Damn ... Mark Martin was so close ...

[mitchntx]

Us old-timers gotta stick together.

[jeffburch]

Did it finish under caution?
If so, he was robbed.
Very disappointed in NASCRAP for that!

jb

[Boudy]

No, they didn't drop the yellow so it finished under green. Not that he didn't do his job, I just hope Harvick stubs a toe at the hotel tonight.

Boudy

[Todd Covini]

While I was really pulling for Martin at the end, the real heart breaker was Tony Stewart. I had the DirecTV Hot Pass and watched the entire race from Stewart's perspective. He was on fire working thru the field...should have won that race!

I was on needles at the end and thought Martin had it. But...I will say that I don't agree that with 2 turns to go throwing the yellow out and freezing the field would have been the right thing to do.

I'm sure they are still arguing about it in Daytona...and they better watch out for what precedent this will establish for Hail Mary collisions on the final lap....but from a spectator's perspective, NASCAR did the right thing IMO....just let it finish under green. Poor MM :cry:

-=- T

[AllZWay]

While I was really pulling for Martin at the end, the real heart breaker was Tony Stewart. I had the DirecTV Hot Pass and watched the entire race from Stewart's perspective. He was on fire working thru the field...should have won that race!



I bet that was cool. I am too cheap to buy that package, but would like too watch it.

I think Tony definitely had the car to beat and was really hoping he would do it....but after he crashed then I was kind of pulling for Martin.

That was definitely a wild last 40 laps.

I am not sure if they caution had been thrown if it would have changed the outcome, but Nascar rules inconsistancies drive me crazy.

[Waco Racer]

F'n nascar :evil:

[jeffburch]

I had it recorded.
I can promise that when cars are sideways behind the leaders, MM was in the lead.
So, If you go back to the last timing loop, it's a no brainer.
Once again, he was robbed.
During the pre race Mike Joy was all about talking up this scenario saying the race results at any finish were unofficial and NASCAR would do everything in it's power to review these types of finishes. They would use all the camera angles and 18 timing loops to get the finishing order right.
BS!
jb

[Todd Covini]

Hmmmmm...will we see a retraction today???

[mitchntx]

Meh ... leave it be. 99% of it is the recognition and celebration immediately after the race.

On a side note ...

Anyone else seem a little "depressed" reading "Monte Carlo SS" on the front of Martin's car?

[Todd Covini]

Nah...not really. If Mark's gonna lose, he might as well be in the same brand car as all the other losers. :wink: :shock: :lol:

[jeffburch]

cut/paste from jayski.com
===========================================

Harvick-Martin finish...yellow? NASCAR officials, reacting to the controversial slow yellow at the finish which denied #01-Mark Martin yesterday's win, said they threw the yellow when #07-Clint Bowyer got sideways, and they said at that point #29-Kevin Harvick was just ahead of Martin.(Winston Salem Journal)

AND: NASCAR usually throws a caution immediately when there's danger on the track, freezing the field in place. At least once recently — at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2005 — NASCAR threw a yellow on the last lap before the field reached the finish. That handed a win to Dale Jarrett, who was in first with a half-lap to go but trailed Tony Stewart at the finish. NASCAR allowed racing to the caution without freezing the field until September 2003, when it ruled drivers should slow down as soon as the yellow appeared for safety purposes. Sunday, NASCAR seemed to wait five seconds — until just after Harvick and Martin finished side by side — to throw the yellow. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Harvick was declared the winner because the caution came out when Clint Bowyer's Chevrolet went sideways across the track after Harvick and Martin took the checkered flag. Poston said the yellow didn't come out earlier because the cars involved in the crash had skidded off the track to that point.(USA Today)

AND II: Kyle Busch disappeared in the smoke just as Harvick pulled alongside Martin in the tri-oval. They both waited for the flagman, who leaned over the track and dropped the checkered with the 07 Chevy of Clint Bowyer tumbling and burning into the infield. At that moment, the outcome was in the hands of NASCAR. The message from the control center above the track to the flagman came as the cars reached the line. "Put it out,'' David Hoots, NASCAR's race director, radioed down. The yellow flag flew after Harvick passed under the flagstand. "When the 07 went sideways on the track, the yellow came out,'' NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said afterward. "At that point the 29 was ahead of the 01 and declared the winner.'' That was a good explanation and all, except that's not what happened. Bowyer was upside down before the leaders took the checkered flag. The caution was thrown after that, technically, and according to NASCAR's own rules, after the race ended. The fact that there was an official margin of victory (.020 seconds) proves it. There is no margin of victory in a race that ends under caution. And since no caution flew before the end, NASCAR had no official account of the crash. In effect, it never happened.(Roanoke Times)(2-19-2007)
=============================================
If the race finished under a caution, the order reverts back to the last loop crossed under green.

jb

[Waco Racer]

According to Mike Joy, nascar would use any and all means necessary to determine the winner. But I guess he isn't the official spokesperson.

[Boudy]

"M for President!"

I don't care what the say or do, he won it!

Boudy

[Wirtz]

Nah...not really. If Mark's gonna lose, he might as well be in the same brand car as all the other losers. :wink: :shock: :lol:

You berry funny....

1 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil
2 Mark Martin Chevrolet U.S. Army
3 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Cingular Wireless
4 Mike Wallace Chevrolet Miccosukee Gaming & Resorts

:)

Jeff
- another bowtie joining the fight in April (I hope!)

[mitchntx]

You know Jeff, I think you will fit in just fine.

8)