[media-credit id=24 align=”alignright” width=”206″][/media-credit]As a general rule, anytime you place 43 full sized stock cars on a half mile oval race track you have to be thinking about yellow caution flags and how many times you’re going to see them. When that half mile oval happens to be the Bristol Motor Speedway, then we’re really expecting to see some yellow flags.

The potential circumstances being what they were, the NASCAR weekend at Bristol, featuring the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races, was actually very polite, but very good, racing. With that thought in mind, let’s begin with:

HOORAH to Brad Keselowski for an outstanding winning performance during the Food City 500 at Bristol. The Penske Racing Dodge driver led a race high 232 laps on the way to his first win of the season, his fifth career Sprint Cup win, his second consecutive win at Bristol and the tenth Bristol win for team owner Roger Penske.

Whether or not this next item is a HOORAH or a WAZZUP depends on how you feel about the current state of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was deemed by many that both the Nationwide Series’ Ford EcoBoost 300 and the Sprint Cup’s Food City 500 featured both polite and very good racing. There was no display of the high speed demolition derby we used to see at this race track. The combined races ran a total of 800 laps and there were nine caution flags that consumed 79 laps of the two races. The race winner probably put it best when he said “Bristol racing ain’t what it used to be and that’s true: it’s better than it used to be.” You’re right, it’s easy to say that when you’re the one standing in victory lane holding the big trophy.

HOORAH to the competitive variety we’ve seen so far in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing. The first four races have turned up four different winners from four different teams representing four different auto manufacturers. There has also been four different drivers setting fast time in qualifying. Now that’s a level playing field.

HOORAH to Matt Kenseth for his hard charging second place finish after leading 45 laps of the race. He’s now third in the points standings and only 12 markers out of first.

HOORAH to Michael Waltrip Racing for an outstanding day at Bristol. Drivers Martin Truex Jr, Cling Bowyer and Brian Vickers finished second through fourth in a strong effort that was overdue for these teams.

Vickers especially deserves these accolades after leading 125 laps of the race. Vickers will be driving a total of six selected races for MWR in the #55 Toyota normally occupied by Mark Martin. After spending nearly all of the 2010 season recovering from a very serious illness, he returned in 2011 only to cope with his team, Red Bull Racing, shutting down. Sunday’s Bristol performance was a major audition for Vickers towards finding a quality ride for next year. He did a good job impressing us all by leading more laps during this race than he has over the last two years.

HOORAH for Jimmie Johnson. Why does he deserve that for a ninth place finish in a race that he really wasn’t a factor in? It’s because of this team’s refusal to bow down to adversity. Between an early race crash at Daytona, combined with the loss of championship points from a high profile failed tech inspection, Johnson’s team left the first race of the season ranked 44th in the standings. Three consecutive top ten finishes later, the team has elevated themselves to 17th. This is how five time champions roll.

WAZZUP with that lap 25 accident that wadded up seven race cars some, of which, were pre-race favorites? Kasey Kahne was told that he had Regan Smith cleared, heading into turn one, only to find out that wasn’t necessarily the case. The cars of Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Marcus Ambrose and Kevin Harvick also sustained moderate to major damage.

WAZZUP with that level of aggressive driving so early in a 500 lap race?

WAZZUP with a frustrated Kasey Kahne and the horrible racing luck he’s enduring so early in the season. There was high anticipation for the newest member of Hendrick Motorsports prior to the start of the season. So far expectations have not materialized. In the first four races of the season, Kahne has finishes of 29th, 34th, 19th and 37th and has now fallen to 32nd in the points. Following his latest round of bad luck, during the Bristol race, a clearly frustrated Kahne said “I guess I listen to my spotter too much.”

HOORAH to Kevin Harvick’s Budweiser/Richard Childress Racing team for their pit road performance following this crash. Through a series of nine successive pit stops, during the yellow flag laps, this team made massive repairs to the front of their car and kept their driver on the lead lap. He finished 11th which elevated him to second in the points standings only nine markers from the leader. This is how future champions roll.

WAZZUP with that contact between team mates Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr that sent Gordon’s car spinning backwards into the wall?

