"Happy" Harvick won Sunday night's wild Phoenix race
ESPN's Marty Smith reported earlier this weekend that Kevin Harvick would leave his familiar No. 29 car for a fourth car at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. Harvick, his owner Richard Childress and Tony Stewart, the owner of SHR all remained tight-lipped on the subject, but all said they were going to focus on the remained of the 2012 season and work towards 2013. It seemed as if the final two races would be a wash for the Budweiser team, knowing of their potential "lame duck" status.
But Harvick and crew chief Gil Martin played their strategy right and proved everyone wrong when they pulled into victory lane for the first time in 2012 Sunday night in Phoenix. This was also the first win for RCR in 35 races and Harvick's first win in 44 events.
Harvick's win may have been exciting and a little bit improbable, but that is not what the 2012 Advocare 300 will be remembered for.
Jimmie Johnson limps to pit road after losing a tire
On lap 77, the championship points were severely shaken up. Jimmie Johnson, the leader by seven markers at the start of the day, melted a beat on his right front tire, which blew out and sent his No. 48 car into the outside wall. Now, the driver known simply as "Five Time," will go into the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway 20 points behind the No. 2 of Keselowski. And all Keselowski must do is finish 15th or better to clinch his first ever Sprint Cup title and, what could be the last for Dodge, as they will leave the sport at season's end.
While this seems like enough drama for one weekend, that was not the end of what would prove to be, arguably, Nascar's most controversial race in years.
Clint Bowyer (15) gets collected after wreck with Jeff Gordon
Coming off of turn two late in the race, Clint Bowyer made contact with Jeff Gordon's left rear, which cut down the tire and sent him into the turn three wall as he tried to retaliate on Bowyer. Bowyer's spotter alerted his driver that Gordon was waiting for him between turns three and four. So when Bowyer ducked to the apron to pass Gordon, the two hooked when Bowyer came back up, sending the two drivers into the wall. This also collected the cars of Joey Logano and Aric Almirola.
Gordon made his way to the garage area and Bowyer was forced to limp back around to pit road. When Gordon climbed from his mangled No. 24 car, he was met by Bowyer's pit crew who, like a scene out of West Side Story, emerged ready to fight the four time champion and his team. They did come to blows, but Gordon escaped any harm.
Soon after the dust settled, Bowyer B-lined from his car on pit road to Gordon's hauler to defend his crew and express his displeasure. But he didn't get past the truck's liftgate, where he was met by two of Gordon's team members, which started both driver's pit crews fighting again. Both drivers met with Nascar and the hauler was guarded by two sheriff deputies.
If you missed all of this insanity, or didn't believe it happened and want to see it one more time, you can watch it here.
On the subsequent green-white-checker finish, Jeff Burton got loose under Danica Patrick getting into turn three, sending her No. 10 car into the wall. Nascar, for whatever reason, didn't throw a caution flag, so when the field came back around to take the checkered flag, they drove through the oil Patrick's car had put down on the frontstrech. This sent Ryan Newman spinning, which also collected the cars of Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Paul Menard and current points leader, Brad Keselowski. Patrick was also involved in this pileup, as she stayed on the racetrack as opposed to pulling down pit road when she first spun.
Danica Patrick (10) gets wrecked by Paul Menard on the last lap
So while most fans thought that Johnson would lap the field, win the race and clinch his sixth championship. It was just going to be another typical Phoenix weekend. But after two crazy races that saw Truck Series points leader James Beuscher wreck late Friday night and Nationwide points leader Elliott Sadler wreck with just two laps remaining Saturday afternoon, the Cup race also proved to be anything but typical, especially for those in the title hunt.
There is one race left in the 2012 season for Nascar's top three series. When the Ford 400 finishes next weekend, we will have crowned three champions. Most believe they know how each of these three championship battles will end up. But if this weekend was any indication, nothing is certain and anyone with a shot at a title could very well win it.
