NASCAR: Kurt Busch Leaves Penske Racing In "Mutual Split"

By: Tyler Ward

In a surprise move Monday, it was announced that Kurt Busch will leave Penske Racing in what was described as a "mutual split".

Busch, the 2004 Sprint Cup Champion, ran out of favor with the team after multiple run-ins on the track, primarily with his feud with five-time champion Jimmie Johnson. He had also had run-ins off the track as well, which ultimately led to his demise at Penske Racing.

It all started when Busch let his emotions get the better of him after a transmission failure early in the season finale at Homestead.

He then proceeded to make an obscene gesture that just happened to be towards Michelle Obama's motorcade.

Busch would then go on to have a profanity-laced spout with ESPN infield reporter and longtime NASCAR enthusiast, Dr. Jerry Punch. A fan was filming the tirade and the video ultimately went viral on YouTube.

In my opinion, there was no need for Busch to do that, especially to Punch who has been in the NASCAR business for a long time. Punch did not deserve it at all, but you really can't expect that much from Busch.

NASCAR fined Busch $50,000 for the tirade and Penske, along with his sponsor, Shell Pennzoil, reprimanded him.

In a statement released by Busch, he thanked team owner Roger Penske "for the opportunity that he has given me."

"I am grateful to Penske Racing for six very productive years. Together we won a lot of races -- 16 in all," Busch said. "Leaving a great organization and a lucrative contract is not easy, but it's an important step for me and allows me to take a deep breath to work on things that can make me a better driver and a better person."

Busch posted a video on his website, stating that he recently lost the fun aspect of racing. He would also go on to say that he "needed a fresh start."

He would go on to say in the video, ""I realized I just needed to put the fun back in racing. I needed a fresh start. Walking way from a great organization and a lucrative contract, it's not easy. But it allows me to take a deep breath and work on things that can make me a better driver and a better person.''

Busch also said in the video that he was planning on working with a sports psychologist after former champions Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson advised him to do so.


"This is going to help me better deal with my emotions moving forward, especially those moments right outside the race car. I never want to take for granted that it's a privilege to earn a living as a NASCAR driver," Busch said. "As I begin this new chapter in my life, I'm excited about the future and committed to making the changes necessary to enjoy racing again.''

With Busch's exit, the main question now is what will happen to Busch? There is no doubt that the former champion will find a ride elsewhere, but to whom?

There are quite a few teams still looking for a driver. Busch could always return to Roush Racing, where he got his start in the business. David Ragan, who has driven for Roush Racing the last few seasons, was relieved of his duties earlier today also, which could lead to a return to Roush for Busch.

But with 2011 Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rising to the top in NASCAR, there may be no room for Busch as it has been rumored that Stenhouse will race a full-time schedule next season for Roush Fenway Racing.

It is always plausible that Busch could head to Joe Gibbs Racing, replacing Joey Logano, who has been somewhat of a disappointment since arriving in Sprint Cup. If he were to team up with Gibbs, he would be teammates with younger brother, Kyle Busch.

He could also head to Richard Petty Motorsports, after the team failed to sign Clint Bowyer to a contract. Bowyer eventually signed with Michael Waltrip Racing and will drive the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota. RPM has stated in the past that they are looking for another driver to team up with Marcos Ambrose and A.J. Allmendinger.

And not to mention, if Tony Stewart was looking to add another stable to his Stewart-Haas Racing team, Busch would be an ideal fit as he would team up with 2011 champion Stewart and Ryan Newman.

Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing could also look to add a third ride to the stable that also features Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Former Roush Fenway driver David Ragan has stated since his release that he wants the Penske ride that Busch vacated earlier in the day. There is a very strong possibility that it could lead to a swap.

However, Shell Pennzoil stated last year that they wanted a championship-caliber driver to drive their car, which may not help Ragan, who has been far from a championship contender since he entered NASCAR's top-tier series.

David Reutimann has also been rumored to head to Penske Racing.

But there is no doubt that Kurt Busch will be able to find a full-time ride for the 2012 Sprint Cup season.