WAZZUP with the masses, from television broadcasters to fans on race blogs, claiming it’s a deterioration of the relationship between team mates? Following some extremely light contact between the cars, the sheet metal side skirts on Earnhardt’s Chevrolet, that surrounds the exhaust pipes, cut Gordon’s tire. Perhaps the conspiracy theorists read too much into Gordon’s radio comments when he said “thanks you Junior, I appreciate it buddy. I was going to give it, (the track position), to them anyway.” Afterwards, a seemingly calm Gordon said “it wasn’t intentional, but it sure ruined out day.” Earnhardt immediately came over his car radio to forward his apologies for the crash even though he actually did nothing wrong and later said he really felt bad for Jeff. Let’s stop the conspiracy, these guys are just fine. They will not be treated to milk and cookies in Mr Hendrick’s office over this incident. It’s just a racing deal that unfortunately sometimes happens.

However, Earnhardt wound up with a bigger problem later in this race.

WAZZUP with a solid top ten finish being eradicated by, of all things, speeding on pit road? The penalty came late in the race, during a caution flag, and there really wasn’t enough laps left to recover from the damage. Earnhardt had to settle for a 15th place finish and dropped to sixth in the points standings.

WAZZUP with driver Matt Kenseth arriving at the start/finish line ahead of the race leader following a double file restart? Normally that would have resulted in a drive through penalty because the rules clearly states that the race leader has to cross the line first before another driver can make a move to advance his position.

HOORAH to NASCAR officials for making quick work of resolving this issue. They checked the video and determined that race leader, Brad Keselowski, failed to hit his throttle fast enough, in the official designated restart zone, and it wasn’t Kenseth’s fault that he arrive at the line first.

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HOORAH to Elliot Sadler for winning the Ford EcoBoost 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Bristol. He’s now won two of the four races so far this season. Sadler has established a very interesting pattern in the Nationwide Series so far. In four races he has finished third, first, third and first. According to the pattern, look for him to finish third next Saturday in Fontana-California.

HOORAH to winning crew chief Luke Lambert for making that gutsy call that kept his driver on the track during a final round of available pit stops during a caution flag. The track position gained from this decision turned out to be the race winning move.

HOORAH to Sadler for showing us that he’s very good at multi-tasking. After the race he removed his helmet and neck device while in the midst of doing a victory burn out.

HOORAH to Sadler’s parents who visited their son in victory lane for the first time ever. The sight of Mom Sadler hugging her son and screaming “that’s my baby !” was just precious.

WAZZUP with an unusual pit road miscue that made life difficult for driver Kasey Kahne? Doing double duty in the Nationwide Series for Turner Motorsports, Kahne came over his radio late in the race and said “the car is terrible and getting worse.” It was a mystery to his crew who had made adjustments on the car during two previous pit stops. Crew chief Mike Shiplett wisely checked the pit road video tapes and discovered that, during one of the stops, the adjustment wrench had been turned in the wrong direction.

HOORAH for crew chief Mike Shiplett for also making the gutsy call to keep his driver on the track during the final yellow flag of the race. That decision led to a second place finish in the final results. That’s what we call making chicken salad out of chicken do do.

HOORAH to the current Nationwide Series box score: series regulars four, Cup visitors zero. All of a sudden the Cup visitors, with their high dollar teams, seem to be taking a back seat to the talents of the series regulars. The last time Nationwide Series regulars won the first four races of the season was back in 1995.

WAZZUP with that crew member being hit on pit road? The tightly packed action on Bristol’s narrow pit road can often get as intense as the racing on the track. During the early stages of the Nationwide Series’ race, the teams were on pit road following a yellow caution flag. Driver Sam Hornish Jr exited his pit stall and accidentally struck the rear tire changer, from the #08 Randy Hill Racing entry, who was completing pit service directly in front of the Hornish Dodge. The crew member did a forward flip and bounced off of the front fender of the oncoming Dodge. Despite a hard landing on the Bristol pit road, the crew member was not hurt but there was a large dent in the fender of the Hornish car.

First off, apologies to this man for not being to locate his name and, believe me, I tried. That’s because he deserves a HOORAH for his pit road performance. Following the forward somersault and the crash landing, he jumped to his feet, ran to the right side of his race car and completed the pit road service. You just can’t say enough about the dedication of these over the wall guys.

