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Author: Ron Thornton

  • The Final Word – 37 drivers at New Hampshire, but only 11 mattered on Sunday

    The Final Word – 37 drivers at New Hampshire, but only 11 mattered on Sunday

    Watching Loudon on Sunday was a whole lot like watching Shawshank Redemption. I have seen bits and pieces of that movie, maybe, a couple of dozen times or more. The first half of the New Hampshire race had me watching nothing but our favorites of this year over and over and over.

    It was a one lane track to start with. If you were on the outside, you moved. If not, you did not. The guys up front stayed up front. Martin Truex Jr. led the opening stage and was third after two. Chase Elliott was second in the first but claimed the second. Kurt Busch, the pole sitter, was fourth after one and second after two. You get the picture.

    Everyone in the Top Ten for the first half of the contest was among our potential Chasers. Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, and Joey Logano had reserved spots, it seemed. So did Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola, and Jimmie Johnson. Ten drivers for 10 positions, all among the Top Fifteen in the standings.

    Then the second half of the race began. It started with Kurt chasing down, well, Chase. Brad Keselowski moved up to take Johnson’s place among our decuplers. Well, for a time he did, before his brakes started to fail and he went from 9th to 20th within a couple of laps. The inside groove opened up, but not by much.

    Then a new face went to the front, as Almirola took over the lead to give the NBC rat pack of Dale, Jeff, and Steve something additional to chat about. Again, usually watching the action from Loudon allows me to fast-forward through the broadcast. Unfortunately, those boys were once again damned amusing and entertaining, so I could not.

    Everybody else seemed destined to be denied entry into the Top Ten. With about 75 laps to go, a window opened. Kurt Busch was heading to the pits but braked when he thought Blaney was about to leave his, leaving both just sitting there for a few seconds. That cost some time and track position. However, the guy who burned his membership card was Bowyer. He got tagged for a pit violation, and simply sunk beneath the waves.

    Later, Bowyer hit the fence with Almirola back in front. After the visitation for service, Kyle Busch was the leader, followed by Harvick, Almirola, and Truex. Something had to give in the end, and with seven laps left it proved to be the back end of Busch, with some assistance from Harvick. Someone was Happy as he went on to claim his sixth win of the season, the 44th of his career. Someone was not happy to finish second. Almirola thought he was the best, but he lost the lead in the pits and then lost traction on the re-start to end his hopes.

    You already know the names of most of those who would claim a Top Ten. Bowyer wound up 35th out of 37 entries, with Ryan Newman replacing him among our race stars to take sixth. Nothing much changed in the standings, with the Top 16 remaining our Top 16. Three drivers; Harvick, Truex, and Elliott; had 51 point days. Each Busch brother had 45, with Almirola putting 41 into the bank. Among those with single digit outings were Bowyer, Keselowski and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., allowing Alex Bowman to extend his margin for that final Chase berth to 28 points.

    Next Sunday marks the return to Pocono. Last month, it was Truex taking the June version. Last year, it was Kyle Busch in July. Harvick has not won there in 35 attempts. In comparison, Chris Buescher was the summertime winner just a couple of years ago. Now, another such performance would do wonders for a guy currently sitting 23rd in the standings.

    That is one movie sequel I bet he would just love to produce.

  • Hot 20 – Getting down and dirty, be it at New Hampshire or Eldora

    Hot 20 – Getting down and dirty, be it at New Hampshire or Eldora

    On Wednesday, the pick-up trucks race on dirt at Eldora. Some figure we need some dirt track racing in NASCAR. The fact is that in these times such a race would be a novelty, just as Eldora is, but does it need to be a feature in Cup?

    Why not? The fact that NBC has finally returned television coverage that actually keeps one glued to the action, entertained and informed with real insight, allows me to watch Loudon without any complaint or the use of the fast-forward feature on my PVR. Finally, I am content with what I watch on the pavement. Being different, though, is not a bad thing.

    Bristol is different. Daytona and Talladega are different. Sonoma and Watkins Glen are different. So will be the road-course feature coming up at Charlotte. Why not a little dirt? Just no gimmicks. We do not need any more gophers. I have had it up to here with “boogity, boogity, boogity.” No more draft tracks. You can even toss out the wild sound laps, where we get to hear the roar of the engines as the announcers take a time-out. It comes nowhere close to being at the live event.

