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All in all it was a classy day in Thunder Valley

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by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

March 16, 2008 11:26 pm UTC 4 Comments

Jeff Burton 2008 Food City 500Dale Jarrett’s last Sprint Cup Series race didn’t go as well as he and his fans hoped. His 37th place finish in the Food City 500 was disappointing.

But he did hand over his #44 UPS Camry with 34th place owner’s points – a critical accomplishment for his employer, Michael Waltrip Racing. DJ was the epitome of class to the end. Scene Daily had this quote…

“Well, it wasn’t the finish I would have liked,” Jarrett said. “I’m able to go out with the best sponsor in the business in UPS, and I would have liked to have had a better day for them, but I really can’t be too upset when you take into consideration the kind of career I have been fortunate to have.”

The win went to another of the classiest members of the NASCAR circus, Jeff Burton. Burton has been running around up front all year and the win at Bristol was no stunner. Maybe the fact that Jeff Burton was the driver to capture Chevrolet’s first 2008 victory was a surprise. Richard Childress Racing Impalas finished top three in a race led mostly by two Joe Gibbs’ Camrys.

Tony Stewart led the most laps – again at Bristol – only to get taken out by a Kevin Harvick bobble that will come to be seen as “one of those racin’ deals” after a couple days of cool-down. Stewart was sarcastic after the race. Scene Daily again…

“I thought I left him plenty of room, but I don’t know,” Stewart said. “I was far enough ahead of him that I didn’t see where he hit me or when he hit me. I’m sure somehow it was my fault. I’m just sorry I got in his way.”

Harvick wasn’t ducking culpability. He clearly got loose under Smoke, impatience maybe causing a mistake.

“I clipped the apron, just lost the thing. If I’d have had it to do over again, I wouldn’t want to spin out. But, you know, it’s just one of those deals where I was just trying to get all I could and just got a little too far.”

All-in-all a kinder, gentler Bristol. I’m writing this at midnight and can find no reports of cheating or tire tirades. The race went full term, without rain, snow or – luckily – tornado delay. No punches thrown, nor helmets either. Just classy drivers acting – well, classy.

I think Atlanta was more fun.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Filed under: Dale Jarrett, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Sprint Cup Series, Tony Stewart 

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Comments

4 Responses to “All in all it was a classy day in Thunder Valley”

  1. User Avatar Luke on March 17th, 2008 2:28 am

    Tornadoes?

    Awww man, you’re going to jinx the party at Texas, aren’t ya?

    Bristol wasn’t the literal slug fest of reputation, but the show went well. Unfortunately, they don’t cover most of it on TV. Heck, they could barely give D.J. any coverage (politics?), but they can sell you a digger shirt.

    Any takers on the ratings being up? I know where I’m placing my bet.

  2. User Avatar Marc on March 17th, 2008 4:21 am

    Ratings?

    13% jump up.

  3. Tim Zaegel on March 18th, 2008 5:24 pm

    All in all, I thought it was a pretty solid race on Sunday. Was it my favorite Bristol race of all-time? Not by a long shot, but the intense drama at the end of the race sure as hell made the previous 490 laps completely worth it!

  4. User Avatar Charlie Turner on March 18th, 2008 10:32 pm

    I guess you’re right Tim. I just didn’t feel it. The end was Ok, but no surprise. Harvick F’d up and took Smoke out. Burton won a leftover.

    Come to think it over, I think it stunk, Bristol-wise. It was more like a Kansas or Chicago race than a short track. Doesn’t mean it was a bad race – just a bad Bristol race.

    Nah, I’m leanin’ towards not liking the new banks. Just me.

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