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Author: Ron Thornton

  • The Final Word – Among Chicago lucky dog hopefuls, Harvick was the day’s Old Yeller

    The Final Word – Among Chicago lucky dog hopefuls, Harvick was the day’s Old Yeller

    You got to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good. That is how the old saying goes. I wonder what the saying is when you are good, but everything just gets flushed down the toilet? Kevin Harvick had a bad case of the swirls, as in down the drain, for his Chicago experience.

    So you do not get the wrong impression, I should say that Harvick came damn close to getting the Lucky Dog. It was one he was waiting to occur since the 50th of 267 scheduled laps. When caution waved over Brian Scott’s spin on lap 124, Martin Truex Jr. had passed Harvick to be in the coveted position. They found debris on the backstretch on lap 193, but it was Tony Stewart who got the nod. When it waved again to force overtime on lap 264, it was Stewart again, the man with the good fortune. That left Harvick all dressed up for the ball, but the damn coach remained a pumpkin.

    You would think it was another pit crew screw up that bit him. Instead, it was just bad luck. As he and Jimmie Johnson sat in the pits under green, they found some debris and waved the yellow. Johnson managed to roll to the line before Truex, the leader, crossed over. Harvick came two feet short. While Johnson led for the next 50 laps, Harvick was dropped a lap down. Two feet was all he needed. Two feet is not what he got. Twentieth and a lap down was the end result. As was the fate of the title character in Old Yeller, Harvick’s hopes for a warm and fuzzy finish were shot.

    Johnson led the most laps. Too bad about that speeding penalty in the pits with 33 to go. That left him 12th. At least, for the moment. More on that later.

    That left Truex. A skinned tire had him requiring roadside assistance 70 laps in, but then he got by Harvick to get the aforementioned pass to the lead lap. With 20 to go, all he saw was the tail pipe of Chase Elliott who looked about to pounce on his first career win. Too bad about Michael McDowell’s little mishap that forced overtime. Truex came to the re-start in fourth, and powered his way to the front and the victory, his third of the season. Joey Logano and Elliott were next.

    Interesting post script to this one. When they put the cars through inspection after the event, both Johnson and Truex failed. We hear it was not a big miss, but a miss none the less. No doubt, the victor will keep his win and get his free pass to the next round of the Chase. Johnson, on the other hand, still has a thing for points at this stage of the game, and any penalty there could hurt.

    As we await NASCAR justice, some are more comfortable than others heading to Loudon but no one took a big hit at Chicago. Okay, other than Chris Buescher, who was an expected 28th and now sits a dozen points behind the 12th placed Stewart. Buescher might be sitting on a pumpkin tethered to some mice, but at least he is at the ball and rumor has it he should also retain those glass slippers as a souvenir.

    Matt Kenseth has a pair of souvenirs as a reminder of his past two races in New Hampshire, both victories. Harvick has not won there since 2006, but something tells me that you will not need to ask who let the dogs out on Sunday. I think ole Happy will be unleashing the hounds to try and make up for some lost time and points. For their sake, I hope his pit boys are good and lucky on that day.

  • Hot 20 – Mr. Hamlin, what races do you suggest we remove, reduce, or reschedule?

    Hot 20 – Mr. Hamlin, what races do you suggest we remove, reduce, or reschedule?

    As NASCAR swings into Chicago and begins the Chase, I can not help but notice that Denny Hamlin, and now Danica Patrick, have made mention that the season is too long. Reduce some races in length, reduce some altogether, run some mid-week are among their suggestions. I am cool with that, but in my mind there are a dozen races on eight tracks that cannot be touched. Ever.

    Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, and Charlotte continue with their two each with no changes to race length. If 600 miles to too long at Charlotte, stay home. You can not tinker with the two road courses at Sonoma or Watkins Glen. The Southern 500 should never again be violated at Darlington. Same goes for the Brickyard at Indianapolis. The racing there might be questionable at Indy, but it has become a crown jewel event. Touch any of them, and more than a few of us fans will be gone. NASCAR simply can not afford to see too many more of us on our way out.

    As for the other 24 contests on the other 15 tracks, go for it. However, you risk some upset folks at Martinsville, Richmond, and Atlanta where tradition means something to some people. Remove those tracks, and you remove fans. Texas, Michigan, Las Vegas, Fontana, and Chicago are not going anywhere. The trio of northeast venues, Pocono, Dover, and Loudon, would be tough for NASCAR to abandon. I could not care any less for Kansas or Kentucky, but I am sure there are others who do not share my sentiment.

    As long as NASCAR refuses to brand each of its events so they might each become something special, traditional, and untouchable instead of nothing more than a spot to park a sponsor’s name for yet another generic race, a lot of them can disappear, be moved, or reduced in length without much fanfare. I mean, this weekend in Chicago we have the legendary and prestigious Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400. Good bloody grief! What these two drivers are proposing works in theory. However, the devil is in the details, and we should leave it to Mr. Hamlin and Ms. Patrick to toss out a few specifics until we go ballistic. You know we would, no matter what they come up with.

