OK, I’m new to blogging, posting, chatting or whatever you call it, but here it goes. My name is Ramsey Poston, I work in the NASCAR PR department and have been looking for ways to directly communicate with fans. I talk to a lot of fans on the road, at the airport, restaurants and the track. So now I thought it would help to communicate with you via WashingtonTimes.com.
I will do my very best to continue to update this page as often as possible. I plan to offer up as honest and blunt discussions about NASCAR as possible. True my take will be from NASCAR’s perspective on current events. I’ll usually be defending NASCAR’s position, that’s my job, but hopefully this blog will shed light on the decisions we make and why. Over time, I suspect that I’ll invite others in NASCAR to blog on this page as well to give their perspectives.
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What an incredible race at Dega! It was a race that had lots of everything. But first, let’s begin with the ending. During the last lap Regan Smith violated NASCAR policy by driving under the yellow line to improve his position. He was not forced under the line. NASCAR correctly took immediate action to enforce the policy by penalizing the 01 and scoring the 20 as the race winner. (Watch the NASCAR Newscast Chase Race 4 Recap below.)
Since the end of the race there has been some confusion as to what is allowable during the last lap at Daytona and Talladega. On Monday, we took steps to eliminate any confusion or gray area. Mike Helton said today in a statement, “To be clear, as we go forward, there will be no passing under the yellow line at any time during NASCAR races at Daytona or Talladega, period. This includes any passing below the yellow line near the start/finish line on the final lap.”
OK, back to the race. There were 28 different leaders in Sunday’s AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, an all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series record. The previous record of 26 was snapped on Lap 142 when Joe Nemechek crossed the start/finish line in first. Michael Waltrip later extended the record to 28, leading lap 165. The old record of 26 different leaders was originally set July 27, 1986, at Talladega. It was tied on April 22, 2001, again at Talladega. Sunday’s race also placed in the top five in terms of lead changes. There were 64 total lead changes, which is tied for fifth-most in NASCAR history.
The points are once again shuffled and four drivers, Johnson, Edwards, Biffle, and Burton are within 100 points. Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick, 152 and 171 points behind respectively, can get back in the thick of things with one good race. But we’re coming up on Johnson’s best tracks so the rest of the field will have to keep up on the wheel. Should be another good one this weekend for the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. (Check out the complete standings below.)
