Subway Fresh Fit 500 - Phoenix - Starting Lineup

The Official Starting Lineup for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 - Phoenix
~Race 8 of 36~

1. 5 Mark Martin
2. 18 Kyle Busch
3. 2 Kurt Busch
4. 24 Jeff Gordon
5. 83 Brian Vickers
6. 14 Tony Stewart
7. 98 Paul Menard
8. 00 David Reutimann
9. 78 Regan Smith
10. 48 Jimmie Johnson
11. 99 Carl Edwards
12. 11 Denny Hamlin
13. 16 Greg Biffle
14. 6 David Ragan
15. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr
16. 31 Jeff Burton
17. 17 Matt Kenseth
18. 82 Scott Speed
19. 12 David Stremme
20. 42 Juan Montoya
21. 9 Kasey Kahne
22. 87 Joe Nemechek
23. 7 Robby Gordon
24. 33 Clint Bowyer
25. 44 AJ Allmendinger
26. 1 Martin Truex Jr
27. 71 David Gilliland
28. 26 Jamie McMurray
29. 47 Marcos Ambrose
30. 39 Ryan Newman
31. 20 Joey Logano
32. 55 Michael Waltrip
33. 29 Kevin Harvick
34. 66 Dave Blaney
35. 77 Sam Hornish Jr
36. 43 Reed Sorenson
37. 36 Scott Riggs
38. 07 Casey Mears
39. 09 Sterling Marlin
40. 19 Elliott Sadler
41. 34 John Andretti
42. 96 Bobby Labonte
43. 73 Tony Raines
44. 64 Todd Bodine - DNQ
45. 41 Jeremy Mayfield - DNQ
46. 51 Dexter Bean - DNQ
47. 102 Brandon Ash - DNQ
48. 106 Trevor Boys - DNQ

Subway Fresh Fit 500 - Phoenix - Qualifying Order

The Qualifying Order for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 - Phoenix
~Race 8 of 36~

1. 47 Marcos Ambrose
2. 9 Kasey Kahne
3. 07 Casey Mears
4. 29 Kevin Harvick
5. 26 Jamie McMurray
6. 55 Michael Waltrip
7. 20 Joey Logano
8. 16 Greg Biffle
9. 5 Mark Martin
10. 98 Paul Menard
11. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr
12. 83 Brian Vickers
13. 17 Matt Kenseth
14. 11 Denny Hamlin
15. 31 Jeff Burton
16. 33 Clint Bowyer
17. 34 John Andretti
18. 19 Elliott Sadler
19. 48 Jimmie Johnson
20. 77 Sam Hornish Jr
21. 99 Carl Edwards
22. 2 Kyle Busch
23. 44 AJ Allmendinger
24. 14 Tony Stewart
25. 12 David Stremme
26. 39 Ryan Newman
27. 43 Reed Sorenson
28. 7 Robby Gordon
29. 24 Jeff Gordon
30. 1 Martin Truex Jr
31. 6 David Ragan
32. 96 Bobby Labonte
33. 00 David Reutimann
34. 42 Juan Montoya
35. 18 Kyle Busch
36. 71 David Gilliland
37. 06 Trevor Boys
38. 82 Scott Speed
39. 78 Regan Smith
40. 02 Brandon Ash
41. 64 Todd Bodine
42. 36 Scott Riggs
43. 73 Tony Raines
44. 87 Joe Nemechek
45. 09 Sterling Marlin
46. 41 Jeremy Mayfield
47. 51 Dexter Bean
48. 66 Dave Blaney

Subway Fresh Fit 500 - Phoenix - Entry List

The Entry List for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 - Phoenix
~Race 8 of 36~

• 00 David Reutimann - Aaron's Dream Machine - Toyota
• 1 Martin Truex Jr - Bass Pro Shops/Tracker - Chevrolet
• 2 Kurt Busch - Miller Lite - Dodge
• 5 Mark Martin - Carquest/Kellogg's - Chevrolet
• 6 David Ragan - UPS - Ford
• 7 Robby Gordon - Mapei/Menards
• 07 Casey Mears - Jack Daniel's - Chevrolet
• 9 Kasey Kahne - Budweiser - Dodge
• 11 Denny Hamlin - Fed Ex Office ~ March for Babies - Toyota
• 12 David Stremme - Penske Racing - Dodge
• 14 Tony Stewart - Office Depot/ Old Spice - Chevrolet
• 16 Greg Biffle - 3M - Ford
• 17 Matt Kenseth - DeWalt - Ford
• 18 Kyle Busch - M&M's - Toyota
• 19 Elliott Sadler - Stanley Tools - Dodge
• 20 Joey Logano - The Home Depot - Toyota
• 24 Jeff Gordon - DuPont - Chevrolet
• 26 Jamie McMurray - Crown Royal - Ford
• 29 Kevin Harvick - Shell/Pennzoil - Chevrolet
• 31 Jeff Burton - Caterpillar - Chevrolet
• 33 Clint Bowyer - Cheerios/Hamburger Helper - Chevrolet
• 34 John Andretti - Taco Bell - Chevrolet
• 36 Scott Riggs - Tommy Baldwin Racing - Toyota
• 39 Ryan Newman - Haas Automation
• 41 Jeremy Mayfield - Big Red - Toyota
• 42 Juan Montoya - Target - Chevrolet
• 43 Reed Sorenson - Auto Value - Dodge
• 44 AJ Allmendinger - Charter Communications - Chevrolet
• 47 Marcos Ambrose - Clorox - Toyota
• 48 Jimmie Johnson - Lowe's Chevrolet
• 51 Dexter Bean - LiveWire Energy - Dodge
• 55 Michael Waltrip - NAPA Auto Parts - Toyota
• 64 Todd Bodine - Gunselman Motorsports - Toyota
• 66 Dave Blaney - Prism Motorsports - Toyota
• 73 Tony Raines- Quality Concrete - Dodge
• 77 Sam Hornish Jr - Mobil 1 - Dodge
• 78 Regan Smith - Furniture Row Companies - Chevrolet
• 82 Scott Speed - Red Bull - Toyota
• 83 Brian Vickers - Red Bull - Toyota
• 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr - National Guard/Amp Energy - Chevrolet
• 96 Bobby Labonte - Ask.com - Ford
• 98 Paul Menard - Peak/Menards - Ford
• 99 Carl Edwards - Subway - Ford
• 102 Brandon Ash - Sprinter Trucks, Inc - Dodge
• 106 Trevor Boys - Boys Will Be Boys - Dodge
• 171 David Gilliland - TRG Motorsports - Chevrolet
• 187 Joe Nemechek - NEMCO Motorsports - Toyota

