NASCAR Toon Cup: HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400

Welcome back to Kansas Speedway! We're halfway through the Chase for the Sprint Cup! 5 races down, 5 to go! Today, we run the Hollywood Casino 400! Before we take a look at the lineups, we review the 'Stick A Fork In 'Em' segment from NASCAR Countdown:

Stick A Fork In 'Em:

Dudley Puppy
Kim Possible ('forked' by Nicole Briscoe and Andy Petree)
Trixie Tang ('forked' by Brad Daughtry)
Abigail Lincoln ('forked' by Nicole Briscoe)
Edd ('forked' by Brad Daughtry)

Starting Lineup:

1. Randy Cunningham (48) (Doug Funnie sustained a concussion in a test at New Jersey Motorsports Park. He'll be out for the remainder of the season. Points will still be credited to Doug Funnie.)
2. Danny Fenton (16)
3. Kim Possible (88)
4. Edd (29)
5. Ed (27)
6. Eddy (31)
7. Hoagie Gilligan (2)
8. Jeremy Johnson (39)
9. Yugi Moto (11)
10. Ferb Fletcher (9)
11. Phineas Flynn (43)
12. Trixie Tang (42)
13. Nigel Uno (1)
14. Joey Wheeler (18)
15. Tristan Taylor (20)
16. Bonnie Rockwaller (21)
17. Abigail Lincoln (5)
18. Tommy Pickles (24)
19. Ash Ketchum (22)
20. Timmy Turner (17)
21. Dudley Puppy (99)
22. Ginger Foutley (09)
23. Manny Rivera (90)
24. Ashley Armbruster (15)
25. Vince Lasalle (56)
26. Kick Buttowski (14)
27. Nikki Wong (13)
28. Cindy Vortex (10)
29. Arnold Shortman (37)
30. Homer Simpson (83)
31. Peter Griffin (93)
32. Jake Long (32)
33. Blossom (51)
34. Aang (26)
35. Katara (34)
36. Sokka (38)
37. Brad Carbunkle (30)
38. Scooby-Doo (47)
39. Milo Kamalani (41)
40. Beavis (7)
41. Gumball Waterson (87)
42. Vanessa Doofenshmirtz (97)
43. Dan Kuso (46)

Race Conditions:

Air Temp.: 70 degrees
Track Temp.: 84 degrees
Weather: Cloudy, 45% chance of rain
Green Flag Time: 2:10 PM

ABC?

(Kid Rock - Let's Ride)

Allen Bestwick: Race 6 in the Chase for the Cup takes us to America's Heartland and the Kansas Speedway for the Hollywood Casino 400! We have a rookie starting on point today, Randy Cunningham, subbing for an injured Doug Funnie. Doug Funnie sustained a concussion testing on the short track at New Jersey Motorsports Park. He's out for the rest of the season. Cunningham will take over the 48 in 2013, his teammate Tommy Pickles currently holds the points lead with 5 races to go, this track has a habit of producing spoilers in the Chase for the Cup. We'll see if the trend continues today as we welcome you inside the ESPN pit studio, I'm Allen Bestwick with Rusty Wallace and Ray Evernham, thanks for having us in for the race. Ray, there's 5 races left until we decide the championship in Miami. If you're one of these drivers, what's running through your mind as we get set to roll here at Kansas?

Ray Evernham: Well, if I was one of the Chasers, I'll have to race as hard as I can these next few races and hope the points leader makes a mistake because Pickles has been the dominant driver all season.

Rusty Wallace: Tommy's run is bringing back shades of the '03 season, Matt Kenseth won the title that year despite winning only one race. Consistency wins championships. Also, let's not forget who Tommy's mentor is!

Allen Bestwick: Tommy Pickles' mentor....4 time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon, Pickles now drives his 24 car for Hendrick Motorsports. We're set to run 400 miles here at Kansas, let's go trackside for the command.

Track Announcer: Race fans, please welcome Apollo 13 astronaut JIM LOVELL as he says the most famous words in racing.

Jim Lovell: DRIVERS, START YOUR ENGINES!

(43 800 horsepower engines fire up)

Allen Bestwick: Jim Lovell from the Apollo 13 mission to the Moon, giving us the command to fire things up here in Kansas. We take a look at our Windows 8 Starting Grid. Like we said in Countdown and at the top of the broadcast, we have a rookie on the Coors Pole today. Randy Cunningham, in his first start for Rick Hendrick, starts on point today. If you're looking for our points leader, Tommy Pickles starts 18th in that 24 car. While you take a look at the grid and see where your favorite driver is starting, how about we talk to our In-Race Reporter, our polesitter Randy Cunningham? Rusty, go ahead.

