Feb 28

Written by: The Commish
2/28/2011 12:03 AM 

The last race event at the Phoenix International Raceway we've all known and loved since 1964 saw Kyle Busch dominate the truck race on Friday and lead every lap in Saturday's Nationwide series race only to finish second to Jeff Gordon on Sunday to barely miss out on another NASCAR three win weekend.

Kyle's the man.  On Wind Tunnel tonight Dave Despain asked Robin Miller if he agreed with some who say Jimmie Johnson is the best driver in America today.  Miller said no, Jimmie was one of the best drivers but suggested two others that might be more worthy of that compliment:  Kyle Busch and Scott Dixon.

That Miller's a smart guy.  Looks a little shady but so does the Commish when the light is wrong.  And while I have nothing against Dixon (or Dario and Carl Edwards, two others I'd throw in for consideration as best in the US right now) I think he's dead nuts about about Kurt's little brother.

Clint Bowyer, Ron Hornaday, Johnny Sauter and Austin Dillon were top five on Friday night, Todd Bodine was a beat up 14th and Travis Kvapil, who some of us started as a darkhorse, qualied 33rd and was the first guy out.  Doh. 

Carl Edwards was first loser on Saturday and came the closest of anyone to challenge Busch for the lead.  Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Reed Sorenson, Joey Logano and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. followed; Elliott Sadler was 12th ahead of Aric Almirola, Danica was 17th and Brad Keselowski was 34th after crashing all by his lonesome just past halfway.  

Good for the man formerly called Wonderboy on getting his first win since 2009 after a drought of 66 races at the famous Phoenix mile.  20 years ago he won the first Busch race at PIR, having never been to victory lane in any of the Copper World Classic races like Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman.

The No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy led the most laps and passed Kyle with seven to go for the win as Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman were top five, Tony Stewart was seventh ahead of Kurt Busch with the Dinger and Dale Jr. filling out the top 10.  Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Martin Truex Jr., not yet bad Brad Keselowski and Marco Ambrose earned the last of the FMFL points.

Rare for PIR, there was a 13-car 'big one' caused by a Brian Vickers spin after contact with Matt Kenseth when they were running at the front of the pack after a restart.   Jamie MacMurray, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer were among those driver picks that suffered greatly in the carnage, joining polesitter Carl Edwards -- who was on a lot of this week's rosters -- in the nada fantasy points club as a result of contact with, or more appropriately from one Kyle Busch when his Toyota got a little squirelly in turn two when he was right next to Carl.  

Oops, sorry and a big zero in my scoring grid.  But yes, it was just one of them racin' deals.  And when Edwards got hit and bounced over an infield curb his car was damaged to the point it couldn't turn when he moved back up onto the track.  The 99 then ran into who else but Jeff Gordon; the damage was obviously of no consequence.

And thus ends the story of Phoenix International Raceway as it was conceived, built, christened and raced on since the start of the LBJ administration.  It was changed slightly when they removed the infield bridge and closed off the backstretch entry but that was nothing like what they're doing now; variable banking and whatever "extending the infield" at the dogleg means are major modifications that will turn PIR into something we won't know of until November.  It may be okay, it may be a major disaster and it may not matter because the ISC -owned track will always have NASCAR races and the Valley of the Sun will always be a prime tourist destination.

The only reason the track won't sell tickets will remain the economy and what kind of show the cars and stars put on.  It will NOT be the stage upon which they perform and its a shame to desecrate what many of us consider an historic monument.

MamaZavs picked three race winners, three runners -up, a fourth and an eighth place for a whopping 1715 points. Outstanding.  I was nowhere near as successful with my picks.  Bummer.

But that's okay.  It's early.

And I can't wait for the open wheel series to start.

Remember, the Regular Season starts with this weekend's races and everybody's starting with no points for the six month championship.   NASCAR's in Vegas and the Rolex Series is back in action at Homestead so choose wisely friends; a small field of Daytona Prototypes can lure you into false confidences because those guys bang bodywork as bad as the good 'ol boys do.

Starters are due this coming Friday at midnight.

Copyright ©2011 The Commish