO WHEEL HOP. >> JUST HARVICK WRONG PLACE
WRONG TIME. IT WORKED SO CAREFULLY TO GET
HIMSELF BACK UP THERE AND TRYING TO GO AROUND THOSE CARS, SLOWING
DOWN AND THEN GETS TAKEN OUT THERE. RACING IN MARTINSVILLE. >> INSIDE. INSIDE HERE. HOLD ON. LEFT FRONT HARD. >> DID YOU SEE THAT RIGHT REAR
JUMPING UP AND DOWN? >> COMING. >> USE THAT BRAKE LINE. GOT TOO MUCH IN THE REAR. >> OUTSIDE THE FOUR. BEHIND YOU. KEEP DIGGING, NO CAUTION, NO
CAUTION. >> DOWN IN THE CORNER A LITTLE
BIT HOT, TRIED TO GET ON THE BRAKE TOO MUCH AND START THAT
WHEEL HOP. RIGHT THERE WHERE THAT
TRANSITION IS GO FROM THE ASPHALT ON THE FRONT TRUEX TO
THE CONCRETE, A LITTLE BIT OF A BUMP THERE AND MAGNIFIES THAT
ALSO. NOTHING INTENTIONAL ON KENSETH'S
PART BUT A BIG MISTAKE. >> AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO END UP
COSTING KEVIN HARVICK AS YOU SEE HIS TEAM IS PUSHING HIS CAR BACK
TO THE GARAGE WITH SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO REPAIR ON
THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THAT ONE. VINCE. >> WELL, THE SPOTTER FOR THE 20
GIVING CREW CHIEF JASON RATCLIFF SOME GOOD INTEL AS THEY WERE
PREPARING TO COME IN. BUMPER COVERAGE, REAR PANEL
SEPARATED FROM THE DECK LID A LITTLE LEFT FRONT. CORNER DAMAGE, AS WELL BUT JASON
RATCLIFF SAYING THE KEY IS GET IT FIXED AS WELL AS YOU CAN BUT
WE CANNOT GO A LAP DOWN SO JUST TAKING A GOOD LOOK AT IT RIGHT
THERE TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING MORE SIGNIFICANT
THAN IT IS, ALLEN. >> VINCE, TONY STEWART ALSO ON
THE PIT LANE, CARL EDWARDS MADE A PIT STOP HERE ON THIS LAP AND
KEVIN HARVICK GOES BACK TO THE GARAGE AREA. THE LATEST HEADLINES IN WHAT'S
BECOMING AN EVENTFUL DAY IN MARTINSVILLE. >>> A LITTLE RASH OF YELLOW
FEVER AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. TELECAST PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE. SHY OF HALFWAY AND ON EIGHTH
CAUTION OF THIS 500-LAP RACE AND THIS LATEST RUN OF TROUBLES, A
LOT INVOLVES DRIVERS WHO ARE IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT
CUP. >> IF I WAS THE 8 RIGHT THERE
AND SEE A LOT ON PIT ROAD AND MATT KENSETH GETTING LOOSE,
GETTING INTO KEVIN HARVICK. A LOT OF TROUBLES. >> SEE IF WE CAN GET A DIAGNOSIS
ON THE PROBLEMS OF THE 4 CAR FROM DOC. >> KEVIN HARVICK STILL SITTING
IN THE CAR BY THE WAY. HE'S BEEN WATCHING OUR MONITOR
TRYING TO WAIT AND SEE THE REPLAY OF WHAT HAPPENED. I'M BEING TOLD THEY CUT THE
FENDER AWAY AND WILL CUT THE SPLITTER OFF SOME OF THE BARS
TRYING TO GET DOWN TO THE ALL COOLER. THEY'LL CHANGE THE OIL COOMER
AND RADIATOR. THEY COME IN ONE ASSEMBLY AND
TRYING TO GET TO THAT AND PULL BOTH OUT AND PUT OIL COOLER AND
RADIATOR IN AS THEY REMOVE MORE AND MORE OF THE FRONT END. HARVICK STILL SITTING IN THE CAR
AS THEY HUSTLE TO MAKE HIS REPAIR. >> HE WAS ABLE TO SEE RIGHT
THERE, CERTAINLY WASN'T ANYTHING INTENTIONAL. THAT DOESN'T MAKE HIM ANY
HAPPIER. AT THIS POINT IN TIME. PRETTY MUCH PUT HIM IN A
SITUATION OF HAVING TO WIN ONE OF THESE NEXT TWO RACES MORE
THAN LIKELY TO ADVANCE RACE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP WHICH IS
CERTAINLY SOMETHING HE'S CAPABLE OF. TEXAS AND PHOENIX AND
PARTICULARLY PHOENIX HIS NUMBERS THERE, DOESN'T MATTER WHO HE'S
BEEN DRIVING FOR AND THEN WHAT PERIOD OR CONFIGURATION OF CAR
WE'VE BEEN IN HAVE BEEN STELLAR. WHAT CONFIGURATION THE TRACK HAS
BEEN IN TOO. >> YEAH, EXACTLY. SO RODNEY CHILDRESS THERE
DIRECTING THE REPAIR EFFORT FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR WHILE THE
TEAM GOES TO WORK ON THAT LEFT CORNER. DOUBLING UP FOR RESTART. THE PAPERCLIP FROM OUR AERIAL
COVERAGE PROVIDED BY GOODYEAR. EVERYTHING THEY LEARN MAKING
TIRES FOR THE GRUELING DEMANDS OF NASCAR INSPIRES WHAT ROLLS
INTO YOURS. GOODYEAR THE OFFICIAL TIRE OF
NASCAR. SO EIGHT CAUTIONS, 13 LAPS FROM
HALFWAY. GOING TO VENTURE A GUESS ON A
NUMBER. SEE HOW ACCURATELY WE HIT. >> SOMEBODY SAID TEN. I THINK IT WILL BE WAY MORE THAN
THAT. TEN FOR THESE NEXT 260 LAPS. >> RAMP IT UP YET. KURT BUSCH WHO RAN IN THE SPRING
IS UP TO SECOND NOW. >> DENNY HAMLIN ON DALE JR. FOR
THIRD, JAMIE McMURRAY THERE. HERE COPS GREG BIFFLE AND CLINT
BOWYER, REMEMBER, A LITTLE SPLIT AGENDA ON PIT STOPS ON THE ME
SEEDING CAUTION SHUFFLED UP THE RUNNING ORDER A LITTLE BIT. KYLE BUSCH WAS THE FIRST OF THE
CARS OFF OF PIT LANE ON THAT YELLOW AND HE RESTARTED BACK IN
17th. >> WATCHING JEFF GORDON GO
THERE. RYAN NEWMAN JUST GIVING EACH
OTHER A LOT OF ROOM AND GIVING THE CARS AROUND THEM QUITE A BIT
OF ROOM TOO. TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS WHERE
THINGS GET SINGLE FILE. >> BIG STACK UP IN TURN THREE,
EVERYBODY GOT AWAY OKAY. SO 78 THERE, MARTIN TRUEX,
REMEMBER WE SAW HIM WITH A LEFT FRONT TIRE RUB EARLIER GOT A
FREE PASS AT LAP 160. HERE HE IS IN THE TOP TEN RACING
DANICA PATRICK FOR THE NINTH SPOT. >> DANICA PATRICK CAN JUST GMAC
A LAP OR TWO BUT ABLE TO GET THE BETTER OF HIM AND MOVES TRUEX
OUT OF THE WAY AND TAKES THAT SPOT. BEEN LISTENING WITH THAT FRONT
BUMPER. THAT'S THE WAY YOU DO IT RIGHT
THERE. >> PUT THAT ONE ON YOUR SCORE
CARD. >> YEAH, WE'LL SEE. HERE'S LANDON CASSILL, 40 CAR
HAVING A GOOD RUN AGAIN THIS WEEK. >> ALL THESE CARS, LEAD LAP CAR,
PAUL MENARD, 27 THEN BACK TO KYLE BUSCH, REMEMBER, ON A
DIFFERENT PIT STOP CYCLE. BRAD KESELOWSKI, STILL TRAPPED
IN THE OUTSIDE LANE. AUSTIN DILLON IN THE 3. >> YEAH, THINGS HAVE BEEN
STACKING UP ON THE INSIDE. BRAD HAS TRIED TO MAKE SOME TIME
ON THE OUTSIDE BUT RUNNING UP ON A CAR THAT WILL IMPEDE THAT
PROGRESS AND BRAD WILL HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET BACK TO THE
INSIDE BEFORE HE STARTS LOSING SOME SPOTS HERE. >> FOR SECOND PLACE DENNY HAMLIN
ON KURT BUSCH. JUNIOR TRYING TO KEEP THE DOOR
OPEN. UNABLE TO DO SO THERE. JAMIE McMURRAY RIGHT BEHIND. MURRAY LED 84 LAPS IN THIS RACE
STARTED ON POLE. BEEN ONE OF THE DOMINANT FIGURES
IN THIS ONE. SEVERAL BACK ON A PIT STOP
EARLIER AND REALLY HASN'T MADE UP ANY OF THAT GROUND SINCE. JUNIOR ON KURT BUSCH. THIRD PLACE HERE. SEE THAT 68 CAR OF BIFFLE IN THE
PICTURE. THE SPONSORSHIP FOR HIM FOR NEXT
YEAR EARLIER THIS WEEK. CHEEZ-IT BRAND WILL BE THE
PRIMARY BACKER FOR THE COMING YEAR. ALWAYS A BIG RELIEF ON ANYONE'S
PART WHEN THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE OUT THERE AND MADE PUBLIC
AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE. JIMMIE JOHNSON HAS JUST COME OUT
OF THE GARAGE, 38 LAPS DOWN IN 40th PLACE. HERE IS THE 48 CAR. ANOTHER DAY THAT'S NOT GOING TO
BE HIS DAY. THE DIFFICULTIES AT TALLADEGA
LAST WEEKEND. SAW HIM NOT ABLE TO GET IN AND
CONTINUE ON IN THIS CHAMPIONSHIP. SO JOEY LOGANO, DENNY HAMLIN,
FIRST AND SECOND. >> DRIVERS DIFFERENT YEARS EVEN
THOUGH THEY'RE BOTH STILL HERE IN THE TOP EIGHT BATTLING WITH
OPPORTUNITY TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, LOGANO, PRETTY
MUCH A CAREER YEAR TO THIS POINT. THIS VICTORY, HAMLIN JUST GOT
ONE WIN AT TALLADEGA BACK EARLIER THIS YEAR. CERTAINLY HASN'T BEEN THE KIND
OF SEASON THAT WE EXPECT FROM DENNY IN A LOT OF WAYS BUT
BATTLING HERE AND A TACK THAT HE KNOWS HOW TO WIN AT THAT COULD
GET HIM TO HOMESTEAD BATTLING FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP. >> UPDATE ON DENNY'S RACE FROM
VINCE. >> WELL, THE WHOLE ISSUE FOR
DENNY HAMLIN THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS DAY, JUST CAN'T
GET THE CENTER TO ROLL THE WAY HE NEEDS IT. SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE BEEN
WORKING ON THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE RACE FOR HAMLIN. AND DARIAN GRUBB TOLD HIM I'VE
GIVEN YOU ALL THE TRACK BAR ADJUSTMENT I CAN SO IT'LL ALL BE
WEDGE IF HERE ON. TO DOC NOW. >> THERE ARE 18 PEOPLE BACK HERE
IN THE GARAGE AREA. GOOD COMBO OF TWO TEAMS WORKING
ON THE CAR OF KEVIN HARVICK. YOU CAN SEE THEY'VE CUT THE
ENTIRE NOSE OFF THE CAR OFF AND THE REASON IS, THESE BARS ARE SO
CLOSE THAT THE RADIATOR AND OIL COOLER ASSEMBLY, THE NEW ONE
WOULD NOT GO IN SO HAD TO CUT THE WHOLE NOSE OFF. THEY'RE WORKING TO BE ABLE TO
WELD SOME BARS AROUND AS TO TIE TO BE ABLE TO GET THE RADIATOR
AND COOLER BACK IN AS WE ARE UNDER CAUTION HERE ONCE AGAIN,
ALLEN. >> IN TURN ONE THE REASON FOR
THE NINTH YELLOW OF THE RACE JUST FOUR LAPS PAST THE MIDWAY
POINT. WILL IS THE DEBRIS OR ONE PIECE
OF IT ANYWAY. >> WATCH THE 2 CAR. >> HIT IT THERE. PLASTIC PIECE IN FRONT OF THE
GRILL. >> YELLOW FLAG NUMBER NINE. PIT ROAD OPEN. HOPE WE GET THE TAKERS. >> WHAT ABOUT 20, 25 LAPS TO GO
WE SAW SOME OTHER LEADERS BACK FURTHER FOR THE LEAD LAP PIT. DON'T SEE THE FRONT HALF COMING
IN THIS TIME. DAVE. >> FOURTH PLACE KURT BUSCH IN. HE LIKES HIS CAR WELL ENOUGH. FOUR TIRES, SUNOCO FUEL AND
DIRECT OF WATER. SAME FOR DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO
CHANGES IN THE CAR. HE SAYS, I LIKE THE BALANCE. VINCE. >> TRACK BAR ADJUSTMENT FOR
DENNY HAMLIN ON THE PREVIOUS STOP HAS REALLY MADE A BIG
DIFFERENCE FOR HAMLIN AS HE TRIED TO GET THROUGH THE CENTER
SO THAT'S A BIG CHANGE FOR THE TEAM. DARIAN GRUBB WILL GIVE HIM JUST
A LITTLE BIT MORE BUT WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T LOSE THEIR
DRIVE OFF. FOUR TIRES, AS WELL. MIKE. >> JOEY LOGANO LOOKING FOR A
LITTLE MORE DRIVE OFF SAYING HE'S A LITTLE TIGHT IN THE
CENTER AND THEY'LL WORK ON AIR PRESSURE RIGHT AWAY TO TRY TO
GIVE HIM THE FEEL HE NEEDS. FOUR TIRES AND SUNOCO RACE FUEL
FOR LOGANO TRYING TO GET OFF PIT ROAD QUICK. HAMLIN JUST NIPS HIM AT THE
LINE. >> THAT IS JUST NIPPED. BY LITERAL DEFINITION. PAST HALFWAY TIME NO GO NASCAR
NONSTOP PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE. >>> NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT
MARTINSVILLE PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE. BROUGHT TO YOU BY SPRINT,
INTRODUCING THE SPRINT FAMILY SHARE PACK. IT'S THE BEST VALUE IN WIRELESS. >> JUSTIN ALLGAIER, THE LEADER
AS WE GO BACK TO GREEN. >> TONY STEWART HAD THAT LEAD
THOUGH. >> ALLGAIER, STEWART, MEARS
DIDN'T PIT UP THE FLAG. LOGANO QUICKLY BY DENNY HAMLIN
TO BE THE FIRST OFF PIT ROAD AS TONY STEWART GOES FOR THE RACE
LEAD. THREE WIDE, TURN THREE. >> GOING TO SAY WHAT KIND OF
PACE HE DRIVES WITH NEW TIRES. NOT MUCH RIGHT NOW. >> KENSETH MOVED TO THE INSIDE
TO TRY TO PROTECT THAT LANE. LOGANO PUSHING HIM THROUGH THE
CENTER OF THE CORNER. >> EXCUSE ME, FRESHER TIRES
COMING THROUGH. >> 25 LAPS. FRESHER TIRES. >> IT WAS MATT'S CREW CHIEF
JASON RATCLIFF THAT TOLD ME IN THAT SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE
TRYING TO PLAY HOPSCOTCH YOU HAVE TO HOPE THERE'S FIVE OR SIX
CARS THAT DON'T PIT AND YOU'RE FIRST OR SECOND IN LINE THEN YOU
GOT A CHANCE TO GET AWAY. IN THAT CASE THEY WERE ONE OF
THE LAST AND THAT'S GOING TO BE TROUBLE. >> YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE BREAK
IS GOING TO COME. BUT IF IT HAPPENS RIGHT ON YOU
AND YOU'RE THE LAST GUY WITH THE TIRES OR THE FIRST GUY, FRESH
TIRES WILL CATCH, YOU'RE JUST IN TROUBLE. MATT IS IN BIG TROUBLE. TONY STEWART WAS ABLE TO GET OUT
IN CLEAN AIR AND NOT HAVE ANYBODY HOLD HIM UP. HE'LL MAKE IT WORK BETTER THAN
MATT KENSETH WILL, FOR SURE. >> YEAH. >> JUST BEATING MATT AROUND LIKE
A PINBALL RIGHT NOW. >> MAIN THING HE NEEDS TO DO IS
PROTECT HIS RACE CAR. HE'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT CHEWING
ON THAT CORNER. >> MAKE A MOVE LIKE THAT,
SOMEBODY IS NOT GOING TO LIKE IT AND HE'LL FIND HIMSELF GET
TURNED AROUND HERE. >> YES, SIR. >> ALMIROLA TO THE INSIDE OF
KURT BUSCH. GREG BIFFLE, KYLE BUSCH, BRAD
KESELOWSKI ALL STACKED UP THERE. >> YOU CAN SEE MATT TRIED TO GET
DOWN IN THE CORNER AND GET AWAY FROM HIM BUT STILL HAVEN'T HAD A
BRAKE ISSUE -- >> INTO THE CORNER. >> KASEY KAHNE HAS COME BACK ON
TO THE RACETRACK, NOW KEVIN HARVICK GOING TO THE GARAGE IN
THE 4 CAR. >> OOH. THAT WAS TIGHT AND THE 20 CAR. MR. HARVICK WAS GETTING UP TO
SPEED. TWO PROS AS THEY ARE, MADE IT
WORK. >> JUSTIN ALLGAIER IN THE CENTER
OF THE SWIRL. DID NOT PIT UNDER THE CAUTION
AND DENNY HAMLIN IS AROUND HIM. DALE JR. IS TO THE OUTSIDE OF
HIM. >> A LONG TIME SINCE WE TALKED
ABOUT SMOKE BEING OUT FRONT. NICE TO SEE HIM THERE TODAY. SEE A LITTLE DAMAGE ON HIS CAR
FROM A COUPLE OF INCIDENTS HE GOT INVOLVED IN. >> PARTICULARLY THE ONE WITH
HARVICK AND KENSETH WHEN KENSETH CAR HE WAS TRYING TO AVOID. >> PRETTY UNEVENT FULL DAY FOR
STEWART. BATTLED TIGHTNESS THREW CENTER
AND A VIBRATION A BIT BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT'S BEEN A PRETTY
SOLID DAY. CREW CHIEF OF HIS WAS TELLING ME
THEY FELT LIKE THEY HAD SOME GOOD CARS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE
OF THE SEASON BUT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON IT AND
TONY TOLD ME JUST BEFORE HE CLIMBED IN WE NEED A GOOD DAY,
NOT A GREAT DAY, JUST A GOOD DAY. THIS TEAM REALLY NEEDS SOME GOOD
LUCK AND GOOD FORTUNE DOWN THE STRETCH HERE. GETTING IT HERE THIS AFTERNOON. >> GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURE
FROM JOEY LOGANO AS LOGANO IS CAUGHT, THE RACE LEADER, LOGANO
ALSO BEING PRESSURED BY DENNY HAMLIN WHO LOOKS LIKE HE'S
REALLY IN A HURRY. >> YOU CAN SEE TONY IS NO MATCH
TO THOSE FRESH TIRES ONCE HE GOT TO THEM. >> A WHOLE LOT BETTER OFF. LED ON THE OUTSIDE. DON'T GET UP IN THAT OUTSIDE
LANE LIKE MATT DID. ONLY FOUR CARS IN THIS GROUP. CAN YOU LET THEM GO AND MAYBE
HAVE A WHOLE RUN IN. YOU'RE NOT COSTING THEM ANYTHING
AND NOT COSTING YOURSELF NEARLY AS MUCH TIME OF PUTTING YOURSELF
IN A BAD SPOT. >> SO STEWART SLIDES BACK IN
LINE IN FIFTH POSITION NOW BEHIND LOGANO, HAMLIN, EARNHARDT
AND McMURRAY. DONE A LOT OF LEADING IN
MARTINSVILLE. MORE THAN HE EVER HAS IN HIS
CAREER COMBINED. >> GOT A CAUTION AND WE EXPECTED
THAT COMING. >> LET ME GAS, 5 NEAR THE 55. >> CAUTION IS OUT. YOU'RE ALL CLEAR. >> DIDN'T FINISH HIM OFF,
THOUGH, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT -- >> YEAH. LIKE RUSTY SAID IF YOU'RE GOING
TO DO IT, DO IT GOOD OR IT'LL COME BACK AND GET YOU. >> I WONDER IF HIS SPLITTER
BOTTOMED OUT. >> HE MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT THE
CURB. >> YOU CAN USE THAT CURB TO YOUR
ADVANTAGE SOMETIMES. >> A LITTLE BIT OF GAP ON THE
CURB. HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE. >> SO YELLOW FLAG NUMBER 10. TWO INVOLVING THOSE TWO CARS. NO, THREE INVOLVING THOSE TWO
CARS. SORRY. >> YEAH, IF YOU'RE KEEPING
SCORE. >> YES, THREE. >> IF YOU'RE KEEPING SCORE.
