In a race weekend that many could only describe as a clusterf-ck, the Chatbox Winston Cup Series ran for the second straight season, and 3rd time out of 4 seasons at the Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina. The Rock proved to be a troublesome race for many drivers, which in turn resulted in four drivers on Probation and one team swearing to never come back to Winston Cup Racing. In fact, 11 yellows slowed the pace of the 197 lap event for 45 laps. That's right, almost a quarter of last week's GM Goodwrench Service 200 was run under yellow. And that would only tell some of the story. Here are your five major headlines from 'The Rock':
1.) PETERSEN ON TOP ONCE AGAIN
For the first time this season, and the 5th in his career, Richard Petersen once again proved why Petersen Inc is the best team in Chatbox Racing. Petersen, who led twice for a total of 15 laps, made his final pass going into turn 2 on lap 197, passing race leader Lilian Jensen and taking the Checkered. Teammate and team owner John Petersen finished 10 to score his first career top 10. In fact, in the current top 15 in points, Petersen Inc. has Matt Mongillo and Richard, sitting 2nd and 13th respectively.
2.) MATT CANADA LEADS ROTY BATTLE AND CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
If there was anyone who was more impressive than Petersen, it was the Matt Canada and the #13 Hasteway crew. Battling back from an early spin and being a lap down, Canada rallied his blue Chevrolet SS to a 5th place finish, enough to grab the points lead by 1 over Matt Mongillo."Pretty happy considering how bad things looked early. We want to win, but this is a step in the right direction. (We) Overcame a lot of obstacles today. We'll be ready to kick ass in Martinsville" Canada said post race.
3.) MOTORBREATH FLEXES MUSCLE
If there was an award for being almost champion, this would be some shitty community sport. If we gave such an award, Motorbreath would be close. In fact, Motorbreath managed to place three of their 5 entries in the top 10, with Lorraine Jonsson (3) and Lilian Jensen (70) managing to lead laps during the event. Even more so impressive is that all 5 cars were in the top 20 at one point in the race, before wrecks both took Conor DeCosta and Shane Lennox out of contention.
4.) WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED POST-RACE?
It wouldn't be a Chatbox/ECRF event without some kind of annoying drama, and boy, did Rockingham provide plenty of that. Between Zack Meyers being sidelined by race officials after causing 4 wrecks in the first 50 laps, Tim Kunkel attempting to drive drunk during the event and John Hooper, Jr. going apeshit on a safety truck window post-race, some found themselves in hot water with the sanctioning body at the end of the GM 200. Those drivers named and Sean Bretherick (on-track incident) found themselves on Probation when all was said and done, with Meyers and Bretherick each being docked points for their actions. Meyers, who was very fired up after his meeting with officials, said that he'd be pulling his #73 Yum! Brands entry for the season. Whether he does or not remains to be seen.
5.) RYAN PARKS' SHITTY LUCK
If it weren't for bad luck, Ryan Parks would have no luck at all. After blowing a motor at Daytona and crashing out of the event at Rockingham, the ROTY driver for JS Racing finds himself 40th overall in points, and last in the Rookie Standings. Even worse is that Parks was only completed 60 out 317 laps run so far this season, by far the worst average in the series. As they say, there is nowhere to go but up, and Parks, along with the rest of the JS Racing #02 crew, is hoping that proves to be the case.
1.) PETERSEN ON TOP ONCE AGAIN
For the first time this season, and the 5th in his career, Richard Petersen once again proved why Petersen Inc is the best team in Chatbox Racing. Petersen, who led twice for a total of 15 laps, made his final pass going into turn 2 on lap 197, passing race leader Lilian Jensen and taking the Checkered. Teammate and team owner John Petersen finished 10 to score his first career top 10. In fact, in the current top 15 in points, Petersen Inc. has Matt Mongillo and Richard, sitting 2nd and 13th respectively.
2.) MATT CANADA LEADS ROTY BATTLE AND CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
If there was anyone who was more impressive than Petersen, it was the Matt Canada and the #13 Hasteway crew. Battling back from an early spin and being a lap down, Canada rallied his blue Chevrolet SS to a 5th place finish, enough to grab the points lead by 1 over Matt Mongillo."Pretty happy considering how bad things looked early. We want to win, but this is a step in the right direction. (We) Overcame a lot of obstacles today. We'll be ready to kick ass in Martinsville" Canada said post race.
3.) MOTORBREATH FLEXES MUSCLE
If there was an award for being almost champion, this would be some shitty community sport. If we gave such an award, Motorbreath would be close. In fact, Motorbreath managed to place three of their 5 entries in the top 10, with Lorraine Jonsson (3) and Lilian Jensen (70) managing to lead laps during the event. Even more so impressive is that all 5 cars were in the top 20 at one point in the race, before wrecks both took Conor DeCosta and Shane Lennox out of contention.
4.) WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED POST-RACE?
It wouldn't be a Chatbox/ECRF event without some kind of annoying drama, and boy, did Rockingham provide plenty of that. Between Zack Meyers being sidelined by race officials after causing 4 wrecks in the first 50 laps, Tim Kunkel attempting to drive drunk during the event and John Hooper, Jr. going apeshit on a safety truck window post-race, some found themselves in hot water with the sanctioning body at the end of the GM 200. Those drivers named and Sean Bretherick (on-track incident) found themselves on Probation when all was said and done, with Meyers and Bretherick each being docked points for their actions. Meyers, who was very fired up after his meeting with officials, said that he'd be pulling his #73 Yum! Brands entry for the season. Whether he does or not remains to be seen.
5.) RYAN PARKS' SHITTY LUCK
If it weren't for bad luck, Ryan Parks would have no luck at all. After blowing a motor at Daytona and crashing out of the event at Rockingham, the ROTY driver for JS Racing finds himself 40th overall in points, and last in the Rookie Standings. Even worse is that Parks was only completed 60 out 317 laps run so far this season, by far the worst average in the series. As they say, there is nowhere to go but up, and Parks, along with the rest of the JS Racing #02 crew, is hoping that proves to be the case.