Sunday’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 turned out to be another big one for NASCAR, both figuratively and literally.
After an improbable feel-good finish in the season opening Daytona 500, NASCAR headed to the second race of the season. For the first time since the top touring series began racing there, the 1-mile oval at Phoenix International Raceway played host.
What NASCAR hoped for was a race that could somehow rival the season-opening Daytona 500. What they got was pretty close. With several intriguing big story lines, Sunday’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 delivered.
For the second week in a row there were a track record number of lead changes, 28. There was also the early exit of arguably the fastest car all weekend, pole sitter Carl Edwards. Edwards and Kyle Busch made contact on lap 59. He was able to return, finishing 28th, but lost his points lead.
“I’m not exactly sure what happened,” Edwards said. “I’ll have to talk to Kyle about it. I thought at first he was just frustrated and he turned left to get back in line and he didn’t know I was there, but I watched the tape and I think he really did get loose. He hit me hard and I was left with nothing. I got rammed to the infield.”
For his part, Kyle Busch was apologetic after the race.
“It was a real big mistake on my part and the first person I have to apologize to is Carl Edwards, obviously for what happened there on the backstretch,” Busch said. “It just got out from underneath me and we were getting bounced around like a ping-pong ball there for a while. I got into him and just killed his day. I know he was frustrated and I could tell out there on the race track. I apologize, I don’t know how many times.”
Shortly after Edwards’ caution, a 13-car pileup, rare at the tight confines of Phoenix, happened. The accident was trigged on lap 67 when the Toyota of Brian Vickers spun.
“It looked like the No 83 (Brian Vickers) had some trouble on the outside," said Jeff Burton, one of those caught up in the aftermath. “It was pretty slick on restarts and it looked like he got really loose and the field behind and everybody bottled up. I don’t know if he was second or fourth but he was right up there. The whole field was behind him and just nowhere to go.”
The last 15 laps developed into a battle between Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon. Busch had won both the Truck Series race on Friday and led every lap in route to victory in Saturday’s Nationwide race and was looking for a weekend sweep like last year at Bristol. Jeff Gordon, meanwhile, with a new crew chief and crew, was looking to snap a 66-race winless streak dating back to 2009.
Gordon passed Busch with 9 laps to go and stretched out the lead to score an emotional victory.
“We beat Kyle Busch,” Gordon said. “We were the only ones to beat Kyle Busch this weekend and he's so tough to beat. What a race car.”
“God, it feels so amazing,” he added. “I can't tell you how amazing this feels. So thankful to Rick Hendrick, all that he does. It's been a long time I know. I'm going to savor this one so much.”
If NASCAR was hoping to continue their fresh start from Daytona Sunday at Phoenix, it appears they did so. And NASCAR and fans can now look forward to Las Vegas next Sunday and hope the upward trend continues.
Comments
With 23 cars wrecked in 67 laps, this is more like Saturday night at the local figure 8 clunker track. These guys better learn to drive, cause this sure isn't motor racing.
As a longtime race fan, I am enjoying the new, improved 2011 NASCAR season. Daytona was exciting and Phoenix looked like a Saturday Night Feature race. It seems the boys are hungrier than ever to win this season. I suppose with the sponsorship woes and waining fan support, these guys realize their jobs may be on the line and that always makes a fella work harder. The days of fluff and leisure are gone. This race could be their last race on any given weekend...so Let's Go Racin' Boys!
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