2-1 RIGHT NOW. ADVANTAGE --
>> DALE JR. WILL NEED A BREAK
FROM FOURTH PLACE ON IN? VERY INTERESTING AND BRINGING A
LOT WITH HIM TOO. >> YEAH. >> BUT A LOT STAYING OUT. >> DAVE. >> IF THE THREE AHEAD OF YOU
STAY OUT, PIT, WHY? THEY DON'T WANT TO RESTART
FOURTH ON THE OUTSIDE AGAIN. THEY LOST HERE SEVERAL TIMES
DOING THAT AND THEY'VE LOST TODAY, AS WELL SO THAT'S THE
REASON FOR COMING DOWN FOR TIRE, VINCE. >> TONY STEWART COMING IN, AS
WELL AFTER LEADING SOME LAPS AND PRETTY DECENT IN AND OFF BUT
JUST NEEDS TO ROTATE BETTER SO THEY'LL GIVE HIM FRESH TIRE,
MUCH NEEDED, MAKE A CHASSIS ADJUSTMENT AS WELL, MIKE. >> JEFF GORDON RADIOED IN ABOUT
LAP 253 HE CAN'T USE THE BRAKES THE WAY HE WANTS. A LITTLE TOO TIGHT IN THE
CENTER. NOT WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR. AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT AND
FOUR-TIRE REPLACEMENT. >> MATT KENSETH GETTING FOUR
TIRES AS WELL GETTING HELP WITH AIR PRESSURE AND PULLING OUT
SOME OF THAT LEFT FRONT DAMAGE WITH THAT EARLIER CONTACT WITH
KEVIN HARVICK. WORKING ON THAT RIGHT REAR, AS
WELL. TRYING TO GET HIM AS GOOD AS
THEY CAN MAKING A CHASSIS ADJUSTMENT IN THE LATE STAGES,
ALSO FOR THIS STRETCH RUN HERE, STILL GOT A LOT OF RACING LEFT
TO DO. >> QUICK COUNT 10 OF THE 31 LEAD
LAP CARS DID NOT PIT THERE SO DALE JR. FIRST OFF THE PIT ROAD
WILL RESTART IN 11th POSITION. FIX IT UP AND GO AGAIN. >> I THINK HE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE
HE HAS FRESH TIRES IN CASE HE HAS TO GET AWAY QUICK. >> OVER TO THE WONDERFULLY
LOCATED QUICKEN LOANS ESPN PIT STUDIO. LOVE THAT VIEW. >> VERY GOOD VIEW FOR WHAT JUST
HAPPENED ON THE TRACK. LET ME TELL YOU. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN
"COUNTDOWN" PAYBACK WHICH WE'VE SEEN A FAIR AMOUNT OF BETWEEN
KASEY KAHNE AND BRIAN VICKERS. YOU SAID IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO
IT, DO IT RIGHT. YOU SAID WE WON'T SEE IT HAPPEN. WELL, IT'S HAPPENING. >> KASEY KAHNE DIDN'T DO IT
RIGHT, THAT'S FOR -- >> NEITHER DID BRIAN VICKERS, HE
JUST CAME OUT. >> I TOLD BRIAN, LOOK OUT THE
WINDOW, THE 5 IS CATCHING THE 55. SPUN AROUND AND THAT 5 CLOBBERED
THAT 55 AND I TELL YOU WHAT I THINK IT HELPED THE 55. ANY NEEDED A CAUTION. DIDN'T HURT HIM WHATSOEVER SO
PAYBACK HAPPENED. >> GOT FOUR UP EARLIER AND
TEMPERS STARTING TO GET THE BEST OF THEM. IT'S NOT OVER WITH SO HOW DOES
THAT INTERFERE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GUYS TRYING TO WIN
THE CHASE OR GET TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND? WILL IT BECOME A PART OF THE
STORY? >> AND COMING TO THE GREEN FLAG,
BY THE WAY, WE'RE JUST PAST HALFWAY, THIS IS NOT OVER IN ANY
WAY. >> LOGANO GETS CLEAR OF HAMLIN,
HOLES ON TO THE RACE LEAD. DALE JR. TRYING TO MAKE THE MOST
OF THOSE FRESHER TIRES BACK IN TRAFFIC. >> JEFF GORDON TRYING TO FOLLOW
UP THROUGH AS JUNIOR MAKES THESE HOLES. >> UP FRONT, A LOOK TO THE
INSIDE OF LOGANO. >> THAT MIGHT TURN OUT
DIFFERENTLY LATER IN THE RACE. >> THREE WIDE, EDWARDS AND
STENHOUSE GIVES WAY ON THE OUTSIDE. >> NOW DANICA PATRICK, THAT CAR,
WITH THE TIRES THAT ARE NOT THE FRESHEST AND THOSE TIRES COMING
BEHIND HERE. >> LIKE WHAT WE SAW THE LAST
TIME. MATT KENSETH. WHEN YOU'RE A DRIVER IN THAT
POSITION IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S ABOUT 55 CARS OUT HERE. NEVER-ENDING TRAIN THAT YOU JUST
CAN'T FIND YOURSELF IN A GOOD SPOT. >> WHILE YOU WATCH THIS, LET ME
INFORM YOU THAT JUST BEFORE THE RESTART, NASCAR RACE ASKED FOR A
PIT ROAD OFFICIAL TO INFORM THE CREW CHIEFS OF THE 55 AND 5 THAT
THEY WERE DONE. NOT OUT OF THE RACE BUT THAT THE
ONGOING ENTANGLEMENTS SHOULD BE CEASED. >> ANYTHING FROM THAT POINT
NEEDS TO BE AFTER THE RACE AND THAT DISCUSSION HAD BETWEEN THE
DRIVERS. THEY'VE HAD IT ENOUGH SO FAR
TODAY. >> 11 CAR HERE TODAY TRYING TO
THINGS DIFFERENT WITH THEIR SETUP, DIDN'T RUN AS WELL HERE
AND I THINK THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING AND KNOWING THIS WAS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM WITH THEIR DRIVER TO COME HERE AND GET
THEMSELVES PUNCHED INTO THAT NEXT ROUND AND BATTLE FOR A
CHAMPIONSHIP AT HOMESTEAD. YOU SEE DENNY HAMLIN WITH THE
LEAD. >> TOUGH FOR DANNY, HE TALKED
ABOUT OFTEN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OCCASIONS HOW ACTUALLY
BEFORE THIS WEEK EVEN HOW IF THEY COULD GET TO THIS ROUND OF
THE CHAMPIONSHIP, IF THEY COULD GET INTO THE ELIMINATOR ROUND,
ALL OF REMAINING TRACKS -- OH, WHAT IS THIS. >> I'M NOT SURE. LOOKED LIKE HE MOVED OVER TO
MAYBE LET HIM GO. >> I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS A
MISCOMMUNICATION OR BAD BLOOD. >> WE KNOW THAT PART. >> WELL, YEAH. THIS PART MIGHT NOT BE OVER
RIGHT HERE EITHER. >> GOT TO CATCH HIM BEFORE HE
CAN HIT HIM. >> YEAH, I THINK DENNY HAS A
REALLY GOOD CAR AND I DON'T THINK JOEY WILL BE ABLE TO CATCH
HIM. YOU CAN SEE HE HAS 200 LAPS.
>> 200 TO GO. >> JUST TO FINISH UP THE STORY I
WAS TALKING ABOUT, TALKING ABOUT DENNY THAT HE SAID IF WE CAN GET
INTO THIS ROUND WE'VE GOT MARTINSVILLE, WE'RE GREAT. TEXAS, WE'RE GOOD. PHOENIX, WE'RE GREAT AND BY THE
WAY WE'VE WON AT HOMESTEAD TOO. >> YEP. >> IF I'M IN IT I CAN WIN IT AND
HE'S IN. THERE'S THE NUMBERS TO BACK IT
UP. >> SO WHILE WE WERE WATCHING
DENNY AND JOEY, THERE WERE OTHER THINGS GOING ON ON THE RACETRACK
ALSO. >> I HAD ONE EYE ON THE MONITOR
AND ONE ON THINGS GOING ON TOO AS I SAW THREE WIDE. HOW -- HOW THAT -- AS WE HAVE
ONE NOW LOOKS LIKE DANICA PATRICK. >> GOT TURNED AROUND. THERE IT IS. YELLOW FLAG NUMBER 11. >> JUST A BAD SITUATION YOU GET
PUT IN AS A DRIVER. >> DAMAGE HERE. I THINK THE TIRES --
>> OLDER TIRES AND SO MANY CARS ON THE FRESH TIRES AND EVERYBODY
WITH THAT SENSE OF URGENCY WITH THOSE FRESH TIRES. >> I'M NOT SURE IF TRUEX HAD --
LOOKED LIKE HE HAD SOMEONE ON HIS LEFT REAR CORNER. BUT DEFINITELY GOT DANICA. >> I THINK YOU REMEMBER
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE RACE THERE MIGHT HAVE
BEEN A LITTLE CONTACT FROM THE 10 CAR INTO HIS REAR BUMPER IF I
REMEMBER CORRECTLY. >> I SECOND THAT VOTE. >> THESE DRIVERS GOT LONG
MEMORIES. >> EVEN THE ONES IN THE BOOTH. >> I DON'T REMEMBER. >> MINE IS PRETTY SHORT, I'LL
TELL YOU. >> IT WAS A LITTLE LONGER BACK
WHEN I WAS DRIVING. >> YOU TALK TO EVERYBODY --
TALKING ABOUT PAYBACK FROM CHARLOTTE AND ALL OF THAT STUFF
AND AS WE SEE THESE DRIVERS NOW COME INTO PIT ROAD, I'LL
CONTINUE THAT IN A MOMENT HOW THINGS HERE RAMP YOU UP MORE
THAN ANYTHING IN THE PAST. JUST WHAT HAPPENS HERE TODAY AND
THOSE ARE THE PAYBACKS THAT YOU GET INVOLVED IN. >> ANOTHER INTERESTING SPLIT
AGENDA HERE ON PIT ROAD. WE GOT 31 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE LESS THAN
HALF COMING INTO PIT HIRE. >> YEAH, KYLE BUSCH SAID THE CAR
SO TIGHT, THEY MADE MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS, AGAIN, LEFT REAR
AND RIGHT REAR CHASSIS. KAEPERNICK WILL BE FOUR TIRES
AND SUNOCO FUEL. >> DENNY HAMLIN DID A NICE JOB
NOT JUST IN THE PITS BUT STAYING ON TOP OF THESE CHANGING TRACK
CONDITIONS. NO CHANGES THERE, JUST FOUR
TIRES. >> JOEY LOGANO SAYING THE CAR
TOOK OFF MUCH BETTER THAT RUN AND WAS TURNING BETTER WHEN HE
WAS OUT FRONT. McMURRAY AWAY VERY QUICKLY. THOSE TWO DRAG RACED OFF PIT
ROAD, ALLEN. >> WELL, DENNY WAS THE LEADER. WE'LL SEE WHERE HE RESTARTS IN
JUST A MINUTE. NASCAR NONSTOP PRESENTED BY
AUTOZONE. >>> DALE JR. LEADS THEM TO THE
RESTART. DENNY HAMLIN FIRST OFF THE PIT
LANE OF THOSE THAT STOPPED. RESTARTED IN 17th. >> REMEMBER THREE OF THOSE CHASE
DRIVERS THAT HAD PIT ROAD SPEEDING PENALTIES, 2, 34 AND 21
ALL RUNNING NOW IN THE TOP EIGHT. >> CARL EDWARDS PLAYED THE ROLE
OF THE GUY ON THE OLDER TIRES BEING SHUFFLED. >> JUST DON'T WANT TO BE THAT
GUY. >> THE OTHER DAY SITTING OUT
THERE TRYING TO -- NOW THEY KNOW EXACTLY THE SITUATION. >> YEAH. >> TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY
OPPORTUNITY AND SITUATION THAT YOU CAN. >> EDWARDS FINDS A SPOT IN LINE
THERE BEHIND McMURRAY BACK IN 18th PLACE. NOW TRUEX PULLS TO THE INSIDE
WITH THE OTHERS ON THE OUTSIDE. WHILE UP FRONT BRAD KESELOWSKI
TRIES TO HOLD OFF JEFF GORDON, GUESS HE WAS ON THE FRONT ROW
FOR THE RESTART. TRIED TO MAKE UP LOST GROUND. >> BRAD MIGHT BE BETTER SERVED
REALIZING THIS 24 IS PROBABLY THE FASTEST -- ONE OF THE
FASTEST CARS HERE. NOT SURE HOW MUCH PATIENCE HE'LL
SHOW RIGHT NOW. >> SO JEFF BACK UP TO THIRD. WITH TONY STEWART AND CLINT
BOWYER RIGHT BEHIND HAVE NOT CALLED BOWYER'S NUMBER MUCH
TODAY, STEADY AND SOLID AND PLAYING PIT STRATEGY TO GAIN A
LITTLE BIT OF TRAFFIC. OH, SO GOOD HIRE. PROBABLY -- I WON'T SAY SHOULD
HAVE WON THE RACE BACK IN MARCH BUT HAD A SHOT AND CAME DOWN PIT
ROAD AS THE LEADER ON THE LAST STOP AND HAD A PROBLEM ON THE
RIGHT REAR AND CAME OUT AND PITTED. >> BOWYER ALWAYS SOLID ON THE
SHORT TRACK. HAS A GOOD FEEL FOR WHAT HE
NEEDS. CERTAINLY THEY WERE LOOKING FOR
AND HOPING FOR BUT YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF THAT GO AWAY WITH A
GOOD SOLID RUN HERE TODAY. >> DAVE IS COVERING HIS PIT. >> FOUR TIRES AND FUEL BEFORE
THIS RACE IS OVER AND THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN. WHAT BRIAN TOLD ME, LOOK FOR
DRIVERS THAT HAD THAT FEEL HERE AND WHEN HE GETS IT HE CAN
REALLY HUSTLE THIS RACE CAR AND DRIVE IT SO WHILE PATTIE WASN'T
SURE HE KNEW CLINT WOULD DRIVE IT IF HE HAD IT. >> KESELOWSKI, STEWART AND
BOWYER RACING FOR FOURTH PLACE. JEFF GORDON AFTER PASSING
KESELOWSKI HAS AN ALL CLEAR TRYING TO CHASE DOWN KURT BUSCH
FOR SECOND. >> SORRY, GO AHEAD. >> AS WE WATCH THIS BATTLE HERE,
DENNY HAMLIN AND JOEY LOGANO MADE THEIR WAY INTO THE TOP TEN
BATTLING THROUGH TRAFFIC. MAKING THOSE PIT STOPS. >> SO 32 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. MICHAEL ANNETT IN THE SEVENTH
GETTING THE FREE PASS AS THE LEAD CHANGES HANDS. KURT BUSCH TO THE NUMBER ONE
SPOT. >> I'M SURE HE'D LIKE TO IMPROVE
THAT WIN HE HAD EARLIER THIS YEAR. THIS 41 CAR OUT FRONT. DO IT RIGHT NOW. LOOKS LIKE JUNIOR IS STRUGGLING
SO GOOD ON THE EXIT OF THE CORNER STRUGGLING WITH THAT A
LITTLE BIT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE RUBBER
BUILDUP OR SOMETHING BUT IT'S GOT HIM TO WHERE HE'S NOT
GETTING THAT LAUNCH OFF THE CORNER THAT YOU NEED. JEFF GORDON QUICKLY CLOSING ON
DALE JR. SO KURT BUSCH OUT IN FRONT. TENTH DIFFERENT LEADER OF THIS
RACE. 17th LEAD CHANGES, 11 CAUTIONS
THROUGH 315 LAPS AT MARTINSVILLE. >>> KURT BUSCH IS THE LEADER OF
THE GOODY'S HEADACHE RELIEF SHOT 500 IN MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY IN
VIRGINIA AND A REMINDER TO GO TO NASCAR.COM FOR ALL YOUR LATEST
NASCAR INFORMATION. 178 LAPS TO GO AND YOU'RE
LOOKING AT KURT FROM THE VIEW OF JEFF GORDON, THE SECOND PLACE
DRIVER WHO IS BEGINNING TO RUN HIM DOWN AFTER PATTING DALE
EARNHARDT JR. FOR THE NUMBER TWO
SPOT. JUST JOINING US, A FEW
INTERESTING STORIES IN THE FIRST TWO-THIRDS OF THIS RACE
INCLUDING PENALTIES FOR THREE OF THE DRIVERS FOR THE CHASE FOR
THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP FOR SPEEDING ON PIT ROAD. ALL HAVE RECOVERED SO FAR AND
TANGLE BETWEEN KEVIN HARVICK AND MATT KENSETH WHILE KENSETH
CONTINUED THAT WHEEL HOPPING INTO TURN ONE AFTER A RESTART
KEVIN HAD TO GO BEHIND THE WALL AND SPENT 43 LAPS IN THE GARAGE
GETTING REPAIRS. HARVICK RUNNING IN 40th PLACE IN
THIS RACE. OTHER STORY, JIMMIE JOHNSON WITH
DAMAGE ON HIS CAR FROM CONTACT SPENDING 41 LAPS BEHIND THE
WALL. AND THE RUNNING BACK IN 39th
PLACE AND BETWEEN KASEY KAHNE AND BRIAN VICKERS A RUN-IN THAT
RESULTED IN SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BOTH CARS
BUT BOTH HAVE CONTINUED IN THE RACE. >> CLINT BOWYER TRIED TO GET
SEVENTH PLACE FROM BRAD KESELOWSKI AND DOING SO. >> TWO CARS CONTINUE TO SLIDE
BACKWARDS. A NUMBER OF CARS THAT HAVE
TIRES. >> THE 15, SAME TIME -- EXACT
SAME LAP AS THE 2 DID SO THEY'RE ON EQUAL GROUND ON TIRES. >> UP AHEAD OF THEM, JEFF GORDON
IS THERE. >> KENNETH, KURT BUSCH IN
TRAFFIC. SEE IF HE CAN FIND SOME ROOM
AROUND. PLENTY OF CARS AHEAD OF THEM. TO NEGOTIATE ALSO. AND IF THEY'RE NOT CAREFUL AND
THEY GET MESSING AROUND TOO MUCH WITH EACH OTHER THEY'LL FIND
DENNY HAMLIN RIGHT THERE WITH THEM BECAUSE AFTER RESTARTING IN
17th, 30 LAPS AGO DENNY HAMLIN HAS ROCKED HIS WAY ALL THE WAY
TO FOURTH PLACE AND ABOUT TO TAKE THIRD RIGHT THERE. >> BEEN CONSISTENTLY 0.2 QUICKER
THAN THOSE LEADERS. >> I KNOW IT'S TIRES BUT EVEN
BEFORE THAT WE GOT US A RACE CAR NOW. >> TEN-FOUR. LINE YOU'RE DRIVING. >> YEAH, THIS IS WHEN IT'S
REALLY FUN AS A DRIVER. YOU GOT PROBABLY WHAT A LOT OF
THESE -- TOP THREE CARS HERE ALREADY THEN YOU'VE GOT BETTER
TIRES THAN EVERYBODY. ALMOST LIKE IT'S NOT A FAIR
FIGHT. >> IT'S NOT, BUT YOU LIKE THAT. >> ONE THING THAT'S HAPPENED NOW
IS THEY'VE ALL RUN LONG ENOUGH IF WE HAPPEN TO HAVE ANOTHER
CAUTION IT WOULD BRING THEM ALL BACK DOWN AND WOULDN'T SEE THIS
SPLIT AGENDA AGAIN. ALWAYS COMES THAT POINT IN THIS
RACE AND THESE 500 LAPS HAVE YOU THAT LONGER GREEN FLAG STRETCH. IT'S GOING TO BE THAT TIME. WE WERE HERE LAST YEAR THAT IT
WAS KIND OF A MAD HOUSE ALL THE WAY UP TILL THE END.