    No more gimmicks. Just tracks that are different. Dirt is good. I have high hopes the New Hampshire experience on Sunday will be as well.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (799 Pts)
    To be the man, you have to beat the man…more times than he has beaten you.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS (740 Pts)
    This fall, the Magic Mile will magically look a lot like Las Vegas. Hey, it’s magic.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (689 Pts)
    Has never won at Loudon…yet.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (629 Pts)
    Like Harvick, the pit road experience at Kentucky fell short of the standard set on the track.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (648 Pts)
    A single win locks one into the Chase this season.

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (480 Pts)
    Earned his golden ticket, so when does he get to visit the Chocolate Factory?

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (362 Pts)
    After Daytona, he went into Witness Protection and has not been seen since.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 630 POINTS
    “We’ve been good, not great this year, and this is a sport of great.”

    9. KURT BUSCH – 601 POINTS
    Three career wins at Loudon ties him with his brother, Jimmie, Ryan, Denny, and Matt.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 581 POINTS
    On Tuesday was at the Lernerville Speedway winning a World of Outlaws event.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 559 POINTS
    The defending race champion returns, but will the checkered flag?

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 546 POINTS
    Might find Loudon too easy after testing this week at Charlotte.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 534 POINTS
    Did the former driver of this car ever threaten to make the Chase? Ever?

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 484 POINTS
    Only a true disaster will keep even a winless Johnson out of the Chase.

    15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 469 POINTS
    William Clyde’s nickname features his season goal. Next year, he wants to be known as Champ.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 427 POINTS
    Spent his Tuesday spinning in Turns 3 and 4 of the Charlotte infield road course. It is sketchy.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 418 POINTS
    He has a standing offer to Kyle Busch to help him stop running his mouth. Jimmy Spencer, Jr.?

    18. PAUL MENARD – 404 POINTS
    23 points between him and a playoff spot, but he averages a 23rd place finish at Loudon.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 348 POINTS
    Pick-up racing is cute. Now, European Truck Racing is for the big boys with the big toys.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 344 POINTS
    Two Loudon starts, two Top Tens. Unfortunately, only a win gets him to where he wants to be.

  • The Final Word – Truex pretty much gave the field a blue moon at Kentucky

    The Final Word – Truex pretty much gave the field a blue moon at Kentucky

    Kentucky. The land of Daniel Boone. Horses. Bluegrass (be it those you can grow, pick, or sing along to). Bourbon. Maybe they should consider marketing something called Dr. Truex’s Tonic and Magical Elixir. I mean, whatever he is drinking delivers some pretty positive results.

    Martin Truex Jr. won both stages and won at Kentucky. Both last Saturday night and the year before. Sure, there were some who were up to the challenge of at least dueling the pole sitter from time to time. For a while, Kurt Busch used a two-tire strategy and it worked for a short time. Brad Keselowski tried the same later, with the same results. In the final portion of the event, the elder Busch did it again. I mean, he had to try and it got him noticed, but he still finished sixth. Keselowski was third. Truex won his fourth of the season, the 19th of his career.

    The Big Three were again dominant. Often, they were the leading three. Five-time season winners Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick finished fourth and fifth, while Ryan Blaney was again strong in a runner-up result. No change among the Chasers, though things have tightened up regarding that final playoff spot. Alex Bowman had a horrid day, and is now just nine points ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., while Paul Menard finished 11th to move to within 23 points.

    Another thing we discovered is that wins are not everything. The Big Three have claimed 14 races, Clint Bowyer has a couple, and Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, and Joey Logano all have wins in the bank. That means only seven drivers have won and with only seven races to go, at least two drivers will advance to the Chase based solely on points.

    Stewart-Haas has great equipment, great divers in Harvick, Bowyer, and Chase contenders Kurt Busch and Aric Almirola, who put in another Top Ten effort. What they also have are pit crews that cost them. Harvick and Bowyer got bit again by friendly fire when the money stop leaked change all over the place.

    A perfect day for Truex, very good days recorded by Kyle Busch, Harvick, and Blaney. Bowman had the worse luck among those who expect better when a right front let go and he pasted the fence to end the day dead last in 39th.

