OK, let me just get my ranting about corporate naming out of the way first. The “Sunoco Red Cross 500″? Now we’re dividing the naming rights among two sponsors? I know times are tough, but what’s next? Layaway naming? Or maybe one-quarter naming rights – look for the Wal-Mart Toyota Quaker State Jiffy Lube 500 coming your way in 2011.
Sorry about that. I’ve got it out of my system now. Anyway – on to the race itself. It was a good one.
Greg Biffle won the race, but it wasn’t enough to budge him out of eleventh place in the Sprint Cup Standings, largely due to the fact that Carl Edwards, the driver currently in possession of the tenth spot, finished a strong third at Pocono this week.
The big winner in the Sprint Cup standings this week was eighth place finisher Jeff Burton. Although seven drivers crossed the finish line ahead of him, none were named Busch. In fact, only one Busch, Kyle, managed to finish the race at all, and that at a distant 23rd place. Burton leapfrogged by Kurt and Kyle Busch to move up to fifth place in the standings.
With Burton now in front of them, the Busch Boys have to be looking in their rear view mirrors at the surging Tony Stewart, whose second place finish at Pocono has brought him within three points of Kurt and five away from Kyle. Either a good showing by Stewart or another bad one by Kurt and Kyle next week at Watkins Glen could easily push the Busches back another spot each.
Speaking of Watkins Glen next week – I’ll just get the corporate name griping over with now. The official name of the race is: The Helluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen. Seriously. Exclamation point included.