Rusty Wallace: Randy, it's Rusty Wallace in the ESPN pit studio, you copy?

Randy: I got ya, Rusty. Fire away.

Rusty: Randy, what a way to kick off your Sprint Cup career. You win the pole, you're fastest in practice, what's next? Do you think you have the car to win?

Randy: I hope we win here, Rusty. We have the car to win here. It's gonna be a matter of when the cautions fall and how good we are on pit row. I like to thank Rick Hendrick for giving me the chance to take over the 48, Howard Wienerman, my crew chief, Debby Kang, my spotter and my girlfriend, who also happens to be my crew chief's sister, Heidi Wienerman. She's on the pit box today. I want to win this race, beat Jamie McMurray's record. I think we have the car to do just that in this Lowe's/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Chevrolet.

Rusty: Good luck today, Randy.

Randy: Thank you, Rusty. 10-4.

Allen Bestwick: This is a 1.5 mile track, that means 267 laps will cover the 400 mile distance. Don't go over 45 miles per hour or NASCAR will bust you for speeding and the pit window here is 55-60 laps. The Ford Mustang pace car pulls on to pit row, Randy Cunningham will lead them to the attention of honorary starter Hank Williams Jr. and Race 6 of the Chase for the Cup IS GREEN!

Ray Evernham: Look at that 48 car, you wouldn't even know Randy Cunningham's a rookie, Allen.

Allen Bestwick: Cunningham's your current points leader in the Nationwide Series. He won yesterday's Nationwide race here. He's looking to pull the double by winning the Sprint Cup race today. Lap 1 to Randy Cunningham, his first career lap lead and it comes in his first race.

(Lap 72)

Allen Bestwick: WE GOT A SPIN IN TURN 2! Jake Long, the 32 car has spun to bring out caution for the first time today, 72 laps into the Hollywood Casino 400. These guys made pit stops from laps 56-62, here they come again, Eddie Cheever!

Eddie Cheever: Danny Fenton says his car is too loose on entry, they'll make a track bar adjustment, 4 tires and fuel, he's away! Scott Goodyear?

Scott Goodyear: Eddie, Ashley Armbruster called for a wedge adjustment, her car is too tight in the center, 4 tires and fuel for the 15, she's away! Jamie Little?

Jamie Little: Our race leader and polesitter Randy Cunningham says his car is a rocket! 4 tires and fuel for the 48, he's down and away! He'll win the race off pit row!

Top 10:

1. Randy Cunningham (48)
2. Nigel Uno (1)
3. Timmy Turner (17)
4. Dudley Puppy (99)
5. Danny Fenton (16)
6. Ashley Armbruster (15)
7. Tommy Pickles (24)
8. Kim Possible (88)
9. Cindy Vortex (10)
10. Joey Wheeler (18)

(RESTART: Lap 79 (7 caution laps))

Allen Bestwick: Randy Cunningham and Timmy Turner will lead them down for the restart, GREEN FLAG IS OUT! WE GO FULL THROTTLE!

(Full Throttle graphic)

(Lap 112)

Allen Bestwick: Our 2nd caution of the race has come out for debris in the backstretch, 112 laps down here in Kansas, we go NASCAR NONSTOP presented by Chevrolet.

(NASCAR NONSTOP)

(RESTART: Lap 116 (4 caution laps))

Allen Bestwick: Here we go, GREEN FLAG! 116 laps complete in Kansas! Cunningham is FLYING, Rusty Wallace!

Rusty Wallace: Yeah, Allen. He's a man on a mission. He's got something to prove to car owner Rick Hendrick these next 5 races. He'll drive full time for Hendrick in 2013. He wants to prove to Hendrick that he can be competitive in this sport.

Ray Evernham: Well, he's certainly proven himself today. He's led 100 laps so far, he's looking for more!

(Lap 140)

Allen Bestwick: Caution #3 is out....for rain. It's been raining here all weekend, rained a little bit here this morning, it's heavier now. We'll run a few laps under the yellow before we go red to allow the jet dryers some time to get on the track keep the rain at bay.

(Lap 146: RED FLAG)

Allen Bestwick: We're under the red flag at 146 laps for rain. Randy Cunningham is your race leader, so far he's lead 115 of 146 laps in his Sprint Cup debut. He's been running a solid race so far, guys.

(6:20 PM)

(RESTART: Lap 153 (13 caution laps))

Allen Bestwick: GREEN FLAG IS OUT FOR THE RESTART! LET'S GO FULL THROTTLE!

