Great, Exciting Race @ Loudon, New Hampshire

The NASCAR Sprint Cup race today in New Hampshire was exciting, not a mileage race, which is unusual.  Many of the New Hampshire races have been quite boring in past years but today there was plenty of two-,  and at times, three-wide racing.  Lot's of bumping and pushing toward the end of the race, more like what happens at Martinsville or Bristol.  Juan Pablo Montoya led the most laps, and was right there at the end, but finished third, behind Denny Hamlin and the winner, Mark Martin.  Yes, Mark Martin won the 1st race of the Chase!  Very exciting for Mark, his fans, and I think NASCAR to have a veteran like Mark contending so seriously for what he hopes will be his first NASCAR Championship.  That is what Rick Hendrick hired him to do, win a championship this year.  I hope he will do it, though I'd also like to see Tony Stewart win as well.  Good to have an AARP member (at least he is eligible to be a member) leading the Chase. 

And, what was Juan Pablo mumbling about after the race, something like Mark crowded him down in the corner, and Juan Pablo could have hit him, but he has a lot of respect for Mark, and decided to not push him out of the way.  Not sure Juan Pablo would have gotten out of New Hampshire if he had wrecked Mark Martin in the last laps of the race today.  Juan, just win races, and the rest will take care of itself.  

Tough day for Junior.  He was running really well, up to 4th place, when David Reutimann went into a corner underneath Junior, and, as Junior said, "Ran out of talent", and wiped Dale out.  I really hope Dale can have a good fall, even win a race or two to set up a very good 2010 season. 

Off to Dover for Race 2 of the Chase!