Cup RACE thread --- Phoenix

Bell, its okay. If the racing gods didnt try to screw the 12, you probably wouldn't have lead more than 20 laps today lol
 
In other news, I'm keeping up with my raceday shtick, posting my current view again....

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:cheers:
 
I had a question. Many were saying the extra speed made a difference. I had forgotten all about it and I couldn't tell any difference when reminded about it so I looked at pole speed from last year to this year. What difference did anybody see?
Last years pole speed in the spring was 133.68 MPH. This years was 135.54. Good eyes.

What I did see were teams setting their cars up on razor edges, some went over some under and some were right on the numbers they needed.
 
Not because I am a big huge fan of the 5 team, but they had absolute junk to start with and I don't know how they were able to take a car that far off and finish where they did. There wasn't much luck involved that I saw that fell their way, but somehow they were able to figure it out and slowly got better for P-3. amazing job.
 
StandOnIt said:
I had a question. Many were saying the extra speed made a difference. I had forgotten all about it and I couldn't tell any difference when reminded about it so I looked at pole speed from last year to this year. What difference did anybody see?
Last years pole speed in the spring was 133.68 MPH. This years was 135.54. Good eyes.

What I did see were teams setting their cars up on razor edges, some went over some under and some were right on the numbers they needed.
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I would be curious to know if any of them dropped below a cold 10psi on the left sides before going down, or even what Blaney was running on the left sides. Looked like many were willing to roll the dice on it, not sure if I would have this early in the season, risk ain't worth the reward if you're in the wall, and that's gonna be a pretty big setback in the points for many. Risk reward call. What was the recommended minimum psi anyway? 14?

Would guess some ample reward on the long run, as far as lap times go, if and that's a big IF the tire holds up. I think the added in horsepower was a contributing factor in some way, to the amount of tire problems we saw, and I ain't mad at it, made things interesting.
Good tire wear race, I hope we get more like it, and the teams will adjust to the tire's capabilities, just keep it the same. I didn't notice a big difference on speed either just from watching, just that we seemed to have more tire degradation.
 
StandOnIt said:
Not because I am a big huge fan of the 5 team, but they had absolute junk to start with and I don't know how they were able to take a car that far off and finish where they did. There wasn't much luck involved that I saw that fell their way, but somehow they were able to figure it out and slowly got better for P-3. amazing job.
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Cliff is one of the sharpest guys in the garage. Sometimes when you're that far off you just throw something at it and hit on something.

I also think these guys are still figuring out what this body needs and how changes impact it. When you only get a 20 min practice you can't throw much at it.
 
Mispeedway15 said:
This has been such a great throwback season so far. Just love the racing we’ve seen through four weeks
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This season already has an entirely different feel to it. Wrecking out of these races is gonna be big punishment in the points. And we have a story to follow there.

Seems like every race is going to matter more to me.
 
wi_racefan said:
Man that Ty interview was strange
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He ever seems to have any poise. All media training word salad.

That said, he should be sending Gabehart a nice bottle of bourbon. His less that flattering comments on Ty seem to have kicked him in the ass to start driving better.
 
Now will someone leak what they were actually running below 14, did we have any takers at 12? 11? 10? 9? Psi auctioneer style. Who bought who sold. Who has buyer's remorse.
 
StandOnIt said:
Not because I am a big huge fan of the 5 team, but they had absolute junk to start with and I don't know how they were able to take a car that far off and finish where they did. There wasn't much luck involved that I saw that fell their way, but somehow they were able to figure it out and slowly got better for P-3. amazing job.
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I listened to them the entire race. Here's what happened. They were absolute junk most of the race. Had no rear grip, and even when the car was better, Larson had no confidence in pushing it. Not he'd lose the car, but moreso due to wearing down the right rear.

Midway through the 2nd stage they got it the best it would be, and Kyle and Cliff both agreed they had what they had at that point, a 15th place car, and they agreed to play the track position game.

What went right the rest of the race was

1. They were on the right side of EVERY pit strategy.

2. Larson did a great job of getting a few spots per restart.

Those two things, along with more cautions in the third put him in a spot where the car was naturally running better in clean air. When he got into the top 8, he could maintain his spot.

It was it a good executed race. Didnt have the pace but they had a big points day with what they had.

That's been their MO since last summer.
 
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