Phoenix has this fan HOT!

• The Subway Fresh Fit 500 had me fired up and it started from the very beginning. This may take a while, but I'm sure I will feel better when I'm done.
• FOX decided that baseball was more important than the Pre Race Show and Opening Ceremonies. For the record, I'm not a baseball fan and when they say NASCAR is going to be on at 8pm then they need to have it on at 8pm. If they were able to switch baseball to FX for the last 30 seconds, then they could have switched it earlier. I got my fill of the Boston Red Sox during the World Series. Show me some athletes that don't use steroids.
• Where were the caution flags? NASCAR waited until a huge pile-up ensued before throwing the yellow for Ryan Newman's power steering box blow out. Did ya not see that huge plume of smoke pouring out of his car? That was fire! It was too late by time the caution did actually come out. 5 good cars got damaged because of the fluid that Newman was putting down. That lead to a red flag to clean up the mess that was made by the 12 car. Unavoidable, yes. But it hurt the cars in the garage trying to repair their damage.
• NASCAR didn't learn it's lesson from the Newman fiasco. Elliott Sadler's motor blew up and he slowed to a near crawl, barely being missed by Dave Blaney (where in the world was his spotter? Vacation?...wake up people!) and sending cars scrambling to get around him. When a car's that slow, something's seriously wrong and it's time to slow down the field.
• What was Ryan Newman thinking in the pits after he brought out the caution? That was just unsafe and unnecessary. If he had spun out like that with other cars on the pit road, I hate to think how that would have turned out. Did that really help anything?
• Conserve fuel was the catch phrase of the day. Apparently Jimmie Johnson knew just how to do that. Congrats to him for gambling and getting a huge pay out. He ran out of fuel while doing his Polish Victory Lap. If only there had been overtime...maybe that pit stop the 11 made for tires and fuel would have come into play. You can't help but think of what might have been.
• Finally! Hendrick Motorsports won a race and they can stop whining. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had an incredible season and hasn't whined a single time about coming up short. He gets disappointed but knows that with some hard work, the right scenario and driving his heart out he'll make it to Victory Lane. Looks like his elder teammates could learn a lesson from the sport's most popular driver. He didn't get that way for being a cry baby...hmmm. Imagine that! Maybe that's why the crowd goes wild for him and boos when his Dupont flaming teammate is around. I just might have something there.
• Denny Hamlin had one heck of a race. Denny had his third consecutive top 5 finish and his fifth top 10. That's nothing to complain about. He gained one position in the points and now sits a solid 6th. Can't complain about that. And that car sure looked good on the track. I was so proud to see that Denny was supporting the March of Dimes and it's March for Babies. Being a new Aunt, I can certainly appreciate that.

So, after the dust settled in the desert, it was quite an interesting turn of events. Elliott Sadler had an amazing run going but had it all go up in smoke when the engine blew. The only good thing about that is he was home before everyone else. Johnny Sauter did a bang up job replacing Jeremy Mayfield in the Haas Automation # 70. Gee, do you think that helped anything? I don't. Jeremy could have been a scoring pilan. Okay, I've said what I needed to say. All in all, I was pretty disappointed with NASCAR's performance at Phoenix. There needs to be some examination of things during this off week. Exactly when does the caution flag need to wave? After 10 cars pile up in turn 3? Maybe 25 is better. Do we really need the whole field on the track at the end? And next time you want to show baseball instead of NASCAR...just remember who's in front of a Congressional committee and who brings in the most fans.

Who will win the Subway Fresh Fit 500 in Phoenix

In an effort to get everyone involved, I've decided to pick a race winner, tell you why I think so, a dark horse for the win, someone who just might surprise you and take the checkered flag and a driver who has no chance to win. But the no chance driver must actually be in the field. So give me your thoughts, tell me who you think will take the trophy and prove me wrong. No matter who I may pick, I will always want D Ham to win, but in reality he can't win 'em all...unfortunately.

Winner: Kyle Busch

Why: Ky Bu's been on quite a roll lately and last night's Nationwide Series win is just the beginning for the young rock star.

Dark Horse: Matt Kenseth

No Chance: Jeff Gordon