|| *Comments on the 2008 Pepsi 500:* View the most recent comment <#31> | Post a comment <#post> 1. Willy on Wheels posted: 09.01.2008 - 8:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Johnson dominates. I would have rather seen Biffle win, but at least Kyle Busch wasn't much of a contender. Wallmendinger slid backwards late in the race again. Team Red Bull: FIRE ALLMENDINGER AND REPLACE HIM WITH SCOTT SPEED! Also, David Reutimann had a great run in the top 10 all day as well 2. Neal posted: 09.01.2008 - 10:00 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmie Johnson dominated another completely lackluster race at Fontana. Attendance declines even further - down another 15,000 over last year's race. Attn. NASCAR - this track SUCKS. 3. Red posted: 09.01.2008 - 10:47 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmie totally dominated, but there was actually a lot of good racing in the middle of the pack. Cars could run three wide and pass pretty easily. As much as people complain about Fontana, it makes for better racing than tracks like Loudon, Pocono, and Indy. Career best finish for David Reutimann, who continues to put his MWR teammates to shame. 4. NazRacephan posted: 09.01.2008 - 10:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Thank HEAVENS they are giving Labor Day back an exciting race!!! On the other hand.... having Fontana as part of the chase???? I don't THINK SO!!! 228 laps led out of 250??/ PITIFUL!!! 5. Rusty posted: 09.01.2008 - 12:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Two races this weekend at California...two races with the polesitter practically leading from start to finish...... HORRAY CALIFORNIA! :/ 6. uh posted: 09.01.2008 - 6:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Willy.... Allmendinger slid backwards because of an awful pit stop. he was passing people at the end. 7. DaleSrFanForever posted: 09.01.2008 - 7:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 70,000 attendance? I don't think so. Unless about 30,000 people dressed up as empty seats. It has 92,000 seats, and I doubt it was even half full. I've said it before, and I apologize for beating a dead horse, but California Speedway doesn't deserve a date change. What's their excuse this year? The weather was much better (from what I hear). If they are gonna just kick Rockingham off the schedule cause they only draw 45,000, considering it was tracks like that kept NASCAR afloat for 40 years, then they should do the same for Fontana. And don't get me started on them giving the Labor Day race to this pile of junk of a speedway. Again, this sums up the race: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UfBePUbn2Us/SLohmUO9GsI/AAAAAAAADAc/owtXEB6Hrsw/s1600-h/boring.bmp 8. b4il3y posted: 09.01.2008 - 8:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hey Willie on Wheels: Following your logic, we oughta hack out every open-wheeler that is trying Cup now. The entire problem is that if someone dosen't perform their first year, they're gone. If that happened, there would've been no Rusty Wallace, Jeff Burton, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt, and let the list go on and on. It takes time, which is something everyone has forgotten about. 9. Woodbridge posted: 09.01.2008 - 10:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Willy, what's with your Allmendinger hate? His pit crew was at fault for his late-race dive, he drove an awesome race and has been showing significant improvement lately. 10. Zed 3_88fan4eva posted: 09.02.2008 - 2:11 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Im glad I decided to work instead of watching the race. I know were making progress but why not give the Labor Day race back to Darlington.....even if it is only the one race for Darlington. Speaking of which Darlington's race this year had more in attendence than this California race. Good Runs for Reutimann, Vickers and yes Allmendinger. Wily on Wheels-Allmendinger has shown so much progress since last season it would be stupid to fire him now. And I hope Ragan makes the chase even thou it would probably mean that Hamlin or Bowyer would be knocked out. btw this has been buggin me for awhile but why do we still call NASCAR NASCAR????, can some one help me with this one 11. roadkill posted: 09.02.2008 - 1:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) National Association for SPEC Car Auto Racing 12. DaleSrFanForever posted: 09.02.2008 - 1:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Since there aren't any interesting topics to discuss about this pathetic excuse for a race, except the ones that have been discussed over and over again, usually by me, I want to talk about the new Bud Shootout format. Just when I think NASCAR can't screw things up any worse, they totally redeem themselves (awesome, a Dumb And Dumber reference). I don't know whether this was NASCAR's or Budweiser's idea, but shame on NASCAR for allowing this to happen. First of all, the original concept was great, allowing only pole winners and past Shootout winners to enter. That was so cool, and it allowed some form of excitement on pole day, especially late in the year. They just killed that. I know Coors sponsors the pole award now, but wouldn't that be a great trump card for Bud? After winning the "Coors Light Pole" they would be announced as eligible for the "Bud Shootout". And secondly the new format totally sucks. Drivers currently out next year include Mark Martin, Martin Truex, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer. Driver in include Brian Vickers, David Reutimann, Allmendinger (or possibly Scott Speed), David Stremme, Elliott Sadler, Juan Montoya, Reed Sorenson, Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray, Travis Kvapil, and Joey Logano who will have all of 6 Cup starts at the time. Sorry, but those drivers don't belong in any type of current all star race. It will not be an interesting race to watch with the awful disparity in such a short field. I don't want to watch undeserving drivers race for a special event. And the manufacturers don't deserve equal representation when they don't have equally deep lineups (Dodge and Toyota, I'm looking at you). Plus new drivers will get undeserving chances. Of course Michael Waltrip likes it. You phony, transparent, untalented behind the wheel or a desk moron, go back to whatever rock you crawled from under. You only got into NASCAR cause your name is Waltrip, and you have sucked for the last 25 years. 