Drivers looking for rides in 2012: David Reutimann, David Ragan, Brian Vickers, David Gilliland, Travis Kvapil, J.J. Yeley and Kurt Busch

Have You Seen Me? Where In The World Is Jamie McMurray?

By: Tyler Ward

It's like playing Where's Waldo or looking at the back of a milk carton.

Who are we looking for?

Jamie McMurray, the driver of the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet.

He has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth this season and was hardly the driver he was last year.

In 2010, McMurray won three races, two of which were the biggest races of the season - the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400.

He is currently 26th in the standings with just two top ten finishes through twelve races.

Not to mention, McMurray is behind drivers that he should be ahead of - Drivers like A.J. Allmendinger, Marcos Ambrose, David Ragan, Martin Truex Jr., David Reutimann, Brad Keselowski, and Joey Logano.

And he is just thirteen points ahead of surprise Darlington winner Regan Smith.

McMurray just hasn't lived up to par. No one knows if it is his driving or if it's the car. But one thing we do know is that McMurray isn't living up to expectations.

Luckily for him, there are 24 more races this season, giving him ample time to get things going and hopefully get his first (or more) win(s) of the season.

He has been one of the most disappointing drivers this season, as many expected him to compete for a shot in the Chase for the Cup. But things just haven't gone right.

Last season was arguably the best of McMurray's career. He showed that he could be one of the best in NASCAR, especially on the superspeedway tracks (Daytona and Talladega).

He sealed his name in the record books as he won the biggest race of the year, the Daytona 500. He would then go to Talladega, narrowly missing out on the victory as Kevin Harvick passed him at the finish line.

During the next six races, he would place second two more times at the Southern 500 at Darlington and at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte.

He would struggle during the next six races before earning a fifth-place finish at Chicago.

The following race, the Sprint Cup went to perhaps the most famed track in auto racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400.

McMurray would stun his competitors again as he took the checkered flag to win his second race of the season.

Over the next seven races, McMurray would earn three top ten finishes, including two third-place finishes at Bristol and New Hampshire.

Four races later, he won his third race of the year, as he took the checkered flag at the second Charlotte race of the season.

He would then struggle over the rest of the year, earning just one top-ten finish.

With such a strong performance in 2010, many thought that McMurray would challenge drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, and others for a spot in the chase.

Although he is far behind, he still has a very small chance at earning a spot. There are 14 more races until the chase starts, so the Bass Pro Shops team needs to shape up right now if they want in.

But for now, McMurray is considered missing. He'll be found once he starts posting strong finishes.

The Sprint Cup will go to Kansas next weekend, followed by Pocono, Michigan, Sonoma, and Daytona.

Kevin Harvick Steals Win At Charlotte As Dale Earnhardt Jr. Runs Out of Gas on Final Lap

By: Tyler Ward

It looked like it was over. Finally, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was going to cross the finish line in first place for the first time in an astounding 105 races. He had not won since Michigan in 2008 and he was looking to stop that long streak.

He crossed the finish line and captured the white flag, meaning one lap to go.

Earnhardt made it one more lap and won for the first time in nearly three years. Smiles surrounded victory lane as people poured in to help Earnhardt celebrate.

Unfortunately, that's what "Jr." was thinking in his head. It did not happen and he will now have to wait even longer.

Instead of Earnhardt being passed on the final lap or wrecking his car, he was passed by Kevin Harvick on the last turn as he ran out of fuel. He would coast across the finish line with no gas, eventually coming in seventh.

Fans were stunned. Earnhardt was frustrated. And Kevin Harvick was jubilant, as he celebrated his third victory of the young season.

Harvick said after the race, "I think everybody sitting up here would say we want the 88 to win and they're so close to winning and both times they had a chance to win. We are going to do what we have to do to win the races, and today it all just worked out strategy wise that we won the race."

"But I feel so stinking bad for him, and I know how bad he wants it. It'll happen," he continued.

Earnhardt knew that he was stretching his gas, but crew chief Steve LeTarte told his driver to go for the win.

Over the final twenty laps, LeTarte continually told Earnhardt to chase down Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle and try to get the lead. Matt Kenseth, who was running fourth at the time, had to stop for gas, leaving Biffle and Kahne at a dead heat.

Thinking that the two drivers would run out of gas racing for the win, LeTarte told Earnhardt to sit tight and attempt to conserve fuel.

However, defending champion Jimmie Johnson blew his engine with four laps to go, meaning that the caution came out. Biffle stopped under the caution to get fuel, which left Kahne and Earnhardt lining up side-by-side for the final restart.

Earnhardt eventually got to the white flag, but ran out of fuel on the backstretch and coasted to the finish until Harvick passed him, sealing another victory on the season.

"The spotter was like, 'Man, they're coming! They're coming!' I was like, 'I'm cruising. What am I supposed to do, get out and pedal this thing with my feet?" Earnhardt said.

Harvick, too, thought he was going to run out of fuel on the final lap.

"The spotter was going nuts, "The 88's out of gas! Keep going!" Harvick said. "I'm like 'Well, I'm not going to let off!' What do you want me to do? I'm going as hard as I can go. All of a sudden, he just shut off. He had sucked every drop out of it."

The Coca-Cola 600's top ten was one of the weirdest ones on the year, as the "stars of NASCAR" frankly did not dominate it.

David Ragan got his best finish of his young career, coming in second place. Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, and A.J. Allmendinger rounded out the top five.

Marcos Ambrose came in sixth, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishing right behind him. Regan Smith, David Reutimann, and Denny Hamlin finished out the top ten.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., in his first career Sprint Cup start, came in 11th after a strong run for the Wood Brothers.

Although Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth arguably had the best cars of the 600-mile race, they finished 13th and 14th, respectively. They can both thank their fuel issues for not contending in the final laps.

Carl Edwards, the winner of the All-Star Race, finished 16th. Jeff Gordon, who was a factor for much of the race, came in a disappointing 22nd.

Defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, who blew an engine with four laps to go, finished 28th. Kyle Busch led 55 laps, but spun twice late in the race and placed in 32nd.

The victory at the Coca-Cola 600 marks the third win of the season for Harvick. He had won previously this season at California and Martinsville.

"We were lucky," Harvick said after the race. "It's nothing against the race track, I just don't like racing here. It just doesn't fit what I do. I griped and griped and griped all day long about how terrible it was. I just had a bad attitude."

Well, I'm sure he doesn't have a bad attitude now.

Carl Edwards currently leads in the standings, just 36 and 37 points ahead of Harvick and Jimmie Johnson, respectively. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 43 points behind, is in fourth. Kyle Busch fell back to fifth in the standings, 53 points behind Edwards.

The Sprint Cup will go to Kansas next weekend.

NASCAR: Matt Kenseth Wins At Texas; Snaps 76-Race Winless Streak

By: Tyler Ward

In a rather dominating performance, Matt Kenseth won at Texas for his first win in 76 races.

Kenseth led 169 of the 334 laps and clinched his 19th career Sprint Cup victory.

He last won at Texas in 2002 and since then, Kenseth has posted four runner-up finishes, along with six other top-ten finishes.

But late in the race, Kenseth's hopes of winning seemed bleak.

Luckily for the Wisconsin native, he was trailing only Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch before they had to make pit stops while trying to stretch out their fuel mileage.

With 13 laps to go, Kyle Busch pitted, giving up his 8.2-second lead.

Kenseth took the lead and finished 8.3 seconds ahead of runner-up Clint Bowyer.

The weekend ended well for Jack Roush, the owner of Kenseth's car, along with three others.

Teammate Carl Edwards won the Nationwide Series race on Friday night, and Kenseth dominated on Saturday night.

All four of Roush's car finished in the top seven spots. Kenseth won the race, Edwards finished third with Greg Biffle right behind him, and David Ragan ended up placing seventh.

With the win, Kenseth became the track's all-time laps led leader with 669 in 18 career starts.

Kenseth, Bowyer, Edwards, Biffle, and Paul Menard rounded out the top five. Marcos Ambrose finished sixth, Ragan placed in seventh. Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kurt Busch rounded out the top ten.

Denny Hamlin finished 15th and Kevin Harvick, who had won the two previous races, finished in 20th.

The race was the first of the season under the lights and was also the first in the track's 21-race history.

Carl Edwards is currently the points leader and just nine points ahead of Kyle Busch in the standings. Kenseth and reigning champion Jimmie Johnson are tied for third, thirteen points behind. Kurt Busch is now in fifth.

NASCAR will now go to Talladega next week.

Amazing Finish: Kevin Harvick Passes Jimmie Johnson On Last Lap For California Win

By: Tyler Ward

The NASCAR season headed to California on Sunday for the Auto Club 400 at Fontana.

Juan Pablo Montoya, the polesitter, was looking to earn his first oval win on Sunday, but he would not get the win. He led the first six laps of the race, but faded after that and could never run at the top. He kept on fading back, but somehow finished the race in 10th place.

Kyle Busch, who swept both races at Bristol last weekend, won the Nationwide Series race on Saturday and was hoping to win four races in two weeks.

The younger Busch led a race-high 151 laps and showed all day that he was the dominant car.

However, with nine laps remaining, the field set to restart after a late-race caution. 

Busch started in the lead and in the opening laps of the restart, he pulled away from five-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson.

But as the laps winded down, Johnson inched closer and closer to Busch's bumper.

The five-time Sonoma winner passed Busch with two laps remaining, hoping to win his sixth race at the track.

Unfortunately, for Johnson, the best closer in all of NASCAR was sitting behind him, waiting and watching. As Johnson took the lead, Harvick also passed Busch, trying to steal the race away from one of best drivers in NASCAR history.

With Johnson leading Harvick at the white flag, Harvick made his move going into Turn 3 on the last remaining lap. Staying on the high side of the racetrack, Harvick completed the pass exiting Turn 4.

He would cut in front of Johnson, dive all the way to the bottom, and win his first race of the 2011 season.

Known as one, if not the, best closer in NASCAR, Harvick said after the race, "I wish we could just go out there and wear 'em out one day, just not have to worry about waiting until the last lap," Harvick said. "It does kind of seem we wait until the last moments to really get going. It's probably somewhat of a bad habit I have, but I guess it worked out."

Harvick has overcome a slow start to the season, especially after placing 42nd at the biggest race of the year, the Daytona 500.

Before Sunday, Harvick's best race this season was a fourth-place finish at Phoenix.


It seemed as though he didn't have a particularly strong car at Fontana after qualifying 24th for the 400-mile race.


But he did what he does best. Sit and wait. He steadily made his way throughout the park, as if he was the tortoise and Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson were the hares.


Car owner Richard Childress visited Harvick in Victory Lane, just like they've done numerous times.


"I really felt good when they had that restart because I knew his car was really fast on the long run. I knew if they didn't get too far out in front of us, we'd have a shot," Childress said. "All we needed was to get him side-by-side and start racing. That gave Kevin a chance to catch them and he made the right move going into 3."

The race also signified troubles for Joe Gibbs Racing. Even though Busch placed third in the race, Denny Hamlin blew an engine on lap 80 and ended up finishing 39th. Joey Logano qualified in third place, but had to go to the back after switching engines. He would finish the race in 25th.


Joe Gibbs Racing has now had engine troubles in all five races this season.


Harvick, Johnson, and Busch were the top three finishers. Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five. Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers, Kasey Kahne, and Montoya filled the next five spots, respectively.


After five weeks of racing, Carl Edwards is currently first in the standings. Ryan Newman is behind him, just nine points behind. The Busch brothers are next with older brother Kurt just one point ahead of Kyle. Defending champion Jimmie Johnson fills out the top five.


Tony Stewart is sixth, with surprise driver Paul Menard in seventh. Montoya is eighth, and following him, a three-way tie for ninth place with Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, and Kasey Kahne battling for that spot.


They will travel to Martinsville next week for what is sure to be an exciting race.


Here's a video of the last few laps of the Auto Club 400:

McMurray Stuns Field; Wins Brickyard 400

By: Tyler Ward

NASCAR guru Ray Evernham was right Saturday, as he picked Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray to win the Brickyard 400. McMurray, teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, and Greg Biffle battled throughout the day for the win, but McMurray came out victorious, winning his second race this year.

McMurray became the third driver ever to win the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year, along with Dale Jarrett (1996) and Jimmie Johnson (2006). Owner Chip Ganassi also became the first owner ever to win the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, and Indy Car's Indianapolis 500 in the same year.

A four-tire pit stop doomed Montoya on a debris caution with 23 laps to go. Six drivers took two tires on the final stop, while Montoya took four, placing all the way back in seventh place. Eager to take the top spot, he tried to weave in and out of traffic and eventually lost control of his car, slamming into the wall and wrecking Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the process. Montoya, who led 86 of the 160 laps, finished 32nd after a second straight heartbreak race at the Brickyard. Last year, he led 116 laps, but a speeding penalty cost him the race - he has been trying to become the first driver ever to win the Brickyard 400 and Indy 500.

This has really been a tough season for Montoya after making the Chase last season. He is currently 22nd in the standings and is pretty much ruled out of making the Chase for the Cup this year.

Winning driver McMurray said after the race, "I really believe that this was Juan's weekend. I'm looking with 15 or 20 laps to go and Juan is leading -- not that I was content -- but, if this is the way it's supposed to be, then that's just the way it is. When Juan was leading and I was in second, I am a big believer in fate, and I thought this was just the way it is meant to be. I won the 500, Dario [Franchitti] won the Indy 500 and Juan is gonna win this race. I really thought it was his day."

McMurray led only 16 laps and beat out points leader Kevin Harvick by 1.391 seconds following a restart with eleven laps to go. Greg Biiffle finished third and still remains winless on the year. Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart rounded out the Top 5. Harvick's teammate, Jeff Burton, came in sixth and Roush-Fenway driver Carl Edwards finished behind Burton. Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, and Kurt Busch filled out the rest of the Top 10. 2002 Brickyard Winner Bill Elliott ran stellar throughout the day, coming in 18th. Jeff Gordon, winless this year, finished 22nd, with defending champion Jimmie Johnson came in 23rd. Gordon is winless in the past 49 races, the longest drought of his career.

Disgruntled driver Montoya, who finished 32nd, did not talk to the media after the race, but later posted on his Twitter account, "We had a rough day. Great car and great team effort. Nice to see the 1 car win. I know it means a lot for Chip."

Kevin Manion, McMurray's crew chief, has to feel like the smartest person on the track, after his crew put McMurray out front with a 7.2 second pit stop with several laps remaining in the race. But, Chip Ganassi should feel that way too, after signing the Brickyard 400 winner to a one-year contract before the season. 

McMurray was released by Roush-Fenway Racing after the 2009 season because of NASCAR's newly-placed four car team limit - Owner Jack Roush felt that he had to let go of him because statistically, he was the "worst" driver on the team. His ex-teammates included Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, and David Ragan. Now, it may seem like a foolish decision. Roush-Fenway's four drivers have not won a single race this season, while McMurray has won the two biggest races of the season.

Having the best season of his career, negotiations have started between McMurray and Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing for a contract extension. He signed a one-year contract with the team before this season. His sponsor, Bass Pro Shops, is expected to stay with the team. After the race, Ganassi was asked about McMurray's possible re-signing, saying "I'm going to fire him. What do you think?" By that logic, it looks like the re-signing is all, but inevitable.

With the win on Sunday, McMurray moved up two spots to 16th in the standings, 625 points out of first. He is also 151 points behind Clint Bowyer for the final spot in this year's Chase for the Cup. Kevin Harvick remains the points leader, with Jeff Gordon 184 points behind. There is only six more races until the Chase starts, which is at Richmond on September 11th. It officially starts September 19th at New Hampshire.

Kevin Harvick Wins Wild Race At Daytona

By: Tyler Ward

At the Coke Zero 400 tonight, Kevin Harvick won a frantic race and was able to fend off Kasey Kahne for the win. The race started with a long 85 minute rain delay and most drivers were antsy to finally start one of the most popular races of the year.

Harvick started on the pole for the race, after Friday's qualifying was rained out. Kevin Harvick was not in the lead prior to a wreck that included Sam Hornish Jr, Elliott Sadler, and Kurt Busch. The caution was brought out and the race was forced to go under a green-white-checkered finish. With more than half the cars out of the race or damaged of some type, Harvick took the checkered flag after a long night. There were 18 different leaders in the race, which is a record for the event.

NASCAR red-flagged the race for over 20 minutes when there was just 12 laps to go in the race. There was a 20 car wreck, that started with Mark Martin, who got the worst of the wreck. Included in the melee were drivers such as Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Joey Logano, and Juan Pablo Montoya. Analyst Kyle Petty said that it was "the official first fireworks of the Fourth of July".

This was Harvick's second win of the season and 13th of his career. He won at Talladega in April by passing this year's Daytona 500 winner, Jamie McMurray, at the finish line on the last lap. Harvick's win puts him a tie for 51st for most wins in Sprint Cup Series history, tying Tim Richmond, Denny Hamlin, and Dick Rathmann. His win also distances himself in the point standings, but it will eventually be cut down due to the Chase for the Championship that starts in a few months.

When asked if he could be the one that finally beats Jimmie Johnson, Harvick said, "I think until somebody beats him -- until we get to Homestead [the season finale] and that happens, he's still the guy to beat. For us, we've got to keep working hard. We're in a fortunate position with the start to our season, and we've got to keep working on our cars and trying to make things better, and hopefully, when the stress starts with 10 weeks to go, we'll be as ready as we've ever been."

Harvick beat out Kasey Kahne for the win. Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jeff Burton rounded out the Top 5. Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Reed Sorenson, Mike Bliss, and Scott Speed finished out the Top 10, respectively. This also gives Harvick a 212-point advantage over Jeff Gordon in the point standings.

Overall, I'm happy for Harvick. I wouldn't go as far to say that he had the most dominant car because over half the field was knocked out of the race by the end. It was fitting that Harvick won tonight, though, as he has won 2 out of the 3 restrictor plate races this year. So far, Harvick seems to be the best driver, but anything can happen in the Chase. I think Harvick can do well in the Chase, but there have been some instances when the best driver entering the Chase, fails to win the championship. Hopefully, he can keep his momentum and win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

NOTES:

- This year's Daytona 500 winner, Jamie McMurray, finished a disappointing 39th.

- Rookie Kevin Conway had his best career finish (14th)

- Kevin Harvick's last three wins have come on restrictor plate tracks

- The summer Daytona race has been held 52 times. This is the 8th time that it has been won from the pole.

- This was Bobby Labonte's 600th career Sprint Cup series race and he finished a season-best 16th.

The #3 In Victory Lane Again

By: Tyler Ward

Earlier tonight, Dale Earnahrdt Jr. won for the first time since 2008 and this may be one of the biggest races he has ever won. It had been 85 points races since "Little E" had won a NASCAR race. The drought is officially over. In somewhat dominating fashion, he was able to lead the pack and win the Subway Jalapeno 250.

Driving the famed #3 Wrangler Chevrolet, Earnhardt won at the famed Daytona International Speedway. He wanted to honor his father, Dale Sr., who died in a wreck at the very same race track in 2001. This was his first win since Michigan in 2008, and first Nationwide Series win since Michigan in 2006.

Earnhardt was happy to win the race, but really didn't show his excitement that many people expected.

He mentioned in an interview after the race, "I was just relieved. Victory Lane's like when you're a little kid and you've got a tree house or you and your buddies got a clubhouse in the woods. That's what Victory Lane is to me, and I like going there. You miss it really bad, but you know it's there and you can get back there again if you try really hard. It's not gone, but it's very difficult to get into. Every time I win, I just soak it up like a sponge."

Shortly thereafter, Earnhardt continued in his interview and said, perhaps, the best quote all night. He stated, "I was so worried that I wasn't going to win, because nothing but winning was good enough. If you didn't win, what a waste of time. I worked hard to try to win it, not only for Daddy, I am proud of him going into the Hall of Fame, and he would be proud of this, I'm sure. Just all his fans. He had so many great fans. Not just mine. This is for his fans. Hopefully, they enjoyed this."

Junior agreed to drive the famed #3 Wrangler Chevrolet earlier this year in hopes of promoting his father's legacy after he was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in May. His father is known as one of the greatest drivers ever and is sharing the all time record for most championships with Richard Petty. Both drivers have seven championships each. Dale Earnhardt Sr was known as an intimidating force on the NASCAR scene and compiled many love and hate relationships with not just fans, but drivers, analysts, and writers. However, Earnhardt died on February 18, 2001 in a wreck with Ken Schrader. His legacy has lived on in his son and many fans had hoped that Junior would become the great driver that his father was. He has not really lived up to expectations and has not won a single championship in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a good driver, but he could really never live in his father's shadow.

This is the last time that Junior will drive the #3 car. I wouldn't necessarily say that the number deserves to be retired, but the number should only be driven selectively throughout each season. And if somehow, the number is retired, Richard Petty's #43 should be retired, too. I consider Petty the best driver of all-time, winning seven championships and 200 races. I feel that many people consider Earnhardt the better driver, but in reality he isn't. I'm not taking anything away from Senior - he was a very good driver and deserves all the respect he warrants in the sport.

Junior made public that he will not race the famed number again. Last week, Earnhardt said, "I just want to go to the racetrack and run it once before I retire, and this will probably be it. After this, I'll probably never drive a car with a 3 on it again. I can pretty much say I'm 99 percent sure that will never happen again. It's not [my number] to take and use whenever I feel like using it. You just don't grab the car keys off the counter and go run out the door and haul down the road with your dad's car. I didn't do it when he was alive, and I won't do it now."

Earnhardt took the lead with 26 laps to go during pit stops. His fans stood on their feet and some have possibly never screamed so hard in their lives. Earnhardt probably has the biggest fan base in NASCAR, and after not winning since 2008, most were overly anticipating tonight's race.

Some people thought, including Junior, that he would not win the race after Paul Menard blew a tire with four laps to go in the race. Getting drafting help from youngster, Joey Logano, Earnhardt helped equalize the field and hold on to win the race. He was relieved to finally bring the #3 back to victory lane.

Earnhardt's helper for the night, Logano, finished 2nd in the race and felt that if he passed Earnhardt for the win, many fans would hate him forever. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Keselowski, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the Top 5. The winner in this race last year, Clint Bowyer, finished in 6th. Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Brian Ickler, and Steve Arpin were the other drivers in the next four spots.

This can very well be one of Junior's most popular wins ever. Many fans had waited a long time to finally see the #3 win again. It is also perhaps the most popular win in NASCAR's three top divisions this year.

I, for one, was not a big fan of Senior's style of racing, but I appreciated the fact that he contributed to NASCAR in more ways than one. He was a true legend of this sport and deserves praise for all that he had accomplished. NASCAR, financially, has missed Dale Sr since his death, as he added many seats to each race. Throughout the United States, fans still support Senior with weird things like the #3 tattoo, or something simple like tee shirts and jackets.

I'm happy that Dale Jr won tonight, as it meant a lot to not only himself, but his fans and NASCAR. This was a very impressive win and couldn't have come at a better track. I applaude him, as it is a very difficult race to win. I wouldn't say he deserved to win the race or that it was "fixed", but he had the best car all night and he should have won irregardless. I also consider tonight's race the most exciting of the year and it will forever live in inphamy. Congratulations, Dale Earnhardt Jr.