(Full Throttle graphic)

(Lap 256)

Allen Bestwick: 11 laps to go here in Kansas and we're under our 4th caution of the race as the 13 has blown a tire in turn 3. There's debris everywhere, looks as though we may go green-white-checker!

(RESTART: Lap 268 (12 caution laps))

Allen Bestwick: 2 LAPS TO DECIDE THIS ONE! GREEN FLAG IS OUT....AND WE HAVE A SMOKER! IT'S THE 41! Caution #5 is out!

(RESTART: Lap 275 (7 caution laps))

Allen Bestwick: Let's try this again! GREEN FLAG!

Rusty Wallace: 22's in the wall!

Allen Bestwick: Our 6th caution of the race has come out at 275 laps, we get one more try at a green-white-checker finish, guys.

(RESTART: Lap 280 (5 caution laps))

Allen Bestwick: 1 MORE TIME! GREEN FLAG IS OUT! LET'S GO! 2 LAPS TO GO! Randy Cunningham in his first career Sprint Cup start is a lap and a half from history! He's got a half second lead on teammate Abigail Lincoln as we come to the white flag! 1 MORE LAP! 56 IN THE WALL! NO CAUTION! HALF A MILE TO GO! HERE THEY COME, CHECKERED FLAG....CUNNINGHAM WINS IT!

Randy: TAKE THAT, MCMURRAY!

Heidi: 1 START, 1 WIN!

(after the burnout)

Jerry Punch: Randy Cunningham, a rookie to the Sprint Cup, taking over the 48 in 2013, in his first start, dominates to win in Kansas. Randy, you had to endure 3 green-white-checker finishes and a hard charging Abigail Lincoln. Randy, what's it like going through 3 green-white-checkers?

Randy: I've only ever gone through 2 of those finishes at Daytona and Chicago. Those are some stressful times, Jerry. Abby's a good teammate. I look forward to racing with her, Tommy and Kim full time in 2013. We've got Martinsville next. I've got 3 races left in the Nationwide Series, I'm leading by 34 points. I've got the title basically locked up. I hope to do the same in the Sprint Cup in 2013. It's gonna be a real exciting season next year, Dr. Punch. Can't wait for Daytona, can't wait for Martinsville.

Jerry Punch: Randy Cunningham wins in his first career start at Kansas. Guys?

That's the Hollywood Casino 400! Here's how they finished:

1. Randy Cunningham (48)
2. Abigail Lincoln (5)
3. Danny Fenton (16)
4. Nigel Uno (1)
5. Hoagie Gilligan (2)
6. Yugi Moto (11)
7. Dudley Puppy (99)
8. Trixie Tang (42)
9. Phineas Flynn (43)
10. Timmy Turner (17)
11. Tommy Pickles (24)
12. Kim Possible (88)
13. Kick Buttowski (14)
14. Jeremy Johnson (39)
15. Joey Wheeler (18)
16. Edd (29)
17. Ed (27)
18. Eddy (31)
19. Cindy Vortex (10)
20. Ferb Fletcher (9)
21. Vanessa Doofenshmirtz (97)
22. Gumball Waterson (87)
23. Ashley Armbruster (15)
24. Dan Kuso (46)
25. Scooby-Doo (47)
26. Tristan Taylor (20)
27. Arnold Shortman (37)
28. Homer Simpson (83)
29. Manny Rivera (90)
30. Brad Carbunkle (30)
31. Peter Griffin (93)
32. Beavis (7)
33. Bonnie Rockwaller (21)
34. Ginger Foutley (09)
35. Vince Lasalle (56) (DNF: Accident)
36. Ash Ketchum (22) (DNF: Accident)
37. Milo Kamalani (41) (DNF: Engine)
38. Nikki Wong (13) (DNF: Accident)
39. Sokka (38) (DNF: Electrical)
40. Katara (34) (DNF: Engine)
41. Jake Long (32) (DNF: Accident)
42. Blossom (51) (DNF: Engine)
43. Aang (26) (DNF: Overheating)

Chase Standings (4 races to go):

1. Tommy Pickles - 2258 points
2. Timmy Turner - 2238 points
3. Nigel Uno - 2237 points
4. Danny Fenton - 2232 points
5. Jeremy Johnson - 2225 points
6. Phineas Flynn - 2220 points
7. Abigail Lincoln - 2215 points
8. Hoagie Gilligan - 2211 points
9. Edd - 2205 points
10. Trixie Tang - 2204 points
11. Dudley Puppy - 2198 points
12. Kim Possible - 2197 points

Next Race: TUMS FAST RELIEF 500

SEE YOU AT MARTINSVILLE!