Dario's Crap Sandwich mystery resolved

You can tell from the LiveBlog that I was totally confused as to how Scott Dixon was on top of the pylon after Vitor Meira crashed at lap 137. It totally looked like Dario was going to be getting the same Crap Sandwich that Vitor Meira had enjoyed at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year.

Everyone but the two leaders had pitted prior to the crash, and when Meira slammed into the wall on Sunday Dixon was shown getting fuel and tires. That means that when the yellow flag flew only Dario had not taken a pit stop. So the thinking would be that Dixon – who had only been a few feet ahead of Franchitti – had slowed down considerably to enter the pits, meaning Franchitti had then gone around at full speed and lapped Dixon before catching the pace car. Makes sense, right?

Well, it would seem Dario was not able to actually go around at full speed because of another driver. Since Franchitti had to slow in order get around said driver he wasn’t able to get all the way around the track and actually lap Dixon. The braintrust at TrackSide Online has discovered the truth.

After the race, Dario said that just before the yellow waved, he was trying desperately to get around the track and in front of Dixon who he knew had just pitted. Dario wanted Dixon a lap down to him, if only briefly (he would need to pit soon also). But, Dario said Milka got in his way, keeping Dixon on the lead lap when the yellow came out.

So now we know why Ashley Judd felt so compelled to call out the #23 after the race. Milkalicious almost cost “my husband” the championship.

Should we start a "Milka to NAPCAR" rumor now? It would almost (but not quite) be worth losing Dario to see her and Ashley have some GO TIME. Plus, Duno is already running about the same speed as a Cup car. Seriously, this needs to happen.