    Kyle Larson had an adventurous evening. Too much time with some friends left not enough time to show up for driver introductions, and that got him sent back in the pack to start. He worked his way forward, only to discover a track bar automatically heading down in the late going. That was not the plan. Three inches is a big drop, so five made the car damn hard to handle. 14 rounds of wedge later, and it drove good enough to finish ninth.

    I recorded the race and went out for the evening. Kentucky usually means me and the fast-forward button get real chummy. I mean, there is not much to see but round and round and broadcasters telling me what I already can see right before my eyes. Not this time. I had to stay up late. After years of complaining about how awful the broadcasts have been, I finally got what I have been asking for. It was a late night thanks to NBC. If fans discover that they do not want to miss a single word you say, you are doing it right.

    From the land of Daniel Boone, bluegrass, and bourbon, we return to Sunday afternoon and the race in Loudon, New Hampshire. You have to love a place with no state income tax. If you love winds up to 230 mph and temperatures as low as -50, you will love Mount Washington. The state was also the home of the moon’s first golfer in Alan Shepard.

    Loudon is a place where Truex has never won. Both Busch boys, Jimmie Johnson, and Denny Hamlin have, three times each. So has Ryan Newman. The last came in 2011. He sure could use another one this weekend.

  • Hot 20 – Kentucky, where the thoroughbreds will run unless Stenhouse is moving at ramming speed

    Hot 20 – Kentucky, where the thoroughbreds will run unless Stenhouse is moving at ramming speed

    Kentucky. Lord, please not Kentucky. It is a track I have no affinity for, but I will be watching on Saturday night. It is all due to NBC. If you watch the broadcast, and still can not stand NASCAR, it is just not for you. If you do watch it and have any love of the sport, you will stick around. The boys and girls make it damn hard to skip forward, no matter how much you try. You just do not want to miss what they will be saying, and that is everything in sports coverage.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. did not miss anything or anyone, it seemed, last week at Daytona. Now, I am no race car driver. When I drove the computer version, it was in indestructible mode. I missed nothing. If I was a lap or two down, it was because I was driving the wrong way looking to clear the track. I made Dale Earnhardt look like a powder puff competitor in comparison. Stenhouse was not that bad, but do not ask Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, or Kurt Busch, to name just a few. They might think, compared to him, I was the powder puff queen.

    Let us see how hot his pals get with him when they re-enter the fray in Kentucky.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (749 Pts)
    Was running in the Top Two at Daytona, but failed to get by Stenhouse.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS (692 Pts)
    Got taken out at Daytona, but it was not the fault of Stenhouse.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (629 Pts)
    Managed to stay the hell out of the way of Stenhouse.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (594 Pts)
    Hooked by Bubba, and then ran into Harvick. Hey, Stenhouse could not do it all himself.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (618 Pts)
    If you can’t beat Joey at Daytona, beat him and beat him again until the car is toast. That works.

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (448 Pts)
    Won his first race, won it at Daytona, in a duel with the defending Cup champ. That works, too.

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (347 Pts)
    Dillon returned to Daytona. No one noticed this time.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 596 POINTS
    Also known as Stenhouse victim #1.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 566 POINTS
    Also known as Stenhouse victim #2.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 544 POINTS
    Lost a tire, and almost got Stenhouse out. Almost. Imagine the cheers from the garage if he had.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 538 POINTS
    Last week, he actually took natural disaster training before racing against Stenhouse.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 503 POINTS
    A late crash left him 27th last week. His bouncing tire finished well ahead of him.

    13. RYAN BLANEY – 496 POINTS
    Tired of young drivers taking the blame for NASCAR’s diminishing popularity. They shouldn’t.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 461 POINTS
    Will be wearing the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope. It has nothing to do with Stenhouse.

    15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 444 POINTS
    Maybe he could use Stenhouse to clear the way, just like the Bandit did for the Snowman.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 426 POINTS
    Lost points to Daytona’s 17th place finisher who was #1 on the hits parade, and in points earned.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 407 POINTS
    As Frank might have sung, “Friends, he’s had a few, but then again, too few to mention.”

    18. PAUL MENARD – 371 POINTS
    Has joined the “have to win to be in” club.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 332 POINTS
    Will be racing on the dirt at Eldora later this month and the PVR is set and ready to record.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 318 POINTS
    The only Mexican in favor of building a wall, just as long as Stenhouse is on the other side.

