SONOMA: WTF WAS THAT?!?!

Marcos Ambrose, is crushed.  And he sould be.  Martin Truex, Jr., is pissed, and he should be.  Ditto for Elliott Saddler.  Jeff Gordon is probably in hiding.  And he should be.  Jimmie Johnson.......well, don't get me started on that one.

Before I get started, let me say, that I like Marcos Ambrose.  But, to silence all you conspiracy theorists, about NASCAR handing Jimmie Johnson his first road course win, I will say this:  The rule is plainly stated.  Cars must maintain a reasonable speed behind the pace car.  Ambrose, did not.  For some inexplicable reason, he shut his car off going UPHILL, and got passed by seven other cars.  So, NASCAR, doing the right thing, put him in eighth place.  The rule is plainly stated, Ambrose, broke the rule and was punnished accordingly.  End of story.  Or is it?

It was painfully obvious that JJ was not going to catch Ambrose.  The 47 was just too good.  But what baflles me is the caution that was thrown.  Brad Keselowski spun out.  Yes, there was some fluid on the track, but why didn't NASCAR throw the caution when there was a five car spin in the middle of a turn?  Simple.  It wouldn't have helped pretty boy out.  I don't personally think NASCAR throws cautions to benefit certian drivers, but that one, was highly questionable to say the least.  I can not stand seeing Jimmie Johnson win, but it really boils my water when one is handed to him, as today's was.  Ambrose, broke the rules, yes.  But, if that ridiculous caution hadn't been thrown, he wouldn't have had a chance to do so and would have won the race.  This one, in JJ's win column, should have an asterisk beside it.  He didn't earn it.  It was given to him.

Jeff Gordon, was not driving the 24 car today.  I don't know who was, but he hit everything out there except the Pace Car.  That was very uncharacteristic racing from him, and He manned up and admitted it.  But, I don't expect he'll be on Martin Truex, Jr. or Elliott Saddler's Christmas Card lists, this year.



I'm not a fan of road courses, but this one was pretty entertaining, if not, one the weirdest races I've seen in a long time.  Now, on to this week's edition of the RJ's:

THE WHO THE @#$& WAS THAT IN THE 24 CAR? AWARD:  Jeff Gordon.  When a driver admits he was racing wrong, you gotta respect that.  But, you gotta expect better from a four-time champion.

THE WHERE THE @#$& DID HE COME FROM? AWARD:  Dale Earnhardt, Jr.  11th?  At a road course?  Great run for the 88 crew, and Lance McGrew didn't screw up one single time.  Things might be looking up.

THE WHAT THE @#$& WAS HE SMOKING, IT WASN'T MARLBOROS AWARD:  Marcos Ambrose.  Saving fuel, I get.  But shutting off your car, going uphill, when you don't need to save fuel, leading with ten laps to go?  Bad move, Marcos.  But nobody feels for you like I do.

THE I'M GOING TO KICK HIS @#$&ING A$$ AWARD:  Tie.  Martin Truex, Jr. and Elliott Saddler.  Jeff Gordon had better stay low this week.  He got two for one in that deal, and was clearly in the wrong.

THE I THINK I'M GONNA BARF AWARD:  Jimmie Johnson.  This one was handed to him.  He didn't earn a damn thing.  Period.

On to New Hampshire next week.  My pick:  Ryan Newman.  He's good at this joint, and will prove it again.

I'm taking the next couple of days off to deal with funeral arrangements and stuff.  Ya'll have a great week and we'll see you soon here, for more Beatin' and Bangin'.

Credit Shout Out:  Photos and Vidieo courtesty of Yahoo! sports and NASCAR.com