Is this NASCAR or is this the Twilight Zone?
When the season began, surely no one thought we would have seen a kid that celebrated his 21st birthday the day before would be the Cinderella winner in the Daytona 500. But it happened, and fans knew the season would begin on a good note.
Fast forward to May and another single-car team, this time driven by Regan Smith, tames Darlington. Two huge races, two first-time winners...coincidence?
Then, a return to Daytona saw David Ragan get retribution, as he too added his name to the first-time winners' list in 2011. Already fans knew this season would be special.
But, this is Indianapolis. It's a track where experience, knowledge, and track position are key to victory. Jeff Gordon has four wins at this place, Jimmie Johnson three, and Tony Stewart has two in his name.
And today, the winner to add his name into the Indianapolis history books was...Paul Menard?
Yes, a driver that grew up in Indy, who's dad has helped many drivers achieve succes at the famed speedway, and has provided solid sponsorship for him and other teams in NASCAR, out strategized and out ran Gordon in the final 25 laps.
Gordon was coming, and coming fast. His Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet was fast from the initial start, and was able to go from 16th to second in that short of a span. Menard, and the cars out front, knew it.
But, they were saving fuel, so each driver knew time was running out. Cars got clicked off, and positions lost, and Gordon knew he was on his way to another win. But, crew chief Slugger Labbe told Menard with four laps to go, "It's go time."
And he went straight to victory lane. Another "Crown Jewel" race has a first time winner, and one that is just as sweet as the kissing of the bricks.
What it also does is jumble up the points. There's not one leader in the standings...there's two. Check out the standings after the Brickyard 400:
Billy Fellin (690) Jeff Gordon finished second (2)
Kelly Crandall (690) Jimmie Johnson finished 19th (3)
James Broomhead (676) Kyle Busch finished 10th (1)
Sal Sigala Jr. (665) Jimmie Johnson finished 19th (3)
Christopher Leone (648) Jeff Gordon finished second (2)
Kara Martin (640) Tony Stewart finished sixth (1)
Ryan O'Hara (639) Jeff Gordon finished second (1)
Michael Hirshbein (635) Kyle Busch finished 10th (3)
Dustin Parks (626) Jeff Gordon finished second (0)
Rob Tiongson (607) Jeff Gordon finished second (1)
Misan Ayuka (602) Tony Stewart finished sixth (3)
Next Race: Indianapolis is 2.5 miles in length, with four defined corners, creating it's rectangular shape. Well, next Sunday, the track is still 2.5 miles in length, but just a bit different.
Three corners, three straightaways, and all are different.
It's once again time for another trip to the Pocono Mountains in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. In June, it was Jeff Gordon ending a 4-year drought of winning at Pocono. What can happen in the summer race? The way this season has played out, anything can happen.
Writers, your picks for the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 are due by Thursday, August 4, at 10 p.m. ET.
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