    21. WILLIAM BYRON – 318 POINTS
    When Kyle Busch failed to get by Stenhouse, that meant it was time for Byron to go, too.

  • The Final Word – Daytona and NBC delivered the goods, and the bads, on Saturday night

    The Final Word – Daytona and NBC delivered the goods, and the bads, on Saturday night

    Daytona delivered. The action and the broadcast were both superb. If you missed it, you really missed something.

    Unlike Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He missed nothing. On the good, he claimed the opening two stages. He also managed to punt a third-place car, driven by Kurt Busch, into oblivion when he sent Brad Keselowski up toward him, taking out a pretty fair chunk of the field. He was not done. Later, he got the two lead cars when he hooked Kyle Busch, who proceeded to remove William Byron from the point position. When you’ve taken out the top three cars in any race, including both Busch brothers, you have accomplished something.

    Later, when Kyle Larson cut a tire, he hit Stenhouse. Did that finally remove the favorite driver from among his peers? Nope. He managed to finish 17th and collect a total of 40 points for his efforts. Only the race winner matched him in that category. However, Ricky probably lost a hell of a lot of potential Christmas card senders. He should not expect any from a certain family hailing from Las Vegas.

    The herd had been severely culled as they neared the end, but when Kasey Kahne looked out his back window with a dozen laps left to run, there were Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. trying to chase him down. However, that did not last long, as Bubba Wallace hooked Clint Bowyer, who in turn took out Harvick.

    Of course, they could not finish this thing in a single overtime. By the time the second hit the green, it was Truex and Erik Jones coming to the line, with Kahne and Chris Buescher right behind them. Jones got the push, fought off the defending champion, and put himself in the list of Cup drivers with a career victory. A first win, and at Daytona no less.

    With so many sent to the garage, the rest of the Top Ten were not names we usually associate for such a position. For example…

    3. A.J. Allmendinger
    4. Kasey Kahne
    5. Chris Buescher
    6. Ty Dillon
    7. Matt DiBenedetto
    8. Ryan Newman

    Austin Dillon and Alex Bowman were next. Those two names almost sound like Petty and Earnhardt compared to those just ahead of them. Then there was the quartet that finished in the next five positions…

    11. Jeffrey Earnhardt
    12. Brendan Gaughan
    13. D.J. Kennington
    14. Bubba Wallace
    15. David Ragan

    At least one was an Earnhardt and one drove for Petty. For some brighter lights on the marquee, Daytona was a dark, dark Saturday night. Some managed to earn 10 points or less…

    10 – Aric Almirola
    9 – Paul Menard
    9 – Chase Elliott
    7 – Jamie McMurray
    6 – Kurt Busch
    4 – Brad Keselowski
    2 – Daniel Suarez
    1 – Ryan Blaney
    1 – Denny Hamlin
    1 – Joey Logano

    If you want to know what a pinata feels like, ask Logano. In the first big wreck of the night, that boy had his car hit on every corner and places in between. He described it as the crash that went on and on.

    So, with all the mishaps spoiling the betting line, did it shake up our Chase contenders any? Nope. The sixteen in remain the 16 in. Jones is much more secure in his place, while Bowman still holds on to the last rung, 19 points ahead of Stenhouse. I guess you could say Stenhouse hit the wrong guys.

    As for NBC, the second broadcast of the season was just as awesome as the Chicago effort. Next week is another Saturday night in Kentucky. If they can pull off another excellent, interesting, entertaining presentation from that venue, then there would be no doubt that they truly are for real.

    Daytona delivered. So did NBC. In the words of Warden Norton from Shawshank, “Lord! It’s a miracle!” Let us keep those miracles coming.

  • Hot 20 – It is a summer time Saturday night in Daytona

    Hot 20 – It is a summer time Saturday night in Daytona

    Daytona. Usually, I look forward to any race from that track. After Chicago’s race coverage on NBC, I am really looking forward to it. That was the best NASCAR television broadcast in years.

    I like to be informed and entertained, with an odd opportunity to laugh mixed in. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte showed their personal chemistry extends beyond the track and into the broadcast booth. They talked, they joked, they provided insight, and they were fun to listen to.