70, 71 LAPS. >> 7 AT THE END OF THE RACE, THE
LONGEST GREEN FLAG STRETCH OF THE WHOLE DAY, THE LAST ONE. WE DID HAVE A 79-LAP STRETCH
EARLIER IN THE RACE. OTHER THAN THAT THE CAUTIONS
HAVE COME PRETTY STEADILY FLOWING AND EVENLY SPACED ALSO. SO KURT BUSCH TRYING TO HOLD OFF
JEFF GORDON AND HANG ON TO THE RACE LEAD, DAVE. IN VERY TIGHT IN THE APEX OF THE
CORNER AND RADIOED THAT IN AND HIS CREW CHIEF TRYING TO COACH
HIM AND LEAD HIM TO A WIN RIGHT BEFORE HE LEAVES TO BECOME
DANICA PATRICK'S CREW CHIEF, A CREW CHIEF AND CREW SWAP IN THE
STEWART-HAAS RACING CAMP. I ASKED DANIEL IF THEY COULD
BRING BACK THE MAGIC FROM THE SPRING. HE SAID, I DON'T KNOW. MADE A LOT OF CHANGES AS YOU SEE
JEFF GORDON GETTING TO THE INSIDE AND KURT BUSCH WILL TRY
TO GET AN ADJUSTMENT AND SEE IF HE CAN WIN BEFORE THEY SEPARATE. >> GREG ZIPADELLI FOR
STEWART-HAAS SAYING HE WAS GOING TO MAKE THE CHANGES NEXT WEEK. TONY GIBSON WOULD BE HIS CREW
CHIEF AND DANIEL KNOST -- EXCUSE ME, THE OTHER WAY TONE WOULD BE
KURT'S CREW CHIEF AND DANIEL WOULD BE THE INTERIM CREW CHIEF
FOR DANICA PATRICK FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ZIPPY ALSO
DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THE STATUS OF TONY
STEWART'S TEAM FOR NEXT YEAR. SAID HE WASN'T PREPARED TO DELVE
INTO THAT YET. THERE THE LEADERS GO BY, THE
WOUNDED CAR, KEVIN HARVICK FINDING HIMSELF THE ONE ON THE
END FOR THE ELIMINATOR ROUND OF THE CHASE AND NOW HAVING TO LOOK
AHEAD TO THE TEXAS AND PHOENIX AND FIND A WAY INTO THE
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND AT HOMESTEAD. OF COURSE, BRAD KESELOWSKI DID
IT LAST WEEK AT TALLADEGA WHEN THINGS LOOKED BLEAK, FOUND A WAY
IN. I KNOW WINNING IS NOT EASY BUT
THE FORMULA IS SIMPLE. WIN AND YOU ARE IN. THAT'S ALL IT TAKES. >> SOUNDS EASY. DRIVERS DO AMAZING THINGS WHEN
THEY GET PUT IN THOSE SITUATIONS. >> HARVICK RUNNING IN 39th
POSITION AT THE MOMENT. JEFF GORDON, THE LEADER WITH 162
LAPS TO GO. .
>>> ON A BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN SOUTH CENTRAL
VIRGINIA. JEFF GORDON LEADING AT
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY IN THE EACHING ROUND OF THE ELIMINATOR
SECTION IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP. JEFF'S LED THE MOST LAPS TODAY
AND CHECK IN ON THOSE NUMBERS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SPRINT. JEFF OUT IN FRONT, 121 OF THE
346 LAPS THAT HAVE BEEN RUN AND ADD ONE TO THAT. JAMIE McMURRAY THE NEXT HIGHEST
LAP TOTAL AT 84. STAY CONNECTED TO THE CHASE WITH
THE SPRINT FAMILY SHARE PACK. 20 GIGABYTES TO SHARE PLUS
UNLIMITED TALK AND TEXT FOR $100 A MONTH. LEARN MORE AT
SPRINT.COM/DATASHARE. NEW SECOND PLACE RUNNER BEHIND
JEFF AS YOU SAW IN OUR NASCAR NONSTOP, DENNY HAMLIN GETTING
AROUND KURT BUSCH SO NOW HAMLIN CONTINUING TO CLOSE IN ON GORDON
FOR THE RACE LEAD. >> AS LONG AS THEY RUN UNDER
THIS GREEN FLAG STRETCH I THINK THAT ADVANTAGE HE HAS, PRESSURE
TIRES STARTING TO EVEN OUT A LITTLE BIT. I THINK HE'LL STILL CATCH JEFF
GORDON. HE'S NOT CATCHING HIM NEARLY AS
QUICK AS 15 OR 20 LAPS AGO. >> ONE REASON TOO WHO HE'S
DEALING WITH IN JEFF GORDON. SEE TONY STEWART TAKE THAT
FOURTH SPOT AWAY FROM DALE EARNHARDT JR. HE'S SO GOOD AT TAKING CARE OF
HIS TIRES HE DOESN'T OVERDRIVE THE CORNER, WHICH BUILDS UP THE
AIR PRESSURE IN THE FRONT TIRES AND ABUSE THAT SO HIS CAR WILL
RUN LONGER. GOING TO MAKE IT TOUGH FOR HIM. PROBABLY EVENTUALLY WILL BUT
JUST THAT LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE IN THE TIRES. >> WHEN I TALKED TO JEFF
YESTERDAY HE TOLD ME -- I ASKED HIM ABOUT THAT BALANCE OF RACING
FOR POSITIONS AND RACING HARD VERSUS MAKING SURE YOUR STUFF IS
GOOD ENOUGH AT THE END TO WIN AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW BEHIND THE
WHEEL, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'VE BEEN RUNNING HARD AND PRESSING THAT
RIGHT FRONT TIRE OR KNOW WHEN YOU'VE BEEN DIGGING THAT LEFT
REAR REALLY HARD AND YOU UNDERSTAND THAT AND IF YOU
UNDERSTAND THE -- MY WORD, EBB AND KNOW OR MY PHRASE, AT A
MARTINSVILLE RACE, HE SAID YOU LEARN HOW TO MANAGE THAT AND
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMETHING LEFT TO RACE WITH AT THE END. >> THAT'S WHERE HIS EXPERIENCE
COMES INTO PLAY SO MUCH AND FIGURED THAT OUT. WHAT HE CAN DO AND, YOU KNOW, HE
COMES FROM OVERDRIVING IT FROM ABUSING IT AND LOSING THE LEAD A
FEW TIMES THAT YOU FIGURE THAT OUT WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO. >> I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT. HOW GOOD JEFF GORDON IS ON THESE
TYPE OF RACETRACKS. I THINK PART OF THE CAR, I MEAN
HE REALLY IS FEELING ALL FOUR CORNERS, HE CAN TELL IF HE'S
ABUSING THE LEFT REAR OR RIGHT FRONT. ALMOST LIKE HE'S PART OF IT AND
I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES HIM SO GOOD HERE. >> THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS
ABOUT DENNY HAMLIN YOU SEE THERE THAT IT IS CLOSING IN
CONTINUOUSLY THAT DENNY DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF THAT TOO AND
KEEPS THOSE REAR TIRES ON HIS CAR AS GOOD AS ANYTHING. VERY SELDOM IF NEVER SEE HIM GET
IT OUT OF SHAPE AND SPIN THE TIRES ON THE EXIT OF THE CORNER
SO THEREFORE, LAST LINE GO ON AND ON AND OTHER DRIVERS CAN'T
GET TO THE GAS DENNY IS ABLE TO AND MAKES HIM LOOK LIKE HE'S WAY
FASTER. >> RICKY CRAVEN TOLD ME, HE SAID
EVERY TIME YOU SLIP THOSE REAR TIRES THAT'S THREE LAPS LEFT
THAT THEY'LL GIVE YOU. A GOOD RULE OF THUMB. >> DENNY TALKED ABOUT OVER THE
YEARS HIS FEEL FOR PLACES LIKE HERE AND RICHMOND COMES FROM THE
SHORT TRACK BACKGROUND. THE PLACES HE GREW UP RACING
LIKE SOUTH SIDE SPEEDWAY AND THEY'RE MODERATELY BANKED OVALS
WHERE THE CARS YOU'RE DRIVING LATE MODEL STOCK CARS HAVE MORE
POWER THAN THE TRACK CAN CONTAIN SO YOU HAVE TO LEARN NOT TO BURN
THOSE TIRES UP AND BE SMOOTH WITH YOUR ACCELERATION AND YOUR
BRAKING AND HE SAID IT'S THAT KNOWLEDGE FROM THOSE RACETRACKS
THAT APPLIES DIRECTLY HERE TO MARTINSVILLE AND TO RICHMOND. CLOSING IN ON JEFF. >> I DON'T THINK JEFF WILL GIVE
HIM A TERRIFIC FIGHT. IN NOT AT THIS POINT OF TIME. STILL WAY TOO MUCH. THE PIT STOP, NOT TIME TO REALLY
CONTEST THAT ALTHOUGH JEFF WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO LEAD THE MOST
LAPS HERE AND GET THE BONUS POINT FOR THAT HERE. >> AND SO THERE IT IS, THE PASS
FOR THE LEAD AND DENNY HAMLIN GOES BACK OUT IN FRONT HERE IN
MARTINSVILLE. >> KIND OF LIKE TWO SHIPS
PASSING IN THE NIGHT. >> THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK
TOGETHER LATER. >> AT A VIRGINIA RACETRACK,
DENNY HAMLIN LEADING AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. >>> WELL, WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED
THE ENTERTAINING EXCHANGE BETWEEN MATT KENSETH AND KEVIN
HARVICK DURING OUR NONSTOP COVERAGE. OF COURSE, KEVIN'S CAR, THAT
DAMAGE CAUSED AFTER A RUN-IN WITH MATT EARLIER IN THE RACE
AND AS MATT COME UP ON KEVIN -- >> COULDN'T JUST LET IT GO BY. YOU CAN'T TALK TO HIM --
>> I GUESS THE PHRASE I WAS SEARCHING FOR IS WE WERE AMUSED. >> I SEE HERE I THINK WHEN
HARVICK IS GOING -- ACTUALLY GOING TO LET HIM GO AND HE DROVE
IT IN TOO FAR AND LOST A SPOT BACK. >> RACING AGAIN. >> I THINK WE'LL SEE HIM GET
DOWN INTO TURN ONE IF WE FOLLOW LONG ENOUGH THAT HARVICK BRAKE
CHECKS HIM. GOING TO CAUSE A LITTLE DAMAGE
ON THE FRONT END OF THE 20 CAR RIGHT HERE. THERE WE GO. >> I GUESS THE MESSAGE HAS BEEN
DELIVERED. >> I THINK THAT'S THE END OF IT
FOR TODAY. >> SO MATT KENSETH RUNNING IN
18th PLACE WHILE KEVIN HARVICK RUNS 39th. >> SORRY, BUDDY. >> TEN-FOUR. >> SO MATT KENSETH WITH THAT
FRONT END DAMAGE ON HIS CAR AND WE'LL SEE IF IT CALLS ANY
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, MIGHT HAVE CAUSED COOLING TROUBLE. THE GRILL ON THESE CARS, THE TOP
ONE IS DECORATOR AND THE BOTTOM IS WHERE ALL THE AIR IS AND
HUDDLED INTO THE RADIATOR. DENNY HAMLIN COMING UP ON CARL
EDWARDS, PUT CARL A LAP DOWN, IN 24th PLACE. AT THIS LONG GREEN RUN WITH
DIFFERENT PIT STOP TIRE SCHEDULES MIX UP THE RUNNING
ORDER A LITTLE BIT. >> THAT MESS, YOU CAN SEE TONY
STEWART CLOSING IN ON THE BACK BUMPER OF JEFF GORDON FOR THAT
SECOND SPOT, THOUGH. HIS CAR REALLY GOOD IN THIS RUN. >> RICKY STENHOUSE BEHIND
STEWART IS NOW THE FIRST CAR ONE LAP DOWN. NOT FOR LONG. DENNY HAMLIN CATCHING CARL
EDWARDS BUT. >> HOW GOOD SMOKE'S CAR IS. TWO CARS THAT PITTED THAT HAD
PRESSURE IN THE TIRE, LOGANO AND THE ONE CAR, JAMIE McMURRAY AND
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO CATCH HIM. WHEN THEY PUT THEM ON EQUAL
GROUND, YOU SEE SMOKE BATTLING FOR THIS WIN. >> BEEN A WHILE SINCE TONY
STEWART HAS WON A RACE. AND TRYING TO EXTEND HIS STREAK
OF CONSECUTIVE SEASONS WITH A WIN. IT WAS THE DOVER RACE IN JUNE OF
2013 THE LAST TIME SMOKE WON AND VINCE COVERING THE 14 FOR US. >> I TALKED WITH CREW CHIEF CHAD
JOHNSON ABOUT THAT STREAK AND HE SAID WE WANT TO WIN SO BADLY FOR
TONY. WE DON'T WANT THAT STREAK TO END
WITH THIS GROUP AND CHAD SAID I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO BE THE
CREW CHIEF THAT ENDS IT FOR TONY STEWART BUT FELT LIKE THEY HAD
GOOD CARS THIS YEAR AND TAKE TWO STEPS FORWARD AND THREE BACK AND
FINALLY FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK WITH THIS
WEEKEND AND THEY CERTAINLY SHOWED IT. REAL SOLID RUN THIS LONG RUN FOR
TONY AND I AGREE WITH ANDY, THESE GUYS ARE PRETTY CONFIDENT. THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK WITH
HERE TODAY. >> KIND OF A DOUBLE-EDGE SWORD,
VINCE. YOU HAVE A DRIVER LIKE TONY
STEWART, HE'LL GET YOU GOOD RESULTS AND MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD
AS A CREW CHIEF BUT HAS A LOT OF PRESSURE THAT GOES WITH IT TOO. IF HE'S NOT HAVING THE SUCCESS
THAT THIS DRIVER IS USED TO IT CAN REFLECT BAD. I CAN UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURE HE
FEELS. >> OF COURSE, EVERYTHING THAT'S
GONE ON AROUND TONY STEWART IN THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS
SEVERELY BROKEN LEG LAST AUGUST THAT TOOK HIM OUT FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE 2013 SEASON. COMING BACK FROM THAT THIS YEAR
AND THIS INCIDENT IN UPSTATE NEW YORK THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATH
OF DRIVER KEVIN WARD JR. THAT
TOOK TONY OUT OF THE CAR AND CERTAINLY WITH RESPECTS TO
EVERYTHING ELSE INVOLVED IN IT, SET HIS RACING TO THE BACK
BURNER AND THEN TOOK HIM A WHILE TO GET OVER IT TO BE IN A
POSITION TO FULLY SETTLE HIMSELF IN TO WHAT IT TAYS TO RUN UP
FRONT & CONTEND TO WIN. >> IT TAKES YOUR FULL ATTENTION
AND DIFFICULT FOR SMOKE TO DO THAT. CARL EDWARDS, HE'S HAD A TOUGH
TIME IN DOING THAT AND ALLOWED GORDON AND TONY STEWART TO GET
RIGHT UP TO HIM RIGHT NOW. ALL PUTTING UP QUITE THE FIGHT
TO STAY ON THE LEAD LAP. >> YEAH. >> AND NOW FOR CARL WHAT'S LEFT
THE HOPE THAT HAMLIN DOESN'T GET TOO MANY LEAD LAP CARS ALTHOUGH
IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE HE LAPS ANOTHER ONE. DENNY HAMLIN OUT IN FRONT HERE
IN MARTINSVILLE WITH 120 LAPS AWAY FROM THE FINISH. >>> IN TROUBLE AT THE END OF THE
LONGEST CONSECUTIVE RUN OF GREEN FLAG LAPS TODAY, 88 LAPS OF
GREEN AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW DEMANDING THIS TRACK IS ON THE
CAR, THE BRAKES, HEAT AND SO ON, SORENSON HAS FOUND THE LIMIT ON
THAT AND BROUGHT OUT THE CAUTION FLAG. >> GOING DOWN INTO TURN ONE. >> OUCH. >> YEAH. >> EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SHORT
TRACK. STILL A HARD HIT. >> YEAH, 85 LAPS UNDER GREEN. YOU START LOOKING AROUND
THINKING ABOUT WHO -- WHOSE CAR IS ILL HANDLING AND FIND TOO
MUCH BRAKE. THAT'S WHERE IT WILL SHOW UP
FIRST. >> LEADERS WILL COME TO PIT ROAD
IN A MINUTE. QUICK MINUTE TO REMIND YOU
TOMORROW NIGHT ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. REDSKINS AND COWBOYS FOR THE
109th TIME. COWBOYS ROLLING IN WINNING SIX
STRAIGHT. WASHINGTON AND DALLAS MONDAY
NIGHT FOOTBALL 8:15 EASTERN ON ESPN AND LIVE ON WATCH ESPN. NO OTHER NIGHT IS MONDAY NIGHT. >> DID YOU KNOW DALLAS WON 8 OF
THEIR LAST 11 VERSUS WASHINGTON. >> YOU MEAN THE GUY SITTING TO
MY LEFT. >> ALSO A COWBOY HAT ON. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. >> YEAH. >> PIT ROAD IS OPEN HERE. DAVE? >> FOURTH PLACE, DALE EARNHARDT
JR., THE GONE HAS GONE TIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE CORNER AND GET
THEIR FOUR TIRES AND A CHASSIS ADJUSTMENT AS WELL AND TRACK BAR
FOR JUNIOR. VINCE. >> TONY STEWART SAYS HE NEEDS A
LITTLE BIT MORE FORWARD DRIVE. IT'S A LITTLE SNUG CENTER TO BUT
THE MAIN ISSUE, FOUR TIRES, GOING TO BE AN AIR PRESSURE
ADJUSTMENT THERE, AS WELL. DENNY HAMLIN REALLY GOOD. HE SAID IT'S A BIT SNUG IN THE
CENTER BUT OTHERWISE WE'RE SOLID. MIKE. >> JEFF GORDON SAYING HE'S A
LITTLE LOOSE IN THE MIDDLE. HALF ROUND DOWN ON THE TRACK
BAR. FOUR-TIRE CHANGE AND FUEL FOR
JEFF GORDON. HERE THEY COME OFF PIT LANE AND
DENNY HAMLIN'S TEAM WILL HOLE THE LEAD. THE GUY WITH THE COWBOYS HAT
LIVES IN WASHINGTON, D.C., DID I MENTION? >>> 107 LAPS LEFT TO GO AT
MARTINSVILLE WHEN WE GO BACK GREEN FLAG RACING WITH DENNY
HAMLIN AND JEFF GORDON, DOUBLED UP ON THE FRONT ROW.
