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    Nick Bromberg

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    Nick Bromberg is a NASCAR blogger for Yahoo! Sports.

    • Where the heck did Ryan Newman come from?

      On a restart in the middle of the fourth segment of Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race, Newman dashed to the outside in turns one and two like his car suddenly got a boost of nitrous oxide and made a pair of three-wide passes before he had even gotten to the backstretch.

      He wasn't done there. His crazy momentum off the high side of turn two had him on the back bumper of Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a flash and after giving Junior a bump, Newman moved to the inside to pass him.

      However, Kyle Busch was there, because unlike Newman, he hadn't gotten through turns one and two very well and lost positions. As Newman came down, Busch drifted up and the two made contact with Busch suffering some right front fender damage and Newman acquiring a tire rub.

      And with that tire rub, the headway that Newman made that lap stalled out. He ended up 13th while Busch maintained his position near the front of the field and finished third.

      Read More »from Craziest Moment: Ryan Newman’s incredible high-side run and his contact with Kyle Busch
    • Jimmie Johnson becomes first driver to win four All-Star Races

      Jimmie Johnson has won more All-Star Races than any other driver. (Getty)

      The five-time Sprint Cup Series champ is now a four-time All-Star Race winner.

      Jimmie Johnson bolted away from Kasey Kahne after a spirited battle for the lead at the beginning of the final 10 lap segment of Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race to win by more than a second over Joey Logano.

      It was Johnson's second straight All-Star Race win, and this time, he did it – with the help of redesigned rules – considerably differently than last year. In last year's race, Johnson won the first segment, which guaranteed his position at the front of the field before the race's final mandatory pit stop. Since his spot was assured so early, he and Chad Knaus used the middle segments as a glorified test session to make adjustments on the car for the final sprint.

      This year, perhaps in response to Johnson's winning strategy in 2012, the race was divided into four 20 lap segments and a final 10 lap sprint, with the average finish of each driver in the first four segments determining the order in which

      Read More »from Jimmie Johnson becomes first driver to win four All-Star Races
    • The best NASCAR track billboard ever?

      Wonder what they're referring to? (Via Larry Brown Sports)

      NASCAR is a sport full of double-entendres and this one in Charmin's is one of the better ones we've ever seen.

      This is the billboard that's on the grandstands at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. According to AutoWeek, it's a two race deal between the track and the company, which also has a "Stop Skidmarks" banner on the pit wall. Will it prevent drivers from peeling out of their pit stalls and laying rubber on the track?

      Charmin is also handing out free samples. No word if CMS took the giveaways as an opportunity to save some money and not stock the track bathrooms.

      Read More »from The best NASCAR track billboard ever?
    • Carl Edwards to start first in Sprint All-Star Race

      Carl Edwards' car bears the name of Dick Trickle, who passed away Thursday. (Getty)

      Carl Edwards will start first in Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

      All-Star qualifying is always different than a standard best of two laps run for a points race with each driver's run including three laps and a four tire pit stop. This year, NASCAR added a new wrinkle (that was previously an old one) and eliminated the pit road speed limit. That meant that many drivers were flying off the turns 3 and 4 banking onto pit road at over 150 MPH. That included Edwards, who had the second best lap one time and the best time entering the pits on his second lap.

      Edwards won the race in 2011.

      Dale Earnhardt Jr. starts second and Kurt Busch will start third. 19 drivers are already qualified for the All-Star Race and three will move on from the Sprint Showdown on Saturday night.

      In the Showdown, Martin Truex Jr. is on the pole and Jamie McMurray will start second.

      Read More »from Carl Edwards to start first in Sprint All-Star Race
    • Happy Hour: Stewart-Haas, Gordon and has NASCAR gone soft?

      Tony Stewart's average finish is down in races that Danica Patrick competes in. (Getty)

      Throughout the week you can send us your best questions, jokes, rants and just plain miscellaneous thoughts to happyhourmailbag@yahoo.com or @NickBromberg. We'll post them here, have a good time and everyone's happy. Right? Oh who are we kidding, this is NASCAR. No one is ever happy.

      We open this week's mailbag with a heavy heart after Thursday afternoon's news of Dick Trickle's death. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, and if you're unfamiliar with the legend of the man who was never seen without a cigarette and a cup of coffee, read this.