    Jeff Burton did what we expected the Mayor to do. He was obviously excited to share with us what he saw and what it meant, and that just ratcheted up our own excitement and understanding of what we were witnessing. Rick Allen kept it all nicely wrapped together with his call of the action.

    Add to that the descriptions from pit road, the camera work, and the direction that masterly mixed the audio and the video into a seamless professional package, and NASCAR fans finally got what they deserved. Great television, and from a track few expected to find it.

    It has been a very long time since I’ve been able to answer Sheryl Crow’s question from all those years ago in a positive fashion. I can now.

    Not a boogity, boogity, boogity to be found.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (736 Pts)
    Some did not like the way he won at Chicago, but he is just fine with it…and he got the trophy.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS (674 Pts)
    I am guessing he is not Happy to be referred to as the second-best driver in NASCAR.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (594 Pts)
    Plate racing is not Martin’s thing. Never has been. Might that change on Saturday night?

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (579 Pts)
    Some think Larson could be part of the Big Three. He needs to get by Bowyer and Logano first.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (617 Pts)
    Driving the right make and for the right owner to make waves near Daytona Beach.

    6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (314 Pts)
    Well, they are returning to Daytona. Some think ole Austin never left.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 592 POINTS
    Driving a Penske Ford has meant good results the past few years on the big tracks.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 560 POINTS
    Hates teammates who refuse to just hand over Stage Points. Tough.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 537 POINTS
    Tops list of active drivers with 407 Daytona laps led in 25 starts.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 524 POINTS
    Larson is a true racer, not a snowflake. Learn from him. Don’t be a snowflake.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 495 POINTS
    Along with Larson, the best of the newest generation.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 493 POINTS
    Damn loose wheels.

    13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 442 POINTS
    75 points to the good makes things all good for the seven-time champion.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 435 POINTS
    His dad took 116 races to win his first one. Chase is heading into #95.

    15. ERIK JONES – 408 POINTS
    The 22-year-old is good, good enough for this season, but not as good as he will be.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 390 POINTS
    Good enough as long as someone else behind him in points does not get a win.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 367 POINTS
    23 points can be made up, but his last top five was at Talladega.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 362 POINTS
    Four Top Tens, but five times outside the Top 25. Which Menard will show up at Daytona?

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 316 POINTS
    When it comes to the Chase, no win and he won’t be in. Just ask Dillon as to how that works.

    20. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 309 POINTS
    Jamie is back in as William Byron drops out.

  • The Final Word – NBC and race fans were the big winners in Chicago

    The Final Word – NBC and race fans were the big winners in Chicago

    I was wrong. That is something you do not hear me say very often. How about this, then? The broadcast from Chicago was the best I have seen in years. That is something I do not ever remember saying, writing, or thinking. I did not think Chicago would be much worth watching. Boy, was I wrong.

    Racing is exciting. The NBC crew of Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte sounded like they were excited by what they were watching. Pit reporters Marty Snider, Dave Burns, Kelli Stavast and Parker Kligerman sounded like they were involved in one hell of an event, one they believed we should want to follow closely. Because of them, I did. Even the camera shots, be it the focus on those in the pits, the in-car footage and how it was used, and even the lap by lap coverage of the action seemed to be a step above. Hard as I may, I could not skip ahead. I had to watch and listen. NBC did its job. It is about time someone in the sport finally did. Amen. Amen.

    Clint Bowyer looked heaven sent. Then things went to hell. After charging to the lead, his green flag stop resulted in a penalty for exiting the pits too quickly. When he came in to do his drive-through penance, be damned if the lad did not speed through that, too. Now, he needed to do a stop and go penalty, but he did not stop. Guess what? Yes, back he had to come in yet again. That is one way to turn one’s day into nothing but a pile of frozen horse pucks. In no time, he had gone from first to 35th and three laps down. Well, the car looked nice. So will the one he drives next week.

    It might be cooler in Florida. It was close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in Chicago on Sunday. It was over 155 degrees in the cars, as we discovered through yet another in-car shot. I am sure Bowyer was hot enough due to how his day was going. Chances are, he was more like a dog on the grill, and we were still in the opening stage.