    As for the Chase, eight organizations are represented by the 16. Joe Gibbs has all four of his outfits in the running. Stewart-Haas goes with three, missing only Patrick. Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi both came through fully loaded with their two car teams. Barney Visser was also perfect, going one for one with Martin Truex, Jr. We have a pair from Rick Hendrick’s stable, Richard Childress has his grandson, and Bob Jenkins has his surprise entry. Some did not make it, even those with past success. Jack Roush came up empty, despite three entries. Neither of Richard Petty’s cars made the grade.

    A dozen veteran Chasers joined by a quartet of first-timers. Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson are joined by rookies Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher. How might they do? As 2014 champion Kevin Harvick lays it down, “Are you happy to be there or do you want to win?” If they want to win, they could do fine. Like the seven former champions back for another drink from the well.

    Heading into the Chase, NASCAR has decided to be kinder, gentler to those crew chiefs who break the rules. One loose lug nut does not a suspension make. Now it will take three, and then he is gone along with 35 points. So much for kinder and gentler, and this is a new rule change that goes beyond the Chase and into next season.

    Failure to get the winning car successfully through the Laser Inspection Station by a significant amount, and you keep the win, but it won’t mean much. Up to 35 points gone and during the Chase that win might not count toward a free pass into the next round. With the points penalty, that just could kill the season. It is the kind of penalty that cost Ryan Newman 15 markers heading into Richmond.

    Newman might not be in the Chase, but after what happened last week, he could wind up being a factor. We will have to wait to see how hot he might be at one member of our Hot 20 heading to Chicago.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2012 PTS
    Tied for wins with Kyle, second only to Harvick in points. Brad might be thirsty again.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 2012 PTS
    Imagine having to race all 36 races to win the title. Last season seemed so much shorter.

    3. DENNY HAMLIN – 2009 PTS
    You can shorten the World 600 in Charlotte…or you could to go-cart racing as an alternative.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2006 PTS
    His Chase attitude is to “worry about the consequences when all the dust settles.” Game on.

    4. CARL EDWARDS – 2006 PTS
    Is this the year he can finally put that brides-maid dress away?

    4. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 2006 PTS
    Has led the pack this season for 1,664 miles. If you are going on a trip, here is your driver.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2006 PTS
    Seeking a new nickname. Maybe something that rhymes with “Seven Time.”

    4. MATT KENSETH – 2006 PTS
    There is nice Matt and there is Chase Matt. You don’t want to make Chase Matt angry.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 2003 PTS
    Last year, guess who upset Chase Matt.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 2003 PTS
    He has a title. Younger brother has a title. All older siblings know that just does not cut it.

    9. KYLE LARSON – 2003 PTS
    Over his last three races, has finished first, third, and second. That is called momentum.

    9. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2003 PTS
    Not everyone gets to live in the penthouse. even for what most predict will be a short stay.

    9. TONY STEWART – 2003 PTS
    Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Newman knows!

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2000 PTS
    A truck title. A XFINITY crown. There is room on the shelf for one more.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2000 PTS
    Could former winner of Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 win the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400?

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2000 PTS
    Again, the nickname says it all. Would like to change that to “Champ” if he can.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 633 PTS
    Who is considered Public Enemy No. 1 in Chicago? Ask Newman; he might have an answer.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 633 PTS
    If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again next season.

    19. TREVOR BAYNE – 586 PTS
    Unlike some, Bayne is determined to leave any at-track tantrums to his toddler.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 583 PTS
    Racing in Chicago, but might have more interest in how the Bears do Monday against the Eagles.

  • The Final Word at Richmond Belonged to Tony Stewart

    The Final Word at Richmond Belonged to Tony Stewart

    Drama, that is what we were waiting for at Richmond on Saturday night. Drama and answers. We wanted to know if Chris Buescher would be close enough to David Ragan and 30th in the standings in order to be eligible for the chase? Could Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, and Jamie McMurray keep from being caught by Ryan Newman for those final Chase spots on points? Could anyone outside the Top 16 win and really tumble up the standings? We had to wait for the final two or three laps to get the answer to that last one. With 38 laps to go, Tony Stewart provided us with the definitive response to the first two.

    Newman needed to make up ground, coming in 22 points behind McMurray. As it turned out, he would have had to win to be in considering how those he was chasing finished the night. However, he made a mistake along the way, and that was to run into his former boss and maybe former friend, two or three times. As Stewart swooped gently into a corner, Newman dived to the inside and knocked Smoke to the outside. Next turn, Newman came up and rubbed Stewart again. Oh-oh.

    On the straight away, Stewart turned down in front of Newman, who might have been able to take defensive measures if not for Carl Edwards running into him as he slowed down. That caused the contact between Newman and Stewart to be much harder, and pretty much killed all three autos. But wait, that is not all. Others got caught up in the mess, with one of them being David Ragan. As Newman went up the track after the wreck, he wound up directly in front of Ragan, who was left in flames.