23 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. MARTIN TRUEX JR. FREE PASS. AUSTIN DILLON SPEEDING ON PIT
ROAD AND HERE WE GO. >> CONTACT BETWEEN THE 14 AND
24. >> TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND
TONY TRYING TO KEEP IT OPEN. >> DALE JR. GOING TO GET A
LITTLE BREAK RIGHT THERE. >> JAMIE McMURRAY UP OUT OF THE
GROOVE. >> WAY UP OUT OF THE GROOVE. AND HERE COMES ALLMENDINGER
ROLLING THROUGH IN THAT LAST LONG RUN OF THE RACE AFTER
GETTING PASSED INITIALLY BY CARS THAT HAD FRESHER TIRES STARTED
PASSING THEM BACK LIKE TONY STEWART DID AND ON EQUAL RUBBER
ALLMENDINGER WITH KURT BUSCH. >> UP TO SIXTH SPOT IN THAT LAST
LONG GREEN FLAG RUN. GREAT JOB BY A.J. HERE TODAY. >> ALLMENDINGER THROUGH KURT
BUSCH. MIKE. >> A TRULY GREAT RUN FOR NOT
JUST A.J. BUT THIS TEAM. IF YOU LISTEN TO THE RADIO AT
THE BEGINNING OF THIS RACE YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE 47 HAD NO
SHOT OF FINISHING ON THE LEAD LAP LET ALONE RUNNING INSIDE THE
TOP TEN AT THIS STAGE OF THE RACE. THERE WERE SO MANY ISSUES THAT
ALLMENDINGER WAS FRUSTRATED WITH BUT THIS TEAM WENT TO WORK,
ADJUSTMENT AFTER ADJUSTMENT AFTER ADJUSTMENT. SO MUCH IN TACT THAT THE LAST
TIME DOWN PIT ROAD THEY DIDN'T NEED ANY ADJUSTMENT, JUST FOUR
TIRES AND FUEL. THE CAR IS GOOD. >> MIKE, ALLMENDINGER UP TO
SIXTH PLACE NOW WITH 102 LAPS TO GO. DENNY HAMLIN, THE LEADER. TONY STEWART, SECOND. JEFF GORDON, THIRD, DALE
EARNHARDT JR. FOURTH AND CLINT
BOWYER FIFTH. THEN THE DINGER IN SIXTH, JOEY
LOGANO, SEVENTH. KURT BUSCH, RYAN NEWMAN AND BRAD
KESELOWSKI FILLING OUT YOUR TOP TEN, McMURRAY GETTING SHUFFLED
ALL THE WAY BACK TO 21st PLACE AFTER LEADING 84 LAPS IN THIS
ONE EARLIER. JEFF GORDON BY TONY STEWART. >> LOOKED LIKE TONY'S CAR A
LITTLE BIT TIGHT IN THE CENTER. GETTING A GOOD JUMP ON THE EXIT. A GOOD FORWARD BITE BUT COULD
SEE GORDON'S CAR WOULD ROLL HERE A LITTLE MORE SPEED. I THINK IT PAYS OFF FOR TONY
STEWART IN THE LONG RUN. HE CAN REALLY MAKE UP SOME
GROUND ON THESE GUYS. HE'S KIND OF COUNTING ON THAT ON
EQUAL GROUND ON TIRES IF THIS THING GOES 70, 80, 100 LAPS OR
MAYBE TO THE END HE MIGHT HAVE THE BEST START. >> SEE HOW HARD GORDON RUNS HERE
TRYING TO RUN DOWN THE 11 CAR. >> WHAT DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO DO. >> KNOWING WE HAD A LONG GREEN
FLAG RUN AND A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE THAT AT THE END OF THE RACE
I WOULD EXPECT JEFF GORDON TO TAKE HIS TIME. BIDE HIS TIME GETTING THERE. >> RIGHT NOW JEFF LEADING THE
COUNT AS WE WATCH EARNHARDT JR. GET INSIDE STEWART FOR THIRD
PLACE AND AGAIN, THE WINNERS OF THE THREE RACES ARE THROUGH AND
THE FOURTH SPOT TO BE FILLED BASED ON THE POINT STANDINGS AND
IF WE DON'T HAVE THREE DIFFERENT WINNERS OR THOSE THREE WINNERS
AREN'T CHASE DRIVERS, POINTS WILL BECOME VERY IMPORTANT SO IF
JEFF CAN GET THAT BONUS POINT FOR LEADING THE MOST LAPS IF
HE'S NOT ABLE TO WIN AT MARTINSVILLE NEXT WEEK IN TEXAS
OR THE WEEK AFTER AT PHOENIX IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY CRUCIAL
POINTS LIKE WE SAW IN TALLADEGA WHERE ONE POINT CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE. >> AND IF HAMLIN WAS ABLE TO
LEAD TO THE END HE WOULD CAPTURE THAT SO I THINK THAT'S PUTTING
PRESSURE ON HIM. HE WANTS TAKE THE LAPS AWAY FROM
DENNY HAMLIN AND PUT IT IN HIS COLUMN. >> DENNY IS GOING TO LEAD 80
MORE LAPS JUST TO CATCH JEFF. THERE IN 95 TO GO WIN THE RACE. JEFF CAN GET OUT FRONT AND --
EVEN JUST A LITTLE HE CAN LOCK UP THAT BONUS POINT FOR HIMSELF. >> PEOPLE ASK YOU, NOT REALLY,
DO THESE GUYS REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT STUFF DURING THE RACE? >> WELL, YES, THEY DO. >> YEAH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
THAT FOURTH SPOT POTENTIALLY BEING -- GOING TO THEIR -- GOING
TO HOMESTEAD TO RACE FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP, NOT POINTS THEN
IT'S GOING TO BE -- WE KNOW THERE WILL BE AT LEAST ONE OF
THOSE SPOTS AND THAT'S YOUR CREW CHIEF THAT --
>> THAT COULD EASILY COME DOWN TO ONE POINT. >> WE ARE DOWN TO THE BEST EIGHT
THAT ARE LEFT HERE NOW. >> THERE ARE THE LAPS LED TOTAL
ON THE DAY. YOU SEE DENNY CONTINUING TO ADD
TO HIS MARKS BUT IF JEFF CAN GET OUT IN FRONT, AND FIND A WAY TO
PACE 20 OR SO, THEN HE COULD LOCK UP THAT EXTRA CHAMPIONSHIP
POINT. KURT BUSCH, JOEY LOGANO, SEVENTH
AND EIGHTH. >> I THINK LOGANO IS LOST A
LITTLE BIT OF A HANDLE LATE IN THIS ONE. HE HAD A GOOD CAR EARLY,
PROBABLY 30% OF THE RACE. >> LED TWO DIFFERENT TIMES FOR
60 DIFFERENT LAPS. RIGHT NOW THIRD IN LAPS LED ON
THE DAY BUT LOGANO'S LOOKING BACK. BEHIND KURT BUSCH HERE TO EIGHTH
PLACE. >> WHOO. >> BIG RUN ON THE INSIDE FOR
DALE JR. LIKE 32 CAR OF KYLE FOWLER MAYBE
HAD A MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT LANE HE WAS GIVING JUNIOR. FOWLER IN HIS SPRINT CUP SERIES
DEBUT BUT ALL WORKED OUT OKAY AND GORDON HAS CAUGHT HAMLIN. >> IN AND OUT OF HIS SHADOWS. IS THAT AN ISSUE FOR THE
DRIVERS. >> IF AN ISSUE -- FROM LOOKING
AT THAT AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE TRACK AND BEING ABLE TO SEE
WHERE THAT RUBBER IS. MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT. WATCH HAMLIN. I THOUGHT HE WAS THE BEST HE'S
BEEN MOST OF THE DAY AND DENNY HAMLIN HAS HIS CAR HOOKED UP. DOESN'T GET INTO THE CORNER INTO
THE CENTER QUITE AS HARD AS GORDON BUT REALLY DRIVES OFF. >> WATCH GORDON'S LINE. HE'S NOT ON THE CURB BUT GOING
UP WITH THE RACE CAR A LITTLE BIT. >> THAT IS THE WAY DENNY HAMLIN
DRIVES HIS CAR. DOESN'T ABUSE THE FRONT TIRES BY
TRYING TO KEEP IT AROUND THAT CURBING THEN YOU CAN KIND OF
STRADDLE THAT BUILDUP AND WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH IT YOU'RE
DRIVING OFF THE CORNER WITH THE WHEEL STRAIGHTER SO MUCH BETTER
WAY TO GET FORWARD BITE. THE DRIVER AND A CAR HAS THIS
GOOD OF A FORWARD BITE AS 11 DOES MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE
A PASS ON HIM. YOU ALMOST HAVE TO USE WHAT YOUR
STRENGTH IS THERE AND THAT'S ROLLING THROUGH THE CENTER AND
GO UP AND GIVE HIM A LITTLE TAP AND NOT LET HIM GET TO THE
THROTTLE AS QUICKLY AND AS GOOD AS WHAT HE IS RIGHT NOW. >> YOU SEE RIGHT THERE, JUST
THAT PICTURE IS THAT 88 CAR. HE'S TRYING SOME FAST LAPS ABOUT
THE LAST THREE OR FOUR LAPS AROUND BEEN THE QUICKEST. >> ROCKETED TO THE FRONT AND
LOOKED LIKE THE HANDLING GOT OFF FOR A STRETCH OF THE RACE. WHATEVER THAT LAST ADJUSTMENT
WAS MADE BY STEVE LETARTE AND COMPANY, DAVE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT
WAS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. >> TRACK BAR, ALLEN AND HOPING
IT WILL GIVE THEN THE CAR TO TURN
VICTORY LANE. DALE EARNHARDT JR. HAS FINISHED
IN THE TOP FIVE 11 TIMES IN MARTINSVILLE BUT DOES NOT HAVE
ONE OF THOSE GRANDFATHER CLOCKS AND STEVE SAID THAT IS
MOTIVATION FOR MY DRIVER. STEVE HAS ONE FROM 2005 AND
OTHERS BUT 2005 WAS HIS FIRST WIN AS A CREW CHIEF WITH JEFF
GORDON SO SPECIAL MEMORY FOR THEM AND LIKE TO MAKE IT THE
SAME FOR DALE EARNHARDT JR. TODAY. >> JUNIOR THIRD AND CLOSING ON
THE RACE FOR THE LEAD BETWEEN DENNY HAMLIN AND JEFF GORDON. GORDON -- SORRY ABOUT THAT. >> HE'S STARTING TO PRESSURE THE
ISSUE A LITTLE BIT HERE. >> THINK HE WOULD MAYBE LIKE NOW
RATHER GET THE HAMLIN AS THEY SEE REALLY STARTING TO COME UP
TO THE BACK PART OF THE FIELD AND BEFORE THEY GET IN THAT --
CAUTION. >> PIECE OF METAL JUST PAST THE
START/FINISH LINE TOWARD TURN ONE THAT JUST GOT KNOCKED OFF
AGAINST THE INSIDE WALL. >> I CAN SEE A COUPLE OF PIECES
DOWN THERE IN ACTUALLY IT'S RIGHT OVER THERE, AND THEY'LL
BRING OUT THE YELLOW FLAG FOR THE 13th TIME IN THIS RACE. THAT'S A FREE THROTTLE. AND THERE'S SOMETHING ON THE
TURN FOUR SIDE OF THE START/FINISH LINE THAT
APPARENTLY UP CLOSER TO THE OUTSIDE WALL. ACCORDING TO RACE CONTROL SO
THAT'S THE REASON FOR CAUTION NUMBER 13. MR. CREW CHIEF, YOU JUST PITTED
AT 388. WE'RE AT 418 NOW. >> YEAH, CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO
GET CAUGHT OUT THERE ON TIRES THAT ARE WORN AT THIS POINT. I WANT TO COME IN AND GET MORE
TIRE, TAKE MY CHANCES. >> AND FROM THE COCKPIT I'LL BE
HOLLERING YOU BETTER BE READY FOR ME BECAUSE I'M COMING TO GET
FOUR TIRES HERE. FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN EVEN IF I
SAY STAY OUT I'M COMING IN. >> I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU
ANYWAY. >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
IT. >> 23 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. WILL JOIN
THEM. HE GETS THE FREE PASS, TRAFFIC,
CARL EDWARDS A LAP DOWN. WONDER IF WE'LL SEE ANYBODY GO
FOR TWO TIRES HERE TO STEAL A LITTLE TRACK POSITION. >> DAVE. >> FOURTH PLACE CLINT BOWYER
COMPLAINING HE CANNOT PICK UP THE GAS ON HIS NUMBER 15 CAR AND
GET AN ADJUSTMENT FOR THAT AND FOUR TIRES. DALE EARNHARDT JR., HE LIKES THE
WAY THAT CAR IS RIGHT NOW THE WAY IT WAS MOVING FORWARD, FOUR
TIRES AND FUEL FOR JUNIOR. VINCE. >> FOR DENNY HAMLIN, HE SAYS
IT'S GOT A LITTLE TIGHT, THE ADJUSTMENTS THEY'VE BEEN MAKING
HASN'T HELPED AND THE FORD DRIVE IS OKAY, JUST DON'T HURT IT. THEY'LL MAKE A CHASSIS
ADJUSTMENT AND FOUR TIRES. >> JEFF GORDON SAYING WE TEED TO
GET SOME MORE DRIVE OFF. THEY'LL GO TO WORK ON THE
CHASSIS ON THE LEFT REAR, A TURN THERE, FOUR TIRES AND GORDON IS
AWAY. >> LITTLE CHANGE OF TRACK
POSITION ON THE PIT LANE. CLINT BOWYER'S TEAM GETTING IT
DONE AND GIVING THEIR DRIVER THE RACE LEAD. >>> GOT TO BE AN INTERESTING
RESTART COMING UP IN MARTINSVILLE AFTER A CHANGE OF
TRACK POSITION ON PIT ROAD. OUR TELECAST TODAY PRESENTED BY
AUTOZONE. CLINT BOWYER IS THE NEW LEADER
OF THE RACE. CARS.COM, ALL DRIVE, NO DRAMA
SHOWS YOU THE BIGGEST MOVERS ON THE DAY. DALE EARNHARDT JR. HAVING A
TERRIFIC DAY. MIKE WALLACE. >> YEAH, MIKE -- YEAH, HE WAS A
COUPLE OF LAPS DOWN AT ONE TIME. OH. >> THAT'S NOT GOOD. ?