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In some final thoughts: WAZZUP with Robby Gordon Motorsports having to withdraw their entry from the Bristol Cup race? The RGM Dodge suffered a “massive” electrical failure and the team simply couldn’t get the engine to start. The car never made it onto the track for even one lap of practice. This is just another example of the racing luck this team has endured so far in 2012. It’s really amazing when you consider how successful RGM has been in its off road racing endeavors.

With the NASCAR weekend at Bristol also landing on St Patrick’s Day Saturday you had to expect there would be a lot of “luck of the Irish” references. Danica Patrick’s Nationwide Series ride was even adorned with shamrocks on her bright green Go Daddy Chevrolet. But WAZZUP with any fan who truly believes that St Patrick’s Day has anything to do with Danica? You fans on the racing blogs and “Twitter” really crack me up sometimes.

Speaking of racing blogs, the final HOORAH of the week goes to “Gerald” for a March 14th comment posted on “Race Central’s Whine Cellar,” an extremely popular racing forum headquartered in San Bernardino-California. His comment said: “coming to a show room near you…..the 2013 Chevrolet Cheater. (It comes) with the Knaus Package, a set of extra C posts, special “Infineon” fenders and an adjustable rear window. (it) even has the enhanced three year warranty with unlimited appeals.”

Now that’s a case of LMAO.

[media-credit name=”Credit: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”247″][/media-credit]To leave the Bristol Motor Speedway without some form of controversy is unheard of.

The Tennessee short track advertising controversy, with beating and banging making the half-mile what it is. Feelings get hurt here and some of the sports most memorable moments happen on the BMS high banks.

The last two Bristol races however, have brought forth controversy of a different kind. Last August it was the scoring lines on pit road that some drivers cried foul over, saying the lines were too far apart and it allowed drivers such as Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth to speed past.

Keselowski, who went on to win that race, took exception, saying that wasn’t the reason he had won. This time around Keselowski won in spite of the controversy that was on everyone’s mind: restarts.

Keselowski and Matt Kenseth raced each other hard and clean the last half of the Food City 500, trading the lead back and forth. On a late restart though a video review showed Kenseth, running second, had beaten Keselowski to the start-finish line.

By rule, the second place driver is not to beat the leader on the restart. Many watching went into an uproar and called for Kenseth to be black-flagged. NASCAR stayed silent and let them race, something that both drivers were thankful for afterwards.

“I knew it was close,” said Kenseth. “But here is the thing. When you get to the second line, they say the race is on. I know we took off a little bit early. Quarter throttle, I’m waiting for him [Keselowski]. NASCAR actually has the data, you can look at it, kind of cool.”

Kenseth was referring to the restart lines posted on the wall. It provides drivers with a visual of where they can start accelerating. When Keselowski didn’t get up to speed fast enough in the restart zone it was fair game for Kenseth to beat him to the start-finish line, which he did and ended up taking the lead.

“I didn’t floor it till I got to the start-finish line,” said Kenseth. “I don’t know if he was trying to let me beat him on purpose. I was half throttle for five car lengths. I was finally, I got to go or Martin [Truex] or whoever was behind me was going to go around me.

“It was way past that line and we still weren’t wide open. I think he was just playing a little game, trying to get me out there so I had to brake check. I just watched him and tried to get to the line barely behind him.”

Compared to how badly some drivers have beaten the leader to the line in the past, Kenseth nudging past Keselowski by a few inches wasn’t so bad. Of course, a rule is a rule as they say and many wanted to see it enforced.

Keselowski though, wasn’t among them. He, like Kenseth, didn’t see anything wrong with what had happened, knowing that the restart was very close. According to Keselowski, the driver who restarts second, if he does it right, can have an advantage.

“It’s such a ball strike call, I don’t know,” he said. “I hate to be on NASCAR’s side that he beat you to the start-finish line. I can tell you there’s two yellow lines on the wall. Visually you can’t tell if somebody goes 50 foot before ‘em or right at ‘em. It’s damn near impossible to visually tell that.

“Even if you had telemetry, it’s hard to tell it. It’s very subjective. I think when things are as subjective as that is, a ‘no’ call is a right call.”

With no penalties applied Keselowski went on to win his first race of the year, fifth career and second straight at Bristol. Kenseth finished second, his second top 10 of the season.

And just as they did last fall, they both will leave others to debate the day’s events as they move on and prepare for the upcoming week. According to the two of them, what happened Sunday was a non-issue.