    When asked later, Newman made some mention about somebody being bi-polar with enough info to Google to explain the mishaps a certain driver had been involved in, no doubt a guy who should retire, and a fellow who purposely drifted down in front of him. Stewart agreed with the latter observation, mentioned that in 10 weeks Newman would get his wish about his retirement and that he got to hit him two times more than anyone else would have gotten away with. By the way, one other guy caught up in the wreck was Brian Scott. Does anyone remember how Darlington went for him?

    With that, Buescher, Elliott, and Dillon were in the Chase. As for a first-time season winner ruining the party for McMurray, Denny Hamlin gave us that answer in the end when he dominated two re-starts to walk off with this one, even as a hard charging Kyle Larson tried to be a factor. Kasey Kahne finished sixth on a day he needed to be number one.

    Stewart is not leaving a kinder, gentler, passive version of his old self. He is his old self. Scott got dumped last week, Newman this time out. To be fair, he was slowly drifting in front of his old buddy and probably would have taken the brunt of the contact had Edwards not been there to accelerate things. Even if NASCAR got upset with their retiring former three-time champ, we know they refuse to dock points as they transfer to the Chase tally, and other than in the pocket book all they could do is suspend Stewart for a race or two and kill his championship hopes. That is not going to happen, and in this situation, it should not happen.

    As for Newman’s comments, I understand that he was angry. However, he came mighty close with his comments to invoking the tragedy and the pending civil case regarding the death of Kevin Ward Jr. in a sprint car accident involving Stewart two years ago. I do not know what their relationship was after Newman was essentially dropped in favor of Kevin Harvick with Stewart-Haas racing, but it can not be very good today.

    The Chase for the Championship begins in Chicago this Sunday, where the past five winners there are all current contenders for the title. Brad Keselowski has won twice, Hamlin won there a year ago, with Matt Kenseth and Stewart among the most recent winners.

    What are the odds of Tony doing well at Chicago? Maybe that is a question that should be directed to Ryan Newman. Now, wouldn’t that be dramatic?

  • Hot 20 – As Newman’s job just got tougher, could we give Ken Squier his old job back?

    Hot 20 – As Newman’s job just got tougher, could we give Ken Squier his old job back?

    A funny thing happened on the way to Richmond. Ryan Newman finished eighth at Darlington, got to within seven points of Jamie McMurray in the battle for the final Chase place, and then it hit the fan. Actually, it was not very amusing at all as his car failed post-race inspection, and that came with a 15 point penalty. Newman has to make up a 22 point deficit on McMurray, hope nobody below him in the standings wins this weekend, or just win the thing himself to make it. With a contract coming due and the owner’s other grandson ready to move up, this is the time for the Rocket to light the fuse.

    Kyle Larson‘s third place finish at Darlington was nice, but he also got tagged 15 points for failing the post-race checkup. However, he loses not a step in the standings and his win leaves him somewhat immune. As for the cash donations, Newman’s crew chief Luke Lambert was fined $25,000, while Chad Johnston, Larson’s bench boss, was fined $22,500. Would it not be lovely if you could fine your mechanic’s ass if he failed to fix your car the first time? Your doctor? How about politicians? We may be on to something here.

    There is one other scenario we have not mentioned. If Chris Buescher has a bad day and falls out of the Top 30, it is “hello Newman,” welcome to the Chase.

    Eleven races to go, and with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the shelf until the Daytona 500, 23-year-old Alex Bowman will have a dream ride for eight of the remaining contests this season. It will be a good test for the driver who spent the past two seasons behind the wheel for BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin. Neither outfit has yet to win a race, boast just two Top Fives and six Top Tens in a combined 781 attempts. Bowman will end the season driving the good stuff. Jeff Gordon, meanwhile, finally retires again, after he completes Richmond, Dover, and Martinsville. Sixteen of his 93 career victories came at those venues, including nine coming at the paper-clip.

    What driver has the most identifiable car in NASCAR, even to the non-fan? Paul Menard. His name is all over it.

    Danny Gallivan, Vin Scully, Ken Squier. If you want to become a legendary hockey, baseball, or racing announcer, they are the prototypes to build upon After just a couple of minutes to get into the swing of things at Darlington, the 81-year-old Squier allowed us to once again hear how it should be done. These gentlemen were poets who were able to describe, inform, entertain, and allow us to witness the action simply through the sound of their voice. To actually see it on television was a bonus, almost an unnecessary one. Squier ended his term providing the lap-by-lap commentary in 1997, though we have been blessed by special appearances, as we were last Sunday. Gallivan retired in 1984 after 32 years calling the action for the Montreal Canadiens, passing away in 1993. The 88-year old Scully is presently bringing his 67-year career behind the Dodger microphone to a close. They remain incomparable and irreplaceable.