    No one got stage points due to someone else’s pit strategy. They earned them, with Aric Almirola taking the maximum 10. Among those in our top 10 in the standings, Kyle Busch, Bowyer, Austin Dillon, and Denny Hamlin came up empty, replaced by Almirola, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Erik Jones. Only 16 were on the lead lap come break time.

    Almirola remained the story, and with 10 left in the stanza, he recorded his best lap only to pull into the pits. He was sure he had a loose wheel. The team was not sure he did. It was. A smart call by the driver, though he dropped just off the lead lap to 26th. That left it to his teammates, Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick to decide the stage. It literally came down to the final yards heading to the line, with Harvick taking it by .28 of a second. Pretty exciting stuff, and we still had over a hundred laps to go.

    Once again, no one not already in a Chase place picked up any bonus points. Almirola and Jones dropped out this time around, with Hamlin and Bowyer joining the party. A combination of driving like a bat out of hell, strategy, and good fortune delivered through a debris caution that allowed Clint to get back on the lead lap, and he took advantage of it to sit eighth at this point. Blaney took only two fresh tires under the same caution, and that move gained him five spots, to fifth, as they set their sights on the checkered flag run.

    They also had their sights set on the radar. Wet weather was coming in front the west. Hamlin went for a skid, that brought out a caution. That allowed Kyle Busch to finally put his previously ailing beast in the lead coming out of the pits. As he had been with Bowyer, Almirola, and Rowdy’s brother, Harvick was again the hunter.

    Then he became the hunted. Kyle Larson was strong all day, finishing among the top three in the opening two stages. He was stout late and got around Harvick for second. Once again, it was the two Kyles. NBC brought it home with commentary that matched the excitement on the screen as they described the duel to the finish. There was contact as Larson went to the front. Behind him, Busch put on the blade and started up the bulldozer. That contact sent Larson for a skid, yet he finished second. Busch, with his right front flat and about to depart the auto, went to the line for his 48th career victory, his fifth of the season.

    There were boos from the stands. They better have been disappointed Larson fans, as Busch did what the greats have done for decades. Larson, by his own admission, began the car-to-car contact. All Busch did was finish it.

    One Kyle may have won the race, but the other topped the day’s points with 52. Harvick’s 50 came next, followed by the 48 claimed by Martin Truex Jr., who always was among the top five it seemed, as those two finished third and fourth respectively. As for Bowyer, he showed that with a fast car and a p***** off attitude, a man can do amazing things, like finishing fifth.

    I thought Chicago was going to be a dud. I was wrong. The best race of the season, bar none. The chemistry of this broadcast team; the excitement, the information they provided, and the humor is the best we have been blessed with for many, many years. If this is what NBC can deliver from Chicago, just imagine how freaking awesome Daytona is going to be next week.

    Thanks to NBC, NASCAR is back. It is about time.

  • Hot 20 – Chicago presents a Sunday in the park, three days shy of the 4th of July

    Hot 20 – Chicago presents a Sunday in the park, three days shy of the 4th of July

    Last week it was Sonoma, a road course set in a beautiful background with curves and hills and places one could speed up and those where one had to slow down. This week it is Chicago. It is round.

    Okay, so I am not excited by the wonder that is Chicagoland. The name of the 2.5-mile tri-oval gives one the impression of excitement, like an amusement park. If only that were true. Personally, I find the name a little hokey, and the action less than advertised.

    Not so for Kevin Harvick, who won the first two races held there in 2001-02. Martin Truex Jr. has the last two. That comes as bad news for those still seeking that first win of the season. Still, others seeking another victory on this particular track will include Ryan Newman (2003), Kyle Busch (2008), Brad Keselowski (2012, 2014), and Denny Hamlin (2015). Newman needs it the most, but his odds are the longest.

    What we won’t see this Sunday is drivers abandoning bonus points to have a shot at the win. That only paid off at Sonoma for Truex, who won the race. His 40 points matched the total of Keselowski (13th place), was two back of Jimmie Johnson (11th), and nine behind the haul of Chase Elliott (fourth). Bonus points do matter, but not so much if, like Truex, Harvick (second), or Clint Bowyer (third), you already have your golden ticket to the Chase.