KURT WAS RUNNING IN SEVENTH PLACE AND THERE'S LIQUID ALL THE
WAY DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY FROM BEHIND THAT 41 CAR. >> A LOT OF IT TOO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. >> WHATEVER JUST LET GO, IT WAS
BIG. >> FLAMES, WATCH OUT FOR FLAMES
AS YOU OPEN THAT HOOD. >> IF THAT IS ALL OVER THE
HEADERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT OF AIR AND
THERE IT IS, THE FIRE. >> OH, THAT'S TOO BAD. WHAT A GREAT DRIVE HE HAD. >> IT WAS REALLY SOLID ALL DAY. >> MAN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, OIL
COOLER OR OIL LINE, IN FRONT OF THE ENGINE. I HAVE A FEELING IT COULD HAVE
BEEN AN OIL FILTER. >> WELL --
>> TOO MUCH FUN TO SAY THE ENGINE IS COOKED. >> THEY PUMP A LOT OF OIL. THERE IS A BIG MESS TO CLEAN UP. >> WHICH COULD MAKE IT
INTERESTING FOR THE GUYS HOLDING UP THE BOTTOM LANE OFF TURN
NUMBER TWO ON THE UPCOMING RESTART. >>> THE
BEAUTIFUL FALL SCENERY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA IN THE
MARTINSVILLE AREA AS WE COME TO YOU LIVE FROM THE MARTINSVILLE
SPEEDWAY WITH THE FIRST RACE IN THE ELIMINATOR ROUND OF THE
CHASE UNDER AN EXTENDED CAUTION NOW BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS AFTER
THE PIT STOPS FOR KURT BUSCH. HIS CAR GOING UP IN A PLUME OF
SMOKE AND FLAME AND DR. JERRY
PUNCH IS WITH KURT. >> WE WERE JUST COMMENTING ABOUT
WHAT A GREAT RACE CAR YOU'VE HAD FOR A GOOD BIT OF THE DAY AND
SUDDENLY SMALL SMOKE. WHAT HAPPENED? >> I THINK WE RUPTURED AN OIL
LINE IS WHAT I'M HEARING, WHETHER IT WAS A FITTING OR THE
LINE ITSELF, I DON'T KNOW BUT WE HAD A REALLY GOOD RUN. WE WERE IN THE MIX, RUNNING UP
FRONT WITH THE HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVY AND WE WERE IN THAT SPOT
WHERE WE WERE WHEN WE WON THE RACE THIS SPRING WHICH MEANT 70
TO GO, THERE WAS STILL ANOTHER YELLOW WE WOULD HAVE BEEN OKAY. IF WE WOULD RUN TO THE END THAT
WAS GOING TO THE RUN. WE WERE RUNNING P-7. WHEN WE WON WE WERE P-3. YOU GOT TO GET TO THE INSIDE AND
EVERYBODY'S ELBOW IS OUT RUNNING HARD. GREAT RACE AND GREAT RACETRACK
AND CHASE GUYS AND YOU DON'T HAVE CHASE CARS AND TRYING TO
MANAGE THAT. THANKS TO CHEVROLET AND MONSTER
ENERGY. ALL OF OUR SPONSORS THIS YEAR
IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR. I WAS HOPING TO GET OUT THE
BROOM BUT INSTEED WE GOT A BROOM CLEANING UP OUR KITTY LITTER. >> I SAW YOU GIVE A BIG HUG TO
YOUR CREW CHIEF. THEY MOVE ON NEXT WEEK. HOW MUCH DID YOU WANT TO GIVE AS
A PARTING GIFT. >> IT WAS SENTIMENTAL. WE WON EARLY AND WANTED TO BUILD
THAT CONSISTENCY. TODAY YOU COULD FEEL WHAT WE
BUILT ON TODAY ALL YEAR LONG AND DANIEL KNOWS THIS RACETRACK SO
KNOST KNOWS MARTINSVILLE AND WAS HOPING TO DELIVER HIM A
GRANDFATHER CLOCK BUT WE HAD ONE OF THOSE MECHANICAL FAILURES
THAT POPS UP AND BITES YOU. WE'LL GIVE OUR BEST NEXT THREE
WEEKS. THANKS TO DAM AND ALL THE GUYS
ON THE 41 AND STEWART-HAAS FOR GIVING ME THIS CHANCE. >> A GREAT RUN AND SUDDENLY IT
IS OVER AT MARTINSVILLE. >> YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY HAS A GOOD
RUN WHO'S HAD STRUGGLES AND A DIFFICULT SEASON AND SOMETHING
LIKE THAT HAPPENS, JUST MAKES ME FEEL BAD. DON'T KNOW WHY BUT IT JUST MAKES
ME FEEL BAD FOR THAT GUY. IT WAS GOING TO BE A HIGHLIGHT
RUN FOR A LONG TIME FOR THEM AND NOT TO BE. >> THIS COULD BREAK YOUR HEART
SOMETIMES. >> BOY, IT DOES IN A HURRY BUT
DID A GREAT JOB AND HANDLED THAT VERY WELL. TOUGH, OUT THERE FOR OVER 400
LAPS BATTLING AND PUT YOURSELF IN THAT POSITION AND HAD THAT
HAPPEN. >> SO KURT WILL LOOK AHEAD TO
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY NEXT WEEKEND. DOUBLEHEADER ACTION ON ESPN
STARTING WITH THE RESUMPTION OF THE FIGHT FOR THE NASCAR
NATIONWIDE SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY AT 3:30 EASTERN, CHASE
ELLIOTT WINNER AT TEXAS IN APRIL WILL TRY AGAIN AS HE LEADS THE
STANDINGS GOING IN. THEN NEXT SUNDAY, THE SECOND
RACE IN THE ELIMINATOR ROUND OF THIS CHASE, TELECAST PRESENTED
BY FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 2:00 EASTERN TIME. JOEY LOGANO, THE BIG WINNER AT
TEXAS BACK IN APRIL, WE WILL SEE HOW THIS ONE PLAYS OUT NEXT
SUNDAY FROM THE LONE STAR STATE. EDDIE GOSSAGE AND HIS WHOLE GANG
BUFFING UP ON HOSS AND ALL THE REST AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY AND
GETTING READY TO WELCOME US DOWN IN FT. WORTH. ONE TO GO AT MARTINSVILLE. GOING TO GO BACK RACING WITH 1
OF 68 LAPS TO GO. STORIES ON THE DAY SO FAR SOME
OF THE DRIVERS INVOLVED IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP
WITH DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. PIT ROAD SPEEDING PENALTIES,
KESELOWSKI, GORDON AND NEUMAN AND THE TANGLE BETWEEN THE TWO
THAT HARVICK GOT THE WORST OF WHILE KENSETH RUNS IN 11th
POSITION ON THE LEAD LAP. HARVICK IS DOWN IN 38th SPOT
AFTER HAVING TO SPEND TIME BEHIND THE WALL TO GET HIS CAR
REBUILT. CLINT BOWYER, THE LEAD ON THE
FINAL STOP IN THE RACE IN MARCH WHEN HIS PIT CREW HAD A PROBLEM. THIS TIME HIS PIT CREW GOT HIM
THE LEAD ON WHAT COULD BE THE FINAL STOP OF THE RACE HERE IN
THE FIELD OF GREEN FLAG. >> JUNIOR TRYING TO HANG TOUGH
OWN THE OUTSIDE AND KNOWS THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO ON THE
INSIDE. FORD WILL FILL THAT SPOT. GORDON WILL. >> BEHIND HIM IN THIRD. SEPARATING GORDON FROM DENNY
HAMLIN WHO LOST A FEW SPOTS ON PIT STOPS. >> SEE, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE
PASS BY -- WE'LL SEE HOW THIS ALL WORKS OUT BUT GORDON BEING
ABLE TO GET BY THERE. SEPARATE HIMSELF FROM HAMLIN, DO
BE BIG AT THE END OF THIS DAY. >> ALLMENDINGER GETTING BOUNCED
AROUND A LITTLE BIT. >> BRAD KESELOWSKI MOVES IN
SPOTS. NOW HE'S GOT PROBLEMS. >> HOLD ON. >> HOLD ON. CAUTION, CAUTION, CAUTION,
CAUTION. >> AND MORE COLLECTED. >> LOST THE TRANSMISSION FOR NO
REASON. I DIDN'T MISS A SHIFT OR
ANYTHING. COMING AT YOU. >> TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THE
TWO LEAD TO THIS MESS ON THE FRONT STRAIGHTAWAY AND ANOTHER
HEADLINE FOR ONE OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP CHASERS IN THE
FINAL 6 LAPS IN MARTINSVILLE. >> TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY
SO YOU COULD TELL SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE CAR. >> I'M GOING TO PIT ROAD RIGHT
NOW. >> GOT UP OUT OF THE GROOVE AND
OUT OF THE WAY IN THE CORNER. WHEN HE GOT TO THE STRAIGHTAWAY
HE WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GROOVE AND GOING NOWHERE. >> I THINK IT IS. GOT ONE-WHEEL DRIVE. >> SAYING NOW THEY BROKE AN
AXLE. WHAT HE BELIEVES HAPPENED. >> THAT'S A COMMON THING HERE. YOU PUT SO MUCH TORQUE ON THESE
REAR WHEELS. JUST MAKE ABOUT 900 HORSEPOWER
AND HAVE 6.5-1 RATIO AND PUTS THAT MUCH MORE TORQUE. >> THE FRONT STRAIGHTAWAY A BIG
MESS IN MARTINSVILLE. CASEY MEARS, KASEY KAHNE, CARL
EDWARDS GOT A PIECE OF IT, DANICA PATRICK, AS WELL. THERE'S MARTIN TRUEX. AND RED FLAG. >> BIGGEST WRECK I'VE EVER SEEN
HERE. CASEY MEARS GETTING OUT AND
KASEY KAHNE. GOOD TO SEE. >> LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT
YOU'RE STILL GOING IN EXCESS OF 100 MILES AN HOUR. >> OH, YEAH. >> HERE IN MARTINSVILLE AND YOU
HIT SOMETHING, IT'S STILL A BIG HIT. >> YEAH, THEY WERE ALMOST AT TOP
SPEED WHEN ALL OF THIS WAS TAKING PLACE THERE. >> SO THIS ALL STARTED WITH
TROUBLES FOR BRAD KESELOWSKI, DOC. >> YEAH, HE WAS JUST TELLING THE
CREW A MINUTE AGO THAT THE THING BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND SHAKE
VIOLENTLY OFF TURN TWO PRIOR TO THAT AND SAID HE CAME OFF FOUR
AND THE THING JUST QUIT PULLING LIKE IT HAD JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. HE SAID HE PUT IT BACK IN GEAR
THINKING HE HAD LOST HIS TRANSMISSION AND SUDDENLY HAD
GEAR, MAYBE IT'S THE DRIVE SHAFT BUT HE HAD A DRIVESHAFT BUT SAID
IT'S GOT TO BE THE AXLE. IT'S ONLY PULLING WITH ONE WHEEL
SO ISOLATED AN AXLE PROBLEM AND GET EVERYTHING READY AND WHEN
NASCAR LIFTS THE RED FLAG WHERE THEY CAN WORK ON THE CAR THEY'LL
TRY TO SEE IF THEY CAN MAKE REPAIRS AND GET HIM BACK OUT
THERE. LOOKS LIKE A BROKEN AXLE IN THE
REAR FOR BRAD KESELOWSKI. >> ALL RIGHT, DOC, SO LET'S GO
BACK AND SEE IT AGAIN. WHAT COST ALL THAT CARNAGE OFF
TURN FOUR. >> HE'S OUT OF THE WAY AND
MIDDLE OF THE GROOVE. NOBODY EXPECTS TO SEE THAT. >> YOU SEE ARIC ALMIROLA JUST
BARELY DODGES HIM THERE. >> THE BIG HIT WAS KASEY KAHNE
INTO THE BACK OF CASEY MEARS. >> YEAH. >> CARL EDWARDS GETTING INTO THE
78 CREATE SOME FRONT EDGE DAMAGE FOR CARL. >> BE ABLE TO SEE DOWN HERE I
BELIEVE HE CAN KIND OF FEEL IT THERE THEN HE'S REACHING FOR THE
SHIFTER HERE IN JUST A SECOND. THINKING HE DOES HAVE A
TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, MAYBE IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. >> JOEY, WATCH. INSIDE, INSIDE. INSIDE. INSIDE. BROKE TRANSMISSION. >> STAY HIGH, STAY HIGH, STAY
HIGH. HOLD ON TO IT. CAUTION, CAUTION, CAUTION,
CAUTION, CAUTION. >> LOST THE TRANSMISSION FOR NO
REASON. I DIDN'T MISS A SHIFT OR
ANYTHING. COMING AT YOU. >> TEN-FOUR. >> HE CAN HEAR -- THAT'S NOT
INDICATIVE OF AN AXLE BREAKING. JUST KIND OF BREAK AND THEY'RE
DONE. YOU DON'T USUALLY HEAR THAT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS. >> SOMETHING STRANGE. >> WHAT A BIG MESS. >> THAT'S SOME HARD HITS. >> MARTIN TRUEX. >> EASY, EASY, STAY LOW, STAY
LOW, STAY LOW, STAY LOW. >> IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY HERE. >> THAT WHOLE --
>> NOWHERE TO GO. NARROW FRONTSTRETCH HERE. >> KASEY KAHNE FOR ALL THE
PROBLEMS HE HAD EARLIER IN THE RACE WHEN HE AND BRIAN VICKERS
WENT AT IT. PROBABLY THINKING, WELL, GOOD,
THAT ONE IS OVER. >> YEAH, ACTUALLY THE HARDEST
HIT FOR KAHNE WHEN HE HIT THE 78 OF MARTIN TRUEX. THOUGHT HE WAS IN THE BACK OF
THE 13 BUT IT'S EVEN FURTHER BACK THAN THAT. >> BACK DOWN TO DOC. >> OKAY, ANDY, PUT YOUR CREW
CHIEF HAT ON AND PRETEND YOU'RE PAUL WOLFE. UNDER THE RED FLAG YOU CANNOT
MOVE THE CAR ONCE IT'S ON PIT ROAD IN THE PIT BOX. IT'S IN THE PIT BOX BUT WHAT
PAUL WAS TOLD HIS DRIVER TO DO A MOMENT AGO AND WHAT BRAD DID
WITH NASCAR OFFICIALS, HE FIRED THE CAR UP AND LET IT TRY TO
MOVE TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE PIT BOX AND WHAT PAUL WANTED TO DO
WAS SEE IF THERE WAS ONE OF THE WHEELS PULLING AND ONE WAS NOT. IF IT MAYBE WAS THE REAR END
AXLE. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO AS A CREW
CHIEF DOWN HERE REALIZING YOU CAN'T MOVE OUT OF THE PIT BOX TO
TRY TO DECIPHER WHAT YOU HAVE TO FIX QUICKLY. >> TOUGH UNDER RED BECAUSE THEY
LET HIM CRANK IT UP TO AT LEAST TRY TO MOVE IT. SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP THEM
DIAGNOSE WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT OR LEFT. IF IT IS AN AXLE BUT ONCE THEY
REMOVE THE RED FLAG THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT A LITTLE
FURTHER BUT KIND OF A DILEMMA FOR PAUL WOLFE TO FIGURE OUT
EXACTLY WHAT, YOU KNOW, PLAN OF ATTACK THEY NEED TO HAVE HERE. >> IF IT'S AN AXLE THEY CAN PIT
-- FIX IT ON PIT ROAD. THEY MAY HAVE TO GO TO THE
GARAGE ANYWAY. A GEAR THEY'LL HAVE TO YAK IT --
JACK IT UP AND CHANGE THE GEAR ASSEMBLY. >> RODNEY HOLING THE RED FLAG
FROM THE STARTER'S STAND AND THE RACE IS STOPPED WHILE THEY CLEAN
UP THE FRONT STRETCH FROM HALF A DOZEN CARS PILED UP ON TURN FOUR
TRIGGERED BY SOMETHING BREAKING ON BRAD KESELOWSKI'S. >>> CALM AND QUIET AT
MARTINSVILLE. YOU DO NOT TEED TO ADJUST YOUR
TELEVISION OR VOLUME. WE'RE UNDER A RED FLAG HERE THIS
AFTERNOON. PRESENTED BY AUTOZONE. RED FLAG BECAUSE OF A HUGE
PILEUP ON THE FRONTSTRETCH DUE TO AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY BRAD
KESELOWSKI. HELLO IF YOU'RE INSIDE THE
QUICKEN LOANS PIT STUDIO. NICOLE WITH RUSTY AND BRAD. IT'S AN INTERESTING SCENARIO
THAT IS PLAYING OUT WITH THIS NEW CHASE. WE'VE SEEN CHASE DRIVERS HAVE
ISSUES BEFORE. TODAY HAS BEEN A BIG DAY AGAIN
AS WE KICK OFF THE ELIMINATOR ROUND. OF COURSE, THE EARLIER BIG
INCIDENT INVOLVED THE 4 CAR AND THE 20 OF MATT KENSETH. >> YEAH, THIS IS A BIG RACE,
MATT KENSETH, LOCKED UP THE REAR TIRES, GOING INTO TURN ONE,
LOSES CONTROL AND TAKES OUT KEVIN HARVICK. KEVIN REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED. HE WAS A LITTLE UPSET WITH
KENSETH BUT THEY LITERALLY CALMED DOWN BUT NOW KEVIN IS IN
A BIG RUT POINTSWISE. >> HE'S 38th.