13. dUDE gUY posted: 09.02.2008 - 2:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmie uses the car he won with at Indy to completely dominate at California. Looks like the 48 team has found something that works quite well for themselves. Reutimann drove an excellent race. He was in the top ten for most of the race and ran in the top five for a while too. What a terrific run for David and the 44 team. 14. Willy on Wheels posted: 09.02.2008 - 2:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think California Speedway should be taken off the schedule all together. It is boring and it only ever sells 1/2 or less seats. Also, Dale Earnhardt won at Bristol and still finished 7th in points his rookie year, despite missing 4 races due to an injury. Nobody has an excuse to do poorly just because its their first year these days. Edwards, Hamlin, Johnson, Newman, Busch, Dale Jr, Kahne, Kenseth, Stewart, Harvick, and more all won or ran with the best of them in their first year. Even Montoya did well considering his equipment. I only criticize drivers who are in good equipment but don't know how to win (David Ragan), or are just plain bad (Wallmendinger, McDowell, Smith) 15. Baker posted: 09.02.2008 - 3:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Willy you're just full of it. Allmendinger was a first year driver, first time in a stock car unlike those other guys you named and first year team unlike Edwards, Hamlin, Johnson, Newman, Busch, Junior, Kahne, Kenseth, Stewart and Harvick who all went to superior teams as rookies. You fail to see the whole story, you only see what you want to see. 16. Kit posted: 09.03.2008 - 1:48 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I agree with Baker. Allmendinger is a first year driver in less-than-superior equipment. Cut him some slack already. 17. Kit posted: 09.03.2008 - 1:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) DaleSrFanForever, Here's something else we can comment on: David Reutimann: 9th Michael Waltrip: 33rd 18. Willy on Wheels posted: 09.03.2008 - 1:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) At least Waltrip fired the rolling roadblock McDowell. Reutiman makes his teammates look like five year olds in go-karts. A top-10 with Waltrip's team is like a top-5 in DEI or Penske or Team Red Bull. 19. Dodge posted: 09.03.2008 - 4:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Willy, I hate to give you bad news but McDowell is in the car this weekend 20. roadkill posted: 09.03.2008 - 8:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Seriously Willy, Allmendinger's situation is totally different than most of these other drivers. He had never driven stock cars before, and he was with a new team, new manufacturer and had no owner points to fall back on. Had David Ragan been in the #84 last year, he probably would have had 25 DNQ's and would already be out of the sport. I think it's too much to expect a rookie to make the Chase or win a race, but they need to show potential. Nobody in this year's rookie class seems to have any potential. Regan Smith is the worst, in my opinion. He doesn't crash, but he's about the slowest guy out there. Back to Ragan, why in the hell did UPS sign a long term deal to be his sponsor? In two years driving Roush equipment, he has never been a serious contender for a win. The media keeps yammering about his improvement this year, but it's pretty easy to improve when you spun out in every race the year before. Even if he squeaks into the Chase, it'll be the equivalent of an NBA team taking the 8th seed in the playoffs only to get swept in the first round. 21. Anonymous posted: 09.03.2008 - 8:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Willy, If I'm not mistaken, McDowell is actually scheduled to return to the #00 for the rest of the season. 22. DaleSrFanForever posted: 09.03.2008 - 10:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) You are right Kit. David Reutimann always seriously outperforms his teammates. He doesn't always get the finishes to show for it, but if you pay attention to the ticker throughout the race, Reut is always at least 15 spots ahead of his nearest teammate, usually more. If was with a decent team, I think he could really contend. Willy, unfortunately McDowell will be back at Richmond, at least that is the plan as of now (I bet the fringe Chase contenders are happy to hear that). Skinner was placed in just to "evaluate the program" at MWR. Hell, I could have done that: it sucks!! There, give me what they were paying Skinner. He is seriously not ready, and he has caused a couple of really dangerous accidents. You are right in calling him a rolling roadblock. Actually, "rolling landmine" might be more accurate. I am in the middle about Almendinger. About two months ago I was right with Willy saying get rid of him, but he has shown some flashes recently. The biggest thing to remember is that Red Bull is a new team that was horribly mismanaged last year. They got Jay Fry and things have gone better, and ever since Jimmy Elledge became his crew chief he has run better. But it is still unclear as to what his celing is. I'll need more time to decide that. 23. Willy on wheels posted: 09.05.2008 - 12:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Red Bull is not a new team anymore, and Brian Vickers had no problem becoming a top ten driver this season. 24. Willy on Wheels posted: 09.06.2008 - 11:48 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Forgot to mention, first 2008 race for the 08, one of the last "field filler" teams of the 2003-05 era. (the other last remaining field filler team is the 34) 25. ii posted: 04.23.2012 - 4:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) The first time in Jeff Gordon's Cup career that he doesn't have DuPont as the primary sponsor. 26. Daniel posted: 05.22.2012 - 11:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) In using fastest 43: #70 Tony Raines Out using fastest 43: #38 David Gilliland 27. CBASS posted: 01.28.2013 - 7:35 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor updates #41 Target/ Polaroid #31 AT&T #44 Toys For Tots/ The UPS Store #96 DLP HDTV/ Mitsubishi Electric #01 Dale Earnhardt Inc./ Principal #00 Affliction Day of Reckoning #10 Sears Auto Center http://archives.ciastockphoto.com/cgi/images.php?group=w0829 28. Sandy posted: 06.08.2020 - 5:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First time the pole sitter won a cup race at Fontana 29. TheDewCrew posted: 08.05.2020 - 12:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the race that the caution light fell onto the track 30. Rich posted: 08.09.2020 - 8:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The commentators were Dr. Jerry Punch, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree. The pit road reporters were Dave Burns, Mike Massaro, Jamie Little and Shannon Spake. Tim Brewer was at the Chevy cut-away car. And at the ESPN pit studio were Allen Bestwick, Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty. 31. Altracing posted: 12.15.2020 - 7:49 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) 500th career start for Jeff Burton. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: