Jimmie Johnson wins Daytona 500
Watch the finish as Jimmie Johnson wins the Daytona 500.
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
Danica Patrick led laps, two favorites crashed early and another crash marred the final lap. Yep, that’s Daytona.Jimmie Johnson emerged from it all as the winner a year after completing just one lap in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman rounded out top five.
Things got more hotly contested at the end as a second line once more formed and drivers raced side by side in the pack. Defending series champion Brad Keselowski led the group on the outside, with Jimmie Johnson bringing a group alongside on the inside.
The two lines raced for position, with Johnson and Keselowski trading the lead. Greg Biffle and Danica Patrick were pushing Keselowski; Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer were drafting along behind Johnson. And Dale Earnhardt Jr. was coming to the front.
With 10 to go, Keselowski held the edge. He shifted to the inside line. He moved back to the outside. As everyone was racing hard, a caution came out for debris on the track on Lap 191 – shuffling the racing lines for the restart.
Johnson took the lead on the restart, leading Biffle, Patrick and Earnhardt Jr. in the outside lane. Johnson took the white flag with the field single file.
The first big crash came early in the race. Kyle Busch appeared to tag in the left rear quarter-panel of Kasey Kahne’s car in the drafting pack, causing Kahne to spin.
“The guys in front of me were all checking up,” Kahne said. “I was trying not to run over Jeff (Gordon) and I could feel a lot of momentum right there, so I was trying hard not to run over Jeff. Kyle was probably feeling the same momentum from behind and hit me, which shot me to the infield. There were a lot of cars close together.”
Kahne went sideways and cars piled into the nine-car accident. Keselowski sustained significant damage in the crash, as did Tony Stewart, Kahne, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray. Casey Mears and Kurt Busch were also involved in the accident.
“I let off a little bit to miss the wreck,” said Harvick, who had already won the Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duel during Speedweeks. “It looked like the No. 18 (of Kyle Busch) hooked the No. 5 ( of Kahne) and that kind of just started a chain reaction. I don’t know who was behind me, but just one of those deals.”
Meanwhile, polesitter Patrick took the lead on Lap 90. After giving up the lead to pit, she regained it on Lap 127. She led five laps in the first three-quarters of the race and ran in the top 10 for much of it.
Carl Edwards’ rough week continued when he got caught up in the second major crash of the afternoon. Brad Keselowski and Trevor Bayne made contact and Bayne spun, getting hit by Edwards – who wrecked his fifth car of Speedweeks. Josh Wise, Austin Dillon, David Gilliland, David Ragan, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Terry Labonte were also involved.
Kenseth led 86 laps before his car started smoking and he was forced to pit road. When he hit pit road, his team raised the hood on his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and smoke billowed out. Teammate Hamlin took over the lead at that point. Moments later, on lap 152, Kyle Busch headed to pit road with smoke pouring out the rear of his car. His hood went up and his team began studying the car as well. Busch soon walked to the garage area as his motor had failed.
The caution came out once more on Lap 176 as Jeff Burton hit the wall. That left Scott Speed as the lone car on the track that had not pitted, allowing him to lead. When they went back green, Keselowski and Johnson led the field to the green.
'Drivers, and Danica!'? James Franco's NASCAR goof
James Franco wanted to give Danica Patrick a special shout out as Grand Marshall of the 2013 Daytona 500. But ... oops. It did not go so well.Franco tweaked the command for drivers to start their engines like this: "Drivers — and Danica! — start your engines!"
Time to get James Franco a photo here: HadOneJob.com
See, it kinda sounded like he meant Danica was not a driver. Here is a sample of how Twitter responded:
* @nateryan: "That command didn't exactly drovetail with Danica Patrick's long-stated worldview of being a driver/racer first and a woman second."
* @ChrisCredendino: "I know that James Franco didn't meant it, but he definitely butchered the most famous words in #NASCAR with that Danica Patrick comment."
*@jeanne_rice: "Wow James. How's that foot taste in your mouth?"
* @zebpalmer: "ok, the grand marshal is dumb. this his first race? #Daytona500"
Yes, Zeb. Probably.
Here's hoping James Franco shakes it off, and spends the rest of the race with his new best friend 50 Cent.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Some of the
biggest personalities in pop culture and Hollywood attend the Daytona
500 each season and the 2013 running of the Great American Race is no
different.
Amongst those in attendance is the cast of the A&E reality
television show Duck Dynasty, who will serve as honorary officials for
the race, which kicks off at 1:29 p.m.The show's narrator and Duck Commander CEO Willie Jess Robertson has spent the past few days in Central Florida, hanging out at the Washington Nationals' Spring Training facility before moving on to Daytona on Sunday. While there, he got in a round of golf but was humorously asked to leave the property for what the course deemed inappropriate attire.
He did not specify the course that kicked him out.
"Yeah, I was probably not prepared to play golf," Robertson said. "My attire wasn't quite up to their standards."
Robertson is also good friends with NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer and the two raced a pair of camouflaged limousines on the popular television. Robertson, a Harding University graduate, would not spill the results but said he "got Clint pretty good."
The Duck Dynasty star also has a newfound respect for NASCAR drivers following Saturday's Nationwide Series accident. He said that he had always thought anyone could do it but changed his mind after watching the massive accident that sent part of a race car into the grandstands and injured 28 fans.
"I'm guessing that's pretty rare and I hope the fans are okay," Robertson said. "That's what makes this exciting, especially on that last stretch. I've always told Clint that I can go out there and race and I got a text asking if I was sure about that this morning and it really changed my mind."
Other stars featured in today's festivities include Grand Marshal James Franco, fresh off his filming of Disney's Oz prequel. Also attending and singing the National Anthem is the Zac Brown band. Recently retired Super Bowl winning linebacker Ray Lewis is expected to wave the green flag once the race kicks off at 1:29 p.m.
Injuries as debris flies into Daytona stands during fiery NASCAR crash
updated 9:05 PM EST, Sat February 23, 2013
Kyle Larson, driver of car No. 32, and Brian Scott, driver of car No. 2, collide at the finish of the NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 23 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
HIDE CAPTION
Fiery finish in Daytona
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: 12 patients are at one hospital, two of them in critical but stable condition, official says
- With repairs continuing on a fence, the Daytona 500 should go on as planned, he adds
- The multicar crash happens at the end of a Nationwide Series race in Daytona speedway
- Debris, including an engine, ends up airborne -- some reaching the stands' second level
The multi-car crash occurred near the end of the Nationwide Series Drive4COPD 300 race at the same Florida track where Sunday's Daytona 500 will be held.
The race had recently restarted after another wreck, after which driver Michael Annett was hospitalized for bruising to his chest, according to Richard Petty Motorsports.
Several closely-packed cars were jostling for position at top speed when they got tangled up, setting off a dangerous chain reaction that ensnared a number of vehicles.
Reigning Sprint Cup champ Brad Keselowski -- who later told CNN he and others were simply "going for the win" -- was among those involved, while Tony Stewart somehow emerged unscathed and finished by winning the race.
Driver Kyle Larson's vehicle ended up flying into a fence that separates the track from spectators. It broke into pieces -- including tires and a fiery engine.
Larson walked away from the crash, even after the front part of his No. 32 car was completely gone. He and the other nine drivers involved told reporters that they were checked at a medical tent on the Daytona infield and released.
Some of the shredded debris flew into the barrier, while others got into the stands -- some of it reaching the second level about 20 feet up.
A video posted on YouTube shows a cloud of debris flying into stands and one man gasping, "Oh, my God." A tire rests on one seat, as a man frantically waves and yells to get the attention of paramedics.
Afterward, several spectators could be seen lying down after apparently suffering injuries. A line of about 10 ambulances lined up on the track, with some first responders carrying stretchers.
Fourteen fans were treated at an on-site medical facility, while 14 others were transported to area hospitals, speedway president Joie Chitwood told reporters.
"I'm just hoping everyone is OK," said Keselowski. "As drivers, we assume the risk. But fans do not."
NASCAR president Mike Helton earlier told ESPN, which was broadcasting the race, some people were taken to Halifax Health Medical Center. He said the protective fence did its job in preventing potentially more injuries and possibly deaths.
Byron Cogdell, a spokesman for the hospital, told CNN that his facility was treating 12 patients. Two of those -- one of them a child -- are in critical but stable condition.
"Everybody appears to be in stable condition," Cogdell said.
Staff at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center were treating one person and expecting three more, spokeswoman Lindsay Rew said Saturday evening.