    Richmond has been part of the NASCAR scene since 1950, and Saturday the race will feature eight present and former Cup champions. Twenty-six of those 40 drivers have combined for 530 Cup victories, and while 12 have locked in their invite to the Chase, another 20 entered have a mathematical shot at one of the four remaining positions.

    That includes all of our Hot 20 heading into Richmond.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (797 Pts)
    Loose wheel, loose wheel, he thought he had Harvick’s crew pitting him for real.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (727 Pts)
    Six drivers under the age of 25 have driven for him in the truck series this season.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (840 Pts)
    Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and let them try to pit my car.

    4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (746 Pts)
    First last lap pass for the win at Richmond in the spring, why not the fall?

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (729 Pts)
    If he ran NASCAR, would shorten the season and the World 600. Good thing he doesn’t.

    6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS (696 Pts)
    Interested in just winning the Memorial and Labor Day weekend classics this season.

    7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (669 Pts)
    Without Matt, Jim might have never worked at Dunder Mifflin or met Pam or Michael Scott.

    8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (656 Pts)
    Jimmie won twice, had Top 10s in five of the seven events to open the season. It’s been a while.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (752 Pts)
    With Junior out, does this give Joey a shot at being NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver?

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (728 Pts)
    Felt kind of flat at Darlington. Menard’s flat, to be specific.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN (606 Pts)
    Finally, he has two Top Fives in a row.

    12. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (426 Pts)
    What happened to Brian Scott at Darlington? Why, he wrecked, of course.

    13. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (358 Pts)
    Staying within 10 of Ragan next week would be good, keeping him in the rearview, even better.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 659 POINTS
    Finish 17th or better and he is off to the ball.

    15. AUSTIN DILLON – 651 POINTS
    Menard has a sponsor, Dillon has a grandfather, and Newman needs the Chase.

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 642 POINTS
    Could have been 30 points up if not for that late Darlington penalty.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 620 POINTS
    Penalty cripples his Chase bid, while the other Dillon has designs on his ride.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 598 POINTS
    At least Junior has an excuse for not making the Chase.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 573 POINTS
    No gloves, no problem, but less money in your pocket.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 562 POINTS
    Mr. Tickles? Maybe it was girlfriend Tara who named the cat.

  • The Final Word – I would absolutely suck as a pit crew member, so why won’t Harvick hire me?

    The Final Word – I would absolutely suck as a pit crew member, so why won’t Harvick hire me?

    A classic. That is what the Southern 500 is. Born in 1950, it predates NASCAR’s jewel events in Indianapolis, Bristol, Talladega, Charlotte, and Daytona. It is the Southern 500, the Labor Day classic at Darlington. It is not a November race, not a race to be branded by Dodge, not run on Mother’s Day or in April. After a dozen years of stupidity, it returned in 2015 to be what it has always been meant to be, the great southern Labor Day NASCAR tradition.

    Kevin Harvick lost Sunday’s race in classic style. If a pit crew can screw things up, it can find work on this car. Two pit stops, two disasters. One dropped him from first to fourth. The next, from first to 12th. It has reached the point where even the most understandable reason is rejected as yet another damned excuse. “Someone slashed our spare tires” or “It is hard to change a tire with no arms” or “The dog ate the air wrench” no longer cuts it. Harvick finished second. He should have been first.

    That was left for Martin Truex Jr. to accomplish. Sometimes, it is just more fun to win a classic event over the holidays. After previous career victories at Dover, Sonoma, and Pocono, this season it has been Labor Day at Darlington and the Memorial Day World 600 in Charlotte. Those are the kind of wins that get a driver remembered.

    Winning a title also does that. With Richmond the last stop before the Chase, a dozen drivers are locked in having won a race or more. Chris Buescher claims a spot if he manages to be within ten positions of David Ragan next weekend, thus staying within the season’s Top 30. Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon are a lock should they come home within 23 and 15 spots, respectfully, of Ryan Newman this Sunday. Jamie McMurray lays claim to the final spot should he be no more than six places behind Newman at Richmond, and a first-time winner does not emerge to steal that final Chase place from him. The question is, do Newman, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Blaney, A.J. Allmendinger, Trevor Bayne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Greg Biffle, or Paul Menard have the horses to do what needs to be done? The odds are long, but remember that they were for Buescher once, too.

    It was a true classic at Darlington, but it was something of a classic finish in the truck race at MoSport Park in Ontario on Sunday. Well, the finish between John Hunter Nemechek and Cole Custer would have gone down as a classic if it had taken place at almost any other track. Two racers rubbing and racing and scraping against the wall to the finish. Instead, on the outside, they had enough prairie to give me a home where the buffalo roam, along with a couple of elk, before they came across any barrier. Rather than taking Custer to the outside wall, Nemechek wound up taking him into the car pool lane. What could have been a classic finish had all the appearances of a demo derby. Does that make Nemechek a wild man or a guy who did what he had to do on a surface that extended much farther out than what we would have normally seen? He won, so does it matter? I bet to Custer, it does. He seemed downright excited as he tackled Nemechek after the race, sending the pair tumbling to the grass. Vengeance is a bitch, and she just might have some bite before their version of the Chase concludes in the truck series. Just ask Joey Logano.

    Classic. They have been racing at Richmond since 1953, and the list of the winners there is a smorgasbord of NASCAR history, with all the fixings. It is where three generations of Petty boys have a victory, including 13 by the King himself. Both Earnhardts have won there, with Senior having a 5-3 advantage over Junior. Kyle has a 4-2 lead over Kurt in the battle of the Busch boys. Richmond is where Bobby Allison won seven times, with six wins apiece awarded to David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, and Rusty Wallace.

    Sadly, the one-time Capital City 400 sold its soul to Wrangler more than 35 years ago. Since then, the trail has winded through a brewery, a battery outfit, a car manufacturer, to even include a brand of pistachios for a season. A classic event it is not. A classic venue it most certainly is.

    Here is hoping for a classic finish. This spring Carl Edwards bumped Kyle Busch out of the way to record the first last-lap pass for the win in Richmond history. Why not another?

  • Hot 20 – Who will be left singing the blues at Darlington, where some memories just won’t die?

    Hot 20 – Who will be left singing the blues at Darlington, where some memories just won’t die?

    Who is the greatest country singer ever associated with NASCAR? There has been Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Brooks and Dunn, Hank Williams Jr., Toby Keith, Cledus T. Judd, and lately Blake Shelton. That is a pretty impressive list of talent and it is far from complete. However, there is no question that the King of NASCAR Country was Marty Robbins.

    While he is best known for singing White Sport Coat, El Paso, and My Woman, My Woman, My Wife, among his 17 Number One hits and 82 Top 40 entries, Robbins raced. Between 1966 and 1982, he managed to get into 35 Cup events, claiming six Top Tens along the way. He drove them, Hall of Famer Cotton Owens prepared them.

    As the boys and girl head to Darlington for the Southern 500, we should remember that the singer once finished seventh in the iconic race back in 1971. A year later, he was ninth again behind the wheel of the No. 42 at the Lady in Black. When you race, you wreck, and he did. A pileup in Talladega in 1974 left him with some 37 stitches in his face. The same year at Charlotte, he deliberately wrecked to avoid a t-bone collision with Richard Childress, some saying the action may well have saved the future Hall of Famer’s life.

    He was a legitimate driver. His results were legitimate. Well, all but one. His Talladega result in the spring of 1972 was not. Robbins was disqualified. When they tried to give him rookie honors, he declined, then had the officials check out his carburetor. It was as illegal as it gets. He just wanted to know what it felt like to drive up front with the big boys. I do not believe NASCAR was terribly impressed as they dropped him to 50th. Finishing up front that day was David Pearson, and it marked the debut of one Darrell Waltrip.

    This weekend, Darlington features throwback paint schemes for both the XFINITY event as well as the Southern 500. Michigan winner Kyle Larson will be one of a half dozen Cup guys in that Saturday contest. His paint scheme in that race will honor Marty Robbins.

    As Chris Buescher attempts to stay in the Chase by keeping ahead of David Ragan in the standings, and while Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, and Jamie McMurray try to protect their own championship hopes, here is a look at whom or what our Hot 20 honor with their paint schemes heading into Sunday’s Southern 500.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (774 Pts)
    Original Miller Lite can design of 1972

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (696 Pts)
    Dale Jarrett’s No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (799 Pts)
    Cale Yarborough and the 1979 Daytona 500

    4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (724 Pts)
    Tony Stewart, who made his debut in 1999

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (691 Pts)
    Darrell Waltrip, behind the wheel of the No. 11 from 1981-86

    6. JIMMIE JOHNSTON – 2 WINS (648 Pts)
    David Pearson and Dale Earnhardt of the late 1970s and early 1980s

    7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (633 Pts)
    Ricky Rudd’s 1995 Tide ride

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (721 Pts)
    The Haas VF-1 vertical machining center, introduced in 1988.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (716 Pts)
    Bobby Labonte’s Busch series, Shell-sponsored car of 1996-98

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (652 Pts)
    Sponsor Auto-Owners Insurance’s 100th anniversary

    11. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN (582 Pts)
    Chip Ganassi Racing’s IndyCar history, going back to 1990, with seven championships, 90 wins

    12. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (420 Pts)
    Bobby Allison and his five Southern 500 victories

    13. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (334 Pts)
    Tribute to sponsor Love’s Travel Stops, in its original 1981 colors

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 628 POINTS
    NAPA’s delivery trucks of the 1960s

    15. AUSTIN DILLON – 622 POINTS
    Saluting first Childress win, with Ricky Rudd, in 1983

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 616 POINTS
    Bill Elliott in his 1997 colors

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 601 POINTS
    Ricky Rudd’s first Childress win of 1983 at Riverside, California

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 564 POINTS
    Tribute to Terry Labonte and his 1982 J.D. Stacy-sponsored Buick

    19. TREVOR BAYNE – 558 POINTS
    Mark Martin, 619 Starts, 35 wins in the No. 6 from 1988 to 2006

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 545 POINTS
    David Pearson’s 43 wins during the 1970s piloting the No. 21 for the Wood Brothers

  • The Final Word – If Buescher was using the good stuff at Michigan, Ford owes him an apology

    The Final Word – If Buescher was using the good stuff at Michigan, Ford owes him an apology

    It is not complicated. Win and you are in the Chase. Do not, and you better be one of the better three of the rest, and even then only one might slip through. At Michigan on Sunday, Kyle Larson punched his ticket with the first Cup win of the 24-year old driver’s career. To say he was pumped would have been an understatement as he jumped into the arms of his crew with checkered flag in hand.

    Two races to go, 16 advance, and 13 of the spots have been spoken for. Or is it 12? Maybe 13. That brings us to the curious case for the Chase of Chris Buescher. With just the Penske pairing of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano locked in, Ford would sure like Buescher to join them. We hear Roush had taken the boy to their bosom, put him in a top notch chassis and gave him the best engines they got. Then the damn thing started sputtering on the fourth lap. The fourth. Maybe the agency should have held out for a Penske adoption.

    As mentioned, the other dozen drivers with wins under their belt this season are locked in. After Buescher sputtered his way around to finish seven laps down in 35th position, he used up some of his cushion over David Ragan. Over the season, Ragan is ranked 31st. He is seven points behind the 30th rated Buescher, and if he catches up at Darlington then Buescher’s pass to the Chase due to his Pocono win would get torn up.

    Ryan Newman just became a big fan of Ragan. He sits 17th on the season. While he is 27 points behind Michigan runner-up Chase Elliott, 21 off of Austin Dillon’s pace, he does sit just 15 behind bubble boy Jamie McMurray. However, if Buescher loses his ticket, Newman pops up a position to claim it as his own. Of course, he could go to Darlington and win that damn thing and take all the guess work out of it.

    Come to think of it, 12 are locked in, four more currently hold a spot, while up to 18 others have at least a mathematical shot at winning and advancing heading into this weekend. They really do. Sure, Newman has better odds than Kasey Kahne, but both are ahead of the likes of Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer. Yet, all are still in it, if you go by math and ignore reality. I mean, even Brian Scott, with a win and a charge into the Top 30 himself, can still do it.

    All it takes is a win. Maybe some rain at the right time. Just ask Chris Buescher. Now, if he could just get his hands on some of the Ford good stuff for Darlington.

  • Hot 20 – Michigan is a track for legends, but no Junior to be seen as Buescher gets Ford support

    Hot 20 – Michigan is a track for legends, but no Junior to be seen as Buescher gets Ford support

    Michigan. A big track, a fast track. Sadly, not exactly a legacy event, like winning at Daytona or Bristol or Talladega or Indianapolis or Darlington or either road course.

    What it is, is a track where legends have celebrated since 1969. In fact, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Richard Petty, Dale Jarrett, and Bobby Allison have combined for 46 victories there. That is a lot of suds for a lot of Hall of Famers.

    Greg Biffle is the only four-time winner not in yet. In fact, he needs to make it five just to make the Chase this year. Same goes for teammates Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The only driver at the big boy table sitting in a Chase place at present is Chris Buescher. He and crew chief Bob Osborne now attend the Jack Roush organizational meetings as Ford desires to have one of their boys succeed. Instead of leasing older engines and used bodies, the manufacturer wants to see Bob Jenkins compete in the best Roush has to offer. He might be a step-son, but right now he is Ford’s favorite son.

    Being a France has meant running the show, not being the show. At least, until last week at Bristol when Ben Kennedy won the Wednesday night truck event. The 24-year old is the son of Lesa France Kennedy, the daughter of Bill France Jr.

    Being Dale Earnhardt Jr. has delivered some terrific highs and tragic lows. His 2016 Chase hopes are down to winning at Richmond, but maybe his best health hopes are to take it easy until he is truly good to go. Alex Bowman returns to the seat of the “88″ this weekend, with Jeff Gordon expected to be back for Darlington.

    Kurt Busch ran the opening 6273 laps of the 2016 season, a streak that came to an end 372 laps into Sunday’s Bristol affair. While vying for the lead he came into contact with Brad Keselowski, to ruin the day for them both. If one has to go out, might as well do it with all guns blazing. It beats fading away with a whimper.