43 LAPS DOWN AND THIS JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO WITH BRAD
KESELOWSKI. >> YEAH, BRAD, OBVIOUSLY
SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE DRIVETRAIN. HE CAN'T GET GOING. CASEY MEARS COMES ALONG AND
FOLLOWS HIM, BIG WRECK. A LOT OF REALLY GOOD RACE CARS
BUT BRAD KESELOWSKI IS ON PIT ROAD UNDER RED FLAG CONDITIONS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH
THAT. THEY CAN'T TOUCH IT. >> CAN'T TOUCH IT UNDER THE RED
FLAG SO HERE YOU HAVE TWO PRENEAR DRIVER, TWO CHASE
DRIVER, ALREADY IN A HOLE IN THIS FIRST ROUND OF ROUND THREE. WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE. IN KANSAS, SEVERAL DRIVERS HAD
ISSUES, IN CHARLOTTE, SEVERAL MORE DRIVERS HAD ISSUES BUT AS
WE SAW LAST WEEK WITH BRAD KESELOWSKI IN TALLADEGA, HE GOT
THE WIN AND WAS ABLE TO ADVANCE. BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO THAT
CONVERSATION LET'S CATCH UP WITH KASEY KAHNE, WHO THAT'S HAD A
VERY BIG TODAY, VINCE. >> KASEY JUST COMING OUT OF
MEDICAL CENTER. ARE YOU OKAY AND WHAT HAPPENED
THERE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE? >> YEAH, I'M ALL RIGHT. I WAS -- I SAW HIM SLOWING DOWN
AND MY SPOTTER SAW IT LAST SECOND. AS SOON AS HE SAID IT I HIT THE
BRAKES BUT BY THEN IT WAS WAY TOO LATE. I JUST WAS LOOKING AT THE 78 AND
HE STARTED SLOWING UP AND I WAS ALREADY INTO HIM. SO IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD HIT. I HAD A GREAT CAR, THE CHEVY WAS
TIGHT AND TIGHT AT THE START AND GETTING IT BETTER AND, YOU KNOW,
THE INCIDENT WITH VICKERS AND SO THEN WE'RE BEHIND AND JUST NEVER
GOT GOING BUT I THINK WE HAD A MUCH BETTER CAR THAN WHERE WE
WERE RUNNING. >> WHAT WAS THE SITUATION WITH
VICKERS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE? >> I ACTUALLY WAS PASSING HIM
OFF TWO AND HE DIDN'T GIVE ME ANY ROOM SO I WAS GOING TO HIT
THE WALL SO I LIFTED A LITTLE AND THEN HE WENT HIGH INTO THREE
SO I JUST -- I WAS -- THAT'S WHERE I WAS ENTERING SO I WENT
LOW TO PASS HIM AND HE CHOPPED LOW ACROSS AND SPUN HIMSELF OUT
AND I WAS -- I WAS SURPRISED THAT HE THOUGHT HE COULD USE THE
WHOLE RACETRACK. YOU KNOW, JUST HALF -- RIGHT
THERE. SO HE SPUN HIMSELF OUT AND THEN
LATER ON I WAS -- I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW -- HE WOULD BE MAD
AT ME. I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I DID
ANYTHING WRONG IN THE SITUATION BUT SO THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES
AND HE SPUN ME IN ONE. >> I'M GLAD YOU'RE OKAY. EVENT TOILOLO DAY FOR KASEY
KAHNE. NICOLE? AS YOU PROBABLY HEARD, CAUTION
FLAG HAS COME BACK OUT AFTER A 10:45 RED FLAG. CARS ABLE TO WORK ON BRAD
KESELOWSKI. LET'S GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE
SITUATION THERE NOW IN AGAIN. BECAUSE IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY
BECOME A MUST WIN FOR THEM AS WE HEAD TO TEXAS AND PHOENIX. BUT IT ALMOST DOES. >> YEAH, IT'S REALLY CLOSE RIGHT
NOW. I WILL GIVE THEM TEXAS. THE 4 CAR, KEVIN HARVICK AND
BRAD KESELOWSKI, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO POINT THEIRSELVES BACK
IN IF THEY HAVE A GOOD RUN BUT IF THEY DON'T GET IT DONE AFTER
TEXAS IT BECOMES A MUST WIN LIKE KESELOWSKI LAST WEEK AT
TALLADEGA. KESELOWSKI IS REALLY GOOD AT
TEXAS. HARVICK IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD
AT PHOENIX. IT CAN HAPPEN, BRAD. >> IT CAN BUT YOU GOT TO
REMEMBER LAST ROUND WAS CLOSE FOR BRAD KESELOWSKI. HE DIDN'T RUN TERRIBLE. HE HAD A GOOD RUN AT CHARLOTTE
LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER AND HAD TO GO AND WIN
THE RACE. THEY DID HAVE 12 VERSUS 8, YOU
KNOW, COMPETITORS IN THE CHASE. BUT IF HE DOESN'T GET A GOOD
FINISH, IF HE FINISHES IN THE 30s OR 37th, SOMETHING LIKE THAT
IT'LL BE SIGNIFICANT GOING ON TO TEXAS. HE'LL HAVE TO WIN ONE OF THOSE
TWO RACE, I DO BELIEVE, TO GET THE TO THE CHASE. >> ONE OF THE REASON I LIKE TO
SEE CHASE FORMAT. >> CASEY MEARS WAS INVOLVED IN
THAT ACCIDENT. BRAD KESELOWSKI -- HE'S OUTSIDE
THE CARE CENTER. >> GOOD TO SEE CASEY IS FIND. HOW DID YOU SEE IT? >> I DIDN'T SEE IT AT ALL. BEHIND THE 43 AND THAT'S WHY I
DIDN'T SEE AND MY SPOTTER TRIED TO REACT AND RIGHT AT THAT TIME
I RAN TO THE BACK OF THE 2, 43 PULLED DOWN. I WAS GOING TO USE THE WHOLE
TRACK AND DIDN'T REALIZE SOMEONE WAS STOPPED UP THERE AND HIT HIM
HARD AND THEN I GOT HIT HARD FROM BEHIND BUT WE HAD A PRETTY
GOOD GEICO CHEVROLET REBOUPZING FROM EARLIER WHEN WE HAD TO PULL
A LITTLE DEBRIS OFF THE CAR AND PUT US IN THE BACK AND KIND OF,
YOU KNOW, HAD A GOOD RACE GOING OWE UNFORTUNATE BUT WILD
ALTOGETHER. AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT
MARTINSVILLE IS ALL ABOUT. I LOVE THIS PLACE, I HATE WE'RE
ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THIS. >> I'M GLAD YOU'RE OKAY. TO DOC. >> OKAY, 2 CAR BEING PUSHED DOWN
PIT ROAD, HEADED BACK TO THE GARAGE, PAUL WOLFE CUED THE
RADIO THEY JACKED IT UP AND SAID IT'S NOT THE AXLE. GOT TO GO TO THE GARAGE AND JACK
IT UP AND LOOK AT THE REAR GEAR SO BRAD K. GOING BACK TO THE
GARAGE AREA NOW. ALLEN. >> ALL RIGHT, DOC, THANKS. AUSTIN DILLON IN WAS THE FIRST
ONE IN TO PIT AMONG LEAD LAP CARS THERE. CARL EDWARDS GETS THE FREE PASS
ON THIS CAUTION. DESPITE GETTING NICKED UP JUST A
LITTLE BIT IN THE REPLAY HE WAS THE FIRST LAP DOWN, GETS THE
FREE PASS AND A PIT STOP SO CARL WILL COME BACK AROUND AND PUT US
WITH 25 CARS ON THE SAME CYCLE WITH THE RACE LEADER. SO KESELOWSKI'S CAR BACK BEHIND
THE WALL AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YET ANOTHER WHAT SHOULD BE VERY
INTERESTING RESTART HERE IN JUST A MOMENT. SHADOWS GOING LONGER OVER
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. A LOOK DOWN ON THIS BEAUTIFUL
TRACK FROM OUR AERIAL COVERAGE PROVIDED BY GOODYEAR. EVERYTHING THEY LEARNED MAKING
TIRES FOR THE GRUELING DEMANDS OF NASCAR INSPIRES WHAT THEY
ROLL INTO YOURS. GOODYEAR THE OFFICIAL CAR OF
NASCAR. COMING TO ONE TO GO. SO THE RESTART WILL BE WITH 58
LAPS LEFT IN THIS ONE. >> VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW
DALE JR. HANDLES THIS
SITUATIONMENT JEFF GORDON IS GOING TO RESTART ON THE OUTSIDE. SKWOOUN REALLY WANTING TO WIN
THE RACE BUT OBVIOUSLY KNOWS GORDON'S CHASE CHANCES, BECAUSE
HE ENDS ON A RESTART AND HOW FAR HE GOES BACK, SO WHAT DOES
DALE JR. DO HERE? DOES HE GIVE GORDON THAT LITTLE
BIT OF ROOM? HE KNEES TO BE IN SECOND. >> AND THEN THERE'S DENNY
HAMLIN, ALSO STUCK IN THE OUTSIDE LINE FOR THE RESTART. PIT STOP. HOW CAN HE GET DOWN IN FRONT OF
TONY STEWART QUICKLY? >> I'M PRETTY SURE I CAN TELL
YOU HOW. HARD. AND I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT HE
WILL PROBABLY RACE GORDON THE SAME WAY. JUNIOR WANTS TO WIN THIS RACE. THAT'S WHAT HE'S HERE FOR. THAT'S WHAT HE GETS PAID TO DO. >> SO AFTER THE HAIL MARY WIN
LAST WEEK IN TALLADEGA, KESELOWSKI BEHIND THE WALL,
CLINT BOWYER THE LEADER WITH GORDON TO HIS OUTSIDE AND
DALE JR. BEHIND HIM AND 58 LAPS
TO GO. NO SLACK BEING CUT THERE. JUNIOR TO SECOND. DENNY HAMLIN WORKS TO THE INSIDE
OF JEFF GORDON FOR THIRD. >> STILL THERE. >> GORDON TRYING TO FORCE HIS
WAY. LOGANO NOT HAVING ANY OF THAT. >> GO LOW, GO LOW? FALL IN LINE IN FIFTH PLACE. NOW LOGANO NIPS THE SIDE OF
DENNY HAMLIN'S CAR. HERE COMES GORDON LOOKING FOR A
RUN ON HIM. >> DENNY HAMLIN STRUGGLES
GETTING OFF TURN FOUR. TRY TO GET A RUN. I HAVE A FEELING JEFF GORDON
WILL BE AGGRESSIVE. NOBODY IS CUTTING HIM SLACK. FASTER CAR AND I THINK HE'LL
MOVE. >> WELL, TIME TO USE THAT FRONT
BUMPER. >> THAT'S WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT
EARLIER. GOING TO NEED A GOOD STRATEGY
AND A FRONT BUMPER AND BE WILLING TO USE BOTH. >> STRATEGY IS GONE NOW. STRATEGY NOW IS TO USE THAT
BUMPER. MAKE YOUR WAY BACK TO THE FRONT. >> LOGANO IS USING HIS FRONT
BUMPER ON THE BACK OF THAT 11 CAR. >> AGAIN, TWO GUYS, GIVE AND
TAKE LEVEL WILL BE LESS THAN OTHERS BASED ON PAST HISTORY. LOGANO AND HAMLIN. >> GO FOR THAT INSIDE THE WAY
HE'S DRIVING ALL DAY THE WAY HE DRIVES THE TRACK. THIS COULD BE GET INTERESTING
HERE. GORDON IS ON THE INSIDE. HAMLIN KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THAT
WAS TO TRY TO STAY UP THERE. THIS COULD BE HIS CHANCE TO WIN
THE RACE RIGHT HERE. >> CAN HE GET IN FRONT OF TONY
STEWART. NOT IF TONY HAS A SAY. ANOTHER SPOT GIVEN UP BY HAMLIN. VINCE? WELL, THE CAR HAS BEEN HAMMING
SO WELL OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 150 LAPS BUT THAT'S NOT THE
CASE RIGHT NOW AS HAMLIN RADIOED BACK TO THE CREW CHIEF. HANDLE HAS GONE AWAY SO NOT
QUITE THE CAR THAT DENNY HAMLIN HAD PREVIOUSLY. >> SO BACK TO SIXTH PLACE. CLINT BOWYER PRESSURING FOR THE
LEAD AND DALE TRYING TO RUN HIM DOWN WITH A TAP TO BOWYER. >> A LITTLE TAP RIGHT HERE IF
GORDON GETS TO THE BACK BUMPER OF THIS 22. >> I KNOW JUNIOR AND CLINT
BOWYER ARE BUDDIES BUT THAT WON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH
WHAT HAPPENS ON THE RACETRACK. >> BUMP, BUMP, BUMP. OKAY, SO -- OH, YEAH. THEY'RE GOING TO LATCH IT UP. >> I THINK THAT'S PRETTY GOD ON
THAT LAST RUN. >> JUNIOR'S CAR IS TURNING
REALLY WELL ON THE THROTTLE OF THE EXIT OF THE CORNER. THAT'S THE WAY TO PASS. >> DALE JR., THE RACE LEAD AT
MARTINSVILLE. STILL GORDON PRESSING ON LOGANO. KNOWS HE CAN'T WAIT TOO LONG IF
HE'S GOING TO GET BY HIM. >> MAKING THAT MOVE RIGHT THERE. QUITE A BIT FASTER. TRYING TO FINDLY REALIZE IT'S
ONLY GOING TO BE A BAD SITUATION. >> YEAH, THAT WAS A SMART MOVE
BY JOEY LOGANO RIGHT THERE. THAT COULD HAVE TURNED OUT
REALLY BAD FOR HIM HAD HE NOT GIVEN THAT SPOT UP TO JEFF. I THINK JEFF IS GOING TO TAKE
IT. >> I KNOW PEOPLE HATE THE PHRASE
POINTS RACING BUT THE REALITY IS THAT JOEY LOGANO'S WON A LOT OF
RAYS THIS YEAR AND IF HE DOESN'T FEEL LIKE HE HAS A CAR THAT WILL
WIN THE RACE TODAY, THAT IS INTELLIGENT RACING. >> HOLDING UP A GUY THAT KNOWS
HE CAN WIN. THAT'S THE PROBLEM AND LOGANO
CAME HERE WANTING A GOOD SOLID RUN KNOWING THAT HE'S GOING TO
TEXAS NEXT WEEK THEIR BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN THAT RACE. IF THEY COULD JUST BE SOLID HERE
THEN IF THEY HAPPEN NOT TO WIN AT TEXAS HAVE A TOP FIVE RUN
WHICH HE'S BEEN MAGNIFICENT AT DOING, THEY COULD POINT THEIR
WAY THERE. >> WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT THIS
SYSTEM, YOU CAN MAKE TOP FIVES OR YOU CAN MAKE VICTORIES WORK
BUT YOU GOT TO BE SOLID IN ALL OF IT. NOT BE MAKING MISTAKES. >> TONY STEWART, SHOWING THE
NOSE ON LOGANO. AND A LITTLE BUMP TO SAY, I'M
READY. WATCHING JEFF GORDON, CLINT
BOWYER AND DALESON. GORDON IS FASTER THAN THE TWO IN
FRONT OF HIM AS STEWART GOES AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF LOGANO AND
STEWART MOVES UP TO FOURTH. >> I THINK THE BIG PART OF
GORDON'S DEAL HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE HIM WHEN HE GETS TO BOWYER. 'CATCHING BOWYER. HOW LONG IS HE GOING TO TAKE HIM
THERY IS HE GOING TO HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO TRY TO BRING JUNIOR
DOWN. >> AGREE OR DISAGREE BUT THE
CLOSER YOU ARE TO FINISH THE LESS TIME YOU'RE WILLING TO
WAIT. >> ABSOLUTELY. FIGURE THAT MADE SENSE BUT I
FIGURED I'D ASK YOU ALL A FAVOR. CAN GORDON HUNT DOWN BOWYER AND
EARNHARDT JR. WHO WILL TAKE HOME THE
GRANDFATHER CLOCK. NASCAR.COM PRESENTED BY
AUTOZONE. .