      The news of Trickle's passing is certainly a sad and sudden departure from the craziness that's been the Jennifer Jo Cobb and Mike Harmon kerfluffle. Cobb said she didn't want the publicity that came with the incident, but it's important to note that she issued the statement that put the coverage of the incident in motion.

      Let's get to the questions, shall we?

      Do you think the added stress of taking on a third car team has suffocated

      Read More »from Happy Hour: Stewart-Haas, Gordon and has NASCAR gone soft?
    • Mike Harmon and Jennifer Jo Cobb. (Getty)

      NASCAR driver Mike Harmon is out on bond after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with stealing Jennifer Jo Cobb's race hauler on May 11.

      Yes, this is a tale involving two NASCAR drivers, and one is accused of stealing the other's hauler.

      Cobb, who is competing in the Camping World Truck Series this year for her own Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing team, said that her hauler was stolen on May 11. The Rowan County, (N.C.) Sheriff's Office issued warrants for the arrest of Harmon and his sister Sheila Rae Rice on Wednesday for felony larceny of the trailer and breaking and entering of a motor vehicle. Harmon was Cobb's team manager when she previously ran in the Nationwide Series. Harmon, who also has his own team, has made five Nationwide Series starts and two Truck Series starts this year.

      Harmon was arrested Wednesday afternoon and posted bond. He took to Twitter Wednesday evening to profess his innocence, saying in two tweets that "I want it known that I have never stolen so much

      Read More »from UPDATE: Mike Harmon out on bond after arrest for theft of Jennifer Jo Cobb’s hauler
    • The Chrome Horn Episode 12: Darlington

      New Chrome Horn, new intro! Join yours truly and Geoffrey Miller as we were slated to talk Darlington but ended up talking a lot about the All-Star Race.

      Got any questions for us to use in the mailbag or the podcast? Hit us at HappyHourMailbag@Yahoo.com.

      Click here to download the podcast or here to listen to in your browser. And we're now on iTunes! Find us in the Podcast section right here and subscribe. Listen!

    • Warped Wednesday: What’s the point of the All-Star Race?

      (Getty)

      Welcome to Warped Wednesday. On this, we'll put out the rush to judgment mat, go a little too far and have a little fun. Will it be funny? Sometimes. Will it be crazy and largely unbelievable? Probably. Will not everyone get it? Definitely.

      One of the selling points of NASCAR has been that it's the only sport that has its major stars face each other every week. Yet, despite that, it has an All-Star Race. Isn't every race an all-star race?

      Yes, the All-Star Race provides a nice, low-pressure break for the drivers and teams that traverse the country for 34 races a year. Having a third race in their backyards is a nice reward. But would an off-week be a better idea?

      The prospect of $2 million to the winning team is nice too, but this is a multi-billion dollar industry. And sorry David Ragan, but it would be an absolute miracle if you and Front Row Motorsports won the race. It'll likely go to a team that has more resources.

      Do we really need these contrived formats too? The running order

      Read More »from Warped Wednesday: What’s the point of the All-Star Race?
    • Power Rankings: It’s Matt Kenseth’s turn at the top

      It's time for Power Rankings! After every race, we'll opine about who we think is at the top of the Sprint Cup heap and how and why they got there. Remember, this isn't scientific, as our formula is the perfect blend of analytics and bias against your favorite driver. So let's get on with it, shall we?

      1. Matt Kenseth (LW: 3): As the esteemed Geoffrey Miller noted in Hot/Not on Monday, Kenseth has been in the same stratosphere as Jimmie Johnson this season, it's just that he's been crashed at Bristol and blown up at Daytona. And he's now the first driver in the Cup Series to have three wins. That deserves the top spot, if at least for a week, right?

      2. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 1): Does it seem downright evil that we're demoting the points leader from the top spot of Power Rankings after finishing fourth and extending that lead? Oh well, we are. Jimmie, you'll get over it, won't you? Or will you show us up by going out and dominating the show at this year's All-Star race much like you did in

      Read More »from Power Rankings: It’s Matt Kenseth’s turn at the top
    • Watch Fernando Alonso win Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix

      Did you enjoy a relaxing Mother's Day? NASCAR made it easy to spend time with your family, but Formula 1's Spanish Grand Prix was Sunday and Spaniard Fernando Alonso took home the win.

      If you didn't get up early and watch the race, here's what you missed. Storied NASCAR driver Kimi Raikkonen finished second.

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