    The newly minted Overton’s (formerly the Tropicana, USG Sheetrock, LifeLock.com, GEICO, MyAFib, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Tales of the Turtles) 400 is coming our way on Sunday. The Overton’s Windy City 400 would have been nice. Instead of an attempt to brand the event, next year it could well be the Viagra 400. Well, that is one way to get fans up for a race. Let the excitement begin.

    As for our Hot 20…

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS – 695 Pts
    The betting could come down to just three choices: Rowdy, Happy, or anyone else.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 4 WINS – 1 E.W. – 624 PTS
    His team learned that you do not play poker with Cole Pearn.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS – 546 Pts
    Hey, a crew chief can change his mind, and Truex doesn’t mind at all.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS – 544 Pts
    Sometimes a driver is the hero. Sometimes it is a man named Thomas Selbe.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 584 Pts
    Won his race at Talladega and sits third best in overall points…

    6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 313 Pts
    …while Austin won his race at Daytona and sits 18th in overall points.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 554 POINTS
    Still a bridesmaid, but with two previous Chicago wins, might this be his time?

    8. KURT BUSCH – 524 POINTS
    His Cubs have a World Series, Kurt has a Cup title, but he is still seeking a win at Chicagoland.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 505 POINTS
    Only Texas and Pocono were true duds this season, as the rest has been pretty stout.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 472 POINTS
    Won the pole, and sure looked good for about four laps out in California.

    11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 471 POINTS
    Except for Texas and Richmond, all have been Top 15 results. Danica who?

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 466 POINTS
    Ryan probably did not need to do any arm strengthening exercises this week…or next.

    13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 419 POINTS
    No wins yet, but until two or three behind him get their own wins, he is sitting just fine.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 411 POINTS
    Finished fourth last week, yet claimed the most points.

    15. ERIK JONES – 376 POINTS
    Like man-made climate change, the predictions as to young gun triumphs have been a bit off.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 363 POINTS
    …that is not to say a good number won’t make the Chase…but they might not shake many suds.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 346 POINTS
    I hope he enjoyed the view at Sonoma, as the race sure sucked for him.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 338 POINTS
    Unless that second career win is coming soon, he can not afford to lose any more ground.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 290 POINTS
    On our charts, but only a win can give him a shot at the title this season.

    20. WILLIAM BYRON – 289 POINTS
    To mingle with the Universe, and feel, What I can ne’er express, yet cannot all conceal.*

    * From “There Is Pleasure In The Pathless Woods” – A poem by Lord Byron

  • The Final Word – Sonoma, where even the winner wound up tied for third best in points

    The Final Word – Sonoma, where even the winner wound up tied for third best in points

    Stage points? We don’t need no stinkin’ stage points. Pit late, then say hello to my little friends. Fresh tires. Now, they proved to be the key to victory at Sonoma.

    Sonoma is the most visually appealing track on the circuit. You would not want to walk it. Too damn many hills. When it comes to a little left, a lot of uphill, and a right…just to start with…you had something special going on in California wine country.

    It was a special start for Kyle Larson after winning the pole. That dream went up in dust about four laps later when Martin Truex Jr. took the lead. Larson tumbled down the ladder to finish outside of the Top Ten.

    Truex, now he was something special. So was Kevin Harvick. So was Clint Bowyer. So were Kyle and Kurt Busch. They were the boys up front for most of the opening stage. Then they gave it all up to pit, giving up the bonus ducats to ensure track position in the middle stanza. A.J. Allmendinger claimed the stage, followed by Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, and Chase Elliott. However, when they waved the green again, they were all sitting between 14th and 18th.

    By this time, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Bubba Wallace, and Kasey Kahne were not even among our best 30. They were soon joined by Allmendinger, as the road course ace blew the call and his transmission with a missed shift. About that time, Harvick took over the top spot from Truex, while Jamie McMurray hit the garage with oil pump issues. As we witnessed earlier, in the final laps of the segment, the best came in and the rest managed at least a few points for their efforts.

    When the green waved again, Keselowski, Johnson, and Elliott all had 16 bonus points in the bank. None of our previous race winners this season, all six of them, had any. However, up front, there was Harvick, Truex, Bowyer, and them Busch boys. At least they all had power steering. That was more than Ryan Blaney had, as his hopes for even a Top Thirty got dashed.