>>> AS YOU SAW IN NASCAR NONSTOP JEFF GORDON HAS GOTTEN BY CLINT
BOWYER, ALSO OF NOTE, BRAD KESELOWSKI HAS COME BACK FROM
THE GARAGE AREA, 32nd PLACE, 28 LAPS DOWN BUT BACK ON THE
SPEEDWAY. SO CAN GORDON RUN DOWN DALE
EARNHARDT JR.? WILL THERE BE ANOTHER YELLOW OR
TWO OR THREE? AND HOW IS THIS ONE GOING TO
PLAY OUT TODAY IN MARTINSVILLE? CERTAINLY THE 24 CAR HAS BEEN
THE CLASS OF THE FEEL FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DAY EVEN WHEN HE
HASN'T BEEN LEADING. HE'S HAD ONE IF NOT THE FASTEST
CAR ON THE RACETRACK. >> AND THAT ONE GOT CAUGHT FOR
SPEEDING ON PIT ROAD PUTTING UP THE BACK -- I THINK HE STARTED
LIKE 35th IN LINE. MADE A NICE RECOVERY. >> HOW ABOUT 30th. 30th. YEAH. >> JUNIOR'S GOT A CLEAR TRACK
FOR A LITTLE WHILE HERE. WHAT'S GOING TO DETERMINE A LOT
OF WHAT HE'S ABLE TO DO IS HOW GENEROUS THIS TRAFFIC IS ONCE HE
CATCHES THE END OF THE FIELD HERE. THEY WILL GIVE HIM PLENTY OF
ROOM TO RUN THE LINE HE HAS TO RUN. >> TELL TALE -- BOTH TO SEE WHO
HAS THE BEST CAR. >> DALE EARNHARDT JR., A TICK
FASTER THAN JEFF GORDON. 0.06 SECONDS. OF COURSE, IN MARTINSVILLE
EVERYTHING IS -- ALL THE MARGINS ARE SMALLER. TICKS CAN MEAN DOZENS OF PLACES
IN THE FIELD HERE. >> SECOND AND A HALF LEAD SO
THAT'S PRETTY SIZABLE ON A SHORT TRACK TOO. >> BUT HE'S GOING TO CATCH
TRAFFIC IF WE STAY GREEN TO THE FINISH. >> THAT TIME BY JEFF GORDON
ABOUT 0.05 SECONDS FASTER. >> SEE GORDON ATTACK THE CORNER
AND LET HIS CAR ROLL GOING UP IN THE CENTER AND REALLY CUTTING IT
DOWN GETTING A BIG RUN OFF THE CORNER TRYING TO RUN JUNIOR
DOWN. >> DENNY HAMLIN HAS FALLEN BACK
TO SIXTH PLACE. RYAN NEWMAN HAS RECOVERED TO
EIGHTH. MATT KENSETH HAS RECOVERED TO
TENTH CHAMPIONSHIP PICTUREWISE. JAMES JAMIE VERY AGGRESSIVE
SINCE LOSING HIS TRACK POSITION AND HAVE THE HANDLE ON THAT 1
CAR STRAIGHTENED UP AND PULLING HIS WAY UP THROUGH SOME OF THE
TRAFFIC BUT WAY BACK IN 11th PLACE WITH 26 LAPS TO GO. >> WELL, I'M LIKING WHAT I SEE
ABOUT JUNIOR. RIGHT AROUND THE BOTTOM -- A.J. ALLMENDINGER, OUTSTANDING RUN
ALL DAY HAS HE TRIES TO TAKE ANOTHER SPOT AWAY FROM KYLE
BUSCH. >> 8th, 9th, 10th AND 11th WITH
McMURRAY CREEPING INTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PICTURE AND, AGAIN,
AS I MENTIONED BEING VERY AGGRESSIVE SINCE THIS RESTART. HE'S NUDGED A COUPLE OF PEOPLE
OUT OF THE WAY. >> THE THING IS IF WE HAVE ONE
MORE CAUTION, WE'LL HAVE MULTIPLE -- JUNIOR IS HOPING
THAT WON'T BE THE SITUATION. >> JEFF GORDON JUST A LITTLE BIT
QUICKER THAN JUNIOR BUT HE'S NOT ENOUGH QUICKER TO MAKE UP THE
DISTANCE. >> JIMMIE JOHNSON ON PIT ROAD
WITH THE GREEN FLAG. >> WATCHING WHAT DALE JR. IS
DOING WITH THE LINE HE'S RUNNING AS HE COMES UP TO THE LAP CARS
THE LINE HE'S RUNNING IS GOING TO BENEFIT HIM BETTER THAN THE
LINE THAT GORDON IS RUNNING TO MAKE THE SPEED THAT HE IS. YOON-HYE IS RIGHT AROUND THE
BOTTOM. NOT MANY PEOPLE CAN HOLD THEIR
CAR DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW. I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO COST
HIM AS MUCH TIME AS IT'S GOING TO COST GORDON. >> AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T CATCH
HIM RUNNING SIDE BY SIDE. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE ISSUE
MUCH THAT'S WHAT HE'S LOOKING AT IN FRONT. >> YEAH. >> J.J. YELEY AND ALEX BOWMAN
SIDE BY SIDE IN FRONT OF THE RACE LEADER. DAVID GILLILAND JUST IN FRONT OF
THEM. >> EITHER ONE OF HIS CARS. >> YOU KNOW, JUNIOR IS JUST
HOLDING HIS BREATH HOPING THE -- >> A LOT OF TRAFFIC. >> YEAH, GORDON'S SPOT, GORDON
KNOWS THAT JUNIOR'S PROGRESS COULD BE IMPEDED JUST A LITTLE
BIT AND IF IT'S TIME TO POUNCE, HE SHOULD DO THAT. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE WHOLE
SITUATION HERE. SINGLE FILE AND HE CAN MOVE
THROUGH. >> DAVID GILLILAND GAVE WAY. YELEY IS NEXT UP. HE HEADS TO THE OUTSIDE LANE. AND JUNIOR IS THROUGH HIM. >> TRACK OF DALE JR. ALWAYS
REALLY BEEN GOOD AT. BUT NEVER BEEN QUITE THAT BEST
CAR OF THE DAY. AND NOT SAYING HE WAS THE BEST
ONE HERE TODAY, BUT HE'S GOTTEN HIS CAR AND GOTTEN HIMSELF INTO
POSITION AT THE RIGHT TIME. YOU SEE, THIS IS WHERE GORDON
HAD THAT -- HE'S LOSING TIME BECAUSE HE DOESN'T GO AROUND THE
OUTSIDE. HE KNOWS HE'S GOING TO GET TWO
OF THEM AT ONE TIME HERE. STILL COST HIM SOME TIME ON THE
EXIT OF TURN TWO. >> REALLY LIKE CARL EARLIER IN
THE RACE, STEVE LETARTE BROUGHT JUNIOR IN TO GET TIRES. A LOT OF THEM STAYED OUT AND THE
REASON HE DID BECAUSE HE WOULD ARE TO LINE UP ON THE OUTSIDE
LANE ON A RESTART. I THOUGHT THAT WAS SENATOR AND
INSIGHTFUL FOR HIM TO DO THAT AND REALLY WORKED OUT FOR HIM. >> PITTED FROM FOURTH PLACE BACK
AT LAP 279. AND HE RESTARTED IN 11th AT THAT
POINT. IN YEAH, BUT THROUGH THERE, IT'S
KIND OF PUT HIM ON A GOOD CYCLE SINCE THEN. >> YOU CAN SEE THE TRAFFIC. GORDON GOT INTO THERE AND JUNIOR
WAS ABLE TO BYPASS THEM PRETTY EASILY BUT IT'S COST GORDON 0.3
SECONDS. HE CUT THE LEAD DOWN UNDER A
SECOND. >> TALKING ABOUT PRECIOUS
POINTS. DENNY HAMLIN, RYAN NEWMAN
FIGHTING FOR SPOTS AND WITH A HAM ON HIS CAR BEING SHAKY HE'S
HANGING ON TO EVERY POSITION HE CAN TO THE CHECKERED FLAG. >> I THOUGHT WHEN HE MADE HIS
WAY UP THERE, I BELIEVE, IT WAS THIRD, PUTTING HIMSELF INTO
POSITION TO GO UP THERE AND WIN THE RACE. NOW HE'S BATTLING WITH ANOTHER
CHASE DRIVER RIGHT ON HIS BUMPER GNAWING AT HIM
>> A.J. ALLMENDINGER, MATT
KENSETH RIGHT THERE IN THE PICTURE. >> HOW ABOUT MATT KENSETH MAKING
A COMEBACK. >> INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT WITH
KEVIN HARVICK EARLIER RACING FOR A SIXTH POSITION. AS HE GETS HIS DAMAGE ON THAT 20
CAR. NOW YOU SEE THAT ALL THE WAY
BACK UP INTO THE TOP TEN. TROUBLE, TURN THREE AND FOUR. THERE'S ANOTHER ONE HIDDEN IN
THE CLOUD OF SMOKE, I CAN'T SEE. MARCOS AMBROSE DRIVES OUT OF IT. AND THE YELLOW FLAG THAT
DALE JR. DID NOT WANT TO SEE HAS
JUST HAPPENED. >> OH, BOY. NOT EVEN SURE JEFF GORDON WANTED
TO SEE THAT BECAUSE HE HAD STARTED MAKING HIS WAY BACK
TOWARDS JUNIOR NOW. NOW HE'LL BE -- POSSIBLY THEY'LL
PIT HERE. >> YEAH, I MEAN THEY GOT 2 CARS
ON THE LEAD LAP AND ABOUT 10 TO GO. THIS MAY BE ONE OF THOSE
INCIDENTS THAT TAKES A WHILE TO UNFOLD SO ONE OF THOSE THAT
HAPPENS IN A FEW DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE RACETRACK. JAMIE McMURRAY HAD RUSHED UP
MARCOS AMBROSE WHEN HE PASSED HIM. NOW THE TIRES AND AMBROSE IS
CATCHING HIM BACK AGAIN. >> A LOT GOING ON THERE. >> AND WHETHER THAT'S REELED IN
ANY WAY TO, HEY, YOU'RE ROUGHING UP MY TEAMMATE AND I DON'T LIKE
IT OR LARSON TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GETTING A SPOT ON
HIM. >> BATTLING FOR 12th SO I
WOULDN'T THINK THAT WAS THE CASE. I THINK THAT WAS JUST MORE THAT
LARSON JUST, YOU KNOW, RACING HARD HERE AT THE END. SAW A LITTLE BIT OF AN OPENING
THERE. ALTHOUGH AMBROSE WAS -- NOT LIKE
HE WAS HIGH GOING INTO TURN THREE. >> AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE
SECOND RED FLAG OF THIS RACE. >> SO THE FIELD STOPPED WITH TEN
LAPS TO GO. AND THE OUTCOME VERY MUCH IN
DOUBT AND A LOT OF LIQUID COMING OUT OF THE 42 CAR FROM WHERE HE
POPPED THE WALL UP IN TURN NUMBER FOUR. HE'S OUT OF THE CAR WALKING
AWAY. BUT ANOTHER BIG MESS TO BE
CLEANED UP HERE. AND WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE TO
SETTLE THIS ONE? THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO KNOW. >> INTERESTING TO SEE. WHEN IT UNFOLDS WE WILL FIND
OUT. INTERESTING IS THE WORD DOWN TO
THE QUICKEN LOANS PIT STUDIO. RUSTY AND BRAD, ANY MORE
INTERESTING WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT? >> WE HAVE SOME, FIRST OF ALL,
IF THEY STAY THE SAME THEY'LL START ON THE OUTSIDE BUT HERE'S
THE QUESTION DO YOU PIT, DO YOU STAY OUT? >> OH, MAN, AS A DRIVER I WANT
THE TIRES. I WANT THE --
>> YOU CAN'T. >> BUT I THINK THEY'LL HAVE
SEVEN LAPS TO GO. I THINK I'D STAY OUT AND ROLL
THE DICE AND STAY OUT. I KNOW IT'S CATCHY OR IT'S
TOUGH, BUT, MAN, I HATE TO MAKE A PIT STOP IF SOMETHING GOES
WRONG. >> I AGREE. >> I'M GOING TO STAY OUT. >> WHAT IF YOU'RE RICK
HENDRICKS -- >> RESTARTING SIDE BY SIDE, JEFF
GORDON TO WIN A RACE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. JUNIOR, WHOO. >> BECAUSE IF JEFF GORDON WINS
THIS RACE AS CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE CHASE DRIVER, A WIN HERE MEANS
HE IS AUTOMATICALLY ENDS UP IN MIAMI AT THE 25% SHOT AT THE
CHAMPIONSHIP. >> HE'S ON THE OUTSIDE. >> DALE EARNHARDT JR. GOES TO
VICTORY LANE, IT'S JUST ANOTHER WIN FOR DALE EARNHARDT JR. >> AND JUNIOR NATION. >> HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE --
>> LET ME TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET A GUY LIKE
DALE EARNHARDT JR. TO THROW THE
RACE. >> OH, I'M NOT SAYING THAT. >> ALMOST.
>> 24 CARS -- A TOUGH, TOUGH DEAL. >> I'M JUST SAYING --
>> WHOO. >> AND IN THAT SITUATION, IF YOU
ARE MR. HENDRICKS. LET'S FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON
IN THE 88 CAR. >> WE'LL FIND OUT FROM STEVE
LETARTE. MAYBE THIS ISN'T AT ALL. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL DO? >> WE'LL FIND OUT WHEN THE PIT
OPENS WHAT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO DO. I DON'T KNOW HOW HE'D BE
SUCCESSFUL WITH NEW TIRES. ALL WEEKEND LONG AND SIX OR
SEVEN LAPS TO GO. WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT EVERYBODY
DOES AND WHAT -- TEN MORE GREEN IS ALL I WAS HOPING FOR. WE'LL SEE. WE HAD A GREAT CAR. DALE DID A GREAT JOB SO WE'LL
SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE SHOW. >> WHAT'S THE KEY TODAY STARTING
WITH A REALLY, REALLY GOOD CAR BUT BETTER ADJUSTMENTS KEEPING
UP WITH THE TRACK. >> BOTH. I THINK WE DID EVERYTHING WE
NEEDED TO DO AND HIS FEEDBACK HAS BEEN GREAT PATIENT BEHIND
THE WE WILL AND ENGINEERS FORCED ME TO STAY IN FRONT OF THE TRACK
AND THINK WE DID THAT IN OUR ADJUSTMENTS AND TEED TO CLOSE
OUT THE LAST TEN. >> ONE LAST ADJUSTMENT AND SEE
WHAT THEY CHOOSE. DOC. >> CHECKING WITH BRIAN PATTIE
FOR CLINT BOWYER. OKAY, UNDER RED FLAG, I KNOW YOU
ARE TALKING -- WHAT DO YOU DO NOW? >> I KNOW WE'RE PLENTY GOOD ON
GAS. I MADE THE DECISION, WE'LL SEE
WHAT HAPPENS. I CAME TORE THAT CLOCK. BUT TO DO --
>> YOU SAID SINCE YOU GUYS ARE NOT A CHASE FACTOR IT'S ALL
ABOUT WINNING RACES. IS THE BEST CALL TO GIVE YOU A
SHOT TO WIN TIRES HERE OR KEEP -- DOES HE ENOUGH ON THE
RACETRACK TO WIN THE RACE? >> I'LL FIND OUT IN A COUPLE
MINUTES. YEAH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE
ON A DIFFERENT PROGRAM. DIDN'T MAKE THE CHASE WHICH
STINKS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING FOR TROPHIES AND LAST WEEK
WE HAD A GOOD RUN AND THIS WEEK WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER GOOD RUN SO
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CALL WILL BE YET. I'LL MAKE THE DECISION HERE SOON
BUT WHATEVER IT IS, WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR THE TROPHY IF WE'LL
STAND HERE AND WATCH HIM FLIP A COIN. I HAVE AN IDEA WHAT THEY MIGHT
DO. TALKING IT OVER AND GETTING A
LOT OF INPUT, ALLEN AS TO WHETHER THEY SHUT PUT TIRES ON
OR WAIT FOR OTHERS TO MAKE THE MOVE AND STAY OUT AND TRY TO WIN
THE RACE. >> ALL RIGHT, DOC, CHAMPION CREW
CHIEF ANDY PETREE, 22 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. TIRES ARE WORTH SOMETHING. >> THEY'RE WORTH A LOT. PUT ALL THIS PRESSURE ON ME NOW? >> A MANY. WHAT ARE YOU DOING. >> DOC, HE TRIED TO GET IT OUT
OF BRIAN PATTIE. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO BUT YOU
DON'T WANT TO TELL ANYBODY BECAUSE THE OTHER GUYS ARE
LISTENING. IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH. I THINK I WOULD STAY OUT AND
WOULD HOPE I WOULD GET A BUNCH OF MY FRIENDS TO STAY WITH ME. IF THEY DON'T AND HANG YOU OUT
AND HE STAYS OUT AND THE RESPITE, HE'S DONE BUT IT'S JUST
GOING TO BE A TRICKY LITTLE CALL FOR ALL THESE GUYS. >> I GO BACK TO WHAT JASON
RATCLIFF TOLD ME EARLIER. IF YOU MAKE THAT CALL TO STAY
OUT WHAT YOU'RE HOPING FOR THERE ARE SIX OR ACCEPT OF THEM THAT
STAY OUT AND YOU CAN GET THAT LITTLE BUFFER BEHIND YOU. SWITCH IT FROM THE CREW CHIEF
MODE TO IF THEY STAY OUT, JEFF GORDON MODE AND NOW AGAIN YOU
FIND YOURSELF RESTARTING ON THE OUTSIDE OF DALE EARNHARDT JR. DESPERATELY RACING FOR A WIN
WITHOUT A LOT OF LAPS TO DO IT. >> YOUR BEST BET THERE IN
GORDON'S CASE GET A GOOD RESTART AND HOPE THE DRIVER ON THE
INSIDE IS CLINT BOWYER THAT STAY THERE IS IN THIRD THAT YOU CAN
GET IN BEHIND JUNIOR QUICKLY AND NOT LOSE ANY MORE SPOTS THAN
THAT AND HOPE JUNIOR GETS A GOOD SPOT AND JUMP IN THERE AND WORK
ON HIM. IF THIS WERE FIVE MORE LAPS OR
FIVE LESS LAPS THEY HAD THE DECISION WOULD BE EASY FROM THAT
POINT. THEY'RE RIGHT AT THAT POINT NOW
IT'S A TOUGH, TOUGH DECISION. I KNOW AS A DRIVER YOU CERTAINLY
WANT ALL THE GRIP YOU CAN BUT AS A DRIVER WHAT YOU WANT THE MOST
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN THE RACE AND I THINK I'M GOING TO
AGREE WITH ANDY STAYING OUT THERE YOU'LL SEE OTHERS THAT
PROBABLY DO BUT THOSE FIRST TWO WILL BE THE KEY. >> AS FOR THE QUESTION, THE PIT
STUDIO IS BATTING ABOUT TEAMMATES RICK HENDRICK STATED
THERE'S NO TEAM ORDER FOR HIS TEAM. DON'T WRECK EACH OTHER. I SEE NO REASON FOR RICK TO VARY
FROM THAT. HE HAS TO ANSWER TO THE FANS AND
SPONSORS OF DALE EARNHARDT JR. HIS DRIVERS KNOW, RACE HARD BUT
RACE CLEAN AND MAY THE BEST DRIVER AND TEAM IN THIS MOMENT
TODAY TAKE HOPE THE GRANDFATHER CLOCK. >> THEY MAY -- THEY STAY OUT ON
THESE TIRES THEY MAY WRECK EACH OTHER. NO, IT WILL BE NOT INTENTIONALLY
BUT RISING TO WIN THE RACE. >> GLAD THEY'RE IN THAT POSITION
BUT IT COULD HAPPEN. >> NOW, BY THE TIME THEY PIT,
LINE THEM UP FOR THE RESTART WE WON'T HAVE ANY MORE THAN SIX
LAPS LEFT IN THIS ONE AND IF ALL SIX GO GREEN AND WITH THE
DESPERATION WE'LL SEE IN THE FINAL LAPS. CHECK WITH VINCE. >> IT'S BEEN A GREAT RUN FOR
TONY STEWART SO FAR TODAY. CURRENTLY SITS FOURTH. CREW CHIEF CHAD JOHNSON WHAT ARE
THE PROS AND CONS OF STAYING OUT OR COMING IN. >> YOU HAVE 60 LAPS ON YOUR
TIRES SO A LOT OF LAPS ON TIRES. THEY GIVE UP QUITE A BIT ON THE
RUN SO GOING TO DEPEND HOW MANY LAPS YOU HAVE WHEN YOU GO GREEN
AND HOW MANY SWAY OW AND GIVE YOU A BUFFER TO COME TO TAKE
TIRES. >> BEEN SUCH A GOOD DAY FOR YOU. SOMETHING YOU NEEDED. A BIG SHOT IN THE ARM BUT HOW
IMPORTANT IS THE RESULT TO SHOW FOR IT HERE. >> I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
NOW. YOU KNOW, TRY TO JUST GET A
SOLID FABULOUS WHERE YOU'VE BEEN RUNNING ALL DAY AND TAKE A
GAMBLE AND SEE IF YOU CAN'T GET TO VICTORY LANE. >> A LOT OF BIG DECISIONS TO BE
MADE. DAVE. >> MR. HENDRICK DOESN'T HAVE TO
MAKE THE DECISION, I'M SURE HE WILL SUPPORT WHATEVER DIGS ARE
MADE. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE
HAPPEN HERE? >> I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE NOT SEEN
THAT CAUTION. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
SEEN. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES
WE'VE BEEN UP HERE AND THIS HAS HAPPENED. I REMEMBER RUNNING ONE, TWO,
THREE AND WE STAYED OUT AND GOT WRECKED, ALL THREE OF THEM IN
THE CORNER. I THINK WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. WE GOT TO COME GET TIRES. I'LL LET THEM MAKE THAT
DECISION. I'LL GO ALONG WITH WHATEVER THEY
DECIDE. I DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE CALL. >> WE SPOKE STATING YOU'D LIKE
TO SEE YOUR DRIVERS RACE FOR THE WIN NO TEAM ORDERS. IS THAT THE WAY YOU LIKE TO SEE
YOUR DRIVERS RUN? >> I'M SORRY. >> NO TEAM ORDERS, RICK HAS BEEN
YOUR STANDARD FOR A LONG TIME AND HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE
YOUR DRIVERS RACE TO THE END. >> THEY'LL RUN EACH OTHER CLEAN. BOTH WANT TO WIN. JEFF WOULD LIKE TO GET LOCKED
INTO THE FINAL ROUND AND DALE WANTS A CLOCK SO, YOU KNOW, YOU
CAN'T HAVE TEAM ORDERS. JUST LET THEM RACE. THEY RESPECT EACH OTHER. THEY'LL RACE EACH OTHER CLEAN. >> RICK, IN 2004 IN OKAY, YOU
WALKED AWAY WITH A VICTORY BUT YOU ALSO HAD A TREMENDOUS LOSS
THAT DAY. TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WHAT
WOULD IT MEAN FOR YOU DALE OR JEFF TO END UP WITH A WIN TODAY? >> YOU KNOW, IT WOULD MEAN A
LOT. THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, WE MISS
THOSE FOLKS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND THEY MEANT SO MUCH TO THE
ORGANIZATION, IT'S REALLY EVERY YEAR YOU THINK ABOUT IT BUT THIS
YEAR IS SPECIAL TEN YEARS AND SO IT WILL WOULD MEAN A LOT TO THE
ORGANIZATION. MEAN A LOT TO MY FAMILY AND ALL
OF THE FAMILIES. WE ARE ONE BIG FAMILY AT
MOTORSPORTS SO HOPEFULLY ONE CAN PULL IT OFF, BUT WE'LL ALWAYS
HONOR THOSE GUYS IN VICTORY LANE EVERY SINGLE RACE AND JUST DON'T
EVER FORGET THAT. >> WE'LL WATCH WITH YOU. >> ALLEN. >> THANKS. >> THEY HAD A SERVICE ON TUESDAY
NIGHT AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS WITH SOME 600 PEOPLE IN
ATTENDANCE REMEMBERING THOSE WHO DIED IN THAT PLANE CRASH TEN
YEARS AGO, RICK'S SON RICKY, HIS BROTHER JOHN, JOHN'S DAUGHTERS,
KIMBERLY AND JENNIFER. JEFF TURNER, RANDY THORNTON FROM
HENDRICK MOTORSPORT, JOE JACKSON FROM DuPONT, TONY STEWART'S
PILOT, SCOTT AND THE PILOTS OF THE PLANE RICHARD TRACY AND
ELIZABETH MORRISON. IF YOU HAVEN'T HEAD HIS
DISCUSSION WITH RICK HENDRICK ON REMEMBERING THAT ON ESPN.COM
THIS WEEK, I HIGHLY URGE YOU TO GO AND DO SO. IT'S A TERRIFICALLY WRITTEN
PIECE AND MR. HENDRICK CERTAINLY
POURS ALL OF THE EMOTIONS OF THE SITUATION OUT. CAN HE TAKE HOME A GRANDFATHER
CLOCK TODAY WITH WHAT WOULD BE HIS 22nd VICTORY AT
MARTINSVILLE? THE YELLOW FLAG BACK OUT. THE RED FLAG WITHDRAWN. PIT ROAD WILL BE OPEN AS SOON AS
THE FIELD IS CLEAR. THERE'S ONE CAR THAT HASN'T
FIRED UP ON THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. MIKE WALLACE CAR BEING PUSHED
AWAY. PIT ROAD JUST BEEN DECLARED
OPEN. SO HERE IT IS, THE MOMENT OF
DECISION. WHO HANGS THE LEFT, WHO STAYS
OUT? THEY'RE IN. JUNIOR AND JEFF GORDON, FIRST
IN. FIELD KIND OF SPREAD OUT. THIS MIGHT HELP SOME PEOPLE. SAVE SOME TRACK POSITION ON THE
PIT ROAD. IF SOME OTHERS CHOSE TO TRY AND
GO WITH JUST TWO TIRE, DAVE. >> STEVE LETARTE TOLD HIS
DRIVER, THE 8, I LEFT YOU OUT IN 2012. THAT DID NOT WORK OUT SO WELL, I
GOT TO BRING YOU IN FOR TIRES IF WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS THING. FOUR TIRES FOR JUNIOR. MIKE.