“I know I’ve seen moves on restarts, without picking any one particular guy, where guys have jumped it by a mile, I mean a hundred some foot,” said Keselowski. “You watch it on TV. I know what I saw in the car. I go back and watch it on TV and it doesn’t look it.

“I can’t imagine that the perspective of an official up in the pit box or press box, wherever they’re at, or even TV, from what I can tell, can pick that stuff out. I think there has to be some leniency. If a guy beats you by a full car length to the start-finish line, something is going on.

“I don’t think we’re seeing that. I think if you’re close, NASCAR has been cool enough about it to let it go, and I respect that.”

At Bristol Motor Speedway last August, Brad Keselowski earned his most laps led in a single race, with 83 laps. He almost tripled that number at BMS Sunday, leading 232 laps. Keselowski tweeted this weekend that this was the best race car he has ever had, and he proved that Sunday at Bristol.

He started the race in fifth position and was a top contender all day long. On Lap 23, Keselowski narrowly escaped a multi-car pile up and his day only got better from that point on. Keselowski took the lead for the first time on Lap 217, passing Brian Vickers for the position. Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth, who he battled for the lead with for most of the race, took the lead from him on on the restart at Lap 347.

Although there was skepticism on whether Kenseth jumped the restart, NASCAR said that Kenseth legally beat Keselowski to the line. On Lap 400, Keselowski stole the lead back from Kenseth and held on to it for the next 100 laps to win the Food City 500. Keselowski gained eight positions in points standings, rising to 13th position.

Kasey Kahne Off To a Rough Start

Kasey Kahne started the race in 10th position and had high hopes for the race at Bristol. Unfortunately, those high hopes were lost on the first caution of the day on Lap 23. Kahne was coming out of the turn and thought he was clear of Regan Smith who was on the outside. Kahne however, was not clear and clipped the front end of Smith’s car, sending himself and others into the wall.

[media-credit name=”By Chris Trotman, Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”272″][/media-credit]”There is no reason to force the issue at all,” Kahne said. “I’m under Regan Smith, as slow as he was — I knew when my spotter cleared me — I’d be clear on exit (of the corner). (Smith) was there on exit. I listened too much to my spotter, I guess.”

The wreck collected Kahne, as well as Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, and Marcos Ambrose.  They were all forced to take their cars to the garage for repairs. In the first four races of the season Kahne has finished 29th, 34th, 19th, and 37th position at Bristol. Kahne is now 32nd in point’s standings, 100 points behind the leader.

Matt Kenseth Continues Hot Streak

Matt Kenseth started the Food City 500 in 21st position and was in the Top 10 by lap 115. At the halfway mark in the race, Kenseth had put himself in the third position and was having a three-wide battle for the lead with Keselowski and Jeff Gordon. On the restart on Lap 347, Kenseth passed Keselowski and put his Best Buy Ford in the lead position. About 40 laps later, Keselowski took the lead back from Kenseth, leaving Kenseth to finish the race in second position.

Kenseth gained two positions in point’s standings, moving to third position, just 12 points behind leader and teammate Greg Biffle.

Brian Vickers Proves He Belongs

Brian Vickers drove the No. 55 car at Bristol on a six-race basis for Michael Waltrip Racing, in an effort to gain a full-time ride in the Cup Series. After qualifying in 25th position, Vickers stayed on the track during the first caution on Lap 23 to put himself in fourth position on the restart. On Lap 96, Vickers took the lead of the race from AJ Allmendinger, who also stayed out on the track during the restart on Lap 23. Vickers led a total of 125 laps during the race and came home with a fifth place finish.

In Vickers’ 14 previous starts at BMS he has led a total of one lap and has never finished better than 12th. In the 2011 season alone, Vickers led a total of 135 laps. As for the rest of Michael Watrip Racing, Martin Truex Jr finished in third position and Clint Bowyer finished in fourth. In all of Michael Waltrip Racing’s starts, they have never put all three cars in the top five in a single race.

Next week we head to the 2-mile D-shaped oval of Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Last season, Kevin Harvick took the victory at this track. However, home-town boy Jimmie Johnson has won five races at this track and would love to win there to make up his point’s deficit, where he currently sits in 17th position. Tune into FOX next Sunday to see who takes the victory in the fifth race of the season.