    Anyone remember the XFINITY or the Camping World Truck Series? If you do, and if you are 12 and younger, you get to go to all those races for free next season. What a wonderful way to introduce young fans to the sport. What a wonderful way of trying to get somebody to attend those races. Nobody else is. They do not really have much to lose. An empty seat buys nothing and appreciates nothing. This move is better than nothing.

    This is the final year of the Sprint Cup. Soon, it will be parked in the garage alongside the Nextel Cup, the Winston Cup, and the Grand National and Strictly Stock monikers. I joked that the GoBowling.com 400 race in Kansas could have had a worse name, then one wag commented “Don’t diss SpongeBob. That might be next year’s Cup sponsor.” Good Lord, he might be right!

    Heading into Michigan, here is a look at our QuikTrip, Auto Club, Food City, Bass Pro Shops, Coca-Cola, Bank of America, MyAFibStory.com, AAA, Ford EcoBoost, GoBowling.com, Hollywood Casino, Quaker State, Kobalt, STP, Goody’s, FireKeepers Casino, Pure Michigan, Camping World, Good Sam, Xalta, Toyota Owners, Federated Auto Parts, Save Mart, GEICO, Duck Commander, Cheez-It Hot 20.

    Sadly, despite these name mentions, I get not a dime. I obviously need a foundation.
    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (735 Pts)
    So ends Kurt’s streak. Mission accomplished.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (674 Pts)
    Last week Kyle’s car was dying. All Allgaier did was put it out of its misery.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (762 Pts)
    Not the most wins, but probably the best damn car week in and week out.

    4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (689 Pts)
    Having fun and thinking a third beer bath at Michigan is in order.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (659 Pts)
    Good finish last week and with the boss talking an extension, things are good for the Pied Piper.

    6. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (612 Pts)
    If the sticky stuff worked at Bristol, why not pine tar the rest of the tracks?

    7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (604 Pts)
    Drive well, make the Chase, but be considered an old fart and one’s job could be in jeopardy.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (692 Pts)
    So, that is what a garage looks like.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (684 Pts)
    Since with Penske, has never finished here outside the Top Ten…and won in the spring.

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (630 Pts)
    His crew chief is Canadian, eh?

    11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (400 Pts)
    Tony is a big fan of virtual reality. Nothing gets broken.

    12. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (328 Pts)
    All of a sudden, he is feeling the love from Ford.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 596 POINTS
    A Top Five last Sunday was more than welcome.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 588 POINTS
    If you are surprised he is where he is, say his name slowly. That was our first hint.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 583 POINTS
    At Darlington, he is wearing the former colors of an older Elliott.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 576 POINTS
    He does not need to make the Chase to keep his job. Who am I kidding? Damn right he does.

    17. TREVOR BAYNE – 541 POINTS
    Crew chief Matt Puccia has won twice before in Ford country…with Greg Biffle.

    18. KYLE LARSON – 537 POINTS
    Sunday sure sucked. Maybe it is time for that first career win.

    19. KASEY KAHNE – 537 POINTS
    With Danica buried deep, it appears NASCAR’s two prettiest will both miss the Chase.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 518 POINTS
    Top Ten last Sunday, but needs a Top One this time out.

  • The Final Word – Bristol, where good news mixed with bad, and it rained on everyone’s parade

    The Final Word – Bristol, where good news mixed with bad, and it rained on everyone’s parade

    Good tidings we bring to you and your kin.

    Sounds like a song. Sounds like a song we can wait four months to hear. However, Bristol did bring good tidings to some. It was great for Kevin Harvick, as he won his second of the season in a dominant performance to once again vault ahead of them all in points. While wins determine who is ahead of whom, as it should, accumulated points is an indicator as to who has been in contention all season long. Harvick has been one of those guys.

    Good tidings for Chris Buescher. It is amazing how good a guy can get with a little incentive, like a win at Pocono and a shot at the Chase. The 23-year-old might just be 30th in points, but by moving 13 points ahead of David Ragan in the standings his win is activated and he now finds himself ranked 12th among those with post-season aspirations. A bad day at Michigan could change all that, but as for now, all is good after his fifth place result at Bristol.

    Good tidings for Austin Dillon, trying to keep within the Chase despite having no victories. Fourth at Bristol really helped the cause. Same with Jamie McMurray’s Top Ten, while 15th did not hurt Chase Elliott’s cause much, either. Ryan Newman was 28th, which was not good, but he remains 35 points up on Trevor Bayne, which certainly is.

    Not so good for Bayne, of course. Twelfth on Sunday was fine, it helped him close up on Newman by 15 points. Unfortunately, he has only Michigan, Darlington, and Richmond remaining to move up via points at a time when a win might be the way to go. I guess he can always hope Buescher has some bad tidings, drops below 30th, which would pop Bayne back into a Chase place. Such bad thoughts, and so close to Christmas.

    Imagine getting your way paid to the Bristol Saturday night event as a gift, only to have the rain wash all those good tidings away. Rain Saturday night. Rain Sunday morning. With so much rain, it is ironic that the stands looked like a seat desert, with an oasis of real live fans visible here and there. It would appear that a lot of fans had their weekend plans totally screwed.