>> 24, WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE AND FELT
LIKE THEY HAD NO CHOICE BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE SO WORN,
RACETRACK COMPLETELY SHADED AND JEFF SAYING IT'S BEEN LOOSE
BECAUSE OF THAT. FOUR-TIRE CHANGE AS THEY TRY TO
MAKE THAT CAR JUST SO PERFECT THAT IT CAN GET BY HIS TEAMMATE
HERE IN THE CLOSING LAPS. GORDON IS AWAY. WE'RE GOING OUT ON THE 2. LOGANO NOW FEELING LIKE HIS CAR
IS COMING TO A FOUR-TIRE CHANGE THERE AND HE IS NOW AWAY. >> SO CLINT BOWYER WILL BE FIRST
OFF THE PIT LANE. THERE ARE THREE CARS THAT DID
NOT PIT, TONY STEWART, RICKY STENHOUSE AND DAVID RAGAN STAYED
ON THE RACETRACK. CLINT BOWYER BY BEING FIRST OFF
THE PIT LANE WILL RESTART ON THE OUTSIDE OF ROW NUMBER TWO AND
THEN THERE WAS THIS GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE COMING TO THE END OF
THE PIT ROAD BETWEEN DENNY HAMLIN AND JEFF GORDON TO SEE
WOULD WAS GOING TO BE ON THE OUTSIDE LANE AND WHO WAS GOING
TO BE ON THE INSIDE LANE. >> HARD TO FIGURE IT BECAUSE THE
CARS THAT STAYED OUT -- >> A LITTLE CONTACT THERE TOO. >> AND GORDON STOPPED AND DENNY
STOPPED AND THEN THEY HAD TO GO. >> SO TONY STEWART WILL BE THE
NEW LEADER OF THE RACE. RICKY STENHOUSE WILL BE SECOND. DAVID RAGAN WILL BE THIRD THEN
IT'LL BE CLINT BOWYER FOURTH. DALE JR. FIFTH. DENNY HAMLIN SIXTH. JEFF GORDON, SEVENTH. >> HEY, WE STILL GOT A SHOT AT
THIS, BUD. >> YES, WE DO. >> AND THE RESTART IS GOING TO
COME WITH FIVE LAPS TO GO. >> I THINK THE ONE THING THAT
TONY STEWART HAS WORKING IN HIS FAVOR RIGHT NOW THE FIRST CAR
WITH ANY TIRES IS ON THE OUTSIDE LINING UP. THAT WILL BE SMOKE'S ADVANTAGE
IF HE CAN GET A GOOD RESTART. I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN THE
LAST CAUTION AND THAT WILL PLAY IN TONY STEWART'S FAVOR TOO. >> THESE LAST FIVE LAPS PROBABLY
CAN'T HOLD OFF GUYS WITH TIRES. QUICK CAUTION AND THEN ANOTHER
ONE. >> SO HERE WE GO, 22 CARS ON THE
LEAD LAP. FIVE LAPS TO GO IN THE RACE,
STEWART, STENHOUSE, BOWYER, DALE EARNHARDT, HAMLIN, NEWMAN,
ALLMENDINGER, WHO WILL WIN IT AT MARTINSVILLE AND GORDON. >> STENHOUSE SHOVED ASIDE. BOWYER CAN'T GET THROUGH. THREE WIDE GOING INTO TURN
THREE. JUNIOR, JEFF GORDON THROUGH TO
THIRD. >> GO GET HIM. >> FOR THE RACE LEAD, NO
CONTEST, DALE EARNHARDT JR. THROUGH, THREE LAPS TO GO. HERE COMES JEFF GORDON THE
SECOND. >> BACK WHERE WE WERE AT THE
FRONT. >> A LOT OF BUMPERS BEING BANGED
BACK IN THE PACK BUT FOCUS ON THE RACE TO WIN. COMING TO TWO LAPS TO GO. A MILE LEFT IN MARTINSVILLE. >> STILL FIVE BACK, GOOD TO GO. >> JEFF GORDON SAILING OFF INTO
TURN THREE, TRYING TO GET THERE. ONE LAP TO GO. WE'RE IN THE LAST LAP. >> WHITE FLAG. >> NEXT FLAG ENDS IT CHECKER --
HE RUN IT DOWN OR CAN DALE JR. HOLD HIM OFF. >> STILL FIVE BACK. NO PRESSURE. >> CHECKERED FLAG AND HIS FIRST
MARTINSVILLE WIN, DALE EARNHARDT JR. GETS IT OVER JEFF GORDON. >> THERE IT IS. >> GUTSY CALL. >> WAY TO GO. HATS OFF. >> DALE EARNHARDT JR. EXECUTED
IT PERFECTLY. >> HEY, THAT'S SWEET. >> WHAT A DRIVE. WHAT A CELEBRATION. OUR GOODYEAR PERFORMER DALE
EARNHARDT JR. TODAY AT
MARTINSVILLE HAD HIS CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES QUASHED LAST
WEEK AT TALLADEGA. COMES RIGHT BACK AS HE AND STEVE
LETARTE ARE DOWN TO THE FINAL FOUR RACES TOGETHER AND A
GRANDFATHER CLOCK TROPHY HE SO COVETS AS A STUDENT OF THE
HISTORY OF THIS SPORT GOING HOME WITH HIM TODAY. >> YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO
BE THAT CHAMPIONSHIP YEAR THAT HE WAS HOPING FOR BUT WHAT A
YEAR. DAYTONA 500. WINNING AT TWO TRACKS, POCONO
AND NOW MARTINSVILLE THAT HE HAD NEVER WON AT. THAT'S A LOT OF SUCCESS FOR DALE
JR. >> CELEBRATION FOR DALE
EARNHARDT JR., ONE OF THE EMOTIONS FOR JEFF GORDON, MIKE. >> HE CAME UP A CAR LENGTH SHORT
OF GETTING THAT VICTORY BUT STILL A GREAT RUN FOR YOU. GREAT RUN FOR HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS. HOW DO YOU LOOK AT TODAY? ?
YEAH, IT WAS A GAIT FEELING. GREAT PERFORMANCE, REALLY GOOD
FINISH. I MEAN, I ABOUT DID THIS ON PIT
ROAD. MADE A MISTAKE THERE AND WAS
SPEEDING SO THAT WAS A GREAT COMEBACK. I THOUGHT WE HAD THE CAR TO BEAT
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE AT THE END WE KIND OF STUCK ON THE OUTSIDE
WITH ONE OF THOSE RESTARTS AND GOT OUT THERE SO AT THAT POINT
IT WAS JUST ABOUT CLAWING OUR WAY BACK UP IN THERE AND ME AND
DENNY WERE HAVING A GREAT BATTLE THEN MADE PIT STOPS AND THOSE
LAST COUPLE OF LAPS WERE WILD. CONGRATULATIONS TO DALE JR. THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S -- THAT'S WHERE
YOU CAN POSSIBLY PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE WE LOST TEN YEARS AGO AND
HAVE A ONE-TWO FINISH. PRETTY AWESOME. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE
GOTTEN THAT WIN TO MOVE ON TO HOMESTEAD BUT THIS IS CERTAINLY
A GREAT START AND TWO MORE GREAT TRACKS. REALLY PROUD OF HIM AND I KNOW
THAT MEANS A LOT TO HIM AND THE FANS. >> THE FANS ENJOY IT TOO. ROUSING APPLAUSE FOR DALE
EARNHARDT JR. >> WHAT A GREAT DAY FOR TONY
STEWART TO LEAD 1 LAPS AND BRING IT HOME IN FOURTH. SUCH A TOUGH CALL AT THE END. DO YOU COME AND TAKE TIRES OR
STAY OUT AND HOPE THAT THE TRACK POSITION IS ENOUGH? WOULD YOU THINK OF THE DIG AND
HOW SPECIAL IS IT TO HAVE THIS DAY TODAY? >> IF WE HAD TO DO THAT 100
TIMES OVER WE'D DO THE SAME THING BUT SO WINTER DEHAVE
ANYTHING TO LOSE. WORTH THE GAMBLE. YOU KNOW, WHERE WE WERE AT IN
FIFTH YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS GOING TO GET TWO TIRES OR WHAT
WOULD HAPPEN. SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN. A LOT OF VARIABLES THAT COULD
HAVE GONE WRONG THERE AND, YOU KNOW, I'D RATHER HAVE TAKEN THE
CHANCE AND HAD TO FIGHT AT THE END LIKE THAT SO, YOU KNOW, WE
STILL ENDED UP A SPOT POINTER THAN WE WERE BEFORE THE CAUTION
CAME OUT SO I THINK THAT'S ABOUT ALL YOU CAN ASK FOR AND MOBIL
AND CHEVY, CHAD JOHNSON, ALL THESE GUYS, DID AN AWESOME JOB. THIS CAR WAS PRETTY GOOD ALL
WEEKEND. IT WAS BETTER TODAY THAN IT HAD
BEEN FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AND JUST CAN'T THANK TONY MORRIS AND
RUSTY RUSH, EVERYBODY AT MOBIL 1, ERIC AND HIS STAFF AND MOST
OF ALL OUR FANS THAT HAVE BEEN -- THEY HAVE BEEN PLOWING A
TOUGH ROAD FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS AND THIS TOP FIVE IS FOR
THE FANS MORE THAN ANYBODY. >> WELL DONE. ALLEN. >> TONY STEWART FINISHING FOURTH
TODAY UNOFFICIALLY. VICTORY LANE IS SET UP ALONG THE
MAIN STRAIGHTAWAY OF THE MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. VICTORY LANE PRESENTED BY 5-HOUR
ENERGY. >>> JUNIOR HAS MADE THE ROUNDS. >> ONE MORE. >> DALE, A LOT OF REASONS TO
WANT TO WIN TODAY. WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU RIGHT
NOW? >> OH, MAN, WE WERE TRYING TO
WIN SO MANY YEARS AND THIS PLACE IS SO SPECIAL TO ME. I'VE WANTED TO WIN HERE SO BAD
AND WHEN IT CAME TO THIS, CELEBRATE MORE THAN DRIVING,
REAL EMOTIONAL WIN. THIS TEAM ON PIT ROAD WAS GREAT
AND STEVE AND THE GUYS JUST DID A GOOD JOB ALL DAY LONG AND GAVE
ME A GREAT SHOT AT IT WITH THE TIRES. I'M JUST -- I CAN'T BELIEVE WE
WON HERE. IT MEANS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF US. JUST REALLY EMOTIONAL.
>> 11 TOP FIVES BEFORE THIS. JUNIOR, BACK IN 2004, YOU WERE
NOT A MEMBER OF HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AND YOU LOST SOME
FRIENDS THAT DAY NOT AS A MEMBER OF THE TEAM. WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING BACK TO
THAT DAY AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING IF YOU BECAME A HENDRICK DRIVER
WHAT IT WOULD MEAN. >> WANTED TO SUPPORT HENDRICK
MIGHTSPORTS DURING THAT TIME AND EVERYBODY IN THE GARAGE AT THAT
TIME WAS WEARING HENDRICK -- CAME TOGETHER, I LOST MY DADDY A
LONG TIME AGO AND I KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS. CAN'T IMAGINE LOSING THE
MAGNITUDE OF THE PEOPLE THAT RICK LOST. HEART WAS OUT TO HIM DURING THIS
WEEKEND AND I LOVE HIS CARS ARE GOOD HERE AND GAVE HIM A VICTORY
SO THIS HONORS THEM. JUST REAL PROUD OF BEING ABLE TO
WIN AND MARTINSVILLE AND HENDRICK CARS ALWAYS WIN HERE. >> AFTER LAST WEEK, JUNIOR,
HAVING TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO A CHAMPIONSHIP RUN AFTER SUCH A
GREAT SEASON WHAT DOES IT PEEN TO SAY HELLO TO VICTORY LANE? >> I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE
POINTS. WE LOVE WINNING A RACE. THAT'S THE BET THING. KELLY BLUE BOOK, CHEVY AND
SPRINT, OBVIOUSLY NATIONWIDE NEXT YEAR, DON'T WORRY ABOUT
POINTS NO MORE, TROPHIES. I WANTED A GRANDFATHER CLOCK
EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY AND GOT IT TODAY AND MY TEAM AND
I CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. WE'RE GOING TO DRINK A LOT OF
BEER TONIGHT. THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. >> SET THE CLOCK TO CELEBRATION. DALE EARNHARDT JR. WINS AT
MARTINSVILLE. >> THE GRANDFATHER CLOCK
TRADITION STARTED HERE IN 1964. WANTED SOMETHING UNIQUE FOR HIS
WINNERS AND THE COMPANY JUST DOWN THE ROAD IN RIDGEWAY,
VIRGINIA. RIDGEWAY CLOCK COMPANY MAKES
THAT. FIRST PRESENTED TO FRED LORENZEN
INTO THE HALL OF FAME THIS YEAR AND NOW HIS GRANDSON, THE TRACK
PRESIDENT STANDING IN FRONT OF THAT CLOCK IS ABOUT TO PRESENT
ONE TO DALE EARNHARDT JR. TODAY. ONE OF THE MOST PRIZED TROPHIES
IN THE SPORT. >> WELL, ELIMINATOR ROUND TAKEN
BY A NONCHASE DRIVER IN VERY SPECTACULAR FASHION. SO NOBODY GETS THE AUTOMATIC
PASS THROUGH TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP RUN AT HOMESTEAD. AND THE STANDINGS AFTER
MARTINSVILLE LOOK LIKE THIS. JEFF GORDON HAS THE TOP SPOT
WITH RYAN NEWMAN, JOEY LOGANO AND MATT KENSETH ROUNDING OUT
YOUR TOP FOUR POSITIONS. THEN OUTSIDE THE CUT LINE BUT
BARELY DENNY HAMLIN IS ONLY TWO POINTS BEHIND KENSETH THEN CARL
EDWARDS, BRAD KESELOWSKI AND KEVIN HARVICK, MUCH FURTHER BACK
OR KESELOWSKI AND HARVICK FAMILIAR SCENES FROM THE PRIOR
ROUND OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP WHEN THE OPENING KANSAS RACE WAS
SOMEWHAT CHAOTIC AND DUG AN EARLY HOLE. >> THIS IS CERTAINLY GOING TO
MAKE IT NOW WHERE YOU KNOW THAT TWO DRIVERS ARE GOING TO GET ON
THE POINTS TO BE A PART OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE AT
HOMESTEAD. >> AND THE FIGHT FOR THOSE SPOTS
CONTINUES NEXT WEEK AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY. THEN ON TO THE FAST MILE IN
PHOENIX AND THE FINAL DAY OF THE SEASON HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY,
WHAT A GREAT RACE THAT'S GOING TO BE ON NOVEMBER THE 16th. JOIN US AT THE TRACK AND ALL
THOSE RACES LIVE ON ESPN. "SPORTSCENTER" COMING UP NEXT. RICKY CRAVEN UP IN OUR ESPN
STUDIOS TO CONTINUE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE RACE AND HAVE
MORE FROM THE RACETRACK, AS WELL. WHAT A DAY IT WAS. RESTARTING FIFTH WITH FIVE LAPS
TO GO, DALE EARNHARDT JR. FOUGHT
HIS WAY TO THE FRONT AND HELD OFF JEFF GORDON TO SCORE A HUGE
WIN, HIS FOURTH WIN OF THE SEASON AND HIS FIRST AT HISTORIC
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. Captions by VITAC
Captions by VITAC
Glad they are putting these up. Kinda sucks they ended it mid interview with Tony.
I am so thankful for this!! Most times I have to work weekends... so lately I have been trying my best to stay off social media and watch the race the next day I have off. It's so great that there are no commercials and that it is in HD. Love NASCAR!