Accidents are nothing new to NASCAR, where cars often cruise at speeds topping 190 mph, nor to the Daytona track. One of the sport's most horrific, and well-known, wrecks happened in the 2001 Daytona 500, when famed driver Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed -- also, on that race's final lap.
Still, injuries and fatalities to spectators are much rarer.
With the stands having been quickly evacuated, crews worked to repair the damaged fence. Chitwood expressed confidence the 55th edition of the Daytona 500 would go on as planned, with spectators even sitting in the same seats struck by debris Saturday.
"With the fence being prepared tonight to our safety protocols, we expect to go racing tomorrow with no changes," Chitwood said.
CNN's Greg Botelho, Phil Gast, Dan Moriarty, Scott Thompson and Janet DiGiacomo contributed to this report.
Danica Patrick a NASCAR buckle bunny? – Los Angeles Time
 MiamiHerald.com |
Danica Patrick a NASCAR buckle bunny?
Los Angeles Times Danica Patrick and buckle bunny in the same sentence? That'll catch the eye. In an exclusive interview with the popular NASCAR driver, Fox Sports' Lee Spencer chronicles why Patrick was dressed in a western outfit, complete with a fancy belt buckle, … Brian Vickers OK with Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. after Martinsville incidentsSportingNews.com Patrick goes cowgirl at TexasFOXSports.com Danica: Martinsville finish shows 'I can drive a race car'USA TODAY |
Chicago Blackhawks have had tremendous amount of sex this season: Report (Video)
By Greg Wyshynski | Puck Daddy – Wed, May 1, 2013 9:09 AM EDT
When the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota Wild
in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals on Tuesday night, you
could sense the ecstasy wash over them after their overtime game
winner.
Then again, according to Susannah Collins of CSN Chicago, the Hawks
have had their share of ecstasy this season. A tremendous amount:In fairness to Collins, this is probably a fair assumption for any team that has both Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane on the roster.
For the record, Jonathan Toews doesn’t have “sex.” Sex has “Jonathan Toews.” He’s that good.
s/t Morning Freak Show
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Track marshal dies after sustaining injuries at Canadian Grand Prix
Esteban Gutierrez gets out of his car after crashing. He was unhurt in the accident. (Getty)The 38-year-old worker, who has not been identified, dropped his radio and was backed over by a crane while officials prepared to remove Gutierrez's car from the track. Gutierrez crashed in turn 2 in the late stages of the race.
"The worker was helping to recover a car which had stopped during the race. The recovery vehicle had lifted the car to return it to the pits and while doing this the worker dropped his radio and attempted to pick it up. As he did this, he stumbled and was hit and run over by the recovery vehicle," the FIA, the governing body of F1, said in a statement.
The track worker, a 10 year veteran, was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:02 PM local time before he was to be operated on.
From the Montreal Gazette:
The man was rushed by ambulance to the medical centre at the raceway, where he was stabilized by a team of doctors and nurses. He was given oxygen.Mobile cranes are a common site at F1 races and are used by course marshals and officials to extract cars from gravel traps and barriers with limited disruption to the race. Fernando Alonso, who finished second to Sebastian Vettel in Sunday's race, tweeted his condolences.
The man was then transported by helicopter to Sacré-Coeur, a designated trauma centre, where a team of specialists was already in place waiting for him.
“A giant wheel went over his body, so there are fractures,” Bouchard explained shortly after the accident.
Fernando Alonso ✔ @alo_oficial
Today there is nothing to celebrate. Terrible news arrive with the death of a marshal this race. Very sad. R.I.P.
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Content and Programming Copyright 2014 By Patcnews The Patriot Conservative News Tea Party Network © LLC UCC 1-308.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WITHOUT PREJUDICE All copyrights reserved By Patcnews The Patriot Conservative News Tea Party Network Copyright 2014 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein
are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced,
distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the
prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove
any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. © All Copyrights reserved By Patcnews The Patriot Conservative News Tea Party Network
LLC 501C- 4 UCC 1-308.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Content and Programming Copyright 2014 By Patcnews The Patriot Conservative News Tea Party Network © LLC UCC 1-308.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WITHOUT PREJUDICE All copyrights reserved By Patcnews The Patriot Conservative News Tea Party Network Copyright 2014 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein
are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced,
distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the
prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove
any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. © All Copyrights reserved By Patcnews The Patriot Conservative News Tea Party Network
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