    Both Kurt and Kyle Busch crashed out, as did Matt Kenseth. Newman, Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski, and Ryan Blaney might have been moving at the end, but all were sitting 24th and worse running five or more laps off the pace by that time. Bad tidings indeed.

    Next up is Michigan, where Jeff Gordon returns to retirement for at least one event. Still, we have to wait until later in the week to see if Dale Earnhardt Jr. is ready to return from his medical leave. Do you know Junior still has more points than Greg Biffle, Danica Patrick, and Clint Bowyer? Yet, any one of them would be Chase bound with a win on Sunday.

    Christmas could still arrive early for somebody.

  • Hot 20 – If you think racing at Bristol will be tough, you should have been on Moose Mountain

    Hot 20 – If you think racing at Bristol will be tough, you should have been on Moose Mountain

    It was an off-week for NASCAR, but racing continued where I sit. At least, sitting would have been nice. Last weekend, my son John ran a 54-mile mountain terrain ultra-marathon. In following the action, I found myself walking up a half-mile dusty road with an uninterrupted 20-plus degree angle climb with a chest cold and a hacking cough. I do not believe a single bear remains on that mountain after the commotion I was making. By the way, the boy came through in far better shape than his father did. This weekend, my other son Ronald is running a marathon. I plan to sit.

    Sitting before the big screen watching the action from Bristol Saturday night is definitely in the cards. Dale Earnhardt Jr. continues to sit as he waits for his concussion symptoms to run their course. Jeff Gordon gets to continue his second farewell tour, while we await Chris Buescher passing David Ragan in the standings to make his Pocono win count in the standings. Should that happen, and there is no guarantee that it will, Kyle Larson would fall from a place in the Chase to 30 points out. Then it would come down to everyone outside pretty much requiring a win to make the post-season derby.

    Bristol is one of those tracks where you do not need much background info in order to simply enjoy the action. However, there are three storylines to follow. We will watch the duel between Buescher and Ragan. We will see if Ryan Newman, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, and Jamie McMurray can avoid disaster. Finally, we will be watching for who wins.

    Usually, the fans are the big winners at Bristol. While on Sunday, I plan to stand on flat ground to watch my son race in the morning, the night before, my goal is to sit on my fat ass to watch the boys and girl perform in Tennessee. Now, that is a plan of inaction to stick to.

    Here are our Hot 20 heading to Bristol.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (727 Pts)
    In NASCAR, “Sorry” is just another way of saying “Don’t kick my ass.”

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (670 Pts)
    This is a race that is destined to be won by a Busch brother, a Gibbs driver, or both.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (653 Pts)
    Edwards could be that Gibbs driver. Would need to change name to Karl to be a Busch.

    4. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (620 Pts)
    Burnouts are fine. Tear ups are not. Just a reminder.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (600 Pts)
    Four of the top five belong to the Coach. Two years before room has to be made for Erik Jones.

    6. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (578 Pts)
    Crew Chief Chad Knaus says things will be just fine, and Knaus knows stuff.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (718 Pts)
    Jimmy Buffett was not wasting away at Margaritaville, he was hanging with Harv.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (689 Pts)
    Set rookie truck record with four wins in 2000. William Byron has beat that driving for Kyle.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (652 Pts)
    Winner of last two Saturday night Bristol races looked a whole lot like this guy.

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (612 Pts)
    Will be driving for the Mile High outfit for an additional two years.

    11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (389 Pts)
    One final helmet toss at Kenseth for old time’s sake?

    12. RYAN NEWMAN – 562 POINTS
    With a contract running out and the owner’s grandson ready to go, this Rocket needs to liftoff.

    13. CHASE ELLIOTT – 561 POINTS
    The only excuse you’ll get from Chase is if you ask him “why don’t you make excuses?”

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 559 POINTS
    Took the free time to fulfill an engagement.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 550 POINTS
    Fishing for a Chase place, fishing in British Columbia with Dierks, Martin, and Clint.

    16. KYLE LARSON – 520 POINTS
    Was it the incident or was it A.J. that Kyle was calling “flat out stupid?”

    17. TREVOR BAYNE – 512 POINTS
    Bayne was in Ireland for a 70.3-mile Ironman race. Running I don’t get. Potato salad, I get.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 509 POINTS
    It is good to have a couple of years left on a contract.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 502 POINTS
    Iconic Wood Brothers ride will sport Virginia Tech colors on Saturday night.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 486 POINTS
    Thought he was Ben Hur at Watkins Glen, and the drummer called for ramming speed.

    30. DAVID RAGAN – 295 POINTS
    Not surprising a NASCAR driver supports Trump. Hey, both believe walls are important.

    31. CHRIS BUESCHER – 292 POINTS (1 W)
    Sometimes the story of a race does not unfold near the front.