    With under 40 to go, it was time for a final pit stop. Atop the Truex pit box, Cole Pearn called for his boy to come in. Harvick’s team heard the call and beat him to the pits. By a lot. It would seem Pearn lied. He had changed his mind and kept Truex out. In fact, Harvick was in eight laps before the defending champion, who even had six lap fresher rubber than Bowyer. That proved to be the key move of the event.

    Eight laps after pitting, Truex used the extra grip he had beneath him and moved past Bowyer into second. Just two circuits later, and Harvick was the next to fall. Those two ducked into the pits for even fresher tires, but now they needed a caution to bunch them all up. It was a caution that never came.

    Truex won his third of the season, the 18th of his career, and his second on the track just outside of San Francisco. As for the runners-up, no harm, no foul. Harvick and Bowyer got back to where they started from before they made their bids for redemption.

    Bonus points did play a role in making it a good day for a few. Elliott managed to cling to fourth and with bonus points, he had a race-best collection of 49 when it was over. Johnson picked up 42, Keselowski had 40, the same tally Truex got for his win. So, stage points really did matter, if you wanted them. The only impact on the charts after Sonoma saw Alex Bowman extend his hold on that final Chase place to 17 points up on Stenhouse. That was pretty much it.

    Coming up is Chicago, a place with its own colorful history. There was Dean O’Banion and his lovely flower shop, and that was nice. At least it was until some had it renovated and its owner ventilated. Say it with flowers, they say. Another chap said it with his little friends and ruined a perfectly good St. Valentine’s Day. I think they would have preferred flowers before the fact rather than after.

    As for Chicago this Sunday, they will want those stinkin’ stage points. Even those who are out to win.

  • Hot 20 – A Sonoma Sunday as the boys are back after their Father’s Day break

    Hot 20 – A Sonoma Sunday as the boys are back after their Father’s Day break

    Father’s Day, or was it Father’s Week? With time off, the boys took a little time for some R&R as they get set for the road course at Sonoma on Sunday. While all had some time with the family, some mixed in some other activities, while others dwelt on the race to come. Among the seven active drivers with a career win there, four have already won multiple times this season. Only Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, and Kasey Kahne have yet to get one in 2018, but most should be relaxed and ready to go this weekend.

    This weekend, our Hot 20 will be turning left…and right…and left…and…

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS – 664 Pts
    Spent his time off on a family vacation on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 4 WINS (1 E.W.) – 589 Pts
    Keelan had to share dad with his sister Piper this year.

    3. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS – 510 Pts
    Near the top of the standings meant it was time for Cash and Clint to go fishing.

    4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS – 506 Pts
    Martin, Senior paved the way for Martin, Junior…and that road seems pretty straight right now.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 566 Pts
    Thanks to Hudson, Joey joined the club in 2018.

    6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 292 Pts
    Back in February, his butt gave birth to a tattoo to celebrate his Daytona 500 victory.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 514 POINTS
    Scarlett’s dad thinks NASCAR should embrace hybrid technology…as long as the car still roars.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 493 POINTS
    Test drove on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during the Catalan GP. He still lives!

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 468 POINTS
    Went golfing in his league of duffers. Bubba Wallace is still not invited back.

    10. RYAN BLANEY – 457 POINTS
    Faith and Begorrah, now where would ye think a nice Irish lad would spend his time off?

    11. KYLE LARSON – 443 POINTS
    Threw out the ceremonial first pitch last week, as the hometown White Sox beat the Indians.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 433 POINTS
    Aric has Alex and Abby. Anyone else notice a trend?

    13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 377 POINTS
    May have worked on his Swiss yodeling since we last saw him.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 362 POINTS
    Went along to make sure Blaney made it back.

    15. ERIK JONES – 346 POINTS
    A crew chief can be just like your daddy, and Erik, Rowdy, and Denny will go without this week.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 331 POINTS
    Arizona boy has been able to share some big moments with his dad, Sean. Next…that first win.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 327 POINTS
    As long as he does not upset Hamlin on the track, he gets to join him on the links.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 327 POINTS
    Considering how he got his start, he damn well better have given John at least a phone call.

    19. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 283 POINTS
    It might have been the day for fathers, but probably it was more about Carter and Hazel.

    20. WILLIAM BYRON – 277 POINTS
    The 20 year old’s Cup career is just 15 races old. Just being a single dude is sweet.