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Great Racing, But It Was Weird At Martinsville

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Sunday started weird at Martinsville and 500 laps later, I wondered if there was full moon somewhere in the distance. Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, nor Jimmie Johnson would go to victory lane, but instead it would be Kurt Busch!!!

Before we go into depth, Martinsville Speedway was hit by snow showers before the weather tapered off and allowed the event to run its course. Denny Hamlin had already said he was going to win on Sunday in meeting with the press on Friday at Martinsville. The last time it snowed the morning of a Cup race at Martinsville, it was Hamlin who went to the winners circle. Hamlin wasn’t even a factor as he lost the handling of the car and finished 19th. Lesson learned, don’t make a promise you can’t keep!

Then Brad Keselowski thinks Kurt Busch should have allowed him room to sweep by the stopped car of Kasey Kahne on pit road. Kahne missed his box and Keselowski got stopped in time. However, Busch went around both cars and Keselowski tried to wedge himself by at the same time. Instead Keselowski was sandwiched and it ripped the nose off the car, officially messing up his day. The two drivers exchanged paint all the way down the backstretch before lap 100 as Keselowski vowed payback at some point.

Im sorry, but Kurt Busch was not at fault, he stayed to the outside just as he should and he can’t stop for those behind him. It was just a racing deal on a tight pit road that was more Keselowski’s fault if anything.

Jimmie Johnson had ruled the day as he’d done eight other times on Martinsville half-mile. Kurt Busch, who was third on the final restart had the answer for Johnson late. The two exchanged the lead three different times with under 30 laps left before Busch drove deep into turn three hungry to win with 12 laps to go to make the winning pass. Johnson stalked, but couldn’t get any closer than a car length the rest of the way. Dale Earnhardt Jr finished a solid third, but has yet to get a win at Martinsville.

Locally, the high school baseball and softball slate has been shaken up this week.

Chase baseball (4-5, 3-4) is coming around after beating Kings Mountain and East Burke this week. Chase will host Shelby on April 8.

R-S Central (6-4, 3-4) took East Rutherford by surprise in a 3-1 victory over the Cavaliers, but lost to the Cavalier of East Burke in 11 inning to get the split. The Hilltoppers won’t be at home again until April 8 against Draughn.

East Rutherford (5-3, 3-2) fell from first in the SMAC to third this week following a 10-5 loss to Crest and then falling to R-S Central. The Cavaliers won’t be home again until April 8 when they host East Burke.

Thomas Jefferson (4-5, 1-5) struggled on the diamond as they fell to Lincoln Charter and lost a tough battle to Cherryville this week.

On the softball field, East Rutherford (8-2, 5-2) has come alive, downing both R-S Central and Crest 7-0 this past week. The Lady Cavs are now a half game back of Kings Mountain in the standing for first place.

R-S Central (5-4, 4-3) earned a split defeating East Burke before East Rutherford got the best of them to end the week. Chase (4-3, 3-3) backslid on the week as they lost to Kings Mountain and East Burke.

Thomas Jefferson (4-5, 3-4) lost two of three this past week, but Taylor Hardin was the standout, getting at least one hit and scoring in all three games.

Lastly, on the issue of NCAA athletes being compensated, Im just not in favor of it at all. Those athletes are in college to get an education and nothing else. Some do and some don’t. While the NCAA and the coaches are making a ton of money and some folks don’t think it’s fair, that’s life. Coaching is a round the clock job and while they are overpaid as well, it is what it is.

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